Could be my vintage, but far too many things make me feel nostalgic these days.
Photographs and memories bring it on of course. As well as my mother’s handwriting on yellowing sheets of paper.
A flowing river never fails to take me back to my childhood home. Sunsets on the East coast – where I live – almost always remind me of the brilliant displays I took for granted growing up in the West.
Then there is the rain. The smell of rain. Not the messy flood-at-the hint-of-a-drizzle’ kind of rain that we have here in Chennai, but the unrelenting, joyful South West monsoons that drenched us with its magic.
And songs. Songs that seem so inextricably linked to my past, and conjure up such vivid memories on occasion, that they make my eyes brim with nostalgia for ‘the way we were’.
Take away this wealth, this fame as well
From the Ghazal (Translated from the original in Urdu)
Snatch away my youth from me, if you must
But do give back to me the monsoons of my childhood…
those paper boats, those rivulets of rain (water)
“Yeh Daulat Bhi Le Lo” by Jagjit Singh
The Urge To Wander 
Even when you try to avoid being reminded of the past (as I admit I often do), there’s always something that will trip the switch, and you’ve captured this idea perfectly: handwriting, rain/the smell of rain, music … I enjoyed your thoughtful response, Madhu. 🙂
Awww, a beautiful post Madhu…. I have missed so many of your posts and I feel ovewhelmed with all the backlog I have on WP. Is Louvre the only photo you posted from your recent trip? How was Paris in July?
You’ve hit the nail on the head, Madhu! I’m feeling Nostalgic just reading your post! Lovely sepia hued photo that goes so perfectly for this topic!
Such a heartfelt post Madhu. I so love your writing.
What a beautiful post, Madhu. It is the essence of nostalgia itself. The verse is lovely.
Fabulous post, Madhu! I think the old handwritten letters would bring back some of the most nostalgic feelings for me.
Lovely post, Madhu. Handwriting is a very personal thing. You look at its and you see a glimpse of the person, even more so when the owner is someone dear to us. 🙂
Wonderful and beautiful.
Such a lovely song to go with a photo that looks like it holds so many stories.
Dear Madhu,
I think I am also of a vinage that makes me vulnerable to nostalgia. Your triggers all struck home with me, but the one that most affected me was the sight of your mother’s handwriting. My mother was old school, and she wrote in a tiny perfect hand that is immediately recognizable. I couldn’t toss out an old calendar of hers, with her writing on it. But it also had notes for taking me to a Girl Scout meeting, my brother’s cub scout party, doctor and dentist appointments for seven kids, Grandma’s birthday, etc. It was quite a large dose of nostalgia! What a wonderful and evocative post–I read it like poetry.
Beautiful !!! Poems have a way of expressing your inner thoughts 🙂
so much feel here 🙂
Hi Madhu, what a beautiful, lyrical way to describe your nostalgia. It sounds deeply felt that I feel nostalgice myselt. The photograph is lovely. I’m sure it brings special memory/
I love that house by the lake if I am not wrong….Lovely!
Wonderful post – yes the memory and the nostalgia we have in our hearts – different things maybe words maybe views maybe sound maybe lights naybe some 5th, 6th or 7th will recall these hidden but not forgotten memories in our brains – so as long as our heart is warm will our memories live inside us… 😉
Although your post is personal it is universal. Perfect for nostalgia. Your “mother’s handwriting on yellowing sheets of paper” – so evocative. Excellent for the challenge. Always enjoy learning more about fellow bloggers lives and experiences in another part of the world through photographs and words.
It is a beautiful home. And they way you’ve worked on it’s color tone, it does feel very nostalgic, especially with the inset..
Exquisite visual rendering in black and white.
You put it so poetically. I felt like you took me back in time with you.
Smells and certain songs conjure the most vivid memories for me for some reason. Thank goodness there are photographs as well, so can revisit our loved ones and favorite places!
awesome story! indeed, you have lot of memory about her childhood, brilliant memory “Madhu”.
Nice post.
The blend of thoughts and images is perfect for this week’s challenge — love the mention the smell of rain — we often forget how powerful that sense of smell can be in creating and evoking memories.
Madhu, I’ve never even been to India and I feel homesick! What beautiful, haunting writing today! It tok me a long time to understand what joy the monsoon brings, living as I do in an island besieged by cold and wet. Monsoon Wedding, the film, explained it perfectly to me.
A perfect post. Thank you.
A beautiful piece of nostalgia, dear Madhu. Takes me back to my own childhood. Blessings, dear friend.
Lovely nostalgic photo, Madhu. I totally agree about old songs – they allow memories to come flooding back, don’t they?
The smell of rain. And of wet mud. They do bring back some beautiful memories! Lovely post Madhu, a beautiful image too!
The photo, the context, the message, everything is brilliant
such a touching post, yes, i remember rain so fondly too, the fifties were wet and gutters flowed with water for paddling in gumboots … your home and photo insert is beautiful, definitely a place to be nostalgic for … and the idea of songs … brilliant, music seems to seep into every tiny part of us!
In your dotage ???? Hahahahahaha…love th image Madhu and the words to the song. One day you should translate the whole thing for us
Beautiful!
This is beautiful.Nostalgia is important.
Beautiful Madhu!!!
Thank you Nicole 🙂
Very beautifully nostalgia! Thank you for sharing it with us.
I mean beautiful…
Thank you for reading Amy 🙂
My favorite ghazal…
Mine too Indra. Never fails to move me every time I listen to it!
Wonderfully written post, wonderful memories.
Thanks Angeline. My memories posts seem to write themselves 🙂
I remember Tattered Treasures, Madhu. I don’t know what it is today, but even reading through your comments here has me feeling tearful. Love your memories. 🙂
Aww thanks Jo. Hope all is well with you. Didn’t mean to make you feel sad.
I’m smiling again now 🙂
I’m so glad 🙂
Madhu, the last Gazal said it all. truly wonderful.
Thanks Arjun. Those Ghazals have powerful lyrics don’t they?
They do surely, to be very honest at present I am hearing some Gazals from movie called GAMAN. If time permits you should hear them, I am sure you will like them.
lovely post madhu and is that some where in kerala?
Thank you Sandra. This is Mangalore.
WONDERFULLY WRITTEN! Beautiful home and photo. Your story also took me back to past memories.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
Thank you. And glad this brought back memories Francine 🙂
Your framed photo brings a lot of my childhood memories. India and Ceylon were British colonies hence lot of similarities.
Saba
I am sure. I am ashamed to say I haven’t been to SriLanka yet, despite being a hop skip and jump away! But from all the photos I have seen, it seems very much like the Mangalore I grew up in. Appreciate your visit and comment Saba.
“Then there is the rain.
The smell of rain…”
Yes, that fresh earthy smell of rain most of all Frizz 🙂
Beautiful nostalgia, Madhu…
Have a wonderful weekend!
🙂
Thank you. And a happy weekend to you too Marina 🙂
Ahhh the smell of the rain…how I loved it & when the rains came, it was time to rush out n play…lovely post Madhu
And get shouted at for getting drenched 🙂
Wouldn’t dream of getting wet today….fear of falling sick, but even more of getting my hair frizzy!!!
And I love that couplet at the end…would like to borrow it 😀
Beautifully written, Madhu. I smiled at being of a certain vintage – we are a very fine vintage, indeed.
Without any doubt Pat 😀
That’s a lovely looking house, Madhu – happy for you, my dear 🙂
Doesn’t belong to us anymore sadly. Click on the image if you would like to read its story.
Lovely post, Madhu. I too am a certain vintage, not old, but old enough to have plenty of nostalgias! Places my late husband and I travelled to, seeing wildflowers (a rare sight now) reminds me of walks as a child, coming across photographs from years ago and remembering places as they were, certain smells…
The strangest things can trigger it and no we don’t have to be old to wallow in our memories. My husband & I bring back music CD’s from our travels and listening to them on our return sets off the most delicious nostalgia 🙂
Aww… Madhu, this could have been me writing… every word of it. So true!
Just yesterday I wrote to a friend how it seems only yesterday I used to watch with wonderment people with memories, and today, I have more memories, more nostalgia than years left to live…!
Rain, and songs… oh!
Do you think we are growing old?? So soon…? Just when I got the hang of being young…?
Old? Nah. Too many more memories to create before I am well and truly into my dotage. You must be way younger 🙂
Memories and nostalgia are important and beautiful. Our own and others! 🙂
You are so right Bente.
Oh for a simple magical childhood to reflect on!
Yes. And for that I am grateful Gilly.
A wonderful entry … great choice … what a beautiful house – and the choice of music … I never thought about that tune, but it’s stunningly beautiful.
Thanks Viveka. That is a paricularly pignant Ghazal. I considered inserting the cloud, but felt it might be too ‘foreign’ for most of my readers.
Too foreign???!!! A beautiful piece of music like that …
Your photo is so soft and lovely … as I image your memories are too about the house.
Ah glad you like it Viveka 🙂 Ghazals are mainly about the lyrics. They can sound monotonous if you don’t understand the words. Did you follow the link from my original tear-jerker post or google it?
I followed the links … but I thought first that you meant the song “Memories”, so I never listen .. how funny this became – I wish you had posted a cloud with a Ghazals. Have followed all your links now …
Ha ha….something got lost in translation 🙂
Very much so … I thought – what a brilliant piece of music .. to chose for a post … so I never listen – I thought it was strange that you didn’t post the cloud. Priceless this one .. meaning don’t comment until every link is checked out. *smile
this is a challenge I can’t take part in – my photos are all too recent & those I have of older times & places are not recorded on digital media
You are way too young for nostalgia Keira 🙂
Hah! Oh you’ve made mye laugh & I have the flu so am coughing now….
I have just lost a dear friend at the too young age of 54. On her last night we talked for hours about things we have shared for the last 30 years. We laughed at shared memories, which will stay with me as long as I live.
So sorry for your loss Debra. I can imagine how much you will treasure those last moments with her. My heartfelt condolences to you.
What a stunning home and love the photo Madhu! I have lots of those nostalic moments indeed. Great post and entry hon. 😀 *big hugs*
Thank you Sonel. I hope I am not getting maudlin in my dotage 😀
Oh, don’t worry, you’re way too young for that still..hehehe