Interesting skywatch

The weather has been different, pleasant and cool these days in Chennai with pretty sunny day times and gloomy evenings mostly end up with mild showering to thunderstorm. Sky watching has become interesting pastime these days from different cloud patterns emerging across the sky and built up of massive clouds make wonderful evening show on the west sky, which sometime glows to orange to pinkish. These days mostly, altocumulus sky pattern is visible through the day and many a days with such pattern brings showering in the evening. Fish scales or altocumulus, is   groups of puffy clouds traveling on a humid morning can mean afternoon thunderstorms. I really enjoy this pattern of weather or a mixed pattern of sunshine and rain or overcast sky by the end of evening, where either it rains or not it’s welcomed.

Last night and early morning there was widespread rain across Chennai or almost part of north Tamil Nadu, with Thiruvallur district (to north of Chennai)  received best of almost 140 mm of rain, which is unusual for this month. The rain in evening is quite a disturbance to commuters, who were returning from office, but everyone understands the urgency of rain and rain is must as all reservoirs around Chennai are dry. Here I share few sky shots captured from this month.

The balcony and a step outside home, from where I frequently skywatch… on the left corner in the image is the adopted dog Jack, sleeping from a mat.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday and Good Fences by Gosia

Dog-tired Maya

Our pet dog Maya isn’t well for last few weeks and she looks exhausted all the time. She restrain herself from regular activities and was not even barking what she regularly do with house maid, guest, my therapist, insects… and started to wheeze after going through a medical check-up at govt. veterinary hospital. She did have wheezing problem already and if she barks intensely she experience cough and pursue wheezing which would take some time to settle or need some medication. We do remember she’s already aged 11 ½ and perhaps this should be age related despite her unchanged attitudes. She was injected medicine and put on drips for some time at the hospital and they took blood test and x-ray to examine her condition but once at home she started to wheeze immensely so she was took to the regular veterinary clinic where an immediate x-ray revealed congested lungs and swelling at a part of the heart. Dr injected her again after seeing the x-ray and next day she was taken to hospital and to get blood test report but gladly nothing alarming was defined instead a slight injury at intestine which caused the infection. She’s doing well and improving much right away and slowly backing to normal and barking her regular way but not that louder or energetic to make feel normal.

Picture shot from our vacation this year at uncle's woodhouse in mountains

Maya was brought up like a kid in our family and for last 11 ½ years she travelled all our lives through many up and downs and seldom departs us at few road trips. So it wasn’t easy to see her suffer, though we understand that we can’t expect her to be like earlier and her energy level and level of activities will strike as she almost lived her life. I hope and wish her further stay with us is at peace and happiness as long her destiny.

Ban banner culture

In recent times keeping flex banners has become a culture in Tamil Nadu, as well as in other states of India. I think keeping banners, as a promotion to a leader or party has started with emergence of Dravidian parties and what has been restrained to political and film scenario has went down all way to everything on their personal choice. From a child’s first year birthday to someone’s last rite and some even extend banners to commemorate the day of their demise. These days any small event has a promotional banner and what matters was all of these were kept on public roads as an obstacle to people. Though the personal banners are limited, and commercial banners do have regulations but where it creates trouble was when the rules aren’t followed.

credit: the hindu 

Today the entire state wake up to the news of Subashri, a 23 year old woman in Chennai died on spot when a wedding (political) banner placed on the median dropped on her and a lorry ran over her as she fell down on the road along her bike. Though this isn’t the first time an incident   happened alike, the accidents related to banners resonated many times in past and get mute followed by other. But this time the High court has voluntarily come forward to question the government related to banners and accidental death of Subashri and contempt the political parties and strictly warned on banners. This is the first time a great move held by the court against the govt. and the entire state stern opposite to banners. While she closed eyes (and let other tear) she opened the door of law where almost political parties had come forward to withdraw the banner culture, the public also has responsible to stop these banner culture from their personal celebrations as well

Chameleon and Rain Tree

Perhaps it was afternoon when I casually came into the balcony; spot a chameleon taking nap on the branches of the Rain tree or Monkey pod (Albizia saman) grown opposite to our house on the roadside. The chameleon wasn’t taking nap quite but was on its usual slow pace push ups and I didn’t want to miss the chance, so quickly reached the camera and took few shots because the iPhone don’t zoom for that long.

Actually the Rain Tree was wrongly planted in our street or unaware of what tree was it when planted because there isn’t enough space for the widespread tree to grow in our street and the tree separated into two branches at few feet from the ground went growing wild in multiple directions to look distracting and blocking the wind. Though we managed to cut few branches of the tree sometime back it started too grown again to damage the look. Post winter the tree lost many of its thick pinnate leaves to leave ground yellow carpet but it hasn’t bloomed yet in white and pink.

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Ganesh Chaturthi at Home and Neighborhood

Home Ganesh

One of the prominent Indian festivals, Ganesh Chaturthi, celebrated on Monday and we too had a piece of the event at home. Dad bought Ganesh clay idol from the temporary street shops selling the idols and other elements for the worship and by the end of the noon things came to conclude and we had lunch with dishes offered for the Ganesh. The day was celebrated in front of the television and by the evening the clay idol was left in a bucket of water – the usual way of dissolving the idol that we are following for more than a decade.

The clay idol left in a bucket of water to dissolve

The clay idols are designed to drop in rivers by the time where rivers are flooded following the rains, but the climate change or delay in rains had left rivers dry during this season forced people to look after lakes, ponds and sea. Many in the neighbourhood, including my cousin drove to the beach to drop their idols but we found this method (dissolve in bucket of water and use it later for trees/plants) comfort and eco-friendly. I always keep this upfront to encourage others to follow this easy and need of the hour… but we can’t force unless they wake up. In the evening there was a cart procession from the street end Ganesh temple but as soon they started the rain interrupt and delayed the procession and the time it come over our place I had dinner, so couldn’t take proper photos and the one at below comes from dad.

The cart procession shot from the balcony - actually there's two Ganesh Temples in our area and only one took to street on Ganesh Chaturthi (monday)  and the other temple cart is postponed to Sunday.

Indoor plants, a new hobby

As an initial step to bring nature into home, I purchased couple of air purifying plants (Spider and Golden Pothos) in black ceramic pots from the Amazon. The plants come well packed and undamaged with boxes having holes for the plants to breath. In our previous house in backstreet, we had enough space around the house and mom had dozen of pot plants lined the alley and the courtyard had a neem, tree jasmine (Indian cork tree) and custard apple trees outgrowing from the neighbour’s compound turned our stay cool and close to nature with birds like the babblers, koels, parakeets… made pleasant the evening as they pass by these trees. Our current house too faces trees lining the opposite side of the road, as well as the trees and plants from the neighbours (who have enough garden spaces) produces a green scenario that I love facing daily.

I like having flower pots at home and once had roses, hibiscus, marigolds and some jasmines but the plants haven’t stayed long or continue to bloom as we couldn’t maintain properly. Our house in first floor, now, doesn’t have spaces to keep plant pots and it was the reason we left some pots at the previous house and some gave away to grandma but now I like to have some plants that grow inside the home that could be placed on corners and at available spaces. I was also concern about the air quality inside the home, as we living on the main street, lot of dust enter the home during the day time and we also have a dog so I was specific about the indoor plants that act as natural air purifier. We already have electric air purifier that we use only at night but I like to have these plants that clear the air and keep interior green. I decided to buy couple of plants monthly to place it wherever there’s space and also looking for flowering and bonsai plants.

RGB Monday

Colorful night lamp!

During my stay in a homestay in Ooty in 2017, our room had a fix night lamps next to the cot on both sides. Though we switch it off at night, as the colorful lights keep distracting the sleep, only switched on to take snaps.

Mulaipari - A technology to choose right seeds!

Carrying over the head, Mulaipari (pots growing with nine different kinds of grains) is a traditional south Indian festival popular in Tamil Nadu and takes place mostly in Tamil Month called Adi (July-August). Adi is a month celebrated all-over the Amman (goddess) Temples and carrying Mulaipari is a kind of offering to the goddess, and traditionally prevailing legacy requesting good rain and fertility of land, in order to secure a rich harvest. Most of the Amman temples still follow this tradition which is intense in villages, where farmers preserve a part of their harvested grains yearly in order to use in next season and to check the standard of the seeds the Mulaipari is conducted. 

At the villages or towns, they built a strip shed close to the Amman Temples and on the day beginning of the festival Mulaipari (nine kinds of grains) are cast at the shed and the women in the villages gather over there and throw 21 varieties of seed grains and grow them over the next nine days. During the nine days, women sing and dance around the Mulaipari praying the goddess for a good harvest and on the day ten Mulaipari is carried over by the women on the baskets as a procession towards the temple is offered to the goddess. In this process whose Mulaipari has grown well will share the seeds with others or that who’s Mulaipari doesn’t show up. This traditionally conducting festival is celebrated to bring prosperity along the way to farming and it’s supporting natural sources. 

Moreover, seeing the growth of the crops in Mulaipari, the year’s yields is calculated and so was taking Mulaipari is considered as a rite. Cultivating Mulaipari isn’t just a rite or worshiping but a technique to pick out the seeds of vigour to agriculture and cultivate quality seeds for next cultivation comfortable from their villages itself and it is a festival in name of Mulaipari celebrates technology!

The Mulaipari captured in the images above was shot at Pannaikadu; a mountain village slightly diverted from the road to Kodaikanal on the Ghats section. Pannaikadu is just about 13km from my uncle’s woodhouse and cottages in Thandikudi and we come across this Mulaipari procession during a course to Kodaikanal while staying at the woodhouse last month. Women cladded in colourful sarees carried the Mulaipari baskets on their heads and some with milk pots walking to their destined temple. Pannaikadu has many temples and people out there seems to have great devotion and faith on god and on Fridays no meat shop is opened there perhaps because Friday is consider auspicious to go on fast and most of them here worships lord Murugar.

Monsoon Feel

Rain always brings cheers to mind unless it was a kind of downpour or flood like situation. Chennai kept receiving rain now and then in the evenings mostly make feel cheerful, refreshing and relieving from the midday hot weather. During my vacation I experience wonderful showering moments with distinct pattering though the woodhouse and trees and coffee plantations and on the hills the weather was much treating. I tried to capture rain through various possible ways I could and managed to click some pretty images exposed to fresh green foliage and flowers. I’m stuck by thought of what to post and the evening rain comes to rescue and yet enjoyable. Here I share an image that gives me monsoon feel!

Skywatch Friday

I feel good enough right now as I say goodbye to the setback of my health! A visit to pulmonologist last week has helped recovering a lot from cough and cold and also could sleep well laying straight and to left and feel relaxed to go through blogs but still haven’t checked many. Here I share couple of pleasant sky shots captured from the woodhouse balcony where I spent vacation with the families for a week last month.  I’m someone always look out for natural frames rather adding frames through Photoshop and here I got to crop the image to get the up and bottom frame of wood house’s porch top and rail. In-between the shadow of trees and mild blanket of clouds the blue sky glimpse pleasantly. 

P.s. The Ghats along the west coast of India is highly battled by rain and everywhere there’s flood and landslides to keep things and life at trouble. The Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu is witnessing historical rains with Avalanche records the highest ever in south India – 92cm in last 24 hours and 82cm a day before followed by 42cm on 6th August. The landscapes and roads all over the western side of Nilgiris were damaged and most of the dams were at fullest and already opened the shutters to prevent further flooding. I wish the situation turns normal soon. We are in need of water badly, but how could it benefit all when it downpour at this particular place alone? Many districts in north central Tamil Nadu is still at the grip of drought and Nilgiris become the wettest ever recorded history! Who could be blamed when nature plays the trick but we could not say it’s no man’s fault.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Hell of a week!

Last week I was caught up with terrible cold, cough and fever that kept me out of my control, though I still have cough to keep me sleepless at night I feel better from Sunday. Once cough starts it lasts sometime to settle down along with spitting off sputum. First I checked with our family doctor and he prescribed medicine and said it was some infection but last week was quite hell and I couldn’t do anything and was feeling comfort only at slanting position. Again he changed the medicine but the cough/cold continues without a sign of reducing so we took an X-ray and visited the pulmonologist who I used to check early. The doctor found any abnormality rather said it was the weak muscles prevent me from fully coughing or bringing out the sputum that trouble me. My lung fields are clear with 99% oxygen so it was absolutely a flu or some kind of infection but the matter was my muscles are more weaker than before to make the fight tougher and it was a kind of warning that I need to address or be more cautious with things that caught cold easily. That’s all from the side of my week... I thought to do many things last week but was troubled by the cold to think anything out of my box.

Here’s something pretty capture for you from the uncle’s woodhouse in Kodaikanal! My uncle grows pots of Japanese roses and those are the flowers I capture first every time I visit there. The photo captured after showering. 

Some Highway Skies

The national highways has never been my favourite to look forward to ride and it has anything cheerful to keep up the ride as most of the stretches goes bare and bore, only the skies comes to rescue. We get to see different skies and patterns as we kept moving esp. on the highways, the change was constant and the sky wasn’t same anywhere and here I share some sky shots that I took while riding on the highways for the family vacation to Kodaikanal.

The sky wasn’t much interesting to shoot this time but was better with puffy clouds floating across the blue-sky only after riding more than 100km outskirt of Chennai. These were shot between Villupuram to Trichy highway and there are few more to share another day. 

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Family Vacation 2019 Ups and Down!

Don’t know why the vacation wasn’t exciting or to say there was something missed feeling throughout the stay but travel wise I enjoyed the trip and spending time in lap of mountains in company of birds and trees. It’s always a pleasure to stay at Smokey Haven, my uncle’s woodhouse and cottages at Thandikudi near Kodaikanal, where we spent our days with extended families from July 8 to 13. Since the inauguration of the resort in 2015, I continue to visit it at least once a year and I’m happy and thanks to my uncle for executing a project alike i.e. building a woodhouse in the vicinity of coffee estate and tall big trees helps me staying and enjoy an environment full of nature rich.  Anytime there would be a bird chirping outside but this time I felt a bit lesser sound of the birds and spotting birds has reduced too what I perhaps guess was migration! I know there are some little birds that migrate from Himalayas and it was the environment that console me lot as I felt down sometime.

Smokey  Haven Woodhouse and Cottages we stayed

Though we waked up early and began the journey, the most part of traveling (490km) went under scorching weather until climbing up the hill. Our car couldn’t produce enough cooling to the cabin, though we serviced the car before traveling it quite went out of gas when we switched on the AC on the return journey. We travelled in two cars and our 9 seater was occupied by 5 of us with boot space quite went for wheelchair, commode and luggage and the uncle’s Innova had other five since my uncle’s family was ahead of us in another car. Though we travelled together they speed up always leaving us far behind as we drive on moderate speed to help me balanced.  While traveling at two different speeds doesn’t bother me much unlike how it continues at the vacation period as well.  My uncle had built an additional woodhouse at their vicinity at a ground below the already exists, were all others stayed and we 5 including the grandmother stayed at the old woodhouse. It wasn’t the old or new mattered, but none came above to spare time with us and it felt like we came alone like how we travel last time to the same place.

Dad standing in front of Thandikudi village (beneath), picture shot from Balamurgan Temple come viewpoint

I was irritated lot to sit alone always, even though nature gives me company I felt lonely when all my dear ones were around not sharing. I haven’t felt this before while travelled as five and I would sit ideal watching birds and taking photos as it was my choice and nature of traveling, but as a family vacation mind thoughts about being together, sharing and having fun rather think about anything. I love exploring places and traveling but love double folds the family vacation or group traveling at least once a year to keep cherished throughout. As soon we come into the range of Thandikudi we all lost our Airtel network signal and I actually thought that it could be a mild fault in connecting, but the disappointment came hearing that Airtel network has stopped working there due to fall of tower! I know I haven’t gone there for networking and it didn’t bother me actually, instead only made feel happy that none will be looking into the smartphones so there would be more chances for sharing face-to-face but my cousins had another network to still connect and also hopping on and off in jeep. 

A moment together with family at the woodhouse deep inside woods

Though we expected rain in the mountains, as monsoon already began, the first two days restricted us to woodhouse and we got to the Balamurugan temple one morning and then to another woodhouse my uncle had built on behalf his friend and one day spent driving to Kodaikanal and Kookal Lake/Village. We hear people complaining of no rain until we got there and it was obvious wherever we visited except in Kodaikanal where the lake was at its brim! The Kookal Lake was muddy with water at the bottom where only water hens were walking in and out. The weather was much colder in Kodaikanal, even though clouds form as if it going to rain it didn’t happen until we move to the woodhouse. One night we spent at my uncle’s friend woodhouse (which my uncle built on behalf his friend) in a place called Vel Farms, a place deep inside the woods and remote from much activity. Overall I had good time despite the lack of sharing and feeling alone while being together as well, it was refreshing and relieving to travel after more than a year and I could cherish this for some time until I pick up another trip. 

A part of beautiful star shaped Kodaikanal Lake at its full level, in the eventide light with reflection of trees.

More details and photos will follow in further posts.

My Travel and Better Health

After a long time or more than a year, I’m getting an opportunity to travel and this’s a long gap I had after traveling become a passion. I should have taken a trip early this year but people had different plans which are unavoidable and needn’t be as each phase has its significances that need to be addressed. Being dependent it’s impossible to think or work beyond the limits. Dad’s post coronary issue (though it was addressed through stents and he leads normally) things turned worse in my life as he should not lift me anymore and mom as same following her uterus removal last year, I’m looked after by my brother and cousin bro for shifting my positions has become a problem to pick up a trip on own. Till the end of last year, dad could put me inside the car and we would take short-distance rides but now I had to look out for my brother to lift me inside the car and ours being an SUV only for him is possible.

Following dad’s angioplasty in December, we didn’t think of traveling for few months and in March brother started working on his Fitness Centre aka GYM which was opened on 8^th May and sister’s wedding arrangements in June pushed our travel plans further. Even now the brother is a bit busy making new clients to the gym will be taking off few days for a family vacation at my uncle’s woodhouse (Smokey Haven Woodhouse) in mountains of Kodaikanal. Last week I checked with my cardiologist and it was a surprise and happy moment for the doctors at the clinic to find my heart pumps normal or normal LV function (55% to 65%) which was 37% last year when diagnosed with an echocardiogram. A yearlong on medication had helped me achieve this stage and the doctor was content with the result has reduced the medication and my next appointment are only after 6 months.

Following a sign of abnormal in ECG, last year May, I consulted the cardiologist and he found a weak heart or less percentage of LV function.  Though the heart getting weaker is a normal condition in the progress of muscular dystrophy, it was quite an unexpected drop for me as of 2016 echocardiogram my heart function was normal, and 2018 report of different. The doctor prescribed me few tablets and hope to sustain the condition with constant medication was cheerful about the incredible improvement of the condition and happily deducted few medicines. I’m already taking regular medicines for diabetes along with calcium and vitamin tablets to support the system and this improvement with the heart has helped a bit. The family vacation we planned for next week, with near and dear ones, is the one going to happen after three years, even though I use to visit Kodaikanal yearly as a family to relax and a little bit of exploring, I hope to have some fun with my first circle families. Only my newlywed sister is missing the trip as her in-law isn’t well.  We would be staying at the woodhouse and visit the princess of hill station – Kodai.

My family vacation in 2016. My other uncle and cousin (who took the shot) is missing in the photo. (click pic for large) 

RGB Monday

A simple colorful stage decor at sister's marriage last month. It was in between the floral decor and traditional pots and lamps the marriage ceremony was happened.  

Notebook

There are some flowers blooms once in a while and one such blossom was the Notebook! It’s been a while I watched a beautiful film where love is exhibited in an awesome way or mood. Though the Notebook (Hindi film) is written with a simple love story it touched beyond the commonly held romance between a pair of love. Actually love is a part of the movie where each other liked without meeting but carries a silent message in the air blown through the mountain breeze and ripples on a serene lake.

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Notebook carries the subject of a remote school in middle of a lake in Kashmiri and it was in a condition of closure due to poor student strength. A young ex-army officer joined the school as a teacher, for a change, tries to improve the condition of the school, finds a notebook from his desk drawer left behind by the previous teacher, and he’s nourished with confidence and love within himself as he read her story. The school is back to spring with children turning up to same as his every turn of a paper in the notebook, the former teacher re-joined the school later, found her notebook with comments from him made her fall for him.

Kabir and Firdaus characters as young teachers made a lovely presence on screen and create an affinity of love without meeting and it was really beautiful to watch them expressing their love in silence and voice for child education. The kids make fun at the school, which itself in a poetic houseboat and show emotions in return when its time. The whole setting of the floating school in mid of a lake, partially covered in vegetation, transport us to a world anew where we would love to go back to school! The cinematography is overall a hero of the notebook and the location of the school is a well choice to enhance the subject of rom com drama.

For both, Zaheer Iqbal and Pranutan Bahl, the lead of the film is debuted and so their screen presence was refreshing like the fragrances of bloom and I loved the character name Firdaus to sound very pleasant. For the observer like me, her tiny expressions and smile could be admired. The Kabir’s character is a nice example of soldier mind-set when he saves kids despite what bothers him including his life or love. Notebook is simply made out of love and wow simply like the breeze caress across. The Bollywood movie is produced by Salman Khan!   

RGB Monday

Pretty de-led-lights! 

A part of sister's wedding colorful light decoration outside the home and the lights were hung from top floor to below our balcony. You could see the whole decor in my previous post here.

Moment it Rain

My sky before it started to rain

First rain of the year
waked up the aroma of earth
from deep slumber, blanketed
in dust, drought and dryness.

A dramatic change in sky,
where scattered clouds gathered
filtered the radiating heats
to lesser, sprinkle as shower.

Not a kind of downpour
but it brings hope and cheers
to mind that so drought
and a kind of moody exists.

The senses woke up
as every drop knock the ground,
earth responded fragrant
as nostalgic rushes into vein.

The weather turns vital
since there isn’t a sign of rain
past failure of northeast monsoon
the rain becomes crucial
as there no prevention, care or cure
unless earth quenches thirst
to nurture its children.  

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Sister’s Wedding @ Mamallapuram

My sister got married on Friday at our ancestral town Mamallapuram, about 45 km from here on ECR and I attended both the events – the reception at night and marriage in morning – by staying a night from a guesthouse there. Though the wedding turned out eventful and content packed there was something couldn’t make feel relaxed or comfort at certain level i.e. the wedding hall was in the first floor with no lift!  It was a marriage happened within kinship and my sister (cousin) is married to her maternal uncle’s son and it was their desire to go together in life and we all approved their decision after small hesitations, since we were looking for a bridegroom outside the relative circle this was unexpected and we couldn’t say no as it was her life and she has all rights to decide her companion and thus marriage was fixed and following an engagement in February.

My sister was sent off  early in the afternoon (of Thursday) to Mamallapuram to get ready for the evening reception and bride inviting and we planned to leave by 4 pm in evening so that we could relax before the event begin by 6 pm. But we left home only by 6! Though we reached there in an hour things were to be hurried up. We had booked two vans for the relatives, friends and neighbors to cover the distance also arrived late to delay the pace and my sister went directly to the nearest temple from the beauty parlor - as per the custom, the bride will be invited to the wedding hall following a procession from temple, either by car or walk about, which signifies the beginning of wedding process in Indian culture. Already the crowd perched the hall when we arrived and there wasn’t time for anyone to spare me to transfer me to the marriage hall in first floor and it was packed further to make transfer difficult, so I settled in the ground floor courtyard where couple of rows seated and a shamiana tent was spread out with popcorn and cotton candy stalls installed where people thronged despite age differences.

I happened to meet and see many people during the occasion, where many of them were long seen and as I seated in a corner some couldn’t notice me as I did but glad there was a LED screen placed in the courtyard where I watched the live happening on the reception. The dining hall was in ground floor so it wasn’t an issue to have dinner but the tables aren’t comfortable for me and I was to use my regular wheelchair tray and plate instead eating from banana leaf, which takes a special place in our festivals.  Being late to the venue and beginning of the event it extended beyond 10 pm, when we had our dinner and moved to the room, which is a walkable distance from the wedding hall   that I covered in wheelchair.  I couldn’t participate in the wedding reception but I was content attending the special occasion of my sister and I was transfer to the wedding hall in the morning to watch the ceremony with help of my brothers and his friends.  The wedding was attended by close relatives alone so it wasn’t much difficult to transfer me by shifting to a chair and then to wheelchair, I got to watch things happening on the stage from the first row.

But what really turned out difficult was the timing. The marriage ceremony that held between 6 to 7.30am is quite an inconvenient for us whose wakeup time is not less than 8 am and for the 6 am ceremony I waked up at 5 but still went half a way through the marriage rite. The brides sat on the decorated stage in traditional wears of Dhoti and Saree and I felt they looked beautiful and fresh in the morning than in the elaborated makeup for the night reception. The marriage is conducted by the bridegroom family, so we haven’t to decide anything and the wedding hall was also their choice as it located very close to their house. I feel there was something missing which I couldn’t say what but I could transparently see the happiness on my sister’s face despite the exhaustion went through wedding process. We couldn’t spend much time with the brides rather hurriedly taking photos, the couple were sent off to Tirupati temple (about 200 km from Mamallapuram) as soon the breakfast is over and we moved out of the marriage hall and check out the room and fired back to home. Both the dinner and breakfast was good enough and this was quite a wedding I attended after a cousin’s marriage in 2012. I hope my sister led a happy married life and being a known family I believe she feels the comfort of home.

Our house illuminated in colorful led lights for the wedding

Apart the celebration of marriage, the day out there was terrific and the weather was burning to ashes once out of the wedding hall! The air con in car couldn’t control the heat wave even at high speed and I couldn’t remember how we reached home so was the sultry weather blurred the senses. We checked out our guesthouse room (Sri Murugan) by 11 am and I felt it was too pricey for a night with two to three cots in a room with no blankets and air con with no control to reduce cold. Moreover they denied allowing our pet dog, which they agreed when our relative inquired and so we booked the room. I had no chance to capture any photos and what you see here were few shot by mom.

Unspoken Still

Words cannot describe certain feelings
the pain in pursuing dreams, passion
when contemporarily rely on someone
or more than one, to even overcome a day 
comes with a question can I?

There’s something to be chased always                                         
even at dreams, and it could be anything
that anybody could decide the course
or chose the kind of attitude
from their personal vista.

Dreams come and go, but passion
keep tracking the path that flash lighted
sustaining a flow to keep track free
and a smooth ride is always on
however hard the surface rock!

Sometime it feels like nothing to lose
hopelessly life moves on, stereotype
that I always like to break
has become unchanged for a while
what decided by me not.

Like the terms and conditions that ever read
people never take time to read minds

or understand the difficult being different
as we try to outshine from the low light
their high beams brings us down. 

RGB Monday

A colorful shot from the streets of Mamallapuram 

Mamallapuram is a sculptural town as well a coastal town and popular tourist place near Chennai and its sculptures and monuments are dated back to 7th century, where the rocks carved by the Pallava dynasty. I find this snap I took from the slow moving car looking like two different shots weld together– where on the right-side of the image is seen a bakery, hang out with colourful junk food packets (resembling RGB colors) and the left side is a shop sells seashell ornaments. And this girl came into the scene, adds a sweet gesture with an amusing expression going with a wind wheel in hand. 

Skywatch Friday

Sky keeps changing its pattern, texture and colors from time to time and esp. during the sunrise and sunset it displays incredible changes from the often blue or grey sky. I sky-watch these days more than before and I was never a morning person to wake up to dazzling shower of rising sun so I only end up more with sun setting scenario where the actual settings happen behind the buildings. For a complete sunset I need to move out of the city but it wasn’t a feel bad to catch up with a part of the sky. The sky captured here was from two evenings back; though it wasn’t awesome I liked the pieces of clouds (looking like the handpicked cotton candies before it put into the mouth) scattered on the fore screen of the sky.

RGB Monday

Colorful Kotagiri market street! 

Kotagiri is a beautiful hill station in the Nilgiris surrounded by tea, coffee and vegetable farming and this is a market place in core  area of the town. The market looks like an important place for the farmers and traders to sell their goods and people surrounding in/out the hill town is rely on the market.

BJP Won But Not In Tamil Nadu!

Congrats Mr. Modi and BJP! BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) has swept larger seats in the parliament election and Mr. Narendra Modi as Prime Minister is continuing his office for 2^nd time. Though Modi have won and we had to accept the fact and while appreciate the efforts he put for the success, we can’t see it as the decision of entire nation. South Indian states almost swept against Modi and BJP which seems only a section of people want Modi or BJP and not the widespread nation.  A success is a success, whether we accept or not. North and Central Indian states had red carpeted for Modi and their reasons could be anything but certainly couldn’t sense a significant development was the reason for the successive of BJP or Modi. I haven’t great knowledge about the development of other states than Tamil Nadu, but I have ideas about the neighbouring states of Kerala, Andhra and Karnataka    where the influence of governing BJP is different.

Everyone knows that BJP is a religious party based on Hindutva concept but I believe the previous regimes under Vajpayee   weren’t serious taking forward the religion but had been reliable for people.  I think I don’t have the right to comment on states I wasn’t fully aware but coming to Tamil Nadu we have reasons to deny Modi and BJP. In last five years at office, I couldn’t see the Modi govt. promoting any significant projects or development on almost anything. I believe development is a progress happens any government comes to power, but the Modi’s govt. has any reason to continue in office, at least in the state of Tamil Nadu the things they are intend to implement where obviously against people welfare and wealth of state. Though different religious people live in Tamil Nadu, but nothing forces us from being united through the shade of one – Dravidian – and think on rationalism, couldn’t appreciate or invite a principle that impose anything against democracy. India is the largest democratic country and bringing all into a compression of saffron or hindutva is unwelcomed at any cost.

Coming to the state of Tamil Nadu, actor Kamal Hassan’s Makkal Neethi Maiyam (People Justice Centre) party has earned considerable votes to secure 3^rd place in the row of vote bank, even though they couldn’t win a seat in both parliament and by-election, sweeping an amount in short span of exists (14 months) is an unexpected twist that reveal people’s tendency for an alternate to the big leads – DMK and ADMK. My candidate or the person I voted R. Rangarajan IAS has led 2^nd with the number of votes the party’s candidates secured in the Parliament election and the 3 constitutions in Chennai witnessed considerable vote to the party. In Tamil Nadu, the opposition party alliance has swept all the seats from the state, except the 1 win by the ruling party which alliance with BJP, and it was an expected win even by common men as the almost state is against BJP or Modi and the ruling party doesn’t have an option rather going with BJP to continue their regime in Tamil Nadu. In worst case BJP govt. has failed in looking into the farmers issues and was accused to hold back the Tamil Nadu government in its control and make plans against the people to face this sweep out in TN.

Mangoes and Parakeets Peck

Summer is a season of mangoes! At the end of winter the mango trees in India starts to bloom following new shoot of leaves and in less than a month the mango trees turns fruit-bearing. Mangoes are considered delicious and prime among the sweetest fruits and there’s a word in Tamil called Mukkani (three fruits) where Maa (Mango) is first and Palaa (Jackfruit) and Vaazhai (Banana) make successive landing. In Tamil Nadu, Salem is very popular for tasty mangoes and this district and its surroundings produce tons of tasty mangoes yearly and Periyakulam in Theni district is also called Mango City due to its fair amount of mangoes produced.

Here's someone trying to nip from above

Mangoes do great business in this season of summer, but these days artificially ripen of mangoes are into sale and people has to be cautious while purchasing fruits. In cities it’s becoming rare to see mango trees and no one seems interested to stone out mangoes from the trees like what we used to do in childhood and everyone knows in Tamil Nadu that a stolen mango has high deliciousness than what bought for money. Nature is so gifted with mango trees with ever delicious pulp within a soft skin. A fruit-bearing tree is always an attraction for birds and squirrels, the very first species to taste the essence of the season and I’m glad to live opposite a mango tree, grown within the compound of a neighbour to get me chance to see and hear birds feast on hanging mangoes. 

I see/hear Mynas, Green Parakeets and Asian Koels screeching in the mornings and evenings hiding from the thick foliage of mango tree and sometime I see green parakeet acrobat in peck eating the fresh pulp. Parakeet is a regular sighting in the neighbourhood but mostly they quick screech across the sky and only in summer they stay sometime hunting on the hanging mangoes. Glad I moved to our house to see it happening closer, after moving out of our apartment house where I would see many birds forage on open vegetation. Last week I decided to capture the show that I missed to capture sometime due to laziness or unreachable with camera to focus on the Parakeet. Being a green parakeet it often hid in the greenery of the tree makes it difficult to focus or finding its presence.

Parakeet neatly bit off the pulp, leaving away the seed.

A detour around Ooty

Trees rise and fall in nature's lap

During my visit to Nilgiris in 2017, I took a detour around the Ooty town, what I usually do or look forward to whatever places I visit, we took the road adjoin The Lawrence School following our stop at the lovely Lovedale Mountain Railway Station, and it was a casual turn toward this road while looked for a place to have lunch that we took along when we moved out of our homestay. The road led through calm and natural presence of woods and shrubs; amid where we found this Indian Gaur (aka Indian Bison) munching quietly some ten feet above our parked car and herd of sheep grazing alongside the road winding through some fresh patches of green or meadows. I really enjoyed taking this route even though the road isn’t good in shape it has some nice country sights where vegetables are cultivated and colourful houses built on hill slopes. Coming across these found the Mountain Railway track winding along the road and it was really surprise for me as I have seen this place and wished to visit when I read an article related to it on the Hindu Metro Plus, very long back, plus it has come in movies esp. the popular Tamil film Vaali.

I loved seeing the arched railway bridge at a turn of the road, which was picturesque but unfortunately it started to rain when nearing the bridge so I couldn’t get clear shots and also the iron fence along the way interrupted the view. There was lot of tiny wildflowers alongside the road and this stretch was really refreshing, breathing through the fresh mountain air and essense of soil and different form the usual views on Ooty. Following were some photos from the drive

Some sheep grazing on the roadsides

A cute one grazing alone

View on some colorful houses and residents made life thought mountains, grazing sheep and cultivating vegetables and tea. Being a part of Ooty perhaps their lives depend on tourism activities. 

A cemetery locating very close to the residences you seen a pic above

Something interesting caught our eyes, as we could see it was some kind of cultivation which resemble some arrangement of stones. There was none around there to enquire about the thing and it wasn't nearby to look closer

Saw this beautiful house on the way made through salubrious environment of green fields, tea garden and fresh mountain breeze.

A pleasant countryside view  

The winding mountain railway track along the road (between Lovedale - Fern Hill) and I wished there was a streamer passing by as we drive through.

Here comes  the pretty arch bridge or underpass of the Nilgiri Mountain Railways... where the popular tamil song Oh Sona (from Vaali) was shot.