Kniphofia is the scientific name
of the Torch Lily (which also known as Tritom and Red Hot Poker due to the
shape and color of its inflorescence) I found near Ooty, across a chain link
fence. The flowering plants are native to Africa and have narrow, grass-like
leaves that reminiscent of a lily, and the flower head can reach up to 1.52 m
in height. There are many varieties of touch lily and they bloom at different
times during the growing season and comprise flowers color in red, orange and
yellow, often bi-colored.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
கனவு / Dream
pic courtesy: google |
குழந்தைக்கும் எட்டும் கனி கனவு.
வயதுவரம்பின்றி அனைவருக்கும் வரும் கனவு.
கண்ணுக்கும் கனவுக்கும் சம்மந்தம் இல்லைஎன்றாலும்
பார்வைஇல்லதவர்க்கு? என்று வரும்பொழுது வியக்கிறது.
இரவிலும் இருளிலும் வரும் கனவுக்கு
பதில் என்னவோ வெளிச்சம் என்றாலும்
வெளிச்சத்தை கண்டிராதவருக்கு? என்று வரும்பொழுது
என்
கனவுகள் தோற்றுபோகின்றன.
இருளில் விடிந்து இருளில் மறையும் உலகில்
இருளை மட்டும் அடிப்படையாக கொண்ட மனதில்
என்ன தோன்றும் என்பது என் கற்பனைக்கும் எட்டாது.
கனவுகள் மெய்பட என் வாழ்த்துகள்.
The fruit that even reaches a baby is dream.
Without age difference dream comes to everyone.
Although there’s no relation between eyes and dream
when it comes to those without vision? it wonders.
Without age difference dream comes to everyone.
Although there’s no relation between eyes and dream
when it comes to those without vision? it wonders.
For the dream that comes in night and darkness
the answer maybe perhaps illuminated
but when it comes to those who never seen light?
My dreams become failure.
the answer maybe perhaps illuminated
but when it comes to those who never seen light?
My dreams become failure.
In a world where it dawn and end in darkness
for the mind that based only on the darkness
what appears to be doesn’t even reach my imagination.
Congratulations for the dreams to come true.
for the mind that based only on the darkness
what appears to be doesn’t even reach my imagination.
Congratulations for the dreams to come true.
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Sunday Photos – Uthandi Beach
Couple of weeks back while on
ECR, I come across Uthandi beach and spent some time on its peaceful and pretty
clean ambience. Uthandi beach exists
(take left) with a km ahead to ECR toll gate, when coming from Chennai, and the
beach comes to view at the end of VGP Uthandi Layout. The road to the beach was
well laid in concrete and has a police booth at the entrance of the road and also
bears barriers across the road to prevent speeding. The layout has moderate number
of houses and bungalows to look beautiful and could see many taking walks along
their pet dogs – perhaps, because of the strange feeling and loneliness and
calm being.
It was about 5.45pm and the place
was turning darker as sun hides opposite leaving little light for capturing
image. I find the beach to be neatest and pretty clean, perhaps because of fewer
visitors and frequented by local residents alone. The new beach also has
restrooms to my amazement, with ramp facility and dustbins indicates to keep away
trashes. I didn’t take my wheelchair but could experience the serene from inside
the car with a desire to be there again on my wheelchair to explore the pretty
lanes and houses. I also saw some wonderful gates and fences there, which i
like to capture sometime for good fence meme. Hehe...
Labels:
Beach,
beauty,
Chennai,
Environment,
favorite,
Pleasant,
PowerShot Sunday,
Travel
Location:
Uthandi Beach, Chennai, 600119
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Shooting Wood Fence
The lookalike country fence here was
erected for a film shoot (Shanker’s “I”) and it was shot during my vacation to
Kodaikanal in year 2013. The fence along a gate (click here) was pretty good
and represents a real farmhouse entry and this location was shot in such a
beautiful way in the movie I. The setting was put up on a little mound facing
grasslands, pine and eucalyptus plantation/forest near Kavunji, about 35km from
Kodaikanal. And Mannavanur is a place very close to this location, which has
been shooting hub for many movies with rolling grasslands and sheep farm.
Linking this post for Run a Round Ranch's Good Fences
Linking this post for Run a Round Ranch's Good Fences
Labels:
favorite,
good fence,
Hill station,
Nature,
Picture,
Pleasant,
Travel
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Tribute to Aachi Manorama
There are certain things happen
unexpectedly and Aachi Manorama’s lose was such and she is a greatest Indian
legendary actress and senior artist where no one in this word would have
achieved like her. She’s the only actress in the world to
be acted in more than 1500 films and 5,000 stage plays! I was thinking about
Manorama’s contribution to Tamil cinema lately and was feeling grieve that no
one took notice about her and truly wished that someone take a grand function for
her when she was alive; commemorating her appearance in almost Indian languages
and character that nothing left behind. An
amazement rise up every time thinking about her and I always think, apart being
an actress she’s someone very special and no Indian actress would have received
such recognition and withstood for a period of long time or more than 60 years in film industry.
I think it is her base that kept
her existed for record breaking years in film industry – the drama or theatre
performances she continue to do beside her acting in movies. As a mainstream comedian and character
artist, she had done milestone performance in number of movies and in emotional
and mother characters there was a time no one couldn’t defeat her or no films
made without her. There are number of
films I admired her acting, but I haven’t been familiar with movies of her in earlier
stage. Samsaram athu Minsaram, Paati Sollai Thattathea, Chinna Thambi, Chinna
Gounder, Nadigan, Guru Sishyan, Kizakku Vaasal, Pangali, Thillana Mohanambal,
Aboorva Sagotharangal, Savaal are some of her many films I enjoyed her role. Not
only acting, she’s a wonderful singer and has sung about 300 songs and all her
songs are super hit and her vocal is something distinct and standouts.
Though I feel there’s something absence
in recognizing her presence while she alive, the crowd that gathered for her final
procession towards the funeral is not everyone celebrates. In a decade, not a celebrity
or artist gathered such crowd (after Sivaji’s demise in 2001) and almost Tamil
cinema had paid their homage to her at her premises. The actress had acted with
5 Chief Ministers and her association with Chief Minister Jayalaitha, in
cinema, is too close and her personal homage to her is quite appropriate and an
honour that entitle everything. Though being an epic chairperson in acting her association
with actors and public always seems to be simplest and her record doesn’t
showcased anywhere and she lived a life that everyone will appreciate and adherence.
She’s a role model to all actors’ esp. who wants to long stand in film industry
and for an actor he/she should be ready to take any role rather doing only hero
and heroine. Manorama has broken this practice and had done what she itself
wouldn’t have expected. Until cinema/theatre is there, she will be alive in
memories and film and digital rolls.
Labels:
Entertainment,
favorite,
Film,
History,
India,
inspiration,
Mind,
movie,
Tamil,
thought
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Sunday Photo and Update on week
Sky and Leaves |
For last one week, I haven’t been
quite well! Begin with the symptoms of cold and fever, touched the peak in couple
of days to influence me on the routine taking me on its own control and route.
I wasn’t interesting on anything rather watching TV (just to defeat boring), and
had headaches ever like before and high fever keeps me awake for two
consecutive days/nights. I was in medication for more than a week now and
continue to have it for some time since my x-ray reveals mucus/sputum in lungs
and was also going through some mixed feeling about my health lately. I checked
with a cardiologist last week for my difficult with upper body and chest pain
sometime... but I was glad to know everything related to my heart was healthy
and normal. The doctor also suggested some medication for muscle strength (since
my upper body doesn’t get any exercise, the muscles get lose or tight to feel uneasy) and this is
first time a doctor lead a medicine for strengthening muscles in muscular
dystrophy and I hope it helps better.
The entire week has been hell for
me and I wasn’t suffered that much and was forced to take a nap one afternoon
which is something unusual for me and it happens only if I wasn’t really well. Right
now doing much better and you might know about the situation from the post
itself as I could write blog after a week but still something bothering me to
keep not quiet. I hope nothing serious happening with my body and will be
completely ok soon. I will try to be active and catching with blogs.
Friday, October 09, 2015
A beautiful song
Adiyea Azhagae is a just released
single track from an upcoming Tamil movie Oru Naal Koothu. Like they say love
at first sight... I fell in love at first time listening to this song, which
gives a sense of soothing although it sounds familiar here and there. For the
simple and realistic lyrics, Justin Prabhakaran has done beautiful justice/composition
and in voice of Sean Roldan and Padmalatha it was nice listening. The move was
led by Attakathi Dinesh, Mia George and Nivetha Pethuraj – a Miss India UAE, who
also has a facial resemblance that reminds Trisha.
அடியே அழகே... மிக அழகு
Thursday, October 08, 2015
Hindustan Photo Film, Ooty
The Hindustan Photo Film is one
of the major industrial units of the Nilgiri district and a public sector
enterprise. This unit is located about 5 Km away from Ooty railway station over
a sprawling area of over 300 acres, near the Ooty Golf-links on the Ooty-
Mysore road. The HPF was inaugurated by late Prime Minister Mrs. Indra Gandhi, in
January 1967.
This industrial unit is currently
producing Indu roll films which are used for taking photographs; Hindu X-ray
films, the quality of which is acknowledged to be among the best in the world;
Hindu bromide paper on which photographs are printed; and Hindu aerographic for
geological and defence mapping, industrial X - ray film, laser recording film,
CAT film, special film for space photography, oscilloscope direct print paper,
photo typesetting paper and range of chemicals for the film processing.
Linking this post for Run a Round Ranch's Good Fences
Linking this post for Run a Round Ranch's Good Fences
Tuesday, October 06, 2015
Lost a dear one
We missed one of our dearest
neighbour come aunts last week. Though being a neighbour our relationships with
her has been kith and kin from a very long time or to say last from our grandmother’s
time period. We moved out of our native area (Adyar) about 10 years back and
being here, now, our relationships haven’t been any different but were a kind
of reconnection (with old neighbours) and looking back into memories. Though
our families know each other well, this particular aunt (whom we called from
childhood as aththai – a Tamil word which refers to sister of father) has been
so affectionate and holds great concern towards our family. Almost our close relatives
know her well and she never failed to enquire me the times I come across her,
and I always see happiness in her face every time she faces me (since we moved
out of the area) but later become very unhappy and she couldn’t hide her dismay
as she was seeing me from the birth – who has been very active quite, my
inability to move around bothered her much.
Their house was in the backstreet
of ours and during the childhood days it was our playground and most of the
evening we are seen roaming around with couple of our best friends, whose house
was also on the same street. Moreover, most of them on the street know us and
our family being a long time resident along with many others, our parent allow
us to play there in belief that we stay safe because of the affinity we got
with coupe of families and the family of this aunt was more attachable. My mom and great grandmother used to exchange
words frequently with her, either she visiting their or they. She’s a hard
working woman and had done milk business and reared cows. Her husband is a car mechanic and owned a garage,
but being addict to alcohol it was she who take care of everything, along
bringing up her 4 children. There was a
great similarity between us (maternal side) who was also involved in milk
business and reared cows, apart running a Tea Shop, my maternal uncle is also a
car mechanic and had a garage adjacent to our home.
Until about 15 years back or her
children settled she continued to be a hard working woman and used to drive
cows for grazing from vegetable shops to open grounds or wherever there is pasture.
Most of their life was spent in thatched roof and her husband and my father
were all grown together in their past and only in latter half (or after 2000)
they transferred to concrete house. It
was happy for us to see them coming up in life and to a stable place and looking
forward to the comfort, but the sad part was they couldn’t lead forward
happily. The rapidly increasing cause among the Indian – Diabetic – struck both
their lives and her husband due to increase consumption of alcohol exposed to kidney
failure and has been living still through dialysis and this too because of her
care taken and restrictions. This hasn’t end there, but herself experience
problem with her body with diabetics being the main culprit and she also lost
her toe in an advanced stage of sugar. And going through number of treatments
and surgery brings drawback in their lives. Even though money becomes a matter
not, she couldn’t live happily. Like they say health is wealth, and however
they become weather with a bad health nothing seems to be cheerful.
The day wake up for us in the
sound of drums and I was sure it was the sound of death but wasn’t anticipated
to be her. Though she was not well enough and was admitted in the ICU at the
same time and hospital where my grandpa was admitted for chest pain and whiz
and she was going through the same problem and was discharged a day ahead to my
grandpa. And she was breathing through the oxygen mask at the home as well and
was suffering so much that she couldn’t explain what. Though she was admitted
to hospital once again for a week before her demise, as her condition becomes
unstable, the doctors couldn’t indentify exactly from what she suffers from and
the diagnosis also fails to understand what make her feel agony. At the
mid-night of Friday she breathed last in the hospital. But the breakaway news –
drum beat – reached us only in the morning and silence is what remains inside.
Monday, October 05, 2015
Thursday, October 01, 2015
Gate gets painted and painters on work
Thinking about what to post for “Run a Round Ranch’s” Good Fences, I casually come out of the home and saw painters
painting the gate of a newly constructing apartment right opposite to our house caught
my attention. Though the three storey building rose even before we shifted to
this home, the work has been reached its final stage only now with just
paintings left to complete the structure. The builders have done some neat designing
on the exterior, which I hope to capture once the building is completed. So now,
here is a gate (one of the two) being painted in black on top of yellowish coating
and I hope you like my candid on the painters J
Labels:
Adyar,
Chennai,
Environment,
good fence,
home,
People,
Picture
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
An update on grandpa and my health
My grandpa went back to his home
happily last week, after staying with us for about 4 months. He spent only
couple of days with us after discharged from the hospital and knowing his
desire we didn’t stop him going to his home but also felt this change or
transfer to his familiar environment could improve his health condition and the
thought of coming back to home will give him confident to do better. His back
sore due to confine to bed in the hospital is also healing well and he started
to have normal food like before but only he couldn’t stand and walk. But we
hope he regain the strength very soon and able to walk by doing physiotherapy.
I never thought a person could
change such drastically in a very short span, though I don’t want to refer directly
who he was, it certainly affects the lives of my grandparents now. My grandma
was in need of a helper to support her in taking care of grandpa. Until being
here, there doesn’t need someone as we (and my uncle family) supported her in
every way in taking care of the grandfather, the attitude of drop out from
their own son seems trouble them surely.
I feel that supporting someone is not that only physically assisting but giving
them hope to believe (if they are elders or disabled) that they are not alone
and even if you could not talk in a way, a small gesture and smile could do
much better.
Apart grandpa, I experience some
issues with health lately to put me feel trouble, though they aren’t anything
serious, at least now, I went for a respiratory functional test last week and
found poor breathing ability/capacity. I had some difficult with breathing last
week, which was very unusual for me and without any delay I check with my
doctor and took the functional test in Fortis Malar. It is a diagnosis
conducted only in big hospitals, because this kind of test are not taken
frequently by many and being an muscular dystrophy patient trouble with
breathing is a normal thing after certain period and the main cause for this is
believed to the severe lung infection I had 5 years back or due to some other
reason my lungs have been shrunken little to make inadequate breathing space. But
right now I have no trouble and I breathe easily but I am more careful to do my
breathing exercise regularly and increase in terms.
For the last few days, my back pain
takes new shape and shifts to my upper back to hold breath sometime. My therapist
suggests it is perhaps problem related to neck and was advice to sleep without
pillows and reduce my usage of laptop or change the position of viewing. To make
my problems little difficult my new wheelchair was sent back for rectification
and it expected to take more than a month (according to the manufacturer) to put
right things I needed. I had certain comfort in that bucket seat and nothing
felt painful when reclining towards its cushion back seat. Hope they haven’t
took much time to settle my wheelchair before things become more difficult.
Monday, September 28, 2015
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Bird watching @ Thandikudi: Asian Brown Flycatcher
Thandikudi is a wonderful place
to enjoy bird watching and it’s a paradise for birds. When i was staying amid the coffee plantations
and canopy of trees, in the Narumana Kudil (fragrant huts) maintained by the village
council there, I got to watch many birds and listen to distinct voices of same
and one of it was the cute little Asian Brown Flycatcher.
The Asian Brown Flycatcher is a
small passerine bird in the family of flycatcher – Muscicapidae, and it is an
insectivorous species which breeds in Japan, Eastern Siberia and the Himalayas.
It is migratory and winters in tropical southern Asia from southern India and
Sri Lanka east to Indonesia.
This species is 13 cm long,
including the cocked tail. It is similar in shape to the larger spotted
flycatcher, but is relatively longer-tailed and the adult has grey-brown
upper-parts, which become grayer as the plumage ages, and whitish under parts
with brown-tinged flanks. Young birds have scaly brown upper-parts, head and
breast. (source of info: wiki)
Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS
Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS
Labels:
beauty,
bird,
Environment,
favorite,
Fun,
Hill station,
Nature,
Pleasant,
Travel
Thursday, September 24, 2015
A house, fence/rail and flowers
This is a house opposite to my
great aunt’s in Neelankarai, Chennai, and I casually shot these photos at
different time period and it is a pretty house with flowering shrubs around and
my point of shoots here, were on flowers.
It was kind of bungalow and I
have seen it from the day of building and the house sits on a high platform or
basement that was supported by deep foundation! As I know a couple of elder people were
residing there along with their son or daughter, both seems to be married.
The house has two spacious baloneys
extends from the first floor, has a tiled roof and portico... they have also captured
a theme of red, green and white to the building that colors the roof and balcony,
and grills/rails and windows to look neat.
Linking this post for Run a Round Ranch's Good Fences
Linking this post for Run a Round Ranch's Good Fences
Labels:
beauty,
Chennai,
Environment,
good fence,
Nature,
neighborhood,
Picture,
Pleasant
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Grandpa back to home, with a tendency for his house
My grandpa had discharged from
the hospital and was brought back to our home against his wish to go to his
home. He’s doing much better now and breathes easily. He had been admitted to
hospital with complaint of chest pain and whizzing on Sunday night (13 Sep) and
was kept in ICU for 4 days and transferred to ward when his condition becomes
stable. He had been on oxygen mask almost his stay and until his breathing
becomes normal. His diet had been completely depended of liquid food and he was
fed through tube and only a day before his discharge he was on normal feeding
through mouth. So he looks frail to even sit on his own balance and his back
was exposed to sore due to confined to bed all these days in hospital. This has
been a great setback in his journey after his post hospitalization (3 months
back) and he showed great improvement in his health and activity after doing
physiotherapy. But now it seems everything has to be started from the much
earlier stage and would be very difficult to achieve what he had gained these
days. Doctors have said his heart is very weak and he could not be active like
before and also anticipating him to do much is not possible.
He’s very intense to go to his
home and only because of his pressure we moved him out of the hospital, but more
than moving out of hospital he’s eager to go to his home rather coming to ours.
He was in anticipation to go to his home with 3 days ahead before he was
shifted to hospital with chest pain make him feel disappointed. Once moved out
of ICU, but being there no one was allowed to interact with him and being on
oxygen mask, he couldn’t talk as his whiz when try to speak, he openly and
indirectly conveyed his wishes to go to his new house and his attitude also
conveys the same. I heard, he seemed vigorous when said go to his home and at
same time when doctors extend his stay at hospital the expressions become anger
and he showed less response to others. He arrived at home in ambulance, as he
was unable to stand, and thinking that he had come to his home he was seen happier
and seeing me he enthused as if I was visiting him at his home. We understand
his desire to go to his home, but practically it seems very difficult with
grandma handling him alone. Though there was his son and in-law, but being
there always for them is no possible as they have their own family and work to
look after, we decided to hold them sometime until grandpa put pace on him. But
I am not sure they stay that long and to make him feel not frustrate, he will
be transfer to his home in a day or two to decided to return back or stay over
there.
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Sunday Photos – Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh
Chaturthi is a grand festival in India, devoted to Ganesha – a prime deity worshiped
by Hindus. Here I like to share some photos relevant to festival at home and Ganesha
procession from our street temples.
The clay
idol of Ganesha, bought for the festival at home
Feast in front
of the idol as a dedication and part of worshiping
A
worshiping process (burning camphor) before the clay idol was put to immerse
Clay idol of Ganesha immersed
in tub water to dissolve... to be poured for plants and shrubs once turned
liquid. This is a process we have been practicing for last 5-6 years, rather
immersing into water bodies that result water pollution.
Couple of Ganesha procession (above and below) from our
street temples on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi
Labels:
Adyar,
Chennai,
Festival,
home,
neighborhood,
Picture,
PowerShot Sunday,
temple
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Park Fence
Last week I went to a corporation
park in the neighborhood, in my new powered wheelchair before yet to send it
for rectification. Though it isn’t a big park, there’s a nice footpath to come
around and it has a fence portion where some shrubs and flowering plants and crotons
are preserved to look good and feel greenish. The other part of the park has a
play area for kids to enjoy swings, slides and seesaw and also has some colorful
benches (made of planks and concrete) for elders to sit and relax while kids
play around.
A pretty flower though fence |
I spent some time there watching
things happening around and fun checking kids sliding and swinging around. I
saw a couple with a pair of kids, who were left to play while they work on the
laptop, and in between their job, perhaps looks some office work, the mother put
the kids to play. An elder man got to occupy a bench for long time, keep
watching me taking some shots using the mobile, and a middle age couple was relaxing
aside after taking some walks around the park.
A tree close to the entrance gate |
The fence that covering the green
area seems to be a kind of chain-link, daubed in green. Seeing the fence I couldn’t
avoid thinking about Good Fences run by Run a Round Ranch, so clicked to
present/link here.
Labels:
Adyar,
beauty,
Chennai,
Environment,
Flower,
Fun,
garden,
good fence,
Nature,
neighborhood,
Pleasant
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Grandpa at hospital and desire to go home
Just 3 days ahead for my
grandparent’s to return to their home, as per their plan to shift to their
newly built home after staying more than 3 month with us following grandpa’s
hospitalization and ill being, he was once again at hospital from last night. Mygrandfather experienced chest pain late at night Sunday and continue to whiz
and find difficult to breath forced us to admit him in hospital without delay. It
was post 11 pm and we are yet to sleep after watching my favorite talk show
(Neeya Naana) in TV, grandpa waked up granny complaining chest pain and we gave
him Gelusil, thinking it may be heartburn. But he continues to sweat and whiz,
so we thought it could be perhaps cardiac arrest and doesn’t want to risk waiting
and watching. Glad he was able to stand and walk, so instead calling ambulance
we took him in the car to the hospital, suggested by the doctor on the call,
and he was admitted to ICU. His condition seems to get little worse on
admission and was put on oxygen mask to breathe ease. Doctors said there’s
‘fluid in the lungs’ and that’s why he had trouble breathing and whizzing heavily.
First they said he had no cardiac
arrest or any trace like that in the ECG, but later in morning confess he had a
mild attack following an echo-cardiogram test. For the last 24 hours he has been
in ICU and doctors had decided to keep him there for two more days to monitor
his condition and he still breathes on oxygen mask as his breathing ability
continue to be inadequate, he’s also on medicine to remove fluid in the lungs. Only
if his lungs become empty, it is believe he could breathe normal and during
this time his heartbeat also touched the lowest which makes us all worry. He has
been feeling chest pain more than a week, but he hadn’t told anyone of us and
we also haven’t noticed any symptoms about us as he continues to act normal until
hitting the bed that night. Being a Parkinson’s patient he could not talk much
and also experience unsteady mindset sometime to forgetfulness. He seemed
cheerful for the last two days as they anticipated going back to their home and
he even conveyed his adieu very early to me thinking of going home. Hope he gets
well soon and go back to his desirable home – the comfort zone and familiar in environment,
perhaps!
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Annoy with Meow!
Who don’t like cats and their
cute purr? Long time back we had cats as our pet and it used to be fun watching
them playing around. But that’s a different story for another day. For last few
weeks we were experience quite annoy because of the cat’s purr – Meow! The cats
are cutest animal and their purr is of course somehow pleasant, but the matter
is when they cross the limit and hangs around frequently on the wall and make
noise in a way disturbing, not us, but our pet dog, Maya. Generally it is believed and witnessed by
many that cats and dogs don’t go together and ours is no more different.
The cat in the image is the main culprit
interrupts the peaceful slumber of our pet dog often by its curse. Purr!
Actually she/he isn’t grown enough to become a cat, because I saw her/him as a
kitten less than a month back, perhaps he/she should be in her pretty teen now
to be naughtier. : D It all began from the day my grandma fed the cat with fish
heads, after cutting off the heads and cleaning fishes before progress with
cooking. Generally we don’t encourage cats and after owning a dog we stopped
petting any other and not only because our dog hate cats, it’s also not easy to
detach once become friendly. It is an experience we leant through many
occasions of losing pet dogs and cats, to keep us away.
This black and white kitty is so
daring animal and doesn’t seem to fear about our barking dog and come around
bravely with meow, how many times we shoo away! Other day, the cat quietly came
under our couch while we eating fish curry and mom was shook for a moment seeing
the cat there, which was a look strange for her rather the usual sight of our
fluffy white dog. It came in, when our dog was sleeping inside and didn’t move
out easily until we put forceful shoo. Apart this there are two more cats – one
with black and white with orange and other was a tabby cat, but they aren’t annoying like this BW though they come around our home often. Even while writing
this post it’s making purr from the compound wall to let our dog bark.
You might know the boldness of
this cat from the photos above, which was shot from closer distance through the
back door and in one of it; it was giving pose for us, looking at the mobile
camera.
Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS - for the firs time.
Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS - for the firs time.
Labels:
anxious,
critter,
Environment,
home,
neighborhood,
Picture
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Little gates and letter/milk boxes
Few weeks’ back I was at KK
Nagar and come across few streets where I find couple of gates of houses adjoining
one another. What interest me to capture these little gates were the letter and
milk boxes hanging from each other.
Both were ground plus first floor
and the house above was painted in bright orange and light green combo. The houses
on this street where built in a row and this house has a twofold gate with
three boxes – one red letter box and two blue milk boxes.
(both images captured on mobile and can be enlarged click on it) |
Like the red letter box, the blue
milk box is also slowing becoming my favorite thing and I find more gates with
milk boxes these days than the red letter boxes. Apart the blue milk box, in the
gate above, I also liked the simple design of the gate which seems patterned in
fishes!
Labels:
Chennai,
Environment,
favorite,
good fence,
Picture
Wednesday, September 09, 2015
Seven Spotted Cockroach
First I spotted this kind of bug
in the Theosophical Society in the neighborhood (Adyar), around a muddy terrain
and fallen leaves. About half a decade later, I was surprise to see this bug inside
our compound wall and again around the fallen (dry) leaves of Neam and an unknown
tree of the neighbor. I spotted the bug few months back and days after
showering, the bug was wandering around the dry leaves for its prey. And last week it decided to stick to the compound
wall sometime for me to shoot.
P.S. Thanks DI (Destination Infinity) for letting me know the real name of the bug in comment, which I referred early as white spotted black bug.
P.S. Thanks DI (Destination Infinity) for letting me know the real name of the bug in comment, which I referred early as white spotted black bug.
Sunday, September 06, 2015
My New Powered Wheelchair – Disappointments and Comforts!
I was looking forward for a new
wheelchair from the time I started to experience back pain (from the beginning
of this year) and that’s mainly because of the pelvic misalignment and mild
scoliosis in spine that we find through a diagnosis in April. Without delay we
approached a leading wheelchair manufacturer in Chennai to get a comfort
wheelchair that perhaps decreases my back pain and prevent further spinal
curvature. You might get more detail about the alignment and discomfort from my
earlier post here.
We placed
an order on May 20 after discussing with him (the wheelchair manufacturer) at
home; who came on our invite and as we know him already and being the
manufacturer of my old power wheelchair, I thought he perhaps know my condition
well and do his best to provide me the comfort I seek. Following his websites
and the models he posted there, I thought of picking one from that that suits
my need. But only listening to him at home reveals that those are models just
to give an idea about the wheelchairs they manufacture to those unknown and he
manufacture a wheelchair only on order.
He sent
me a quotation listing down the facilities on the powered wheelchair including
the specs I requested, with a notification on delivery within 45- 60 days. Though
I was quite disappoint with the days his delivery marks, I console later that
my normal powered/electric wheelchair took 30 days to deliver about 8 years
back, the deluxe perhaps take that much. But what really happened was I got the
wheelchair only after 100 days. We started inquiring about the wheelchair from
the minimum days to delivery, in hope he deliver as soon as possible since my
condition wasn’t comforting. But he keeps extending his delivery period from
week to week on a constant basis of our inquiry.
He
delivered the wheelchair on the day 101! To say the truth I was frustrated at
the look of the wheelchair, which stood like a robot with big boot and being
taller than expected I was somehow taken aback. I had no idea how he going to
design my wheelchair. Because he hadn’t showed me exactly how the wheelchair
would come up and also I hadn’t thought to ask him about the wheelchair height
(from the ground to seat) as I didn’t find great difference in height when checking
the wheelchair models in his website. Though the seat height is just about 4”
more than the old wheelchair there’s great difference when putting me to seat. Perhaps
it could become normal as we used to but right moment it matters lot!
I have
nothing to complain much about seating in this new wheelchair, which has a
bucket seat to sooth my back and very comfortable sitting to relax with reclining
backrest and elevating footrest and handling! The wheelchair is much powerful
than the previous one, where I used to drive in 3 of the total speed of 5. But in
this I get the speed of riding on 3 in 1 apart the top speed of about 10-12 km/hr
in 5 speeds. Though I feel comfort and increase in my level of confidence with
the power of the new wheelchair, I somehow dislike on the look. The base and
bottom of the wheelchair look disdain and the color of green isn’t likable and
rather being thematic it outshines oddly.
I am a person
don’t want to be noticed unnecessarily in public and the same goes to my wheelchair
and I want it to look decent and though it wasn’t appealing much, I wish it was
grayish instead being green. This wheelchair doesn’t come out exactly what I
anticipated but it need to be rectify a lot to be more comfort and we have also
stressed him to reduce the height of seat as main cause. I don’t feel any discomfort
with the height but my parents do find hard to put me on seat. I took the
wheelchair to road couple of times to check its ability and to see how comfortable
it was on the long run. And few days back I took it to the doctor clinic,
across the main road (LB road, Adyar) to check for my cold. The wheelchair is
said to run 15 km per charge, but I guess it should be giving less than 10 km.
Hope to test it more after the rectifying process, where the wheelchair will be
brought back to the company.
Tuesday, September 01, 2015
My Bicycle Diary (Part II)
Part I here
There’s nothing like pedaling the bicycle as fast as I can, though my maximum speed is almost below normal there’s a feel of achieving something that when exists from my own strength and energy is unequal to anything. I think not only cycling, but anything that has a personal touch and contribution from same is always special. Even though we have or get assistance from others on any job/work but when it comes to things we are passionate or close to be, doing it on self is something satisfactory that no one could repudiate. Sometime I feel lack of power to pedal the cycle and those times what help me (to move ahead) were the ramps built in front of many houses and my uncle having his own workshop with ramp in front of it to make way cars enter the garage. I used to bring the cycle above the ramp and pedal fast along with the force to cover certain distance and repeat it from some others ramps.
There’s nothing like pedaling the bicycle as fast as I can, though my maximum speed is almost below normal there’s a feel of achieving something that when exists from my own strength and energy is unequal to anything. I think not only cycling, but anything that has a personal touch and contribution from same is always special. Even though we have or get assistance from others on any job/work but when it comes to things we are passionate or close to be, doing it on self is something satisfactory that no one could repudiate. Sometime I feel lack of power to pedal the cycle and those times what help me (to move ahead) were the ramps built in front of many houses and my uncle having his own workshop with ramp in front of it to make way cars enter the garage. I used to bring the cycle above the ramp and pedal fast along with the force to cover certain distance and repeat it from some others ramps.
Cycling is one
of the best parts of my active life then and the only vehicle I drove on my own
using my ability. I got great control over the handlebar by propelling the
cycle helped me to drive Scooty (a sort of Scooter), but rather independently I
ride it with the help of my dad who used to support from pillion when the bike
need to halt, as I can’t balance its weight on foot. But those are a decade and
a half old story. I have drove bicycle for more than 6 years but I wasn’t
powerful unlike when I started to pedal bicycle and as I lose power
subsequently and walking becomes difficult I quit cycling. The memories of
cycling are always evergreen, although I couldn’t remember all of it, certain
incidents and phases continue to exist. Thanks to Aarumugam (six face) and if
he hadn’t spent time teaching us cycling we couldn’t have got the opportunity
to learn quickly since every other was busy with their lives.
Not that riding
cycle alone is fun but also going for a ride with your friend or favourite
person who could pedal fast. I don’t remember my father or mother following our
cycle journeys; it was the employs of the workshop run by the uncle whom we
interact mostly and it was a time I was drop out of school for a year and I
used to spent all the time with them and it was Arul (a young employ at
workshop) used to take me for speed rides in cycle which I find so thrilling. Sitting
sideways on the centre bar and holding the handlebar it was fun to kick start a
ride and it is a way I used to go around with my neighbourhood friend who has
enough ability to pedal me along. Many a time there used to be clash between me
and my brother over driving cycle and sometime I along with the friend put him
wander (street-by-street) by driving fast and let them chase away. But many a
time he has been supportive to me and pushed the cycle for me to drive fast.
I have also
drove hire cycles few times and though I had a wish to try different cycles and
when my brother refuses to give me a change I took for this. I remember I liked
and feel easy to drive the Anjali cycle (a bicycle which was famous then following
the Tamil flick Anjali); it has a long and narrow seat with back support and
could accommodate 2 kids at a time. The hire fee used to be Rs.1 per hour but I
leave the cycle before the time, even though the shop keeper doesn’t seem to be
accurate I fear what he may say. When we shifted to our grandpa’s house for a
year, while we reconstruction our home, and being close to my school I got to
cycle along with my classmate for some time and the street of our grandpa’s
used to be crowded so we mostly end up lifting the cycle to terrace to make
little rounds. It used to be a large terrace with all sides wall; it feels safe
to ride on.
The bicycle we
used has been a worth product (BSA Champ) and worked for long years, which has
been used by our other two cousin when my brother brought another for him. My
first bicycle ride (not pedalling) I remember was with my father. He took me to
home from grandpa’s making me stand on the bar holding his shoulder in one arm.
I really hate sitting on the bar as it make feel discomfort, I always wish for
a baby seat (a small seat on the bar connecting handlebar and seat) which has
been in my friend’s father cycle. The days that are close to my heart and final
rides of me on a bicycle were with my grandpa. Sometime if no one comes to pick
me from school, which is near his home, he would come in his bicycle and put me
seated on the carrier and the school bag in the handlebar he make a great
balance despite his difficulty in climbing and pedalling. I would cherish those
moments forever and it bothers me much when I see him fighting with Parkinson latterly.
End
Friday, August 28, 2015
My Bicycle Diary (Part I)
I think not
many would have led a life without pedaling a bicycle at least in their
childhood and it is a dream for every child to get a bicycle when they see other
kids enjoy riding their own. I’m no more exception! I got my first (and last)
bicycle when I was 8 or 9 years old and although I have a dream for bicycle it
was my doctor (whom we consulted for my disorder and it was the time of discovery
that I was affected by Muscular Dystrophy) encouraged my parents to get me a
bicycle as a part of my exercise. Knowing this, my maternal uncle decides to
get us (me and brother) a cycle but it took some time for him and the waiting
period was something put us on eager and dream a lot about cycling.
My uncle is a
car mechanic and had his workshop adjacent to our home and stepping out is
indeed into his workshop. After the school we used to spent time in the
workshop, apart playing with friends at backstreet and during this time we
frequent to cross his sight as a kind of reminding him about the cycle. We had
no idea about the cycle, what brand or kind to buy and it is he chooses the
right one for us. It was a cycle belongs to the middle category which can either
ride by children as well adults if seat was lifted to their comfort height. I think he should have bought the cycle with a
perception to ride for long period as we are in growing age then. I still
remember the evening he took one of his employ in pillion to buy the cycle so
that he can let him pedal to home while he returns in his bike.
He bought the
cycle for about Rs. 1500. Those days I don’t know the value of money and that
price seems to be a huge sum for me and from the size of the bag (a kind of backpack)
I thought he should have bundles of currency inside. I have no idea still why he took that bag
along with him when the amount could easily slip into his purse. Mom did some puja to the bicycle, which is a
custom here to be carried with any newly bought things and it is a belief that
by doing such prayer the thing will last long and work good. The next day been
a weekend and Saturday, we catch up with the cycle early in the morning and one
of my uncle’s workshop employ, Aarumugam, taught us how to ride the cycle. And
that was the first time I try to pedal a cycle and within an hour I rode it
individual.
Our area in
Adyar is somehow quiet except the office and school time, learning cycle is
easy enough and he (Aarumugam) continue to accompany us through our initial
days of leaning and used to hold back the bicycle wherever we go. Though I
started to ride the cycle without a support in an hour time, I don’t know how
to land and also need someone to hold the bicycle to climb on. At one point he
left the cycle and stayed behind or I rode leaving him and I don’t know how to
land but that moment (with a turn ahead) I went close to a pile of sand (that
unloaded on the roadside for a building construct) and fall/slide over it
slowly along with the cycle so I don’t get hurt. And I followed this idea for some
time until there was a sand pile.
I used to drive
bicycle too slowly as I lack strength to put it fast and I do drive alone
rarely, as I don’t want to risk falling somewhere. So mostly my brother used to
accompany me, at least he follows me not to miss his round. Every evening we used
to go for a round in cycle, apart getting conflict between the numbers of rounds,
I mostly give away as I could not pedal for long. Sometime my brother used to help me pedal
fast by placing his foot on mine, while sharing the seat with me, give his force
upon mine. When driving like this one evening, we unexpectedly fall down and my
front tooth uprooted fully. It was an unforgettable incident happen with my
cycling experience which identity is left in my tooth still.
I came home
with a bleeding mouth bearing the tooth in one hand. My mom was in quite shock
and took me immediately to the dental clinic at the street end, but we had to
wait some time until the dentist arrives half an hour later. We don’t know how
to handle the uprooted tooth, so folded it in a paper and brought to the
dentist. I just remember how we used to bury the milk tooth in mud when it falls;
according to our elders instruction and belief that showing it away the tooth
will not grow. Perhaps because of that my mom would have folded in papers, but
the dentist on arrival reveals that it should have dropped in milk or water to
perhaps to keep alive the roots. The dentist fixed the tooth at its place and
tied it along with the other tooth using a wire and was left to set on its own.
I wasn’t sure getting back my tooth, but glad it decided to grip hold the gums.
Continue...
(I think the
post could extend to another length or I could write more on this front... so
will write in two parts and the other will follow soon or perhaps be next)
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Steel Handrail
The steel handrail of the statue of former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.G.
Ramachandran, on the Mount Rd. The bronze statue erected across the Mount Rd,
near Agurchand Mansion, was shot while waiting for the signal.
Monday, August 24, 2015
Saturday, August 22, 2015
San Thome Basilica, Chennai
Today, while
Chennai (the late Madras) celebrates its 376th Birthday, the number
marks the foundation of the city on the establishment of Fort St. George on a
small piece of land in 1639 by the British East Indian Company. Every year we
celebrate this day as Madras Day/Week marked by various events, and walk on the
memorial lanes of Madras. I thought it was appropriate to write on one of the
remarkable landmark of Chennai, the San Thome Basilica – also known as Santhome
Church.
Standing tall against
the Chennai skyline in backdrop of blue sky and Bay of Bengal behind, the San
Thome Basilica Cathedral (on Santhome High Rd) is indeed an imposing structure. Built in the Gothic
style of architecture the spire raises to a height of about 155 feet. This
Basilica Cathedral is one of thee Basilicas built over the tombs of apostles of
Jesus Christ. The other two are the Basilica of St. Peter, built over the tomb
of St. Peter in Rome and the Cathedral of Santiago de Compoostela of St. James
in Spain.
A zoom on the middle spires |
According to
tradition it is believed that St. Thomas came to India in the year 52 A.D and then
travelled to Madras after worked along the west coast. As he suffered martyrdom
at St. Thomas Mount, his disciples buried him in Santhome over which the
present Cathedral stands. Marco Polo, during his visit to India, records that “it
is in this province (Malabbar) which is styled the greater India at the gulf
between Ceylon and the mainland that the body of Messer St. Thomas lies at a certain
town having no great population and it’s a place not very accessible”. When Portuguese
arrived at Mylapore in 1517, they were surprised to find a shrine there but to be
in ruins almost, they took it upon themselves to rebuild the church and parish
in 1524.
View of the Steeple from the side |
But over the
centuries, this small church becomes fragile and was in dire need of repair. In
1893, this structure was demolished and the present church was built with the
tomb of the saint placed at the heart of the structure. The predominant feature
of a Gothic structure is its tall spires and at the Santhome Bascilica Cathedal
it is the first spire that strikes immediately. The second and the shorter one are
constructed directly about the tomb of the saint – which could be accessed from
the outside of the church rather being within then and it was in 1956 that the
church was declared a minor Basilica. The church also holds a museum inside and
all the memorabilia of St. Thomas and of that period was arranged along the
display of the spear that killed the saint!
ps. all these photos were shot on different times while waiting at the santhome signal.
ps. all these photos were shot on different times while waiting at the santhome signal.
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