Cold Break

Time flew very soon and here comes the Christmas to exuberant the year end, as well as the year ahead to brighten with smiles and happiness and peace at heart. Wish you all a very Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year :)

(our Christmas tree)

Due to cold, I couldn’t read or write much now, so let me pause here to play sometime before or after New Year. I bought a Christmas tree and decorated it with the help of mom and cousin Ashwin and here u could see my tree gleaming with led bulbs. Photo was taken with mobile cam, and more on the celebration soon. Pls forgive for the clarity. Take care and enjoy! :)

Trip to southern tip

I went through a mixed emotion and feeling through a journey of nearly 2000kms touching the southern tip of the country as well as the beginning of the Western Ghats. For a week there were quite no television, laptop, internet and newspaper to let know anything happening around and it was a world boundless to any thought or thinking about home or things to depress than impressed by many way.

It was a wonderful journey to say which has something as setbacks too to my ever long distance in travel and interrupted at many places but still managed to complete it quite. Early it was my cam to go for capturing unclear pictures and frequent hang to lens error couldn’t mend until now as the price requested for is two third the sum of cam cost want us to go for another instead spending the partial rate of an advanced one on the old.

As soon touched the NH following the suburb traffic, we discovered a trouble with the vehicle that began to wobbling like a boat on the road after 80kmph or leave accelerate free from high speed. It took lot of our time searching for a service centre and each one we seek gives a different opinion on the problem and one says to our surprise that Scorpios are like this, but this is the first time for us to experience the wobbling in 3 years of using Scorpio.

It was terrible when it wobbles on speed and we all frighten about this shake and my grandfather been a drive for long time doesn’t see it as a normal sign make us to give prior to the vehicle to put back our plan and only later doing the wheel aliment in Madurai gave us hope to move ahead with wobbling become less. This is the first time for me to watch a sunset on sea, but if not quite the sight was majestic!

The guest house we stayed in Kanyakumari has a wide vast sea front and being at a distant elevation the sight was grand with the Vivekananda Rock memorial and Tiruvaluvar statue to left and Gandhi Mandapam and Kamaraj memorial at beneath, the sea was stillness to ships and boats sail on. The most emotional and heartfelt moment of the travel was visiting my friend Razick’s home in Tirunelveli and I could not say a word how I felt when faint with love.

Me and Razick where friends for nearly 7 years introduced through yahoo messenger and from then he’s become a part of my family and have met more than couple of times at my home and we always wished each other on our festivals and his mom is whom always desire to meet me whenever I call him. I made sure the visit and was indeed moved to the core how she welcomes me with tear… and I was emotionally stunned and couldn’t express anything at her behalf love and hugs.

I would consider it as one of best moments in my life and always be a memorable one to ever last and I quite forget holding the camera to take photos along with them but my memories captured the in-erasable portrait of hers. Love u mom!

Mayakkam Enna

A photographer pursuing his aspire to become a wildlife photographer, is a one line story of the Tamil film Mayakkam Enna (why this dizziness?), which might bewitch one through the dramatic performance by leads and cinematography in unusual lights to delight. Bearing the burden to their shoulders to full-fledged and in complete strain, Dhanush and Richa has done an impressive act.
This is first of the Selvaraghavan movie I am watching quite, though may be matured enough to understand and appreciate the acting want me watch it and except for the slow-paced, the movie enrolls in emotion and enhanced dusk. Richa as a debut doesn’t exhaust anywhere but instead refreshing in every aspect almost kept away the boredom to somewhat and the way she stares striking.

Dhanush portraits the role of a photographer very well and conveys the message of how the freelance photographers take it as a career on behalf and just being passionate struggles to get qualified and how easily the hard works are stolen without copyright. The movie at a different dimension has revel the way love is looked today; and too much on drinks is somehow awake or to inspire the youth to hold on?

Music by G.V. Prakash renders along the movie without diversion and all songs are written by the siblings Selva and Dhanush are youth attraction and sense a lot to the story. Kadhal En Kadhal, one of my favorite songs in the album is set wonderful to a backdrop of folk dancers and Pirai Thedum song was so expressive and animated! The cinematography is best at exposing the dusk and even a bit of light is highlighted. Mayakka Enna – an emotional picture.

Karthigai Deepam

Lighting up the earthen lamps
illuminates the houses
enhanced to rust and red in color

Along the windowsills and balconies
the lamps lit on Karthigai Deepam
host a grand reception to bewitch

The brass lamps hold to the halls
embraces any festivals of sort
as auspicious to enhance and behold

Footnote:

The photo was taken last year by me on the occasion of Karthigai Deepam, which is a festival celebrated in the month of November-December on the full moon and alike Deepavali, Karthigai Deepam is also called as Festival of Lights.

Rio

The reverberating drum beats, the hottest dance movements and immense procession is the usual Rio reveled! Not changing much from the spirit and fun and more vibrant in colours, the movie Rio reveals some exotic birds in action animation makes it much lovable and moves into the plot of birds smuggling.
The Blu, a male blue macaw hatchling falls into the cage of smugglers after a vibrant samba by birds, is dropped at the doorstep of Linda while transported in a van is quick picked by her to adopt as pet. The Blu, which is unable to fly, flew to Rio de Janeiro along with Linda to mate with a female macaw Jewel on the invite of ornithologist Tulio, who believe Blu is the last kind of its species.

While at aviary, the Blu and his mate Jewel are caught by a smuggler group boy with the help of a Greater Cockatoo, chains the blue birds together. The macaws broke the cages and end up in jungle, meet a Toco Toucan and with the help of his bulldog friend, the macaws are unchained to hook later in love after their decision to apart, that bring Jewel into the trap and Blu to pursuit her to rescue.

Meanwhile the macaw’s romances, sings and dances at a Rio-style party and fights to flee from the horde marmosets along with their exotic bird friends. The Toco toucan’s family is so sweet as well animates the real household with chicks as kids, and it was fun with the thieving marmosets and their set of activities.

The Rio de Janeiro and the grand Rio carnival is recreated well in animation at its nearest exist and Linda in the samba costume looks cute and every other character created looks alike - cute. The music was so catchy and vibrates a lot and rendering the Rio – the great fun and party city and a dream destination, the movie also has an excellent sound effect esp. via home theater.

The conclusion was so nice and happy ending gives a content feel and smile seeing the birds rejoice in jungle, even they are animation has a sense of real life. The beautiful solo as part of post-credits picture beyond the end was fabulous... (Check the soothing song at my sidebar).

Footnote:

Rio is a computer-animated movie from the creators of Ice Age. After watching its trailer on YouTube last May, I was impressed a lot to watch the movie but couldn’t do it until last week because of failure in downloading it many time.

Unnecessary anxiety

I think the authorities are creating unnecessary anxiety hold to the Babri Mosque demolition of December 6 every year. The incident wasn’t best part of time to remember except for the lessons learn to not allow such riots exist anywhere else again and just being cautious is enough to hold peace and silence for the lost lives on this occasion.

The people are not at such leisurely to keep in mind every incident happened in past and no way we could seek justice for this riot that took thousands of lives at many cities. What bothers me was in the name of defense; the public is troubled a lot at this time and even though they are ready to cooperate how well this sever search operation prevents anything that supposed to happen later or earlier in days to the demolition day.

The anxiety is something we can’t hide or avoid thinking about any negative aspects as a reflection of riot and being precautions is not a mistake and only prevents an incident or thing from happening. But what we need is a constant awake on the security and not alone only being alert at the times of such incidents and forgetting the people once across.

Footnote:

The Babri Mosque is a mosque in Ayodhya, Utter Pradesh, witnessed to destroy in 1992, when a political rally developed into a riot killing more than 2000 people by the following riots in major cities in India. The mosque was constructed in 1527 by order of Babur, the first Mughal emperor of India and was named after him.

Differently able

If there’s a word my entire world completes within is my ‘parents’, and they are everything to me I can say enough and their ability is what foremost to me to survive in everyday life. I can’t imagine a life left behind them and how many times I say I am not content with words or a mind of satisfaction that want so much to speak about and feels so eternal grateful.

I’m sure there’s a great challenge waiting for us ahead and it’s going to be tough more than enough today, I’m intend to live hold to the pieces of shattered hopes than thinking and worrying about the future unknown. I know it’s not a best attitude to ignore the thoughts about future, but if it’s going to be the worst for sure it’s nice being prevented and spared on live moments.

Moved to wheels for complete two and half years after lost back the ability to walk on caliper shoes and on my foot five years ago, I’m much movable in power wheels on plains than bitter walkabout in pain. I’m really grateful to the creators of these tools that support me when i unable to walk easy and life would have been setback a lot difficulty if these options doesn’t allowed to me.

The calipers that helped me walkabout for nearly a decade deserves the ability of me to stand even today and operation of power wheelchair on my own gives a freedom like feel even it’s for a certain distance or within home. I can’t even think of the difficulty in the absence of wheels and it would be the worst ever to change from one place to another and I am glad that I live in this advanced age to enjoy these comforts.

Footnote:

I like to thank everyone who supports me on this harsh journey and I’m sure without nobody beside I would have not enjoying this difficult world from being differently able. Thank you all here for listening to me and today is World Disability Day and the theme of this year is “Together for a better world for all: Including persons with disabilities in development”.

Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall

Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall is one among the notable buildings nested within the Cubbon Park, Bangalore, is a centre of attraction since it situated in the middle of the park. I have been there last summer while visiting my friend’s home in Bangalore, Cubbon Park is the initial place we checked after arriving there a day later.

The partially oval shaped building houses the Karnataka’s State Central Library is remarkable in red and this knowledge hub holds up to 2.65 lakh books collection including a braille section. We didn’t try getting inside the building as no one interested unlike me and intend to check other places we moved after spending sometime there.

The Memorial Hall is a classic European style building supported by Tuscan columns is built in 1915, in honor of Sri K.Seshadri Iyer who was Dewan of Mysore State from 1883 to 1901. The Library is entered through two porticoes at each end of the front, has a lovely rose garden at its frontage decorates and enhances the building.

The rose garden has lot of roses bloomed in variety of colors and amid the garden stands the statue of Sheshardri Iyer. The building at the rear looks pretty nice and resembles the face of Vivekananda House in Chennai. Among the greenery and woods, the building is highlighted in red from anywhere

Unfold to rain

Behind the window bars it rains
without exhaust, eyes watched the rains
splashed and smashed by dropped to earth

Exuberant, because of rains
wanna experience the expedient rains
that ready to drench at a foot distance

Flash of news on flood to rains
pulled me behind the bars of rains
to push back to evoke rejoice inside

The tides rose to low-pressure and rains
kept away people visiting ashore, except
for the alike-minded to go holding umbrella

The waves rage and rough
and huge, washed ashore the trashes
and sea to send unpleasant scent to smell

Still the drizzle outside soothes
than the heavy rains and sunshine
either trouble people to get struggle.

Footnote:

The photo was shot last evening at our neighborhood beach by me on someone enjoying the rain holding his umbrella and watching the rage waves rushing ashore. The wind was blowing not so well but still the dampness was enjoyable... unlike bad for taking photos. Having steaming peanuts is something pleasure in rain along the KFC chicken popcorn.

150 years of justice

If there’s a historic building creating history every day through its judgement could be the Madras High Court, alike the Bombay and Calcutta High Courts began at a stretch. Apart sentence the high court has become a tool to mend social issues and judges being prudent themselves have come lent some remarkable judgements making as significant as history.

(Domes of Madras High Court)

Established at the premises where the current Chennai Collectorate located by letter patent by Queen Victoria under the authority of the British parliament’s Indian High Courts Act 1862, shifted to the present High Court building in 1892 after 4 years of the constructed building at cost of Rs.12, 98,163. Build in an exquisite Indo Saracenic style, the building was opened by his Excellency the Right Hon’ble Beilly Baron Wenock, is acknowledged in all aspects as finest High Court building in the India.

The High Court premises also had a light house which was begin used to warn and guide the ships, thus become the third lighthouse of Madras, functioning from the tallest dome of the Madras High Court at a height of 160-ft. Being target by German Warship S.M.S. Emden in year 1915, a number of explosive shells where sent on Madras City aiming the dome were struck the cornice around the flooring of the light.

During the Second World War, when madras came under attack by a squad of bombing aeroplanes at the early hours of April 6, 1942, the High court went on a long vacation ahead its usual date due to possibility of strike, runs the vacation courts run in Coimbatore and later functioning from Holy Angels School in T.Nagar before go back to today’s High Court building.

Sir T. Muthuswami Iyer was the first Indian to be appointed as a Judge of the Madras High Court following Dr. Pakala Venkatha Rajamannar as India’s first Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. Later lately a second bench of Madras High court has been functioning from Madurai since 2004, jurisdiction over southern districts of Tamil Nadu.

Footnote:

The Madras High Court starts its celebration of 150 year of establishment from today till next year beginning and I though to write on it with information collected though wiki and other link sources. The photos were taken by me some time ago.

Untitled mind

(click to enlarge)

Unusual play

Having heard and seen sometime the various in animals being friendly to each other like cat-dog, monkey-goat and even the enemy’s cat and mouse and no more difference from this kind, the pet dog of my sister had found a friend in kitty. She was telling me the other day about this friendship and I couldn’t stop wondering since our pet dog Maya is a serious chaser of other dogs and cats who are foremost in her category of dislike.

Few weekends before sister came home and I downloaded the videos of the play between the dog and kitty from her cam which was fun, interesting and amazing to watch. The kitty was very cute and the dog take care of it very kindly and fond even its behavior sometime looks rude, it doesn’t allow anyone to hold the kitty and they both feed on a same plate and sleeps nearby.

This cute kitty remind me out latter ones and we had three kitten whom were the active cats I have seen and they play like anything and rolling a marble on floor is enough to check with them for fun and there meow... is sweetest like anything and each one of them look so adorable in a way and color. I like sharing a video of kitty playing with the dog here (below):

Hello

The first word enrolled out of tongue as a universal language of introduction lead us to the immense phase of relationship with someone and whatever great speech does not begins without hello. It’s a kind of word bring strangers into one’s comfort zone and across oceans and to space the sound of hello allow one reveal the conversation beyond whatever the message conveyed.

From wake-up to sleep, hello plays a vital role in engaging conversation with anyone and phones calls being led to hold credit, took the word to every corner of this world as impossible to leading phrases without spelling it loud as a salutation it becomes a common title for everyone to use. Hello, alternative of hallo, hollo and hullo is said to come from Old High German and apart spelled similar in many languages Hullo expressed by Thomas Edison on surprise misheard to Graham Bell’s initial use of Ahoy as a telephone greeting.

Footnote:

Today is World Hello Day! Begun in response to the conflict between Egypt and Israel in the fall of 1973, the day is observed by greeting others as a message for world leaders to use communication rather than using force to settle conflicts.

Hard work

If we think back and deep, there is hard work behind everything and without it nothing comes out and like the depth of universe it’s impossible to measure it by numbers, words or phrase. Life is difficult without hardworking fellows and we mostly never know whom they are and they kept working for us without expectation beyond their self.

(a pic from my archives)

Hard work is not alone enough to survive today and we need some talent to take it further on stage development to promote our living standard and as well as our surroundings. But whatever talented we are doesn’t work out without sought help from basis hard work which gives shape to our ideas and life to the seeds sowed beneath the earth.

It’s not easy as we think about hard work and only those work hard could realize the difficult involved in it and as an immobile operating from power wheelchair I have a great admiration towards hardworking. I believe hard work make exist our dream come true and wishes to take stage and each step toward the goal is drew by what can be other than the hard work?

Having lot of money and being luxury could not give fulfillment to the mind or soul like doing something or things come out from our energy and hold to a bit of hard work. Even though the involvement of intellect is lot these days, the ray of hope lies on hard work and life becomes easy and comfort is only because of someone’s hard work.

Essence of entice

Honey, the collection of bees
perhaps the sweetest essence
collected from pollen grains

Flowers, the essence of entice
led bees lure the best inside
to feedback us with grand savour

The beauties of beehives
seems to be behind the entice
to ensure essence lost nowhere

Footnote:

The flower with bee was captured at Lalbagh Garden in Bangalore last May and the flower is an orange Cosmos. I also like to post at least a flower every week as a Friday Flower series on my many photo collections on flowers. I wonder who won’t love flowers and they are the species admired and adored by everyone and the essence of nature is easily expose through them and a kind to enhance a lot with beauty!

Back on track

It’s been sometime went out as family which includes my uncle’s family, with whom we lived as a single family once and still being oneness in mind except living at independent homes. The real plan was I alone going out with my uncle’s family but later my parents decided to join our undecided destination on my wish which was supposed to go out of city and have lunch at somewhere as a kind of picnic we usually do.

(Thiruporur temple tower and tank)

Being bored often taking the ECR (East Coast Road), we decided to go through OMR (Old Mamallapuram Road) and come via ECR to home in Thiruvanmiyur... but later our plan changed and instead of going simple this way, parents wished to go to Manapakkam Kanni Koil (Virgin temple) near Chengalpet, on the bank of River Palar. We had been to this temple more than a decade ago and the deity in this temple is 7 stones, and it is considered as a deity common amongst the traditional family deities (Kula Deivam).

(Temple tank, Thiruporur)

It was early noon and sun was scorching bright and there wasn’t a change on our track and instead we extended and took the Thiruporur – Chengalpet route to reach the temple, which is among my favorite routes passes through forest, little mounts, villages and paddy fields. It’s a single lane road from beginning and only now has took some widening process and it doesn’t look like affection the environment and nature for good and the gladder part was its unchanged for decades.

We took refrain under a banyan tree for lunch on our way and the cool breezy shadow under the tree gives space for fresh air and the village environment and paddy fields beside send me back in the essence of soil scent and memories. I have spent many of my summer holidays in villages and its experience is one among the bliss and the smell comes out from soil and along the cow dung and firewood smoke at early dawn and evening is unequal to anything lavish.

(young paddy field near my grandpa’s village on the way)

The Kanni Koil is 5-6km away from Chengalpet and since Sunday it was crowded and looked like a village festival and vehicles were parked lot and activates of cooking and head shaving function for kids where hold to end at each corners and could see newlyweds with garlands to come and worship their family deity. By the time we left the temple, the sun hides away leaving dusk behind and mild coldness in air and in little mounts and paddy field backdrop cherish the mood of hill stations.

The return journey was very pleasant and we took Thirukalukundram – Mamallapuram route to connect ECR which bears enough greenery and paddy fields and lakes being filled with mild foggy at visible distance and little coldness to sense. Mind was thinking about cuppa and dad asked me understanding my favor for having coffee at countryside or little town tea shop which I believe and tasted to be nice and shops here uses direct cow or buffalo milk for coffee or tea. But sometime its disappointment waits for me and this time to the roadside café where we drink coffee serve us a hot water kind of coffee and it seems they also use the mixed packet milk.

(Row of palmyrah trees on the way to Chengalpet from Thiruporur)

The usual Sunday busy bee kind of traffic waits for us after Mamallapuram, delayed more than 45 minutes to stand in queue to the slow motion snail creeping drag by vehicle after Mayajaal. It’s like on Sundays the city’s inner are easily accessible than driving from outside the city. This time cousin took control of the wheel and dad take refrain and caught up with his paper reading and guiding cousin on his minor mistakes and on my part kept alerting him on potholes and speed barkers since he’s in his early driving experience. It’s quite enchanting over chatting and spending quality time with family and sharing thoughts on behalf changes and wish for residing among quiet village’s en route!

Open Letter to Children

Dear Children,

I like being with children and talking to them and, even more, playing with them. If you were with me, I would love to talk to you about this beautiful world of ours, about flowers, trees, birds, animals, stars, mountains, glaciers and all the other beautiful things that surround us in the world. We have all this beauty all around us and yet we, who are grown-ups, often forget about it and lose ourselves in our arguments or in our quarrels. We sit in our offices and imagine that we are doing very important work.

I hope you will be more sensible and open your eyes and ears to this beauty and life that surrounds you. Can you recognize the flowers by their names and the birds by their singing? How easy it is to make friends with them and with everything in nature, if you go to them affectionately and with friendship.

Grown-ups have a strange way of putting themselves in compartments and groups. They build barriers... of religion, caste, color, party, nation, province, language and customs and of rich and poor. Thus they live in prisons of their own making. Fortunately, children do not know much about these barriers, which separate. They play and work with each other and it is only when grow up that they begin to learn about these barriers from their elders. I hope you will take a long time in growing up...

Footnote:

Above one is an open letter to children of the world by Jawaharlal Nehru through a publication in year 1949, 3rd December. Today marks his birth anniversary, which is celebrated as Children Day in India.

7th sense

Watched the Suriya starring 7aum Arivu (7th sense – a Tamil movie), in drive-in theater last evening as family is wonderful to watch once for its special effects and action sequence and plot behind the story. The movie is an inspiration brought up from the life of a Buddhist monk called Bodhidharma who lived during the 5th or 6th century and went to China from our neighboring district Kanchipuram (India) to cure a critical disease spreading there and taught the martial art of Shaolin Kung Fu to Chinese.
The beginning of the movie describes the life of Bodhidharma for first 20 minutes is fabulous, with Suriya as Bodhidharma has given a try in portraying him isn’t interesting except for its special effects and cinematography, gives a feel of watching newsreel. As usual Suriya lives up to his ability and character and as a circus man he has nothing to do much with the occupation, stands through his silent monk appearance and stunning action scenes.

The concept of bringing back the techniques from the long lost Pallava prince turned Bodhidharma is fantastic but the treatment is weak and hard to appreciate the attempt lacks through the subject. Shruti Haasan as debut has hit the niches with her natural way of acting and with little innocent on face she holds more scope for performance as a young scientist, has a brighter future ahead certainly and not to forget she is Universal hero’s daughter.

Dong Lee is the best choice for the evil role and the Vietnamese American actor and martial artist threats with his eyesight and driving away the people against the leads are damn remarkable and remind me ‘The Mummies’ where the skeletons rose one by one. A. R. Murugadoss, the director of the movie surely deserves praise for coming up with a different concept and relating the past with future and giving a detail depiction of a legend unknown.

The songs are fantastic and help to decorate or promote the film and O’ringa song caught up with the energies of youngster and remind me a song from Crazy frog and there is a feel that the screenplay could have sound better and strong, and about the emotions, it lacks sense and looks artificial. Overall it’s a wonderful movie to watch and makes wonder about the bio war and science and it feels that it would be nicer if history comes along with the story.

Hiss time

It’s we shifted near or they took refuge near us, it’s excite to take a look at the open ground opposite to our home for snakes. Last year at the same time of this season a rat snake came near our compound wall and stayed among the debris and plants for some time since remaining places are filled by rainwater.

There have been snakes at the open ground for very long time and they sometime comes to visible and during monsoon we could see snake’s often near our compound wall. Even though they are residing there for long time they never attempt to come across the wall or threaten us so far and there are also couple of mongoose residing along with kids and sometimes we could hear a strange noise which mom guess it could be the sound of struggle between snake’s and mongoose.

Yesterday also mom saw a mongoose playing with its coupled kids and the photos of the rat tail snake above was also captured by mom last year and I have blurred some part of picture to make the mess-up apart to make clear visible of the snake.

Reflections of monsoon rain

I don’t know for what I’m waiting for, but I’m expecting something for a change and inspiration to write or think ahead to make worth the time and moment. Amid the rain and clouded sky, mind goes out and in like how the sun peeks in and out of sight though clouds; giving some hope of rays where people find hard to survive with rain, expresses great distress over ruled by rain.

(a snail moves into our home)

I think what defeat us when it rain is that we are not ready to face monsoon like any other season that sunshine’s throughout and as soon rain stops and life back to normal we forget the struggle and lack to prepare for next season. The rains remind us that life is not always same as sunshine and to relax and comfort throughout the year with enough water, we all need to bear some difficulties through monsoon.

This is the time also we get to reveal the real face of our locality and what we really need is taught by these situations and alike sunshine, rain is equally important to survive and what we miss is the balance between these and lack of though and care given to rain as it is not going to shower throughout the year. Like how they say ‘what inside comes out’, the rains reveal the quality of life hidden mostly beneath the roads and where people build their homes in the low lying areas which are once water resources.

We easily blame the authorities for whatever difficulties we go through this season and some people are happy adding there area into the metropolitan cities without the quality of life and infrastructure development. Every year we experience and learn lessons from monsoon but however how many times we learned are unused and mistakes continue without a remedy. I wish and crave at least the newly sworn local authorise should take prior action from now onwards towards the next monsoon season esp. on proper drainage system to prevent water stagnant on roads which took away a life of a teacher here (Chennai) two night ago who drown into a hidden hole among the water stagnant.

The photos posted here are captured one heavy rain day.

Dark and light

Darkness and light
exchange its face
like day and night

Seasons change
with darkner winter
and brighter summer

The monsoon arrives
with dark clouds
and bright flashes

The day
wake-up to sunlight
sleeps by moonlit

The dark hairs
has its parts of
white grey hairs

Brighter the light
makes vision blind
in present of gleam

On classic elements

Water

It quenches thirst
occupies two third of body
alike how on earth
its part is apart anything
and nothing works out without it

Fire

It comfort us with warmth
boils water to drink
helps to taste delicious recipe
its risk to play with it, as a sun
it gives energy to the entire earth

Wind

It soothe us with gently breeze
helps to float leaves
bears fragrance to sense
sent things to trash as typhoon
and we’re breathless without it

Space

The infinite sky
is an illusion to vision
lives up to the hues
with skyline separating
the earth and sky in no string

Earth

Basement to everything above
is place for immense species
as a chain all hooked either
and no matter what
gravity pulls to earth.

Write on thoughts that came this moment and added pictures from my archives.

Chennai, masked in smoke

Unlike before, Chennai came under a giant mask of mist and fog in form of smoke created by bursting firecrackers last evening due to festival of lights – Diwali, has seen a Chennai unseen ever in a worst bad weather condition. Nothing can be seen in front of us except smoke after few feet’s away and air were so much polluted to inhale has stopped me from joining exploding firecrackers after taking a brief drive around my area.

Like how weather changes in GTA (PC game), after dusk its quite became grey and darkness everywhere and even the dazzling fireworks display were diminish at sky and created a fear of becoming breathlessness and lung infection. It was challenge for my cousin to drive through the smoky weather and passing streets where kids and youngsters bursting crackers and leaving rockets in invisible state.

The already clouded weather and witness of constant heavy rain throughout the day forced all of them to burst firecrackers in evening is the foremost reason for this unwanted weather and the clouded sky that refused to open to give way for smoke and unwind surface are all lead to this helpless situation. It’s obvious that firecrackers are polluting our environment and it is also uneasy to leave all of sudden this practice but sure we need to bring a change in this and find a way to reduce its cause without affecting the festival of light and joy.

I realize the noise had been reduced this year comparing yesteryear's and the firecrackers usually begin there explode at early morning, has extended its wake-up call by 8am and thanks to the heavy rain that worked as an interference in reducing the havoc. The increased price of firecrackers up to 7-8 % could also be the reason in bringing down the purchase of firecrackers and increased awareness about its disadvantage had helped a lot to drop in practice. Being an ardent of firecracker, for me it’s hard to defocus on fireworks towards the festival but I came down now from abundant to least; thanks to the price rise which brings down the item numbers to shot. Wish someday I will quit it completely!

Season of rain and fire

The nature has takeover the firecrackers
in its presence of thunder and flash
instead of fire, raindrops widespread
everywhere creating a pool of water

The northeast monsoon is here
with hours to go for festival of lights
it began to mess up everywhere
even before firecrackers –
and festival purchases end to spoil the environ

Many in worry, how to celebrate the festival
miss the joy of showering, of seasonal rain
as firecrackers can burn anytime
rain is sufficient to hold throughout the year

I wonder at times whether or weather?
It’s the blast of cracker bomb or thunder flash
bursting the sky with weapons unseen
to only the light and sound emphasis.

Wish u all again a Very Happy Deepavali.

Let spark with smile and happiness

The festival of lights is here
to illuminate the darkness
belief of good over evil
and to add more starts at night

The sparkles lit with lamps
brighter the smiles swam in
diminish the illusions with fire
and cheerful lights at higher

The rockets left the earth
blast into the sky as sparkles
wider the eyes look in awe
is a second’s colorful spring

As delicious among festivals
sweet and snacks leads the role
as roll capes troop emerge
with toy pistols imagining as cop

In modern era of media dominant
the celebration are celebrity chat
and fancy firecrackers at night
delight the eyesight’s seeing light.

Deepavali or Diwali, the most popularly celebrated festival across India is uneasy to miss, since it throws lot of happiness and enchanting and fun and blast among families, friends and neighbors. Lighting lamps on the occasion is a grandest display of pleasure taken into home and skies with firecrackers… it spreads lot of cheers and colors to delight. I wish everyone have their part of exuberant while celebrating the festival of lights.

Happy Deepavai

Veg Point

We often check the Veg Point less than a km from home, sometime, while return home or going to Thiruvanmiyur beach, we get something to eat here… I like parotta and dosai from this tine restaurant or fast food center or whatever we name is delicious. For my brother, veg pulave and panner fried rice are favorite dishes from this center and it’s really interesting to watch how they prepares the fried rice by adding the ingredient that are kept ready already.
Sometime in morning dad get idiyappam from here along with sugar milk or kuruma it taste something nice and eating one vada will fill the stomach so as will be its size… Sometime coming out in evening we have our coffee here and there’s another place I like visiting to get a good coffee is Visranthi in Besant Nagar. Parking opposite to the shop we get a drive-in feel of eating from the car and have the hot bonda in evening is nothing to say about… I just like it a lot.

I badly miss the Woodland’s drive-in restaurant in Chennai which is now the Semmozi garden has always remind in mind and tongue for its feel of being among woods and resonant of chipping birds and the odour of earth if it rains is awesome… the crispy dosa which is renowned here is always my favorite and the puffed puri with potatoes is another combination worked well for me.

Local body election... and things need to think

I skipped from voting at the local body election held today across the state and I don’t have any specific reason from voting and couldn’t see anything inspiring to cast my vote, since all parties standing on their own everyone crunches the same flour repeatedly. I couldn’t see anything innovative or prudent to bring change from the usual chorus singed by everyone to draw good roads, put street lights everywhere, cleaning garbage’s immediately and free from litters and block in sewage.
I don’t know about other places except Chennai Corporation, is this the pattern continues everywhere and I just want to ask those in the power for last 5 years, what have u been doing these days without correcting these and u only need a chance now to do these. I read couple of bit notices given by parties as manifesto at doorstep are indifferent to each other and I agree these are common problem that needs continues maintenance and these aren’t enough we are expecting.

The government and candidates themselves should first aware about their circuit and for this one needn’t to be a party supported or political experience and anyone from the local division could bring changes by realizing the need. Now the Chennai Corporation has expanded from 155 circuits to 200 by adding suburbs, but no one have ever talked anything about the Pallikaranai marshland that comes into the corporation which it uses as a dumping ground of collected garbage in the city is brimming to lose its habitant quite.

I wonder when we are going to understand the need of water quite without which nothing survives in this world. Have heard of rivers, lakes and reservoir being dried, but a place that never dries are the marshland and I haven’t seen it in a condition before and it’s the only place near Chennai to have freshwater always at nature state. Environment experts kept emphasis the need to preserve this place never fell at those ears of government as well as the Chennai Corporation which kept dumping like deaf and numb.

Pallikaranai marshland (click pic to enlarge)

Next to Vedanthangal bird sanctuary, one can watch for various birds and cranes at Pallikaranai marshland and so was its lavishing vegetation and aquatic, and being near to Chennai and now a part of it, no one raises there voice to protect this priceless wealth. The marshland plays a significant role in restoring the groundwater to its previous stage or maintains its ability to use when sodium and iron ore are emerging into the groundwater which unfits to use unless using filters to desalination process.

Another thing that needs to consider was regulating the share autos, which has its own rule to stop anywhere and drive irregularly into the traffic and threatening accident and life damage. The share autos had changed the way of people traveling to nearby distance and people chose this as they can hire it from anywhere they stand and go to places at minimum Rs.5 without walking much. I really think we need to bring a change in this format and alike bus stand, we need share auto stands to avoid the difficulties they provide to other by standing wherever they like.

Traffic has become a universal problem these days as almost cities breathe hard among the vehicle population; seem never to change better than going worst of increasing vehicle every day and Chennai isn’t exception in anyway. With large amount of cars, roads become less space for pedestrians to walk and bicycles to ride, the platform put for pedestrians are occupied by mobile vendors and in name of traffic regulation, the vehicles are diverted to go around reaching their place at less mileage and lack of efficient.

Looks like my mind is also taking diversion from the point of this post... and to say there’s a lot to look at and the intention has to change to see beyond the usual said now and then. I feel guilty for not doing my right of voting and writing this post here. Hope something will done for better living!

Chaos at signal

All know red is to stop, yellow is to get ready and green to go… then y do vroom at signal even there’s red light on and jerk inch by inch across the stop line as disturbing the passing vehicle. At every junction and cross cut there’s a signal these days and passing through this is impossible without patience and we should really appreciate the drivers for this… then y this impatient while waiting for green signal.

The other day we were waiting at a signal and dad took the car before green light fall… I asked him to wait and questioned y so urgent and he said the traffic police told to go. I was watching the signal and countdown like others and not the traffic police standing at some corner who indicated dad to go.

I just though am it right to go when there’s red signal so as traffic police told to go and doesn’t it cause a chaos if the drivers didn’t see the traffic police standing somewhere indicating to go, whether to follow the vehicles or not that moves before signal fall. For someone who quite follows the rule will never go easy with red light on, unless he notice the traffic police give green signal by hand… but there’s still hesitate among other who did not meet with traffic police.

It’s like the signals are for only private vehicles and except some govt. government buses all skips the red signal or standing partial ahead the road like blocking the way of other vehicle that yet to cross. Once we would have crashed by a public bus, which denied stopping at red signal, we escaped in inches gap. Some vehicle in hurry pump horn from behind to move even there’s red signal is still on and this is quite despite, and for their hurry it is not right urging others to move ahead apart fine, going against rule and despite mind.

Granny’s Golu

First time my grandmother has arranged a Golu at her home and she has been collecting idols and dolls for more than a year and she herself has done some things in ice cream sticks and straws. She has been working on handicraft things for some time now as a pastime and become more passionate about it lately want to display her items and her collection from the recent tour to Gujarat and Rajasthan has much inspired to go for a Golu.

(click image to enlarge)

Golu is a custom conducted during the festival of Navaratri in South India, is an exhibition of various dolls and idols kept at homes by the families who follow it traditionally and anyone at their belief and willingness. Navaratri, which means nine nights, is a Hindu festival celebrated in India is devoted to the goddess of power, wealth and knowledge. Durga, being the main goddess of the festival is worshiped throughout the nine days in various forms, ends at the 10th day known as Vijayadashami or Dussehra is the highlight of the festival.

The Golu adds glitter and gleam to the festival by the display of colourful idols and dolls at homes and some public places caught everyone’s attention esp. kids who are more attracted to it. In childhood days our parents used to take us to our great father house to check their Golu on invite and it would be very nice to see the arrangement of idols on step series and floor at below with set of things like playing cricket, marriage ceremony, farming at field, forest with wild animals and hills, blinking around in serial lights.

On this occasion the houses that hold Golu provide snacks to visitors that offered to the idols that day and there would be a variety of snack as Prasad every day and a small gift bag will be given back while return. Some of our neighbours have Golu every year at their houses and invite mom to check… and this year too mom went to come back with small gift as boxes and plates and Prasad.

Parents going through fast on non-veg throughout the Tamil month of Puratasi, mom helped grandmother in arranging idols along with cousin sister. My grandmother wishes to check me the arrangement of Golu, but being unable to visit her home due to discomfort I really miss the Golu coming from my own family and that too from my sweet grandmother. These photos were taken by my cousin to let me see how the grandmother’s Golu comes out.

Weapons festival at uncle's workshop

We had a good celebration at my uncle’s workshop yesterday due to ayudha puja, I get to meet some of the old employs with whom once I was very familiar and had brotherhood relationship and get together at other hand with family was nice except kid annoyance. I liked watching the preparation of the festival towards the worshiping and distribution of puffed rice bags to works, customers and neighbours along with sweets and fruits.

Ayudha puja is a day dedicated to worshiping or taking care of weapons, tools and anything on motion which help us in making life easy and comfort. Like how livestock for farmers, its weapons, tools and machines for labours and employs and civilians who involve in hard work and without these utensils it’s very hard to work with bare hands.

I am attending the ayudha puja celebration at uncle’s workshop after three years now, which was once my favourite festival time spent along with workers and having fun by watching or at least involving in cleaning, painting and decorations. It was something more than a decade old memories I couldn’t avoid this moment and sat to wheels while watching things happening around and the latter joys were missing a lot quite this time. Since lost my great uncle a decade ago, who begin this workshop and illuminated our lives equal to great sunlight, we lose the complete charm of the festival celebrated at everyone’s great amusement. He never denied offering to anyone in need and on the occasion of Ayudha puja the workshop will be crowded with well-knows and even strangers come and collect puffed rice bags and employs will get their one month salary as bonus along with a set of new dresses. I don’t know even we celebrated Pongan or Deepavali this way in grand and happy mood, but Ayudha puja is very special to us to look after then and growing up adjacent to car workshop we always stay in workshop playing with uncles and annas (brothers) who work there. When I think back now, I feel glad to be at least I enjoyed my childhood with good hearted people who were very helpful in my life and I am always be thankful to those guys who I really wish to meet and let know what they are doing. I convey my great wishes and regards to them always at heart. Following last 3 years after great grandmother’s death, the Ayudha puja comes down to simple celebration and this year the decorations of colour papers and festoons are missing. Aunt prepared sundal, vada and along with sweets and puffed rice the festival illuminates to camphor fire toward worshiping and break down of pumpkin and coconut and lemons under car wheels. Ps. this time I couldn’t take any photos, so sharing pics from the last time I attend the festival.

Sunday – out with cousins

Late Sunday we cousins were around Marina and Besant Nagar beach as nothing to do after late afternoon and been couple of weeks as I went out, we head to Elliot beach first. To our surprise the always crowded beach on Sunday looks deserted with least vehicles parked and stalls scattered everywhere despite looking unpleasant, the early evening was stroked by sunshine.

As soon we stop the vehicle an interesting beggar boy knocked the door asking money, being in an age of 6 or 7 he refused to get down hanging from the footrest even getting his penny of Rs.2 from cousin he begin to count ek dho theen char. First we though he just expecting some more money and we aren’t doubt in it and since he is a north Indian boy so asking in Hindi… but his counting was on us. We were four of us inside the vehicle and so he wants 4 Rs – a rupee from each one of us! Lol

Sky near Marina beach

The boy made our day laughter and I don’t know whether it is his innocent or intelligent way of getting money, he left us after sometime holding the door. It wasn’t 5 minutes we stayed there and just to move the ticket collector stretched the bill of Rs.10 as a parking fee which is usually Rs.5 and the bill also printed the same, but the guy gave us two tickets and asks 10. It’s quite unruled but without arguing we gave him a folded 10 Rs note and without unfolding it he put it inside the pocket and went away. But only we know the secret that the note was actually a torn and invalid which my cousin was waiting to exchange.

Been empty and nothing munching available at Elliot we decide to go Marina beach and this is first time we cousins alone went out and drive by my elder cousin among the younger ones who is well trained by now. The marina as usual crowded and plenty of cars and buses kept unloading people into the second longest beach in the world. We could see most of the vehicles land in unshaped, recalled me the times how we overcrowd the poor Maruti 800 which perhaps breathe hard to carry us anywhere without breakdown. People may wonder if I say once we were 12 people travelled in the tiny Maruti 800!

Sky near Marina beach

Later sometime watching people around we left the marina before it get overcrowded and cause traffic jam to bring movement uneasy. Cousins had sweet corn, bread sandwich and ginger coffee but I didn’t like those and my fav sundal and groundnuts were unavailable and the ginger coffee wasn’t their taste and couldn’t withstand the sharp spice of it to only waste after some sip. On way back home we again passed the Elliot beach which wasn’t same as we visited in the early evening, had no place for parking and quite crowded and a stage of art had been grown among them then quickly. It was good time spent out with cousins.

Balanced growth

We all know that we can’t live without food and how many of us really care for those producing the quite ingredients. Today people all concentrate on development which we all think as computer based and make easy things without hard work and pain by just sitting in front of computers and gadgets and of course it’s not an easy take though, physical ability has reduced and mental strain has increased since we forget to balance either.
Today almost development is based on technology basis and most of them just want to become an engineer and work in MNCs or software companies which pay high and have a wide vision of aboard. I’m not complaining about them or this system based development and thus I never qualified to talk about others and the wisdom based on studies and knowledge, I just express from the views and thoughts I read and felt from.

We all need this kind of development which I have no different opinion from others, but this is not alone a life of living and we need to give total equivalent to agriculture which holds our breath. We all know that it’s impossible to live without eating and food is not quite based of cereal products it also includes vegetable and fruits and if not agriculture where could we get all these from. There used to say there isn’t a best medicine like food!

I’m nothing to say new here but felt to say that the care and concern given for agriculture isn’t right unlike we give to technology based development which lack to look beside either agriculture or its related livestock business and growth. I can’t quite deny that technology isn’t helpful in agriculture any ways, but still beyond an edge is totally based on soil and water resource. What really put down the agriculture was lack of employees who weren’t content with the income and goes in search of jobs in cities and towns.

Today how many youngsters willing to take agriculture as their career and get down in field to make certain for its future progress and productivity. Man, education and knowledge is to develop every individual to think and work on their own and experience a life of great wisdom and values… but how many of them work based on their studies and interest. Its overall experience and talent make one a great employ or CEO.

My question is when one can work with such jobs why can’t take agriculture as a career to make certain it has a bright future to behold beyond its struggle and starvation. The technology has developed a lot and make certain that anything is possible, but why can’t we still bring up the suppressed agriculture and give hand to our foremost life saver and best among the businesses.

I just write what quite mind says about and I’m not much deep in details about the facts to make certain or explain except through sense of what I see, read and come to know that there’s something dying or unconcerned beside great development in technology. What I really want to see was that both technology and agriculture are developed at balance to build a developed India.

Unusual

The earth spins
at supersonic speed
leaving stars to blink
at great velocity,
the days and nights
flash at immense speed
leaving eyes to faint
headaches to core
unwind to breathe
but desire to live
while struggle to see
only darkness at night.