RGB Monday

Here’s RGB Monday to keep away your Monday Blues and make feel colourful and yet cheerful! And this Link-in feature invites your colourful photos with the content of RGB – Red, Green, and Blue.

A small shrine of Ganesh attached to a house in our street on the intersection. People believe that having a Ganesh shrine or idol on an intersection keeps away misfortune. I find this shrine colourful to fit my RGB Monday series and thus the post. 

Peacock practicing dance steps

During a visit to Thiruvannamalai, popular for the Annamalai temple and hill, couple of year back, we come around the Girivalam Pathai (the road round the hill, where devotees take one full round during the full moon day, alike today) to have our lunch that we brought from home. Parking the car aside the road and shadow of the trees, we find many sadhus lying here and there on the footpaths and benches that rest alongside the road (to help devotees on the walk) and while relaxing after the lunch I get to see few beautiful peacocks and following one I got the pictures below.

It was wonderful to see them wandering freely and crossing the road round the hill which is almost empty except the festival days and they aren’t hurry or intend to hideaway rather move along the people and sadhus lied by. The entire road is quiet enough and almost greenish and could listen to birds chirrup and monkeys leaping around and some sadhus walkabout whom we provide food brought from home. Back home I found the photos shot on the peacock has nice foot movements that almost look alike few steps at dance. Hope u like the photos J

Look at the steps he put front (above 'n' below)

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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. 

RGB Monday

A colorful temple tower

click for enlarge

The unknown and look alike newly painted temple was shot at the heart of the holy city, Kanchipuram, last month when attending a cousin’s marriage. The city has number of temples and this temple tower in showy appearance caught my attention easily when slowly moved in traffic. 

Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram

While back from Kanchipuram, attending a cousin’s marriage last week, we stopped at the Varadharaja Perumal Temple in the suburb of the holy city or temple town Kanchipuram. Being interested in architecture, history and admiration for sculptures I couldn’t stop taking photos on temple towers, whatever the condition it may look, esp. the outstanding Rajagopurams (the main  gateway tower of big temples) alike.

The Vardharaja Perumal Temple tower is one of a marvelous building I started to shoot once entered the west Mada St., though I didn’t went inside the temple I enjoy taking photos on the Rajagopuram, a 130 feet tower in 7 tiers. Though there’s a belief that the temple was first built by the Pallava king Nandivarman II, was originally built by the Cholas in 1053 and expanded during their successive reigns.

The temple being one of the 108 Divya Desams (premium place/temple) of Vishnu and believed to have been visited by the 12 poet saints (Azhvars), has the tallest walls I ever seen at any temple which could be measures more than 30 feet height. The temple tower is painted in white and bottom is left raw with couple of sculptures and simple detail of pillars and designs on walls. Usually the Rajagopuram in big temples are supposed to be the tallest one, but in Varadharaja Perumal Temple, the eastern gopuram (tower) is taller that the western one, one you see here.

I have been inside the Varadharaja Perumal temple as a kid and remember touching the gold and silver lizards etched on the celling, which is a part of the temple complex. Apart that I couldn’t recollect anything, but the temple is famous for its architectural pieces, the huge stone chain sculpted in a single stone. There’s also a 100 pillared hall and sculptures depicting Ramayana and Mahabharata, is a masterpiece of Vijayanagara architecture.

Cart Procession and Home Ganesh

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated yesterday and due to the festival there was a cart procession from our street temple last night and I took some photos when the cart comes close to our house. Actually there are two Ganesh temples in our neighborhood, but the only one on our street was took to the street first and until 11 pm there wasn’t a sign of procession from the other temple, so we went  asleep and I have no idea whether it was taken to the street or not.

 

 

Following is our home Ganesh, an idol made of clay and it’s supposed to dissolve into a tub of water tomorrow as per the ritual. Usually these clay idols are immersed into the sea or any other water body but we are into dissolving process at home for less than a decade. Hope u liked these photos - click for enlargement :)

Mountain Pass of Kolli Hills and Arappaleeswarar Temple

Having our lunch at Senthamangalam, a town on the foothills of Kolli Hills and about 12 km from where the Ghat road with 70 hairpin bends begins! Among the mountain passes in south India, Kolli Hills has the highest number of hairpin bends. Though it perhaps sounds adventure and exciting and although it was, there’s nothing to fear about alike it resound dangerous – infamously called as the mountains of death, the travel for certain distance on this road is quite zigzag. An experienced driver could give a pleasure ride… and the road is good enough and wasn’t traffic alike other mountain passes could feel secure.

We climbed the mountains in the afternoon and the landscapes on the way till the foothills, from the town, were covered by farmlands, where paddy, sugarcane, palm coconut and areca are cultivated in large scale. I am thinking for a separate post on this to look more in detail. So, the almost ride on this mountain range were zigzag through evergreen forest until the first village atop the hill, Cholakkadu, emerge with a telescope house and farmers market. It was a beautiful ride with pristine beauty at every curve and except few sharp hairpin bends, where heavy vehicles are forced to take reverse as it is not possible to turn it one radius, it was pleasant indeed.

One of the sharp hairpin bends

An evergreen and pristine mountainscape

As I know Kolli Hills is famous for the herbal and medicinal plants with great potent, I kept breathe in deep the fresh air winding across the Ghat and believed it heals my respiratory which perhaps polluted to traffic environment in cities. Though I was disappointed somehow expose to the transformation of the mountain tops into farmlands, the calmness and leftover spaces of evergreen slopes keep me regain. We had booked rooms in the Panchayath Union cottage at Semmedu, the headquarters of Kolli Hils, but the rooms weren’t nice enough and that time we heard about the youth hostel near Arappalleeswarar Temple, in Kovilur.

Herbal forest at Kolli Hills

The youth hostel is about 11 km from Semmedu and we decided to check the place to know will it suitable for us, informing them to come back if we aren’t content. The road to the hostel takes us through some lovely farmlands and a mini falls, though the accommodation wasn’t that greater there, but the environment where it was built wanted me to stay over there. And it was slightly drizzling when we reached there, which add more pleasant to the moment and silent ambiance. The hostel is on the road to the Arappalleeswarar Temple, with a backyard facing mountains and valley apart holding a beautiful garden landscape within.

Arappalleeswarar Temple (click all pics for enlarge)

Being nearest to Arappalleeswarar Temple, it was our first spot to check out. No, I haven’t gone inside the temple and not only it has steps but I wasn’t interested then. The temple was the main attraction to the Kolli Hills only next to the Aagaya Gangai waterfalls, which closely exists to the temple and only people who are healthy and ability to climb down/up 1500 steps are permitted inside. Like I told in my previous post, the Arapalesswarar Temple was built by the mountaineer ruler and skilled archer Valvil Ori in the 1^st or 2^nd century CE during his regime. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and it also houses his entire family – Goddess Shakthi, Lord Vinayaa and Muruga. 

Indian Palm Squirrel

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

 

A note on memories:

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

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

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Kanniamman Temple, Kovalam

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

RGB Monday

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

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

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

Sunday Photos – Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi is a grand festival in India, devoted to Ganesha – a prime deity worshiped by Hindus. Here I like to share some photos relevant to festival at home and Ganesha procession from our street temples.

 The clay idol of Ganesha, bought for the festival at home

 Feast in front of the idol as a dedication and part of worshiping

 A worshiping process (burning camphor) before the clay idol was put to immerse

Clay idol of Ganesha immersed in tub water to dissolve... to be poured for plants and shrubs once turned liquid. This is a process we have been practicing for last 5-6 years, rather immersing into water bodies that result water pollution.

Couple of Ganesha procession (above and below) from our street temples on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi 

Sri Vidhya Ganapati Temple @ HIMT Campus

I have been on ECR (east coast road) many time, but haven’t led beyond Mamallapuram that much on the scenic road and during my occasional drives across Kalpakkam, I used to come across a Lil beautiful temple/shrine on the left side of the road and within a compound wall and gate, that led inside, the temple look pretty in white. During a course to Alambarai Fort few years back, I stopped and clicked pictures on the temple (from the road) but I haven’t noticed the name of the temple, the idol it hold, even more than 2-3 time I have passed the temple after that, I had no idea of looking beside.

But during my recent drive to Pondicherry, I come to know the name of the temple – Sri Vidhya  Ganapati Temple, from a board at the entrance. So it is a temple dedicated to Ganesha, also known as Ganapati and Vinayaka. At home when I Google with the name of the temple and locating it on the maps, I get to know the temple belong to the Hindustan Institute of Maritime Training (HIMT) and the temple is located at the entrance of their HIMT Pre Sea campus near Vengambakkam Junction, where one of the roads led to Kalpakkam Atomic Station. What interesting was the temple’s architecture, which enhances a style of Jain Temple? 

Sri Veera Anjaneyar Temple, Puthuppakkam

Last Thursday my father suddenly decided to visit the Thiruporur Murugan temple and by afternoon, along with my uncle’s family we head to the temple. And btw my uncle suggested checking the Anjaneyar temple on top of a small hill near Kelambakkam – about 35 km south of Chennai, which my parents and others wanted to do for a long time.

In front of the temple, from left: parents with uncle and aunt 

Sri Veera Anjaneyar Temple in the village of Puthuppakkam is 5 km from Kelambakkam, on the road towards Vandaloor, is the beautiful small temple situated atop a hill called Gajagiri hills. We know this temple from a very long time and those days it can be reached only by steps, that too in pathetic condition, never gave us a thought to  try  although we have passed this hillock many times.

A view from hilltop towards east... stretching across OMR and ECR and  far end with sea. 

My cousin who visited this temple few years back comes to discover a road has been built up to the hill top. And from that time onwards, I wanted to go to this temple to get some views around the area from the hill top, with SIPCOT IT Park as its backyard. So taking this as a wonderful opportunity, I also find it little exciting take the small road up the hill with couple of hairpin bends! It was cool and breezy, and awesome with views once atop.

The temple is told to have a strong connection with the Nithiyakalyana Perumal Temple in Thiruvadanthai, next to Kovalam in ECR. It seems, every year they set/said to follow a custom of carrying certain things as procession from the Anjaneyar Temple to Nithiyakalyana Perumal Temple in times of festival.  Thiruvadanthai being my grandmother’s native village, my mom used to indicate it always when coming across the temple.

As soon we reached the foothill, I was amazed, not just looking at the two big colorful statues of Hanuman and Karudazvar that stands upright on the either sides of the footsteps leading to the top. It was the place only recently I saw in a Tamil movie, where an action scene took place. There are 108 steps to reach the temple if one decides to take by foot, while enjoying the nature.

The temple believed to be 500-1000 years old, is also said to be that while carrying the Sanjeevi Hill to save Sri Lakshmana, Sri Anjaneyar stopped here for a while to perform Surya Namaskar. So he become so powerful at this place to named Veera Anjaneyar. The temple was quite calm and clean when we visited, but I couldn’t take more photos as I left my camera at home. Here are photos shot from my sister’s mobile. 

Temple torch on top of the hill, which is suppose to lit during special occasion

Karthigai Deepam @ Home and Neighborhood

Karthikai Deepam is a South Indian festival observed by Hindus on the full moon day of Tamil month Karthikai, which falls amid November and December. It is an occasion where rows of oil lamps are lit in every home and temples. Karthigai Deepam is essentially a festival of lamps and lighted lamps are considered as auspicious symbols and believed to drive off evil forces and let in prosperity and joy.

Though generally lighted lamps are important in festivals and rituals of Hindus, Karthigai Deepam is indispensable. We hold the festival of lamps yesterday at home and lit some limited oil lamps at the entrance and windowsills. A few of our neighbors had some splendid arrangements of lamps around their compound walls and stairs across our house-made feels good to the eyes and mind.

The construction office opposite our side entrance did wonderfully by lighting rows of lamps on their wooden stair and someone stood there to make sure all lamps kept burning. Our oil lamps couldn’t light long due to the wind but to my surprise, the lamps lit on the compound wall of our neighbors keep lighted. Only later mom said those are candle lamps. So what? I can’t understand the logic here.

Usually, mom used to light the lamps once Thiruvannamalai Deepam (a huge fire lamp, which is called Mahadeepam) was lit up on the hill, following a live relay on TV. Tiruvannamalai Karthigai festival is well-known, and millions of people go to the temple town to watch the Maha Deepam lit up on the hill.

Road experience and a day drive to Thiruvannamalai

These days the road travel has become frequent lose of signal i.e. vehicles come to standstill to every drop of red taillights even the traffic signal shows green. Heedless, we hit the GST road that too on the Monday morning hours has become a great setback towards the travel to Thiruvannamalai, which also delayed the progress. But glad it wasn't too late, since parent’s intended to be there before noon so that they don’t need to wait until 4 pm for the Annamalaiyar Temple to be open for worship. It has been a common rule in many big temples to close the corridor from public use between those times. If it was heavy traffic on the GST road (taking nearly an hour to pass the 10 km stretch between Chrompet and Vandalur), the road from Thindivanam to Thiruvannamalai is bad in condition. The road was cut a lot at many places and somewhere it was just single lane due to pending of road widening. The worst thing was there were no caution boards anywhere and the road suddenly goes down rough without a sign. It was so difficult maintaining a comfort ride, though I am a fan of off-roader, this kind of thing intrude when the intention was different.  My mother suffered a back pain coming out of this travel, though the road condition isn’t a cause quite but it could be one of the reasons to think.

We reached Thiruvannamalai by 12 noon and the Annamalaiyar Temple was opened till 12.30 due to some ritual happening with the pre-Karthigai event. I stayed (as usual) at the car along with my cousin bro, while others went into the temple; it was a hot day and we parked the car at the open parking in front of the temple (from where I shot the temple tower) facing the majestic Raja Gopuram. At 217 feet in height with 11 stories, this temple tower is one of the tallest temple towers in India, and it was built by Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara Empire. We waited for nearly an hour under the hot sunshine, switching on/off the a/c and watching things happening around. I find a group of 4-5 aged women coming around the parked cars and asking for money, and I noticed that they were doing this like a business. They pick up 5 or 10 ₹ from each and equally share the money, and one of them even asked us for 1 ₹ change so that she could share fairy the amount. Even the one who appointed to collect parking ticket would miss one or two vehicles, but escaping from these ladies seems uneasy and they come blocking the vehicle when it’s suppose to leave.

Sadhus of Thiruvannamalai

The parents return with cups of Puliyotharai (tamarind rice) from the temple, known that I like it so much and it taste was also really delicious. My aunt had brought lunch for us along with her from home and we bought Pakoda from the bakery and headed to the Girivalam road of Annamalai hill to have lunch. Girivalam is a Tamil word which “giri” refer for hill and “valam” means coming around.  Every full moon day people undertake a pilgrim by coming around the hill, which is 14 km in distance by road to come one full round. I like this road for which it travels partially on quiet, calm and green environment and being on this road already once, I couldn't think any other place (or best) to have lunch in a picnic format when questioned where? This road has number of benches to slabs (which are laid for the devotees to take brief rest while on their pilgrim around the hill) on both side of the road which helped us having lunch at comfort seating. I also saw many Sadhus sitting and sleeping on the pavements along the road, and as we feed couple of Sadhus who were resting and on foot, they blessed and wished us in humble.

While retuning on the same route to home, we took diversion at Chengalpattu to avoid the heavy traffic that lagged in morning as we experienced to never turn that side during morning and evening. We always encounter heavy traffic on GST road while coming into Vandalur, and to make it congestion happens the building of Outer Ring Rd. I have crossed Gingee couple of times while heading to Thiruvannamalai, but this time decided to stop at the foothill of Gingee Fort (Queen) on the northern side of the road to take few photos and brief on the area. The view from there was beautiful and enrich in green paddy fields and looking up the fort incredibly built on top of boulders hill! The way to the fort hill was inviting with lawn on both sides, but the closed gate doesn't seem to open to me even if I have brought my wheelchair along with this travel.  It was disappointing to see that many lakes and pools (along the way) were gone dry without traces of water. The Madurantakam Lake, one of the biggest in Kanchipuram district was quite desert look. But I was so glad to see a new flyover emerged across the railway crossing that connects Chengalpattu with Thirukalukundram and Kalpakkam.

Gingeer Fort (Queen Hill)

It is a very important railway crossing and number of vehicle cross this gate everyday to reach other end towns. We have great experiences waiting at this railway crossing many times while visiting my great aunt who stayed at the suburb of Chengalpattu. Anything they want to buy has to come across the railway crossing after waiting long time for the railway gate to open.  The junction that called as Rattinakinarau has been totally different in circumstance now and I could apparently see drastic changes in the landscape on both the sides and new hope (light) sparkling all over. After long time I quite come across the Chengapattu-Thiruporur road with great surprise at the smooth road, which ever seemed to be same. Perhaps first time in the history of the creation of the road that took a new soft surface and wider in space. The Chengapattu-Thiruporur has been a single lane less than 5 years before and only a vehicle could pass at a time and one has to go off-road to give way to another. But now, glowing in surprise, the driving has become quite different on this road and any vehicle could overtake one other such easily and even two petrol bunks has sprout amid the forest and farmlands! 

Balamurugan Temple, Thandikudi (Fairly equivalent to Palani)

Situated atop a hill, shouldering with mountains overlooking the village, the Balamurugan Temple in Thandikudi is devoted to Lord Murugan and it is believed that only from here that Lord Muruga cross jumped to reach Palani, while he was anger with his parents over the contest between the siblings, to who own the Gnanapalam (wisdom fruit) by coming around the world. It is also believed that Lord Muruga stayed at this hill for some time, defeated the monster Idumban to convert him as his devotee before make Palani (one of the two hillocks which Idumban carried as Kavadi from Kailash) as one of his abode.

Sri Balamurugan Temple

The Balamurugan Temple is said to be 2,000 years old, but the temple that exists today is built on the belief that Lord Muruga appeared in the dreams of Sri La Sri Pandrimalai Swamigal (a Siddhar or saint) and ordered him to build a temple for him on the Thandikudi hill, from where he cross jump to Palani.  He is also believed to show the exact place – where the temple is built – by lighting some torch on the hill, and the people who went there were surprise to see a footprint (which is believed to be Lord Muruga’s) on the rock and image of peacock gripping a snake on the adjacent.  Thus believed that Lord Muruga has went to Palani only from Thandikudi and the benefit of visiting Palani is said to be fulfilled only if they appear at Balamurugan Temple.

Quite tranquil environs of the temple

The road to the temple, that begins at the Regional Coffee Research Station passes through coffee and cardamom plantations. The temple situated at a height of 500 feet above the Thandikudi village, has pretty good road to reach by car or take a leisure walk. The slightly showered weather was refreshing while we drew on the newly tar road. It was also exciting to know that we passed a prehistoric site where megaliths were found, which we actually unaware until someone explained at the village. But later at home checking the photos, I find that we have shot some pictures on the site that lay beside the road, without knowing what it was.

Fabulous view from the temple

The Balamurugan temple is also a wonderful panoramic viewpoint that overlooks the village of Thandikudi and surrounding mountains. The drizzling weather put me at hesitate, initially, whether to climb down or not the car to explore the place, but glad I did so and went around the pretty green and quite calm environment,  despite the voices of boys playing cricket outside the temple premises. There’s a small Ganesha shrine in front of the temple and it is a four pillared hall with idol enclosed in gate. The prime temple is also a hall based structure which was extended by curved sheet roofing and a small temple tower adorn with colorful idols and Kalasam (bass pot).

Enclosed Ganesha shrining

The hilltop provides amazing photo opportunity to capture the village and cloud passing mounting from the side of temple, where the torch is believed to drag the attention of people to build the temple there. They have also built a room for the torch, which seems to light on special occasions and to give company to events, the temple has a gold coated chariot for procession. The rocks beside the temple said to have ever flowing natural spring, which revered as scared water. And sand found at a height of 75 feet from the temple is offered as Prasad to devotees. Just like Palani, devotees to Balamurugan temple also carry Kavadies during the festival of Panguni Uthiram.

Driving down the valley (the road leads from the temple

Note on info:

Balamurugan Temple is situated at a height of 1500 meter in the Western Ghats of Palani Hills. Thandikudi is 40 km from Kodaikanal and Vathalagundu is 45 km and Palani about 92 km. The temple is open to public from morning to evening.  ( click location below for Google map on the place)