Hunt for life

Image courtesy: http://www.anshulgautam.in/

Sailed miles overseas
via scorching sunshine, and
thunderstorm menace

Reaching ashore, we
decided to stroll the beach
departing the boat

Tracked the foot imprints
in isolated island,
we hunted for life.

For A Week for Writing: Picture Prompt 

Oriental Magpie Robin

This photo was captured few years back while we reside at our apartment house in Thiruvanmiyur and staying there for about 8 years I got to see many birds, which come in search of prey in the open vegetation that widespread in front of our house. And Magpie robin (oriental) is not a frequent bird to visit the site unlike the water birds, green parrots, babblers, Asian koels and my favorite kingfishers. I remember seen the magpie robin lesser times but this shot comes as a memorable one. Although I have more detailed and clear pictures on birds, this is something make feel special and consider as one of my best shots.

The oriental magpie-robin is a small passerine bird, in distinctive black and white, with a long tail that is usually held upright as they forage on the ground or perch conspicuously. The bird that belongs to Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia is considered as the national bird of Bangladesh. 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Btw. I'm very sorry and sad to know and say our fellow blogger buddy, Tina, the EG Camera Girl has passed away along with her husband on 23rd in a car accident. I was really thinking why she haven't update her blog for last few days... she's a regular blogger and blog post at least one daily and I learn more about her place, Ontario, through the blog and she's a greater observer and creative at shoot and finding out things. I am sure to miss her interesting posts and presence in blog. Hope they are rested at peace.

Friday Review: Miruthan

After long back I was at theater (drive-in) to watch the sci-fi thriller Miruthan, which was advertised as India’s first zombie film in Tamil. Jayam Ravi as protagonist and Lakshmi Menon as his love interest, the film was directed by Shakti Soundar Rajan of Naaigal Jaakirathai. I was amused to know he was the director of Naanayam, one of my favorite Tamil films, based on bank robbery but shot on an innovative platform. 

I see Miruthan as an experimental movie and the concept of zombie is pretty new for Tamil audience who haven’t exposed too many zombie movies in Hollywood. Even I wasn’t familiar with this genre. The film begins with a mishap where some toxic fumes split into the road and a stray dog that sniffs become violent and bites a man who in return becomes a zombie and the virus spreads from one human to another through a chain of violent bites.

Jayam Ravi is a traffic police with a grade to become a police inspector, but chose to retain to the former to take care of his little sister. And he loves Lakshmi Menon as one side; although she’s engaged to someone their meeting always end at sending bad reputation about him to her. At this moment the virus spreads rapidly and many zombies rise among the residences of Ooty – from where the story starts, and Jayam Ravi supports the doctors’ team, which includes Lakshmi and let them to Coimbatore in search of antidote to prevent the virus and violent spread through.

Though they reach CBE, the situation blocks them into a shopping mall right opposite to the medical hospital, where a team of doctors waiting for the sample to find prevention, how did they cross the lane full of zombies in killing mane and a bite that could transform them into zombie? Was set in a bizarre and yet light emotional and thriller. Though there are spaces for emotion, the film travels on a matured lane and straightforward keeps the length of movie short.

The director has applied light-hearted moments here and there to keep track on entertainment rather going serious and keep discontent. Kaali Venkat, RNR Manohar and Sriman has done their bit pleasing the audience as naive and Jayam Ravi led his role well and shooting most of them is something sounds overwhelmed. While I appreciate the director for coming up with different subjects, I wish his films carry some realism for us to believe on the concept. I don’t find a strong reason for those becoming zombie, but still has done a good job and leave us with an anticipation and fierce version 2! 

Summer Bizarre

The summer breeze began to blow
amid the hot weather; I cherish
some indescribable pleasure
while I lay back and take comfort.

Though the back drench in sweat
some sweet memories wipe me behind
and to be upfront, the silent afternoon
quietly unfold things that enticed me.

Recline on the powered wheelchair
I feel like floating in the air
without a runway to take off
the wind uplifts me despite the ability.

The bizarre sunshine in high degree
advanced the season of summer
and the summer vacations beckon
to become an everlasting energy. 

RGB Monday

Colorfully painted pots comprising the colors of red, green and blue! 

The picture was shot at Panruti, a south Indian town popular for its jack-fruits and cashew nuts, and the clay pots are displayed for sale on the roadside. 

From this moment on...

There are innumerable moments in life but remembering one particular moment where I took oath to do or not something is pretty hard to recollect. I haven’t took anything serious to remember a moment but there are certain places, in the journey of life, the collection of phases from different time moment converts me to be like this and that. I love traveling from the beginning and I could not sleep well (in the excitement) whenever I know I’m going to travel by next day but until 2006 or before started bogging I wasn’t passionate on traveling. I bought internet connection in 2003-04 mainly for learning about places and checking it virtually as I could not go to see all the places due to my immobility, at least let me explore the places online.

Pic by Jeevan

In Dec 2005, we bought an apartment flat and moved out of our native house, and during that event my uncle captured some photos with his digital camera which I uploaded in my computer and shared on the blog. This was the turning point and the feel I got by sharing photos and friend’s feedback inspired me to show more interest on photography. Then on I kept looking forward for a camera to shoot and share. At this moment, understanding my interest, my cousin’s conveyed my desire to his father who in return giveaway his camera to me and thus began the journey, the inspiration for the travel. The May 2006 Kodaikanal vacation ignites both the interest and rather taking portraits and group photos my passion for nature shoot began there.

But the real excitement of photography and traveling begin in year 2008, when I upgraded to 8 megapixel camera from the mere 3 mp and the micro mode in that makes feel delight shooting items on close distance and getting enriched detail. The Valparai visit on the same year was my first adventure travel and wild shooting. And writing about my experience and narrating the stories of traveling was another exciting phase I always look forward to relive the moments through words and photos. To say from this moment on, photography and traveling has transformed my intention of living and my blogging style also become different from just knowledge and facts based posts. And to say from this moment on, blogging has changed me so much and gave some hope to look forward in life. 

For A Week for Writing: Prompt 97 - From this moment on

Sunbeam

image:google

I wake up to a flash of light;
a sunbeam peeking into my bedroom 
through the window’s pane 
trying hard to reveal my secrets 
without knowing it has censor panels.

Perhaps in the wildest of dream 
anything is possible, under the blanket, 
unless you become a partner in life 
whoever it may be – even the sunbeam 
doesn’t have the privilege to unveil. 

A walk back in memory and demise of my friend’s father!

One of my childhood friends father passed away on Friday and he’s not only my friend’s father but a long time neighbor and family friends whose relationship were grown from my grandparents generation. Karthi and Vela are our (me and bro) best childhood friends and our friendship lasted for very long time but only Karthi was in touch with me and even after we shifted our home a decade back we used to enquire every time meeting either. But after shifted back to the neighborhood (close to our native house here) a year back, I happen to meet him often while coming around the neighborhood in the wheelchair by evenings, and I also meet his father while crossing his home where he used to be reading newspaper sitting outside his home. I can’t believe he’s no more! Even few days before his death, he inquired me on walk – what they refer me to be out in wheelchair and he showed no sign of demise. A severe cardiac arrest, all of sudden, ceased his breath.

To describe our relationship, I need to go back to the childhood days and back from school most of our evenings were spent at their home front (which was at our backstreet), playing with our best friends – Karthi and Vela. During those times he used to come back from work, pedalling his bicycle but we continue engage with the play and I showed little or no attention towards him unlike his bike. He was working in a private company and his only mode of commute to work was in bicycle, the traditional one aka utility bicycle. A classmate of my uncle (dad’s brother), he’s a very family man and irrelevant to anything outside his family and showed great care for his children and though economically backward he was more concern about their studies and health. For any ailment he would take them to the ESI (Employees’ State Insurance) hospital, which is a self-financing social security and health insurance scheme for Indian workers with less income. Placing one in front and back, he used to pedal them to the hospital. The way he fed his son with cough syrup is still vivid in my memories J

His elder son and my friend Vela is a very intelligent student and so bright in studies. I have seen him even correcting his classmates’ exam notes that were given to him by their school teacher and he was such genuine in his assignment showing no favor to anyone even if they are his close friends. Being family friends, his father treated us no different and we even had fun playing at their bed room, jumping here and there and he never scold us anyone. One time, he took me to beach along with his sons in the bicycle; putting his younger one in the baby seat in front; me and Vela shared the rear carrier. We had fun playing at the beach sand and the duo went against the waves to take bath in sea and a scare being, I decided to stay back in shore taking care of their things while they enjoy the waves. Anytime he sees me, he never fails to enquire and also tease me sometime with nothing ill inside. Moreover, I ever seen him serious and an easy going personality really makes me wonder what cause him heart attack. I know a person’s attitude doesn’t expose on his health but ignorance plays an important role and being unaware of the causes and symptoms of heart attack pull us into trouble that leads to nothing but death.

I know he has experienced mild stroke in past that forced him to drop his security job, after the company he worked was shut down or he left the job. The only complaint or disappoint I hold for him was that he stayed away from his mother due to some personal regrets related to their transformation from thatched house to a concrete floor. I have watched through their building home and destruction of the former, but my connectivity with the friends (Karthi and Vela) and visit to their house has diminished slowly as my mobility become restricted, the diversion in lifestyle brought each ends loose and tied somewhere. But shifting back to the native neighborhood makes me feel of reconnecting and creates chances to keep in touch… but I didn’t expect this disconnection from him quite. I really forget to say about his wife, who has been a great support to their family not only by love and affection and caring but also economically she aided by grinding flours to others who can’t do themselves at their  home.  Hope his family and my friends gather strength to bear his lose.  

Carnation of India

In our previous house, we had couple of Crape Jasmines aka Moonlight or Carnation of India along the side walk. Native to India, the evergreen shrubs thrive with beautiful pinwheel shaped flowers has dark green leaves and pointed edge. Also known as Nandiar Vattai in Tamil, the shrub grows up to 4-6 feet in height with spread of 6 feet, blooms throughout the year and has flowers in 5 petals clustered to the stem tips. The roots and stem of the shrub has multiple medical benefits and interestingly the flowers of the single form are unscented rather than the double form with pleasant fragrance!

Linking this post with Floral Friday Foto 

Dream of Love

I know she will never exist
but I continue to dream about her
and she is my best companion
and diversion from distress.

It’s a dream that not come while asleep
but keep me awake even at sleeping state,
a shadow continue to steal my space
whether it was sunlight or moonlit.  

I’m uncertain about her physique
but she’s beautiful in every aspect
adapting modernity and tradition,
bearing a mind-set closely exists to mine. 

There’s love, embrace and understanding
but I continue to look forward to her
to begin a course of romance
at our secret meets at street end café.

Dating for more than a decade
although despite whatever has told
there’s no way looking back, but
setting a perfect example of valentine.  

For A Week for Writing: Prompt 96 – Longing 

RGB Monday

I see more than a shade of red, green and blue there!   

(Click pic for enlarge)

The picture was shot at Kodaikanal pointing at a shop that sells cloths along the Lake Road, and looks like the salesman was looking for customer. It was late evening when I shot the photo, while waiting opposite to the shop to have some tea in the cold weather and the shop was illuminated  and the cloths where enhancing to shoot in different colors. Being a hill-station the shop sells dresses that suit for cold season and you could see t-shirts, sweaters, jackets and jerkins there and he also sells colorful scarfs to wear around the neck. 

Indian Palm Squirrel

On a palm tree! The picture was shot at my previous house and the squirrel was running vertically up and down on the coconut palm tree of the neighbor's. The Indian palm squirrel also known as three-striped palm squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family of Sciuridae and it is found naturally in India and Sri Lanka. 

 

A note on memories:

I think Saturdays and squirrels have a link between, because I listening to squirrels chitter mostly on Saturdays. It doesn’t begin now, but from the childhood days I happen to listen to squirrels mostly on Saturdays and that doesn’t mean I don’t hear them on any other days. During my childhood days my parents usually take us to Anantha Padmanabha Swami Temple every Saturday after visiting the Vinayagar temple at Adyar signal, I used to watch squirrels running here and there and chittering along the corridor.

There’s an almond tree on the rear of the sanctum from where the squirrels come into the temple premises and unlike now, the temple used to be empty and calm enough to hear the squirrels shrill clearly. I also used to pick up the almond leaves that fall to the ground after being ripen and bring it to home and have breakfast in it as the leaf was big enough to hold a idly. Sometime I go to tuition on Saturdays (then) and listen to squirrels chitter from the trees nearby the tuition teacher’s home making a diversion from studies.  Whenever I hear squirrels chittering and knowing it was Saturday I am linked back to memories automatically and today is one of those days where I listen to squirrels. 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Friday Review: 49-O

The comedy king of Tamil cinema, Goundamani, has reappeared in a movie after long back and also led the film titled 49-O. The movie released in Sep 2015 deals with the state of farmers and fertile lands being transformed into housing plots though political satire. Goundamani as the protagonist haven’t come back to do a regular comedy role as hero, which most comedians prefer do to these day but acted prudentially in a serious character along his counter dialogues for what he’s famous for.

Goundamani is a genuine farmer and believes that fertile land is the future, oppose to the farmers decided to sell their fertile land to a real estate company but their poverty forced them to go ahead with the decision and later deceived by the company and local politician. The people realizes their mistake and to help farmers get back their lands, Goundamani come with a plan of promoting his own fertile land but instead of making housing plots he develops  graveyards, beside the lands of farmers to block the business of the company.

As another step to regain their fertile land, they decides to sell their votes instead of politicians fix the amount, usually, they come up with a sum to be paid for vote. Later they nominate their own candidate and propagate for his victory against the local politicians… but unfortunately he was murdered. At that moment, Goundamani starts a pioneering movement and how did that help them to regain their fertile lands is rest of the story. Like one man army, Goundamani bears the entire movie and his age isn’t an issue while his energy level on entertainment front is still adequate.

With simple story, Goundamani’s strong dialogue delivery and script writing upholds the farmer’s struggles and political satire as the highlight of the scenario. The land promoters has been excoriated a lot and much of illusions relevant to the fake promises by them has been revealed in fun manner. The music/songs and cinematography has been average, but nothing to complain about and many scenes have been straightforward so the film concludes in less than 2 hours. The movie is worth watching for the strong social message that supports the value system of farming and re-entry of Goundamani - for his political counter! 

Btw. 49-O is a rule referred to The Conduct of Elections Rules in Indian, a procedure to be followed when a valid voter decides not to cast his vote and decides to record this fact. 

Kanniamman Temple, Kovalam

During one of my visits to Kovalam Beach, near Chennai, I got to capture this temple tower from the parking lot. The temple called as Kanniamman Kovil is built close to the shore, though the temple tower looks fading, I find it beautiful along the pretty blue sky. I was there on a Sunday evening and it was crowded and people where coming in and out making it look like an exhibition with few merry go around kind of things. For the people around this area, Kovalam beach is an entertainment place to spend their Sunday evenings. 

RGB Monday

A colorful wall/graffiti near Elliot Beach, Besant Nagar!  

Other day for a change my cousin took me to the other side of the Elliot beach (an alley between the Governor’s beach bungalow and Domino’s Pizza near skating ground) where I find this wall pretty colorful to shoot. The gap was very narrow and only enough for a hatchback to pass and it was open for the people to reach the kuppam (a fishermen village) and taking this path took me further closer to the sea from the usual parking lot.

Near the graffiti, I also find a small house temple, which perhaps the tutelary deity of the people of the kuppam, and it was too colorful to shoot. The house holds couple of small Ayyanar statues and other idols encompassed by 4 Sacred fig shrubs.