Meandering thoughts - Sita Sreeraman

As you grow up, you learn more by observing than by being told, this is true of all of us, though there are exceptions. One of the things that I have observed in my father is the exceptional love for his parents. Appa has and can never say anything bad/negative about his parents(in general Appa does not complain and if he does it is more about the situation than the person). When he was working, every year summer vacations were spent at Trikkur, he visited as often as he could. Post-retirement his home and heart were where his parents were. After Thatha's demise the love continues. Every year the month before the Thevasam is spent by Appa with more austerity than usual(will not shave etc). And he unfailing does the Tharpanam every month after 10:30 a.m. etc observing all niyamas. Relatives and friends have often questioned Appa bout doing these rituals, why should we do it, what will we gain etc. People also tend to tell him albeit indirectly it is time to let go of all these

Highligts of India trip: 1. Rudrekadesi @ Trikkur samooham 2. Arrattu @ Trikkur kovil, velai @ Paramekkavu temple, Sashta Preethi @ Punkunnam - bhajans by Ramesh garu. 3. Radhika's wedding (attending a wedding after 5.5 years and what a wedding it was!) 4. Aditya's mottai @ Tirupathi and the great darshan of Balaji and Padmavathi- for a change did not hear 'jaragandi' 5. Visit to Nataraja temple, Chidambaram 6. Club Mahendra resorts Puducherry 7. Meeting many of my relatives and friends and neighbours, what a great trip! Downlights: 1. Down with cold and cough for most of the time 2. Not meeting some of the Bangalore crowd.

Mangoes Sweet Mangoes Ripe Mangoes - goes the Karadi rhyme. Mango season has finally arrived here in Baden. The local Sri Lankan store finally stocked Alphonsos and Banganappali mangoes yesterday and they were like gone almost before they arrived. We were there just right in time - a few minutes early or late, we would have missed the frenzy. Armed with mangoes, we came home and after dinner with papa sleeping, it was time to attack. Armed with a mango each, we sat down to the serious fun business of eating a mambapazham fully, biting into its succulent orange flesh and savouring the sweetness and flavour. Was it delicious, probably not as good as what we get in India, but it was a great treat indeed! Mangoes evoke such strong poignant memories - the first being the Banganapalli mangoes that Appa would buy directly from the mango plantations in Banganapalli, Andhra Pradesh. It helped we lived a few kilometers away and Appa would go in the Jeep(Mahindra) and come back with a baske

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The Trikkur Samooham recently completed it's eleventh Rudrekadesi in May. The Rudrekadesis at the Samooham have been initiated and conducted by Sri Vaidyanatha Vadhyaar, one event per month. 11 such auspicious events have now been completed. These are organized by Dinesh, Krishnan, Kunjappa, Ganesan Athimber, Sangam Chitappa and other local elders and they are wonderful get togethers not only for Trikkur folks in Trikkur and local adjoining villages and towns, these have also become a platform for many to conduct personal events like Sathabishegams and Shastiabdaboorthis. The religious function and the lunches are really amazing. Salutations to all the elders who have made this possible and hope this will continue unbroken for a long number of years to come!

Sri Rudraikadasinee Mahayajna – A Commentary by Sri. T.P. Sreeraman. About the author :- This commentary comes from a person who has been a visionary in the building of today’s Brahmana Samooham that we see. Known to everyone as “Sreeram Anna”, he is one of the pillars on whom this Samooham revolves around. May his presence enlighten us with knowledge and help us to serve VEDA better. Sree Gurubyo Namaha Sree Maha Ganapathaye Namaha Sree Drikpureshaya Namaha Sree Jagadambikaye Namaha Sree Maha Saraswathye Namaha Trikkur Brahmana Samooham Sree Rudraikadasinee Mahayajnam Blessed devotees, May Sree Drikpureshwara(Sree Trikkoorappan), Sree Purayankave Bhagavathi, Sree Kamakshee Kailasa Natha Swamy, Sree Dharma Sastha and other devathas and sree Drik-Ganga (Trikkur Puzha) confer all Sreyas on all of us. By the grace of god, and the blessings of our divine poorvikas, and with the sagacious advice and guidance of our Acharya Brahma Sri VaidhyaNatha Vadhyar, Sri Rudraikadisn

I.SOAMA YAAGAS i.Historic perspective: Yajnas are probably the most ancient and still surviving forms of organized God worship. They have the unbroken history of several millenniums. Bhagavad Geetha Ch.3 Slokha 10 states that Yajnas and mankind were created simultaneously. (SAHA YAJNAh PRAJAAH SRUSTHWAA). Rig Veda starts with the Manthra worshipping Agni, as the priest of the Yajna, the deity worshipped by yajna, the performer of the Yajna and the dispenser of the fruits of the Yajna: AGNIMEELE PUROHITAM YAGNASYA DEVAMRUTVIJAM HOATHARAM RATHNADHAATAMAM (Rig Veda 1. 1. 1) Yajur Veda starts with the Manthra, which enshrines the words SHRESHTATHAMAAYA KARMANE (for the noblest of activities) (Thaithireeya Samhitha 1. 1. 1) Thaithireeya Brahmana 3. 1. 2. 4. interprets “Sreshta Thamaaya Karmane” and proclaims “Yajno hi Sreshtathamam Karma”. Yajna is the noblest activity. In the first Manthra of Saama Veda, Agni is invoked to come and receive the offering to him in the Yajna and c

Sree Gurubhyo Namah Gayatri Mantra: On the day I left TCR (04/09/99) for Bangalore, a very reputed artist and intellectual came to my friend Dr. T.I. RadhaKrishnan. Dr. T.I. RadhaKrishnan has done a lot of research on the relation between VEDA and modern Science. He has authored a book in Malayalam christened 'VEDAM ENNA SASTRAM' . He called me also for the discussion. He put forth a lot of material before that lady. It was a nice discussion. The lady remarked "Modern science lacks poetry. Our ancients have presented Science poetically. I felt it is true. 1. All ancient Sanskrit works on Science even Mathematics are couched in poetry. 2. The presentation itself is poetic So Gayatri enshrines a lot of Scientific concepts - much more than what has been tried to be brought out. The Question being asked is : If solar energy can be absorbed and stored in inanimate objects like Solar Cells and used at will, can't it be stored in human body and used at will? It is now b

This book 'The Hindu Dharma' by Kanchi Mahaperiyava Sri Chandra Sekara Saraswati is a must-have. This book is a translation of Dhaivathin Kural and is a compilation of the various speeches/discourses given by Periyava over many years. This book is a gem akin to the Bhagavad Gita. Periyava expounds Sanatana Dharma very beautifully and simplistically for all of us. It is now available online @: http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part1/chap1.htm