Ocean or Rivers or both

Welcome to another day of Trivandrum Diaries.

As I pondered deeply over a question do I prefer the mountains or the ocean? I found myself stuck in a sweet dilemma. I love both equally. Each holds a special place in my heart, comforting me like my mother’s embrace. So today, I decided why choose? Let’s visit both places.

The day began early. I felt a bit lazy to get out of bed, but somehow managed to pull myself up and get ready. I had a strong feeling that it could turn out to be a wonderful day and I didn’t want to miss it. Before sunrise, we were already on the road, heading toward Rajadhani College in Trivandrum as my sister had an exam. The drive was smooth with empty roads, but true to Kerala’s roads, they were full of bends and curves, which made me slightly carsick.

Upon reaching the college, I felt relieved. I sat down and sipped a cup of tea it was just what I needed to refresh myself.

While my sister went in for her exam, we decided to explore a nearby viewpoint. The road leading there was rough and unpaved, but the destination made it worth every bump. The view was breathtaking. Strong winds brushed against my face, filling me with energy, and the shadows of drifting clouds danced across the trees below as though nature was playfully hiding each one from the burning sun.

After spending some peaceful time there, we returned to the college to wait for my sister. Once she came back, we headed for lunch and then made our way to our next destination: Anjengo Fort.

This fort, perched on the Malabar coast, offers a stunning view of the sea. Built by the East India Company, it holds great historical significance. Close to the fort stands a towering lighthouse, adding to the colonial charm of the place.

From there, we walked down to the beach nearby. It was there that I witnessed something truly mesmerizing: the point where the river meets the ocean. A distinct line separated the two bodies of water as if each was claiming its own space, refusing to blend just yet. I’ve seen three different oceans converge at Kanyakumari, but this was my first time seeing a river and sea meet. It reminded me of how mysterious and awe-inspiring nature is crafted so perfectly, each part fulfilling a unique purpose.

Tired but content, we drove back home.

Meeting both the mountains and the ocean on the same day was magical. It felt like the best of both worlds nature and history, wind and waves, past and present all woven into one beautiful journey.

Tourist family

Words fell short as emotions spoke

It had been a long time since someone had suggested a movie to me. I usually lean towards thrillers or mysteries, but today I felt inspired to watch this particular film after it was highly praised by the person who recommended it.

I started the movie with no expectations. Since it was in Tamil, I initially found it a bit difficult to follow due to the unfamiliar dialect. However, I was genuinely captivated by how beautifully the language was spoken as it felt almost poetic.

I was slightly disappointed when the subtitles didn’t appear, but thankfully, I had my personal translators (Mom and Chechi) by my side to help me with the challenging words. It was comforting to have such great company to share the experience with.

At first, the plot left me confused, as I couldn't quite grasp what was happening. But as the story progressed, I realized it wasn’t just centered on one family rather it brought together several families, who eventually became one big, united family.

The film had many heartwarming moments between spouses, parents and children, friends, and their individual priorities. It also carried a powerful message about honesty where it is highlighted in a scene where a character only secures a job after being truthful about himself.

By the time the movie ended, I hadn’t even noticed how much time had passed. It was truly engaging in an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am deeply grateful to the person who recommended it.

Trivandrum diaries

As we left home, the weather was pleasant. We reached the bus stop and quickly boarded a bus. At first, we were in a hurry, worried we might miss our train. But to our surprise, we were actually quite early. So, we walked leisurely, bought our tickets, and took some time to rest our legs, preparing ourselves for the long journey ahead.

The train ride felt incredibly short and swift. I vividly remember getting on board, and before I knew it, the trip was over—like a blur. Time seemed to fly past, just like the greenery outside, with trees and plants zipping by the window.

Our first destination was the British Library in Kerala. Climbing the stairs to the reading area gave me a sense of calm and elegance. The seats were occupied by students and elderly readers, immersed in their worlds—people who clearly spend a lot of their time there. The place was so quiet that even the sound of footsteps echoed through the halls. As I entered the main reading section, I was amazed by the sight—rows upon rows of neatly arranged books. After spending some time exploring, we descended the steps and exited, only to be greeted by a grand banyan tree. Its roots hung beautifully, shaping the tree in a way that reminded me of how books shape and nurture our minds.

Next, we headed to Lulu Mall, known as the largest mall in Asia. The moment I saw it, I could tell it lived up to its reputation. We drove around for a while looking for a parking spot, and after a few laps, we finally found one. Since it was a weekday, the crowd was relatively light.

As we ascended via the elevator, the place grew brighter and more vibrant. A miniature installation caught our eye—it was an artistic representation raising awareness about waste disposal in water bodies. It was creatively designed and deserved genuine appreciation. There were also sculptures of plastic trees that added a unique, aesthetic touch.

Time flew by as we wandered from aisle to aisle, admiring the variety of beautiful items on display. I was particularly excited to try different kinds of refreshing drinks and snacks. I even tasted dragon fruit for the first time—it was nothing like what I had expected, but surprisingly enjoyable.

Eventually, our legs began to tire, and our stomachs growled in unison—clearly, it was lunchtime. We made our way to Mandi Manzil, a place that truly lived up to its name as our final stop of the day. The ambiance was lovely, and the food was absolutely mouthwatering.

Finally, we drove back home with soft music playing in the background and casual conversations filling the car. It was a memorable day—one more wish ticked off the list. It also reminded me how much the people we travel with matter—friends who match our vibe make the journey even more special.

A beautiful gift

 

Watching the trees

Dancing to the wind

Enjoying the company 

Of the clouds and breeze.

The music of cicadas

Singing to the breeze

Telling a never-ending tale

Of the day without a fail.

A moment of calmness

Just nature and me

To nurture my tired soul

And bring back the lost me.

A short vacation 

To let go the chaos

A long lasting blessing 

Just for you and me.

Let's save the trees

Water, soil, land

And the air we breathe

Not just today but everyday.

            

                     ______ Beera Rajan

Water Pollution

When we talk about environmental issues the first most important issue turns out to be pollution. This issue has been present for a very long time. The pollution affects everyone equally that includes both flora and fauna. When we talk about the environment we do realize that it is our home where we are supposed to co-exist. 

We give utmost care to our homes by often cleaning and maintaining it but not our surroundings. Why is that? Everyone seems to neglect the fact that our home is a place where we can relax but with all the issues caused by men, how can they even relax? People often suffer from problems in lungs due to breathing bad quality air, they have other internal as well as external problems due to drinking unclean water, they also lose hearing abilities due to excessive noise. Pollution can be seen in a wide range, to be more specific there are seven types of pollution. Those include air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, radioactive pollution, light pollution, noise pollution and thermal pollution. Today I would like to discuss water pollution. 

WATER POLLUTION

Water is an essential part for survival, around 80% of the earth's surface is surrounded with water. 97% of the total resources are not useful for domestic agriculture and industry. The sewage and wastewater that is produced by each household is chemically treated and released into the sea with fresh water. The sewage water carries harmful bacteria and chemicals that can cause serious health problems. 

Pathogens are known as a common water pollutant;  Microorganisms in water are known to be causes of some very deadly diseases and become the breeding grounds for other creatures that act like carriers. These carriers inflict these diseases via various forms of contact onto an individual. A very common example of this process would be Malaria.

Industries produce huge amount of waste which  contains toxic chemicals and pollutants which can  cause water pollution and damage to us and our  environment.They contain pollutants such as lead, mercury,  sulfur, asbestos, nitrates and many other harmful  chemicals. Many industries do not have proper waste  management systems and drain the waste in the  fresh water which goes into rivers, canals and later into sea.The toxic chemicals have the capability to change  the color of water, increase the amount of minerals,  also known as Eutrophication, and change the  temperature of water. 

The picture shows a river that is near the city in a place called Faridabad. This river had clean water flowing through it, and that was around fifteen years ago. As years went by people neglected the water body and started throwing waste which got accumulated as years went by causing the current condition of the river.

It's very sad to see this part of our earth that is slowly being unfit for use. The place where once it was filled with fishes is nothing more than just black water. This is just one place and I know there are lot of places just like this and it's slowly harming us too. 

Our earth is slowly dying and sadly we are responsible for it. I hope it won't be too late to save our environment.

When the phone rings

Unexpected calls,

Unexpected hours,

A caring voice appears,

When the phone rings.

A wrinkled face,

With million smile lines,

A flash image appears,

When the phone rings.

"Mole, Did you eat lunch?"

"Is it raining there?"

Just two lines,

When the phone rings.

" Grandma, How are you?"

Overpowered by her care,

A moment a day,

When the phone rings.

A loving calm voice,

Everyday without fail,

Sweet forty four seconds,

When the phone rings.

A Rainy day in Delhi

Rain in Delhi sounds wonderful as it's quite rare here. But as soon as it happens, it provides relief along with quite an unsettling feeling, as after rain comes the extreme summers where the afternoon burns extremely and the nights are too got to sleep. It's not rare to find people wearing scarves and holding an umbrella to prevent direct sunlight during the day.

After a hot summer's day, the slight drizzle and the pitter-patter sounds of the rain calms the raging heat within. Providing relief to everyone as they all stand at their windows watching the rain. The doors and windows would be open to let the breeze cool our home.

During the summers, the ground will be too dry as the moisture gets evaporated quickly, dust in the air, and other air pollutants. After the first rain, it settles down, giving fresh air to breath. The smooth scent of the rain gushes towards your nose, giving a hypnotizing effect. 

A cup of hot coffee with some pakoda (hot crispy snack) and soft music just brings out the aesthetic feeling while pouring out joy in our hearts. It's not the same for all. I know. Some might hate the moisture in the atmosphere or the splashes of water on the roads or even the wet mud sticking to their shoes. I do sometimes feel the same, but rain is just a blessing that occurs once in a while, so it's always good to cherish it while it lasts.

Enjoying the rainy days in our own ways sure makes it much better and special.

The Third Level by Jack Finney

We all try to escape from reality that disrupts the peace and it provides comfort. The short story that we will discuss talks about one such escape from reality.

The story " The Third Level" by Jack Finney is about a man who finds a mysterious place that is similar to a portal that takes him to the past. We are all always curious about time travel, going back to the past, escaping this harsh modern life and finding peace in a simple life. Isn't it just amazing, and what if it actually becomes true? Since the author is an American writer, the plot revolves around the American context. Let's begin with the title, the title shows the location of a mysterious place where the entire story takes place. As the short story begins, we see the superiors of the station making an oath, claiming that there are only two levels, but Charley, the protagonist, claims that there are not only two but rather three levels to the station. Here's where the mystery starts: how did he see the mystery level, and what proof is there of his claim?

As the story goes forward, we meet his psychiatric friend who claims that Charley is having a ' waking wish fulfillment' which means that he is daydreaming because of his modern insecurities and worries, and he wants to escape from reality. As a way to escape from reality, he had a hobby of collecting stamps, but he justifies saying that having a hobby necessarily does not mean a way to escape from reality. 

Then he starts the story of his experience of how he discovered the mysterious third level and what he saw there. The detailed description of the Grant central station draws up a picture in our mind, leading us to stand at the very same station, walking along with Charley. He walks along various tunnels, finally leading to an exit towards the third level, and he sees a totally different world, somewhat similar to his past life. The description of the place and the year 1894 indicates him travelling to the past. He wanted to take his wife along and stay there, but the currency he had was not the same as the past, which led him to go back to the present and exchange it for the currency from the past. Later, when he tries to go find the Third level, he cannot find it, leading to his disappointment and disregarding it as an illusion.

One day he finds a letter among his grandfather's letter collection and when he opens it he find the letter addressed to him by his friend Sam, who was a psychiatrist initially called his discovery of the third level but later he started searching for it leading him to go to the past and start a small business of his own and leading a peaceful life.

The characters Charley and Sam are a reflection of individuals who are tired from the rat race and the monotonous life that they live. This repetition leads to the search for something exciting and adventurous. We all live in an illusion, convincing ourselves that people in past lived a very peaceful time, but if it's true, wouldn't they want to pass down their same livelihood to the younger generation rather than finding various technologies to make life better? As I understand that every era had its own struggles, and changes were only made to overcome these struggles. Instead of running away, we need to try to find something interesting to do along with our daily activities.

Art Work

Busy schedule seems to be hectic and tiresome. The adrenal rush seems to work at that moment but as the work is completed the body gives out losing all the energy making us feel lethargic.

I had lots of written work which led me to sympathised with all the students who have lots of assignments to write during their college days.

My work was not limited to files but it also had art and craft work which consumes a lot of time but it was refreshing. I prefer doing crafts instead of writing. 

The wall hanging, photo frame and flowers took lot of time but the final look was beautiful decorating home aesthetically. The wall hanging has a cardboard based with orange strips and the boundary with small flowers made of glitter paper, with an origami bird sitting at the branch. The words 'Home Sweet Home' is attached to the end with little bells.

After a long time of hardwork the final result brings out an unexpected joy at the beautiful craftwork.

Waste to Wonder theme park

 

We are long aware of the seven wonders of the world, as we have been taught about them since childhood. It feels different from what we read in books and how it actually looks in reality. It would hit differently when we witness with our eyes. Before witnessing the real wonders it would be amazing to witness the representation first.

This theme park is called "Waste to Wonder" and has a representation of all the wonders of the world made with waste materials, mostly metals and other spare parts. It's amazing how real it looks if not for the metals being used. It's a great place for children as they feel excited about identifying what they saw and knew only from books.

The theme park also has models of different types of dinosaurs, which we are very much known from books and movies. There were recorded sounds being played which felt as if it were the dinosaurs' growls. There also was a representation of two dinosaurs fighting, causing destruction through the portrayal of damaged cars.

The entire walk inside the theme park feels like a mini forest where there are different dinosaurs in the territory, whether land or water is present. The end of the walk leads to a huge dinosaur which has a slide attached to its tail where children can slide from its belly till the end of its tail. It was a fun walk to refresh our knowledge.

Sports day

Sports day is always athletic, but it only starts at the venue, but for me, it started from the bus stand. It was a foggy winter morning, so I thought the whole day might be dull, but thankfully the sun shone brighter than most days. As I left home at a slow pace, I did not expect to run for the bus.

After running after the bus, it took me quite a while to calm down, but still, all's well that ends well. The event started by 11 am and carried on till 3:30 pm. We had a march past followed by the pledge to begin the event.

We began with the 100m race, and it was tough. It's been years since I ran on a track, so it felt so unfamiliar. We also had games like kabbadi, relay, three-legged race, lemon and spoon race, etc. It was fun, and time passed by quickly.

As the day came to an end, none of us could feel our legs. It was a fun and tiring day. We all sat in a circle basking in the sun in the winter afternoon chatting and relaxing. A fun sports day bringing the child hidden somewhere within jumping and running around the ground.