I will be playing the chords & singing along this song by The Beatles when we sing Christmas carols in school
Let It Be (Beatles)
When I find myself in times of trouble,
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom,
let it be
And in my hour of darkness,
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom,
Let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom,
Let it be
And when the broken hearted people,
Living in the world agree
There will be an answer,
let it be
But though they may be parted,
There is still a chance that they may see
There will be an answer,
let it be
CHORUS: Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
There will be an answer,
let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom,
let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom,
let it be
And when the night is cloudy,
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine on till tomorrow,
let it be
I wake up to the sound of music,
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom,
let it be
CHORUS
20 December 2008
17 December 2008
Pradip Krishen visits Mirambika...........
Our project on trees got a major fillip when the author of Trees of Delhi, Mr Pradip Krishen visited our school.
He was really nice & patient. We went for a walk with him on our campus, he was able to identify all the trees. Infact with one of the trees he had his doubts & all of us appreciated his honesty, when he said he will get back to us with all the details.
He was really nice & patient. We went for a walk with him on our campus, he was able to identify all the trees. Infact with one of the trees he had his doubts & all of us appreciated his honesty, when he said he will get back to us with all the details.
Now we are trying to work on making the database we have created of all the trees/ flora in the campus into a compilation. That will be done after the holidays.
As of now i would like to thank Pradip Krishen to have come to our school & spend time with us. It was really wonderful & useful. Also i got him to autograph on my copy of the book Trees of Delhi !!
Thank you...... sir !!
8 December 2008
The quest for Clues
I went to see this play with my friends called The quest for Clues.
The story was something like this ..................
Kim & Maya hates the idea of going to India for holidays it s the same boring routine. But when they reaches their grandparents sleepy farm, strange things happen. Kim discovers that somebody is out to kill her grandfather. In an attempt to rescue her grandfather they get caught in a trap that transports them back into time. Maya, her pesky sister refuses to be left behind. Will they come back? Will they find clues to help them solve the mystery? Or will they helplessly watch their grandfather die? Go back into time with Kim and Maya and find out.
The story was something like this ..................
Kim & Maya hates the idea of going to India for holidays it s the same boring routine. But when they reaches their grandparents sleepy farm, strange things happen. Kim discovers that somebody is out to kill her grandfather. In an attempt to rescue her grandfather they get caught in a trap that transports them back into time. Maya, her pesky sister refuses to be left behind. Will they come back? Will they find clues to help them solve the mystery? Or will they helplessly watch their grandfather die? Go back into time with Kim and Maya and find out.
30 November 2008
The Splashing Osprey
This is my portrayal of one of my favourite birds............. The Osprey. On this painting i really had to work very hard, especially on the feathers
18 November 2008
New Delhi Aikido
This article appeared in a national newspaper about my Aikido class
“Because of Aikido I was able to defend myself from an attack,” says Yulia Pal. Aikido helped in saving her when violently attacked while taking a walk in the city’s Jahapanah park. Paritos Kar, fourth Dan of Aikido Aikikai Foundation of India, who has learnt this art from Japan, has been teaching this non-combative art form for four years in Delhi.
Aikido is different from other marital arts because it is not competitive. With Aikido meaning “harmony” it is little surprise that this form is more about a philosophy than competition. But make no mistake, it’s not a soft spot at all as it provides a complete workout and can disarm attackers. Kar says, “Aikido helps in self defence, fitness, confidence and discipline.”
There are only four members in today’s dojo with the festive season keeping most of the others away. But there’s an unusual dignity and serenity about this class located near Lady Shri Ram College. Everyone speaks in hushed tones and addresses each other with a gentle bow. The members are dressed in the traditional white pants and angrakha-like shirts called keikogi. The seniors and Kar himself wear a hakama, a black drape that is tied waist down.
The class begins with a brief meditation. We sit on our knees, with legs folded back and feet touching each other. This is to clear the mind and help in concentration. While Aikido originated more than 100 years ago in Japan, it has no religious leanings. And the meditation is more about clearing one’s mind than about praying to any force.
Next come the gentle warm up exercises. They include punching the air with one’s fist and drawing back. Then there are body rotations. This is followed by stretches. The stretches are performed standing upright and some other lying on the floor. While standing, the knees are bent gently and rotated. In the floor exercises, one holds the back of ones knees and rolls back and forth like a baby. Then the feet are gently pounded with the hands, followed by a quick and efficient rubbing of the ears and neck. These series of exercises lasts for only about 10 minutes and helps to get the joints lubricated and make the body supple.
With Aikido being mainly about throws, students first pay attention to rolling and falling. Because of the throws, it is practised indoors and with partners. Rolling requires technique and is not about just barrelling down the floor.
I stare open mouthed as students adroitly roll down the 30 feet of padded mat. First they do so silently, and then with a sonorous thud. This is for the experts, and I decide it’s time to roll out of the class.
(For more information: http://www.aikikaiindia.org/, call: 9899822
In an Aikido class Nandini Nair finds that martial arts can be about harmony
Photos: Shanker Chakravarty.
Photos: Shanker Chakravarty.
“Because of Aikido I was able to defend myself from an attack,” says Yulia Pal. Aikido helped in saving her when violently attacked while taking a walk in the city’s Jahapanah park. Paritos Kar, fourth Dan of Aikido Aikikai Foundation of India, who has learnt this art from Japan, has been teaching this non-combative art form for four years in Delhi.
Aikido is different from other marital arts because it is not competitive. With Aikido meaning “harmony” it is little surprise that this form is more about a philosophy than competition. But make no mistake, it’s not a soft spot at all as it provides a complete workout and can disarm attackers. Kar says, “Aikido helps in self defence, fitness, confidence and discipline.”
There are only four members in today’s dojo with the festive season keeping most of the others away. But there’s an unusual dignity and serenity about this class located near Lady Shri Ram College. Everyone speaks in hushed tones and addresses each other with a gentle bow. The members are dressed in the traditional white pants and angrakha-like shirts called keikogi. The seniors and Kar himself wear a hakama, a black drape that is tied waist down.
The class begins with a brief meditation. We sit on our knees, with legs folded back and feet touching each other. This is to clear the mind and help in concentration. While Aikido originated more than 100 years ago in Japan, it has no religious leanings. And the meditation is more about clearing one’s mind than about praying to any force.
Next come the gentle warm up exercises. They include punching the air with one’s fist and drawing back. Then there are body rotations. This is followed by stretches. The stretches are performed standing upright and some other lying on the floor. While standing, the knees are bent gently and rotated. In the floor exercises, one holds the back of ones knees and rolls back and forth like a baby. Then the feet are gently pounded with the hands, followed by a quick and efficient rubbing of the ears and neck. These series of exercises lasts for only about 10 minutes and helps to get the joints lubricated and make the body supple.
With Aikido being mainly about throws, students first pay attention to rolling and falling. Because of the throws, it is practised indoors and with partners. Rolling requires technique and is not about just barrelling down the floor.
I stare open mouthed as students adroitly roll down the 30 feet of padded mat. First they do so silently, and then with a sonorous thud. This is for the experts, and I decide it’s time to roll out of the class.
(For more information: http://www.aikikaiindia.org/, call: 9899822
17 November 2008
Mirambika campus is more diverse than Yamuna Biodiversity Park
....................But the only thing missing in our campus is a waterbody, but there are more variety of trees in our campus, than YBP.
We started doing a project on trees & i am kind of smitten by it. We are using Trees of Delhi, A field Guide by Pradip Kishen to do our work. Today morning my father was telling me your school bag is getting heavy. Apart from the Trees of Delhi book, it had Asterisk & a couple of novels, apart from the usual note books. We do not have any textbooks in Mirambika.
Using this field guide we are making a list of trees in the Mirambika campus, which by the look of things is much more diverse than the Yamuna biodiversity park which we visited recently as part of our project work.
At the Yamuna biodiversity Park i learned to identify some butterflies like Brown Awl, Grass Yellow, Forget me Not, Striped Tiger, Plain Tiger, Blue Pansy, Yellow Pansy & Peacock Pansy.
We started doing a project on trees & i am kind of smitten by it. We are using Trees of Delhi, A field Guide by Pradip Kishen to do our work. Today morning my father was telling me your school bag is getting heavy. Apart from the Trees of Delhi book, it had Asterisk & a couple of novels, apart from the usual note books. We do not have any textbooks in Mirambika.
Using this field guide we are making a list of trees in the Mirambika campus, which by the look of things is much more diverse than the Yamuna biodiversity park which we visited recently as part of our project work.
At the Yamuna biodiversity Park i learned to identify some butterflies like Brown Awl, Grass Yellow, Forget me Not, Striped Tiger, Plain Tiger, Blue Pansy, Yellow Pansy & Peacock Pansy.11 November 2008
Maan Singh, Bharatpur, Birding guide par excellence
The first time i went to Bharatpur was 3 years back. I was new to birds & birding. Infact we were doing a project in school on birds. Priyanka didi & Manish bhaiyya got me really interested in birds, they got me hooked, it was one of the best projects i had done in school. Then my parents got for me the "Birds of the Indian Subcontinent by Richard Grimmett" which is like a bible for birds & id's etc. I used to read it for hours, sleep with it, wake up with, walk with it etc.
My school (mirambika) also has a lovely campus, i started to identify birds. Then there is a park in front of my house, there also i started to identify birds. Once we went for a walk with Priyankadidi & Manishbhaiyya, then he thought us how to identify the birds by their call. While we were doing the project i got a chance to visit Bharatpur (Keoladeo Ghana National Park)
We were quite tentative about how to go about birding in the park since it was our first time. We asked for a guide et al, then we needed to hire a cycle rickshaw to go inside the park since it is a long walk. Then this person with a cycle rickshaw walked up to us & told us he will take us in. That was my first meeting with Maan Singh.
Within 5 minutes we realised that he was much better guide than the actual birding guide that we had hired. That day evening while walking back from the park Maan Singh actually spotted an Osprey, it was unbelievable for me to be able to see an Osprey & we realised the guide had not even spotted it.
So the next day morning when we were going back to the park we decided we do not need a guide, Maan Singh himself is a super birding guide. So that is how i came to know Maan Singh. Since then whenever we go to Bharatpur we go into the park with only Maan Singh. He obviously is a much respected person, his skills in identifying birds are just fantastic, his eyes are so sharp, he knows their calls, he knows the behaviour of the birds very well, he has a feel for them, plus he is also very relaxed as a person & great company to be cycling with, when he regales us with stories about birding, about the state of the park, how it is been run etc.
Maan Singh, age 47, Rickshaw No. 5, has been in Bharatpur since 1981. In 1981, Keoladeo Ghana bird sanctuary was given the status of National Park. He was trained by Dr Salim Ali when he used to come to Bharatpur, he also has attended many seminars & workshops with Dr Salim Ali
Maan Singh earns about Rs 5,000/- a month on an average. He is also very environmentally conscious & gets appalled with visitors who come into the park & litter, he also has a lot to say about the kind of vegetation which was there in the park, which is more mono culture than bio diverse, he is happy with the changes which are taking place to replace the awful "ganda babul" trees.
My school (mirambika) also has a lovely campus, i started to identify birds. Then there is a park in front of my house, there also i started to identify birds. Once we went for a walk with Priyankadidi & Manishbhaiyya, then he thought us how to identify the birds by their call. While we were doing the project i got a chance to visit Bharatpur (Keoladeo Ghana National Park)
We were quite tentative about how to go about birding in the park since it was our first time. We asked for a guide et al, then we needed to hire a cycle rickshaw to go inside the park since it is a long walk. Then this person with a cycle rickshaw walked up to us & told us he will take us in. That was my first meeting with Maan Singh.
Within 5 minutes we realised that he was much better guide than the actual birding guide that we had hired. That day evening while walking back from the park Maan Singh actually spotted an Osprey, it was unbelievable for me to be able to see an Osprey & we realised the guide had not even spotted it.
So the next day morning when we were going back to the park we decided we do not need a guide, Maan Singh himself is a super birding guide. So that is how i came to know Maan Singh. Since then whenever we go to Bharatpur we go into the park with only Maan Singh. He obviously is a much respected person, his skills in identifying birds are just fantastic, his eyes are so sharp, he knows their calls, he knows the behaviour of the birds very well, he has a feel for them, plus he is also very relaxed as a person & great company to be cycling with, when he regales us with stories about birding, about the state of the park, how it is been run etc.
Maan Singh, age 47, Rickshaw No. 5, has been in Bharatpur since 1981. In 1981, Keoladeo Ghana bird sanctuary was given the status of National Park. He was trained by Dr Salim Ali when he used to come to Bharatpur, he also has attended many seminars & workshops with Dr Salim Ali
Maan Singh earns about Rs 5,000/- a month on an average. He is also very environmentally conscious & gets appalled with visitors who come into the park & litter, he also has a lot to say about the kind of vegetation which was there in the park, which is more mono culture than bio diverse, he is happy with the changes which are taking place to replace the awful "ganda babul" trees. Water in the park is critical, he throws his hands up in despair when he explains the politics behind the water distribution. His life is also dependent on it, if there is no water in the park, then there will be no birds, if there are no birds, then there will be be no visitors, if there are no visitors to the park, then he will have no work & no earnings.
Maan Singh
14, Madhav Galli,
Near Ganga Mandir
Bharatpur. 321 001
3 November 2008
Bharatpur Rocks ! Oct 2008......... & The Dusky Eagle Owl
Expectations were running high in me when I heard from my parents that we are going to Bharatpur during the Diwali break. We reached Bharatpur in around 4 hours, checked in to the hotel, had lunch…………. It all seemed to take too long & I was getting restless. I just wanted to head into the Keoladeo Ghana National Park !!
But there was one problem; we could not find Maan Singh. We had called his contact telephone number & requested them to pass on the message to Maan Singh. But obviously he had not got the message. Maan Singh has always been an integral part of my trips to Bharatpur. Birding is so enjoyable with him, he has so much insight into birds, plus he knows the park inside out, plus he knows my favourite birds, plus he knows the likely places where they might be !!
The next day we spent about 4hrs in the park in the morning, The high point was the Saurus Cranes, one of them was sitting on a nest, the Pheasant Tailed Jacanas & the Bronze Winged Jacanas, we looked hard to see the floating nests, but couldn’t see any.
But there was one problem; we could not find Maan Singh. We had called his contact telephone number & requested them to pass on the message to Maan Singh. But obviously he had not got the message. Maan Singh has always been an integral part of my trips to Bharatpur. Birding is so enjoyable with him, he has so much insight into birds, plus he knows the park inside out, plus he knows my favourite birds, plus he knows the likely places where they might be !!
We looked out for him trying in vain to locate his whereabouts. With disappointment writ large on our faces we boarded another cycle rickshaw, but I was hoping to bump into Maan Singh somewhere in the park. But luck was with us & lo behold, we saw him very soon & I was happy to hop into his rickshaw though I did feel sorry for the other rickshaw driver. However, my father compensated him for his time so at least he did not lose any earnings.
The high for the first day was to see the Dusky Eagle Owl, the call of it was just awesome. Imagine listening to the call on a dark moon less night alone!!! That surely will give me the goose bums !!
We did a quick round of the park. Scopps Owl was simply a treat to watch.........
The next day we spent about 4hrs in the park in the morning, The high point was the Saurus Cranes, one of them was sitting on a nest, the Pheasant Tailed Jacanas & the Bronze Winged Jacanas, we looked hard to see the floating nests, but couldn’t see any.
We went again to the park after a quick lunch. Had great views of a couple of Eurasian Hobby’s. A first time view of a Lagger Falcon. Then we had a close look at the Heronary. It was amazing to see the Painted Storks, the Cormorants, the Spoon Bills & the Darters share the same nesting spaces. Maan Singh showed us how the adults of Painted Storks would protect the chicks of the other species. Also how the adults protect the chicks from the sun by spreading out the wings etc. We also saw chicks which were just a week old.
The concentration which is writ large on the face of the Purple Heron, or the Night Heron, or the little Green Heron, or the Grey heron, just sitting quietly in wait for prolonged periods of time, without moving even a bit, alert & agile, & when they spot a prey, in one amazing striking elongation of the neck they catch the fish. And if it is a big fish then it flips it in the air & takes it in head first. I was privileged to see a Purple Heron do just that.
It was almost sunset when we were coming out of the park. We heard a jackal call, suddenly Maan singh jumped out from the rickshaw & said It is a Hyena !! Our eyes closed in on the Hyena. It was huge. Bigger than a German Sheperd dog, it crossed the path right behind us. I could not believe my eyes, I could not believe what I saw………. a Hyena. It was a truly awesome moment. By the time my mother got out of the rickshaw & adjusted the camera the Hyena was gone. But the picture will always remain in my mind………. A Hyena been barked at & chased by Jackals, & it crossing the path just 15 ft away from me. Truly a rocker moment !!
The next day we were in the park by sunrise. This time Maan singh took us through a different path. I was dying/ hoping to see an Osprey, I did see something which I thought was an Osprey, but it was too far away to even identify. Then we were cycling along quietly, then we saw a Greater Spotted Eagle. Actually it was only a dress rehearsal of things to come.
Just a few metres ahead, my eyes popped out in wonder when I saw a Steppe Eagle…………… (Correction, by Ramit: It is a Bonneli's Eagle)
It was so close, it was unbelievable, to see this beautiful bird sitting just a few metres away. I enjoyed the couple of minutes in its company, before it flew away. We cycled ahead, not believing my luck , I was still in daze thinking of the Steppe Eagle. (Sorry, actually Bonneli's Eagle)
Suddenly Maan Singh again stopped & pointed to my right, there again on my right hand side was one of my all time favourite birds : The Crested Serpent Eagle.
It was sitting in the sun, obviously 'had a dive in the water, so was sitting with the feathers spread out. I have never seen an Eagle so, so relaxed & did look at us many times, but was not bothered about our presence, he continued to sit where he was . We eyed him for about 20 minutes, till we decided to say good bye.
So that was it !!
After two & a half days of intensive birding, it was finally time to leave. Bharatpur rocks, it just rocks. I used to wonder the last two years when I used to hear that there is no water in the park, i used to worry & feel helpless. But i felt so humble to see nature rejuvenate itself to offer a nesting & a breeding place for all these species who come in sometimes all the way from Europe & Mongolia.
I hope to go back in December or January (hopefully with some of my friends) when all the birds arrive & when Bharatpur is at its best.
As of now here is the list of birds i saw :
- Magpie Robin
- Bank Mynah
- Common Myna
- Brahminy Myna
- Pied Myna
- Drongo
- Laughing Dove
- Green Pigeon
- Jungle Babbler
- Peacocks/hens
- Hoopoe
- Chestnut Shouldered Petronia
- Rose Ringed Parakeets
- Yellow Vented Bulbul
- Coucal
- Large Green Barbet
- Coppersmith
- Green Bee-eater
- Indian Roller Bird
- Golden Oriole
- Pygmy Woodpecker
- Flame Back
- Red Wattled Lapwing
- White Breasted King Fisher
- Small Blue King Fisher
- Rufous Tree pie
- Pied Bush Chat
- Clamorous Reed Warbler
- Brain fever Bird/ Common Hawk Cuckoo
- Koel
- Pied Crested Cuckoo
- Grey Partridge/ Francolin
- Red Throated Fly Catcher
- Grey Headed Canary Fly Catcher
- Grey Night Jar
- Painted Storks
- Great Egret
- Little Egret
- Pond Heron/ Paddy Bird
- Little Heron
- Night Heron
- Purple Heron
- Darter/ Snake Bird
- Great Cormorant
- Little Cormorant
- Indian Shag
- White Ibis
- Glossy Ibis
- Spoon Bill
- Saurus Crane
- Common Moorhen
- Purple Moorhen
- Bronzed Winged Jacana
- Pheasant Tailed Jacana
- Black Red Start
- Lesser White Throat
- Long Tailed Shrike
- Scopps Owl
- Spotted Owlets
- Dusky Eagle Owl
- Spot billed Duck
- Lesser Whistling Ducks
- Coots
- Comb Duck
- Common Teal/ Pygmy Goose
- Crested Serpent Eagle
- Marsh Harrier
- Black Shouldered Kite
- Shikra
- Lagger Falcon
- Eurasian Hobby
- Greater Spotted Eagle
- Oriental Honey Buzzard
- Bonneli's Eagle
Finally as i leave; i hope to , i just hope to...........
see the Siberian Cranes coming back sometime !!
31 October 2008
Aikido techniques for 5th Kyu
The Aikido Techniques that i am learning for my 5th Kyu are the following :1. Shomen uchi dai Ikkyo (Omute/ Ura, Tachi/ Suwari)
2. Shomen uchi dai Nikkyo (Omute/ Ura, Tachi/ Suwari)
3. Shomen uchi Iriminage (Tachi/ Suwari)
4. Katate dori Shihonage (Omute/ Ura)
5. Katate dori dai Ikkyo (Omute/ Ura, Tachi)
6. Katate dori dai Nikkyo (Omute/ Ura, Tachi)
7. Katate dori Kaitennage
8. Katate dori Iriminage (Tachi)
9. Kata dori dai Ikkyo (Omute/ Ura, Tachi/ Suwari)
10. Kata dori dai Nikkyo (Omute/ Ura, Tachi/ Suwari)
11. Kosa dori Iriminage (Tachi)
12. Kosa dori Shihonage (Tachi)
13. Kosa dori dai Ikkyo (Omute/ Ura, Tachi)
14. Kosa dori dai Nikkyo (Omute/ Ura, Tachi)
15. Yokomen uchi Shihonage (Omute/ Ura, Tachi)
16. Tai no Henko
17. Zagi Kokyu Ho
13 October 2008
Birding at Sonapani..... The Asian Barred Owl & The Eurasian Hobby
During Dushera break we went to Sonapani.
This is the closest i came to the Himalayan peaks, the views were breathtaking, it was awesome, especially on a clear morning.
We went for long walks in the forests nearby, we saw many Tree creepers, Velvet Fronted Nut Hatches, Spangled Drongos, Whistling Thrush's, Streaked Whistling Thrush's, Canary Fly Catcher's, Scarlet Minivets, Black Throated Tits, Great Barbets, Flame Backs, Red billed Blue Magpies, Black Headed Jay's & a Crested Serpent Eagle.
Then one day late in the evening we were having coffee, suddenly on a nearby tree, we saw something. I ran up to see what it was, first i thought it was a raptor, but it was not, it was an Owl. We saw it swoop down on to bush & catch something. I was not sure what Owl it was.
We went for long walks in the forests nearby, we saw many Tree creepers, Velvet Fronted Nut Hatches, Spangled Drongos, Whistling Thrush's, Streaked Whistling Thrush's, Canary Fly Catcher's, Scarlet Minivets, Black Throated Tits, Great Barbets, Flame Backs, Red billed Blue Magpies, Black Headed Jay's & a Crested Serpent Eagle.
One day early in the morning we walked up dew dropped hill. Far, far way on a single Pine Tree we spotted a raptor, my mother forgot all her breathlessness, i was imagining some bear is going to come out & attack us, i forgot that also, in a jiffy, panting, panting we scrambled up on top of the hill & really close to the tree were this bird was sitting.
Then it flew to another tree, first i thought it was a Falcon, it was a really beautiful bird, but when i checked the ID, i found it it was an Eurasian Hobby.
So here is is my first time view of an Eurasian Hobby
Then one day late in the evening we were having coffee, suddenly on a nearby tree, we saw something. I ran up to see what it was, first i thought it was a raptor, but it was not, it was an Owl. We saw it swoop down on to bush & catch something. I was not sure what Owl it was.Next day again at the same time in the evening we went in search of it. we could not find it, then we were returning disappointed. While walking back my mother told me to stand near my father so that she could take a snap of both of us, at that particular moment..............yippee , the same Owl was again in front of us. It was particularly agile & gave us really awesome looks. After studying the ID i realised it is the Asian Barred Owl
So it was another first timer for me.
So it was another first timer for me.
.
The nights were chill. I love sitting around the fire, just looking into the burning wood apart from warming ourselves & sometimes strumming my guitar. Ashish uncle & Deepa aunty looked after us very well. The food was yum.
As usual I was very upset when it was time to leave !!
6 October 2008
Winter visitors are coming................Sultanpur, Oct 2008. The Pied King Fisher & the Avadavat !!
I am so happy when winter is approaching, that is the time when a lot of birds fly in from thousands of miles away. I went to Sultanpur to check out the scene. A Pied King fisher really gave us a treat, diving into the water many times in front of us
The water hole was rather full of waterfowl; including Shovellers, Garganey, Gadwall, Common Teals, Comb Ducks, Spot-billed Ducks and a few Common Moorhens. The islands held large numbers of Black Headed Ibis and Painted Storks and a lone Asian Open bill. Also present were Purple and Grey Herons,Median and Great Egrets, Black Crowned Night Herons, the abundant Pond Herons, and all 3 species of Cormorants. On one of the trees on the island,there was quite a large raptor right at the top, but the distance was far too great for any of us to identify it. A Pied Cuckoo was also present on one of the Keekar trees next to the lake. We also saw Black Rumped Flamebacks, both species of Barbets, and a Common Stonechat.
But the colours of this Avadavat really caught my imagination.
The water hole was rather full of waterfowl; including Shovellers, Garganey, Gadwall, Common Teals, Comb Ducks, Spot-billed Ducks and a few Common Moorhens. The islands held large numbers of Black Headed Ibis and Painted Storks and a lone Asian Open bill. Also present were Purple and Grey Herons,Median and Great Egrets, Black Crowned Night Herons, the abundant Pond Herons, and all 3 species of Cormorants. On one of the trees on the island,there was quite a large raptor right at the top, but the distance was far too great for any of us to identify it. A Pied Cuckoo was also present on one of the Keekar trees next to the lake. We also saw Black Rumped Flamebacks, both species of Barbets, and a Common Stonechat.But the colours of this Avadavat really caught my imagination.
As the day became warmer we got out of the park, but surely will be going again after a month or so to pay my respects to all the winter visitors.
We ended the morning with a round of some lovely sandwiches & a cake which was baked by my maasi.
30 September 2008
Rock On & Farhan Akhtar
I went to see Rock On
The story was awesome
The songs were just too good.
The best part is i am learning the chords now................... yippie
I loved this & this & this
The story was awesome
The songs were just too good.
The best part is i am learning the chords now................... yippie
I loved this & this & this
Now this is the gang singing one of the songs from Rock On: na,na,na........ in school. We got everyone singing with us......... But what unfolded afterwards was a horror story. Certain things are better left unsaid...... isn't it !!
19 September 2008
Adios........ Edson Diaz, Brazilian Footbal Coach
I was lucky to meet him,
I was lucky to be coached by him.
He is Edson Diaz from Escola Brasileira de Futebol & Associocao Brasileira de Treinadores de Futebol
I was lucky to be coached by him.
He is Edson Diaz from Escola Brasileira de Futebol & Associocao Brasileira de Treinadores de Futebol
But unfortunately he had to leave, all good things had to come to an end, hopefully i will be able to train with him sometime in future.
In his assessment he said " ...........As the coach of The International Brazilian Football Program i have the pleasure in congratulating you to have done the football program with us for 3 months. You have been able to improve a lot as a player and in understanding that football is an art, in communication, in discipline & respect & relationship with others. You have learned about the principal point of our program. Also i advice you to practice continuously to become a professional football player..........."
Then he assessed me for dribbling skills, passing, jumping, speed, kicking, control, field position & personal knowledge. My jumping been the weakest, because i hate to do headers.
The he goes on to say........... "you should understand more about your position while you are playing, i think if you start playing in the right side attacker position you will become better.......... "
Training with Edson was a dream, when he said he will have to leave the country i thought; maan........ now what ? But he managed to find/ convince another coach Jamiu Logun from Nigeria to come & coach us.
Gracias Edson............. adios !!
1 September 2008
Mischief, the Labrador.........!!
I did this painting for my sister manaShe wanted me to paint her 10 year old Labrador named mischief. In this painting he has got a red cap on to make him look more mischievous !!
I gifted her this painting for raakhi.
1 August 2008
The leopard with its kill
I started like this....................
then the canvas became like this after two weeks..................
Finally after a month...................
this how it looked in the end with the Leopard looking into the sunset, his kill; a deer is kept safely up on tree (You have to look clearly to see it) to savour for dinner !!
then the canvas became like this after two weeks..................
Finally after a month...................
this how it looked in the end with the Leopard looking into the sunset, his kill; a deer is kept safely up on tree (You have to look clearly to see it) to savour for dinner !!
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