Tribute to maestro

This week there was a delightful topic on my favorite talk show ‘Neeya Nana’ in Star Vijay, on the songs of late 80s esp. the composition on maestro Ilaiyaraaja was just blissful and it was a debate so healthy and cheerful. Everyone comes up with their favorite song of Ilayaraja and how it connected with their lives and being close to heart… it’s so wonderful to hear each ones story and ardent being an Ilayaraja fan.

I wonder how they come up with single most favorite of all time… which I couldn’t do so far even harder I tired yesterday recalling his songs, I couldn’t come up with a single song mindset, because his songs each one set a mood in itself. I need to confess his songs always been a reliable source of my solace and whenever I feel so lone or depressed his songs stimulates my sense to cherish and set away the motion into peace.

I have innumerable songs in my walkman and PC on Ilayaraja and during my days on work on publication I used to listen to his songs and it make things favorable to do so and except being unable I pushed to left the work and since then I kept enjoying his songs unlike ever. While I aware about music, AR. Rahman was there along with others but without my knowledge Ilayaraja’s songs has been my favorite and I still remember the first tape-recorded we brought and it played was ilaiyaraja’s song from Amaran and Mannan… both has super hit songs.

Ilayaraja’s songs were always heartwarming and close to heart feel and only he makes so real the nature and feel of rural into his songs.  When it comes to love he has a special place on young hearts and left to never grow old and falling in love happens each time listening to his songs, whether happy or feel so sorry his songs cherish and rapture.

Liquor – Life at the edge

I don’t know how to begin... No I have no idea about trying the booze but certain things make concern about the risk factor involved in it. Obviously liquor has been an anti-social element for long taking away precious lives of many and putting families at sorrow; seems never to come to a conclusion only to rise in percentage. 

The liquor has sent people to the edge of life, everyday taking risk at their loss of conscious on streets by knocking others or knocked by others... the damage is mostly for others who face an unexpected odd behavior on road. I want to write about the drunkards for some time now and need to condemn the media esp. the film industry promoting the liquor thought its many super hitting songs and sequence.  Those who really want to leave the liquor are impossible to continue as each scene, song and drama watched through television remind them to acquire the liquor.

I was out into the city two nights ago… on one hand it was heavy traffic and construction of metro rail and unruly drivers, and the other was the drunkards whom we suppose to encounter at twice brim. We were at sudden jerk but they are cool and casual at crossing road or wrong turning and we couldn’t blame them since they are not in their control.

Partially they bear their cost of life at lost and certainly the government does its best supporting part leaving not to depress their customers, and getting money from themselves to develop their infrastructure and free rice, education and shoes on their pledge of life. What the government earns through liquor shops is higher most among its income and the cause of liquor sold keeps the risk factor at the brim that cost a mass destruction on health, wealth and peace of the immense families.

I wish the government seeks an alternative source of income better than liquor and open rehabilitation centers in each location on the place of liquor shop to treat those addicted and only by bringing change in mind we could remove the boozing habit or the illegal liquor shop would grow at any hideout, which is endanger.  The drunkards have been increased contemporary as per liquors sold rose… it feels shame that our country or state develops on destructing a part to it to aid another.

The heaven comes down

Picture by Jeevan - on Gulmohar

The drifting clouds

The songs of Koel

The blossom of Gulmohar

The droplets on leaves

The showering phases

Impresses me to core; 

The twitter of birds

The arrival of insects

The moisture earth

The event of light thunder

The constant weather

Continues to please me ever;

The monsoon of west

Sent its blessing

The emotional heat

Makes up the earth cooling

The days gloom and bloom

Took bestow.

Sothuparai Dam - Periyakulam

Sothuparai Dam is 9km from Periyakulam on the foot of Kodaikanal hills or the Western Ghats of Palani Range; helps enrich the entire area of Periyakulam and beyond by run  as a perennial river Varaganathi. The catchment of the dam is a combine of rain and small streams of Kodaikanal hills and the release of water from Berijam Lake, Kodaikanal.

Grand vista of the dam and misty Kodaikanal hills at rear

The Dam at its full storage capacity of 2.831.m.cum might be a wonder and thriller to watch it overflow via the high spillway, but I could only image the scene since the monsoon got postponed that year of 2009, left the reservoir at its base.  The road to the dam is enchant by the groves of mango on both sides leaving mangoes hang out of fence, at a height of hand’s touching and could pluck even from the moving car.

Front view of the dam taken from floor bridge

We first reached the top of the dam by the road on the hill beside and got a refreshing view of vast green on the mango groves and a patch of concrete at a distance which is obviously the Periyakulam town. The road extends beyond the check post – near the gateway above the dam, and along the reservoir the road leads to a small hamlet on the hills called Agamalai, which is restricted for private vehicles to enter.

Rear view on the dam from a distance elevation

But the guard at the check post somewhat allowed us to drive on road along the reservoir, knowing our interest on forest and though we couldn’t find any animals as it was dry everywhere we got a great sight of the  dam rear and views beyond. The guard told us the road exists only for a few km on Ghats and after that it’s only on horseback one could reach the hamlets on the hills.

Close to bottom of the dam

The name Sothuparai is a combine to two Tamil words meaning ‘food and rock, and it is said to derive from the habit of people here who once used to take food on the rock boulders along the flow of river Varaganathi. The water released from the dam through an irrigation canal runs like a stream among the rocks and boulders during our visit since there isn’t enough water in dam… the water runs like a stream is distillated for drinking purpose of Periyakulam on its way.

Water flows from the dam via irrigation canal

Sothuparai is the second highest dam in Tamil Nadu, following the Sholayar  Dam of Valparai which comes first, and for more details on the dam check the photo below I captured on the board of information kept there. The dam has a small tunnel and irrigation canal and only during the heavy inflow the shutter seems to open large… and interestingly the care takers of the dam has left a  fishing hook above the canal to catch fish.

The dam is isolated from tourist or the general public; it has a small simple garden with beautiful lampposts and a floor bridge to cross the dam, to get a complete front view of the dam. The time we checked the dam, a log had took refrain on top of the spillway, which is supposed to be washed away during the flood and it decided to stay there. It may need another overflowing season to come down.

A small garden in front of the dam

I need you tonight

I need your tonight

I don’t know why
I would feel so glad
having u aside.

I need you tonight
holding your sight
dreaming together
to how to make it real.

I need you tonight
singing lullaby
at my bed side
as I asleep on your lap.

I need you tonight
lighting my heart
as I feel so scare
the day lights disappear.

I need you tonight
badly so,
baby on my bed
I lose grip my fear.

I need you tonight
at the end of twilight
making delight
revealing our secrets.

I need you tonight
holding tight
I cannot think parting you
even the day breaks apart!

I need you tonight
badly so,
baby on my bed
pls. forgive me if me wrong.

I really need you tonight!

Footnote: Inspired by the song of back street boys… it’s been sometime I listen to the songs from Millennium and the first line stroked me a lot today! Lol