A piece of art

Image courtesy: tumblr

She stretched her arms 

releasing herself from attire 

to a state of beautiful sculpture 

that no one ever unearthed.

Her each gesture, entice 

to take a trail upon her curves 

outlined by silhouette shadow; 

that no one touched alive.

The wishful eyes, behold 

the beauty exposed in low light 

a feeling of embarrass, embark 

secretly watching her desire.

Staring at her shadow, eyes 

almost lose sense of gazing, relish 

upon revealing her structures 

that deserves watching.

Touching an utmost desire 

her imposing position; imprison 

leaving behind the window’s pane 

unveiled her silhouette beauty.

Pondicherry Beach

One late morning we passed the Pondicherry beach while letting us ahead to Point Calimere in Nagai District; the beach looked deserted during that day of the time last March. Guess it was a weekday, and being sunny no one were left around and the way it looked (neat and clean) impressed to shoot few shots. This was the beach shaken up during the Thane cyclone that struck couple of months early to our visit then, seems taken a quick recovery to our surprise and it looked even better than our early visits.

My first time to the Pondicherry beach was at the beginning of this millennium and that time it was only rocks left behind the corridor platform and we could enjoy the drizzle splashed by waves while sitting on the platform. Now the beach was extended into the sea, creating a corridor on the seawall to keep away the erosion and building some sand area for beach visitors. This was my third time in the beach to just pass unlike early spending some time, the beach left quite with no sound of splashing waves and sight of some sea birds at distance.

The Promenade beach, as popularly known as Pondicherry beach on the Beach Road is one of the main boulevard of the city, where one could find heritage buildings and offices of the Union Govt. including the State Secretariat.  The beach extends for 1.5 km along the shore, has the statue of the father of the nation – Mahatma Gandhi – is the center of attraction.  The four-meter tall statue was beautifully adorned by eight granite pillars, surrounding a shrine like shelter.

Being close to the old harbor, the beach holds a pretty sight of the pier extended into the bay. And the old lighthouse on the beach lane, opposite to the Mahatma Gandhi statue is a wonderful old tower installed by French East India Company in year 1836. This old lighthouse was the first modern lighthouse on the Coromandel Coast, served the mariners for almost a century and half before proudly become a monument under the Union Territory Administration – a fitting tribute to its valuable services.

The old lighthouse

Clouds form

Pic by Jeevan

Clouds form unshaped figures

for mind fishing an image
that hold close to heart
or resemble thought.

Clouds form a winter cold
from the boiling point
beneath the ground;
the moisture air frozen.

Clouds form a custom comprising
elegant to perfect blue sky
as an emblem of divine
sun shows grace from behind.

Clouds form in interesting shapes
speaking its own language
endlessly rewritten
on the board of blue sky.

Vainu Bappu Observatory - Javadu Hills

After reaching Jamunamarathur – the capital villages of Javadu Hills, and having lunch, that we brought along with us from home, we are told by the guest house care taker that they will allow into the observatory only by 5 pm,  to watch through the telescope. So he suggested leaving by 4 pm as it is 10 km from there and since having two more hours to go, we decided to explore the small lake and garden at half a km from the guest house. The lake and garden were not so attractive, and the lake is nothing but a conversion of already existing village lake that used for irrigation to the fields around. The real pretty sights are beheld around the lake, where fresh green paddy fields gleaming at us to expose to sunlight amid mild step farming.

The main course of this trip was to check the observatory and it was first time for me visiting an observatory, other than the only place I visited regard to space was Chennai Birla Planetarium. Vainu Bappu Observatory located at Kavalur village on the Javadu Hills holds the largest telescope of Asia, which was named after the great Indian astronomer and discoverer of Wilson-Bappu effect, Manali Kallat Vainu Bappu. VBO is an astronomical observatory behind many unique discoveries on space and reading remarkable cosmic rays, through the 1 and 2.3 meters telescope, the observatory has detected atmosphere around the Jupiter’s satellite Ganymded and rings around Uranus and Saturn. In 1988, a new minor planet was discovered using the 43cm Schmidt telescope and it was named after mathematics genius Ramanujam.

The observatory is isolated from any activities of being and almost surrounded by vast reserve forest, stands as a testimony to Indian astronomy. We reached the observatory early in time traveled thought the dense forest, but we were not allowing inside the campus and requested to wait sometime until the early batch comes out. I know that we need to walk nearly a km from the entrance to the main observatory; I kept my power wheel chair fully charged but enquiring a couple who came out we become uncertain about the distance. Even though we decided to progress, the guard noticed me allowed to take our car inside and we find more than 100 school students come out of the observatory.

Me and my family

First I was mislead by the white cylindrical building with dome that holds 43” telescope which resembles the 93” telescope, the largest among the observatories inside the VBO. Then we were redirected to the main building with more widely in breadth and spectacular height. The observatory being elevated from the others, cool breeze brushes once get out of the car and we were taken by the lift to the top floor where the largest telescope was assembled. The telescope was attached to a huge hydraulic machine that turns and moves up and down, manually and as well automatically sitting on two wide column. It was like a dream come true when the aluminum plated dome open to sky view, and rotate through a rack rail which could go around 360 degree.

I felt rotating along with the dome when looking above and goose bumped, stimulated by the entirely new setting and following the conversation with one of a scientist demonstrating the operation of telescope, took me to infinite stage. Many of us generally know the universe that exists within our solar system, but there could be immense such systems in our galaxy with earth like spheres where people could live and seek to connect alike. The observatory plays a vital role in studying the universe and does a front-line research with the telescopes here. It was something amazing that I couldn't even image that we were standing close to an object that beholds the mystery which is impossible through naked eyes. And I feel like touching an endless height.

The floor below the telescope has a round iron platform which I first through to rotate, but the scientist cleared our doubt later by operating the hydraulic platform that lifts to make easy the service of telescope. He explained that it is a kind of facility that any other observatory doesn't hold and they keep an eye clean on lens always. The observatory has a steal platform; going around the dome outside the building holds a 360 degree view on the landscape of total forest area. So it is out of noise and light disturbance, which is the main obstacle for reading light rays and except the entrance, overall campus doesn't have a light facility and was completely electric fenced to keep away wild animals.

I feel bad for not taking my camera inside the observatory thinking they might not allow, because of security. But some took photos with their mobiles and there were no restrictions, and I only got to capture the building and natural setting of the campus. I was really wishing to watch something through the largest telescope but these are used only at night and not for public to watch. They have a 6” telescope for public to view stars and planets after dusk and we really had to wait for an hour to watch through telescope. But for me that even wasn't a chance because the viewing point of the telescope was kept high and need to climb few steps.

[To be continued….]

Maa Kolam – a cultural identity of Tamil!

Maa Kolam is one of a cultural identity of Tamil people and drawing a beautiful as well colorful designs at the doorstep during festival seasons, will fascinate everyone with a smiling face: there’s a flat mate in our apartment who pass comments usually encouraging us when we do something traditionally and seeing our pot kolam on Pongal, he says that it remind his hometown. Doesn't it make sense and smile knowing it felt someone nostalgic? Whether it is in India or abroad, Kolam stays as a stable distinct feature of Tamils; with various forms wherever they are settled. Kolam becomes a reflection of individual skill of Tamils and basic faiths of goddess those believe in such. And even we don’t have big thought about kolam that unites the diverse features of life, exposes the artistic talent of homemakers.

There isn’t a specific period when the practice of Kolam took shape, but a traditional kolam is drawn on rice flour and its posture has changed on various stages from plain white to colorful state now. Next to rice flour, the Kolam is drew on a powder grind from a specific white stone and later the colors or flowers are added to enhance the beauty during the festival season. The specific of drawing kolam is believed to bring auspicious to home and by doing so we also keep our house and streets clean and doorstep looks artistry. The kolam is based on a calculation of dots, which has various methods like straight and cross dot, lines and flower patterns become a support in life esp. for women in solving many loopholes in family. So it seemed as an essential for women practicing kolem which helps in developing their mindset and optimizes their existing talents and noble cause.  

Kolams are drawn on various states of India and variety in styles. For example: the Athipoo Kolam of Kerala and Rangoli drawn in north Indian states are equally noted for the kolam drawn in Tamil Nadu.  Besides Alpana of West Bengal, Sanji of Uttar Pradesh and Rangavalli Muggu in Andhra Pradesh. Athipoo Kolams were drawn with flour first and later decorated with flowers which mostly used are marigold, oleander and chicken crest flowers. Rangoli is a colorful kolam, drawn using salt to increase the color saturation and prevent spreading of colors in wind and moreover the salt is comprised as pride of wealth.

Not only during festivals, Kolam drawn as a daily activity of Tamil Nadu: we are one of the countless houses that drew Kolam everyday at the doorstep and during the Tamil month of Margazhi a special attention is given to Kolam. At this time of month, conducting kolam festivals are specific in Tamil Nadu and unlike many other festivals celebrated during this month, a festival for Kolam is only held at here. In Margazhi everyone used to draw a big kolam in front of their homes and using this, people in their area or street create a team and conduct contests and gifts are presented to those well drawn. And it does not only stop there, but by this way people are motivated to disclose their talents and encouraged for an enthusiastic challenge.

Another reason to draw kolam with rice flour was because it giving life to the tiny species on surface, esp. ants use the softly grind-ed flour as their favorite food to survive. During the festival of Pongal that begins with the Tamil month of Thai, is a wonderful time to sight very colorful kolams indicating the rice boiling over the pot, sugarcane and turmeric images taking place besides the kolam. And the Pongal pot is kept to boil over at the header part of the kolam, before worshiping the sun. The same follows with the Mattu Pongal (bull pongal), where kolams are drawn with images of bulls, calves and bells and drawing kolam during the period of Pongal is a fascinating thing as well showcases the pride and happiness of family. And writing pongalo pongal in between the kolam conveys the wishes to everyone passes through the street and certainly kolam has become a lasting part of the beautiful Tamil culture.

(The photos on the pongal kolam where drawn by my mother, during the occasion.)