RGB Monday

A bird frame

The pretty colorful image (of a bird in frame) was shot at one of the cottages we stayed during our visits to Kodaikanal. 

துயரம் / Misery

கண்கள் வழியே  கசிந்து சென்றது

துயரம்! கண்ணீர்ராக.

Through the eyes leaks

Misery! As tears 

Snail and Shell

Though the pictures were shot last year, during the season of rain, it was fun following the snail and this is one of the biggest snails I have seen ever. I watched the snail trying to pass through an iron handle of a concrete slab at home and it somehow entered its head and antenna but not the big shell on back. Understanding the hindrance, it reversed the decision and makes a move above the handle and the progress was amuse to watch.

Monsoon or rain brings out numbers of hidden species and we couldn’t have seen a trace of them until there was constant showering. Many a time I have wondered how these stems shoot up only when the earth becomes wet and organise lives nonetheless things are invisible. Though science reveals almost, certain things amazes beyond understanding and I think that makes life interesting.

Coming to the snail, it has a wonderful shell coil that goes in shape of cone. I have seen snails, but mostly bear spiral shells and also smaller in sizes. I observe the snail’s shell pattern and shade was faded somewhere to make it look little aged, but I wasn’t sure it was the snail dead dried and stick to the wall days further from then. 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Fence across Field

For today’s Good Fences meme, I share a picture from Javadhu Hills – an extension of the Eastern Ghats, near Vellore.

And here’s a fence run across a patch of step paddy fields, adjoining a pool of water near Jamunamarathur – a major village and town that connect many mountainous villages of Javadhu Hills.  I visited this place in 2013.

Once again with downpour!

Once again water entered home last night due to another heavy rain stroke the Chennai city. We didn’t anticipate such heavy rainfall after the second week of November’s downpour – that almost flooded the Chennai city, and met. Dept was also certain that heavy rain is not possible unless there’s a low pressure in Bay of Bengal. But still we received heavy rainfall because of the air circulation or pulling up of air by the low pressure in Arabian Sea (according to the met. Dept), although it had disappeared now, there’s a trace of low pressure in the southern bay which perhaps trigger rain in one or two days if it further moves northeast. It was pretty quick this time that the water level around our home touched the doorstep within an hour of rain and as usual, the sewage was the first to rose inside followed by the footsteps of flood water. Lol

Once again having an holiday at the upper portion of the house, with water receding slowly and food coming from my aunt’s home in next street, it was a feel better situation right now as we used to this already. Just only four days back we climbed down to home and now with another replay waits ahead.  We are in perplex whether to climb down again or not with the weather condition been unstable here, and with the trace of new low pressure and warning of raining throughout the state, we’re yet to decided to do what only tomorrow. Glad there was electric and I was able to connect to internet Wi-Fi to make a post on the condition we go through. Though I really don’t want to write post on this and also not want to make a friend feel bad about declining the invite to home during this time. I just write to let know others what’s happening at this side. Will catch up with blogs once got down... 

Dabchick @ Kukkal Lake

The Little grebe, also known as Dabchick, is a member of the grebe family of water birds that I found in the Kukkal Lake, a pristine water body near Kodaikanal. About 30km from Kodaikanal, the Kukkal Lake sits amid a great ecosystem which includes swamp, grassland and sholas and during my visit to the lake first time in 2012, I was amused to check this little bird species creating lovely ripples across the lake. I initially thought it to be an insect due to it’s smaller in size but only at the maximum zoom length on my point and shoot cam I come to reveal the bird and at that moment also I considered it as a little duck.

At 23 to 29 cm (9.1 to 11.4 in) in length, Dabchick is the smallest European member of its family and commonly found in open bodies of water across most of its range. The little grebe is a small water bird with a pointed bill and the adult is unmistakable in summers, predominantly dark above with its rich, rufous colour neck, cheeks and flanks, and bright yellow gape. The rufous is replaced by a dirty brownish grey in non-breeding and juvenile birds. The little grebe is an excellent swimmer and diver and pursues its fish and aquatic invertebrate prey underwater. It uses the vegetation skilfully as a hiding place, and during my visit too, I checked the bird taking numerous dips on the tranquil lake.

(sources of info wiki)
Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Experience with Flood and Rain

We sat watching updates on northeast monsoon’s rain and floods reported from various parts of the city from more than two news channels. Usually rainwater used to stagnant around my home, whenever there’s heavy rainfall and water will recede slowly once it stopped raining. But on Sunday, from the morning the rainwater started to stay around my home in the usual way and from the evening and once in started to downpour there’s no way of receding and the level of water continued to rose as it rained constantly. Our attention from the TV slanted towards our own and what we have seen through all the years during the monsoon has at last reached our destination or we transferred towards it. Though this is not a usual monsoon and the rain didn’t’ last throughout the season, but showered the entire sum within a week time, blocking every waterways and drainage system, and over flowing rivers and lakes and heavy dose of rainfall brought things to standstill. 

Some flood scenes on neighbors and ours, shot from first floor

We don’t’ know what to do when water level touched our floor surface and when our attention was how to block the doorway to prevent water entering our home, the water started to outflow though the bathroom gullies blending rain and sewage water. With constant rain and increasing water level around the home, the flood started to enter our home in all possible ways and with the warning of met. Dept for intense rainfall for next two days, there was no other option than moving out of home. It was a moment perplex to do what next and mom didn’t have a mind leaving the home like that and obviously we are in charge of taking refuge at our uncle’s house in next street, which is of course our native house  and just being an upstairs homes we couldn’t reside there. At that phase mom remind us about the empty portion above our home, which is waiting for a tenant and the key, was also with us. Just informing the landlord, we moved couple of cots to the first floor with the help of my cousin and his friends, who also uplifted me using a chair.

My uncle’s family was very supportive throughout this phase and only that we were unable to stay with them... thinking about that now, mom had took the right decision and moving to my uncle’s home at that time should have been more difficult with water flooded all over the streets and moving upstairs within the building is most easiest. The late evening was spent quite putting things at safest and believing that water won’t raise more than a feet (although it rose only one third of it) we made sure no electric device was exposed and moreover switched off the main for two days until water recede quite. The only thing was we were unable to cook and was also not in mindset to bring stove and utensils above (as we feel it won’t be nice to make cooking at the house that was yet to be rented) so it was my uncle’s family take care of this too. My aunt prepared dishes consecutively throughout our stay above and passed it though my cousin and uncle and what we were doing was just eating and taking rest.

It wasn’t like we were affected by flood, but come to a place on vacation surrounded by water and the weather make feel of staying at a hill station. No televising and internet to connect, though we are glad there was electric throughout, unlike many other places, we can’t play television or interest. But that wasn’t a matter as we have Smartphone’s to connect via mobile data, there was little update about rain and flood in neighbourhood. Though water recedes in two days, we decided to stay upstairs for couple of days to wait and see what the weather condition was, because going back and front is not easy task. But glad there wasn’t heavy rain after the constant downpour and we have moved down this evening after going through couple of water washing the home and used cleaning agents to keep away germs and smells. The recent downpour made Chennai float in flood but when checking other places and esp. the suburbs that was almost covered by flood, what we have gone through isn’t much. And it was an experience and brought things close to explore lives at lowest. Glad things are back to normal now. 

My favorite Cat and the annoying Kitty

Collage on my favorite cat, when fed on carrots (click for enlarge)

Though black and white is the common color combo of the cats that frequent our home, the one with an extra color of orange is my favorite cat and it is quiet and quite opposite to the annoying kitty in B/W. This cat in trace of orange is a silent visitor and somehow dare to enter our home unlike the little scary BW, which make noise by coming across the compound wall and it only annoys our dog goes away if we shoo... but will be back with annoying meow.

Why the one in orange become my favorite is because of its quietness and always calm being, exhibits a friendliness that I sense in his/her presence, as she never seem to care about me and show very little  hesitation when I come across him/her at close distance. Things being like this, the BW have become my mom’s pet and she started to communicate with it and also try to convey the kitty that our pet dog is sleeping and thus to come back later.

My mom's pet (black and white) cat on the wall (pic by mom)

The orange layered cat is so daring and used to enter the house, in the usual manner of silence, even when I was sitting in the hall. I think the cat didn’t consider me as a person, or understood my nature (just like our pet dog Maya, who used to take my kindness into her advantage and sometime refuses to give way for my wheelchair knowing or in belief that I will never hurt her) and try to deceive me or refuse to move away for my little shoos unless I show severe in my manner.

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

My Deepavali Celebration and Rain

This year’s Deepavali was somehow fun despite the northeast monsoon rain rocked the Chennai, as well the entire state. I think the rain is very important, which let us survive throughout the year rather the one day celebration Deepavali! Fireworks can be ignited on any other day or skip to Karthigai Deepam, if rain permits, but when drought stroke the heart of the state – Chennai – the real celebration was receiving rain. Though everyone was happy about the rainfall, thanks to deep depression in Bay of Bengal, the storm that landfall near Cuddalore suffered a lot on the day ahead to Deepavali and still fighting to come out of the flooded water. The Chennai experience showering throughout the day, though not heaver, the festival of light was burnt and bound little for the day.

Sparkling Ground Chakra on wet floor

I bought some fireworks for Deepavali through online shopping. Glad the leading firework manufactures open there own site for purchasing, with a demonstration video on each firework on how it displays. I was certain not to get any crackers that make noise, as I myself could not withstand the loudness these days; I went for the fancy fireworks that make colorful the night sky (though it make noise up into the sky, the effect perhaps is less and unavoidable) aside sparkles, ground chakra and flower pots. Every year I used to go out into the neighborhood (on the day and ahead to Deepavali) to catch up the festival mood and looking out into the sky for fireworks displayed by the area people, but  this time I couldn’t make up such moves, as rain continue to shower uncertainly when will it stop and begin. I stayed indoors all the day and to and fro to Deepavali, watching the pretty bore programs on TV and looking at the rain whether it stop for an hour to light fireworks.  

By afternoon the rain decides to hold sometime, and thus I went to my uncle’s house in the adjacent street and had some fun joining/watching my cousin and his friends playing with crackers. Though I hated the noise come from the crackers, I enjoyed the moment being there and it remind me the days I celebrated Deepavali with those crackers (Lakshmi, Sparrow, Red bijli cracker...) and daring to hold it in hand and throw away once ignite. I managed to stay there sometime and chatting with them but the time came in droplets of rain rushed me to home before it started to pour. In the evening my cousin and his friend come to home to help me leaving the aerial fireworks and I really enjoyed our own display of fireworks. As I was feeling uneasy that evening, I couldn’t capture photos on the display of fireworks, so got couple of photos on ground chakra that we let last night. 

A festival that enthuse me

While nearing Deepavali (Nov 10), the enthusiasm about the Festival of Lights ignites inside. When it comes to Deepavali, the thing that comes to mind first was fireworks.  Though fireworks aren’t the only thing or matter of celebration, apart sharing sweets and snacks and greeting each other for the well being and lighting lamps to drive away the darkness that not only surrounds the environment but also the wicked mentality. Fireworks has been the main intention and attraction for me from the childhood and I couldn’t image a Deepavali without fireworks and the noise of crackers, and I think there will be a feel of something missed if there isn’t crackling sound of crackers and colourful display of fireworks at night.

I sense the eagerness of celebrating the festival of light (also the other kind of festivals) has been coming down by each passing year and the gadgets keeps people away from any part of activities.  Whether I ignite crackers are not, going through the festive feel is something I cherish within myself, as I could not force anybody to share my season’s joy, I try to enhance the festival mood in whatever possible way I could and going out in the evening of and a day early to Deepavali is a part of my celebration to get a glance on things happening around my neighbourhood related to the festival. The only Deepavali I couldn’t take part in firework, though I could not ignite anything other than sparkles, it was the year 2013 and because of my fracture I couldn’t even come out of home.

When we were residing in the apartment, we had wonderful opportunity to share the festival feel with our neighbours by exchanging sweets and snacks and it was good to see kids come together to fire fireworks in colourful attires.  Being shifted to couple of houses in last two year, we miss the sharing opportunity and before we become familiar with neighbours the time to move out comes earlier. Though we moved back to our native area now, the feeling wasn’t quite familiar and strangers to many, this if first Deepavali we suppose to celebrate here after 10 years. Among the festivals, I find Deepavali as more social and apart various belief and faith people celebrate it with great happiness and when lighting crackers over life somehow gleam colorful.

P.S. For those who don’t know about Deepavali, also called as Diwali, is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated every year and it is one of the largest and brightest festivals in India that signifies the victory of good over evil. 

Highways Divider

Every time I was on National Highways, I try to capture some images on the road and like taking long angle shots for a wonderful perspective on the pretty neat lanes... somewhere there are dividers in flowering plants, bloom in dazzling colors seems picturesque to shoot.

The eye-catching yellow dividers here is on NH 46 – Chennai-Bangalore highways. I shot these photos long back when driving back from Bangalore and this part of road is somewhere between Ambum and Vellore, I guess.

Linking this post for Run a Round Ranch's Good Fences

Demonte Colony

Horror is the trend (successful trend) in the Tamil cinema and this year, number of films released under this genre and almost tasted the success.  I haven’t watched many films of this genre, but from the few I checked and heard about, humour has been the main source for the success of these films except the movies – Maya, Strawberry and Demonte Colony (which I watched last weekend) are suppose to be serious. Demonte Colony grips watching throughout without got to be disturbed by the commercial factors anywhere but it was entertaining in a different way and it has an interesting screenplay set between four friends fighting against the spirit within four walls of their bachelor room.

Though the film doesn’t expose any scary images but got to experience a real thriller through the characters expression and haunted feeling. Inspired from a real time rumour related to the Demonte Colony, in Alwarpet, Chennai, though I don’t know what history the colony holds, the director’s creation was superb and the time period he capture through the scene was another impressive part. Arulnithi dictated the leadership well, and the other three friend characters are greatly supported the venture and has put a realistic effect while exploring the ghost bungalow as well fighting against the fear of being killed. The director has put the story simple to understand by everybody and though intellectually played the scenario there are certain moves confuses the naive while the focus is on fatality or escape.

Demonte Colony is tremendous and gives a bit of realistic feel among the horror films!

RGB Monday

I got to capture a photo yesterday when there was a downpour, following the presence of northeast monsoon. The rain created a pool across the courtyard, though it drained after the downpour ceased I want to make an image out of it and coincidentally the image got the colors of red, green and blue, which I come to know only later. So how can I miss the opportunity rather posting it on RGB series?

Here: Red bricks of the under construction building across the road, Green foliage of the neighbor's house and our Blue plastic drum, which was placed under a roof drain  for storing rainwater. The rainwater drain through this was pretty cleaner and we redirect it to our sump later for domestic use.