On the road to repeater

It was neither as high, nor deep as jungle, but a feeling of embracing an environment close to the heart and challenging the evergreen passion for mountains and forest. There are wild animals too and one could hear the roar of lions to become a haunt and almost animals in the wild does exists – which is impossible with any national parks or sanctuaries – but all are fenced behind a great wall of Anna zoological park!

I was on the other side of the park hill at the evening of January first and thanks to my cousin Ashwin for introducing me to this part of hill and road which is close to his East Tambaram resident. He and his father (my uncle) used to carry waking along this hill road that extends about 2 km, climbing a moderate height leading to the Vandalur Police Repeater. It was a narrow road, a space only for a SUV to pass but once entered you left in a complete state of silence and due to rain, few days early then and being winter we cherished a cool temperature there.

Avoiding the Perungalathur traffic on GST road, we took an en route to the Vandalur hill via camp road, before dropping our cousins at their home whom had spend their half yearly exam holidays at our place. We stopped at half a km on the repeater road (what the Google maps address the hill road) and according to my cousin the road further isn't spacious to take a U turn, unless one is skillful reverse at gear, we have to park the car there and take an uphill walk or biking. Since I left my power wheel chair at home I couldn't take the wonderful trail all the way to repeater at the hill top, which I’m sure and suppose to fascinate me.

We took an off-road from there to an Ayyanar Temple inside the forest. And being New Year day, there were some people come in their bikes and walkabout to worship the deity as the year begins. Other than being a special occasion, the hill doesn't seem to fascinate many at receiving end thus leaving it to look clean and green. Even not climbing half of the hill, we find the high compound wall of the Arignar AnnaZoological Park across the hills, thrills, knowing the route of lion safari runs very close to the wall. This make obvious the sound of lion is irresistible and it is one and many a reason that wants me to be there sometime again… and the thickness of foliage and fresh air, leaves a void bestow amid rising pollution, unboundedly.

(Sorry I couldn't take my camera along with me during that evening, so can’t post any photos. Even I took few with mobile, they aren't clear.)

Flowers – never cease to amaze

Flowers are beautiful creations on earth and nature’s best bestow. Every time looking at a flower at blossom, it’s hard to deny giving away the grief and in case of deep sorry, they relieve grievance and enrich the peaceful mind that deserves calm. I wonder there could be anyone who doesn't like flowers and I guess if so, one would lack some sense of form and flowers are always my favorite and a part of my travel and wherever I go, I would like to see some flowers.

Flowers are everywhere in different shades, variety of brands and fragrance, touching our heart with their each sensible source: the soft petals conveys kind; colors add cheerful to eyes and fragrance as graceful scent to desire. Festivals or rituals, flowers lead the pace and adorn women tress esp. in Tamil culture, wearing flowers on tress back is a frequent practice that also enhance their elegance. We really need no reason to like flowers; they are just spotless and their natural tendency is flawless to suit any occasion and never cease to amaze me.

The photos captured above is a button rose bloomed from our flower pot and it is the only surviving rose plant that we bought some 6 months ago, along with few Kashmir rose plants that faced end very soon.  We bought number of rose plants in past but nothing survived long liked the button rose plant unlike the early one that flourished without any flowers.

VBO and following things – Javadu Hills

Following, checking the VBO’s largest telescope inside the Vainu Bappu Observatory, we drawn back to the 6 inch telescope for watching the celestial objects on space. This is a facility impended only if there is a clear sky and the observatory is open to public only on Saturday, to visit the telescope between 2 to 5 pm and staring starts and planet viewing adjoined for 6.30-10 pm. We waited for nearly an hour until the dusk disappeared and twinkle stars get to sight, the place sounds quiet except the resonant of our batch waiting to watch through telescope, the winter cold wraps around under the open sky and moist meadow. We saw guards wander with rifle to keep away the wild animals entering the campus: elephant, bison and wild boar are found commonly around VBO’s forest area, belong to Javadu Hills.

The observatory is located at an altitude of 700 meters and quarter distance from Bangalore compared to about 210 km from Chennai. VBO is one of the field stations of Bangalore based Indian Institute of Astrophysics, which is primarily devoted to research activates using the optical telescope. There are about 6-7 telescopes built around the campus of VBO, except for the 1 and 2.3 meter telescopes; others are small domes and shed. The 6 inch telescope that allowed viewing for public was kept inside a shed (that u see in the above picture), which top is pushed aside while using the telescope and its position is fixed to view specific celestial objects on sky. That, what has become an obstacle for me from observing through telescope; as the view point has kept high from ground, I couldn't keep up to being tough.

There were more than 100 students waiting behind us, so I kept a quick out of the shed realizing the difficult. My parents who got the opportunity to watch through telescope found Jupiter and three shining stars closer. The students who lined behind us were those exits during our entry, seemed waited for long time at the gateway to view via telescope. The security is tight inside the observatory and guards wore a moody mask, but the officers are kind enough to slender tie for me and encouraged indirectly for taking the course.

It was pitch dark, when we left the telescope shed and there were no lights to lead us to entrance. Except following the road for few hundred meters, I rode the wheel chair tracing the center white line torched by my cousin, using his cell phone. Being winter, the darkness settled early from the pink shades the sun left behind the forest scene. It was adventurous driving back to Jamunamarathur from VBO through the thick adjoining forest road where one or two vehicle only passed.  The village town doesn’t have great hotels except only one pure vegetarian mess; all are non-vegetarian teashops preparing traditional Tiffin’s like: idly, dosai, pongal, parotta… and biriyani for lunch. There are many Biriyani shops in funny names and almost different in taste from one another… u may wonder how I know. For the lunch next day, we brought biriyani from more than couple of shops to taste which is best and getting there for remain of us.

For the dinner that night, we brought Tiffin from one of the tea-shops  That wasn't so bad or good at taste but enough to keep content the stomach and somehow hygiene hopefully. Gladly the night went off peacefully and comfort since the suite and mattress become favorable, kept away the sleep difficulties, I used to experience in absence of home comfort. We also had some fun that day, watching the monkeys business while waiting at the entrance of the VBO for some time. There was this cute little monkey perched to a branch (check picture above), behold through its gestures and behavior unlike the elder one which was trying to steal something from a bike pouch. 

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