A Past Year This Time

It is difficult to make sense of time passing when I am not writing the events down, jotting it somewhere, may be just in an attempt to blog relevantly again. Adulting is realizing badly that you won't have time to write unless you make time for it actively, consciously. And it had taken a backseat for me for the past few months - from September last year till now, to be precise. 

September Cherry had come. We three had a lot of fun exploring Chikmagalur : peeking into the temples of Halebeedu enroute, drenching ourselves on the short trek to a peak, and frolicking alongside a beautiful lake surrounded by fog covered luscious green mountains. We went to high energy twisty adrenaline rushing rides in Wonderla, spent hours dipped in the pools, waves, the joyrides and the fun and excitement of being half submerged in water and having buckets and buckets being poured over, oh the thrill of it, was my very first experience, soon to become an addiction with water- pools, sea beach frolicking, and what not.

October was home - Bhubaneshwar and then Keonjhar, my parents visiting my in laws. It was so much fun. I enjoyed the get together wholesomely. We went to KainJhara. 

And went on a trip to Khiching temple with family. It was fun. Life at Keonjhar is happening. I can start to visualize myself wanting this life in the long run, may be many years in the future. We went to Salapada also, to uncle's place, met all the sisters, attended the ring ceremony and it was a fun bus ride, me wearing salwar suit.

November was Diwali and the onset of Kartika masa, the avoidance of onion and garlic and every non-vegetarian food, bada osa - panchuka - kartika purnima - visiting temples in the morning - the chalk patterns near the tulsi tree, colorful designs, the boita bandana and danga bhasani.

Then came Margasira masa, prathamastami, I went to Bhubaneswar, met with my friends Sagarika, Arpita and Sonam. December was Prateek's engagement, the bus ride back home to Keonjhar and us planning our way back to Bangalore.

December the farm bhoji - the yummy chicken pakoda (wow it tasted like heaven in my mouth, the taste still lingers). I want to try making that some day here at Bangalore. Loved the farm. It was so beautiful a place, so many memories of a single day, so much fun with family. I tried climbing a tree - a first of the many firsts in my life since I became a part of this amazing family. We tracked the elephant footprints, and waded our way through the bushes.

Went to Goa for the new year, didn't upload posts in the social media. We rode on scooty, miles and miles exploring churches, hopping from one beach to another, eating exotic items on menu, trying goan fish fry, and downing cups of coffee, and walking in the sea waters. This was South Goa. The sea side cottages so alluring, and tourists though sparse than expected from all over the country, the roads winding, curving up and down through the mountains beside the Arabian Sea. We watched the sunrise from amidst the sea on a speedboat and the sunset from the beach. The waters were so magnanimous and never-ending and so were the mountains, the rocks amidst the waters, the several beaches, the wonders of low tides that disappeared once the moon rose the tides high. The beauty of the Cape Goa Restaurant near Cabo de Rama fort, the ruins of old goan fort - a story of Portuguese war and a win - rich in history. His stories made them so much more interesting. The bluest waters juxtaposed with the equally blue sky. And a few rocks protruding and a few ships lining the horizon. Loved the scene. Captured them well. Next time to North Goa, with friends or more company and may be another to South Goa with family. Have vindaloo, cafreal, xacutti and kingfish rawa fry.

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2023