Summer Spy

The sun shines as bright 

As winter shields are removed; 

Bare the sky, fall sunlight 

On anything apparent on earth.

The sun supervises, for 

A perfect timing of spring/summer 

And leaves, being fragile 

Fall prey easily to sun’s radiant.

The sun splashed its colour 

Of yellow, on leaves that were green 

As ripe falls to ground; the earth

Becomes a yellow carpet to walk.

The sun changes its path 

A journey from south to north

Emit great radiant, to dry leaves 

Crushed later underfoot.   

RGB Monday

Load of utensils...

And colorful plastic pots and baskets on back of a bike, on the outskirt of Chengalpattu town, near to Chennai. It was shot at morning, so the vendor seems just about to kick start his business day, riding through many streets and nearby villages selling the utensils. 

Proposal

Pic courtesy: google

She blew his heart
like bubbles; dreams
went in air, transparent
that anyone could see
along the hideaway secrets.

Inclusive of love
that he ever exhibited
went in air, surprised
she felt so to standstill
running down the memory lane.

Eyes meet endlessly
yet, embarrassed to resume
helped herself to compose
a smile across her lips
shy away secretly.

Boy noted the changes
sigh, smile exit his face
and before things turn different
went on knees, confess
as if he couldn’t grab a chance.

Her eyes couldn’t believe
neither refused the proposal
tears down the cheeks
smile full of faces, frozen
when a gentle kiss fall on lips.

RGB Monday

My colorful Pongal Pot

I created this lighted Pongal pot for the last month’s Pongal festival. I painted an old little earthen pot and wrapped led serial light around it and placed a bunch of paper on top for the bubbling shape. I placed it on the balcony during the festival nights and many passers-by take a look on it. 

TELC Jubilee Church (aka German Church), Kodaikanal

Every time I decide to travel, even if the destination was same, I do some research for any new places to see because I think only if there’s a search for something a travel would be interesting.  And old is something always fascinate me and top my list of places to see, more than anything newly constructed. If you’re a follower of my blog, would know Kodaikanal is a beautiful place where I had yearly vacation in last several years and have covered overall places, but still my search of places haven’t end or doesn’t seem to. And one such place I visited in recent times was the century old TELC Jubilee Church.

Kodaikanal has many historic places esp. churches that are more than 100 years old, built during British regime and TELC (Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church) is a cute little church with unique architecture that really made me wonder have I seen anything similar in construction. It has a cylindrical bell tower to capture our attendance at glance and constructed in granite stones, the church still looks amazing in its original structure and features. As it located on a small hill mound, one need to climb the rock stairs to reach the door front, opening a small wooden gate at the entrance what resisted me further going up close to church.

We visited the church in evening after going through another historical church (which I would write about later) and the weather was pleasant with mild sunshine as we went in search of the church. It took us sometime to find the church as many unknown about it when enquired at the locality and Google maps did wrong locating as well; the church hide away like a treasure in a patch of woods cover above the upper lake road in Pambarpuram area of Kodaikanal. My parents, grandma and bro went up to the church, to capture some photos on my behalf and they were invited by someone in charge, took them around and explained about the church.

Dad, mom and grandma posed in front of church

The church was founded in 1906, by the Germans and the Swedes who emigrated over a century ago in Pambarpuram area of Kodaikanal and the church practiced worship in four languages: German, Swedish, English and Tamil, from the following year. In 1919, the Tamil congregation of different German, Danish, and Swedish Lutheran missions joined together to form the Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church (TELC). And following the independence of India, in 1947, the Germans and the Swedes agreed to the self-administer of the church by Tamil people and later on to till date the worship is conducted in Tamil by designated priest.  

What I think special about the church was its architecture of German and Sweden, though I have any idea of its architectural style, its unchanged look of ancient beholds. The church still holds the sacred objects leftover by the Germans and the bell outside the church is also a German established in year 1923, and the name of the church is engraved on the bell in Tamil. The sound of bell is heard up to 2 km in radius. I find the entire atmosphere of the church is quiet and being evening, the birds’ noise was pleasant as natural prayers.  TELC Jubilee Church is a different aspect of Kodaikanal, from the regular tourist places, but I hope the future won’t be the same.

RGB Monday

A colorful Kolam from neighborhood...  

Captured from the evening walk (in wheelchair) on the day of Pongal and the Kolam looked bit scattered by the time I shot as it was drawn early in morning. 

Delight through Sunlight

It was a fresh morning just out of dews, wrapped in warm sunlight as we moved out of the woodhouse in mountains (of lower palani hills in Kodai) the sun was dazzling above the sky even before it was 8 am. It was a coldest night of December blanketed quite in mist, clouds and rain and a day and two night stay at the woodhouse wasn’t different from the mentioned above until we hit the road sparkled in  dazzling sunlight.

The trip to the woodhouse then was a short break from our drive to Munnar, and the weather was awesome at both the places contrary to the splendid sunshine we had on the morning when we moved out of the woodhouse. It was blissful getting into the sunlight from an experience of overcast and mist weather for a week, thanks to the Ockhi cyclone formed in the ocean then, though it created a great damage in southern India it treated us well with multiple waterfalls flowing down the mountains and adventurous drives through dense fog and forests.

Further down the hills on road, the ride became magical with many light and shadow moments waived in front, with sun filtered its energy rich rays through natural foliage. The rain soaked mountains, trees and roads all sparked in sunlight radiates joyful ride and this is something I always enjoy anytime we pick up a return journey in morning. The play with light and shadow continued all the way to foothill but it wasn’t a sunny day all the way to Chennai rather many surprises waited ahead what I could share with image later.

Linking this post with ShadowShot Sunday2 

Postbox

The postbox hangs out 
collect letters, addressed by

postman in person.

P.s. Image captured from a evening walk in neighbour.

Pongal 2020

Mom's colorful floral Kolam

It’s more than a week since Pongal passed off gracefully, and as expected we had a traditional Pongal made in earthen pot and firewood stove into the balcony, just like the previous year. The day began with mom and aunt drawing colourful Kolams at the gateway and below the balcony (what you seen in the previous post) and we got ready wearing the latest cloths and skipped the breakfast to have an early lunch with Pongal. Mom arranged for the bricks and firewood a day earlier to the festival and late in the morning of Pongal aunt joined mom in preparing Pongal and arranging of things.

The Pongal pot bubbled up well and sustained in its overflowing state sometime for me to capture the moment.  Though it is believed as a sign of welcoming the year and good harvest, I see the real happiness and concern was getting together with the family of uncle and thanksgiving the nature in unison because Pongal isn’t a religious festival to hold back into the home, it is a dedication to farmers and nature what coexists in deciding our food and stepping out of home is where lies all. Other than the day with Thai Pongal, with holidays extended up to 5 days wasn’t anything special and the television programs weren’t interesting and the movies relayed were also already watched in online streams. As usual I went around the neighbourhood to capture Pongal Kolams drawn in front of the houses and found very few color Kolams drawing my attention. And I think of sharing it in another post.

RGB Monday

Colorful Pongal Kolams by mom and aunt

Kolam is a cultural identity of Tamils, as well as to the southern states of India similar as Rangoli that spread all-over India, is believed to bring auspicious to home when it is drawn in front of the doorway or gateway as a sign of welcome. Margali, a month of winter (mid Dec-Jan) in Tamil, is a favourite season for Kolam, where those skipped or unpractised it as a daily activity will make certain drew something in front of the door and the month ends leaving way to Thai – the day celebrated as Pongal, where Kolams take much colourful form from the plain dotted Kolams. Pulli Kolam is a regular art form where it involves drawing a line looped around a pattern of dots (pullis) with certain that all dots are encircled and lines closed at the end.

Shot from the balcony and you could see my aunt coloring the Kolam down in front of home.

Kolam take a special place in our every custom and celebrations and drawing a Kolam creates an elegancy to the occasion and there couldn’t be a better reception than making a smile through a cheerful and colourful Kolam.  Mom used to draw Kolam regularly at the doorstep until we resided in the ground floor apartment and houses in ground, now living on first floor we don’t have space other than mom’s knee pain prevents her going down to drew a Kolam. But during the festival of Pongal and other special occasions she takes a strain and draw colourful Kolams in front of the house, and now along with my aunt in next door they help each other creating the magic of colors, Kolam. I always have an interest in Kolalm and never miss an opportunity in capturing the Kolam and what you see here is from the recent Pongal celebration.

Celebration of Harvest – Pongal Festival

Pongal, the traditional festival of Tamils is left by two days. Tradition is something I always admire and I believe everything has some scientific reasons behind our customs and traditions what in later days turned relevant to faith. Pongal, the harvest festival of south India is a thanksgiving to farmers, cattle’s and nature in support of cultivation, though it is celebrated all over India in different names and custom, the core intention was to stand up for the farmers who the reason for our daily food.

A simple Pongal  kolam or rangoli from the neighborhood, last year.

Mostly, Pongal is a festival celebrated grandly and traditionally in villages and small towns where the farmers and the related sources exist. But in cities I feel we almost lost the touch of real essence of Pongal – the earthen pots, which brings a connection between earth and us and in combination of firewood produce a distinct flavour what any other utensils could promote and the bubbling up of pot with rice is another cheerful part believed to bring auspicious to home and hope to life. And that’s why I try to celebrate Pongal in traditional way each year, even though we couldn’t live up to farmers and villagers dedication I try the best to convince parents to celebrate/cook Pongal in pot and firewood.

I see Pongal brings new spirit to life and by celebrating the festival I feel grateful for the farmers and anything related to farming and food processing. ‘Suriya Pongal’ is another aspect of the festival devoted to prime source Sun (Suriya-n) where the Pongal pot is placed in open area where the sunlight falls, and by boiling the rice from newly harvested crop is a way of thanking its light and energy fuelling in cultivating crops. And ‘Thai Pongal’ is another term refers to Pongal which meant the beginning of Tamil month Thai, according to Tamil calendar, and the month when the harvest begins is believed to bring hope and ways to live with harvested grains.

A earthen pot on firewood stove  getting ready to cook Pongal, from the previous pongal festival a couple of years back.

This year the Pongal extends into the weekend, following Pongal, Maattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal on 15, 16 and 17 respectively to 18 and 19 as weekend. Though the holidays doesn’t going to do anything with me or change across, but I could end up watching TV programs on special days after try to make firewood Pongal in the balcony, just like the previous year, and others could be the routine. One thing special about this Pongal is I gonna watch the programs and movies in my new big Led TV. Lol

Though Pongal is a piece of cake to us compared to villages and small towns where the celebration is whole, I always try to connect the feel and think back the times at grandparents’ home and visits to villages on Maattu (Bull) Pongal to take part in their celebrations, where cattle’s are decorated and their shelters being cleaned and worshiped and kids taking joy rides in bullock carts, to cherish myself to pick up the energy to go further. I think a festival mood couldn’t be enrich unless added some people to make my belief true that festivals are to be celebrated together with people rather making it a custom to celebrate alone or mark it as holidays only. I always wish to celebrate festivals along with people or at least surrounded by dear ones. I wish people from India a Happy Pongal and Makar Shankranti!

Concealed

From pink to orange

my sky transformed, silhouette 

concealed the target - moon!

P.s  Actually there's a moon behind the tree but I couldn't capture it while I was able to see, my position or angle of shooting missed the target.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

New LG Nano cell LED TV, completes my home theatre dream

The year began for me with a real brand new thing; I expected to buy in last few years or at least from the time of purchase of my AV receiver, an initial step in building my home theatre. After a lot research, comparison and reading on various aspects I come down to choose the television that content my hunger for some quality. I was certain I want a direct backlight LED TV, just like my previous 26” Samsung TV, bought in 2010, and I have seen the differences in clarity the led TVs that produced later couldn’t live up to it and many who watched our TV had praise on its sharpness what their own led TVs couldn’t produce. I don’t want to go more on its detail. I know there’re greater TVs in market where finance decides the content and from my budget I looked for the best and I find the year end to be right moment for discounts and the television came in fair tag price of ₹ 57,000 at 35% discount in Paytm Mall online shopping.

We bought a 49” LG Nano cell Led TV and the LG promoted the TV as most advanced Led TV and a step down to OLED TV. Somewhere I read Nano cell Led TV is called poor man’s OLED! Ha ha. The TV has IPS flat screen and Ultra HD resolution with 4K Active HDR and 4K upscaler and wide viewing angle and many more visual enhancers to make watching pleasure. While choosing the TV I was much concern about the visual/image features because I already have the best sound resource in Sony AV Receiver to expand audio up to 7.2 channels, so the TV audio would be seldom used   but still the TV has good sound quality with DTS Virtual surround. Nowadays I watch movies mostly in Prime video (and yet to join Netflix) with almost contents available in HD and 5.1Ch audio, there are some 4K videos too that I am supposed to experience sometime.

I’m someone always lookout for tiny details or observe little things, so the detail was something strongly built within me couldn’t avoid this TV that has Nano cell particle to refine dull colors to accurate colors. The HD movies/videos are a pleasure to watch in this TV than the relayed satellite channels, that are mostly in SD content and it strains the vision with irregular to bright in colors and disband pixels. The best thing about this TV was its magic motion remote. The cursor at the shake of remote is easy to browse the television, access apps and above all it has voice recognition with both built-in Google Assistant and Alexa. The apple airplay and homekit is seems to help connect smart appliances but right away this will only useful to connect mobiles since they are the smart appliance we hold.

I was working on quite a home theatre setting from the wake up of 2018, when I purchased an advanced budget 4K AV receiver at half the price of its original rate through an Amazon offer and discount.  It was a dream comes true for me to buy a proper home theatre system than the regular surround sound existed through the satellite speakers system in market. Following the receiver I waited patiently and particular about the speakers’ purchase that should nowhere loses the signal and compatible with the receiver but the budget was something restricted me to progress step after the other. First I bought two powerful bookshelf speakers from Boston Acoustics for the front right and left, and last year I purchased the centre and surround left/right speakers from Yamaha to get a 5.1 Ch sound and for the sub-woofer I hold back from the previous system. Now with the big Led TV that was installed on the New Year itself my dream of a home theatre had come true really. I’m grateful for my parents to support and understand my need for building a home theatre, although they aren’t much interested they spent quite only because I desired for.  Thank you

RGB Monday

Festive season sieve
troubles, to make happiness
slid through tiny holes.

P.s. Hope you find the red, green and blue ornaments hung from a live christmas tree grown in the courtyard of my uncle's woodhouse at Thandikudi, near Kodaikanal. I capture the image from my last vacation in July and the ornaments weren't removed from the tree after festive season was over, but I loved seeing them pretty hung through the evergreen tree. Wishing you all Very Happy, Peaceful and Prosperous Pretty New Year, 2020!

Partial Annular Solar Eclipse

The sun was brilliantly shone over the sky and it was dazzling to even to take a glance at it and so I was out of focus with the camera tried to capture the phenomenon. It was blank and blur whatever way I tried to shoot the occurrence of Annular Solar eclipse in point and shoot, but after many a try I got the eclipse reflected through the rays of sun itself. Around 9am on Thursday, the sun rose to an uncomfortable angle what become difficult for me to capture the eclipse but got to watch the partial annular through the solar viewer, my cousin bought from the Elliot’s beach, where people in neighbourhood thronged to watch the eclipse.    

The reflection of the partial annular (the crescent shaped   blue in picture above) was a real surprise for me as I was feeling disappointed that I unable to capture the eclipse. Though I know it wasn’t easy to shoot the solar eclipse normally to anyone but I find the reflection amazed. The annularity was visible from the East Mediterranean to south East Asia and gladly the annular travelled through the centre of Tamil Nadu and Kerala where the ring visible quite.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Merry Christmas

My simple Christmas tree and light decoration on the balcony! I really don’t want to decorate the Christmas tree this year but got an idea later to simply tie two poles in shape of cone in the gate and put lights around it and hung some ornaments and items I made with Popsicle sticks from last year. I tried this for a change from the regular Christmas tree. I put blue colour led serial lights on the balcony rail so it over exposed the other colours lights on the tree setting.

I Wish you all Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Tinted

Tenderly trapped
between the fingers, tinted
yellow butterfly! 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

In Month of Cold

I switched off the ceiling fan
as wind blows the coolest,
heart yearns for a warm hug
the moment slipped
between noon and evening.

I took pleasure, as sunlight
took a bright step into the home;
the air still filled by cold
sends goose bumps
to places could not define.

The wind is colder
when blows through the alley,
the back door become a cooler
to chill down everything
rather my heartburns sometime.

I feel for a warm embrace
what does my blanket at night,
and from the arms of dad
there is no wonder
December is a month of cold.

Precaution is Prior - Crime Against Women

The police encounter on all 4 accused in Hyderabad lady doctor rape-murder case is something I couldn’t appreciate while every other in the country praised a lot. The first thing stroke my mind when I heard on the encounter was the accused were only escaped through this act of instant death.  I see death, killing or execution couldn’t be severe than living to feel the pain and shame. I’m not against the encounter or support it either, but this could be avoided to punish them any other ways where they regret for their cruel act consciously. Life is precious, and one could not compensate on it and at same time taking a life involuntarily couldn’t be right and those culprits deserve punishment undoubtedly. But shot to dead someone will only free them from the consequences that make them feel regret or experience pain until they die.

The encounter could trigger a fear in those who think of molesting women but I don’t know how long this will sustain fear in evil minded men, when the world instantly and constantly turn over topics. I know the violence against women and children has come to light lot these days and this has to be uprooted from our society where new found thoughts are replanted or a change in perception of men, what should thrive from the homes where children are taught or practiced to treat women with equal rights, dignity and respect. Though they deserve lot more than what reaches our thoughts. Despite the actions taken on the accused and sending alarm to men we need to take conscious measure in protecting ourselves at first place before turn over the society.

We somehow knew the society we live isn’t secure – so what we’re in need of lot more security cameras – and in this condition we have to make certain of our own safety. Though they say fear is an illusion in darkness but all conditions aren’t same and what hides in darkness couldn’t be predicted. So it is better we have a torch to guide us safely and beware on every steps forward in a place (society) where it feel suspicious. I wonder what the education system teaches us rather how to protect ourselves first and tackle a suspect trying to hurt us. Why can't the institutions, workplaces guides/practices on self-defence as prior courses before they learn some technical terms, because our life is important than what we learn or earn. Children and women should be aware of the circumstances they work, study or routes commute as these are the places vulnerable for sexual maniacs to attack. Last but not least, these are things that should never let down women who had come to a place which isn’t easily to come over and men had to protect them from their own sexual.

Transformation

From time to time things change
the sky isn’t the same I look up every time
the wind blows, never the identical   
the seasons transform the colours of nature
the trees retreat in shoot of new leaves
while skin isn’t silky in dryness of cold -
lacework is something woven in lack of moisture.

Transformation is a continuous process
which is impossible without nature
the head of all significant changes;
the sky the limit of eternity
isn’t same in its pattern or colours
the remarkable sunrises and sunsets
is an inspiring from time to time.

 Life is a constant progress of changes
a change that needs to refresh
like fresh mountain rivers charged
in continuous flow of current;
the mind is something keeps changing
either for good or bad
  ponders make things different.

Ps. The spectacular sunset was capture over the mountains from a trip to western ghats around Theni in Tamil Nadu. 

At the end of the day

I felt chillness in wind
despite the warm sunlight
bestow, whatever under its glow;
the trees swish to wind
blew, the gloomy mood
while sky cleared the clouds
blue-sky isn’t a surprise.  

The sun’s ready to set
splashing its golden rays
to lavish, before it vanish;
the environment is greenish
thanks to eastern waves – MJO
for bringing faraway clouds
to help flourish our environs.

Rains took a break
or almost finished its course
though, the scores aren't fair
competing with other places;
it was refreshingly cool
and I could feel the cold in breeze
since winter isn't far.

Yellow Cucumber

Commute of colour
callow to ripen yellow
cucumbers, shimmer! 

P.s. Image shot at Kavandapadi in Erode, during my travel to Nilgiris in 2017.