POLLUTED LIVES

 

           

                                    

                                       

                      

       

    I wake up and breathe polluted air

    I brush my teeth with polluted paste;

    I suffer my polluted coffee or tea

    I have my polluted breakfast next;

    I go out through polluted streets

    Filled with garbage heaps and clogged drains;

    Uneven lanes with bumps and potholes

    Breathing foul smell, dust and dense fumes;

    I travel through crowded highways

   Jampacked with cars, trucks, buses and bikes;

   Flouting traffic rules some young bikers

   Drove fast on broken pavements as if it was theirs;

   Driving is a near life-and-death experience here;

   I take my lunch polluted with too many colors; 

  My colleagues exult in cracking lewd, sarcastic jokes

  Trying to evade their work in sly, smart ways

  While stacks of dusty files lie crying for months;

  I wade through crowded streets, during rush hours

  Filled with cigarette smoke, petrol fumes and dust;

  In long queues, we wait like sinners in the hell

 I watch lots of crowds standing before the bars

 While some bargain in stealth for weed and drugs;

 Flashy bill boards cheat with sweet, false promises;

 Returning home I read a few sheets of news

 Nothing else new except sex, rapes and murders

And false rumors polluting people’s minds;

I switch on T.V. to watch and relax

Nothing but crime, horror and body-exposing scenes

And endless serials running for years long;

So many channels of pollution all around;

News of wars, crimes and violence loom everywhere;

Pollution poisoned man’s mind, body and heart;

Is this our contribution to the world?

In spite of advanced technology and science we lead

Polluted lives filled with hatred, revenge, and greed;

Our achievements however great we may brag

Our dreams and hopes tumble with utmost speed;

Man-made disasters drive us to ruin ourselves at last

Man in his own technological web is caught;

Wars and politics play with our lives, beware!

They cause much loss and make our lives nightmare.

        ***********************************

             "Respect Earth, respect Life."

    21st October 2026       Somaseshu Gutala

  

Note: Adulteration has spread in all things we use and consume. Adulteration has become a dreadful menace seen in food, fruits, pulses, cereals, oils, milk, dairy products, honey, ice cream, soft drinks,cosmetics, spices, medicines, fertilizers etc. It affects our vital organs like liver, kidneys, brain and lungs. It is also a kind of pollution which affects our living and health. According to Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI), The percentage of adulteration in various things is: Oils (30%-60%), Pulses (18% to 28%), Sweets (20% to 40%), Soft drinks (23% to 28%), Spices (12% to 28%), Cosmetics (30% to 40%), Chilli Powder (30% to 45%), Medicines (25% to 30%), Fertilizers and Pesticides (25% to 30%). In retails shops the percentages may be higher. Many harmful chemicals like Calcium carbide, Borax Powder, Aluminum Sulphate, Copper Sulphate, Arsenic, Caustic Soda, Lead Chromate and paraffin wax are used which affect the health of consumers and cause many kinds of health issues.Both pollution and adulteration are man-made devils created just for the purpose of getting wealth and power.

 

 Apart from environmental pollution, Mass media cause mental pollution and encourage people to resort to crime, violence and sexual offences. They also mislead public by publishing biased views and sensational rumors just to catch readers’ attention and pervert their views. In spite of advancement in science and technology, man still behaves like a wild beast ever fighting and killing to retain his power and amass great wealth. He is not aware of the fact that by polluting Nature and his surroundings he is driving himself to his own destruction doom. Man should realize his grave mistakes which cause irreparable harm to himself and his surroundings. He should make efforts to protect Nature and should not misuse his knowledge. Only in peaceful co-existence and simple living he can find happiness and true meaning in his life.

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On my Stay at ZIBE, GRT Hotels, Coimbatore (Tamilnadu)

 

            

Front View of "Zibe" Hotel, Coimbatore

                            

The restaurant "Tiffin Room:"

                              

Superior Room

                               

Deluxe Room

                               

Family Suite

                             

The logo of the honey-bee on the plate

                            

The Brand Image and Logo of Honey-Bee

                                

Mural paintings

                                   

Wall picture

                                  

Modern Paintings

                             

Dancing Figures

                               

Pictures of Autos

GRT Hotels & resorts is a premier South Indian hospitality chain and is a part of the G.R.Thanga Maligai group. It operates twenty-two hotels, luxury resorts and boutiques in Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Pondicherry and Kerala. In Coimbatore Zibe-GRT Hotels is located in the heart of the city on Avinashi Road, Peelamedu.  It is nearly 8kms from Coimbatore International Airport and 5.3kms from Coimbatore Junction Railway Station. This is a three-star hotel comprising fifty-six rooms of various sizes on four floors.  

There are three types of rooms: Superior rooms (260sq.ft), Deluxe Rooms with twin beds (340 sq.ft) and suites (520 sq.ft) with all facilities. This is a pet-friendly hotel allowing dogs and cats weighing up to 35kgs per room. Pet beds and pet bowls are supplied here. Excellent service, cleanliness and peaceful atmosphere are key features of this hotel. Kid-friendly meals and buffet are the specially given. All rooms are sound-proof with facilities like A.C. desks, chairs, complimentary toiletry, coffee/tea makers, lockers, cupboards and complimentary buffet breakfast (7.00 a.m. to 10.00 a.m.) and complimentary hi-tea (from 4.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m.) in the evening.  In the evening the snack options are very limited. It would be better if more snack options are added.  The check-in and check-out hours are 12.00 p.m (noon) and 12.00 p.m.(noon). 

There is an on-site restaurant “Tiffin room” which serves local South Indian and North Indian dishes.  The prices are a little bit high. Free private parking space, Fitness Centre, meeting rooms, spa, swimming pool, local shuttle, daily house-keeping, dry-cleaning and pressing, airport transfer facilities are available here. The artistic décor of this hotel attracts new visitors. The honey-bee is chosen as the central brand identity or logo to represent the hotel as an energetic, efficient community-focused hive for modern travelers. The honeybee design is seen on the plates, hand towels and wall mural paintings. The picture of the honeybee with the word-play slogan “Be yourself” written on the walls suggests that the guests are encouraged to be independent, comfortable and free. Zibe refers to its structured highly convenient work-friendly spaces as “Bee Hives”. Zibe provides a vibrant, collective space where tech-savvy business travelers and tourists can collaborate and connect and enjoy smooth stays. 

The walls along the corridor are designed with complex blend of images, and dancing figures which add charm and dynamic spirit to the ambiance. The tourist attractions are: Kovai Kutralam falls(3.15kms), Puliakulam Vinayagar Temple (4.5kms), Iachanari Vinayagar Temple(8kms) Gedee Car Museum and Science Museum(4kms), Patteswarar Temple(12kms), Marudamalai Hill Temple(18kms), Vellingiri Isha Yoga Centre(35kms). The tourists can enjoy a comfortable stay here and can visit many nearby tourist destinations.

           ********************************************       

          13th October 2026               Somaseshu Gutala    

At Narpavi Suvaiyagam Restaurant, Tiruvannamalai (Tamilnadu)

    

Front View

                                   

Wooden Image of Lord Ganesha

                                  

                         

Inside View

                                  

                                       

                              

Menu Board

                                 

Tasty Dosa

                            

Mini-meals

                                  

Chapati

This restaurant is near Thirumanjanam Gopuram street, Pavazhakundur of the famous Annamalaiyar (Arunachaleshwara) temple. This is a pure vegetarian restaurant with South Indian, Andhra and Chinese cuisine along with beverages and fresh juices. This is a self-service eatery. Without any flashy decorations this restaurant appears simple and clean in the busy crowded street of the temple town. Service is very quick and attentive.  The traditional ambiance is enhanced by the wall paper paintings showing Rangoli designs and pictures of chefs in traditional South Indian attire preparing various items and dishes.

Various tasty dishes like masala Dosa, steaming Idlis, crispy vadas, Pongal, Uthappam, Veg Fried Rice, Veg Noodles, Gobi Fried Rice, Mini-Tiffins, Filter Coffee, Tea are preferred by most pilgrims here. Vanilla, Pista, Strawberry, Butterscotch and Chocolate milk shakes along with Badam Milk, Madurai Jiggarthanda, and Rosemilk are also available here. Visitors feel a homely atmosphere here with friendly and attentive staff and quick service.  For pilgrims going to temples nearby this is a very convenient food-stall serving tasty dishes at affordable prices. This restaurant is open from Monday to Sunday from 7.00 a.m. to 10.30 p.m.The name of this restaurant “Narpavi’ in Tamil means ‘Wishing peace and well-being for all people.” The Tamil word “Suvaiyagam” means “The abode of taste” or “the world of flavor”.

                                  *************************

   5th october 2026                             Somaseshu Gutala

 

 

 

 

On my Stay at Sree Sakthi Residency, Kancheepuram (Tamilnadu)

      

                           

Front View of Sree Sakti Residency

Hotel reception

                                        

Lord Vinayaka at the entrance

                                               

Corridor

                                             

Upashana restaurant on the ground floor

                                           

Inside View of the restaurant

                                      

Lobby Room

                                     

Single deluxe room

                              

Double deluxe Room

                             

Premium Double Deluxe Room

                                     

Triple Bed Deluxe Room

                            

Way to car parking

This two-star family budget hotel is located in Nellukara Street within walkable distance to Sri Kamakshi temple and is very close to Chitragupta Swamy temple. This hotel has twenty-eight rooms on three floors. To suit the convenience of tourists, there are three types of rooms: six Single Deluxe Rooms, fourteen Double Deluxe Rooms, four twin-cot Double Deluxe Rooms and four Triple Deluxe sound-proof Rooms with black-out curtains. The premium Double Rooms are newly upgraded units with modern designed interiors and modern tables and seating chairs with aesthetic finish.

This hotel provides free parking, lift facility, twenty-four hours power backup, Wi-fi facility, hot water supply, twenty-nine-inch LED T.V. with satellite channels.  The facility of providing cars on hire is also there. Full security is there with installation of CCTV cameras. Though the hotel looks simple without much show-off decoration, it has got all facilities. In each room there is a table, two chairs and a cupboard. Dry-cleaning and laundry services are available. Complimentary breakfast is included in hotel tariff. In each room complimentary bathroom kit is provided. The room service is very prompt. In maintaining cleanliness and in supply of towels and bed sheets, some improvement is to be made.

On the ground floor “Upashana Restaurant”, a pure vegetarian restaurant is there. In this restaurant tourists can taste many varieties of typical South Indian dishes like Medu Vada. Pongal, Rava Dosa, Idly-Vada and Kadai Chettinadu Mushrooms etc. Along with this, North Indian dishes like Chola Poori, Kaju Mushroom Masala Mushroom, Chana Masala, Chola-Poori, Gobi masala, Mutter-Paneer masala are served.  One can also taste Mini-tiffin, a combination of favorite dishes, mini-meals and special meals are also provided. This restaurant is open from 6.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. Room service is available from 6.00 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. 

 All the temples are very near to this hotel. Sri Kamakshi temple is just 400 meters from here. The Ulaga Perumal temple is nearly 300 meters. Sri Varada Raja Perumal temple is 4 kms and one can go there by car in 20 minutes. The distance to Kanchi Mutt is 1.5 kms and one can go there by auto in five minutes. The most ancient Kailasanathar temple is just 5kms from this hotel. The other nearby tourist destinations are: Siriperemubudur (35kms), Arakkonam (35kms), Chengalpet (38kms), Mamallapuram (65kms), Chennai (75kms) and Vellore Golden Temple (80kms). For tourists visiting temples, this hotel is very convenient and affordable with all facilities.

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         29th September 2026              Somaseshu Gutala

 

 

 

On my Visit to Sri Veerabhadra Swamy Temple, Rayachoti (Annamyya Dist) A.P.

                     

Temple View

                                                                         
                            

Sculptures on the temple tower

                                 

56-foot monolithic lamp- pillar

                                                              

Stone Inscription

Stone Well in the temple premises

                                         

Veerabhadra idol in the sanctum

                                               

Goddess Bhadra Kali

                                                

Lord kalabhairava

                               

Wall Painting

                                          

Sculpture of a saint

 This one- thousand-year old temple is regarded as the most sacred place by Veera Shaivas, who mostly come from Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh.This place is regarded as sacred “Dakshina Kashi”. Rayachoti is the district headquarters of the Annamayya District which was formed in 2022. The original name of Rayachoti is “Rachaveedu” as many Vijayanagara Kings like Venkatapati Raya used to visit this place. Krishnadevaraya used to visit this holy place whenever he went to Tirupati. Krishnadevaraya presented a royal sword to Lord Veerabhadra transforming the name of this place to “Rayachoti.”

According to the legend, Lord Veerabhadra a fierce form of Shiva emerged from the locks of Shiva when Shiva’s spouse, Sati Devi immolated herself in the sacrificial fire after being insulted by her father Daksha Prajapati. Veerabhadra destroyed the Yagna Kundam and attacked the gods who attended Daksha’s Yagna and beheaded Daksha with his sword. To pacify the enraged Veerabhadra, Goddess Ambika appeared as Bhadra Kali. Sage Mandavya doing penance there requested both of them to stay at this sacred spot near the banks of the Mandavya River. The original temple dates back to 10^th to 12^th century during Chola and Kakatiya periods. The Tamil inscription dated 1233 A.D. mentions the royal grant made by the Chola King, Nissanka  Prataparaya. This temple was renovated by the Chola King Rajaraja in the ninth century and later by the Kakatiya King Ganapati Deva in the 12^th century. During the Vijayanagara period of rule, Proudadevaraya II (1426-1446) undertook a complete renovation of this temple. In 1520 the Vijayanagara King Krishnadevaraya visited this temple and donated land. In 1546 the King Sadasivaraya re-built the sanctum sanctorum of this temple. In 1570 Venkatapati Raya, King of Chandragiri, served the Lord several times. The temple architecture shows the classic Vijayanagara style with multi-tiered Rajagopurams and stone-carvings.

The temple has three main Gopurams in the East, North and South directions. The East-facing gopuram has three-tier Rajagopuram with five Kalasas and sculptures of various deities. A single 56-foot-tall rock-cut Deepa Sthambham is seen followed by the Nandi statue after entering the main gopuram.

In this temple one can see a unique 56-foot monolithic lamp-pillar (Deepa Sthambham) in the East on which a giant -lamp is lit during Kartik Purnima. In the Sanctum one can see a life-size 5ft.6 inches black granite statue of Veerabhadra with four hands, holding a bow and an arrow in two upper hands and a sword and a shield in the two lower hands. The Lord is seen mounted on a horse.  The Lord Looks majestic with a mustache and a royal look.  The sword of Veerabhadra symbolizes the sword of knowledge which removes ignorance and sins. 

Generally, in other temples Lord Veerabhadra is shown in standing posture. But here the lord is shown seated on a horse. Two Nandis are seen in front of the sanctum. They are called “Veera Nandi” and “Shiva Nandi”. On the right side of the main deity, a sacred Bana Shiva Linga worshipped by the Sage Mandavya is seen. The idol of Daksha is seen with folded hands showing obeisance to Lord Veerabhadra. Every year in late March the sun’s rays fall on the feet of the Lord at 6.00 a.m. for five consecutive days. Special poojas are performed on Mahashivaratri and during 11-day Brahmostavam festival. On the 8^th day or the final day three hundred measures of cooked rice mixed with pumpkin and other roots is placed in a heap, and the priests using the sword of Veerabhadra violently scatter the rice in all directions symbolizing the destruction of Daksha’s Yagnashala or sacrificial arena. Both Hindus and Muslims participate during the Brahmostavam celebrations indicating communal harmony. 

Every Monday the Utsava Vigrahas (processional deities) of Lord Veerabhadra and Bhadra Kali are taken out in a palanquin in procession. Every morning Abhishekam for Veerabhadra is done from 5.30 a.m. to 6.30 a.m.; for Bhadra Kali, from 5.00 a.m. to 7.00 a.m.; for Kala Bhairava, from 5.30 a.m. to 7.00 a.m.; and for Aghora Lingam, from 9.30 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. respectively.

In the entrance to sanctum, one can see the idols of Lord Dakshina Murty, Tatpurusha Linga and Lord Varasiddhi Vinayaka. There is an idol of saint bearing a sacred staff. Some say that it is the idol of the saint Madhvacharya, the preceptor of Dwaita cult. Near the sanctum on the other side, one can see the idol of Renuka (Yellamma).  Beside the main shrine the idol of Mother Bhadra Kali is seen.  In front of the shrine, one can see another idol of Nandi. In other sub-shrines one can see the idols of Lord Kala Bhairava, Subramanya Swamy, Lord Shaneeswara and Aghora Linga. The timings of this temple are from 5.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. in the morning, and from 4.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. in the evening.  The nearby temples are Sri Gangamma Devata temple, Ananthapuram Village (12kms), Sri Reddamma Devata temple, Gurram Konda, Sri Gandi Veeranjaneya Swamy temple, Gandi (48.5 kms), Sri Lakshmi Narasimha swamy temple, Tarikonda (57kms), Devuni Kadapa(55kms), Sri Chennakesavs Swamy and Sri Siddeshwara swamy temples, Tallapaka(64kms). 

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 21st September 2026                    Somaseshu Gutala