Wednesday, 21 April 2021

R is for Rainbows on Table Mountain #AtoZChallenge

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the fourth week of the #Blogging from A to Z  April Challenge 2021. My theme this year is based on the Japanese concept of Ichigo Ichie which means--"What we are experiencing right now will never happen again. And therefore, we must value each moment like a beautiful treasure."

I've put together a collage of such moments which can be seen as chance occurrences, coincidences, pre-destined or random (depending on who you ask) for this month's challenge. 

I hope you'll enjoy being here.

Thank you.

Arti
*****
The last two days have been hard to sit and write and post and participate because of the dark and dismal news of Covid deaths and distress coming from India. There's been a deluge of  outpourings of grief and bewilderment. As if that wasn't enough, news of the fire on the slopes of Table Mountain erupted on the screen while the husband was watching cricket on Sunday.

Should I post? Should I carry on? Questions pop up.

The answer sits in front of me, spread out on my keyboard, waiting behind the sleeping screen. I see my own reflection in it as I sit and stare. Then the practice takes over. Fingers click and the screen flickers to life. I start typing and pour out my feelings. 

This  is the only anchor that's tethering me to my peace. Otherwise, I'd be fretting over things I can do nothing about. 

Like last year, the discipline of A to Z is helping me to carve out a routine that makes the sun and the moon and the stars rise and set in skies above me and in their rhythm, I see hope.
 
"If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, 
your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars."
Rabindranath Tagore's words guide me towards this post.
I look at the draft I'd prepared a few days ago, and decide to post. 

"Beauty is simply reality seen with the eyes of love."
Without further ado, let's be led by Tagore's words and see the beauty of Table Mountain as we saw it in June 2019.
*****
Visiting Table Mountain is on everyone's agenda when they travel to Cape Town for the first time. I'd hoped for it too. The husband had travelled  to Cape Town for work a couple of times before and every time, weather gods had decreed that he would not get to the top of Table Mountain.

If you read the C post: A Cypriot honeymoon and other coastal curiosities, you may recall that our first day of holiday in Cape Town was a washout.  I hadn't put my hopes up. I was going to enjoy each day as it unfolded and that was that.

So, When the concierge at the hotel informed us after breakfast on Day 2 that a window of blue skies had opened up to let let in visitors to the Mountain, I was ecstatic.

But first, a roadblock.


There were two rainbows 
but the camera captured only one.
"The more one lives alone on the river or in the open country, the clearer it becomes that nothing is more beautiful or great than to perform the ordinary duties of one's daily life simply and naturally." Rabindranath Tagore


Listen and you will hear...
Clouds appeared out of nowhere. 
Within minutes, sky canvas drew dramatic art pieces one after another...

Yellow Margaret
sways atop Table Mountain
so clouds will bring rain
(a Haiku to highlight the water shortage in Cape Town)
The sky was blue within the hour.
For visitors like us, it was great.
But for the city, the clouds and the rain they bring would've been better.

"Let us not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless when facing them."

-Rabindranath Tagore

This year, I'm participating in #BlogchatterA2Z  powered by theblogchatter.com
 
All the quotes above have come from this link: Rabindranath Tagore

36 comments:

  1. When we start to think that things are getting better, they are getting worse. It's hard. Sorry about the beautiful montain too, I didn't hear about the fire. Your photos and memories are beautiful. Love the soundtrack!

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  2. So sorry about the fire on the Table Mountain. I'm going to google to know more.
    I love the pictures of the place. Seems like a dreamland to me. And that Yellow Margaret is so, so pretty.
    Hope things get better soon, for everyone.

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  3. Big hug. We are truly living in very very dark times and its only routine and creative pursuits that keep us going. Love the Haiku. Love the quotes. Love the pics.

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  4. Interspersing the narration and the photos with Tagore quote made it very interesting read.

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  5. The Yellow Margaret is the show stopper for sure. Its soothing to the eyes & mind. The blues in those pictures reflects your state of mind too. The clarity & confidence of Mother Nature is divine. How I wish our mental blues can hold faith,hope & stay strong throughout these unpredictable times. We are all waiting to capture our rainbows too....Some day!

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    1. Love this Vidya: How I wish our mental blues can hold faith, hope & stay strong throughout these unpredictable times.
      Thank you for being here. hugs. xx

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  6. Yes all we have is a now
    Here from atoz https://poojapriyamvada.blogspot.com/2021/04/retrouvailles-newnormal-a2z.html

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  7. Arti, I understand exactly how you feel, the news is dismal but we soldier on each day, hoping tomorrow will be better.

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  8. Last year Covid was funny with videos mocking lockdown etc, but the second wave has been devastating. Bangalore is suffering. Last year I heard about someone's relative being tested positive, but this time it is closer. Many in my apartment and friends and their families tested positive. For many symptoms were tough as well. But life as go on.. so moving from A to Z. I am excited being here for the first time.
    Going back to your post, I loved the Japanese saying. Makes you ponder. The pictures are amazing. Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog.

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    1. Glad to have met you too Farida. Thank you for stopping by.

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  9. Hari Om
    As we in the Bonny Land prepare to emerge from our cocoon of coviditionitis, I cannot help but wonder how long it will be before we have to go back in; news here is of the 'Indian variant' and how there will have to be booster shots by autumn... the never ending carousel of human intervention. Nature is determined to have her way with us. No matter how much we like to think we can control her. The distress of this Rampant Rogue is lamentable but, one feels, also inevitable. We must maintain our guard - and find solace where we can. Such as in scenes such as these - beauty, peace and Love in our hearts to act as a balm. YAM xx

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    1. Thank you Yamini.
      Yes. yes. yes to your wise words.
      Hugs. xx

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  10. Writing has the ability to carry us away from troubling thoughts, if only for a while. Without it, I don't know how I'd have coped in recent times.
    I've not seen Table Mountain for several years and your pictures and words have reminded me just how special it is.

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    1. Thank you Keith.
      For the first time ever, this year (especially since the start of this challenge), I realise and appreciate the fact that it was a blessing that I could click all these photos when I did.

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  11. I'm so sorry for all the hard Arti - for the overwhelmingly difficult and sad news, and for the internal struggle about whether to post or not. I'm glad you've chosen to. And this post is a beautiful tribute to a special place I'd not even heard of before, so I especially welcome it. Tagore had so much wisdom to share, but "...nothing is more beautiful or great than to perform the ordinary duties of one's daily life simply and naturally" is something that has carried me through many times.

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    1. Thank you Deborah.
      Your words make me smile with gratitude.
      Hugs. xx

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  12. Stunning pictures. Thank you for sharing these beautiful quotes of Tagore.

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  13. How did he ever get that truck out of there! Stunning pics again Arti, love them.
    https://iainkellywriting.com/2021/04/21/the-state-trilogy-a-z-guide-r/

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    1. Quite easily actually. I only managed 2/3 clicks and before I knew it, he was back on the road!
      Thank you for your appreciation.

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  14. That Yellow Margaret looks stunning against the somber background.

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  15. Your photos of Table Mountain are amazing.

    Your story reminds me of our travels to Costa Rica. Our second stop was the Arenal Volcano region and as we got closer to our destination the driver of our transfer vehicle excitedly pointed out the volcano. It was nice but we were tired and ready to get to our hotel so didn't think much about it. We would be there for another three days and have other opportunities to see the volcano. Sadly, that was not the case. It stayed shrouded in clouds for the remainder of the trip. apparently, it is rare to see it without clouds. We should have paid better attention during the car ride.

    I am so sorry that the recent news has been so distressing. I do think writing can be a great way to navigate stressful times. I am glad you decided to continue forward with your post.


    Weekends In Maine

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    1. Thank you for sharing your Costa Rica story Karen. Maybe, one day, you'll be back to explore it. Maybe, when the time is right:)
      You're right about writing. It helps. And the reading--all the blogs I'm reading are just so wonderful that I forget we're in the middle of a pandemic.
      Thank you. xx

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  16. How I love the Cape Town area! You took stunning pictures, I enjoyed them :-)

    Interesting how the media works. Nobody among your readers here - me included - has heard anything about Table Mountain Fires? I googled it now. Obviously Fynbos, a highly flammable shrubland, were to blame.

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    1. Thank you Tamara. So happy to read you enjoyed the pics:)

      And yes, the myopic reach of media!

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  17. The mountains are just incredible! I guess that I will have to put Table Mountains on my bucket list. Maybe someday, I will visit. The pandemic has slowed everything down and I have gone nowhere in so long. I take pictures of things close to home in hopes of seeing them with new eyes.

    I hope that things are better after those fires.

    Best wishes to you.

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    1. I love your practice of 'taking pictures of things close to home in hopes of seeing them with new eyes.' I do the same and trust me, they never disappoint.
      I hope you get to visit this beautiful mountain some day Alice.

      Thank you for visiting.

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  18. First of all a big hug Arti... I was and am myself reeling under such devastating news from near and dear ones in India.. That sometimes I feel hopeless and can't bring myself to read or write. Loved to read your post and the Tagore quotes. They just made me feel so much better... Like a warm hug from you saying don't worry we are all together in this and we will soon be out of it.

    Coming to Cape Town... In our case the husband has been there without me on his work assignment. I have seen the Table mountain top through his lens... Today saw it from your lens :)

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    1. Hugs to you too dear Ira.
      Prayers are all we can offer at this time.

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