Consoling at the National Roller Skating Competitions.

A competitor from Maharashtra consoling another

You need your friends more at the time of disappointments than at victories. So, no fair weather friends.

Here a competitor from Maharashtra is seen consoling a co-competitor after an unexpected elimination. at the National Roller Skating Competition, Besant Nagar.

Rudyard Kipling’s poem,”If…” and its lines emblazoned at Wimbledon entrance come to mind:

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;  

For a National Level event, it did not attract much media coverage as far as I know. A search on the web showed the venue of the competition as Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium. Was it a last-minute switch to Besant Nagar due to bureaucratic bungling?

 

65-year-old Hair Cutting Saloon

Mathi at work in the 65-year old saloon

Jothi Hair Dressers started in 1952 still continues on the busy Roypettah High Road just near the Police Station despite all the developments around it. The coziness and clutter of the 65-year-old saloon still attract some regular customers as seen here. Mathi, the current owner continues the tradition.

Mathi  & a Regular customer

No wonder it attracted the photographers form the Photowalk too.

How to photograph in a confined and cluttered room

Today’s Chennai photo blog is from the Chennai Photowalk #118  Royapettah

‘Heritage’ becomes part of History

 

Heritage Fresh name board on the sidewalk

The Heritage Fresh chain of retail outlets owned by the family of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. Chandra Babu Naidu has been taken over by the Future Group of Mr. Kishore Biyani (Big Bazaar).

Now my neighborhood Heritage Fresh store has been brought under the Nilgiris brand.  Nilgiris was taken over by the Future Group some time ago.

The Heritage name board lies unattended on the sidewalk, while the new neon-lit Nilgiris board glows.

Change is inevitable?!

 

The new Nilgiris board 

 

 

 

The Jain Temple

Jain temple on Ammai Appan Street, Royapettah

Jain Temples, especially those in Gujarat and Rajasthan have very intricate marble works. This Jain temple tucked away in the narrow Ammai Appan Street Royapettah looked very simple. However, on closer look, it appeared more interesting. A changed perspective, little bit of tweaking on LR/ Silver Efx 2 gave the stunning effect above.

Incidentally, I have lived in the nearby Balaji Nagar for almost 30 years but have not seen this temple just a kilometer away!

The Young Swami

Ayyappa swamis

Three Ayyappa Swamis including a toddler relaxing near the Kapliswarar Temple, Mylapore.

 

 

Bioscope returns

modern bioscope

 

In the days of Multiplexes and Netflix, it was interesting to see a modern version of the old bioscope. Bioscope was a staple in most temple festivals of olden days. Short film strips were exhibited in a small box. Viewers looked through peepholes and lenses.

I saw a modern version of it in a recent Pongal vizha in a suburban school. Interestingly, the box had a feed from a laptop placed on top. Happy to see that it was popular enough among the children to pay Rs 10 for a short peep. The exhibitor looked quite happy too and so were the curious viewers.

I also recall the old Tamil film song, “ Paaru, paaru nalla paaru, bioscope padatha paaru….“ click for YouTube

Selfie on the Beach

Morning selfie at the Elliot’s Beach

Anytime is selfie time; any place is selfie place. Morning scene at Elliot’s Beach, Besant Nagar on Pongal day.

 

Pongal Colours

Colours for Pongal

Colour powders being sold at a village like fair arranged by a school 2 days before Pongal.

Earlier only natural colours were used for kolam (or Rangoli). Nowadays synthetic colours are not uncommon though awareness of the danger of synthetic dyes is increasing.

Happy Pongal

Wishing all my readers a very Happy Pongal.

Yesterday was Bhogi and the whole city was engulphed in one gigantic fog. I went for my customary walk at 7-30 a.m. The visibility was near zero but life went on.

I captured some of the everyday scenes in the smog.

Fruit vendor starts the day with a colourful kolam

Sugar cane purchase

It s 7-45 a.m The city is just waking up to a Bhogi day or should I say smoggy day. This tailor was at his workstation near a bank to earn his bread for the day.

Morning walk

Animal Intrusion. Chennai Airport ranks low

Airports around the world are ranked on many parameters. I am sure the Chennai Airport ranks low on most metrics.

I explored a new metric to see if my Chennai can have a better rank.

A front-page item in The Hindu reported on the variety of mammal intrusions into airport runways.

Airport landing at Meenambakkam, Chennai – a file photo

This is my compilation of that report:

• New Delhi – Hyenas and Jackals
• Nagpur – Wild Boars and Spotted Deer
• Surat – Buffaloes
• Ahmedabad – Cows and Monkeys
• Chennai – Common Stray Dogs!

Doesn’t the primary airport in Tamil Nadu deserve better? At least a bull!

Stray Puppy – a file photo