Pulicat Lake

Few weeks back we went to Pulicat, which is about 75kms from my home and 60kms from Chennai toward North. It was a sunny Sunday and we get ready early for the journey and the ride went through marina, kasimedu, minjue, kaattur and pulicat and the route were new to us after kasimedu – Chennai fishing harbor. The north Chennai which always seems crowded and dusty isn’t different, and the day being uncertain about the lorry strike announced to protest against the diesel price rise, the tankers that were suppose to enter harbor were parked a lot along the way and across kasimedu, turned the way into single and the road work going at some places delayed our drive to pulicat.

Pulicat is a huge lake shares the border of state Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, which is also known as Pazhaverkadu, a fishing village located within Tamil Nadu. Pulicat is the one and second largest brackish-water eco-system in India, next to Orissa’s Chilka Lake.

Pulicat is also a lake bird sanctuary, and many birds migrate here overseas by winter and the famous greater flamingos are sighting here. Pulicat, having a history back to 1st century, where it was mentioned as one of the ports on the east cost of India, has the arrival of Portuguese in 15th century and followed by the Dutch.

The Dutch came here as there ships got struck on the shores, from where the coast line got the name Coramandal, still bears the evidence of the Dutch’s existence through the ruins of Fort Geldria built by the Dutch and a easy view of a Dutch Church and Cemetery. During those periods, Pulicat was known by the name pallaicatta.

It was noon by the time we arrived pulicat and as soon we enter the village, many people stop our vehicle for boat ride. Keeping away those request, except a guy who talked in hope and caused to support us to the island through a boat ride, we moved across the new bridge before hire his boat. The bridge was newly built to connect the Island village with transport which were until then occurred by boats and bullock cart – when the water level is low.

The Pulicat Lake is a merging point for three major rivers and small streams, including the Buckingham canal, which is part of the lagoon on its western side. The lagoon’s water exchange with the Bay of Bengal is through an inlet channel at the north end of Sriharikota – where the Indian space rockets are launched – and out flow channel at its southern end with 200 meters wide, and the rise and depth is depend on the flow.

There isn’t anything to see other than the Old Lighthouse, on the island village across the bridge, which is sighted from everywhere and even far away. It was a wonderful view from the bridge, with a panoramic of both sides of the lake, and besides seeing a small island away, and a boat with a box perhaps fishes passed away.

We were back to the jetty, where our boat man waited for us and the place doesn’t look clean and hygiene, and what can we expect from a place where the boats unload the fishes caught from the lake and seas. After a task we climbed the boat, which is an old one made in woods than the many colorful fiber boats. The boat man helped my parents and cousin to assist me into the boat, and without them I can’t enjoyed the ride.

The boat ride takes about 25 minutes to reach the island, where everyone suppose to visit and spent time with families and friends. The casuarinas groves in the island provides a nice shelter to everyone from the scorching sunshine and people who comes with gas stoves, cook meals and have fun with there families. While we arrive, there were a group of guys having fun with there friends by dancing, singings and making noise.

On the way we saw three pelicans swam in the lake at a certain distance to one another and it was late noon while we had our lunch that we brought from home, except the spicy prawns cooked by grandma, which were caught from the lake by then. It was very hot weather that day and we can’t head out of the casuarinas groves we land on. The boats stops by and moves, people flow in and out, the boats resound every minute and then, disturbing the peace which is the cause they say about birds keeping away from the sight.

It was time to return back and the sun was there still scorching about even it was evening, forcing its rays into the soft skin. The island was green enough with grasses grown everywhere to attract and the waters are clean to see the sand inside, and a nice place to take cool bath against sunshine. The ride was very pleasant while returning back, except the hot sunshine, the blue skies and water reflects beautiful with mild ripples waves that calm the moment, but though excite to see a lonely greater flamingo flying overhead to surprise.

The boat ride took a long way while return back and the dept of water at these places are said to be more than a man’s height and we saw a fisher men just waking in the middle of the lagoon lake, with water up to his neck and he was planting sticks and nets to catch prawns. As we unload ourselves from the boat, the water level had raised down little to land us on the unclean terrain, where two women washing fishes beside.

It is nice to spend a day different by taking a boat and having picnic in an island and watching birds – which is something, disappoint me and I wish to visit Pulicat in winters to sight greater flamingos. I think now it would be nice if we taken a boat from the island village which has better and clean jetty or visiting the Tamil Nadu Boat House for a decent boat ride we failed to check.

This time we tried the NH 5 to return home, to avoid the containers trouble in north Chennai. The road link the pulicat and NH5 is simple nice, as it passes through villages and fields giving a sense of freshness in absence of much vehicles. My cousin who is on wheels in his early stage drew back home safely, saving a goat and small puppy which were in there own world across the road. I wish I get a good companion soon in him to drive me everywhere, without waiting for dad or a driver.

Hard work

While thinking something I get to think how things come from and a thought that always rise in me came to answer that everything is because of ‘hard work’. The hard work that done physical is behind everything and nothing comes easily without a stress.

Today everything has turned mechanize and computerized, but still there is something called hard work being built behind the machineries and each machine depends on either, hooked like a chain which is in hands of hard workers. I believe if we dug deep into a machine, it will end up at the hands of labors, who hard work.

Around the world, the hard workers are not getting there real worth for their cause and almost goes to the owners who just own things. I just see it through my eyes and feel it through my sense, that those don’t know what hard work means and never care about it, survives with joy and celebrate in parties. Those who hard work works all along there life, ill treated by owners and managers, and infamous and rich keep them under service.

I sense what hard work means even thought I don’t do anything hard, and for me every movement is hard work and I know because I go through the moments that unbearable stress being borne by my parents to give me life everyday. I believe the hard work never and should not fail, and it brings smile on our face and makes life easier.

Basically all comforts come from hard work and our lives are bound to be.

Mother’s Centenary

A candle that blown out more than a decade ago, and still continue to glow brighter in our hearts and continue to be so. The candle I like to mention her is Mother Theresa, whose birth centenary is celebrated today. I see her as a candle that melts itself to give light and life to others, and of course our mother’s vision can’t be easily appreciated, because her life is a mission that starts missionaries of charity to aid and feed poor, sick and orphan people and those dying for.
Mother Theresa has dedicated her life to the poorest of the poor and this dedication has become her life’s ambition. Thus her ambitious passion brought her the Noble Prize for peace, by appreciating her service and compassionate. The Albanian born mother is named originally as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu and as per the rule of changing the name to become a nun, she chose the name Teresa – whom she vow to become as Teresa Martin, a nun and missionary who dedicated to poor and sick people.

The 18 year old, sent from the Ireland’s nun’s home, where she learnt English, came to India and joined the West Bengal’s Christians church and served as a teacher at Loreto convent school in Calcutta. The worst situation in Calcutta then in poverty, insanitary and over all the pavement dwellers being fed besides the drainage wring her heart and thus she decided to live for them. After receiving the Indian citizenship, she abandons the Loreto nun’s home practice and began to wear a simply cotton sari.

After Vatican’s permission, she started the missionaries of charity and later a home for poor and a hospital to them. She also stated a home for abandoned and orphans, and thus by devoting herself to service the poor and sick patients, she had been talked by everywhere around the world, and it left in peace and struggle when she passed away in her 87th year. Today being her birth century , India is yet to commemorate her by releasing her postal stamp and this is just not enough, and we all need to keep in mind that we do at least what she had done immense to others. Let peace sings to mother.

Summer Rain

Chennai is under clouded sky
it drizzles throughout day and night
sometime slightly heavily
it pours down to earth

Seasons change in order, is nature
but it’s indeed unnatural these days
because raining in summer
a summer like never before

The frogs, leaches and snails
that come into exist, because of the rain
leaps and leisurely movies in pace
mess up, after crushed under the wheels

The climate is too pleasant
to enjoy the nature and its existence
I blend with the weather
at every change I get into the shower

I wish the season continue like this
forever, keeping away the distress
and struggle of people under hot sun
and the rain stops, before it flood and drain.

The needle dragonfly in the picture is captured in my home garden. I love this species from my childhood and had attempted to catch them many times.

The Robot Rocks

The Robot (Endhiran) is out in audio and it simply rocks more or less. First time listening I felt quite instrumental and sound of metal and its no wonder because music is by A. R. Rahman and to add sugar the movie is about robot, a mass made of metal. It wasn’t a great disappointment to me and I didn’t expect anything from the movie except it’s a Shanker movie. About the music ARR could have reduced the noise of instrument and avoid rap potion.

SPB, who is always fascinated to the introduction songs of Superstar, is here along with ARR and his daughter Khatija Rahman to call the New Man to earth. The song ‘Puthiya Manitha’ has given life to the robot!

‘Kathal Anukkal’ is soothing in the flow of Vijay Prakash and Shreya Ghosal! The song is energetic and charming to keep away the melody. Sure the picturesque would be very beautiful says the sample pictures in the lyric book.

‘Irumbile oru Irudhaiyam’ is so hot in Kash n’ krissy vocal and ARR has given good company in expressing a robot’s emotion and love. The song is rapid and the English verses have added attraction. I think the lyric book is given to understand the lines that goes immerse in music at many places.

‘Chitti Dace Showcase’ is head aching! A rap which has given way to strong instrumental esp. the drum beats.

‘Arima Arima’ has elevated the theme from the deep breath of Hariharan and Sadhana Sargam has done her brief part in sweet. The music has put a bravo walk in this robotic show.

‘Kilimanjaro’ is very interesting and Pa.vijay has played with lyrics, so playfully. The song has well rhymed in Javed Ali and Chinmayi voice and it sounds like a tribal song. It’s my favorite song in the album and seems like it was captured in a adorn manner. Aaha Aaha… and Heako ennikkoni… at the each stanza cause prettiness and add giggle to the song.

‘Boom Boom Robo-da’ has an excellent rhythm from the string and it sounds alike the Shivaji’s Athirade! The lyrics are well related to science and childish love and it was written by Vairamuthu’s son Karky. The female singers sound so hot and sweet to cause passion and romance.