Sishya School (Gate and Arch)

Sishya is a very popular school in my area called Adyar, in Chennai. Studying at this school seems to be prestigious for many (as it is believed to give best education), since the school accommodate minimum number students to facilitate balancing efficiency and quality education, with economy. From KG to Class X there are not more than 30 per Class with just 3 sections each. I know this school from my childhood days only by name and it has been described to provide higher standard of education and getting admission here does need to be   literate and wealthy parents.

Though most of students here are from luxurious background or economically fwd, I find money isn’t the prior to get a place at this school. Since moved opposite to this school, we aren’t to avoid receiving things happening with the school and the tenant who reside upstairs of this house succeed recently on his endeavour to get a place for his 3-years-old. During our occasional conversations he conveyed that he had registered for his son when he was 6 months in womb! Though both of his parents are educated and well placed at jobs with enough income they haven’t won the admission easily.

There seems to be lot of people in the waiting list, whom should have been registered in the same way (children at birth), as admission is given on first come basis for the minimum number of seats apart certain numbers that are reserved for Christian children, since the school received Christian Minority status. The school comes under the Council for Indian School Certificate Examination has been well equipped with state of the art facilities. Almost student come to this school via only cars and one could come across parades of cars coming in and out of the school, at specific times twice. It was a mild entertainment to watch different kind of cars though it cause annoy and traffic jams sometime.

It’s interesting to note that the school admits minimum number students to not to give away certain aspect of the school. They are certain about the quality of education and encourage activities that involve much physical and mental ability. The school’s ground is an advantage and being one of the big school grounds in city they conduct all kind of sports that student interest. Unlike other school, Sishya commence its first term in January and end with third term in December. The school has two vacation periods that marks with Christmas and summer in May.

I link this post for Run A Round Ranch’s Good Fences! 

My favorite season/months

December and January are my favourite months/season as it is the only time in Chennai where weather seems to be embracing and cold. Though each season has its own essence and uniqueness to cherish like the summer cool (sea) breeze, there is so much wish for cold season which is limited with Chennaites. Margazhi is a Tamil month celebrates the winter season with festivals of dance and music. The birth of December has brought cold here right now, though it wasn’t abundant like other part of the world, we enjoy the chillness followed by northeast monsoon.

One fog moment in suburb shot last year during same season

The meteorological department has been predicting rains prolong but Chennai doesn't seem to be its favourite place always, unlike it poured few weeks back. They kept announcing rain as usual in one or two days despite already dew set it. I don’t believe there’s chance for rain anymore although I wish there was, as we aren’t sufficient with rain this year there’s risk of water scarcity. I feel cool/cold in evening and early morning for last few days (and even feeling feverish by night) following dampness in weather and low pressure in Bay of Bengal. The sun wasn’t anymore hot and it feels cool even at mid-day. I also prevent sitting under the fan and almost switch off or let rotate at least number.

This is the season where I feel travelling a lot. Due to less in temperature it’s the best time to hit the road and explore places mostly on plains to enhanced cold in mountains. The Christmas, New Year and Pongal that fall during this season also make it cheerful and stimulate the mood to celebrate. It is the season I always want to wake up early morning and relish upon the chillness that we get to experience without paying electric bill or travelling sum to some hill stations. But except few occasions I ever lived up to the moment and it’s only the warmth that binds me inside the blanket leaving not the comfort being.

For those interested can check my previous posts related to December (here) and Tamil month Margazhi (here)

Parry’s Corner, Chennai

Parry’s Corner is a well known junction in Chennai, named after the EID Parry’s building that stands at the corner of the intersection of North Beach Road and NSC Bose Road near Madras High Court. Paris or Parrys is a household name among Chennaites, which is an important place for commercial banking and trading and also very famous for bazaars, is one of the most congested areas in Chennai. The NSC Bose Road has many historic buildings and EID Parry’s was the second oldest business house in India exists for more than 200 years.

The EID Parry’s (India) Ltd., date back to 1788 when Thomas Parry arrived in Madras and registered as a free merchant and setup a model business of piece goods and banking. Acquiring the plot and garden house across the way from the High Court, Thomas Parry developed it as the office of Parry and Lane and remodelled the house in Palladian architecture. Followed by several partnerships the firm became Parry & Co in 1839, made it the premier house of business in the South and one of the leading businesses in the country.

The EID Parry’s building, also known as the Dare House is named after John William Dare’s contribution to Parry & Co, as the most significant partner. He was recognised in the name of the Art Deco building that opened its doors on the Parry’s site in 1940, is now houses the headquarters of Murugappa Group. Next to the Parry’s building (on the NSC Bose Road) is the head office of the TNSC Bank.

The six-storied Art Deco building/home was built in 1970 on the pulled down of Ramalingam Building, owned by the Madras Provincial Cooperative Bank. By 1974, when the Bank moved into the new home it become Tamil Nadu State Cooperative Bank come head office.

Between the Anderson Church (see the steeple in left) and TNSC Bank on the NSC Bose Road are the buildings of State Bank of Mysore and LIC Bombay Mutual Insurance. Both the building sits on the site where the Anderson Hall and College exists once. The organisations also used the old buildings till their new once opened in 1957 and 1955 respectively. Interestingly both the buildings are constructed in Art Deco style and the Bank of Mysore (center) is architect by B.R. Manicam who was the architect of Vidhana Soudha in Bangalore.

Source of Reference : Hindu Metro Plus, The house that Parry built

Fenced Paddy Field

During one of my outing on the outskirts of Chennai, I come across a meadow of paddy which I find amazing. The thing to feel amaze was not that I haven’t seen paddy fields before, but their existence. Though villages and farm lands around the Chennai are rapidly convert into plots and buildings, it’s wonderful to see the lands that are still cultivated. Perhaps sooner or later the landscape going to change but the sights will remain nostalgic like what many places used to be right now for me.

Linking this post for Run A Round Ranch's Good Fences.  Happy Thanksgiving to all our friends here 

Update Life

Following the left eye in 2012, my father underwent a cataract surgery for the right yesterday. When he was done with the left, there wasn't a need to go for right soon since cataract showed very less growth then. The Dr. has advised to go for surgery when the cataract showed 50 percent growth last year, but being caught up with other problems related to health postponed the surgery thinking how to handle life without one another as I was in need of two people i.e. my parents. At this same time last year I was into the cast post fracture above my knee and for more than 2-3 months I was depended on three people to do the natural task as human.

Early before my fracture, my father caught with one on his ankle following his bike fell down at the knock of a car. Being a diabetic patient it took more than 3 months for his wounds to heal and only later we were able to do something for his hair crack which was almost healed on its own lying beneath the wound. Shifting houses has been a task we went through last two years has kept away the thought and care for the cataract. Though he has been going through eye sight problem with one enough clear vision and other getting blur, he kept postponing the surgery thinking who will assist me or replaces him for at least a month to quite recover.

Everyone knows it’s a minor surgery and doesn't last more than 10 minutes and he was back at home in 4 hours. But things don’t end there right? Regular apply to eye drops matters much important and being away from light vital more along with complete rest and control in sugar to sustain quick recovery. Similar to the phase during his bike accident, I come into the control of my mom again but residing close to my native house our uncle’s family (dad’s bro) was helping us in many ways. Do you remember or not, the house we are staying now isn't what we were looking for but to put an end to house hunt then (March) we decided to move here to transfer later slowly.

Though we aren't in hurry now, we have a thought in mind of another house since we experience water problem here and to feed our thought, the house owner has kindly requested us to be prepare to shift house as he had approached for a plan to built a brand new home by demolishing the present one, which is 40+ years old. And also staying opposite to a school makes feel anxious and I really lose my peace during the school time. We have our own houses in the same and neighborhood areas but they aren't convenient for me. We have our home in ground floor only at the apartment and we shifted from their mainly due to short in space and my native house has homes in upstairs since uncle’s workshop occupies the ground space.

In-between I have requested a friend in US (who’s on onsite) to acquire a person hoist (a transfer device which lift a person to move their position), to help my parents to make easy my shifting. As you all know that I have lost the ability to stand post fracture. Initially the transfer between wheelchair and car only bothered me much as I don’t find great difficult with life at home as I used to it daily, but I don’t think that life sustain at this phase forever and I need to think about future with aging parents, a device like hoist will aid them reduce physical stress. He has inquired with PTA/Take-AlongLifts and looking forward to their quotation and shipping method. Hope things goes well...