Another red letter box and gate from neighborhood

Perhaps, you all know my love for red letter box which used to be my favorite thing from childhood. My neighborhood has many houses with letter box to drag my attention towards their gate and they aren't quite red and I also find some milk boxes similar to letter boxes but in blue.

Following my previous post on the red letter box, I received few calls from the friends to send my address in regard receiving a card as intention of love and harmony. I really feel gratitude for their sweet gesture and taking time to make a handy note sense touch. While the technology has reached a height unimagined, receiving card through post feels quite nostalgic!

The red letter box in picture above belongs to the neighbor opposite to our house. Since we are 10 months old to this area, though it isn't new for us being a native to same, they are the only family (of four) to share few words and exchange smiles occasionally. They have been a resident of this area for more than 20 years and the letter box is hanged to the gate in front of their doorstep.

To add an additional gate image to the post, I link to Run a Round Ranch’s Good Fences, is the aluminium plated gate (of the same house) that enclose their car park.

New Year Eve

The New Year begins for me with mild disappointment, even before the former end, as I anticipated my cousins to join me on the eve to welcome another brand new year. Though it isn’t a matter really to discus or argues or anything new to complain, as I have been through this many times but I wished they were beside me, like they nod for my midnight cake-cutting plan, despite whatever keeps them away.  It was for the birth of 2013 that we all gathered at our home and celebrated the night in a similar way. Thus I wished to recreate the moment. But at least there was enough greetings shared through phone calls during the wake up of the course to another 365 days.

New year collage (thanks fotor.com)

Excitement is something always exits when beginning a thing or so in anticipation and for the New Year the excitement is something special and always stimulates a mindset to celebrate or at least share the joy though greeting each other for a healthy, wealthy and peaceful journey ahead. I know nothing is going to change big whether we gather or not for the eve, at least it creates an opportunity to share a bit and lean warm greetings through the winter cold night. The night was noisy like ever, while many pedestrians on foot following their faith, bikes and cars sped ferociously creating a bang to head out at risk.

I was at home leafing through the final stage of the book I intend to finish before the yearend as I took vows to read more books in the coming years, I find reading books comforting and inspiring to see life ahead. I also decided to watch enough movies (except Tamil) this year, since my list has been growing with the collection of movie titles from overseas, I want to watch at least a movie per week whether I write a review or not. Coming to the New Year eve, we had a small cake cutting witnessed by my only parents (since bro went asleep already) and cousins couldn’t make up, we spent an hour next catching with dear ones either calling or receiving at phone. Mom used the time to complete her New Year Kolam, she suppose to drew in morning, added colors under our sight as it is untimed to leave her alone to do so at gateway. The New Year day was spent almost in front of the TV, watching movies I haven’t. 

Kayal – Fall in Love

Kayal is a feel good movie I watched, as a night show, from the usual drive-in theatre here and I enjoyed it quite heartfelt and moved at the same time.  Though the Tamil film is development on the background of 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the heart goes with the characterization – in a natural tendency, expression and attitude that drive towards admiration. All new/less known faces adds fresh coat to the scenario (that takes on a brief journey from Kashmir to Kanyakumari) and gives a distinct feel related to the local realities.

The most pleasant thing to say about this film, which has pleased me even before its release, was the songs and music.  D.Imman’s composition was such a backbone to this film that featured a straightforward love story, simultaneously stroke the hearts strings causing pain and pleasure. Kayal (representing the title) is an orphan girl grows in a big family and guardian in her grandmother, encounters love when she meets Aaron, a traveller who proposes love confronting the big family, who caught him, along his friend Socrates, mistakenly for helping a runaway couple.

Aaron, along his companion Socrates lives a life travelling almost six months a year and works for the rest to spend their next half-dozen on travelling.  Coming across India, they head to Kanyakumari – almost their last destination of the country – while seeking a bright light which Aaron believes his destiny, finds out that the light  is nothing but Kayal. Feeling the love deep within, piercing the heart, the unrest Kayal leaves the house in instinct reaching Aaron while he’s on the same path, meets with great destruction but yet happy ending.

Epicentre with earthquake and tsunami, the film embark on a trail towards ending with anticipation. But what fascinates me lot was the lifestyle of the friends and love affair which incline some positive vibes, intertwine by realistic comedy produces a whole entertainment flick. The love expressed by Aaron (Chandran) and Kayal (Anandhi) through their eyes were powerful than the words conveyed. Anandhi has an expressive face, whether its pain or happiness receives to be real and natural. The mole beneath her lips was a notable aspect that adds beauty to her already exist face.

Directed by Prabhu Solomen, Kayal communicates the emotion of love and nature side-by-side... unlike his early films (Mynaa and Kumki) the director, even though he decided to send tidal waves, concluded without letting down. The tsunami related scenes were partially graphics and couldn’t provoke anymore, as it isn’t anything different from Hollywood movies, also reminds titanic when the companions run thought the railway station carrying a sack just like Jack and his friend embark the ship. The man floating on a piece of wood plank is also subject to same.

The film locations were one of the worth checking and most of the scenes captured in and around Kanyakumari sent me nostalgic with memories. Amazing to note the director has also shot a scene at the living bridges in Cherrapunji, along many unknown places were impressive. The camera work was fabulous and captured great light moments! Overall, Kayal was admirable. 

New Year Greeting

I received a handwritten season greeting from my friend Chandra (of greencomotion.blogspot) along with his lovely photograph on the foggy ambiance of Chattahoochee River from US.

Following my post on Red Letter Box and my interest towards the same as well receiving letters/mail, Chandra expressed his desire to send me a card for which I felt quite pleased.  Today I received his greeting card thought a postman after long back, that I have no memory, leaving the card on the windowsills. I am glad totally! Thank you my friend

Wishing all my friends here a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year. Take care and enjoy yearlong :) 

Memories of Tsunami

Ten years has passed since tsunami struck the coastlines of Indian Ocean, following the powerful earthquake with an epicenter off the west coast of Sumatra in Indonesia; the memories of tsunami are obvious like picking up shells from the seashore. Though I haven’t affected by the deadly waves directly, I was deeply disturbed and mentally suffered followed by the development of the devastation and scattered reports on mourns to death. There were even rumors (on the advancement of sea) to leave us into panic and living not far from the seashore, it’s impossible to avoid the uncertainty prevailed.

Memorial Icon of Tsunami in Kanyakumari

Being Sunday, we were asleep than usual and on hearing words something referred to tremor I couldn't continue lying on bed and come out to know what as my uncle asked me that I felt anything. There was an earthquake! But the tremor being so mild only those who were awake and living at certain elevation have felt the tremble and by the time I look at the street everyone where back to their places who came out in panic.  During the disaster we were staying in the first floor of our native house in Adyar, Chennai, hearing the news of tremor triggered panic even before the tsunami strike the coast or sorrow choke the throat.

My first encounter with a tremor/earthquake was in October 2001. Until then I have just heard of earthquake and know how it used to be only after seeing the Gujarat incident that happened on the same year. My expression and experience to tremor was funnier, perhaps not knowing how to react to such feeling/fear I scared so much and throw away the board on which I was painting something while sitting on the sofa. Since I was in caliper I could get out like others who rushed down as soon they felt the tremble, my mom and uncle hurried up unbuckle my shoes to lift me down. In few minutes all of us where on the street shoulder with neighbours.

My deals with tsunami were happen almost in front of the television, only my uncle was dare to go check with the Elliot Beach following the stroke with tsunami. I was staring at the television with awe, while the second longest beach in the world (Marina) enveloped in war of waves. The cars that have always seen running on roads where floated like boats in sea, with boats representing the parking lot. It was heartbreaking to see bodies being dragged to shore and people running towards the road to save their lives to avoid hitting the wall of sea.  The news channels where updated from time to time with the breakup of nature’s terror videos from across the southern countries.

Living close to coastline, I am sure each one of them would have a story to convey on their own related to tsunami whether they affected or not. During this course of tsunami, rumours were also spread to frighten us with the advance of sea levels into the landscape. I couldn’t sleep well for more than a week in panic, spending number of nights in uncertain thinking about the disaster and the visually seen in televisions/internet occupied the mind involuntarily. To relieve ourselves from the nightmare of tsunami and earthquake, we all spent the night of same in the single hall along with my uncle’s family to make not panic.

In the last 10 years I have covered 2/3 of the coastline of Tamil Nadu from Pulicat to Kanyakumari, we heard many stories related to tsunami during our journeys. While I visited Kanyakumari it was impossible to keep away the thought of tsunami and the videos and images were recollected when I sit watch the waves crashing the rocks. I felt unrest at each big wave arrive in force and the tourist boats making leap across them. Even it was fun checking some youngsters enjoy the strong waves and water splashes, something uncertain keep occupied. I also come across Manakudy, one of the worst affected villages in Kanyakumari where a bridge was washed away into the sea enclosed with number of death in the district.

The mindset was very similar even when I visited Velankanni, Cuddalore, Karaikal and Kodiyakarai along many other places aside east coast road (ECR), there are many villages in Tamil Nadu where one can find the traces of tsunami still exists reminding the one of the deadly disaster of our history. Many memories trigger while writing this post and experience with places that well relevant to the tsunami, but I couldn’t bring all of them here. I truly wish these incidents never repeat.