RGB Monday

Like my previous post on RGB, here is another colorful image that comprises red green and blue.

These are colorful concrete flowerpots that kept to sale on ECR! The image expose mild motion as it was shot from moving car. 

San Thome Basilica, Chennai

Today, while Chennai (the late Madras) celebrates its 376^th Birthday, the number marks the foundation of the city on the establishment of Fort St. George on a small piece of land in 1639 by the British East Indian Company. Every year we celebrate this day as Madras Day/Week marked by various events, and walk on the memorial lanes of Madras. I thought it was appropriate to write on one of the remarkable landmark of Chennai, the San Thome Basilica – also known as Santhome Church.

The front view of the Steeple

Standing tall against the Chennai skyline in backdrop of blue sky and Bay of Bengal behind, the San Thome Basilica Cathedral (on Santhome High Rd) is indeed an imposing structure. Built in the Gothic style of architecture the spire raises to a height of about 155 feet. This Basilica Cathedral is one of thee Basilicas built over the tombs of apostles of Jesus Christ. The other two are the Basilica of St. Peter, built over the tomb of St. Peter in Rome and the Cathedral of Santiago de Compoostela of St. James in Spain.

A zoom on the middle spires

According to tradition it is believed that St. Thomas came to India in the year 52 A.D and then travelled to Madras after worked along the west coast. As he suffered martyrdom at St. Thomas Mount, his disciples buried him in Santhome over which the present Cathedral stands. Marco Polo, during his visit to India, records that “it is in this province (Malabbar) which is styled the greater India at the gulf between Ceylon and the mainland that the body of Messer St. Thomas lies at a certain town having no great population and it’s a place not very accessible”. When Portuguese arrived at Mylapore in 1517, they were surprised to find a shrine there but to be in ruins almost, they took it upon themselves to rebuild the church and parish in 1524.

View of the Steeple from the side

But over the centuries, this small church becomes fragile and was in dire need of repair. In 1893, this structure was demolished and the present church was built with the tomb of the saint placed at the heart of the structure. The predominant feature of a Gothic structure is its tall spires and at the Santhome Bascilica Cathedal it is the first spire that strikes immediately. The second and the shorter one are constructed directly about the tomb of the saint – which could be accessed from the outside of the church rather being within then and it was in 1956 that the church was declared a minor Basilica. The church also holds a museum inside and all the memorabilia of St. Thomas and of that period was arranged along the display of the spear that killed the saint!

ps. all these photos were shot on different times while waiting at the santhome signal.

Fence and Flowers and a Link in Common

When I browse my folders for photos to share at good fences, conduct by the Run a RoundRanch, I find two photos which have two things in common – a chain link fence and same yellow flowers. The photos were shot at two different places but there’s one unity between them. Could you guess?

Yes, both were shot at hill stations! The first one represents Ooty and the latter was shot at Kodaikanal, both were very popular hill stations here, in the state of Tamil Nadu.

The first one somehow went out of focus, because I was actually focusing on flowers but the fence in background scored well! This fence was shot at a place where we stayed during one of our visits to Ooty and located very close to the Botanical Garden it made my visit to garden much easier in my power wheelchair.

The fence co-exists with lustrous green and yellow flowers was captured at the cottage I stayed in Kodaikanal and the fence was laid as protecting the house from neighbor.

Lighthouse

A lighthouse flashes

ray of hope for anything

afloat in the sea. 

RGB Monday

This time I decided to go for an image that has colors more than red green blue.

Colorful lampshades hung at a shop in the streets of Mamallapuram – a sculptural hub about 50 km south of Chennai.