Meandering thoughts - Sita Sreeraman

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 fa...

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 ...

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 l...

Experience With Maha Periyava By : by T.P. Sriraman (Appa) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvWyv5kPQ7I ************************************************** Experience With Maha Periyava By : HH Mettur Swamigal : (about Gopu Mama) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hkx6SPJsoyA ************************************************** Experience With Maha Periyava By : by Ramian Chitappa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJXWhqhthao ************************************************** Dr. T.I. Radhakrishnan videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUwAW56JHnw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CgP-SpWe-k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGc_VzZGcP0

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

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...

Many of our tasks are mundane and boring. And yes, routine - be it washing dishes, picking after oneself, laundry, cleaning, putting things away once done. Or office work like records, accounts. Or exercise and meditation, music practice etc. And at home the tiny arguments continue. And we see it around us, especially the younger gen eagerly gearing up for the next great project on the career front and working for hours on their fav project but unwilling to take their coffee mugs to the kitchen or sort their laundry or keep their room clean or lend a hand even when the parents are sick. This is rarely the case with greats like Gandhiji who had no problem cleaning toilets himself every day. We  also see this when working in voluntary service teams and get-togethers (informal settings, where structure is poorly defined), there are the exemplary few who choose the boring over the shiny, the few who do what needs to be done rather than the high-visibility tasks. I have been reading som...