Knocked down Butterflies

While riding on the national highways in July, on way to Thandikudi (Kodai) for vacation, we sadly hit number of butterflies which came knocking on the windshield and side windows around the belt of Tindivanam and Villupuram. It wasn’t an unusual thing while riding but this time we hit butterflies in plenty and the butterflies were emerging in and out of the median where flowering plants were at bloom. At many places across the highways flowering plants and shrubs are grown on the median to prevent flashing light from the passing vehicles in opposite at night and also to enhance the appearance of road.

I have taken the NH 45 many times and ever hit the number of butterflies alike and we felt pity for these tiny lives. The butterflies that mostly knocked down were yellow and light green ones apart some red brown and orange butterflies. My cousin was driving the car and the knocked down butterflies leave back their trace on the windshield, turning it colourful and we counted about 5 different colours. The plants that adore the medians were mostly oleander and some kind of yellow flowers that produce nectar. So the butterflies were busy feeding on the sweet essence and being a highway it’s not possible to drive slowly, so could only feel sorry for these beauty species.

Footnote:

The rock painting of butterflies (pic above) was captured while waiting at the ECR toll gate to collect tickets. ECR toll gate is beautiful as same and I always try to capture some thing and the rock paintings are one. 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

My perception on God!

Lot has changed with my perception on things, as I keep learning and experience life people do not notice it easily or I haven’t exhibited or chance to do. Being mostly home bound, except my parents no one observes things at close or interested to look into but with each passing phase the transformation happens as I ponder over things. One such thing was stop believing there's  God!  This wasn’t a decision of all of sudden but layer by layer the thoughts inbuilt within and it isn’t a reflection of my frustration of being disabled or anxiety. It’s a conscious decision truly based on rational thoughts and inner feeling.  Perhaps it could be my inability to obtain the feel of god but I wasn’t blindfold to stamp against others feelings and at same time I’m reasonable to feel unlike.

I don’t hide or deny that I believed God once when I wasn’t truly conscious about things or understood life. Though I don’t say I quite aware everything, but from my understanding which perhaps wrong, I couldn’t feel the god or hold faith. I might be wrong if I seek evidence and definitely there’s a power behind the rotation of earth and universe setting, but I couldn’t come to a term there’s god behind this exist. The transformation began within me more than a decade ago and many silent moments and questions answered me the same. Though my perception has changed I continue to capture or record things related to devotion or idol worshipping, and it doesn’t matter upon what belief it hold, I can’t deny the reality happening around me.

But still many things haven’t changed or turned down and I like going to big temples not for worship but to admire the craftsmanship and take photos on the architecture and sculptors. I see big temples or churches as a landmark of history and marvel at same and some are beautiful (even they’re small shrines or mosque) to watch. I still get to smear sacred ashes on the forehead by the dear ones which I have no mind to stop or argue in disbelief, and that doesn’t mean I praise the lord but respect their feeling and prevent hurting. I never like hurting anybody and couldn’t do so and not only because it hurt me more than I do, I dare to confront not in fear but love. While I stay away from others religious belief, I can’t stand up the superstitions and will protest when needed.

I grow up from a family that has been pious and my dad never misses a day to worship from the house altar (puja room) and going to temple on weekends. Mom does not miss her Friday worship and any monthly special days of worship apart celebrating festivals, people could wonder how come I differ in thoughts and against their devotional lifestyle. I believe faith can’t be forced on anyone and if it could be only distrustful will remain. Religion or faith should always be individual’s choice to accept or not. As a child one doesn’t have an idea or choice rather following their parents belief until they reach a stage of understanding and realize themselves what they want to be. Obviously I have all the rights already to choose what I want to be, but the only thing was I haven’t exhibited the transformation held within and I don’t think it’s needed anyone to know.

My Late Ayudha Pujai Celebrations

Ayudha Pujai is a south Indian festival, means worship of instruments, and is celebrated by all working people towards their occupation of tools. Ayudha Pujai had once been my favourite festival next to Deepavali and Pongal, and I always looked forward for this day (until my maternal uncle was alive) since our house was attached to my uncle’s Maruti (car) workshop. My parent’s was an inter family marriage and my dad married his sister’s daughter, so our relationship with my uncle doesn’t need an explanation and we are close enough to celebrate it as a family festival, calling close relatives, along with his co-workers the festival will go off enthusiastically.

Actually it was the night before the festival day we (me and bro) enjoy lot. Throughout the night the employs will involve in activities of cleaning the workshop, whitewashing the walls and repainting the tools and machineries. The employs were like brothers and uncles to us and a step outside the home will land into the workshop which means we often end up playing with the employees and have fun during their free times. And when a night and day is left to spend with them, how could we miss the fun in helping them and decorating the workshop to look colourful for the festival. Even our parents put us in bed forcefully, we couldn’t sleep really and mind kept thinking about going out and joining the workers but we make certain being outside till midnight or uncle warns to go to sleep.

Photos from the archives of 2007 celebration

On Ayudha Pujai, the day begin with a fresh feel looking at the workshop, free from all the greasiness and floors washed off and walls painted neatly in white with colour papers and festoons adorning  the workshop. We play songs in tape recorder to keep up the celebration mood and two big banana trees will be tied on the entrance of the workshop and all our vehicles will line up in front of the garage with flowers and sandal sprinkled on them after the water wash. The items for worship like aval pori, fruits, sweets and snacks will be bought in bundles and after puja (or worship) the items will be distributed in carry bags to workers, customers, drivers whoever attend the festival and also to nearby shops and friendly neighbours. Pori (puffed rice) is the main part of the festival, so mostly it would be a big sack to go into many carry bags and I also like watching how it take place along with fruits and snacks. Added to this a set of cloth (to be stitched as shirts and pants) was given to each employ apart a month salary as bonus.

I don’t think anyone would have given such benefits to their employs like how my uncle did.   He always cared and been generous with his co-workers, friends (whom were standing beside him when he opened the workshop) and anyone comes in need of things. I would say he has been a philanthropist throughout his growth and until he was alive; and our comfort level has risen almost because of him and the love and affect he kept on us. For anyone their father used to be their hero but I would consider him. During the festival our close relatives (whom were cousins overall) is invited and all our aunts were honour by saris and sometime we all have dinners together. As kids joining with cousins doesn’t need to say anything and its joyous occasion overall. Today we quite miss the fun and celebrations; since my uncle passed away (in 12/2001) things turned different and faced an end. 

Hi Fi (high fly)

(click pic for enlarge)

Up in the air, birds

flying aloft kindle man

to fetch wings to fly

RGB Monday

A land promoter’s colourful gateway at the outskirt of south Chennai. Picture shot during a recent outing on Sunday

Lovely Sky Watch III

Traveling from Trichy to Dindigul on NH 45 is always my favourite route to sky watch and fluffy cumulus clouds are found a lot on this stretch. Being a bare landscape for almost, the sky is wide and vastly open and against the blue skies the floating clouds turned to be a magnificent vista. The fluffy white clouds turned grey and pinkish at some places where playing light and shadow throughout the journey. While nearing Dindigul and beyond the town more grey clouds arrived at the sky and started to drizzle slowly.  And further will be shared in future post.

Vast sky with fluffy clouds (all pics can be enlarged)

A beautiful Church on Trichy - Dindigul highway 

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Neem Bestow

Standing tall my neem

however hot the earth scream

it’s cool under your shadow

a unique layer of tree

blows a kind of wind

soothing the body and mind.

You grew up breaking the walls

bordered with neighbors

to show up unity is strength,

though we take care not

you support unconditionally

purifying environs n provide shadow.

You send nostalgic feel

through your cool breeze

triggering the lost sense or memories

of moments that never return,

glad I borrow you from the neighbour

and what u bestow is unparalleled. 

P.s Was having some problem in getting constant net connection for last few days and I have complained and waiting for them to resolve. Until then pls bear

The picture has the neighbor's Neem tree outgrown into our courtyard. The neem tree cracked down a part of the wall and it was rebuilt leaving space for neem. 

Floral Friday: White Oleander

Nerium oleander is a shrub or small tree grows from a neighbour’s house and the flowers were shot through the backdoor, across the open parking of the house next door. The evergreen shrub is a fast-growing with an upright growth-habit to 10-15 feet tall and wide. This sun loving and long-blooming variety features narrow glossy dark-green foliage with flowers grow in clusters at the end of each branch in pretty white, pink to red.

Oleander flowers are showy, profuse, and often fragrant, which makes them very attractive in many contexts and they bloom from mid-spring through summer attract bees.

All parts of this shrub contain a milky sap that is poisonous if ingested and one should be caution when pruning or working with this species. The shrub thrives in exposure of full sun and tolerates heat reflected coastal conditions, where it is extensively used as an ornamental plant in parks, roadsides and house gardens.

Linking this post for Floral  Friday Foto 

Fresh Waterfall

Driving from Athikadavu to Ooty, passing through Manjoor, we find some pristine waterfalls and freshwater streams/spring during the course and a part of my road less travel. This’s a route that passes through wild forest and private vehicles are allowed only after thoroughly checking or enquired which has been tightened since the intrusion of antisocial.  

Actually this is a river sourced from mountain sholas and it flows like a waterfall at a point where we stopped on the bridge across the river to watch the waterfalls in step format. I think this should be a check dam but in long run the washed off rocks and sand raised the river floor and from the bridge it looked awe with a pool and huge bounder beneath.

Since we drove slowly enjoying the pristine natural environment and forest along, we stopped at many places to watch and capture the nature and manmade that wonder us. I really don’t want to reveal much about this route and let people know themselves if they are interested because we really need to protect these areas and prevent anything disturbing. 

Close up on the falls

Touch-me-not

Was fondled to whine 

stretching arms together, she 

confined further touch. 

Lovely Sky Watch II

Following my earlier post, I’m sharing another set of sky photos from the travel (to Kodai in July) further on the NH 45 passing Villupuram and Perambalur districts, the sky you watch here is above Trichy. These photos were shot while traveling on the bridges across Cauvery River and railway crossing and I find these spots apt to shoot as it kept away the building interrupting the scene. The sky came up with different shapes of fluffy cumulus clouds that keep inspiring to shoot and watch with interest. But it was the sky between the Trichy and Dindigul that fascinated me a lot and it could be my next sky watch post. 

 

 

 

The pictures were all shot through the windshield 

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Idol Procession to Immerse

After long time, went for an outing on Sunday traveling around the southern outskirt of Chennai taking some road less travelled. When nearing Medavakkam junction we come across rows of Ganesh procession, where the idols are transported in mini tucks to immerse in Palavakkam Beach. There are three places allotted in Chennai for the idols brought up from the places nearby Chennai to immerse and Palavakkam is allocated to the southern region. Few years back I used to go to the beach to watch the procession and immerse of idols, but this time it came across my way and while moving in traffic I got to capture some photos on the idols transported in trucks. Many of the idols were facing back while coming opposite and I managed to take some using the iPhone. 

This idol is decorated by coins and rupees

The procession passed very quite with few beating drums and sounds

There was many walking with flags along the procession

A small collage  on the procession

NEET Dispute

Suicide is undoubtedly unacceptable whatever reason has been told behind one. Anitha’s suicide due to unable to attain medical course because of less marks in NEET (National Eligibility and Entrance Test, for Indian students who wish to join medical course) has gripped the entire state of Tamil Nadu. She didn’t give up just by that but has fought against the NEET, arguing in the Supreme Court, impleading herself as a respondent demanding an exception to NEET for Tamil  Nadu  when the state govt. let down the state board students without aid them in anyways.

The 17-year-old Anitha from Ariyalur, the most backward district of Tamil Nadu has scored 1176 marks out of 1200 in her 12^th board exams and was determined to be a doctor with cut off mark of 196.75 out of 200. But her NEET scores couldn’t make the cut as she scored only 86 out of 700 in the newly introduced entrance exam. It’s obvious that it wasn’t her fault in anyways and for the girl who scored top in board exams, NEET couldn’t be a trouble if she instructed properly.  Not only she, all students went to write the exams with a confused state whether the central govt. will waive or not for Neet in Tamil Nadu.

It’s completely failure of the deal between the state and central govt. and the education system with different syllabus for each state, how could they go for a common entrance exam when there’s lot of differences between the CBSE (central board of secondary education) and state boards.  Neet could be a better option only in the future when there’s a common education system and syllabus cross the country.   I think Neet isn’t’ included as a subject in schools and one has to take special coaching classes to train themselves to write the exam.

One of my nephews wrote Neet and they paid about 25000 for just a month course of Neet. Because of difficulty and to score high he shifted to state board after studying up to 10^th in CBSE to join medical course and in belief Neet will be waived off Tamil Nadu. Though he scored high marks in 12^th and less in Neet unable him to attend the council but without delay he joined engineering. Anitha seems to be intense about joining medical course despite the fact that she had an Aeronautical Engineering seat at the prestigious Madras Institute of Technology.

For the middle and above classes, taking the special coaching for Neet couldn’t be much difficult¸ but for a daughter or son of labour (alike Anitha) or farmer isn’t same. This isn’t the state of only Tamil Nadu, but all states face the difficult when the coaching for Neet doesn’t come free. A competition could be fair only if both sides are strong enough and CBSE consist of high standard compare to state and matric syllabus how could NEET be justified and be common to all. India is a diverse country and each state has a different language and syllabus to read and when things was like this the state wide entrance exam could be the right unless a common syllabus spread across India. 

Neighbourhood Fences

During an evening walk at neighbourhood last week I shot on few fences and gates using my iPhone Se. Usually I don’t take my phone while going for walk and this time purposely took the iPhone to test the camera and I could manage taking photos from single hand and the picture outcome is better than my previous mobile at this position.

The fence belong to a newly build house and I really liked their simple and neat design protecting their garden plants. Following the fence I stopped to take shot of a simple wooden  gate and gateway décor of a house next to it. 

Linking this post for  Good Fences by Gosia 

Cart procession from our street temples of Ganesh

On the evening of Ganesh Chaturthi, there was couple of cart procession from our street temples.  There are two Ganesh Temples in our area and one was at the end of our street and other in the back street. Each year on the evening/night of Ganesh Chaturthi the temples out here come up with their own cart procession of decorated idols of Ganesha and prior to the festival an amount is collected from the residents by the organisers of the temples and the money is spent on the occasions for special rituals and cart procession.

Cart from back street temple (click all pics for enlarge)

Since shifted to our native area 2 years back, we got to see both the processions again and the temple at the back street was familiar to us then and the temple was built upon the stone sculpture of Ganesha that was brought by my grandfather. The first cart came from the back street temple but due to loud band played in front of the cart I didn’t come out to check it and I really hate such loud bands and what they played was worst because it was a funeral beat. Playing such band for an auspicious event like Ganesh Chaturthi is quite senseless.

Cart from our street end temple

The picture on the cart (first one) was shot by mom on the back street temple and she went out for few minutes of worship and she too hated the loud band. Usually Nadaswaram Melam or Thavil (the traditional instrumental of Tamil Nadu, played for special and auspicious occasions) takes place in front of the cart procession but what they did squirm the faces of residents and many didn’t come out to receive the Lord. But the cart from our street end temple was right opposite and made a peaceful entry into the streets playing my favourite Nadaswaram Melam.

The cart procession by this temple went at leisure pace and I took many photos when it come closer and stop in front of our house. They did nice floral decoration for Ganesh and other two idols and the installed focus light helps capture decent photos. I also got interested shooting the players of Nadaswaram Melam sending beautiful notes to ears and the street was lit by tube lights on one side along with color flag poles. 

Nadaswaram Melam or Thavil playing in front of the cart procession

Home Ganesh and Reason to Immerse

Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated at home on Friday and as usual parents bought clay idol of Ganesh and after the worship the idol was immersed in a tub of water in the evening. For last 10 years we have been immersing the idol in same way rather dropping at sea or river (what many others do), and the muddy water is later used for watering plants.

Actually the clay idols should be immersed in rivers, where those days there used to be flood in rivers during this time and the running water wash away the sands on river bed to let water flow easily into the sea instead of slow and steady progress which rise up the groundwater table. The dissolving clay idols control the flow of water by blocking and turning it harder and the dry clay idols suck the water at the floor of river help increasing the groundwater level.

The clay idol put into a bucket of water to dissolve

Our ancestors had a reason to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi and the practice of dissolving clay idols was beneficial then, but what we dissolve these days only pollute the water bodies. The clay was transformed into various toxic substances to give colors and different shapes to Ganesha. These days all rivers run into the state are dry but the reasonable practice, which supposed to take a break turned into a ritual where the choice of immerse becomes anything and most of the times it was sea or lakes.

For those unaware: Ganesh Chaturthi is a grand festival in India, devoted to Ganesha – a prime deity worshiped by Hindus. It is celebrated as ten-day festival in northern states of India and is usually celebrated privately at home as well in public, and is organised by local youth groups mostly where they collect money from public to form pandals (temporary shelters) to install Ganesha idols. 

Yellow Mike

A yellow Dahlia bloomed near my uncle’s woodhouse in Thandkudi and the way it rose up from a long stem reminds me the standing mike in stage play.

Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, herbaceous perennial plants native to Mexico and it is related to species includes the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum, and zinnia. The flower forms are variable, with one head per stem; these can be as small as 5 cm diameter or up to 30 cm. The dahlia was declared the national flower of Mexico in 1963.

Linking this post for Floral  Friday Foto 

Excess of anything is unhealthy

We could not put a boundary for human’s desire but understanding life brings control towards self and teaches others. Sometime the desire overtakes to meet trouble where we lost control of thinking and go ahead preventing things that preserve life and being sensible. Not only desire, any number that outfall into account is excess and sometime overly attached relationships (either friendship or kinship) makes trouble when one could not spent fair amount with other or excessively cared to disregard another. Everyone has right to choose their relationship or give prior but always being immersed disconnects from other worlds.

I feel the young people these days take things excessively whatever it is. Perhaps they anticipate instant results and taking extensive amount make them feel quickly reach the target. Avoiding everything in name of diet only ends in lack of nutrition. I believe the best diet could be to eat as per you work or work as per you eat and taking excessive protein is also unhealthy. Balance is something everyone needs in the world, which itself spins on certain angle for the balance. If we are concern, everything is important for us and balancing things give peace to all. I think this is a formula that could not apply easily, but practicing makes it possible. Doesn’t it?