Nisargadhama

 A Painting and a Story # 13

The pen-drive feels heavy in her wallet. Meenu (short for Meenakshi) strides towards the boardroom with the appearance of a confidence she does not have. She has to make the presentation today. The client is known for being sarcastic and dismissive. Her colleague Sharat smiles encouragement and whispers, 'Go for it!' 

Her mind! In a jiffy it transports her to another place, another day! Twenty years ago...

The river Kaveri curves around a small mass of land near Kushalnagar making it almost an island. This gorgeous place is called Nisargadhama... Heaven on earth! Meenu (short for Meenakshi) steps on to the bridge connecting the mainland to Nisargadhama. The bridge sways a little when they walk on it. She holds the railings of the bridge and enjoys the sway! She quickly catches up with her family. 

She can't believe it... she is actually stepping on to an island. She recalls a picture in her School Text Book. An island is a mass of land surrounded on all sides by water! How is this land standing here? If too many people come here will the island sink? If everyone jumps up and down at the same time... will it tilt? She is secretly worried. But she keeps quiet.

Meenu watches her Thatha near the spotted deer, offering them some grass and nibbles. 'Go for it' says her Thatha. She holds the nibbles in the palm of her out stretched hand. A spotted deer walks to her daintily. He leans into the nibbles and licks them up . His tongue feels wet and rough on her fingers. She withdraws with a squeal. She tries again. and again. What fun that was! Her Thatha takes her for a quiet walk into the bamboo grove. Sshh! He says. 'Be quiet and listen'. And she listens to the rustling, the creaking and the whispering of the bamboo groves. Much later the entire family wades into the river. At places River Kaveri gurgles over boulders and rocks. Uncles, aunts cousins wade in and sit on the boulders, splashing each other and having a whale of a time.

Meenu gingerly steps into the water. It is cold! The rock is smooth. Her father holds out a helping hand. Come he says encouragingly. Meenu looks at Thatha... 'Go for it' he says. And Meenu does! 

Adult Meenu steps into the boardroom and recalls with a smile, the fuss she had made hours later to get out of the water!! The presentation is over. The client requests for a follow up meeting for further clarifications. Her colleagues clap in appreciation. 'Awesome Meenakshi... treat treat' They demand playfully.

We are overcome by fear at many instances in life and break in protesting sweat. Stepping into a rocking boat, signing up for a trek, facing a room full of audience, leaving a comment, asking for a raise, owning up a mistake... we put off the dreaded act for moments, days, weeks! Suddenly one day we do it. And what a feeling of power and relief that brings. ONE of the greatest discoveries man makes, one of his greatest surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn't do. - Henry Ford.

My painting for this week is a door. A door that is waiting to be pushed open. What is beyond?

Acrylic - The door

Acrylic - Door