Happy Deepavali: Ground Chakkaras

Ground Chakkaras are traditional firecrackers, along with flower pots and sparkles bring smiles.  

An unforgettable phase, I wish to forget

A year completes since I got fracture in my femur, I couldn’t forget the day (17/10/2013) though I wish not to remember the day that was horror. It was also a day that I fell and still unable to stand. I ever thought I would get fracture as I’m out of even normal activity, it taught me a lesson that anything could happen to anybody and I almost come to the term to accept what comes my way. But the only thing that put me into fear was the uncertain nature of a disease or disorder. I had been bedridden for nearly 2 months and the only difficult I experienced physically was way to toilet. Even though I used commode wheelchair, transferring between the bed and chair was painful until the fracture began to mend somewhat.  I went to extreme boredom during that phase as I did anything apart watching television and listen to music, mind was quite contrary thinking whether I will recover or not. Even I got immense time for book reading, but I couldn’t concentrate on anything and most of all wasn’t comfort to do things at lying position.

Prone to muscular dystrophy I had reason to worry, since it is a case of losing muscle strength there seems less chances of recovery. Even the doctor who treated me had doubt whether the bone will mend? But glad there was positive result within 10 days on cast and at the end of 46 days the bone had healed well. But the real torture or pain began only after out of cast, when I tried to bend the knee that went stiff being on cast. It took more than 3 months to reach certain degree and to feel less pain, I am still unable to bend the knee 100%. I don’t believe it will bend anymore but I am content with how well it has come now.  The fracture doesn’t stop here but it also dragged me further into my future where I lose the ability to stand someday. It wouldn’t be a matter of lose or bothered me much if it happened on the usual slow pace, but it’s hard to accept when the ability fall prey in short span.

I could see a great difference with my life before and post fracture, because my dependency has rose from single-handedly to double, now, and during my days on cast and until I feel painless on knee I was supported by three people on transfer to change of clothes. I know my future isn’t going to be same rather it would turn more difficult, but I never thought about it seriously and my intention seems to concentrate only on near future and present moment.  I have a vision which is to reach as much possible expanding my world and experience live moments with different environment and sharing with people. The fracture has also caused a greater setback on my travelling front and due to lose of standing ability getting in and out of car has become difficult. I am passionate about travelling and exploring places are one of my core intentions of life, and (also like to go off-roading (mild)) makes me believe that real experience comes out of comfort. Hope all is well and I am back with my comfort travelling soon. 

Road experience and a day drive to Thiruvannamalai

These days the road travel has become frequent lose of signal i.e. vehicles come to standstill to every drop of red taillights even the traffic signal shows green. Heedless, we hit the GST road that too on the Monday morning hours has become a great setback towards the travel to Thiruvannamalai, which also delayed the progress. But glad it wasn't too late, since parent’s intended to be there before noon so that they don’t need to wait until 4 pm for the Annamalaiyar Temple to be open for worship. It has been a common rule in many big temples to close the corridor from public use between those times. If it was heavy traffic on the GST road (taking nearly an hour to pass the 10 km stretch between Chrompet and Vandalur), the road from Thindivanam to Thiruvannamalai is bad in condition. The road was cut a lot at many places and somewhere it was just single lane due to pending of road widening. The worst thing was there were no caution boards anywhere and the road suddenly goes down rough without a sign. It was so difficult maintaining a comfort ride, though I am a fan of off-roader, this kind of thing intrude when the intention was different.  My mother suffered a back pain coming out of this travel, though the road condition isn’t a cause quite but it could be one of the reasons to think.

We reached Thiruvannamalai by 12 noon and the Annamalaiyar Temple was opened till 12.30 due to some ritual happening with the pre-Karthigai event. I stayed (as usual) at the car along with my cousin bro, while others went into the temple; it was a hot day and we parked the car at the open parking in front of the temple (from where I shot the temple tower) facing the majestic Raja Gopuram. At 217 feet in height with 11 stories, this temple tower is one of the tallest temple towers in India, and it was built by Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara Empire. We waited for nearly an hour under the hot sunshine, switching on/off the a/c and watching things happening around. I find a group of 4-5 aged women coming around the parked cars and asking for money, and I noticed that they were doing this like a business. They pick up 5 or 10 ₹ from each and equally share the money, and one of them even asked us for 1 ₹ change so that she could share fairy the amount. Even the one who appointed to collect parking ticket would miss one or two vehicles, but escaping from these ladies seems uneasy and they come blocking the vehicle when it’s suppose to leave.

Sadhus of Thiruvannamalai

The parents return with cups of Puliyotharai (tamarind rice) from the temple, known that I like it so much and it taste was also really delicious. My aunt had brought lunch for us along with her from home and we bought Pakoda from the bakery and headed to the Girivalam road of Annamalai hill to have lunch. Girivalam is a Tamil word which “giri” refer for hill and “valam” means coming around.  Every full moon day people undertake a pilgrim by coming around the hill, which is 14 km in distance by road to come one full round. I like this road for which it travels partially on quiet, calm and green environment and being on this road already once, I couldn't think any other place (or best) to have lunch in a picnic format when questioned where? This road has number of benches to slabs (which are laid for the devotees to take brief rest while on their pilgrim around the hill) on both side of the road which helped us having lunch at comfort seating. I also saw many Sadhus sitting and sleeping on the pavements along the road, and as we feed couple of Sadhus who were resting and on foot, they blessed and wished us in humble.

While retuning on the same route to home, we took diversion at Chengalpattu to avoid the heavy traffic that lagged in morning as we experienced to never turn that side during morning and evening. We always encounter heavy traffic on GST road while coming into Vandalur, and to make it congestion happens the building of Outer Ring Rd. I have crossed Gingee couple of times while heading to Thiruvannamalai, but this time decided to stop at the foothill of Gingee Fort (Queen) on the northern side of the road to take few photos and brief on the area. The view from there was beautiful and enrich in green paddy fields and looking up the fort incredibly built on top of boulders hill! The way to the fort hill was inviting with lawn on both sides, but the closed gate doesn't seem to open to me even if I have brought my wheelchair along with this travel.  It was disappointing to see that many lakes and pools (along the way) were gone dry without traces of water. The Madurantakam Lake, one of the biggest in Kanchipuram district was quite desert look. But I was so glad to see a new flyover emerged across the railway crossing that connects Chengalpattu with Thirukalukundram and Kalpakkam.

Gingeer Fort (Queen Hill)

It is a very important railway crossing and number of vehicle cross this gate everyday to reach other end towns. We have great experiences waiting at this railway crossing many times while visiting my great aunt who stayed at the suburb of Chengalpattu. Anything they want to buy has to come across the railway crossing after waiting long time for the railway gate to open.  The junction that called as Rattinakinarau has been totally different in circumstance now and I could apparently see drastic changes in the landscape on both the sides and new hope (light) sparkling all over. After long time I quite come across the Chengapattu-Thiruporur road with great surprise at the smooth road, which ever seemed to be same. Perhaps first time in the history of the creation of the road that took a new soft surface and wider in space. The Chengapattu-Thiruporur has been a single lane less than 5 years before and only a vehicle could pass at a time and one has to go off-road to give way to another. But now, glowing in surprise, the driving has become quite different on this road and any vehicle could overtake one other such easily and even two petrol bunks has sprout amid the forest and farmlands! 

Renovated Kaj Schmidt Memorial

A long time dream had come true by the renovation of Kaj Schmidt Memorial at Elliot’s Beach in Besant Nagar, Chennai. The monument erected in the memory of Kaj Schmidt, a Danish sailor who drowned in attempt to save the lives of three Europeans, which include two woman, has been abandon for long time and a huge crack was suppose to break it apart. But glad the Chennai Corporation had taken steps at last after various attempts by NGOs and public requesting the government to restore the memorial.

I had been around the memorial number of times (while I was able to walk), without giving thought what it was and why built there. I also liked climbing upon the memorial through the broken steps and taking seat at the rear front that used to embrace in cool sea breeze. Getting close to the memorial never seems to be graceful unlike watching from distance and catching it during sunrise or sunset is always wonderful sight. Against the blue sky and sea, the renovated (not yet quiet) white monument beautifies the entire beach site, and it is also protected by fence on four sides.

The ambassador of Denmark who recently visited the monument revealed that Schmidt wasn't a Dutch national like we know so far, rather he was Danish! Schmidt born in Denmark in 1901, joined the East Asiatic Company in 1921 was sent to Madras to work at their first Indian office, which opened in (1928) hope to buy/export peanuts and market Danish dairy products and cement. Schmidt and his colleagues who went bathing to Elliot’s Beach on December 30, 1930, noticed people fighting the waves, jumped in and saved the people before he lost his battle. (check here for my early post detailing  the monument's exist)

The monument unveiled a year later from his drowning, was built in honoring his dedication and savior attitude towards others.  The memorial originally a brick and mortar construction, and colored in Ivory was renovated using lime and stone for the lattice window and sunshades. The monument is stitched with stone to withstand so many years was done by Mamallapuram based sculptor and temple-restoration expert K. Rajendran and his six member team. The building without a stone foundation is now paved in granite sables to enhance the stability and prevent cracks.  

P.S. Photos capture by my cousin on my behalf 

Blood Moon

Anew moon or blood moon... relieved eclipse.

A orange popped up the cloud or shadow of earth  

As a light of hope, moon bloomed out of gloom. 

Footnote:

I was at Elliot’s Beach last evening and quite forget about the eclipse until I find some orange shade on the sky. It was surprise to watch the moon unveiling the eclipse against the dark blue sky… though unclear, it was wonderful capturing the moon at it’s glorious.