100 Rays Of Son - 91

The Sea Beckons Us 

When we shifted to Byndoor for almost a decade, I had made promise to Rayyan that I would see to it that he will not be bored. It was not easy for him and Farheena to be separated from my parents, brother and sister who loved them. I had to take this decision because of many factors that affected our lives.

My brother and sister were getting married. With Rayyan and Farheena around, there would be lot of issues cropping up due to the fuss my family made around them. Since I was living with my parents, my husband would have his freedom of sending money to us or not. He never took any responsibility and I had to struggle to manage the expenses. Once we were at his place, I could relax on the financial front was what I thought. It did not work out exactly that way, because I am used to working and earning. Another thing was, I wanted Rayyan and Farheena to get close to nature and enjoy the village life as well. The protective city environment did not give them much freedom.

It was a huge life changing phase of life for both children, especially Rayyan. As for Farheena, my dad couldn’t stay without her for long and came to Byndoor to spend his last days there in a months’ time. After few years, my mom, brother and his family shifted there as well. That is all together another story.

When we went to Byndoor, the sea and beach was something that soothed Rayyan and Farheena. There were also our neighbour’s children who spent time with them and bonding with them during their stay in Byndoor. Initially it was four or five of us who would visit the Someshwara beach every week and would play in the shallow waters. At times we would pick a rock to sit where the water would kiss our legs as the waves came by. Later, as children got to know about our trips, they started joining us. At times, the rickshaw guy had to make two trips with his vehicle brimming with children which looked unsafe. But he ensured that they were safe through the seating arrangements by having grown up children on the side and smaller ones in between.

What started as simple trips to beach became kind of ritual. The rickshaw guy would arrive at sharp 4 pm every Friday. One of the children would announce loudly that we were going to beach and those who want to join can come over. Soon they would swarm towards the auto and get into every nook and corner of it. Some of them came by bicycles. We would just enjoy the ride as well.

What is amazing about the beach is that it is never the same. Every week it would look different and the river that ran into the sea would be different as well. Once a girl who came over for the first time to the beach, found a big shell which looked beautiful. Her happiness knew no bounds. Another time the beach was full of jelly fish some half alive. There were hundreds of them and it was sad to see them dying there slowly. We found lot of sea plants and different shells as well.

The sea was quite unpredictable. Once I had chosen a nice spot to sit and enjoy the warm sea water by walking in knee deep water. When I tried walking back, the water had risen chest high. I needed Rayyan’s help to get back to the beach and even with him around, it was quite scary.

Another time, we found a tiny hole that pulled in something that was around it. Curious we started putting stones and other things into it. Shockingly, everything just disappeared into it and when we tried to check it out, we could not find anything at arm’s length there. All the children were so excited to figure out what could be happening there, but we had no answers. At times, there would be some fish or sea animals that we would run into. That would make our day.

It was a good exercise for Farheena as well. Walking on the beach made her legs strong. Though at the talaw (pool) Rayyan had great fun with his friends, here he could enjoy with his friends and family as well. Later, on he started frequenting the beach more often than us along with his friends.

Once on a Sunny day, we visited the beach, but in few minutes the sky looked scary and it was as though a storm would lash at us any time. When that happens, we have no shelter there other than the sea itself. I and Farheena have struggled in the rain so often, but that added another flavour to the adventures on the beach.

When Rayyan in the later years lost his fear of the sea, he would venture further and further into it and from the beach he would be invisible. It would be scary for me and I would be very nervous until he became visible again. I would warn him many times that he shouldn’t venture so far that I cannot see him, but once he gets in water, Rayyan often forgets everything around him.

There is something very calming and pleasant about the water and waves of the sea. You can just sit there for hours and hours and never get bored. It also helps you forget the rest of world for time being. Rayyan enjoyed the Someshwara beach for a decade before he had to move back to Bangalore. We often talk about our adventures on the beach and how it turned into a ritual for all of us.

Wherever we go, any famous beach we visit, we always end up thinking that it is nothing compared to our own Someshwara beach. I am sure, the beach would be a part of Rayyan’s beautiful memories forever.