onam with nature

Oru ettukaliyude onappookkalam.. a spider’s web design (!!) evoking memories of the long lost Onam days I used to celebrate at home in Kerala. Photograph taken while I was at home during last Onam. Species: argiope. juvenile. These orb weaver (Family: araniedae) spiders decorate their webs with stabilimenta. They usually rest in a head down position on the web. As one approaches the web, they hold their position until the last moment before slipping round in a flash to hide on the other side of the stabilimentum.

argiope_spider_onam_pookkalam_002 * oru ettukaliyude onappookkalam. spider web patterns @ home, kerala. argiope. juvenile. These orb weaver (Family: araniedae) spiders decorate their webs with stabilimenta. They usually rest in a head down position on the web. As one approaches the web, they hold their position until the last moment before slipping round in a flash to hide on the other side of the stabilimentum. species info: SpiderIndia & South Indian Spiders. * oru ettukaliyude onappookkalam. spider web patterns @ home, kerala. argiope. juvenile. These orb weaver (Family: araniedae) spiders decorate their webs with stabilimenta. They usually rest in a head down position on the web. As one approaches the web, they hold their position until the last moment before slipping round in a flash to hide on the other side of the stabilimentum. species info: SpiderIndia & South Indian Spiders. * 1024 x 766 * (97KB)

Onathumbi. Species: Rhyothemis variegata variegata (Picture wing Dragonfly, male). Normally they are seen in the month of August till December and hence called Onathumbi. Attractive colors and their presence tells you Onam is here!

onathumbi_004 * Onathumbi. Rhyothemis variegata variegata (male). Normally they are seen in the month of August till December. In kerala it is called as 'Onathumbi'. Onam is the harvest festival in August and Thumbi  means Dragonfly. @ home, kerala * Onathumbi. Rhyothemis variegata variegata (male). Normally they are seen in the month of August till December. In kerala it is called as 'Onathumbi'. Onam is the harvest festival in August and Thumbi  means Dragonfly. @ home, kerala * 1024 x 766 * (158KB)

Species: Rhyothemis variegata variegata (female)

onathumbi_002 * Onathumbi. Rhyothemis variegata variegata (female). Normally they are seen in the month of August till December. In kerala it is called as 'Onathumbi'. Onam is the harvest festival in August and Thumbi  means Dragonfly. @ home, kerala * Onathumbi. Rhyothemis variegata variegata (female). Normally they are seen in the month of August till December. In kerala it is called as 'Onathumbi'. Onam is the harvest festival in August and Thumbi  means Dragonfly. @ home, kerala * 1024 x 766 * (135KB)

adding to the nostalgia of Onam season.. onathumbis hovering over..

onathumbi_001 * onathumbikal. lots of Rhyothemis variegata variegata flying high during Onam season. @ home, kerala * onathumbikal. lots of Rhyothemis variegata variegata flying high during Onam season. @ home, kerala * 1024 x 766 * (256KB)

Onam / Thiru Onam: Festival of Kerala, celebrated in the month Chingam (Aug-Sep), of the Malayalam Calendar. In memory of a mythical King MahaBali (Maveli) who ruled Kerala eons back. Legend is that Kerala reached the zenith of its glory under his rule and he was so famous that gods became jealous and send God Vishnu to send him down to the netherworld. Anyways, before sending him down, Vishnu gave King Maha Bali a boon to visit his people once in a year. This day we celebrate as Onam, to welcome Mahabali. One of the most attractive aspects of thiruvonam is the pookkalam or the floral designs we make.

Sarah, celebrate this onam at home for me!

19 Responses

  1. sajith says:

    ponnonaasamsakal…………………..

  2. Sunil says:

    അവസാനത്തെ ചിത്രം വളരെ പിടിച്ചു റോക്സീ, അത്‌ ഞാനെടുക്കട്ടേ? അതുമാത്രം, പ്ലീസ്. -സു-

  3. sam says:

    Hey Roxy

    Im just in love with your pics. especially the web and flower pic in the nature section. Awesome is also not the word. Its really really great. Hope you know me I sam juby’s friend in HSBC . Please do send me some of your stuff.

  4. rocksea says:

    ya i checked and saw that the kurinjis had bloomed this year aug-sep! wow, so you had a chance to see them. next one in munnar is in 2018 only. sho!

  5. rocksea says:

    samayam kittandae tinkerbells. now am in the final stages of my phd.. Oh i wish i could be going around kerala like you even if i cant take snaps 😀 So are you talking about neela kurinjis? As they bloom only once in 12 years. Or the kurinji you are refering to is a different species?

  6. How come no new posts for such a long time? Meanwhile, I got inspired by the pics in ur website and tried clicking away the kurunjis when i went to Munnar last week…but the snaps were not remotely near the quality u’ve achieved !!!

  7. Shiv says:

    Nice pics of nature!! Hope u had a nice onam!!

  8. sarah says:

    Oh samadhaanam ayee…thumbikal late ayallum, ethiyallo! Njan vicharichu inni vazhiyyum maari Australia ilekku poyo ennu! hehe…keep the card…all the onathumbies have impressed themselves on it.

  9. Shreehari Gautam says:

    Hey! His e-mail address is not seen above. I type it here again shankar_phd@yahoo.co.in

  10. Shreehari Gautam says:

    Dear Rocksea,
    Hello! I heard about you from Saseem. I am a PhD student in the veterinary faculty of Hokudai. Actually, one student from INDIA (Tamilnadu) is going to join this faculty from October. Before coming here he wants to contact somebody from India in Hokudai. Would you mind letting me know your (or, any one of your Indian friend’s) e-mail address so that I can pass it on to him. It will be of a very great help to him. If you would prefer to contact him directly, here is his e-mail address:

    Please forgive me for asking for a favor through your personal blog. Best regards.

  11. naseem says:

    Adipoli…picturesaaa…

  12. Sarah says:

    Onam wishes to you too Pidiyana! Looks like you had a real good time. I was home for this onam … and I was home for Roxy this onam 😀

  13. Pidiyana says:

    Onam greetings to both the Love Birds!! 😀
    I had a lovely Onam… I made it so!

  14. rocksea says:

    roshni, onashamsakal !

    sarahkuttie.. maveli prasadhichirikkunnu 😀

    gini, 🙂 am also wishing if i had been at home!

  15. Gini says:

    Wow! That first picture is ‘National Geographic’ worthy. Definitely made me home sick. Loved the post and the responses..it was quite romantic!!!

  16. sarah says:

    Roxychaya! look how even insects celebrate onam. And I will be celebrating this onam with you. You will be coming as my Mahabali…keep the promise. 😀 I will be there to welcome you with our onappookkalam and a grand onam feast of at least of a few of the 30+ recipes. Watch out for the onathumbikal…I have sent a few and they are on their way to Sapporo to give you Onaashamsagal!!! 😉

  17. roshni says:

    heyyy.. onashamsakal..have a great day!!!

  1. August 7, 2009

    […] here for an earlier article on >> onam with nature and oru ettukaliyude onappookkalam Social Bookmarks & Print & […]

  2. August 24, 2009

    […] stabilimenta of juvenile orb weaver spiders are different, and more ornamental in hiding them [see argiope juvenile]. They usually rest in a head down position on the web. As one approaches the web, they hold their […]

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