Pandemic Panic

Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu has become the second hotspot city of Covid 19 in India, reaching a new peak of cases with every passing day that counts above 1.5k. Our city is divided into 15 zones and my zone Adyar is at 7th place right now with about 1500 covid cases, the situation doesn’t seem to turn better sooner unless any severe actions are taken to control the pandemic despite people’s cooperation. The lockdown is relaxed almost 2/3^rd here and perhaps this could be the causes for the faster spreading of virus and we have any idea where this led so rather creating a panic even though we’re conscious with our preventive actions. We know it is not easy to put stop it’s spreading and holding people at home with no work and income at same, but still something need to be done before yet many losses of lives.

While the experts believe in herd immunity or community immunity or group protection, which happens when a large percentage of a population has become immune to an infection, whether through vaccination or previous infections, thereby providing a measure of protection for individuals who are not immune. But it seems to take a while and before it covers a large population many lives are put at risk as the spreading become uncontrollable. So far we’re doing fine and it’s been 3 months I stepped out of home and it’s the days more than the ones I took for my femur fracture and traveling seems to be a distant dream for me, right now. The season for holiday or summer vacation is over here as the May ends, the time I dream a lot about traveling since many a tours took place during this time and this pandemic break the 7 years chain of visits to my favourite travel destination, Kodaikanal.

And this was the time the tourist hub (and all hill stations) waits for the remaining year to make a peak business but this pandemic and the following lockdown has quite blocked everything related to tourism and the revenue of the people. Though it was a great let down, the residents of Kodaikanal welcome this change or lockdown as it not only keep it pandemic free but also put the princess of hills at peace and pollution free, as it huff and puff usually during this time with lining up of tourist.  As you all know my uncle have a woodhouse and cottage near Kodaikanal and his situation is no different from the mentioned above and he too lose his business that only picks up during this time as his woodhouse is located away from the active tourism. Lately we too avoided visiting his place during the peak season time to not become a cumbersome. So we either visit earlier or later at the end of season, because the place his woodhouse is located is best at all seasons.

Uncle's woodhouse and cottages in night mood. Tried a blur effect on the image

My uncle and aunt had gone there right now to check how things are after getting an e-pass. My uncle used to visit Kodaikanal at least one or two times a month but past three months he haven’t moved out of home because of lockdown and now they got a e-pass with a condition to turn in in 48 hours. But things haven’t worked like they planned and someone locally had informed about their arrival to the health department and they have quarantined them for a week at the woodhouse and a covid test is taken. If positive they would be quarantined for 20 days but they hope for negative. While calling from there, they told us about the strange behaviour of the neighbours who avoids and stopped speaking with them because they come from Chennai – the hub of covid 19. I wasn’t surprised to hear this rather felt happy at the consciousness of the people of the Kodai hills and perhaps this makes Kodaikanal an infection-free state.

RGB Monday

A mini hotel or tiffin centre at Perumal malai near Kodaikanal. Perumal malai is an important junction about 12 kms before to Kodaikanal and the meeting point of roads from Palani, Periyakulam and Batlagundu. I remember landing on this junction when first time visiting the Kodaikanal in 1999, to call the person who invited us to the hill station to stay at their guest house.  

நிலா / Moon

பகலை வென்று இரவு பயணத்தில் 
நிலா,
என் வான் வழியே மேல்மாடத்தின் வெளியே.
அழகிய முகத்தோடு இரவை இதமாக்கி
வெண்ணிலவாய் வளம் வரும் நிலா.

--------------- ---------------

The moon on its night journey
After beating the day,
Outside the balcony – through my sky
Made the night with a beautiful face
came around as a flourished moon.

PS. No, this isn’t the penumbral moon. (The penumbral eclipse is scheduled to happen tonight starting at 11:15 pm to stretch out to June 6 and it is an occurrence of faint shadow of the earth engulfs the moon. Though the scientists say the eclipse isn’t easily noticed through eyes unless you are a seasoned sky watcher and the eclipse in June this year is popularly called the Strawberry Moon Eclipse. The month of June is when the ripening of strawberry crops in the United States takes place, which is why June is labelled as the month of Strawberries. And due to this lunar eclipse happening in June, it is being labelled as the Strawberry Lunar Eclipse.) But this moon shot on June 3.

RGB Monday

'I have been sitting watching that ever since I came back, 

the continuous variations of light and shadow .' -

Laurie Lee

A part of simple light and shadow and shades of red, green and blue on the porch of uncle's woodhouse near Kodaikanal

The weather turned absolutely wonderful right away, from quite sunny to stormy, it was a kind of welcome weather during this season of hot summer although the temperature is mild this year so far. Usually it’s the June turns out hot for us in Chennai and being close to sea, the breeze rose from there is a kind of relief fought over the hot land breeze later by noon.  

We’re almost 70 days into the lockdown that was partially relaxed already but still a month long lockdown is imposed across India from today till June 30. Chennai had become the 2^nd largest city and hub in India with high Covid 19 cases next to Mumbai in Maharashtra and we lead by over 700-800 positive cases per day and it only seem to rise. North Chennai being a crowded residential place has become a vital part of transmitting virus in the city and it seems the people in age of 20-30 where influenced a lot to infective. The lockdown and Covid 19 awareness is well taken down into people and they mostly resist coming out after the noon, perhaps they used to the former time restriction and content through it. All evening seems Sunday here and life goes peaceful but can’t deny the fact that there’s a kind of fear of uncertain. Hope you guys take care and stay safe.

Summer Sky

The weather is beautiful and sunny in Chennai these days despite the hot summer season, the sky is pretty much in blue.  Sometimes it turns pinkish to orange in evenings and later setting off of sun. The sky and trees in the photos were shot in the afternoon, when the summer sea breeze takes off usually to shoo the hot wind and birds on their tunes.

The mango tree in rusty and green leaves is from the neighbour’s house opposite to us and amazingly the tree has shown up with a single mango this season unlike a lot last year. The tree was pruned at large last November and perhaps that could be the reason for the tree to unable to bear fruits this year except that single mango.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday