LANDSCAPE SHOTS -OOTY

Ooty is one of the popular hill stations in South India and it is the place where tourists flock during summer. It is a town in the Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu, located in the Nilgiri Hills and is often referred to as the Queen of Hills. It came under the rule of the British East India Company at the end of the 18th century. The original name Udagamadalam was pronounced by the British as Ootacamund and thereafter became Ooty.

Most of these spots that you see in the snaps below have been the popular spots in many song sequences in Indian movies.

Landscapes are a great treat for the eyes especially when we don't have any man made structures like buildings, electricity towers, etc for miles and miles. The greener the expanse the more pleasant and soothing it is for the eyes.

We as a family spent a lot of time here, and after about two hours, had to flee as a bison started racing down the hill towards us. You can see it in the last two pics.

So sometimes it's not just the man made structures but even the natural creations such as these that we don't prefer while enjoying the view. That's the peculiarity of nature. Sometimes, it offers something to enjoy and something scary in parallel :)

INTERESTING PATTERNS OF PRACTICING OUR FAITH - PART1

Last Sunday, I was on my way to home after our church service.  Every Sunday, while on my return from our church, I have to run through a street adjoining another Pentecost church, before entering the street where my house is located. Seeing the way the bikes were parked on either side of the street, I knew that I did not have enough space for my car to freely move forward. Inside the church I could hear the chants “Halleluiah” pretty loudly. Every member there, whose bikes were parked outside, was into a trance. I had no clue how to move forward with my car. As I was anxiously pondering, some people on the road, who saw my situation came forward to move the bikes and help me.

After some struggle, I was able to negotiate my way through and I was on my way again towards my home. I remember going through this encounter almost every Sunday and it makes me think about our pursuit of faith and religion. Each person inside the church is immersing himself deeply in worship while immersing in parallel, the public like me, in deep inconvenience.

May be a mortal like me, is also doing the same thing in some other way, if not through the parking of a vehicle. There are so many actions that we do like this parking of a vehicle that affects others, if we are not conscious and careful. This is where I see that as a Christian I am trying to climb onto Step 2 in the religious ladder when I have not made myself worthy of standing on Step 1.

Actions like these form an interesting pattern of the faith that Christians like me practice as part of our religion. I will be writing on a few more similar observations, in the posts that follow. Of course we could apply and adapt it across any religious or belief turf. But I prefer to stick to what I observed within my domain and leave it open for my friends to interpret it the way they are comfortable with.

MY BOOK OF POEMS NOW AT THE FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, VIRGINIA, USA

I am really happy to share the absorption of my first book, a book of romantic poems titled "INDELIBLE ETERNAL ETCHINGS" into the Fairfax County Public Library, Virginia State, USA.  The book went through a round of screening and was then taken in. I am thankful to my friend Subhashini Satish for doing all the ground work required to submit this book to the library and for the repeated followups post submission.

I really appreciate her for sparing me her time. I had requested many other friends for helping me to present my book to the libraries in different states in the USA and also in the UK. I am happy that Subhashini was able to spare time for this and help me. It's a big thing for me and for the book.

Friends in Virginia. Request you to grab a copy and read. It will be really great to hear from you. We have four copies available there and it's a nice sleek book of 55 pages. Your romance with the romantic book will only take an hour or two. Give it a try. When the intensity hits you, please share the book with friends and drop your reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

CAN YOU TEACH?

I consider it a cacophony
When my daughter and wife
Just talk normally
But at high decibel levels.

When they spot me all stooping
With my head helplessly buried
Deep into my hands,
They know it's the noise
That's creating this effect.

I have earned the respect
For being able to teach subjects
To little ones who came home
Seeking my help.

But if it was a noisy class
With all kinds of students
Each in their own state of excitement,
How good would I have been
In patiently teaching them.
I would have found it
To be an arduous task.

I salute my teachers
For their infinite patience.
More than the knowledge aspect,
It's their patience that inspires me.
It almost borders with
The golden patience of a mother.

Saluting every teacher!! 

A SPECIAL ONAM FOR KERALA

ANOTHER FEATURE ON MY BOOK IN THE MEDIA - NEWS TODAY.

Happy to share another feature on my book. This is in the News Today daily.

Please use the link below to visit the site:

https://www.newstodaynet.com/chennai/pouring-out-emotions-92269.html

BOOK REVEW: VERONIKA DECIDES TO DIE

Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The initial pace of the book was pretty slow and I had a challenge to hold on and continue. But with the progress of the story and the coming in of characters Mari, Zedka and Eduard, the plot becomes very interesting. Dr. Igor is a very ambitious doctor in his bold research steps.

I remember having read in Steven Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" about the best way to set our goals is to think of what the world around in different layers of relationships i.e. family, friends, colleagues,etc would want to think of us once you leave this earth. Those are the biggest dreams that lie dormant inside us.

In this novel there is one step further that the author takes us and that is to explore the embarassing territories of our dreams which may not necessarily be what people would want to speak about you but what you would like to experience in life.

On the whole I liked the book. I have had the opportunity to observe persons with schizophrenia and those who were about to embrace death soon, from very close quarters and so I was able to understand the rhythm of Eduard and Veronika. Some of the takes of Paulo on sin in the Garden of Eden is interesting.

Definitely a book worth a read.


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