Monday 21 September 2015

Onathumbi - Globe Skimmer Dragonflies



Though I hail from the south of India, I do not know much about the rituals and their purpose that are followed outside my state, Tamil Nadu.

Recently a pookolam competition was held in our building and all I could think of was Mahabali returning amidst prosperity and equality and all the remaining story of how Vishnu, in the form of Vamana placed his feet on the head of the righteous king Bali.

One more interesting phenomenon associated with Onam is the Onathumbi.

During the season, the Onathumbi or the Globe Skimmer Dragonflies migrate towards Africa.

They form a huge aggregation as they migrate. Crores of dragonflies come together forming large aggregation, in order to keep bee-eaters and other predators away. By the month of October they reach the coast of Maldives and then through multi-generational migration they reach Africa from South India.

The average age of this dragonfly is five months and by the time the migration is complete the aggregation is completely replaced with new members.

The Onathumbi not only helps in pollination of flowers that bloom abundantly in Kerala, leading to the celebration of Onam with ‘kolam’ or designs made out of flowers or ‘poo’, but they also curb the mosquito menace. The dragonfly feeds on mosquitoes and even at the larva stage they feed on mosquito larva.

Every place has its traditional practices, which when seen from outside seems more ritualistic, but when the spirit behind the practice is understood, it is a lesson that can be cherished.

Preserving traditional practices ensures that vital information in the form of these lessons can be passed on from generation to generation!

Our entry for the pookolam competition...

Saturday 19 September 2015

Vamana, come back!

God's own country Kerela,
Along with earth has fallen to man's ego!
God himself has no place to stay,
As the powerless sun is burning in his own hot ray!

The fire and water, soil and air,
Need a place to thrive, safe and fair!
Take life away, to yonder space,
Clean and safe, away from man's corrupting ways!

God, come back with your one foot,
If not the entire earth, you can save life's root!
Liberate nature as we are at our very low,
Come God, your Novah's arc needs a boatman to row!


God, come back to cleanse the earth of the accumulated pollution...


Picture Courtesy: Mrs. Shobana Ramakrishnan

Thanks Shobana, for the picture and the thought. It was a pleasure seeing the thoughts so beautifully pictured. You never fail to inspire me!

Tuesday 15 September 2015

The tiny drop of water!




Like a silver bell she danced around
Filling the air with a blissful sound!
She gurgled joyously like a little child,
Her steps were gentle, her mood mild!

Naively she danced with playful feet,
To the soulful sounds of nature’s beat!
She was the giver who asked for nothing,
As giving happily made her dance and sing!

But a callous taker is unkind and demanding
And takes as long as she is not complaining!
He took more than what she could happily give,
With anger she rose, making him unfit to live!

A tiny drop of water filled the space around her
As she was filled with filth and felt dirty and queer!
A tiny drop of playful water flooded the wide earth,
Washing away her dirt, leaving life hoping for re- birth! 


Her steps were gentle and her mood was mild...

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