Bird Watching in Neighborhood : White-breasted Water Hen

The White-breasted Water Hen had been a resident of my former neighborhood in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai, was stayed with its family. The open vegetation opposite to our then apartment provided shelter to the water hens along with other species of birds and reptiles, but I have seen only the adult hen (may be a female) which come flew or leap on our compound wall to feed on the gains left by us to the birds and go back quickly as possible hiding among the bushes. I was happy to capture the water hen couple of times while it came feeding on the compound wall and only my mom had seen her with juveniles since I can’t lookout the compound wall, about 5 feet height.

As we shifted houses, I don’t know what happened to the water-hens since the vegetation was cleared and an apartment on construct right now wanted me to think they immigrated somewhere. The White-breasted Water-hen is a water bird of the rail and crake family (Rallidae) that widely distributed across Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. It is a large and distinctive rail species with dark grey upper-parts and flanks and conspicuous white under parts, from which the species gains its common name. The beak of the bird is yellowish with a reddish base, which becomes more olive outside of the breeding season.

The water-hen has long legs, colored in yellowish with large feet and legs dangled in flight. The female birds are generally smaller than the male, with a somewhat duller beak, while juveniles have duller plumage with the white of the under parts tinged brown and a darker beak and legs. This species is described as being very noisy during the breeding season, producing a loud call consisting of various grunts, roars, quacks and chuckles, followed by a repeated kru-ak, kru-ak, kru-ak-a-wak-wak. The bird feed on the ground had varied diet including insects, worms, small fishes and grass seeds and roots and shoots of marsh plants. 

(Source of info net)

Comforts and suffering

While the other part of the world welcomes spring with uplifted spirit and energy and celebration of colorful blossoms, we are forced into the sultry heat and summer sweat makes quite exhausted. We aren't in the middle of the summer yet but still experiencing hot weather felt like ever to recollect on memories. Though the entire day wasn't under the control of heat - the post afternoons are pleasant rose to sea breeze - waking up and leading up to noon seems frustrated and fatigue, which I experienced a lot today. I wasn't active enough from morning and was out of concern and running out of time to keep in touch with deeds I vow to do daily.

 I hear complains of raised temperature from various part of the country early to summer, the fear of running  out of water or electricity threatens people and they believe all the comforts will lead only up to the day of polling to parliament (Apr 24). I am going through the phase to decide whom to vote and I concerned for their vows to the constituency and public service mind rather praising their party or party presidents. During last parliamentary election I voted for an individual candidate who promised hope, even though I was certain that is his winning was impossible I tried the best selecting the candidate. I don’t believe in voting for who show hope of winning or party based polling, as I know there are many who vote only for certain political parties whoever the candidate maybe… I wish they change their mindset and vote on their individual thought.

Coming to the summer heat, I believe I experience the least sitting inside the house with an option of getting cool under the air conditioned room, but those with work outside and mainly under the sun seems unbearable. I never been an A/C guy and avoid as much possible unless unbearable or due to pollution and dust while going out in car, I am quite a natural being and enjoy the cool breeze brushing through environment than facing A/C blower. There’s nothing equivalent to the source of nature, even it hurt us sometime comforts though its various aspect bringing smile on face. I relived little bit by this time of (4.pm), and it seems living close to school zone increases the anxiety by raised temperature and expose to whistle sounds, horns of cars that deliver and deposit students and noise of engines and vocals creates wreck to environment.

I really liked the environment out here in evening … just opposite to what we experience until 2pm and no one will believe it was high in decibel at morning. The heat waves and sunshine has settled down by now, but still it wasn't favorable due to humidity in air. It sounds terrible how we going to pass this summer, however better it was in latter year seems worse and there won’t be inadequate suffering. 

March account

You perhaps could guessed the reason for my absence here since I have announced about house shifting and I am glad I did so thus u no need to worry what happened to me. I couldn't get my net connection; even though the Airtel was quick attending us, the lack of space on the Airtel box in our area delayed my connectivity. It took four weeks to get back the connection; a duration ever took so far since got internet connection at home in 2004 and shifting couple of houses. It was quite a month I blogged and totally out of touch on any online activity, but it wasn't bothering me much as I took it as a chance to spent time on other works that were left incomplete and lack hands for some time.  We also thought to go for other internet connections disconnecting the Airtel but I don’t find anything better than that and the new entries with 4-5 times high speed access faces the same problem with no empty slot in their boxes.

We transported things almost on the first weekend of March and handed over the key to owner (of previous house) on 3^rd evening following quite occupation of this house. We settled well within two days of shifting house and it was a safe and smooth transfer and arranging things wasn't difficult because of helping hands from my aunt and cousins. The house being situated right opposite to Adyar Sishya School, the environment was little noisy but after 3 pm it was quite calm and silent. I see all kind of cars here, picking and dropping students and it was also entertaining checking the activities everyday through the window facing the school gate. I don’t find any difficulty with this house and it is convenient enough for the four of us and being a duplex house, we don’t find heat sweat drop our spine much rather it was cool breeze brushes in evening.

The house, as well the area comes under the canopy of tall trees and in evening I could hear birds twitters aloud and I get to see bunch of green parrots come screeching and preaching the tree tops. Other day I find a rufous treepie chased by crows for which it shrill cried to escape. We also received special guests through backyard - the bonnet monkeys came in about a group of ten two days later we shifted here. I know there are monkeys in this area which takes shelter among the canopy of trees covering a large portion that begins from our home rear. I wonder when I noticed the windows of this house having an additional door-frame of net which is enough for small bugs to enter… so it is not a net to keep away insects or mosquitoes, but only after receiving the monkeys I understand that these net frames must be laid to prevent young monkeys entering the house through the enough gaps in grills or leaving hands to loot anything.

The monkeys weren't threatening in anyway rather they all seem kind and leisure coming around the neighborhood. There’s nothing much to complaint about this house and I feel better than what I really thought early. This is also a corner house just like the previous house, with an arched gateway that was adorn by Nithiya Malli (eternal jasmines) creeper making a flowery welcome. The house shifted to Adyar helps us working/sharing close with our uncle’s family who lives at our native house here. The distance between ours was just more than half a km, which I covered in my wheelchair last Sunday while visiting a corporation park nearby. I spent most of the time last month reading books and watching television esp. buying a DTH HD make it more interesting watching, going through its amazing details and clarity.

Last week my father went through sever abdomen ache due to some infection, put him into hospital for couple of days and it was my uncle’s family whose support wasn't there could have made it more trouble, esp. taking care of me while mom was away with dad in hospital. My uncle stayed with dad during nights at hospital and aunt visited home taking care of food preparation isn't so practical easy if we continued stayed (5 km) away from them which was the then situation before shifting house. I think we moved on the right direction now rather going out of comfort in search of space, solitude and less in pollution environment. Dad is doing much better now and hope he’s fine in few more days, my uncle and cousin visit us everyday helping in our need. Thus life goes fair well unless for dad’s health, post shifting house was very positive on me and the new environment is encouraging to involve in other activities as well. 

My attachment to old

I believe in old is gold! There are certain things that we can’t stop appreciating, however old or ruin they are and unused for ages, remain nostalgic whenever thinking about. I have a mind that does not give away certain things easily esp. used for long term or still feel content with quality and usage rather being old.  During my childhood or young days, one could see me roaming on the streets with friends and go rounds often in our area… and while this course we used to find many interesting little things on road and my favorite place of picking things  was Kailankadai (old iron shop). I had my own table drawer then where I used save things I brought from the shop and streets. My mother used to scold me for bringing those useless things to home and often engaged in war with brother for stealing one or two things.

My tape-recorder when in use

I never listened to her and kept saving those things and since my uncle had workshop adjacent to our house, I used to pick things from there as well. I had a collection of small iron balls in various shapes exists from the bearings until my brother swallowed one of it accidently. I think I had few of them even after shifted house for first time and I am interested even now if I get chanced to pick things at Kailankadai.  I know there is no future for broken arrows but we can do many things using those pieces. What is useless to someone could be utilized to other. Let me come to the matter of old things, which I still hold without use. I know tape-recorders and cassettes has no more futures and almost settled as sediments underwater leaving way to light and transparent technologies let move into air. The CDs and players has also become old stock with blue-rays and “I” series looking out for more light waves to wash away.   My passion for old and useless things comes out objecting the idea of mom’s proposes to dispose our old tape-recorder and a box full of cassettes.

I don’t know why and I am not going to listen to them anyway, but there’s something rolls me with the reels here. Until I bought my first CD player in year 2002, the tape-recorder was my only source of music and it was a foreign set bought to me by my late uncle, replacing the Philips tape-recorder with single speaker. I want to hold it back not because it was bought by my favorite uncle and it remain as a remembrance of him but apart being so, there was something that wants to keep it around. This tape-recorder enhanced my way of listening music with enough bass and treble effect unlike plain mono-stereo. Even until I bought my home-theater, I was connected my CD and MP3 players to this tape-recorder speakers using AUX wire. I ever had trouble like using this set, which often get struck with reel and have to bear to electronic shop, where the electrician used to take more than a week and above to mend it after number of walks to his shop, just two houses away from us!

Music always been my source of inspiration and uplifts my spirit when I feel down and there is nothing excitement like listening to new song or tune for first time that too from our favorite directors or actors. Until few years back I used to buy original CDs and cassettes from the music store, because for me quality is much important when it comes to music and movies… I can’t withstand the noise and sound disturbance. I know the tape is taking place enclose, but I have no mind to give away and not only the player there are few more things I kept safe in bureau. 

House hunt come to end

The house hunting has come to an end or we ended. The chaos related to house searching seems unending and we decided to put a full stop to the weariness and stress by choosing the best among the better exists. We aren’t content with any house during our search mission and being first time intended to search for a house rather unlike going with the heart of desire by how we chose the current residence... without much options of houses and within our budget we picked a house to relieve ourselves from the house tension. It doesn’t mean we couldn’t find a content house but what seems to fulfill our needs aren’t belong to us or forced to give away for certain reasons unmatched between us and owners.

Except one or two, most of the apartments showed red signal for allowing pets and having pet is one specific reason that we couldn't get a house we wanted. The brokers who promise to finalize certain houses were all seems liars and actors, their intentions were only on getting commission rather listening what we say or owners convey. We didn't believe their words and we were also on our own search for houses since we have already said the owner that we quit house this month end, we have no time to wait and see further.  So we decided to move into a house near Adyar Sishya School, even we aren't totally satisfied with the house it wasn't too bad to avoid or lack of comfort to reside. It was a duplex house and we are taking the ground portion.

It was a very quiet and calm area except for being busy at morning and evening while the school open and close… cars seems to stand in long queue to drop and pickup students since almost students study here were from wealthy background. I was born and brought up in Adyar until we shift to apartment in Thiruvanmiyur, 8 years back, but it was my father who wants to let back to Adyar or close to our native house there because he was quite depend on Adyar for almost sufficient work. This house shifting is also gonna be a temporary one, not only because the owner has plan of demolishing the house and built a new one there after 3 years, we would also shift if we find a better one than this when the situation was favor.

We have planned to shift home at the weekend and if done I won’t be able to blog or flickr for some time until reconnected with internet. It was the brokers who force us to end up the house hunt because being exhausted by their way of making wandering and showing the same house we have already shown by someone. Some brokers fear and hesitate to talk to owners in reducing the rent and they also have no clear idea about the facilities and only we have to convey them by talk with owners but what they want was, was only commission. By searching house, I think anyone could become a broker and what they do was, go through the classifieds and give separate Ads to the already exists by just mentioning his mobile number and area alone. So we can’t guess which is genuine and for a single house there are multiple brokers making turmoil. 

Rangoon creeper @ home

Rangoon creeper, also known as Chinese Honeysuckle and “Irangun Malli” in Tamil is a vine with red flower clusters that found in Asia and many other parts of the world either as a cultivated ornamental or run wild. The creeper seen rooted commonly only in a small hole in cemented ground, grown exactly the way it described at one of the corner of our house, thriving and climbing high on the Frangipani tree.

The Rangoon creeper is a ligneous vine that can reach from 2.5 meters to up to 8 meters, has leaves that are elliptical with an acuminate tip and a rounded base. The clusters of flowers that are fragrant and tubular, opens white in color which changes to pink, red and finally to deep maroon. The plant grows on a support is very useful in covering fences and walls and the growth rate of the plant is generally fast and don’t make heavy fertilizer demand.

Rangoon creepers being a vigorous twining climber, booms profusely throughout summer can reach as much as 70 feet in tropical climates. The creeper that does like medium to bright light is found in thickets or secondary forests of the Philippines, India and Malaysia.

These pictures were shot in September 2013 and the picture above is a close-up macro on the flowers.

Glimpses of Moon

Collage by Jeevan

Through the leaves of lettuce
peeks the pretty moon
even not so in full bloom
a sight still spectacular.

Exiting home at night
to get some breeze in brief
but got into the sight of moon
an elegant beauty that enticed me.

After weeks and months
I found the fluorescent moon
leaving behind a gloomy sky
that get life and light through it.

Wonder, how I forget the moon
an eternal inspiration
that keep alive my thoughts
ascent under its silver shadow.

My level of comfort

Life is quite stressful and pain already, but the Oct 17^th is a day I could not forget and also don’t want to remember which took me further into my future’s setback. Just a week early going into the cast for my femur fracture was quite terrible and it was a moment that ever in my life felt so painful and even an inch movement in leg touch the extreme. It was four month since (today) the incident happen and only I was able to visit the doctor on Friday even I was out in car twice. He was treating me from the home, looking at the x-rays which his staffs come and take at home; and only to wear the cast I went to his clinic in a small ambulance. I am quite well now and only my knee has to bend little more to sit much comfort… I am still unable to stand on my feet which enabled shifting me much easier from one place to another then. I feel little pain in my left knee only on which I could put strength and I also lack balance and fear to put much effect when attempting to stand with weak bone.

The fracture wasn't in my bone alone; it also broke some comfort levels I enjoyed, which I am sure to lose sometime in future at step by step progress  has skipping few steps all of sudden. I have planned a lot using the standing ability of mine esp. on traveling progress, which is the mainstream delectation in my life and I almost dream on traveling delight. What was my mindset exactly four months back wasn't quite same now, and I have to prepare myself to face the loss of ability and how to travel from shifting one seat to another. We own a SUV and using it for the last 6 years esp. because of the comfort level it provides to me and I could travel long distances without any difficulty in our car and now being unable to stand, I couldn't climb into it. I have only two options now on traveling, which was to change the car with low height or modify the SUV with Turny Swivel seat or place wheelchair lift at the rear.

Right moment, we are in intense search of house and only two weeks were left to shift the home… parents were going thought great stress and headaches because of it. The house we hoped to occupy had dropped at last moment, as the owner of the house demands more rent out of our budget; we are now even looking at apartment’s rather independent houses where pets are allowed. Our entire thoughts are about getting a nice house right now and only then I could take the next step as altering my wheelchair into much comfort and modify the SUV. Why I much hold with SUV was, because it was the car I could take anywhere and it makes wonderful drive on any terrain except mud roads, I am more love with it as it is my favorite vehicle. I have traveled nearly all mountain passes of Tamil Nadu with this vehicle and I never experienced difficult with the car getting breakdown or spoil the plan.

Back to mouse

Do you agree mouse is convenient than touch pads in laptops? I feel quite comfort using it after a while get used to touch pads and touch screen. I think working with mouse is much faster than scratching the touch pad and I really wonder it is me alone feel such way or there are other who could agree.

Dad bought me a touch mouse from Logitech and it was cool operating from the little space on my wheelchair tray, aside the laptop. The touch is available only for scrolling vertical and horizontal by swipe one finger and it also has buttons for start menu and desktop screen apart  right and left buttons.

Beginning with ball mouse and later with optical, the wireless and touch has made it very smooth, soft and convenient on any flat surface. When using ball mouse, we needed a mouse pad and the mouse often get struck with dirt inside and has to clean it by remove the ball  and it also survived very short. The funnier part was, we sometime play with that ball! Lol 

How beautiful it feel?

Picture by Jeevan

How beautiful it feel?
Holding someone’s hand
and stroll on the sand?
At the end of the day
embracing
while sun kissed the sea.

How beautiful it feel?
Taking someone into behold
where eyes only speak?
At the end of the day
life delights
under the twilight sky.

How beautiful it feel?
Sitting together with someone
who’s very close to heart?
At the end of the evening
life glitter
beneath pretty moon lit.

How beautiful it feel?
Kissing someone very sweet
before saying good night?
In the absence of light
splendid silhouette
conveys our love.

சின்னத்திரை அழகி / Small screen Beauty

Picture recapture by Jeevan

அழகாய் அறிமுகம்மாகும்
சின்னத்திரை கதாநாயகிகள்
அழுது அழுது
அழுக்காகி போகிறார்கள்.

தொடர்ந்து நடிப்பதனாலோ 
என்னவோ, தொடர்களில்;
இவர்கள் அழகு
கலைந்து கரைந்து போகிறது.

Gracefully introducing
small screen heroines
goes unclean
weeping constantly.

Since acting continuously
or maybe in tele serials,
their beauty
goes dispersed and dissolved.

How daring?

It was about 12 degree Celsius in evening when we find something unusual come swimming towards us on the Kodaikanal Lake, during our last visit in late summer. The climate was quite make feel shivering when we spent some time on the lake bank sipping hot coffee and I was comfort sitting inside the car and watching the lake. There were few others along with us looking at the strange thing with no idea and I could only think of a turtle or river otter, going though the dark element.

Suddenly the element rises up to conclude our discussion and wonder what it was. A man stood from the cold water and another one followed him in distance! They both were coming from the other bank of the lake, swimming underwater and perhaps it could be a reason to keep away from the cops eyes... because it is prohibited to take bath or swim in the Kodaikanal Lake. Apart keeping it clean, the water is exposed to substances (esp. mercury emission) that are ill to health and due to siltation there’s risk of getting drown in water.

The lake is almost fenced already and during my recent visit, I find it fenced quite but the guys had entered the lake though a gap in fence and they seemed coming from our neighbor state Kerala. Everyone was quite awe looking at their daring act and how they survive through the freezing cold water… it wasn't sure they aware about the lake, but got heavy dose of strike from police, later on the bank.

We could have seen people entering ice water for challenges in extremely cold countries, but something like this facing in real was amazing! 

A drive up to Mamallapuram, Kokkilamedu Kuppam, Airplane & ECR

I had a drive up to Mamallapuram on Sunday evening after long time or past summer. I haven’t planned for a drive but decided to go out to beach in the evening and my cousin on his own plan of dropping his grandmother at her house in Mamallapuram enriched my idea of going out. I joined my cousin family, following their interest to accompany me during the ride and living adjacent to ECR (east coast road) that begins at Thiruvanmyuir Bus Depot; and touching the road after 3 month (due to femur fracture)  put me into lot of surprise the changes brought alongside the road. Number of showrooms had emerged either sides of the road, like mushrooms emerging after a brief rain; many villas have also take place on the ECR towards Mamallapuram.

(click images to enlarge)

Since fracture I couldn't take seat into our SUV due to its height, so we took our uncle’s car and made a pleasant drive into ECR… and I wasn't comfort with my camera to take pictures using this car but my cousin sis took few pictures for me. After dropping my cousin’s granny at her home, we took a brief drive around the Mamallapuram which we sometime used to do while visiting the town. We drew beyond the town and went up to the rear gate of Kalpakkam Atomic Power Station and checked a beach beside a fishing village. Kokkilamedu Kuppam (village) is one of tsunami affected area where NGOs had built number of identical house to the villagers residing very close to shore. A big wave is enough to touch or test their houses and there were number of boats resting on the shore after week-long fishing.

The coconut palms at the distance of waves kissing were pleasing to check and the cool breeze rushing from the sea makes cold embraces. The houses in the village were all built neatly with narrow lanes in-between   and each house is left with concrete benches, outside, to sit and relax in evening and there were also few benches facing the sea which I am sure will make it feel pleasure sitting and watching the beach. The village was also laid with concrete roads and interestingly there are three graveyards for this village which I guess must be distinguished regarding their caste and community. Nice the road leads up to seashore to make it possible getting close to it but the environment wasn't clean to spent there more time.

We also come across a big airplane near Five Rathas, which I still have no idea how it should have brought there and why... but each one has different ideas about it and some says there’s a hotel coming up inside the plane or at the premises the plane is parked. I think it must have brought there to support the marine heritage museum that going to exists there soon and a submarine is also on the way to lay there which right now stable at Karaikal port. I still can’t believe how they brought the plane there, because the roads weren't wide enough leading to this place and even if they depart the wings and tail, how comes the big body. But I am excited seeing a plane near!

Surprising there wasn't much crowd at Mamallapuram (a UNESCO World Heritage Site of sculptures) being a Sunday and the roads were also unusually less crowd of vehicles and perhaps, absence of many buses on that day could be a reason for the shortage of crowd. We find number of Great Egrets on the Muttukadu backwater, but we couldn't stop and take pictures unlike before since vehicles passing constantly. The day ends with bright sunset for us and the sun was too fast that day rising down to pinkish red without giving a chance to capture in-between trees and buildings. The ECR has become much accident pone there days and we see more than couple of accident that day and I think the barriers kept along the road to control speed were also in a manner of creating accidents. I think the police need to consider alternate source to this to reduce the accidents and the way buses crossing those barriers where threatening!

Discover the Most Fascinating Waterworld on Earth - The Great Backwaters of Kerala

I received an email from Kerala Tourism Board appreciating my blog post (cruising in PeriyarLake) and also to inform me about their latest campaign on Kerala Great Backwaters.  I was requested by them to update a post promoting their campaign on unique water stretching of Kerala and newly launched website (http://greatbackwaters.com/) in a fascinating route. I was truly impressed by their attitude on promoting their water tourism that includes 44 rivers, vast network of lakes, 1500kms of labyrinthine canals, snake boat races and over 300 species of birds and floating markets… showcasing the magnificence of Kerala backwaters.

Here are few pictures from their Arial marketing on backwaters and for me Kerala is still a green lagoon I am looking forward to explore more since I were only at boarder level. My desire to visit Munnar has been postponing for last two years for various reasons but my eager only grows every time I miss opportunity. The waterways are not always favor to me, because moving into a boat in wheelchair is not easy task and I wish they make disable friendly everywhere so that I can also enjoy staying in one of the boat houses floating in backwaters.

I have visited only couple of places in Kerala bordering with Tamil Nadu; Thekkady and Athirapallai are two natural wonders of lake and waterfalls surrounded by wild flora and fauna. Taking a cruse in Periyar Lake, Thekkady, is exciting one with fascinating sights of wildlife and amusing passing through bare tree trunks, sometime perched by bird of prey.

Athirapalli is a beautiful place of height waterfalls on the Chalakudy River flowing westwards on the Western Ghats mountains…. The 80 feet waterfall is also called the Niagara of India and Punnagai Mannan Falls hence the popular suicide scene of the film was shot here. I always wish to visit it again and for me personally more than the waterfalls the way to it was most favorite route, since it passes through Sholayar Rainforest while coming from Valparai.

Photo Credit : Kerala Tourism Department 

For more detail on visiting the God's own country, pls go here checking their state tourism website!

Dishonoring

I think TASMACs are shutdown on Gandhi Jayanthi? But what if drinking in front of his statue? It’s happening in one of a lodge in Periyakulam where I once stayed for a night. There is a Gandhi statue and Ganesha idol in the courtyard of this lodge facing back a wine shop bar. What is there in closing the wine shops only on Gandhi’s birthday and making cheers the liquor remaining days in front of his statues?

It was quite hesitating for us staying there as a family for whole night and we moved out immediately in the morning asking our friend there to seek another place for accommodation. I later hear from someone that it was the only best lodge in Periyakulam… I only think the best itself seems worst; there is nothing to say about others.  It’s quite dishonoring people drink around keeping the statue of the father of the nation in center. Wish they remove the bar or statue from there.

I was browsing through my flickr stream and find this photo I uploaded sometime and thought to share it, as today marks the assassination of Gandhi called Martyrs day

Health and House search

I went through the final review on Friday for the femur fracture and the x-ray shows quite healed but left with the message of weak bones, for which I have to continue on medicine for few more weeks. Doctor has also advised to be very cautious with the leg being weak bones, I can’t think of getting up or standing very soon… my knee wasn’t steady yet to support standing on my feet. Pain has reduced much now, except for the little more stiffness on knee to bend normal to keep my foot on the wheelchair footrest and I am almost sitting on the wheelchair for the whole day to only lie at night, life has been nearly back to normal. I stepped out of the home after quite three months in rest and tried climbing into the car and went a round around the neighborhood.  

First I went to the beach nearby, since moved very close to beach in Palavakkam I couldn’t make visit to it frequently unlike being little away from the beach, it was quite surprise to see it pretty clean in my life. Can’t even see a bit of litter anywhere and the newly laid road leading to the beach was inviting with road studs neatly placed on both sides. Next we drive to Elliot’s beach in Besant Nagar and find the Schmidt Memorial taking a new leash of life in pretty white… glad at last the authorities are taking action before it become apart. While returning we checked few house for rent at Besant Nagar and Adyar, as we suppose to shift house this month we are in serious search of house.

We checked an independence house in Kalakshetra colony and it was very pretty and modern facade  with enough space around the home, but it seems they are suppose to rent it only for a year and that too to IT salaried. Another house near Besant Nagar bus stand was spacious inside and also quiet in environment but the owner is said to not allow pets and we are expecting to talk with him to convince. My parents checked many apartment flats, but most of them deny allowing pet and the houses that doesn't have issue with pet aren't convenient. The house searching has become quite irritating these days and the brokers we approach were also taking us to the houses the other one showed and in real not many knows the detail about the houses they show! In between we are also looking forward to extend our stay with the current house to search for a better one without much hurry, because we are already paying for being hurry at deciding the house with just outlook, this time we’re careful not to repeat the mistake. 

Pumped storage power plant and my blog

Professor of SASTRA University Thanjavur, Muralisachithanadam, wrote to me about his lecture on Pumped storage power plant posted in YouTube... on the notes taken from my blog. I was really happy when he mailed me more than couple of emails to let me watch the lecture… I was quite out of idea when I wrote about the Pumped storage power plant? But it seems I have been writing about it indirectly through my post on Kadamparai Dam in Valparai.

The professor narrates the subject simply to understand anyone in Tamil and I am so grateful for his note of thanks and picture on me at the end of his lecture (video below). Kadamparai power project is an engineering marvel and manmade wonder! The unique about this hydro power project was the power plant is situated deep inside the hill, travelling 6km into a tunnel that cut through a single mountain rock. I have nothing to say rather feeling wonder, how incredible our engineers are to make successful a project design that borrowed from Germany which failed at the level of execution and operation there.

 I visited the Kadamparai site in 2008, but we couldn’t get permission to go inside the tunnel to visit the power house which is 7 storeys inside the tunnel! I was happy at least getting chance to make visit to the site and learning its amazing process. The power generated here were in two modes: In the generation mode, the machines will be operated to cater the peak hour demand for full load, depending on the storage level of Kadamparai Dam and the Upper Aliyar Dam. In the Pump Mode, the machines will pump the water from Upper Aliyar Dam to Kadamparai Dam during night hours on grid frequency above 49.4 Hz and heavy under drawl of UI from central pool.

I really thank the professor for making an impression among students about the Pumped storage power plant and encouraging them to take notes from my blog. The Kadamparai pumped storage power plant is a marvelous project that not many know about its efficiency (even not many engineers aware of it) which is first of its kind in India. It is also one of the highly protected sites, surrounded by wildlife activities and tribal settlement and getting permission is toughest… even if not visited, leaning about this project is must.

Check the professor’s interview on Pumped storage power plant below in Tamil :

மண் வாசனை

பறந்து விரிந்த பச்சை வயல்வெளிகள்

காரில் கடந்து போகையில், காற்றில் மண் வாசனை

மாடு கன்றுகள் குறைந்து இயந்திரம் கொண்டு உழுகிறோம்.

மண் வாசிக்கும் விவசாயம், சரியான விலையில்லை

விவசாயிகள் வசம், ஏர் விழுதல் நாற்று நடுதல்

நம் நாட்டின் நாடி அல்லவா இவர்கள்?

வாழ்க்கையில் பல சுமை, இவர்கள் அளிப்பதோ சுவை

சேற்றில் வளரும் கரும்பு, இனிப்பு தரும்

பயிரில் வந்த நெல், பல்ஆயிரம் உயிரை காக்கும் .

கடந்து சென்ற பாதையில், பல புதுமை காண்கையில்

கனத்த இதயம் சிறிது லேசானது போல்,

இனிய பொங்கலை நோக்கி நெல் பயிர்கள்.

இனிய பொங்கல் திருநாள் நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்

Happy Pongal

Reflection 2013

Picture by Jeevan

The year 2013 wasn’t great for me, unlike the beginning of the year that wake up to cheerful cake-cutting and get-together with cousins and following trip to Javadu Hills… the house shifting, father’s bike accident and my femur fracture are greater setback of the previous year. I never thought that we will shift to an individual house, but things happened all of sudden and we shifted house in about a week of time going through it. The spacious rooms and corridor, garden space and silent environment, large windows and natural light attracted me to this home but we only find the hidden dragons almost settled! Lol 

We experienced extreme heat during the summer season, which we chosen for shifting house has been a great mistake and also deciding the house just with the look of it is another error we had done this year. In the monsoon and winter, ever like before we exposed to mosquitoes bite… day or night they are always around us, even in extreme hot condition they survives quite. The initial strike of the latter year happened when dad skid off the bike and got severe wound in ankle along with hair crack, has dropped away the cheer of 2013. With no help from any other, mom had to take care of all things single handedly and cooking isn’t a tough job for her but taking care of me as a single woman has no words to describe.

Just like that that where there is an end, there is a beginning… when thinking that everything was back to normal - dad almost recovered - my fracture on femur drawback to extreme level. Still unable to believe that I got fracture, because I haven’t actually fall dawn but while shifting from a stool to wheelchair, the chair moved and I was seated on the floor in my knee, bending fully. Normally my knee won’t bend after certain level but that day my entire body weight has bear on the bended knee, which causes fracture above the knee on the femur bone. Doctor says it’s not a bone that breaks easily, but the reality was, my bones are so weak and being a muscular dystrophy patent it seems like a normal thing. Only now we have come to know about it… so therefore we need more attention towards it also.

I have planned to do certain things in 2013, but dad’s injury and my fracture had pushed away… but the things aren’t that impossible to achieve and I hope they could wait for their time to come. The most favorite thing for me was traveling. I could think they are the best part of my life, because traveling is not that easy for a wheelchair rider and however it was difficult I love to do so. And not to forget, nothing is possible without my parents, and it’s their strength and affection that make my dreams come true. Vacations are the happier time for anyone of us, and in latter year too I had a wonderful one and also exploring new places were another delight.

For the last six months I haven’t travelled out of the city and in that, the last three months were like hell shut inside the home. Watching television and music where the only entertainment and I couldn’t sit back longer to read something and touched extreme level on boring while lying and staring at TV. It was never like before I was forced to take bed rests, except night times I generally won’t lie for any reason unless fall ill. Words can’t describe how terrible I felt and still feeling the pain on the progress of knee bending, which still holds 20% stiffness that resist me keeping my feet on the wheelchair’s footrest quite.

What really worry me now was, could I able to regain my standing ability which helped me then for shifting my seat from one another. Actually I used to stand on my left leg and right one just support for balance, though there won’t be much difficult since the fracture happened only on the right one, but I still worry about. I still haven’t tried climbing into a car; I’m waiting for my last review on fracture to confirm quite recovery. In-between we are looking for another house shifting this month, without much hurry and with the latter experience we make sure that we don’t repeat the mistakes choosing the house.

This is also the longest break I have taken in blogging, unless I am ill I could not avoid blogging, because it is the only source of sharing which makes me feel quite. Even I find Facebook and Flickr as other sharing option, blogging could never replace, at least at this moment… I missed this place a lot. I am back, but not quite… but I decided to make a slow entry and don’t mistake me, if I haven’t check yours. I will slowly catch up with everyone. Btw. Thank you all so much for the well wish and I also hope it was a wonderful beginning for you all this year. Take care and have a great year ahead.

Hi friends

My fracture in femur (above knee) has healed well, but the real painful thing was only here now… and I am experiencing extreme pain when trying to bend my knee which got stiff after being in cast for 42 days. It seems like a normal thing for those in cast for long time, the joints to get stiff and taking some time to regain normality after doing some exercise.  Being regular with physiotherapy exercise in general, I am going through some tough time bending my knee but I feel the improvement at slow pace and also with weak bones… doctor has advised to go for slow mobilization. Being a muscular dystrophy patient it could take much time flexing the knee quite back to normal but I wish it happens soon. Right now I could able to bend my knee 30% and trying to sit on my wheelchair though I spent more than an hour on laptop these days. Hope I could spend more time at blogging in the upcoming year and I wish you all a very happy New Year and Merry Christmas! Cheers :)

update

Dear friends, I am doing much better now... and feeling lack of pain and reduced from extreme slowly once on bandage. It’s been more than 3 weeks I have been on bandage for the above knee fracture and was suppose to go for an x-ray in two days to know when to remove the bandage (plaster of Paris) and how well the fracture has been healed. I couldn't use my laptop at this situation much, but trying to be in touch with it and you all… hope to be back in blogging and other online activities soon. Thanks for all your well wishes and blessings… I am very happy for all your concern, care and love. Truly I miss the blogging and life is so boring these days and I couldn't do much other than watching TV and listening to music. I couldn't sit back much longer like before with one leg stretched always and at lying position I have no option other than tv and music. Will update once I take comfort seat on my wheel chair… take care! 

hi friends i am here to say that i'am forced to take a break from blogging... i got an knee injury (a mild crack in bone) and experiencing extrcemely painful time from the day (Thursday) i slipped from wheelchair while parents transferring from bathing stool. first we thought it was tissue or muscle damage, but an xray shows a crack in knee... i will write in detail once i feel better or able to use laptop. i am suggeted to take quite bed rest and i also feel better and less pain while lying position... i post this from my Android device. wish me for quick recovers... i am suppose to meet doctor on monday at my home... only then i know about further treatments. thank you

Listen to noise of rock - Irachal Parai Falls, Valparai

Perfectly titled for a waterfall that makes noise of rock, called Irachal Parai (an adaptation of two Tamil words meant noise and rock) is one of natural paradise of Valparai, in Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu. 7km from Valparai town, Irachal Parai Falls lies very close to the popular Balaji Temple in Valparai on the base of Akkamalai (Grass Hills).

The water to the falls is originates from the springs in the Grass Hills (which is called the green carpet of Tamil Nadu) is source to perennial Nadumalai River, which flows through Valparai and also quench thirst the town people. The waterfall lies inside the Pachamalai Tea Estate and on the edge of dense forest, is allowed to visit on the permission of the tea estate management. The estate’s tea factory is where one could get permission, which is also on the left-hand side of the road that leads to falls.

Thanks to our relative who guided us there and also a resident of Valparai, had hesitated first in contacting the manager but glad he did it for us, if not we couldn’t have got a delightful opportunity getting our eyes treated in green and snow-white waterfall. Throughout the way was almost pretty shimmering in green and once crossed the check dam (that stores the water and sent it through the pipe for drinking purpose of town); the waterfall get into our sight amid lush green tea plantation and oak trees.

The road was narrow and partially tarred, took us windingly to a newly constructed bridge across the creek where we stopped the car and enjoyed the sights of waterfall. The place was quite silent except for the noise of rock, even the quantity of water was less makes a nice fall. It is not advice to visit this place alone because of its frequent visit by wild animals from the nearby Shola forest. An old man we met there said, even a week early to our visit, a herd of elephant had broke down the estate’s bus shelter there.

The climate was cool and water was pristine to make visible underwater creek, I enjoy the view from the bridge while others get down wetting their foot in cold creek. The most excited was our pet (Maya), who shows curious drinking water from creek. Generally, she holds affair for getting wet in water rather hate taking bath at home, was eager to enjoy in water but only we didn't allow her to do so. After sometime we find four boys come down the other side, showing their bare body was evident of their relish showered from fresh waterfalls.

Maya drinking water in creek and mom holding her from getting into water; grandfather watching them from behind.

It seems one really needs daring to take bath in this waterfall with sliding rocks around and during its full fledge its highly dangerous… this waterfall and river is prohibited from taking bath because of its drinking water purpose of the town. The water flow as stream here, make lovely pools near the check dam and mound of tea plantations around create scenic pictures. Down from the check-dam, the Karumalai Church got my attention.  The pretty white church stands between tea plantations, on the hill other side wasn't clearly visible for photos and to get there we really need to make way through steps (will post few picture of the church later).

Threatening moments

I wake up to mom calling ‘maya maya’ in unusual hurry tone, from which I aware that our pet dog is creating some trouble outside and she also calling my brother to come out immediately. I only thought then that our pet might run out of the gate and some stray dogs chasing her or she may run chasing them, which is the situation many a time with her in case of unchained when outside the home. But things were different this time and she was running within our house compound walls chasing a cobra that came into ours. We have no idea where the cobra came from, but the garbage collectors were said to see the snake entering our house from the roadside.

Encountering snakes aren’t new for us, as we have seen snakes in our early apartment area and the people resides here have also seen snakes many a time around. The open ground behind our house with number of trees and a broken workshop, could be nothing that a better hideout for snakes and only a 7 feet wall protects anything enter our compound. The heavy rain and wind lasted few days back, broke our water pipe from the over tank and only a day latter it was fixed by plumber, mom when to check if it was ok this morning, was followed by our pet who found the snake got chased. She was trying to bite the snake tail while pursing around, for which it protests by hissing and few strike attempts before tough climbing the wall  and crawled though a Neem tree to a safe high.

It was exciting and adventure for us this morning and the story still spreads from one another, Maya becomes heroin by her daring act against the snake. Lol!  There’s another terrific story to share with u here, was as never like before, a lightening stroke very close to our house on Wednesday evening results in killing our LED TV. There was heavy thunderstorm in our area that evening, but a lightening came very first without warning had a loud blast and threaten to cease heart beats… which was the situation lasted for half an hour. Our pet also exposed to frustration for the loud cracks and it was like thousand fluorescent lamp blink at a time, and along with it the transformer also celebrated a pre-Diwali producing sparkles.

We once again tuned to our free television set, provided by government, until the Led TV is back after its major transformation of motherboard. It was a situation similar to 2009, when our CRT TV shutdown, we went on watching programs on govt.’s free color television for a year before bought the LED… it was too exactly on the season of Navarathiri. Even we used set top box for cable television, the lightening took the life of our led TV and there were number of TV sets in our area lose to the lightening. We are always cautious and switch off television and unplug wires when there was thunderstorms, but it fall quite unexpectedly and it is our fault indeed.

         Not to forget, the cyclone Phailin is on its way ready to sweep the coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha in hours… let all hope and wishes there wasn’t much damage to our neighboring states. The cyclone is expected to be very strong storm, where experts guessing the wind could touch 240 km per hour when it landfall between Odisha and AP… the tides could rise up to 3.5 meters and rush 600 ms in land.