Dr Geetha Kariappa is a professor of English and a published author of four best-seller novels on Amazon. Her stories straddle Kodagu and its lifestyle as she weaves narratives which examine the condition of man and woman in a conventional society, with a humanistic perspective. She has penned numerous poems, short stories and articles in national and international journals.

This poem was inspired by the story of ‘Girl with the Diary’ written by Dr Geetha Kariappa, which narrates the saga of bravery and integrity of a teenager Kia who honours the dying wish of a mystery lady. She sets out on a precarious journey of discovery, as she is drawn into a web of intriguing clues, hinting at a long-forgotten crime, into the mist-clad land of Coorg. The exciting story takes her into the charming town of Madikeri and the coffee estate, Devkunj. It narrates the tale of the undying love of a man, a woman and his land.

“An excerpt from the novel, “Girl with the Diary”

      The 100-acre estate was spread out before us in a sea of coffee blossoms. The fragrant land, heady with perfume, steaming gently in the sun, hugged the swell and curve of the land. A stately bungalow stood at the head of the winding gravel drive. Nearby were paddy wetlands with paddy and a few acres with native ginger. The undulating swathes of coffee bushes in well-manicured grooves interspersed with neat rows of shade trees, orange, jackfruit and silver oak, created a charming appearance of a jungle, securing its borders. Pepper vines twined about the trunk of shade trees which arched over cardamom, almond and vanilla bushes. The glittering estate pond lay at a short distance from where frogs croaked from the damp grass and winged insects skimmed over the coffee blooms. At the horizon, the bluish mist of the mountains, crested with clouds, looked picturesque.”

    Travel note: The town of Madikeri nestled in the Brahmagiri hills of Western ghats in Karnataka, originally known as Muddurajanakeri, translates into “the city of Mudduraja,”, while paying homage to the Haleri kings who once ruled these lands. This picturesque hill station stands proudly among the world’s eight most remarkable centres of biological diversity. UNESCO recognises its ecological importance, and the town is a designated World Heritage Site. Madikeri is a hot travel destination because of its cool climate and resemblance to the Scottish countryside.

MADIKERI, IN MEMORY

In the core of Coorg, where Western Ghats cradle the sky,

Rests Madikeri, whose charm we cannot deny.

Sung by poets in nostalgic ragas,

Of misty hills soaked in yearning stanzas,

Where every syllable is a nostalgic saga.

Just as the monsoon arrives in the plains,

Madikeri, you wear the bridal veil of rains.

Clouds caress your coffee blossoms,

coaxing them into white celestial blooms.

Mist twirls with the mountains, and rivers swell in volumes.

In this watery symphony, your beauty eternally booms.

Madikeri, you perch on verdant hills,

like sentinels defending rugged sills.

Your winding roads like ballads,

Keep unearthing hidden waterfalls.

The moist air- fragrant coffee and eucalyptus,

hold out the sacred contract of paradise.

When the sun rises, spilling gold over rooftops,

ignites Madikeri, of charming landscapes.

This mist-kissed charm remains a poet’s muse,

Sparking the mindscape, waiting for poetries to bloom.

At the head of winding gravel, a colonial bungalow stands,

Its veranda, a sanctuary for weary souls.

Devkunj—an estate cradled in emerald arms,

Houses within, an angel of secret and balms.

The undulating coffee bushes,

Clustered in ivory blooms like uplifting hymns,

And Sandalwood, Teak bow to her gracious whims,

As she steps forth, with graceful limbs.

In the garden, a child dances with mud pies,

encompassing the valley with her dimpled smiles.

Rubber ducks sail in a pool, and paper boats get adrift,

A puppy chases its tail, and chicks run abreast.

Mother Angel bends to kiss the curly locks,

Her love, unmeasured, boundless, all pain blocks.

Her eyes, holding profound stories of storms,

Those were weathered, and now only becalms.

His gaze of reverence, of remembrance,

Of her quiet strength and youthful stance,

Of her love, blooming, riveting like rare fragrance.

She is the heartbeat, the keeper of Devkunj,

She, the symbol, the nurturing spirit of motherhood,

tending to man, child and his fertile land.

Walking in his dreams through whispering wood,

Where the cicadas hum, and the silver oaks stand guard.

Here, time slows, and the tree in melancholy, sighs.

Where the land conspires, papery leaves rustle,

whispering of brave lore of kings and queens,

 as it unfurls dreams and of true love applauds.

source: http://www.interviewtimes.net / Interview Times / Home> National> National Times> Odisha> The Leading Story / by Subhechcha Ganguly / July 08th, 2024