for those who were not there right then, and because i am thinking about those rather lovely two days in 2004, here are a few pictures of nova's birthday from that year.

all of this was at bakkkali.
the first picture shows us trying to negotiate a birthday cake for nova.
then there is the one of a rather picturesque bit which wasn't really a beach camp, but in fact a result of tent pitching practice. and we had a game of it, i'll tell you that, for what with the wind and the lively sand, it was anybody's gueass whether we were pitching the tent or the tent was pitching us.
the next photograph shows the woods on the beach which we used for our talks and our practice. and a rather fine day it was to be out there, as you can possibly tell. sun, wind and sea make for a lovely background to stories from the high altitudes.
the next photograph shows our efforts on the occasion of world environment day. that was 5 june.
finally, that's romila jumaring (this photograph comes from parthada's pentax. the rest are mine, from the tiny digital, which has finally made its retiremnt).