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Rant post alert!

There’s a stray dog in our society which once in a while scares residents by barking at them and chasing them. So the managing committee decided to send it away to a dog home. But one woman didn’t like this, and, against the wishes of all the residents, fought to get it back. She involved NGOs and the police. Now the dog we fondly call Muthulaxmi is back and chasing and scaring residents old and young.

In another incident, two puppies were left in a basket in our apartment complex by God knows who and everyone condemned the act and expressed hatred towards the person for being ‘heartless and not having any compassion or love for animals’ and so on…

These incidents once again made me dwell on my perspective on cruelty to animals as it often plays in my mind when I read stuff about how someone shot a horse’s leg, how a woman brutally killed some puppies, how a man fired bullets at dogs and how everybody trolled the ‘do’ers and judged and disparaged them by branding them inhuman, cruel etc etc. Surprisingly, so far, I’ve never come across a single ‘hate post’ on anything that is related to people hurting animals for their meat. I can’t help but wonder if killing animals to eat them is not cruel? Often, without sounding scornful, I do feel like asking these people who raise their voices so promptly, “Are you all vegetarians?”😛

Pic courtesy Google images

Bred in unhygienic and inhuman conditions, slaughtered and butchered for their flesh, blood, bones, marrow, liver, kidney, heart, tongue, tail, brain… every damn organ! Every limb cut off and stripped to the last nail or claw. Hell! we don’t even leave the intestines, the same intestines with loads of shit… all chopped, chopped, chopped, cleaned, cut, processed, packaged, cooked and ready to be devoured. What an uncruel act of cold blooded murder… and still we have the audacity to say that all other animal killings are inhuman and brutal? Wow!… it really makes me want to laugh out loud!

I sometimes think if we possess the license to kill animals to eat them? If yes, who made the license? We? Humans?… how convenient!
Or maybe a secret treaty has been passed in the past between animal heads and their human counterparts(something that I’m not aware of) that says, “if you kill us to eat us, it won’t hurt us and it is not at all disgraceful… all other killings are!”
Or is it a law of nature? Not at all. Since we are not capable of killing an animal without the help of a weapon and tearing it’s flesh and eating it raw, by nature we are herbivorous.
Or can we not survive without eating meat?Your next door neighbour who is a vegetarian through generations might be able to answer that.
Or is it healthier? Definitely not!
Or don’t we have vegetarian options? We most certainly do. You need to visit your next door neighbour again 😉
Or is it a great appetizer and we looooove its taste… yes! yes! yes!

It all leads to one conclusion: slaughtering an animal just to tickle our taste buds(I can’t think of any other logical reason) is alright but killing it for any other reason is an act of intolerance? How is that justifiable? Why is one type of killing cruel and the other not? And why does the world seem to have a problem when an animal is killed/mistreated for any other reason apart from devouring its meat? Are the sentiments of people attached only to the inedible species of animals? It does seem to me that the rest that fall in the edible category are taken for granted… or maybe, just maybe, we believe we have the right to kill them.

Well, whatever the reason, the hypocrisy and irony and of it never ceases to amuse me and make me wonder. And that’s exactly why, I am a meat eater and…

I KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT!

This blog post is a part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with RRE Studios.

The Ceaseless Charm of Chera Rocks

I wake up one winter morning, open my bedroom door and step out onto the sand. I walk for about 15 feet and the sand gives way to the beautiful blue ocean, it’s captivating vastness taking my eyes far across to the horizon where the blue of the water unites with the blue of the sky. At a distance I see the ocean dotted with tiny fishing boats on their way back to the shore after the night’s catch. I look around and see, on the sand, a neat row of brightly coloured fishing boats that gives the otherwise misty atmosphere a peculiar vibrancy. My gaze then moves to capture the beauty of the palm trees that line the beach… some stiffly erect, some that have given in to the wind and drooped slightly and a few bowing lower, almost parallel to the sands.

I start walking along the beach with the waves splashing at my feet, their sound giving me the nostalgic feel. I pause for a moment, ‘Maybe it’s a dream!’ But I almost suddenly realize it’s not. I stand there stuck in a charismatic moment, take a deep breath with a blissful smile on my face, and inhale, the early morning air of Chera Rocks, a quaint beach house in Kannur, North Kerala.

Not many people maybe familiar with this almost exclusive stretch of the ocean that makes for a great holiday spot. Over the years it has become our favourite winter weekend getaway. The reasons are plenty but I have attempted to enlist the top ones:

1. Easy Drive
Kannur is roughly 310kms from Bangalore. The roads are great and the drive not too long or hectic which makes the journey comfortable. We usually take the Mangalore Highway to Coorg and then drive on the curvy roads of the Western Ghats toward our destination. Because we prefer to be there by late afternoon and spend that evening by the beach, we always leave early in the morning, latest by 6:30(this way we beat the rush hour city traffic as well), stop for breakfast and lunch en route and reach by 4p.m.

2. Food
My words won’t justify how absolutely delectable and lip smacking the food at Chera Rocks is. We opt for sea food as they get it fresh everyday. A sweet little aunty prepares everything lovingly. Her passion for cooking and her culinary expertise is visible in the elaborate spread. You are spoilt for choice as each item on the menu tastes better than the other. Even a simple vegetable gravy is brimming with taste and flavour. The curries/gravies are coconut based and they are out of this world. Come to think of it, this is where I developed my taste and fondness for coconut in food and honestly, we could visit Chera Rocks even if it were only for the food.

3. Proximity to other places of interest
If you are the curious type and wish to look around, there are some places fairly close by that you can visit.

Muzhappilangad Beach:
Until we went there we had no idea that there is a drive-in beach in Kannur(Asia’s longest). Yes, you heard it right! You can drive your vehicle right into the ocean with the waves crashing against the tyres and the water splashing inside. It is quite the experience, except that your vehicle might need servicing after return, having been exposed to huge quantities of salt water.

St. Angelo Fort:
This is a picturesque, well maintained fort of historic significance. It borders the ocean and is an amazing location for watching the coastline and the city at a distance. It is also a great place for photography.

Handloom Shops:
Kannur is famous for its handloom industry, so if you want to take back gifts for friends and family and shop for yourself, there are several places nearby. We shop at a store called White Mall.

4. Safe and Clean Beach
Apart from the cuisine, this is one huge differentior and USP. The beach at Chera Rocks is clean, shallow and sandy… there aren’t many rocks on the bed and you can stand comfortably even if you go deep… and that is the BEST PART! I am 5 feet and I walk and venture quite far. This is a big relief as my daughters love to get into the water and we can let them, without being extra cautious and vigilant. It’s safe for non-swimmers too as the ocean isn’t rugged or fierce like in some other beach destinations we’ve been to. We’ve only seen it shallow and calm.

I’d like to mention that Chera Rocks is not your typical luxury stay like star hotels or resorts where you could drink and dance and party. It is a rustic, quiet, clean and comfortable beach house that gives you the experience of having your own home and living by the beach. There are no amenities here either… but again, when you have the vast ocean at your disposal, what else would you need?

Several types of rooms are available, but we prefer staying in one of the superior rooms due to their proximity to the calmest stretch of the beach(it’s just 15 feet away… no kidding!)

5. The Experience
Swimming in the secluded ocean any time of the day.
Strolling, running or meditating on the beach in the morning and taking leisurely walks at night with big and small crabs running in the sand.
Reading a book or just lounging on the veranda soaking in the breathtaking beauty of the ocean and the surroundings.
Candlelight dinner by the beach under the stars on a moonlit evening. The only sounds you hear are those of the waves crashing against the rocks and the palm trees dancing in harmony to the tune of the winds… heavenly!
Thus, making it a perfect, relaxing holiday experience.

The two dots are my two daughters😊

The host and owner Nived is a cool guy, he is neither overly intruding nor too aloof. He lets you be and that’s what you really want to do here.. just be!

In all these years, we have not had enough of this beautiful place. Infact, it has always been better each time and more wonderful and memorable and even though we do visit other beach destinations, we always end up going back, to, ‘the ceaseless charm of Chera Rocks.’

🌴🌴🌴🌴

P.S: This is not a sponsored post. I have written it solely cuz of my love for the place.

🌴🌴🌴🌴

This blog post is a part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.

The Child in Me

My morning walks give me ample time for introspective and retrospective contemplations. Just the other day I was thinking that I’ve lived for over four decades but I’m still young at heart… and it seems quite natural.

It is true that the heart doesn’t age.
However, if you don’t work it up enough it will surely, physically! The fluttering of the heart never ceases but the beating may if we are not active… after all it’s just a muscle and needs to be in use like any other. (This is the ‘health n fitness enthusiast’ side of me… pours out naturally🙂)

Coming back to the matter at hand… I have realized that no matter how much I grow in years(I’ve actually stopped counting after 30 🙈), inside, I’ll always remain the little girl that was forever running up and down the hill road.

When my adult nieces and nephews call me aunty, I don’t cringe inwardly and tell them, “Aunty mat kaho na”😀.. neither do I feel depressed and think, “Am I really that old?” because the truth, before even I ask that question, is the answer in the form of a monosyllabic ‘Yes’…a ‘yes’ that is not going to change. On the contrary, I just don’t allow it to dampen my mood cuz I know I’m as young as them… in my heart!

Well, not only in spirit, I am lucky to be youthful looking in body too. I attribute that majorly to my genes, some of it to my height(if I can call it that). Short people do stay young longer, and some of it to my lifestyle… the choices I make and the things I do to maintain my fitness and physical and mental health. I am lucky and thankful to have this amazing gang of girl friends, we call our group ‘Fun Gurlz’ and we love to keep the child in ourselves alive… having ‘theme’ parties is one of those.

During the first Lockdown, to maintain our sanity we used to play housie once a week on whatsapp and we also did a video together… you know the kind that you shoot individually from your homes and compile. It didn’t matter even if some of us weren’t good dancers… it turned out awesome and what mattered was that we had a lot of fun!

You can watch the video here…

I remember during my college days, some of my relatives and my classmates telling me to ‘grow up.’ I always wondered if they mistook my childish spirit for immaturity. Had I let their taunts and teases affect me, I’d have crushed my spirit, tried to change my soul, shed the real me and become a different person. But the good part is, I didn’t. Thankfully I let Kishore Kumar play more on my mind than them. Looks like I took ‘Kuch toh log kahange, logon ka kaam hain kehena’ quite seriously.😉

Anyway, and jokes apart, with the passing of so much time and even after being a mother to two girls, I have remained the girl that I was… the girl that I still am!

I wish I could tell those friends and relatives now, that I’ve really Grown Up, in many different ways than they would’ve meant at that time.
I’ve grown in wisdom,
I’ve grown in tolerance,
I’ve grown in acceptance,
I’ve grown in forgiveness,
I’ve grown in outlook,
I’ve grown in perspective
and yes,
I’ve grown in age too.

But through all the growing up that I’ve done, one thing hasn’t changed…

That there is a child in me and will always be!

This blog post is a part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.

Bikini Mommie

When I was a little girl, I used to think that 40 was the end of life. Now that I am over that bridge, but still that same little girl at heart, and a mother to two little girls… I think it is the beginning…

Life went by in the fast lane in my 20s. 30s brought about significant changes, marriage, motherhood and I was busy managing office, home, husband and kids. It was only when I hit my 40s that my hands weren’t so full anymore. With the kids suddenly not needing so much attention and supervision, I had free time and I could sit back and think.

So, it won’t be wrong to say that, for me, in many ways, life began at 40 and of all the things I did for the first time and the new skills I learnt, getting serious about my fitness was one. This was one thing that had taken a total backseat in all those endless years of juggling between home and office and adults and babies. I was already quite okay regarding my health and particularly my food habits… I am a little rigid and disciplined when it comes to certain aspects of my lifestyle. But for fitness, I was pretty much doing nothing except morning walks, the occasional run and some exercising at home sometimes… and although I wasn’t fat, I wanted to be fit!

That’s when Staunch (http://staunchfit.in) happened(It’s the name of my fitness company). Staunch brought about a rigour into my fitness regime. I badly needed motivation and push as I lacked consistency. I am thankful to my friend Sona who was a member already and on days we caught up, she used to tell us how great the workout was and how good she felt all day. Her zest and enthusiasm made me enroll and that’s the best decision I made in that year.

The good old days

The covid crisis did not hamper my routine as although it was outdoor before, our classes continued online, thanks to Zoom. So I diligently worked out an hour a day. Our type of training is called functional training but is actually a blend of all elements of fitness like strength, endurance, cardio, mobility, flexibility etc.

I can’t emphasize enough the importance of physical activity in our lives. Because of the country we live in where academics is given prime importance, we are totally ignorant of this aspect for much of our lives. It’s only when some major health issue happens, to us or someone around that we are baffled. This opens our eyes, becomes a turning point and puts us on the way to health and fitness. I wish it were different and it wouldn’t have to be this late. I wish physical activity could be a part of our lives as much as other things, or more.

My elder daughter looks like a zombie climbing on all fours 😆

Apart from the already known fact that any form of exercise releases endorphines, increases your stamina, strengthens your immunity, makes you fit and boosts your self esteem, when I workout regularly I am also better able to handle tiredness due to heavy duty work(household), stress, anxiety and my emotions on days when I feel blue. I am energetic all day, my menstrual cycle is better regulated and I am free from any type of cramps, pains and aches. And the best visible difference, I have a great body!

A challenge to do as many push planks in 30secs as I could.

In the winter of 2020, during the covid lull, we decided to get away for one weekend to our favourite beach house in Kannur. When I told my friends about it, they coaxed me to do a bikini photoshoot as another friend of ours had done it in her cruise holiday. I didn’t take it seriously but the thought didn’t escape my mind either. To think of it, at 40+ it was out of question and I hadn’t worn a bikini in my entire life nor had I thought that I ever would. Blame it on our culture, the society, the judgements and the fact that I was married, I was a daughter-in-law(made to believe that I am the sole bearer of my ‘sasural’s izzat’) and a mother of two, I didn’t have the confidence and till that juncture, I thought I didn’t have the body either.

A middle-aged mother is somehow thought of as incapable of carrying off this feat and I won’t totally blame those judgements as we give up on ourselves after a certain age and become complacent. It’s terrible, this ‘I don’t care how I look’ attitude. I think ‘after a certain age’ is when we must care more about ourselves, look after our bodies and strive to stay fit and healthy.

So finally, after a great deal of contemplation, I put all of my apprehensions and inhibitions aside, and with the encouragement of my friends and husband… I did it! I wore a bikini and confidently posed for photographs as well.

I worked hard on myself as nothing comes easy. I was steadfast and diligent and more than the physical aspect of looking good donning a two piece, I felt feminine, fit and fabulous from within… and, I was mighty proud of it.

I still am!

This blog post is a part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.