Upset with Maya

For past two weeks, our pet dog Maya isn’t well and it’s been a week she had ate any and vomits whatever she takes in oral.  In September she had a severe wheezing and cough and was taken for x-ray and blood test revealed fluid in lungs and a bulge heart. Later she turned normal but couldn’t say she recovered fully. The one thing that always trouble us with her is she never take medicine easily and we use to apply tricks to let her pick the medicine or hide tablets in sweets and chocolates but this time we quite failed to do it either ways which perhaps led to a serious effect and kidney fault. We consulted the .vet when she refuses to eat or ate less and then a scan was took regard the signs, which exposed a gel like substance in the gallbladder but the dog refused to take a pill  and the injections also didn’t respond well. So the vet suggested taking her for a complete exam at the government veterinary hospital in Vepery, popular for treating animals. The amount for treatment is also considerably less at the veterinary hospital compared to pvt. clinics.

Maya look so tired sitting on the sofa

Again another round of scanning and blood tests confirms kidney fault in Maya, but this time she quit eating and was forced to put on DRIP as she turned weaker. For about a week she had been taken to the vet hospital for Drips, where medicine is injected as well and a blood test would be taken next week for further treatment. We really worry about her condition and she looks so pity now and had lost much weight and lie down sadly all the time. Last night she was vomiting for every two hours and mom had to wake up all night cleaning and comforting her. Though kidney fault had identified I see the gallbladder should be responsible for preventing her eating or digest the food. But we all hope she recovers and with that hope we bear all the difficulties. Though she’s almost 12 years old we hope for the best.

Contemplating Woman!

One above the far

balanced rocks, gives shape to a

contemplate woman!

Ps. The cute balanced rock sculpture was capture at the courtyard of my uncle’s woodhouse near Kodaikanal and this was arranged by the manager of the woodhouse and cottages. I was really wondering how the rock on the top was balanced vertical but the secret was revealed within two days of my stay there. The rock was glued (with fevicol) on top of the other and it fell down when it rained heavy. The glue he used seems to stick woods so it couldn’t withstand the heavy shower and the rock slid off.  

Fireworks @ Skywatch Friday

Deepavali – the festival of lights – just passed like a blink of light and flash of an aerial firework that treat eyes for few seconds. For my cousin sister, who got married in June, this was her Thala (first) Deepavali after the marriage so she had come home with groom, following an invite by us as per the custom. Thala Deepavali is treated special for every newly married couple that follows the tradition and I could see they had good time cheering the festival of lights in pretty new cloths and spirited while bursting crackers. I wonder how she enjoyed bursting crackers what I haven’t seen in a while, as she ever showed interesting on crackers was different on that day that I could understand it’s all the magic of newly married.

I had a great night that day watching the fireworks that made the new moon sky dazzle in display of colourful fireworks. I felt the crackers sounded a bit louder at my surrounding this year than the previous and many in the neighbourhood had lit auto bombs (and loud crackers) to disturb the ear eardrums and to the unusual my cousin too created some dreadful sound despite my unlikeliness. I’m always against loud crackers and particular about the choice of fireworks I buy that emit less sound and smoke. I enjoy watching fireworks either on the sky or ground level, the emitting of light and sound and the rush of fire creates an emotion that embark to a state of different and light-heartedness. I had fun lighting sparklers, the only firework I could handle enough but I liked capturing fireworks in video and photo modes.

Collage of aerial fireworks display in different forms, shot in firework mode in camera 

I share here some fireworks that lit my sky and the images in collages were all shot from the balcony. I planned to go out during the Deepavali eve to see things happening around but couldn’t move out a bit rather taking the backstreets in wheelchair. I usually go out a day before or on Deepavali night to watch for fireworks displayed in the neighbourhood even though I had the opportunity this time something conscious prevented me.  Glad I could watch some from the balcony and shoot as well.  

Galaxies created by fireworks

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Deepavali and Its Electric Feel

Deepavali or Diwali – which is around the corner (Oct 27) doesn’t need an intro to the world, and India is a multicultural nation with each has its own richness of colours, dynamic, values and unique practices progresses with zeal; and Diwali is a festival unites the nation under the limelight called festival of lights, just like the festival of colours - Holi. Every part of the country has a reason and belief to celebrate Diwali with common intent of good against evil and light in place of darkness. Though not everyone celebrates Diwali in India and you really don’t need to celebrate the festival but the mood of the festival of lights is delight! Those who grew up in 90s and 80s and further decades below would knew the real essence and spirit of Deepavali or any other festival in common, and we as kids used to begin the celebration weeks ahead to Diwali by bursting little firecrackers that we buy from the petti shops in neighbourhood.

Sparkler effect in playful way

Deepavali is an uplifting feeling leap off every year during the festival time and it has something to do with me, perhaps it was a favourite time of the year for me from the beginning and bursting fireworks was the intention behind the enthusiasm. During school days, we draw Diwali greetings on the black board on the last day in school before the Deepavali holiday and what we draw was rockets, flower pot fountains, sparklers… and some terror boys drew Lakshmi vedi, auto bombs and electric crackers and the girl students drew Diyas. Those days Deepavali means fireworks and still I could not imagine a Deepavali without the same and the sound of firecrackers. I don’t encourage the sound and I too stopped buying fireworks that exits sound, except for the Aerial shots, I handle only sparklers.

Apart fireworks, Deepavali is a festival of sweets and this was the only time that we make sweets and snacks at home. But these days many prefer buying sweets from the shops perhaps because of laziness or workload where they are not ready or impossible to spend time on preparing snacks at home. During our resident at apartment (from 2005-2013) we get to taste different sweets and snacks shared by the neighbours but we ever turned from Adhirasam and Murukku – the traditional sweet and snack that mark Deepavali. The Adhirasam made of rice flour and jiggery and Murukku with same flour and other ingredients produces a distinct sense and cheerfulness as we go through the smell and hunger for same. The snacks were later distributed to relatives and friends the same way we’re treated by them.  

Though new cloths are part of the festival, like any other festivals, Deepavali clothes has a special place and this was the time where purchases reach the peak and offers come in grand what people never wanted to miss. The online shopping has took a huge leap these days, where the festival rush to shopping streets and malls had gradually decreased and the great Indian festivals at online websites and apps like Amazon becomes an advantage to people who lookout for low-price and stress-free shopping experience. I remember going to shopping for Deepavali and Pongal festivals,   when I was a kid, even though I wasn’t much interested on dresses that was a time new dress made sense and gave happiness showing it to others. Only in last couple of years I took shirts for Deepavali and this year that too was nil, as I got stitched dress only lately, but generally I wasn’t interested shopping on special occasions.

For me it was the feeling, the cheerfulness of celebrating a festival and gathering of people and cherishing the memories that I hold dear from past celebrations makes Deepavali special. For me the past is always significant, not only because those moments unreturned but hold back the spirit and becomes a force to take forward.  I believe a festival is to celebrate and a celebration is impossible without sharing. For me Deepavali bring a feel of togetherness, what the sounds of fireworks on this day reproduce and I don’t see bursting fireworks as a rite or reasonable act but I like watching firework display that happens only during Deepavali and I buy some on my personal interest.  Enjoy your day and have fun.

RGB Monday

A colourful depiction of traditional south Indian wedding ceremony!

No, this is not from my grandmother’s Golu arrangement but this could take an easy place at any similar arrangement of dolls. This miniature of a marriage ceremony was found at a café’s showcase while stopped for a coffee break during a leisure ride on Kodaikanalghat road. The café bearing the board of popular Kumbakonam degree coffee is located half the way on Kodai road and the café displayed some more craftworks, which I’m unsure it’s for sales, and too sells some hygienic snacks. 

Btw. the weather was very pleasant today, and also become the wettest day of the year with continues drizzle from the dawn and occasional heavy rains temperature had pushed to the least to heaven like feel. Things look pretty refreshing around and trees gleam in greenish green and the rain drops had decorated the balcony rails as rows of LEDs, a feel that often missed lately is back with commence of northeast monsoon.

Moon Watch

Last month I capture the full moon at my comfort zone, and it rose just behind a neem tree then and it wasn’t up quite, I liked to have some neem leaves playing a silhouette against flashy moon drop. The moon was bright enough that day that the optical zoom (of my canon sx220hs) couldn’t get the details and so, I was to extend to digital zoom to quench details on the moon.  Though I tried to make shoot through leaves, the moon was almost up with leaves just brushing the edges of perfect round moon as wind blows.

Later I tried to capture moon in b/w mode and was impressed.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Grandma’s Golu

My grandmother has been keeping Golu at her home for less than a decade, except couple of years due to grandfather’s illness and demise, she follows the custom of arranging dolls yearly during the Navaratri festival.  Navaratri, which means nine nights, is a Hindu festival celebrated in devotion of the goddess of power, wealth and knowledge  and the end of the festival (10th day) is celebrated as Vijayadashami or Dussehra.

This year she couldn’t get support from anyone in setting up stairs  for arranging the dolls, so she just filled dolls on cupboard, table and on floor. The dolls are a collection from her various trips to north Indian states and some other decorative items are handmade by grandma. Here I share some photos on grandmother’s Golu this year and the images were shot by mom with camera.  

Here's a set of two south indian customs of marriage (on left) and first tonsure and ear boring of a child (on right).

A set of playing cricket

A rural setting of village and market

This looks like a setting of forest and tribal lifestyle

Ayudha Poojai Thoughts

Ayudha Poojai is a festival occasion that was so delightful once and full of joy, in the presence of my late maternal uncle, and the celebration take place at my uncle’s car workshop right in front of our courtyard. Begin in year 1990 at the courtyard of our house, he headed the workshop till his last breath in Dec 2001, where ended all our celebrations, though my younger maternal uncle led the workshop which is in condition of almost closed, no one could replace his place and an anticipation itself is wrong. Generous is one word I could describe about him and his personality is something unique and could be among an million but destiny gave him short life.  

Ayudha Poojai is a festival celebrated at the workplaces and houses wherever people deals with mechanical devices or machines and it is a festival related to prosperity and worshipping of the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi. Ayudha Poojai is a festival time to remember quite my uncle, because it is him occupies our thoughts during this occasion or hearing the word Ayudha Poojai is irresistible recollecting the memories of his presence and dearness we hold. I thought of writing something about the festival celebrated but everything I think about the festival reads his face in flashes as memories.

The spirit of Ayudha Poojai is long lost or missed but thinking of past make sense and this time the festival came around the weekend, though every day is not unusual to me, with the thought of people celebrating around I felt cherish. Today my cousin conducts Ayudha Poojai at his bike service centre and yesterday my brother celebrated at his gym/fitness centre attended by parents and few close relatives/friends.  I see there’s less in celebration or spirit prevail among people or at work places it exists plainly a formality or divine worship unlike those days which was a celebration of whole and keeping festival at core the activities surrounds it bring cheers. I’m glad for my conscious mind-set that gets caught fire through sparking thoughts.

Skywatch Friday

Sunset sky on Madipakkam - Velachery road during a recent ride around the area. 

Looking over the Madipakkam lake (in lack of water) and skywatch.  

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

NEET Impersonation

NEET impersonation had come to light through a couple of cases registered following found evidence. NEET is an all India entrance exam to pursue medicine in India and there’s already a dispute across the country in implementation of NEET exam esp. Tamil Nadu is against this rule and some lives were lost due to lack of makeup to the exam. But this is nothing to do with the impersonation which is punishable whatever the case or makeable and what really surprise was the students involved in impersonation were sons of Doctors! And the doctors themselves were behind all this conspiracy.  No wonder at the people involving in impersonation and this is something could happen at any department or course of exam with incapable candidates, but being doctors and well known about the significance of the course and preciousness of lives execution is malicious and crime.

I think it’s the social pressure had made these doctors to approach impersonation for their children’s NEET exam. There’s a general thought among people to anticipate a doctor’s child to become a doctor and doctors themselves see it has a status or pride to produce a successor had dragged them into the pit of impersonation. It’s not necessary for a doctor’s son or daughter to come up in life as a doctor because no one can decide their intention, ability or passion to be same. I see there’s a pressure always on individuals, forcing them to do beyond their excellence or anticipate what they underserved rather knowing anything about them or their individuality. And comparison is another dragon ready to fire-breath to blow them completely out of the world. Many a life lose or accidents happen because of unqualified professionals (and I know every work has its parts of risk) but with underserved the causes are easier. This impersonation is a black mark that going to chase them for their life and spoil the carrier.

Destruction of water sources and Madipakkam Lake visit

First time, drive through the Madipakkam, Pallikaranai (marshland) and Sholinganallur-Akkarai (the extended areas of south Chennai) road after 2015 flood and really fed up seeing how things changed around esp. multi-storeyed buildings on the places where some water bodies or marshes existed not long ago. I’m never against development but what kind of development or cost matters and destroying a water body or lake or marshes could never gift anything to society… everyone knows the importance of fresh water and preserving the ground table water could never compete with any other. The December 2015 had greatly flooded the entire areas mentioned above and countless were rescued through boats and uplifted by helicopters, as well food dropped from same and the main reason for submerge of houses up to first floor were because of  the construction on lakes and marshes. I had seen the transformation of these places from marsh grasslands to concrete grounds and had felt sad many a time how the water sources had turned to concrete blocks. It’s apparent that without government approval these are impossible… corruption, improper planning had made an unbalanced development and whatever reason we built in front us to justify, the nature rules out quite.

The Sunday outing had been disappointing seeing the disappearance of water bodies to concrete blocks and building and the only console was to see couple of lakes being dredged and waiting for the freshwater (though i doubt) from the upcoming monsoon. I stopped at the Madipakkam Lake view road for some time, and while having a coffee, I could see people relaxing in benches and taking walks on the paved public walk along the road and the lake. On the other side or east bank of the lake have rows of palms trees, which is a common sighting around the lakes in Tamil Nadu once, as these trees helps preserve ground water near and around lakes even during dry seasons.  The Madipakkam Lake is also dry right now, where kids playing cricket but I wish it was maintained clean.

From there we went past the Pallikaranai marsh and it was another place to put me upset. The weather on Sunday was pleasant, and just coming out of a noon shower (rain),   I enjoyed a super cool ride through rolled down windows. But it wasn’t same nearing the Pallikaranai marsh on Radial road, and we’re forced to close the windows quickly as it smelt very unpleasant. The very reason for the bad smell was, the Chennai dumping yard is located at the heart of marshland and I was shocked to see how speedily the garbage dump is swallowing the shallow marsh that’s home to many species of aquatic, fishes and birds. I have seen flamingos and pelicans in large numbers during migration season (October-May) and I would say, still it’s a best place for bird watch and I could see couple of watch towers but I really wonder how could one watch birds there when even standing for a minute is hazard to health! The Sholinganallur-Akkarai road passes through Buckingham channel is another spot I had seen birds and it’s an open landscape adjoining the channel is another groundwater preserving area sliding into the same pit.

Pallikaranai marshland rapidly filled up by garbage dump, creating a great environmental destructive 

RGB Monday

Walk by colors!

A rain scene by street... where a young mom and daughter walk the street by holding colorful umbrellas during a rainy day.

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)