Winter begins with chilling breeze and dew drops falling down in the late night and early morning. The red sunlight surrounded by cloudy snowline in the east. While in this Gulf country symbolized by deserts and more heat than cold, a moment, this winter symbols lead my mind somewhere. I thought of my village!
Where is the flora and fauna of my village? I can’t hear the chirping birds that come to my window to awake me. There are no wet flowers embraced by glistening dew drops to wave me in the morning. I can’t see the coconut shyly surrounded by bright morning sun. Here, where I am, but it’s a desert winter.
This is my second missing of my home winter. Beginning of every winter day is filled with new hopes. Paving goodbye to a long time rough rain, the pleasant nature energizes people with new hopes and dreams. The romantic evenings and the good festive looks of the towns adds more enthusiasm.
Ancestral festivals are being celebrated in this season. This will continue till the beginning of summer in certain areas. Most of the traditional ‘Tharavads’ (homesteads) have been worshipping certain deities for decades and their festivals have a blend of nature and ancestry. Those who are out of their hometown, often return to take part in nostalgic celebrations.
The traditional Malabar people join their family to celebrate festivals in the temples. The Winter pictures offer spiritual rejuvenation to my villagers. December is a unique season – with a blend of unique festivals of Hindu-Muslim-Christian communities.
Children love and hate this winter. Being afraid of examinations, they can’t sleep more under hot blankets. But they would also wait for coming holidays of Bakrid and Christmas in the last of December.
The moonlight night, the sound and smell of devotion and tradition guides a blissful atmosphere. Childhood has the vigor and vitality to celebrate every festival. The sweet and color festival of my homestead temple adds wings to my nostalgic feelings. The elders fast and the children wait for the feast that follow. The benefit of early rising and maintaining the whole day freshness begins with winter because in this season, their elders wake up early in the morning on a trip to temples and mosques for praying and offerings.
I realise the missing of this wonderful winter from this desert land, here everything is different. Here winter has a strange face. Cloudy sky and smoke lead to an uncertain climate. One can pray for a good rain. Some desert flowers may do the same. As small plants in this wonderful earth, we can also pray. The blessing comes from the above.
Winter arrives with hope and dreams everywhere. Chilling winds and dew drops are blessing of the nature. Rain and snow falls also. Even the thought of the nature rejoice us. The beat and rhythm of nature is everywhere. But the spectacular vision only differs. The winter sun lit to desert plants and sandy desert the same way it gives energy to the greenery world.
Nations are different with tradition and culture, different with celebration and festivals. They are different with geography and natural beauty. But the sun and moon are constant. The powerful Mother Nature is constant.
