Arul Tharum Amma koniamma

                          Arultharum Koniamman, in a sitting posture in the temple, situated in the heart of the city of Coimbatore is a powerful deity, guarding the entire region and blessing her devotees.The Kumbhabhishekam of the temple was held on a grand scale on July 11, Friday.The newly built Rajagopuram is very majestic that no passerby can cross the threshold without bowing the head.The grandeur of the Gopuram adds value to the already popular temple and one of the important tourist destinations of Coimbatore.

                    Only yesterday, the day of Aadi Ammavasai, we could make it the temple  after the consecration.This post is an outcome of the elegance of the grand tower, the Navagrahas with their consorts, rarely seen in the temples and the omniscient Goddess.

    Suryan         Usha Devi, Saya Devi
    Chandran     Rohini
    Chevvai       Sakthi Devi
    Budhan       Gnana Devi
    Viyazhan     Thara Devi
    Velli            Shukkruthi
    Sani            Neela Devi
    Rahu           Himshika
    Kethu         Chitralekha
           

                  There are separate shrines for Vinayakar, Murugar and Adhi Koniamman. Festivals galore throughout the year, the main one being the Car Festival, celebrated in the month of Masi.Let us be a part of the celebration and get the blessings of the Devi Koniamman.

Gods Do Listen To Us

                            Gods do listen to us and help us, wherever and whenever possible is known to all of us.At times it is quite explicit.For the past two decades, I fervently wanted to take part in the Perumal Koil car festival,Ther Vizha at our hometown Sattur. That was only a dream till last week.This year, it was firmly decided by me to to  worship the Satthurappan with his consorts, Sridevi and Poodevi in the Ther at any cost.

Sathurappan,Venkatesa Perumal

                     Initially the festival was scheduled on Thursday,July 12. The day,being the middle of the week, some constraints in availing leave from work, left me to do nothing but lament.

                      It is really a miracle that Sattur Venkatesa Perumal must have listened to me. For reasons unknown, the Car Festival was rescheduled on Saturday, July 12, a week end, facilitating our trip from Coimbatore to Sattur without any hassles of Casual leave.
Started from my workplace at 4 PM on Friday, July 11, and halted at Madurai.Next day, early in the morning, we worshipped the Subramania Swamy and Deivanai in Thiruparankundram and reached Sattur at 10 AM to pull the Ther at 11 AM.The next day, on Sunday, we visited the famous Andal temple at Srivilliputhur and also our family deity Matha Angalaparameswariamman temple.

                    Later we could also make a darshan and get the blessings of the powerful Muthumariamman of Perumaldevanpatti, a village 8 kms off Srivilliputhur.The village is proudly called as Kutti Punjab, as nearly 800 people from the village were and are defending our nation, safely with the blessings of Muthumariamman of their hometown.
 for nea
               My spouse and mother in law could also extend their stay for a fortnight at Sattur to complete some works kept pending at our ancestral home for more than seven decades.

             A big thanks to Venkatesa Perumal for helping us to accomplish several tasks in a single trip,only by rescheduling the day of His Ther Thiruvizha.

                       Gods do listen to us, don't they?

Salutations to the Divine Woman, Dr. Catherine Hamlin

           Let me dedicate this Women's Day, March 08 to the Divine Lady, Dr. Catherine Hamlin, an Australian Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, settled in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, dedicating her life to the service of the underprevileged women suffering from Obstetric Fistula, an injury caused during child birth.

      The credit of coming to know about this great soul,Dr. Catherin and the physiological
problem of our poverty stricken sisters in Africa goes to my favourite daily, The Hindu, which in turn happens to be the main window to me for a glimpse of the the world around me.A chance reading of the article about the noble and unselfish task of Dr.Catherine  with her husband, Dr.Hamlin, a New Zealander in Africa stirred my heart.

    The highly commendable humanitarian gesture of such kind hearted women should often be highlighted while magazines list the powerful women of the world in the corporate sector,political front,films and fine arts etc.

  As God cannot be present everywhere, it is said that he created mothers.

 Yes, Divine mothers like Dr. Catherine Hamlin,actively serving the downtrodden even at
  the age of 90  are the living Gods of Earth.

  It is certain that the nominee is sure to be the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
 

Super Suruli Falls

                                On seeing the Suruli Falls at close quarters, the thought "What is this Falls, so small, compared to the various Falls of Coutrallam " flashed in my mind.But only after the water started hitting my head like rocks, the force of the Falls was apparent, seeming more vibrant than the other Falls.

                           Starting from Coimbatore at 5.30 A.M.,We reached the Suruli Falls at a distance of nearly 270 Kms.On the way, there was a halt at Kuchanoor just 30 Kms. before Suruli,to pray to the Sani Bhagawan.Landing at Suruli around 1 P.M.,to our joy there was not much crowd, enabling a bath to our heart's content.The Falls is accessible only after walking through a greenery for 15 mins.from the parking lot.

                   Suruli Falls is actually the Suruli river, originating from the Meghamali. It is a two tier Water Falls.It is said that the Falls is perenial and it is emerging as one of tourist attractions of the Theni District.This scenic Falls is at a distance of 56 kms. from Theni and about 120 kms. from Madurai.

                           

The Great Harmony

                                The great harmony, atleast, at times, between the Saivism and Vaisnavism along with the fact that Shiva and Vishnu are one and the same can be best exemplied by the presence of the Navagrahas in the Koodal Azhagar Temple, one of the popular Divya Desams.The Navagrahas may be very common in all the Shiva temples but uncommon in any Vaishnava Temple.

                               During our visit to Madurai in Sept. Three in One,getting up early and reaching the temple at 6.30 A.M. we were free from the hassles of car parking, long waiting in the queues and had the greatest blessing of Worshipping Sri Koodal Ahagar and Maduravalli Thayar in a calm and peaceful way.

                        The temple looks majestic with a grand Rajagopuram, in close proximity to the Central Bus Stand, Railway Station and the Meenakshi Temple in the ancient city of Madurai.The main deity, befitting the name Azhagar, is stately even in the sitting posture
and there are separate shrines for Madura Valli Thayar and Andal Nachiar.The devine beauty of the Lord had been eulogised by the great Azhlwars, Perialwar, Thirumangai Azhlwar and Andal.

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!