Chennai turns Chill

It’s supposed to be a downpour season in Chennai, of course across the state of Tamil Nadu, due to northeast monsoon, but what’s happening was cool enough. For more than a week the weather feels unusually cold (even cooler than Bangalore), and in place of rain, the winter took advance, and when we were thinking that rains have concluded the tidings report of rain in few days since the low pressure in ocean turned cyclone "Nada". Even at this time of mid noon the blowing wind was cool enough to make feel goose bump and reminding the vacation times in Ooty and Kodaikanal.

Though the weather was cool enough, I sense dryness during the nights and my throat get intensely dry by the time of dawn and I was forced to wake up and take some glass of water. Being a type 2 diabetes, dry throat and water loss is a common thing, but these days it has been intense and mildly interrupts the breathing. Though it sounds unlike a serious problem, the unusualness makes me feel difference and I was glad that something disturbing me mental let me go off for last few days… and i hope it disappears soon.

Still I feeling wonder about the weather and the much anticipated northeast monsoon (since the widespread southwest monsoon failed to live up to) seems to be unfair this year, unlike the torrential rains that stroke Chennai and Cuddalore at this time last year and created a historic flood. First it was predicted to be an average rainfall this year and later it was announced to be less than normal and now it becomes obvious there could be minimum rainfall with the arrival of low pressed.

The year has almost come to end and there wasn’t even minimum rainfall to feel happy.  Even though abundant rain may cause problem, apparently we could not live without it and a small kind of suffering couldn’t be avoided sustaining for a year. Right now I am enjoying the weather that seems to be nostalgic i.e. after long time I sense refreshing through the weather of Chennai. Even at the time of torrential rains (the unforgettable Dec.1) it wasn’t cool enough… if you are in Chennai don’t miss to exit whether you in office or home, just chill outside the door. 

RGB Monday

A colourful textile shop @ Thiruporur, near Chennai

Yesterday I went for an outing along with my family, driving through the ECR (east coast road) and back via OMR, passing Mamallauram and Thiruporur. During the drive I got to shoot number of photos, varieties of scenes, taking all the opportunities that come pass by. While mom and aunt stopped at Thiruporur to purchase fresh vegetables and greens harvested from the nearby villages, I kept clicking photos on things happening around from sitting inside the car. And the textile shop is one of it, as I find many colorful dresses esp. shirts hanging outside the shop, the bulb for RGB blinked! Lol 

Roadside garden Chain-link fence, dedicated to Tex Girl on bid adieu

Last week I was close to Elliots Beach in my powered wheelchair, testing the battery stability, as I have a doubt about its duration, come across a stretch of chain-link fence, protecting a roadside garden along the 4^th Avenue of Besant Nagar, Chennai.

A photo posted by Jeevan Kumar (@jeevan.grp) on Nov 12, 2016 at 8:34am PST

This stretch of road is popular among the local photo enthusiasts and film crews to take photo shoots, perhaps, because of less traffic; wider in space and almost quiet among the neighborhoods. The well laid fence on one side of the road, along the high wall of Olcott memorial school or Besant Garden, with nicely maintain garden and different kind of trees stretching out the garden is an additional attraction to this road.

As I carry mobile along with me, I took few photos along the road particularly the chain-link fence attached to green poles along the roadside garden with colourful bougainvillea, lookout of the compound wall take my attention. In evening I see many taking walk on the road (perhaps more in morning), but little cautious is much, as the road is almost empty the vehicles speed at their own.

A photo posted by Jeevan Kumar (@jeevan.grp) on Nov 24, 2016 at 1:53am PST

Linking this post for Good Fences by Run a Round Ranch, for last

P.S. This is supposed to be the last Good Fences link-in by Theresa (known by her profile nameTexWisGirl) of Run a round ranch, as she decided to bid farewell to her blog with this link-in for last. She has requested her link-in followers to carry on the meme… I hope someone take in charge of. Either it happens or not, I will continue to post under this meme on my personal interest. Thank you TexWisGirl… you will be remember always thought the good fences meme, and not only that way, but your support and sharing all these years in blogging. Hope you reconsider your decided later and turn back to blogging to share your support and interest. 

Grandeur of Big Chola Temple

It was a dream come true for me visiting the Big Temple of Thanjavur in year 2010 – the millennium year of its built, by Raja Raja Cholan 1. The sight of the magnificent temple tower is quite remarkable which proclaims one of the significant identities of Tamils to the universe. Standing beneath the marvelous Vimanam (the main temple tower) and known to be tallest among south Indian temples, it feel spellbind and I quite admired the structure in true amazement thinking about the narratives of history describing the building process of the temple. Each and every direction of the building exhibits the scholars of the Cholas and their thoughts, art and culture to be brought into a structure.

The Big Temple also known as Brihadeeswara Temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Great Living Chola Temples". The Vimanam (temple tower) is 216 feet high and is among the tallest of its kind in the world and the Kalasha (apex or the bulbous structure on the top) of the temple is carved out of a single stone and it weighs around 80 tons. 

Monkey drinks Mirinda

As you all know there are monkeys (bonnet macaque) in our neighborhood and they invade our residence frequently, but lately their activities has been increased and become troublesome. We can’t let open the backdoor unlike before if no one is at hall. We have no idea when they bang and are ready to dread in no time. Past week a couple of big monkeys entered our home and treated on the apples and biscuits on the dining table and moreover scared my mom before she shoo them away. But they haven’t left alone, rather took away the biscuits along with the box that was full of Sunfeast Maire.

This is not the first time they stole the biscuits along the box, but our pretty dog chased them away restoring the biscuit box that was almost empty. They take bunches of biscuits and force them inside their mouth to look funny with swollen on each side. There’s no surprise monkeys being like that, though they make troublesome sometime there’s some fun bear through their act like the one sipping Mirinda (a soft drink) in the picture below.

The workers, who constructed the ramp in front of our house to prevent rainwater set foot inside the home, has left the soft drink on the compound wall got  into the hand of a monkey, which after rolling and drooling, lid open and  tasted the juice. We couldn’t get near the monkey, fearing of unpredictable, the photo was shot from distance to giveaway the quality in images. 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

My Supermoon and Skywatch

You all aware it was Supermoon yesterday, where moon comes closest to earth in the last 68 years, appearing 14 per cent bigger and up to 30 per cent brighter than usual. Though supermoons are fairly frequent, the November 14 supermoon is a once-in-a-generation sight! There are six supermoons in 2016 and we already had four, and after next week there’s one on December 14. Last time I saw a supermoon was in year 2011.

For some time lately my Instagram witnessed many moon shots and I have been watching the moon, as well as the sky, during evening and night times encouraged me to take live shots and upload the mobile photo-sharing app. A lonesome feeling was taking place in me for some time lately and there was a desire to come out and check things happening around to keep away my lonely feel. Though I was going through the let-down feel, the amusement got via watching the sky, in different light, colors, shades and clouds and the moon, from nothing to whole, inspires me to look forward and implants hope within.

When thing being like that how I could miss the magnificent event (Supermoon) taking place at the eventide and night? For last two days I was seeing rainbow colored halo around the moon when mild clouds pass the same. The moon was truly bright last night and taking photos has been very difficult due to overexposure of light and focusing on the moon to get a detail shot, keeping away the bright light. Actually I didn’t get the detail when capturing it from the courtyard and it fall pretty white, but only after transferring into the computer I found the grey shades and thus was the brightness of the moon yesterday. Lately I see the moon pretty early in the sky when I come into the street but it only come across our courtyard by 9 pm and these photos were taken during that time. 

My favorite shot among  the supermoon, with face detail

Up and down of denominations

Unexpected happens everywhere and if it was the result of president election in USA, India loses the value of high priced currencies (500 and 1000 rupee notes) all of sudden from the midnight of November 8^th. Though it is indeed a bold step by the government of India and an essential one to knock down the black money and illegal notes circulation, the release of 2000 notes make sense it could worsen the situation in future with chances of double the hoarding. In the age of online transaction and swiping technology we don’t need high denomination and most of them were used mostly by upper class and I also think it could increase the spending habit indirectly as wander for change is not easy.

We all know it’s a temporary state of trouble (shops refusing to get value lost denominations and people rushing to banks and ATMs to exchange or deposit their hold) and this change could be nothing in few weeks when more new 500 and 2000 notes becomes stably available. I think it’s the media created perplex, because the way they conveyed the message comes shocking and it was unbelievable too first. Though we appreciate the crucial and bold decision taken by the govt. of India, the difficulties could not hide away esp. those who get wage and small scale investors hit by this move greatly. Govt. announced certain areas (like milk parlour, petrol and railway stations) where the old denomination can be exchanged by purchasing, but people had no option when they refused to accept to only postpone or go pillar to pillar in search of change.

The new ₹ 2000 note really left me amaze by the number of detail it hold within to keep away fake printing. My dad bought a 2000 note yesterday after depositing an amount in bank and I was curious checking its features and I really liked the Braille work to assist visually impaired. It has intaglio or raised printing of Mahatma Gandhi, Ashoka Pillar emblem, seven angular bleed lines (on left and right side of the magenta coloured note, size in 66x166 mm) and identity mark.  Apart see-through numeral 2000, micro letters (RBI and 2000) on the left side of the banknote, it has windowed security thread with color shifts, where the thread changes from green to blue when the note is tilted.  

We have more than a month to deposit or exchange our old currencies (and even beyond that with RBI), but people seem impatient in changing the notes as if today is the last date.  I don’t believe this (giving re-life to denominations in new form and price higher than before) will turn everything, but I do hope alike it helps, improves and betterment the society and banking system. Hard-earned should never go wasted.

Kodi

There are many films with political scenario, but I think for the first time a movie portrayed a woman politician was Kodi, though Dhanush led the movie and plays the title role. Kodi comes out as a mass political entertainer and to keep things interesting, Dhanush led a double role as elder and younger brother and Trisha as his opposite, as well as opponent, made certain its sound victory.

Growing up with equal status in politics, Rudhra and Kodi make their political carrier with their parties being opposite to each other, they hold affaire secretly away from the politics. Though both being passionate in their political carrier, Rudhra is bit further in upgrading her status and ready to go any extreme to fulfil her dreams whereas Kodi seeks straight forward and true to his love. How this differentiation mingles makes the movie.

Movies with equal importance to opposite gender aren’t frequent, and Kodi generated the theme well using the strong characterization of Rudhra (Trisha) and this could be a milestone role for Trisha who had done number of films. For the smart looking actress, the negative shade is quite new and for most of scenes she appears in her natural tone.  Dhanush, as usual becomes the show stealer and this time in two characters shown the variation well and worked simply.

With two back to back hits (Ethir Neechal and Kakki Sattai), director R.S. Durai Senthilkumar has sustain his success with Kodi, having  a fast paced screenplay boredom has kept away. Though we sense dullness in picturization, perhaps due to the condition of weather or mistake in display at the drive-in theatre, and the story being not unpredictable there are some twist to keep it interesting.

Kodi also highlights the issue of toxic mercury waste (that threatens the pristine of Kodaikanal) but it was just a matter of fact and doesn’t take serious foot. Santhosh Narayanan’s composition has supported the movie at its best and I liked the songs that make nice listening and intertwine the subject.   Anupama Parameswaran makes a cute presence as second heroine and S.A. Chandrasekhar’s role as Thalaivar (leader) done with honor.

Overall, Kodi well flew among the Deepavali release and could be watch with family

Sunday Photos: Deepavali Snacks, Murukku

Murukku is a traditional south Indian food/snack and it can either brought from the store or homemade using rice flour, fried gram and butter as main ingredient. Alike every year, this year too we made Murukku (along with Adhirasam – a traditional sweet) at home during the Deepavali, where one evening mom and aunt sat on the floor for preparing the same and I used the opportunity to take some photos on the process.  Making sweets and snacks is a custom for us or we practice during Deepavali and distributing it to our relatives, friends and neighbors as a sign of sharing our festival spirit.  

The flour is filled on the Murukku maker – a vessel, where flour being pressed (using a handle on top) to get strings of dough through small holes at the bottom. Just like in the photo below.

A circular layer of Murukku (after swirling strings of dough) on the ladle before drop into the hot oil boils in the pan, to get a view as below.

The Murukku get fried after two or three twist and turns in the hot oil in the pan, and once turned deep yellow or orange is lifted using a stainless steel stick like the process below.

 

Two to three Murukku can be fried at a time and is left on the paper for some time to let it absorb the excess oil. And then stored in enclosed box and distribute later  

Immortality Re-blooming

Being a follower of Betsy’s Joyful Reflections, I have admired the beauty of Iris bloomed in various colors and patterns, many a time in her blog. I have been to mountains many a time, and have seen variety of fancy flowers bloomed in the gardens and cottages we have stayed, but I ever seen an Iris until last year when I visited Cloud Mountain.

I was really amused to find a White Iris bloomed in the courtyard of the guest house we stayed in the Cloud Mountain. One side of the huge courtyard has a flower bed lined by some beautiful flowering plants and the White Iris was the only blossom from the few Iris plants grown as cluster of leaves.

Iris is a perennial plant grows from bulb and usually has 3-10 basal sword-shaped leaves growing in dense clumps. The flowers are in the shape of a fan and contain one or more symmetrical six-lobed flowers. The three sepals, which are usually spreading or droop downwards, are referred to as falls.

The Iris I capture seems to be Immortality Re-blooming or Bearded Iris boasts of pure white petals with a lemon beard (a tuft of short upright extensions growing in its mid-line), which are the plants filaments. Iris is a name derived from the Greek word for a rainbow, which is also the name for the Greek goddess of the rainbow, Iris.

Linking this post with Floral Friday Foto 

Deepavali 2016 – Up and Downcast

This year’s Deepavali wasn’t bad but I was disappointed in many ways. First thing was I was unable to get out of the house, taking a glance at the neighbourhood’s Deepavali celebration, because of the preventive action (for rainwater) taking place at the premises that blocked the gateway for my wheelchair to pass on. Only 2013 Deepavali went off quite inside the house due to my fracture in leg and now I was fine but the situation turned against me to ban me coming out of the house. I ordered some fireworks at online and had fun watching them lighting up in the evening with the help of one of my uncle who had come home and I took his company and thus it kept away my lonesome celebration.  Though I didn’t expect my cousins to greet me on the occasion or share the moment (I believe expectation is the main reason for disappointment, but that’s not mean not at all to expect), there’s something make me frustrated about their lack of present or interest showing up during the festival of lights.

I know attitudes/priorities change as people grow and expose to various things, but I strongly believe that festivals and special occasions are created for people to come together and experience the happiness by sharing. I believe sharing is the concept behind everything and meaning of life is truly depended on something sharing. Though there are lonesome occasions to enjoy our solitude and to do things that quite independent, there’s always someone to support each other and look forward to lead happy relationship. We had brought nothing to take away, but I know, to live we need to hold on and relationship is one strong hold that keep us supporting wherever we go. The relationship I mean here is beyond family relation and I have come to see life beyond a circle where connectivity and sharing happening between people who doesn’t need to be our relatives or friends.  

The passed 2016 Deepavali left a notion in me to find things and happiness using my self-intention and interest with people available, either they hold a similar perception or not. Though this is not the first time I come to a conclusion alike and I’m one easily melt away however strong iceberg I am. Lol. There are certain things we could sacrifice or adjust to lead a relationship but not with one      who couldn’t consider or remind about a relationship exists. We haven’t come into this world without anyone’s support and there had been people at our various stages of life, we perhaps forget some or some missed away from sight or contact, but there should be someone dear or closely connected with whom sharing becomes imperative. Though we can’t force anybody to sustain in relationship, but missing someone during special occasion hurts and it really needn’t to be exposed because it hurts more when they refused directly.

I know I began somewhere and end here. Anyway I had a wonderful Deepavali and the happiness   sharing sweets with few neighbors, and lighting fireworks and the company of my uncle and spending time on television makes feel good. This year the noise of crackers has been less, thanks to the awareness of people, but still our neighborhood burst heavy and made more smokes to prevent us coming out of home. I hold interest more on fireworks that turn sky with magnificent light and colors. Below is few shots just  took for fun using firework sparkles.

Fireworks i purchased online