U is for 'Underwater Pursuits'

There are a whole bunch of activities that can be done underwater, starting with scuba diving and snorkeling. I haven’t done either although I had the opportunity to do it on my trip to Ibiza in 2012. Some of my friends who accompanied me on the trip to Ibiza did take part in scuba diving, but I decided to give it a miss. I did take part in parasailing though in Ibiza and other adventure sports in other countries.

My friend who came on the Ibiza trip with me used to do scuba diving in Africa, too. She has done a course and obtained a certificate in scuba diving. She enjoyed it immensely, but it is not everyone’s cup of tea. Another friend has learned scuba diving in the Andamans. As the movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara shows us, it gives some people a unique experience to enjoy marine life in its habitat.Here's a picture of the Mediterranean sea that I took on my trip while seated on a speedboat with my friends.

Even on my trip to Thailand, when I went parasailing, some people went on the underwater walk to look at marine life. I skipped that, too. The closest I’ve come to underwater pursuits is a handstand at the swimming pool! For some reason, I’ve attempted that since childhood!

It may be a while before anyone is able to pursue underwater sports thanks to COVID-19. So you should think of pursuing these underwater pleasures in a small way within the confines of your home. If you have a pond in your premises, it can be a sustainable model for marine life. Otherwise, you can start an aquarium in a small way at home. To start with, you should acquire an oblong glass tank with a maximum amount of water surface, which you can place in a cool corner of the house with good natural light and shade. The water need not be changed frequently if plants like myriophyllium ( parrot’s feather), snails and the right soil with vegetation is prepared as a habitat for fish. Each inch of goldfish body( excluding the tail) needs about a gallon of water and a suitable tank can be upto 10 gallons capacity. According to Chinese Feng shui, eight goldfish and one black fish will make for an auspicious collection. Watching these marine organisms will be soothing to the nerves as life for them seems to just stop still all the time.

Comments

I is for 'Insect Collecting'

Yes! Insect collecting is a hobby. People do collect insects and preserve them in chemical solutions. A former colleague and friend from Hewlett-Packard used to do it. She was even featured in 'The Hindu' for her unusual hobby. She said her parents always told her stories of insects while she grew up, so she did not consider them icky or creepy. Now, I’ve got arachnophobia that’s been passed down from my maternal grandmother, so the thought of collecting any insect gives me the heebie-jeebies. I do like ladybirds and butterflies although I don’t really want to collect them. Here is an article on ‘How to start a proper insect collection’ from the Internet in case you want to explore your options. If you enter ‘insect collecting supplies' on Amazon, it throws up a list of supplies like ‘insect collecting net’ ‘insect display case’ etc. Maybe once we are rid of COVID -19, you can look it up. Children interested in science can do it as a school project for t

H is for 'Horseriding'

Yes, this( horseriding) is a hobby, too, albeit for the rich and famous. Tourists visiting hill stations can go horseback riding with guides leading the way. Children can ride small ponies in beaches, as I have done as a child. The last time I sat on a pony was when I was about ten years old. At least that’s the last time that comes to mind. Here’s a picture of me with a pony in Kashmir. My parents and I were tourists visiting J&K in the 80s. A simple Google search throws up a list of results for horse riding schools in Chennai alone. Talking of horses, the scene from the movie Godfather comes to mind, when a beloved racehorse Khartoum is found dead and its head severed on the bed as a threat from Marlon Brando’s character. A lot of ‘Westerns’ in Hollywood couldn’t have been made without horses. More recently, the film ‘The War Horse’ was made. In Indian movies, the heroine on horseback or riding a horsedrawn carriage ( like Basanti in ‘Sholay’ ) mak

How hobbies can enrich one’s life

Everybody needs a hobby. Some people are naturally more predisposed to boredom. These are the creative ones that if encouraged and nurtured can go on to change the world. But before they save the world, they need to save themselves. As the saying goes, no one can pour out of an empty cup. Many artists and creative folk are prone to listlessness and depression. They need hobbies to keep them afloat in choppy seas and help them tide over challenges. Sometimes, they are prone to dark moods and anger, too. The only way to heal is through staying engaged creatively. What will help is to stay amidst verdant surroundings in a peaceful place with few disturbances so that one can delve into one’s artistic self and draw from the wellspring of creativity that lies within. It must be tapped because unless one uses it, one loses it. It’s just like one’s grey cells. It needs regular honing and application. Creative people owe it to themselves, if not to the world, to try to create, even through th

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