RGB Monday

Has unfold some colors

(click pic for enlarge)

A roadside vendor selling small house and kitchen items, opposite to Madras High Court in Chennai. Last Sunday (Nov 25) I took a drive through the heart of the city, after long time, and took many photos sitting from the car and had a coffee at Hot Chips opp. to the court  where i took this shot while waiting for my cousin to get me a coffee. Being Sunday, the busy road was far empty with many shops closed and we easily parked beside the road. 

Quite an unexpected trail

I never thought life would turn this difficult, this sooner, with unexpected happening into our lives. I couldn’t remark how I have been disturbed by the discovery of my dad’s coronary artery disease, which is a cause of narrowing of the arteries that supply heart with blood. To make it short blocks in heart. He was normal all these day and many a test result (related to heart) were normal except the treadmill exam, which taken on his complaint of insufficiency of breathe after having food or going on walk and climbing stairs. Seeing the result, the doctors advised to go for an angiogram to get a clear picture of the condition before going on further treatment. And the Monday’s diagnosis revealed three blocks on the coronary artery with a percentage of 90, 80 and 60 and for that the doctors prefer was either open heart surgery or placement of stents. But still we unable to decide and was expected to consult one more doctor, like we already done with two before taking a firm decision.

Except diabetic, dad doesn’t had any serious health problems but I do aware diabetic is a cause could bring anything into a healthy body, alongside lifting me and recent stress relevant to house renovation should be the prime reasons for the clogs. After mom’s surgery in May, dad was the only person to lift me to change in positions, mostly from cot to wheelchair and wheelchair to commode stool, with occasional aid from brother; I too haven’t took long trips since March visit to Kodai. Now it’s time for him to retire from the lifting course and of course he’s age 66, a fair reason to prevent lifting me but he did until doctor advised after examine the test reports.  For last few days my brother was helping on shifting and we too had sought for a part time caregiver and meanwhile the portable hoist is used for lifting. Like told above, I have no words to express my distress and pain and my only concern right now is dad’s recovery from the disturbing fact, and it’s no matter how I lead without his support but his healthy presence is more important for me and I could understand his situation and I hope the advanced medical aids will improve his condition and put back to norm at any state.

Though I sound strong and clear, I have fear about the upcoming progress in our lives and my dad and mom are a part of me so I could not keep away anything affects them, like I for them. I should say I really lost my sleep or fell into nightmares lot thinking his condition and our futures ahead; I too started to experience pains related to my scoliosis on spine and difficult at breathe some time. Though it wasn’t anything instant serious, but certainly a cause to bother me in near future and I tell myself get ready for the war with soldiers within! Haha There is no way denying the fact and I keep thinking and doing various things to distract the thoughts about the future and current occurrences. I truly wish stents works for my dad, so that he doesn’t need to suffer lot and spent more time in hospital and time to recover. Let’s wish for the best

RGB Monday

Our colorful Karthigai Deepam 

Or an arrangement of Diyas! Karthikai Deepam is a South Indian festival observed by the Hindus on the full moon day of the Tamil calendar Karthikai, which happens between November and December. It is an occasion where rows of oil lamps are lit in every home and temple. Karthigai Deepam is essentially a festival of lamps and lighted lamps are considered auspicious symbols; believed to drive off evil forces and let in prosperity and joy.

Diyas light up the balcony and door front

Most of the oil lamps (Diyas) used here (at houses and temples) are made of clay, and except for adding or replacing a few, most of the lamps are reused from previous years after cleaning. Mom soaked the oil-stained Diyas in water two days before the festival, then dried them before the oil-lit Diyas illuminated the night against the much brighter full moon. Karthigai Deepam is a renowned festival for the Thiruvannamalai Deepam (a massive lamp lit up at the peak of Annamalai Hill, about 2669 feet high) dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Just a day ahead of the festival, I got the idea of coloring some of the Diyas. I got posture colors, and started to paint immediately, and continued into the festival day including coloring quite red, green, and blue Diyas. I did some simple designs on the side of Diyas, and Diyas being small in size comes in handy for me to paint with my limited arm access. It’s been a long time since I touched a brush since I find it difficult to draw things holding a pencil or brush, but I always want to do something and the Diyas ignites the thought and I plan to do some more esp. to try to create some Christmas decors using Popsicle sticks and paint colorfully.   

My colored Diyas making center of attraction hehe.. (all pics clicked with iPhone)

Skywatch Friday: Stormy Sky

Shot outside the home. Before it started to rain heavily! Nov 20-21 had been really good day for us, with continues rain, which was the need of the hour, turned the environment to feel cool and was refreshing throughout the showering. Thanks to the depression in Bay of Bengal, we received 100-150mm of rain and so far we received less than 300mm of rain where the normality is 850mm.  So we still need more rain to raise our ground table and the water level at reservoirs. Hope more on the way before the monsoon ends.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Gaja and the cottage at Kodiyakarai

The cyclone Gaja has smashed the coastal districts up to 6, and took very unusual routes into the land without losing its strength has stroke couple of mountainous districts causing heavy downpour and windstorms resulting in number of tree fall and landslides. Kodaikanal – my most visited place for vacation, where my uncle owns wood houses and cottage – being the core part of the cyclone, before it enters the Kerala state and Arabian Sea shook the mountains to unlink most of the roads and many remote villages are inaccessible still and out of electric. Even at the vicinity of my uncle’s woodhouse and plantation, many banana trees had fell and there’s no water or electric.

At the other hand I was wonder what could happened to the beautiful cottage we stayed in Kodiyakarai (PointCalimere) during our visit to the wildlife and bird sanctuary there, which was the eye of cyclone Gaja! It’s nearly a century old tiled roof cottage; adjoin the sanctuary and coastal line, built by Thambusamy Pillai, a sea merchant. There’s two suites named as Pelican and Flamingo, which is popular migratory birds of the sanctuary. I really loved this place, despite the frequent power cuts and mosquito bites; I could see deer and peacocks turn pleasant the moments anytime by their presence. Kodiyakarai and Vedaranyam in Nagai district is worst affected and almost cut off from the rest of the places, as it located on the eastern edge of the state.

The places that are affected by Gaja continues to fight against the debris the cyclone left back, after pulled down many houses and destruction of livelihoods. And to make situation worse, these places continue to receive heavy rains due to another depression at the sea and a warning of 300 mm of rain still. However it was raining from the morning here, more rains is expected in coming days. Hope it rains well, never a kind of flooding, to uplift the ground water and filling of lakes to support our city’s water scarcity. The pictures here are on the cottage we stayed at Kodiyakarai.