Taking care of injured visitor

Charan told that a pigeon was found near the gutter in the school, unable to fly owing to injuries in the feather. It was crawling near the gutter to safeguard itself from dog and other birds of prey attack. Some of his class mates took it to the class teacher and the students gave some food... boiled rice to it..Though injured it was lively and having the will to survive as it cheerfully eat whatever the children offered to it. Before returning back home the kids, kept the Pigeon in the locker..which is having enough space for air and kept some more food for overnight.

Yesterday, Charan took some wet and conditioned wheat and bajra and a shoe box to bring the pigeon home for further treatment. It appears the other kids also happy to give the pigeon from school locker to charan for taking care of the injured pigeon.  We kept that fellow in a box with water and food, near the love birds nest... The pigeon seems to be happy with the new friends and started moving here and there. Also the regular pigeons came through the balcony and greeted the injured fellow...

a pic - posing for the camera... injured but not out!!!!

monsoon clouds and South India

a dream come true trip

The Great Indian Monsoon is quite a fascination for me since my childhood. I used to watch the skies of Chennai when I was a kid..and over a period of time, I could recognize, when it could rain by observing the cloud pattern and the  movement of clouds .. I used to tell my mother whether it will rain or not on any particular day, though it could be a cloudless and sunny day..

Many times as per  my forecast it used to rain in the evening and my mother used to wonder, how I could predict the rain correctly in the morning itself...of course many times, my forecasting goes wrong also...My mother used to tease me to become a weather reporter!!!!

Also one of childhood dream was to see the first arrival of monsoon, the first hitting of monsoon on June 1st at the tip of kerala coast..


fortunately my dream came true this year.. I visited Kerala/ Cape on June 1st,  the first day of monsoon hitting the Indian Sub-continent for 2013.. covered Trivandrum, Kovalam, Kanyakumari, Cape, Nagarkoil, papanasam, tenkasi, kuttralam,..just the western side of southern tip as well as the leeward-rainshadow region of western ghats.. some pictures to share..

Nature's wrath- an practical experience

This week I had been to Palakkad,  Kerala. ( April 29 to May 2).  Everytime I used to visit our family deity temple at Chittalancherry - around 60 kms away - towards Trichur NH way. The entire route is a delight to sight as the landscape is bestowed with Natural beauty. Rich greenery, green paddy fields, flowing rivers, lakes, ponds and small hilllocks and water bodies. I used to cherish and enjoy travelling through the route owing to its natural beauty.
But this year, I was disappointed - It was complete dry, and there is no greenery and the paddy fields are brownish and soil is cracked... with parched lands... I cannot believe that I was in Gods own Country.. The water level in the wells are rock bottom and otherwise water bodies are completely dry... It appears this part is really facing the drought like situation- moreover, during my previous visits during this period - April - May - school vacation period, I used to enjoy the kerala- evening rains and thunderstorm. I remember in my childhood days, during this period, it used to rain the the afternoon / evening almost daily with thunderstorm. Some days the rain starts in the evening, and it keep on pouring till next day morning. All the water bodies, temple tanks- will fill to the brink and the next day the whole place looks like waterwashed, fresh and clean. But this year - on the above four days, I witnessed teribble hot, humid, sultry conditions, it gave a feeling like i was in a desert. Felt, Very uncomfortable, sweating and tired. I realised that due to man's greed, he plundered the nature and now it is the turn of nature to take revenge. Atleast we should realise it is not too late to check the degradation, by taking massive efforts such as afforestation, rain water harvesting, preserving nature. I had taken some pictures on the way from my mobile and posting here for your perusal.

This time the talk of the town in palakkad is when will it rain as this region not witnessed rain as usual. However on 30th April, evening, T.Clouds developed on the way to chitalancherry, however it soon dissipated without rain..

I remember, this river used to be full in normal days, but this time it is almost dry...

The agricultural paddy fields used to be a treat to eyes.. green and fertile.. but this year it is parched, dry and brown..

Looking for rains.. clouds drifted away...Hoping for a plentiful and bountiful monsoon this year 2013 to save this part.

where it has gone

I was rejoicing when I was relocated to Bangalore, because of its climate. Last July -2012 I was shifted to Bangalore from dry and hot Baroda. However, last year monsoon was a failure and I could not enjoy the monsoon rains in Bangalore. For the past 9 months, I could not experience any rain that can be qualified enough to call a heavy rain !!! Because I have seen plenty of heavy downpours in Mumbai as well as Baroda. During monsoon seasons in Mumbai / Baroda when it rains it rains cats and dogs.. This is the rain clouds- pre-monsoon thunderstorm of Baroda, before my re-location to Bangalore. I still remember that particular high intensity, localized T.Storm with gale., that I could not see things beyond 5 meters while driving... an unforgettable experience...

About Bangalore, it is Situated at a height of 949 metres (3113 ft.) Above the sea level, the city is blessed with salubrious climate throughout the year. 

Late 1990s:-

Most of the homes and schools in Bangalore didn't have fans till the beginning of the nineties. In summer while the rest of India wilted in the heat, Bangaloreans would snuggle under warm blankets at night. Thus Bangalore came to be called the Air-conditioned city in India. The city has dry tropical savannah type of climate. The rains are very frequent and the summers are warm. Winters are cold. But no weather goes to its extreme. One can visit the city any time of the year and enjoy the pleasant climate but it is advisable to avoid the rainy season between July and September. This typical climate attracted the retired people to make Bangalore their home giving the city another nickname “ The Pensioner’s Paradise”. However, the city once famed for its refreshing climate is now traveling the polluted path to heat and dust.

I also visited Bangalore in 1998 and 2000, where in I enjoyed the wet and cloudy weather. I enjoyed the partially cloudy skies through-out the year. There will be sudden rain, not very heavy, but just sprinkle waters from above.. and wet the road, washes the trees and flowers, and make you fresh and energetic.. 

The current scenario:-

Yesterday, ie on March 28th 2013, it was reported 36.4C.. one of the highest in the past 8 years. More over I could not find the cloudy skies, there is no thunder clouds formation in the evening. This is quite unusual of Bangalore. Old Bangalorians used to say, it used to rain daily in the evening - they used to call "office showers", between 4.00 to 7.00 pm in the evening, coinciding their end of the office hours, while returning back home. I could not witness such a showers even once for the past nine month.

I could see mindless construction across Bangalore. Even the rich and fertile lake side land masses were turning in to reality. There is 100% transformation of Bangalore when compared to 1990 era. It is clearly reflecting in the nature. Cloud less skies in Bangalore is the norm of the day.. and the day temp is crossing 36C. Please refer a climate pattern of Bangalore taken from a website:-

Today, in summer the maximum temperature can rise to 36°C while the minimum temperature can drop to 20°C. In winter the maximum temperature can rise to 27°C and fall to less than 17°C. In spite of the maximum weather of 36°C, Bangalore is considered to be one of the coolest cities of India.

The monsoons begin in July and carry on till September. This is a lovely time when everything turns lush green. About 85% of the rainfall is recorded between 4 and 7 in the evening. Hence carrying an umbrella would be a wise thing to do.

Bangalore has a pleasant climate. The greenery of the city is an added attraction along with the climate. The numerous gardens and parks, streets lined with trees are very soothing in what would have been a jungle of concrete.

Mahatmaji is right is in his sayings:- The world has enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed." It appears that we had already made irrepairable destruction to the nature of Bangalore, atleast is some concrete action needs to be taken like massive tree-plantation drive to bring back Green Bangalroe and the Cool and Pleasant Bangalore back.

Not just a Cup of Tea !!!

For me drinking Tea is no more ... a just cup of Tea !!! all because of our Bala's tamil movie.. "Paradeshi". The movie make such an impact on me, that It made me ponder over the underlying hidden things in a Tea.

This is one of the best movies of recent times. This movie remains me of  Spilberg's Schindler's list. Bala's Paradesi deserves winning an Oscar like Schinder's list. I am not going to tell about story of the movie, requesting all of you to go to theatres and watch this fantastic movie. All tamil film viewers should support good movies like this.. Hats off to Bala..He proves ones again he is a genius and differently different Director.

winged pets..

The cage brought for the Guniea pigs is idle as we keeping the Guniea pigs  in open makeshift brick shelter. Hence, we thought of buying buying some pet birds.

Last week, ie on 26th Jan 2013, Saturday, from the pet shop, we brought some love birds, and after some internet search identified its name- it is Budgerigar- parakeet..We brought 4 birds.. also hung mud nest box by the side of the cage. Purchased its feed- grains from the vet shop.

As one male escaped the cage, leaving 3 female birds. Brought 3 more male birds. and now there are 3 pairs ( 6 birds) in the cage. Initially, I dont know how to identify a male / female bird. Internet search educated me that one can identify by cere- above the beak portion. If the beak is blue in colour it is male.  If the cere is white, then it is female.

They are noisy, and gives a fresh and lively feeling, there is overall sense of some life, movement and positive feeling.

some pics...

 

Cute pets- Guniea Pigs

The New Year 2013, brings arrival of two Guinea pigs in my home. We just went to the pet shop to check some birds, but the Guinea pigs fascinated me, more particularly my son liked it very much. Instantly we loved it and brought a pair of Guinea pig ( Rs. 1200/-) and a metal cage ( Rs. 1300/-).  Actually we brought on Dec 30th 2012. Sunday.

Initially we kept them in the cage. It respond to us whenever we feed.  We served leafy vegetable, green leaves, Palak, and the special food provided by the Pet Shop. Whenever, we rub plastic cover, the Guinea pigs start responding by it "uum-uum" tweaking sound.

Gradually, it becomes friendly. We took it to Vet Doctor for check up. After examination he informed that pair - both are males!!!???. Ofcourse, we observed for the past one month, both are friendly and not quarelling with each other.

Now, we are not putting in the metal cage. We are keeping them in open conditions, with just four bricks, and wooden sheet for its shelter. They are more than happy to use it as its shelter. Also as per the Vet Doctor's advise, we purchased Husk (  Grass hay - is not available till date) and kept in between the two bricks in their shelter. Guinea pigs are more comfortable in this environment.

Also we brought special food "Cavia Crispy" with enriched Vitamin C from the Pet shop.  It is costing Rs. 314/- for one kgs, recommends 35-50 gms per day. Both the Guinea's like the food very much, and starts demanding the food.. by its peculiar queaking sound...
Also it is becoming more friendly.. but still there is inhibition and fear, as whenever, we go near, it is hiding in its shelter.
Some pics:-

we are yet to name them, could you suggest some name for the cute little ones!!!!