Kolam Critters

Kolam is a south Indian tradition and Tamils made it an everyday custom to draw patterns in front of the houses and Margazhi is a Tamil month (between Dec-Jan) where Kolam takes special attention and ends with Pongal, the harvesting and thanksgiving festival of Tamil. Pongal Kolam is popular during this time and many put great efforts to make it look wonderful and colourful including drawing something relevant to the festival. Today marks the first day of the Pongal, called Bogi Pongal, and it’s a favourite festival among kids till late 90s where people light fire in front of the house and kids sit around and enjoy beating little skin drums, heating up from the fire.

Usually it’s the worn-out things (from home) that put into fire, like rush mats, winnows and broomsticks the most. It’s a festival adapts nature way of celebration and what we fire is all natural elements, that carries less evil to nature. But it wasn’t same in later years, when people started to fire anything from plastic to tyres it becomes a cause for concern. Apart that, Pongal is an auspicious festival that bring hope to life and being a harvesting festival, nothing could bring hope and cheer to life when farming is the base of food and we couldn’t stop thanking the farmers and natural sources that help us living, healthily.

Coming to Kolam, I always admire the art made on the floor and apart my mom, aunt and grandma also make lovely designs and the critters (cat and peacock) here was drawn by grandma. Though these are simple ones it bears a cuteness I loved. Every year mom draw one or two colour Kolams for Pongal and I have no idea what she planned to draw this year and I would post that after the festival. I wish people a Happy Pongal!  

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

On New Year Occasion

A year has end and begin peacefully with great joy spread across, though nothing turned significantly different, a refreshing feel enters the vein as we accelerate into a new year, wishes and hopes bring new cheers into the life. The New Year eve was spent as usual in front of television; apart checking my cousins in next-street to greet on the occasion and receiving calls from other dear ones as we were awake till 1 am. News channels were live from different places on the sprite of New Year, and the beaches in neighbourhood (Marina and Elliot) was thronged by people and being a resident of Adyar, we could clearly hear the resound of rushing vehicles, blasting fireworks and aloud greetings   of New Year.

The colourful peacock Kolam in the picture above was drawn by my aunt in front of their house (and also our native home in next-street) which I shot at the New Year night. Due to very low light I couldn’t get clearer picture and I also used flash which went over exposed I feel. My mom also drew Kolam in front of our house but it was a simple one and uncoloured. For those unknown, Kolam is a pattern drawn in front of the houses, a traditional custom followed by the people of India and Kolam is a cultural identity of Tamil people and drawing colorful Kolam in front of the home is considered as auspicious and a sign of welcome during the festival seasons and events.

On January 1^st I went for a short ride on ECR (east coast road) and checked the Kovalam beach in evening. ECR being a scenic stretch of entertainment, there was heavy traffic on the road because of New Year and all entertainment hubs were crowded includes the toll gate with longstanding queues.  While parked at the beach, I find the sky beautiful and took some photos using the iPhone and I tried panorama and was really amazed by the light and colors of the sky. The setting of sunlight caused a great effect on the image, to only find a glowing sun as we moved out of the beach area and it continued for some time on the ECR before we took turn to The Great Salt Lake area, off the ECR.

It was such wonderful to see sun setting on the west and moon rising on east at same time. Being a full moon day, the moon was also at its full glory just like the reddish sun. Though I was taking photos on iPhone, I couldn’t get great details on both and the mild hazy winter weather took control even though the twilight sky was interesting watch throughout. Hope you enjoy the photos above and below on full moon.

Home Décor

Christmas is here and I wish you all Merry Christmas and advance Happy New Year. I generally like festivals and the happiness it provides. Decorating a Christmas tree is always fun and for last few years I started to put led lights to keep up the festival spirit and star to bight up the night. It’s my mom decorated the tree really but I enjoyed watching and telling her what to hang where. Here I share few photos from my simple home décor. Hope you all enjoy the holidays. Cheers! 

Collage on lighting and start

 

Mom's simple kolam

Gonna miss you, Achu!

Just a year back Achu’s family shifted to the house behind us (as we reside in row house) and within a couple of months we become familiar and friends later. Though Achu become my best friend, I really wonder how I miss writing or sharing photos (except on Instagram) of him here, but I think we become too close to write something specific about him and he was there even at times unexpected. He’s very special to me in many ways and he’s someone always knock at the door with pristine love and he becomes so attached to me only lately but now he’s supposed to move on L

Achu’s father was transferred to Bangalore and he will be leaving us in a week or some time. For about a year I have been watching him (and now he’s 2 ½ age), he’s been growing though best parenting I could say for sure. He’s very quiet and approach things at easy and patience. I really amaze at his attitude even at this little age, which is indeed comes from his parents who has been friendly and down to earth. He never took anything from others and even as friends he refuses to take anything from us unless showing it to his mom and we never discouraged him on this front.

His parent’s trust us, as well as Achu agree to be carried away only by mom. He developed an attachment very soon with mom and even our puppy Maya become familiar with his sounds and smell; almost maintain silence whenever he enters our home freely.  We even unlock the little gate when Maya is tied so that he don’t find difficult in opening and  he is fearless coming close to Maya and she’s also forceless. Achu is a great observer and watches things patiently and try to apply it through his innocent pace. Even my relative’s kids who has the rights to call me mama (uncle) doesn’t calling or visiting me but each time he utter the word,  with sheer innocent, I quite feel connected and content. I actually feel Achu’s approach fills the crave for a kid at home and we treat him as our own kid and he keeps calling mom (as grandma) and take her to his house and ask to sit-down.

The entire scene used to be sweet and his parents watch his attitude with admiration, and if my wheelchair ramp is laid at the doorstep he call me to come down to play with him. He likes seeing me coming up/down the ramp (and he calls this swwing, the sound of sliding) and then he used to bring his cycle and try the same. He note how I put into the wheelchair and how footrest and board is placed and try to do same. He likes bison (Indian guar) which he had seen during his trip to Valparai and he wants me to show bison on laptop and leaning on me he keeps asking for other animals and birds. The way he takes rights on me truly make me feel happy and thinking now, that he will be away soon I would really miss him, as well as my family.

On  his  little bike

His innocent giggle, smile and cry for silly things make me watch light-hearted. And something very sweet about his cry was he sound like a newly born.  Absolutely he’s a gifted child and I am really glad to share his giftedness though their stay as next door resident. Like I said above, Achu’s parents are very friendly and used to share their happiness and grief with us and only because of their pressure (to the landlords) a ramp was built in front of the house to prevent water entering the house. It was an unexpected move even for them and they too feel unhappy for gonna be parted. I know nothing is stable in this world; and this move too will have something better for both. Let’s hope. 

Achu's  sketching around mom's kolam

My Pongal celebration 2017

I know it’s late by two weeks to post on Pongal, the harvesting festival of Tamils, but it’s better late than never. I think you all know about the youth revolution that took centre stage following the Pongal and though it wasn’t an easier task for people to come forward to protest for their rights and protection of bulls, the entire week was like an extension of Pongal with the voices of slogans indirectly, alongside supporting the traditional sports, emphasis the wealth of bulls and farmers. We couldn’t think of Pongal keeping away the farmer and it was farmers festival overall but we have the reason to celebrate as they are our life savers, producing food for us. Pongal festival brings happiness for farmers and Jallikattu is a part of the celebration and we got back the traditional sport in right manner.

Coming to the post, this year’s Pongal was different for me and was able to feel the mood more than latter years. Though we celebrated Pongal in the traditional way, where we lit firewood’s on the outside of the home and made Pongal (boiling of rice and milk) in the mud pot, the Pongal event conducted in our street by the backstreet boys was really uplifting. They created a friends group in name of APJ Abdul Kalam and conducted Kolam contest, running race for different age groups and couple of fun sports.  The event was started from the eve of Pongal and the Kolam contest happened at the night itself but they came to capture our Kolam (along with the others) only in the morning and we unknown who’s the winner. The boys and girls participated in the races and won gifts from the organisers and what really impressed was all showed up in traditional dresses.

But what keeps me bothering was how I missed capturing the event or at least the kids running around. The songs played in the speakers and people talking over the mike let the festival feel in the air. I put some special programs and movies on record (thanks to DTH) and moved out of the home to enjoy the festival and while things happening around; mom prepared the Pongal in the mud pot on the firewood’s and before it overflows I was with camera to capture the moment and once the rice boiled the whitest foam forms and milk is poured to restrain its flow. But it was me asked her to wait to let it overflow, though I don’t believe such thing will change things for better but this custom of overflowing keeps me going. Lol

The pot Kolam in my previous post was drawn by mom along with the above one but the coloring job for the couple of pots were given to our next door neighbour and she did it pretty colourful. We stayed awake till midnight for them to finish the Kolams, amid the troublesome mosquitoes and my cute lil friend Achu was also wakeful to give company and it was fun to be along with him. The sweet Pongal boiled in the pot was later offered to the Sun, the foremost source of energy to the entire living on earth and helps in high yield, which is a form of thanksgiving to nature and farmers who transforms the resource into edible. On Mattu Pongal, the third day of Pongal, I went for an outing on ECR and visited my great grandma’s village. I will write on it later. Follows few shots from the offering: 

The offer to energetic sun

My favorite  "ven pongal and vada"

RGB Monday

Colourful Pongal Kolam by mom and aunt

As you all Kolam is a part of our custom and it is drawn in front of the houses to create an auspicious environment. During the Pongal festival it takes a special attention and most of houses (that follow the custom) draw beautiful patterns on their doorstep and drawing pot Kolam enhance the mood of festival. Here I share couple of Pongal Kolams, and the above one was mom’s contribution and it was drawn at our home front and aunt’s (below) was on theirs in the next street. On the evening of Pongal I come around our streets to capture some colourful kolams and I would share them in future post. 

Here’s RGB Monday to keep away your Monday Blues and make feel colourful and yet cheerful! And this Link-in feature invites your colourful photos with the content of RGB – Red, Green, and Blue. Please add your link-in at the comment section (along with your comment)and it will be mentioned at the bottom of the post.

1. Devilish Angel

RGB Monday

Being Margazhi, the Tamil month of winter, I couldn’t think any other than the Kolam (a fascinating art that continue to attract people from all walk) to be apt to post under the meme, that capture the essence of colors. Margazhi is considered an auspicious month in Tamil and many religious activities take place during this time and drawing Kolam, a pattern or design that adorn the gateway, gets special attention.

Kolam is a custom followed by every house of Hindus and it’s a daily activity for many, including ours. But during Margazhi the Kolam gets a new least of joy where colors are added to the drawing and everyone try new patterns and brings out their artistic skill through the Kolam. Kolam always been my favourite thing and I enjoy watching different patterns and encourage mom to try new ones and I have also helped her getting patterns from internet. For me, Kolam is apart any belief and its way of exhibiting art and beauty. 

Here’s RGB Monday to keep away your Monday Blues and make feel colourful and yet cheerful! And this Link-in feature invites your colourful photos with the content of RGB – Red, Green, and Blue. Please add your link-in at the comment section (along with your comment)and it will be mentioned at the bottom of the post.

1. Devilish Angel 

RGB Monday (exception)

A simple yet colorful Kolam

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

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

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

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

1. Devilish Angel    2. Ramya Rajesh

RGB Monday

Mom’s colorful Pongal Kolam (included red, green and blue) drawn for the harvesting festival – Pongal! Kolam or Rangoli is a pattern drawn (in different forms) in front of the houses, which is a traditional custom followed by the people of India esp. the Kolam is a cultural identity of Tamil people and drawing colorful Kolam in front of the home is considered as auspicious and a sign of welcome during the festival seasons and events. 

Gates on Pvt. Beach lanes off ECR

Last Sunday I went for a brief drive on ECR (east coast road), with one of my visiting cousin and the other who drive me always, and as a part of ride, I come across few by-lanes (between VGP and ECR Link Rd) that led to private beaches. I like visiting these lanes from very long back, and I enjoy the quietness and isolation provided by these lanes, all lead to deserted beaches.  Couple of times, during the days I used caliper shoe, I went there to practice some walk in the empty roads and have taken trails in my power wheelchair when it was newly bought.

It’s been long time I checked these lanes and beaches, so decided to do it in the afternoon of Sunday. As we turned into one of the lane, I was left in awe to see the road that were once pretty, was almost damaged (due to work on underground drainage) and looked uneven to drive. But I enjoyed doing off-road on the cut across road in our mini cooper (Suzuki Swift) and spent some time on the end of sandy beach. I find at least a couple of eatery, ice-cream vendor and a balloon shooting at the end of few lanes that open to beach.

While come back from one of the lanes, I suddenly got an idea why not capture some of the gates on the lane to use at the good fences meme. There are many farm houses and private guesthouses on these lanes, and each enclosed with a pretty/neat/variant gate for each of the entrance. I captured about 10 gates, but all from the slowly moving car as I hesitate to halt in front of each gate and to be not warned by the watchmen or captured by the CCTV! So only half the photos came out decently to share here: 

A planked gate gives a look of modern  

Gate in style of picket 

Gate to an open plot

A sliding gate... adorn by a beautiful kolam/rangoli

Linking this post for Run a Round Ranch's Good Fences

Our Pongal

The last we celebrated Pongal in our traditional way i.e. cooking in firewood stove, was five years back, on the terrace of our native home in Adyar. Surrounded by close family members, we settled for a firewood stove, enclosed in bricks, and placing a new mud pot atop and calling Pongalo Pongal as the Pongal (boiled rice/milk) overflows the pot, it was quite delight as we ever so directly celebrated the festival under sunlight. Pongal is a festival celebrated esp. to thanksgiving the sun for it’s entice source of energy and other natural elements for helping farmers in good harvesting. Not only farmers, Pongal is believed to bring auspicious to everyone, the way Pongal boils over the pot.

Mom's Pongal Kolam, - in front of the gateway

Shifted to an individual house in 2013, I planned to celebrate the festival in more traditional flavor, bringing my dear ones into another cheerful enclosure of firewood, mud pot and sugarcanes. But nothing worked out and I couldn't make anything as I wished, as I myself suffered with the fracture in my femur. This year, still living in an individual house with enough space to make firewood stove, we went ahead to celebrate the festival, in our personal interest, as it was not possible to recreate a then moment.  I think personally, Pongal is a social festival and it should be celebrated by all together. Not only Pongal, but I think every festival is celebrated to bring togetherness and sharing.

Follows our Pongal Pot: 

 

 

New Year Eve

The New Year begins for me with mild disappointment, even before the former end, as I anticipated my cousins to join me on the eve to welcome another brand new year. Though it isn’t a matter really to discus or argues or anything new to complain, as I have been through this many times but I wished they were beside me, like they nod for my midnight cake-cutting plan, despite whatever keeps them away.  It was for the birth of 2013 that we all gathered at our home and celebrated the night in a similar way. Thus I wished to recreate the moment. But at least there was enough greetings shared through phone calls during the wake up of the course to another 365 days.

New year collage (thanks fotor.com)

Excitement is something always exits when beginning a thing or so in anticipation and for the New Year the excitement is something special and always stimulates a mindset to celebrate or at least share the joy though greeting each other for a healthy, wealthy and peaceful journey ahead. I know nothing is going to change big whether we gather or not for the eve, at least it creates an opportunity to share a bit and lean warm greetings through the winter cold night. The night was noisy like ever, while many pedestrians on foot following their faith, bikes and cars sped ferociously creating a bang to head out at risk.

I was at home leafing through the final stage of the book I intend to finish before the yearend as I took vows to read more books in the coming years, I find reading books comforting and inspiring to see life ahead. I also decided to watch enough movies (except Tamil) this year, since my list has been growing with the collection of movie titles from overseas, I want to watch at least a movie per week whether I write a review or not. Coming to the New Year eve, we had a small cake cutting witnessed by my only parents (since bro went asleep already) and cousins couldn’t make up, we spent an hour next catching with dear ones either calling or receiving at phone. Mom used the time to complete her New Year Kolam, she suppose to drew in morning, added colors under our sight as it is untimed to leave her alone to do so at gateway. The New Year day was spent almost in front of the TV, watching movies I haven’t. 

Maa Kolam – a cultural identity of Tamil!

Maa Kolam is one of a cultural identity of Tamil people and drawing a beautiful as well colorful designs at the doorstep during festival seasons, will fascinate everyone with a smiling face: there’s a flat mate in our apartment who pass comments usually encouraging us when we do something traditionally and seeing our pot kolam on Pongal, he says that it remind his hometown. Doesn't it make sense and smile knowing it felt someone nostalgic? Whether it is in India or abroad, Kolam stays as a stable distinct feature of Tamils; with various forms wherever they are settled. Kolam becomes a reflection of individual skill of Tamils and basic faiths of goddess those believe in such. And even we don’t have big thought about kolam that unites the diverse features of life, exposes the artistic talent of homemakers.

There isn’t a specific period when the practice of Kolam took shape, but a traditional kolam is drawn on rice flour and its posture has changed on various stages from plain white to colorful state now. Next to rice flour, the Kolam is drew on a powder grind from a specific white stone and later the colors or flowers are added to enhance the beauty during the festival season. The specific of drawing kolam is believed to bring auspicious to home and by doing so we also keep our house and streets clean and doorstep looks artistry. The kolam is based on a calculation of dots, which has various methods like straight and cross dot, lines and flower patterns become a support in life esp. for women in solving many loopholes in family. So it seemed as an essential for women practicing kolem which helps in developing their mindset and optimizes their existing talents and noble cause.  

Kolams are drawn on various states of India and variety in styles. For example: the Athipoo Kolam of Kerala and Rangoli drawn in north Indian states are equally noted for the kolam drawn in Tamil Nadu.  Besides Alpana of West Bengal, Sanji of Uttar Pradesh and Rangavalli Muggu in Andhra Pradesh. Athipoo Kolams were drawn with flour first and later decorated with flowers which mostly used are marigold, oleander and chicken crest flowers. Rangoli is a colorful kolam, drawn using salt to increase the color saturation and prevent spreading of colors in wind and moreover the salt is comprised as pride of wealth.

Not only during festivals, Kolam drawn as a daily activity of Tamil Nadu: we are one of the countless houses that drew Kolam everyday at the doorstep and during the Tamil month of Margazhi a special attention is given to Kolam. At this time of month, conducting kolam festivals are specific in Tamil Nadu and unlike many other festivals celebrated during this month, a festival for Kolam is only held at here. In Margazhi everyone used to draw a big kolam in front of their homes and using this, people in their area or street create a team and conduct contests and gifts are presented to those well drawn. And it does not only stop there, but by this way people are motivated to disclose their talents and encouraged for an enthusiastic challenge.

Another reason to draw kolam with rice flour was because it giving life to the tiny species on surface, esp. ants use the softly grind-ed flour as their favorite food to survive. During the festival of Pongal that begins with the Tamil month of Thai, is a wonderful time to sight very colorful kolams indicating the rice boiling over the pot, sugarcane and turmeric images taking place besides the kolam. And the Pongal pot is kept to boil over at the header part of the kolam, before worshiping the sun. The same follows with the Mattu Pongal (bull pongal), where kolams are drawn with images of bulls, calves and bells and drawing kolam during the period of Pongal is a fascinating thing as well showcases the pride and happiness of family. And writing pongalo pongal in between the kolam conveys the wishes to everyone passes through the street and certainly kolam has become a lasting part of the beautiful Tamil culture.

(The photos on the pongal kolam where drawn by my mother, during the occasion.)

பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துகள் / Pongal Wishes

Pic by Jeevan (mom's kolam)

தை திங்கள்  திருநாள் 

தொன்மை வாய்ந்த  தமிழர் திருநாள்
கால்நடைகள் தொட்டு  
வேர்வை சொட்ட
உழைக்கும் உழவர் திருநாள் 

மழையின்றி வெயிலின்றி 

அயராமல் உழைத்து 

உலகுக்கே உணவளிக்கும் உழவாளி 

வானுக்கும் பூமிக்கும் 

இடைப்பட்ட வாழ்வை இணைக்கும் விவசாயி. 

வாழும்  வள்ளல்களாகிய 

நம் விவசாயிகளை வாழ்த்தி

போற்றி பாதுகாதிட உருதிஎடுதிடுவோம் .

Thai moon festival
the ancient Tamil festival
touching livestock’s
and dropping of sweaters
working farmer’s festival.

Unexpected to rain and sun
working tirelessly
the farmer, feeds the world
connecting the co-existence
between earth and sky.

To the living philanthropist
farmers, let wish and take vow
to praise and protect their deeds.

Footnote:

Pongal, is a harvesting festival of Tamil people, festival of farmers, who feed food for the entire world. It’s a way of thanksgiving natural elements, cattle’s that assist the farmers for good harvest. Pongal is celebrated as four day festival in Tamil Nadu, with the beginning of the Tamil month Thai (Jan 14 or sometime 15) which believed to bring flourish, prosper and hope into life.

As per Tamil proverb ‘Thai Piranthal Vazhi Pirakkum’, which means the birth of Thai will show signs of new path in life. Pongal also marks the cultural identity of Tamil and a route of thanksgiving nature in their unique way of boiling rice – which is the meaning of Pongal; and worshiping cattle’s and sun and rain for their basic sustain throughout the cultivation.

This year the nature wasn't favorable for farmers, as well farming faced a severe setback with lack of rain and prevention of opening Kaveri water from neighboring state, all leads to destruction of crops.I hope and wish nature provides plenty of good deeds to farmers, flourishing ever like before and farmer’s golden paddy grains gain more scope than gold in trade market. So wish you all a very Happy Pongal. இனிய பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துகள்.

December – The fascinating month

The December derives many a things to cherish; esp. the December cold is the favorable time of the year, where the Chennai infamous for its hot weather experience a sensation of cold, the dew dawn is remarkable throughout this month and beyond. During this time, the mind craves to wake up early to experience the free of cost air condition from the worldwide winter season and to be in Chennai or any other place this month cheers the warmth inside blanket, where we never want to get out of it ;)

I wish to travel a lot during this month and the dew dawn is never refreshing like anything esp. for me and if there’s a choice I will choose this month to explore places on surface and even breathing the tremble cold of hill stations. There are few travels I took during this month are most fascinating in my rides and my first time to Valparai in Dec 2008, near Kovai or Coimbatore is rejuvenating even thinking now and almost riding around the pristine mountains and stunning country sides of Pollachi and Erode is evergreen.

One pleasant evening of December, near Kanyakumari 

Last year on the same month, I was around the southern tip of India –Kanyakumari, enjoying the simple stay and travel among the wind energies and roaring rock waves with settings of sun and nip in the air were appreciably. On our way back, climbing the Sirumalai (Small Hill – which isn’t very small like the name refers) on the Natham-Dindigul main road is fascinated by its quite tranquility and rich in small banana plantation, the cold wind will enforce you to hold embrace even there was bright flash of sunlight and the couple of villages or colonies as they mention there inhabited to horseback packed products grows around the hills.

The December has something distinct feature as fragrance, stretching both the wings of hot and cold and the real odor of it could be experienced only in villages, while they produce smokes in evening to warmth as well driving away the mosquitoes that breed mostly in this month or season, after rain. The cow dung smell was something enrich during this time, where most of the houses are swish swashed to cow dung sprayed on the courtyard before drawing a beautiful Rangoli or Kolam (a design created by using flour) to flourish their homes, which is a tradition followed esp. during the Tamil month of Margazhi – which begins at the middle of December.

The music and dance has been great conjoin to December, where many a concerts and dance festivals hold everywhere across Chennai, I have no idea about the vibes it creates, but hope it has something wonderful, only those passionate about could express right. Overall, the December has an enchanting climate unlike any other month or season; I too believe each season/month has its own essence to cherish; the December has a distinct sky with glorious setting of sun, which I well observed during my Kanyakumari visit.

Happy Onam

Photo on mom's colorful kolam

With colors of Onam,
life becomes a Pookolam
and delight of Orchids.

Wishing Happy and Colorful Onam to all! :)

Festivals and Celebration

Christmas is the initial of the festival seasons of winter followed by New Year, Pongal and yet to come Republic Day and it’s always pleasure celebrating a festival whichever way it was. Whatever the belief believed beyond any festival at its edge is happiness and it comes as a break from the busy scheduled life of everyone on behalf are suppose to take this chance to get-together with family and friends to rejoice the eve.

(Pongal kolam by mom)

I quite disappointed with the way holidays and festivals are celebrated today in front of televisions and no one is willing to go out by joining with others to make the merry joy into rejoice and it’s disturbing to see some seeking benefit for just being happy and make others feel alike. I feel that we are lost from the path of tradition that quite harvest the happiness and thanksgiving is something we all need to think about others who are behind us being a force to push ahead.

There was a time eagerly waiting for the festival greetings via post from our dear ones far away and what our technology has done today in communication is simplify to the least, but lost to touch the heart of everyone. The words have become shot and sweet but their relationships have become lack of savor and the significant of talk or text have come to least when there is plenty of ways to communicate.

(Nativity done by my grandmother)

There used to say that each individual is united as society but what’s happening these days are the individuals becoming more individual to think a lot about themselves alone and only the last though is given to society . We aren’t to blame anyone since the individual growth is rising to summit and standing on their foot doesn’t care much for others... and so the gap increased between relationships has created the distance to share the joy. Hope u all enjoyed the festival season!

(My Christmas tree)

The yearend, Thane

Hope it was a wonderful beginning for every one of you this year and it’s been two weeks since I posted something and I was almost away from online and because of cold and cousins visiting home and laptop problem I couldn’t get interest to post anything even got chances to do. The New Year eve went off peacefully and pleasantly at home through cutting cake at mid-night and tuning songs to share the joy and calling some dear ones on their asleep… parents did a visit to our street end Pillaiyar temple for the mid-night special worship, and it dawned for us between the crackers sound and kids screaming a lot at neighbor, wishing happy new year.

The news channels helped in understanding the joy across the country by reporting from every city’s hub about the ongoing celebration and this time we get to realize the new year eve was partially joy since it was the second day of the Thane cyclone that unturned the Puducherry and Cuddalore district to immense destruction. First time we get to see the terrific face of the cyclone and thanks to the media that reporting every aspect of the cyclone and its devastation from time to time and understanding its progress that sent almost trees to fall in this district which had been the major hub for cashew and jack fruit cultivation which is internationally renowned for these.

We can’t take it easily when people says that almost trees of cashew and jack fruit lost their places and it will take minimum 15 year to begin its next cultivation if the trees are replaced by plants now. I had been to both these places and know the wealth of the greenery and one can smell the fragrance of cashew nuts frying once across the Panruti in Cuddalore district and in decades this is the first time a strong storm windblown and make people feels that tsunami is better than cyclone that it only affects life that close to shore but cyclone strikes across the land and goes interior until it gets weak.

(mom's kolam)

The Thane also left it foot prints on Chennai’s shores creating transparent changes at the beach fronts; where waves pulled in and throwing away the sands makes it feel minimize in distance between sea and the shore. The night before cyclone crosses ashore, the wind was blowing very strong here like unlike before and we were kept checking news often the day and night on its progress. The cyclone also reminded the tsunami to too many as both the disasters happened at same period of the year-end; we all wish the New Year brings new hope to those affected by cyclone and restore back to normality soon. But the immense lose of trees is inconsolable… in the era of planting more trees to restore the environment this tragedy has increased the burden.

Kundrathur + Thiruneermalai

On the way back from Sembarambakkam Lake we checked the Kundrathur Murugan Temple which is located on a small hillock positioned between the Poonamallee and Pallavarm section of suburbs of Chennai. The temple is dedicated to Lord Murugan whom according to legend has stayed in this hill during his travel from Thiruporur to Truttanigai – one of his six homes generally known as Thiruthani).

The time we checked the temple, its sanctum has been closed and parents went around its corridor and I stayed back looking for pleasantness around the unclean environment. From the hillock we could see the far away lake and get to view the places around the hill. The small hill also has a road to temple top for peoples comfort and those who can’t climb the stairs.

What special about this temple they say was that Lord Murugan is seen along his both spouses Valli and Deivanai but one could not see him with both of them at same time viewing from side. Whether the temple is renowned for Lord Murugan or not, the hillock is popular for cinema shooting and many Tamil movies had been captured here, and thus what interested me to check this place for very long.

Built in the period of Chola dynasty by the King Kulothunga Chola-II, the Murugan in this temple is said to be north facing unlike other temples in Tamil Nadu.

Along the way back home we passed the Thiruneermalai which is few km from here is also a hillock temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and it also has a foot temple similar to hilltop. The time we come across the temple it was on its renovation process and the foot temple tower was paint in bright colors and was closed for public visiting.

The temple owns a tank on the other side of the road, which has four sides of road called Maadavethi has planted by coconut trees and people residents. It was the time of margazhi (winter month in Tamil calendar) and so every gateway of the resident was colored by kolam and tank being filled at least cause a wonderful sight with the shadows of inner mandabam (hall) and things around.

This hillock and temple tank too is on the list of cinema shooting and the tank had been on many scenes as background and one of ‘Koundamanis’ renowned coconut comedy comes under this shadow and the hill stairs were on fought between villain gangs and heros.