The Kaleidoscope is a perfect example of the human Fascination for geometric symmetry. Invented by Sir David Brewster in 1816, this simple gadget has long fascinated both adults and kids alike for the same reason. When Nithila wrote to Santa for her Christmas gift wish this year, Kaleidoscope was right there on top of the list. And I was as excited as my daughter to receive this gift from Santa.. Let your Christmas and the coming year be as colorful and exciting as these patterns I clicked through the fascinating Kaleidoscope.
The blogosphere is abuzz with so many awards these days. One of the most celebrated being ‘the Versatile blogger’ award! Don’t be surprised if every fifth blog you visit boasts of this award. Now I can also proudly display this award passed on to me by another versatile friend with whom I share so many common interests –the deelightful Dee! Thank you Deepthi!
Now as per tradition, let me pass on this award to some fellow bloggers who blog on myriad topics across the spectrum, thus qualifying to receive the Versatile Blogger award.
1. Kavi – A fellow Maduraiite whose blog I have followed for years. An enthusiastic photographer, avid traveler and writer with a keen sense of wit and substance – he is truly a versatile blogger.
2. Visithra – A free spirit who amazes me with her extraordinary Photography skills. A classical dancer whose blog dabbles with every interesting aspect of life.
3. Sandhya – A blogaholic who I believe carries her Camera everywhere like me. She blogs on diverse topics and hence a deserving winner of this award.
4. Jeevan – another enthusiastic photographer, amature poet and traveler who is an inspiration for many bloggers. He is versatile in his choice of topics and has an opinion on everything under the sky.
5. Indrani – a talented photographer and traveler who never fails to impress her readers with her posts.
6.Ramakrishnan – an art and ancient architecture lover, traveler and photography enthusiast whom I follow regulary.
Congratulation winners and don’t forget to pass this award to fellow bloggers whom you feel are truly versatile. Cheers!
Wrinkled faces – worn and old
Hardened hands – frowny brow
Senses blurred- numb and cold
Memories move- to and fro
Lonely lives –sticks to hold
Tireless waves – of sorrow
Night and day – tales retold
Silent wait - for tomorrow
Autumn leaves –brown and gold
Meanings change – as we grow…
You might remember Jarnail singh who sent a shoe flying in the direction of Union Home minister P.Chidambaram some time back.
This time, another sardar grabs the headlines with a slap. Union Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar's cheeks were at the receiving end.
A slap or a shoe cannot change things overnight. It’s hardly the punishment fit for all the misdeeds of the political class in a democracy. I strongly disagree to such violent protests. But surprisingly, everyone I talk to seems immensely satisfied with what an insane sardar did to an all powerful politician. Someone remarked, Pawar’s face already looks like it was slapped a hundred times before, Harvinder should have gone for some other neta. Anna Hazare infamously remarked “was it only one slap?” . Some said Pawar sahab should have, as a true democrat, shown his other cheek. Some went on an uncontrollable bout of laughter after watching the clip.Some one went on to make a bizarre kolaveri version of the whole incident.The social media was having a gala time laughing it out.
But every politician cutting across party lines stood united in condemning this insane act as they easily could have been at the receiving end any other day. The Bollywood bandwagon instantly united as usual to tweet its condemnation to make sure they are in the good books of the Bombay strongman. The media was abuzz with the regular self styled upholders of democratic values fighting for space to decry the slap. As expected, Pawars’ NCP went on a rampage in Maharashtra by stone pelting and destroying public property in protest against this undemocratic act.
But beyond all these, I saw a dangerous reaction in the face of so many Indians- a smile! Happy to know that there are still sardars like Jarnail and Harvinder, who can do things that we can never dare to with our sanity intact.
We call ourselves sane...yet we are insane enough to remain silent and put up with the misdeeds of our politicians. They say Harvinder Singh is mentally insane…
But does it mean, sometimes you have to be insane to do the right thing? What do you say?
Some snapshots from the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. Dravidian Temple architecture at its best! Sculpted in one of the hardest granites of the world...a must visit place for temple architecture lovers.
Last year as part of an Architect's festival, I had gone on a trip to study Chettinad Architecture along with some fellow Architects...The photos are from a house at Pallathur.It was sad to see these massive houses, once symbols of opulence, dying without maintenance as mostly the owners have moved to the cities or abroad.
Sometime back I visited my friend CT's native village in Valayapatti near Ponamaravati in the Chettinad region. The images are from CT's ancestral house.Chettinad houses are fine examples of vernacular Tamil architecture where the culture and climate of the region have shaped
the building design. The Courtyard is one distinct feature here that Iam so fond of and I have always tried to reinterpret and use in most of my architectural works.
Temple entry...
the Temple Cart...
The intricate parapet of the house...
a window detail...
the famous Chettinad main door...
Teak wood pillars in the verandah
Urns for catching rain water - signs of sustainable living
‘Why this Kolaveri di?’-A Tanglish soft kuthu song that’s spreading and infecting millions, thanks to the internet. This is the kind of groovy nonsensical song that one would expect next from the duo of Simbu and Yuvan after masterpieces like “loosu pennae’ and ‘evandi onna pethan’. But this has come from the stable of the first families of the South Indian Film industry. Super star Rajini’s son inlaw Danush has penned and sung this 'soup song' for his upcoming movie ‘3’; produced and directed by Rajini's daughter Aishwarya and music by a lanky kid Anirudh, incidentally Rajini's nephew. Kamal Hassan’s daughter Shruti approvingly smiles throughout in the video. The reggaeish number is catchy enough to become the mobile ring tone of the youngsters and the car reverse tune of the not so youngsters. Other soup boys still may hum in their bathrooms...pa pa pa paan, pa pa pa paan....
aaa…Eyes-u full-aa tear-u, empty life-u, Girl-u come-u, life reverse gear-u...
