Monday, June 06, 2016

RGB Monday

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A shop displaying colorful plastic utensils at Kodaikanal

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Me and MRI

I never thought or imagined an MRI (scan) could be such torture!  I took an MRI for the whole spine yesterday to study the course of my scoliosis and to clarify the discomfort I am going through in the lower abdomen, for last few days. I have taken CT scans earlier and I was thinking MRI would be similar to it, and could be taken in few minutes, but the first dismay came when I learn that no wheelchair or stretcher is allowed inside the scanner room. The MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine seems to have a gravity to pull metal things and so I have to leave the wheelchair outside and my brother lifted me and lay on the scanner. Unexpectedly a coin from his pocket was pulled into the machine and only then I understand the magnetic attraction the machine holds. 

Before they put into the machine made sure that no metal is attached to the body and also no polyester is worn. They cover the face with a mask like thing and the head was tightly tapped to the sides to prevent moment. I could manage these things and lying for 45 minutes and motionless isn’t that stressful but the sounds that raises from the machine make me tensed.  The machine develops different constant beats that enough to create headaches to feel terrific. I just want to shout to stop these and discontinue the exam, but tried to be patient and bring peace of mind. I closed my eyes almost the scanning period perhaps to keep away my scare and being tensed. Glad there wasn’t anything difficult at breathe and mom sitting at a corner of the room gives me little comfort, though any moment is banned inside the rooms during the process.

Out of my control, I was praying for the moment to come to an end.  It was pretty cool inside the room and I was trying not to shiver and it was great sigh of relief when I hear the door was opened and pulling out of the machine my first question at the diagnostic person was is it finished? The technology has developed a lot and I wonder why anyone didn’t find a way to keep away the terrific resounding of this MRI.  I felt like I would never go for an MRI again but I should be glad that I unaware about this process until experienced myself to keep away the pre-tense. Except few remarks on scoliosis and lordosis the report has comes out almost normal! Looking forward to check with the doctor tonight and I am feeling slightly pain in the abdomen lately, hope all is well soon.  

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Fences around mountains pass and valley

During my recent travel to Kodaikanal, I come around fences/barriers along the mountain pass that make certain safe passing. The photos (below) were shot along the Palani-Kodaikanal road in which I traveled for first time to reach Kodai. This is a former road to Kodai before the prime route from Batalagundu was carved out of mountains.

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Fence along  the valley
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Motion blur created by our  moving car
P.S. Sorry for not updating frequently here and miss reading many of yours… The weather is terrific hot here and I am almost feeling tired and unlike to eat anything… and also lack concentration on things to keep me away from here and other activities. Hoping for better situation to blog and continue reading. 

Saturday, May 21, 2016

NOTA and other Parties

I see a high number of NOTA (none of the above) this time in the Tamil Nadu state election...  I need to say I don’t support it quite. I see it's an option to choose only if we think/consider all the candidates in a constituency are unfit. But before we head to poll a vote we should aware who are contesting, and whose words are promising, reliable and yet realistic. I don't know people think voting to nota as a fashion statement? But rejecting everyone blindfold isn't a democracy. We are forced to survive among thorns and what we should see is which one is less sharp… I support for a change, but in a largest democratic country like us it will take time and people has to come out of their comfort zone to choose their candidates and parties.

As expected there had been a heavy competition between the two prime parties of Tamil Nadu and   both has come close in defeating each other in minimum number of votes… thanks to the 3rd front and other parties to go on individual rather making an alliance. Though they all witnessed defeat in all constituencies (never like before), it only helped the prime parties gaining more than enough seats to form a govt. and strong opponent. The ruling party (ADMK) has come to power once again with majority of seats and ever in a history of an opposite; DMK has scored an increasingly large number of seats to hopefully to see a healthy debate. With any other parties having voice for people, the DMK has more responsibility to preserve and restore people’s rights and need in assembly.

Apart many complain of money distribution for voting (which is true) from both the parties, the 3rd and 4th level parties losing the deposit only proves their wrong calculation and blindfold confident. Overall they are planned to praise themselves than making a strategic. Apart making freebies and implementing complete prohibition there isn’t anything prudential in their manifesto (including the prime parties) and making an alliance in a short period and indifference attitudes put them down front. Though change is their main goal but the way they chose to be wrong… a change could be happen only step by step, just the way prohibition should be, because a sudden change will not be healthy always and long-lasting is doubtful. 

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

A brief note on my travel to Kodai

I would like to say it was a great escape from the scorching heat of Chennai (but the weather is pleasant now due to summer rain) for less than a week... but it was quite terrific until reaching the foothills of Kodaikanal and way back to home. Yes, I had a fabulous vacation come travel last week to the princess of hills, Kodakanal. The destination isn’t new for me and I love being there and times no matter, but this time it was really different, wonderful and exciting only because of the things done, routes traveled and the place of stay. Every time I visit Kodai I try to explore something new and make sure leisurely the drive. As planned we headed to Kodaikanal first through the Palani Ghat section which I really wanted to do for very long time. I have been more than 6 times to Kodai and first time I got to explore this route and I really need to say it is very natural and scenic than the prime route (via Batlagundu) to Kodaikanal.

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Things were fine until reaching Kodai, but we couldn’t stay over there due to some unsuitable lodging. We have a friend there who used to book cottages for us every time and this time he slightly went ahead with sloped terrain which supposed  to be very difficult  and the couple of cottages we checked hold great views but where tilted either up or down.  So with no other option and time to search (as it was about 8pm) we decided to move to Thandikudi to stay at my uncle’s newly built woodhouse come cottage. We actually planned to stay at woodhouse but I wanted to explore an interior area, which could be easily accessible from Kodai so I liked staying there for couple of days before move to Thandikudi. It was 10pm when we reached the woodhouse and past Kodai it started to shower heavily and all the bags tied to the car top were drenched.

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Winding wet ghat road
The next day turned out to be the most exciting part of my vacation, an off-road ride in Jeep to a waterfall near Thandikudi. It was indeed an unexpected ride and I didn’t believe I could seat inside a Jeep but it all happened only because of my brother. It is a complete off-road ride I ever had and we crossed a small river and had fun all together. The other day I took a long drive on the mountains leading all the way to Kilavarai, the last public accessible destination in Kodaikanal hills, where the famous Escape Road (a trail road that connect Kodai-Munnar) begins. It was entirely a very scenic pass, with rolling grasslands and terrace framing taking place on either side, the cold breeze continue to caress from the tall pine and eucalyptus trees. It took my entire day taking plenty of photos including birds and wild flowers.

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Had a exciting jeep ride - inside me
Uncle’s woodhouse (in Thandikudi) is a very pleasant abode for nature lovers and it has a wonderful balcony to bird watch at the backyard. Though the woodhouse is built close to the road, it sense amazing to listen to birds chirping from all sides and felt serene almost to name as Serene Woods. My recommend to Thandikudi would be mainly for bird watching and the pristine natural environment exits among the coffee, pepper and orange plantations aside canopy of tall trees of different species. Staying there, I also visited Parappalaru Dam. About 45 km from there, the travel to the dam was through vast coffee plantations, beautiful villages and forest region with a pristine lake among the dense. By this travel I covered almost nooks of the Kodaikanal Hills but still feel there’s more to experience and explore at leisure. Hope to share more my experience in future/further post. 
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My uncle's woodhouse

Saturday, May 07, 2016

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

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.

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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

Thursday, May 05, 2016

Signal Problem

After shifted to my current location and close to my native house in Adyar, Chennai, I chose to go to our family doctor for the check-ups in my wheelchair rather taking the car since the clinic is about a km from home. But the only difficult I face during this course was crossing the LB Road, the main road that connects Adyar and Thiruvanmiyur signals. Though there was a zebra crossing and separate signal for pedestrian to cross the road (near hotel Lakshmi Sagar), it wasn’t literally difficult, but until only the signal works.  
The signal i have pointed out here
The signals flashing orange (which means cross with caution) is a common one in the cities at night and it usually take place only after 10pm when the traffic comes down, but when it happens as early as 9 pm (which is also a peak hour in cities like Chennai) crossing the road is a challenge. Some vehicles stop to give way when seeing me in wheelchair to cross the road, but we can’t expect the same compassion from public buses and bikes. They kept moving even the signal turned red really scare me to cross and travel aside the road.  

My cousin brother used to come along with me and when the signal shut down he blocks the vehicles to let me cross the road. For me it shows the irresponsible and laziness of the traffic police to shut down the signal when there was still heavy traffic. Other day I was close to the signal and before I cross it turned flashing orange and vehicles started to cross from all directions turned to be difficult. I notice to amaze the signal next to this was working and regulating the traffic and here we are in trouble crossing the road. The traffic signals are automated and I don’t find there could be any difficult for the traffic cop to regulate but still switching off only sends frustration.

Monday, May 02, 2016

RGB Monday

Merry go round @ Marina Beach, Chennai  

Merry Go Round

The colorful merry-go-round is a hand cranked or motor driven produces fun and amusement to both adults and kids.

Saturday, April 30, 2016

Little Cormorants, Underwater Swimmers

Like never before I saw number of Little Cormorants during my recent visit to Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, about 80 km from here. These birds are very commonly found in the water bodies around Chennai, but not in numbers that’s uncountable. Vedanthangal invites lot of birds from across the globe but this time little cormorants took large numbers into the account. 

Little Cormorants

The Little Cormorants are a member of the cormorant family of seabirds, slightly smaller than the Indian cormorant; it lacks a peaked head and has a shorter beak. The bird sized between 50 to 55 cm in length and weighing up to 530 grams is widely distributed across the Indian Subcontinents and extends east to Java, where it is sometimes called Javanese cormorant.

Little Cormorants @ Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary

The bird looks entirely back in the breeding season but the plumage is brownish and the throat has a small whitish patch in the non-breeding season. It forages single or sometimes in loose groups in lowland freshwater bodies, including small ponds, large lakes, streams and sometimes coastal estuaries. Like other cormorants, it is often found perched on the waterside with its wings spread out after coming out of the water.

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Little cormorants produce low roaring, grunting and groaning sounds comprising low pitched ah-ah-ah and kok-kok-kok’s. They swim underwater to capture fishes and propel themselves using their webbed feet. But the captured fishes are often brought up to the surface to swallow them and during that time others birds including their fellow cormorants, painted storks and egrets may attempt to steal them. 

Linking this post for Saturday Critters

Thursday, April 28, 2016

It’s Summer

Summer Sunset
Sunset @ Muttukadu backwaters
Summer brings a sigh of relief
with schools enclosed for vacation
students chose to chase their passion
like gushing water in search of roots.

While summer curse to scorch
the compassion of sea breeze bless,
blissful moments to surpass
with flock of birds flag off to home.

Summer brings up the memories
that neither forgotten nor went down
with multiple layers adding on latterly
the calm afternoon winds up the dust.

Summer breaks the age barrier
where everyone likes to have ice creams,
fruit juices and tender coconuts
cool down our entire system.

Like every season that has an essence
summer delivers radiant sunshine,
where shoot, unripe fruits and flowers
regenerate under the natural hood sun. 

Though summer being a dry season
there isn't scarce for happiness,
and when the back itches for scratch
the urge for mountain's dew become firm.

Monday, April 25, 2016

RGB Monday

Baby walker of my neighbor's one and a half year old kid, Achu!

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Other day, after his play, he left his baby push walker outside the home and I used that opportunity to click on the colorful walker to share on my RGB Monday. He has a habit of leaving things outside wherever he play and later his mom collect them all. Achu’s family is just two months old to our compound and he developed an attachment towards my mom very soon and even our pet dog maintain silence when he enters our home freely. He’s very quiet unless he joins with other kids and he hadn’t started to talk yet except calling amma and appa (mom-dad) but he’s understandable and point out on things he wanted and mentions what. The thing I appreciate in him was he never takes away things from others, even though he doesn’t take food easily from his mom, he refuse anything we give him to eat. I leave this post with his photo below:   

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Saturday, April 23, 2016

Crow Assignment and Dog Behavior

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I used to stroll around the home in the evenings in kind of getting breeze and one day I causally looked at the custard apple tree (pic above) in front of our house but outgrown from the neighbor's compound, and found a male crow breaking the sprigs of the tree by going on the withered or easily breakable. Early summer the leaves were all parted and now it looks as if it started to shoot again and there’s already couple of little custard apples hung around… the crow seemed patient in finding the right sprig that’s easily achievable and it didn’t few away with the sprigs but dropped each after the break up. Later it few away and I left wonder. I know birds collect sprigs/sticks only if they are building nest and so I was sure the crow should be nesting somewhere and all the break ups for that.

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What I really wonder was does the crow (or any bird species) built the nest at this time was because they know it is the season where trees withered to produce more sticks or it’s a coincident where nesting of birds and fall happens at same. I think in Tamil Nadu the fall season was between February-March.  During a visit to Topslip in mid Feb, I saw abundant of leaves filled across the forest and mountain pass and upon which I inquire to know it was the fall season there. Before I stop wondering, I was amused at the sight which followed. Where a female crow flew in collecting the sticks on the ground that was broke down by the male crow. As I went near the gate I find numbers of sticks were parted by him. I really loved the cooperation between them in building the nest and producing their offspring’s in fall season!

I think the male crow was very concern about building the nest and helping his partner, as I saw him other day on another tree with the same assignment.  The crow in the flight (picture above) wasn’t shot at pointing at the bird, but fell into image when taking some photos at Elliots beach.  

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Another interesting sight I got to watch outside the gate on the following days was, a stray dog munching on grasses! First I thought it was sniffing something but it was actually chewing on a patch of grass on the roadside. I have heard dogs eat grass, but ever seen one before. Our pet dog, Maya, used to eat raw vegetables like beans and carrot and not grasses like the one seen above.  Upon this, I browsed the net to know: that a dog eating grass is actually quite common and this form of pica is considered as normal dog behavior. And grass eating doesn’t usually lead to throwing up -- less than 25% of dogs that eat grass vomit regularly after grazing. Other suggested reasons why dogs might be eating grass include improving digestion, treating intestinal worms, or fulfilling some unmet nutritional need, including the need for fiber.

Linking this post for SaturdayCritters

Friday, April 22, 2016

Songs that stole my heart


It’s been sometime I felt awesome listening to a song, but this time I got to experience two at a time although both has similar tones, its pleasure to listen either the  Telugu or Tamil versions of Prema Parichayame, which in Tamil as Naan Un Azhaginile from the upcoming Tamil movie 24. A.R. Rahman has composed the songs and Chinmayi’s sweet rendering in Tamil and Telugu was immersing along with Hriday Gattani (Telugu) and Arijit Singh (Tamil) lending their male voices cause a soothing effect in Madan Karky’s heartfelt lyrics.


Though listening the songs back to back, I was impressed more by the feel caused by Prema Parichayame than the Tamil lyric based song Naan Un. Beyond the language and understanding, the music and rendering touched me deep to mummer the song without my knowledge. Apart the above two, Punnagaye, another melody from the album is also commendable and so beautiful. The song has couple of my favorite singers - Haricharan and Shashaa Tirupati, who has been around sometime and whose songs are almost my favourite. 

Punnagaye....

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Park Fence

Hope you remember the beautiful sculpture of traditional women I posted here, and today’s image covers some of the sculptures the way they erected across the park, in a line.

Park Fence

The fence in front of it separates the parking lot and the small park of the restaurant where he had lunch during our trip to Kumbakonam. 

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

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.

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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.

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One of the sharp hairpin bends
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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.

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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.

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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 1st or 2nd 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. 
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Saturday, April 16, 2016

Indian Pond Heron @ the edge of the Lake

At the end of the neatly paved trail at Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, which we visited last week, I find an Indian Pond Heron stalk prey at the edge of the lake. The bird very common in India, usually forage alone and can be missed easily just the way stalk prey in the pictures below.

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The Indian pond heron or paddy bird is a small heron, widely distributed across India and its bordering countries and in the Persian Gulf, it is found in Iran, Oman and UAE.   Appear stocky with a short neck; the breeding plumage (which is in the images) has dark brown patches on white unlike non-breeding birds that have white plumage streaked in olive and brown.

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doesn't it look beautiful with the reflection in water?
Measuring 40 to 45 cm in length and weighing about 230 to 275 grams, and wingspan to 75 to 90 cm, the bird has a greenish bill with black tip and yellow eyes. The prominent feature of the bird was it transforms its appearance when take off with flashing bright white wings in contrast to their dull body colors.

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a non-breeding plumage is also present in  the pic above
Apt to their name, they inhabit around ponds and pools mostly, apart marshes, rivers, streams, paddy fields… the birds feeds on fishes, frogs, crustaceans, insects and small reptiles, usually from the edge of the pond. 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Friday, April 15, 2016

Floral Bowl

The bowl maybe small – in brass
Filled with red rose petals
And a hub white rose.      
                           
Flowers Bowl

Like chef garnish a dinner
Mom’s simple floral order
Adorn our tea table. 

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Linking this post with Floral Friday Foto

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Shot from a road travel

My visit to Kolli Hills happened to be from Palani rather directly from Chennai as we were on a course of roundabout visiting the temple town following Thanjavur. We started from Palani after having the breakfast and reached Kolli hills by late afternoon via Dharapuram and Karur. The roads to the destination were partially a state and national highways – the NH 7, and during that course I shot some photos that made this post.

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Above is a beautiful emblem I noticed at an intersection before entering the Dharapuram town. The emblem resembles a burning lamp to me and at other perspective I find fingers holding a ring with fire inside. (click photos for enlargement)

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Men traveling on a mini tempo or locally known as china yanai (the Tata Ace) on  NH 7 (check the photo below to know where it was shot) and being morning hours, I guess they were supposed to carried to their workplace.

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Sign boards indicating the distance of the destinations ahead and aside.

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View of a hillock come hill temple of lord Muruga captured from an over bridge on the same highways.

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At last come’s trucks of two with load of tractors and the number plate of the truck marks MH, which I guess is transported to Maharashtra – an Indian state.

Sunday, April 10, 2016

A visit to Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary

I visited the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, about 80km from Chennai, on Friday. And this was the first outing with my grandmother after grandfather passed away in December. I have been to Vedanthangal more than couple of times but only this time I find (or went on seeing) a huge arrival of birds, and most of them were Painted Stork and Little Cormorants followed by moderate numbers of Grey pelican, Back-headed ibis, Little and Great egrets and Spoonbill.

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A scenic  view across the bird sanctuary,  shot by my brother from the  watch tower
Vedanthangal is the oldest lake bird sanctuary in the country and the steps to develop it into a bird sanctuary has started as early as 1798 when the British government realized the ornithological importance of the region. The small lakes dotted this area acts as feeding grounds for the birds, so it was attracted by variety of birds. Vedanthangal, meaning hamlet of the hunter, got its name from the act of hunting of birds by the local landlord in the early 18th century.

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Painted Storks on a withered bamboo shrub
Though the Vedanthangal Lake was declared as bird sanctuary in 1972, it has a unique history where the local populace provide protection to the sanctuary for centuries. The locals realized that the birds dropping falling into the lake create an effect (liquid guano), and when the water is used to irrigate crop fields it yield greatly and saves the fertilizers cost.  And due this the locals protect the sanctuary and thus it attracts around 40,000 birds every season, with an area of only 30 ha.

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Proving that, the other side of the lake (pic above) was flourished in a golden/green meadow of paddy field! While being fascinated by the birds that decorate the number of trees stood inside the lake, the vast paddy fields on the opposite confront its scenic beauty upon growing sunset was stunning. The paddy fields with little/great egrets foraging is always a beautiful sight and one could not miss such views during a visit to Vedanthangal.

Painted Storks, Juvenile
Painted storks, juveniles, standing on their nests
We had been to Vedanthangal in the evening unlike my previous visits in afternoon; I was amazed at the number of birds. But when the evening started to immerse, as sun continue to keep down its effect, many flock of birds resume to the lake after foraging in surrounding lakes. When we arrived the noise of birds weren’t louder unlike it gets darker and it seems it’s the nesting season for Painted Storks, as we saw many juvenile birds of same standing all-over the nests.

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A  group of spot-billed pelicans, little cormorants and  egrets occupies the trees
Birds migrate to Vedanthangal mostly in winter season (between October-March), but this time due to the torrential rains in December there’s enough water in the lake for the birds to extend their stay. Right now, it is estimated to be about 15,000 birds at the sanctuary. Apart the plenty of painted storks, little cormorants and grey pelicans, I tried to observe variety of birds but was amused to find spoonbills, openbills, a grebes and night heron, only at home when checking the photos!

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The watch tower that used to have a telescope, but it seems to be miss this time. The neat pavement along  the lake.
Although we brought a binocular, it was little painful to watch through the pair of lenses but I loved the close view somehow. Vedanthangal has a pretty neat and flat pavement along the lake bank allowed me covering the entire stretch in my wheelchair. There are couple of watch towers and view points along the footpath to observe birds and I find more interesting shooting birds this time.  At the end of day, we were left with a magnificent sunset with flock of birds flew in foreground.

I took number of photos and it’s impossible to post all at a time… so decided to make many posts out of it and more details on birds. 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Thursday, April 07, 2016

Cottage Gate and Pet

One of the cottages gates in Kodaikanal, where we stayed during a visit.

Gate and Pet

The picture was shot on a morning hour before we move out on sightseeing the pristine mountains, leisurely.  Our pet dog Maya was also ready to accommodate us and I was outside shooting some photos around, and Maya’s present on this photo is unintended but I liked it later revealing. Anywhere I go, I chose to be outside rather taking rest inside the room and not only because I believe life begins outside the window, I was always attract to the environment more than the structure we stay inside.