Prayers and Meditations

Starting December 8, we are spending four days in prayers and meditations to mark Akshay's first anniversary on December 12, 2012. A special Trayambaka homam will be performed in Bahrain today. The year has flown past. Sweet memories of times spent with Akshay have lessened the heartache somewhat.

Tennyson has described the state of grief beautifully-
I sometimes hold it half a sin,
to put in words the grief I feel
For words, like Nature half reveal,
and half conceal the Soul within

This year the weather is unusually warm for December and the jasmines are in full bloom are making it feel like summer. There is absolutely no chill in the air, and that usual winter craving for plum cakes and stuff is just not there. They say it is El Nino effect - nah I think it is El Akshay. Nature responds to tragedies in her own way!

Bulbul's Nest

This bulbul was nesting in Vaishali during Akshay's visit to India in July 2011. With his mother away at the training he was feeling rather lonely and I had narrated the bulbul's story to him to cheer him up and sent him a few pictures too.

 

Knots and Crosses with Traditional Toys

Playing knots and crosses with Kondapalli toys

 

Had gifted a similar set of the game to five year old Akshay. He loved the 'little men'!

 

 

A Precious Keepsake

Six year old Akhsay had given me six of these precious ticket coupons that he won at the Forum Mall game arcade. On a visit to Bangalore in 2007, we had visited the Xtreme Zone. Akshay was happy making a stone castle for his little 'men' that he had brought along - least interested in the Xtreme activities of the place. On the way back we thought we should have saved ourselves the trouble and made it to Cubbon Park instead.

Tongue Twisters

I had some fun sharing these tongue twisters with Akshay

******
If two witches would watch two watches

Which witch would watch witch watch?

****
One One was a race horse
Two Two was one too
When One One won one race
Two Two won one too!!

Crunchy ripe guavas

"I'm hungry for a snack" Akshay would say between meals.Fresh fruit was a ready snack that Akshay loved. A plate of crunchy ripe guavas would be hijacked immediately. One year end get together at Gannavaram was quite memorable. Suchit was at his whackiest, teaching Akshay all the mad things only an older brother can teach a younger one. Specially the mad parodies of Telugu ads which Akshay learnt dutifully and repeated. Everyone was laughing till their sides hurt.

Coming back to his love of all things fresh, he loved raw cucumber just as much. On one visit to Bangalore, Akshay stuffed himself with cucumber at lunchtime, first he finished off the cucumber in his plate- then went for the cucumber in my plate, and nanima's plate, then smiled so sweetly.

With School Friends

That's Akhsay in front of his school with his friends