YMCA Building

Last year I come around the core area of Chennai, the so called Mount Road, Central and Parrys and got to capture some remarkable buildings and landmarks of Chennai; and one among them was the YMCA Building. Young Men’s Christian Association building is an architectural marvel located on the NSC Bose road in Esplanade; and it was the first building to be built in Madras at the request of then Governor Arthur Have-lock in 1900.

YMCA Esplanade is the oldest branch of the Madras YMCA, established in year 1890 by an American Secretary Mr. David McConaughy in the South Indian State of Tamil Nadu. YMCA is a Jaina-Jaipuri style of building, began its work in 1895 was completed by a donation of $40,000 by John Wanamaker, the then Post-Master General of the US. The building was designed by G.S.T Harding and it is one of the oldest heritages of Chennai – the then Madras.

Crow adopts Koel Chicks!

Yesterday I heard unusual chirping or screeching from outside and I moved to check what was happening on but I saw an amazing scene I ever seen or known before.  There was a Koel Chick perched to the Gulmohar tree in front of our house and a Crow sitting next to it; and apart wondering from where this Koel chick came all of sudden with no sign of it emerging around, I puzzled by their behavior.

First I felt very sorry for the Koel chick thinking that it got trapped by a crow and was struggling to escape from its piercing bite; but only observing carefully I found that the crow was treating the chick. It was the scene continued even today with another male chick joining the feast, but their behavior doesn’t look so kind for me even  I watch closely that the crow drop its beak into the chicks mouth holding something.

I couldn’t come out of amaze after coming across this sight and as I know Koels or Cuckoos lay their eggs on crow’s nest but the behavior of crow truly mesmerize me with its attitude toward the Koel chicks and feeding them as their very own. For just the reason of eggs found on their nest, how come the crow adopt the Koel chicks or is it the color that resembles the crow took them easily under their shelter, crows simply seize me to amaze.

It is told that Koel chicks grow very fast, so it took some time to confess me that they are not the adult Koels which reside among our neighborhood. There are couples of paired Koel in our area that they all rarely come around together, but I got to capture them at many occasion and this is first time for me on their chicks. I couldn’t capture the moment of crow feeding the koel and the photos above were on the male koel chick – mouth widely open, which was the only indication, identified me the chicks.

Mother

Everything comes under one word;
without her there’s no sphere.
Bears forever under eternal shower;
love, even in bitter cold weather.

The owner of ever so soft cushion;
her bosoms feels the comfort at home.
Ever chanting word at pain and trouble;
she’s a magic wizard to disappear the fear.

The founder of fond and affection;
who’s foremost lover of any living species.
The only familiar face of unknown;
holding breath for fetus to inhale in womb.

An instinct intend to love and care;
where no one can stand against her wisdom.
A genuine by birth to behold infants;
a mystery only she can understand.

PS - Image Courtesy: Google

Autumn, gloom and gleam

Bright sunshine

blossoms at morning
waking up the flower buds
bathed in fresh dewdrops.

Animation of birds’
bees busy at seeking nectar
crickets played around
putting aside the tranquility.

Autumn arrives
as colorful as cheerleaders’
sounds of crushed leaves –
from the departed trees
lets new lease of lives set in.

Enveloped by gray clouds
lightening as indicator
unexpected showers in evening
produces a lovely weather.

Hues of sunlight
developed into a rainbow curve
as a gateway to getaway
into cloud nine.

PS - Image Courtesy: Google

Mahatma Gandhi Memorial

(Click image for enlarge)

Mahatma Gandhi Memorial is constructed on the seashore of Kanyakumari - the southern tip of India, where his ashes were kept for public view before immersion in the sea on February 12, 1948. The Gandhi Mandapam is built in Orissa style of architecture and designed in a way that the rays of the sun falls exactly on the place where the urn was kept through a hole on the roof, on his birthday of October 2^nd.

The beautiful Gandhi Memorial completed in 1956, is situated as a memorial to the Father of the Nation; and its central shape is 79 feet high representing the age of the Mahatma. The memorial was transferred to the administrative control of the Public (Information and Public Relations) Department from Public Works Department of Government of Tamil Nadu in the year 1978.

Footnote:

We visited Kanyakumari last year end and I could only view the beautiful exterior of the memorial from road, since there are few steps leading down the entrance. I capture few photos on the memorial but due to lens problem then I couldn’t get a clear picture, so borrowed the first one from my cousin and the 2^nd one was the only better I could take, with mom and grandma standing in front of the memorial.