veeskitchen

Tour Diary: Kumbakonam Mayavaram Yatra

Posted on 9 May 201911 May 2019 by veeskitchen

Tamil Nadu can be said to be the cultural gateway to India, because we have been fortunate to preserve our ancient Hindu heritage over millennia. Northern India was not as lucky as our temples and culture were razed to dust by ruthless invaders.

As an ardent Shakthi devotee and a devout Hindu, it was always my dream to visit the heart of Thamizh Hindu Nadu but it simply never materialized. I know, you cannot set your foot into the abode of our Mother and Father, unless you get the call. It took my Mother 50 long years to call me to Her abode. So near, yet soooo farrr…

A gang of us friends who have stuck together from our school days finally chalked out a plan and started on our Kumbakonam – Mayavaram Temple tour this April. We boarded Uzhavan Express at 10.40 pm at Chennai Egmore on 16th evening to begin this epic journey. A friend from Kerala had flown in to join us in the whirlwind trip. It was summer already. The hinterland of Tamil Nadu was bristling at 38 c. We girls just crossed 50 years – rather than disguising our age, we are now mature enough to be grateful to have lived up to this day, to be there for our families. Mylapore unites us all, our school was the bonding gel. It was our life mission to undertake this yatra. Only five of us could finally make it with one opting out last moment. How we beat the odds in this simmering heatwave rising at 4 am and hitting the bed by 11.30 late night walking barefoot the roughly hewn, unpolished granite slabbed temple acres for a continuous stretch of 5 days flabbergasts me even today! Our feet blistered – but not really. How they did not blister is what amazes me! Age is just a number. We proved it to ourselves. By sheer willpower and with the blessings of our Mother Goddess and Shiva, our Father, we accomplished this feat in our golden jubilee year. We are also married for over a quarter century. And we women have our health woes. We proved many theories wrong with this tour.

I wanted to make a page out of our spiritual tour with details because, our pilgrimage became a hit. Friends keep asking for information. I also want to revisit the shrines in future as and when possible. I want to record in here for posterity those five unforgettable, irreplayable days.

Here is a pictorial tour plus some tips about our yatra. ON POPULAR DEMAND. A pretty long post. One which is as descriptive as possible.

EVERY SINGLE ANCIENT HINDU TEMPLE AS WELL AS MEDIEVAL HINDU TEMPLE UP UNTIL 19TH CENTURY, HAS HAD A STHALA VRIKSHAM (HOLY TREE) AND STHALA THEERTHAM (WATER TANK) (ONE OR MORE). In this post, I am not covering details of Sthala Vriksham and Sthala Theertham although we had darshan of same wherever we went. Wherever possible, I have included pictures though. This is how ancient Hindus conserved nature and water. Every street in Hindu society had a temple which would grow the Sthala Vriksha trees and have water for ablution in the form of a rectangular water tank of an acre minimum – Sthala Theertham. Such a beautiful, thoughtful civic society was ransacked by both the Moghuls and the British who wrecked havoc in the land of Dharma.

Our base was at Kumbakonam for 3.5 days and for the rest 1.5 days, we shifted base to Mayavaram (Mayiladuthurai now). We wanted to cover as much territory as possible including in Tanjore (Thanjavur district). It may seem rushed, but not at all. We spent easily around an hour in each temple, and in some vast ones even over a couple of hours as it happened in Tanjore, Darasuram and Thirumeeyachur for instance. We had darshan of ‘abhishegam’ and ‘alangaram’ in almost every single temple we visited. We feasted on temple meals. We even shopped heartily. So although this may seem impossible, i guess the long summer hours gave us ample time to cover everything. Apart from Shiva and Ambal (Shakthi) temples and Balaji temples, we also visited the Navagraha temples for the nine planets of the Universe that were established millennia before. Still some temples are left out that we intend to take care of in our next visit.

The great ancient Hindu temples of Kumbakonam Mayavaram Tanjore belt were built by the Cholas who reigned over this region for over 1000 years. It is a shame that their glorious, vibrant history is brushed under the carpet whereas bloody terrorists like Akbar, Shahjehan and Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan who were our invaders are glorified in Indian history. The Chola period was golden era in Tamil Nadu. The Cholas built the magnificent ancient temples that sing a poetry even today in Dravidian architecture. Most of these are UNESCO World heritage sites. Heartbreaking to note that, many are also in ruins without proper care because Hindu temple funds are routed to Christian and Muslim welfare in India by our government. This is a separate story that I shall cover some other time.

The Cholas nourished art, music and culture scene in the south. This part of India has always been prosperous because the Chera-Chola-Pandyas were also great defenders of their territories. The Cholas went on to conquer culturally what we call Bali, Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka etc which all have Hindu roots until today. They relinquished their conquests and returned to India although what they planted in South East Asia stand good until today as in Bali (Hindu temples) and even in Angkor Wat, the largest temple in the world even today. Tanjore is called the Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu.

We started our tour with Thanjavur naturally. Except for the first three, rest of the pictures were clicked with my Samsung Note 8.

A gist of 39 temples we covered in 5 days (this handy list was prepared after our return by friend Sumi who works for a foreign bank who doubled up as a very valuable guide) (our banker and bookings manager and organizer for the tour was GV):

This was our agenda that we decided roughly weeks before but altered 50-50 enroute as it suited our convenience.

Someshwara temple (in ruins) kicked off the yatra with Gopura Darshan from restaurant where we stopped for breakfast 17th morning

DAY 1: APRIL 17, 2019 WEDNESDAY

We reached Kumbakonam by train by 5 am. By 7.30, we were showered after checking into our hotel and unpacking. We decided to start our temple tour with paying obeisance to Lord Ganesha after which we halted for our breakfast before heading to Tanjore. Day 1 covered the temples in Tanjore district.

Forenoon:

1. GANAPATHY AGRAHARAM IN PAPANASAM TALUK, TANJORE DIST. Started with our worship of Lord Ganesha. This is a small village agraharam temple where sage Aghastiya is believed to have visited.

2. CHANDRAN TEMPLE AKA KAILASANATHAR TEMPLE AT THINGALUR. THINGAL/CHANDRAN PARIHARA STHALAM , NAVAGRAHA TEMPLE for Moon God or Chandran. Shiva goes by the name Kailasanathar. Ambal’s name: Periya Nayaki. Specialty of this temple: Moonlight falls exactly on the presiding deity ONLY during Tamil months of Purattasi (sep-oct) and Panguni (march-april) through a hole in the Vimana (temple tower)

Kailasanatha (Chandra/Moon) temple at Thingalur

Enroute Brahadeshwara temple aka RAJARAJESHWARAM, had Gopura Darshan of a couple of temples where we did not stop.

3. BRAHADESHWARA AKA BIG TEMPLE AKA RAJARAJESHWARAM AT THANJAVUR (TANJORE)that has seen over a 1000 years easily built by the one and only Raja Raja Chola. CHOLA TEMPLE We spent half a day here. Raja Raja worshiped the fiercer form of Shakthi – Mother Goddess Varahi who now has a separate altar within the temple premises. This temple is now a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. I have been to the Colosseum in Rome, but nothing can come close to our Brahadeshwara temple in Tanjore. Shiva’s name: Bruhadeeshwara Ambal’s name: Bruhannayaki. The Brihadeshwara temple – Raja Rajeshwaram is not easy to describe. Kindly google. The shadow of the Vimana (gopuram/temple tower) never falls on the ground – that’s an architectural wonder among other thousand engineering and architectural wonders about the entire complex. A challenge to today’s structural engineers specializing in earthquake proof structures. A clue to this engineering feat lies in the cleverly designed Thanjavur Thalaiyatti Bommai with circular base (the head nodding mud dolls special to Tanjore) Chola temples have altars for Gaja Lakshmi and Varahi and Bhairava, the Hindu Gods for valour. It so happens that I am already a Varahi worshiper. One of the 275 PADAL PETRA STHALAM . Blessed to have visited the temple with a close quarter darshan of Shiva-Brihadeeshwara and Nandhi on Pradosham day. Darshan of Varahi abhishegam was added bonus.

Reading Chola inscriptions that were over a 1000 years old in Tamil (with the script changed slightly over centuries), I found tears in my eyes. I could feel the presence of Raja Raja as I stood humbled before the giant Shiva Linga. What passed through my mind at that moment does not matter. I bowed down my head to not only Brihadeeshwara – Shiva, but also to Raja Raja, my ancestor. This great king did not want a mausoleum like the Moghuls. He built temples and architectural wonders. He established dance and drama schools. Bharat Natyam, the classical dance of the south flourished from the Chola period. Tanjore ‘Thalaiyatti Bommai’ (the head nodding Tanjore dolls) and Tanjore dancing dolls (of Bharat Natyam dancers) date back to Chola era.

SARASWATHI MAHAL: As temples are closed mostly 1 to 4 pm, we took a break in Tanjore for lunch and followed it up with a visit to the cultural museum that houses historic relics from the Maratha empire’s Shivaji, Saraboji and Sambaji’s reigns. How haphazardly the valuable historic collections lie without a protection in the ruins of the old Maratha palace breaks my heart. The first picture is from a shop inside the temple complex, rest are from the Mahal. See, how Mahal is a Sanskrit/Hindu word that can have nothing to do with the Moghul Taj Mahal – unless ofcourse it was once Tejo Mahalaya. Tanjore Plate is a heritage from Marathas in the Tanjore district.

Afternoon/Evening:

4. PUNNAI NALLUR MARIAMMAN: MARIAMMAN TEMPLE AT PUNNAI NALLUR : Ambal (Mariamman) holds a Chakra in Her right hand in this sacred shrine.

5. VASISHTESHWARAR TEMPLE AT THENKUDI THITTAI : GURU PARIHARA STHALAM. NAVAGRAHA TEMPLE FOR GURU (JUPITER) What is special about this temple is, every 24 minutes, a drop of water from nowhere falls over the presiding deity Shiva (Vasishteshwara) which is incomprehensible as there is no source of water in the Vimana (gopura). The sanctum sanctorum is designed scientifically in such a way that you can feel the heat generation that is like Shiva’s hot breath. The humidity leads to a single drop of water fall over the deity exactly every 24 minutes. CHOLA TEMPLE from 12th century CE. Cannot believe the scientific acumen of ancient Hindu engineers/architects/builders over a thousand years before. What happened to us now. SWAYAMBU LINGAM (hence the name Swayambootheshwarar also). PADAL PETRA STHALAM. Sage Vasishta is believed to have worshiped Lord Shiva here.

Thenkudi Thittai – Vasishteshwara temple

Enroute Thirukarugavur, Tanjore, the Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu was still greeny-greeny at the advent of a scorching summer after a failed monsoon last year. The wealth of the Chola for millennia is hardly surprising. This is a bountiful rich countryside watered by Kaveri (the Cauvery river) brimming with culture and mineral wealth every corner. No more dirt poor or thatched hut in Tamil Nadu. Village scene is a big, big surprise. India is on move, slowly but steadily. The gradual urbanization of rural India is the proof although I am not sure whether I like this. The difference between India and China is that, India has a soul. Whereas China is a mechanical programmed robot.

6. GARBA RAKSHAMBIGAI TEMPLE AT THIRUKARUGAVUR :‘Garba’ means ‘pregnant’ – ‘Rakshambika’ means ‘protective Goddess’ so that gives away the temple’s relevance. PADAL PETRA STHALAM . After 25 years, I got to visit Mother Parvathi who protects foetus in pregnant women who also blesses the childless with ‘putra bhagyam.’ I was praying to Mother from Chennai, reciting the shlokas when carrying my son. I had a normal delivery. Every married Hindu woman’s ‘ishta devata’ becomes Garba Rakshambika for a safe pregnancy and delivery. Those who have problems conceiving pray to Her and come back to the temple and lay their newborn babies in Mother’s lap. Shiva goes by name Mullai Vana Nathar. Ambal is Garba Rakshambigai. The village goes by the name ‘Thirukarugavur’ . ‘Karu’ in Tamil means ’embryo’ – ‘karugavur’ means the place that does not dry/shrivel up. A visit to the Mother’s abode will not let the embryo shrivel up. ‘CHOLA TEMPLE FROM 7TH CENTURY CE . We were blessed to be present for Pradosha abhishegam for the presiding deity Mullai Vananadhar (Shiva). ‘Mullaivana’ means the jasmine forest. This area is still so fertile and the forestry from ancient times is imaginable.

7. KALINGA NARTHANA PERUMAL TEMPLE, OOTHUKADU

Lord Krishna is the Utsava Murthy as Kaalinga Narthana. Famous Krishna dance melody songs such as ‘Swagatham Krishna’ were composed here. Utsava Murthy was presiding deity over Moolavar. In quite a few temples we visited, this was the case.

8. DURGA TEMPLE, PATTEESWARAM AKA THENUPUREESWARAR TEMPLE AT PATTEESWARAM : Lord Shiva goes by the name ‘Thenupureeshwar’ in this 7th century CE CHOLA TEMPLE. PADAL PETRA STHALAM . Ambal goes by the name ‘Gnyanambika’ and also ‘Soma Kamalambika’ although there is a separate shrine within the temple for Durga, the fiercer form of Shakthi. Nandhi in this temple is sidelined and not facing Shiva straight.

That brought us to the end of Day One. We drove back to Kumbakonam from Tanjore covering these temples in evening, totally exhausted. By the time we had our dinner and retired to bed, it was over 11 pm. I had to swallow some pills, as well as others. We set alarm for 4 am to start our next day before the sun was out. Temples in Kumbakonam Mayavaram opened by 7 am which suited us.

DAY 2: APRIL 18, 2019 THURSDAY

We started the second day with a bang by 6.30 am. Maximum 6.45 could have been our ‘out’ time. Decided to cover temples in the periphery before turning into Kumbakonam. Have to mention a word about Kumbakonam breakfast, full traditional south Indian meals in Banana leaf and coffee. Ek dum first class! Filter Degree Coffee and Idli and Pongal and Vada like you can find nowhere … bathed in Sambhar and Coconut Chutney… ! But as it was Lok Sabha Election Day in Tamil Nadu, restaurants were mostly closed in the town. We were lucky to find whatever we could. Active polling, voting scenes everywhere. Even if we missed casting our votes in our constituencies as this trip was planned before the dates were announced, we were delighted to watch the systematic voting process in progress in rural Tamil Nadu. Throughout the tour, in every single temple we visited, we prayed for our INDIA and for return of Modi/BJP at the center and for Hindu Dharma to survive in these troubling times.

Forenoon:

9. PRANANADESHWARAR TEMPLE AT THIRUMANGALAKUDI . Prananadeshwara is Lord Shiva and Ambal is Mangalaambika. Ambal holds the ‘Maangalya Saradu’ – the sacred yellow thread that signifies marriage (mangalsutra) and therefore this temple is special for Sumanglis (married women). SWAYAMBU LINGAM. PADAL PETRA STHALAM. CHOLA TEMPLE. although inscriptions are from Pallava and Vijayanagara reigns as well. We were blessed with Nirmalya darshanam. No Navagraha in this temple and the banished Navagraha can be found in the nearby Suriyanar Koil, the Sun temple at Aduthurai where the Nava Grahas, the 9 planetary deities, have their own altars.

Mangalaambigai sametha Prananadeshwarar temple, Thirumangalakudi

10. SOORIYANAR KOVIL (SUN TEMPLE) AT ADUTHURAI : The Navagrahas (9 planets) have separate altars in this temple. NAVAGRAHA TEMPLE. The Sun God Surya and Guru (Jupiter) are face to face in this temple. Kulothunga CHOLA TEMPLE FROM 10TH CENTURY CE . Sun is every Hindu’s most important God, because our food crops yield us grains to eat and live because of Surya. Harvest festivals are therefore very special for us. We celebrate LIFE. No wonder, Surya Namaskar – the Sun Salutation is the most important Yoga exercise.

a devotee taking lotus garland for Sun God

Suriyanar Koil, the Sun temple at Aduthurai

ghee diyas ready to be lit for Surya bhagwan

blocking of Raja gopuram from inside and outside is a dampener

11. VANADURGA TEMPLE AT KADHIRAMANGALAM : We were fortunate to have darshan of abhishegam for Mother Durga in this sacred temple where setting foot is considered equal to paying a visit to your Kula Deivam (family deity) temple. (Every Hindu family has their own family/village deity, the protective God/Goddess from family tree/clan/what we call Kula). ‘Vana’ means forest. Hundreds of years back, it is easy to imagine how much forested this area must have been.

Vanadurga Parameshwari temple at Kadhiramangalam

12. SUKRAN TEMPLE AT KANJANUR : NAVAGRAHA TEMPLE FOR SUKRAN (Venus). PADAL PETRA STALAM. MEDIEVAL CHOLA TEMPLE RENOVATED BY VIJAYANAGARA EMPIRE . Shiva is Agnishwara and Ambal is Karpagambal. No separate Prakaram (altar) for Sukaran (Venus) who is supposed to dwell within Shiva’s stomach.

13. RUDRAKSHESHWARAR TEMPLE AT THEPPERUMANALLUR : Shiva/Moolavar here is ‘Vishwanathar’ but the temple is famous for Shiva Lingam wearing a ‘rudraksha angi/kavasam’ (covered in prayer/chanting beads). Ambal is Vedantha Nayaki. The temple is known for frequent ‘sarpa’ (snake) visits as snakes shed their skins exactly on Shiva Linga. There are framed pictures of snake skins with dates. ‘Marupiravi arukkum kovil’ – a visit to this temple is supposed to ensure that there is no Punar Janma (rebirth) for us with our Karma cleansed. A Paramachaarya has attained ‘jeeva samadhi’ within the temple. Beautiful ancient temple. I have to mention a word about the aged archaka (priest) who has had a coronary bypass. An octogenarian. His devotion to Lord Shiva is striking. In most of these temples I witnessed the intense devotion of the priests who did not care for material welfare, who were happy servicing Father and Mother, sweating in humid inner sanctums and sanctorums.

14. UPPILIAPPAN TEMPLE, THIRUNAGESWARAM : This is a Perumal temple, one of the 108 DIVYA DESAMS. CHOLA PERIOD TEMPLE from 6th-8th century CE. Perumal is Uppiliappan. Thaayaar is Perundevi. Saltless Naivedyam is the specialty of this temple where the childless return with their newborn to thank the Lord.

15. NAGESWARAR TEMPLE AKA RAHU TEMPLE AT THIRUNAGESWARAM : Built by Aditya Chola of 6th-7th century CE, the CHOLA TEMPLE is a NAVAGRAHA TEMPLE – RAHU PARIHARA STALAM and PADAL PETRAL STHALAM . Shiva is Naganathar and Ambal is Gujambigai.

Rahu- Ketu Dosha is supposedly the main obstacle in an individual’s life delaying his/her marriage. The dosha is also blamed for not having issues/offspring. In Thirunageshwaram Naganatha swamy temple (Shiva is Naganatha), there is a Prakara for Rahu with snake head and human body that invites devotees from around India. We were blessed to feast on temple bhojan (meals) offered free.

Evening

16. APATHSAHAYESHWARAR TEMPLE AT ALANGUDI : CHOLA TEMPLE, PADAL PETRA STALAM Lord Shiva goes by the name Apathsahayeshwar. Ambal is Elavarkuzhali. Often mistaken for Navagraha Guru Parihara stalam, Alangudi actually boasts of an altar for Dhakshinamurthy (Guru). The Navagraha Guru parihara stalam is Thenkudi Thittai that I have already posted about (No.5 in this list). When we went here, we learned the chariot festival was over only that morning. For that matter, we were touring in the temple festival season of Chithirai month. So almost all temples were thronged by both locals and pilgrims from other parts of the state and India.

got this Pallankuzhi with chozhi home to play with my MIL 😀

17. PADIKASUNATHAR TEMPLE AT AZHAGAPUTHUR : Beautiful village setting amid green fields and a beautiful temple. Ancient Shiva Lingam. Om Namashivaya! SWAYAMBU LINGAM. CHOLA TEMPLE FROM 7TH CENTURY CE. PADAL PETRA STHALAM. Lord Shiva is Padikasunathar. Ambal is Soundaranayagi. Murugan can be seen with Sangu, Chakra in this temple.

18. SRINIVASAPERUMAL TEMPLE AT NACHIAR KOIL : CHOLA TEMPLE FROM 3RD CENTURY CE, AND DIVYA DESAM the Perumal temple is revered for KAL GARUDAR darshan, on climbing a fleet of granite internal stairs. Would like to come back to this temple in daylight. Prasadham in the temple was mouthwatering. Consort of Perumal is Vanjulavalli Nachchiar.

19. SARAPERUMAL TEMPLE AT THIRUCHERAI : DIVYA DESAM and MEDIEVAL CHOLA TEMPLE although finds mention from 7th century CE in scriptures. Perumal is Saranathan and Thaayaar is Saranayaki.

20. SARAPARAMESHWARAR TEMPLE AT THIRUCHERAI : SWAYAMBU LINGAM. CHOLA TEMPLE. PADAL PETRA STHALAM. Lord Shiva goes by name Saranathan. He is also revered as ‘Kadan Nivartheeshwarar‘ – as legend goes that, praying here relieves one of economic debts.

We rounded up Day 2 with that. Long, long day!

DAY 3: APRIL 19, 2019 FRIDAY – CHITRA POURNAMI !

Forenoon and Afternoon:

This was one day we were all waiting for with bated breaths. We all are ardent Shakthi devotees and we recite Lalitha Sahasranama for years or decades perhaps now. For me, my Ishta Devata is Lalithambika/Mookambika. I never prayed for a darshan of Mookambika but was blessed with one with a visit to Her abode in Kollur, Karnataka. A darshan of Lalithambigai meant the world to me. Before we headed to Thirumeeyachur, we decided to step into one Kumbakonam temple at least. We took only a cursory glance of the famous MAHAMAHAM TEMPLE TANK which is closed to visitors. We rounded up the four streets but could not get into the steps leading to the holy water. For this special day, we ladies dressed special too. We had an appointment with our Divine Mother!

21. ADHI KUMBESWARAR TEMPLE AT KUMBAKONAM : CHOLA TEMPLE . PADAL PETRA STALAM. Shiva Linga here is believed to have been incarnated by Lord Shiva Himself who goes by the name Adhi Kumbeshwar. The temple town derives its name from the Kumbh. Ambal is Mangalambigai. We were blessed to have a darshan of abhishegam for both Adi Kumbeswarar and Mangalambigai on the Chitra Pournami morning. Nirmalya darshan of both Adhi Kumbeshwara and Mangalambigai. What a way to begin the day!

22. LALITHAMBIGAI TEMPLE AT THIRUMEEYACHUR: CHOLA TEMPLE BUILT BY RAJENDRA CHOLA. Shiva goes by the name Meganatha. His consort is Lalithambika, my Ishta Deivam. This shrine is where Lord Hayagriva is believed to have imparted to Aghastya Muni, the sacred text of Lalitha Sahasranama. I consider it my janma sabhalyam to have set my foot on the holy abode of My Mother Goddess on the auspicious occasion of Chitra Pournami. Five solid hours in the sanctum sanctorum right in front of Her with Her eyes and breath on me, blessed with a darshan of Her abhisegam, alankaram and Sahasranama archana and then having Her prasad for lunch in the temple … never asked My Mother for so much… Just the mere thought wells up my eyes… We girls got silver anklets for our Mother, we got our Mother and Father ‘vastrams’ and we had arranged for abhishegam for both. I had a darshan of Meganathar and opted to spend maximum time with my Mother so skipped watching abhishegam for Shiva. We broke into 2 groups actually. Two of us attended abhishegam for Meganathar and the rest 3 of us sat tight in front of our Mother all the time! We recited Lalitha Sahasranama at least 3 times, sang bhajans in chorus with other devotees, clapped, wept in unison… The temple was jampacked for Chitra Pournami. Mother’s ghambeeram, Mother’s benevolence, Mother’s blessings… I almost did not bat my eyes for a continuous 5 hours. My friends shared a similar emotion. Every single soul in Her presence that day wept tears of joy. Humbled! Every single face was streaked with dried tears. Such is the aura of My Mother. One place I want to go back to again and again. Mother Lalithambika is installed with Her right leg folded and left leg down in Sukhasana (Yoga) pose as Manonmani Swaroopa. She is all peace, hence known as Santhanayaki. It was after 3 pm that we left the temple. It seemed that She did not want us to leave. It rained the moment we stepped out of the temple and for the next 30 minutes we could not even go as far as our parked car. We spent the next half hour in the temple shops lining the street still awowed by the experience.

In my Mother’s bosom and lap… Thirumeeyachur Lalithambika temple…

Overwhelmed by Thirumeeyachur darshanam, we returned to our lodgings with an unbeatable feeling for the first time that we were on right course. We decided to take a light break justifying that we deserved it! Went shopping at a weaver’s place for Tribhuvanam silks indigenous to Kumbakonam although we did not shop impressively. Tanjore Thalaiyatti Bommai shopping topped our tour shopping list. Later in the evening after Chakrapani temple visit, we also stopped for Kumbakonam Coffee as Kumbakonam Degree Coffee tops charts in entire south India as best seller coffee. Added many more kilos to our baggage!

Hospitality of the weaver family merits a special mention

Evening:

As the evening wore off, we found that the temple festivals in Kumbakonam had made it impossible for us to reach into the inner streets at the heart of the town. We decided to wrap up Day 3 with Chakrapani temple and retire to bed early. Which still meant around 10 pm, early only by our tour standards!

23. CHAKRAPANI TEMPLE, KUMBAKONAM : Our last stop for the day. Chakrapani, Perumal, has a third eye like Shiva here. Thaayaar is Seetha Devi. Maratha king Saraboji Maharaj worshiped in the temple.

Chitra Pournami: Full Moon over the Temple Raja gopuram

DAY 4: APRIL 20, 2019 SATURDAY

Fourth day into our trip, we shifted base to Mayavaram by evening.

Forenoon:

24. SARANGAPANI TEMPLE AT KUMBAKONAM : MEDIEVAL CHOLA TEMPLE. DIVYA DESAM. Perumal here is Sarangapani. Thaayaar is Komalavalli. We fed the cows and calves in Goshala in the temple which was most satisfying.

25. RAMASWAMY TEMPLE AT KUMBAKONAM : NAYAK PERIOD TEMPLE FROM 16TH CENTURY CE still easily 5 centuries old. Beautiful one and extremely well maintained. A refreshing change after seeing neglected temples that are 1,500 years old and crumbling. Perumal here is Sri Rama and Thaayaar is Seetha Devi. Chithra Ramayana depicted on the walls of the temple are the highlight describing entire Ramayana with the seven ‘khaandams.’ The oldest frescoes from centuries before are preserved. Ramaswamy temple is a feast to the eyes and the soul.

Chitra Ramayana in Ramaswamy temple, Kumbakonam

26. AIRAWATESWARA TEMPLE AT DARASURAM : This UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE was our next stop. RAJA RAJA CHOLA TEMPLE . Shiva is Airawateshwara. Ambal is Periyanayaki. Only part of the original temple remains. You have to visit to believe this architectural marvel of Cholas over a millennium earlier. Due to the menace by miscreants, many architectural wonders like the Saptaswara tuned/singing pillars etc., are cordoned off from public view.

27. SWAMINATHASWAMY TEMPLE, SWAMI MALAI : Believed to have existed from 2nd Century BCE, this ARUPADAIVEEDU TEMPLE for Subrahmanya is where Lord Muruga, son of Shiva is believed to have imparted to His father the ‘Pranava Mantra.’ Lord Muruga stands alone here (without consorts), over 2 sets of very broad granite steps – 30 each set. But the hill is man-made. We were blessed to recite Kanda Sashti Kavasam in chorus as the abhishegam was performed.

28. KALYANASUNDARESWARAR SWAMY TEMPLE AT THIRUMANANCHERI : Temple looks ancient PADAL PETRA STHALAM so easily 1,500 years old to the minimum, but no note on architecture. We wanted to visit this temple which is believed to ‘facilitate marriages.’ Brides and grooms-to-be or the so-called singles and marriage-hopefuls were there as well as those who had come back as couples to thank the Lord and His Missus. We girls prayed for wedding bells to ring soon for our sons and daughters even in their absence. That’s the best we could do. Lord Shiva (Shiva Lingam) – Moolavar is Uthvahanathar. Ambal is Kokilambal. Blessed to have darshan of abhishegam for both. Shiva is also Kalyanasundareswarar, the happily married man here.

With that, we broke for lunch and later checked into our Mayavaram (Mayiladuthurai homestay) to refresh and change before we started on our evening tour.

Evening:

Our evening at Sithalapathi aka Thilatharpanapuri was enchanting. Quaintly charming village with Goshalas (cow sheds), barns, Veda patashalas (Vedic schools) where eager and energetic ‘vidyaarthis’ learned the Vedas in pristine surroundings. We struck a conversation with one who at 12 years was ready to forsake worldly pleasures to serve the Lord. Listen: not to fight a bloody war but to serve mankind with profound spiritual knowledge and wisdom. This is why Hindu Dharma has to live. Om Shanthi! Hindu patrons please donate generously to the Veda Patashala, thank you!

29. ADHI VINAYAGAR TEMPLE AT THILATHARPANAPURI (SETHALAPATHY) : This is the rare Ganesha temple in India where Lord Ganesha is with His human head. Felt strange!

Adi Vinayagar temple at Thilatharpanapuri where Ganesha is with Human head

agraharam house/hostel for veda patashala vidyaarthis

30. MUKTEESWARAR TEMPLE AT THILATHARPANAPURI (SETHALAPATHY): Where Rama performed ‘thidhi’ for His father ‘Dasaratha’ after His return from Sri Lanka before returning to Ayodhya. ‘Thil’ is ‘ellu’ in Tamil. ‘Tharpanam’ is giving ‘thidhi’ – hence the name.

31. MAHA SARASWATHI TEMPLE AT KOOTHANUR : Only temple in India for the Goddess of Learning, Knowledge and Wisdom is at Koothanur. Blessed to have had Saraswathi’s darshan. We girls presented our Mother with a white sari. We need Her blessings not only for our own children, but for all Indian children. We prayed for the nation foremost. The process of learning never stops. Saraswathi’s grace is needed forever.

32. DHARBARANYESWARAR TEMPLE AKA SANEESWARAN TEMPLE AT THIRUNALLAR : NAVAGRAHA TEMPLE FOR SATURN (SHANI) from 7TH CENTURY CE NURTURED BY PANDYA KINGS, this temple is in Karaikal district. PADAL PETRA STHALAM . By coincidence we were there on saturday when the temple is thronged typically by devotees from all corners of India. We had a good darshan of Sani bhagwan who has a separate altar besides the presiding deity Dharbaranyeswarar (Lord Shiva). Shiva Lingam here is believed to be made of ‘dharbai.’ (a kind of dried grass). Ambal is Bogamartha Poorna. Although we could not take a dip at the holy ‘theertham’ (temple tank), we fed the cows in the Goshala and lit ironware diya with sesame oil for Sani Bhagwan.

DAY 5: APRIL 21, 2019 SUNDAY

With a heavy heart, we woke up to the last day of our whirlwind tour that we feared, initially, might not work out. Where there is will, there is way. We proved it to ourselves.

Forenoon:

33. VAIDYANATHAN TEMPLE AT VAITHEESWARAN KOIL : A KULOTHUNGA CHOLA TEMPLE FROM 12TH CENTURY. PADAL PETRA STHALAM. NAVAGRAHA TEMPLE FOR WORSHIP OF ANGARAKAN (SEVVAAI) (MARS) In this Navagraha (Sevvai) parihara sthalam, Shiva goes by the name Vaitheeswaran. Ambal is Thaiyyal Nayaki. Blessed to have a darshan of Angarakan abhishegam as this is Navagraha parihara sthalam for Sevvai Dosham that afflicts our horoscope/kundali. Angarakan has a separate altar here.

34. SWETHARANYESWARAR TEMPLE AT THIRUVENKADU: NAVAGRAHA TEMPLE FOR BUDHAN (MERCURY) . PADAL PETRA STHALAM. CHOLA TEMPLE . Lord Shiva in this Nagapattinam temple is Swetharanyeswarar. Navagraha pariharasthalam for Budhan/Mercury. Ambal is Brahma Nayaki. Acre of temple with three holy theerthams (temple tanks) and Brahma Samadhi and 3 sthala vriksham (holy native trees). Blessed to have a darshan of abhishegam for the elusive Spatika Lingam and also Aghora Murthy (Shiva) in His ‘ajanubahu’ human form. Gora = ugly. Aghora is handsome/beautiful. Rare temple to have Shiva in this Human form apart from as Shiva Linga. Like Chidambara Rahasyam, this temple also has ‘Nataraja Rahasyam.’ Understand that all Shiva temples where He dances in Nataraja form have this Rahasyam. Blessed to have darshan of the Rahasyam. Nandhi in this temple is ‘Utsavamurthy’ – portable.

35. KETHU TEMPLE AKA NAGANATHASWAMY TEMPLE AT KEEZHPERUM PALLAM : The last NAVAGRAHA TEMPLE that we visited was Kethu temple at Keezhperumpallam. Kethu is shadow planet with snake body and human head. Kethu dosham like Rahu dosham or what we generally refer to as ‘Naga dosham’ may delay marriage and childbirth. Blessed to have a darshan of Kethu abhishegam. All the time, ‘naga’ (snake) songs were played in ‘Nagaswaram’ by temple music band.

That brought us to a close as far as Navagraha Parihara sthalams were concerned. Not that we performed any pariharam. On our way to lunch, met with a village palm jaggery seller to whom we gave good business in Poompuhar. It was time to bid goodbye to our dear friend KC whose train to Kerala was at 4.15 pm from Karaikal station. We rounded up a couple of more temples before we called it a day on the final 5th and boarded our own mail by 11.40 late evening.

with Palm jaggery seller from countryside, Paramasivam

send-off to KC at Karaikal railway station

petting the cute Pug at Karaikal railway station….

Evening:

36. RAJAGOPALASWAMY TEMPLE AT ANANDA MANGALAM : The temple were Lord Rama visited became our first stop for the evening – just 4 of us now. Once upon a time, this place must have been a dense jungle, it is easy to imagine. This area is very close to Karaikal-Nagapattinam from where crossing to Sri Lanka could have been easiest, with sea narrowest. Sri Rama is believed to have visited/touched quite a few places on His route back to Ayodhya from Sri Lanka. These ancient, ageless temples retrace His steps. Rajagopalaswamy temple is estimated to be at least 1000 years old. Perumal is Rajagopalaswamy (urchavar). Moolavar is Vasudevaperumal. His consorts are Sridevi, Boodevi.

37. TRINETRA CHATURBUJA ANJANEYA TEMPLE AT ANANDA MANGALAM : Close to Rajagopalaswamy temple is Trinetra Chaturbuja Anjaneya temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman in Deer vahana, on His victorious return from Sri Lanka. Hanuman is believed to have beeen bid on a mission to ‘tie up loose ends’ by Lord Rama and He set out with the Blessings of Lord Shiva who offered Him His ‘Trinetra’ and Lord Vishnu who gave Him His ‘Chaturbuja.’ Here too a ‘Rahasyam’ is revealed, and opposite the temple is still a deer park. Once a thickly forested area, this place is now a quiet semi-urbanised village.

38. AMRITHAGHATESWARAR TEMPLE AT THIRUKADAIYUR AKA THIRUKADAIYUR ABHIRAMI: PADAL PETRA STHALAM. KULOTHUNGA CHOLA AND RAJA RAJA CHOLA TEMPLE. The temple where Markandeya sought Shiva is Thirukadaiyur where ‘ayush homam’ for nourishing ‘ayush’ is practice even today especially where it concerns elderly married couples with the bridgegroom entering his 60th year. It is ‘visesham’ to renew your marriage vows in this sacred shrine that is supposed to bestow us with ‘ayush vrithi.’ Blessed to be present for the abhisegam of annai Abhirami, Ambal. Shiva is Amrithaghateswarar who gave sanctuary to Markandeya. The Shiva Linga that Markandeya embraced is revealed in something like a ‘rahasyam.’ Blessed to recite Lalitha Sahasranamam in the sanctum sanctorum with my friend GV right in front of Mother Abhirami.

39. MAYURANATHAR TEMPLE AT MAYILADUTHURAI (MAYAVARAM) : PADAL PETRA STHALAM. KULOTHUNGA CHOLA AND MEDIEVAL CHOLA TEMPLE. This was the last temple of the day and our tour. Shiva is SWAYAMBU LINGAM and goes by the name Mayuranathar. Ambal is Abhayambigai. SAPTA STHANAM TEMPLE FESTIVAL FOR CHITRAI MONTH was going on when we visited this temple in the evening. On one side, Bharat Natyam and on the other, various stage performances. Blessed to have been there for Saptha Stanam when seven Shiva temples brought in their processions to Mayuranathar veedhi. It was such a gala celebration: the ultimate crowning glory, right note on which to finish our tour. Early in the morning, in front of our homestay, we took a group picture with the temple tower in the background. Our driver for the tour was Shri Saravanan (recommended by Chit), who was extremely knowledgeable, patient, punctual, diligent, kind and courteous. Without him, this tour would not have been possible.

Mayuranathar temple, Mayavaram – Rajagopuram in the background

When Seven Shiva temple processions got together…

Extremely humbled to have been part of this group and have blessed darshan in all the temples we visited. The yatra has had a profound effect on all of us. It may not immediately reflect in our personality, but it is quietly working on us. With this temple tour, i avow to cut negativity in my life, gather courage to call a spade a spade, focus on positivity, intensify my search for finding ‘the truth’ and stay a balance, neutral, focused and peaceful self. Om Namashivaya! Nama Parvathi Pathaye, Hara Hara Mahadeva!

Political

Subsidy Culture: LPG Supply & Distribution In India

Posted on 31 Mar 20194 Apr 2019 by veeskitchen

LPG has been a contentious issue for Indian masses for long. That’s because the supply of the Liquified Propane Gas is highly regulated in the energy-starved nation that imports the bulk of oil and gas for both domestic and industrial consumption. India produces a token minimum local output while imports constitute a huge proportion, driving up our export bills. Suppose India is to cut the energy bill, then we could be 100% totally self-sufficient overnight. The gas bill eats into the GDP and even into individual PCI of every Indian citizen. Yes, we use fossil fuel for our domestic consumption as well as for commercial-industrial purposes.

As LPG was expensive, government not only regulated the supply chain but also subsidized it to domestic consumers irrespective of their socio-economic status right from the days of India’s independence. The regulated distribution of LPG was akin to issue of groceries rationed through state-run PDS (Public Distribution System) outlets to cater to the masses who lived under the poverty line (BPL families).

However, Indian middle-class benefited immensely with a booming economy since the 1990s and therefore there arose a necessity to suspend the subsidies including rations. Successive governments at the center have handled the supply of LPG and Family rations in their own way but the most effective step was recently taken by none other our BJP prime minister Shri Narendra Modi, who went on with execution of bold, extreme and path-breaking measures such as demonetization of high-denomination currencies, unconcerned about the drastic impact these could leave on his vote bank in the subsequent general elections.

This post is an attempt at listing how unsuccessfully the same issues were tackled by the previous Congress government which was corrected in a single stroke by Modi administration with the abolishing of LPG subsidy for those over BPL, and crediting of LPG subsidy directly to the bank accounts of genuine BPL families with grievances. I understand that, if Modi could get re-elected, our PDS could be following similar lines which is a great and welcome move when it comes to curbing corruption. On other hand, this will also serve to plug the wastes and spillages in state-spending. It is a win-win situation for everyone.

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Things are getting easier only since the turn of the millennium in India. Telephones and LPG connection for instance were something you had to wait for years once upon a time because these were state owned. I booked my landline after getting married and got it finally in 1997 just before we moved to Malaysia. It was supposedly shortest waiting period. However for LPG connection, my aunt booked mine when I was still in higher secondary school that finally was delivered to me in the year 2000 in my absence (as I lived in Malaysia then). After a lot of deliberation, after my in-laws produced my ID proofs, the department officials reluctantly ordered my connection that was secured by my mother-in-law.

However, miraculously in India things changed from 2001. How we crossed the gulf and how these basic amenities that the rest of the world took for granted became affordable like a magic, is an unbelievable story. Perhaps believable. Indian economy was opened up in the 1990s and privatization of services and industry was afoot like never before. We have to thank our IT guys who made it all possible for us chiefly – as India became a software giant although we had been working in that direction right through the ’70s and ’80s. The ’90s was a consolidation phase and life has never been the same for average middle class Indians since the dawn of the century. There is no looking back ever since. India is on the move. It may have taken longer, but it is better this way.

On retrospect, looking back I think I was lucky to have been asked to wait for my telephone connection! I understand, my wait was because of the nation-building process that was slow but steady.

The LPG story of India is really worth a read. It has been trial and tribulation for the middle-class, some 500 million of us anyway. More number of Indians have been lifted out of poverty in last 20 years. Now central census and statistics peg less than 30% of Indians below the BPL* – and the parameters of poverty calculation have since been revised. For a 1.2 billion nation that refuses to tread the China road, this is a big, big feat indeed. We feed over a billion who do not starve for a square meal in this 2019. And we are Satellite club, not just the Software hub of the world. All the same we ration our LPG refills!!! Pretty interesting!

In India today, if you live below the poverty line as BPL family, it means you still own a tv, fridge, mobile phone, bicycle and even little gold

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ONE MORE CHANNEL FOR CORRUPTION IS SEALED FOREVER – HOPEFULLY. ONE THAT AFFECTS THE LIVES OF A BILLION PEOPLE. BUT THEN, WHY DO WE NEED AS A NATION, INSTRUMENTS OF REGULATION TO CONTROL US ALWAYS? WHY DO WE LACK SUCH A SELF-DISCIPLINE IN EVERYTHING? SHOULD WE DESIST FROM COMMITTING A CRIME ONLY FOR FEAR OF PENALTY? CORRUPTION SADLY CONTINUES TO BE SINGLE GREATEST SCOURGE TO AFFLICT INDIA.

These are my exact words penned on July 11, 2011. Today, I have the same to say about the LPG subsidy being withdrawn by the Modi govt to those above BPL limit and the subsidy benefit directly credited to the BPL family bank accounts everytime an LPG refill got booked/delivered. For this, the first major move from Modi government was, introducing the zero balance Pradhan Mantri Jandhan Yojna account which was introduced in our banks soon after Modi govt took over at the center. This is a zero balance savings bank account for the BPL families to get direct credit of subsidies and the scheme covered entire India, bringing up zillions who stayed out, into banking network.

I am saying this because in spite of many loopholes plugged in LPG distribution over years, I as someone who kept shuttling between two countries for years, still found that my LPG was getting booked without my knowledge in my absence. One refill would last me two months in Chennai, but to my dismay I found that almost every month, there was booking done in my name. I changed my agencies multiple times to no avail. I gave up finally. It did not affect me directly but I knew that someone, probably a commercial unit, was reaping subsidy in my name. Cooking fuel is like oxygen to Indian homes.

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Here is what I blogged in the matter in 2011 (with some edits):

The new LPG Refill booking method has taken me by surprise. Its in force for sometime now – but my LPG cylinder lasts me usually for well over 2 months so its a while since i booked mine last time. Moreover, i wait for 10 days to lapse after switching my second cylinder to place my next booking order as I don’t like the idea of stocking 2 full LPGs in my kitchen anytime. (Many buildings are now opting for pipeline gas systems but so far we have declined the offer – My sister is using pipeline gas system for almost 10 years now in Mumbai. Says its most convenient. She pays the bill online just like for electricity and water).(she says we are fools not to opt for pipeline gas in this advanced age. My BILs are saying a big ‘no.’ (the brothers share an apartment building)).

I called up last evening at my agency closing time to book for a refill. I was given a call centre number and was asked to speak to a recorded voice by my agency people. Now for almost everything i am already speaking to recorded voice only – whether it is for my broadband Airtel or my water purification system Aqua Guard or for dish TV/Tata Sky whatever. There is no more human touch to anything. I press numbers for options, hear a mechanical voice, register as per choices and I get an SMS/e-mail confirmation – whatever the service could be, whether its fault repair or otherwise.

Last thing where i expected to talk to a machine was while for a re-fill booking of my LPG cylinder.

I booked LPG through a machine for the first time yesterday – but did not register my phone no. As soon as the machine voice came on, at least i had the presence of mind to get a pen ready to scribble down the registration no. for re-fill. On second thoughts, I needn’t have bothered. My registration number was SMSed to me the very same moment. I was still annoyed at having been caught off-guard – but now leisurely i reflect, it was bound to happen someday anyway and its high time there is some strict regulation when it comes to LPG demand/supply market conditions.

I was told by the machine, i am allowed only 4 LPG re-fills now every year at the prevailing costs – if i wanted more fuel, from the 5th refill, i will be charged over 800 bucks for a single extra LPG cyclinder. So that’s it. Maximum no. of refills allowed per customer is now ONLY 4 PER YEAR – to regulate fuel usage.

I called up my agency to double-check this morning and was told, they have got their refill confirmation order for me via the central supplier (Indane in my case – Indane is the brand name of IOC (Indian Oil Corporation)).

So what is the reason for the new LPG refill booking regulations? Why should LPG refill bookings/supply be centralized like this after all these years? If you analyse deep, its because, the middlemen/agencies are over booking from the govt suppliers like Indane (IOC or HP or BP or whatever the company is) and selling the LPG cylinders at astronomical costs for commercial users. There are even cases where these LPG cylinders are used in CNG cars. Which is thoroughly illegal and also dangerous business. Govt of India supplies LPG at subsidized rates to domestic consumers whereas the commercial users like restaurants are charged at commercial rate, i.e., thrice the domestic rate. So the agencies have got into the side business of supplying the domestic quota to commerical users for a neat profit, and in the process sometimes neglect even supply to desperate domestic users.

The last regulation for LPG connection came when i had to get my ration (PDS) card stamped in my agency mentioning I have 2 cylinders at home. I had to take my LPG regulator to my agency office, where an official checked the number and did the chapa with the regulator number in my ration card. ONLY ONE LPG REGULATOR/CYLINDER CONNECTION IS ALLOWED EVER SINCE, PER RATION CARD. The chapa is to ensure, i don’t get any more LPG connections/cylinders. I had earlier applied for an extra (2nd) cylinder in the same connection. Only one connection is now legal. But double cylinders for the single connection are allowed.

So at that time,whoever had a second LPG connection had to get the second one cancelled as the ration card allowed only one chapa for one connection. And only one member in a family (in the ration card) could possess an LPG connection. In case 2 members in a family had 2 LPG connections until then, one had to forego a connection and retain only one for the family. LPG consumption is calculated NOT ON INDIVIDUAL BASIS BUT ON FAMILY BASIS.

Thank god, my second cylinder was under the same single LPG connection. The connection is in my name. And there is none in my husband’s name. Soon as i returned from Malaysia, i followed up and acquired a new ration card for just 3 of us – me, my hubby and my son. That was in the year 2001. Two of my BILs and their families were still listed in the same old joint family ration card – and as the new regulations allowed only one chapa per card, it gave rise to some family issues. I also applied for Voters’ IDs, PAN** cards, everything on war-footing basis. Nothing is organized in India – and such a trivial matter is made very complicated. Why can’t we streamline basic things like these in our society? Harassment is waiting for you in every corner when after all what you try to do is, get yourself equipped with bare minimum necessities for survival like the Ration Card, the Voters’ ID.

90% all second LPG connections in a single name also were thus made null and void in a single stroke at that time (must be 7-8 years back).

As a further step, i was given a stamp book. I was asked not to sign in my receipt slip but to stick a govt issued Indane stamp in the receipt to the delivery man whenever my refill came through. This was to ensure, the LPGs meant for domestic purposes were not misused for commercial purposes. However, this was never followed for more than a few months. So I never got to know how many LPG refills got booked in my name over years.

I came to know my connection was misused only when once I tried to book a refill, the recorded voice told me, it was not yet 21 days since my last booking date/delivery of LPG!!! In the said period, I was not even in India! I never did the booking! I never took the delivery! Hello, so what was going on?!

I got vague replies from my agency as expected. I didn’t have to be told what was going on. I got cold answers.

Illegal business in LPG thus continued despite some regulations in the Congress period. I have personally witnessed the agency boys deliver LPG refill cylinders to small restaurants and bakeries – the ones meant for domestic consumption – at far higher rates. Of course, it is an open secret. Nobody denied and everyone knew.

The final noose I thought was in place around the neck of the Agency men and the delivery boys WITH NEW LPG REFILL BOOKING REGISTRATIONS MOVED TO IOC CALL CENTRES. I was again mistaken. We needed not have to book our LPG through call center using our registered mobile number necessarily. The agency guys still held our details and they could make a call and book a refill in our name.

An astronomical charge of 800 bucks for your 5th refill booking in an year (in 2011) was utility/consumption based – priced just like electricity/water charges. The more you consume, the higher the surcharges, as it means you are economically in a position to consume more. The 4 cylinder slab pricing is ok – but i think it could be relaxed to 6. Why should we complain when we are so adapted to slab-pricing of electricity already? From your 300th unit of consumption, slabs exist for every 100 units of electricity consumption in our states.

This was supposedly one real good means to control corruption in LPG demand/supply markets. The actual and optimal consumers stand to benefit maximum with this – then again, the 800 bucks price tag for an LPG still worked out economical to commercial users who continued to benefit from our 5th high-priced refill! There just was no way stopping them! Corruption in India is deep-rooted and our men get innovative all the time!

So what happened in 2014? Modi was the game changer. Subsidy for middle classes got abolished. Your LPG refill/delivery account had to be linked with both Aadhar and Bank account for subsidy if at all you wanted to claim. Plus the LPG for commerical and domestic consumption now came in different colours!!! Genuine BPL families benefited while rest of us gave up our benefits that has proved to be healthy for our exchequer.

Aadhar*** was the brainchild of the previous Congress government. A good administrator will not depose of the old good. Modi government continued the Aadhar enrollment and in a masterstroke decided to link it with LPG connection, Ration (PDS) card, Bank account, PAN number, everything. Many, many more loopholes have been plugged.

Very recently the Supreme court ruled that the Aadhar seeding need not have to be mandatory. Very cleverly now, the government linked still the PAN number with Bank account and Aadhar that we cannot easily evade the tax net.

Ever since, there is some regulated and disciplined supply and distribution of LPG in my opinion. There is an orderliness about these things as finally there is some clear streamlining. These are after all the basics, but it requires courage and direction to implement such measures. It needs foresight and action. Clarity of thinking and execution. So this is why the nation loves Modi.

Imagine the number of years crores and crores of state subsidies meant for BPL families mis-utilized by those living above the BPL limit and the commercial users. I have been one of them too. Principally because, I could not get excluded from the system even if I might have desired. My condition as well as many of my compatriots who saw the injustice remained the same. Helpless.

Now finally we have Smart cards replacing the Family PDS Ration card. The digitalized one in linked to our Aadhar. I have never used mine – my maid uses it. It is in her possession always. Here too, the benefits to families above the BPL limit have been stopped forthwith. Must have been done long, long ago.

Just as Modi ordered a rollback of subsidies to those living above the BPL, Rahul Gandhi of Congress government offered Rs.72,000/- per annum (pay without work) to each BPL family (his voters) with a Family PDS Ration card. This man is toxic. A poison weed. His mother Sonia Gandhi was the rotten brain behind the Rajiv Gandhi Minimum Employment Guarantee Scheme**** of paying farm wages for 100 days an year to agricultural labourers and rural workers whether they worked or not. That has killed farming business like anything in India. Destroyed India maximum already. Rahul Gandhi is a cancer. Italian Mafia used to stealing, robbing communities and nations. Real independence for India will be the day when this Italian mafia quits India for good. One man Modi is working for uplifting the poor by restoring their dignity, the other one Rahul Gandhi wants to keep them perpetually poor and lazy – like in a drugged state. Shameless fellow who reportedly got caught red-handed in America for possession of drugs (as claimed by Subramanyam Swami). Vajpayee must have left him to rot in US jail for 128 years. How and why is the Election commission keeping mum. Rahul must be prosecuted for his open bribery or cash incentive offer to public for casting vote in his/party’s favour. Is this even legal.

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*Source : wiki : India central census

**PAN card: Personal Assessment Number (for Income Tax) in India. PAN number/card is unique and mandatory without which one cannot have bank accounts or insurance in India today. PAN has to be linked to bank account failing which TDS will be deducted @ 20% from your savings or Form 15 G filed (in case you seek exemption from taxes as non-assesee). Even non-assessees have to have PAN for Demat accounts (to deal in stocks), bank accounts, insurances, for purchase/sale of movable/immovable assets, purchase of jewelry over a limit etc. Well, my MIL was forced to get herself Aadhar and PAN cards in her 80th year!

***Aadhar: Unique Identification card for Indian citizens with biometrics with multipurpose avatars such as ID, Debit card (with bank account linking) etc.

****Rajiv Gandhi Minimum Employment Guarantee Scheme: Congress govt named all their schemes after themselves Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi. BJP govt names all schemes as ‘Prime Minister Yojna’ – not a single social benefit to the nation is named after Shri Narendra Modi or his predecessor from BJP Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Women & Family

Face Of The Bharathiya Naari

Posted on 30 Mar 201930 Mar 2019 by veeskitchen

with tea estate woman worker in Munnar, Kerala, India. the beauty of the sunburned women toiling dawn to dusk captured my heart over the panoramic backdrop

Style or Substance?

I am sick of the so-called feminists who are trying to beautify even acid-attack victims with brush and paint. Why should rich and spoilt chicks continue to represent Indian women.

I downloaded this picture from the Facebook page ‘People’s Archive of Rural India.’

This is a farmer woman from Vellore district in Tamil Nadu. Has any feminist group that makes it its mission to fight just for women’s rights featured a face of this dignity and pride ever. Shame on you ladies!

These are women who do NOT conform to the kind of womanhood you seem to associate with or project – the face of millions who are India’s daughters who will not probably adorn your pages.

Thanks to the archives, I get to see some real and beautiful women of India than the fake plastic ones. Aditi Rao Hyderi, Priyanka Chopra, Neeta Gupta, Sushmita Sen – I never saw/do not see anything common as a Bharathiya Nari, with any of these women. TOTAL DISCONNECT. You are more a feminist in India if you are an unwed mother who will not reveal who fathered your kid or if you have had your nude picture published in the media. Or if you are a bollywood star braving the men in celluloid screens who will make headlines with startling statements and outlandish views. Or if you are a no-substance Page 3 celebrity whose sole credentials could be the socialite parties which you cannot do without. Or if you are in (and out of) live-in relationship(s). Or if you take out banners and placards in Left rallies but would later step into a beauty salon to take care of the ‘tan’ you got with it.

For women to think of themselves at par with men, first you have to come out of this ‘beauty’ obsession. ‘Beauty’ is a relative term. It has to be earned rather than be inherited by gene or cosmetics. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I dare the feminists to share a face like I have posted here. So brimming with happiness, contentment, completeness and pride.

The beautiful face of the Bharathiya Naari. #Respect with an R capital.

Political

When Law Needs To Take A Walk: Medical Termination Of Pregnancy After 20 Weeks

Posted on 30 Mar 20193 Apr 2019 by veeskitchen

(this is an old blog post of mine, dusted and brought to life because this escapes our government and court attention that it very much merits)

ONE SIZE FITS ALL, SAYS WHO?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/sc-refuses-urgent-hearing-on-abortion-law-vis-a-vis-26-week-old-down-syndrome-foetus-will-hear-after-vacation-it-says/articleshow/57424540.cms

This illogical legal standing is the reason we have a baby born in our friends’ family that is mentally and physically retarded (no way I shall use the word ‘challenged’ ; is this really a challenge? what kind of challenge is this?) and immobile in bed for last seven years. Not in kindergarten with other kids, not running about playing mischiefs and breaking things. Just in his same baby cot, same room, same home, same town. The baby is the reason for marital friction between his parents, cause for terrible grief for his entire family. Add to it the huge medical bill every month plus physiotherapy charges and frequent hospitalization expenses. The medical cover hardly proves sufficient.

The little one’s mother is suspected to have caught a viral throat infection in her pregnancy (which she cannot recall – CMV virus as postnatal tests later revealed) By her 6th month in second term, it was still established via routine ultrasound scan that the baby’s brain as well as physical growth had stopped forthwith.That is valid ground for medical termination of pregnancy but it was past 20 weeks under Indian statute. The parents wanted to go for an abortion. Since law was against it, hospitals refused. The girl in her twenties was forced to continue with her pregnancy against her will without an ounce of happiness. They waited in desperation for the birth of the first child in family after nearly 30 years – in the third generation – knowing what was to come. So sad…

Now hopefully Government of India, the Supreme court everyone one is ought to be happy. Yes, in larger interests of the nation, the girl went ahead with her pregnancy, delivered an unhealthy boy, and is now trapped in a tragic situation, caring for her little son for over 7 years. So what, justice is served after all. Law was adhered to, to the last letter. The baby is fed (only soya milk nothing else) through a tube that is inserted into his nostril sometimes and if when his condition worsens (as it does every now and then), through a tube inserted directly into his stomach. How nightmarish life is for the little one since his day one! Can’t be more painful and torturous. How long will he live is a question mark. Can you imagine situation like this: wherefrom parents to grandparents everyone is praying and waiting for the baby to die?

The emotional and physical toll the sick baby is taking on his father and mother as well as on others is enormous. Life turned upside down for them just like that. They were only newly married happy couple. Young and throbbing with life. Ambitious. My heart goes out to the innocent little bundle of profound sadness – who needn’t have to be, but for some obstinate laws we have here in India that do more harm than good. The disillusioned young parents have totally lost interest in life. Both are successful IT professionals. But after the boy’s birth, the mother had to give up her job. After what happened with the first born, the young couple do not even want to try for a second baby.

Are you happy India? Are you happy Judges that justice is served? That Law is upheld? You killed no son of India. You saved his life. For what purpose? To our government and perhaps the justice system, this is a mere collateral damage to pay when it comes to upholding law, from preventing misuse of the statute. But what medical expertise do our legal experts boast of, to rule on exigency cases like these?

Why cannot there be case to case exceptions where a judge can decide suo motto on the issue in medical situations like this one. These are special cases that need to take into account expert opinion and have to be judged on humanitarian ground. When we have family courts for divorces in India, why cannot we have a similar system for civil medical suits?

India’s Supreme court has NO time to hear sensitive, critical issues like these that may mean life and death to citizens: our judges will decide on fellow Indians’ precious lives at their leisure. Whether it is about medical termination of foetus after 20 weeks or Jallikattu matter pending for years before Supreme court, you will have to wait. How can one ever repose faith in an institution where the welfare of citizens seems to be of least consequence. Vacate the vacation, if you have to. Timing is precious and sacrosanct in these cases. The purpose of Law and Judiciary is to serve citizens JUSTICE. Not to deny or delay justice to the needy and desperate. Justice delayed is justice denied. It is understandable that the mother’s life and health are more of a concern. Still, unilateral ruling without taking into consideration case specifics will serve no purpose. It is time, our stone age statutes are revisited and Draconian ones like the abortion laws are repealed and/or amended/revised/restructured on expert opinion.

Rise in birthrate of abnormal children with birth defects (congenital or otherwise) is a big loss to not only the concerned parents/family but also to Indian nation. A healthy population means a healthy nation. And now, we have increased number of such births in India (and in entire world) (reasons being use of pesticides/fertilizers/pollution whatever). Prevention of these undesirable births does not make one cruel or heartless. Just ask the parents.

Finally, what is the purpose of ultrasound scans or other advanced tests carried out with amniotic fluid in the womb? It is to rule out anomalies in the foetus that these tests are recommended right upto the trimester term, why even 24 hours before delivery. If you cannot amend the law, why go for them? Not to mention they are expensive.

Food For Soul

The Hindu Custom Of Feeding The Crow First

Posted on 30 Mar 201930 Mar 2019 by veeskitchen

I grew up in a family where we fed the crows early in the morning the first morsel of food, after offering it to Mother Goddess Annapurna (Anna in Sanskrit means food), the one in charge of food grains, fertility and abundance department, with a small Sanskrit shloka (prayer). In deed, She is an avatar/another form of Mother Goddess Shakthi or Parvathi. As She is our benevolent Mother who feeds us in our hunger, we offer Her food everyday. The vigraha (idol) is placed in a copper or silver bowl of raw rice in our Puja (altar) at home.

Most Indian/south Indian homes have Annapurna vigraha in their Puja from Kashi who they ‘feed’ with daily offerings

Mother Annapurna – Hindu Goddess of Food

Annapoorna Devi temple in Varanasi/Kashi

typical crow feeding in India in the mornings

ritualistic and daily crow feeding in terrace in south India

There is no Hindu festival or worship without offering food to God first. It could be kheer or sweetened rice or fruits or whatever or it could even be meat as in some tribal and rural communities. Whatever, we each offer our Gods, what we can afford. This is whether we have an Annapurna deity installed in our Puja or not. Some may not have the Annapurna.

After the Aarthi is performed, we assume that the Gods and Goddesses have consumed our offering. Later we offer a portion of the offering to the crows who we consider our ‘pitrus’ (deceased parents and grandparents and in-laws in the family). It is only after such a ritual is complete, we can touch our food to eat.

Even today through length and breadth of India, this custom is strictly observed – atleast on auspicious days if not possible on working days. Observing the custom is a must especially during such days as Amavasya (new moon) etc., and during religious ceremonies. in south India, even today this is practised religiously literally.

Even so, the Christians and Muslims in India (even if they are converts) have the habit of mocking this tradition that has been in our practice for thousands of years observed from the times of our ancestors.

My friend quoted the Sringeri Mutt seer and gave me this explanation on the Hindu custom of offering food to our Gods, often ridiculed by muslims and christians who ask us whether any God can eat our food really. (Never mind their gods call for bloody sacrifice by way of brutal killing of hundreds of thousands of cattle and sheep and turkeys to feed the gluttons that they are).

The seer answered the question to a muslim man who was asking him the rationale behind the offering of food to Hindu Gods.

The seer said, ‘when you read a book, you imbibe its substance. But do the letters in the book disappear and get into your system? Does the subject in the book by way of printed matter vanish once you have it by heart? Yet you know, the essence of the book is in you now. But the book still stays printed and has not gone blank. You have taken matter from the book, the book has given you something, yet the book has not become empty or blank.

Similarly, when we Hindus offer food to our Gods, the food is eaten by the Gods with love and blessings, but the food still remains for us bhakths (devotees) to later consume. Like the substance of the book you read that is ingested by you, our Lord and His Missus savour and relish our food. Yet the food remains in the banana leaf (normally we offer food for Gods in banana leaf at least in the south. we may also offer food to Gods in silverware or goldware (if you can afford even if the God may not ask for it!)) physically for the whole world to see. But in his/her heart a Hindu knows, believes and acknowledges with gratitude that the Gods have accepted the offering.

The muslim man was shaken by the explanation, I believe.

Every Hindu custom and belief is strongly rooted in logic and reasoning and immense faith. Do not let others get away with their ignorance and rude comments. Hinduism does not promote or encourage terrorism or nepotism or subjugation of women to inferior position like others do. Only Sanathana Dharma lists the order of priority thus: Matha, Pitha, Guru and Deivam (mother, father, teacher and god). Which faith will consign itself to lowest level of priority as ours does. Which is why I am a Hindu. No other fake or imported belief system in the world can come out with such a profound truth and insight as this.

Be proudly a Hindu!

Food Porn

The Storm In Your Tea Cup: Calm it with Karuppatti

Posted on 30 Mar 201930 Mar 2019 by veeskitchen

Karupatti Vellam (aka Pana Vellam in Tamil) (Palm Jaggery) (Palm Gur) – the world’s best and finest natural sweetener

Note: This is not the ‘Brown Sugar’ you may find in Departmental Stores. Brown sugar is also essentially cane sugar, only raw with a hint of caramel.

Palm Jaggery is used in lieu of Sugar in southern districts of Ramanathapuram and Kanyakumari of Tamil Nad, as a tradition. This is Jaggery from Palm trees that grow in abundance in south India. Karuppatti/Palm jaggery is not from sugarcane like the regular white sugar we use in our coffee/tea/sweets or even the regular organic jaggery we derive from sugarcane.

Once upon a time in India, before the British arrived, most Indians especially Hindus used only the Karuppatti (Palm) jaggery or regular jaggery from sugarcane produced by organic process, never the poisonous and caloried white sugar. With the commercial interest high in sugar from sugarcane that was processed mechanically in tonnes, we slowly switched over to white sugar in our morning coffee and toffee and mithais moving away from jaggery/palm jaggery. One more thing, the finely refined white sugar was also easy to use. I got a taste for the palm jaggery as a pre-teen at a neighbour’s place which is an interesting story. My granny continued to make sweets at home mostly using cane jaggery as much as possible. However the laddus and halwas and other sweets were loaded with plain sugar only. The sweets that were using jaggery as base/binding agent/sweetener were fast disappearing. But it is heartening to know that, the jaggery or gur based natural sweets are once again back at least in south India in a big way, as health awareness kicks in.

My flashback about palm jaggery is interesting.

I had my first exposure to karuppatti or palm jaggery when I was a 7 or 8 year old kid. One of our neighbours used to be a ‘Naadaar’ family from the southernmost parts of the state – from Ramanathapuram district. Business-minded, they got all their workers from their hometown/native villages for least wages in the stainless steel & copper utensil shop they owned. (As a matter of fact, they still own this family business and stay put in the same old now-remodeled house). For this ‘Nadar’ community, respect and honour are the most cherished values. Today Nadars are very successful entrepreneurs not only in Tamil Nad but have spread their wings around the world. They are into everything you can think of: steelware/kitchenware (primarily), silk garments/textiles/electronics/restaurant business. Of course Shiv Nadar of HCL, who can forget.

What is charming about them is, this one community never lets go of their precious ancient customs and traditions. Karupatti was one such a dear thing to them.

In my neighbour/friend’s house, there would be this huge copper pot perpetually warming up on the coals. (The family did use LPG fuel in the kitchen but when it came to workers who were limited to the ‘thaazhvaaram’ (outer courtyard) of their house, it was simmering coals. A series of copper tumblers would lie in a plate besides the pot. The pot held the ‘karupatti vellam’ coffee – fresh coffee brewed (mine is a coffee growing state as well as tea so we get it all extremely fresh than other importing nations) with milk sweetened with ‘Karupatti Vellam’ or the Palm Jaggery.

Whenever we kids went to their place to play, we were offered drinks but I always opted for this karupatti vella coffee. It could be sometimes over-sweet but it tasted so different from what we brewed at home. So very refreshingly different.

In the evenings likewise, there would sit a pot of ‘karupatti vella tea’ in the coals in their small yard.

Coffee and Tea were in unlimited supply. The workers could have their fill as much as they wanted. And we friends too.

Even today if and whenever I visit them (when I go to Mylapore) I ask them for ‘karupatti vella coffee’ and they exclaim, ‘you remember, you haven’t changed!’ The truth is, neither have they!

Some health benefits of Palm Jaggery/Karuppatti/Palm gur:

rich in minerals like iron
energy booster
relieves constipation
heals migraine
good for digestion
relieves common ailments such as dry cough and cold
active cleanser of intestines
helps in weightloss as it scores low on calorie county
suitable for all seasons winter or sommer
ideal and in fact best and natural sugar substitute for diabetics

Sugar substitutes such as the Aspartame and Saccharine available countertop in the market are nothing but synthetic chemicals with adverse side effects. Direct sugar is a lot better as you know at least what you are dealing with.

So what should be our order of preference when it comes to choosing the sweetener for our cup of chai.

this is regular palm candy or palm jaggery i buy in Chennai. comes wrapped in dried palm boxes

palm sugar/jaggery/candy. this can be powdered and used in coffee/chai. totally organic. cubes are manageable in sizes or can be powdered easily.

palm gur/palm jaggery/palm sugar. no.1 natural sweetener in the world

second best: jaggery from sugar/cane jaggery widely used in Indian/desi kitchen even today especially in Kheers/Sakkara Pongal etc. south Indian sweet dishes use jaggery as a major ingredient or sweetener

jaggery syrup – we call this ‘vella paghu’ in tamil – quite like the sugary caramel. only, we make it with jaggery. this is base for many kheers and other jaggery based sweets in India

brown sugar that many of us buy in supermarkets – this is third best but still cane sugar only, a little better than very refined bleached white sugar

white poison: refined white sugar last and least preferable

Food For Soul

Decoding Dharma – 1: Jeev Samadhis – A Brief Glance

Posted on 19 Mar 201928 Mar 2019 by veeskitchen

I am seeing more videos on Sadhguru’s personal life which I don’t like. I don’t want to know of his background.

For years, I too misunderstood this man. When he was writing this column, ‘athanaikkum aasai padu’ (desire for everything), i was in no mood to read it in the Tamil weekly. Besides, i was young and too much was happening in my life too, though not always pleasant. But many of his followers found him around that time. He wrote in the name of Jaggi Vasudev. Before even i read him, i had judged him as ‘one of those gurus.’ Its a pity that i similarly missed the Tamil author Balakumaran. With a stubbornness i refused to read both that i now regret. May be had i read them a lot earlier, I would be a different being now.

Even after Sadhguru became popular, I steadfastly refused to hear him out. I finally found the ‘Sounds of Isha’ to my liking. I must say the Maha Shivrathri festival in Coimbatore drew me to his brand of spirituality. Also the last straw was my recent visit to Isha where I saw for myself the immensity of his visions that broke my resolve of not accepting anyone for a guru. I am now a changed one in many ways.

I have questioned in very old blog posts of mine years back, why those like Sadhguru are not ready to attain Jeev Samadhi. I have also mentioned of rumours about his wife’s passing. Now I understand better and I need no more explanation. No need I feel, for Sadhguru to explain himself to people something that will never be understood by them. For one thing, like me in past, they may cling to this adamant attitude. Secondly, people tend to like dwelling in such petty world where demonizing others can give them a cheap thrill. Thirdly, that is their level of spiritual perception. I trust. Believers trust. Trust is the basis for laying a strong foundation for anything worthwhile. Prana Pradhishta – i heard about it. It is inconceivable for most and undoable, but then I believe, to those with highest levels of spiritual maturing, yes, this is possible. These dimensions of spirituality cannot even be imaginable for most of the human race.

Only a Hindu/Buddhist/Jain can even perceive what this is. You have to live this culture, you have to live in this Punya Bhoomi to grasp such a concept. Jains in India do not even eat root vegetables like potato for instance because roots are life carriers. Extreme spirituality makes some Hindu sadhus live as nude ‘aghoris’ feeding on only the dead in the cremation grounds that are wasted already – not those that can flourish. Hindu sadhus’ penance without eating food for years, drinking water for years, standing on head for years (this tribe has almost dried up today) is unthinkable, unimaginable to most others especially the Abrahamics. These are people who have fought crusades and jehads to lay siege over nations and communities and convert them. We can have nothing in common with them. Hindu Gods are not for sale, not products for marketing. The way we know ‘eastern philosophy’ – the Abrahamics have no notion about and can never discover within their narrow limited ambit. Their mission is to propagate, improve their statistics, count more heads for the flock, nothing more. Acquisition is to Abrahamics what renunciation is to Sanathana Dharmis (Hindus). Jesus reportedly asked his followers to go in pairs of twos to spread the gospel and increase their tribe … can you imagine this with Hindu Gods. Thanks a million I am a Hindu and in all my rebirths I pray to be reborn a Hindu.

Coming from Tamil Nadu where most ancient Hindu temples were consecrated over ‘Siddha peetams’ I can somewhat understand even if at grass roots level, the concept of samadhis or attaining Moksha or Liberation. Now this is a term never to be used by Abrahamics. Things are only black and white for them: heaven or hell. The soul attaining liberation, freeing itself from birth cycle, elevating itself to higher spheres is a concept beyond their organized religious understanding. Temples in south India were always consecrated over Jeeva Siddha samadhis. Even the one in my street is a Siddha peetam. The presiding deity Shiva sits as Shiva Lingam over the Siddha peetam. We worship the Siddha who gave up His life for holding Shiva over Him. Such is the Sanathana Dharma. We give up life – shed life voluntarily. We are the last to take others lives. Which is why most of us are vegetarian. No Hindu butchers in entire India mostly. No Hindu-run butcheries. Maximum fish seller, that is it .

Similarly Jains in India until today leave their material attachments on inner calling anytime and renounce the worldly life to attain Nirvana. A family of four, millionaires, father, mother, two teenage children did it in south India only months back. Jains fast for days endless even now and leave their physical bodies. Fasting unto death. Normal, average people, not necessarily monks. Once their family duties are over, they choose to leave earth and attain Nirvana voluntarily shedding their physicality. However, they may not always get to choose their moment as they reach this level without much deliberation or mental preparedness unlike Sadhus who foresee it all and plan for months or even years beforehand. Swami Vivekanand did it reportedly. He decided to willfully shed his physicality at a preordained time that he hinted to his disciples. Just like that. However this is not Jeev Samadhi. From what I understand, it is just that the physical body that is a receptacle becomes too confining for their exploding levels of spirituality that these ‘mahapurush’ decide to shed it to go further up the spiritual realms or the nether world.

Shankara, Raghavendra, Aurobindo and many other saints in India attained Jeev Samadhis. In some countries this may be called suicide. Not in India. This is the way we have lived for millennia. Thanks Sadhguru for highlighting what we have been forgetting for centuries.

A friend was similarly telling me once how her great grand mother chose to die on a particular date and time, having fulfilled her familial duties. The old mother was too very spiritual and had become detached for years. She shed her body at a time of her choosing with family’s consent in family’s presence. Not suicide. Just like that, at the pre-disclosed time her soul left her body. Yes, our people have done that. Our ancestors. The most enlightened among them. If we cannot do it today, it is because we are materialistic. We have bonds that we do not want to break.

‘Koodu vittu koodu paaidhal’ – this is called in Tamil. Old Tamil/Hindi pictures had such scenes pictured. This is what the picture ‘Avatar’ is all about – Avatar of course is a Sanskrit word. The story is a beautiful make-over of the very ancient Hindu concept of reincarnation. Your soul can leave your body at your will – ancient Hindus did that reportedly (not all) but this, as i’ve reiterated, necessitates highest level of spirituality. This is where meditation helps in. And this is where precisely Yoga fits in. Yoga is just a tool to work with – like basic a,b,c for mind/body control. From here, you start your schooling. You don’t need to hallucinate popping up hashish to reach these levels of detachment or spiritual elevation. This is extreme mind control. Those who have have graduated upto transcendental meditation will agree. What we have to master is something larger than ‘pulan adakkam’ as we call it in Tamil. Control over our five senses as first step. Sadly, very few humans now are capable of these feat.

Spiritually every Hindu is inclined to go that way although not all of us have it in us to seek truth, or go in pursuit of truth the way our forefathers did. Nothing to us is coincidence. I have had numerous occasions in the past where I have had reasons to believe that there were some ‘signs.’ Signs that could be spotted and recognized. Divine interventions. It is useless trying to explain such profound heartfelt things to an Abrahamic or Atheist. I don’t even attempt. It is enough if we know and believe deep down our heart. We know this is no hallucination or brainwashing or fanciful imagination.

However, I am not yet ready to accept anyone as my guru. But Sadhguru helps a lot. Happy with this degree of spirituality of mine. I am a samsari. I want to pet my grandchildren someday. I want to shop and dress up and indulge in normal pleasures of life. Not ready for anything more. At the same time, I feel a reckoning in me like i’ve never felt in my life before. It is like, for the first time ever I sense, I am ready to go if my time has to arrive even this very moment. My son can take care of himself. Only one bandhan can stop me: that of my husband. He is someone who cannot live without me. Other than that, i have no other strappings to bind me to life even though to others i may appear very average – the typical shopping-chatting-gossiping housewife who does not more. That’s why i can understand about Sadhguru’s wife. I am at the base or entry level of the spiritual pyramid. If i feel that i am okay to leave given my modest quotient of spirituality, i can imagine what others in the highest levels of enlightenment may feel like. Of course God willing, I want to be there to pet my grandchildren someday – alongwith my husband. It is a wish. It is not in my hands – nothing is.

I continue my rituals of Puja at home and visit temples as much as I can – i am glad in Isha they do not downplay the regular rituals like some gurus do for instance. I am comfortable with whatever rituals we follow in our family. I am adapted to them since my childhood.

In Tamil they say, ‘kaacha maram thaan kalladi padum.’ The tree that springs fruits will have to face the stones. If there is no fruit in a tree, who is going to stone it.

Yes, of course, I am passionate about elephants. That still aches my heart a bit. But I am sure the elephants will find their way around. From what I heard, it is the christian group Karunya institutions who have taken over forest lands illegally. I have friends based in Coimbatore who swear of it and they have no reason to lie. Besides, it is public knowledge.

We are not building Hindu temples or championing for Hindu dharma in America or Africa or Australia or Europe. We want Hindu dharma to flourish and not die in our own dharmic Hindu country where it has its roots. The propagation of Abrahamic fold in India MUST STOP. If there are Hindu temples today around the world, they were not raised on conversion background. Many westerners and even far easterners embrace Sanathana Dharma (Hinduism) on discovering the true meaning and depth of our philosophies.

I would like to make more visits to Isha. Meanwhile, happy to listen to Sadhgur in You Tube. His service brings tears to my eyes. I am very emotional. That is the greatest impediment for me for moving to my next level of spirituality. I am still materialistic and not able to break that jinx. I won’t force anything down my throat but i shall try (as i do now without success). Let me see.

Meanwhile, I am glad India still produces such great visionaries and mystics. Their service to not only Hindus but entire humanity is immeasurable. I am glad i finally found my way. Better late than never.

Lateral Thinking

பாலசந்தர் கண்ட புதுமைப்பெண்

Posted on 17 Mar 201920 Jun 2021 by veeskitchen

Ilakkanam maarudho? Ilakkiyam aanadho?…. this post is dedicated to my girl friends from the 80s who define the incomparable Kannadasan verse in everyway.

பாரதி கண்ட புதுமை பெண் கேள்வி பட்டிருப்பீர். ஆனால் யார் இந்த பாலசந்தர் கண்ட புதுமை பெண்?

இயக்குனர் சிகரம் திரு கே பாலசந்தர் அவர்கள் படைத்த எண்ணற்ற திரை காவியங்களின் உயிரோவியம் மற்றும் உயிரோட்டம் ஆகிய துணிந்த தலை நிமிர்ந்த தமிழ் பெண்ணையே நான் பாலசந்தர் கண்ட புதுமை பெண் என்பேன்.

ஒரு வகையில் நானும் ஒரு பாலசந்தர் கண்ட புதுமை பெண் தான். எண்பதுகளில் பள்ளி பருவம் பயின்ற என் தலைமுறையை வேறு என்ன சொல்வது? .பாலசந்தர் எண்ணி எண்ணி செதுக்கிய சிற்பம்அல்லவா நாங்கள்? அன்று அவர் தந்த ஊட்டமே இன்று எங்கள் பலம் மற்றும் துணிச்சல்…

நான் பதினொன்றாம் வகுப்பு பயிலும் போது வெளி வந்த திரைக்காவியம் தான் அனல் பொறிக்கும் ‘சிந்து பைரவி.’ பின் வந்தாள் நந்தினி சிஸ்டர் ‘மனதில் உறுதி வேண்டும்’ என்ற திரைக்கதை மூலம். நந்தினி சிஸ்டர் ஆகவே மாறிவிட மாட்டோமா என்று எண்ணி ஏங்கிய காலம் கூட உண்டு. நந்தினியின் விதி தான் எவ்வளவு கொடியது. வாழ்கை என்ன அவ்வளவு சுலபமா? யாருக்கு வேண்டும் இந்த நந்தினியின் வாழ்கை. எனினும் புயலாய் வீசிய இந்த தென்றலில் தான் என்ன ஒரு சுகம். போராட்டம் தான் வாழ்கை என்றல், நந்தினி தான் என்ன செய்வாள்? நந்தினியை புயல் என்று நினைக்கும் போதே, பூ போன்ற பேதை பெண்ணாகிய பைரவியும் நினைவுக்கு வருவாள் நம் சிந்தையில். சிந்து பைரவியில் சிந்து எவ்வாறு ஐம்பது சதா விகிதமோ அவ்வாறே மென்மையான மொழி பேசிய பைரவியும் ஐம்பது சதவிகிதம். பட பெயரிலேயே தெரியவில்லையா? எத்தனை மாறு பட்டஇனம் நம் பெண்ணினம்?

உண்மையில் என் தலைமுறை தான் பாலசந்தர் தலைமுறையா என்ன? என் அன்னையின் தலைமுறையும் அல்லவா அவரை சொந்தம் கொண்டாடுகின்றது!

நீற்குமிழி யில் ஆரம்பித்தது அவரது நீண்ட பயணம். பயணம் அல்ல, அது ஒரு சகாப்தம். வெறும் ஒரு ஆஸ்பத்திரி வார்டை வைத்து செவ்வனே எடுத்த படம். மருத்துவரின் சுயநலமற்ற சேவை உணர்ச்சியை பிரதிபலிக்கும் கதை. கடமை, கண்ணியம், கட்டுப்பாடு. இப்படியும் ஒரு தலைப்பு கொண்டு பின்னாளில் ஒரு படம் வந்தது. கடமை கண்ணியம் கட்டுப்பாடு என்றால் என்ன வென்று அறிய ‘நீர் குமிழி’ பாருங்கள். இந்த வார்த்தையே அதில் இல்லை. சொல்லில் என்ன இருக்கிறது. செயலில் தானே அவ்வளவும் உள்ளது. சொல்வது சுலபம். செய்வது அரிது.

‘வரவு எட்டணா செலவு பத்தணா’ என்று அன்று தொடங்கியது அவரது சேதி சமூகத்திற்கு. மூன்று நடுத்தர வர்க்க நாயகிகள். என்ன சலனங்கள். ஊடல்கள். திரை உலகை சேர்ந்த கவர்ச்சி கன்னியே எனினும் நடிகையும் ஒரு பெண் தானே? என்ன நிதர்சனமான உண்மை. தமிழ் திரைப்பட உலகில் அதுவரை காணாத கோணத்தில் பெண்ணினத்தை காண்பித்தார் கே பீ , ‘பாமா விஜயம்‘ வாயலாக.

நீர்க்குமிழி உடைத்தது சராசரி மனிதனின் அவல புத்தியை. ‘எதிர் நீச்சல்’ வாழ்ந்தாலும் ஏசும், தாழ்ந்தாலும் ஏசும், வையகம் இது தானடா என்று நடுத்தெருவில் போட்டு உடைத்தது உலகறிந்த உண்மையை… நாகேஷ் என்ற சிரிப்பு நடிகனின் குணச்சித்திர நடிப்புத்திறனை படம் போட்டு காண்பித்தது….

உண்மையில் நாகேஷின் ‘சர்வர் சுந்தரம்‘ இன்னும் ஒரு படி மேலே. உலகையே வயிறு குலுங்க சிரிக்க வைக்கும் நடிகருக்கு இப்படி ஒரு சோக கதாபாத்திரமா. அவர் கையாள்வாரா… இந்த ஐயம் சிறிது கூட இல்லைப்போலும் கே பி சாருக்கு. அவர் வைத்த நம்பிக்கை தான் வீண் போனதா. நெஞ்சை உருக்கும் காவியமாக வெளிவந்தது ‘சர்வர் சுந்தரம்.’

ஆணில் பலதரப்பட்டவரை ஆராய்ந்த கே பி யின் சிறப்பெண்னேவோ பெண்களில் பல வகைகளை மேற்கோடிட்டு வெளிச்சம் போட்டு காண்பிப்பது.

பத்மினி வைஜயந்திமாலா பானுமதி போன்ற ஆடல் பாடல்களில் தேர்ச்சி பெற்ற நாயகிகளையே அதுவரை கண்டிருந்தது திரை உலகம். பெண் என்பவள் காட்சி பொருளாகவே காண்பிக்கப்பட்டாள். சாவித்திரி ஆயிலும் சரி சரோஜா தேவி ஆகிலும் சரி, ஒன்று அவள் அழுதாள். அல்லது சிரித்தாள். அவள் தனது நாயகனையே சுற்றி சுழன்றாள். அழகிய தேவதை அவள். பொன்னிறம். அதிர்ந்து பேசாதவள். அதிகம் பேசாதவள். குடும்பத்து குத்து விளக்கு. இப்படி அல்லவா அறுபதுகள் வரை சித்தரிக்கபட்டாள் சராசரி தமிழ் பெண்…

யார் நினைத்தது கண்ணனின் கரிய நிறம் கொண்ட சரிதாவும், சுஜாதாவும், சுஹாசினியும் ஒரு நாள் நம் மனதை கவர்வர் என. எழுபதுகளில் நடந்தேற தொடங்கியது இந்த அற்புதம்.

உடல் அல்ல உள்ளம், அழகல்ல அறிவு – இதுவே மேம்பட்டது, இதுவே பொருள், இதுவே சுகம் என காண்பித்தார் கே பீ , சுஜாதாவை முன்னிறுத்தி. எழுபதுகளின் பண்பட்ட காவியங்கள் மூலம்…

பாடம் புகட்டினார், வாழை பழத்தில் ஊசி ஏற்றுவது போன்று சில சமயம். பொட்டில் அறைந்தது போன்றும் தான் சமயங்களில்… இது தானோ காரணம் நாம் இன்றும் அவரை நினைவு கூறுவதற்கு?

அவள் ஒரு தொடர்கதை. அவர்கள். மாறுபட்ட திரை ஓவியங்கள். திடமான உறுதிபடைத்த பெண்ணாக ஒரு புறம். ஆண் என்பவனால் ஆட்டுவிக்கப்படும் வெறும் பொம்மையாக மறுபுறம்…

சுஜாதாவின் மாமியாரை கண்டு மனம் உருகாதவர் எவர் ‘அவர்கள்’ படத்தில். கதாநாயகி சுஜாதாவினும் மேம்பட்ட கதாபாத்திரம் அல்லவா? அவர்கள்’ மாமியார் போன்ற குணாதிசயம் காண்பது அறிதல்லவா. என்னே நேர்த்தி . செதுக்கிய சிற்பம் போல்… உளி பாலச்சந்தர் அல்லவா! காலில் விழத்தோணும் கதாபாத்திரம். மாமியார் அல்ல, தாய். தாய் அல்ல கடவுள்.

ஆணின் வக்கிரத்தை கணவன் ரஜினி மூலம் சித்தரித்த வித்தை சொல்லில் விவரிக்க முடியாது. ஆனால் கமல் என்ற ஆணின் மூலம் ஆணின் அளவற்ற பேதமற்ற அன்பும் வெளிப்படுவதே அற்புதம். சமநிலை ரவிக்குமார் கதாபாத்திரம். இரு துருவங்கள் மத்தியில் ஒரு நடுநிலை. மூன்று ஆண்வகையுமே இந்நாளிலும் நிதர்சனம்.

அவள் ஒரு தொடர்கதை. பெண் என்பவள் பணிக்கு செல்வது அரிதாகவே காணப்பட்ட எழுபதுகளின் மா பெரும் காவியம். பெண்ணோவியம் என்றே சொல்லலாம்… . பெருமையுடன் கூறிக்கொள்கிறேன், அறுபதுகளில் பணிக்கு சென்றவள் என் தாய் என்பதை. பெண் தன்னை சிங்காரித்துக்கொள்வதும் பேச்சுக்கு உரியதாகவே இருந்த கால கட்டம். சுஜாதா என்ற பணிக்கு செல்லும் துணிந்த பெண்ணின் கர்வம் தான் என்ன. கர்வம் அல்ல அது. தன்னம்பிக்கை. கர்வமாக காணப்பட்டது காலத்தின் விதி. உதட்டில் பூசிய சாயம், தொப்புளுக்கு கீழே நயிலெக்ஸ் புடவை, பாக் பட்டன் ப்ளௌஸ், தோளில் மாட்டிய ஹாண்ட் பெக், மனதில் சுமந்த குடும்ப பாரம்…மிடுக்கு நடை, கனலை கக்கும் நா, கனிவான இதயம்.. இரக்கமில்லா சொந்தம்… நன்றியில்லா பந்தம், கலைந்த கனவுகள், தொலைத்த வாழ்க்கை… என் உள்ளத்தில் என்றென்றும் குடி கொண்ட அந்த கவிதா (சுஜாதா), ஒரு தொடர்கதை அல்ல… ஒரு கலங்கரை விளக்கம், தன்னையே உறுக்கிக்கொண்டு உலகிற்கு ஒளி தந்த ஒரு மெழுகுவத்தி … காலத்தால் அழிக்க முடியாத அற்புத மணிமேகலை …

துடுக்குத்தனமான படாபட். இளமை குன்றா நடுத்தர வயது விதவைத்தாய். உறவு வரைமுறை மீறின் வாழ்க்கையின் போக்கு தான் என்ன. துணிச்சல் தவறில்லை சுஜாதாவை போல , ஆனால் அளவு மிஞ்சின கட்டுக்கடங்காத சுதந்திரம் அபாயம் தான் படாபட்டைப்போல.

இப்பொழுது தோன்றுகிறது, கே பி படங்கள் இன்றும் வெளி வருமாயின், பொள்ளாச்சி பயங்கரமே நடந்திருக்காது என. பக்குவமாக வக்கிரமின்றி பாடம் புகட்டுவதில், அதுவும் பெண்டகளுக்கு, கே பி க்கு நிகர் கே பி தான். இன்றளளவும் கே பி தர இயக்குனர்கள் தமிழ் திரை உலகில் மீன்றும் தோன்றாதது, நம் மாபெரும் இழப்பே.

இன்றைய தமிழ் சினிமாவில், குப்பத்து தனுஷ் மீது ஆசை படுவது மேமேலடுக்கு மாடியில் குடியிருக்கும் சீமாட்டி. கைக்கு கிட்டவில்லையெனில் இவர் திரைக்கதை நாயகியை துரத்தி துரத்தி காதலிப்பார், படியும் வரை. எனக்கு கிடைக்காதது, யாருக்கும் கிடைக்ககூடாது என்று ஒரு முகமாக காதலித்த பெண்ணை வெட்ட துணியும் பயங்கரம்.. ஸ்வாதி ராம் குமார் ஞாபகம் உள்ளதா? இந்த கன்றாவியை கரைத்து குடித்துதான் நம் இளம் தலைமுறையினர் இன்று முதிர்ச்சி நிலையை நோக்கி பயணிக்கிறார்.

எல்லை மீறுதல்களையும் உறவுகள் நேர்முகமாவதையும் மிக நாகரீமாக காட்ட கே பி தேர்ந்தெடுத்த இன்னொரு முத்து ‘அபூர்வ ராகங்கள்.‘ ‘கேள்வியின் நாயகனே இந்த கேள்விக்கு பதில் ஏதய்யா’ இது ஒன்று போதும் மறு விளக்கம் தேவையல்ல.
‘ஒரு புறம் பார்த்தல் மிதிலையின் மைதிலி, மறுபுறம் பார்த்தல் காவிரி மாதவி, முகம் மட்டும் பார்த்தல் நிலவின் எதிரொலி, முழுவதும் பார்த்தால், அவள் ஒரு பைரவி, அவள் ஒரு பைரவி…’ கவிஞர் கண்ணதாசனின் நிகரற்ற வரிகள். உணர்ச்சி ததும்பும் ஒரு பெண்ணை இதைக்காட்டிலும் விவரிக்க நான் கேட்டதில்லை. அப்பேற்பட்ட உணர்வுகளை வெளி கொணர்ந்த மேடை பாடகியாக வந்த ஸ்ரீ வித்யா. முதல் படமா இது. தமிழ் திரைவானின் அறிய ஒரு அபூர்வ நக்ஷத்திரம் எனவே கூறலாம். பட்டாம்பூச்சி போல மாறியது அவளது உணர்வுகள் – நிதானம் மைதிலி போல, பெண்மையின் இலக்கணம் மாதவி போல, அமைதி குளிர் நிலவை போல, அனல் பொறிக்கும் சினம் பைரவி (அம்பாள் அல்லது ராகமாவும் கொள்ளலாம்) போல. என்னை மிகக்கவர்ந்த ஒரு கதாபாத்திரம். நெஞ்சில் ஆழப்பதிந்தது…

அபூர்வ’ ராகங்களை’ பார்க்கையில், எனக்கு நினைக்கத்தோன்றும் கே பி எப்படி காலத்திற்கு அப்பாற்பட்ட சிந்தனை கொண்டவராக இருந்தார் என்று… அவர்கள்” மட்டுமென்ன ? பெண் என்பவள் இரு முறை மணம் முறிக்க எண்ணலாம் என்ற எண்ணத்திற்கு முதன் முறையாய் வித்திட்டது என்றே என் மனதில் படும். ஒன்றிற்கு மேலான கதாநாயகன் பாத்திரம் ஆசிரியத்தை இன்றும் உண்டு செய்யும். ‘ஆன்டி ஹீரோ’ என்ற மாறுபட்ட ஒரு குணச்சித்திரத்தை கிட்டத்தட்ட முதன்முதலில் தமிழில் அறிமுகப்படுத்தியவர் கே பி என்றே சொல்லலாம். எழுபதுகளில் நினைத்துக்கூட பார்க்க இயலாத நடுத்தர வர்க்க கதை.

அரங்கேற்றம். மனதை நெகிழ வைத்த மற்றொரு படைப்பு. குடும்ப பாரத்தை சுமக்க ஒரு பெண் எந்த எல்லைவரை செல்வாள் என்பதற்கான ஒரு சான்று. சூழ்நிலை காரணமாய் தவறிப்போன பாதைகள்… பறிபோன வாழ்க்கை..

ஆண்களில் சிலர் கையால் ஆகாதவராய் இருக்கையில், பெண் என்பவள் செயல்பட்டு ஆக வேண்டிய சூழ்நிலை. பெற்ற தந்தை கரை ஏற்றத்தவறினால் மகள் என்ன செய்வாள். அந்த இல்லத்தின் ஆணாக மாறுகிறாள். மறுபிறப்பு எடுக்கிறாள். ‘அவள் ஒரு தொடர் கதையும்’ அவளே, ‘விலைமாதாக குடும்பத்துக்காக தன உடலையே விற்க ‘அரங்கேறுகிறவளும்’ அவளே. அதுவரை தமிழ் திரையில் சித்தரிக்கப்பட்டதாக தெரியவில்லை. சிவாஜி கணேசனும், எம் ஜி யாரும், ஜெமினி கணேசனும் மரத்தை சுற்றிவந்து காதல் கானம் பாடி, அழகிய பெண்களை காதலித்து, காதலில் பல மோதல்களை சந்தித்து, வீர வசனம் பேசி வாதிட்டு, களம் இறங்கி வாளிட்டு பகைவரை வதம் புரிந்து வீரத்திருமகனாக ஆண்மையின் வடிவமாக கோலோச்சிய காலம். ஆணும் தோற்கலாம் , ஆண்மையும் பொய்க்கலாம், பெண்ணும் வெல்லலாம், பெண்மையும் நிலை கொள்ளலாம் என அறிய வைத்த விதம் தான் என்ன…

அரங்கேற்றத்தில் கூட, மூன்றாவது ஆணையோ ஏன் முன் பின் தெரியாத பெண்ணையோ நம்பினால் மோசம் போக வாய்ப்புள்ளது என்பதை அப்போதே நமக்கு சொன்னவர் கே பி.

பெண்ணின் திமிரை எடுத்துரைத்தது ‘பூவா தலையா .’ இதில் சில வசனங்களில் எனக்கு உடன்பாடு இல்லை தான். அந்த கால கட்டத்தில், பட வினயோகத்திற்காக சேர்க்கப்பட்ட லாஜிக் ஆகவே நான் எண்ணுகிறேன்.பின்னாளில் ஆனால் அந்த தவற்றை கே பி செய்யவில்லை.

‘நிழல் நிஜமாகிரது படத்திலும் இந்த திமிர் பெண் உண்டு. இதிலும் ஓரிரண்டு ஒவ்வாத வசனம் உண்டு தான். ஆனாலும் அந்த திமிர் எனக்கு பிடித்த திமிர். அடக்கும் ஆண் கமல் ஹாசனையும் பிடிக்கும் என்ன செய்வது?! ‘இலக்கணம் மாறுதோ, இலக்கியம் ஆனதோ..’ இந்த கண்ணதாசன் வரிகளை இனியும் இவ்வுலகம் காணுமா. ‘ஆத்திரம் என்பது பெண்களுக்கெல்லாம் அடுப்பறை வரை தானே’ என்ற போது எனக்கே ஆத்திரம் ஆத்திரமாக வரும். ஆனால் கதைக்காக சொல்லப்பட்டது என்று மனதை தேற்றி கொள்வேன்…

ஆனால் அந்த மௌலி மற்றும் காசி கதாபாத்திரங்களை மறக்க முடியாது. அதிலும் காசி. இப்படி ஒரு குண சித்திரத்தை இன்றும் தேடி கொண்டிருக்கிறோம் நாம். நெகிழ்வு என்ற சொல்லுக்கு, உணர்ச்சிக்கு அர்த்தம் புரிந்தது அன்று. ஆபாசம் விரசம் கலக்காத காமம் என்றால் என்ன என்று நாயுடு சொல்லி கொடுத்தார். ஹாஸ்யமும் காமமும் கலந்தபோது ஒரு முக சுளிப்பு இல்லை. இதை குடும்பத்துடன் தான் நான் சேர்ந்து பார்த்தேன் எனது பன்னிரண்டாவது வயதில், கருப்பு வெள்ளை டிவியில். தர்ம சங்கடம் இல்லை.

தாமரை நெஞ்சம். சோகம் ஆனாலும் நெஞ்சில் பதியும் விதம். சரோஜா தேவி வைத்து இப்படி ஒரு படம் வேறு யாரும் செய்திருக்க இயலாது.

இரு பெண்டாட்டி கதை ‘இரு கோடுகள்.’ இன்றும் நடக்கும் விஷயம் தான். ஊடகமாக. கையாண்ட நேர்த்தி அருமை. மேலதிகாரியாயை மனைவியை வடிவமைத்த விதம் திண்மை. அந்த மேல் சிந்தனையே ஆச்சர்யம். கருப்பு வெள்ளை பட காலத்தில், சிந்திக்க அறியாது.

‘காவிய தலைவி’ உண்மையில் காவிய தலைவி தான். இன்னொரு கே பி கண்டுபிடிப்பு சௌகார் ஜானகி. பெண்மையின் மேன்மையை மேற்கொடிட்டு காட்டிய இன்னொரு காவியம்.

நியாயத்தையும்,நேர்மையையும், நடுநிலை மாறா நிலையையும் விளக்கியது ‘மேஜர் சந்திரகாந்த்.’ அழகு பதுமை ஜெயலலிதாவின் ஒரே பாலச்சந்தர் படம். யாருக்கும் பயம் வேண்டாம் ஆனால் மனசாத்திக்கு பயந்து தானே ஆக வேண்டும். மனசாட்சி கேட்கும் கேள்விக்கு பதில் சொல்வது யார்.

‘நூற்றுக்கு நூறு ‘நூற்றுக்கு நூறு’ கதை, திரைக்கதை, வசனம், இயக்கத்திற்கு. மாணவ சமுதாயம் சீரழியும் இவ்வேளையில், எழுபதுகளிலேயே மாணவர்க்கு உண்மையை மறைவின்றி உள்ளது உள்ளபடி உணர்த்திய கதை. இன்றைய மாணவரே நாளைய குடிமகன். ஆங்கிலோ இந்தியன் சமுதாயத்தை வெளி கொணர்ந்த படம் என்றும் கூறலாம். சமுதாயத்தின் விளிம்பில் வாழ்பவரை உள்கொண்டர்வது கே பி யின் அக்மார்க் முத்திரை. ஜெய் ஷங்கருக்கு ஒரு சபாஷ். நான் சொர்க்கத்தில் (நரகத்தில்??) சந்திக்க ஆவலாக இருக்கும் முதல் நூறு நபரின் ஒருவர்!

சொல்லத்தான் நினைக்கிறேன் – மத்திய தர குடும்பங்களின் நிலை. அதிலும் அந்த கால கட்டத்தில், ஒரு குடும்பத்தில் முதிர் கன்னியர் இருப்பது மிக சகஜம். இந்த படம் எத்தனைபேர் மனதை தொட்டிருக்கும் என்று நினைக்க தோன்றுகிறது. இன்றைய மாறுபட்ட சூழ்நிலையில் இரண்டே மக்கள் கொண்ட தனி குடுத்தனங்களில் காண்பதற்கரிது. ஆனால் நம்மில் பலர் எண்பதுகளில் கூட கண்டது தான். இந்தியா தான் எவ்வளவு மாறி விட்டது. இந்த பேஸ் புக் யுகத்தில் நான் கே பி யை மிகவும் மிஸ் செய்கிறேன்!

மன்மத லீலை எனக்கு சராசரி ஆணின் மனநிலையை உணர்த்துகிறது. எல்லோரும் அல்ல ஆனால் வாய்ப்பு கிடைத்தால் ஏறக்குறைய என்றே சொல்லலாம்! கமலுக்கு ஏற்ற பாத்திரம்! கே பி க்கு ஞான திருஷ்டியோ?!

புன்னகை மன்னன், புது புது அர்த்தங்கள், தில்லு முள்ளு, ஏக் துஜே கே லியே (ஹிந்தி), டூயட் இவை ஜெனரஞ்சகத்துக்காக எடுக்கப்பட்டவை. காதலும் உண்டு எனினும் பாடல் (ஏக் துஜே) மற்றும் ஹாஸ்யம் (தில்லு முல்லு) இன்று செத்தால் நாளைக்கு பால் விவேக்கையும் ஜெயசித்ரா தெலுங்கு அம்மாவையும் அமைத்த அருமை.

நூல் வேலி, பட்டினப்ரவேசம், தப்பு தாளங்கள், நினைத்தாலே இனிக்கும் என்று அடுக்கி கொண்டே போகலாம்.

மூன்று முடிச்சு . கமல் ரஜினி இணைந்த மற்றுமொரு படம். ஸ்ரீ தேவி நாயகி. அந்த நாளைக்கு எண்ணத்தோன்றாத கோணம் மற்றும் திரைக்கதை. ஸ்ரீ தேவி அப்பா மேஜரை மணக்கும் இயக்கம் கே பி யின் துணிவை நினைவூட்டுகிறது. மக்களிடம் அது மா பெரும் வெற்றிஅல்லவா பெற்றது. கே பி சொன்னதை அந்த எழுபதுகளின் அம்மா-அப்பா தலைமுறை ஏற்கும் மனப்பக்குவம் கூட ஒரு புறம் நடந்தேறிக்கொண்டு தான் இருந்தது…

அக்னி சாட்சி. சரிதாவின் அனல் பொரிக்கும் பாத்திரம். சிவகுமாரின் கனிவு. இதில் என்ன அதிசயம் என்றல், இப்போது பரவலாக நாம் காணும் ஒரு வித பாதிப்பை விளைவிக்கும் மனநோயை (schizophrenia எனப்படுவது) பாலச்சந்தர் கையாண்ட விதம். ஆனால் கே பி ஆயிற்றே, ஆகவே அதிசயிக்க என்ன இருக்கிறது. காலத்திற்கு முற்பட்ட சிந்தனை. அதுவே கே பி யின் சிறப்பு. மனா உளைச்சல், மன முறிவு, மனா பாதிப்பு போன்ற மனோவியாதிகளை பற்றி நாம் இப்போது தானே சிந்திக்கவே ஆரம்பித்துள்ளோம்… எண்பதுகளின் ஆரம்பத்தில் … நினைத்துப்பார்க்க கூட முடியாதது. ‘அவர்கள்’ போல.

உன்னால் முடியும் தம்பி யில் ஜாதி பிரிவினை எதிர்த்தார் தன் பாணியில். அந்த துணிவு அவருக்கு அன்றே இருந்தது. இன்றைய ‘பரி ஏறும் பெருமாள்’ அடுத்த தலைமுறை. கூட்டு முயற்சியின் அற்புதத்தை விளக்கிய கதை அது. நாட்டு பற்றையும் சேர்த்து கலந்து கொடுத்தது நாம் அறியா ஊகிக்க முடியா வண்ணம். இதில் வன்மை, நெஞ்சழுத்தம் கிடையாது. அமைதியாக, ஆனால் ஆணித்தரமாக சொல்லப்பட்ட நீதி போதனை. ஒரு மிக சிறந்த உத்தி.

நாட்டை பற்றி நினைக்கும் போதே நினைவுக்கு வரும் இன்னொரு மெல்லிய சோகம் ‘வறுமையின் நிறம் சிவப்பு.‘ வேலை இன்மையின் தாக்கம், வறுமையின் கொடுமையை இவ்வளவு வலிக்கும் விதத்தில் அதே சமயம் எந்த பாத்திரத்திற்கும் சுய மரியாதை குன்றாமல் கூறிய விதம்… பல தமிழ் படங்களில், வறுமையின் அவலத்தை தான் நாம் பார்க்கிறோம். வறுமை கூட அழகு தானோ என்று நினைக்க வைத்த நெஞ்சை உருக்கும் காவியம்… ‘நல்லதோர் வீணை செய்தேன்… அதை நலம் கெட புழுதியில் எறிவதுண்டோ…’ என பாரதியின் பாடலுக்கு உயிர் தந்த அந்த திரை ஓவியம், கே பி என்ற சிகரத்திற்கு மற்றும் ஒரு உச்சம்.

‘தண்ணீர் தண்ணீர் ‘போன்ற படங்களை இனி பார்க்க முடியுமா. சமூகத்தில் விழிப்புணர்வை இதை விட எப்படி தட்டி எழுப்ப இயலும். நீர் என்பது இன்றைக்கும் நமக்கு பிரச்சனையே. வீட்டு பிரச்சனை, மாநில பிரச்சனை, தேச பிரச்சனை, பன்னாட்டு பிரச்சனை. எவ்வளவோ விதத்தில் கையாள வாய்ப்பிருந்தும், கே பி காண்பித்தது ஒரு கிராமிய கதையை. நகரத்தில் இன்றும் நமக்கு நீர் விநியோகம் உண்டு. தண்ணீர் லாரி வழியோ அல்லது போர் பம்ப் போட்டோ விடிவு தேடி கொள்ளலாம்… கிராமங்கள் காய்கின்றன வறட்சியில். இது மிக பெரிய கொடுமை. கிராமவாழ் மக்களை பற்றி சிந்திப்பவர் யார். குரல் கொடுப்பர் தான் யார். வக்காலத்து வாங்குபவர் யார்.

சரிதாவின் இன்னொரு காவியம், ‘அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை.’ அன்றைய இன்றைய அரசியல் சூழ்நிலையை அப்படியே படம் பிடித்து காட்டும் நேர்த்தி. பண்பட்டவனும் படைத்தவனும் பண்டிதனும் கெடுவான் அரசியலில். இங்கு எவரும் ஒழுங்கு அல்ல. ஒழுக்கம் அல்ல. மனது வலிக்கிறது ஆனால் நிதர்சனமான உண்மை.

ஒரு வீடு இரு வாசல், கல்கி, பொய் … ‘கல்கி’ என்னால் முழுமையா ஏற்க முடியா ஒன்று. ஒருவேளை இது கே பி யின் பரிமாண வளர்ச்சியோ என்று நினைக்கத்தோன்றும் சமயத்தில். கல்கி ஒரு விதண்டா வாதம் என கூட தோன்றும். ‘பொய்’ அதை நிரூபித்தது. பொய்யின் காதல் தர்க்கம் எனக்கு பிடித்தது ஆனால் முடிவு உடன்பாடில்லை. ஒரு வீடு இரு வாசலில் சௌகார் பேத்தியின் கதாபாத்திரம் அம்மம்மா… சூர்யாவுக்கு அழவில்லை, இவளுக்கு அழுதேன், இந்த நங்கை நல்லாளுக்காக… ஆங்கிலத்தில் சொல்வர் ‘ஸ்ட்ரென்த் ஆப் காரெக்ட்டர்’ என்று. கே பி யின் ஒவ்வொரு நாயகியிடமும் அதை நான் பார்க்கிறேன்.

‘நள தமயந்தி’ ஒரு இனிய காதல் கதை. கே பி இடம் எதிர் பாராதது. மாதவனுக்கு கிடைத்த அறிய வாய்ப்பு. அழகிய வாய்ப்பும் கூட.

பல பக்கம் போகலாம் இன்னும்…

‘கல்யாண அகதிகள்‘ ளோடு நிறுத்திக்கொள்கிறேன். மத மாற்ற எதிர்ப்பையும் , பெண்ணியத்தையும் இதைவிட கண்ணியமாக சொல்ல முடியாது. சரிதா, நீங்க எங்கே. காதலுக்காக தன் சுய மரியாதையை, அடையாளத்தை, முகவரியை, பாரம்பரியத்தை இழக்க முன்வரும் அணைத்து பெண்களுக்கும் இது ஒரு சவுக்கடி. மதம் மாறினால் தான் திருமணம் என்றால் அது காதலே அல்ல ஒரு கணக்கு, அவ்வளவு தான். இன்றைய கால கட்டத்தில், இது எப்பேர்ப்பட்ட அளப்பரிய உண்மை. அது சொல்லப்பட்ட விதம் தான் என்ன. பெண்களின் வாழ்க்கை போராட்டங்களை, அவலங்களை, வெற்றிகளை, மன குமுறல்களை, இழப்புகளை, பெருந்தன்மையை, சுயநலமற்ற தன்மையை எடுத்து காட்டும் கட்டுக்கோப்பான திரைக்கதை. திரைக்கதை என்பது கே பி யின் மிகப்பெரிய பலம். வசனமும் கூட.

சரிதா சுஜாதாவின் கோபத்தை, சுஹாசினியின் கேள்வியை இன்றும் சமாளிக்க முடியவில்லை நம்மால், சாந்த படுத்த இயல வில்லை நம்மால்… நியாமானா கோபம், நேர்மையான கேள்வி… பதில் சொல்வதில் நம்மில் பலருக்கு ஏன் இன்னும் தயக்கம்

நான் நினைப்பது உண்டு இப்போதும். எப்பேர்ப்பட்ட அதிர்ஷ்டக்காரர் நம் பெற்றோர் என. கே பி படங்களை இனிமையான சலனமற்ற அறுபதுகளிலும் எழுபதுகளிலும் திரையில் கண்டமைக்கு. இந்தியாவிலேயே ஏன் உலகிலேயே அப்பொழுது கிளர்ச்சியற்ற ஆரவாரமற்ற ஆழ்ந்த அமைதி நிலவியதாகத்தோன்றும். குண்டு வெடிப்பு கண்டிராத காலம். தீவிர வாதம் தலைவிரிக்காத நேரம். கணினி கிடையாது ஏன் தொலைக்காட்சி பெட்டி கூட நம்மில் முக்கால் வாசி பேர் வீட்டில் கிடையாது. நம் பெற்றோர் எப்பொழுதாவது சிந்தித்தனரா கே பி யின் கருக்களை பற்றி. வாழ்க்கையில் கடை பிடித்தனரா… கடை பிடித்தனரோ இல்லையோ, வேசினாரோ கூட என்னவோ தெரியாது, கே பி இடம் அவர் கொண்ட மரியாதை மட்டும் அலாதி தான். உண்மை உரைத்திருக்க வேண்டும். காலத்திற்கு அப்பாற்பட்ட கதையாகிலும், உட்கருத்து நெஞ்சை உறுதியிருக்க வேண்டும். எண்டபதுகளிலேயே ஜீரணிக்க என் தலைமுறை தவித்தது. சொல்லப்பட்ட மாற்று செய்தி, மாற்று நோக்கு, மாற்று பார்வை இவையே எண்பதுகளில் பள்ளி பயின்ற என் வயது ஆண் பெண்களை ஒரு நிமிடம் நிற்க வைத்தது, சிந்திக்க வைத்தது. அந்த தாக்கம் தானோ என்னவோ, இன்றளவும் எம்மில் பலர் மாற்று சிந்தனை கொண்டவராய் உள்ளோம்… எமது இந்த முதிர்ச்சி – அப்படி சொல்லலாமா என தெரியவில்லை – இதற்க்கு வித்திட்டவர் கே பி . எமது தாய் தந்தை நினைத்து செய்ய இயலாதவற்றை நாம் இன்று மேற்கொள்கிரோம் … தைரியமாக, வீரியமாக, விவேகமாக…

Political

Hindu Reaction (or Non-reaction?) to New Zealand

Posted on 15 Mar 201916 Mar 2019 by veeskitchen

Being Kind Doesn’t Mean Being Spineless. Not Addressing The Cause Of Danger To Entire Humanity Is The Real Violence.

One comment for New Zealand from a Hindu friend in social media summed up our typical and expected reaction:

‘Unakku vandha raththam, enakku vandha thakkali chutneyaaahhhh?’

(if you bleed it is blood, if i bleed is it tomato chutney to you?)

NO NATION/SOCIETY HIT BY REPEATED TERROR ATTACKS HAS A STATEMENT TO MAKE ON NEW ZEALAND – QUITE LIKE MY INDIA. We are fighting terror on day to day basis. India’s powerful statement on New Zealand is Her STOIC and DEAFENING SILENCE. Refusal to comment.

I see no sympathy whatsoever in my desi brothers and sisters. Pulwama is still in our memory. Hindus are in no mood to forgive or forget. Can anyone blame us? China by the way reiterated their support to world terror via Pakistan by vetoing in UN, against the incrimination of Masud Azhar as global terrorist. India will have to gear up and ban Chinese products with a full vengeance now. We shall do it.

All the same I would like to remind the New Zealanders and Australians or even Americans and Spanish that they are immigrants too. Who are they? Is there something called Good Immigrant- Bad Immigrant. Pakis know because they play this Good terrorist-Bad terrorist game always to hoodwink the rest of the world. For instance, their media especially journalists are ‘good terrorists.’ Jai Hind!

Extras

Public Forum

Posted on 15 Mar 201928 Sep 2019 by veeskitchen

Speech titled ‘Eye for an Eye’ for Toastmasters CC Manual speech 9 that won me the Best speaker award in the Speakathon today at our FILCOM INTERNATIONAL TOASTMASTERS CLUB among 6 speakers. Intially felt jitter but later on oozed with confidence!

Article titled ‘Aromatherapy’ published in in-house magazine of FILCOM International Toastmasters club.

http://online.fliphtml5.com/dovva/uqcf/?fbclid=IwAR194lMcPTG7B07VwBlIv3RDd4xVCS1rEYImQBlGRzivn4YH1Tos8iBfTww#p=10

Speech titled ‘Serve Right’ – TM CC Manual Speech 8 for FILCOM

Speech titled ‘Aromatherapy’ – TM CC Manual Speech 7 – as Test Speaker for Galfar TMC

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