The Fogg!

I don't follow cricket!

Someone could find my statement amusing, especially when it comes from someone from a cricket-loving country. But that isn't the point here. It's Fogg! 

My father is a huge cricket fan, and now he's obsessed with the India-Zimbabwe match. I have no choice but to look at the TV now and then because I spend most of my time in the living room either reading or working on a laptop, checking my phone, or simply relaxing. I look at the screen and see if someone hit 4 or 6, and I am always neutral when it comes to sports because winning and losing are common for every team or nation. 

My issue, though, is not with cricket, but with the advertising that appears between overs or at key moments, particularly the Fogg commercial (link for one of the ADs). Though most of the commercials are meaningless, and I don't want to dig into them, the Fogg commercial disturbs me, possibly because it creates an incorrect perception of attractive men. 

The advertisements (there are three on the same concept) depict two girls flirting with a man (their faces aren't displayed) and conversing between themselves, with one expressing a desire for him while the other saying something in Hindi, their expressions and the word "perfume" reveals that he didn't wear perfume and the other showing a disappointed face. 

The ad clearly and incorrectly implies that males who do not apply perfume are not attractive to look at or perceived to be handsome. It could be a business strategy, but consider people who do not wear perfume, such as myself. I agree that we need some elements to smell good, but it cannot be mandatory, and not everyone needs it. 

Adults can comprehend the business behind the commercial ad, but the younger generation may misinterpret the notion and begin thinking about or placing value on perfume. For boys, many believe that only if they use perfume will girls notice them or look after perfumed boys. 

Perfumes are already harmful to one's health, and if one doesn't really need them, they shouldn't wear them at all, but these commercials reinforce that if you're either smart or handsome, you need to smell good to take into account! I've had problems with perfume before, but not with myself. Someone's carelessness once harmed me, and when they realized what was wrong, they restricted its use solely in front of me. 

Advertisers should be socially conscious and consider the public because ads cannot be seen only by their intended customers. Is it ethical to dismiss a performance because he(she) does not smell good or used perfume? Please, advertisers, exercise your common sense! huh 

Another Rainbow Evening and Altocumulus

Last Sunday happened to be another rainbow evening and second in the month of July. The former one is here, if u want to see. I was happy to see the favourite thing appear over the sky again, exactly close to the same location, direction and angle. Though it was mild this time, the blue sky and clouds on the backdrop steer the sky to look prettier. Following that we got a sort of pleasant weather for few days caused from mild to heavy rain, and some time the sky looks cloudy and altocumulus spread wings over the blue sky. The sky comes up in pretty pattern these days and the altocumulus show up in day times settle for mild showering or supposed to rain scenario. But not to forget, the menacing mosquitoes had doubled its troops and began attacking from evening through night. 

Altocumulus clouds from the morning of the same rainbow evening.

Above is the rain scene (snapped through the balcony) from two days back and it was a heavy showing for nearly an hour and it continued for few more hours pulling back slowly in pace to rest.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Destruction of water sources and Madipakkam Lake visit

First time, drive through the Madipakkam, Pallikaranai (marshland) and Sholinganallur-Akkarai (the extended areas of south Chennai) road after 2015 flood and really fed up seeing how things changed around esp. multi-storeyed buildings on the places where some water bodies or marshes existed not long ago. I’m never against development but what kind of development or cost matters and destroying a water body or lake or marshes could never gift anything to society… everyone knows the importance of fresh water and preserving the ground table water could never compete with any other. The December 2015 had greatly flooded the entire areas mentioned above and countless were rescued through boats and uplifted by helicopters, as well food dropped from same and the main reason for submerge of houses up to first floor were because of  the construction on lakes and marshes. I had seen the transformation of these places from marsh grasslands to concrete grounds and had felt sad many a time how the water sources had turned to concrete blocks. It’s apparent that without government approval these are impossible… corruption, improper planning had made an unbalanced development and whatever reason we built in front us to justify, the nature rules out quite.

The Sunday outing had been disappointing seeing the disappearance of water bodies to concrete blocks and building and the only console was to see couple of lakes being dredged and waiting for the freshwater (though i doubt) from the upcoming monsoon. I stopped at the Madipakkam Lake view road for some time, and while having a coffee, I could see people relaxing in benches and taking walks on the paved public walk along the road and the lake. On the other side or east bank of the lake have rows of palms trees, which is a common sighting around the lakes in Tamil Nadu once, as these trees helps preserve ground water near and around lakes even during dry seasons.  The Madipakkam Lake is also dry right now, where kids playing cricket but I wish it was maintained clean.

From there we went past the Pallikaranai marsh and it was another place to put me upset. The weather on Sunday was pleasant, and just coming out of a noon shower (rain),   I enjoyed a super cool ride through rolled down windows. But it wasn’t same nearing the Pallikaranai marsh on Radial road, and we’re forced to close the windows quickly as it smelt very unpleasant. The very reason for the bad smell was, the Chennai dumping yard is located at the heart of marshland and I was shocked to see how speedily the garbage dump is swallowing the shallow marsh that’s home to many species of aquatic, fishes and birds. I have seen flamingos and pelicans in large numbers during migration season (October-May) and I would say, still it’s a best place for bird watch and I could see couple of watch towers but I really wonder how could one watch birds there when even standing for a minute is hazard to health! The Sholinganallur-Akkarai road passes through Buckingham channel is another spot I had seen birds and it’s an open landscape adjoining the channel is another groundwater preserving area sliding into the same pit.

Pallikaranai marshland rapidly filled up by garbage dump, creating a great environmental destructive 

The winner shines alone…

... in the radiant hard work, 

vibrant mindfulness 

and vigilant downfall. 

Linking this post for Floral  Friday Foto  

Shy Moon (and The final shot with camera)

வெட்கத்தில் நிலா!

நீல திரை பின்னால்

மறைக்கிறாள் தன் முழு அழகை

Moon in shy!

behind the blue screen

hides her full charm

P.s. The moon was captured during my visit to nilgiris (ooty) on the third day of my travel and this was the last picture I shot with my digital camera (P&S) before it slip down and lens hit the floor. Actually it was my dad who dropped the camera accidentally when tried to capture the sky on my insistence. He was standing on the balcony of our room and focusing on the sky when the camera slipped off, but glad he didn’t put hands outside the baloney  nor the camera could have smashed falling off from 25-30 feet height. Only the next day I have planned to visit a place I wanted to do for some long time and I was quite upset because of that, but I was also worried my camera and I was in doubt could I get back the camera with its original setting.

I have lost my early camera with the same problem, but it wasn’t because of fallen down alike but my uncle’s kid pressed the lens when it popped out. I didn’t lose my photos as it was safe in memory card and the camera opens to say only “lens error, reset the camera”. I didn’t want to give up so just tried with the in charge of the homestay and they called someone and he said to come next morning and repair the camera. But he didn’t turn up until 10.am and when enquire he told that he don’t know to fix Canon cameras and as a last chance I decided to look for a camera service in Ooty. We searched for an hour and dad climbed two shops and one was Sony, but they aren’t read to open a Canon camera. I don’t want to waste time and went ahead taking photos with mobile the remaining days. Glad my brother came up with his 13mp Xiaomi mobile and other than attending calls, it was in my hand most of the time.

The good news was the camera is back with me in its original settings. Back home I gave the camera at the Canon service centre and I was holding it back in less than two days’ time and they charged minimum (INR. 550) only. I was really tensed what the result going to be but they only put a smile. 

Sunday Photos: Shimmering

My parent follows the custom of visiting a nearby temple before starting a long journey. Here, every street end or corner has a temple for Lord Ganesh the most and they chose to break coconut and pray at the shrine before we move. At our street there’s a small temple called Sri Valampuri Cithi Vinayagar temple and it has been their starting point for last few years following our shifting to the native area.

It was about 6.30 am when we started our trip to Nilgiris at the beginning of this month and as usual the car stopped in front of the temple and my dad and uncle get down to offer their prayer and right behind us the sun was raising up and the light just falls on the temple and across the sanctum, which inspired me to take the cam and shot at the glowing sight. I zoomed on the sanctum and quite impressed with the sunlight expose over the black sculpture of Lord Ganesh with the gold coated arch behind the idol makes it shimmering.

I have captured this temple few times before with the mobile during the evening walk, but this was a great chance to shoot with the morning sunlight. I am not a morning person and I wake up usually only by 8 am and only during the travel I wake up early or sleepless thinking about the travel, facing the morning sunlight is a delight I cherish until I get to face the same. 

Youth revolution turned people for Jallikattu

Before I go into the historical revolution and ever seen frame of protest by our youth of Tamil Nadu against the ban on our traditional sport Jallikattu, I want to condemn the police for executing batons on the youth gathered on the Marina beach, where the main protest was going through (peacefully) for 6 days (from Jan 17-22). The protest first began at Alanganallur, the town famous for the valiant sport, has inspired the youth of Tamil Nadu to form a protest arbitrarily to save the Jallikattu which directly supports the native breed bulls. The protest began with hundreds of people crossed millions at the end of the day, across the state. At Marina beach (the 2nd longest beach in world) alone more than 1.5 million had gathered for the protest, which had no head to lead but the small small groups gathered at the beach were all connected through social media.

The most amazing and ever seen about the protest was it was conducted in a very stocky and self-disciplined state, where no one affected in anyways… although there was some, which were adjust by the public because of the intention of the protest. Individuals perhaps have different opinions on conduction the sport, but the overall spirit of Tamil people was supposed to support the Jallikattu as it was a cultural identity of Tamils and when the youth of Tamil Nadu come to the street to protest there was none left to prevent but rather came forward (as families) to support the cause. Even though I haven’t participated in the protest physically, my mind was quite around and I intensely supported the revolution and kept sharing things related to protest and expressing my thoughts via Facebook while  continue watching the news channels for update.

The protest conducted on the footstep of Gandhi (Non-violence) went such peaceful with dignity, trust and courage.  And also his dream and belief of independence had come true though the protest where women and young girls staying overnight without any hesitation or fear about the opposite gender who protected them like their own sisters. It is one of the greatest strength of the protest where the world looks after with awe. The protest has projected the determination of Tamil people and will power of youth and moreover the exhibition of lifestyle and the behaviour pattern of the youth and the culture of Tamils make feel pride. It seems there isn’t a youth revolution happened like this in post-independence India (perhaps with Hindi protest), where an entire state comes together to standstill to protect their cultural identity and interest.

The protest for jallikattu had touched beyond the core cause of conducting the sport! The unison inspired by the protest has set hope that we have the will to face anything that’s against the people. It couldn’t be enough how many times we put salute to the youth who achieved what they want (by non-violence) putting pressure on the state government to take immediate steps, and thus CM met PM and an emergency law is implemented to conduct the sport against the ban of Supreme court and there’s a hope the law will make the sport constant. Though the sport is already regulated by the Supreme Court in year 2007, which brought down anything displeasure related with the sport, the newly implemented law is expect to add sternness. Until the Monday evening, when the former chief justice reveals the real facts about the law, there’s an uncertain condition prevailed everywhere whether to let down or not the protest.

It’s obvious that only strong and active bulls can breed native cows which means of healthiness or restoring health in many ways.  We do hope the protest emphasis the vital of bulls and make aware the importance of preserving them among the public. Did we saved the Jallikattu or not, we disclosed a behaviour that’s impossible to bring out unless it was inbuilt through the rich culture alike Tamil. Though we united as India, any part of the country hasn’t seen such a confrontation and comfort facing the supreme power and creating a protective environment for the women in protest. No one from the political or film industry is allowed into the protest; rather those come alone on their own interest, is indeed setback to those who believed that only they could manage certain things, people taught them that it is we they are depend.

I am certain the history will never forget this occasion, though the protest has been a grand victory and was supposed to end peacefully was disturbed by the wrong attitude of the police. I don’t want go deep into the issue that made me feel bad and sad. But what happened could never bring down what was created by the youth. I think I don’t need to say more but the video below will show you the real starts… the mobile torch protest by youth during the dusk makes feel heaven on earth, where the technology and traditional inherent overshined! Hats off! 

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. 

கைபேசி / Handset

இன்றைய காலகட்டத்தில்

வாழ்கை துணையை விட

கைபேசி உடனான நெருக்கமே அதிகம்.                                                       

நேரடி உறவுகளை மறந்து,

மறைந்து, மறைத்து  

மெய்நிகரான வாழ்வோடு ஒன்றினோம்.

At present time period
more than a life partner
the intimacy with handset is much.

Forgetting the direct relationship,
hide, and hidden
united with the virtually made life. 

Bird Watching @ Thandikudi: Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher

I have been to Thandikudi (on the lower Palani hills of Kodaikanal,) couple of time, and with a plan to go ahead tomorrow, I like to share one of the lovely birds I captured over there. Thandikudi is a wonderful place to enjoy bird watching and it is open to cute little birds alike the Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher.

Tickell's Blue Flycatcher is a small passerine bird in the flycatcher family and it is an insectivorous species which breeds in tropical Asia, from the Indian Subcontinent eastwards to Southeast Asia. Its range stretches across all the countries from India to Indonesia and they are found in dense scrub to forest habitats.

Measured about 11-12 cm in long, the bird has blue upper parts and the throat and breast are orange and the rest of the under parts are white. The bird sings in metallic tone includes a series of clicks followed by five or six notes that end abruptly. It is a wary bird and not always easily observed and it a forest-loving species which is found in thick cover and shade, and particularly haunts the banks of wooded streams.

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Red-Whiskered Bulbul

Derive its name from the red whisker patch below its eyes was caught at Kodaikanal during one of my visits to the hill station and the bird was perched on a small shrub next to our cottage.  The Red-whiskered bulbul is a passerine bird found in Asia and being a member of the bulbul family, the bird is found very common in hill forests and urban gardens within its range and it feeds on fruits and small insects.

The bird about 20 cm in length, has brown upper-parts and whitish under-parts with buff flanks and  a dark spur running onto the  breast at shoulder level. The distinctive tall pointed black crest and the red-vent and whiskers make them easy to identify. The bird’s calls are a loud three or four note call and they conspicuously perch on the trees but are often heard than seen. 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

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.

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. 

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

Seven Spotted Cockroach

First I spotted this kind of bug in the Theosophical Society in the neighborhood (Adyar), around a muddy terrain and fallen leaves. About half a decade later, I was surprise to see this bug inside our compound wall and again around the fallen (dry) leaves of Neam and an unknown tree of the neighbor. I spotted the bug few months back and days after showering, the bug was wandering around the dry leaves for its prey.  And last week it decided to stick to the compound wall sometime for me to shoot.

P.S. Thanks DI (Destination Infinity) for letting me know the real name of the bug in comment, which I referred early as white spotted black bug.

Fence and Flowers and a Link in Common

When I browse my folders for photos to share at good fences, conduct by the Run a RoundRanch, I find two photos which have two things in common – a chain link fence and same yellow flowers. The photos were shot at two different places but there’s one unity between them. Could you guess?

Yes, both were shot at hill stations! The first one represents Ooty and the latter was shot at Kodaikanal, both were very popular hill stations here, in the state of Tamil Nadu.

The first one somehow went out of focus, because I was actually focusing on flowers but the fence in background scored well! This fence was shot at a place where we stayed during one of our visits to Ooty and located very close to the Botanical Garden it made my visit to garden much easier in my power wheelchair.

The fence co-exists with lustrous green and yellow flowers was captured at the cottage I stayed in Kodaikanal and the fence was laid as protecting the house from neighbor.

Lighthouse

A lighthouse flashes

ray of hope for anything

afloat in the sea. 

RGB Monday

Remote in hand, I was thinking what to post for my new found series. But I got the idea at the moment looking at the remote. And here I got the colors in a single click.

The buttons in the remote and in array of red, green and blue... although yellow interrupt the row I find it apt to the series. The TV remote is one of the objects we handle daily at home. 

RGB Monday

Red bicycle frame – shot at Palavakkam Beach

Green Motorcycle – belong to one of my old neighbors, while residing in apt.

Blue Baby Stroller – obviously from the same Palavakkam beach

Sunday Photos: Pretty Pansies

Pansies are my favourite fancy flowers, as I find them cute and prettier. My first encounter with pansies was at Kodaikanal, during my 2006 visit to the princess of hills. I saw these flowered bloomed at Bryant Park there and I still remember that they were colored in purple and white.

First time seeing them we don’t know the name of the flowers, even seeing the flowers more than couple of time in Ooty Botanical Garden and cottages we stayed in Kodaikanal, I was null about the flower until doing some research on net. People who referred to these flowers then conveyed it to me as monkey flowers, because of the aspect of the flower that resembles the face of monkey.

The couple of macro shots, here, are capture during two different times of visits to Kodaikanal and the Viola Tricolor (a kind of pansy, in the photo above) was captured from a roadside fence around the Kodaikanal Lake. The flowers usually found in partially shade seems to bloom from April to September and it can be in colors of purple, blue, yellow, white...