A mid-summer nights dream....

She woke up from a beautiful dream. A dream that captured snapshots of her childhood and adolescence; of her fun-filled summer vacations in God's own country.

That's how the world referred to Kerala, her native land. The land of lush green paddy fields, massive palm groves, serene back waters, ancient temples and dynamic people. Her vivid memories of Kerala were to do with her annual summer vacation to visit her paternal grandparents in a small town located in the outskirts of Cochin or Kochi as its now called. The town nestled among endless rubber plantations and green hills. Her father's ancestral home was a typical traditional house with teak wood paneling and a tiled roof.

A beautiful summer morning with a hot cup of tea made with milk freshly extracted from the cow. The cow had a fancy name - 'Nandini'. The whole town would be submerged in the golden dawn with leaves soaked in dew and a haunting tune in the air that only she could hear. The house hustled with early morning activities. She would have her tea and head straight for a bath in the stream that flowed in the backyard of their home. Her cousins would join her. After playing mermaid in the water for a couple of hours, they would head back home for a delicious breakfast.

The afternoons on the other hand were lethargic and torpid. She would just lie looking out of the window besotted by the beauty and splendor of her surroundings or chatting away with her aunts and cousins. Evenings were usually busy with guests, relatives visiting them. They sometimes visited the temples nearby. She loved the tranquility and sense of complete surrender she witnessed in His divine presence. The antiquity and intricacy of the temples in Kerala contributed to this wonderful spiritual experience. She'd never felt such oneness before; it left her captive in the presence of some 'larger than life' force. The brightly lit 'kalvelakku' (stone lamps), the deepa sthambham (pillar of lamps), the kodimaram (flag post) etc were enthralling.

The twilight then gave way to a stunning full moon that bathed the whole town in its silver beam and made the night a seductive and enticing one. No wonder moon-lit nights were the inspiration for hundreds of romantic poems, she thought. After a sumptous dinner with family and some quality time with everyone, she slipped into bed for yet another dreamy, cozy night. A sense of peace and contentment prevailed in the land and amongst its people which was very contagious. She felt the very same emotions that night.

She said a prayer as always and closed her eyes, opening her heart to dreams galore..............