Trouble with transfer and hot weather

Perhaps you all know I am not a kind of A/C person, but these days I really went against this attitude since nature doesn’t show me favor on weather. Ever like before I am taking shelter into our AC room and coming out only in evening.  The weather is extraordinarily hot in Chennai and the sea breeze sets in very lately, make sure house exit in evening to breathe fresh air. The water is naturally boiled and hot water is used for entire purpose without electric charge or gas usage. What a natural phenomenal! Lol 

Last year the vacation for schools was extended by government due to hot weather, but I felt only hotter this year where schools opened as early as 2^nd June. Glad at least the 11^th standard students enjoyed holiday till Monday and there is a reason for me to be happy since one of my dear cousins is entering 11^th, I got enough time to spend with him.  He was a great company for me these days and aided me in getting small works done and we also enjoyed playing cards, dice and going out in evening and night and moreover had a vacation together in hill-stations.

We were going through some difficult phase these days, shifting me from either wheelchair to car or car to wheelchair.  Since we own SUV, my father couldn’t put me into the SUV unlike post fracture in my femur and the lack of ability to stand now make it troublesome; and only my brother could carry me in and out of the SUV. But we couldn’t always depend on him to travel, so we were looking for alternate ways to make shifting. We approached few mobility aids manufactures in Chennai to help with transferring devices, but each have different ideas which has nothing to do with our SUV.

Actually I don’t have a mind to give away my favorite car (Mahindra Scorpio) which takes me anywhere I want and I also couldn’t find a comfort seating like Scorpio in which I could take long drives without trouble. I was anticipated to fit with a Turny swivel seat for the transfer, but when enquired with a company in CBE, it seems to cost more than buying a car. Later I find the ‘person hoist’ which I though could be lesser in amount… but it is only available in foreign and there isn’t sure about the parts getting here if it went wrong.

To breathe little, one of the mobility aids manufacturer has assured to do something without exchanging my favorite car and he is already in progress with a wheelchair seat transfer into the car and he has asked to check with the device next week when it completes. In-between we test drive the Maruti Ertiga (a neighbor’s car) which I think could be the last solution if nothing works above. You may ask why Ertiga? Because it is the only MPV that resemble a car in every aspect and also no need climbing in and out of the car. It is a 7 seater which could reduce to 5 if wheelchair is placed on the boot. It has lot of features and option for a family car… a small seat turner could make seat into the car.

The thing compact is something always get me into it and no matter what, I like things that are compact and neat. The power wheelchair I use is very compact that nowhere in production now.  Just like that Ertiga is a compact MPV that attract me lot! Back to weather condition, the hot atmosphere has put me always tiresome which could be one of the reasons for the lesser post in my blog. It also prevent me from eating well and waking up early in morning (usually never less than 8.am), and having throat trouble due to over dryness at night. Wish there was showing! 

Manjapai

Referred to the yellow bag (Manjapai) is a family entertainment (Tamil) film based on grandfather-grandson relationship. Manjapai is a popular concept used in Tamil cinemas, where the hero or any other characters coming from village to city is often shown carrying a yellow bag. In this film the Manjapai is related to the grandfather character, who comes to the city for the first time to stay with his grandson who is suppose to pursuing career in US.

The film has many funny scenes and light-hearted moments to sit back and relax except for the emotional break up at last. The young actor Vimal had chose to play a software engineer in the film, dream to settle down in US and in a brief time he created the opportunity and working towards achieving his goal. Meanwhile he brings his only grandfather from the village to stay with him until he left to US and his grandfather, being so ignorant, pulled him into lot of trouble which even threatened his US dream.

The veteran Rajkiren has lived as grandfather, not only to Vimal but he reaches up to the audience watching the film! He had played father role in many Tamil films but first time he becomes full-fledged grandfather who rise up his orphaned grandchild single-handedly. He comes as a brisk old man and innocent being, brings out a perfect rustic in his perspective.  The film housed him in an apartment, finds intolerable as his approach seems so naïve and provoking due to the residents indifferent attitude, only make console later when they all miss him to search.

Lakshmi Menon has nothing much to do rather being Vimal’s love affair, enhanced the usual commercial aspects that a heroine deserves at love unrelated subject but she tried to bring some beautiful expressions. Their introduction at the same traffic signal quite bores… I have watched few films in latter year with same situation. What I liked in the film was the emphasis given to relationship and sharing tendency amid neighbors. In today’s apartment culture not many know who’s in next door and coming across a smile is a hard thing, but the grandfather role in the film celebrates their events.

The film shot in and around Chennai has good cinematography and made colorful songs using simple backgrounds. NR Raghunanthan’s music plays a wonderful part of the film, where the expressions were fine tuned in lyrics which are written in an unusually way of later watching the videos. There’s nothing to complain about director (N.Ragavan) who has stitched carefully the yellow bag to bear enough, but what if the bag slipped from the hand is what the ending. Appreciate the team for a decent picture!

P.S. After long time writing a film review, watching it in drive-in last week 

Early Sunlight

(click for enlarge)

Through the mountain pass
the sunlight falls,
speaking its own language
of light and warmth.

Between the canopies of trees
the sunlight unveils,
a pretty old iron bridge
that gives way to creek beneath.  

Amid the mountains n valleys
the emerging daylight,
gives afresh daub of yellowish green
to cold wrapped Blue Mountains.

Traveling quite through night
the morning sunlight,
restrained almost getting exhaust
regenerated the mind n body get console. 

Footnote:

The pictures shot while climbing the Blue Mountains (Nilgiris) at early morning hours... during my vacation to Ooty. 

Cloud (Blog) Nine

On the occasion of completing nine years in blogging, I am glad to announce that my blog was selected as one of the Directory of Best Indian Blogs 2013 - 2014. June 20 marks the birth anniversary of my blog, when I composed my first blog post in year 2005 and blogging became a track changing in my life that let me touched from every corners of this world.

I was nothing to do in this world, rather watching television and gaming in computer before started to blog; it was the habit of reading newspaper and magazine through which I was introduced to blogs. I had no idea about blogs initially, but I was looking forward to own a space on internet such as creating a website for myself and thus my (Jeevan’s) world exits. Today I have come across a long distance in blog and what it has taught me was lot and sharing is one significant reason that doesn't want me to leave this place.

Each passing year I am getting away from the wonder feeling of turning a year around and I don’t get into a mood of triumph something, for which I guess perhaps the way of looking at blogs has changed and sharing has become my main course which kept away my counting overall. Today many social networks has emerged but I still strongly believe in blogs and nothing gives me content like writing a blog and the worth of sharing it gives was not even the real life recognized.  Blog influenced a lot shaping my personality and changing my perspective and what I go through now is quite different from beginning.

Thank you all! J

Plums (ripe and unripe)

During my recent visit to Ooty I haven’t seen anyone selling plums or popularly called as Ooty apple, which is one of my favorite fruit of sweet and sometime sour. Later I heard this year the season failed to produce much plum, which has been demand on market. Last year when I vacationing in Kodaikanal at this time, I got to see plums tree in the cottage we stayed and the fruits were quite unripe to pluck and eat.  The only thing I could do was to make a picture out of it.

The unripe plums have tight, shiny skin and are green or very light in color, but as they ripen the skin becomes less taught, slightly thicker and the fruit becomes pliable when pressed. A Good plum feels heavy for its size and free of bruises and large dark spots.

Plums are an important temperate fruits which is used both as fresh and in preserved form. Among the two types of plum (European and Japanese) introduce in India during 1870 in Himachal Pradesh, only Japanese plum has been recommended for commercial cultivation. Apart the Himalayan ranges - the primary producers of plums, the Nilgiris of south India also grows plums on a limited basis. Though India is not a market for temperate fruit, the country grows approximately 12 varieties from the Prunus Salicina species.

The Plum season is ranged from late April through June.

Simply Love

image courtesy: google

Love is an essence
enhances the relationship
between any living species;
love emphasis
the importance of life
sometime a tool of destruction.

Love is an inherent
nurtured by a mother
shaping him/her to sharing;
using variety of notes
love composes an environment
enrich in peace and harmony.

A brief account on my vacation (to Ooty and Valparai)

I skipped last week’s intense summer heat by going on chill vacation to Ooty and nature’s paradise Valparai. I was in need of a break from the routine, as well for a change (since a year I traveled anywhere long) and as an alternate route to keep away the misery haunted lifelong; the hot weather wants me to drive somewhere to keep sometime cool enough. Ooty wasn’t so cold and surprisingly it had a best climate I ever experienced there and the sun was shining so bright over the Blue Mountains, enhances the spirit rather being laze inside the clouded atmosphere.

First time I took a night travel to Ooty from Chennai and it is also the first time for me to take an overnight travel to any other destination. I hesitated when my parents decided to take night ride to avoid traveling in day hot weather and to adjust room rent, but later convinced to take since it is first time for me, I decided to experience it. I doesn't find any difficult during the journey and we traveled at limited speed covering Vellor, Krishnagiri, Mettur and Mettupalayam and the dawn was really enchanting with warm sunlight embracing the cold morning.

Even though it was comfort during the night journey, I felt fainting and sleepiest the whole day getting down in Ooty. Glad we haven’t planned anything that day, and stayed at the cottage and had delicious Biriyani and watching TV and cherished the pleasant cold weather. I was disappointed with few things anticipated over there and one among them was the cottage we stayed in. I looked for cottages in Ooty at Olx.com and few other websites related to Ooty and found a home which would be suitable for 12 of us to stay and esp. a ground floor for my convenience.

Avalanche Lake (click pic for enlarge)

Being a peak season time, getting a suite is also not easy and prices a lot. So we had no other option rather booking the cottage and what I saw on the net weren't we stayed, but it was another one somewhat compact and enough for only 8 members and others were stayed at another place, which they used only for sleeping at night. The cottage was little away from the city center, so it was calm to stay at somehow peace and even it was a little home, looked pretty neat and painted in vibrant yellow and green. Each room had a TV, which is nothing but the free TV sets distributed by govt.

Another disappointment came in different form and for that I can’t blame anybody rather myself, because I put it into a casual mode since I heard or those conveyed me made certain that we need no permission to visit Parson Valley. ‘Just making a note at the forest check post before entering is enough.’  We were close to the Parson Valley Lake or about 1.5 km from the site, the forest officers stopped us denied permitting inside and also warned that coming such long itself need permission. The road to the valley is quite rough and we traveled in two cars, and our SUV has no issue with such roads, but uncle’s Hyundai Accent with bad tyres made a great attempt surviving the road… it feels sad taking such a path with nothing to hold back.

Making it as a more special vacation, I met my dearest friend Andrew who was also on a trip to Ooty while we were. Couple of day before leaving, I casually asked him seeing his photos taken in Ooty at Facebook and he told he’s boarding flight tomorrow to reach there and I also conveyed my visit and we both felt happy and made sure meeting each other. He was staying at his friend’s place that was very close to where we accommodate, and he made a leisure walk to our cottage the next morning, making it more refreshing and cheerful day.  He brought me warmth hug and sweet embrace making quite delight and I really enjoyed the moment even it was brief.

Valparai (click pic for enlarge)

We spent just two days in Ooty and moved to Valparai. Since my uncle and aunt hadn’t been with us during our last two trips to Valparai, we decided to give them a chance to visit. We haven’t really planned to visit Valparai and it was a decision taken only after reaching Ooty and it wasn't the best time of the year to visit Valparai (I always want to be there only at post monsoon when the entire landscape shimmers in green and full-fledged water bodies). Being a month of summer, Valparai was little busy unlike ever, perhaps because both our early visits were during winter.

I have covered almost places in Valparai in my previous visits and this time just revisited few places where people usually go as tourist reaching Valparai. I hear few tourists saying there’s nothing to see in Valparai, but I only thought that they need to develop their mind to grasp the beauty of nature dumped over everywhere there. Valparai isn’t quite a tourist oriented place, but there’s a lot to perceive and it is a place that geographically significant and everyone need to travel with consciousness preserving the   large biodiversity exhibits there.

Valparai is also an engineering marvel with number of water bodies interconnected through tunnels and contour canal, setting an example how rivers could be connected. We traveled to Sholayar Dam, Nirar and Balaji Temple, but I wasn't content with the sights this time except for the visible of wild elephants, Indian Gaurs, Lion-tailed macaque and barking deer. I was excited to encounter these wild animals and riding thought the winding Ghats of Valparai is quite another pleasure I enjoyed through the leisure drive this time.  I had a wonderful time with my family at both the destinations, make quite lovely despite passing various phases of frustrate and surprise. 

Elephant Feeding @ Top Slip

During my visit to Top Slip, a tourist spot inside the Aanamalai Tiger Reserve (a part of Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park) I happened to take a wildlife safari which led me to an elephant camp inside the forest.  Called as Kozhikamuthi, the elephant camp is home to number of best trained elephants or kumkis which are used for taming elephants and to transport timber. The Top Slip derives its name from the process of wooden logs used to be slipped down from the top of the hills to the plains.

Kozhikamuthi elephant camp is a small hamlet or settlement of tribes exclusively converted for elephants to keep trained and housed under the Malisar tribes, who belong to the elephant handler’s caste and skilled to work with Asian elephants. It was evening when we made to this camp and it seems feeding elephants in front of the visitors is a regular activity there. There were very few elephants standing behind the wood barriers, amuse when mahout feeds them mouthful (kavalam) of vitamin balls, one of the vital ingredient on their daily intake.

Situated at the bank of a river, the elephant camp has natural surroundings of green and woods but been a dry season then, many elephants were sent to another camp deep inside the forest which is restricted for pubic.

Aanazhagu (song on man's beauty)

For a change I decide to share the one of my favorite song from the latest Tamil film, Thenaliraman, featured by popular comedy artist Vadivelu.  This is a beautiful song I love listening and also watching it for the lovely gestures of Meenashi Dixit (a popular ad film model) and what make quite allure rather being composed by D.Imamn, producing a feel of pleasure and enhance  touch by classic in the tune was Shreya Ghoshal’s vocal.  The song describes the beauty of man and his entice in Viveka’s lyrics, has Shreya’s hiccup at every stanza sounds unique and intoxicating! 

Pretty Little Temples @ Sirumugai

Couple of years back when I was heading to and from Kotagiri in the Nilgiris, I find couple of temples pretty neatly painted or newly built while on road across Sirumugai,  in the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. Since it was Chitirai - the beginning of Tamil month, many temples were at festival spirit across our path and it could be the reason these temples look refresh.

Both were shot at different day times, the one painted in sandal color was captured from the moving car and other was shot at halt when looking for direction, as we took detour missing the main road leading to Sathyamangalam.  I simply adore these temples for their pretty neat paint work on them and also   located on scenic even being roadside temples. 

Stone Paintings @ ECR Toll Gate

ECR, defining east coast road is a great blessing for Chennaities and a scenic gateway to the weekend getaway. It’s quite pleasure taking this coastal road all the way to Pondicherry and beyond, but the most amused ride quality was quite restrain till Pondicherry and under toll gate control, the road was maintained well and pretty neatly drawn lines and road studs enhances the ride quality and night driving was fun (once) expose to stunning reflectors. The emerging buildings and villas may change the scenery from time to time, but it seems to adapting everything and breathes fresh forever.

Rock painting on butterflies (click photos to enlarge)

The ECR toll gate is one stop; from where we get tickets to use the road has beautiful setting of garden alongside the booths and flowering plants and date palms adorn the toll gate beside picturesque painting stones. Erected vertically, these painting stones catch anyone's attentions while waiting to pass and during such times I used to try capturing images on them and here are few photos on the paintings shot at different moments.

 

The above one has paintings on animals and birds; and the below was on jungle and the detail was really impressed me when zoom enough on the painting. I find two lily ponds, snake emerging from its burrow and the lesser golden back peck along an own peek from the tree. What more interesting on this painting was, a saint smashing herbal medicine sitting under the tree?  

Yellow flowers bloomed at toll gate

Jallikattu and Judgment

The Supreme Court has revealed two significant verdicts today that influence a lot in Tamil Nadu. One was to allow raising the water level of Mullaperiyar dam to 142 feet which was refused by Kerala government so far. There had been difference between the two states over the safety of the dam, while Tamil Nadu contended the dam was safe and its water level had to be raised from 132 feet to 142 feet, Kerala maintained that the dam was weak and needed to be replaced. Kerala has repeatedly asserted its right to enact a law regulating the safety of dams in the state, insisting that the river rises and falls in Kerala which is why it is an intra-state issue. The SC had reserved its verdict, last year, on the legal battle between the two state governments over the dam and as per committee appointed by court has revealed that the dam was safe.

Another verdict the SC has delivered today was, prohibiting the practice of the traditional martial game of bull taming in Tamil Nadu, called Jallikattu. Following Madras High Court’s ban for the sport few years ago, the issue was taken to the Supreme Court where a batch of petition has comes to final disposal now, as the SC had already noted once that Jallikattu was nothing but a sport inflicting massive cruelty to animals, but allowed it under stringent condition on vehement request by the Tamil Nadu government. The animal welfare activists are up in arms against Jallkattu for past several years and wanted to ban the age-old sport has acquire great relief now and of course every animal lover and who hate inhumanity.  

I too support the verdict and anything against animal or nature need to be prohibited.  But my only thought and worry was, what will happen to those bulls, which are grown specifically for the sports if the game was prohibited. The bulls that are used in the Jallikattu are belonging to the Pulikulam breed of cattle, which are reared in huge herds numbering in hundreds with few cowherds tending to them.  In this world only things that are in use and useful survives and once the need for them has gone we slowly lose their ground. I guess the world famous Kangeyam bulls are in edge of endanger list and soon the work for the Jallikattu bulls is invisible, sure their name will be added to endanger list. What I think was, even they struggle at least they survive being so. If we stop all activates involved by cattle, they have no hope of survive, and they are practiced to work along with humans and if we can’t who can support them well. I wish the bulls strength is used in a remarkable way, without giving them trouble.

P.S. Above is a painting I done on Jallikattu (a scene of bull catching) haft a decade back and thought it would be apt to add with this post.

கோடை மழை / Summer rain

Pic by Jeevan (from archives)

வேர்க்க விறுவிறுத்த காலம்

கோடை மழையில் இன்று ஜிலு ஜிலுவேன.

உஷ்ணத்தின் உச்சகட்டம்

இன்று மேககூட்ட பக்கம்

பொலிவிழந்த பச்சையிலைகள்

புதிதாய் வண்ணம் தீட்டியது போல்

தாகத்தின் விளிம்பில்

வேகமாய் உறிந்து திர்த்தது பூமி

The season of vigorously perspire
become cool in the summer rain.

The pinnacle of warmth
got clouds side this day

The faded green leaves
as newly painting

At the edge of thirst
the earth sucked away quickly. 

Balsam bloomed @ home

First time I saw the balsam in Valparai, on the Western Ghats and it was bloomed in gorgeous red! Impressed in its beautiful and colorful flowers, my grandmother collected some seeds from there and sowed at our flower pots and in her backyard. The plant grows very fast and looked like small trees grown in pots, but they haven’t flowered and we also stopped watering the plant and later cleared the pots to plant other.

The balsam plant, which is native to the Himalayas has colorful blossoms and also sweet scented. Just look like an orchid growing in the wild, the balsam plant grows in hilly regions and does not require much watering. The plant grows in large numbers and sometimes the whole mountainous region where the plant is seen is covered with pink or red. The balsam plant has a unique way of propagation, which develops seed pods that burst and spreads the seeds far away.

The flap of a petal which looks like a helmet and this plant is also called the policeman’s helmet. The plant grows for two to three feet and flowers profusely, have leaves bright green in color growing in central arrangement and have wavy edges. The balsam blooms almost similar to rose flowers, look like roses from far and only the fact that they don’t have thorns.

The balsam grows and blooms during summers and beginning of rains, has shown blossom now at home and not from our pot, but the tenants who share our house in upstairs. They have kept their flower pots in front of our house, which we water daily since they haven’t occupied quite yet. 

Summer sprung

Shimmering in sunshine

Brilliant colors exhibit…

Enrich the already exists.

The golden sunlight

Glitter and gleam

Enhance the earth

With intense heat - light

Provoke favorable weather

Only to a part of it!

Footnote:

The picture was composed at home during morning time when sun was shimmering around! 

Vote to transparency

A day ahead to the 16^th Parliament election in India for the state of Tamil Nadu, I am looking forward to exercise my franchise as usual in the afternoon while there were fewer crowds in the polling booth. Situated less than a km from home, I have decided to go in my power wheelchair, since I have voted twice already in the last parliament and legislature assembly, I hope there won’t be any difficult this time as well! Already many began to ask me the usual question that rose during election time, was, for whom I’m going to vote. Actually when I come to know there was a youngster, age 26, was contesting in my constituency from Twinleaf, I was overwhelmed to vote him but later I dropped the idea since I couldn't find any individual conducive from his side, rather being a doctor he praise for only the party leader and no public service background out of the party. So I decided to support iLa Ganesan from National Flower, who is a senior leader and bachelor with wealth of just 0.3 million… a transparent being on his personal and public life, even I have difference of opinion on his or his party’s policy, I believe he deserve being a parliamentarian and the National Flower, a hopeful successor for next regime to drag away the corrupted and deceitful Hand!

I have decided long back not to vote for the Hand or Rising-Sun, so the decision was likely to make between Twinleaf and National Flower and while looking out for their candidates for my constituency (of South Chennai), I felt good with both of them. One being an active youngster and another senior man, both has different political backgrounds (one being a son of former speaker and the senior is a long time party worker and disciplinarian) and it was the first election for both of them. Being a youngster myself, I have dreams of central and state were ruled by younger people, but standing from their individuality or capacity to work individually on social field rather being a screwed doll. I don’t think the Twinleaf candidate is eligible for what I was expecting (even I know I deserve nothing to comment on others), I have the right to chose my candidate and I find iLa Ganesan is best and I like to vote for his transparent being and let National flower flourish.

I add here a link on iLa Ganesan's interview!

From the outskirts of Chennai

I had a small outing last Sunday with my family on the outskirts of Chennai, taking a detour among the countryside and few forest routes leading all the way to my grandfather’s village on the Chengalpet-Thiruporur road. Rather taking the usual routes of ECR and OMR, I went on the roads that are alternate but not far from the IT Corridor and about 15km of stretch that was explored by me for the first time. My uncle suggested me this route that has big lakes (without traces), some patches of reserve forest and villages alongside farm lands. It’s quite out of traffic and the smooth road helps enjoying a leisure ride, breathing fresh air that blend with the village scents and fields of green and harvested lands producing different scenes to sight.

We had our lunch at the tree shades, shattered on barren or waterless lake and felt hot only for minutes out of the car where we used to the afternoon breeze, which pleased later when temperature soar down. We also forget to switch on the A/C once back in car and began to move with the environment that has something to share or capture enough. We find number of nochi plants gown on the roadsides, which helps in driving away misquotes but we aren’t sure will it survive if uprooted and replant at home. So dropped the idea of picking it up and the plant produces a smell which was sweet odors.

We drive past into few villages along with my grandfather’s and had a look at his abandoned home that turned to be worst in condition seeing it after five year. While back we took the OMR and then turned towards Kovalam, as I liked to see some birds on the backwater… but I was chanced little with the sights of heron, few painted storks and cormorants at distance. We also stopped at the Thiruporur market to purchase some fresh vegetables and greens, which we usually do if whenever come across this town. Because the vegetables sold here are harvested by the local farmers from their fields and the greens is one we could find many here.

Following were pictures from my outing: 

Scenic harvested land

Field of sesame

A farmer plowing his land using ox 

Gushing water from a village pump-set

Thiruporur Murugan Temple... under renovation

Thiruporur market

Painted stork at the backwater

Indian pond heron

Bore wells battle

The bore wells those dug for water source had become not only life threatening but almost embrace to death, has rise in toll. In last ten days, three kids were fell into the bore wells across the state and only one was able to rescued alive. At the current state of drought and water scarcity, bore wells were the only hope of farmers in spite of lack of rain and groundwater levels dropping 100s in feet, farmers who inadequate with single bore well kept digging around seeking water as deep as possible has increased the number of bore wells across the state and country.

It’s quite carelessness and lack of awareness about concealing the bore wells that are not in use has took number of lives in past, but we still continue to bear with uncared attitude to feel only sorry after an incident take place. We can say it’s as accident and forget once the news flashed with another but what if it happens at series. The Supreme Court has already advised government how to regulate digging bore wells and maintaining it safely, but none were so far into functional and they just pretend to give priority only at that moment.  

Apart tightening the regulations for bore wells, we are also in need of advanced technologies into the rescue operation to save kids as quickly as possible or keep them alive inside. We need to appreciate our fire servicemen who regularly involve in rescuing children who fall into bore wells as alive or lifeless, is a tough job and sure some technology like the robotic that helped in saving a kid in Thirunelveli - developed by a Madurai based ITI educator - will bring hope and easy the rescue. 

Bird Watching in Neighborhood : White-breasted Water Hen

The White-breasted Water Hen had been a resident of my former neighborhood in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai, was stayed with its family. The open vegetation opposite to our then apartment provided shelter to the water hens along with other species of birds and reptiles, but I have seen only the adult hen (may be a female) which come flew or leap on our compound wall to feed on the gains left by us to the birds and go back quickly as possible hiding among the bushes. I was happy to capture the water hen couple of times while it came feeding on the compound wall and only my mom had seen her with juveniles since I can’t lookout the compound wall, about 5 feet height.

As we shifted houses, I don’t know what happened to the water-hens since the vegetation was cleared and an apartment on construct right now wanted me to think they immigrated somewhere. The White-breasted Water-hen is a water bird of the rail and crake family (Rallidae) that widely distributed across Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. It is a large and distinctive rail species with dark grey upper-parts and flanks and conspicuous white under parts, from which the species gains its common name. The beak of the bird is yellowish with a reddish base, which becomes more olive outside of the breeding season.

The water-hen has long legs, colored in yellowish with large feet and legs dangled in flight. The female birds are generally smaller than the male, with a somewhat duller beak, while juveniles have duller plumage with the white of the under parts tinged brown and a darker beak and legs. This species is described as being very noisy during the breeding season, producing a loud call consisting of various grunts, roars, quacks and chuckles, followed by a repeated kru-ak, kru-ak, kru-ak-a-wak-wak. The bird feed on the ground had varied diet including insects, worms, small fishes and grass seeds and roots and shoots of marsh plants. 

(Source of info net)

Comforts and suffering

While the other part of the world welcomes spring with uplifted spirit and energy and celebration of colorful blossoms, we are forced into the sultry heat and summer sweat makes quite exhausted. We aren't in the middle of the summer yet but still experiencing hot weather felt like ever to recollect on memories. Though the entire day wasn't under the control of heat - the post afternoons are pleasant rose to sea breeze - waking up and leading up to noon seems frustrated and fatigue, which I experienced a lot today. I wasn't active enough from morning and was out of concern and running out of time to keep in touch with deeds I vow to do daily.

 I hear complains of raised temperature from various part of the country early to summer, the fear of running  out of water or electricity threatens people and they believe all the comforts will lead only up to the day of polling to parliament (Apr 24). I am going through the phase to decide whom to vote and I concerned for their vows to the constituency and public service mind rather praising their party or party presidents. During last parliamentary election I voted for an individual candidate who promised hope, even though I was certain that is his winning was impossible I tried the best selecting the candidate. I don’t believe in voting for who show hope of winning or party based polling, as I know there are many who vote only for certain political parties whoever the candidate maybe… I wish they change their mindset and vote on their individual thought.

Coming to the summer heat, I believe I experience the least sitting inside the house with an option of getting cool under the air conditioned room, but those with work outside and mainly under the sun seems unbearable. I never been an A/C guy and avoid as much possible unless unbearable or due to pollution and dust while going out in car, I am quite a natural being and enjoy the cool breeze brushing through environment than facing A/C blower. There’s nothing equivalent to the source of nature, even it hurt us sometime comforts though its various aspect bringing smile on face. I relived little bit by this time of (4.pm), and it seems living close to school zone increases the anxiety by raised temperature and expose to whistle sounds, horns of cars that deliver and deposit students and noise of engines and vocals creates wreck to environment.

I really liked the environment out here in evening … just opposite to what we experience until 2pm and no one will believe it was high in decibel at morning. The heat waves and sunshine has settled down by now, but still it wasn't favorable due to humidity in air. It sounds terrible how we going to pass this summer, however better it was in latter year seems worse and there won’t be inadequate suffering. 

March account

You perhaps could guessed the reason for my absence here since I have announced about house shifting and I am glad I did so thus u no need to worry what happened to me. I couldn't get my net connection; even though the Airtel was quick attending us, the lack of space on the Airtel box in our area delayed my connectivity. It took four weeks to get back the connection; a duration ever took so far since got internet connection at home in 2004 and shifting couple of houses. It was quite a month I blogged and totally out of touch on any online activity, but it wasn't bothering me much as I took it as a chance to spent time on other works that were left incomplete and lack hands for some time.  We also thought to go for other internet connections disconnecting the Airtel but I don’t find anything better than that and the new entries with 4-5 times high speed access faces the same problem with no empty slot in their boxes.

We transported things almost on the first weekend of March and handed over the key to owner (of previous house) on 3^rd evening following quite occupation of this house. We settled well within two days of shifting house and it was a safe and smooth transfer and arranging things wasn't difficult because of helping hands from my aunt and cousins. The house being situated right opposite to Adyar Sishya School, the environment was little noisy but after 3 pm it was quite calm and silent. I see all kind of cars here, picking and dropping students and it was also entertaining checking the activities everyday through the window facing the school gate. I don’t find any difficulty with this house and it is convenient enough for the four of us and being a duplex house, we don’t find heat sweat drop our spine much rather it was cool breeze brushes in evening.

The house, as well the area comes under the canopy of tall trees and in evening I could hear birds twitters aloud and I get to see bunch of green parrots come screeching and preaching the tree tops. Other day I find a rufous treepie chased by crows for which it shrill cried to escape. We also received special guests through backyard - the bonnet monkeys came in about a group of ten two days later we shifted here. I know there are monkeys in this area which takes shelter among the canopy of trees covering a large portion that begins from our home rear. I wonder when I noticed the windows of this house having an additional door-frame of net which is enough for small bugs to enter… so it is not a net to keep away insects or mosquitoes, but only after receiving the monkeys I understand that these net frames must be laid to prevent young monkeys entering the house through the enough gaps in grills or leaving hands to loot anything.

The monkeys weren't threatening in anyway rather they all seem kind and leisure coming around the neighborhood. There’s nothing much to complaint about this house and I feel better than what I really thought early. This is also a corner house just like the previous house, with an arched gateway that was adorn by Nithiya Malli (eternal jasmines) creeper making a flowery welcome. The house shifted to Adyar helps us working/sharing close with our uncle’s family who lives at our native house here. The distance between ours was just more than half a km, which I covered in my wheelchair last Sunday while visiting a corporation park nearby. I spent most of the time last month reading books and watching television esp. buying a DTH HD make it more interesting watching, going through its amazing details and clarity.

Last week my father went through sever abdomen ache due to some infection, put him into hospital for couple of days and it was my uncle’s family whose support wasn't there could have made it more trouble, esp. taking care of me while mom was away with dad in hospital. My uncle stayed with dad during nights at hospital and aunt visited home taking care of food preparation isn't so practical easy if we continued stayed (5 km) away from them which was the then situation before shifting house. I think we moved on the right direction now rather going out of comfort in search of space, solitude and less in pollution environment. Dad is doing much better now and hope he’s fine in few more days, my uncle and cousin visit us everyday helping in our need. Thus life goes fair well unless for dad’s health, post shifting house was very positive on me and the new environment is encouraging to involve in other activities as well. 

My attachment to old

I believe in old is gold! There are certain things that we can’t stop appreciating, however old or ruin they are and unused for ages, remain nostalgic whenever thinking about. I have a mind that does not give away certain things easily esp. used for long term or still feel content with quality and usage rather being old.  During my childhood or young days, one could see me roaming on the streets with friends and go rounds often in our area… and while this course we used to find many interesting little things on road and my favorite place of picking things  was Kailankadai (old iron shop). I had my own table drawer then where I used save things I brought from the shop and streets. My mother used to scold me for bringing those useless things to home and often engaged in war with brother for stealing one or two things.

My tape-recorder when in use

I never listened to her and kept saving those things and since my uncle had workshop adjacent to our house, I used to pick things from there as well. I had a collection of small iron balls in various shapes exists from the bearings until my brother swallowed one of it accidently. I think I had few of them even after shifted house for first time and I am interested even now if I get chanced to pick things at Kailankadai.  I know there is no future for broken arrows but we can do many things using those pieces. What is useless to someone could be utilized to other. Let me come to the matter of old things, which I still hold without use. I know tape-recorders and cassettes has no more futures and almost settled as sediments underwater leaving way to light and transparent technologies let move into air. The CDs and players has also become old stock with blue-rays and “I” series looking out for more light waves to wash away.   My passion for old and useless things comes out objecting the idea of mom’s proposes to dispose our old tape-recorder and a box full of cassettes.

I don’t know why and I am not going to listen to them anyway, but there’s something rolls me with the reels here. Until I bought my first CD player in year 2002, the tape-recorder was my only source of music and it was a foreign set bought to me by my late uncle, replacing the Philips tape-recorder with single speaker. I want to hold it back not because it was bought by my favorite uncle and it remain as a remembrance of him but apart being so, there was something that wants to keep it around. This tape-recorder enhanced my way of listening music with enough bass and treble effect unlike plain mono-stereo. Even until I bought my home-theater, I was connected my CD and MP3 players to this tape-recorder speakers using AUX wire. I ever had trouble like using this set, which often get struck with reel and have to bear to electronic shop, where the electrician used to take more than a week and above to mend it after number of walks to his shop, just two houses away from us!

Music always been my source of inspiration and uplifts my spirit when I feel down and there is nothing excitement like listening to new song or tune for first time that too from our favorite directors or actors. Until few years back I used to buy original CDs and cassettes from the music store, because for me quality is much important when it comes to music and movies… I can’t withstand the noise and sound disturbance. I know the tape is taking place enclose, but I have no mind to give away and not only the player there are few more things I kept safe in bureau. 

House hunt come to end

The house hunting has come to an end or we ended. The chaos related to house searching seems unending and we decided to put a full stop to the weariness and stress by choosing the best among the better exists. We aren’t content with any house during our search mission and being first time intended to search for a house rather unlike going with the heart of desire by how we chose the current residence... without much options of houses and within our budget we picked a house to relieve ourselves from the house tension. It doesn’t mean we couldn’t find a content house but what seems to fulfill our needs aren’t belong to us or forced to give away for certain reasons unmatched between us and owners.

Except one or two, most of the apartments showed red signal for allowing pets and having pet is one specific reason that we couldn't get a house we wanted. The brokers who promise to finalize certain houses were all seems liars and actors, their intentions were only on getting commission rather listening what we say or owners convey. We didn't believe their words and we were also on our own search for houses since we have already said the owner that we quit house this month end, we have no time to wait and see further.  So we decided to move into a house near Adyar Sishya School, even we aren't totally satisfied with the house it wasn't too bad to avoid or lack of comfort to reside. It was a duplex house and we are taking the ground portion.

It was a very quiet and calm area except for being busy at morning and evening while the school open and close… cars seems to stand in long queue to drop and pickup students since almost students study here were from wealthy background. I was born and brought up in Adyar until we shift to apartment in Thiruvanmiyur, 8 years back, but it was my father who wants to let back to Adyar or close to our native house there because he was quite depend on Adyar for almost sufficient work. This house shifting is also gonna be a temporary one, not only because the owner has plan of demolishing the house and built a new one there after 3 years, we would also shift if we find a better one than this when the situation was favor.

We have planned to shift home at the weekend and if done I won’t be able to blog or flickr for some time until reconnected with internet. It was the brokers who force us to end up the house hunt because being exhausted by their way of making wandering and showing the same house we have already shown by someone. Some brokers fear and hesitate to talk to owners in reducing the rent and they also have no clear idea about the facilities and only we have to convey them by talk with owners but what they want was, was only commission. By searching house, I think anyone could become a broker and what they do was, go through the classifieds and give separate Ads to the already exists by just mentioning his mobile number and area alone. So we can’t guess which is genuine and for a single house there are multiple brokers making turmoil. 

Rangoon creeper @ home

Rangoon creeper, also known as Chinese Honeysuckle and “Irangun Malli” in Tamil is a vine with red flower clusters that found in Asia and many other parts of the world either as a cultivated ornamental or run wild. The creeper seen rooted commonly only in a small hole in cemented ground, grown exactly the way it described at one of the corner of our house, thriving and climbing high on the Frangipani tree.

The Rangoon creeper is a ligneous vine that can reach from 2.5 meters to up to 8 meters, has leaves that are elliptical with an acuminate tip and a rounded base. The clusters of flowers that are fragrant and tubular, opens white in color which changes to pink, red and finally to deep maroon. The plant grows on a support is very useful in covering fences and walls and the growth rate of the plant is generally fast and don’t make heavy fertilizer demand.

Rangoon creepers being a vigorous twining climber, booms profusely throughout summer can reach as much as 70 feet in tropical climates. The creeper that does like medium to bright light is found in thickets or secondary forests of the Philippines, India and Malaysia.

These pictures were shot in September 2013 and the picture above is a close-up macro on the flowers.

Glimpses of Moon

Collage by Jeevan

Through the leaves of lettuce
peeks the pretty moon
even not so in full bloom
a sight still spectacular.

Exiting home at night
to get some breeze in brief
but got into the sight of moon
an elegant beauty that enticed me.

After weeks and months
I found the fluorescent moon
leaving behind a gloomy sky
that get life and light through it.

Wonder, how I forget the moon
an eternal inspiration
that keep alive my thoughts
ascent under its silver shadow.

My level of comfort

Life is quite stressful and pain already, but the Oct 17^th is a day I could not forget and also don’t want to remember which took me further into my future’s setback. Just a week early going into the cast for my femur fracture was quite terrible and it was a moment that ever in my life felt so painful and even an inch movement in leg touch the extreme. It was four month since (today) the incident happen and only I was able to visit the doctor on Friday even I was out in car twice. He was treating me from the home, looking at the x-rays which his staffs come and take at home; and only to wear the cast I went to his clinic in a small ambulance. I am quite well now and only my knee has to bend little more to sit much comfort… I am still unable to stand on my feet which enabled shifting me much easier from one place to another then. I feel little pain in my left knee only on which I could put strength and I also lack balance and fear to put much effect when attempting to stand with weak bone.

The fracture wasn't in my bone alone; it also broke some comfort levels I enjoyed, which I am sure to lose sometime in future at step by step progress  has skipping few steps all of sudden. I have planned a lot using the standing ability of mine esp. on traveling progress, which is the mainstream delectation in my life and I almost dream on traveling delight. What was my mindset exactly four months back wasn't quite same now, and I have to prepare myself to face the loss of ability and how to travel from shifting one seat to another. We own a SUV and using it for the last 6 years esp. because of the comfort level it provides to me and I could travel long distances without any difficulty in our car and now being unable to stand, I couldn't climb into it. I have only two options now on traveling, which was to change the car with low height or modify the SUV with Turny Swivel seat or place wheelchair lift at the rear.

Right moment, we are in intense search of house and only two weeks were left to shift the home… parents were going thought great stress and headaches because of it. The house we hoped to occupy had dropped at last moment, as the owner of the house demands more rent out of our budget; we are now even looking at apartment’s rather independent houses where pets are allowed. Our entire thoughts are about getting a nice house right now and only then I could take the next step as altering my wheelchair into much comfort and modify the SUV. Why I much hold with SUV was, because it was the car I could take anywhere and it makes wonderful drive on any terrain except mud roads, I am more love with it as it is my favorite vehicle. I have traveled nearly all mountain passes of Tamil Nadu with this vehicle and I never experienced difficult with the car getting breakdown or spoil the plan.

Back to mouse

Do you agree mouse is convenient than touch pads in laptops? I feel quite comfort using it after a while get used to touch pads and touch screen. I think working with mouse is much faster than scratching the touch pad and I really wonder it is me alone feel such way or there are other who could agree.

Dad bought me a touch mouse from Logitech and it was cool operating from the little space on my wheelchair tray, aside the laptop. The touch is available only for scrolling vertical and horizontal by swipe one finger and it also has buttons for start menu and desktop screen apart  right and left buttons.

Beginning with ball mouse and later with optical, the wireless and touch has made it very smooth, soft and convenient on any flat surface. When using ball mouse, we needed a mouse pad and the mouse often get struck with dirt inside and has to clean it by remove the ball  and it also survived very short. The funnier part was, we sometime play with that ball! Lol 

How beautiful it feel?

Picture by Jeevan

How beautiful it feel?
Holding someone’s hand
and stroll on the sand?
At the end of the day
embracing
while sun kissed the sea.

How beautiful it feel?
Taking someone into behold
where eyes only speak?
At the end of the day
life delights
under the twilight sky.

How beautiful it feel?
Sitting together with someone
who’s very close to heart?
At the end of the evening
life glitter
beneath pretty moon lit.

How beautiful it feel?
Kissing someone very sweet
before saying good night?
In the absence of light
splendid silhouette
conveys our love.

சின்னத்திரை அழகி / Small screen Beauty

Picture recapture by Jeevan

அழகாய் அறிமுகம்மாகும்
சின்னத்திரை கதாநாயகிகள்
அழுது அழுது
அழுக்காகி போகிறார்கள்.

தொடர்ந்து நடிப்பதனாலோ 
என்னவோ, தொடர்களில்;
இவர்கள் அழகு
கலைந்து கரைந்து போகிறது.

Gracefully introducing
small screen heroines
goes unclean
weeping constantly.

Since acting continuously
or maybe in tele serials,
their beauty
goes dispersed and dissolved.

How daring?

It was about 12 degree Celsius in evening when we find something unusual come swimming towards us on the Kodaikanal Lake, during our last visit in late summer. The climate was quite make feel shivering when we spent some time on the lake bank sipping hot coffee and I was comfort sitting inside the car and watching the lake. There were few others along with us looking at the strange thing with no idea and I could only think of a turtle or river otter, going though the dark element.

Suddenly the element rises up to conclude our discussion and wonder what it was. A man stood from the cold water and another one followed him in distance! They both were coming from the other bank of the lake, swimming underwater and perhaps it could be a reason to keep away from the cops eyes... because it is prohibited to take bath or swim in the Kodaikanal Lake. Apart keeping it clean, the water is exposed to substances (esp. mercury emission) that are ill to health and due to siltation there’s risk of getting drown in water.

The lake is almost fenced already and during my recent visit, I find it fenced quite but the guys had entered the lake though a gap in fence and they seemed coming from our neighbor state Kerala. Everyone was quite awe looking at their daring act and how they survive through the freezing cold water… it wasn't sure they aware about the lake, but got heavy dose of strike from police, later on the bank.

We could have seen people entering ice water for challenges in extremely cold countries, but something like this facing in real was amazing!