My Earthquake Indicator
~ Kashmir Region has been having
of late repeated earthquake related episodes. One newspaper says this region
has undergone 27 such episodes in the last six months, some were not felt even.
One was very very scary and spun my world around. A couple of shocks were
enough to scare but not scare me enough to motivate me to run like mad out of
the building.
The chandelier as seen in the snaps below is in my bedroom at Srinagar, kind courtesy my landlord. The glass crystals hanging from it make a lovely sight at night. It has three light modes and I switch it around depending upon my mood and requirements. I have to come to realize that every time the strands of glass vibrate, the news channels have inevitably announced after a time gap that tremors from earthquakes had been felt in Kashmir. Now checking out this aspect has become a habit.
This chandelier is dependable and is my earthquake indicator. In a strong shock it shakes and the decorative glass pieces move around due to the vibrations and make enough noise for me to decide to move out fast. In a mild tremor one or two strands vibrate ever so gently and I normally get concerned but ignore the need for action (means running out in whatever I am wearing). Twice it made a tinkling sound around late midnight, now where was I to go in a building occupied by me alone (the landlord was away). The world outside was dark and forbidding. So I stayed on but with concern. Once the tremor shook me up around One AM. It was actually due to the decorative glass crytals making a lot of noise. I decided to open my main door on the first floor to decide my course of action. On the fourth floor my landlord was also awake and assessing the situation. Ultimately we went back in as it was bitterly cold outside. The next day we realized we were amongst the few jokers who stayed in.
Today around Eight AM just two strands of the chandelier made a tinkling noise. I switched on the TV set, there was no news of any tremors till half an hour. But the tinkling noise continued. This perturbed me and for quite a while I was in two minds about what to do. I even tried to assess if a faint draft of air was moving just the two strands around !
When in a particular period of time the tremors occured in quick succession I decided to keep a bottle of water, a flashlight and my purse and credit cards near me at night. And watched the chandelier carefully!!
Well fortunately nothing drastic has happened and may it continue to be so, the views of experts though being to the contrary. Meanwhile I drift off to sleep every night with the lights of the chandelier set to the sleep mode.
The chandelier as seen in the snaps below is in my bedroom at Srinagar, kind courtesy my landlord. The glass crystals hanging from it make a lovely sight at night. It has three light modes and I switch it around depending upon my mood and requirements. I have to come to realize that every time the strands of glass vibrate, the news channels have inevitably announced after a time gap that tremors from earthquakes had been felt in Kashmir. Now checking out this aspect has become a habit.
This chandelier is dependable and is my earthquake indicator. In a strong shock it shakes and the decorative glass pieces move around due to the vibrations and make enough noise for me to decide to move out fast. In a mild tremor one or two strands vibrate ever so gently and I normally get concerned but ignore the need for action (means running out in whatever I am wearing). Twice it made a tinkling sound around late midnight, now where was I to go in a building occupied by me alone (the landlord was away). The world outside was dark and forbidding. So I stayed on but with concern. Once the tremor shook me up around One AM. It was actually due to the decorative glass crytals making a lot of noise. I decided to open my main door on the first floor to decide my course of action. On the fourth floor my landlord was also awake and assessing the situation. Ultimately we went back in as it was bitterly cold outside. The next day we realized we were amongst the few jokers who stayed in.
Today around Eight AM just two strands of the chandelier made a tinkling noise. I switched on the TV set, there was no news of any tremors till half an hour. But the tinkling noise continued. This perturbed me and for quite a while I was in two minds about what to do. I even tried to assess if a faint draft of air was moving just the two strands around !
When in a particular period of time the tremors occured in quick succession I decided to keep a bottle of water, a flashlight and my purse and credit cards near me at night. And watched the chandelier carefully!!
Well fortunately nothing drastic has happened and may it continue to be so, the views of experts though being to the contrary. Meanwhile I drift off to sleep every night with the lights of the chandelier set to the sleep mode.
,
Last two days I have been travelling around with a guy from PANIIT. Then
late evening I get spooked on return. Well, in this period of intense cold the
well to do Kashmiris slink out to Delhi or Jammu. So the situation is ~
~Own House ~ Fellow tenant left. Landlord left. Me totally alone in a four storey house.
~ House on Right ~ Under construction/ repair. Owner out for January.Servant ran away with the servant of the housee on the left side .
~ House on Left ~ Owner in Delhi. Servant ran away with servant in the house on the right.
~ Front~ one under Construction and in any case both houses are side facing.
~ Rear across a road ~ One aged caretaker. Lights out by 830 pm.
So it's delightfully silent except for my TV set. I could meditate all I want. Or feel as spooked out as I want. Switching on lights on return is an experience by itself.
Winter's~ my third here. It's quite busy once the day temperature reaches4 to 6 degrees and around 11am to 11.30 am. Snow or ice may stop it for a day or two. Then it resumes.
~Own House ~ Fellow tenant left. Landlord left. Me totally alone in a four storey house.
~ House on Right ~ Under construction/ repair. Owner out for January.Servant ran away with the servant of the housee on the left side .
~ House on Left ~ Owner in Delhi. Servant ran away with servant in the house on the right.
~ Front~ one under Construction and in any case both houses are side facing.
~ Rear across a road ~ One aged caretaker. Lights out by 830 pm.
So it's delightfully silent except for my TV set. I could meditate all I want. Or feel as spooked out as I want. Switching on lights on return is an experience by itself.
Winter's~ my third here. It's quite busy once the day temperature reaches4 to 6 degrees and around 11am to 11.30 am. Snow or ice may stop it for a day or two. Then it resumes.
GM. My view is changing at last. The house right in front had collapsed
during the Floods of September October 2014. Now this building is coming up. To
it's left one house has been partially reconstructed and another rebuilt. The
lane to one side has six new houses coming up. The area is still rebuilding and
some may sell out eventually.
Temperature wise its - 1 degrees (minus one) today morning at 805 am. Shimla at 4 degrees, Chandigarh 7 degrees, Delhi 9 degrees, Lucknow and Aizawl at 13 degrees, Mumbai 23 degrees and Port Blair 24 degrees. Chennai is at 21 degrees.
The period of intense cold called Chillai Kalan here will now give way gradually to Chillai Khurd.
Temperature wise its - 1 degrees (minus one) today morning at 805 am. Shimla at 4 degrees, Chandigarh 7 degrees, Delhi 9 degrees, Lucknow and Aizawl at 13 degrees, Mumbai 23 degrees and Port Blair 24 degrees. Chennai is at 21 degrees.
The period of intense cold called Chillai Kalan here will now give way gradually to Chillai Khurd.
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