Magical moments and enchanting beauty....

The air was filled with mist and the sweet smell of wet moist grass as I closed my eyes and opened my hotel room window.

It was enchanting and magical.

Within the confines of my room, there was the enchanting fragrance of coffee.

The aroma of fresh cardamom or Black pepper and Coorg honey was everywhere in Madikeri.

The holy river Cauvery was just visible in the horizon. The air here is noticeably very cooler and this climate and hilly terrain of Coorg, as history says it, inspired the British to occupy the area for over 100 years and they called it as “The Scotland of India”.

With an austere beauty this god gifted pollution free, calm and quite land of mountains (Ghats) cordially invites you to enjoy and explore the land of hospitality.

I opened my eyes and glanced through my window towards the approaching landscape of Madikeri, patiently waiting for my relatives to pick me on a much promised trip around the Ghats and the vast plantations.

I could see a vehicle slowly approaching the hotel. It turned out to be a ‘Sumo’ jeep filled to the brim with my cousins who hurriedly got out welcoming me.

I joined them. It was noise all over within the confines of the spacious ‘Sumo’. All were singing, talking and laughing at the same time. It was fun no doubt.

After driving for awhile we spotted this dainty roadside cafe which was quite appealing to take a break and freshen up. We spread all around the café sitting around tables of two’s and four’s.

I and my cousin Shobha settled down at a corner table for two. I was waiting patiently for my cousin who had gone to freshen up.

That’s when I saw them, oblivious to me, gazing into each others eyes, when suddenly what seemed to be just innocent gaze was soon an alteration between the two. Stunned I watched.

This was definitely going to get bad, should I interfere? That’s when my cousin Shobha joined me. ‘Come on; let’s get a coffee and leave, its getting late’.

Sitting on my chair, I could get a direct view ahead of the twosome. I was not distracted by the chanter and banter of my cousins and I was focused on the two who now seemed more aggressive.

He growled, she hissed, I looked around; no one seemed interested in them or their predicament except me of course. Should I now intervene, before it was too late? What will people think of me? Is it the right thing to do? Or should I just forget about the two?

Though I was indecisive and had a gut feeling to get out, my eyes strayed toward the two in anticipation.

I could almost see his white teeth gnashing at her, and oh!!! Why was she quite hearing his abuses now, should I go there now and protect her?

Her head down she was quietly listening and this went on for the next five minutes or so. Suddenly, just out of the blue, she jerked and what followed was an out and out verbal war.

I panicked. Was dumbstruck and was literally grounded firmly in my tracks. What was the reason for this dispute and this sudden outburst? Is it some jealousy, rivalry, or just a lovers tiff?

I made up my mind to intervene and sort things out, when I was rudely disturbed. ‘Madam what would you like to have? ‘Cheese sandwiches and coffee please’ I said, having been rudely disturbed.

I looked again at the ongoing battle as I bit into my sandwiches and talking to shobha at the same time.

To my surprise, between sipping my hot coffee and conversing on a relevant topic to shobha, I noticed they were gone.

They just seemed to have disappeared in thin air. Where could they go? What happened so suddenly that they just disappeared quietly? My eyes strayed to catch a glance of the warring twosome. They were nowhere to be seen.

After getting myself refreshed and leaving the café, I looked around for them. They were no where to be seen. Was their fight resolved? I wondered.

Sitting at the window seat in the Sumo deeply engrossed in my thoughts about the twosome as we waited for the driver to come. I saw them. They were all over each other. Was I amused?

What seemed to be an open war between the two was all lovey-dovey now as they gazed into each others eyes.

‘What an anti climax’ I thought.

I gently whistled towards them. They looked at me at the same time and came towards me wagging their tails and licking each other.

‘Bow, bow’ they seemed to say in unison.

I smiled and waved carrying on with our journey towards coffee fields, which were in abundance all over the beautiful Ghats.