Omankuzal.

Well I think that's the most appropriate name for the snack I made this afternoon. It was a November rainy chilly day @ Boston..Acton to be precise. As I sat watching/listening to the pitter patter of the rain I suddenly felt a craving for those crispy pakoda or bajji...when chked the pantry, I saw the Omam water, so got a brainwave to make Omapodi for the snack time. That's an easy peasy stuff which I have made in a jiffy without much effort in the past, many times..but I was wrong ..this time..well, everything was fine up to the making of the dough..all set. Oil in the pan got heated nicely, and I filled the dough in the iron 'omapodi achu'..and pressed it holding it above the heated oil like many times before..ugh??..nothing happened..the dough never got squeezed out..oh..ok..may be it's too tight..I removed it, and added some more water to soften it.. filled it again, and pressss..Now what??..It started coming out from the top...unbelievable..never in my 30 yrs of cooking life such thing happened before..WHAT??..I chked the holes of the press, all neat..then I noticed it was too tiny..figured it out..this is beyond my physical power. You need to apply huge pressure to squeeze the dough out thru that tiny holes..the texture of the dough I first made was sure fine..well, now what??..quickly revised the situation and decided to change the shape..yes I changed the 'achu' to thenkozal, and then things were fine. Finished the whole stuff in less than an hr..so now I have beautifully fried, golden brown, omapodi tasting thenkozal :)
Hence I decided to name it omankozal..

Timeout @ Pothys.

One lazy afternoon I decided to spend my time at a designers boutique. Well, then I just happen to see this huge building next to Vani Mahal, and was told it is an extension of the Pothys Chennai. Havent done much shopping in that shop, mainly because of the humongous crowd that will be jostling even late in the night. I was curious to have a look at this not so congested showroom. It was a 6 or 7 storied building each floor exclusively dedicated to specific product. I frisked thru the ground floor, designers' collection of synthetic/semi silks sarees..Oh Boy!!!..they have such a varieties, from places of India which you may find  hard to locate in the map!!..and the price is such a surprise.The sales person in each counter was so polite and attentive, you feel bad if you dont make a purchase..when I declared I was visiting the shop for the first time and was keen in just taking a look at the stuff, they were too eager to show me around the place explaining in detail about the products exhibited. I was thoroughly embarrassed to go without making a purchase.. Then I decided to try some ready made suits. Gosh..it was more tough choosing one. Right from as low as Rs. 500/700 up to a few thousands , it was an ocean. Cotton/silk/silkcotton/chiffon/Georgette..long/short/..name it..they have it. Then I slowly climbed down to the first floor where another ocean of un-stitched material was spread. The girls here were more sweet and took me around explaining about each display. The mix & match piece, a pair of tops with single pant and dupatta, for such a price, sounded very attractive. The semi crepe sets were very practical in a price range you can only imagine in the small shops!!!. The visit was such a pleasant one, and I ended up buying a few sets. Kudos to the staffs who made it possible. I didnt have much time left after this, so I have to give a miss on the pure silks section. Will make it some day, later.

In pursuit of Gate B22

The touch down by LH 423  @ Frankfurt airport in the early morning of a cold Saturday was fairly smooth and I felt quite refreshed inspite of being awake throughout the flight time. As I collected my things and got ready to get down, I chked my boarding pass of my next flight and was delighted to see the gate number printed in it. Generally, I wait for 4 hrs to know the terminal/ gate number. Peace. Now all I have to do is to proceed towards gate B22. Easy peasy..la la la.I started walking briskly along with fellow passengers. After walking a 1/4 mile or so, the arrow mark showed a right turn. Good, I walked and walked and walked!!!..another 1/4 mile done. Now the pace a bit reduced, I looked up for the elusive B gate. The arrow pointed straight. Continued walking and came to the moving belt. After moving for a good 5 minutes in two lengths I proceeded with confidence, hoping to find the immigration lounge for B gates. No. Its just not there, and I was asked to proceed further, now slightly less than a 1/4 mile, the arrow now pointed upwards for a change. Took the escalator and without much emotion, I looked at the long fairly empty airport hallway/corridor whatever it is called. As I walked further, a group of Japanese tourists entered from a side gate and suddenly the corridors were lively and I felt better. All only for a short while for when they reached the gate Z they abruptly stopped and entered the lounge there. Pheww..without losing heart I walked as if my only goal in life that morning is to walk and find a gate which is just not seem to be there. I noticed I was walking alone now. I was slightly disturbed by the silence and the dark sky outside the glass. It has been a solid 25 minutes walk now. I got sudden doubt if I was proceeding in the correct direction. And I wondered what if I had to retrace the whole route. When paranoid the brain behaves stupidly I guess. 

I halted for a moment and looked around for an airport staff. Yes there was a girl sitting on a high stool, half asleep with a monitor in front. I tapped on the desk and showed my boarding pass, and asked 'B gate, is this the way??..'Yes pruceed this way' she waved her hand straight..ahh..I did 'pruceed' only to find another escalator, but this time to descend. There there..I was kinda getting anxious now. When I hopefully got in to the lounge, wait..it was a train terminal..Oh God. Got to take a transit train. All this journey to get in to this train!!!!..well, no worries as long as I get to the B gate. 5 minutes later I was again ascending and following arrow. B1-19. What??..where is the rest??.. I walked further, the hallway/corridor turned 90 degrees and I walked walked..hey presto..there it was. The immigration lounge. There wasnt much people around. Lane 6 please..yup. I removed my jacket, and as I was placing it in the tay, the officer asked if I had any 'lickwid' inside my box, and the 'leph ttuph' to be kept outside. Sure, I did the same and walked thru the metal detector, fully dressed, with shoes and socks on..Wow. Havent even removed my  wrist watch. Not bad. Atlast the gate B22 was in sight. The chairs were empty, and I could smell the freshly baked buns.breads from the nearby restaurant. I just sat down, took a deep breathe.As I turned around all my discomfort disappeared , when I saw the beautiful sun rising, as a pleasant orange ball, with its reflection on the airport glass, making it look like a double sunrise!!!!..and it indeed made things easier and I got ready for my long journey back home.

Solitude - Glorified Lonesomeness.

Lonesome..That is what came to my mind when I saw this house, (well to call it a house is a debatable query) at an elevation of 10,000 plus feet...I took this shot, when we were climbing down from Badrinath. I found it amidst a vast field, and there seemed to be no soul within a range of some few km!!..The first thought that came to my mind was, how the hell they got in there in the first place???..Soon I found the answer, a few meters away.. spotted a mud path that runs on the slope of the huge mountain, like a giant serpent. Think this house must be a shelter for the farmers during the season.The whole side of the mountain was under step farming and this was in the middle of a step.Whatever may be the purpose of this house/shelter, the people who may occupy this will suffer from loneliness I guess..or I may be wrong, for work by itself is a remedy for loneliness. Still, I couldnt support my argument on that for however much  engaged , one may get weary at the end of the day being lonely..But then, life is an awfully lonesome affair, for we were all born alone and die alone.What makes it lively is the bond we create and the love we exchange with the fellow loners!!! when we are living...
Wow..philosophical quotes just pours out just by looking at this lone house on a lonesome mountain..
Look what Friedrich Nietzsche says on lonesome...
We do not belong to those who only get their thought from books, or at the prompting of books, -- it is our custom to think in the open air, walking, leaping, climbing, or dancing on lonesome mountains by preference, or close to the sea, where even the paths become thoughtful.
Whatever said and done, I think the faceless ppl who may use that house are really unique. Making a living by living for others...for I am sure the crops raised here must be cash crops and exported.
Hey, are we all not lonesome in our own way, living in a community, in the middle of a crowded city, Lonesome together..:) 

At the land of Love.....

I was really surprised to see a beautiful countryside in less than 100 km from Chennai city. Last month end we visited a rural temple at Thennangur, for a wedding. the drive was close to two and a half an hr.Till Tambaram it was chaotic. Thanks to the metro rail project. Then when I was hoping for a comfortable drive, the traffic was thick, for that time of the day!!.What was more striking was, the vast lands on either side of the NH 45, neatly laid out and imaginary towns already formed in the form of plots. I guess these were agricultural lands. I cant visualize how anybody can build a house to live here, with no amenities, and public service available. I found no decent school, shops or hospitals in near vicinity of these layouts. But the price quoted was exorbitant. I bet these lands were procured from the poor farmers for peanuts, by these real estate sharks.
The temple complex at Thennangur is visible from the highway, as we approach the village. A very quite hamlet, highly spiritual and harmonious with the nature, Thennangur is a must visit for a city dweller. The temple itself is a magnificent feast to eyes. The blend of northern and southern architecture style makes it a unique one. Watching the Deity of Sri Panduranga and Rukhmayee inside is a bliss and has to be experienced in person. The temple has a tree which is a silent witness of the divine romance of The Lord Sri Krishna and Radha.It is believed that praying to the Lord here helps one to join with their beloved one. We can see many knots tied by the couples who has succeeded and also who wants to be united..

The cleanliness and highly organized admin of the temple is a delightful change from the clumsy and dirty environment of our religious centers in general. Since we were there for a wedding and stayed just for a day, we could not dedicate much time in exploring the temple. The paintings and wall murals are done aesthetically in the Tanjore style art. The fiberglass mandap is something unique and very gorgeous. The Lord along with the Devi Rukhmayee is spectacular and no words to explain the peace you attain just looking at that magnificent figure. It was a great experience, and I need to go there again, again, again....and again I think...

Sri Panduranga & Rukhmayee

The temple complex with the north & south entrance.

After a good rest and sound sleep over the night, we took off from Pipalkote, to Joshimath. We were asked to report at the parking spot where our coach was left, precisely at 5.30 am. After a refreshing bath & hot coffee we boarded the bus which started immediately. I was hoping for a glorious mountain sunrise, as it was so early in the morning. But then as per Murphy's law, I was sitting exactly at the opposite side, plus the peaks of the mountains hardly revealed any rays of the rising sun. As I was looking out the window watching the beautiful mountain scenery that started slowly showing up like magic from the light of the dawn, I saw the setting moon smiling at me. Oh gosh!!..how did I miss it, in my greed to snap the sunrise, I totally failed to notice another beaut of the nature. Cursing myself for being so ignorant, I switched on the camera, and as I got ready to shoot the moon, the bus was taking a turn to the other side ( again Murphy's law).. still I managed to make a few clicks. But then, it is the crappiest shot ..So what..The place, The Himalayas, the time, morning 5.30, and the shot - from highly jerky bus that was ascending- makes this photo a Special.

Chronicle of a Trans Atlantic flight.

It was past 10pm when I walked in to the security chk at the Logans domestic terminal. Strange, because, I was flying to India via London and cannot comprehend why the flight was from that terminal. Anyway, that is not a big matter of concern. I am very much used to the, sometimes highly inappropriate rules and instructions slammed by the TSA authorities. I was lightly amused but greatly annoyed by the total body scan done . This is the first time I've undergone that. And I wonder even after that, why the passenger is frisked/groped by the officials. Now what is that they trust or dont trust is a big puzzle!!. All aboard, overhead cabins shut, doors closed. Ok, all fine. But the flight never took off, even 30 minutes past the scheduled departure time. And the crew never bothered to make any announcement regarding the delay.
I had a middle seat allotted and it wasnt very pleasant traveling with a farting bugger on one side and a smelly stinker on the other. The lady on my right was having a shawl around her, and whenever she opened it to adjust it, it was emancipating an odour that could bring out the breakfast you had 2 days ago. At around 2am food was served, which I declined, but my companions were duly served with what they asked, a meat in gravy, and beef curry or something. Oh boy!! the plight of people like me under such condition is pathetic. Think they must avoid allotting seats for pure vegetarians/vegans along with the general meat eating crowd!!!. That way you can be spared from the shock of having a plate of some Chicken dish, in the middle of night thrust in your hands while you are half asleep... Other than this it was a wonderful flight...
We are s'ppose to land at 10.30 local time London, but we made it only after 11am. Then again the ordeal of reaching the terminal 5 thru the transit claimed another 20 minutes. My flight to Chennai was at 1pm and I had literally no time to use even the rest room ..once the immigration at London was over, surprisingly, no frisking, not even the metal detector.. just a walk thru, I was a lil exasperated, when I saw the terminal for my flight. It was in the C , which again required a transit, this time the tube. Again the climb up/down, repeat at C..All done, reached the terminal C at 12 noon around. I precisely had 15 minutes before they call for boarding. The lobby was crowded, and I found an empty corner two gates away, to finish my packed lunch. Unlike the last time where I ended up with a soda, instead of water, ( mislead by the label that read, 'sparkling spring water'), I cautiously asked the counter girl to get me a bottle of water. She gave me a weird look and picked up the bottle for me. 'A pound and thirty for that'. 'Oh sure, here is my 2 dollar, I gave her the notes, for which she said 'I shall give you the balance in pound denominations only'. 'No probs' I smiled. Gave me a local daily as compliment. Not bad. The flight to Chennai was smooth, the food palatable (but the quantity served was ridiculously small!!) and drinks abundant. I can never understand the funda behind the idea of serving one teaspoon of curd/yogurt during lunch, and a big tub of yogurt at the early hrs, along with a pint of coffee!!! Most relieving thing was, the seat next to me was vacant..just that.

Mana Village- End of Indian terrain bordering Tibet/China.

I was a bit weary when the guide made the announcement about our next visit, the Mana, after finishing lunch that day, at Badrinath. Least I knew about the significance of the tiny hamlet another 2000 feet up there in the Himalayas. Boy!!!..what a place it is. It has not one but many unique features tucked under its folds!!!.
The river Saraswathi, which can never been sighted on surface anywhere else originates from a mountain near this village.
This is the last destination from Indian side, after which starts the Tibet and China border.
There is a tea shop that was started 25 years ago, which claims to be The last tea shop of India.
The Vyas Gufa has a small temple dated back to 5000bc!!
The Ganesh Gufa and the bridge of Bhima also has a mention in the epic Mahabaratha.
The path was very steep and there are people with basket like seats fastened to their back, slung by a rope from their head , to carry the persons who are unable to make the steep climb. They are the locals of the village.
A Bhotia lad.
.
The people of Mana village are the Bhotias, an Indo Mongolian descendants. They stay there during the summer months raising short term crops and engage in tribal handicraft work. They also rear cattle. Each house has a patch of land in the front and everybody in the family work, including small children. I dont think there is any school up there, and was curious to know what this small bunch of people do to educate their offspring.There are 180-88 houses in this hamlet, the population not exceeding 600. During winter when the Badrinath temple closes. they move down to Chamoli .
River Saraswathi originates from here, the water gushes out with great force through a rock, from nowhere and flows for some 100 meters before it goes underground. It also merges with Alaknanda at Keshav prayag, some one km from the place of origin. Then it disappears only to surface again at Allahabad, to confluence with other two river Ganga and Yamuna.

Keshavprayag
Saraswathi river
The simple tribal people has all the warmth in their smiling face and courteous behavior, that will make one forget the hardship of tough climbing and lack of basic amenities at that height.Great place for the younger generation who are inclined in adventurous trekking and camping.

Colorful rugs and mats done by the Bhotias.

May 1st. Holiday, but falls on a Sunday, disappointing the 'hard working' laborers!!. Well now thats not the point I am gonna write abt. It is abt the TV prog that has been much hyped since last week and eventually got telecast on that day. Wow..what a tribute to the working class. It is some so called cultural extravaganza conducted in Dubai. Only thing missing in the prog was the 'culture'. A Lady Ga ga & Jennifer Lopez will be put to shame , had they happen to watch it.. such was the 'quality' of the dancers. No doubt they were all talented..in stripping & shaking of course. The irony is, all males were buttoned up to the throat!!..the so called 'tamiz kalacharam' was very well portraited by these dancers..and I couldnt understand the need for a singer to expose the legs and back!!!.she wasnt dancing (thank God, for it would've been quite a sight had she chose to!) just standing in front of the mike and singing along with a partner. Look at the dress she was wearing!!!..and the angle of camera. Oh Modesty Where Hast Thou Gone? Should one lower to this level, may be I am wrong here for they do it willingly..Ok the moral police of Tamilnadu are effective only locally I presume. Remember the Sreya furor??..she was an actor associated with glamor and showbiz.. yet she was not spared. Anyway, the trend nowadays is to sit and watch some buxom extras shaking their hips for some vulgar lyrics. The CM of the state himself is a great fan of such shows and stays put till the end of the prog generally!!.Long live the great culture propagators . Bless their service.

Cutting across Cauvery

April 3rd was the Mannargudi Garuda sevai, and I happen to join the rest of the family for the occasion only a day before. I traveled by road from Chennai to Mannargudi via Kumbakonam. The journey was comfortable and I indeed enjoyed the rural India as we cruised through rich green fields.
As we crossed Vadalore and proceeded towards south, we were a bit skeptical about the Anakarai bridge before Kumbakonam, that was under renovation. The bridge was being serviced, and traffic for the heavy vehicles been closed. But the cars were allowed by a small service lane in the bridge. As we reached the spot, we found even that was closed for traffic. As I sat wondering how to retrace the path , we were told, we can still proceed, by the mud road across the dried river. I was speech less for a moment. By then our driver have already started descending the slope to enter the mud road. Oh boy!!..what a scene it was. We literally drove through the belly of the mammoth river. I imagined it with full water, and absolutely cant visualize where we would be then. The summer is yet to start and the river was almost a bed of dried sand, but for a small pocket of fresh water here and there. I had a feeling of walking over a sleeping giant!!!.It was a thrill for me, crossing the 1km distance across the river.

He was anything between 17 to 22 . A rag picker or a beggar, I couldnt make out from his clothes as the light was very low. It was a Saturday night around 9pm. After dinner I was annoyed by a loud thumping noise from across the street and found this lad was the one who was making it. He was trying to break a wooden frame out of a tin sheet, which was looking quite sturdy, of size not less than 3ft by 6ft. It must have been some piece left by the canal digging people. I was intrigued how he manage to break the wood without any proper tool. So I started watching the process. He was having a big stone with which he was banging the frame at some precise point (now you understand the amount of noise that was made, tin and stone!!) to loosen it from the sheet. He was almost done, when a guy passing by in a Bike stopped and enquired what he was up to. The boy mumbled something and the next thing I saw was the Bike guy hitting the boy right and left, kicking him violently calling bad words and tried to chase him off. The boy taken by surprise submitted initially, but raised his hand against the hitter, and tried to defend himself. The people from adjacent apartment intervened and made the bike guy to leave the lad.
Now I was wondering who was the bike guy, and who gave him authority to hit a fellow human like that. The sheet was only a junk, and other than the noise he was making, the lad I think was committing no offense. May be he wanted it to fix it in his hut, or may be he wanted it to be a shelter for his platform corner where he was staying..could be anything. Eventually he broke off the frame and carried away the sheet on his back. The whole episode lasted only for a few minutes, but it did leave an impact, which I couldnt explain. Why did he get assaulted?? It looks a bit ridiculous/make no meaning, terms like human rights et al..Worst of all, I have no idea how to react in such a situation!!!..I was yet another silent spectator, like quite a few people watching like me from their safe and sheltered homes...

It is exactly 60 days since BIL passed away. The grief and pain of the loss is still very raw and fresh. I have no idea how long will it take to get used to his absence. I havent yet come in to terms with my Dads absence even after 8 years. My heart really bleeds for my SIL. I have so many questions but wonder if they have any answer at all. Certain things are beyond our hands no doubt, but why and what for is very intriguing. One thing is proved beyond doubt. That each day we live is precious and we must live it fully. Not just live but cherish every moment by doing things that make us happy. We dunno how much time is left for us.
RIP KK.

September Blog Carnival: Say it with flowers na

Anything conveyed with a bunch of flower becomes very special. It is a great idea to have a celebration with many flowers, contributed by various friends. I do have a habit of clicking flowers whenever I get a chance. Most of my flower shots are from my backyard ..I enjoy my models who willingly pose with a perpetual smile, for you needn't have to prompt a flower to say 'cheese'!!!..and they really make my day. Another hot September Wednesday here in Chennai. Had a long drive after brekky to a suburban temple. Sending this gorgeous 'Vrukshi' for the September blog carnival: "Say it with flowers".

Pleasure of living in the city called "Singara chennai"

Well the picture says it all. No no it is not any mining site, it is our own street that is dug out for the construction of storm drain, in order to cope with the oncoming season. That is not a bad idea. But why no such system so far & what were we doing all these begone seasons are rhetorical questions. Coming to the point, the residents are almost under house arrest kinda, for, on one half of the road is the deep trench and the other half is filled with the dug soil that is precariously gathered. Tho there is a sign 'road closed', at the entrance of the road, our great citizens plough thru the gap, splashing mud and dirt, and get stuck in the middle. Movement of four wheeler is totally impossible. Walking in the narrow strip of path is highly dangerous, for if you happen to trip, straight you will fall in the trench. Still our brave hearted ppl do commute up and down.
It is really painful to realize how the common man is taken for granted.This has been going on for several weeks and the officials are in no hurry still!!!!. The major problem is the mass of earth that is accumulated after digging. I have no clue why it should not be removed immediately. This project is done by the sub contract ppl, and the Chennai corporation deals with the mud and soil stuffs. So unless they remove it no further work done. Wow..what a vicious circle..in the mean time the loser is the silly residents of the street.

Ceder ridge preserve, Dallas

Last sunday (25th April) after lunch we planned an outing, somewhere near by ..and Ceder ridge came in handy. The google described it to be a sorta hillock of abt 780 ft high, and it was suppose to be a kinda natural preserve, of some wild flowers birds and native vegetation. The drive was very pleasant, thru the typical vast open lands of Texas, which is green at present. Another interesting point I noticed was the number of churches. There was a church for every half a mile.Tall compound walls hid spacious houses with large garden and garages.
The preserve was not anything the way it was described, but still had a lot to offer. The prairies were preserved with Lavender lacing, and daisies smiling in between. It was indeed great walking thru the fields. Only disappointment was, the butterfly park, where hardly any butterfly fluttered by...:(...
The uphill trail was not very steep, a gradual ascend thru thick woods. The trees and plants are of native vegetation. The feel of crisp clean air was very refreshing. The smell of raw vegetation filled the nostrils and it was a nice experience. We did spot some colorful birds, but couldnt click any for they were very swift and disappeared in the tall trees.On the whole, it was a good break from the tight weekly schedules.

April 4th..well I boarded the flight to Boston, against so many odds..at last!!..It was a BA flight for a change via London. Tho the seating was the same, uncomfortable with no leg room and an odd head rest which is exclusively designed to give one a neck sprain..the food served was palatable. But nothing was served in between the 10 and 1/2 hr flight. And the passengers literally starved and at the verge of dehydration for even water, leave alone any drinks, was not served. The reason, I came to know later, for the lack of hospitality, is that the crew was on strike and just returned for duty. What a way to travel!!. A sweet bun, Upma and a small Dosa was served for breakfast, for the flight took off early morning.Then 9 hrs later just before landing a very mini lunch was served.
I generally use the toilets in the flight very sparingly. I was pained by the way it was used/misused by our fellow country (Wo)men!!..The lady who used the loo just before me didnt bother to flush the toilet, and walked away coolly w/o any embarrassment.. I can understand why our ppl are looked down upon.The flight was 70% filled with Indians. Many aged couple, with small kids, may be grand kids traveled. I have nothing against children and their pranks, but while traveling long distance I dont dig their company, especially if they are cry babies!! And the toddlers sitting behind my seat had special strength in kicking the seat!!. I politely made a mention but in vain. The mother hardly responded. Such is the behaviour. They leave the virtue called courtesy back at home I guess, or perhaps they dont possess one.
The waiting at the Heathrow was long and the transit from terminal to terminal was a real pain. We were taken by a bus to terminal 5 for onward journey, and immigration chk was done there.
It was not a big deal, but then when the gates were announced, one more transport, by the tube was made, and then, again, a bus to a nowhere, where the flight was boarded by steep steps. I really dont understand why such things happen only to flights with more Indian passengers!!

Was reading some article in the magazine, Shakthi Vikatan, Jan 2010 issue. It had quite some interesting stuff. There was a write up about a temple in Poonamallee. It is Varadharaja perumaal kovil.The speciality of the temple is that, the rays of the rising sun directly falls on the face of the Main deity during the month of Feb and March, last week. It was amazing to think about the architect marvel of such kind of construction. It is really an awesome piece of work. One cannot imagine the level of intelligence of those people involved in such projects. Definitely they must have possesed some kind of divine blessings/assistence to create such marvelous work.
Well on a lighter note, I think I have the same divine blessing too!!!, for the setting sun visits our pooja room daily before signing off, during the month of dec-jan:)

Welcome 2010

So another year passed away..365 days, gone. And here comes a new year. Wonder what is in store. The year opened up with an eclipse. Spectacular Blue moon darkened by shadow, just for a few minutes past midnite, and emerged flawless within an hour. Think it does convey something...hope the brighter part stays for long.I was up and awake till late night to take this snap. But the moon was too bright, and I had difficulty in picturing the event. Still did my best with the Canon sx20. On the new moon day we are having another eclipse, solar. This will be almost a total, 83% visible here in Chennai, and I doubt if I will be able to take a snap of it, for it occurs at midday. Sure will give it a go.
The year also started with a bang for me, as I received the news of my Book published and delivered. It is only a photo book, and I had added some write up describing the pictures. Still I am excited and cant wait to see it in person.
So all is well in Anu's world. Sofar so good. Happy 2010.

I watched it day in and day out, just like the way I watched the sky above and the ground below.It was a part of my life. But never realized, that, unlike the sky and the earth, this tree will cease to exist, that too so soon!! A silent spectator, who participated in everything that happened in my house. A willing model who posed for my pictures. I know the critters that climbed this tree, the birds that perched atop..the regular one and the rare one..It was just a slender stick with a scanty green crown when I first saw it 4 years ago when we moved in here. But soon it spread its branches with rich green bunches and grew in to a young handsome tree. It survived the storm that year, (got uprooted and planted back) and evolved in to an adult tree with strong trunk. It grew day by day and I was amazed by the nature, which has made these plants that grow to enrich the earth with minimum/nil care. Within three years it has reached a height of nearly 20 m. And this summer it blossomed for the first time. It was a wonderful scene. The shocking red may flowers swaying amidst the light green lovely leaves was a treat to the eyes. Standing out in the balcony watching this tree by itself is an experience on its own I reckon.
And everything was short lived..like all good things come to end soon, this tree which is very vulnerable, got a blow yesterday from the sudden thunder storm and fell again. This time, it was not possible to replant it for it has broken off from the prime root. Four year old tree dying is very sad indeed...but in a city where mother earth is dear, such trees cannot survive, as they need a sprawling area to spread their shallow roots. Anyway, I am sure to cherish the pleasant time I had with this tree and going to miss it terribly in coming days.

This naughty lil guy is in my Mom's place, cared by my sis in law..he knows too many things for a cat!!..I often wonder if he is a human in the form of a cat...except that he cant speak, he behaves in such a way one would start believing him to be a human...he can recognize the cars, can sense what is going on inside the house, and can make out who is a guest et al..sis in law coaches children with extra classes, and he will sit amidst them with apt attention..like any other cat he always wants to show off his pride catch, be it a squirrel or rat..my bro detest him just like all men do, and he is smart enuf to avoid direct confrontation with my bro.The minute he sees my bro's car leaves the premises, he will come inside galloping. He will come inside running when he sees my car , and will rub against my feet up and down making different tones of meaaows, as if enquiring something.Yesterday he wasnt around when I came, but saw me in the terrace. He started calling meeaaow, and came, (can you believe) upstairs looking for me..I am not a great lover of cats, but then this guy is an exception, :)