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Amma, mother's love

I was reading the Sai Tapovanam today when one sentence caught my attention and stayed - Some people cannot understand the love of one mother, how can they understand the love of a thousand mothers?  This sentence has been in my thoughts. And I kept wondering what it means - mother's love. I spoke with my mother and the conversation stayed with me. I realised a mother is the only person who asks the question - How are you, are you happy? Santoshama iru, Santhosham ka undu - this benediction comes from her heart, genuinely asking for our happiness and well being. Before she talks about herself, it is always about her children, are they ok, are they happy? Always the children first. When we ask her, how are you - we do hear her problems, but somehow she brushes them away as insignificant and is all ears for our words and our well being.  There is never  - you didn't do this for me, you behaved badly, you are this , that, you didn't buy this for me or that, you did'nt supp

Handlooms of North and Central India

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While in Chennai, I had the opportunity to visit Tantuja and Mrignayanee in Luz Corner, Maylapore, my visit coming after a good 17 years, the last time I visited these were in 2005. Gurjari (Gujarat Govt. run) and Mrignayanee (Madhya Pradesh Govt. run) in Brigade Road, Bangalore were one of my favourite places to shop for dress materials, pre-2005. The showrooms are not fancy or well decked. But they are functional and full of beautiful print, hand-crafted, handloom, authentic fabrics and hand made artefacts. These are Government run and provide employment to cottage industries and support artists at the ground level. The sarees, dress materials etc are natural fibres, last well and are super comfortable to wear and what I called breathing fabrics. Pocket and environment friendly at the same time. Tantuja is the Govt. Of Bengal showroom and it showcases beautifully crafted sarees from all of West Bengal. If you love Bengal cotton sarees, this is the place to visit. https://tantuja.in

Turtle Walk, Besant Nagar Beach, Chennai

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 On one hand, I witnessed selfless compassion in action for students at the Ramakrishna Student's Residential School in Mylapore. A couple of days later, I saw the same extended by volunteers to sea turtles on the beaches of Chennai. Kalpana took me on a themed turtle walk led by Yuvan Aves, a teacher and expert in Marine Biology. We met at Besant Nagar beach on a Saturday afternoon. The sea breeze and waves washed away the afternoon heat and thoughts, making it a wonderful walk along the beach through the fishermen's village. We strolled in a leisurely fashion by their catamarans, looking for clues and treasures of the ocean - with child like joy when we found a special shell or foot prints, markings. We reached the turtle hatchery and waited with barely contained excitement to see the turtle hatchlings as they were dug up from their nests and gently released to crawl to the sea. It was emotional to see the tiny turtle hatchlings touch sea and swim in.  "Kadalora Kavithai

Palace for the Poor, Chennai

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The Ramakrishna Mission Student's Home in Mylapore, Chennai, adjacent to the Vivekananda College was established about a hundred years ago to provide education to boys who are eager for education but cannot afford it.  The school has a history of serving the community selflessly for more than a century, becoming a friend in need, providing quality education and vocational training to the poor and destitute. The institution affiliated with the Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math is a proud landmark of Mylapore. The monks of Sri Ramakrishna Math offer selfless services. My brother Jayaraman, one of the many volunteers of the Mission, took me around the Student Home premises on my recent trip to Madras. He first took me to the prayer hall housing huge photos of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Sharada Devi and an idol of Goddess Saraswati - more than 100 years old, a serene hall ideal for contemplation and meditation and quietening the thoughts. He then took me to the room where Swami Bramhan

Mahaswamy Padhuka Mandapam, Mylapore

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There is a Mahaswamy Padhuka Mandapam near CIT colony, Mylapore in Chennai, located at: Old #124, New #6, P.S.Sivaswamy Salai, Chennai.  A new temple for Maha Swamy or Periyava, Sri Chandra Sekara Saraswati, the 68th pontiff of the Kanchi Kamkoti Mutt is being planned in Mylapore. For more info, please visit:  https://www.mylaimahaperiyavatemple.com/

Karadaya Nombu - in memory of Savitri

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Gam Ganapathaye Namaha,  Sree Saraswathyay Namaha Today is Karadaya Nombu, a day celebrated in remembrance of Savitri Satyavan, a highly devoted wife. The story goes about how Savitri followed her dead husband, and Lord Yama seeing her devotion and steadfastness granted her three boons. She used the boons wisely asking for children and grand-children and Lord Yama was outwitted and he granted her husband's life back. The day is celebrated by women in South India(similar to Karva Chauth in the North of India), by observing a fast and praying for the wellness and long life of their husbands.  A steamed sweet called Nombu is made out of rice powder, jaggery and karamani(white coloured peas). The nombu is done at the time when Tamil month ‘Masi’ ends and the next month ‘Panguni’ starts, this in between few minutes are considered highly auspicious ( the Meena Sankranthi) and the women offer the Nombu with butter and offer it to the Goddess praying: "Urugatha Vennayum Oraduyum Vaith

Sangfroid

Some words say it all, a simple word yet they mean so much. One such words for me is sangfroid, the pronunciation is a struggle for me, as is embodying it. The word means being unflappable, having composure in dangerous or trying situations. Angela Merkel, the ex-Chancellor of Germany, had it in plenty. She was not easily excited or excitable, it was so remarkable how calm and collected she was, the poise.  Same with Queen Elizabeth. They hold it all together even in the most trying of situations, and under constant media glare. Closer home, my Amma has it in plenty. I have never seen Amma say anything out of turn or anything harsh or something she would regret later, ever in public. Tears and emotions, insults and quarrels, Amma is a witness to all. Yet, Amma always has a smiling, gentle demeanour and is soft-spoken.  A big joint family: with many people, conflicting interests, shifting inter-group dynamics, dilemmas; needs tact and diplomacy, sacrifices done quietly and a fair deal o

Sharada Navaratri

Of the 4 Navaratris in the Hindu festival calendar, two are widely celebrated, the first one being Vasantha Navarathri that comes in spring and SriRama Navami is the 9th day of this Navaratri.  Sharada Navaratri, the autumn Navaratri culminates in Vijaya Dashami. The Sharada Navaratri is devoted to the three Goddesses - MahaKali (Parvati) MahaLakshmi and MahaSaraswati, the first three days as Parvathi, the next three days as Mahalakshmi and the last three days as Saraswati. The tenth day of Sharada Navaratri is called Vijayadashami to signify the victory on the day of Dashami, this day being especially auspicious to commence new ventures, activities.  For most of us, Navaratri brings memories of Golu (Bommal Koluvu), Sundal (chickpeas savoury), Kolams(Rangoli), social visits and kutcheries. Though the Navaratri has morphed into a social bonding festival, it is more an important spiritual undertaking with fasting, austerities and chanting. Golus or Bommala Koluvu (telugu) are an import

The Kon Mari Method

I was gifted the book –  The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up – Marie Kondo , by a friend who said it changed her way of organizing/de-cluttering for ever. My chosen method of both cleaning, de-cluttering(can’t call it organizing) is to tidy up one cupboard a time or one room at a time. Well, I start with gusto but mid-way energy dries and well the last few things just go. The  KonMari Method : Go through your entire house,  category  by  category  and purge.  Kondo  recommends doing this in the following order: clothes, books, papers, komono (miscellaneous things ranging from cleaning products to cooking spices), and then sentimental items. (source: the internet) – Marie KONDO When I started reading the book,  my first take-away  was the difference between cleaning and organizing. Cleaning is about hygiene and cleanliness. Organizing is where you decide to store/put something. Somewhere my definitions overlapped and I had added words like de-cluttering, minimalism to this mix. With t

Experiences with Periyava

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Experience With Maha Periyava By : HH Mettur Swamigal : (about Gopu Mama) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hkx6SPJsoyA ************************************************** Experience With Maha Periyava By : by T.P. Sriraman (Appa) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvWyv5kPQ7I ************************************************** Experience With Maha Periyava By : by Ramian Chitappa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJXWhqhthao

Thai Poosam - a festival for Lord Murugan, in January

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Thai Poosam or Thai Pooyam: The word Thaipusam is a combination of the name of the Tamil month -Thai, and the star - Pusam (Pushya;or Pooyam). It is a festival for Lord Murgan and commemorates the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a spear or Vel to vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman and his brothers. Neivedhyam : Paal Payasam and Panakkam My grandfather was a great Pazhani Murugan devotee, so we had Unchi vruthi the previous day to collect rice and grains from our neighbours and on Thai Poosam, the whole village got together in our home to worship Lord Murugan with Bhajans, Kavadi and had lunch(Prasadam) together. Hara haro hara

Pongal and Kanu

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Om Surya Narayana Swamine Namaha. PONGAL: the festival worshipping the Sun God, usually 14th or 15 th January Mango leaves for decoration, Betel leaves and areca nut for vethalai pakku, Coconut, Bananas, Sugarcane, Turmeric plants with leaves and root, Banana leaves For Sweet Pongal: Rice, Pasi paruppu(split mung dal, optional), jaggery, ghee When: Pongal is celebrated on the first day of the Tamil month Thai, according to the Tamil calendar. Thai masam or month comes after Margazhi, the month of music and devotion and the festival marks the end of winter solstice - Dakshinayanam, and the start of the sun's six-month-long journey northwards, Uttarayanam. Why: In ancient India, the Sun God is considered Pratyaksham Bramha or the God that can be seen. Look up to the skies and you can see the life giving, nourishing God. One need look no further. Life in India revolves around the Sun God. Surya Namaskaram, daily prayers are centered around dawn, noon, dusk to coincide with sunrise