Nature Notes

Rain Therapy, By Rani Iyer, ,
Red Sanders
Exploding Lakes
Set your clocks!
Shells on seashore
Water Hole guardian
Driftwood
Sunflower Math
Ankur - the sprout
The whistling schoolboy
At Sun rise
Trek to Pindhari Glacier

At Sun rise

By Rani Iyer

The day begins to wake up when the sky is filled with stars. Bright, cool, and under the tender moonlight, the first stirrings of life around indicate the onset of dawn. I spent the night under the stars, and like most animals I head towards the river. A small, cool breeze teases some goose bumps on my flesh. I walk slowly, softly, breathing the lingering smell of night flowering Jasmine. My footfalls are soft, slow, unhurried, and deliberate. I want everything to be etched in my mind.
Bats flutter in search of fruits and insects. Moths, some no larger than my tiny fingernail, try to reach the moon. Civets watch me with their glowing eyes from treetops. The pods of the Cassia tree make music in the breeze with their seeds. I watch them play with the wind.

As I begin to walk to the edge of the tree line, I linger in the shade of the trees at moonlight. I smile when I think about the times I took shelter the tree offered on sunny and rainy days. But the privilege of standing in the shade and watching the forest bathed in moonlight is unique!
A grunt of an elephant, probably waking from his slumber, cautions me. Distant perhaps, or closer than I think, with the wind one cannot be sure. I wait for another noise focusing on the escape route. Nothing happens. I encounter a deer heading towards the stream. I wait and watch the herd as they smell the air, smell me, look in my direction, and proceed cautiously.
I walk slowly out of the tree line on to the rocks that hide swirling waters. I hop towards my favorite spot. Slowly, gently, I let my feet into the water. The water, surprisingly, is warm! It is an invitation for all life to dive into its warmth.
The staccato of cicadas startle me. The stars are now fading and dawn has set in. Birds begin their orchestra, the biggest and the most spectacular one on the whole earth. They each follow their hearts, and their chorus is the best sound that blessed this planet. Imagine waking up to the beautiful orchestra every morning!
I spot a hare scurrying down the rocks. I see humming bird hawk moths feeding in frenzy. I watch the fish jostle to inspect each leaf that drifts on the water. Far down the stream I can see the white petals dotting the water like stars. The moss patches on the trees, rocks, and crevices acquire their dew. A young, curled fern leaf trembles in excitement.
An invisible hand spreads a tinge of pink across the sky. I turn eastwards. There is a hush. The birds wait. The bleat of cicadas, the chatter of squirrels, the whoop of monkeys, the flight of bats, all cease. An old tree creaks. The water splashes and gurgles. The world waits.
Faint at first, as if emerging through the layers of a pink flower, the sun makes his appearance. Rapidly, he outshines all around him. The chorus of birds, the cicadas, and Langurs resume. Rested, ready and reassured that the day is the same again.

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Last updated on :9/22/2003

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User's Comments

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kate: I think that this is amazing. It is so creative and original

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saw: superb

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