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Jun 15, 2004
I have to start with another "At last here I am logging in an entry..." See, the problem is not a writer's block, because I'm not a natural writer, so there's no spontaneous rush of words with intermittent dry writing days - i have a problem with writing. Period. Whether it's deciding what to write, or what to reveal, or whether it is an inherent worry about the quality of my writing, I don't really know. Anyway, here I am - M has been cajoling/pleading/persuading me to write about the wonderful day we had last Sunday. So...
We had been invited to lunch at Rom and Janaki's place! Rom (I can't but brag here!) is short for the great Romulus Whitaker, the "snake man" of India. I had helped out with proof-reading/editing the new field guide to the snakes of India that he and Ashok Captain (Pune-based photographer/herpetologist) are publishing shortly. I had finished the assignment some time back and had told Rom that any time he went on a field trip/expedition involving snakes, M and I would be interested in joining him. So I was very pleasantly surprised to see Janaki's mail asking us for lunch. They have meticulous instructions in an MS Word document on how to get to their place since it's a retreat tucked away in the Chengelpet hills, in a very rural setting, some 75 kms south of Chennai.
We didn't know what to expect and it all added to our excitement. Even the exhaustive Saturday night partying didn't deter us - and M was looking forward to another drive on the ECR. It took us roughly 2 hours from home - a lovely drive in pleasant weather, passing villages, farmers in paddy fields, gulmohars, old temples... It was also great birding territory with scores of drongos, kingfisher, bee-eaters, rollers on the lines throughtout the trip. It'd been a long time since we did this - felt this close to nature.
The house, which we found without any difficulty owing to the MS Word print-out I had, was a modern structure reminding one of Laurie Baker's Kerala houses with brick surfaces all around, high ceilings and large windows. It was well hidden from the road, surrounded as it was by trees, shrubbery, and so much greenery. It blended so well with nature. Their two pet mongrels came to greet us before Janaki came out and led us to the inner compound which revealed three friendly German Shepherds. We met the other family - a couple and their school-going kids - and then Rom.
Rom was so friendly and down-to-earth and we the conversations happened without any awkwardness.
Ok, got to get ready and rush. Going to see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban with R&P. After trying to get weekend tickets, we settled for a weekday night show. Will continue tomorrow.
W
Posted at 09:59 pm by blogcabin
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