Thai Veetu Seedhanam

           

                                           Thai Veetu Seedhanam, immediately is associated with something valuable and precious like gold, silver,sarees etc. which at times is proudly proclaimed by the receiver with the sense of joy to themselves and to the giver.

                                          This time, the gifts from my mother were entirely unique beyond even the slightest guess of anyone.A wonderful chariot drawn by horses,a lovely pair of parrots,a pair of  majestic  elephants,pair of endearing deer, Laughing Buddha, a set of lucky pots, all made of clay and porcelain,products of our beloved Mother Earth who also gives us the gold, silver and even the Diamond.

                               The road in which my parents' house is located in Chennai, just opposite to the Shridi Sai Baba temple in Mylapore can be called a Pondy Bazaar or even Ranganathan Street, with all vendors selling attractive and colourful articles on the platform.They live there for the past three decades. Yet the very huge crowds of devotees to worship Baba on all Thursdays till 11 P.M. in the past one year is unprecedented and so also the list of beautiful commodities for sale on that days.

                               All most all the things, right from stainless steel articles, handbags, purses, Blouse pieces, bed sheets, pillow covers, toys, dolls, costume jewellery, mud pots
Hand bags,garments etc. find a place in the sale.  My mom's acquaintance and rapport with some of the vendors from Mylapore is such that,makes me wittily remark, she may even win on contesting for a ward ccouncillor.It is heartening to see that she  wants to buy things, at times to please them and they reciprocate her gesture with a good discount.

                              The lady who sells mud pots and the porcelain show pieces is a permanent vendor and it is natural,she developed an intimacy with my mom.So on the way back from my last visit to Chennai in December,two heavy card board boxes with gifts worth a thousand and more accompanied me in the train.The precious diamonds may even be worthless and tiny, compared to these presents which are as large as the love with which they were showered.

                            Thanks to both the beloved Moms, Mother Earth and my mom for
this Thai Veetu Seedhanam.
                                                       Jai Sai Ram. 
                                                    

Welcome 2014

         Ready to bid a good bye to 2013, a year of so many pleasant memories , abundant blessings of God and a couple of disappointments in the matter of extending the family tree.Otherwise a big thanks to God for making the year, a peaceful one.We look forward to His Blessings in the coming year in reproducing the missed fruits.
       I pray and wish 2014 to be a year of prosperity, peace and acceptance to each and every individual of this planet.
      May we all join together with cheers to welcome 2014!

Happy Children's Day !

                        We can really be proud that our country is unique among the other nations to celebrate the Children's Day on the Birth Anniversary of our charismatic Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
                 
                  The children,the symbols of joy, happiness,love, innocence and purity really deserve all the days as their days.Yet for practical reasons and celebrations, Nov.14 is ear marked for them.There is a popular saying that as God cannot be present everywhere, he created mothers to take His place.

                Similarly,God must have sent children as His substitutes,well illustrated by the meaningful adage,

                        Kuzhandaiyum Deivamum Ondru ! - God and a Child are the same !

                           A Happy Children's Day to all my dear children over the globe !

Sangadam Theerkkum Sani Bhagawan

                                   My long desire of nearly ten years to visit Kuchanoor, the seat of the temple exclusively for Sani Bagawan became a reality with a momentary decision.

                              A comfortable and pleasant drive of nearly 4 hrs. and 30 mins. took us to the abode.We started at 6 A.M. and reached Kuchanur, a very small village at 10.30 A.M. nearly 220 kms. from Coimbatore without any break.This small yet powerful and the only shrine, exclusively for Saturn is situated on the banks of a perennial channel named Surabi.
                           
                         The crows,the Vahana of Sani Bhagawan looked so cute and greeted us as we alighted from the vehicle. The people with belief, buy those crows, made of clay and baked and offer it as Parikaram. A click of those lovely flocks of birds available with almost all the vendors was missed by me, to be regretted even now.

                         The Sani Bhagawan is a Suyambu in the shape of an Achu Vellam circular in shape, broad at the bottom and narrow at the top , about 5 inches tall. The eyes, the nose and the mouth resemble the Sivan of the Kerala style.The namam fixed on the forehead, typical of the Vaishnavite traditions is surprising.A Devi is also seen along with the the Saneeswarar in the main shrine but the name could not be found.

                        Despite the day being a Saturday and a small queue, the darshan at the main  shrine and two small shrines, one each for Vinayaga and Muruga at the back and four shrines, one each for Karuppasamy, Saptha Kannigaiggal and two others in the front
took only 45 mins.

                      The abode, 20 kms. from Theni is scenic with the canal, green trees and as usual, the majestic Vinayaka on the banks of the canal.Extending the drive just by 30 kms., the religious trip becomes a pleasure trip and picnic with the landing and bathing at the enchanting Suruli Falls.

An Angel is Born

                               An Angel is born.That is how, she exactly looked liked, clad in a pink dress with a cute little pink face, tiny hands and legs.Everything about her was so pretty and tender.
                          I bent down to look at her, the new born baby of my niece on Thursday, Sept. 19.She immediately opened her eyes, as if happy to see this grandma.Excitement and ecstasy radiated through me.After the birth of jiji nearly two and a half years ago,only now,there was an occasion for me to be delighted at the sight of a just born baby.
                         Another pleasant surprise was that the baby exactly resembled her mother,the very same nose and mouth.She has taken after her father in the height.
Whatever may be the advancement and facts in Science about the genetic factors in the exact resemblance of the off springs, 
                        Only the greatness and the role of God in all creations, including Nature is obvious to me.I always visualise God in Nature.

Three in One

                                      Three in one,visiting a religious place, enjoying a tourist place and attending a marriage all with in 30 hours from 6.30 A.M. on Saturday to 12 Noon on Sunday driving nearly 650 kms.The good condition of the roads except for a few kms. in between and the condition of the car,though an ordinary 800 c.c vehicle made the travel comfortable and pleasant.The condition of the energetic and enthusiastic driver deserves a special credit. He is none other than my better half.
                           Worshipping the Saneeswarar at Kuchanoor, 3o kms. from Theni was a long time desire of me. An article published recently in the Tamil Magazine Kumudam, about the Suruli Falls just 20 kms. from Kuchanoor and attendind a marriage in Madurai on Sept.15 being mandatory enabled an easy decision to undertake a tour of religion, tourism and social obligation.

 

Obeisance to my Gurus

September 05, 2013.
                                Today is Teachers' Day and my obeisances and salutations to my teachers who had a great role in imparting knowledge and worldly wisdom to me.
                               Firstly, my tributes to my Gurus of the great St. Ignatius' Convent High School, Palayamkottai, including the Mother Superior and the Headmistress of the
institution.They had been real role models in inculcating values, cleanliness, discipline
etc. etc.I am are really indebted to God to have blessed us with an opportunity to study there.But my mother comes before God as she was crazy about her children's education in the convent, a privelege,she regrets to have missed, even today.Madha,Pidha,Guru, Deivam !
                              The Belgium sisters who taught us embroidery can never be forgotten.
Cleanliness was really next to Godliness for them.Before getting inside the arts' class, it was imperative that the students had to wash the hands with soap.The table cloth embroidered by me in class ix with laisy, daisy stitch is still fine with me.I could still remember the Headmistress picking up any paper in the ground and dropping them in the nearest trash.Pages can be filled about their great qualities and listing their names would be endless.My regards to them.
                            Next to be revered are the highly learned Professors of the Sarah tucker college, the first women's college of south India.People, not familiar with Palayamkottai may think this is far from the truth.Wikipeadia is now in defence of my statement.
                          The eminent faculty of the Madurai kamaraj University, from where my
higher degrees at Post Graduation were awarded, ignited the spark  of literture in me to radiance.
                         My regards, respects and obeisance to all my teachers.