Ponn Vandu

 

The sighting of this beauty in our garden brought back my school day memories. The Golden Beetle or "Ponn Vandu" in Tamil, is a beautifully attractive insect. As school kids, we used to flock to the "kodukapuli" (Pithecellobium dulce ) tree to catch one of these golden bugs. We used to keep the catch in a Horlicks bottle with a perforated cap or in cardboard boxes with some broken branches and leaves from the 'kodukapuli' tree. Sometimes it was carried to the school in a Match box to showoff to friends.The head resembled a warrior's armor and it can hurt your finger with a snap of its neck. Truly a regal insect !

500 !!!

Milestones always give you a nice feeling, don't they?  :)

The Beginning...

 It all started in Kabul, about 9 years ago. I signed up Blogger's 'Blogspot' to create  a portfolio for my old poems and art works. (I never intended it for the public). Having done that, I started posting snapshots , anecdotes and experiences of my Afghan days...along with my "isms"....and  'Ashokism' was born.

Clicked from my car...Spontaneous reaction of Afghan kids on seeing my Camera

I was surprised when I started receiving comments for my posts! ..soon there were regular visitors &  readers, nudging me to write and post more stuff... and today you are reading the 501st post!

The Content...

I have tried to keep my blog engaged in varied subjects. My Art, Poetry, Photography, Travel, Music, Architecture, Food, History....the list keeps growing by the day....

an Indian terrace...

 Many consider ashokism as an Art blog while  some think  it's an amateur Photography blog. "Indian blog list" classifies it as  a Culture & Travel blog  .There were occasions it was even considered as a food blog and I received requests for recipes! It even got a mention in the Hindu for its food adventures ,courtesy Vijayshree.

But the fact is , ashokism cannot be classified under any category just like its creator !

The shadow of a butterfly...

The Friends...

The best things about blogging is meeting new bloggers with diverse interests and backgrounds...who eventually become good friends down the line. Today, my blog friends outnumber my real life friends. You should read this post  "wwww" quickly and promise to come back.

Now that you are back (didn't really expect that! ) read on...

 Blogging was the in thing at the start of the century...and so many jumped into the blogging bandwagon...but many lost steam and started posting less and less and many just dropped dead after some time for mixed reasons. I greatly miss some of them like Tilotamma (Viji), IBH , Me thinks(Deepa) ,Wicked Angel (Uma), Apam napat (Rajesh) , In camera (R.balaji) , Kodumai da sami (Usha) and many others...I hope they resurrect some day...

Some bloggers whom I know from the day one and are still active are Jeevan , Boo , Arti Honrao , Mary das , Visitra,and Kaviarasu.

One of my best moments was sharing the news of Nithila's birth with my blog friends when I was stuck in Kabul. I was flooded with wishes and even suggestions for the name!

Another touching moment was the flood of concern I received from the blog world after this ghastly event in Afghanistan  Eventually I took the decision to stay back in India.

Awards...

Another sweet nothing in the blogosphere are the "blogawards"... 

They're a nice way for bloggers to motivate and appreciate fellow bloggers. Boo surprised me with my first award...the 'thinking blogger' award! How thoughtful!

But the biggest reward for a blogger is the comment one gets for the posts.

I thank you all for your continued presence in my blog and hope to give you as much as I can thro' ashokism.

The journey will continue...

Keep visiting ashokism and do keep blogging...Cheers!

and Merry Christmas...from Nithila too...

an evening visitor ...

abstract thoughts...

The Abstract Eye...

The Forest...

Art inspired from my travel along Berambadi forest

The Tree...

Art inspired from my travel along Mysore highway...


The lonely tree stands proud
above a carpet of flowers on fire
The leaves shiver as the noisy breeze
filters through them in a gusto waft

The gathering clouds on the grey sky
signal the impending monsoon rain
The birds struggle against the wind
to scamper back to their tree and nest

I stand and stare at this picture frame
as Natures' everyday story unfolds
A dark heaviness descends within
at the thought of the imminent times

Concrete and steel will devour the green
smoke and stink will steal the scene
A paradise that soon will be
prey to man's hunger and greed

I stand in shame before the tree
a helpless pawn in this heartless game
I feel a rain drop on my face
I feel a tear drop in my mind

The Field....

art by ashok

Marigold...

Art inspired from my travel along Mysore highway

Srirangapattanam (part 03)

Srirangapattanam (part 02) - Ranganathaswamy Temple

The historical town of Srirangapattanam  derives its name from the famous Ranganathaswamy temple built by Thirumalaraya in 894 AD. Few snap shots of the temple...