Rising Fitness, Health and Fitness Studio – Bro’s Gym Inauguration

My brother has opened a new gym/fitness center in the neighborhood, Neelankarai, ECR, Chennai, and on Wednesday there was its inauguration function held in the presence of friends and family. He already administers a fitness center in the name of same (Rising Fitness) in partnership with friends and now he has executed his independent business named under title ‘Health and Fitness Studio’. He has worked hard last two months to create a theme based interior and it has come out exceptionally good and impressive by sight at first.  The gym is executed in a rental property and is located in the second floor of a building measuring 4500 sqft and he has taken loans to implement this fitness branch. Most of the gym equipment were imported but purchased through a company in Chandigarh that transported things through container truck.

Ribbon cutting

Mom lighting the lamp

Unlike the inauguration of their main fitness center in Madipakkam in 2014, any chief guest was invited and we had no ideas who will make over the show. We had arranged for breakfast for the invited guests and we reached the venue before anyone arrives, except gym staffs, and i took around the gym that was partially rubber floor and equipment were placed neatly with enough space from one another. A row of treadmills and exercise bikes are showcased across the glass panes facing the ECR main road and there’s a separate section for crossfit activities. I thought there isn’t a ribbon cutting event as time outstretched the defined period and most of the guest arrived and took their breakfast in areca plates (that came along the ordered food), my brother’s friend took me to the entrance saying that they’re going to cut ribbon.

But until I come out of the gym I had any idea that I’m going to cut the ribbon, along with my dad! Anyone other than my brother know this until the moment and it was quite unexpected and surprise move by my brother and this really showed his intend and care for me what put me on happy mood. Following this the elders and well-wishers lit the lamp (kuthu vilakku) that was placed in center of the front office and later all moved to the cross fit area for cake cutting. The crossfit area gives a studio/theater feel in the black/white theme and chairs where places there and cake was brought in center. I thought of sliding away to the side of the table placed with cake but my brother called me to come in front and in middle of the table made me realize his another  surprise move. The table was short for me, so he supported me from back to let me lean forward and mom holding my hand cut off the cake as people clapped in as signalling for the very success of the gym. Cutting off things could be side but I believe the real happiness is in its success and make revenues. Hope you all sent your wishes for the grand success of the gym.

Some interior shots 

New Purchase: iBall Compbook Excelance OHD

Lately I was looking for a compact laptop or netbook after I come across a smart one during a visit to doctor’s clinic and it was a MacBook for sure (which I'm certain apparently doesn’t need to define, as all apple products are smarter) and the way he dealt with it impressed me and produced a desire to buy one. I know I could not go near the MacBook that totally out of my budget and while come down the options were limited but still some renowned brands priced high the netbooks with specifications same as some local and unknown brands.  I did read many a reviews and comparisons on netbooks around 11 inches, anytime I felt and once get to know the Amazon Summer Offer is ahead, I took it seriously and settled at last for the Indian brand iBall – Compbook Excelance OHD – a Full HD netbook at around ₹9000 ($130) + 10% instant discount. 

I bought a chocolate colour compbook at a weight of about 1 kg and being a prime member of Amazon, compbook was delivered within 24 hrs of booking.  I was excited to power on the compbook (after 3 hrs of charging) and the first thing that stroked me was the spectacular color/contrast of the screen that turned the viewing stunning, enriched and refreshing sight! Thanks to IPS panel to turn things magical on screen and the 32GB emmc storage is left by 20 GB of free space and the 2 GB ram is unexpectedly quick for a leisurely operator alike me.  The multi-touch touchpad is super sensitive to my worn out fingers which lost track the gestures in the long run with my former laptop – what is still good and the compbook is only an alternate that I planned to use for  browsing, social networking and MS word.  Photoshop is strictly no on compbook so my laptop (Dell Inspiron) is the only choice for photo editing and storing data.  

The letter keys on compbook is bigger than the laptop to type but the location of shift, backspace and arrow keys are placed uncomfortable or I need to practice lot to make it usable.  The most impressive of the compbook was the battery that could run 8 hrs without charging, which means the netbook could last more than 2 days for my kind of use. The compbook comes with micro SD slot to expand storage up to 128 GB and also has option of adding internal HDD/SSD up to 1TB. I decided to do anything right now or until the system face trouble with speed or storage. It looks overall a good deal and could only wait and watch how worth the purchase was.  

Simple Mountains and Skies

Shots from a detour, last year, around Arcot and Vellore. The mountainous terrain is a simple pleasure riding through the winters. 

The weather had turned lil better after few days of high temperature, though it doesn't turned cooler, the sea breeze that venture the hot land breeze around afternoon makes feel better. The cyclone that had stroke Odisha and West Bengal created a havoc and unimaginable destruction to lives and livelihood and natural front trees. Hope things turn better quicker for people out their suffering from the heavy storm that blasted at about 200 km/h. 

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

End of Cool Breeze and Diverted Storm

The summer breeze has took backseat to zero ending up a weather that wasn’t complaint despite the bright sunlight, today turned out to be the hottest day of the year so far. There isn’t a motion of wind outside the house unlike few days ago where I enjoyed the cool breeze even at the midday to noon, things turned different overnight which perhaps due to the pulling up of wind by the cyclone formed far away from the bay. Body soaks in sweat unless sitting under the fan or blowing air con. The sky was mildly cloudy allowing light sunshine but muggy weather turned it worse with lack of blowing wind there’s unknown pressure in the atmosphere forcing us down. Being the last day of the month, April, it become an unfavourable despite being a month of nothing much to complaint comparing previous years (where the hot weather emerge even in March itself) at least coming to the part of my city at the state level.  

The weathermen read a report last week, sending pretty cool waves whispering happiness into the ears by forecasting a cyclone to form on the Indian Ocean and drives toward Chennai and its surrounding and I also mildly heard of red alert dispatched from weather dept. that we all looked forward keeping away the thoughts of destruction that a cyclone could create, it was the rainclouds that we desired to see showering, wetting and quenching thirst of our mother earth to nurture her children alike. But it was disappointing when cyclone took diversion from the path predicted, although from the experience in past the cyclone didn’t fascinate me as I too felt it was early to predict,  it was the rain we miss a lot since the failure of northeast monsoon that our water source is largely depend. All the reservoirs that supply water to the city (with more than 10 million people) has went drought and the only source remains now was the seawater desalination and bore wells. The weather is predicted to be terrific hot in coming days and weeks following the draw of moisture wind and land breeze to gain power. Stay safe Chennaities 

Walk Down Dog

There’s a huge dog in the neighbourhood and every day it used to walk down our street by it’s caretaker. At the size of a tiger it put forth a majestic walk yet quiet, patient and gently at pace, even when the dogs in our house and on the street barks (up going dry throat) it didn’t bit distract from its state than humbly walk beside its caretaker. Other day my cousin told me the name of the dog’s breed which I couldn’t recollect now and it’s obviously a foreign breed and should belong to some rich person. As I write this post the dog walk past my house with the surrounding noise of barking dogs. They see him daily but I think they couldn’t accept his double the size of regular dogs and feel so foreign or strange. Dogs have great sense to find out the difference and this big one sense much for them to bark like hell. 

The dog has pretty fur and brown in color has white at the tail and on all four legs apart some white around the nose and black ears. 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Terror

A church damaged in bomb blast in Sri lanka

The terror stroke the churches and hotels in our neighbour country, Sri Lanka, on the Easter Sunday is a great tragedy to never take on an easy note. It’s not that far what has happened in the island country that’s mere 35 km from India bordered with sea looks anything is possible. Peace is something the country is slowly possessed after the inland war that ended a decade back and this terror strike is one of the worst the country faced with more than 350 innocent people killed. I know the Tamils in Island continue to suffer from post war crises and fighting for an equal right of living that the ruling governments refuse to reach out. Terror is something stroke beyond anything and we could not give any colors, race or credit to the violent behaviour of some which need to be suppress and repress without fail. Terror has become an overseas problem and almost every country face the disgust and with open hands we couldn’t do anything rather strengthen our security and intelligence. Terror isn’t an easy thing to erase from the society and we couldn’t get clue in which form it will harm people and we could only wish it never happen anywhere again. My thoughts goes to the people who suffered lose and wounded badly to the bomb blasts.

RGB Monday

Colorful hill residence 

I enjoyed zooming on the houses on Elk Hill in Ooty when I stayed opposite to the hill during my travel. As you have seen the wide views on the hill and houses in a previous post here, this is a part of the scene and close looks at some houses more in shades of red, green, blue.

Parliament Election and My Choice of Vote

Our state is polled for the 17th parliamentary election – that’s happening at many phases across the country – and today I exercised my franchise by casting my vote to torch symbol that represents the Makkal Neethi Maiyam (People Justice Center) headed by actor Kamal Haasan but I wasn’t intend to poll for the party and I doubt will I voted MNM if the candidate wasn’t R. Rangarajan IAS. I read his profile, ideology presented as manifesto and the clear state of mind on political scenario and expressing the intentions to implement on the constitution and overall a coolly personality to enrich his duty. The voluntarily retired, as sub-collector and officer on duty, joined MNM party to serve people directly after inspired by Kamal’s political ideology and he’s an important pillar in designing the party manifesto.

I never voted just considering a party alone. For me, first it was the candidate and I believe only if we select the right person better things could happen because he’s going to be the connector between the govt. and people and if it’s going to be a problem how we could receive good signals.  Candidates are the basement of a strong parliament or legislative and anyone defective could bring deceive to people. Though I don’t say who I voted were the best but I tried to choose who’s better through my perception rather opt for party politics. I believe in the saying ‘politics isn’t corrupt but the politicians’, so here I want to choose a right representative to talk to their leadership in achieving the goals for the constituency. I initially thought of voting the opposite party candidate but changed my decision, though she had a good profile she sounded like a party depended.

At the end of the poll Tamil Nadu (our state) recorded 70% of voting and to my disappointment my constituency (Chennai South) becomes the 2^nd least record percentage with 58% following 57 % in Centre Chennai.  I see this as a democratic assassination because Chennai South is where the most educated live and economically leading. The Chennai IT corridor comes under this constituency and well established education institutions, and posh and upper middle families lives lot there alongside dense labour communities but still this less percentage gives a shame on people. When other constituencies recorded above 70% with most rural aspect, these city dwellers (who benefits lot) failed to be socially responsible and democratically right.

RGB Monday

Colorful reflection

My window reflection on the light decoration of lord Murugar from last month’s temple festival at the backstreet. And for more colors go here for the entire post on the colorful festival.

My Skies

Other day in late February my afternoon sky turned pretty much in blue and got clash with the shimmering green tree that saw new shoot as sunlight exposed through it. Though summer is here, Chennai continue to stay little out of the heat while other districts experience sultry, the sea breeze blows like a life saver. The weather men continue to warn there’s hotter days ahead and the days are hot as well for those head out of home or air- con office but the homebound I still enjoy the summer breeze.

One evening early in March my sky looked this way – like a trace of clouds undusted of the sky – right in front of balcony.

A recent one from a quiet evening and I really liked this moment and simple sky that has anything significant or magnificent to excite but there’s’ a sense of peace amid the unsettled birds and vehicles.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Elk Hill Residences

Elk hill is a hillock facing the Ooty town and the other side sliding down the Ketty valley, on Nilgiris, has slopes of hill residents and private resorts with tea gardens and woods spread around. Glad I was able to homestay right opposite to the hill (during my visit to Nilgiris aka Ooty in April 2017) to have a wonderful look on the same and the houses built in step formats. Our homestay had two big balconies overlooking the hill across the carrot and vegetable farming and Ooty-Coonoor main road. I really enjoyed this view and also the night ones with glittering lights from the hill residents (unfortunately I don’t have photos from night) and most of the houses built on the slope was tiled roof and built wall-to-wall with neighbours. I hope they all live as a community with peace and harmony unlike the different colors of house which perhaps one of the reasons for me to zoom for details. Looks most of the houses built there has to take only steps since there isn’t space to lay roads.

Btw. I don’t have any idea or found details why it is called Elk hill, but it only wants me to think either it should have Elk deer once on this hill or British (who discovered Ooty) brought some from their homeland. The other side of the Elk Hill has a popular Murugan temple built on the idea of Malaysia’s Batu Cave with a moderate golden statue of Muruga.

Twilight Zone

The sun haven’t raised, yet
the life started to act
at the state of twilight,
the purified air of night
and the tranquilized dust
is back to surface
as life restarts, to survive.

The honk of vehicles, bang
as other noises unbroken, yet
the natural chirp of birds
and crisp in air, sways
as slowly sky consume light
things went for better views
as sun warm-up to glow.  

Like things have two sides
the light has its part of shadow
or silhouettes against its glow,
the twilight zone is bliss
as things take minimal effect
to retreat or restore the activity
from the day or night sleep.

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Haiku Moon

Sea foam takes round form

up on sky front, frozen moon

flashed in its grey shades.

P.s. The image has the Supermoon from Feb 19 and it was captured by my mom  as i couldn't look at the moon from the balcony since the change of the angle of the moon. 

Jack Fell into a Well

One of the three street dogs my brother taking care of fell into an apartment well in the backstreet this evening when two of the three went playing around. There was totally fived dogs gave birth by another street dog and my brother fed them all, where among two was killed in a street accident (a year back) and one was adopted by my cousin sister and other two by my brother. Now, as we moved close by a door next the three dogs continue to enjoy their company and were all fed almost together. Though it annoys sometime and has created lot troubles early, they all settled well around now and get used to the balconies and terrace above our home. Ours is a three storey residential building and we reside at the first floor and adjacent to us was my cousins so we let them take space at their own comfort except coming into the home. In day time they roam on streets and come home only for night sleeps and naps.

Coming to post, the dog Jack (in photo above) fell into the well when it went on top of a net covered well, at an old apartment complex in the backstreet. The apartment walls are very low and anyone can leap into the apartment and the two dogs (Jack and Black) went playing around there and the rusted well net couldn’t hold the Jack’s weight and it fell into the well. Glad there was two to three feet of water in the well and the Jack safely landed on the water and hold to the wall with its back legs pedalling and the Black continued to stay back barking at the well, signalled the people about the fall. Three little kids ran to our house informing us and my bro has been out then, so on information he rushed to the spot and my cousin and his friends brought a rope ladder on rent and Jack was rescued safely by my brother who climbed down a nearly 20 feet well.  Jack has climbed on his shoulder as soon he gets down, perhaps he must have scared enough.  Jack is a hefty dog and climbing the rope ladder along with him isn’t an easy task but my brother’s attachment with them made possible.

At this place I remember the nursery rhyme – Jack and Jill… to fetch a pail of water… from the well up the hill and Jack fell down… here the Jack fell inside the well rather down the hill! Jack is a calm dog and much responsible among the other dogs and never been rude or threatening but his bodily and furry look may create panic to by passers. Jack brought its features from her mother whom I guess was a cross of Himalayan Sheep Dog because Jack resembles the look of the breed. Glad he was rescued and I hope he won’t go there again.  

A2B Park at Mamallapuram

Early this month I took a ride on ECR (east coast road) just to pass some time and travel but later nearing Mamallapuram, my parents instantly planned to visit one of my uncles who wasn’t well there. To those unknown, Mamallapuram is my grandfather’s hometown and many our relatives lives there and it is a 7^th century sculptural town renowned for its stone carvings from many single rocks or monolithic. But I’m not here now to describe the town or its popularity or UNESCO status instead want to share some pictures of a small park at the entrance of the town belong to A2B, a popular restaurant chain.

We stopped at A2B to buy some sweets and snacks as we visit our uncle there, I liked their simple park with walk paths, green lawns and many palms to make it look so green and beautiful with bordering flowering shrubs. Dropping parents at uncle’s house we moved into the town for some glimpses and caught at traffic, since it was Sunday the places were all thronged by tourist. We quickly exit at the other end and turned back to uncle’s house.

Linking this post for  Good Fences by Gosia

Knock at the Door

A house sparrow discussing with its reflection about the loss of their habitation and livelihood thinking it was another bird! But the sparrow was actually knocking at the glass window constantly in a manner of fighting out the other. It sensed me that they are actually knocking at our doors to let them have their space but us insensitively denying their rights and given importance to our hum him. We can’t blame anybody to enjoy their comforts and benefits available at the globalization, but did we really gave importance to something travelled along with us or realized what we missed in excite, the thing that was overridden or overtaken to let it fade through the rear mirrors.  March 20 was World Sparrow Day! And House Sparrow is a species designed to mingle and sustain with people but the reality was we failed to live up to their simple needs rather concerned only our comfort, style and hi-speed telecoms. The Western Ghats, along the south west coast,  plays a pivotal role in preserving the tiny house sparrows whose company we enjoyed until 2k, where the transformation begin to descend the harmony of their voices from our lives esp. in cities. I always enjoy their presence whenever I visit Western Ghats as part of travel and the picture was shot on same. 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Skywatch Friday

Other day I was watching at the sky, in a regular manner after moved to our house with balcony, I find a jet plane speeding across the sky up high and took these snaps instantly before it move out of my sky or contrail disappear like in the picture below. I really want to zoom on the jet but the iPhone doesn’t allow me to get clear near image, maybe someday I could with camera. 

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Temple Consecration and Light Decors

Few days before to the consecration of a Ganesh Temple in the backstreet, they started to decorate the streets with colourful lights and lighting cut-outs of Ganesh and Murugan idols at the street corners and junctions as a led to the temple. It’s a small temple in size of 8x12 sq.ft and consecration is a custom take place at every temple once in 12 years and this’s the first time (I think so) after the temple was rebuilt with new Ganesh idol. The original idol/statue of the temple was brought by my grandfather and his friends after finding it from a village pond but that Ganesh idol was little damaged at the limb and was the talk of changing the idol as people believed that a damaged idol shouldn’t be worshipped. Since we moved out of the area in Dec 2005, I don’t remember when the idol was changed and I hadn’t got to take the backstreet often until we moved back to same in 2015.

Murugan decor opp. to our house

The backstreet and the Ganesh temple hold many memories related to my childhood and friends and whose play area were mostly around the temple and mud streets. Since my two best friends came from backstreet, we hit often the streets after back from school and on holidays and I have walked countless miles over there despite my difficulty in walk. There are some guys (from backstreet) take response to conduct festivals and Ganesh Chaturthi themselves by collecting money from the residence – whose amount mostly go to their pockets – to conduct special pujas and cart procession at night. Last year the Ganesh Chaturthi wasn’t celebrated due to the consecration ceremony, the collection of money this time was heavier or 2-3 fold higher than the Ganesh Chaturthi collections.

Coming to the post, the consecration took place on Sunday morning and there were enough crowds and the area was in festival mood with traditional instruments (my favourite Nadeswaram and Thavil, like in picture above) playing loud through the loudspeakers along the chanting of mantras by priests. They played devotional songs now and then but glad they weren’t disturbing kind and only lights were decorated our street to look colourful for few days. From the photos you could see the glittering lights and cut-outs placed on our street – right opp. to our house was Murugar decor and at the left corner was Ganesh on seated position – and couple of shots on the night cart procession. Usually they make loud crackers and I find it terrible to take photos on the procession when one blast close to us, but this time they did blast fewer crackers (perhaps because of Supreme Court order) and the cart procession went off peaceful with light instruments play. All the photos were shot from my balcony.

Breakfast Time

Other day I waked up early and got to watch the activities on our street, what I regularly miss since I wake up not less than 8 am. And just before the sun rises above the building on east, the neighbourhood crows had their early breakfast – some kind of snacks left on road – and what I really liked was the way they all gathered (neatly) like people sat around a round dining table.

Following the disperse of crows, comes out a glowing sun spreading its warm light glittering through the stainless steel rail of the balcony, and without putting flame glows the coconut palm through the climbing up of sun.

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Summer Breeze (2.0)

Curtains took wings by the blowing wind 

    and if not for the hangers to hold eyelets
could escape through the summer breeze
    to enjoy a vacation that I made not in a year.

Shimmering sunlight has nothing to do
   while summer breeze continues to be cool
carried all over the living room, where
   I usually hangout with my lap and books.

The tender breeze holds some magic  
   to bewitch through its ethereal touch
caress like a lassie trying to seduce
   while I continue to windlass from wheels.

RGB Monday

Colors on move...

A street vendor, in push cart selling colourful items of house and beauty accessories - a shot from my balcony. 

Rock Paintings on Critters

During the wait at the toll gate on ECR (east coast road) in Chennai, I used to take photos sometime on the plants and rock paintings decorating the medians that separate the lanes for vehicles to pass through the collection booths. I here share couple of photos shot at the beautiful rock paintings on critters – different kind of butterflies and a turtle/tortoise and lizards – from two different stops at the toll gate. These paintings are there for more than a decade (without fading) and sometime I try to capture them depending on the vehicles movements and pace and my interest.  The butterflies above were shot with iPhone and the tortoise below was a camera shot.

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Postcards from Twilightman

Receiving greeting card or postcards is a favourite thing from the past and those days we used to exchange greeting cards with cousins, during the festivals and New Year, and I used to collect those as a treasure and keep safe, just like the cousins do at the other end. But I lost many of them in the transfer to different houses and I only hold what I received in last 15 years, where I have sent more than received. After I learned Photoshop I started to create my own postcards using the photos I have taken and put words from my thoughts. Creating those postcards gives me a content feeling then, as I go through my personal thoughts and ideas rather picking up a greeting card from the stores.  But after the run-up in advanced communication through mobiles and internet, people started to show lack of interest and enthusiasm in sending and receiving cards and thus the exchange drops put down the practice.

In last 5 years I received some postcards from blogging friends across the world and Twilightman is someone special and different in approach. He sends me (and others) postcards during his trips he takeover to different countries and I loved receiving his postcards that greeted with hand written letters. A year or so back he sent a postcard from Penang and last month I received a postcard from his London trip – an aerial view across the Thames River – and yesterday it was a card from Taiwan. It was a real surprise for me to receive an postcard in short span from his latest trip and it makes feel happy and I truly enjoy his friendship, care and love and I couldn’t take these cards simple while traveling itself is not. At a time cousins, whom I expected lot taking indifferent routes (and of course I won’t blame them as life is a transformation indeed) received the cards from Twilightman is truly relevant and equally more. Thank you bro 

Taiwan postcard

Someone Dear Passed Away

One of our grandfathers (Dad’s uncle) passed away yesterday and I really wish I write about this gent who I expected to stay longer, despite his age – he turns 80 this year – he was healthy and fit as well with a clear and conscious mind-set is bit harder to find out these days. He was someone straightforward throughout his life and talks what’s in his mind whether the people listen likes or not and because of this some could feel disturbed or annoyed but he was mostly right on things and say what’s good for others which sometime would be hinting their mistakes and stroke pride to make feel bitter experience. Thinking back I too have felt disregarded sometime listening through his speech but when I could understand things the truth in his words made senses despite his difference in attitude.

He had a diploma in civil engineering and had worked and retried from Tamil Nadu Housing Board dept. and only with his earnings he built a house and grown his 4 children (where 3 were graduates) and married them all and 3 were married within relations.  After he was married with dad’s cousin sister he was fond of my dad and dad used to visit his home to do maths in his school days and all our constructions were executed under his instructions and planning and he’s someone never compromise on the quality and strength of a building. He had a special care for me and used to enquire about me wherever he meets mom (who was named by him, as Lilly) or dad and one time he took me to one of his neighbours (practicing touch healing) whom he believed could do something on my disability, after seeing someone being healed. But it was quite nonsense method and I don’t want to narrate the stupidity, and what I really saw there was a grandfather’s love and his intention to get me cured in any means.

He was a healthy person all his life and a never changed personality, adjustable to the situation and practice friendliness with everybody. He shares the age of my maternal grandfather, who passed in 2015. His fitness and active lifestyle is something would inspire anybody despite the ages, and even after a cardiac attack, less than a decade back, he become more conscious on his health and food habit to sustain deed. We never expected him to die very soon, despite being very stable for his age, and active till he experience urinary infection and backbone squeeze few months back. He was on medicine and cast to produce much trouble and pain but on one expected the problem he experienced was a sign of cancer at 4^th stage. Last time when I saw him (in September) he motivated me to do whatever I could rather stay idle. His last words still resound in my ears. Hope he rest at peace and sail through our memories.

Scenic Travel/Skywatch

A Gopro shot on one of my favourite routes – Dindugal to Kumli – and this is a part of the scenic road around Periyakulam which shot during my last year travel through Theni district. I could not keep away the camera whenever I travel on this road; the Western Ghats Mountains is a great companion stretches all along the route and sometimes the mist covering mountain tops are blissful to watch and even on sunny days it would  be a pleasant ride breathing the mountain breeze. And the sky as well is a pleasure to watch with different patterns creating a wondrous upon the blue sky and being a fertile soil throughout the district esp. the Cumbum valley is enriched with flouring farming and being a treasure trove of Tamil Nadu, where one would cherish when travelled through.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Check Post – 3

Here’s part 3 on the series on Check Post where I would like to share moments related to check posts that I have come across during my travel. Today’s post is on Berijam.

A welcome arch by nature through forest, shot during a visit in 2009

It was in 2006, we ventured into the Berijam forest near Kodaikanal and it was my cousins’ inspired me not to miss this place when I visited Kodaikanal for 2^nd time and it was many time already for them. I hear them saying that leopards/tigers visit Berijam Lake to quench thirst and bison are common sighting the way want me to visit and experience adventure. Berijam is a pristine lake area located inside the dense forest and visiting it needs prior permission from district forest office (DFO) at Kodaikanal. A warden who arranged accommodation for us at Kodai, at that time, did help obtain permission to visit Berijam where only 20 vehicles is allowed per day to preserve the natural environment and wild.

We reached Kodai a day early to my aunt’s family join us on the trip in their car and we in cab SUV, but we got permit only for our cab car and we already 9 members on-board, received my aunt and two little cousins for a drive of about 30 km from Kodai. We doubt really will they allow our overloaded vehicle at the check post, but glad they didn’t check our vehicle and only dad get down to sign at the check post and we drove through one of the best preserved wild environment  of flora and fauna. The entire area is a biodiversity and unpolluted earth and it’s a complete pleasure and refresher to venture and its advised not  to get down anywhere other than the specified spots.

Berijam lake in 2006

Same view in 2017 -  no changes in shape and view on Lake

There’s another check post at the Lake area, where vehicles are stopped and parked aside the road and to check the place only by walk, but they allowed our car to drop me close to lake to get down to the wheelchair. I used manual wheelchair then and we spent some time on the lake bank, and taking photos it slowly started to drizzle and furthered showered rushed people to their cars, since there isn’t a place for shelter there. My wheelchair was pushed speedily by my brother to prevent getting soaked and in the force a front caster of the wheelchair came out and I was pushed further in tilt position till the car.  Berijam is a freshwater swamp lake and people are allowed only at defined space and to and fro through the car, our eyes were spotting for any wild animals.

Me at Berijam Lake in manual wheelchair aside dad and cousin in 2006

I have visited Berijam couple of times after that and there isn’t much changes on the place for good and each visit was a different experience for me and lately the forest department itself  running an ecotourism trip to Berijam and the number of private vehicles allowed has also been increased is certainly a disturbance to the ecosystem there. Berijam Lake is 9 km in circumference and located at 2165 MSL and it is also considered as one of biggest freshwater lakes in Asia. During my second visit I encountered Sambar deer, Langur and Giant Malabar Squirrel but beyond that the presence of nature and calmness wants me to go their how many times possible.

Infinity

Sky is an infinite 

where change, a constant
around the clock  
a destiny undecided
like a departed tree leaf
floats aloof in wind direction.

Life is an infinite
where it travels into space
to face challenges unknown
dreams to pursuit
and courses of leaning
that never seem to end.

Sea is an infinite
when watched from shore
where sky and sea are parted
through a thin line
and one goes in search of
the travel is eternal.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday