There is a river near my home and the sea lies at a distance. I often sit in my verandah and watch how the moon rises at night. At such times I do not hear the noise of the city which becomes a far off murmur. Unlike in my village home, now I do not share the cheerfulness of crickets and the sound of owls. But I am satisfied with the drama at moonrise which of course does not take place every night.
From my easy chair I have watched many moons rising and disappearing. Each one had its own shape and colour. On some days the moon looked like a half circle with white cotton in its bosom. I did not see the moon on many days. Maybe it was partially or fully covered by the clouds. On Poya days the full moon rises from the distant sea like a huge plate of gold. Gradually, I see the moon going up and becoming smaller in the process.
A friend, living in the United States too has been fascinated by the moon. One day he wrote to me describing the moon in his own inimitable way. He wrote, “In autumn I see a broad confident harvest moon. In spring I see a somewhat shy misty moon. In winter she looks lonely. I feel sad when it remains silent against the ink-black sky. Sometimes I see a smoke-smudged orange moon in summer.” His descriptive account of the moon reminds me of music that excites my heart and calms it down.
Moongazing
I remember the days of moongazing with a bunch of village lads. We were excited to see the full moon above our heads. Its silver light covered the tops of distant hills and tall trees. Even the water in the river had a silvery colour. Our elders used to say there was a rabbit on the moon drawn by God Sakra. We tried to see the figure but it was not clear. But the moon overhead was as unerring as heartbeat.
We knew that every 29 days it appeared full-bellied and brilliant. But we did not know why it changed its shape later and disappeared completely only to be reborn later.
Benefits
As adults we came to know that the waning moon rose later at night and vanished. However, we still do not know why it happens that way. Not being a scientist I will never understand the moon’s peculiar patterns and behaviour. If we knew all the scientific secrets, the moon would lose its glamour forever.
People living in flats and apartments in the asphalt jungle have no contact with the moon. They hardly see the rising moon. The glare of neon lights and the dust have veiled the city’s night sky. Although men have walked on the moon, city folks do not know what time the moon rises at night.
As I still have my roots in the village, the moon tugs at my heartstrings. If you see the full moon unexpectedly in the city’s sky, what will happen to you? I am sure most children and even adults would look at it in awe not knowing the moon’s commanding presence.
Although we cannot look at the blazing sun with our naked eyes, we can safely look at the moon. But do we get any benefits out of doing so? On a Poya day we climbed a hill in the village. The sun had set in the west and we saw the bright orange glow coming above the distant hills. The bright light burst into a flame. The huge moon more or less was hanging from the sky. Dogs started barking nervously at the moon. They would have thought that the strange light had awakened some evil spirits in the forest.
It did not take much time for the moon to change its shape and colour. We found that it was looking at us with authority. It gradually changed colour from red, to orange, to gold and then to impassive yellow. We wondered whether it was drawing light from the earth because all the hills and valleys were plunged into darkness. Gradually, the moon shed its ivory light on the hills and valleys. The dogs then stopped barking, reassured that there was no immediate threat to their survival.
While enjoying the drama we forgot the passing time. Our parents came looking for us. They probably knew we were moongazing. But most adults do not moongaze. They take it for granted. For them it is another star or planet. To moongaze we should slip into a calmer and more patient mindset. When we watch the moon moving inexorably higher, an unusual stillness grows within us. Those who are imaginative become aware of the vast distance of space, the immensity of the earth and our own fragile existence on the terra firma. We feel how small we are when compared to nature’s wonderful creations.
Moonlight
The moon, unlike the sun, does not make us tired. It acts like a balm on our tired nerves. Even the hills, valleys and trees seem to enjoy the moonlight. The river glides down without making much noise. The sea remains calm. Even we become soft at heart. We forget our worries and move into a trans-like state.
If you are stressed, look at the rising moon. Keep on watching its glorious movements and colours. No wonder, many poets and musicians have been moved by the moon. Lorenzo in William Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’ says,
“How sweet is the moonlight
Here will we sit and let the sounds of music
Creep in our ears.”
With such thoughts, your confused mind will melt into the quiet of the night.
I still remember a small poem written by an anonymous poet.
The Man in the Moon
The Man in the Moon as he sails the sky
Is a very remarkable skipper,
But he made a mistake when he tried to take
A drink of milk from the Dipper
He dipped right out of the Milky Way,
And slowly and carefully filled it,
The Big Bear growled, and the Little Bear howled
And frightened him so that he spilled it!