About me
Am a contradiction of sorts. i love going out and having a good time with friends, and i can also stay home chill out over a book or a movie..
Am very passionate about writing, so give me a topic and watch me float away into wonderland... Love reading books- sometimes i read 3books simultaneously, crazy about music- need it all around me, all the time and ofcourse, i totally am ga ga goo goo over my 7yr old naughty brat- Floppy!! errr, Prince Floppy!! :)
Across the road from the ocean all we saw was a towering wall and a board that read -Dutch Cemetry and Fort which was the sign we had been looking for. A fortress town located on the Coromandel Coast in Kanchipuram District, about 70 km from Chennai on the ECR is Sadras , also known as Sadurangapattinam, and we were standing at the gates [which were shut] of the Sadras Fort.
It was a blazing hot day and i was dead tired, we had been on the road all day and had just returned from a visit to Kanchipuram and few other places . The gates were all we could see through the locked gates, so i guess another visit is due....
The Tall brick building greets me bright and alive no matter what time of the day/night it is. Gosh, i've lost track of the number of journeys that began and ended here, the amount of fun we've had waiting for the train, and the days when i used to have my head literally pressed on the window to catch sight of my uncle who'd have come to pick us up... Lovely memories indeed..
Sure hope there are many more fun adventures in store for me and all of you... Time to get packing, what say?
“Life's a wheel of fortune and it's my chance to spin it”...
Wish it were that simple!
These Rims help the car move ahead smooth, going round and round, up on the bumps, and managing to ride over the rugged paths, sliding on water and halting when brakes are pulled... Life too i feel works on rims called our mind and circumstances, taking us where it does, protecting us against harsh wind, helping us forge ahead against hurdles...
Up we go, down we go
We climb over obstacles
and we at times, jump over hurdles
We go down difficult times
and we at times, even slide down what looks like a smooth path
These steps reminded me of life, and of how we keep fighting everyday to battle the highs and lows.
Taken at the War Memorial, Chennai, the steps lead up to a pillar that is a monument in memory of those who gave their lives in war...
As I wandered the beautiful corridor at Ekambareshwar temple in Kancheepuram, I spotted quite a few sculptures which were being given a new coat, a new lease of life. Even though this was something to be happy about, i saw that some were losing their identity and originality.
In Pulicat few days ago, we decided to do the boat ride in the Pulicat lake when we thought we spotted a gazillion Flamingos. There was a dead crab and this claw that hitched a ride with us...
The lake was very unique and that fascinated me no end.. The water near the shore was about 8feet deep, while as we went further into the lake, it became shallow, getting to a point where water was not more than a foot deep.. Infact, we had to convince the guys rowing that we were there only to see the birds and not for a joy ride. They were quite against getting anywhere near the Flamingos, not cos they thought the birds will get scared, but because the water was too shallow and the boat might get caught in the sand. One of the guys got off the boat, and literally pushed it all the way to about 5mts from the birds... And we are very thankful for what he did!
Had been meaning to visit the Semmozhi Poonga since the day it was inaugurated, but Murphy kept coming into the scene and ruining all chances. Finally, last sunday, bunch of us Blogger buds- Gils, Ratzzz and G3 decided to meet and the venue was - Semmozhi poonga!! I threatened the others to not bail out, inspite of which one did.. :( Anyways, i did enjoy visiting, spending a few hours wandering about the vast space, the beautiful landscaping, the amphitheater or sorts, watching ducks swim about in the ponds, the fountains that seem to be reaching for the sky and the sprinklers that drenched us around every corner... A dodge here, a splash there, a dodge[attempt] and a bigger splash...
The place is so different from what it used to be, kept looking for signs of where Drive in Woodlands had been and just couldnt find any.. The dry empty spaces are now filled with trees and plants and park benches occupied by lovers, families, and kids. The most crowded section was ofcourse the Kids' play area, packed with people- parents kids and extended families i am sure!!
Looking fwd to more visits.... Next on the list is Adyar poonga...!!
On the Poonamallee High road, as you drive towards the Central Station from my home, this beautiful Brick coloured Wesley church always has me taking a 2nd glance...
CSI Wesley Church, located in Royapettah, Egmore in Chennai and established by the Methodists in 1905, is now part of the Church of South India, Madras Diocese. In this Church there is an emphasis not only on corporate worship in the Methodist tradition at the regular Sunday services at 8.30 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. but also in building Christian fellowship during the week through well organized activities like the Men's Fellowship, the Women's Fellowship, the Youth Fellowship, the Prayer Fellowship, Area Fellowships and the Choir. This is a place worth visiting for Christians.
Keeping the evil eye away is something that most people believe in. In our home, rather at my grandparents' house, there is a black rope tied around a padigaram [dont know what it is called in Tamil] and in many shops i see the green chilli- lemon combo..
This was spotted again during a photowalk near Casino Theater.... The guy was selling some eats and juices on his cart and said this helped keep his business alive and keep all jealous, evil eyes away....
During one of the early Photowalks i had been on, we wandered around the narrow lanes in Egmore... Harris road and Pudupet....
Found this poster of the yesteryear hero MGR on the wall.... There were a few kids who were pointing to the poster and imitating some of his moves. and actions.....
Chennai continues to fascinate me every day...There are buildings and monuments that speak so much of our rich history, each one seems to have stood through war and time....
While driving down the beach one day, from the car clicked this shot of the sunset on the Iron Bridge or the Napier bridge....
Chennai Marina beach has quite a few interesting monuments along the way... The other day, when we were on the Photowalk, i was wandering around the beach, till i reached this beautiful memorial.. It had been ages since i had been to this part of the beach....
The
MGR Memorial was so grand, large and beautiful, i just had to click a shot of it....
Few days ago, while returning home from a meeting,passed by the
Santhome Church and paused for a minute.. The Church always has me in awe, mesmerized almost... Today too, asked the driver to stop the car for a minute, hopped out onto the platform and stared at the church for a few minutes before a traffic cop came asking us to move...
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For more beautiful skies, visit
Skywatch Friday
I was literally flat on the ground, the tree seemed to have touched the skies and playing Swish swish with the clouds... While on the road in Goa, there was a stretch of barren road with nothing but emptiness in it..... These trees were all i saw before the beach welcomed me...
A place of worship, a place where i find myself at peace and calm.. Sringeri, one of the 4 Mutts established by Adi Shankara is a place we visit, i visit atleast once a year, while rest of my family does multiple trips...
The Vidyashankar temple is an architectural marvel.... Viewed from a distance it looks like a attractive chariot. On the walls, there are carved innumerable statues. On the pinnacle of its lofty tower is a grand gold cupola. Inside this temple, 12 sculptured pillars with zodiac signs have been engraved. As the sun move from one zone to another, the sun's rays fall on the respective pillars. There are steps outside that are narrow and tall, with the outer wall filled with Gods and Goddesses...
We walked along the path towards Namdroling Monastery in Bylakuppe when we saw these strange birds pecking on footwear... Wonder what they were, thought maybe Turkey, but a passerby mentioned a name in Kannada and walked away... Dint catch the words, just some random gibberish floating in the air...
Wonder why these birds were focussed on the footwear they had.. Did they think it was food? or where they fighting to kill it?? [assuming it was a large sized hard worm?] :D
A small cafe in T.Nagar was the location for our meet.. We were a bunch of bloggers who decided to meet here one evening, and spent more than a couple of hours laughing, and kidding around... What fun we had!! One smartypants decided to order Coffee beer and give it a try.. With anticipation we waited for the drink to arrive, and when it did we [all but the soul who'd ordered it] stared at it in awe... It looked like coffee dicoction, and something brown floating on top....
A sip later, the guinea pig's face got twisted beyond imagination... The glass soon went around the table, with each of us sipping and giving our esteemed comments [read- yuvack reaction]... we vowed never to order it again!!
This is a light fitting above our tablee, and it caught my eye ... I clicked it on my N95 8GB phone.... :-)
We were going for a movie at INOX in Chennai City center.. I was waiting outside for my friends to land when this structure on the wall in front of me caught my eye.. Whipped out my Blackberry and clicked a shot... Simply love the rich colours and the smart designs, almost looks real ...
January is the month Chennai Sangamam comes to town... I have made it a point to visit the fest atleast twice during the week it runs... This time though, was able to go only once, to Natesan Park, Tnagar.. The park was pretty bare, there was a music concert going on, and there were clusters of people sitting around the park enjoying the music.. Near the entrance, i saw a few engrossed in a Kili josiyam, some in Kuri josiyam and few children sitting with their arms and legs stiff as an artist created magic with colours....
On my way out, i caught a glimpse of this beautiful strand dangling in the evening breeze... Even though a few of the white flowers had dried, the orange blossom had me glued :-)
It was a Sunday, after few hours of work, the internet decided to up and go into thin air, and i too shut the laptop, and got out... Met a friend for a movie, following which i was headed to the Marina beach for the 1st ever Evening Photowalk...
What an evening it was.. Strolling along the beach, reading about the history on monuments every 100 yards, watching the traffic whiz by, and the cool breeze from the ocean... Not to forget the myraid of colours,and sounds that came from all around....
On seeing this, i was transported to my childhood, and the days of playing in the beach, buying a Kathadi , or a balloon...
