Heritage Rally 2011

The Chennai-Pondicherry Heritage Rally 2011 inaugurated at VGP Universal Kingdom on 8th January was a remarkable display of vintage cars. I always wish to check such a rally which reaches me only after it held somewhere in the city and come to my sight through the TV and newspapers. Thankfully this time the newspaper carried an advertisement in advance so that I make it sure to check the vintage cars and rally.

I wake up early to not miss the chance and made a wakeup call to my cousin and got ready along with mom. We geared up at home and reached the venue in time before the rally was suppose to flag off but being postponed an hour from the actual time we had much time checking the vintage cars which are less than 40 and arranged neatly at radiant colors.

A well modified jeep that stands in front of the venue was pretty added to the show and being an 4x4 enthuse I was attracted by it and wanna go a ride in it. First we parked the vehicle outside to check whether vehicles are allowed inside, and we are glad to go nearby by parking the car inside to check our vehicles ancestors and the way they are maintained and polished looks awesome.

The cheerleaders sweeping the air with colorful pompoms and dressed in short and sweet and shaking to the vibrant of drum beats promotes the show with a charm and smile and makes fun by coming across every vehicle. Getting the whole picture of the vehicles wasn’t easy since more people visiting the event and getting nearby to flash themselves and few owners allow others to check inside the vehicle and most of them are closed windows.

The vehicles are all belong to vintage category and the dodge brothers was one of the oldest on the display and there are countable Morris and number of similar vehicles belong to various companies. The Mini Cooper, Fiat 125 S, V W beetle and Thing and Jaguar are very different and fun looking vehicles and overall I like the Austin which is small like an auto and the classic one with a royal look! (place the mouse on pictures to know the car names)

The cars are vintage and old, but the visitors are more youngsters and children coming around the vehicles interestingly and wearing up trendy. The other attractions of the show was two little kids who were so photogenic and carries a smart pose for pictures but only we couldn’t get it in right way. Two participants accompany with their Labradors, who were seems scare to the drumbeats and bark with a roar later went a breeze ride on one of the topless vehicle.

I thought will all these vehicles run up the compete rally and live up to its name and energy, but the rally flags off by the special guest (DGP Letika Saran) at last proves these vehicles are no less to others in speeding and attracting in style. We left the venue in advance and went further to check how these vintage cars carry themselves on roads by parking somewhere on the road side, and the rally wasn’t constant to follow either and the vehicles where racing like Ferraris to click somehow motion pictures.

Overall it was a fantastic journey across vintage cars and each vehicle is a model for everyone how to maintain a vehicle however old they are. In a situation of buying cars in mind of resale values… these vehicles are invaluable before money!

(Check for some more vintage cars set here)

CRT out LED in

It’s been more than a year our 15 years old Onida CRT television lost its charm and fades away its dwelling colors to lose interest in watching television and thus gone off completely one Sunday from viewing programs and came to an end from proceeding. Unknown what to do in between before going for a new one, came the state governments free television scheme to aid our problem and that too we haven’t received yet then, we brought the one from our grandma’s home and used until we get a new one free .

It was time getting down to the least television set from the comfort viewing zone, and it wasn’t different rather except viewing more radiant in color and better viewing than just being. The one and a half year ran very quickly and it was for the Ayudha puja we brought the television to watch special programs and we hadn’t think for a new one in the active running until lately I found interest on LCD before I get to know about LED. I therefore thinking about the television to be best in quality and economically confine to cost of money, I went for the Samsung 26” LED TV after considering a lot about it in net and comparing it with similar products.

There is a reason why I go for Samsung immediately is because my computer monitor is Samsung which exists for a decade now without quite any trouble and if not the product is good it can’t withstand this much and I never want to give away my monitor and many have advice me to change for LCD, but I can’t think for another one when I am constant with the clarity and color which took back many into surprise. There are many advised us to buy a big TV but I have a different opinion with them about the size and viewing that LCD or LED having a wide screen it shows the objects broader and damaged pictures while watching nearer and I think these TVs should bought considering the viewing distance and the spacious of the rooms and what important is the picture quality and clarity and not the size.
We bought a new Samsung LED TV on Wednesday and the picture quality was excellent and the wide color enhancer plus the mega dynamic contrast cause an exciting viewing the vivid display. I can’t keep away from its art and technology series which shows everything so refreshing to views that where watch many times before. The other day I watched the famous Tamil movie Anbe Vaa, one of the leading colorful movies of its earlier introduction in Tamil cinema was something bliss watching it in the advanced series of technology and unlike before I enjoyed the song puthiya vaanam... captured in Shimla, just put me in surprise how pristine the picturizations were even in those earlier days and it was amazing while realizing now. Thanks to the new advanced television series that helps to review the revisited things refreshingly and new. I prefer this television mostly to watch movies and I have list of movies I wanted to watch only after getting a latest television has exist now and I wish to watch more movies further to enjoy the enhance and beauty along with art and technology.

The Big Temple – Thanjavur

The Big temple in Thanjavur is world famous and the main aspect of the temple structure was its disclosing Dravidian architecture. Built by the great ruler of South India Rajaraja Chozlan in 10th century AD, the building completing its 1000 years of history today, still continue to exist to everyone’s excitement and amazement without fail. The temple complex is much spacious unlike anywhere and it has three typical towers to invite us inside the temple and each one is in a kind and distinguishes.

The main structure of the temple lies in the middle of the complex which draws into a fortress walls built in 16th century. The fort complex is fortified by three layers of wall protection and the whole structure and premises are built with granite stones. As soon we cross the first layer, the temple elephant welcomes us with blessing and led by a stone path to the second layer where the 3 story tower exposes with beautiful sculptors in sandalwood color.

The space between the layer 2 and 3 is grass hold and least crowded as it hold the place to leave footwear’s and wash out feet. Alike the 2nd layer, the 3rd one is also a 3 story tower displaying sculptors and thus being evening the tower expose to sunlight produces a striking tone to it. The setting down of sun with it rays flashing from behind the big temple, remarks the beauty of the structure with its gleaming background and thus a spirit silhouette to exist.

As we enter the vast corridor of the temple complex, the striking sunlight on the small temple tower excites me to capture the sculptures to the nature’s sodium light! It was very bright to remind that the main temple tower was ones completely covered by golden plates, which were stolen by those captured the temple later by war or by the own predecessors. The structure of the temple lies on the basement of a large platform, which holds a huge Nandi (bull statue) in front of the sanctum, under a mandabam and this was the stage lately witnessed the 1000 bharatanatyam dancers to commemorate its millennium.

The main temple tower elevated by cone is one marvelous structure to be known as tallest among temples in South India and getting near is one nearly option to realize how spellbind and tiny we are before its grand structure. I was quite admiring the temple structure in astonishment by nothing to think about except imagining the things how the narratives of history describes the past of this building process. From every direction the building exhibits the scholar of the cholas and there thoughts, art and culture to be brought into a structure.

There are few shrines behind and beside the temple dedicated to various gods and the main temple is dedicated to Lord Siva. There is another marvelous shrine behind the temple to wonderfully carve around by pillars and sculptures; and in a sort it describes the art. The temple has old Tamil inscriptions around its base stones and it is said to describe about temple and things related to it and been written in ancient Tamil, reading or understand the inscriptions is not easy with our customary language.

The setting of sun and due to temple’s tone it attracts a lot to capture with eyes and lens to store in memory. The temple complex has an inner corridor along the fortress walls and the walls depict the ancient art and culture of Chola dynasty and related to Tamil literature. Beside the corridor, a beautiful lawn is maintained to add greenery to the temple complex and it’s awesome to watch the temple tower in day or night – due to lights, the nights turn glorious to check the temple – from the lawn.

After a patient dusk, the temple dawns to the sodium lights and moon to add delight, it was wonderful to check the temple complex again to relish the amazing structure. It’s easy to see the people come in nights, take their own time to admire the temple and taking down the lawn they zest themselves with families and kids. Taking a brief look across the complex, telling myself that I will be back with more restfully moments, we moved out to see a dry moat and one of the Kaveri’s Branch Rivers to flow fully beside the temple complex.

Madrasapattinam

The first thing that caught my mind was it was like titanic, where an old woman narrates her past memories and seek to relieve and reconnect her emotions. Among the young generation film makers, director Vijay did a fantastic movie with late independence struggle, love and action in a tremendous backdrop of madrasapattinam which transferred into Chennai today.

It was a lovable love story across the Madras Presidency and Amy’s each and every expression is impressive and adorable! Arya’s role as dhobi, befit the character as a valor and showcase fondness through his eyes. Except the romance, action and protest, there’s so much to observe about our late city. The Buckingham canal, the central railway station, the dhobikhana, Spencer and some more comes as an elegant to eyes. The cinematography is fantastic; it captured something that when we aren’t belong to the scene or seen through pictures.
No words to appreciate the music composer GV, the music was such amazing and stands as a great pillar to the picture. Every song has to be mentioned separately and the composition of western classic seems awesome and I wonder every time listening to the album. Meghame song has a charm of droplets dropping on us and the beats are foot tapping. The quite clouded sky and the blowing wind and sounds are adding pleasant to the then pristine Chennai.

To complete the form, two more characters did there best and among them the late Cochin Haneefa’s one-liners are amusing. It’s sad to miss someone who is well at character and comedy, which comes naturally to him. The British officers ruled the whole; the wresting and chasing scenes are interesting. Should appreciate the courage of director for using British language most of the places under sub-title, though it wasn’t difficult to understand.

Overall the movie was refreshing from the usual Tamil cinema and gives way to decent movie making. I like Vijay’s previous movies and they are quite neat and feel so good. Nice to see such movies to keep stand the Tamil cinemas from hero based movies, and gives important to art, technology and new idea.

Yesterday it was like singing ‘rain rain go away, come again another’ but where does it listen? It poured heavily and disturbed the movie watching at drive-in. It only works out in movies and nature has no man power to control. Oh!

disorder, along drongo

As mind was thinking something seriously this morning related to the increase in blood sugar, the birds chirping around my place does console my mind as I couldn’t relax easily since received the blood test result two days ago. Just like an end, there’s a beginning, the treatment I go through the pulmonary consolidation is yet to end next month and my X-ray report says the lung fields are clean now. Thus, totally relaxing though, the diabetic that discovered last year has touched 175 in April and showing 185 is now about to increase my anxious.

At earlier I never took serious about this disorder, and only knowing the sign that it increase approximately just put me into serious thoughts. Though I have experience of watching diabetic patients at home via father and grandmother aided with medicine everyday and dad go on walking everyday without fail has put me into discussion within myself. As doctor has advised to keep away sugar completely, and doing exercise regularly and following a diet could maintain the level, I’m uncertain about these issues even though I could live without sugar, doing exercise and on diet, still there’s something disturbing me a lot.

Hence we didn’t consult a diabetes doctor, our general physician has said to avoid certain things as food to prevent from increasing sugar, and I doubt how well my little physical exercise would give hand without walking – not the miles my dad walk. The medicine I’m taking for the last six months to pulmonary consolidation has put me in tired of swallowing tablets and I couldn’t imagine a situation if it happens to swallow tablets my life time, just like my father, grandfather-mother in there older and middle age – where the diabetes rose head usually.

Diabetes is a common disease these days and falling so earlier begins the struggle. It isn’t a great creature to scare me as I have a huge one inside me, but balancing the both could need more ability and strength to fight. Hope I do my best controlling the beasts beside, and score less without loss. Life is precious and we have to face the constitution it has for us to wear.

Keeping away the anxious, disorder and medicine, the weather that prevails here is fabulous and quite drizzling from morning. The clouds has been surrounding Chennai for the last two days, and raining somewhere and drizzling everywhere, the people are pleasantly adequate without the scorching sun and heat. To add pleasant the birds has took visage thinking of evening and I used this chance to feed little birds that come across chirping and settle down on branches.

One such bird is the Black Drongo (Rettai Vaal Kuruvi), I received today morning on the widespread Gulmohar tree opposite to our house (see picture). The bird is an often visitor to this tree and every time I tried to capture, it fly away before I get ready to click. Gladly this time it taking refrain sometime allowed me to capture her beauty in silhouette; though her visage itself black in color and low light in weather, the picture comes out naturally good. I’m happy to capture this moment and thanks to nature, in every way it appears.

Leaf ornament

I did something with peepal leaves, while bored and it looked nice. So I hanged it on the door frame by taping the two stalks of the leaves that are fold and stitching by piece of sticks.

Chennai flower show

Three pretty parrots in idle greet us, while entering the air conditioned flower show organized by Lifestyle in Chennai. It was first time in Chennai and I just don’t want to miss this opportunity exist in a hot city. Even I could not get satisfy with this flower shows which was quite artificial with true flowers, I enjoyed seeing ever seen flowers. The show was enclosed by a temporary shelter, by paying rs.50 per head and rs.100 to camera we get to see beautifully arranged flowers on display in varies colors, shades and less fragrance. It disappoints to see those are just flowers and leaves grasped from hard cleaning sponges and it was truly a model flowers show. The flowers are at untouchable distance – for safe and good, but taking clear pictures isn’t enough because of dim and bright lights somewhere either and hardly for macro shots.

The centre of the attraction was the different structures made of flowers and vegetables. More than flowers the vegetable portion was beautiful, with some creatively made dragon, peacock, cranes, sailing boat and few more birds and flowers. The things made with flowers were a wonderful Taj Mahal, a cute tea cup, and funny dinosaur and bear. On the others side there where flowers kept on standing and sitting position, but a beautiful display of unique flowers and the way it was decorated adorns.

Some of those flowers I liked more were the very little amount of roses and tulips, and ever seen species like Anthuriums, honeycomb ginger flowers and Heliconias. As part of conclusion there were few flowers kept to sale and interestingly those were very attractive than those on display, but it rates much as if one tulip flower was Rs.75. For those in Chennai it’s a wonderful opportunity to spend a day, cool, leaving summer heat away for sometime sense by seeing colorful and beautiful flowers on display. The happening flower show is yet to end on May 10 which begins on May 1. Except flower show, there was a trade fair on domestic things and flowers’; including a wonderful aquarium with varies species of small and big fishes! Let see them on either posts on some other day, as I have some more to share about.

More pictures on my flickr, yet to update more further.

Indian Dance Festival 2009

My sister invites us to witnessing the Indian dance festival happening from Dec 25-Jan25, 09 in mamallapuram, so as visiting her as celebrating Pongal. Being renowned tourist place, it attracts more visitors on festival days, so decided to get there uncertainly on Saturday. On the way joins my aunt’s family and it was more fun adding to this trip. The intention was to sight the dance festival in evening and getting to shore temple after noon, but still there was crowd left by festival season and time was less, there was another idea of fishing and hook’s were brought by cousin, though time was less because most of the time spent on to conversation and what can the expectation when families get together.

After cuppa we start to walk and me on wheels towards the cheese ball, what can be than fun when walking together and those shared movements. We reached the garden come cheese ball after 15mintues walk, receiving some relatives on our way, and spent sometime on garden, around sculptures. By 6pm everyone was drive outside the complex by whistled guard, I wonder what people may do if stayed after 6pm. There are times this place was uncared and unclean, wandered by lives across anytime and excrements left over, must really appreciate the archeological and tourism department to make this place such beautification and attractive surface with grass floors and fencing around in care those unique sculptures and rock. Being so nice, we moved before those guards force.

So we moved early to catch the dance festival on stage before the Arjuna’s Penance, in backdrop of renowned carved elephants. I unaware that days events, just went like that to view a strange performance by guys in crowned head and swords in hand, uttering some odd words, coming around the stage by striking the swords on floor. After sometime I get to know through someone in crowd, it was Arunachal Dance. I just Google to know it was Arpos Dance, played by Monpa tribe in Arunachal Pradesh, about 25 dancers, wearing helmets, carrying swords and look like ancient warriors, which describe the manner in ancestors tribe to defeat there enemies. It’s also the state dance of Arunachal Pradesh. To know, everyday there was some states traditional classic and folk dances are performed in festival.

Next was our classical dance Bharatanatyam, performed by the local school students and resident children around Mamallapuram. It’s tough time later, the relatives and parents of the students take place around the stage covering the performance visibility, because we were standing beside the stage closed by wooden protection and they were entered through the gaps and mislead the guards. Finally they covered completely invisible, so we moved and bored to see not much variation in performance. It was late evening, cold weather, and back to sister’s home, having our dinner and arrived home by 9.40pm. About the festival, it expounds the classical dances of Indian states, in backdrop of glorious rock cut sculptures belong to 7th centuries of Pallava period. It’s an annual Indian dance festival organized by Tamil Nadu Tourism Department near the season to Pongal. More pictures can be seen here at my Dance Festival set.

Chennai Sangamam 2009

Before proceeding, just put on the current song at side bar, can give some feel. hehe…

The festival season is around, to indicate and by adding sugar, began this Chennai Sangamam – the traditional Tamil classic folk dance and music open festival. After successful two years of beginning, this festival ideal to develop the declining rural arts, the concept which was appreciated by everyone, that exhibits our own tradition and culture. The Chennai Sangamam 2009, which inaugurated on 10the January exists at many places around Chennai, stimulates the festival mood. In welcoming Pongal – the harvesting festival that falls on January 14th, this celebration gives a feel of nearly in traditional way. What this arts turn to be only temple festivals special in villages, which seen rarely in today’s world, this truly aware the need and significance of our unique arts. The idea comes out in supporting and raising the declining artists, and helps in discovering certain norms in public. Year by year I could think its popularity and we all began to look forward this festival around. In my view it has a bright future not alone being celebrated, and to make our existing arts to keep in active and some more in spreading to other districts, could certainly witness a growth.

Being in same city and knowing this festival, I could not make it a visit in past. But I had an interest and wish to watch those programs, which happens to be a distance vision. I get to know this time that one of the festivals open stage was setup near our familiar beach site in Palavakkam, which I happen to witness on Sunday. Well in advance took the cam in hope to see the festival sometime, it was rural beats welcomes at unexpected site to sight the festival near. I wonder to see a tall man, just walking around standing on high wood legs casually. Putting his long foot steps sounds like moving hooves… attracts. By the time we arrived, get to watch Karagattam and Poikkal Kudirai aattam, something unreal in memories so far; Kavadi aattam and Tamil folk songs singed by rural artist. It was a wonderful sense, shivering to glimpse those Tamil rural folk dance and music. We must praise those artists come across to remain our traditional style, to make us think why don’t we make it to core than sending them to verge, welcoming only western culture. It’s a pleasing feeling where no were in world has such rich and varies performing genre within a state. I think there are lots of art performances to get on stage till the festival concludes, and I hope to catch some more in coming days if possible. I know everyday there are different folk dances and music to take place, and along they conduct traditional food festival to taste the forgotten or strange. Just a day left for Pongal, there was lot of enthusiasm about the festivals, and the cymbal of Chennai Sangamam emits our sense along.

Karagattam was familiarly known by most, as they take places first and more in festivals and cultural programs. Karagam is mean to decorated vessel. So as one have to perform dance movements, placing them on head without let to fall the vessel. It’s uneasy to see how stable the vessel on head, to only active the body more or less towards music. Have seen this kind of dance in movies alone, and the one ever get out of mind is famous Tamil movie Karagattakaran (karagam dancer). The current song is Mankuyile poongkuyile... from Karagattakaran, do check for the karagattam.

Poikkal Kudirai Attam (Dummy horse dance) is a skill trained performance. It’s wonderful to see someone standing and balancing on two pieces of wooden legs, and caring a dummy horse on hip to move up and down to band music. Wearing colorful cloths hiding there legs, and wooden legs to hoof. It is unheard in the raised band music; called Naiyandi melam.

Kavadi attam is a devotional dance dedicated mostly to lord muruga. Unlike those carried on shoulders balanced by a stick and something curved like with fixed feathers on each end, what I see last evening was a stool like thing carried on head with a cone like decorated, as they roll, it revolves colorfully.

More pictures here in flickr

Kunnakudi pass away

Music is to enjoy anytime as it gives enthusiastic, and no need a matter of knowing Carnatic music, but something to miss the demand increases. Anyone can rub the string with bow to outcomes a sound or tone, but tuning them to rhythm is a beautiful art everyone can’t bring pleasure. The person whom I truly admire for contributing himself to music and up bringing the instrument an interesting model for any generation is none than our great renowned Violinist Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan! On most eventful days I happen to listen his early morning performance in television playing some old and famous Tamil songs through his violin and to wonder how he arrange the verses according to origin just rubbing the strings and moving fingers.

Today I was watching his late videos and interview on television and really felt how lose the death of him to his fans. He told about mother lap, describing his fondling to his native place which brought him renowned name Kunnakudi Vaiyanathan and he plays violin beautifully adorning the way songs composed by musicians of then and now to seeing his expressions to feel the true involvement within itself. I always love someone giving their expressive the way song penned, put a feel for the uttering words, but he don’t use the words in replace with string sounds. No one can replace his position if not for music, but the person himself and kind being. If not him, his creativity of sounds will exist everywhere.

Here's more about the Legend, Kannukudi Vaiyanathan

The desideratum festival Pongal and Jallikattu

A feel good beginning for my art again.

We are ahead with energy flowing to welcome the most wanted festival of Tamilan. It’s not particular for Tamils; it’s a festival center for all common people who interest to thanksgiving the nature. The Pongal follows the solar calendar as the sun changes its direction rays, where it starts riding from southern to northern. The Pongal is intends to boiling over of milk and rice from the pot that is considered a sign of happiness and property flows in our lives. The Pongal which celebrated in Tamil month of Thai for four days from the last day of Margali (mostly Jan 14). The farmers festival on this pongal, we clean and whitewash our homes, decorate our homes with mango leaves and festoon, drawing beautiful kolams and cook pongal to celebrate with family and friends around.

Generally Pongal is celebrated at its best only in villages, where in early decorated new clay pot, taking the newly harvested rice from paddy and adding with pure milk to make flowing pongal to thanking the earth and welcoming Sun. The first day before pongal is consist of Bhogi. It’s the day to said good bye to old and enters of new in our lives; it always celebrated as burning or throwing the old thing into fire. But in todays time its better stop burring the waste things or old clothes and best is to give for non-existence. On the third day of Mattu Pongal (Bull Pongal) is thanked giving for bulls those handworks throughout the year and which was farmers friend. Taking them to bathe, painting there horns and decorating with leaves and replacing with new cord, tying bells and with colorful balloons the bulls enjoy themselves, esp. seeing other bulls.

The Jallikattu (bull catching game) happen on this day and the last day of pongal that was known as Kaanum Pongal in Tamil Nadu is world famous. Kaanum Pongal is well known for its outing and picnic with family and friends for there favorite places, in many villages people interested in going to watch Jallikattu at near there place. The Chennai Marina beach is recorded yearly for more people visiting on Kaanum Pongal. According to Jallikattu, it anticipated for an important award by Supreme Court this year whether it would be banned or to allow conducting the Jallikattu, but without cared about anything the preparation for the festival was in full fledge. The Jallikattu always happens in Madurai’s Paalameadu on the 2nd day of Thai (Jan 16) and the world famous Alanganallur the next day and followed by other districts of Tamil Nadu. The bulls are carefully trained rest of the whole year for the yearly ones game.

Bulls are feed with grind raw rice and cotton seeds and left to drink 40 litters of water twice a day to avoid fatigue and 3km of walking every day. To strengthen, the bulls were daub to grinded tamarind seeds for full night and bathed next day, that continue for three months before to Jallikattu, where it develops the blood circulation and gives a shine skin. They even used to tell, bull should not visible others, so they won’t allow none near to the bull. The most looked bull is Kangeyam bull which is the most bravery bull in all and its look itself threaten everybody, but only sad is its species are in stage of perishable. In rural sides if one was to be praised for brave they use to indicate Kangeyam bull, so far it reaches to its name. There would be only countable Kangeyam bulls to exist in Tamil Nadu and I was not sure. To make bulls intoxicate, they fill hays into clothes and create like a man like doll and get them to batter the doll to increase its anger. Because of getting training like this, these bulls are not left so easily into the playing ground of Jallikattu and in addition to train or grow a bull to play for the game they spend minimum 40,000Rs (1000$). But all the hope of these people playing, as well as developing bulls are stopped by Friday’s award by Supreme court in banning for this traditional brave game of Tamil Nadu.

Though it was a good relief for bulls from humans and threat of bull battering humans to injure and sometimes to death in game. But it was a sorrow for Tamil Nadu and mostly for the people of southern districts and Madurai to give away our traditional brave game. It’s not planned, but it happens to relate this post to my recent painting of Jallikattu above, like a man trying to control the bull. It was one more happiness I got at this year beginning of returning to my drawing side that I wasn’t touched for over a year. I was in confuse could I able to draw something again like past, but I moved to the comfort of drawing. Let me know your comments… I wish you all for a Happier Pongal celebration.