COFFEE TALKS and a lot more!

 ಗರ್ಭಗುಡಿಯ ಮುಂದೆ ನಿಂತು, ರಾಧೆ ಕೃಷ್ಣನ ನೋಡಿ, ಕೈ ಜೋಡಿಸಿ ಕಣ್ಣು ಮುಚ್ಚಿ ಮತ್ತೊಮ್ಮೆ ಆ ನೋಟವನ್ನು ಅಚ್ಚು ಒತ್ತಿಕೊಂಡದ್ದು, ನೆನೆದಾಗ ಆ ಚಿತ್ರ ಕಣ್ಣಮುಂದೆ ಬರಬೇಕು ಅನ್ನೋ ಆಸೆಯಿಂದ! ಅದೇನು ಅಲಂಕಾರ! ಹಾಗೆ ಒಂದೆರಡು ನಿಮಿಷ ಆ ಜೋಡಿ ಮೋಡಿ ಮಾಡಿದ ಹಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಅದೇನೊ ಇದ್ದಕ್ಕಿದ್ದ ಹಾಗೆ ಸಂತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದ ಹಾಗೆ ಮಾತು ಕೇಳಲು ಶುರುವಾಯಿತು. "ನಾವು ಪುರಿ ಜಗನ್ನಾಥನಲ್ಲಿ  ನೋಡಿದ ಹಾಗೆ ಇದೆ ಇಲ್ಲೂ,  ಆಮೇಲೆ ಅಮೇರಿಕಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋಗಿ ಬಂದಿದ್ದು ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ನಿಂಗೆ ಮರೆತು ಹೋಗಿದೆ " ಅದಾಗಿ ಇದೆ ಮನುಷ್ಯ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದು ನೃತ್ಯ ಭಂಗಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಂತು ಜೋರಾಗಿ "ಜೈ ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣ" ಎಂದು ಕೂಗು ಹಾಕಿ ಸುತ್ತ ಎಲ್ಲರು ತನ್ನನ್ನು ಗಮನಿಸಿದರ ಖಾತರಿ ಪಡಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಮುಂದೆ ಮತ್ತಷ್ಟೇ ಜೋರು ಜೋರಾಗಿ ತನ್ನ ಇತರ ಸಾಹಸಗಳನ್ನು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾ ಹೋದ. ಈ ಪ್ರದರ್ಶನದ ಭಕ್ತಿ ನೋಡಿ, ಅದೊಂದು ನೆನಪು ಹಾಗೆ ಮನಸ್ಸಿಗೆ ಬಂತು,ಪ್ರಸಾದ ತಿಂದು, ತುಸು ಹೊತ್ತು ಅಲ್ಲೆ ಕೂತು ಅದನ್ನು ಮೆಲುಕು ಹಾಕಿದ್ದಾಯಿತು. ಪ್ರತಿ ದಿನವೂ ಮುಂಜಾನೆ 6 ಗಂಟೆಗೆ ರಾಮಕೃಷ್ಣ ಆಶ್ರಮಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋಗಿ, ಕಾಲು ಗಂಟೆ ಅಲ್ಲೆ  ದಿವ್ಯತ್ರಯರ ಮುಂದೆ ಕೂತು ಬಂದರೆ ಒಂದು ಸಮಾಧಾನ. ಹಾಗೆ ಹೋದಾಗೆಲ್ಲ ಪಾರಿಜಾತದ ಮಾಲೆ ಅವರನ್ನು ಅಲಂಕರಿಸಿರುತಿತ್ತು. ನನಗೊಂದು ಕುತೂಹಲ ಯಾರು ಅದರ ಮಾಲೆ ಮಾಡುವವರು? ಯಾರಿಗೆ ಅಷ್ಟೂ ತಾಳ್ಮೆ ಇದೆ? ಅಷ್ಟು ಪ್ರೀತಿ? ಅಷ್ಟು ಮಮತೆ? ಈ ಕುತೂಹಲ ದಿನೇ ದಿನ...

              The 1st trimester I did breathing exercises and walking and 2nd trimester onwards till the previous day of delivery I enjoyed doing yoga as before. I did all the asanas that I felt comfortable and avoided the asanas that put pressure on abdomen.   I don’t know if these help for normal delivery. I know a few examples where in spite of all possible things doing, they have ended up with caesarean and doing none they have got normal delivery.    By all those examples I have realized that nothing can be decided till the last moment as it depends on many factors like baby's size, heartbeat, Mum's B.P and so on. All that can be done is to stay calm and do our best with good thinking  🤗😇 With  🤗  My yoga partner for life  @sudarshanams Picture 1: All those asanas and breathing techniques that kept me calm and composed throughout this journey  ☺      ...

After completion of 9 months, the doctor advised to meet her once in two days. It was supposed to be one such appointment with her. I had made the class adjustment and even planned for lunch with my gals😬😋 There was a change of plan as the pain had triggered. the last 9 answer scripts were pending to be valued. He had valued those, reading the answers, in the hospital. The pain was gradually increasing. We sipped some hot ginger tea and awaited. Around 9 p.m., all my people were around, I walked in the corridor, looking at the light up cafés, coffee bars, roaring vehicles, and lounges talking to the lil 💙    By 10, they all went home. By 10:30 p.m., I started getting the real PAIN!!! It was then I realized its intensity. The nurse kept on monitoring the heartbeat every 1 hour. I kept on chanting Thakurji's name 😇  By 11 p.m., the pain became unbearable. I asked the nurse if she could bring the baby out. Now, she started monitoring the heartbeat every 20 minutes. The s...

Every passing month I wished to get the baby bump picture clicked but where is the bump!? Finally at 8.5 month I could fulfil my wish!!! That evening we were having fuming coffee seeing these pictures, I don’t know when I slipped into my Imagination of annoying this man to the core by building new team in the coming tomorrows, victorious smile had just appeared on my face 😍 suddenly a voice said " Don't even dare to dream so, I can make that member teach you all forms of dances, beware!!!"I came back to reality and there was a victorious smile on his face🤐He had read my smile. I grinned as he walked to kitchen with the coffee mugs which otherwise would have happily rested on windowpane for next couple of hours😝

  There are days when in hostel visiting my friend’s home and their mothers serve food. They do it  with so much love and twinkle in their eyes. Each bite filling the heart with gratitude!! That Saturday afternoon I was having the long, long conversation with Appa about my longings. The last one that which remained unsatisfied was Halbai (Rice Fudge) I had told him and once the talk ended, the aroma of ghee, jaggery, elaichi, saffron blended in the air made me simply follow it. I saw this man standing before the Kadai making the rice fudge! The very sight brought the images of those mothers.     I just climbed the slab, sat before the Kadai, licking the tempting mixture every 2 minutes. The gloomy kitchen, my man and the rice fudge became the warmest memory. Thinking of coming tomorrow's where I would share this with my new coffee partner during our coffee talks had just thrilled me 😍🤗

6th July said the calendar, he had woken before the alarm call. Without even making the subtle noise he went downstairs to check with chores. All at home involved in various chores to put up the wonderful ceremony! I woke up rubbing my palm and placing them on my eyes and looked at the tall coconut trees through the window and happiness simply filled within. We both sat before the homakunda(fire altar) that morning. The whole environment looked so beautiful, rain washed areca plantation, the fragrance of parijaatha, happy people, aroma of ghee from the kitchen...Bhattamama(the priest) explaining the meaning of every single word of the mantra (holy hymn) making the ceremony meaningful. He said my man to dress me up as the part of this ritual! It was so adorable, when he adorned my hair with loads of jasmine 😍     The best part was the food, and we all are relishing it together with love laughter!! The crispiest jalebi busting the sugar syrup in every bite, the g...

  Sitting by the windowpane she was reading her favourite book sipping hot coffee. He entered the room, smiled at her, and asked, “shall we go out?”. She placed the book marker and jumped out of the bed. It was the new year eve, the cafes, shops, restaurants, pubs all hung the offer banners, decorated with lights and flowers. The two walked in the beautiful street with their hands clasped, got into the pub, and sat at the terrace under the jewelled sky sipping bear. They spoke about their yesteryears, their lives now and their future, slowly they were getting high. They started speaking about having babies or not. He said, “it’s okay to have babies or not to have, both are fine”. She said, “Sometimes I love them, but sometimes I feel its okay not to have one!”. They walked back home sat at their warm place, spoke for hours and they did not realize when they slept.      The days passed it was then she was surprised by her missed period. She bought a pair of pink rub...