manumint-[BUSY]'s photostream

I'll dissolve when the rain pours in,
When the nightmares take me,
I will scream with the howling wind,
'Cause it's a bitter world and I'd rather dream.

Dizzy love turned a star lily pink,
And hung above our lids too flushed to blink,
But icy blue froze the fairytale cold,
Though I treasured you and you sparkled with someone to hold.

But now those lonely lullabies,
Just dampen my tired eyes,

Because I can't forget you.
Because I can't forget you..

* Haven't been using flickr much these days, winter season proved to be one of coldest in decades here in north India. I look forward for spring to arrive soon. I really miss viewing wonderful photographs by my flickr friends...I'll get back on flickr soon and get in touch with my friends here.*

I'd like to wish all my Flickr Friends, wherever you are in the world:
a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Thank you all for being my inspiration and sharing your wonderful photography work here on flickr, I'm looking forward to another great year of sharing photos and friendship with you all:-)

The eventful history of Kochi commenced when a major flood in AD 1341 threw open the estuary at Kochi, which was till then a landlocked region, turning it into one of the finest natural harbors in the world. Kochi thus became a haven for seafaring visitors from all over the world and became the first European township in India when the Portuguese settled here in the 15th century.

The Dutch wrested Fort Kochi from the Portuguese in AD 1663 and later in the last phase of the colonial saga, the British took over the town in 1795. During 1660s, Fort Kochi peaked in stature as a prime commercial center and its fame spread far and wide - variously as a rich trade center, a major military base, a vibrant cultural hub, a great ship building center and so on. Fort Kochi is also home to one of India's oldest churches - the St.Francis Church. Another important fact about the church is that Vasco Da Gama, who died in 1524, was buried here before his mortal remains were returned to Portugal 14 years later. Each and every structure, street, door, window and brick in Fort Kochi has several stories to tell.

A few interesting sites in Fort Kochi are the Chinese fishing nets along the Vasco Da Gama Square, Santa Cruz Basilica, St.Francis Church, Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue, Bastion Bungalow, fabulous stage performances of Kathakali dance.

In 1956 first free elections were held in state of Kerala and the Communist Party formed the first government of Kerala-the first freely elected communist government in the world.

In Buddhist iconography every Buddha is depicted with a characteristic gesture of the hands. Such gestures correspond to natural gestures (of teaching, protecting, and so on) and also to certain aspects of the Buddhist teaching or of the particular Buddha depicted.

Buddha’s hand, held close to his chest with thumb and forefinger tips touching symbolizes the transmission of the knowledge he has gained after attaining enlightenment. Another name for this gesture is Vyakhyana Mudra or the “mudra of instruction”.

The circle formed by the fingers touching each other signifies perfection, with no beginning or end, like the law of Dharma itself.

June was the lobster shell
I dug by hand
A haven that hid me well
Beneath the sand
The wide windy waves washed in
But I stayed dry
The great breakers broke again
As I nodded off inside

And then
When the Empress ran aground
And my eyes turned blue and green
I heard a gorgeous sound
And that's when it became a dream

When the sky fell in
When the hurricanes came for me
I could finally crash again
And that's how I became the sea

I wrenched the engines off
And drank them down
The depths turned the iron soft
As they swiftly drowned
And I brought the ocean side
To its rusty knees
As I felt the even tide
Deep in my shallow dreams

And then
When the Empress ran aground
And my eyes turned blue and green
I heard a gorgeous sound
And that's when it became a dream
When the sky fell in
When the hurricanes came for me

I could finally crash again
And that's how I became the sea.