the IR observatory

Mt Abu

Mt Abu Observatory - The First View

Well, courtesy our school, did manage to get away on a two day trip to Mt Abu on the 28 and 29 January…scaling it to the top of the Chandela, Anadra and the upper Kodra dam with the kids was exhilerating.We did 50-70 degree rock climbing without safety belts and some rapelling too and the kids enjoyed it all thoroughly.The warm khichhdi meals at the end of the day tasted like five star biryani!And even the Brit in the team, Steve, went for a third helping
And thanks to Dr Prasanna, observed a bianry star – one large and blue, the other tiny and green at the observatory. Apart from the Infra Red observatory another first time experience was seeing a Nicmoss camera which has its lense housed inside nitrogen solution! Ooops! Would post pictures of that later if it comes out well.…Missed the cardamom and eucalyptus scented mornings of Kodai, which used to be my winter vac haunt a few years back.

I seem to have lost the capacity to be completely, totally happy and immersed in the moment. Is this because I am growing old or because I have grown up?? 

At the Observatory Children Watching Binary Stars

I did fly away for a while

let the tide roll, carry on

While leaves and the trees outside change colour,
While the sky turns lighter, brighter, a blazing shade of gold,
And even as the coldness from dark winter weeks past,
Melt into days growing warmer and longer, two-fold,
I sense those strange stirrings in the depths of my heart:

Once again the sea beckons…
Blue-mountains, fragrant jungles deep and dark,
Tall eucalyptus, the tall posts with neon lights, bends in the road -
Strike up a vision even as I swiftly negotiate city traffic,
Makes me – catch my breath – for an instant I forget where I am!

Moments later headlong I plunge in and surge ahead with the crowd around,
Work to do…rent to pay! Calls, bills, line-rentals and miles…
Miles to go before I sleep… Or break free,
Turn around, or simply lie down,
And let the tide flow, and time roll, and just carry-on?

my Tamil Nad