Midnight Rain

The northeast monsoon opened its doors with a bang of a thunderstorm and rain ever like before in the last three years, beginning from midnight to dawn, it poured near 200mm of rain in a brief time. The rain flooded the roads of Chennai city (yesterday) within an hour or two of the downpour, though it drained hours later into the day, the rain at night was such forceful to increased the risk of water entering our home as our terrace got flooded. The overflowing water that cascaded through the staircase filled the balcony and came close to the threshold.

Our threshold is less than an inch high (which we kept it low to allow the wheelchair to cross easily) had come boon in blocking the water, while our uncle’s portion, at the other end of the balcony, with a two-inch threshold, couldn’t stop the water from entering their home! They were busy throughout the night, pulling the water out of their living room since their balcony is a slight decline from ours, the water easily flows into their side to flood the home. And it’s a usual thing that happens with them, whenever it rains forcefully, but before it extends, we need to workout it sooner.

The night was roaring in a thunderstorm and a kind of laser show in lightning. Though I didn’t wake up to see all that happens outside, the sound of the activities and flash of lights conveyed me the drama. The garden of the house (pic above) opposite us was in stagnant rainwater, and it took nearly a day to recede. The metro water workers had dug a couple of digs (pic below) on our street, to clean up the drinking water pipes that was going on for some days, had messed up the place with heavy rains. The meteorologists predicted heavy rains further into the day, but as usual, the weather went in contrast to what they said, and there wasn’t rain after that.

It Rains

It rains as if never going to rain

A trial of the northeast monsoon

Draw trail as if clearing the way

For heavy rain to run down the drain.

 

The day was brighter and sunny

To ever think of raining

Until silvery clouds float in  

To become gloomy and rain.

 

The pitter-patter of rain

Continue its rhyme, wordlessly  

like a kindergarten kid, I

rejoiced singing along the rain. 

The beautiful sunny day in the morning contrary to rain in the evening.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

My Experience with Megaphone

There were the days, during the elections, or kind of emergencies, people speak through the megaphone to draw attention or warn people of the upcoming danger.  Sometimes they speak live on the mike, other than playing the recorded voice of the announcement while coming around the streets in the autorickshaw to let people know. The same applied to the announcement of polio drops, every year, had now become a common use by hawkers in selling their items instead of shouting out the throat.

To my memory, I first heard the recorded voice (used by street vendors) was the silk lace buyers in bikes, in urging tone buying old silk lace of any kind at a reasonable price. And regardless of Sundays, they used to wander our street playing the recorded voice as disturbing the leftover peace, and many a time they stop near our home and playback the audio aloud.  Following their footsteps, I heard the same in different words from the sellers of Idiyappam – a rice noodle dish from south India, Kolamavu (chalk or rock powder used for drawing Kolam, a design drawn in front of the houses as an invite to home), Knief grinders; and many others on the track. 

During the lockdown days, some vendors came on the street selling veggies in mini-trucks, as coming out of the home has been restricted, these vehicles pull off the doorstep and their playback is something constant and without a break is a headache. Glad they aren’t often these days after the announcement of relaxation; though I care for their livelihood, the noise they create was a nuisance. Today I found an interesting thing happening right outside the home, where a north Indian hawker, with a bike, loaded with door and floor mats were adjusting his megaphone. And I just watched what he was doing as he handed over the megaphone to a vegetable vendor, who parked on his side speaks over it like one mat 20 rupees, two mats 50 rupees’ in his familiar tone of selling vegetables in Tamil.

It’s apparent that he doesn’t know Tamil and though he may understand, his trouble with colloquial forced to use him on his behalf. He playback the megaphone as the vegetable vendor moves a little,    turned back to respond with a smile. I moved the way hawkers helping each other even if it was a little bit of this. I think about the many vendors who ventured into the south Indian states (or any other state with different languages) to speak or understand, this kind of help from the fellow vendors will improve their business, and hope to survive out of their town. And this is what inspired me to write the post – my experience with megaphones.   

Sync with Squirrels

Saturdays and squirrels always sync with me and I have mentioned it a few times in this blog itself and this unity works out from childhood to till date when I spot a couple of little squirrels chasing one another like kids try to defeat either in a running race or like players running endlessly on the ancient walls in Temple Run, on the extended arm of the rain tree, the guys hurried down to disappear in seconds. They look perhaps siblings who chase another for silly things as kids do and there’s no wonder as they are younger to be in a playful mood.

I have always seen the little squirrels running around the Rain and Indian tulip tree opposite our house but not sure which one of the two. Another day I saw a little one eating the pods of the tulip tree while dangling on the edge of branches.  Squirrels are everywhere and only we have to look out if want something fun with nature and squirrels is great entertainers and I enjoyed them more when I was close to the ground before moved to the first floor of our house.  The houses we moved in the past had squirrels wander through the yards and I’m enthused to shoot squirrels in my camera and I have also seen the worst of a black cat killing a Lil squirrel while I was capturing it.

The Indian palm squirrel you see in photos was way a few weeks back and was nibbling on the leftover rice on the wall beneath the tulip tree. The squirrel was quite alert while eating the leftover making quick trips up and down the tree when it feels fear and I got these cute close-up shots from the maximum zoom of my Canon point and shoot cam. Hope you like the little acts of the squirrel. Have a nice weekend. 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Despite I Smile

How long should I pretend to be happy?

To smile, while I actually couldn’t

Just like the smiley yellow ball - stress reliever

I was squeezed to smile.

While I pass through various emotions

The heart hurts the most, to break up

Despite creamy layers of joy or love try to forget

The scars remind me of the same.

And I tried to keep emotions at bay

But like a gale, I was pushed ashore

To pause and pursuit the same

To, lash repeatedly into the shore. 

Sunday Afternoon

In the silence of the afternoon

a squirrel screeched from the bushes

neither signaling its mate nor scared of prey

went silent later, as if it ended either way.

Rolling of the brass cuboid dice

the metal sounds from another side

slide me down the memory lane, like fall colors

memories of a cheerful period fall back.

A flock of birds in the background babble

indicates the return of the yellow-billed babblers

the crazy noisy guys, who always hangout to ground

kept me from joining, as I lifted to the first floor.

A sound of the saw at a distance

came distracting me as rooster began its crow

the day reached its edge and a sip of tea

lighter the evening, as the sun, drops its glow.

The Sunlight

It feels good to get warm in the sun

Months after its migration

The shadow over the balcony deviated

To give way to sunlight

Though I miss the cool shadow

I cherished through the summer

My body badly needs some sunlight

To supply with its nutrient

The sunlight becomes mandatory

Igniting some senses to upbeat

As I venture into the sunlight

The illumination of the sun

Is bright enough to light up the living room

While the daylight dims earlier. 

The Moon

She moves into my sky

In her usual way of silence

Though she sings for,

Only solos could be heard

Becomes a mood changer

While I fight the invisible   

That tries to pull me down

In the usual way, it was

Altered my night, to quiet and pleasant                    

As she’s a wonder and to be not

Her magnificent white 

Always remains an angel in my world

For me to believe in a force

Like men attracted to women

And women for the same

The Moon remains an illusion

To illuminate the night

The heart longs for. 

Sunday tale – a trip to Mamallapuram

I got an opportunity or I agreed to take a short distance ride on Sunday, after so long days of not coming out of home – for nearly seven months I held myself inside the home, other than looking out from the balcony. Glad we moved here, to our native house, a year and a half early to the pandemic starts so I have this benefit of watching from the balcony what is not possible in our previous house in backstreet with least activities on road. Lockdown days were quiet and pleasant here, but the relaxations lately made it very noisy. Back to Sunday, we accompanied our extended family for a temple visit in our ancestral town Mamallapuram, as per our family tradition, visiting this goddess temple has been made mandatory when a marriage is fixed.

The busy ECR on Sunday in the shadow of trees. This is part of road beyond Mamallapuram towards Pondicherry.

Yes, my brother’s engagement is fixed at the end of this month and so was this visit. I’m not a believer in god exist but I still accompany my family to temples as long it takes me out or traveling. We hit the east coast road (ECR) early morning but the ride wasn’t fun and comforting as well, as I had to wear a mask all the time even though I pull down to chin often it lacks freeness. I now understand how difficult it must be for those who go to work, wearing the mask all the time and while I couldn’t sit freely, I wonder how tough it is to do tasks with masks!

I couldn’t see any great changes on ECR other than closed amusement parks and tourism and entertaining hubs but the traffic was unusual for the time 6.30 in morning. I saw many cycle riders on the ECR, enjoying the cool morning weather, while quietly pedalling on the left side of the road unlike a lot on motorbikes vrooming and terrifying the other bike/car riders. We extended our ride another 25km from Mamallapuram to visit another family deity temple. Due to the pandemic and lockdown the government has restricted any rituals, so my family simply visited and worshiped the deities in the temples.   

One of the temple is located amid palm trees and farm lands, a km away from ECR main road

I sat in our SUV quite after a year gap, because only last October we left the car for interior tinkering and painting which was delivered only a week early to lockdown in March so I didn’t had any chance to travel or sit in the car. My trip to Amirthi Zoological Park (Vellore) in February happened in my uncle’s car and it’s the only trip I had this year where I drove for a 150 kms. My travel to Mamallapuram on Sunday was a half day trip and our breakfast was brought from a relative’s house there and we returned home by noon for lunch. It was good to travel even it was for a short distance of 70 km but for a travel enthusiastic this gives a bit joy and I hope the pandemic is over soon so that I travel every length.

Random Rant

I know

And I obviously know

Nothing stops for anything

And anticipation is sick.

Up and down is nature

Like high-low tides in the sea.

Never estimate anybody

Because, they unseen what you saw.

To pretend to be intelligent

It’s unfair to tap down somebody.  

Nobody knows everything

And sky’s the limit

Beneath it, everyone’s the same.

October for Me

 

October, often reminds me of Mahatma Gandhi’s specs perhaps because the O – the first letter of the month October – resembles the shape of Gandhi’s specs and moreover October 2nd is Gandhi’s birthday and it could be the reason to connect O with his specs. Gandhi’s birthday is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanthi and we’re proud to say he’s the father of our nation!  

October Sky is one of my favourite movies and the teens experiment with rockets in the movie reminds me of the childhood days as kids when we explode firecrackers and the Indian festival of light, aka Diwali or Deepavali also often fall on the month of October is appropriate to connect. Diwali is a festival that we could not be far from fireworks or firecrackers and it is fun to play with those and watch rockets boom the sky with light and colours stroke a chord of sight.

Ayutha Poojai is another childhood delight that falls in the month of October this year. The festival celebrates weapons or tools, is conducted to maintain and cleans the machineries that helps in production and day-to-day activities will pull-off for a day or two to give rest to them and worship for the wellness of machineries and business. I grew up watching my uncle’s garage as our home was adjoined then and putting a step outside the home is left into the garage. So I don't need to say how well I put on delight during the Ayudha poojai festival which is celebrated as a family festival that please me when I join the employees  in decorating and cleaning the workshop. The festival was so delightful until my uncle was alive (he passed away in Dec 2001) and later they celebrated the festival but the spirit went missing. You can check the link here to read how delightful the festival was then.

October is the starting season of Northeast monsoon which bestows with rain across south east India and dipping of temperature makes favourable weather for traveling. Except for the areas along the Western Ghats, the Tamil Nadu experiences hot weather across the plains and it is from Oct to Feb the weather turns cooler. And it was the time I love to travel as it is a pleasure to do the same with windows rolled down rather using AC – only for highways cruising and dusty roads – the weather out here is inviting for a ride but I do remember the pandemic isn’t over.  I wish at the same time the monsoon flourishes this year at least to say 2020 wasn’t drought!

Hope all is well at your side and great month ahead.

Money Matter

Money changes many things,

people do not know what to do

with a lot of money in hand

take a hazard in booze.

Hard earned money, lose value

when the requirement is not met

rather filling the empty glasses

that flushed off the drain.

Eyes are obvious to absorb

the changes, followed by shapes

surprise to believe, monetary

could derail anyone however sturdy.

Relationships too change

in money making attitude

drives one from their natural state

or what the latter had been pretending.

Legend SPB

The unchanged voice went silent 
a singer of most sang numbers
– in the world of music
aired forever, to blend with our breath
until we hold up to our last breathe. 

The singing moon may disappear
but the nights that everlasting
continue to lullaby in his voice
as sweet syrup for many to sleep
and console hearts that feel solo.  

A legend in the coat of humble being
what the humankind would reciprocate
if I could simply describe in a word few.
I may not be aware of him fully
but he tops my list of songs on any device. 

His inspiration and passion for singing
can't spare anyone aspire to sing 
though he’s a singer for common man
there’s no one better than him
to sing without breathing.

His epoch in the world of music
is invincible by any one generation,
and in the competitive world
one can’t imagine his achievement
and the attitude of down to earth. 

P.S. Long live SPB through his consoling and soothing voices and songs to touch many generations to come and he will always be remembered, apart from being the king of melody, his humanity and humbleness will retain in our hearts. Rest in peace S.P.Balasubrahmanyam (another victim of Covid 19), the legendary singer of India who gave voice to about 40,000 songs in multiple languages - and the only singer in the world to sing number of tracks in cinema to enter the Guinness book of world records.  

Wheels

Like the spokes on wheels
life rotates in support of
passion, affection and hope
to do better in life.

The activity of pedalling
like one’s deed in time, forward
the life to an enhanced state
of peace, wise and prosperous.

In the long run, normal bends
to slow down the pace
or pick up things at difficult, that
life isn't distant from worn out wheels. 

Like spinning wool on wheels
life weaves through relationships
love, trade, recreation and reproduction
to represent another wheel of life. 

RGB Monday

I bought a wooden desk organiser from amazon to keep books and other things.  I put some books from recent read and found it colourful to make use for RGB Monday. The blue in the back is a switch box sticker of a truck and the organiser has spaces for mobiles and specs and few other things to hide in bins. The detachable design is strong and sturdy and easy to assemble and disassemble. 

A runaway cock and the neighbour

There’s a chicken shop in our street or to say a few houses away from us and every day morning they unload cages of broiler chicken and a few caged country chicken from a truck, and while doing so a country cock runs away from them and climbs up a tree, and to a top where no one can catch it. The labourers working at the chicken shop were the laziest that put any effort to capture the cock which became an advantage to it and the cock well settled in the trees of neighbours. 

The family living in the opposite house weren’t that generous to allow the cock inside their compound but the country cock doesn’t confine to anything unlike the broiler chicken that has a destiny has become a headache to them. The cock chose the open garden or lawn in front of their home as his favourite hunting ground for forage and used to fly off the compound or perched on the neighbour's tree when the owner came out to the garden. Until now, the situation wasn't different and the neighbour has a reason too to shoo off the bird, despite the fact it digs off the seeds and plants from ground, it doesn't keep quiet all the time rather crying loud esp. During the silent afternoon and sometimes even at night its crows disturb the peace and slumber of all in the house, including a 90+ year old man.

So far no one tried to catch the cock (even the labourers of the chicken shop) and the cock too doesn't come out of the gate or compound (or run into the streets) of the neighbour’s house. The house belongs to a 92 year old retired wing commander but it was his son in 60+ takes care of everything and he’s an enthusiastic gardener and loves planting or seeding new ones. Sometimes he used to share vegetables grown in his backyard and they don't familiarise with anybody in the neighbourhood and most of the time it was a smile or a few words of greeting that ended our relationship even though we are neighbours for 40 years. Click here to see and read my post on this house and neighbour!

I couldn’t get a clear shot of the cock from the mobile but you could see the cock in the image above and behind the gate it strolled.

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Haiku Yellow

Behind the fence, blooms
a beauty in yellow, quite
under the lime tree. 

Linking this post for  Good Fences by Gosia and Floral  Friday Foto  

RGB Monday

 

While the farmers were busy washing, and packing carrots in sacks (what you saw in my previous post here) I found this little temple peacefully located adjacent to the activity of farmers, adding quiet to the afternoon.  Leaving back others at  Kukkal lake bank, where we picnicked last year July during vacationing at my uncle’s woodhouse near Kodaikanal, my cousin and I drove down the road from the lake just to see what lies beneath and was pleased to spot this temple in a fresh coat of paint. Google maps mark this as Amman (goddess) temple and I get no details other than that. But I guess it's a popular temple among the village people from an image I saw in google where people throng in average numbers. 

Predator

Some kind of wild or unknown insect, which perhaps looks like a sort of mosquito. From a long back visit to Yercaud 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Washing and Packing of Carrots

 

Apart from tourism and cold weather, Kodaikanal is popular for vegetables that grow in mountains esp. Carrot is produced at large, along with the medicinal hill garlic which is an important cultivation in Kodaikanal upper villages of Poombarai, Mannavanur, Polur, Kukkal and Vilpatti. An important thing about the Kodaikanal Hill Garlic was it was granted by the prestigious ‘Geographical Indication’ (GI) tag – a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin.

Going past the Kodaikanal town on the observatory road would take one to one of the beautiful mountain village called Poombarai at about 20 km from the town and Kukkal is another peaceful and pleasant village of the mountains about 10 km from there is where these photos of Carrots were shot.  What you see here is farmers washing carrots near a small canal that flows from Kukkal Lake above Kukkal village and stuffing them in sacks before taking them to markets in mini trucks.

Carrots don't look pretty when uprooted from the muddy soil because the condition of the soil - deep loose loamy - is left in a state of dirt that does stick to the carrot  and it's only after hard washing reveals its bright color. The carrot grows above the elevation of 1500 meters and is cultivated yearlong with assured irrigation unlike the land below the range (of 1500) that rely only on monsoon rain. Kodaikanal upper villages are located around 2000 meters, experiencing cool weather throughout the year and I enjoy taking drives around the scenic landscapes of terrace farming and forest.

Just a rant... on the violation of people's relaxed curfew.

When will our people become self-responsible people? Do people, especially the younger generation, really understand the pandemic situation that dominates the entire world? As for our state of Tamil Nadu the social distancing and wearing of masks is followed only by certain people or to say half the population denies the rules and some follows in improper manner that may cause infection. Last week the government relaxed almost all restrictions imposed due to the pandemic; and allowed opening of resorts and lodges but it’s unclear whether the tourist places are open to the public. E-pass had been made mandatory for anyone visiting popular tourist destinations and hill stations particularly but yesterday being Sunday (the first Sunday after two months of total lockdown Sundays) the hill town, Kodaikanal, was besieged by a number of bikes and cars!     

A week has not passed since the relaxed measures were announced, and by then people had already returned to normalcy in full swing or rapid force, forgotten on which condition these relaxations were given. I understand that everyone is in need of a break and nothing could bring a change better than traveling, as people are locked down at homes for more than 5 months, an urge to getaway couldn’t be wrong but we aren’t’ even partially coming out of the pandemic rather leading 2nd in the world with new achievement in Covid 19 cases with each passing day, how can we expect a positivity in a neglected world? Our production of cases has reached nearly 0.1 million per day and it’s really disturbing to hear about 1000 deaths counted daily in India. We talk about how precious each life is and at the same time casually pass a death on the street – just thought of saying something – but the death of 1000 everyday doesn’t seem to make any sense or thoughtfulness to rattle us.  I know we have to move on and couldn’t stay on a thought just like stagnant water that could only mess up later but don’t we have the responsibility to do a bit in changing the scenario?  Or at least stop helping spread the virus by coming out unnecessarily, because it isn’t the time for fun or unless we follow the rules strictly we put others' life into danger along with us. 

Changing Colors

 

From tender green to rusty
leaves cling to different colours
revealing the various stages of life
identical to mortal.

From a baby like shoots
leaves thrive to greenness
mushroom a layer of bottle green
mellow yellow as they grew older.

From a chapter of a tree
leaves unfold to different phases
as bystanders of better or for worse
built on the creators' standards.  

From summer to spring
leaves don’t stick to green
akin to the season's change, leafage
alter colours n gives way to new shoots.

RGB Monday

Colorful row or line houses at Senbahanoor, a neighborhood in Kodaikanal. 

P.s. The state government of Tamil Nadu had further relaxed the lockdown by allowing public transportations – the operation of busses and metro trains only within the districts and inside the state – opening of malls without functioning of theatres and no pass for elders and kids; and work places with 100% employers and extended time limit for shops to be opened in evening and reopening of resorts and lodges but e-pass had been made mandatory for visiting any of the tourist places and it will be issued by district collectors. By this move life almost seemed to turn back to regular mode or at least within the districts the movements would be easier for the people. And for a country with high population and closely living community social distancing is a far difficult custom to follow and so far I think the lockdown had hold back people in someways and what opened in front is a challenge. People are so happy by the move but I don’t feel for it as these relaxations cause a fear of increasing Covid cases and it is up to people to make it safe and profitable at same. The situation doesn’t seem favourable for kids and elders as the government advised them not to come out but the increasing cases and death rate is really raising the anxiety and any kind of indifference or indication makes around make feel the same. Take care all

RIP, the Man of Laboriousness and Success

Undoubtedly his company's the No 1 dealer in India selling home appliances and we can’t easily point out someone who sustains the top rank continually and firmly for the last 35-40 years and it’s impossible without laboriousness.  Vasanth & Co is the brand name created by H Vasanthakumar (a member of parliament) who himself was the ambassador of the company and products he sold and he continued to taste the success in the competitive world even after the arrival of online shopping.  He’s someone who earned people’s trust in selling quality products, because people don’t trust anybody easily unless there's some truth and we have personally experienced it and as a regular customer we’re proud and content with any of the products bought from him. More than half the appliances that exist at our home are bought from Vasanth & Co and my first choice still to pick a product rather than online could be his and I always recommend purchasing from the same.

It’s really shocking and sad to know the man behind the successful brand is no more - he died at the age of 70 due to Covid 19. He picked up his business as a seller of home appliances from door-to-door in instalments and later opened his own shop in the shopping centre – T. Nagar, where our first television was bought. In 1984, a year before I was born, my parents bought a black and white Solidaire TV from him and he had enquired them about their income and the ability to pay the install amount, with personal care. My parents had mentioned this many times to us, and now watching his news of demise couldn’t stop them repeating the same. Should I need to mention anything more, how could he have come up this long (with 80+ showrooms across south India) without the concern and care about the consumers and supply of quality things? And he hasn't stopped there, rather chosen the field of politics or public life to serve the poor and simple people, as he himself comes from the same he understands the people's need and did what he could from his source of income and the posts he held as a Member of Legislative Assembly and Member of Parliament.

He chose Congress as his political party following his father and elder brother – Kumari Anandan, a veteran congress leader – and he shone well in the state politics and held office of working President and Vice-President and the Chairman of the Traders wing of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee. Upon everything, it is his laboriousness that put him on all these chairs and what everyone would admire him as an entrepreneur and his life is a good lesson to read by anyone to reach various heights. And like a gem on his crown he has written three volumes of his autobiographical book series Vetri Padikattu (Ladder to Success) focusing on his entrepreneurial success and community building initiatives which I really want to read sometime. He’s such a simple and humble being lived to easily access is what everyone close to him says and he is a familiar face of Tamil Nadu and never a day passes without seeing his smiley face on television. Though it's all for the business, his reach and popularity at the homes of Tamil Nadu is not easy to dismiss. People will miss him but not his face.

RGB Monday

 

A fruit vendor on the street... pushing the tricycle loaded with fruits.

We usually avoid buying fruits or vegetables from these vendors as they sell mostly at overpriced but during these lockdown times where people are advised to stay home these vendors are an easy choice to pull off in front of the house. The government also allowed selling vegetables in mini trucks and they came around the streets with a loud speaker calling people to buy veggies. But for us, having a vegetable shop beneath the house next to us, we don’t need to look after these vehicles (and what they sell isn’t fair enough and good to encourage) and we purchase it fresh daily rather than loading the fridge with veggies (like before pandemic) bought from the market once a week.    

Even though the partial lockdown still exists, the activities on road make feel almost back to normal and the only change was many of them wear masks. But I can’t say all!

 “The WHO says young people are increasingly driving spread of virus”

I believe it's 100% true. I see people on the street and mostly it was the young people coming out without wearing masks. I wonder if they really have any sense or are they alien to earth to have any idea about what's happening around. I believe they knew everything in the smartphone era but still they come out in indifference, thinking only about their healthy self rather than those weak at home. With strong immune power, young people come easily out of corona but who fall prey were the elders with chronic diseases. We all pray for the legend singer SP Balasubramanyam. He seemed to be asymptomatic at first but now fighting for life against Covid but how come we all forget someone like him at our homes whom vulnerable to infectious.

I wish people stay away, stay safe, wear masks and strictly follow the social distance.