Floral Garlands

During my travel to Munnar (in Nov 2017), we stayed at Udumalpet for a night before proceed toward the same, we waited around a junction in the morning, while my dad went to buy breakfast the flower shops around there caught my attention but it was the fragrance of  flowers dragged me toward its helm. The weather was drizzling then, and the morning wake up from fresh showering turned things refreshing around us and the sprinkled flowers and garlands reproduces an essence and sense that could still recollect. It was around 8 am and due to morning rain, not many shops were opened except the few flower shops hanged out with freshly tied garlands looking out for customers and the waiting time got me the chance of shooting these.  

Linking this post for Floral  Friday Foto  

RGB Monday

One of my nephew playing with little colorful cars.

Some of the little cars were saved from our childhood 

State at Immerse - Kerala

Words can’t describe the destruction the southern state Kerala is facing to the historical rain and flood that continues for 2nd weeks, following the torrential rains across Kerala and Karnataka that let more surplus water from their dams that led flood on the river Cauvery. Though it’s a monsoon season in India, the excessive rainfall in Kerala, south Karnataka and Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu has created havoc where almost dams or more than 60 dams had open their shutters since reaching their maximum, the rivers were all overflowing and flooding almost districts of Kerala. I can’t imagine what happened with Chennai and its surrounding in 2015, is taking place at the entire state of Kerala. Their suffering is immeasurable and it’s just not only rain and flood, but plenty of landslides and tree fall since many part of the state is mountainous terrain it’s anxious to watch houses burying into the mud with people screaming inside!

A red alert has declared at Kerala by the state govt. and the three forces (army, navy and air force) of nation is out to rescue and more than 0.3 million people has put at various shelters as the rain and flood continues to flow. At the other hand, the Karnataka dams on the Cauvery catchment is open to historical flow of more than 0.2 million cubic feet of water into the river, flooding the cities and towns on the bank of the river. All the dams along the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, including the Nilgiris had overflown after many year, sent more than 0.1 million cubic ft. to the Cauvery through Bhavani Sagar and Amaravathi Dams. So more than 0.3 million cubic ft. is rushing to the ocean flooding the banks and breaking bridges which is something beats the earlier records. While the Tamil Nadu was fighting for its share of water from Karnataka until last month, we’re glad to receive water more than we expected but not this abundant making way to ocean flooding the Cauvery banks and fields along.

Kerala, known as God’s own country, is almost blocked by road and railways, where the bridges either broken or immersed in water or the mountain passes are interrupted by landslides and trees falling frequently. We all wished for rain but never expected nature to yell us at all this way and bestow with plenty of water that immerse us to breathless. Yes, so far nearly 400 people had lost their lives to the flood and rain in Kerala and property lose in thousands of Crore. I deeply wish rain stop its abundant showering, the only way to recuse the state and let people breathe a little.  The history will never forget this phase, though we can’t do much on nature’s side but I hope lot can done on authorities side to preserve as much water possible and clear all waterway for peaceful and easy flow… Sending wishes for our neighbourhood state and people to come up from the disaster as quick as possible...

Renovation of House

We are left with just two weeks to move back to our native house, that we left 12 years ago, and as I told in a previous post, the renovation work of the house (mostly for the comfort of mine) is happening at full throttle and the next two week would be more tighten with re-flooring, repainting and furnishing of doors and windows and installing of hydraulic lift and railing of balcony. The rework on walls which means of breaking and building new walls at some places took last few weeks, though work wasn’t that large the civil workers dragged the job and we were disappointed at their service. Even the plumbing and electrical works, taking place right now taking heavy sum with little work and they were irritating all the days, annoys dad and brother who taking care of all. 

In last 15 years we haven’t did any construction or civil work for the home, as we moved only buying an apartment flat and later shifted to rented houses, we are out of touch with the activities and familiar people who worked for us. Now we have to deal with all new people for each and every work and the local workers were a kind of lazy and frustrating fellows, so we’re sought-after other state people who come and stay over here for the civil work. Couple of north Indians stayed at the work site for a week and looked after the job but they too dragged the work at last when there wasn’t much to do. Actually we aren’t intended to change the entire house inside but things went out of control and as we hit a part of the house many things come to fall into restoration and it looks as if we are quite  reworking on interior.

You could see the first floor portion we’re working on in the picture above and we’re changing the entire face of the house and the balcony jali or latticework was broken down to give way for the wheelchair and lift, and a new stainless steel rail is come up protecting the balcony and the window and door is also widen to let more light and wind enter the home. I would say don’t live in a house that has no windows and I’m someone who believes life begins only outside the window, so it was my wish to come up with big windows and a door to get in and out easily. And that’s all for now and I will post photos of the renovated house once work is finished. 

Multi tasked legend, Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi!

An unavoidable senior leader of Indian politics and 5 times Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, legend Dr. Kalaignar M.Karunanidhi’s demise on Tuesday, at age of 94, put the entire state at hold. Renowned as Kalaignar is an exceptional, outstanding expert in Tamil linguistic and his energetic and enthusiasm about the language is indefinable and no one could be accurate as him who has written prose to “The Universal Scripture or Universal Veda or Book of all” – Thirukkural, written by saint Thiruvalluvar about 2000 years ago. The whole state of Tamil Nadu came to a standstill on Wednesday, the day his funeral processions take place, saluting the last legend of Tamil people as mourn to death. I couldn’t do any other activity on that day rather staring at TV, watching an ocean of people from various shores (including Prime Minster Modi and many state Chief Ministers) giving their final respect to the son of Tamil, while resting down on the shore of Bay of Bengal!

No wonder Kalaignar is one of my inspirations for writing! I have read and heard that he would write even at 2 am and continue to write throughout night despite his old age, it would feel inspire. When I have something to write or feel inspired to write, I would say I have எழுத்து பணி (writing work) if someone ask me what r u going to do and I would say this having Kalaignar in mind. His writing and pronunciation of Tamil is such prolific and best witnessed among the generation of ours. He may demise now but the impact he created through linguistic, social reforms and rationalism is going to radiate eternally. Kalaignar’s political activities began at the age of 14, when most of kids like to spent time with friends and look out for fun, and from an adherent to country’s top leadership his journey isn’t an easy thing and that too without having proper education his rise to writing text on Sangam literatures is absolutely a wonder!

His peerless knowledge and intelligence is a doubt that anyone could gain ever and his experience and hardworking attitude (even at age above 80) at other hand become great pillars that anyone could seek support and motivates a lot to generations across. My late great grandmother is an ardent of Kalaignar - M Karunanidhi and she had voted only for him (and his political party DMK) all her life. She believed only Kalaignar could do welfare to people and sometimes argued with us in supporting her leader. She also gets anger if we change the channels whenever he was shown in television. My grandma and Kalaignar are same aged people and she died exactly 10 years back at age of 84. Kalaignar is highly celebrated for his finer scriptwriting; screenplay and dialogues that many have become enormous success as popular dramas and cinemas while it’s still could be a challenge for any actor to perform or pronounce such nicety words and sentences.

Kalaignar was the only Indian leader to head a party (DMK) for nearly 50 years constantly and to win all the assemble constitutions (he has contested) without fail. His life is full of vitality and I ever seen a man amazing like him who worked all his life restless (similar the words etched on his coffin) to enhance the Tamil community and implemented schemes to put forward the backward society and equality for women on all platforms. He’s an ardent follower of his mentors Thanthai (father) Periyar and Dr. Anna Durai and executed what all schemes, ideas and dreams they uphold for the people of Tamil Nadu. He implemented the law for widow remarriage, equal share for women in the property of their parents, all religious people to become priest and redefined the terms for transgender and physically disabled (perhaps he knows the pain of differently abled – what he referred to physically disabled – as he himself ruled the state from a wheelchair during his last tenure as chief minister and till he was hospitalised) and he also obtained many rights for the state that the other states too enjoy, e.g. he brought the right to host the national flag by the state admiration than the central.

The thing that fascinates me a lot about Kalaigar M Karunanidhi was his consciousness and strong willpower and healthy mentality. Truly amazing, except the last few years, his exhibition of memories is very powerful and profound for his age where forgetfulness is common. During his tenure and wellbeing he often appears on media and sent messages with such nicety to his people and for a leader with busy schedules it always amaze me how he able to retain each instance of past with record. His retention was something belongs to himself alone and one can’t even imagine living that long with such perceptions! Indeed we miss a multi-tasking legend, who took the supreme power (sun) as his emblem, to work beyond twilight hours and midnight to the welfare of the Tamil people aka Dravidian. He also lived as an identity of Tamil Nadu. Kalaignar is the only leader in Indian history to do politics along with all Prime Minister of Independent India and Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu. Though some have personal frustrations on him (including me on certain things) but those aren’t matter in front of his achievements, administrations, passion on literature of Tamil and scriptwriting, level of energy and extraordinary memory power and diplomacy in decision makings and rationalism all makes him a gem, even he hide away in the darkness of death, he would twinkle until there’s light on earth.

What I have written is nothing but what I observed and what comes to mind right now… and he’s an era which can’t be confined into a post or coffin!

Front and Back

Here’s couple of candid shots on a horse ride around the Kodaikanal Lake road. It was the same horse, horseman and rider on both images that I just shot from the parked car, beside the lake, as they rode front and back. Kodaikanal Lake is one of my favourite places and just observing things happening around is a great time pass and entertainment as well. And horse riding is a part of the tourist activities take place around the lake road, apart cycling, where cycles are rented on hour’s basis.

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Silver Lining Clouds

Around Wellington near Coonoor, while stopped to buy some fresh bakery items, the silver lining clouds draw my attention. I found the clouds rising in front of me were impressive with an outline and above the cluster of eucalyptus trees, the clouds form like mountains that caught fire! It was nearly 6 in the evening and clearly sun was behind this magic and once we hit the Ooty-Coonoor main road the sun was out again drawing my attention at many curves performing delight. I could share some more delight from that evening that couldn’t let me put down the mobile, as I was out of camera, I couldn’t capture the best, but enjoyed the views and more to come later.  

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Turned 33 – And a Reminder of Past to Present

Other than a small cake cutting at home yesterday, it turned out to be another day and I’m not complaining and I also expected none towards the day. But I remember my birthday of 2008 (10 years back) that fall within 10 days of my great grandmother’s demise and we were staying at our native house (which is a street away from our current house) for 16 days ritual and there wasn’t any celebration to signify the birthday but it was a present and few words from cousins made my day. We left our native house in 2005 due to my discomfort and difficulty in carrying me up and down the stairs to our home in first floor. No one expected my life would be difficult or unable to walk when the house was built, leaving the entire ground floor to expand the workshop of my uncle, we moved after buying a flat in neighbourhood, about 4km away from there. After nearly a decade living away, we shifted back to same area in 2015 and continue to stay a street away from the native house, and this is a ground floor house that much suited my need. Now we have decided to go back to our native house and work has been already started to convert the house to my comfort and an elevator is yet to install to lift me up and down along with wheelchair. Things are expected to finish by the end of this month (August) and we have informed the current house owner already about our move.

Coming to the point of this post, I could recollect what my cousins told or requested that day with their innermost desire to live close. I wasn’t quite happy staying away from them, and from the area where I grow up till I was 20, even though the distance may be 4km but I always felt we’re a family of one, because they are none other than my dad’s younger brother’s kids. I could not stop thinking a life without them and how far we go, heart will keeps beating for them and for us, it was whom we could look out for before reaching anybody. Their wishes (as well as mine) have come close now and we are to become a family of two door front in a month time but I couldn’t feel the happiness as then and their attitudes weren’t same as well. I’m not saying they are unhappy or uninviting about our move, but I could understand the changes that life treated all these years and perhaps lot of exposure on various things might turn their attention or I feel unnoticed while they are busy social networking. When they expressed their desire, the situation wasn’t favour but we travelled together and sailed with bond which continues to tie on various occasions and in the last 3 years I didn’t feel strange or different until we decide to move close. I think my uncle family seems to feel uneasy, as we move closer, they may think loss of privacy in our presence and some scratches being close enough, but maintain a distance and balanced relationship is sure to work I feel. That’s all for now

RGB Monday

Captured this sketching from a banner placed at a petrol bunk on ECR, promoting an international school and I find the colors used on the simple drawing of a girl swinging from the tree branch has red, green, blue to suit the meme.

Bougainvillea bloomed in neighborhood

During an evening walk other day I capture these pretty Bougainvillea glabra turning the quiet road of this into very pleasant in the presence of these blooms, making way outside the compound of a school campus in neighborhood.  Sometime I used to take my iPhone when going for walk in evening to capture anything interesting I come across and if it is within our area or streets I just keep away this little weight from the pocket. The pictures were bit edited with Photoshop to bring out some rich colors and neat look.

Bougainvillea glabra, the lesser bougainvillea or paperflower, is the most common species of bougainvillea used for bonsai. glabra is heat and drought tolerant and frost sensitive bougainvillea and it needs full sunlight, warm weather and well-drained soil to flower well.

Linking this post for Floral  Friday Foto  

Rama Temple @ Palamathi Hills

While the Bala Murugan Temple is coated in yellow, the white painted Rama Temple is less than a km from the same on the Palamathi Hills near Vellore.  Thought the temple look newly painted I believe it should be an old temple but I couldn’t get any detail about the temple from the net or anywhere else and I took shot of the temple mainly for the hanuman statue that stood in front of the temple tower.  

                        The pictures where shot from the car while we slowed down or almost stopped for few seconds as the road was empty, the temple was located at a curve  so I could only focus on front (shot from iphone) and the second one was captured in cam by mom from the side window. The statue also looks like newly installed and the Hanuman is posed with one hand bearing the Sanjeevi hill (a mountain with medicinal plants that lord hanuman is believed to bring to cure Lakshman and Rama) and standing on a mound, which is nothing but a hundial – a collection box used in Hindu temples.

RGB Monday

Vibrant in colors

A house painted in different shades of colors including red, green and blue, and the picture was shot somewhere between Periyapalayam and Uthukottai, a border town between Tamil Nadu and Andhra. That was the first time I travelled on this stretch and I was on the road to Nagalapuram. From the look, colors and designs on the face of the house make think the people living there should be more devotional… because I have seen houses in villages with similar façade (but not this much colourful) are religious minded.

#RGB Monday stand's for my self made meme on Red Green Blue colors.

Beetle Play

My cousin picked up this green beetle from the woods (during our vacation at the woodhouse near Kodai) and I was scared when he put it on my wheelchair board. But he told me it was lifeless so did I breathe, because I am always scared of insects and that not mean I hate insects but I like watching and shooting from a distance. He knows I like to shoot interesting subjects and as I had camera on hand I immediately took a snap on the beetle to only see a little vibrate in its legs but before we realize it was alive, it took off to fly! We were surprised and he told it was on the ground, with all mud sticking on it made certain it was dead   and was like that until I took snap.  I could still recollect the vibrate it creates before taking off.

I leave with another wild insect I captured from the same vacation and I have idea about the species and it was lying on the dining table out at the woodhouse balcony.

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Beginning of the season – Wind

Up in the air
heart got lifted
to a state of ecstatic,
as beginning of the season
wind blows and blows me out
before it turned hot.

Elevation of sunrays
and tail of summer trail
blew down hot waves
blowing up the cool breeze
back to the sea
as land winds took charge.

Heart yearns
for the eventide
to bring back cool breeze
but it only turned muggy
despite formation of clouds
weather turns quiet unanswered.

Ps. Picture captured around the same time last year at Kurangani Hills! The wind was so heavy there and it was the location where forest fire killed 23 trekkers in March. The poem deals with Aadi, a Tamil month which means “beginning” of a season of wind.

RGB Monday

Dazzling fruits and vegetables stall at Kodaikanal

The roadside stall sells lot of fruits and vegetables harvested from around the mountains of Kodaikanal. For the new visitors: Kodaikanal is a popular hill station in south India (more than MSL 2000 high) and one of the most visited mountains by me. And during a visit to same in the monsoon of 2016, I captured these photos while we stopped for purchasing fruits and homemade chocolates. The rains halt for some time then and it was about 7pm I took these photos from mobile and I was really amazed at the outcome of the photos splashed in different shades and colors, since the fruits exposed to the led bulbs.

And moreover the mist, gloominess and wetness of rain give a refreshing feel as I look into the dazzling fruits and vegetables from our parked car. I know very few of the names of the fruits sold at the shop like plums (called as ooty apple), pears and passion, and along with fruits they also sell mountain honey, homemade chocolates and eucalyptus oils. But more than fruits, vegetables like carrot, cabbage, potatoes and mountain garlic are cultivated around the mountains villages of Kodaikanal.  

#RGB Monday stand's for my self made meme on Red Green Blue colors.

Palamathi Hills and Balamurugan Temple

As part of my visit to Vellore district in February, I explored Palamathi Hills, a beautiful mountain range that close to the Vellore City or to say about 10 km from the same. Located southeast of the Vellore city, the hills is an extension of the Eastern Ghats includes Palamathi Reserve Forest and Otteri Lake, makes it a thriving hotspot for various birds and flora. I visited the hills through the back road, which I would recommend anyone driving from Chennai who like to enjoy village scenario and it was a short route too by going into Arcot town and taking the Arcot main road to Kavanur and then to Palamathi Hills.

View on a part of Palamathi Hills

The hills have a beautiful and scenic environment and I would highly recommend it visited during winter or monsoon to feel cool and find it quite greenish. Palamathi is a developing tourist destination with Balamurugan Temple, atop the hill, could be the prime destination to attract tourist. The yellow coated Murugan Temple, also known as Kuzhandai Velayudhabani swamy Temple could be an attention seeker for anyone visiting the hills and the hillock temple and tower is visible from the distance if you climb from the Vellore city. The temple has a beautiful arch at the foothill leading a driveway and a stairs parallel to the parking lot.

It was 12pm when we visited the temple and it has around 150 steps to climb from the foot hall to the temple and before we discover the off road that adjoin the hillock, mom and grandma went atop on foot and it was them to find out the mud road and we took the SUV close to the temple tower. The temple provides free lunch for the visited devotes and except me and cousin, others end their lunch there. Parents told the temple was well maintained and has couple of peacocks fenced in a cage inside the temple – form where one get to hold natural views all around.

The forest view along the off road that take us above the hillock and you could see goats feeding from a bucket kept by the temple people.

The temple perched on the cliff, shot while climbing down the hill towards Vellore city

Palamathi isn’t very high hills and should be around MSL 300-400 and has wonderful breeze throughout the year but should feel cool in morning and evenings unless monsoon/winter hits. I actually wanted to visit this place much earlier as post monsoon or midwinter to experience cool weather but it wasn't bad in early Feb. The best part of the scenic hills is the road winding down to the Vellore city and the hairpin bends are picturesque to shoot along the way or from the hilltop. But the temple has closed the windows overlooking that view, perhaps it located at unsafe spot, so we missed getting the scene but I managed to get some while drove through the Ghats.

Scenic view around the hairpin bends

Palamathi is a village panchayat and majority of the people living here are migrants from other places of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra and so they do not have a tribal status. The people cultivate paddy, groundnut and ragi above the mountains and sells at the city market. The Otteri Lake at the foothill is a manmade lake in the British era to supply water to Vellore city. I took many photos on the hills and I would share more in the future posts.

RGB Monday

GEMS Shooting

Cadbury Gems is chocolate flavor, rich and chocolate buttons.What makes Gems different is the way the chocolate has been designed as colorful candy.

Strawflowers

Suns scattered on ground

though they don’t glow like real

they own their sunshine.

Yellow strawflowers 

in the universe of green 

outshines like a sun.

P.s: Haiku inspired by yellow paper daisies captured from one of the wildest place in Theni. 

Commonly known as the golden everlasting or strawflower, is a flowering plant native to Australia and it grows as a woody or herbaceous perennial or annual shrub up to a metre tall with green or grey leafy foliage. Golden yellow or white flower heads are produced from spring to autumn; their distinctive feature is the papery bracts that resemble petals.

Flying Object

During my travel to Kodaikanal in March, I encountered this cloud formation and along with the sparking sunrays create an image of flying object or alien ship trying to land on the earth! The picture was captured around Dindigul, while traveling on NH45 and this was a scene following a series of hide and seeks between the sun and clouds, which was fun to watch and shoot the dazzling show of flashing sunbeams and grey clouds coming up in different shapes. It was also wonderful to see the cloud line or silver lining appearing above the clouds was magical but overall the alien disc was impossible to miss. 

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Some of the multiple waterfalls enroute to Munnar

Munnar bestow me with lot of pleasure as I explored its beauty in November and as you know except the blue sky I shared in a previous post, the weather has been quite cloudy and drizzling to rain entire the trip. Though I missed many views across the mountains and valleys to wrap in mist, the multiple waterfalls and brooks get me throughout a wonderful mood and upraise at every rise of natural spring. Following Thoovanam, and Karimutty Waterfalls I enjoyed some little waterfalls and water flowing from a raised mountain rock/cliff, to lookalike a waterfall from great height, and that all falling within short distances make feel quirk at each fall.

Within 2 minute drive from Karimutty we stopped on a small bridge by sighting of a creek, pretty cascading from a decent high to underpass the bridge to merge with Pambar River beneath the valley. It looks like a branch of the brook that makes part with Karimutty waterfalls, from the original source of water (which believed to have medicinal value) above the mountains (click here to see from where it flows). I also liked more the trees making a solid stand between the rocks and the entire scene gives a jungle feel although it’s not far from Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.

 

In the picture above (1st one) you could see the back road or the one we took from Chinnar and the brook runs below to valley and Karimitty waterfall is on the left side of the image. Few km from there is Marayoor, the only town between Udumalpet and Munnar, and just passed the town of many restaurants and cottages, we stopped at the sight of another mini falls silently making its way through vegetation and banana plants, which seems to belong to the house beside the waterfall.  I just enjoyed the lush green of the area with mist wrapping above the mountains… a couple of bends and curve from there brought the breathtaking sight of all.

It was refreshing to see water flowing from that high cliff of mountain and being black rock mound the water falls like overflowing of milk. Thanks to the mist and clouds to trigger showering above the mountains to create this natural waterfall to be visible from a distance, though it was far above to reach I zoomed on to get the views (below) from the stopped car. Glad there was no vehicle in front or behind to force us to move, and I could feel the coolness even through the sight. This road takes us through number of natural wonders and it’s all because of the weather condition of mist and rain aid us to enjoy this special occasion/vacation.

And ten minute drive from there and about msl 1200, and somehow above the mountains, crawling through the mist and pristine scene of nature it was wonderful to see another shades of silver (waterfall) leak through the thick forest vegetation and tea plantation. It was from there things went hide from our views as we travelled through thick fog, my eyes couldn’t miss few more little waterfalls took stream from the mix of mist and rain. But it is for another day.  

Woodhouse

Mist in the air wraps

like an envelope, woodhouse

folds up blissful warmth.

P.s: Haiku inspired by the mist wrapped around my uncle's woodhouse in Kodai, an iphone click on the wooden porch that slightly wet because of mist and rain that locked us last Nov's visit.

Friday Review: Tik Tik Tik

From the time I heard about this film and its concept (of space travel) I decided not to give a miss, watching it from theatre – and like I told earlier I went for a night show at drive-in, skipping the evening, for the Tamil film Tik Tik Tik . Shakthi Soundar Rajan always comes with different concept and deals with technical aspects neatly and I’m following his movies from Naanayam, even though he has directed only four films Tik… is top-notching.

The film revolves around an asteroid, in the size of Chennai, which is to hit the east coast of India in a week time to create havoc and the Indian space team tries to destroy the asteroid before it enters the earth surface! A team of astronauts head by Vasu (a trained magician and escape artist) goes to a space station to steal a missile, hold by an opponent country, to break apart the asteroid to preserve our country. Did their mission accomplished or not remains the subject which put us upright and holds interest to watch.

Hollywood has manipulated a lot on this concept (of space travel) but first time a movie made in India, using our simple technologies and VFX, want me to consider special and it lived up to  our expectation.  The director has simplified the subject and technical aspects to everyone’s understanding and the film crew had given their best to accomplish the mission. There are many places where logic dies but the illusion helped built up an image or mirage to watch with amuse. BGM was excellent!

The first impressive was the sound effect, where an asteroid hit the earth with force and make a large hole. I could say D.Imman had given his best and every time the BGM hit “tik tik tik” takes the entire attention and congrats D.Imman to accomplish a century, where Tik… was his 100^th composed album. Jayam Ravi in role of Vasu had showed boldness and unpredicted on face keeps intense. (I appreciate Ravi for taking such innovative projects following Peranmai.) Ramesh Thilak and Arjunan made fun and Nivetha is additional attraction to the exact replicative high-tech spaceship and space station.

The editing was magic and one could feel it if you watch filming clips under credit. Cinematographic is quite refreshing and the VFX scenes are pretty clear and feels real!  The movie is a great experiment that deserves attention and keeping away the logic (which I think is not necessary in a Sci-Fi) it’s a sheer entertainment, taking Tamil cinema to a different level and I really wanted to watch this movie in theatre to support their effort and to encourage such experiment in movies. Tik Tik Tik! A must watch in theatre for the terrific effects.

Skywatch Friday

Before checking the Tea Museum in Munnar, I captured this lovely shot on the pretty sky raised above the mountains of tea. Interestingly this’s the only part of the blue sky I watched during the entire trip of Munnar in Nov 2017! I ever experienced a travel like that where the whole trip went under gloomy, cloudy and rainy atmosphere and treated with multiple waterfalls decorating the mountains like festoons.

I really forget that I have completed 13 years in blogging on June 20th. I’m certain it’s only because of you, friends, support that I continue to blog and your comments were my booster to kept spring here. Thank you all. Blogging is a celebration every day and in the long run that particular day doesn’t mattered anymore and blogging isn’t the same as well when I begin and the experience of blogging taught me a lot to apply in my life and track  changer as well. It’s all because of you and you created a path for me to walk through.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Beauty

Beauty of bokeh
comes out of focus, express
it’s ubiquitous! 

P.s : Haiku inspired by the bokeh, shot with iphone last week while traveling in the car.

Evening shows and Kaala

Hereafter, I decided not to go for the evening shows at drive-in theatre as they begin to play movies at 6.45pm itself, it takes at least half an hour to get clear picture on the screen or to say until the sky turns darker. Except winter, all other season has day light up to 7pm and it’s really difficult to get involved watching. The only theatre I could visit here was the Prarthana beach Drive-in Theatre where I could watch movies sitting from the car rather shifted to a seat like regular theatres, and I don’t think Chennai theatres are wheelchair friendly or allow to watch movies from wheelchair. Apart this we could avoid traffic if we go for the night show at 10pm, and it takes only 15-20 minutes to reach and return home.

Last week I went to watch Tamil superstar’s Kaala and it is a movie based on the popular residential area of Mumbai, Dharavi (one of the largest slum in the world), where the superstar protect the people from a political head who tries to evict them to execute his construction plan. The movie was easily predictable, and the director has made it simple so there wasn’t an excitement of watching a Rajini movie. I too went without an expectation perhaps because Rajini has done many don movies and this is another shade in black. Actually at many places it feels and reminds the pro-jallikattu and the tunes celebrating Kaala also reflects the loudness of people gathered at Marina and black being the protesting logo influenced lot.

I thought it was only me, reminded the popular Vivek comedy where he played a fake don in Tamil film Padikkadavan but now I could see many connected this way while watching the movie. For people who went looking for some action from Rajini could have disappointed but ok with bit of styles. At a scene where he says, you may have come without asking me, but to go you have to… I wish Director Ranjith could have made clear notes at some places and also the sub for Hindi dialogues are unclear and noisy when languages blend. All characters did their part well and Easwari Rai had made a nice resurface after long time in Tamil and her slang is typical. Nana Patekar role could have been stronger and the movie is an eyewash overall in black. Could watch ones and you won’t miss anything if not.

8 Lane Expressways! Environment Destruction

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has taken oath in assembly to lay green road to Salem from Chennai, an 8 lane expressway through Tiruvannamalai-Harur. I really think is there a real need to execute this 8 lane project on the already 2 lane state highway? Anyone who has travelled this road would know how beautiful and scenic the entire stretch was with farmlands, reserve forests and mountainous landscape with number of trees lining up the road makes it a pleasant driving. I have travelled on this road to (to and fro) Yercaud and I enjoyed it both the ways to become my favourite. I really disturbed hearing this project and thought its quite waste of money and destruction of nature and environment… there’s already couple of national highway connecting Salem with Chennai and they were also 4 lane but this 8 lane roadway is unnecessary and that too the selection of this route is wrong. There aren’t many significant industries on this section and the need for transportation is also less and most part of this stretch is dedicated to farming and has certain amount of Eastern Ghats and five reserve forests on its way which is in need of production.

The pictures posted here were shot during my travel on the beautiful  state highway , what the government decided to make 8 lane expressway by chop off the trees and farmlands

The prime road to Salem from Chennai through Kallakurichi isn’t much busy and only 40% of vehicles use this road and that road too needs improvement as it wasn’t good in shape and smooth at some places and turns from 4 to 2 lanes at the bypasses. To make people irritate there are toll gates for even short distances. First these things have to rectify before they go creating a new section of road where there isn’t need for such fast pace 8 lane expressways. Even though they make it with a long time vision, at what cost matters lot? Destroying the environment and nature, forest and farming which upholds our life and make certain we live. What kind of development are we taking ahead or presenting to our future generation is to inhale dust and smoke. Forests and trees are our air purifies and if we lose these filters how could we breathe healthy?   Any development that destroys nature and environment should be prevented as much possible.

A  part of ghats section and reserve forest the govt. want to destruct. 

The other important roads like Tindivanam to Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram to Thanjavur were still partially done.  For every New Moon lakhs of devotees visit Tiruvannamalaai for Kirivalam (Circumambulation of the mountain) which means thousands of vehicles and buses take the Tindivanam road which is in bad state because of abandoned road work for many years. I wonder why the CM is serious about this project when a lot of problems, which need immediate actions, are pending on… 8 lanes for this stretch of road only gives doubts. Not more than a decade back highways has lot of trees along the roadside but they were all cut down for the widening 4 lane roads and no trees were re-planted as promised by authorities and our highways on all side are bare enough now. Stopping the car even for an emergency on the roadside is difficult these days without a tree for shadow. Though Salem was his region doesn’t mean he has to execute this project that only destroys farm and forest landscape. We are in need of more green space and forestry to preserve our rain sources as we are   inadequate of water, bringing the Cauvery should be our prior and preserving the environment is much.

The already enriched green road and what better the government could do on it?