World Television Day

In a split second, pressing a button will transport us to a whole new milieu, time and a world; and another press of the button will bring us back right to our living rooms. This miraculous transporter is, of course, the television.

Today each and every home own a television and knowing more about the importance of information and entertainment the government has come forward to distribute free television sets and about what they give in means of politics or tricks, it helps people who are suppose to explore the world from there homes.

This is a free television set given by the Tamil Nadu Government

From the back and white to the late LCD and led, television enclose us into a world of entertainment and almost everyone watches television and learn something new everyday and keep in touch with current affairs about the world. The extension of televisions to rural and remote area excess there lives to new and modern civilization.

But where we’re heading isn’t healthy, because television excesses our duties many times and attracts our kids to face setback in health and education, and families to suffer with serials and youngsters to go crazy about cricket. There are some terms to enjoy television so that our lives can be set top box or DTH to exist clearly.

There’re times where only DD exists and watching the Friday movie on night is one nightmare we can’t forget watching in-between plenty ads. And super he-man samurai is one program I watch intend and almost never miss the jungle book on Sundays. Still I’m enjoying some programs in DD esp. news are quite impartial compare to satellite channels.

The UN General Assembly declared November 21st as World Television Day, to recognize the role played by television in decision making by drawing attention to threats to peace and security and social and economic issues. The first World Television Forum was held on November 21 and 22 in 1996 and UN invited all the member of states to mark the day by ‘encouraging global exchanges of television programs and focusing among other issues like peace, security, economic and social development and the enhancement of cultural exchange. Here we go on some facts about Television

John Logie Baird operated the first real television system in 1926.

The BBC began regular telecasts in 1930.
The first practical use of television was in Germany.

The first colour television was approved in 1950.

In 1956, Robert Adler invented the first practical remote control.

The Kennedy-Nixon debate was the first split-screen broadcast, in 1960.

The history of television in India begins with Doordarshan. On September 15, 1959, Doordarshan was set up as part of AIR (All India Radio). In 1976, DD became independent Color TV came into vogue with the 1982 Asian Games.

Up to the early 1990s, there were just two channels.

1991 saw the entry of foreign programmers, including Star TV and CNN.

In 1995, the Government of India passed the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act, making registration of cable operators must compulsorily transmit at least two Doordarshan channels.

More than 130 million homes in India have a television set, with at least 70 million receiving cable TV.

Doordarshan continues to head the channel list – the 50-year-old network reaches 44.9 per cent of Indians.

A visit to Sai Baba Temple

Last Thursday we went to Injambakkam Shirdi Sai Baba Temple and it’s been long time since I visited the temple and it was my parents wish to take me along with them. Few years back I used to visit Sai baba temple often and most of the time it was mylapore temple, but I like visiting this temple more because of its clam environment.

Many changes have happened inside the temple complex and couple of shrines has been grown and new pavements been laid and along the spacious car parking, the temple looks more beautiful now; and peacefully located on the east coast is chirping by birds and green yards.

Every time we come around this temple, without our knowledge the streaming theme rubs our minds and conveys peace and serenity. I have some memories that always struggle to remember the debris I go through this temple and when I think back I could imagine the hardship moments I gone through in faith then. I can walk about those days, and the main shrine is elevated by few steps and climbing on it is a task for me and dad to carry, staring the steps and image in mind revolves rather, parents come after circumambulating the shrines.

The idol made of marble is east facing the sea and a huge hall to aid devotees to settle down for prayers and a lawn that leads a path close to sea. As we near to the main shrine, two women welcomed us with warm smile and offered us tea and biscuits. One of there is so kind and facing her sense me she is perhaps in some distress and I come across her smile again and later leave home with a bye. That small gesture of smile stays with me all and I could remember her visage among few strangest I never met again, but this women’s face is so familiar.

I wished later whatever she might go through get dissolved and peace prevailed in there lives. There are many crows inside the temple complex and everywhere there mess. I heard various chirps but only could see crows everywhere. There’s a small nursery and I’m not sure but anyone can devote a plant to temple it seems.

I couldn’t take my camera along with me, so i can't share any pictures of the temple! But this temple is so peaceful and pleasant to capture.

Indian giant squirrel

When I was visiting valparai, I was seeking everywhere the rare species like lion tailed Macaque, Indian giant squirrel, Hornbill... but I could only listens to a hornbill’s sound one mid-night and it was a great perceive I received!

For me who was disappointed because of not seeing any wild animals lately, seeing an Indian giant squirrel, also called as Malabar giant squirrel was a relief and great surprise came from the late visit to kodaikanal. We’re surprise to see this giant squirrel sitting on a pear tree and tasting the fruit without fear, even we all staring and clicking pictures.

It was big with long tail and grasping the branch with the front limbs along holding the pear. In combination of black and brown, it moves here and there like mongoose and remained on the tree until we left the place. The picture was taken at berijam, in kodaikanal.

Though I Love Rain

We’re amid northeast monsoon and receiving enough rain throughout Tamil Nadu! Thanks to the low pressure that stretched along the coast of Tamil Nadu from kanyakumar to mid Andhra Pradesh, almost all dams in Tamil Nadu are filled and flood warnings have been proclaimed to dwellers along many river banks.

Two guys splashing rainwater in marina beach.

After longing and craving, the rainy season arrives two weeks ago and strikes everywhere and somewhere heavily. One of the most affected places in the state that u almost knows is Nilgiris. The beautiful hill station is now under threat and damage due to mudslide last week is slowly back to normal, but the continues rain makes people worry. At least 50 people have lost there lives in mudslide and wild flood.

After two days of sunshine and heat, the rain began to last widely in Chennai from yesterday, badly affected the normal life and many low areas and streets being under rainwater, people began to blame rain for there inconvenient. It really bothers me as I love rain and I would like to say this brief disturbance is to make comfort and fulfill our need for further many days under sunshine.

A snail and leech passes against each other at our apartment complex.

I know some people who wish to stop rain and I wonder how well they hate rain from drenching and disturbing them. I love to get wet in rain, but my parents never leave me to enjoy it. There are moments that never swept from my memories and one of it was playing in rain water that stays around the streets and terrace of our house. We used to close the rainwater pipe and create a pool on the terrace along with our sister and go and play on the water after rain stops.

When everyone’s rainwater pipe flows with water, ours would drain only later rain stops and they use to think something might block the pipe. But one day our grandpa found it and scolds us, but even though we continue to do so. It’s almost fun! There’re even times catching fish from drainage canal besides the road and we’re a team of 4 then – my bro and two friends, and can be found on streets often after rain stops.

Pursuing rain and dark clouds turning the moment happier and pleasure, thinking those moderate days I’m glad to rejoice in rain unlike today’s kids that almost sit in front of small screens and lack of interest and laziness, miss the wonderful joy of soak in rain. I can’t see any kid playing on rain these days and we can hear the sweetness only in verses alone.

i enjoy playing in rainwater

There is so much freshness in breeze and pleasure weather, the time passes simply watching rain and droplets on trees. Last week I had a brief drive into the rain and sense the cool drizzle on my face and hands which I dropped outside the open window. Taking away the risk, I went on the rainwater on my power wheels and tried to enjoy the season, but somehow I can’t go on my desire due to power wheels to avoid damage.

Sathanur Dam

Sathanur dam is a wonderful place situated about 30km from Thiruvannamalai. The dam is constructed on the river Pennaiyar or Ponnaiyar that flows from the Nandi Hills in Karnataka. The dam seems like one of the important source of water to irrigate thousands of acres of vast dry lands and it has a small hydro power plant to generate electric current.

I visited this dam on my trip to thiruvannamalai last month and it seems dry almost with less water in dam. There’s a beautiful garden stretched along the dam with various things to entertain like boating, mini zoo, aquarium, crocodile farm and small flower garden with fountains. It turned dark when we reached the dam and finding the route to the dam was a difficult task for us and there’re many speed brakes on this way gives a bumpy drive and until leaving the town, the road carries much damage.

At entry we pay a little amount as fee and drive on the other side of the dam until its end and back to garden. At the end of the dam we suddenly hear a very strange noise that could make one frighten. As it was like a forest area we can’t guess what animal sounds like that, but when we come down to garden we came to know it was the dogs that created that waves altogether.

The mini zoo was something invisible except one poor peacock inside a cage and two other empty cages. The lights were on and darkness around, there was many small insects on immense began to drive us from checking other sites, but one good thing was somehow I manage to click some pictures of the garden before it turned complete dark. This is second time I’m facing such insects next to Vaigai dam in Theni and they just blow on our face and try to enter our eyes, nose and mouth to much irritate.

There were some tall trees along the road rustle to wind and few look real statues of animals and people, and notable one was the statue of mahatma on the hill above the dam. It would be a great sight to see the water flowing from the dam if there was almost water.

The dam was constructed in 1964 and it has a capacity of 7,321 million cubic feet at 119 feet high. In late 60’s to 80’s the dam was an important shooting spot in film industries and many songs have been captured here with top heroes at lead. This is a best picnic place in thiruvannamalai and on festival days this place attracts more visitors. One can really spent a good time here and best time to visit is after monsoon when there is much water to keep fountains work.