My Supermoon and Skywatch

You all aware it was Supermoon yesterday, where moon comes closest to earth in the last 68 years, appearing 14 per cent bigger and up to 30 per cent brighter than usual. Though supermoons are fairly frequent, the November 14 supermoon is a once-in-a-generation sight! There are six supermoons in 2016 and we already had four, and after next week there’s one on December 14. Last time I saw a supermoon was in year 2011.

For some time lately my Instagram witnessed many moon shots and I have been watching the moon, as well as the sky, during evening and night times encouraged me to take live shots and upload the mobile photo-sharing app. A lonesome feeling was taking place in me for some time lately and there was a desire to come out and check things happening around to keep away my lonely feel. Though I was going through the let-down feel, the amusement got via watching the sky, in different light, colors, shades and clouds and the moon, from nothing to whole, inspires me to look forward and implants hope within.

When thing being like that how I could miss the magnificent event (Supermoon) taking place at the eventide and night? For last two days I was seeing rainbow colored halo around the moon when mild clouds pass the same. The moon was truly bright last night and taking photos has been very difficult due to overexposure of light and focusing on the moon to get a detail shot, keeping away the bright light. Actually I didn’t get the detail when capturing it from the courtyard and it fall pretty white, but only after transferring into the computer I found the grey shades and thus was the brightness of the moon yesterday. Lately I see the moon pretty early in the sky when I come into the street but it only come across our courtyard by 9 pm and these photos were taken during that time. 

My favorite shot among  the supermoon, with face detail

Up and down of denominations

Unexpected happens everywhere and if it was the result of president election in USA, India loses the value of high priced currencies (500 and 1000 rupee notes) all of sudden from the midnight of November 8^th. Though it is indeed a bold step by the government of India and an essential one to knock down the black money and illegal notes circulation, the release of 2000 notes make sense it could worsen the situation in future with chances of double the hoarding. In the age of online transaction and swiping technology we don’t need high denomination and most of them were used mostly by upper class and I also think it could increase the spending habit indirectly as wander for change is not easy.

We all know it’s a temporary state of trouble (shops refusing to get value lost denominations and people rushing to banks and ATMs to exchange or deposit their hold) and this change could be nothing in few weeks when more new 500 and 2000 notes becomes stably available. I think it’s the media created perplex, because the way they conveyed the message comes shocking and it was unbelievable too first. Though we appreciate the crucial and bold decision taken by the govt. of India, the difficulties could not hide away esp. those who get wage and small scale investors hit by this move greatly. Govt. announced certain areas (like milk parlour, petrol and railway stations) where the old denomination can be exchanged by purchasing, but people had no option when they refused to accept to only postpone or go pillar to pillar in search of change.

The new ₹ 2000 note really left me amaze by the number of detail it hold within to keep away fake printing. My dad bought a 2000 note yesterday after depositing an amount in bank and I was curious checking its features and I really liked the Braille work to assist visually impaired. It has intaglio or raised printing of Mahatma Gandhi, Ashoka Pillar emblem, seven angular bleed lines (on left and right side of the magenta coloured note, size in 66x166 mm) and identity mark.  Apart see-through numeral 2000, micro letters (RBI and 2000) on the left side of the banknote, it has windowed security thread with color shifts, where the thread changes from green to blue when the note is tilted.  

We have more than a month to deposit or exchange our old currencies (and even beyond that with RBI), but people seem impatient in changing the notes as if today is the last date.  I don’t believe this (giving re-life to denominations in new form and price higher than before) will turn everything, but I do hope alike it helps, improves and betterment the society and banking system. Hard-earned should never go wasted.

Kodi

There are many films with political scenario, but I think for the first time a movie portrayed a woman politician was Kodi, though Dhanush led the movie and plays the title role. Kodi comes out as a mass political entertainer and to keep things interesting, Dhanush led a double role as elder and younger brother and Trisha as his opposite, as well as opponent, made certain its sound victory.

Growing up with equal status in politics, Rudhra and Kodi make their political carrier with their parties being opposite to each other, they hold affaire secretly away from the politics. Though both being passionate in their political carrier, Rudhra is bit further in upgrading her status and ready to go any extreme to fulfil her dreams whereas Kodi seeks straight forward and true to his love. How this differentiation mingles makes the movie.

Movies with equal importance to opposite gender aren’t frequent, and Kodi generated the theme well using the strong characterization of Rudhra (Trisha) and this could be a milestone role for Trisha who had done number of films. For the smart looking actress, the negative shade is quite new and for most of scenes she appears in her natural tone.  Dhanush, as usual becomes the show stealer and this time in two characters shown the variation well and worked simply.

With two back to back hits (Ethir Neechal and Kakki Sattai), director R.S. Durai Senthilkumar has sustain his success with Kodi, having  a fast paced screenplay boredom has kept away. Though we sense dullness in picturization, perhaps due to the condition of weather or mistake in display at the drive-in theatre, and the story being not unpredictable there are some twist to keep it interesting.

Kodi also highlights the issue of toxic mercury waste (that threatens the pristine of Kodaikanal) but it was just a matter of fact and doesn’t take serious foot. Santhosh Narayanan’s composition has supported the movie at its best and I liked the songs that make nice listening and intertwine the subject.   Anupama Parameswaran makes a cute presence as second heroine and S.A. Chandrasekhar’s role as Thalaivar (leader) done with honor.

Overall, Kodi well flew among the Deepavali release and could be watch with family

Sunday Photos: Deepavali Snacks, Murukku

Murukku is a traditional south Indian food/snack and it can either brought from the store or homemade using rice flour, fried gram and butter as main ingredient. Alike every year, this year too we made Murukku (along with Adhirasam – a traditional sweet) at home during the Deepavali, where one evening mom and aunt sat on the floor for preparing the same and I used the opportunity to take some photos on the process.  Making sweets and snacks is a custom for us or we practice during Deepavali and distributing it to our relatives, friends and neighbors as a sign of sharing our festival spirit.  

The flour is filled on the Murukku maker – a vessel, where flour being pressed (using a handle on top) to get strings of dough through small holes at the bottom. Just like in the photo below.

A circular layer of Murukku (after swirling strings of dough) on the ladle before drop into the hot oil boils in the pan, to get a view as below.

The Murukku get fried after two or three twist and turns in the hot oil in the pan, and once turned deep yellow or orange is lifted using a stainless steel stick like the process below.

 

Two to three Murukku can be fried at a time and is left on the paper for some time to let it absorb the excess oil. And then stored in enclosed box and distribute later  

Immortality Re-blooming

Being a follower of Betsy’s Joyful Reflections, I have admired the beauty of Iris bloomed in various colors and patterns, many a time in her blog. I have been to mountains many a time, and have seen variety of fancy flowers bloomed in the gardens and cottages we have stayed, but I ever seen an Iris until last year when I visited Cloud Mountain.

I was really amused to find a White Iris bloomed in the courtyard of the guest house we stayed in the Cloud Mountain. One side of the huge courtyard has a flower bed lined by some beautiful flowering plants and the White Iris was the only blossom from the few Iris plants grown as cluster of leaves.

Iris is a perennial plant grows from bulb and usually has 3-10 basal sword-shaped leaves growing in dense clumps. The flowers are in the shape of a fan and contain one or more symmetrical six-lobed flowers. The three sepals, which are usually spreading or droop downwards, are referred to as falls.

The Iris I capture seems to be Immortality Re-blooming or Bearded Iris boasts of pure white petals with a lemon beard (a tuft of short upright extensions growing in its mid-line), which are the plants filaments. Iris is a name derived from the Greek word for a rainbow, which is also the name for the Greek goddess of the rainbow, Iris.

Linking this post with Floral Friday Foto