To Tamil with Love

         

          The affinity for our Mother Language is nothing but natural, so has been my  passion to attempt some write ups, about travels and the persons  whom I adore.Even a few poems, of course not worthy to fit into the genre; yet the simple joy in venturing is fascinating.

         Now it is a million dollar question as how, all of a sudden developed my intimacy, right phrase to use, with the poems of Virtues in our language, especially the Eladhi, Naladiar, Moodurai, Thirukural, Aathisudi, Kondraivendhan, Purananuru, Ulaganeedhi and so on.

        The Ulaganeedhi of Ulaganthar of the Eighteenth century, beginning with Odhamal Orunalum Irukka Vendam, is simply amazing, sounding rhythmic and musical. It may seem funny and even weird!  Enamoured by its beauty and the universal ethical values of its content in single lines of what not to be done, started memorizing it. The confidence and energy levels seem to have been boosted, discovering the ability to memorise texts at this age of early sixties. Yet forgetfulness in simple tasks on a daily basis is an irony! May be they are too mundane to  gain the attention and focus! They may be sharpened with this latest skill.

      What a Devine Language is our Tamil and indeed, we are a blessed race ! 

Special 2020

        The New 2020 is going to dawn in a few hours for us this time at Coimbatore, place of our domicile. We were out of the city for a couple of years.

       2019 has to be termed as an endearing one, to be looked upon with a sense of gratitude, not because it was very joyous and exciting; but that some tough decisions could be taken for the good, not willing to leave things to probability and chance with a sense of uncertainty hovering over the head. Really blessed with a firm mind and determination, God has always been with us to face the toughest challenges with acceptance and courage.

       We welcome the New Year with a big smile and a sense of optimism to turn our adversities just into experiences to learn from. God is always ready to heed to our just and sincere yearnings and sure to make it something special, apart from making it healthy and peaceful. New Year is certain to bring new arrivals in the family with His Blessings. 

                           Welcome 2020 



       

Thamirabharani Pushkaram

                The Thamirabharani Pushkaram may be an astrological event at the outset; to me it was an occasion to take a trip, down to to my hometown and also down the memory lane. Tirunelveli is my hometown but my parents left for Chennai for the good some forty years back.Coimbatore has been our home for the past three decades whose salient features are listless, very lovely and charming.Yet Tirunelveli, is also close to my heart; its people are known for their education, valour, hard work, loyalty and so many other attributes.

              Most of the times, my visit to Tirunelveli may be for some auspicious occasions like marriages, house warming ceremonies, religious festivals etc.This visit is something very special and memorable as I got the opportunity to fulfill my long pending desire of taking bath in the river on whose banks at Sindupoondurai, I was  born, brought up and moulded. 

            Many a times, I used to wonder, why we people, including myself eulogize a lot about the tourist destinations abroad, when our own country has plenty to offer, both for pleasure and pilgrimages. Many well known temples around my hometown are yet to be discovered. Two such places are the Narambunatha Swamy temple at Tirupudaimaruhar and the Gajendravaradha Perumal temple at Athazhanallur. Both the temples are little close by and at a distance of about nearly 30 kilometres from Tirunelveli, easily accessible by good motorable roads.

              Both these temples, the former, a Saivite temple and the latter, a Vaishnavite temples are built on the banks of the divine Thamirabharani.The Gajendra Varadha Perumal in the standing posture at Athazhanallur is very majestic.According to the legend, it is believed that only in this spot, the elephant, Gajendran got liberation, Mukthi from the crocodile.

            Actually it was a momentary decision taken by us due to a sincere and fond invitation by one of my cousins.Profound thanks to her. Our visit to the Pushkaram coincided with the grand Dasara celebrations on the following day of Vijaya Dasami  at Palayamkottai turned the momentary decision to  a life long joy to be cherished for ever.

  

Belated Good Bye and Belated welcome

                Belated bye bye to the sweet 2018 and the same belated welcome for a healthy, peaceful and subsequent 2019. Being happy to be late than never. Late only in this post but a grand farewell and a standing ovation fused there as every year at 12 midnight between 2018 andn2019 with the prayers and greetings.


                Really, abundantly thankful to God for making me accept things as they were with great fortitude in 2018; life has to go is the truth. With the same blessings and hope, we are truly confident to make the coming year as happy as possible and make others happy, which is nothing but reconciliation.


              It may sound silly, even strange ; the last couple of months of 2018 was most endearing to me, as I was able to resume my writing. The years 2016 and 2017 had been totally blank, with not even a single post in both my blogs. The reasons may be a hundred and one but feeling was one; that of guilt.

          The year 2018 dawned at New Zealand; the first time, out out of the boundaries of our homeland. The joy was none the less exuberant, flooded in the colorful fireworks at the City Tower, Auckland. Awesome was it! 


       2018 was special with the dawn at New Zealand faraway from Coimbatore; again this year also it is away from Coimbatore. We welcomed the New Year with the Poojas and prayers at our ancestral home in Sattur. Highly hopeful that God will bless us and the entire family with good health and the subsequent  wealth, born out of it ! Once again welcome ,  2019!  

       





      

Hibernation and Rejuvenation

          Long hibernation..unduly long..more than three years since my last post..unbelievable..the urge to write was always there; more was the guilt. Looks like something supernatural, as if some charm was preventing me to sit and write,pursuing my passion; finally the day has dawned. Many a days, the constant but lingering thought was, with which topic to start with; that also flashed in a moment. The historical Tamirabharani Pushkaram, which has taken the river and our hometown, Tirunelveli to global heights.


         Sans no belief in astrology, the Pushakaram did not come close to my heart but the fascination for the perennial Tamirabharani and Tiruneveli, the town of my birth, education, marriage and even the place of my son's birth was something beyond comprehension .A couple of years back, happened to read the fiction, The River Sutra by Gita Mehta, sister of the Orissa chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik.


        The story carried me to Nasik and the river Narmada and also to google for the beautiful images of the river and the cities on its banks. They in turn took me back to the days of our great civilization and culture.  No wonder ,the bonding between me and the enchanting Tamirabharani grew still stronger, prompting to make a trip to Tirunelveli. With the oscillating mind and no proper travel plans, the travel in public transport buses from Coimbatore to Tirunelveli and back was a  little bit tedious but the feeling was that of immense joy with a great sense of rejuvenation.

Super San Antonio

         
       The mesmerising River Walk is one of the main attractions in the city of San Antonio.We could spend only three hours in the city of San Antonia after attending the wedding of my cousin's daughter in Austin.A co passenger who happened to be from Chennai,flew with me from Kansas City to Dallas.He had done his Master's in San Antonia and lovingly insisted that, going all the way to Austin, though only for two days, the River Walk of San Antonia, just two hours drive should never be missed.


      The grandeur of the boat ride through the river for 40 minutes covering the entire city with its hotels, offices, historic buildings on both the sides of the river was awesome.Actually this is not a kind of river like any other river with sand banks on either sides but concrete walk ways and buildings, something rare and also picturesque.


    This wonderful view of river with the buildings seemed to be a miniature of Venice, despite the fact that Venice is more excellent in its majesty and magnitude.My brother from Detroit and a paternal cousin from Tennessee, also invitees for the wedding had backed up this trip from Austin to San Antonia and back.

          A word of thanks to them and the co passenger !

The Gala Wedding

           The gala wedding of my cousin's daughter held at his place, Austin is one the happiest and memorable moments of my second visit to US.Meticulous were the arrangements in each and every aspect, be it the decoration of the marriage podium and hall, the costumes of the bride, bride groom, their parents, hospitality shown to the invitees,the food etc.


         Weddings are always joyous occasions for us to bless the couple, to meet our relatives and friends, to renew the connections with the acquaintances, to become nostalgic and go down the memory lane, and also enjoy new contacts and of course the delicious wedding feasts.When the wedding is organised in a distant land, it becomes an event of double joy, happiness and enthusiasm. 

        Only the venue of the wedding happened to be miles away from our hometown but it was very much our wedding in respect of all the rituals, traditions and customs right from the auspicious Rose Manjal Thirumana Pathirikkai, Mappillai Azhaippu, Yanai Kudhirai Arasanipanai,Mulaipari Thelilthal, Pallangkuzhi Aduthal, Appalam Udaithal, Thengai Uruttuthal and so on,without any compromise. The real efforts, a natural outcome of the mutual love, care and interest of the close knit family seemed obvious, making the event grand and memorable.

      The Colour Purple, also an acclaimed novel by Alice Walker, a living legend among the American authors, was the theme of the wedding.The alternate invitation for the wedding, the the decoration of the wedding dais and the back drop, petals on the dinner tables and the glittering Sarees looked pretty and gorgeous in the purple colour. 

      The occasion made evident how my cousin's family maintains the ties with their friends and relatives.Such a huge crowd,from not only the local place but also from different parts of US and a few countries on both the days, one on the day of wedding in a star hotel and the next on day of the reception in one of the halls of the University of Texas was said to be unprecedented in most of the weddings held at US.

            The South Indian food arranged was very delicious and enjoyed well by the Americans.Many of them in our costumes of Sarees and Kurthas looked graceful.My cousin's family personally took care of each and everyone of the invitees.They were very overwhelmed at the presence of their cousins,relatives and friends from far and wide.

          Watching the weddings online, is known to us.Now,thanks to the 
parents of the bride, the auspicious occasion was enjoyed live by about two hundred of our relatives with fun, blessings and a sumptuous buffet in the Banquet Hall of Hotel Aryas at our home town, Tirunelveli. A novel and noble gesture!

        May God bless the couple with all prosperity and joy in their married life.