Identify this organic item

Born and bred in the city, and guilty of contributing to a city's woes, I always look forward to visiting rural areas and villages. In this year's summer sojourn to Kerala in South India, a walk through riverside overgrowth revealed some 'secrets'. Ha! (it's open knowledge for natives, but to me it was new).
I invite you to tickle your grey cells and identify what's pictured above. There's a hint (of sorts) in the picture below.

Answers on Thursday (23 July)

Proud of my world, just as others are

Update on 23 July
Most had identified right, at least by name. That intricately networked fibre is the xylem of the ridged gourd. (the sponge-like brush made from mesh-like fabric that comes with shower-gels is also called luffa / loofah though). Here is a picture showing half-dried gourds the soon-to-be organic luffas.
pic courtesy

This kid needed company!

... and we were vacation strollers passing by, with ears perfectly tuned to nature-in-rustic-surrounds. So we easily heard him call out. He is no different from a pup or a playful kitten - no wonder he's a kid too! Mummy-goat was munching away in the vicinity, and it would be a while before they went home.


Place - Annanad, Chalakudy, Kerala, India
Enjoy many more camera critters

Reflections, and a wash in the river

Place - At Chalakudy river in Annanad, Kerala, India
Enjoy many more camera critters

Summer showers - the dance of the clothes-lines

Sorry 'bout the rather amateur video clip.

See more visions from around the world in My World Tuesday

Yellow blossoms - Cassia / Indian Laburnum flowers

Delhi's roads are lined yellow this May with the eye-catching Indian laburnum (Amaltas/golder Shower/Cassia fistula) inflorescence.





Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Chug - chug - koo!

The Rail Museum, New Delhi

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Naggar - a delightful hamlet

Perhaps it was because we happened to visit the place on a Monday. One of the attractions, an art gallery, is closed Mondays. So it seemed to us that we had the whole hillside village to ourselves.
At 17 km from Manali, Naggar is just a short drive away, and the Himachal Pradesh tourism department includes it in its regular circuits.
The Naggar palace (castle), with a very interesting history from pre-colonial and colonial times. The palace is now a heritage hotel with a restaurant, an outlet for woollen things, a museum and the Jagatipatt (Shiva) temple within the palace.
(The courtyard was the venue of a popular number of the likeable Hindi film 'Jab We Met').

The Shiva temple within the palace. The wooden pieces that hang ornately make the most soothingly delightful sounds when there is a breeze around.
An ancient Vishnu temple adjacent to the palace.



An even older Gauri Sankar temple a short walk away.
(If you wish to see and buy purses, caps, shawls and coatees made of rabbit wool, just visit the second shop from the palace gates. We were very impressed with the presentable young owner, who was evidently proud of his produce).

See more visions from around the world in My World Tuesday
More posts on Manali
Seeing is believing - hot springs of Manali
Interesting local items
Yak's hair
Manali snow in February