As the sun rides its golden chariot towards the western
horizon, as the graying sky quietly unfolds its myriad hues, gradually giving way
to an all enveloping darkness, my mind goes through a variety of emotions which
takes me through childhood memories, old and precious…
Twilight, for me, is a happy childhood memory of the short
time spent at my small village which holds my roots… My ancestral house which stood
proudly by the huge, magnificent pond; the small Aiyappa temple on one side of
the pond, the reflection of the steadily burning flame of the temple lamp on
the water of the pond as it moved in ripples, the fragrance of fresh sandalwood
paste given with fresh flowers on green banyan leaves, and the mystical chime
of the brass temple bell during the time of the evening pooja… To this day,
twilight temple visits leave me with the same intense memory and my mind feels
utmost restful.
Twilight, for me, reminds me of lonely evenings I spent as a
child in a far away boarding school, looking forlornly at the cold, grey sky,
filled with longing for the proximity of my family. How I hated the Tamil
devotional songs which blared from a nearby temple… Even today, those particular
hymns evoke in me a sort of melancholy that is hard to get over…
Twilight, for me, reminds me of those days bygone, where
under the watchful eyes of our grandmother we had to recite aloud various
prayers in front of the lighted lamp or ‘nilavilakku’. It was here that I got introduced to the forms
of various Gods and Goddesses, through the assorted pictures that adorned the
walls of the narrow corridor. Some days, we would be told stories from religious
scriptures too, which no doubt enhanced my interest towards mythology…
Twilight, for me, is the sight of the innumerable flock of homing
birds as they make their way in an orderly manner to destinations unknown. The
inverted ‘V’ like formation never fails to captivate me even today, as I tilt my
head up and eagerly lap up the sight.
Twilight, for me, is also the overwhelming view of the fire
in the majestic mountains that are far away, leaving a bright golden line within
the dark silhouette, gradually fading away into nothingness…
Twilight, for me, is total spirituality. It’s a time when I feel
the desire to be with myself and my thoughts… a time to recharge and
re-energize… to introspect and make amends. For me, it is the time where i feel
totally at peace with myself and the whole world….
