Meandering thoughts - Sita Sreeraman

  Along with Ganapathi Homam and Bhagavathy Sevai, Maavilakku is a cherished family tradition in our Trikkur home, observed during the Tamil month of Aadi, usually on the last Velli (Friday).  The word Maavilakku comes from two Tamil words: "Maa", meaning rice flour, and "Vilakku", meaning lamp. It is a unique lamp made from rice flour, jaggery, and ghee, with a cotton wick placed in the center and lit as an offering to God. To prepare the Maavilakku, raw rice is washed, dried, and ground into a fine flour. Jaggery is then mixed with the rice flour in the proportion of 1 cup rice flour to ¾ cup jaggery. A little water is added to make a firm dough, which is shaped into a small mound with an indentation in the center to hold the ghee and cotton wick. Before the lamp is lit, all the cooking for the day is completed. Molagootal, Rasam, and Nellikai Pachadi, (prepared either with fresh nellikai or dried Nelli Mulli, ground with coconut and green chillies) is the menu fo...

It was not easy understanding my Appa. Even when Appa was provoked, he chose to remain non judgemental. He would say it is the sitauation, not the person. So, sometimes it felt like Appa was aloof. I would often argue saying he had to say something. But he would just say - Saramillai (doesn't matter), the sky has not fallen. And smile it away. People collect money or houses or sarees or jewelry. Appa collected spiritual wealth the same way - be it through his regular Sandhyavandanam and Nitya Kriya, his Guru Bhakthi to Maha Periyava and following the Vedic tenets and way of life. Convenience was not the factor, nor was it done for popularity or name. Appa's value system and integrity were also iron-clad, no lying, cheating, saying rude or inappropraite words, treating all with respect, no slights, no power play, taking advantage of others etc. He was very very careful about what he accepted from others , be it as gifts. Runanu Bhandam - I may have to take birth once more he wou...

Sree Ramajayam We, in the south use Sree Rama Jayam, the Hindi equivalent being Jai Sreeram! Sree Navami is fast approaching, as is summer in Rama Janma Bhoomi or Bharat while it is spring in Swiss .i.e Vasantha Rithu.  Sree Navami brings memories of Sree Rama's birthday celebrations on Navami with oonajl or Uyyala songs, Ma Sita's birthday, Sita Rama Kalyanam in the temples, Radham or Ther on the streets, Malli poo, Panakam, Neer-moor and Vadapappu(Kosambari), discourses and kutcherys in the temple premises .Thyagaraja Swami's Utsava Sampradaya Krithis esp Uyaalalooga vayya, Sita Kalyana Vaibhogame, Mamava Sree Pattabhirama by Dikshitar, Jaya Jaya Janaki Kantha - Purandaradasa and Bhadhrachala Ramadas melodies fill the air. People read Ramayana and also do Likhita japam - writing Rama Nama.  Rama Nama is in the air - on people's lips and in their hearts. Rama's name evokes such wonderful emotions - the great son, warrior, husband, brother, friend, master, His digni...

I came across Shonda Rhimes' book "Year of Yes",  a few years ago.  The blurb introduced the author as the creator of Grey's Anatomy and other series. I am not familiar with the series but nonetheless was curious enough to flip through the pages though not the entire book. I told myself good idea, I should also try and say Yes when I can and try to do more diverse things, attempt new things especially ones that I am bit scared of or am uncomfortable doing. Anyways, that was that. I left it at that, I do remember my trying new things and then Covid struck and that was such a closed phase for the entire world.  Many years later today, I got a summary of the book via The Four Minute books. You can read the sumamry here -  https://fourminutebooks.com/year-of-yes-summary/ .   Here is a quote from the book: “I'm not merely lucky. No one who succeeds is merely lucky. Lucky implies I didn't do anything. Lucky implies something was given to me. Lucky implies that I ...

Sometimes things happen unplanned - spontaneously and effortlessly.  The unexpected Darshan of Guruvayoorappan after a dozen years was one such. And the December 2024 Margazhi at the MAA, TTK Road was another, days of beautiful concerts by the best of the best in a Concert Hall known for its acoustics, ambience and renown and where only the best get to perform. The MAA awards the Sangeetha Kalanidhi every year to the best Carnatic musician - vocalist or Instrument vidwans. More info @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangita_Kalanidhi  The Academy set at the end of TTK road in Madras evokes so many emotions in me - nostalgia, reverence and awe; the level of expertise, dedication it demands of its artistes is the highest in the country. Artistes are aware of this honour too; they perform at their best here. And in the traditional format as laid out for the concert, starting with Varnam and then Krithis in familair and unfamiliar ragas with Alaapana, including heavy weight ragams...

Well, love or arranged marriages? This has been a topic of discussion for ever. We all love to see understanding couples and their families, it is one of the most beautiful things to see. No wonder it has been praised in literature, in movies, in music and art and in architecture. Love and relationships make the world go around as has always.  So, in Bharata Desam in Sanatana Dharmam, this relationship between a man and woman was held the most sacred and it was one of the longest of rituals performed in a person's life. Every varnam developed their particular customs and their rules, with good genes and health predominating along with character and priciples. Money was needed to live a decent life and in fact many chose not to marry their children into wealth, since wealth does not equal health, happiness or progeny. The common man until the previous generations chose to marry within their same Varnam, so it was easier for the couples to adjust, family skills are passed on. For eg....

Navaratri . the nine nights of worship culminating in Vijaya Dashami. Navaratri is celebrated across India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Gujarat to Bengal in various different ways. Rama Krishna Paramahamsa, is one of the first names that comes to mind as a Devi devotee - Kali Bhakta,  and of couse we have Kalidasa of the yore, who was blessed by the Goddess. Bengal and Kashmir have been the home of Sree Vidya and Devi Tantra(Kaula and Shakta),  along with Bengal.  Coming South, of the musical trinity,  Muthusawmi Deekshitar and Shyama Shastry were Devi devotees and have many compositions on the Goddess. (Thayagaraja's Ishta Daiva being Lord Rama). Shyama Shastri devoted his many Kritis to the the Goddess. Kamakshi and used the mudra Shyama Krishna(think Shyamala). An anecdote devoted to Deekshitar says as he neared his end, he called one of his disciples and asked him to sing the composition "Meenakshi Memudaham", as the disciple sang Meenalochani Pashamochani, he as...