Greetings by artists without hands

I received a wonderful bunch of greeting cards with awesome paintings printed on it, through a post mail from an insurance company for taking their car insurance. What very special about these greeting cards are, the painting work on the card front were done with brushes hold to mouth and between the toe by handless handicapped artists, who are members of the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists Association having lost their hands due to accident, illness or birth defect.

They sent us some gift-tags and envelops along with lovely cards, enclosed with a kind request for purchasing the products if we liked so and if not using it for further purchase via paychecks and online credit card. MFPA is an international for-profit association, wholly owned and run by disabled artists to help them meet their financial needs.  Over the half century, the MFPA had brought to the forefront, the aesthetic creations of the disabled artiest by providing them a platform to express their artistic talent.

What touched me was the letter attached with the mail, describing their life and self-motivation despite being differently challenged. It feels we are nothing when it comes to their talent of painting with mouth and toe, even I know it is a practice makes it perfect which does not come easily without intention and pain. By purchasing their painting I hope it will help them feel more independent and create an opportunity of earning and secure livelihood, dignity and honest.

Glad the greeting cards came on time when I looking for something to send my dear ones as Pongal greetings and before sharing it with them, I took some photos on the painting to save as since I loved the artwork. The cards came out plainly inside, helping me to write down my thoughts on selfless farmers messages signifying Pongal. Here I like to share the artwork, below:

Check their website for more reference and if you like to purchase their products. 

First travel of the year – Javadu Hills

My first travel of the year happened on the weekend and we did a trip to Javadu Hills; which is a part of the shattered Easter Ghats Mountains, rose between the Vellore and Thiruvannamalai Districts of Tamil Nadu, India. Being a low-lying hill station among the others visited, it wasn’t too cold but being winter there was moderate cold at night, comfortably. And it was the reason for me to choose this time for experiencing some cold, and as I expected the morning was immense refreshing with atmosphere foggy or mist. But it doesn’t wonder me, because it was almost same the way sensed on plains once we touched the highways, out of city and home.

This is not from a hill station, but the hills beyond the Chengalpattu town among the fog.

It wasn’t like every day morning: for me regularly the morning means only after 8 or 8.30 am, the usual time I wake up whether it’s cold or hot no matter what. But I try my best everyday to wake up early and if not the passion for traveling, I wouldn’t be checking sunrise at all or unless bladder filled up to wake me early, that too not much less than the usual time. We experienced a fog of Kodaikanal or any other hill stations on the morning of Saturday and the fog visibly makes invisible the distance buildings, trees and towers and even the Kolava Lake of Chengalpattu lose its trace in gray white. Unlike the usual sight of stunning sunrise over the lake during our early morning rides and the fog lasted until 9.30 or 10am. The roads after Chengalpattu were state highways, which are my favorite lanes taking via scenic countryside’s that hardly visible through NH.   

Jamunamarathur is the capital village of the entire mountain range of Javadu, which has two ways to reach – one via Polur and Alangayam; and Jamunamarathur was the only place to accommodate on the hills, that too the government provided BDO (block development office) guest house. There are many towns close to the foot hills easily accessible via road and railways which also holds many hotels and lodges to accommodate. Gladly we took the Polur route which has a long ghat road section with half a dozen hairpin bends passing through forest division. Before taking the ghat or uphill road, someone needs to sign at the forest check post writing a reason to visit.

A lake near Uthiramerur

It took more than an hour to reach Jamunamathur from Polur and thanks to the GPS in my galaxy player; it was very easy for us finding routes on Google maps. We already booked rooms at the BDO guest house, seeking their phone number at the Thiruvannamalai district govt. website, the guest house had been handed over to a private person in charge who maintained it well. We requested for a ground floor room and also before reaching there we contacted the person in charge on the way, but initially he told someone had haired the ground floor and later discussing with the other describing my state, they decided to shift the room so kindly and humble. Thanks so much to those unknown kind hearted and the wise man who arranged the rooms for us.

(To be continued…)

Harvest

Pic by Jeevan (near thiruvannamalai)

Farmers pain

the well grown grain;
their sweater
the sweetest sugarcane.

Paddy fields
the farmer’s playground;
with plow and sickle
harvest the starvation.

Agro-green
the country’s spine;
as India green
represents the fertility.

Cows dung
the nature’s fertilizer;
cultivates organic
disease free mass health. 

New Year Eve

Surprisingly a year ends and begins identically flourished by cousins, who decided to celebrate the eve with me. Dismissing the party, the one suppose to attend with their parents, arranged the simple yet cheerful night at-home and sleepover occasion which is a rare occurrence with someone, who feels so bored visiting our house.  So it was something significant for me and unbelievable though when he called to confirm their devotion, felt more special and leaving me at unpredictable syndrome of joy.

It’s a minute journey of cheers and excitement, passes between the past and present; an essence to withstand as yearlong ingredient in memory. Perhaps there could be an enhanced new year following the present, which may highlight various aspect mislead this time, until then I wish the cherishing component exists. We bought a black forest cake, smeared with snow white cream surface and like how on an analogue clock; the plums stick to 4 cardinal points on round cake.

Keeping at mind that I like black forest, my cousin bought it for additional surprise – even he let me know already, there’s an infinite delight towards the delicious and their dedication embraced me to emphasis state. We had a brief moment cheering and blowing away the candles once the clock ticked twelve, and cutting down the cake while the year dawns at dark with music played around, before we led to bed an hour later.

This was a moment uneasy to forgive and having almost dear ones around, fascinated me like never before and I really want to thank them for keeping away their priorities and mindset to create it as a special occasion especially for me. We also had a small outing on the New Year evening, which I will write on later.

I would like to say enough, it’s enough. I really wear out receiving lot of Happy New Year greetings… so let’s stop and progress towards a prudent and prevailing year of peace, love, harmony and individual conduct. Hope you all had a wonderful eve and refreshing beginning of the year. Best regards!

Immoral conduct

“As disciplined conduct counts for the highest values in life,

it is cherished as more precious than life itself” – Tamil Saint-Poet. Thiruvalluvar

Everyone is virtuous in this virtual world until get a chance to experiment their conduct. No one is intend to attempt rape or involve in criminal activities; it’s the chance and entice that provoke to do something wrong, which sometime touches the extreme immorality and make ruthless. In no way we could seek justice for injustice and what happens to the Delhi physiotherapist was atrocious and it couldn't be left with least punishment and the incident is also a result of aggression and potential of deathtrap. It doesn't mean women should not left out at late night, women has all the rights as men deserves and it’s not men or women, for whomever it is, walking out at adverse situation and time evokes trouble.

Moreover its men’s attitude towards women has to chance and it’s not to happen between a sunrise and set; we are losing our moral attitude towards rough and our visions are lost at the end of the day. Children or youngster are more taught how to treat with money and not with a mind, and we have come far distance from worst ill-treated women and humankind but we many men still behold the attitude in mind and it’s the failure of the parenting that forget to induce the sense from childhood. I lately realized that parenting is the toughest job in the sphere, and it doesn't end with a duty and also causes social responsibility that begins at home.

However we are loaded with laws and rules and regulations, the mind to follow is indeed behind the motion and if there isn't a restriction we (humanity) couldn't control ourselves. A drop of sugar could not transform the tea into tastier, and we need at least a teaspoon of sugar; so how each individual is responsible to create an environment so gracious and respectful. However we enjoy the freedom and brave enough, there are situations we needed to prevent or be precaution to be preserved. For e.g. we have a car and hold the license but how fair we are not up to ourselves alone, there are roads with endanger curves and rash driving by passerby cars which hold obstacles, which we should tackle  only by self observance.

Overall the hands of future generations hold their self obedient in their parenting way and morality taught at the schools. I really wish the schools emphasis on moral science more than history, business math’s, biology, chemistry… Wish the New Year begins embraces peace, harmony, respect and concern more on conduct.