I am essentially
a storyteller and not a photographer. Neither do I own a DSLR or for that matter
any kind of fancy camera. I see the world through the 13 megapixels of my smart
phone. I love travelling but I do not travel. It is partly because of the fact that
I am a full time freelancer so my work is home based and also because of the
fact that I cannot leave my mum alone and go out travelling. Having said all
that, whenever I am out I try to take pictures of things, of people, of nature
and yes, Selfies. People who know me tell me that I click decent pictures but I
would not really go to tread that line as of now.
In my recent
trip to a sea side (interestingly my first visit to a sea side) I realized a
lot of things. Especially since it was early morning and I was there staring at
the rising sun and the waves crashing at a distance, it made me ponder over
life. I have to give it to the fact that I have been told by many people that
their favourite place to visit is the sea side while I always countered that
mountains were the best. Now that I had firsthand experience, I could tell them
why I haven’t changed my take, why still mountains hold a special place in my
heart.
You know, this
is the first time I am writing it out for the world to see. That December
morning when I was 2 glasses of fresh date palm juice down and watching the sun
rise, I somehow was unable to calm myself. The inner turmoil was eating me. I
missed mountains so much and the peace that the sight of snow brought me. I
touched the water and suddenly it came into my mind how dangerous it can be. If
you lose balance even a bit, you might drown. The waves come crashing and touch
your feet and when you are standing on top of the sand and the waves go back,
you feel that you are going down. It unsettles you and you need a lot of
concentration there.
I was somehow
not attracted towards the water. I saw people going in, taking a dip, coming
out. I saw them fighting, have fun, enjoying. But I preferred sitting back on
the rocks (nah! Not the drink) and enjoying the view. I couldn’t enjoy. The
water, so vast and endless only reminded me of my life. The past, the present
and to an extent the future. The coming forth and going back of the waves
taking away a part of the coast with it reminded me how so many people come in our
lives and go from our lives taking away a part of us with them.
I don’t get that
part of me back from them; the coast doesn’t get that part of it back from the
water either. That part of me will either forever be lost or be dumped
somewhere else. Replacements would come but the emptiness would remain. A line
of waves coming one by one to the shore almost as if racing their way. Just
like us, racing our way to the finish line. What happens in both the races? The
waves crash and they all meet at the coast to be one. In life, we all die and are
one with the soil, with each other. The mountains help me solve my queries; the
sea on the other hand told me that we are all going to die, no matter what. The
mountains are the way, the sea being the destination.
There is a part
of me now that would love to go back to the sea. But I am sure, this time if I
ever go to the sea; it will be the day that I am out of options. I did nothing
that day, rather than contemplating my life and clicking a few pictures mostly
of myself and of people with me but only one special picture of the rising sun
and the water. Today, if I look back to that picture I feel the same strange
turmoil and realize that I hadn’t captured the photo, the photo had captured
me. The photo doesn’t belong to me any longer, I belong to the photo. As I type
this, I am listening to a song that motivates me to live on “Kehta ye pal, khud se nikal, Jeetey hai
chal!”and attaching the picture here. I just hope that someone, someday
stumbles upon this picture and expresses to me what the sea sings to them.
Oh by the way, I'm not hydrophobic!
Oh by the way, I'm not hydrophobic!
Love,
Vanya
PS- This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.
PS- This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.
Vanya this was one of the best writeups I have read so far. Till date, no one has criticized and analysed a water body so beautifully.Till date,no one has shown his or her affection for the sea so well.I really liked your love- hate relationship with sea.Well written article this is!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the best comments I have ever received! Thank you so much Priyanka! For liking it, for understanding! :)
DeleteVanya this was one of the best writeups I have read so far. Till date, no one has criticized and analysed a water body so beautifully.Till date,no one has shown his or her affection for the sea so well.I really liked your love- hate relationship with sea.Well written article this is!
ReplyDeleteYeah,oceans and seas bring mixed emotions to me too!I am awed by the beauty but also intimidated by the vastness.Loved your post,Vanya!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for liking it! I'm so glad there are people who feel the same like me towards oceans and seas! :)
DeleteInteresting take on the given prompt, Vanya! Loved the write up and picture! Well I personally prefer both sea and mountains. From photographer's perspective, both holds a special place in their heart. I'm not a pro but I like clicking beach sunset pictures and sunrise over mountains :)
ReplyDeleteSunrise over mountains picture I have a lot but beach sunrise pictures are very uncommon! That breeze, I can never forget. I like clicking sunset pictures randomly. I have click a lot whenever I go out of my house. I'll put them up someday! Mostly shared on my instagram account @vanyasnotebook !! I'm so glad you liked both the writeup and the photograph! Means a lot :)
DeleteJust followed you on Instagram, that sunset @ vidyasagar setu picture is really good. Even I have never captured any beach sunrise pictures, but hopefully will capture some in future for sure :)
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