“Every moment is a fresh beginning.” TS Eliot
It’s the time of the year when different communities around India are celebrating and I wish all my readers A Very Happy New Year. Welcome to the third issue of Journeys and Jottings as we speak about new beginnings, unique traditions, the art of journaling, and we meet a very fascinating lady who has blended both gardening and art.
The spirit of a new year is about new beginnings, an opportunity for a fresh start but it is also the time to let go of the energies that are not serving us anymore. And every new year - from Ugadi, Puthandu, Gudi Padwa, Bihu, Vishu, Baisakhi, Cheti Chand, Pana Sankranti to Pohela Boishakh, emphasizes the same. All that we need right now is hope and abundance with plenty of positive light and energy.
Vishu Kani - Reflecting abundance in your life
Pic Courtesy - Aala Images, Shutterstock
As Puthandu (Tamil New Year’s Day) and Vishu dawn, we start the day by gazing at the Vishu Kani the first thing in the morning. “Kani” means that which is seen first and the Vishu Kani is symbolic of everything that is auspicious and abundant, arranged right in front of you. As a child, I would close my eyes the moment I woke up and would open it again only to look at the “urli” filled with goodness.
Along with fruits and flowers, coconuts and sweets, lamps and an idol of Krishna, you also add a sliver of gold, silver and some money. And my mother always insisted that I never forget the mirror and she used to tell me that the goodness would always reflect and multiply in our lives.
Showering gold - Legend of Kani Kona
One of my friends told me a charming story regarding Kani Konna - the state flower of Kerala from the Indian Laburnum tree, also called the Golden Shower or the Cassia Fistula. A Vishu Kani is not complete without these beautiful golden flowers. In a small village, a little boy dreamt of "seeing” Krishna in the form of a child, like himself. And the Lord apparently fulfilled his wish and even gave him his “jewel”. However when the priest discovered that the jewel was missing from the idol, the locals immediately suspected the boy of stealing it. In anger, the parents threw it in the garden, only for it to grow into a beautiful tree, showering “golden blessings” of yellow flowers on the boy. While there is a sacred lore, every part of the tree has a healing property especially in ayurveda. The plant can be seen in your neighbourhood too, creating a golden aura and showering you with blessings.
100 Stories of India
“ You are blessed” said the “Voice of God” to me when I came face to face with the theyyam artiste in a small village near Thalassery in Kerala.
Sharath, my husband and I were driving down from Kannur to Thalassery when we lost our way and entered a nondescript village . As we walked around, we saw a crowd gathering at a Bhagavathy Amman temple on the banks of a rivulet .
The locals said that God would dance in front of them. Theyyam artistes are believed to be God incarnated for the day and after their performance , the deity would answer queries and bless the people at the end of the ritual.
The drummers set the rhythm as the deity danced, in a trance while we looked upon in a mix of awe and stupor. As the performance ended , the people stood silently in a queue waiting for their turn . Some whispered in the ears of the deity , others cried . The deity blessed them and answered them in God’s voice . I waited with bated breath for our turn .When we finally stood in reverence , God smiled at us and told us in a gentle voice , You are blessed.” For a moment I felt that God had indeed spoken to me.
New Year Traditions
There are several unique traditions followed by different communities and during Puthandu, I was fascinated to know more about the ritualistic offering of terracotta horses in a local Ayyanar temple in Chettinadu . Ayyanars are guardian deities and you can see rows of horses here, offered by the locals. The planning begins in January during Pongal when each family commissions the potters and the offerings are ready for Puthandu. Are there any other unique traditions and customs that you have read about ?
The Art of Journaling
“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.” Oscar Wilde.
Journaling or maintaining a personal diary has been around since ancient times. The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote 12 books of journals called “Things to One’s Self. “ Historians, geographers, travellers, scientists, poets, artists, philosophers - they have all expressed their thoughts in their diaries. Be it Ibn Batuta or Captain Cook, Charles Darwin ot Einstein, Leonardo Da Vinci or Samuel Pepys, Sylvia Plath or Henry David Thoreau, the journal became more than just memoirs. Here is a story on some of the most fascinating people and their journals. If you are looking at reading more about the history of journaling, then you will find these articles very interesting.
Garden Art Journal - Subhashini Chandramani
I have always been keeping a diary since I was in school and my travel journal is a part of my journeys. My first blog, Her Monologues was born over 15 years ago, even before I started my travel blog. However I realized the value of journaling only when I started practising mindfulness and it became a form of meditation for me. As Nataly Goldberg said, “Whether you’re keeping a journal or writing as a meditation, it’s the same thing. What’s important is that you’re having a relationship with your mind."
As Anne Frank said , ““I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” There are many benefits to journaling and this is what I have realized after years of journaling.
Clarity of thought . Its where I reset my mind as I clean and purge it every day
Personal therapist. My journal keeps a track of my thoughts, my moods and helps me see through the clutter and gives me a perspective
Stress Buster . Besides just angsting, my journal helps me to deal with stress as I bring my problems to the pages.
Emotional wellbeing. I also get a chance to let go of negative emotions that is holding me back as I get a chance to rewrite my own life .
Companionship . Its not always about angry and sad thoughts. I share every moment of my life in these pages and it gives me a sense of companionship . You meet a version of yourself that doesnt judge you at all.
Science has given more credit to journaling and many therapists recommend the same. If you are interested in the Art of Journaling, you can read more here
The Top 3
There are different kinds of journals today - from bullet journaling to old fashioned formats with pen and paper. However here are my suggestions for three different types of journals if you want to start one this year.
1.The Gratitude Journal - While there are diaries with prompts, you can also find digital versions online like The One Minute Journal or the Five Minute Journal.
2.The Dream Journal - Do you find yourself lost in a world of dreams - then record them every morning and find interpretations for the same.
3.The Manifestation Journal - This is where you can see your life goals, your desires unfold in front of you. Write them down and use affirmations and intentions to make them come true.
People Make Places
Meet Subhashini Chandramani. Experimental gardener, botanical artist. Subhashini brings nature and art together and creates a magical world by itself and thats how in a nutshell, The Garden Art Journal was born. She writes a monthly column in the Deccan Herald called Motley Garden. I had a short interview with her where she tells us more about Garden Art and shares some awe inspiring creations for the readers, especially for Ugadi. You can follow her as @neelavanam on Instagram and Twitter.
1. Happy Ugadi, Subhashini and thank you for this beautiful creation. Can you tell us the inspiration behind it.
Happu Ugadi. The Ugadi art is a bee nest made from Honge(Avenue tree) flowers. A celebration of spring and an ode to the honey bees that enrich our lives. And may the New Year make us more responsible about our environment and make us happy.
2. How would you describe Garden Art ?
My art series, which I call Garden Art, is three-dimensional. It is a unique medium as I bring together natural elements and light to create an art piece. I photograph the work and print them on cotton- rag papers. It delights me when visitors peer into the frame and wonder if I have stuck a twig or a leaf or if it truly a photograph.
3. People make places. Where did you find your inspiration ?
My love for nature comes from my father. He taught me that one should become one with the environment to understand it. I grew up in Anna Nagar, Chennai. My father was an officer in the Reserve Bank of India, and my mom was a teacher. A playground in front of our house was where I would spend copious amounts of time as a kid. When I was five years old, I was not fond of going to school. My parents would often reminisce about how I would wake up in the morning and declare a holiday for school. I would wander for hours in the playground after they left for work. Coat button flowers, balloon vine, thumbai, and a variety of plants grew in the periphery. Butterflies and dragonflies would flutter. I would be lost in an imaginary world until my grandmother would drag me home for lunch.
4.How did the concept of Garden Art Journal come up ?
Many years later, during a stroll in my garden, I discovered that I could juxtapose a natural element for something else to create art. It was a serendipitous moment that paved the way for a unique art form. As I started putting my work together, I felt the desire to create a book. I did not want it to be just a book of images. I want it to be uplifting and inspiring. The garden Art Journal is a dot-grid journal along with artwork spread across pages. It is available on Amazon India. http://bit.ly/Amazon_GAJ
5.Tell us a little more about the creative process
Nature influences many of our creations. The ornaments that we adorn ourselves with is floral. In temple architecture- patterns on columns, designs on ceilings, symbols and emblems, are inspired by nature.To use art as a tool to recreate all that is ephemeral into a more sustainable and enjoyable form is the most natural thing for humans to do. In my art form, I take inspiration from my garden. I look at leaves and twigs as images that are part of a scene and create a story around them.
Creativity is a tricky thing and very difficult to explain. It is like lightning that brightens up the darkness. One has to take hold of the moment and work on it. There are days when a flower appears to me like a bird. There are also days when the flower becomes a dress and a leaf morphs into a bird. I go with the flow and enhance whatever catches my attention at the moment.
6. Your favourite plants, flowers, trees…
I love the hibiscus flowers for my artwork. They take different forms as they wilt and motivate me to be more creative. I also love the seasonal Gulmohar and Pongamia flowers. Gerbera’s brighten my mood.
7. Blending art and nature - do you see yourself as an artist or a gardener or both?
Neither and both. The answer oscillates depending on the day and situation. On the days I create art, I feel enthusiastic like a child. On the days I wreck an artwork, I feel like an impostor. The same holds good when I see myself as a gardener. When the plant I have cared for starts to bloom, I feel elated. When I am not successful in raising a plant, I know I have to go back to the basics. I am forever on the learning curve.
Feedback !
Looking forward to your feedback as always. We are going to keep the flow of conversations going and I would really appreciate it if you will share my newsletter with your friends and family.
See you soon ! You can also read my travel stories on my blog and follow me on my social media
Blog - www.lakshmisharath.com
Twitter - www.twitter.com/lakshmisharath
Facebook - www.facebook.com/travelwithlakshmi
Instagram - www.instagram.com/lakshmisharath
Thank you Lakshmi for another edition of Journeys and Jottings; a lovely read and a wonderful beginning filled with hope in this endless uncertainty. And who can forget the neem leaves and jaggery eaten on the morning of Ugadi? Looking forward to the goodies of Poila Baisakh tomorrow. One nation - so many ways of celebrating the New Year! Stay Safe, Stay Healthy...best wishes Aruna