RGB Monday

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2023 

My colorful Christmas decorations from our previous home on the backstreet, where we resided between 2015 and 2018. This year, I didn't decorate my Christmas tree, and I have no idea where it is, even though I wasn't in the mood to do so and partially because it's not easy to keep my nephew Kavin away. I abandon the notion of a Christmas tree. It will also take a search operation to locate the Christmas tree that has been with me for the past 11 years.

This is the scene for this year's Christmas, with a star tied to the balcony and lights strung across it.

Auro Guest House, Auroville

(At the petrol station)

The first thing we did when we arrived in Pondicherry was fill up our car's diesel tank because everyone knows that the price of petrol and diesel in Pondicherry is less than in Tamil Nadu, and this time per liter was 6 rupees lesser. We generally talk about Pondicherry as having Auroville as a part of it, but mostly it is located in the Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu and a little piece under Pondicherry, a union territory in India. 

Auro GP Guest House

My brother had not confirmed any lodgings until we arrived but was sure to obtain some rooms in one of the many cottages and homestays in Auroville, but I continued to look for a wheelchair-accessible place while traveling. I discovered Auro GP Guest House, which is located next to Auroville Center Parking and meets our budget and requirements. Despite its location on the main road, the guest house is calm once you enter, and there isn't much traffic on the road. 

The guest house features a long corridor with five to six rooms on each side and another five to six rooms on the first floor; the ground-floor rooms are step-friendly for wheelchair access. My nephew Kavin thoroughly enjoyed his stay; he became excited seeing the long corridor as he only started to walk; he continued to stroll up and down freely and noisily because there was no one on the ground floor. The staff is also friendly.

After checking in, we drove to a temple that my parents had wanted to see for a long time, and conveniently, the temple (Panchamukha Sri Anjaneya Temple) is only six kilometers from where we stay, on the outskirts of the Pondicherry-Tindivanam Highway. From there, we drove into the city to check out the beach and to get dinner for us, but sadly, all of the roads leading to the famous Promenade Beach were closed, just as they were last year when I visited in February. We could have (parked the car and gone in) if it hadn't been so late, but it was already dark, so we moved back to our room.

Our room

The rain began as soon as we entered the guest house and lasted until a few hours before we checked out the following morning. We couldn't think of going anywhere, and there was a constant pitter-patter of rain all night, which I had recently experienced. We reserved two rooms for us: one for my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew and another for me, mom, and dad; both rooms have the essentials, such as air conditioning, television, and intercom; and the rooms are neat and, most importantly, not difficult to mention.

When I returned to Auroville for the second time in 2009, knowing about its concept of a universal township that belongs to no one but all, I wanted to stay or live in a peaceful place where consciousness is practiced beyond all beliefs and partitions. I know it's practically impossible (for me) to dream of living there, but at least lodging in the vicinity of places that adopt peace and are environmentally green and clean inspires me to come again.

If I had planned ahead, I would have explored more of its surroundings and attempted to see Matrimandir; only after I returned home did I learn that there is an experimental house built with earthen materials in what appears to be the backyard of where we stayed. Auroville continuously hosts a variety of artworks and workshops to promote organic living and the value of preserving nature and the environment. I also recall reading articles about Auroville's use of raw materials in the construction and development of forests.

And what appeared to be another face of Auroville is Cafe. There are numerous cafes strewn throughout Auroville, and the youngsters were gleaming like stars over there; I shot a lot of sign boards along the way to share with Signs2.  

Weekend getaway to Auroville I

We went to Pondicherry two weekends ago, and it was an unplanned trip because my brother abruptly called from the gym at 9.30 pm on Friday (if you've been following my blog for a while, you know my brother owns a fitness center, aka gym, and he's also a trainer) asking if we could go to Pondicherry or Javadu Hills because he was free for two days. 

The beautiful monument at the entrance/exit of Pondicherry.

I had no intention of traveling and planned to skip if possible, but he was adamant about going somewhere, and we were still waiting even after I went to bed. He called from his room as if he had found a place to stay at Auroville on the outskirts of Pondicherry to accommodate the trip. We awoke with the same unsure mindset as he went to the gym as usual early in the morning; we considered canceling, but he arrived sooner, confirming the trip, and we had our breakfast, packed our lunch, and were out of there by late morning.

He planned to start the journey early in the morning to avoid traffic, but it was 11 when we left, and we didn't expect ECR to be crowded at that hour; nonetheless, it was free after the city limit. The road was in poor condition, or there was erosion of the upper layers in several places due to continuous rain, and the road expanding procedure slowed our progress. But we were not in a hurry and had no intention of stopping along the way; the ride was leisurely, and we arrived at Auroville in the evening. 

The day was sunny, and the sun was bright enough to dazzle; I captured some beautiful sky shots. Don't forget that we were traveling with a baby on board. This is my second trip with my nephew Kavin before the end of the year, and his travel adaption is far better than on previous trips. He enjoyed the place we stayed, but he had some worse coughing upon our return.

Though December is my favorite month to travel because of the cool weather that comes with the end of the rainy season and the beginning of winter, I have had to prevent travel for various reasons, including the lack of a travel wheelchair. We have a customized wheelchair for my travel needs, but it hasn't been finished yet, so I had to take my bucket seat wheelchair, which I use every day at home and is slightly heavier than a standard power wheelchair. 

My brother had not confirmed any lodgings but was sure to obtain some rooms in one of the many cottages and homestays there, but I continued to look for a wheelchair-accessible place while traveling.  I found a place that fit our budget and needs while still being close to the heart of Auroville:  the Matrimandir, a large golden sphere symbolizing the birth of a new consciousness.

As I already stated, I went with the flow because I didn't have time to plan anything. Even though we accommodate very close to the Matrimandir, I had no intention of visiting, seeing the golden sphere from the viewing point up to where visitors are allowed to watch quietly. 

I was inside the Matrimandir when it was still under construction roughly 22 years ago. Even then, it was quiet, and they installed a glass globe in the center of the dome structure, which glows in the sunlight. I couldn't view the glass globe because it was in an elevation position that steps could only reach. But it was an unforgettable experience; the second time, we were only allowed up to the viewing point, which I explored in my wheelchair.

I've included an image of the Matrimandir (and myself in front of it) shot in 2009 to illustrate the concept.

more on the trip in the next post... 

44th Chess Olympiad (Signs)

The 44th Chess Olympiad is taking place at Mamallapuram, near Chennai, on the ECR. The chess tournament will be officially inaugurated tomorrow (28 July) in the presence of Prime Minister Mr. Modi and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Mr. MK Stalin in Chennai Nehru Stadium. The preparations for the tournament began weeks ago, and the Tamil Nadu government is doing everything possible to ensure the success of the Chess Olympiad. 

The event is actually taking place in a village called Poonjeri on the outskirts of Mamallapuram; the government has erected a large stadium/auditorium to host the event, and all the participants from 187 countries have been housed in several resorts in Mamallapuram. To put it simply, the stretch from Chennai to Mamallapuram has been in a celebratory mood, and it is expected that many people will visit during the chess tournament or at least to view the preparations for the event. 

I, too, would like to see the event advertisements and the Thambi, The Knight, the official mascot of the 44th Chess Olympiad, who is touring Tamil Nadu, particularly Chennai. But, due to the unfinished rainwater storm project and health difficulties, I couldn't get out of the house. 

The Thambi, which meant "Little Brother," was designed to emphasize Tamil Nadu culture. The knight wears the traditional garb of dhoti and shirt, and perhaps the brown horse accentuates the South Indian tone (dusky or brown), and the mascot's general dressing style mimics the Chief Minister's, which may have derived from his appearance. 

The Napier Bridge, also known as the Iron Bridge, is another landmark in Chennai that has been completely painted as a chess board (to commemorate the 44th Chess Olympiad); it has also become a shooting spot, with people taking selfies and videos on the bridge.

I hope the event was a huge success and India won the battle so that history will remember it. Images courtesy Google.

Something to know about the Chess Olympiad: The first Olympiad was unofficial! An attempt was made to incorporate chess into the Olympic Games for the 1924 Games, yet, this failed due to difficulties distinguishing between amateur and professional players. The first unofficial Chess Olympiad took place in Paris at the same time as the 1924 Summer Olympics. 

Every two years, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) organizes the tournament and chooses the host nation. This time their choice was India!

Misleading Ad

There was a television commercial in which a family was traveling through the mountains, and the elder of the family sought to inhale the fresh breeze, but before he could fully breathe in, the family hurried him to another location, and this continued till they arrived home. The father complains at home that you didn't even let me breathe. The son asks his father where else he might go to breathe pure air.  We could be at home, and as he says, he turns on the A/C (a brand that comes with purified air), and afterward, the father stood in front of the A/C and breathed.

I was like what the heck! Actually, it was wtf, that came out unmindful. 

I was uneasy from the time I watched it, and I was like, how could they think of replacing nature and its breeze? I wonder if they realize what they are conveying through this commercial. The world is already descending into hell as people seek the artificial lifestyle and drown in a virtual world, disrupting their relationship with nature and fellow humans. Such commercials will be pushing into the abyss.

The growing generation, particularly children who are unaware of the commercial aspects of the AD, will believe that the air from the air conditioner is as good as or better than the pristine air that oozes from the natural environment. And this will encourage and induce them to use air conditioners frequently without realizing the harm they cause to the environment - and using excess a/c is also one of the causes of global warming. 

The gadgets had already held back kids inside the home, and the COVID came as an advantage to the younger generation, which was more than enough to keep them at home. Online education has encouraged the activity. The youngsters who come out to play have declined, and with such advertisements, it deteriorates! 

As a nature lover with a social concern, I condemn the commercial's creators and the concept of bullshit. At the same time, I am never against the comfort of people and in today's rising temperatures, normally in summer, the air conditioner is a boon, but we should know when and where to use it.  Sweating is not a curse, and there's nothing wrong with sweating unless it's extreme to dehydration.

No parent wants to see their children suffer during the summer, and the air conditioner has become such a necessity that we cannot stop its growth. However, sticking to limitations will benefit the environment. There are various ways to promote a product, but using nature as dice and creating an illusion against the natural elements would result in future generations being distracted and held captive within the home. 

As a believer in life outside the window, this ad made me endlessly sad. I wish the promoters realized the ad was misleading and changed its course before it reached a large number of people. 

For your reference here is the ad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_AtlUFREgQ

Prohibition to Laughing

If there is something unique that belongs to the human race is laughter. Though animals do laugher sometimes like the simian, it's the sense of humor that enriches our human lifestyle. Insisting we love and care and bring happiness to others and relieving stress like us. Life isn't and shouldn't be serious always; to keep it away, laughing is a great gift the human could have. 

(My happily laughing nephew Jeswanth)

They say there is no better medicine than laughter and that laughter is scientifically proven to help release certain hormones and help reduce stress, the leading cause of heart disease. And prohibiting such great cause laughter is an inhuman act and the prevention of natural ways of treatment.  

I think you have now guessed what I am talking about, yes North Korea's ban on its citizens from laughing, drinking, and shopping for 11 days! Drinking and shopping can be secondary, but laughing is a basic sense of being human, and banning it can not be brought within any definition. Simply a foolish act of inhuman. 

There is no wonder the announcement coming from a country ruled by a dictator, although I feel sorry for the plight of the people of that country and would like to condemn this act. What is worse was they also banned crying loud (and moving out the body) if anyone dear to us dies during the 11 days - the mourning period of former Korean leader and father of President Kim Jong Un's 10th death anniversary. 

Laughing is a natural tendency towards anything that moves us in a light-hearted way and an emotion that infects anyone (in good nature) who comes across. Banning laughing is a force you could not implement at all; since crying and laughing have been the only acts child could do, and prohibiting it is quite an offense against natural law and the pinnacle of oppression. I wish the lifestyle of North Koreans changed and they experience freedom from the stubborn kid Kim! lol 

Smartphones and Contemporary Kids

Smartphone, the word has become a heartthrob of man, particularly the younger generation, and each whining of the smartphone is a stimulator on the veins. The smartphone has created a global revolution in telecommunications in the short time since the introduction of cellular phones in the early 90s. Smartphones have become inseparable and mandatory power of the human race in their daily life. 

Like everything that has a plus and minus, negative and positive, good and bad, smartphones do their part of the sum. Every instrument, device, and gadget made possibly good purposes, and it is up to us to use it in the same way. And I think it lies in understanding the invention of the device and its use. 

Smartphones are for adults, and I still believe even after the pandemic situation had become favor against my thought of kids using smartphones, for online classes, except the occasions of emergence, kids don't have any business with smartphones. A consoling thing (this time) was kids using smartphones in the right way for education rather than gaming. Though kids and games are inseparable, let whatever the purpose for you to hand over the smartphones to kids, their gaming intend is indispensable. 

image courtesy

Leaving that apart, let us move into the intention of the post that handing over the smartphones to little ones and infants. Let's say it has become a trend or newfound custom by the young mothers to feed their children by playing something on the smartphone for the little ones to watch to take a mouthful. Perhaps, smartphones are handy, and the young mothers who always hold to them entertain the child by showing something amusing on the screen to feed the stubborn instead of heading out or relying on something real for amusement.

And what this shows is their laziness or lack of time (if she's a working mother) to use smartphones this way to quickly and easily feed a baby. (The young mothers in the blog world should forgive me if I'm wrong in my perception.) The young parents see if the kids trouble them, and if so, they give away their smartphones to the kids to sit quietly in a corner to allow them to do their chores. And this is where the trouble begins. 

One of my uncle's daughters, less than the age of 3, was in trouble when she allowed watching the smartphone continuously. My uncle had another baby when the elder daughter was a year and a half, and to look after the 2nd baby, they gave the smartphone to the elder and made sit quiet. Since the child keeps looking at the smartphone is not able to focus on anything other than staring and smiling only at the smartphone screen. She is still under therapy and is recovering at a good pace. 

I think the young mothers feel trendy to say that they feed their child by showing smartphones. I saw a mother trying to feed her child by playing a youtube video on the phone, but the child wasn't interested, and she was forcing him against his will to play, but not on the phone. On the same line, my cousin also tried this way on my newborn nephew Jeshwanth, and we have warned her not to follow this route, and I hope she listens to us. 

(My little nephew is now flipping and started to lay on his stomach. The boy began to take solid food like our traditional idly and biscuits in creamy form. His activities and naughtiness have increased, which needs a separate post to show off his actions.)

I fear smartphones would steal the children's childhood because friends and games (not online gaming or gambling) are a vital part of the period that lasts as evergreen memories of our lifetime. If they miss this chance, there isn't a chance to get back things, and the virtual world will end in a flash of great disappointment. 

The children's world is big, their imagination is boundless, and it is unreasonable to shrink it with a small device called the smartphone. We should make understand kids that smartphone isn't the world, but a part of it. I agree smartphones are essential in today's online education and communication, and it is better if they stood with that for the kids.

Thank you 

A year into pandemic lockdown!

A year completes today, what begins as an identity curfew on the Sunday of March 22, 2020. PM plea with the public of India to cooperate with a 14-hour curfew, and it was a time the covid-19 cases weren't 100, and we didn't realize that it was a trailer and the main picture is waiting for the release. And then came the announcement of a week lockdown, which renewed every two weeks that extended to two to three months, and the lockdown was then extended every month with some relaxation.

Lockdown is a word we aren't familiar with then but heard only through the news and films where lockdown is implemented during emergencies or violent outbreaks in an area. And 144 belong to the same category, which bans people gathering in public more than four at a time. We never thought we would experience such and had no idea how it would work; however, the solidarity we had been had no meaning today, with people's indifferent behavior and gathering at large.

At the end of the year 2020, life was almost back to normal except for wearing masks and social distancing. The covid-19 cases too drastically came down below 10,000 a day in India; our state Tamil Nadu also witnessed numbers below 500 a day had let us ease and at the same time sent an indifference tendency among the people had forgotten that we hadn't exit pandemic. I could say or see half the population had dismissed wearing masks and social distancing is like belonging to a distant land.

I believed this number would recede as we continued to stay on the line with a gradual decline, and since the beginning of vaccination in January, the belief started to grow stronger. I think this could have become possible if the state elections haven't interfered during this period, because it is time for politicians to mobilize the masses, or as people gather to listen to the campaign, it becomes a camp for the spread of the virus. 

The painful thing here is that the leaders who are supposed to be role models do not follow the rules and do not instruct the volunteers to follow. And when seeing the crowd gathering in the campaign sites without masks and social distancing proves how ignorant and crazy we are and how we fail at the root cause.

I know the elections aren't the only issue as I see students and teachers getting covid-19, since the opening of schools for higher secondary (classes 10th to 12th); it looks certain it's the failure to follow the safeguard. Already there's a conflict among the public about how these numbers suddenly go high or sustain at the same and do they really count or do it for their comfort or need. Anyhow its sudden rise from the beginning of March worries; though we all hope on the vaccine as the only weapon against covid 19, nothing could protect us unless we follow the precaution - the simple handwash, masking, and social distancing.

Compared to March 2020, we’re 10 to 20 times further affected by covid 19 now. The counting of cases in India is close to 50,000, which is the highest daily record, after months of a gap!

India Lockdown

It is the time to be conscious what we really need or need to do, when a deadly virus is spreading into our society and becoming a mass by transmitting from one person to another. To control the spreading, lockdown is implemented from today throughout our state of Tamil Nadu like many other states and districts in India. No vehicle will be allowed to move in or out of the district and state borders except freight traffic; no one would allowed to come out of their house rather than buying essential goods and the lockdown will be in exists up to April 1.

What happens in Chennai after the announcement was terrific and people were almost forgotten the reason for lockdown and thronged the bus stands and chased the buses and crowd traveling to their hometowns since the work places and institutions are closed. That one scene of chasing the buses remind me zombies! Sorry to say like that. But that much of gathering is a way, that could easily widespread the virus to become havoc. Already one case of community spread is reported in our state and what if there’s someone like that in the crowd? The covid would travel to any extreme that is difficult to tackle.

We’re making ourselves get ready to fight, prevent the virus staying into our lives and living society.  Hand wash has been enforced into our lives which i think is the only way we could do something to preserve us apart distancing ourselves from others.  At this time we have any option other than following the govt. instructions, the only reliable source to save us from covid 19. Obeying the orders and self-restraint is more important to preserve us and our dear ones and it’s time to be real responsible and showcase the love, in an unusually way of distancing ourselves and live up to their reliance. India has crossed 500+ covid 19 positive patients and 12 reported deaths so far… People have to keep in mind that we aren’t forced to stay home to save ourselves alone but everyone we have connected in our lives. Hope the numbers become stable and were stepped down to no more. 

Protect from Corona

Corona, the crown of virus, is threatening the world like anything done before. This invisible to eyes, virus, has shaken the masses of all despite however strong the countries are. No one anticipated the virus would spread at this vast but India being the second largest population country in the world had drastic control over the virus. Like any other countries the virus entered India through passengers landing from foreign countries, though the number of affected has rose to 150 now the awareness among people to hands clean had greatly turned down the spreading of virus and shutting down on places wherever people gather  should help prevent further and downstream the virus. Though the media creates lot of hype and make news’s to panic people, the widespread knowledge shared on corona is quite dynamic.

Tamils is a community where hands and legs washed is practiced on daily basis whenever someone enter the home from outside but this culture was forgotten in the urbanisation and city life where people live on apartments the most, we can’t expect this to continue  as water is not available always outside the home. Now, this corona has created an opportunity to retrace this practice and make realize people the importance of hand washing and schools in particular insisted this in kids/students which became obvious when one my nephew (age 5) rushed to washbasin when we offered him something to eat when he visited us. Still I feel not many people are fully conscious about this spread of virus and are indifference thinking it won’t affect us as the number the victims are less compared to many developed countries, but I can’t image what a similar situation could India face if the virus spread seriously.

Though the economy of the country going to hit hard due to block of trade and entertainment but in a state of life-and-death we can’t think better and it is all in our hands and limiting our activities is the only way to enhance the downgrade of the virus. Let’s stay home and watch things settle for good as we have nothing to do to stop it immediate or bring remedy, let stick to the adage  ‘prevention is better than cure’ and all work towards that.

Vainu Bappu Observatory - Javadu Hills

After reaching Jamunamarathur – the capital villages of Javadu Hills, and having lunch, that we brought along with us from home, we are told by the guest house care taker that they will allow into the observatory only by 5 pm,  to watch through the telescope. So he suggested leaving by 4 pm as it is 10 km from there and since having two more hours to go, we decided to explore the small lake and garden at half a km from the guest house. The lake and garden were not so attractive, and the lake is nothing but a conversion of already existing village lake that used for irrigation to the fields around. The real pretty sights are beheld around the lake, where fresh green paddy fields gleaming at us to expose to sunlight amid mild step farming.

The main course of this trip was to check the observatory and it was first time for me visiting an observatory, other than the only place I visited regard to space was Chennai Birla Planetarium. Vainu Bappu Observatory located at Kavalur village on the Javadu Hills holds the largest telescope of Asia, which was named after the great Indian astronomer and discoverer of Wilson-Bappu effect, Manali Kallat Vainu Bappu. VBO is an astronomical observatory behind many unique discoveries on space and reading remarkable cosmic rays, through the 1 and 2.3 meters telescope, the observatory has detected atmosphere around the Jupiter’s satellite Ganymded and rings around Uranus and Saturn. In 1988, a new minor planet was discovered using the 43cm Schmidt telescope and it was named after mathematics genius Ramanujam.

The observatory is isolated from any activities of being and almost surrounded by vast reserve forest, stands as a testimony to Indian astronomy. We reached the observatory early in time traveled thought the dense forest, but we were not allowing inside the campus and requested to wait sometime until the early batch comes out. I know that we need to walk nearly a km from the entrance to the main observatory; I kept my power wheel chair fully charged but enquiring a couple who came out we become uncertain about the distance. Even though we decided to progress, the guard noticed me allowed to take our car inside and we find more than 100 school students come out of the observatory.

Me and my family

First I was mislead by the white cylindrical building with dome that holds 43” telescope which resembles the 93” telescope, the largest among the observatories inside the VBO. Then we were redirected to the main building with more widely in breadth and spectacular height. The observatory being elevated from the others, cool breeze brushes once get out of the car and we were taken by the lift to the top floor where the largest telescope was assembled. The telescope was attached to a huge hydraulic machine that turns and moves up and down, manually and as well automatically sitting on two wide column. It was like a dream come true when the aluminum plated dome open to sky view, and rotate through a rack rail which could go around 360 degree.

I felt rotating along with the dome when looking above and goose bumped, stimulated by the entirely new setting and following the conversation with one of a scientist demonstrating the operation of telescope, took me to infinite stage. Many of us generally know the universe that exists within our solar system, but there could be immense such systems in our galaxy with earth like spheres where people could live and seek to connect alike. The observatory plays a vital role in studying the universe and does a front-line research with the telescopes here. It was something amazing that I couldn't even image that we were standing close to an object that beholds the mystery which is impossible through naked eyes. And I feel like touching an endless height.

The floor below the telescope has a round iron platform which I first through to rotate, but the scientist cleared our doubt later by operating the hydraulic platform that lifts to make easy the service of telescope. He explained that it is a kind of facility that any other observatory doesn't hold and they keep an eye clean on lens always. The observatory has a steal platform; going around the dome outside the building holds a 360 degree view on the landscape of total forest area. So it is out of noise and light disturbance, which is the main obstacle for reading light rays and except the entrance, overall campus doesn't have a light facility and was completely electric fenced to keep away wild animals.

I feel bad for not taking my camera inside the observatory thinking they might not allow, because of security. But some took photos with their mobiles and there were no restrictions, and I only got to capture the building and natural setting of the campus. I was really wishing to watch something through the largest telescope but these are used only at night and not for public to watch. They have a 6” telescope for public to view stars and planets after dusk and we really had to wait for an hour to watch through telescope. But for me that even wasn't a chance because the viewing point of the telescope was kept high and need to climb few steps.

[To be continued….]

Postmen in the Mountains

I think the title reveal it all, but that isn't enough and there’s something much more to behold bewitch and enhancing about the film that words could mere describe. With no subtitle I watched this Chinese movie moves with light hearted emotions between a father and son amid stunning mountain scenery and remote villages, leaves a deep impact at the rear fall.

With the soothing traditional Chinese music, the movie wakes up to the misty morning among the mountains and patches of green fields; where a young man leaves his home with backpack of letters or mails on a journey as a postman at the mountainous rural areas of China. Back in memories, his father, who forced to retire due to a bad knee decided to accompany his son who succeed his job as a postman for years, on his journey exploring the routes and mail recipients.

The film embark on hiking routes throughout, walking up and down the valleys and climbing mounds and crossing rivers, the father guides his son from behind on the nitty-gritty of the job, makes him realize that it’s not just a job of distributing letters but being courtesy and generous at exhibiting friendship with villagers. There are many popup flashbacks alongside the journey sending bond waves of memories embrace with current emotions and gestures between the father and son is remarkable.

Almost light warming, damp and dew, the film beholds some visual treat and the way of nature exists was enchanting and breathtaking, while no trace of added special effects or use of technology everything sights simple and beautiful. Not to forget the German shepherd that accompanies all the ways ahead their journey emphasis with its gratefulness and as a guide signals at certain attain.

Footnote:

'Postmen in the Mountains' is a 1999 Chinese movie – originally titled as 'Nàshān nàrén nàgǒu', based on a short story set in the early 80’s, around the mountainous region of western Hunan province of China. The movie attracted me so much or I moved to core by watching it that I would recommend anyone to watch it in silence (not putting at mute) and it doesn't need any dialogue to understand where gestures speaks a lot!

The Middle of the World

This weekend I watched another movie based on journey and unlike Duma, it’s a family drama; The Middle of the World is a 2003 Brazilian movie – originally titled ‘O Caminho das Nuvens’, takes a family of seven on a bicycle journey from the State of Paraiba to Rio de Janeiro of Brazil to lead a decent earning in city. The film is based on a real event in the history of an unemployed truck driver who rode his wife and five children from Santa Rita to Rio in search of a job.

The movie begins at a T junction, where the sign reads in Portuguese meaning The Middle of the World, travels along the way from northwestern province to east for Rio, the nearly 2000 miles journey leaves the family at many hardship, event and emotional bond and desperate. The family also faces challenges over seeking on shelter, hunger, deals on adolescent; the movie make us believe that poverty is not that tough when we have great love for each other with faith.

The movie leads a path not many traveled and there are no more usual things about Brazil – pretty beaches, girls, greenery...  but a beautiful life and love for family relationship drawing against the dry northeast province. The ‘Rose’ and ‘Romao’ as husband and wife led so beautiful the movie, the young Rose was expressive, smiley, charming and singing despite fatigue over traveling. Antonia as their teenage son, was faithful to his character and expressions at defiant and desire for exploring the manhood.

The movie end at the foot of Christ the Redeemer, the iconic statue of Rio de Janeiro leaves not alone a breathtaking view, but expresses  life at redeem that not only befit to an incredible cycle journey. The locations that captured are not so enchanting but lives up to behalf and believed to be real; the movie runs for 80 minutes is a good watch under the eng subtitle that release along.

Download the movie at torrentz.eu 

வளர்ச்சி வீ ழ்ச்சி / Growth Downturn

Image: Google

நாட்டின் வளர்ச்சி… பொருளாதாரம் வீ ழ்ச்சி
தொழில்நுட்ப வளர்ச்சி… சோம்பேறிகளின் ஆட்சி.

இணையதள வளர்ச்சி… உலகமயல் ஆச்சு
கையடக்க கணினி… வாழ்கை  கைக்குள் முடங்கியாச்சு.

Growth of country… Economic downturn
Growth of technology… Lazy guys rule.

Development of internet… Globalization happened;
Habile computer… Life locks up within hand.

Observation

The uncertain sky

Illuminates in illusion lights

The bright sun-shine

Drives off the dark side

The gloaming moon

Glimpse with gray shades

Thus beyond

Twinkles the stars

The concealed ocean

Ripple with immense species

Yet the transparent water

Hid by a astonishing beauty

Holding plenty of mystery

Yet to reveal and unknown

Certainly fall out inside the future.

Image courtesy: Google images

Back to future

Each step forward
takes aback
like the backup
that store current
to use further.

The future we seek
sought aback
the rushing life
buries aground
to reserve again.

In science
scientists seek aback
the world exists
where mighty research
waiting apace.

The infinite space
sails aback
the entire cosmic
where research
might hold endless.

The development
is laid back
on the destruction
where organisms
build on skyscrapers.

Footnote:

Wrote this afternoon while listening to twittering birds and thinking aback where future lies. I think there's nothing to create wonder than giving back what we take from here. Every development and technology is build for us not to destroy our sources and relationships, but easer our everyday life and bring equal opportunity to everyone to experience the life and resource spread everywhere.

Hello

The first word enrolled out of tongue as a universal language of introduction lead us to the immense phase of relationship with someone and whatever great speech does not begins without hello. It’s a kind of word bring strangers into one’s comfort zone and across oceans and to space the sound of hello allow one reveal the conversation beyond whatever the message conveyed.

From wake-up to sleep, hello plays a vital role in engaging conversation with anyone and phones calls being led to hold credit, took the word to every corner of this world as impossible to leading phrases without spelling it loud as a salutation it becomes a common title for everyone to use. Hello, alternative of hallo, hollo and hullo is said to come from Old High German and apart spelled similar in many languages Hullo expressed by Thomas Edison on surprise misheard to Graham Bell’s initial use of Ahoy as a telephone greeting.

Footnote:

Today is World Hello Day! Begun in response to the conflict between Egypt and Israel in the fall of 1973, the day is observed by greeting others as a message for world leaders to use communication rather than using force to settle conflicts.

On classic elements

Water

It quenches thirst
occupies two third of body
alike how on earth
its part is apart anything
and nothing works out without it

Fire

It comfort us with warmth
boils water to drink
helps to taste delicious recipe
its risk to play with it, as a sun
it gives energy to the entire earth

Wind

It soothe us with gently breeze
helps to float leaves
bears fragrance to sense
sent things to trash as typhoon
and we’re breathless without it

Space

The infinite sky
is an illusion to vision
lives up to the hues
with skyline separating
the earth and sky in no string

Earth

Basement to everything above
is place for immense species
as a chain all hooked either
and no matter what
gravity pulls to earth.

Write on thoughts that came this moment and added pictures from my archives.

Regards Land of rising sun

No need to say how intense and rage was the waves washout Japan after a strong earthquake which we all see on constant videos, want us to share mourn and set condolence waves to reach our fellow beings who suffer from the greater devastation and indefinite loss of lives that we all wish to come into cease. The thoughts have been around them these days and keeping in touch with news about the rescue operations and wishing the nuclear reactors are prevented from radiation which cause a greater alarm to people who suffered a lot and we no more to see them affect with the explosion and fail to cool reactors.
The tsunami has one again make realize at large how wealth we are couldn’t rescue from this disaster and seems precaution has helped them to save lot of lives except those lose to waves. Earthquakes and tsunamis are not new to Japanese who set their lives on motion and often trembles are an example to be courageous and rise from where lives have been shattered to ashes and debris and come foremost in line of technologies and ideas are sure to prove again they are no fainter.

Couldn’t avoid thoughts seeing the tides crush through sand while at beach on Sunday, we talked and remembered about our devastation from Indian Ocean tsunami which we are somehow glad to be unlike Japan which washout about 10km offshore is something partial to close Chennai. I am somehow fear to waves from childhood and hardly have memories standup at sea waves and after tsunami I am little more scared if tides are unusual or rage.

It’s really hard to image life without electric which we all entirely depend on need and even an hour current cut cause annoy and disturbance but there millions without electric is seriously a problem and lack of water to drink and lose of homes and livelihoods has brought life to the edge with minus temperature to survive. More over the scare over the leak of nuclear reactors has began to threaten people immensely sending away wakeup call for every nation to make sure their reactors are secure to withstand certain disasters. Things happen and we couldn’t change or stop the reaction and we are to learn lessons how to survive when such disaster strike us somehow. Let hope all our heartfelt wishes and condolence rays console their unconditional lose to waves and prevent radiation.

WCTC - 2010

The five days World Classical Tamil Conference end on Sunday and it was held like a grand festival with everyone’s attention towards it. There were dance, music, award presentations, exhibitions, processions and symposium by Tamil experts and watched by thousands and lakhs of Tamil people gathered in Coimbatore.
This is the first world Tamil conference held after Tamil receiving classical status, which is the oldest literature among the living languages of the world. I watch the beginning session of this conference inaugurated by the President of India Pratibha Patil before the innumerable Tamil people, who come in eager to learn more about Tamil and listening expert speakers praising the language.

It’s truly honor to see Tamil experts speak in literally and foreigners interest to take Tamil as there language and do research to learn more and exhibit the classic to world. It’s truly great to realize for the first time obviously such a conference being held and inspiring many people those desire to learn and read more about the glories language Tamil.

I too listen to few symposiums spoken by Tamil experts and it feels honor to say I speak Tamil. It’s simply an eye-opener in many ways to Tamil literature and its historic path, thus one of the speakers Jagath Gaspar’s words were touching sense and knowledge and his explanations where among the best about human unity being Tamil community . He says the elaborated DNA chart says Tamil community has crossed 78 generations.

I just think while that being Tamil doesn’t separate us from being unity in humanity and where I see human is a tree and he needs a piece of land to its root to stand and being Tamil it is the language of everything and whatever grows above the soil is equal to everyone. For instance Tamil is like our homes where we could walk bare footed and stay very comfort, but stepping out isn’t same and not every place is like our home. Where society is a common place with difference in everything, and to comes across or grain experience we need to wear something in common other than Tamil. So learning other languages or giving important to one isn’t wrong and well necessary, but there isn’t a comfort place like home, where we’re ourselves.

A language is for communication and we caught up with language which comes easier for us to communicate, but I feel shame that we often communicate with combine language. Tamil is a beautiful language and when it comes out from those experts it inspires a lot to communicate completely in Tamil! It could be a tough task, but I hope if we try we could speak easily and I have an interest in learning new words and meanings that we unknown or only known in other language which is almost English.

While celebrating Tamil as a classical language, hope those however follow the conference like me might get motivate to practice fluent Tamil without influencing other languages, which isn’t less in profound or prior to other. Let’s celebrate the language, the tool of communication and development in society and relationship.