Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Up above the world so high....

I don't have vertigo. Of course, I've never tried my hand at bungee jumping. That would be the deciding factor. But be that as it may, I experienced my first tryst with real heights when we climbed the Qutub Minar. I was a kid back then. But I was overwhelmed with the scenery below me, spreading endlessly for as far as my eyes would go, like a gigantic carpet with magical weaves. That feeling stayed. And from then on, I was game for any place at a height. Mountain tops (Will go to the Grand Canyon some day, that's a special wish too), buildings atop mountain tops, the terrace of a multi-storeyed building, flights...even the terrace of our single storeyed house in Mysore. It's a little hard to explain, the elation. It stays for a very short time. But it inspires vivid thoughts, ideas and imagination. And I just love lying on the terrace on summer nights and watching the endless night sky, juuuusst star gazing. Another thing I like watching from atop a building are the vehicles moving at a distance, like ants, moving to their destination. And don't we all enjoy watching a fully lit city by the night? That feeling's something totally awesome. I remember the first time I saw Bangalore by night from my flight. Like somebody had spread out all the jewellery on the floor for display. I remember as a kid, a very special pastime was looking at the clouds and trying to imagine a shape, a form I recognized - anything, a horse face, a cup, a rabbit, or even a human face at times. And let me tell you, the height has to be just right to be able to spot and recognize things. Too much height also kills the landscape. And in that respect, I love driving up Chamundi Hills in Mysore and stopping at my favourite spot to gaze at the city. I have a pair of binoculars and it's real fun to go building spotting. That reminds me, I should go there this weekend when I visit my parents.

11 comments:

Akruti said...

Reminds me of the days i spent in my village at the banks of River krishna,watching the sky in the night while sleeping in the backyard,watching sunset over the the river,trying to count the reflection of stars in the night in the water,our house was next to the river and many a times we used to go sit inthe boat and keep talking for long hours,i miss those days:)
And abt mountains and heights,u r right,and if i keep writing then my comment will be longer than u r post:)It brought back so many smiles and so many recollections,loved this post:)

Anonymous said...

Loved this post. I DO have vertigo... AND I like mountains. And I still stargaze and cloudglaze. Mmm. Maybe I'll head for the ghats soon.

Anonymous said...

chamundi hills.. hmm.. had been there when I was a small little kid..i want to go there again. but who has the time :|

Anonymous said...

nice post Ramana. i used to watch the clouds too as a kid, and tried to figure out forms. star gazing is so wonderful lyign on your back :)

about watching a city from a plane - you are so right. it does seem like someone took all the diamonds and spread it in front of you.

Parna

lemongrass.blogdrive.com

phatichar said...

akruti: glad that you too like to connect with nature in this beautiful way. And hey, no probs if ur comments get longer than my posts... :)

Kahini: Yep, you do that... :)

sqrl/nt: Lemme know when you do get the time and decide to come by again, maybe i can be your guide, philosopher and friend.. ;)

parna: :)

manuscrypts said...

"....A stargazer am i
It seems that I was born
To chart the evening sky.." :)

sailing to philadelphia, mark knopfler

phatichar said...

manuscrypts: aah, knopfler.. :)

P V Menon said...

Landed on this post a day late, I have. But then, better late than never. This post takes me straight to the weekends. I had this strange habit of climbing atop the terrace of my three-storeyed building that we had rented out until very recently. Quite often, the time between 4 and 6:30 pm every saturday and sunday would go this way: completing a book, watching pigeons in the neighbor's terrace pecking each other, a flock of cranes or mynah flying overhead back to their nests, watching the girl a couple of houses away doing plaits to her knee-deep hair, or simply watching the sun set. Now, we have shifted to an apartment and if you have not guessed it already my house is on the top most floor of the two-storeyed apt. My den is not the terrace these days, but the balcony attached to my bedroom. Believe me, my weekend routine has not changed a bit. But, I am still looking for a girl with that kindaa hair and time...

phatichar said...

pv u'll find a girl of ur dreams yet, don't worry... just ensure u keep watching :)

Jil Jil Ramamani said...

Since last afternoon, I have been hooked to your blog. Read the first post, the second and the next, next, next, so on till here. Wonderful stuff! Felt like I was reading a series of Edgar Allen Poe short stories...but yeah, I didn't comment. A thousand pardons sought.

The sentence in this post referring to the lights of the city spread out below you when you land in Bangalore - that compelled me to comment.

The first time I came back home for the holidays from university, the few minutes that the flight was hovering above the runway waiting to land - never experienced something like that...the high it gave me to see Bangalore again- all of it from such a height remains unmatched so far.

phatichar said...

Hakuna Matata: Hey..no need to apologize - In fact you need to be thanked. I read this post after all these years, and it really felt good!

I'm kinda lazy - do me a favor, will ya? Comment on all my old posts so I can read 'em all again.. LOL..kidding.

Welcome - wonderful to have you here. And oh, you have a wonderful blog too - just loved the name 'veni vedi vada pav'..