Sandy's space

Mullickghat Flower Market, I join you here to pick up the broken pieces

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 23:25:33 GMT

To day I am here to share the tragedy of Mullickghat Flower Market.
http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/marigolds_of_mullickghat/

This amazing flower market was almost burnt to ashes on night of 11th April 2008.
http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/comments/mullickghat_flower_market_burns/

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080412/jsp/frontpage/story_9129093.jsp

This is one particular place where I love to visit whenever I find my self down in spirit.

I was first taken to this market by a close friend, to purchase some flowers to decorate the church for our son's marriage, Febuary. 2004.

After two years when I first learnt how to use the camera , I took my husband with me to visit this flower market : 30 July 2006.

We were so amazed by the market scene, especially me, like a child finding a new ground to explore.I went on clicking my handycam... when we came home, I found I had taken more than a thousand photographs in Mullickghat that day!!...

Yes, the market looks so old and broken... but the basic human feeling for supporting each other to survive through flowers is very much in this market, and it makes one feel so fresh and ageless.

It's a very, very crowded place, yet you'll neither find your pokect being pinched nor you being cheated or mugged.
They keep their cool when they find a transport vehicle breaking down in the midst of their stalls, patiently they will hope the mechanic repairs the truck fast...

When they saw me with great enthusiasm with my camera, they would smile for me and even offer me a flower!!

At one point of time, it started drizzling... and I lost sight of my husband in this sea of human..I, being so small and tiny, it was not possible for me to locate him or he to see me, though I tried to stretch my neck as long as I could... I must have looked very helpless, therefore, one flower seller offered me his stool and allowed me to stand on it to locate my husband!!
I had added 3 ft. to my 5ft. height, that had enabled me to be tall enough for my husband to see me!!

In the meantime, I was getting so much encouragement from my dear friend Julie Ardery

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://humanflowerproject.com/images/uploads/on-the-road-to-lautrec.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/about/&h=398&w=400&sz=88&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=4-7QXW7Qp2j7CM:&tbnh=123&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Djulie%2Bardery%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DGGLR,GGLR:2006-02,GGLR:en%26sa%3DN

and the great support from my husband Bendangnungsang Ao http://morungexpress.com/index.php?news=3866

I went on visiting Mullickghat , and each time I visited this place I'd come back home feeling so fullfilled.

I learnt so many things that I had never bothered to learn, be it flowers, custome, or human behaviour....

And Mullickghat has become a healing touch for me ever since...
I love to see the madness with which the flowers are being valued by the sellers, growers and the buyers.
I try to get drunk with the perfume from the flowers that's floating in the market air.
Each season has its special scent, during winter the marigolds smell so sweet, that it makes you turn your head to search for the flowers.
I guess that's exactly how this sweet smell works on the insects to locate the flowers.
Once in a while I'd peep through the shoulders of the humans to get the beautiful sight of the faithful Hoogly with its beautiful Howrah Bridge..

This place is like a complete community living in hormony.
With the tea makers offering a good cup of tea in a small terracota cup; the locally made ice cream/lemonade to cool oneself in the summer heat; the coconut flesh to quell the rumbling tummy ; the sweet water melon to refresh the dry throat; the blacksmith to sharpen the knife in his cycle stone grinder...
This is the only place where one never hears of anyone complaining of the summer heat!

In fact, it is the most eco- friendly place ...

If one can afford, there will be a small table fan near his stall, or else, a palm/plastic fan is good enough to keep oneself cool...
who needs the air conditioners?
The gods/goddesses never ask flowers that need to be kept in the air coditioner!

Only the exotic flowers sellers need an air condition stall..
but then when it is too comfortable, the owner goes off to sleep!!!

For cold storage?

There are men who sell ice in plastic bags, and this packet of ice can be kept amidst the flowers to prevent them from wilting in the summer heat!!

Who says we need a modern building for the flowers?
We do not need to become multi- millionaire through flowers...

we need only the faithful devotees to come and collect the right flowers for the right gods/goddesses... The way Mullickghat has been doing for the last 125 years....

Dirty? But they are only waste from the flowers... it's organic dirt... why not turn around and look at the river bank and see the dirt that has been ignored!!

But then, the mystery fire did take place on this weekend...

Every one was speechless....
I was speechless too.. I went and visited all the familiar faces....Yes, there is sadness in the eyes..there is the smell of burnt wood in the air but the devotees still have the faith; the sweet smells of the flowers make them know the gods/goddesses will bless them ever more nevertherless...

I came back home feeling stronger, and I believe Mullickghat will rise again like the phoenix- come alive from the ashes again and again...

There will be a modern facilities for the flower market in Mullickghat very soon, but the people will continuously selling the flowers abundantly in the same old fashion to please the gods/ goddesses . For that's the only way they know.

I know Mullickghat will be my healing touch once again, I will pick up my own broken pieces within me as the way the humans in Mullickghat are doing now!

(The first 7 pictures - Mullickghat after the fire.
The remaining pictures - taken during my earlier tirps to the market)

My birthday

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:19:16 GMT

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

My Birthday

I think I am like my little granddaughter, how she loves birthdays.
Today is my birthday... 16th Jan, I am 60!!

But to be honest, physically, I do feel every bone of mine is 60 years old, otherwise, I feel I am as young as my one year old girl!

There are so much to learn and so much to discover... how can I feel old?!

When I have so many loved ones, be it family members or friends who are constantly giving me strength and support, and making me live my life so beautifully for the last 60 years.

Today, being my birthday, let me thank you all for making me feel life so wonderful..Especially to my mother who gave birth to me... Mom I love you.

You should see how my little one enjoys my birthday more than any one of us, and she thinks today is her birthday!.... How she loves the strawberry cake which her mother bought... and how she enjoys the flowers that her fahter bought for me... and how my husband still think I can look as young as ever through his lens...!!!

Looking at my little one, I begin to imagine, when I am 81 years old like my mother, would I become a great grandmother like her?
For, by that time our little one will be 22....

I guess I'll have to start singing "when I am 84".... not 64...!!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Tue, 25 Dec 2007 23:20:59 GMT

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Without knowing, it's Christmas time again...
Here's wishing every one a Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New year...
And as usual, I am having my sweet little grandchild to be our well wisher in Sandy's Space..
I am sure we will have another wonderful New Year (2008) ahead of us...

My Moon

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 11:46:25 GMT

I do not know if it is because I am not active with my blog or time flies off faster than I thought?

And it appears most of my writeup are of "Birthday".

Well, for a change today I will share here with you:"My Moon".

In the past few years , after the Chinese Moon Festival, the urge to paint would always take place in me. And I would be painting for a while in this season.

May be this is one of the most romantic seasons in the Chinese calendar....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Autumn_Festival

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=t&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLR,GGLR:2006-02,GGLR:en&q=moon+festival+china

With the crisp air and the clear night sky one tends to calm down and wants to dream away one's fantasy...

But, this year without knowing, The Moon Festival was over and I haven't eaten any Moon Cakes!!

Fortunately the romantic air is there and the urge to paint is still there...

But, before I seriously start painting, come join me in "My Moon" in Sandy's Space.

I guess every one loves gazing up to see

The azure sky,

The clouds,

The rain and its rainbow,

The rising, and the setting sun.

In the twilight we will try to search out

The morning star,

The evening star, the Polaris and

The moon.

Of course not wanting to miss any shooting stars that streak across

The universe.

And this season ( Autumn) to see the milky way

With the faint light of the moving satellite and the jet airplane adding extra

Twinkle in the dark night sky...

Endless imaginations and wonders,

These heavenly bodies offer to us. Especially

the moon and the stars...

Here are few pictures of "My Moon".

I used the simplest digital cameras, (Sony handy cam, Sony digital cam and Olympus) and experimented my mood with the Moody moon.

Third and the last four pictures were taken during one Live concert where Allan and his group played one of their best performances.

With their sweet music in the air and the gentle wind moving the leaves,

the moon looked so beautiful and abstract...

I guess I need not write more than this,

as the most versatile object is on the centre stage of

Sandy's Space...

Enjoy her eternal performance...

supposed to be a floating museum

Sun, 23 Sep 2007 11:52:00 GMT

(Actually this was one of my fond blogs in Sandy's Backyard : http://sandyao.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html

At that time, I was just learning how to take photographs from my husband--Bendangnungsang Ao.(The first picture is his).

I guess as a beginner , one always come up with fresh views in everything one does.

And to be honest, these pictures bring lots of satisfaction to me... mainly seeing how the simple bomboo stumps

and the pond transformed into some abstract pictures....

May be my urge for taking up the brushes to start painting was not happenig due to travelling oft., at that point of time, and able to get some images that similiar to a painting compensated the urge!)

I wonder if everyone has a 'Penny lane' and 'Strawberry Fields Forever' in one's backyard.

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Penny-Lane-lyrics-The-Beatles/E3F5C9971741CE6148256BC20014277E

http://www.youtube.com/v/YHBKAyn17vw

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Strawberry-Fields-Forever-lyrics-The-Beatles/D9A941B443BA338B48256BC200142A40

http://www.noolmusic.com/blogs/YouTube_Music_Videos_60s_70s_-_Beatles_-_Strawberry_Fields_Forever.shtml

This is my 'Penny lane', situated at the backyard of the Government College of Arts and Crafts ,Calcutta. It's a place where we used to hang out and dream of becoming a Picasso, Van Gough or a Monet... Wow ... Once in a while, there would be a fish popping up to greet us and add some beautiful ripples on the surface of the water making our dreams so much like Salvador Dali's world...

Well , many years back, The Indian Museum of Calcutta planned to build a floating museum on this pond, but somehow the project did not take off, leaving behind these bamboo stumps in the pond.

During the rainy seasons, with the reflections of the bamboo stumps, buildings and plants around the pond, we see the pond transformed into a beautiful piece of art ... we must say God is the greatest artist and Nature is his masterpiece.

Recently, I noticed that my little granddaughter was aware of her shadows when she was 7 months old... and she was crawling after her shadow! May be we all love to see the mystery of the shadows?!

So, come and share with me these almost like Chinese Brush Art painting pictures of my 'Penny lane'...

Happy birthday to our little Ayinla

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 22:23:53 GMT

It sure is a good season for me for I've just finished wishing my mother on her 81st birthday.
And today I am here wishing our little grand daughter Ayin on her first birthday!

" HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you, Ayin.(31/8)

It seems it was only yesterday that you were born. I remember the boundless joy you brought to us when we saw the first sight of your delicate life coming into this world, tenderly holding you in our arms and frightened of hurting you..

I remember our excitement of watching your smiles , your cries and your movements..

The sleepless night on the first day of your birth, pitying on how you tried to adjust to the strange surroundings which was going to be your world thereafter.

The endless changing of nappies, rocking and cleaning, the nursery rhymes, your seasonal illness...

The excitement of your first sucking on your mother's breast, your first tooth, your first turning, your first sitting, your first crawling, your first word "Papa", your first standing, your first step..

Today when you turn one year old, you are running around calling us our respective names.

Singing along with us and dancing along with the music...

In fact you have turned into a perfect one year old child..

Your father and mother are both rather quiet persons. Before you came into their life, their house used to be so neat and tidy but silent. The only life we saw were those fish swiming around your father's three aquariums!

Today I am glad, with you around, their house has turned into a makeshift house, with books, toys, cloths, milk bottles, clips, ribbons, spoons etc lying everywhere!

The most welcome sight would be the laughter and the noises you make. And your father has forgotten his famous three aquariums!

You brought life into your parents lives...Also ours.

The other day your father asked me "what is the difference between a child and the grandchild?"

Well, I told him that, to me, he is like a guitar and whereas his daughter ( you) is like music...

Your father understood what I meant. For he is a musician.

I felt the tremendous joy when my mother ( your great grand mother ) told me tenderly that , you are the image of me when I was a baby of your age ...

Actually we all see part of us in You...!

My Birthday girl, may you grow into a wonderful human being and bring lots of happiness to your parents.

May God be with you always and bless you with many wonderful Birthdays in your life.

Happy Birthday, our sweet little Ayin, we love you..."

p.s. remember the blog in sandy's space- welcome to miss Imtiyinla Teresa Pongen ? It was just like yesterday she was born!

or am I too lazy with this Space?

Happy Birthday, Dearest Mother.

Sun, 12 Aug 2007 00:06:53 GMT

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Happy Birthday , Dearest Mother

Today is my mother's 81 st birthday, ( 29/6) but I am far away from her. How I wish I could join my brothers' and sisters' families in sharing her birthday.

Few weeks back I was watching a TV programme where the participants were all women. The topic was - which woman influenced her the most during her formative years? Actresses, models, politicians etc? I stopped a moment and wondered what would be my answer?

My answer was the same as the ladies in the show - their Mother!

I began to think - yes, we have a lot of male idols all through our formative years, but to be honest, we can only have our Mother as our sole role model in life.

Today I feel my mother is above all mothers. She is not only our mother, she has been a mother to many who were not her own children!

She has weathered a lot of ups and downs. She had a lot of dreams - some came true, some did not. Still she stands above others because she can keep understanding us , her children and keep up with our pace!

Her life story is just like one of Pearl.S. Buck's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_S._Buck stories.

So colourful, full of struggles and yet all the time she courageously carries the loads and patiently moulded us on how to become a good human being.

My mother is like all mothers, a very good home maker, her house is always neat and clean .

But my mother is always ahead of her time. She would drive the car and take us out to the park every evening and expose to us to the beauty of nature. ( This was during the fifties when most men did not know how to drive!)

She would take lots of good photographs with her camera and explain to us the art of composition. ( that too, during the fifties.)

She is a very good cook and would love cooking for any one who will savour her food!

She is a very good dress maker. She would emphasise the technique on how to cut a good collar and sleeve.

She is good and fast in knitting. I remember - besides making sweaters for us, she would knit some socks and hand gloves for her father. She is a very good daughter, she would love her parents without any conditions.

She is a very good sister to her siblings.The way she loves her brothers and sisters set an example to us how to love our siblings

She is a very good nurse. There were numerous occasions when she would not sleep and stay up whole night for her children. And we sure were a bunch of sickly children!

She is a very good wife who shared her husband's happiness and hardships.

She is a very good teacher. I remember how she spent one afternoon till sunset in teaching me how to learn the abacus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abacus. I must have been dull! Whatever, I remember the usage of the abacus the way my mother tought me only, not my teacher's teachings.

She writes beautiful calligraphy and her letters written to us read like a literature.

She is a very good business woman always keeping her words and deal with honesty. She is a very good Samaritan too.

She is a serious follower of Lord Buddha, yet she allows us to find our own faith.

I, especially felt proud to have a mother who is educated and a perfect person. I know today what ever I am , it's because of her influences on me.

I remember when we were young, after the Chinese New Year, she would pack her bags and go for her yearly pilgrimage -
Bodh-Gayahttp://www.sangha.net/messengers/buddha.htm,
Nalanda http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalanda,
Lumbini http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumbini,
Banarashttp://www.sacredsites.com/asia/india/banaras.html ,
Rajgirhttp://www.tourismofindia.com/hibuddh/buddh_rajgir.htm
Kusinagahttp://www.buddhanet.net/elearning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_29lbud.htm and various other places on the pilgrimage route.

When she came back from her trip, she would bring home some strange stones and tell us, "these are meteorites ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorite)... from the shooting stars" I cannot say if it was right or wrong. We would be very excited, but did not value those stones and do not have any of them today. Whatever, I guess my fondness for collecting pebbles and stones are definitely due to this romantic exposure from her!! That makes the shooting stars look more beautiful to me.

I dreamt of becoming an artist , due to my listening to all her stories that she'd share with her cousins every Sunday. Oh! I can go on writing about her non-stop.

I guess I'll just tell her I know she loves me the most...

For all through, she knew what I liked and what I didn't like.

She would complain about the noise being too loud when I'd listen to The Beatles, worried I would be rebellious like them, and yet she would buy me an imported Beatles's LP when she came upon it!! Mom, that record is "The Magical Mystery Tour."

She knows who was my favorite movie star - Peter O'Toole.

She knows what I like to eat - Ham Choi ( preserved Mustard leaves) and Tofu

She knows I never like to grow up! So she will always get me those kiddish T-shirts!

She knows I am lazy, and she will go on forgiving me for my shortcomings.

I can go on and on...

I am sure my siblings will not agree with me that my Mom loves me most, for they do feel she loves each and every one of them most.

That's what makes my mother to be the best.

Today, even though she is a Parkinson's patient, she keeps her grace and maintains her beautiful look just like when she was 18 years old.

Mom I... No, WE love you. We want to be strong like you and have the wisdom like yours to enable us to become a good parent to our children too!

Happy Birthday Mom. You are 18, not 81.

...and you are as beautiful as ever!

Posted by sandyao at 4:11 PM

small,beautiful things that we ignore

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 16:11:10 GMT

For the last few days it had been raining non-stop and there is water everywhere.

So is the case in Sandy's space!

Actually, our local internet provider is unable to keep the connection stable during rainy season and hence, the irregularity in the blog being updated.

Ha! In this case not even the magic of Bae Yong Joon can help me!

Besides that, my grandchild is growing fast - she is moving around the house in her walker and senses everything around her with curiosity .

I can hardly sit down with the computer, for she loves to help me with the mouse and the keyboard... But she is a darling!

It seems my gossip days at my backyard will have to be brief and irregular! But then I can always talk less and upload more pictures, right?

What could be the best way to daydream during rainy season? Hmmm...alright, here we go...

Fancy walking on the beach and collecting the shells after each tide ebbs?

No matter how small and plain the shell looks, there's always joy to pick up each shell, isn't it?

That's how, unknowingly, we collected bowlfuls of seashells. Anyway, today I'll show you what I purchased on the sidewalk near Victoria Memorial, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Memorial_%28India%29,

Calcutta http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcutta during one of the rainy days.

It is of some artifacts which are made with the shells from the sea beach of Puri, Orissa. http://www.shubhyatra.com/orissa/

I guess, considering the price I paid for the toys (Rs. 2 for each tortoise and Rs. 5 for the mouse), the artists make these least sophisticated but definitely indigenous shells toys. They are made simply to express how shells can become something that are worthy for someone like me and not merely for money!

After reaching home, these toys look so at home with the other small collection in one corner of the house! Aren't they gorgeous?

See how the woodrose blosomed in Humanflowerproject

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:35:37 GMT

Today there will be few words in Sandy's Space.
For I am taking you to Julie Ardery's site:http://www.humanflowerproject.com/ where you will find how the woodrose blooms amongst the world of beautiful and fragrant flowers!

Thanks to the famous Bae Yong Joon , for it is from his page http://images.google.co.in/images?sourceid=navclient&aq=bae%20Yong%20Joon&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:en&q=bae+Yong+Joon&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi

that this wonderful world of humanflowerproject came into my focus and it has now seen this flower seedpod- woodrose bloom . Thank you, Julie. I have only one word to express to you,when I see how you have turned this simple seedpod into a beautiful flower, wow!

A peep into my chocolate box of pebbles (Part 1)

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 17:10:02 GMT

A peep into my chocolate box of pebbles (part 1)

Well, I thought I'll not have time to write a blog today. As tomorrow is the weekend, I may as well just be brief and let's peep into some of my chocolate boxes filled with pebbles.
Some of it I collected on the road- will tell you the story some other day.

Some of them I got from the fish seller (aquarist) in Hyderabad (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyderabad,_India) who is actually a tailor but loves fish so much that he used to keep some fish in his workshop. Gradually he ended up keeping and selling the extra fish whenever he got a buyer!

What a nice way to make both ends meet! Sometimes, I would wonder which gets him the bread and butter? The hobby or the dress making?

Anyway, his wife loves pebbles and when she came to know that I loved stones and pebbles , she parted with many of these wonderful pebbles. My son would go for his fish's food, and I'd follow him to see the pebbles in the tailor's shop! What a novel way to get the best for all of us!

Nature can give us so much of joy and pleasure, I feel they are as beautiful as the Swarovski's Crystal - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarovski except these are real and natural.

The man-made amber

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 16:13:06 GMT

The man-made amber

The other day I saw a programme presented by Sir David Attenborough on his amber.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/jewel/about.html

This programme was simply mind blowing, especially for a person like me who loves collecting stones, seeds, leaves and what not! They are like an eye opener!

Today, I will share with you : man-made amber, from one of my ( my family members term some of these stones as JUNK!) collections.

I got these artifacts as gifts from China when I visited the place a few years back.

First, I must clarify that these creatures were already dead before they were moulded inside the plastic.

These artifacts are made, mainly to show how dead creatures can be transformed into some beautiful gifts. Artistic items with a skillful imagination!

I know they can never be as beautiful as the real amber which Sir Attenborough has...

But these man-made amber do have a different charm. Especially after the light is switched off, the dead creatures and the calligraphy glow distinctively with the green fluorescent light, indeed transforming them into pretty and charming mementos!!

p.s. the first picture is Sir David Attenborough with his beautiful amber!!

Happy Birthday, Sir Paul McCartney!

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 19:23:52 GMT

Happy Birthday To you, Paul McCartney

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_McCartney

http://www.photos.mccartney.net/

http://technorati.com/videos/tag/Paul%20McCartney

It's been a long long time ago since the day we first went crazy over you....
And all these seem to be only Yesterday.

I remember my college days, the carefree days, how we would take many breaks from our drawing and painting classes and hang around in the college garden talking about paintings, books, compositions and dreams ...but always ending up talking about the Beatles. There were many songbirds in the college garden singing your melodious song "Black Bird".
And I remember how I loved humming "Yesterday" and "When I am 64".

Everyone would laugh at me for liking these two songs. Because we were very young then, we had so many wonderful musicians in that era. And who would like to be 64?
"Come on, Sandy, life has a long way to go..." That was what I'd be told.. Yes, life has been long and it was like a beautiful tapestry all the while!

I also remember I was asked this question by my husband , who then was my senior and a friend in the college.
He asked me who is my idol.. it seems I used to like Alain Delon and you, both were so handsome... and all teenage girls love a handsome idol , isn't it?!
I could not answer him at that moment.. (Zapped).
After three days, my answer was "Paul McCartney".
"Why?"
"Because of his music..!"

And thank you Paul... You have proved that many of your fans like me are right. Thank you for all your beautiful music which had kept us moving on and reaching out to our dreams and learnt how to fly like your Black Bird!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ERnT1X9HPw&mode=related&search

I took "Off the Ground" with your Wings and roamed the world of music like your "Wanderlust"...And with your "Long and Winding Road" taking me back to Sandy's Backyard with these beautiful memories....

I thank you for bringing back these beautiful memories to me on your Birthday.

May you have a Wonderful Birthday and live your life as colourful as your music.

p.s. I'd like to thank my friends on the internet for these pictures.

meet me in my backyard http://sandyao.blogspot.com/

meet me in Sandy's backyard

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 12:36:11 GMT

Hi see me in my new backyard.....http://sandyao.blogspot.com/... have fun!!

merry christmas!!!

Sun, 24 Dec 2006 14:01:35 GMT

Hey from Sandy's Space...

Pretty long silence ....!!! Well, seems I have been only waiting for this moment to surface here with this beautiful greeting card to wish every one in Sandy's space a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

This special card is designed by my son Allan Ao, with his beautiful baby - Miss Teresa Imtiyinla Pongen as our well wisher....

I am sure having such a sweet well wisher like her, we will have a wonderful year ahead of us.....Ins't it!?

Any way, have a wonderful season and may all our wishes come true......

(please click on the image below to get an enlarged view)

The real "Spidermen"

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 09:06:43 GMT

Today I got a bit of time for the blog in Sandy’s space in the midst of changing nappies and rocking the baby to sleep!

For a change I will like to go back to my usual self and roam about around the neighborhood. In fact we come across many amazing happenings just round the corner.

Hyderabad is known for its fast development during the last few years; we see so many latest technologies in this city, yet many old traditional habits – either human or animals- still exist side by side with the development.

For instance, to day I am sharing these few pictures with you in this Sandy’s space.

I call them the “ real Spidermen”!

They are the Liquor collectors. Every day during the early morning or late evening hours, one will see these men climb their respective Palm trees to collect the sap that is collected in the mud-pot. The mud pot is placed under the cut on the trunk just like the way the rubber sap is being collected; the only difference will be this palm sap is available high up on the tree (approx. 30-40ft. tall). Unlike the rubber sap which is available around the lower trunk of the tree.

These Spidermen are awfully skilled climbers and they way they balance themselves high up in the tree gives you mind blowing awe and admiration…

One should see how they swing from one angle to another.

Within minutes the task will be done with their expert movements.

I wonder from what age one will start learning how to climb the trees?!

During summer season they will collect not only the saps for the liquor, they collect the fruits too. The fruits are similar to soft young coconut meat, and it’s very good for cooling the stomach during the summer heat.

In West Bengal state, they use the unfermented sap to make palm candy, which is very good for the new born babies; otherwise it is soothing for cough and cold.

In West Bengal I have not come across these “Spidermen” at any time of my life, may be in the rural area one sees them.

Whereas, in Hyderabad I see them just around the complex where I am staying, and I’ll not say the place where I stay is rural at all!!

I am just like Alice in wonderland! ...... http://www.the-office.com/bedtime-story/classics-aliceinwonderland.htm

Everyday, when I see them moving up the tree and climb down with their pots full of saps… I will see insects already drunk in the saps … and I can imagine, next, human will join them too!!!

Whereas, for me, not drinking a drop of this sap is good enough to make me get drunk in this Sandy’s space with these “real Spidermen” pictures…..