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.
                          

Search for a Stranger

                                     This true short story, purely autobiographical by Dr.Gordon Livingstone is one that moved me very much among the hundreds of short stories read by me in the recent years.The impact was so great that it led to two or three readings .The story packed with passions,emotion and anxiety with the subtle element of thrill seemed to echo in my memory for a couple of days.A few touching sentences could be quoted with ease from memory. The story would be indelible in my mind or ever.

                             A Tamil movie which became a hit, directed by Mr. Maniratnam
might have its roots from this story or a similar one.

                              After reading the story, one cannot be free from the reflections, that counselling, guidance or advice may be good,easy and soothing as long as the giver is outside the issue; once he or she becomes a part of it,acceptance is not immediate.
                            To quote the writer,
    "------- were no longer theories, absractions: they were real problems-they were mine !"

                            Later on googling about the writer, it is known that, besides, being a ssuccessful psychiatrist, Dr. Livingstone is the author of several books including some best sellers.
               The text of the story has been inserted for reminiscence.
                          

                              
                                
                                                                  

Know your city

                           Most of us dream and desire to go far and wide to explore Nature or to visit the places of historical, religious or commercial importance , just ignoring the hidden treasures of the city or the town, where we live.The reason is either procrastination or their value is overlooked just because of their close proximity.
                       It is often humorously remarked that the Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world is rarely frequented by the local population of Agra ; the enchanting  Falls of Courtallam attracting hosts of tourists from across the state may not be of any interest 
 to some of the residents of the township.
                       This truth seemed to enlighten me as a vacation of two weeks was nearing in the month of May. That enlightenment may also be an outcome of the awareness about the thronging of the tourists to the hills stations like Ooty or Yercaud during the vacation, being the places, we had planned to visit.
                        The Botanical Gardens of The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, the Gass Museum of The Forest College , Marudamalai, Kasturi Srinivasan Art Gallery , Anaikatti and the recently developed Baralikadu became our choice.Already some of them had been visited by me ; yet I decided to rediscover them. 
 

Just For Twenty Rupees

                                                    According to Mathematical calculations twenty rupees may be very less in value compared to two hundred US Dollars; but the joy born out of just twenty rupees can never be duplicated by the pleasure trips costing two hundred or even two million dollars.
                                          The most happiest moments of joy for Jiji, my grandson, on his visit to India during the last three months of 2012 was his ecstatic ride in a toy aeroplane of the Merry Go Round in an Exhibition.He was about twenty months old and just casually his mother made him sit in the single seater toy plane of the merry go round and made him go for a few rounds at a cost of twenty rupees.

                                           Being a single seater none of us was able to sit beside him to hold him for support.Today it is a matter of wonder how we permitted such a small child to go alone,without the provision of even a belt for fastening. The joy and cheer on jiji's face could never have been anticipated by us. As he went around in " his own plane " he looked for all our faces from the crowd at a distance and waved at us with the pride of a globe trotter.Sometimes he became intoxicated and yelled at us.

                                     Refusing to get down after his first set of rounds, he had to be allowed to go for a second time and once again a third time.In between when his plane was stationary,curiosity made him bend and analyse the inside of the " giant plane ". All this from Jiji ,who, just a couple of months back had flown in four planes from Kansas City to Coimbatore with three transits,two of them in the busiest airports of Chicago O 'hare and London Heathrow, watching with excitement the landing and take off of several planes. At times his anxiety turned into an embarrassment for his mom on showing his protest to board the plane even after the announcement.

                                  The same predicament had to be faced amidst the other visitors to the exhibition on his declining to step down after the third round and later pacified by his grandpa. We took him once again to the same exhibition next week.

                                 Happiness, for the elders is always a state of the mind. But even
for a child money seems to be immaterial, many a times, for experiencing joy. 
                                  

  

Back To Sweet Sixteen

 Saturday,  June 29,   2013

                                       Carefree and fun loving school girls of sweet sixteen emerged from the women in their fifties. The drawing cum dining hall of the residence was over flowing with nothing but fun, frolic and loud laughter for nearly three hours before, over and after lunch.

                                        Rejuvenating and recharging was that Saturday, the occasion being, a get together of  eight students of the same batch of class XI, the year of the school final, three decades ago in St.Ignatius Convent High School,a land mark of education till date in Palayamkottai.Going down the memory lane, the young girls in their, " pavadais and thavanis " were personifications of joy, pride, appreciation and also chiding at times.To the astonishment and surprise of the others,some of the friends with sharp memories could reminisce particular occasions of mischief,the characteristics of some of the faculty and their peculiarities.

                                      Unanimous was every one about the effective teaching of all most all the staff members expressing their gratitude and also subsequently very proud to be the alumnus of such a wonderful institution.

                                     A big thanks to my cousin who celebrated the wedding of her son the previous day, Friday, facilitating my trip from Coimbatore to Tirunelveli, enabling a happy reunion of the good old friends.Taking leave of them but carrying the rejoicings
over the recalling of the fond memories seemed to be too powerful to take my medicines of hypertension for a week.

                                    Finally,our love,cheer and applause to the friend,one among
the eight for organising an informal gathering of delight along with lunch at a short notice.My sincere thanks to the other friends for making it a memorable Saturday.