The Eternal Sky- Part III - Drama At Dusk

Drama At Dusk

Sunsets are the most beautiful creations of Nature. Do you know that no two sunsets are same? At least to me, they are not. The glorious colors of sky ranging from golden yellow to hot pink, bright orange to a soft red with a few clouds scattered around and there you have, one of the priceless artworks of nature entirely free for us to see and feel.

Sunsets are dramatic. The unique play of colors, the constant traveling of the sun, (north to south & south to north), clouded or clear sky, all are a part of the drama. But this drama is peaceful and soothing. There is neither turbulence nor any hyper unspent- energy. The splash of colors lighting the treetops and turning them golden is a sight to cherish forever.

No matter what kind of day we have had, a sunset always manages to set it right just by its presence in the background. All we need is to take a moment and enjoy its beauty, breathe in the peace.

I personally never get tired of watching the sunsets every day. They are the best conclusion a day can have. The changing seasons, the clouds in various shapes and sizes only enhance the beauty to dusk and dramatize further.

The Shepherd Girl

In a pale patched frock
and worn-out boots,
with her hair held by a blue ribbon,
walked a shepherd girl
herding her sheep,
followed by a faithful dog.

Standing atop the hill
staring into the vast space ahead,
wished the shepherd girl
with all her heart:
a better life for her family,
and an adventure for her soul.

Painting by Ratna Pochiraju.
Thank you for allowing me to use it on my blog.

The Eternal Sky- Part II- The Looming Clouds

The Looming Clouds

I have written about the sunrise and morning rainbow in Part I  of the series.
The second part of my never-ending fascination with the vast sky deals with the monsoon sky.

Observing the varying cloud patterns and textures in different seasons throughout the year is a pastime of mine. The monsoon clouds (June- October) and particularly dense and rich in a much bigger size compared to the rest of the year. The cloud colors also are darker, ranging from pale grey to rich grey and soft black.

These are the clouds that reflect power, force, strength, and stability. Their silent presence covering the blue sky with their muted grey gives an impression of impending doom, whereas, in reality, these are the main cause of life in plants, farms, and forests.

Sure, these clouds have the capacity to destroy everything with a single strike of lightning; But the power to destroy is not misused by nature. Powerful yet distant, the grey looming clouds manage to pull and tug at the heart with their constant presence.

There was never a moment when I ever felt threatened by the sheer force of their wind or the magnificence of their rain and lightning. The sky with its unlimited span has always been my comforter and soother. I wonder at its patience to hold in control the power and look so graceful and regal!

The Eternal Sky- Part I- Beauty of Dawn

 I've always loved the sky- the unlimited span, the changing colors, the various clouds & their weird shapes, the sun, moon, stars & their changing positions, and finally the effect it has on people's moods.

Not being a morning person I tend to miss watching the sunrises, but yesterday I was lucky enough to watch and capture the most beautiful sunrise coupled with a rainbow.

      Opening my sleepy eyes to my mother's call, I noticed through my room window a burst of golden and pink clouds spread across the eastern sky ready for the sun to rise. When I got up to reach my mobile phone to take a picture, I saw one end of a rainbow towards the west. I ran into the balcony to get a decent view and to take pictures before the rainbow disappeared.

My father came out surprised to hear me running about at 5.40 in the morning. It usually takes me 15-20 minutes to get into active mode after I wake up unless of course, it is a rare occasion like this one.

     Realizing that I could see the complete arc of the rainbow, I was elated. The sky was pinkish-blue with a bright inner rainbow and a very faint outer one. The inner rainbow has red on the outside with blue on the inside. The outer rainbow has red on the inside and blue on the outside. This is because of the difference in reflection and refraction of light on the dew drops.

    Taking pictures of the rainbow and the dawn sky alternately I observed that as the sun rose, the rainbow lost color and slowly disappeared. The entire spectacle lasted for some 5-7 minutes, but it was the best morning of my life. The colors of the sky always do that to me. They bring peace, silent strength and a sense of content and happiness.

   I went back to sleep with a smile on my face and rainbows in my dreams.

Live Life

Fly across the sky
and collect the starry pebbles...

Swim across the ocean
and collect the shiny shells...

Walk across the forest
and collect the smelly nuts...

Live life the way you want
and breathe in the peaceful air!

Lightning

Lightning is such a paradox-
it illuminates the world
and strikes with force which
plunges the world into darkness;
all in the span of a heartbeat.