Christmas thoughts!!

Back at home, Christmas arrived with foggy winter mornings, aroma of fruit cakes, fragrance of dewy pink roses, merriment of holidays after exams, Christmas carols at night, glittery paper-stars decorating the entrance of every home, seasonal bazaars selling new year and Christmas greeting cards and sparklers.Of all these,journey through the rugged mountain terrains of Kerala with hair pin roads and the vacation spent in the eastern highlands used to be the most exciting part. The roads were carved along the mountains and all along one side were high mountains while the other were deep valleys. Peeping through the window one could see the hair pin curves down the mountain looking like threads folded and vehicles appeared to be slow moving tiny insects balancing on those. Huge water falls appeared like tiny springs and the tea plantations blanketing the mountains added to the rich and lush green beauty of the highlands. I have the feeling of inertia while travelling, I wish every journey is endless and as a child I had distinct signs along the way indicating nearness to the destination and that always gave me a melancholy feeling.

All along the Christmas vacation the Sun rose late and that gave an excuse to wake up late. Roses of all shades of red and pink and white grew rather well in that climate. I felt that the way people talk there was greatly influenced by the climate. Their voice had the fast rhythm to chase away cold and the slight shivering induced by it. Cardamom and pepper grew well and we kids had great time playing in make-shift homes and kitchens in their shades. Going for movies and visiting temples with relatives, in the evening used to be great fun. Street lights were a rarity and I remember closing my eyes and hanging onto mom's hand while walking amidst cardamom plantation when all we could hear was the symphony of crickets. As we kids grew up uncles got married and settled in different locations, cousins grew big and the stories they told me walking around the courtyard changed from fairy tales to film stories and novels...Childhood left me...but still Christmas comes accompanied by foggy mornings and as I sleep I see a starry night and a group of cheerful carol singers led by 'Santa Clau's coming to my door step singing 'jingle bells' and 'Silent Night' ....

Christmas Tree at Vivo City