Monday, December 3, 2007

Lines composed in Chandipur


On a full moon night

Little waves play on the distant sea's crest

And grow bigger as they roll in to meet the rocks

In a fit of white foam,

Sending up a fine spray

Amid the sylvan setting.

The Casuarinas sway in the warm sea breeze

Lightly scented with the delicate perfume of Jasmine flowers

Everything draped in a silver cloak;

The surface shimmering in the cool light

The senses are assailed;

Sight, sound, smell, touch.

It is nature’s show;

We are mute spectators

Atop this perch, jutting out into the sea.

The wind ruffles my hair,

Brushes sensuously by my cheeks, invigorating.

The smell of the sea mingled with the heady fragrance of Jasmine.

Silver ripples on a silver sea.

The silhouette of the moon.

The unending and rhythmic whoosh-crash-swoosh.

As wave upon wave rolls in

Crashes and disperses

I see Heaven.


I visited Chandipur sometime during my graduation days with a favourite Aunt and Uncle and fell in love with the place. Chandipur is an enchanting sea resort whose claim to fame is the fact that the sea recedes 4 kms when the tide ebbs
(you can literally walk on the sea bed upto the natural sea wall when it is low tide) and returns to claim the silver sand when the tide comes in. When the tide is out, a walk along the beach is immense fun because of the thousands of brilliant orange hued Horseshoe Crabs that run pell mell when they feel your footfall ten feet away. Chandipur-on-sea also boasts of an Integrated Missile Testing Range where the Indian Army has tested ballistic missiles like Agni and Prithwi . The evening I was inspired to write this was spent on a lovely wooden planked balcony that juts out over rocks washed by the shimmering waters, embraced by full grown casuarinas swaying in the breeze, with the gentle lapping of the sea on the rocks. Till today it remains the most beautiful, surreal sea scenery I have ever seen. Alas I didnt own a digital camera then.

11 comments:

Bivas said...

Dunno if its just the place...maybe its the sea...the waves...the breeze and everything contributing to the surreal experience...
Have felt similar at Gopalpur...(and that beach is completely the opposite of Chandipur-at-sea geographically speaking!)
Very nicely put though :-)

PCube said...

Thank you :-)

Debi Prasad said...

The surface shimmering in the cool light
The senses are assailed;
Sight, sound, smell, touch.
It is nature’s show;

very well put. The place is indeed magical. For some period of time, Chandipur was like a second home to me. Can never forget those days.

I must say this brought back some very nice memories of childhood. Well done.

PCube said...

Was hoping I did justice to Chandipur; the real thing just takes my breath away!

Anonymous said...

dunno if I have ever been there.. but yeah. very well written...

the MONK who BOUGHT the ferrari said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
PCube said...

Thank you :-)
The "appetiser" for your next story got the juices flowing. When will it be ready??

Gaurav said...

well well well.....chandipur has its own passion and well captured by the post... :)

Vimal said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Vimal said...

Try describing fewer and fewer things with more and more words. It is not as easy as it sounds. Do this till you reach a state where even with everything you have, you cannot explain anything.

Try it sometime. It is sublime.

PCube said...

huh??