LAST SUNSET OF 2020. Clouds of Hope.
View from my window. Mississauga. ON.
“Clouds come floating into my life,
no longer to carry rain or usher storm,
but to add color to my sunset sky.”
― Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds.
Thursday, December 31, 2020
Wednesday, December 30, 2020
Tuesday, December 29, 2020
Cold Moon - or Wolf Moon.
MOONWHILE, in Mississauga tonight it was a Cold Moon through the haze, making it the last Full Moon of 2020, and the 13th Full Moon of the year. Also called Wolf Moon, Ice Moon, the Yule Moon, the Long Night Moon, the Datta Jayanti Moon, Unduvap Poya, and the Chang’e Moon. The month of October of this year had the very rare occurrence of 2 Full Moons in a month, due to the 29.5 days of the moon's cycle. The phrase’once in a blue moon’ is derived from this type of celestial event.
Monday, December 28, 2020
Trucial States
During my early days in this region, seven Sheikdoms formed what was then known as the Trucial States of Oman – a British protectorate until 1971. After that a beautiful nation known as the United Arab Emirates was born. Pic 1: Ruler's Palace, Abu Dhabi, 1969. Pic.2: Left: Sheikha Latifa Bldg, on Bani Yas Street, Deira, 1969. Dubai Petroleum Co. had its offices in this bldg. Right: Hassani Supermarket bldg. Background: Jashanmal & Sons. Pic 3. Deira Corniche 1969. Music Centre: Sole agents for the famous B&O (Bang & Olufsen of Denmark) next to Riviera Restaurant. Background: Carlton Hotel. #
Saturday, December 26, 2020
Friday, December 18, 2020
59 Years ago today
Till today, I remember running along with other boys, 59 years ago. on the winding path through our ward of Cumbiem Morod, leading to the red mud road that passed through our village of Guirim, in Bardez, Goa, to see the Indian Army proceeding slowly, heading for the capital, Panjim. I saw young boys, accompanied by older folks of our village, waving out to the Indian soldiers sitting on top of their tanks in full battle gear. And I waved out as well! The boys shouted "Jai Hind" and I followed doing the same. I was fourteen years young.
I was fascinated by the artillery comprising of huge tanks,armoured cars, jeeps and trailers, gun carriages with canons of
different shapes and sizes towed by trucks, proceeding towards Panjim. They created clouds of dust as they rumbled along.
Most of the soldiers had moustaches, beards and turbans. All were smiling. The military procession continued long after dusk and trickled into the night. Here's my depiction in a drawing of Indian Troops driving through Guirim in Bardez on the evening of 18th December 1961, on their way via Betim to the capital, Panjim, ending Portuguese rule in Goa of over 450 years.
