My street

I think I can’t get out of my house or street for a week, even I have nothing to do outside I feel locked.  Building rainwater drainage (by Chennai corporation)had been taking place around my area for some time now had reached our dead end street has stopped the vehicle activity and only a plank is put for bikes and walkers to cross. I actually had a plan to check a film in my favorable theater here was spoiled by this sudden dug up which was supposed to happen at anytime? Since they have covered almost streets expect our dead end.  We really lost our (not so good) paved roads to these enclosed canals building process which damaged the already gone worst here and there road due to many flat constructions on our Rajaji Nagar main road in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai.

It’s been long time I took to the streets around my home on the power wheel chair, accompanied by someone (mom or uncle or cousins) during the evening hours really make the day end impressive. I used to receive the sun-rays on my body and sight of glowing sun setting behind the buildings and checking some beautiful flowers bloomed from the neighborhood houses. It used to be a motivation path to me, taking somehow deep breath and fresh breeze and different sights and new faces on streets improving my awareness on neighborhood. I used to come across stray dogs and few bark at me riding on a different wagon and some remain quiet sleeping on streets just taking a note on me and I even encounter their chase on those ride on bikes and cars but they keep calm when I pass.

The streets that I used take then were passed through almost unconstructed plots open to wild vegetation and roads were smooth enough with few speed breakers which used to be fun ride over. Once the open lands were started to construct apartments, the roads shape changed irregular and sights turned indifferent and dust and debris represents the fresh breeze and wild vegetation  Even then I used to go around occasionally, everything come to cease when roads turned worst after rains and dug up clay of buildings occupied the road. Now the rainwater drainage (rose to a foot height platform) build aside and across the roads make it tough and I know the importance of these drainage systems saving us from the stagnant of rainwater that threaten in different ways during monsoons. I feel hard without going out.

I think instead of cutting the roads across and making a concrete canal, that take a week-long to built, they can use underground pipes wherever a road cut through to connect the canals. I always feel the Chennai Corporation never does a neat job (for eg. they always leave the sludge dug up from drainage besides the lid) and they lack ideas how to handle things or use alternate routes. I wish I get back the roads that I used to wander freely then in evenings and I know the scenes never going to be same and roads without constant of vehicles pass but I wish for a better and improved roads after overall drainage constructions are completed in our area. The open grounds which are now multistory apartments and villas amaze me, equally the worst roads! Waiting to catch up with an impressive evening and going around and seeking inspirations once again regularly. 

Love blossom

Image courtesy: tumblr

My heart beats for her, in love 

I don’t know who she was
but meeting every day in dream
and living with her at imagine.

I proposed, she refused 
but the interest only grows
even she scold me several times
until understand me quite.

A magic only happen in dreams
with no more twist or turns
but a feel of alive moments
where eyes closed enough.

We met, become mate and date
love blooms at exchange of heart
harmony playing a song, despite
our different background score.

Life was very pleasant, sharing
the various shades of life
gifting, hugging and kissing
leading a beautiful unending phase.

Topslip – travel account

The day begin for us at Pollachi – the coconut country. Topslip is about 35km from here and 80 km from Coimbatore, can be called as the capital of Anamalai Tiger Reserve, a part of Indira Gandhi National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, on the Anamalai range of Western Ghats Mountains. Our relative from Valparai received us in the morning, directed us towards Topslip and he also accompanied us throughout our week-long journey across Topsip and Valparai, more than since he’s familiar with places and routes. Hence reached early at night and stayed at Pollachi Govt. guest house booked by my cousin brother, we moved leisurely at morning after breakfast taking the scenic countryside road of Pollachi, which are filmmaker’s favorite shooting spots.

The road passed almost either side with coconut groves and looking at the green and orange tender coconuts kept for sale on a roadside inspired us not to miss, relish upon the enriched natural tender drink. We also passed beautiful village towns like Anamalai, Vettaikaranpudur and Sethumadai. What interesting was, these town villages are almost pained in white and we also come across a group hassle at Anamalai, where people kept flowing from nowhere like blocking the road, and before something happens we moved quickly. It was like watching a scene from a regional movie and I hear from our relative, such things are casual in these areas.  At the foot of Anamalai hills, the Tiger reserve arch welcomed us and we climbed on after sign in form at the forest check post.

Glasshouse above grassland

Sethumadai is the last village on the road lead to Topslip, the winding road all the way took us through crushed dry leaves shattered everywhere amid I looking for animals. It was the same month of Feb. then, the dry season was encouraging the fall of leaves and reaching the Topslip I was surprise to see dry grasslands instead of evergreen I saw in internet.  Topslip offers different accommodations as per we wish, there are tree house, lodges, dormant and glasshouses as limited enough. We sought for the glass house (Ambuli Illam) sits on top of all with vast views and all side glass panes to sight animals that come grazing on grasslands around. But due to some renovation work, they refused to allow us and suggested to take the Bison Lodge on the main lane with no other option we took it on basis of comfort.

Being controlled by Forest Department, Topslip also arranges for food on three bases on pre-order. Since it took an hour for us to settle down rooms and arrived only by noon we couldn't go for an order, so adjusted with the available of rice, sambar and appalam. Topslip being restricted to sound, we enjoyed a quite silent reserved around unless for leaves crushed to wind, and huge pigs creating terror by chasing one another. The silence flourished outside doesn't want me to go inside the room and even it was a sunny afternoon, the breeze put everything under a cozy weather, I and my cousin were alone wandered around.

Me at top of topslip (glasshouse is behind

Taking the road on power wheel chair, we find the tree houses and bamboo huts on the other side of the lane and checking the grasslands by moving up to glasshouse, I got a panoramic view on the forest  grasslands. It would have been a great pleasure if I got chance to stay on one of the wood or glasshouses atop. I don’t want to miss another chance if future allowed visiting Topslip, I wanted to stay there and watch animals. During our roaming phase we met an old man (not so old) sitting under a bus shelter opposite to our Bison Lodge and I must say he’s wise about wild since he works as a guide in Topslip, taking tourist inside the forest. He shared some of his experience and knowledge about the Anamalai Tiger reserve and he had seen almost animals in the wild, except Lion which is the only animal missing at Anamalai. He told there are about 55 tigers in Anamalai Tiger Reserve.

Coming from a tribal community, he had been born and brought up in Anamalai hills and when the government declared it as wildlife sanctuary; some of their members were employed as guides in forest department and activities based on Topslip tourism development. The forest department also runs a primary school for the tribe children. Pointing at the grassland he told he has seen tigers encounters deer and wild elephants and bison grazing at evergreen time… and sighting deer’s at regular. Questioning him let us know more about this place and also the neighborhood Parambikulam – which is another wildlife sanctuary inside the Kerala border.

[To be continued…] 

Desperate leaf

Image courtesy: flickr

Strong wind fishes a leaf 

that floats in the air
taking up the chance vividly
deciding its destiny.

Birds to their part, helps
departing the desperate leaf
as a freebie ransom, troubleshoot
its relationship with shrub.

Folded to ground, the leaf
bear by the motion wind grid
dragged along to fragile
expose its veins and wrinkles.

Roll over the concrete floor
soak in rain and dry sunshine
lifted its status at each landing
before turn manure or lose to fire. 

Kadal (The Sea) View

I had a wonderful visual treat; watching the Tamil film ‘Kadal’ from my regular Drive-in Theater here late night, get me an experience of floating at a distinct yet fabulous locale. Sea, being the livelihood of fishermen had become the source of this film and characters play a powerful sail on the gently yet rough screenplay, but boarding a weak story. There are many films related to fishing folk formerly, but Kadal has been fascinating a lot among enrich showcased in location setting. I wished there was a total different story on this performance oriented on board into the sea.

There are two main characters lead the story with their impressive performance: the comeback of yesteryears handsome hero, Arvind Swamy, took crown once again representing a respectful priest and Karthik son Gautham’s debut as young hero, certainly befit to the character of young fishermen that uncertain to adapt anybody. And of course we can’t go with them alone; everybody does a natural play around the scenario and the teen heroine, Thulasi (daughter of actress Raatha), steals heart with her childish attitude and cute expressions… she has a long way to go become a mature artist.

The film almost sails on a lifeboat of characters, the sea become a backbone to this mysterious or lead to confusion subject. The Tamil slang spoken in the film was very unusual and offensive somewhere, adding chaos at understanding the phrases. The songs composed by AR. Rahman had already recognized as best, has once again confessed to stole via visuals, except Nejikkula – the one tops the album has lost track between scenes and speech – cinematography has ruled others with two excellently choreographed. The setting of the Church and fishing market and the broken ship are architecture excellence!

The most fascinating and stunning part of the film was the climax! The actions performed by the three (Goutham, Aravind and Arjun) on the ship on rough seas were breathtaking and represent anything unlike before a Tamil cinema has witnessed. I read from the acclaimed cinematographer (Rajiv Menon) interview that the awesome storm sequence at climax was shot alive during the Nilam Cyclone that landfall near Chennai in October. Taking the film crew into the sea when the storm was at its peak really needs guts, and not only our filmmakers but the actors too truly amaze me by taking such dare ventures and experimenting live action using the unpredictable terrible natural event.

Hats off to ace director Mani Ratnam for creating unique at Tamil cinema, taking each pace forward into his own standard with film-making;  Kadal is another film adds credit to his phenomenal except the disappointment with story but, technically and naturally content.