Kottamalai (Vellore)

Kottamalai Trek

Vellore Hill Forts

Vellore Hill Forts

Shri Ganesharati

Ganesharati at Maharashtra Mandal Chennai

Ganesharati at Marathi Mitra Mandal IIT Madras Chennai

Tsunami warning after powerful quake hits Indonesia

Tsunami warning after powerful quake hits Indonesia"
7.9 magnitude quake causes buildings to sway in Jakarta

Note from Prasad: Tsnunami warning issued in Indian Ocean after a massive earthquake (7.9 R S) has hit Indonasia at 1819h IST.

Driving uphill to Shri Jyotiba Temple

Photograph of the week - Dragonfly

Wikimapia on blog

Sketch of a small car

I sketched this car, Tata Indica, on the night of its launch. It must be in 1999 and I was doing my Master's at IIT Bombay. Guys from IDC were first to notice this sketch and they said they liked it. One of them even got the paper scanned and also gave a different colour to the rendering. There was no way in which I could have done that! Although I lost the original subsequently, I could recover this scaled-down image from my home page on rediff which exists even today but I cann't modify it as I have forgotten login and password.

Photograph of the week - People

Lovely cuddle

The original image, shown on the left, is cropped from left to remove the red sweater sleeve. The lines are shown to indicate the possibility of application of the rule of 3rd. Thus the image is cropped proportionaltely from other sides. The contrast and brightness is increased to get a better effect. The final image is displayed on the right side.

The more information about the photograph including EXIF data and place where the photo was taken is shown on flickr.com besides the photograph. You need to log-in to flickr.com for the same.

Full size image
What is EXIF data?

Authorship by Rabindranath Tagore

You say that father writes a lot of books,
but what he writes I don't understand.
He was reading to you all the evening,
but could you really make out what he meant?
What nice stories, mother, you can tell us!
Why can't father write like that, I wonder?
Did he never hear from his own mother
stories of giants and fairies and princesses?
Has he forgotten them all?

Often when he gets late for his bath
you have to go and call him an hundred times.
You wait and keep his dishes warm for him,
but he goes on writing and forgets.
Father always plays at making books.
If I ever go to play in father's room,
you come and call me,"What a naughty child!"
If I make the slightest noise you say,
"Don't you see that father's at his work?"
What is the fun of always writing and writing?

When I take up father's pen or pencil
and write upon his book just as he does, -
a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i, - why do you get cross
with me then, mother?
You never say a word when father writes.

When my father wates heaps and heaps of papers,
mother, you don't seem to mind at all.
But if I take only one sheet to make a boat with,
you say, "Child, how troublesome you are!"
What do you think of father's spoiling sheets and
sheets of paper with black marks all over on both sides?

(Courtesy: http://www.indolink.com/)

रात अकेली थी

रात अकेली थी
दिया बुझ गया था
कोई आ के कानों में मेरे
जो भी चाहे
कह रहा था...

धरती सो रही थी
आसमां सो रहा था
हर डगर सो रही थी
हर गली सो रही थी
हर सेहेर सो रहा था

मेहमां सो रहे थे
मेजबां सो रहे थे
चोर सो रहे थे
पुलीस सो रही थी
वही नहीं, सरकार भी सो रही थी

बैल सो रहे थे
गाडी सो रही थी
बिल्ली सो रही थी
चुहे सो रहे थे और
कुत्ता भी सो रहा था

फूला चमन सो रहा था
उजडा चमन सो रहा था
ये सो रहे थे
वो सो रहे थे
सब सो रहे थे

हम खूशनसीब थे
के हम भी सो रहे थे
तब महसूस हुआ कि

रात अकेली थी
दिया बुझ गया था
कोई आ के कानों में मेरे
जो भी चाहे
कह रहा था...

***

Journey by Indian Rail along Hubali Londa Route

Photograph of the week - Animals

Beauty lies in eyes of the beholder.

Place: Near Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram (June 21, 2007)
Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/15 s, f/4.9, ISO100 (overcast sky)

Chupke chupke raat din

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Ghulam Ali गुलाम अली (Film: Nikaah निकाह)

Lyrics:

चुपके चुपके रात दिन आंसु बहाना याद हैं, (2)
हम को अब तक आशिकी का वो जमाना हैं|

तुझ से मिलते ही वो कुछ बेबाक हो जाना मेरा, (2)
और तेरा दांतो तले उंगली दबाना याद हैं|

चोरी चोरी हम से तुम आकर मिले थे जिस जगह, (2)
मुद्दते गुजरी पर अब तक वो ठिकाना याद हैं|

खेंच ले ना वो मेरा पर्दे का कोना दफ्फतन, (2)
और दुपट्टे से तेरा वो मूंह छुपाना याद हैं|

दो पहर की धूप में मेरे बुलाने के लिये, (2)
वो तेरा कोठे पे नंगे पांव आना याद हैं|

- हसरत मोहानी

Monkeys have merry time...

Duty-bound citizens

Date: March 18, 2005, 0108h
Place: Somewhere here vonly! :-)

Photograph of the week - Nature

Place: Cauvery Hostel IIT Madras
Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/80 s, f/4.9, ISO100

Photograph of the day - People

Place: Aundh, District Satara, MH, India

Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/800 s, f/8, ISO100

Photograph of the week: People

Boys on catamaron

Place: Chunambar Beach, Puducherry
Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/2000 s, f/8, ISO400

ISO100 should have been preferred to get a better colour saturation.

Funny answer

M seeks help on an online discussion forum:
hi~all,
I have a question about changing the Gas_universal_constant. I am just wondering how can i do this??? Can I just wrtie a udf and define Gas_universal_constant a new number?? and what kind of function should i use?? Did anyone know how to write this?? I will really appreciate if anyone can help. thanks.
- M

P answers:
you can not change the gas universal constant, because that way you would be changing the universe and therefore you could destroy it.
- P

Disclaimer: There is no resemblance between P and Prasad. :)

Photograph of the day - People

Place: Vandaloor Zoo, Chennai (TN)
Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/125 s, f/4.9. ISO not recorded

Photograph of the week - Animals

A friendly deer in front of my room in Cauvery Hostel

January 11, 2007. IIT Madras, Chennai.
Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/25 s, f/2.8

Aeroplane approching landing strip of Bangalore International Airport

अशी ही एक पाटी

सातारा बस आगारामधील डिझेल पंपावर लावलेल्या पाटीचा डिझेल भरताना थांबलेल्या बसमधून काढलेला फोटो.
"थुंकू नका. कचरा टाकू नका. अपमान होईल. स्वच्छ करावे लागेल. - हुकुमावरून"

The message on the board may be translated as "Don't spit. Don't litter. (If done, you) Will be insulted. (You) Will have to clean. - By Order"

April 9, 2007

Photograph of the day - Travel

Dhaanyaache Kothaar (Food Grain Storage) B/W
Originally uploaded by Prasad Dudhgaonkar.

Nikhita Searches Aai

Date: March 15, 2007
Place: Sawantwadi (Maharashtra)
Camera: Canon Powershot A80

Journey with Indian Rail

Mumbai CSTM - Chennai Express (6011)
Canon Powershot A80
Date: March 21, 2007

Photograph of the day - Travel

Brief halt at Dajipur Bison Sanctuary

This photo is taken at 3.5 km from the main entrance to the sanctuary from Phonda Pass in Sahyadris. It also falls on the border of Kolhapur and Sindhudurg Districts. One can drive almost 19 more kilometers inside the forest. It is not advisable to drive a car to this route. Rugged SUVs are must. As we had idea about this we drove 3.5 km inside and returned.

On Maps of India Site
On Travel Masti Site

Date: March 16, 2007
Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/500 s, f/5.6, ISO100

Photograph of the day - People

A young passenger in train

Photo taken in Haripriya Express (Tirupati - Kolhapur) on March 14, 2007.

Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/400 s, f/4.9, ISO100

Photograph of the day - People

A man taking photograph of his wife as memory of their visit to Royal Palace Mysore.

Date: May 6, 2005
Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/500 s, f/6.3, ISO400.
It was bright afternoon in summer. ISO100 would have done better in such lighting conditions.

Photograph of the day - People

Siesta

Place: Kanyakumari sea shore

Camera: Sony DSC H1
Exposure: 1/800 s, f/4, ISO100

Photograph of the day - People

Kay Kay at IITM's annual cultural festival Saarang

Place: Open Air Theatre, IIT Madras. Jan 25, 2005.

Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/8 s, f/4.9. ISO rating not recorded. But my best guess is ISO400.

Photograph of the day - People

Captionless photograph! I am not able to judge the mood prevailing in this scene. Can it be described as solitude in togetherness? Anyway the scene leaves an ample scope for imagination.

Place: Guhagar (Maharashtra)

Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/50 s, f/4.9, ISO400
(brightness and contrast of the image adjusted)

Photograph of the day - People

Classroom puzzle

Place: Sevalaya
Camera: Canon Powershot A95 (courtesy: Arunendra)
Exposure: 1/10 s, f/4.5, ISO not recorded

Photograph of the day - People

Members of Marathi Mitra Mandal IIT Madras just before going for Ganesh Visarjan at Elliot Beach Chennai

Date: Aug 28, 2006
Camera: Sony DSC H1
Exposure: 1/60 s, f/2.8, ISO64

Photograph of the day - People

A Kathakali dancer in role of Bakāsura
(a demon from Mahābhārata who was killed by Bheema)

Place: Kochi, Kerala
Camera: Vivitar 3800N with 28-70 mm lense
Exposure: Details not available, ISO400

Photograph of the day - People

A bus loaded with passengers travelling along NH4 in Karnataka

Place: Chitradurga, Dec 30, 2005
Camera: Canon Powershot A95 (courtesy - Arunendra)

Photograph of the day - People

French band Matmata performs at Open Air Theatre in IIT Madras

Date: Jan 24, 2005
Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/40 s, f/4, ISO400

Photograph of the day - Travel

Ride along East Coast Road

ECR is a 150 km long and connects Chennai to Puducherry.

Date: 6.15 pm, Feb 15, 2007
Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: Details not recorded. ISO100.

V-day wishes

here comes the day which is not mine,
as i dont have any valentine.
things happened in the past which are not fine.
rainy days for me even when the sun shine.

no girl to propose,
no aroma of rose,
no chance for my bike to give lift,
no special person to give gift.
no miss is there to miss
no experience of kiss.
no dinner in the moon light.
no chance to have the day bright.

even though i dont fall in love
i will always bow to love.
wishing great time to people who are in love

"wish u a happy valentines day"


Note:
Despite mention of bike and all that stuff, I wish to state that this is not my composition. I have borrowed it from my friend's email. Nevertheless I can forward your sympathy messages to him if you send any. :-)
- Prasad

An advertisement on internet

This is a screen-shot of a popped up advertisement I saw today. Note the mention of Maharashtra as a state in USA!

Photograph of the day - People

Place: Musée du Louvre (Paris, France)
Camera: Vivitar 3800N, 28-70 mm lens.
Exposure: Details not recorded. ISO200, flash not used.

Curious reader may spot the reflection of the camera and the photographer in the glass in front of the statues of children!

Visitors Statistics Dec 2006 and Jan 2007

Photograph of the day - People

Place: Bangalore, Jan 28, 2006.
Camera: Sony DSC H1
(courtesy Milind Kulkarni)
Exposure: 1/25 s, f/3.5, ISO400, natural light.

आठवण

सकाळी अजितचा मेसेज आला. त्यात एक छोटी कविता होती. ती अशी...

काय असते आठवण?
पाण्याचा ओलावा की अमृताचा गोडवा,
अश्रुंची धारा की झोंबणारा वारा,
पावसाच्या थंड गारा की हा आसमंत सारा! काय असते आठवण?

नुकतेच गिरीश ओकांच्या छंदाबद्दल खुद्द त्यांच्या तोंडूनच ऐकलं होते. ते म्हणे फोनवर आलेल्या काव्यात्मक निरोपांना तश्याच प्रकारे उत्तर देतात. छंद आहे तो त्यांचा. मग काय!

इकडे मनास स्फूरण चढले आणि तिकडे हाती पेन चढले, शब्द कसे एकामागून एक लाईनीमधून आले... पहा तुम्हाला आवडतात का.

आठवण..

काय असते आठवण..
दारात उभी राहून पहायची वाट?
की सर्रकन येणा-या काट्याचा थरथराट..

काय असते आठवण..
पावलोपावली चुकणारा काळजाचा ठोका?
की मागेपुढे होणारा मनाचा झोका..

काय असते आठवण..
झेपावू पहाणा-या मनाचा झंझावात?
की तळमळत तळमळत काढलेली रात..

काय असते आठवण..
का असते ती अर्ध्या मिटलेल्या डोळ्यात?
का ती असते तडफड अडकलेल्या मासळीची जाळ्यात..

फारच गोंधळ शब्दांचा आणि इकडून तिकडून गोळा केलेल्या उपमांचा, येव्हढे सगळे केले तर मला आता वाटतयं गुपचूप करावी थोडी चोरी..

तर मग,
आठवणीबद्दल आठवता उपमा साठी आमची येईल
म्हणून म्हणतो,
दुधगांवकरांनी घ्यावी मंगेश पाडगांवकरांची स्टाईल

मग वाचा पुढे..

शेवटी वाटते,

आठवण म्हणजे आठवण म्हणजे आठवण असते
दशसहस्र क्षणांची व सहस्र प्रतिमांची अंतरी साठवण असते!

***

Photograph of the day - Nature

Place: Kolhapur, Dec 17, 2006

Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/500 s, f/7.1, ISO100

Photograph of the day - Sunset

Sunset over the farms of Jakhale village near Warananagar

Photo was taken just after the sunset on 30th January.

Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/20 s, f/2.8, ISO100

Photograph of the day - Nature

Aeroplane taking off past setting sun

Place: Chennai
Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/500 s, f/4.9, ISO100

Touring the countryside of Tamilnadu

This video clip is taken during our photographic expedition cum pleasure trip to the interiors of Tamilnadu in India. Manjith is at the wheel. The road in the video connects Chengalapatu and Mahabalipuram. The two old Hindi songs played on the car music player are sung by legendary singer Asha Bhosale.

Camera: Sony DSC H1

Photograph of the day - People

Boys enjoying swimming

Place: Khanvihar, Rankala Lake, Kolhapur - IN
Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/1000 s, f/8, ISO100

Photograph of the day - People

This photograph of school children is taken at Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary today afternoon.

Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/125, f/4.9, ISO100

Previous posts about Vedanthangal:
One
Two

Photograph of the day - People

Photographer caught in frame

Place: Royal Palace, Mysore, Karnataka - IN.
Camera: Canon Powershot A80
Exposure: 1/2000 s, f/8, ISO100

Photograph of the day - People (Kids)

Place: IIT Madras Stadium
Camera: Sony DSC H1
Exposure: 1/40 s, 1/3.5, ISO60