Skywatch Friday- Sky coming alive at the break of dawn near Thailand...

I love travelling as most of you have guessed by now, even though I havent travelled as much as I would love to. And when it comes to flying, then I instantly gravitate towards the window seat. This time too, luckily friend wanted Aisle while I happily chose the window seat and we settled in. From Chennai, the flight took off at the unearthly hour of 1.45am and it was to reach Bangkok around 6.25 which became 6.35am finally. We boarded, got into our seats, got comfy, chit chatted a bit and that is when the stewardess came around asking all to shut the window. I wonder why they do that, there is nothing we can see anyways; it is pitch dark outside… Oh well! 

And then before I knew it, I had knocked off for about 4 hours, to wake up around 6 and see the sun rising above the clouds slowly. What a breath taking sight that was, the orange peeking into the white empty blue sky as we flew high above it all.  It was beautiful, for lack of better word..

A brand new day, a brand new destination awaited us on landing!!

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Skywatch Friday... Above the Indian Ocean

There we were walking from the airport shuttle all set to hop into the flight and head off to our final destination- Colombo. We were flying in a Bombardier Q400 aircraft- "Spicejet Laung", a flight with a capacity of about 50 passengers. We hopped in via the small staircase and found our seat. The flight took off and before we knew it, we were flying on top of the Indian Ocean. The blue beneath and the white fluffy clouds above was just a sight too good to be true! It was a short one hour flight, and most of the time was over the ocean. 

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Skywatch Friday- High up in the sky

There is something about being 30,000 feet up in the air. For some it is scary, but am not one of those. I enjoy travelling and so the mode doesn't really matter as long as it gets me to the destination without too much fuss.  While flying, I love sitting in the window seat and clicking pictures of the sky and clouds. 

This time, my friend was kind enough to let me have the window seat during both legs of our journey towards Jaipur and I was happy there. Looking out through the little window, looking at the buildings and the ground slowly disappear can be unnerving for many. Am not the Meg Ryan from French Kiss who is petrified of flying and is chanting all kinds of prayers. I, on the hand freak out with excitement. And when we are finally up in the air, the clouds engulf me, making me feel all warm and fuzzy. I drift into my own world where there is nothing but me and emptiness around.

Here are a few images of the changing scene around us as we flew from Chennai to Delhi and then from Delhi to Jaipur. It was magical to say the least. 

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Serene Sunday... Fluffy clouds

If there is one thing that gets me smiling and happy, it has to be the sight of the white fluffy clouds up in the sky. I can sit and stare at them for hours together. I just stare, no thoughts, nothing in my head. And whenever i am travelling, I am always looking up to see if there are some interesting movements, or formations. I remember how when I was small I used to try to guess the shape, it could be a bear, or a heart, or a man holding a stick and walking along.

These clouds seem to calm me down, helping me deal with whatever it is that bugs me, my mind gets cleared  and worries disappear...  

Here are some skies shot in Chennai and around.. :-) 

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky~ Rabindranath Tagore

I'm a dreamer. I have to dream and reach for the stars, and if I miss a star then I grab a handful of clouds.~ Mike Tyson

I know that I shall meet my fate somewhere among the clouds above; those that I fight I do not hate, those that I guard I do not love.~ William Butler Yeats

Heavy hearts, like heavy clouds in the sky, are best relieved by the letting of a little water.~Christopher Morley

Submitting this post for the Serene Sunday theme by Chennai Bloggers Club

Skywatch Friday... Grandeur Galore

I couldnt believe myself. I was actually there, a place I had been wanting to visit for quite sometime now. This was such an impulse trip, and I was loving every minute of it. Where was I? I was in the temple town of Kumbakonam, more importantly I was standing at the entrance to the infamous temple complex- "Gangai konda Cholapuram" 

A man who was watering the plants came over and asked where I was from and what I was doing there.  When I told him I was from Chennai and here just to explore the place, he was quite fascinated. Said he maintained the temple premises, the garden mainly and had been working there for nearly a decade. Asked if I would like to know more about the place and I happily nodded my head. He guided me around the place, sharing information on the history, the ruler, and the various temples within the premises. 

Here is what I learnt,

What was once a city founded by Rajendra Chola is today a rustic village and all that remains is this grandeur [ASI] property. It was founded to commemorate the King's victorious march to the Ganges.  This was also the capital of Chola empire during the 11th Century CE for almost 250 years from then. Emperor Rajendra wore the title of Gangaikonda Cholan when his army captured the Ganges Plains. That is how the place came to be named Gangaikonda Cholapuram. 

It’s from here that the Chola empire expanded reaching great heights. They went on to control South India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia & even parts of Indonesia. It is believed that Rajendra Chola’s army brought water from the River Ganges to Gangikonda Cholapuram, filling up the tanks.    

The first thing that catches your eye is the larger than life Nandi (Siva’s Bull) at the entrance of the Maha mandapam. I know that the Nandi stands guard in all such temples, but here it is huge, and then there is a smaller one on the landing above the staircase. The attention to detail, and the intricate carvings on the Nandi are beautiful, you can make our each curve, each bell around its neck and the work on its legs as well. 

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday - Drama in the sky

Today, as we celebrate Tamil New year's day, and Malayali's celebrate Vishu, Tulu's celebrate Bisu, i remember my friends in Kochi...

About a month ago, one Friday evening I was all set, bags packed and on my way to the airport to zoom off to Kochi for a brief break from my routine. It was nearly dusk, when the clouds, the sun and the sky seemed to be enacting a play, filled with drama and emotions running amock. There was red and grey and just about all other shades you could imagine....

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Skywatch Friday... Touching the skies

This past week has been quite hectic, work , travel and generally been busy! The travel bit was exciting, as it was a last minute plan.. Tuesday early morning, we hit the road to Coimbatore, a journey that took nearly 8hours, with a few pit stops... We were tired, and felt like we had been on the road forever. But good company, music and scenery kept our spirits high. It was more so on the return journey, the path chosen was different, which offered a plethora of colours, and vivid skies. 

As we cruised along the Krishnagiri Chennai highway, the skies were clear, clouds white fluffly like soap bubbles, and the mountains seemed to be playing with them, probably bouncing them around to see who could push the clouds higher up in the sky.... 

Both were taken sitting inside the car, that was cruising at nearly 90kms an hour... What a ride it was... :-)

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Skywatch Friday... In Flames

After a few grueling months, i finally decided to take a break, albeit a few days only.. There were no two ways about where  i was headed, the destination was clear as crystal and i held the tickets in hand.. I sat in the flight, staring out into the open sky, watching in wonder as the colours changed, just as emotions did within me. From excitement to joy to glee, i was going through it all.

It was not the destination that had me in such a state, it was the people who were at the destination. Friends, people i have known forever, people who were more than friends, heck, they were family....


The sky came alive with every passing cloud, sometimes fiery red, sometimes bright yellow, and i could not get enough of it... Alas, time wore on and i sat back closing my eyes, allowing the beauty of it all sink in as the plane descended..

The only thing i kept wishing was- why wasnt my window cleaner? ;)

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[Skywatch friday] Journey of the clouds

      One evening while walking around Vagator beach, the sky was Blazing...looked alive...

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[Skywatch Friday] Gotcha!

 

I call it "the loop in the sky"

A loop created by the Jasmine flower creeper  

A loop that seemed to catch the sky

For more beautiful skies, visit Skyley

Day 1 - The Skies Speaketh

The little spot of fire through the flurry of smoky clouds...

Almost like a glowing ember hidden amidst the skies

Swish swish, the magic wand waves

Starting NaBloPoMo today on this blog and hoping to keep going as i did on Life Goes on .. 

 

 

Also submitting today's post for Skywatch Friday

[Skywatch Friday] emotions galore...

What you feel is what you see,

Is that true?

Watching the- 

Clouds scattered around 

where they lost?

i wondered.... 

An artist

A painter, perhap!

Colours 

across the horizon..

Oh what sheer beauty it was..... 

Silver lining-

is this it? 

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[Skywatch Friday] Clouds and Sun tease the soul...

The sun taking a peek to see if its dawn yet...

In another part of the country, the Sun about ready to call it a day.

Aah, clouds, oh beautiful clouds.... passing by are we?

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