Kallola

~Draped by the River “Promise never to leave me alone and I will marry you” “I promise” “But if I ever find that you are not by my side, I will leave you for ever” “It will never be so” And the beautiful Cauveri, daughter of Kaver Muni, the benevolent sage of the Brahmagiri forests, was married to the powerful Rishi Agastya, besotted by the enchanting vision of Cauvery the moment he laid eyes on her.   But this marriage,  made in heaven, had a destiny to fulfil on the blessed land of Kodagu.  The very first morning after their wedding, Rishi Agastya realised what he had got himself into. As usual, he was awake before the Sun and his prayer ritual needed him to take a dip in the mountain spring. He would fill his little kamandal (kettle-like container to carry holy water) and take it with him for his prayers. But Cauvery was still asleep and he didn’t want to wake her up. So, he used his powers gained from years of tapasya (penance), collected her in his li...

Give it up indulgent Sun, you've parched the land aplenty. The mountains beyond pull their misty curtains tight and a million greens dance in glee. You've been harsh but Mercy's time has come. Retreat. Desist. You're undone. Hear the Thunder roll - heed its word. Even Lightning streaks its say. The Clouds have broken their pregnant pause... how long would you bind them away? Ah! The joy of sun-kissed trees, that flash of gold in grey when the clouds part just to let you in so your presence still holds sway... If only you knew your place in time your glory could still reign. Alas! You lost your plot today - Depart. Stay sublime. The mountains crave a drink of life. Begone and let them be. The rain is come and the land is numb... in relief, in respite and peace. It's kept its promise to its lot. It's kept the Earth here green. The Sky will testify to your ills, the Winds will heave a sigh. No thanks to you, the soil will sing as Hai...

ABC MULTILINGO Language Learning App for Pre-schoolers Review Language proficiency is important today with travel starting young and global experiences becoming an integral part of growing up. Knowing multiple languages and speaking them comfortably help the dynamic process and build confidence. As children begin to recognise faces, places, things and their differences, they begin to imbibe nuances in speech and phonetics as well. Educators believe that multi-lingual children have a cognitive edge over others and tend to be better adjusted socially and emotionally. Though language skills are a natural process of development, today, children are exposed to a much wider spectrum of languages at a very young age – it is essential that teachers and parents provide the right tools, at the right time, to hone their natural abilities so that the static of multiculturalism serves to homogenise, rather than ruffle the learning experience. Being a hands-on mum, I personally...