Some Highway Skies

The national highways has never been my favourite to look forward to ride and it has anything cheerful to keep up the ride as most of the stretches goes bare and bore, only the skies comes to rescue. We get to see different skies and patterns as we kept moving esp. on the highways, the change was constant and the sky wasn’t same anywhere and here I share some sky shots that I took while riding on the highways for the family vacation to Kodaikanal.

The sky wasn’t much interesting to shoot this time but was better with puffy clouds floating across the blue-sky only after riding more than 100km outskirt of Chennai. These were shot between Villupuram to Trichy highway and there are few more to share another day. 

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Family Vacation 2019 Ups and Down!

Don’t know why the vacation wasn’t exciting or to say there was something missed feeling throughout the stay but travel wise I enjoyed the trip and spending time in lap of mountains in company of birds and trees. It’s always a pleasure to stay at Smokey Haven, my uncle’s woodhouse and cottages at Thandikudi near Kodaikanal, where we spent our days with extended families from July 8 to 13. Since the inauguration of the resort in 2015, I continue to visit it at least once a year and I’m happy and thanks to my uncle for executing a project alike i.e. building a woodhouse in the vicinity of coffee estate and tall big trees helps me staying and enjoy an environment full of nature rich.  Anytime there would be a bird chirping outside but this time I felt a bit lesser sound of the birds and spotting birds has reduced too what I perhaps guess was migration! I know there are some little birds that migrate from Himalayas and it was the environment that console me lot as I felt down sometime.

Smokey  Haven Woodhouse and Cottages we stayed

Though we waked up early and began the journey, the most part of traveling (490km) went under scorching weather until climbing up the hill. Our car couldn’t produce enough cooling to the cabin, though we serviced the car before traveling it quite went out of gas when we switched on the AC on the return journey. We travelled in two cars and our 9 seater was occupied by 5 of us with boot space quite went for wheelchair, commode and luggage and the uncle’s Innova had other five since my uncle’s family was ahead of us in another car. Though we travelled together they speed up always leaving us far behind as we drive on moderate speed to help me balanced.  While traveling at two different speeds doesn’t bother me much unlike how it continues at the vacation period as well.  My uncle had built an additional woodhouse at their vicinity at a ground below the already exists, were all others stayed and we 5 including the grandmother stayed at the old woodhouse. It wasn’t the old or new mattered, but none came above to spare time with us and it felt like we came alone like how we travel last time to the same place.

Dad standing in front of Thandikudi village (beneath), picture shot from Balamurgan Temple come viewpoint

I was irritated lot to sit alone always, even though nature gives me company I felt lonely when all my dear ones were around not sharing. I haven’t felt this before while travelled as five and I would sit ideal watching birds and taking photos as it was my choice and nature of traveling, but as a family vacation mind thoughts about being together, sharing and having fun rather think about anything. I love exploring places and traveling but love double folds the family vacation or group traveling at least once a year to keep cherished throughout. As soon we come into the range of Thandikudi we all lost our Airtel network signal and I actually thought that it could be a mild fault in connecting, but the disappointment came hearing that Airtel network has stopped working there due to fall of tower! I know I haven’t gone there for networking and it didn’t bother me actually, instead only made feel happy that none will be looking into the smartphones so there would be more chances for sharing face-to-face but my cousins had another network to still connect and also hopping on and off in jeep. 

A moment together with family at the woodhouse deep inside woods

Though we expected rain in the mountains, as monsoon already began, the first two days restricted us to woodhouse and we got to the Balamurugan temple one morning and then to another woodhouse my uncle had built on behalf his friend and one day spent driving to Kodaikanal and Kookal Lake/Village. We hear people complaining of no rain until we got there and it was obvious wherever we visited except in Kodaikanal where the lake was at its brim! The Kookal Lake was muddy with water at the bottom where only water hens were walking in and out. The weather was much colder in Kodaikanal, even though clouds form as if it going to rain it didn’t happen until we move to the woodhouse. One night we spent at my uncle’s friend woodhouse (which my uncle built on behalf his friend) in a place called Vel Farms, a place deep inside the woods and remote from much activity. Overall I had good time despite the lack of sharing and feeling alone while being together as well, it was refreshing and relieving to travel after more than a year and I could cherish this for some time until I pick up another trip. 

A part of beautiful star shaped Kodaikanal Lake at its full level, in the eventide light with reflection of trees.

More details and photos will follow in further posts.

My Travel and Better Health

After a long time or more than a year, I’m getting an opportunity to travel and this’s a long gap I had after traveling become a passion. I should have taken a trip early this year but people had different plans which are unavoidable and needn’t be as each phase has its significances that need to be addressed. Being dependent it’s impossible to think or work beyond the limits. Dad’s post coronary issue (though it was addressed through stents and he leads normally) things turned worse in my life as he should not lift me anymore and mom as same following her uterus removal last year, I’m looked after by my brother and cousin bro for shifting my positions has become a problem to pick up a trip on own. Till the end of last year, dad could put me inside the car and we would take short-distance rides but now I had to look out for my brother to lift me inside the car and ours being an SUV only for him is possible.

Following dad’s angioplasty in December, we didn’t think of traveling for few months and in March brother started working on his Fitness Centre aka GYM which was opened on 8^th May and sister’s wedding arrangements in June pushed our travel plans further. Even now the brother is a bit busy making new clients to the gym will be taking off few days for a family vacation at my uncle’s woodhouse (Smokey Haven Woodhouse) in mountains of Kodaikanal. Last week I checked with my cardiologist and it was a surprise and happy moment for the doctors at the clinic to find my heart pumps normal or normal LV function (55% to 65%) which was 37% last year when diagnosed with an echocardiogram. A yearlong on medication had helped me achieve this stage and the doctor was content with the result has reduced the medication and my next appointment are only after 6 months.

Following a sign of abnormal in ECG, last year May, I consulted the cardiologist and he found a weak heart or less percentage of LV function.  Though the heart getting weaker is a normal condition in the progress of muscular dystrophy, it was quite an unexpected drop for me as of 2016 echocardiogram my heart function was normal, and 2018 report of different. The doctor prescribed me few tablets and hope to sustain the condition with constant medication was cheerful about the incredible improvement of the condition and happily deducted few medicines. I’m already taking regular medicines for diabetes along with calcium and vitamin tablets to support the system and this improvement with the heart has helped a bit. The family vacation we planned for next week, with near and dear ones, is the one going to happen after three years, even though I use to visit Kodaikanal yearly as a family to relax and a little bit of exploring, I hope to have some fun with my first circle families. Only my newlywed sister is missing the trip as her in-law isn’t well.  We would be staying at the woodhouse and visit the princess of hill station – Kodai.

My family vacation in 2016. My other uncle and cousin (who took the shot) is missing in the photo. (click pic for large) 

RGB Monday

A simple colorful stage decor at sister's marriage last month. It was in between the floral decor and traditional pots and lamps the marriage ceremony was happened.  

Notebook

There are some flowers blooms once in a while and one such blossom was the Notebook! It’s been a while I watched a beautiful film where love is exhibited in an awesome way or mood. Though the Notebook (Hindi film) is written with a simple love story it touched beyond the commonly held romance between a pair of love. Actually love is a part of the movie where each other liked without meeting but carries a silent message in the air blown through the mountain breeze and ripples on a serene lake.

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Notebook carries the subject of a remote school in middle of a lake in Kashmiri and it was in a condition of closure due to poor student strength. A young ex-army officer joined the school as a teacher, for a change, tries to improve the condition of the school, finds a notebook from his desk drawer left behind by the previous teacher, and he’s nourished with confidence and love within himself as he read her story. The school is back to spring with children turning up to same as his every turn of a paper in the notebook, the former teacher re-joined the school later, found her notebook with comments from him made her fall for him.

Kabir and Firdaus characters as young teachers made a lovely presence on screen and create an affinity of love without meeting and it was really beautiful to watch them expressing their love in silence and voice for child education. The kids make fun at the school, which itself in a poetic houseboat and show emotions in return when its time. The whole setting of the floating school in mid of a lake, partially covered in vegetation, transport us to a world anew where we would love to go back to school! The cinematography is overall a hero of the notebook and the location of the school is a well choice to enhance the subject of rom com drama.

For both, Zaheer Iqbal and Pranutan Bahl, the lead of the film is debuted and so their screen presence was refreshing like the fragrances of bloom and I loved the character name Firdaus to sound very pleasant. For the observer like me, her tiny expressions and smile could be admired. The Kabir’s character is a nice example of soldier mind-set when he saves kids despite what bothers him including his life or love. Notebook is simply made out of love and wow simply like the breeze caress across. The Bollywood movie is produced by Salman Khan!   

RGB Monday

Pretty de-led-lights! 

A part of sister's wedding colorful light decoration outside the home and the lights were hung from top floor to below our balcony. You could see the whole decor in my previous post here.

Moment it Rain

My sky before it started to rain

First rain of the year
waked up the aroma of earth
from deep slumber, blanketed
in dust, drought and dryness.

A dramatic change in sky,
where scattered clouds gathered
filtered the radiating heats
to lesser, sprinkle as shower.

Not a kind of downpour
but it brings hope and cheers
to mind that so drought
and a kind of moody exists.

The senses woke up
as every drop knock the ground,
earth responded fragrant
as nostalgic rushes into vein.

The weather turns vital
since there isn’t a sign of rain
past failure of northeast monsoon
the rain becomes crucial
as there no prevention, care or cure
unless earth quenches thirst
to nurture its children.  

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Sister’s Wedding @ Mamallapuram

My sister got married on Friday at our ancestral town Mamallapuram, about 45 km from here on ECR and I attended both the events – the reception at night and marriage in morning – by staying a night from a guesthouse there. Though the wedding turned out eventful and content packed there was something couldn’t make feel relaxed or comfort at certain level i.e. the wedding hall was in the first floor with no lift!  It was a marriage happened within kinship and my sister (cousin) is married to her maternal uncle’s son and it was their desire to go together in life and we all approved their decision after small hesitations, since we were looking for a bridegroom outside the relative circle this was unexpected and we couldn’t say no as it was her life and she has all rights to decide her companion and thus marriage was fixed and following an engagement in February.

My sister was sent off  early in the afternoon (of Thursday) to Mamallapuram to get ready for the evening reception and bride inviting and we planned to leave by 4 pm in evening so that we could relax before the event begin by 6 pm. But we left home only by 6! Though we reached there in an hour things were to be hurried up. We had booked two vans for the relatives, friends and neighbors to cover the distance also arrived late to delay the pace and my sister went directly to the nearest temple from the beauty parlor - as per the custom, the bride will be invited to the wedding hall following a procession from temple, either by car or walk about, which signifies the beginning of wedding process in Indian culture. Already the crowd perched the hall when we arrived and there wasn’t time for anyone to spare me to transfer me to the marriage hall in first floor and it was packed further to make transfer difficult, so I settled in the ground floor courtyard where couple of rows seated and a shamiana tent was spread out with popcorn and cotton candy stalls installed where people thronged despite age differences.

I happened to meet and see many people during the occasion, where many of them were long seen and as I seated in a corner some couldn’t notice me as I did but glad there was a LED screen placed in the courtyard where I watched the live happening on the reception. The dining hall was in ground floor so it wasn’t an issue to have dinner but the tables aren’t comfortable for me and I was to use my regular wheelchair tray and plate instead eating from banana leaf, which takes a special place in our festivals.  Being late to the venue and beginning of the event it extended beyond 10 pm, when we had our dinner and moved to the room, which is a walkable distance from the wedding hall   that I covered in wheelchair.  I couldn’t participate in the wedding reception but I was content attending the special occasion of my sister and I was transfer to the wedding hall in the morning to watch the ceremony with help of my brothers and his friends.  The wedding was attended by close relatives alone so it wasn’t much difficult to transfer me by shifting to a chair and then to wheelchair, I got to watch things happening on the stage from the first row.

But what really turned out difficult was the timing. The marriage ceremony that held between 6 to 7.30am is quite an inconvenient for us whose wakeup time is not less than 8 am and for the 6 am ceremony I waked up at 5 but still went half a way through the marriage rite. The brides sat on the decorated stage in traditional wears of Dhoti and Saree and I felt they looked beautiful and fresh in the morning than in the elaborated makeup for the night reception. The marriage is conducted by the bridegroom family, so we haven’t to decide anything and the wedding hall was also their choice as it located very close to their house. I feel there was something missing which I couldn’t say what but I could transparently see the happiness on my sister’s face despite the exhaustion went through wedding process. We couldn’t spend much time with the brides rather hurriedly taking photos, the couple were sent off to Tirupati temple (about 200 km from Mamallapuram) as soon the breakfast is over and we moved out of the marriage hall and check out the room and fired back to home. Both the dinner and breakfast was good enough and this was quite a wedding I attended after a cousin’s marriage in 2012. I hope my sister led a happy married life and being a known family I believe she feels the comfort of home.

Our house illuminated in colorful led lights for the wedding

Apart the celebration of marriage, the day out there was terrific and the weather was burning to ashes once out of the wedding hall! The air con in car couldn’t control the heat wave even at high speed and I couldn’t remember how we reached home so was the sultry weather blurred the senses. We checked out our guesthouse room (Sri Murugan) by 11 am and I felt it was too pricey for a night with two to three cots in a room with no blankets and air con with no control to reduce cold. Moreover they denied allowing our pet dog, which they agreed when our relative inquired and so we booked the room. I had no chance to capture any photos and what you see here were few shot by mom.

Unspoken Still

Words cannot describe certain feelings
the pain in pursuing dreams, passion
when contemporarily rely on someone
or more than one, to even overcome a day 
comes with a question can I?

There’s something to be chased always                                         
even at dreams, and it could be anything
that anybody could decide the course
or chose the kind of attitude
from their personal vista.

Dreams come and go, but passion
keep tracking the path that flash lighted
sustaining a flow to keep track free
and a smooth ride is always on
however hard the surface rock!

Sometime it feels like nothing to lose
hopelessly life moves on, stereotype
that I always like to break
has become unchanged for a while
what decided by me not.

Like the terms and conditions that ever read
people never take time to read minds

or understand the difficult being different
as we try to outshine from the low light
their high beams brings us down. 

RGB Monday

A colorful shot from the streets of Mamallapuram 

Mamallapuram is a sculptural town as well a coastal town and popular tourist place near Chennai and its sculptures and monuments are dated back to 7th century, where the rocks carved by the Pallava dynasty. I find this snap I took from the slow moving car looking like two different shots weld together– where on the right-side of the image is seen a bakery, hang out with colourful junk food packets (resembling RGB colors) and the left side is a shop sells seashell ornaments. And this girl came into the scene, adds a sweet gesture with an amusing expression going with a wind wheel in hand. 

Skywatch Friday

Sky keeps changing its pattern, texture and colors from time to time and esp. during the sunrise and sunset it displays incredible changes from the often blue or grey sky. I sky-watch these days more than before and I was never a morning person to wake up to dazzling shower of rising sun so I only end up more with sun setting scenario where the actual settings happen behind the buildings. For a complete sunset I need to move out of the city but it wasn’t a feel bad to catch up with a part of the sky. The sky captured here was from two evenings back; though it wasn’t awesome I liked the pieces of clouds (looking like the handpicked cotton candies before it put into the mouth) scattered on the fore screen of the sky.

RGB Monday

Colorful Kotagiri market street! 

Kotagiri is a beautiful hill station in the Nilgiris surrounded by tea, coffee and vegetable farming and this is a market place in core  area of the town. The market looks like an important place for the farmers and traders to sell their goods and people surrounding in/out the hill town is rely on the market.

BJP Won But Not In Tamil Nadu!

Congrats Mr. Modi and BJP! BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) has swept larger seats in the parliament election and Mr. Narendra Modi as Prime Minister is continuing his office for 2^nd time. Though Modi have won and we had to accept the fact and while appreciate the efforts he put for the success, we can’t see it as the decision of entire nation. South Indian states almost swept against Modi and BJP which seems only a section of people want Modi or BJP and not the widespread nation.  A success is a success, whether we accept or not. North and Central Indian states had red carpeted for Modi and their reasons could be anything but certainly couldn’t sense a significant development was the reason for the successive of BJP or Modi. I haven’t great knowledge about the development of other states than Tamil Nadu, but I have ideas about the neighbouring states of Kerala, Andhra and Karnataka    where the influence of governing BJP is different.

Everyone knows that BJP is a religious party based on Hindutva concept but I believe the previous regimes under Vajpayee   weren’t serious taking forward the religion but had been reliable for people.  I think I don’t have the right to comment on states I wasn’t fully aware but coming to Tamil Nadu we have reasons to deny Modi and BJP. In last five years at office, I couldn’t see the Modi govt. promoting any significant projects or development on almost anything. I believe development is a progress happens any government comes to power, but the Modi’s govt. has any reason to continue in office, at least in the state of Tamil Nadu the things they are intend to implement where obviously against people welfare and wealth of state. Though different religious people live in Tamil Nadu, but nothing forces us from being united through the shade of one – Dravidian – and think on rationalism, couldn’t appreciate or invite a principle that impose anything against democracy. India is the largest democratic country and bringing all into a compression of saffron or hindutva is unwelcomed at any cost.

Coming to the state of Tamil Nadu, actor Kamal Hassan’s Makkal Neethi Maiyam (People Justice Centre) party has earned considerable votes to secure 3^rd place in the row of vote bank, even though they couldn’t win a seat in both parliament and by-election, sweeping an amount in short span of exists (14 months) is an unexpected twist that reveal people’s tendency for an alternate to the big leads – DMK and ADMK. My candidate or the person I voted R. Rangarajan IAS has led 2^nd with the number of votes the party’s candidates secured in the Parliament election and the 3 constitutions in Chennai witnessed considerable vote to the party. In Tamil Nadu, the opposition party alliance has swept all the seats from the state, except the 1 win by the ruling party which alliance with BJP, and it was an expected win even by common men as the almost state is against BJP or Modi and the ruling party doesn’t have an option rather going with BJP to continue their regime in Tamil Nadu. In worst case BJP govt. has failed in looking into the farmers issues and was accused to hold back the Tamil Nadu government in its control and make plans against the people to face this sweep out in TN.

Mangoes and Parakeets Peck

Summer is a season of mangoes! At the end of winter the mango trees in India starts to bloom following new shoot of leaves and in less than a month the mango trees turns fruit-bearing. Mangoes are considered delicious and prime among the sweetest fruits and there’s a word in Tamil called Mukkani (three fruits) where Maa (Mango) is first and Palaa (Jackfruit) and Vaazhai (Banana) make successive landing. In Tamil Nadu, Salem is very popular for tasty mangoes and this district and its surroundings produce tons of tasty mangoes yearly and Periyakulam in Theni district is also called Mango City due to its fair amount of mangoes produced.

Here's someone trying to nip from above

Mangoes do great business in this season of summer, but these days artificially ripen of mangoes are into sale and people has to be cautious while purchasing fruits. In cities it’s becoming rare to see mango trees and no one seems interested to stone out mangoes from the trees like what we used to do in childhood and everyone knows in Tamil Nadu that a stolen mango has high deliciousness than what bought for money. Nature is so gifted with mango trees with ever delicious pulp within a soft skin. A fruit-bearing tree is always an attraction for birds and squirrels, the very first species to taste the essence of the season and I’m glad to live opposite a mango tree, grown within the compound of a neighbour to get me chance to see and hear birds feast on hanging mangoes. 

I see/hear Mynas, Green Parakeets and Asian Koels screeching in the mornings and evenings hiding from the thick foliage of mango tree and sometime I see green parakeet acrobat in peck eating the fresh pulp. Parakeet is a regular sighting in the neighbourhood but mostly they quick screech across the sky and only in summer they stay sometime hunting on the hanging mangoes. Glad I moved to our house to see it happening closer, after moving out of our apartment house where I would see many birds forage on open vegetation. Last week I decided to capture the show that I missed to capture sometime due to laziness or unreachable with camera to focus on the Parakeet. Being a green parakeet it often hid in the greenery of the tree makes it difficult to focus or finding its presence.

Parakeet neatly bit off the pulp, leaving away the seed.

A detour around Ooty

Trees rise and fall in nature's lap

During my visit to Nilgiris in 2017, I took a detour around the Ooty town, what I usually do or look forward to whatever places I visit, we took the road adjoin The Lawrence School following our stop at the lovely Lovedale Mountain Railway Station, and it was a casual turn toward this road while looked for a place to have lunch that we took along when we moved out of our homestay. The road led through calm and natural presence of woods and shrubs; amid where we found this Indian Gaur (aka Indian Bison) munching quietly some ten feet above our parked car and herd of sheep grazing alongside the road winding through some fresh patches of green or meadows. I really enjoyed taking this route even though the road isn’t good in shape it has some nice country sights where vegetables are cultivated and colourful houses built on hill slopes. Coming across these found the Mountain Railway track winding along the road and it was really surprise for me as I have seen this place and wished to visit when I read an article related to it on the Hindu Metro Plus, very long back, plus it has come in movies esp. the popular Tamil film Vaali.

I loved seeing the arched railway bridge at a turn of the road, which was picturesque but unfortunately it started to rain when nearing the bridge so I couldn’t get clear shots and also the iron fence along the way interrupted the view. There was lot of tiny wildflowers alongside the road and this stretch was really refreshing, breathing through the fresh mountain air and essense of soil and different form the usual views on Ooty. Following were some photos from the drive

Some sheep grazing on the roadsides

A cute one grazing alone

View on some colorful houses and residents made life thought mountains, grazing sheep and cultivating vegetables and tea. Being a part of Ooty perhaps their lives depend on tourism activities. 

A cemetery locating very close to the residences you seen a pic above

Something interesting caught our eyes, as we could see it was some kind of cultivation which resemble some arrangement of stones. There was none around there to enquire about the thing and it wasn't nearby to look closer

Saw this beautiful house on the way made through salubrious environment of green fields, tea garden and fresh mountain breeze.

A pleasant countryside view  

The winding mountain railway track along the road (between Lovedale - Fern Hill) and I wished there was a streamer passing by as we drive through.

Here comes  the pretty arch bridge or underpass of the Nilgiri Mountain Railways... where the popular tamil song Oh Sona (from Vaali) was shot.

Rising Fitness, Health and Fitness Studio – Bro’s Gym Inauguration

My brother has opened a new gym/fitness center in the neighborhood, Neelankarai, ECR, Chennai, and on Wednesday there was its inauguration function held in the presence of friends and family. He already administers a fitness center in the name of same (Rising Fitness) in partnership with friends and now he has executed his independent business named under title ‘Health and Fitness Studio’. He has worked hard last two months to create a theme based interior and it has come out exceptionally good and impressive by sight at first.  The gym is executed in a rental property and is located in the second floor of a building measuring 4500 sqft and he has taken loans to implement this fitness branch. Most of the gym equipment were imported but purchased through a company in Chandigarh that transported things through container truck.

Ribbon cutting

Mom lighting the lamp

Unlike the inauguration of their main fitness center in Madipakkam in 2014, any chief guest was invited and we had no ideas who will make over the show. We had arranged for breakfast for the invited guests and we reached the venue before anyone arrives, except gym staffs, and i took around the gym that was partially rubber floor and equipment were placed neatly with enough space from one another. A row of treadmills and exercise bikes are showcased across the glass panes facing the ECR main road and there’s a separate section for crossfit activities. I thought there isn’t a ribbon cutting event as time outstretched the defined period and most of the guest arrived and took their breakfast in areca plates (that came along the ordered food), my brother’s friend took me to the entrance saying that they’re going to cut ribbon.

But until I come out of the gym I had any idea that I’m going to cut the ribbon, along with my dad! Anyone other than my brother know this until the moment and it was quite unexpected and surprise move by my brother and this really showed his intend and care for me what put me on happy mood. Following this the elders and well-wishers lit the lamp (kuthu vilakku) that was placed in center of the front office and later all moved to the cross fit area for cake cutting. The crossfit area gives a studio/theater feel in the black/white theme and chairs where places there and cake was brought in center. I thought of sliding away to the side of the table placed with cake but my brother called me to come in front and in middle of the table made me realize his another  surprise move. The table was short for me, so he supported me from back to let me lean forward and mom holding my hand cut off the cake as people clapped in as signalling for the very success of the gym. Cutting off things could be side but I believe the real happiness is in its success and make revenues. Hope you all sent your wishes for the grand success of the gym.

Some interior shots 

New Purchase: iBall Compbook Excelance OHD

Lately I was looking for a compact laptop or netbook after I come across a smart one during a visit to doctor’s clinic and it was a MacBook for sure (which I'm certain apparently doesn’t need to define, as all apple products are smarter) and the way he dealt with it impressed me and produced a desire to buy one. I know I could not go near the MacBook that totally out of my budget and while come down the options were limited but still some renowned brands priced high the netbooks with specifications same as some local and unknown brands.  I did read many a reviews and comparisons on netbooks around 11 inches, anytime I felt and once get to know the Amazon Summer Offer is ahead, I took it seriously and settled at last for the Indian brand iBall – Compbook Excelance OHD – a Full HD netbook at around ₹9000 ($130) + 10% instant discount. 

I bought a chocolate colour compbook at a weight of about 1 kg and being a prime member of Amazon, compbook was delivered within 24 hrs of booking.  I was excited to power on the compbook (after 3 hrs of charging) and the first thing that stroked me was the spectacular color/contrast of the screen that turned the viewing stunning, enriched and refreshing sight! Thanks to IPS panel to turn things magical on screen and the 32GB emmc storage is left by 20 GB of free space and the 2 GB ram is unexpectedly quick for a leisurely operator alike me.  The multi-touch touchpad is super sensitive to my worn out fingers which lost track the gestures in the long run with my former laptop – what is still good and the compbook is only an alternate that I planned to use for  browsing, social networking and MS word.  Photoshop is strictly no on compbook so my laptop (Dell Inspiron) is the only choice for photo editing and storing data.  

The letter keys on compbook is bigger than the laptop to type but the location of shift, backspace and arrow keys are placed uncomfortable or I need to practice lot to make it usable.  The most impressive of the compbook was the battery that could run 8 hrs without charging, which means the netbook could last more than 2 days for my kind of use. The compbook comes with micro SD slot to expand storage up to 128 GB and also has option of adding internal HDD/SSD up to 1TB. I decided to do anything right now or until the system face trouble with speed or storage. It looks overall a good deal and could only wait and watch how worth the purchase was.  

Simple Mountains and Skies

Shots from a detour, last year, around Arcot and Vellore. The mountainous terrain is a simple pleasure riding through the winters. 

The weather had turned lil better after few days of high temperature, though it doesn't turned cooler, the sea breeze that venture the hot land breeze around afternoon makes feel better. The cyclone that had stroke Odisha and West Bengal created a havoc and unimaginable destruction to lives and livelihood and natural front trees. Hope things turn better quicker for people out their suffering from the heavy storm that blasted at about 200 km/h. 

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

End of Cool Breeze and Diverted Storm

The summer breeze has took backseat to zero ending up a weather that wasn’t complaint despite the bright sunlight, today turned out to be the hottest day of the year so far. There isn’t a motion of wind outside the house unlike few days ago where I enjoyed the cool breeze even at the midday to noon, things turned different overnight which perhaps due to the pulling up of wind by the cyclone formed far away from the bay. Body soaks in sweat unless sitting under the fan or blowing air con. The sky was mildly cloudy allowing light sunshine but muggy weather turned it worse with lack of blowing wind there’s unknown pressure in the atmosphere forcing us down. Being the last day of the month, April, it become an unfavourable despite being a month of nothing much to complaint comparing previous years (where the hot weather emerge even in March itself) at least coming to the part of my city at the state level.  

The weathermen read a report last week, sending pretty cool waves whispering happiness into the ears by forecasting a cyclone to form on the Indian Ocean and drives toward Chennai and its surrounding and I also mildly heard of red alert dispatched from weather dept. that we all looked forward keeping away the thoughts of destruction that a cyclone could create, it was the rainclouds that we desired to see showering, wetting and quenching thirst of our mother earth to nurture her children alike. But it was disappointing when cyclone took diversion from the path predicted, although from the experience in past the cyclone didn’t fascinate me as I too felt it was early to predict,  it was the rain we miss a lot since the failure of northeast monsoon that our water source is largely depend. All the reservoirs that supply water to the city (with more than 10 million people) has went drought and the only source remains now was the seawater desalination and bore wells. The weather is predicted to be terrific hot in coming days and weeks following the draw of moisture wind and land breeze to gain power. Stay safe Chennaities 

Walk Down Dog

There’s a huge dog in the neighbourhood and every day it used to walk down our street by it’s caretaker. At the size of a tiger it put forth a majestic walk yet quiet, patient and gently at pace, even when the dogs in our house and on the street barks (up going dry throat) it didn’t bit distract from its state than humbly walk beside its caretaker. Other day my cousin told me the name of the dog’s breed which I couldn’t recollect now and it’s obviously a foreign breed and should belong to some rich person. As I write this post the dog walk past my house with the surrounding noise of barking dogs. They see him daily but I think they couldn’t accept his double the size of regular dogs and feel so foreign or strange. Dogs have great sense to find out the difference and this big one sense much for them to bark like hell. 

The dog has pretty fur and brown in color has white at the tail and on all four legs apart some white around the nose and black ears. 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Terror

A church damaged in bomb blast in Sri lanka

The terror stroke the churches and hotels in our neighbour country, Sri Lanka, on the Easter Sunday is a great tragedy to never take on an easy note. It’s not that far what has happened in the island country that’s mere 35 km from India bordered with sea looks anything is possible. Peace is something the country is slowly possessed after the inland war that ended a decade back and this terror strike is one of the worst the country faced with more than 350 innocent people killed. I know the Tamils in Island continue to suffer from post war crises and fighting for an equal right of living that the ruling governments refuse to reach out. Terror is something stroke beyond anything and we could not give any colors, race or credit to the violent behaviour of some which need to be suppress and repress without fail. Terror has become an overseas problem and almost every country face the disgust and with open hands we couldn’t do anything rather strengthen our security and intelligence. Terror isn’t an easy thing to erase from the society and we couldn’t get clue in which form it will harm people and we could only wish it never happen anywhere again. My thoughts goes to the people who suffered lose and wounded badly to the bomb blasts.

RGB Monday

Colorful hill residence 

I enjoyed zooming on the houses on Elk Hill in Ooty when I stayed opposite to the hill during my travel. As you have seen the wide views on the hill and houses in a previous post here, this is a part of the scene and close looks at some houses more in shades of red, green, blue.

Parliament Election and My Choice of Vote

Our state is polled for the 17th parliamentary election – that’s happening at many phases across the country – and today I exercised my franchise by casting my vote to torch symbol that represents the Makkal Neethi Maiyam (People Justice Center) headed by actor Kamal Haasan but I wasn’t intend to poll for the party and I doubt will I voted MNM if the candidate wasn’t R. Rangarajan IAS. I read his profile, ideology presented as manifesto and the clear state of mind on political scenario and expressing the intentions to implement on the constitution and overall a coolly personality to enrich his duty. The voluntarily retired, as sub-collector and officer on duty, joined MNM party to serve people directly after inspired by Kamal’s political ideology and he’s an important pillar in designing the party manifesto.

I never voted just considering a party alone. For me, first it was the candidate and I believe only if we select the right person better things could happen because he’s going to be the connector between the govt. and people and if it’s going to be a problem how we could receive good signals.  Candidates are the basement of a strong parliament or legislative and anyone defective could bring deceive to people. Though I don’t say who I voted were the best but I tried to choose who’s better through my perception rather opt for party politics. I believe in the saying ‘politics isn’t corrupt but the politicians’, so here I want to choose a right representative to talk to their leadership in achieving the goals for the constituency. I initially thought of voting the opposite party candidate but changed my decision, though she had a good profile she sounded like a party depended.

At the end of the poll Tamil Nadu (our state) recorded 70% of voting and to my disappointment my constituency (Chennai South) becomes the 2^nd least record percentage with 58% following 57 % in Centre Chennai.  I see this as a democratic assassination because Chennai South is where the most educated live and economically leading. The Chennai IT corridor comes under this constituency and well established education institutions, and posh and upper middle families lives lot there alongside dense labour communities but still this less percentage gives a shame on people. When other constituencies recorded above 70% with most rural aspect, these city dwellers (who benefits lot) failed to be socially responsible and democratically right.

RGB Monday

Colorful reflection

My window reflection on the light decoration of lord Murugar from last month’s temple festival at the backstreet. And for more colors go here for the entire post on the colorful festival.