Temporary fence @ Elliot’s Beach

Few days back I was at Elliot’s Beach in the neighbourhood and found fences being erected along the sea front. 

The fence build with Casuarina woods is laid for the New Year eve to prevent people entering or swimming in water. During New Year eve, people throng the beach and keeping away all from the water is not possible and so was the fence and the fence seems to support till Pongal festival (Jan 14-16), with Kaanum Pongal as the last day, would pull crowd.  

The photos were shot two days after New Year and being a weekday there’s very less people around. 

Linking this post for Good Fences by Gosia's Looking for identity

RGB Monday (exception)

A simple yet colorful Kolam

Though I couldn’t consider this as a RGB post, because of missing of the red and blue in the Kolam drew by mom on the night of New Year Eve, I continue to post here as I think there couldn’t be an apt time rather posting now. Because it was a colourful invite for a New Year.

For those unknown, Kolam or Rangoli is a pattern drawn (in different forms) in front of the houses, which is a traditional custom followed by the people of India esp. the Kolam is a cultural identity of Tamil people and drawing colorful Kolam in front of the home is considered as auspicious and a sign of welcome during the festival seasons and events.

We were awake till 1.30 am doing nothing but just leaving few fireworks and being outside as our street was little busy with some local boys having little party at the street end and residents were checking the couple of Ganesh temples on our streets that went into light decorations for the New Year. It wasn’t a bad eve for me watching these and looking at the couple of colourful kolams of residents on my way to uncle’s house in next street. But I felt bad for not taking the mobile or camera along to capture the pretty Kolams, at least to use for my RGB post. Hope you all had wonderful Eve

Those interested can link-in their post at comment, even if u has a New Year post unrelated to RGB… Just to share the moment with each other :)

1. Devilish Angel    2. Ramya Rajesh

Late post on Karthigai Deepam

On the day of Karthigai Deepam (Dec12), the Vardha cyclone blast Chennai and we couldn’t make arrangement of lamps as planned before. And I was looking forward to this day to make photos out of lights, but the cyclone ruined it well and we shifted to the upstairs to keep away difficulty. And for those unknown about Karithigai Deepam, it is a south Indian Hindu festival celebrated on the full moon day of the Tamil month Karthigai (that falls between Nov-Dec) and it is also called as festival of lights alike Diwali.

Thought we haven’t celebrated, it wasn’t meant that we didn’t lit lamps. I think almost houses in Chennai and suburbs could have lit a lamp or candle on that day (and days further) to keep away the darkness of night in the absence of electric power. Despite have no power for couple of days, the oil lit lamps have burnt lot, and we made a small arrangement of clay lamps at the doorstep marking the festival at the next day. Karthigai Deepam is lit for 3 days at homes and lighting the oil lamps are considered as auspicious symbols and believed to dive off evil forces and let in prosperity and joy. But for me it’s quite photogenic and joy of beauty in light and lamps form.

Btw. Wish you all very Happy New Year, once again! Hope the year ahead is best for all.

Cheers

Trees aftermath Vardha

As you all know cyclone Vardha has brought down thousands of trees across the city of Chennai and the suburbs, has also left many trees skeletons. The trees were battled by the gusts leaving almost trees naked trunks and remaining was left to dry leaves as trees expose to die blow. Last week I was around the neighbourhood clicking photos on the trees on way to the beach, and one of the beautiful roads of Chennai, Besant Avenue, with canopy of trees experienced the worst disaster in decades with many tree falls marked the Ave. Being evening and expose to glowing sunset, the dry leaves and bare trunks brings out the glory of trees and I really enjoyed taking photos with couple of lanes turn picturesque, perhaps because of the cleaning process of the aftermath of cyclone.

The cyclone has left a great impact of planting native plants and trees, which were the mostly survived trees in cyclone with gusts last up to 140 km. The trees such as Palm, Neem, and Portia are still standing strong even though going through the battle where left with little damage. The need for trees has been pretty strong now (with loss of one third) but more than planting trees, selecting the native ones is the best for long-lasting. It’s everyone’s responsibility to plant trees to bring back the enrichment of environs, and I think every person has to plant a tree to live beyond their existence. Hope you enjoy these beauties 

1st Avenue Adyar/Besant Nagar

3rd Avenue Besant nagar

5th Avenue Besant Nagar

My Christmas décor @ Home

(do check  the header for another angle) 

Last year I didn’t decorate for the Christmas unlike previous years and similar to 2013, when I fall for femur fracture and took quite bed rest, and last year the disaster rain and flood keeps away the spirit for celebrating Christmas. Though this year to the cyclone Vardha created an environmental havoc and be the reason for number of tree fall, the mood for celebration couldn’t be avoided because the intend for the merry Christmas has been in mind even before our honourable Chief Minister passed away, leaving a great void. I made arrangements on my personal interest and thanks to my parents for supporting on decorating the Christmas tree and lighting the portico.

I too was watching some Christmas movies for last few days to keep up the festival spirit and I always believe festivals are to celebrate and bring together the people for sharing. “Jingle all the way” and “Christmas Vacation” are quite fun movies, unlike “The Christmas story” which moved me really and captured minute beauty in the family and relationship between brothers. But it was a movie actual based on Christmas gifts and the little boy (elder son of the family) acting was natural and could easily connect with childhood of everyone.

My favorite x-mas tree 

Btw.

Wish you all Merry Christmas and Happy New Year… Hope it was a fabulous year for all.