Beginning of the season – Wind

Up in the air
heart got lifted
to a state of ecstatic,
as beginning of the season
wind blows and blows me out
before it turned hot.

Elevation of sunrays
and tail of summer trail
blew down hot waves
blowing up the cool breeze
back to the sea
as land winds took charge.

Heart yearns
for the eventide
to bring back cool breeze
but it only turned muggy
despite formation of clouds
weather turns quiet unanswered.

Ps. Picture captured around the same time last year at Kurangani Hills! The wind was so heavy there and it was the location where forest fire killed 23 trekkers in March. The poem deals with Aadi, a Tamil month which means “beginning” of a season of wind.

RGB Monday

Dazzling fruits and vegetables stall at Kodaikanal

The roadside stall sells lot of fruits and vegetables harvested from around the mountains of Kodaikanal. For the new visitors: Kodaikanal is a popular hill station in south India (more than MSL 2000 high) and one of the most visited mountains by me. And during a visit to same in the monsoon of 2016, I captured these photos while we stopped for purchasing fruits and homemade chocolates. The rains halt for some time then and it was about 7pm I took these photos from mobile and I was really amazed at the outcome of the photos splashed in different shades and colors, since the fruits exposed to the led bulbs.

And moreover the mist, gloominess and wetness of rain give a refreshing feel as I look into the dazzling fruits and vegetables from our parked car. I know very few of the names of the fruits sold at the shop like plums (called as ooty apple), pears and passion, and along with fruits they also sell mountain honey, homemade chocolates and eucalyptus oils. But more than fruits, vegetables like carrot, cabbage, potatoes and mountain garlic are cultivated around the mountains villages of Kodaikanal.  

#RGB Monday stand's for my self made meme on Red Green Blue colors.

Palamathi Hills and Balamurugan Temple

As part of my visit to Vellore district in February, I explored Palamathi Hills, a beautiful mountain range that close to the Vellore City or to say about 10 km from the same. Located southeast of the Vellore city, the hills is an extension of the Eastern Ghats includes Palamathi Reserve Forest and Otteri Lake, makes it a thriving hotspot for various birds and flora. I visited the hills through the back road, which I would recommend anyone driving from Chennai who like to enjoy village scenario and it was a short route too by going into Arcot town and taking the Arcot main road to Kavanur and then to Palamathi Hills.

View on a part of Palamathi Hills

The hills have a beautiful and scenic environment and I would highly recommend it visited during winter or monsoon to feel cool and find it quite greenish. Palamathi is a developing tourist destination with Balamurugan Temple, atop the hill, could be the prime destination to attract tourist. The yellow coated Murugan Temple, also known as Kuzhandai Velayudhabani swamy Temple could be an attention seeker for anyone visiting the hills and the hillock temple and tower is visible from the distance if you climb from the Vellore city. The temple has a beautiful arch at the foothill leading a driveway and a stairs parallel to the parking lot.

It was 12pm when we visited the temple and it has around 150 steps to climb from the foot hall to the temple and before we discover the off road that adjoin the hillock, mom and grandma went atop on foot and it was them to find out the mud road and we took the SUV close to the temple tower. The temple provides free lunch for the visited devotes and except me and cousin, others end their lunch there. Parents told the temple was well maintained and has couple of peacocks fenced in a cage inside the temple – form where one get to hold natural views all around.

The forest view along the off road that take us above the hillock and you could see goats feeding from a bucket kept by the temple people.

The temple perched on the cliff, shot while climbing down the hill towards Vellore city

Palamathi isn’t very high hills and should be around MSL 300-400 and has wonderful breeze throughout the year but should feel cool in morning and evenings unless monsoon/winter hits. I actually wanted to visit this place much earlier as post monsoon or midwinter to experience cool weather but it wasn't bad in early Feb. The best part of the scenic hills is the road winding down to the Vellore city and the hairpin bends are picturesque to shoot along the way or from the hilltop. But the temple has closed the windows overlooking that view, perhaps it located at unsafe spot, so we missed getting the scene but I managed to get some while drove through the Ghats.

Scenic view around the hairpin bends

Palamathi is a village panchayat and majority of the people living here are migrants from other places of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra and so they do not have a tribal status. The people cultivate paddy, groundnut and ragi above the mountains and sells at the city market. The Otteri Lake at the foothill is a manmade lake in the British era to supply water to Vellore city. I took many photos on the hills and I would share more in the future posts.

RGB Monday

GEMS Shooting

Cadbury Gems is chocolate flavor, rich and chocolate buttons.What makes Gems different is the way the chocolate has been designed as colorful candy.

Strawflowers

Suns scattered on ground

though they don’t glow like real

they own their sunshine.

Yellow strawflowers 

in the universe of green 

outshines like a sun.

P.s: Haiku inspired by yellow paper daisies captured from one of the wildest place in Theni. 

Commonly known as the golden everlasting or strawflower, is a flowering plant native to Australia and it grows as a woody or herbaceous perennial or annual shrub up to a metre tall with green or grey leafy foliage. Golden yellow or white flower heads are produced from spring to autumn; their distinctive feature is the papery bracts that resemble petals.

Flying Object

During my travel to Kodaikanal in March, I encountered this cloud formation and along with the sparking sunrays create an image of flying object or alien ship trying to land on the earth! The picture was captured around Dindigul, while traveling on NH45 and this was a scene following a series of hide and seeks between the sun and clouds, which was fun to watch and shoot the dazzling show of flashing sunbeams and grey clouds coming up in different shapes. It was also wonderful to see the cloud line or silver lining appearing above the clouds was magical but overall the alien disc was impossible to miss. 

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Some of the multiple waterfalls enroute to Munnar

Munnar bestow me with lot of pleasure as I explored its beauty in November and as you know except the blue sky I shared in a previous post, the weather has been quite cloudy and drizzling to rain entire the trip. Though I missed many views across the mountains and valleys to wrap in mist, the multiple waterfalls and brooks get me throughout a wonderful mood and upraise at every rise of natural spring. Following Thoovanam, and Karimutty Waterfalls I enjoyed some little waterfalls and water flowing from a raised mountain rock/cliff, to lookalike a waterfall from great height, and that all falling within short distances make feel quirk at each fall.

Within 2 minute drive from Karimutty we stopped on a small bridge by sighting of a creek, pretty cascading from a decent high to underpass the bridge to merge with Pambar River beneath the valley. It looks like a branch of the brook that makes part with Karimutty waterfalls, from the original source of water (which believed to have medicinal value) above the mountains (click here to see from where it flows). I also liked more the trees making a solid stand between the rocks and the entire scene gives a jungle feel although it’s not far from Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.

 

In the picture above (1st one) you could see the back road or the one we took from Chinnar and the brook runs below to valley and Karimitty waterfall is on the left side of the image. Few km from there is Marayoor, the only town between Udumalpet and Munnar, and just passed the town of many restaurants and cottages, we stopped at the sight of another mini falls silently making its way through vegetation and banana plants, which seems to belong to the house beside the waterfall.  I just enjoyed the lush green of the area with mist wrapping above the mountains… a couple of bends and curve from there brought the breathtaking sight of all.

It was refreshing to see water flowing from that high cliff of mountain and being black rock mound the water falls like overflowing of milk. Thanks to the mist and clouds to trigger showering above the mountains to create this natural waterfall to be visible from a distance, though it was far above to reach I zoomed on to get the views (below) from the stopped car. Glad there was no vehicle in front or behind to force us to move, and I could feel the coolness even through the sight. This road takes us through number of natural wonders and it’s all because of the weather condition of mist and rain aid us to enjoy this special occasion/vacation.

And ten minute drive from there and about msl 1200, and somehow above the mountains, crawling through the mist and pristine scene of nature it was wonderful to see another shades of silver (waterfall) leak through the thick forest vegetation and tea plantation. It was from there things went hide from our views as we travelled through thick fog, my eyes couldn’t miss few more little waterfalls took stream from the mix of mist and rain. But it is for another day.  

Woodhouse

Mist in the air wraps

like an envelope, woodhouse

folds up blissful warmth.

P.s: Haiku inspired by the mist wrapped around my uncle's woodhouse in Kodai, an iphone click on the wooden porch that slightly wet because of mist and rain that locked us last Nov's visit.

Friday Review: Tik Tik Tik

From the time I heard about this film and its concept (of space travel) I decided not to give a miss, watching it from theatre – and like I told earlier I went for a night show at drive-in, skipping the evening, for the Tamil film Tik Tik Tik . Shakthi Soundar Rajan always comes with different concept and deals with technical aspects neatly and I’m following his movies from Naanayam, even though he has directed only four films Tik… is top-notching.

The film revolves around an asteroid, in the size of Chennai, which is to hit the east coast of India in a week time to create havoc and the Indian space team tries to destroy the asteroid before it enters the earth surface! A team of astronauts head by Vasu (a trained magician and escape artist) goes to a space station to steal a missile, hold by an opponent country, to break apart the asteroid to preserve our country. Did their mission accomplished or not remains the subject which put us upright and holds interest to watch.

Hollywood has manipulated a lot on this concept (of space travel) but first time a movie made in India, using our simple technologies and VFX, want me to consider special and it lived up to  our expectation.  The director has simplified the subject and technical aspects to everyone’s understanding and the film crew had given their best to accomplish the mission. There are many places where logic dies but the illusion helped built up an image or mirage to watch with amuse. BGM was excellent!

The first impressive was the sound effect, where an asteroid hit the earth with force and make a large hole. I could say D.Imman had given his best and every time the BGM hit “tik tik tik” takes the entire attention and congrats D.Imman to accomplish a century, where Tik… was his 100^th composed album. Jayam Ravi in role of Vasu had showed boldness and unpredicted on face keeps intense. (I appreciate Ravi for taking such innovative projects following Peranmai.) Ramesh Thilak and Arjunan made fun and Nivetha is additional attraction to the exact replicative high-tech spaceship and space station.

The editing was magic and one could feel it if you watch filming clips under credit. Cinematographic is quite refreshing and the VFX scenes are pretty clear and feels real!  The movie is a great experiment that deserves attention and keeping away the logic (which I think is not necessary in a Sci-Fi) it’s a sheer entertainment, taking Tamil cinema to a different level and I really wanted to watch this movie in theatre to support their effort and to encourage such experiment in movies. Tik Tik Tik! A must watch in theatre for the terrific effects.

Skywatch Friday

Before checking the Tea Museum in Munnar, I captured this lovely shot on the pretty sky raised above the mountains of tea. Interestingly this’s the only part of the blue sky I watched during the entire trip of Munnar in Nov 2017! I ever experienced a travel like that where the whole trip went under gloomy, cloudy and rainy atmosphere and treated with multiple waterfalls decorating the mountains like festoons.

I really forget that I have completed 13 years in blogging on June 20th. I’m certain it’s only because of you, friends, support that I continue to blog and your comments were my booster to kept spring here. Thank you all. Blogging is a celebration every day and in the long run that particular day doesn’t mattered anymore and blogging isn’t the same as well when I begin and the experience of blogging taught me a lot to apply in my life and track  changer as well. It’s all because of you and you created a path for me to walk through.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Beauty

Beauty of bokeh
comes out of focus, express
it’s ubiquitous! 

P.s : Haiku inspired by the bokeh, shot with iphone last week while traveling in the car.

Evening shows and Kaala

Hereafter, I decided not to go for the evening shows at drive-in theatre as they begin to play movies at 6.45pm itself, it takes at least half an hour to get clear picture on the screen or to say until the sky turns darker. Except winter, all other season has day light up to 7pm and it’s really difficult to get involved watching. The only theatre I could visit here was the Prarthana beach Drive-in Theatre where I could watch movies sitting from the car rather shifted to a seat like regular theatres, and I don’t think Chennai theatres are wheelchair friendly or allow to watch movies from wheelchair. Apart this we could avoid traffic if we go for the night show at 10pm, and it takes only 15-20 minutes to reach and return home.

Last week I went to watch Tamil superstar’s Kaala and it is a movie based on the popular residential area of Mumbai, Dharavi (one of the largest slum in the world), where the superstar protect the people from a political head who tries to evict them to execute his construction plan. The movie was easily predictable, and the director has made it simple so there wasn’t an excitement of watching a Rajini movie. I too went without an expectation perhaps because Rajini has done many don movies and this is another shade in black. Actually at many places it feels and reminds the pro-jallikattu and the tunes celebrating Kaala also reflects the loudness of people gathered at Marina and black being the protesting logo influenced lot.

I thought it was only me, reminded the popular Vivek comedy where he played a fake don in Tamil film Padikkadavan but now I could see many connected this way while watching the movie. For people who went looking for some action from Rajini could have disappointed but ok with bit of styles. At a scene where he says, you may have come without asking me, but to go you have to… I wish Director Ranjith could have made clear notes at some places and also the sub for Hindi dialogues are unclear and noisy when languages blend. All characters did their part well and Easwari Rai had made a nice resurface after long time in Tamil and her slang is typical. Nana Patekar role could have been stronger and the movie is an eyewash overall in black. Could watch ones and you won’t miss anything if not.

8 Lane Expressways! Environment Destruction

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has taken oath in assembly to lay green road to Salem from Chennai, an 8 lane expressway through Tiruvannamalai-Harur. I really think is there a real need to execute this 8 lane project on the already 2 lane state highway? Anyone who has travelled this road would know how beautiful and scenic the entire stretch was with farmlands, reserve forests and mountainous landscape with number of trees lining up the road makes it a pleasant driving. I have travelled on this road to (to and fro) Yercaud and I enjoyed it both the ways to become my favourite. I really disturbed hearing this project and thought its quite waste of money and destruction of nature and environment… there’s already couple of national highway connecting Salem with Chennai and they were also 4 lane but this 8 lane roadway is unnecessary and that too the selection of this route is wrong. There aren’t many significant industries on this section and the need for transportation is also less and most part of this stretch is dedicated to farming and has certain amount of Eastern Ghats and five reserve forests on its way which is in need of production.

The pictures posted here were shot during my travel on the beautiful  state highway , what the government decided to make 8 lane expressway by chop off the trees and farmlands

The prime road to Salem from Chennai through Kallakurichi isn’t much busy and only 40% of vehicles use this road and that road too needs improvement as it wasn’t good in shape and smooth at some places and turns from 4 to 2 lanes at the bypasses. To make people irritate there are toll gates for even short distances. First these things have to rectify before they go creating a new section of road where there isn’t need for such fast pace 8 lane expressways. Even though they make it with a long time vision, at what cost matters lot? Destroying the environment and nature, forest and farming which upholds our life and make certain we live. What kind of development are we taking ahead or presenting to our future generation is to inhale dust and smoke. Forests and trees are our air purifies and if we lose these filters how could we breathe healthy?   Any development that destroys nature and environment should be prevented as much possible.

A  part of ghats section and reserve forest the govt. want to destruct. 

The other important roads like Tindivanam to Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram to Thanjavur were still partially done.  For every New Moon lakhs of devotees visit Tiruvannamalaai for Kirivalam (Circumambulation of the mountain) which means thousands of vehicles and buses take the Tindivanam road which is in bad state because of abandoned road work for many years. I wonder why the CM is serious about this project when a lot of problems, which need immediate actions, are pending on… 8 lanes for this stretch of road only gives doubts. Not more than a decade back highways has lot of trees along the roadside but they were all cut down for the widening 4 lane roads and no trees were re-planted as promised by authorities and our highways on all side are bare enough now. Stopping the car even for an emergency on the roadside is difficult these days without a tree for shadow. Though Salem was his region doesn’t mean he has to execute this project that only destroys farm and forest landscape. We are in need of more green space and forestry to preserve our rain sources as we are   inadequate of water, bringing the Cauvery should be our prior and preserving the environment is much.

The already enriched green road and what better the government could do on it?

Lovedale ! Railway Station

It’s not easy for a wheelchair bound to board a train and traveling in a mountain railway is out of dreams but I always wish to visit at least a railway station of the century old Nilgiri Mountain Railway. Many movies have captured the beauty of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and its picture postcard railway stations and smoky stream engines chugging out of the stations and making journeys through scenic mountains. Lovedale is a popular location for the climax scene in Tamil hit film Moonram Pirai. Last time when I visit Nilgiris in April 2017, I was intent to check any of the railway stations of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and Lovedale was my prior.

How appropriate to name alike?  I simply Love this place...

As I took an unusual road to Ooty, I passed Lovedale before entering the town and found it wasn’t far away from the town, so we passed without stopped there with a plan to return later leisure. Making it certain, the cottage we stayed was close to the Lovedale and opposite to the road leading there from the Ooty-Coonoor main road. We stayed at a place called Fun City, on the outskirt of Ooty and it is a place formerly seems to be an amusement park which later turned into property development and many cottages and homestay keeps emerging out there. Lovedale is just 6 minute drive from there and it was almost afternoon when we checked the lovely (Lovedale) railway station.

Yours truly waiting for his train haha..

I had no idea about the timing of the train’s arrival and passing the station but we learned only after we reached there that this was the time of the arrival of a diesel engine with passengers from Ooty. Actually we packed the lunch when moved out of the homestay and wanted to make to the railway station after having the lunch, when we already parked at the station parking. It was 1.30 pm and the station guard told the train will arrive in 10 minutes, so we postponed the lunch and waited for the train. Meanwhile I took some lovely photos around the station where we are the only visitors and various aspects of the station attracted me.

The pretty blue lovedale railway station

Lovedale, like all other Nilgiri railway stations, continue to operate from its original structure and it shares similar architecture as well. Coonoon being the junction railway station and Ooty as important and final destination on the mountain journey comes up with big operation rooms and passenger hub. But Lovedale is a passing railway station and only local people seems to board on and off and sometime tourist get down and take some snaps while the train halt for few minutes there. I actually thought the entire Nilgiri mountain railway (runs for 46 km) has turned into diesel locomotive but what I really don’t know was the stream engines are in continuous operation between Mettupalayam and Coonoor and only further upstream to Ooty (18km) is operated on diesel.

The train entered the station at 1.50 pm and moved exactly after 2 minutes halt and the train was fully loaded with passengers. As I was excited taking photos on the emerging/halted train, the passengers were curious watching me, taking photos from the wheelchair. When the train enters the platform the station guard exchange the rings (which looked like a wireless tennis bat) with the driver, which I Google to know is a “railway signalling process and the ring is a token, a locomotive driver is required to have or see before entering onto a particular section of single track”. In the picture above u could see the guards ready to exchange the rings, but the driver dropped the ring on the platform and took the ring from the station guard and it’s perhaps due to the speed.

As soon the train moved out of the station, the guard went up a small platform on the opposite side and changed the track gear. In short time it started to drizzle and the entire ambiance turn wonderful and much lovely and I really enjoyed the moment from the station porch, where I found couple of house sparrows making way through the portico. Though I hesitate to look into the station master room, through the open door I able to capture the token instrument placed on the table along an old telephone. The Nilgiri mountain railway began its construction in 1886 completed in 1908 with the building of track between Coonoor and Ooty, where Lovedale is interlinked.

The old token instrument and dial phone, the wooden ticket counter in booking room & hanging clock from the porch roof of the railway station.

RGB Monday

A colourful restaurant and café on Ooty-Coonoor main road!

Panda atrium is an open hall type restaurant with a view overlooking the pretty Ketti valley. Though I haven’t visited the café, I find it colourful to shot from moving car and the restaurant seems to treat different taste buds and from their menu (in online) I find they are more specific on Vietnam and Chinese food. Wish I could visit this café if I was to Ooty again and the pictures shot last year in April.

The winner shines alone…

... in the radiant hard work, 

vibrant mindfulness 

and vigilant downfall. 

Linking this post for Floral  Friday Foto  

My Moon

எண்ணற்ற கண்கள் உன்மேல்

கருவிழிகள் காதல் கொள்ளும்

வெண்ணிற மங்கை!

தாரகை முகம் கண்டு

தனிமையும் தயங்கி நிக்கும்

என் துணை நீ என்று

-------------- --------------

Numerous eyes on you,
black irises will catch love
on white woman (moon)!

Finding your charming face
seclusion hesitates,
that you my companion tonight! 

RGB Monday

Man selling colourful little toys for kids in front of Sims Park, Coonoor. I guess what he’s having in had is bubble toy that used for blowing bubbles.

I have been to Coonoor twice but unable to visit the Sims Park which has unique species of trees and plants that many native to this mountains aka Nilgiris. The park is created on a natural slope of mountain; with many steps leading down the park make it an inaccessible landscape for a wheelchair bound. But it’s a nice place for nature loving people alike.