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Kodaikanal Dolphin’s Nose
Hello from Kodaikanal, the Princess of Hill stations in Tamil Nadu! I am having a wonderful time with my family here. We are staying in a charming bungalow near Coakers walk, which has six rooms and a lot of vintage decor. The bungalow has a stunning view of the hills and valleys. The weather is ideal, not too hot or cold. Today we went to see some of the attractions in Kodaikanal. The first one was the Church for Our Lady of La Salette, which was built in 1866 and is one of the oldest churches in Kodaikanal. The church is nestled in nature and has a serene atmosphere. Then…
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Sharma Park, Chennai
Nowadays, Chennai has quite a few public parks which are reasonably maintained. These parks provide much-needed green spaces for the public to relax and breathe. Today, as I was in the nearby area, I went for my evening walk with a friend in Sharma Park, Habibullah Road, Near North Usman Road, T. Nagar, Chennai. This is comparatively a small park but still is good for daily walks.
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The Himalayan Moments, a photography exhibition
The closest I have been to the Himalayas was a vacation to Shimla. But today evening in about half an hour, Dr Srinivasan Periathiruvadi through his breathtaking photos transported me effortlessly to places in the ⛰️mountain range that I can only dream of visiting. Most of the places featured in his “Himalayan Moments” are accessible only by trekking. If you are a nature/landscape lover, don’t miss this photography exhibition. The pictures are on sale too and the proceeds go towards worthy social causes. In case you happen to see the man, ask him for the stories behind each photo. He may not readily reveal the secrets, but try asking him…
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Chennai after cyclone mandous crossing
Pictures seen were taken of Marina Beach and nearby streets, during my morning walk today (10th Dec 2022, 9 AM). This was the morning following the cyclone Mandous crossing over the shore near Mamallapuram (50 km from Chennai), the midnight before. Yesterday night, There were fewer showers of heavy rain and little waterlogging. From 12 AM to 2 AM, there were heavy winds like the ones I have never seen sustained like this before. Thankfully, electricity was available throughout the cyclone, with a few minutes of interruption in the morning now. What I observed during the short walk: 1) Chennai Police personnel placed at every entry point to the beach…
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Our Great National Parks (2022)
Our Great National Parks, a nature documentary blew my mind with its stunning 4K visuals, coverage of extremely hard-to-reach wildlife forests on land & water, and a well-written commentary. Complimenting these was the majestic voice of the former American President, Barack Obama. If you have a Netflix subscription and even a faint amount of curiosity about our natural world, then don’t miss this series. Without any hesitation, this one gets a Ripe from Mangoidiots. The five-part miniseries travels to the most exquisite National Parts around the world: Africa’s beaches, Japan’s islands, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Chilean Patagonia, Kenya’s Tsavo Conservation Area, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the Gunung Leuser…
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Greenery in Guindy Estate
Today I was visiting an office building for a meeting in the Guindy Thiru.Vi.Ka industrial estate. I never imagined a location in the heart of Chennai, has so much greenery and looks unhurried. Thanks to the government owned lands and campuses like #kingsinstitute Chennai in the area.
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Farm visit near Pochampalli Town, Tamil Nadu
When he came to know of my visit to Salem this week, Mr Selva Murali of Visual Media Technologies invited me to visit his hometown Pochampalli, near Krishnagiri. He enticed me by offering to show me, a city boy, to visit his organic farmlands, taste the native produce and enjoy the scenic views of the lake & greenery around. I readily agreed. I was expecting a small town, but I was surprised to find a buzzing township with several shops, eateries, and even industries nearby. From Salem, it is a two-hour drive-by National Highway 44 (new number) towards Krishnagiri, you need to take a right turn at Kariamangalam which comes…
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Sankagiri Fort in Erode, Tamil Nadu
Today I felt wonderful as if I have accomplished something significant – feeling this way after a long time. This was after I completed the trek/climb to the top of the Sankagiri Fort in Salem District. It took me about 75 minutes to reach the top – a height of 2300 feet. Since it is a pandemic out there, and we had gone on an afternoon on a weekday I saw only a few others inside the fort – a group of young college students, a couple and a solo traveller. The fort is open for all and has no entry fee, which translates to having no security guards around…
