An Epic on Childhood - 8
everyday
beyond the fence
in the empty plot
behind their home
- his first home,
not yet known
it wasn't Home -
two butterflies
lovely, do thithliyaan
beautiful, randu chithrashalabhangal
played, danced and made love
flitted fluttered
'flying crooked gait'
one day white
one day yellow
one day red, gold or green
plethora of colours
while a woman and a child
watched entranced
he on her hip
the green, green grass
the golden sun
the dappled shade
the trees, the fun
the plants and insects
bird song and cricket chirp
the blue, blue sky
the white, white clouds
the woman in a blouse and sari
the son in his shorts
timelessly indian
universal
Woman and son -- leaf painting
Painting on the leaf of a banyan (peepal, Bodhi tree, Ficus religiosa) originated in Kerala. The tree is sacred to Hindus and Buddhists and attains great size and age. The leaf hangs from long, flexible petioles and rustles in even a slight; curvaceous and full bodied, with beautiful veins, it tapers to a needle point and displays a bony structure. The green leaf cannot be painted on; it has to be soaked in water for a month or so to remove the outer layer; however, immersion causes a film to form, which must be cleaned off periodically. When the outer skin is gone, the leaf, which is now usually off-white, needs to dry for another day or so. Though one of India's oldest art forms, few practice it today.
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