My latest book is The One Who Swam With The Fishes.

"A mesmerizing account of the well-known story of Matsyagandha ... and her transformation from fisherman’s daughter to Satyavati, Santanu’s royal consort and the Mother/Progenitor of the Kuru clan." - Hindustan Times

"Themes of fate, morality and power overlay a subtle and essential feminism to make this lyrical book a must-read. If this is Madhavan’s first book in the Girls from the Mahabharata series, there is much to look forward to in the months to come." - Open Magazine

"A gleeful dollop of Blytonian magic ... Reddy Madhavan is also able to tackle some fairly sensitive subjects such as identity, the love of and karmic ties with parents, adoption, the first sexual encounter, loneliness, and my favourite, feminist rage." - Scroll



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4 May 2010

Cornwall, ahoy!

As I was going to St Ives,
I met a man with seven wives,
Each wife had seven sacks,
Each sack had seven cats,
Each cat had seven kits,
Cats, sacks, kits, wives,
How many were going to St Ives?

Cornwall is too beautiful to put into words. That's where I was this weekend, and oh, it was perfection. In the evenings, I read, and watched TV, with JC besides me and the wind wuthering in the moors. In the daytime, we went to beaches and wandered around cobbled pathways and it is nothing like I had ever seen before. It was also a little odd to be standing on a beach with a coat on! I took LOTS of pictures, so here's a pictorial view of what I did with my weekend.

The lighthouse at St Ives is perhaps the most painted part of this landscape. Especially this little bay. I love lighthouses, they remind me of Kerela when I was young and going to see the big one at Kovalam beach. Also, something about them is unutterably romantic, you know? They summon up images of pirates and smugglers and tales of the sea.




Seagulls are not my favourite bird, by any means. They are rude and loud and yarp at you and scream sad songs while wheeling above your head. But they go here, if you know what I mean. There is no other bird so suited for this landscape than these big old albatrosses. 


JC's description of the coast: "Like God took a hammer and smashed up a lot of rocks." I'm not a religious person myself, but the jagged coastline and wildness of it all did make me wish I was a poet. Also, it summoned up images of murder mysteries and love lost or forsaken. Brilliant.

A couple got married in this omnibus, if you peer in the windows, you can see the groom. Now that's my idea of a perfect wedding location, except maybe, not so cold. But that's what champagne is for, eh?



Through the window of an art gallery. I LOVE shooting things through windows, I'm not sure why. I think it's the framing and the fact that it's like a little postcard of its own. That's a real fishing dock out there, note the nets, and behind it was the lifeguards museum with a working model of a lifeboat and plaques commemorating people rescued. 



All the streets were like this, rustic and harking back to ancient times. I love the slopes of the road, the blue sea in the distance and the fact that even though modern life has come to Cornwall, it lives in such perfect harmony with the olden days. Later that day, we went to the Meadery, an old restaurant serving real Cornish mead, and I'm afraid we all went a bit overboard on the yummy blackberry mead. Ick, my stomach the next day! But, mmmmm, unbelievably delish. Also, surprisingly, had the best Indian food of my entire trip at a tiny little pub that is only frequented by locals, in the middle of nowhere. Life is surprising, sometimes!

And someday, I shall get myself a little boat like this one and sail around the world, or just lie on my back on the deck and watch the blue sky above me fade into the greeny blue-ness of the ocean and THAT, my friends, is how I plan to end my days.

16 comments:

  1. awesome pics...well done :)

    reminded me of the Three sisters' island of Nora Roberts' trilogy...beautiful :D

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  2. beautiful pics. I've heard even Devon is quite pretty. Yay for more diary accounts in pics!

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  3. Oohhh I LOVE Cornwall, there's so much to see in North Devon(practically second home to me) I love the narrow little alleys, and the cute cafe's and pubs scattered around the place.Travel around as much as you can, England is beautiful :)

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  4. "I think it's the framing and the fact that it's like a little postcard of its own"

    That's so cute. The pictures are amazing. Especially the one with the albatross. Man, i like saying albatross. Although it reminds me of the german word for nightmare(Albtraum). Coincidence?
    Anyway, another good post. Keep writing! :)

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  5. Great pictures!
    If you like rocky shores and waves and lighthouses, you should definitely read "Ahab's Wife (The Star Gazer)" by Sena Jeter Naslund.

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  6. Aaah, sounds lovely -- looks like you had a very nice bank holiday weekend. Now I am tempted to go to Cornwall too. Oh well, one day!

    Nice photos btw., well done.

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  7. Gorgeous!!! The mead sounds amazing -- I would LOVE to get a taste of that.

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  8. so, traveling as part of research for ur new book or what

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  9. nice clicks. haven't been around to cornwall yet. intend to go around this summer.
    btw, might i suggest that do not miss out on a trip to Bath and perhaps jersey islands. you might just love it.

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  11. My daughter go the Mother goose treasury yesterday and I was reading this riddle to her! I think I will show her the pictures so that she gets an idea about St Ives...

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  12. Thanks for the link.This excerpt on the Cornwall site. from one of Saris made my day.

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  13. I really loved your pic. Very clean quality photos uploaded here. Also the review was awesome too.

    http://www.coastalcontacts.com/

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