And so it ended...

I’m standing on my terrace today, something which I rarely do. It is about six-ish, a time when it’s not exactly twilight, but the day is inching languidly towards it. After days of depressing rain the sky is a clear, matted, evening grey-blue-orange. There are only two stars, bright and trembling, arranged in a canted line. But what strikes me most is the moon; it’s a wafer-thin crescent, placed below the stars. Voila! A smiley face :)

A grayish cloud smudged in dull orange in the edges, owing to the setting sun, slowly makes its way towards the face. There are other clouds too, but they are just wisps of white, like white cotton candy strewn randomly. The cloud looks like a nymph now, with long, flowing hair… Now, now! It’s a locust, crouching, but slow… there! It’s a see-saw!

Everything is so slow, silent, calm… as though hushed in prayer. I cannot make out when and how the cloud changes shape, even as my eyes are riveted on it. It seems to flow. Even the birds, in groups and in singles, are inky shadows, gliding, sliding over the velvet sky. No cackling, no flapping… no sound…

Slowly the evening chants begin in the nearby temple… Om… Om… Om… with a slight hint of cymbals. The moment is so real… The cloud, the stars, the birds… They are so alive, even as they are so silent and slow.

The sky is turning a twilight-blue now… The cloud is drifting away into oblivion, finishing its slow, graceful dance.

My mom rushes up the stairs, sees me and screams “ENNA DA PANRE!!!” (What are you doing?!!)

It’s over.