My Musings

Postal addresses of our relatives / friends are invariably written down in a diary or book and updated every couple of years. I had not re-organised my address book since last 5 years and so I started doing it yesterday. Took a diary of 2005 and started writing addresses one by one from my own, followed by Arun's, Ashok's, Arvind's etc etc. When I had written down about 30 addresses, suddenly it struck me - addresses, are they NEEDED at all? Why do I need Arun's or say, Athimber's address? I should know how to reach their house - thats one of the purposes of the addresses. And I know how to reach the houses of many relatives. I am not going to write any letters to them. So why would I need their postal addresses? In the old address book, I had addresses of very distant "relatives" whom I have never met in my life! Even though I scored off these names, still I wondered - why do I have to write addresses? I guess that only tel numbers, both landline and mobi...

Gayathri’s sister Meena’s Nichchaya thaartham was done on Monday the 12th Nov 2007 at Vishnupuram, 25 km from Kumbakonam. We two attended it. Here is a brief description. About 22 persons started from Chennai. We left by Pallavan Exp on 11th a/n. As to be expected, there were non-stop songs, eats, and what not. Since Deepavali had come just a few days before, every family brought the Deepavali bakshanams which vanished in no time. And also the idlies soaked with milagai podi. Sowmya was the star attraction, needless to add. She enjoyed the train journey. We reached Tiruchy by 9PM. There we dispersed as three groups, and our group of 11 went to Gayathri’s periyamma’s house. Night stay there. Next morning (12th), got up by 4-45 AM, had a wonderful coffee, then hot water bath, and we left for the next leg of our trip. At the Station the group’s strength grew to about 32. There was a passenger train at 0710 AM for Kumbakonam. It was not crowded when it pulled out of Tiruchy, but was jam-pa...

Forty four years ago in 1963 when I joined ERDL at Poona, I purchased my first novel, perhaps. My colleague then, Mr. Sonone and I used to go to a book shop in Camp, Poona to purchase English books. First we purchased all the books by Ian Fleming (James Bond series), one by one as they were being published, starting from Dr. No. Then it was Alistair MacLean, and other authors like Arthur Hailey, Robert Ludlum, Frederick Forsyth, Robin Cook, Tom Clancy, Colin Forbes, and Jack Higgins. My collection of books began growing. When my sons ARUN, ASHOK, and ARVIND got employed in late 1990s, they too started purchasing books on their own – John Grisham, Jeffrey Archer, JK Rowling (Harry Potter) and other new authors came into our house. When they married their wives Gayathri, Neeraja, and Krithika also added to the collection. From the very first day, I had this desire of having a book shelf where I can arrange the books in an orderly fashion. We were storing these books in a jumbo-sized suit...

Professor K. Swaminathan: A Himalayan Professor and Savant I had the unique privilege and good fortune of coming into a close and intimate touch with Prof K Swaminathan (1896-1994) in the last decade of his life in Chennai. It is given to God's chosen few to lead several lives which are distinguished by many dimensions of fullness. Prof Swaminathan lived a full life of creative endeavour and fulfillment, not only in terms of years but also in its multifarious facets. Starting his long career as a student and teacher of literature, for nearly three decades, he entered the world of journalism for a few years as political commentator and journalist and crowned it all with his historically celebrated term as Chief Editor of the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi (CWMG). I am relying upon the brilliant memoir of S Guhan, a consummate scholar in his own right and a nephew of Prof K Swaminathan, popularly known as Prof KS. He was born on 3 December, 1896 in Pudukkottai. His pare...

Professor K. Swaminathan: A Himalayan Professor and Savant I had the unique privilege and good fortune of coming into a close and intimate touch with Prof K Swaminathan (1896-1994) in the last decade of his life in Chennai. It is given to God's chosen few to lead several lives which are distinguished by many dimensions of fullness. Prof Swaminathan lived a full life of creative endeavour and fulfillment, not only in terms of years but also in its multifarious facets. Starting his long career as a student and teacher of literature, for nearly three decades, he entered the world of journalism for a few years as political commentator and journalist and crowned it all with his historically celebrated term as Chief Editor of the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi (CWMG). I am relying upon the brilliant memoir of S Guhan, a consummate scholar in his own right and a nephew of Prof K Swaminathan, popularly known as Prof KS. He was born on 3 December, 1896 in Pudukkottai. His pare...

Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy The road from Adyar Signal to Thiruvanmiyur signal (in Chennai) is called Lattice Bridge Road (LB Road); this English name was re-christened as Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy Road long back, but the old English name only prevails now. Who is this Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy? In the princely state of Pudukkottai there lived Narayanaswami Iyer who married a devadasi by name Chandramma - this marriage created a sensation that time. To this couple, eight children were born out of whom four died as infants. Muthulakshmi was one that survived (born: 30 July 1886). M's sister Nallamuthu, learned English, went on to study in UK, became a Professor in QMC, Chennai, and later its Principal - the first Indian principal of QMC. Muthulakshmi went to a school in Pudukottai till the age of 13; later she studied at home tutored by teachers. She passed matriculation in the year 1902. She started dreaming about becoming a graduate. Bur her father, with meagre pension could not send her ...

விஜயாவின் அண்ணா ரமணி (வெங்கடராமன்) யின் சஷ்டி அப்தபூர்த்தி 2007ஆம் வருஷம், அக்டோபர் 14ஆம் தேதி ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை காலை திருவனந்தபுரத்திலுள்ள அவர்கள் வீட்டில் சிறப்பாக நடைபெற்றது. இதில் கலந்துகொள்வதற்காக நான், விஜயா, மற்றும் விஜயாவின் பெரிய அக்கா இந்திரா ஆகிய மூவரும் சென்னையிலிருந்து அக் 10ஆம் தேதி மாலை 7-30 அனந்தபுரி எக்ஸ்பிரஸில் கிளம்பினோம். இந்திரா அன்று காலையிலேயே எங்கள் வீட்டிற்கு வந்துவிட்டார்கள். இரவுக்கான உணவாக இட்லியும், தயிர் சாதமும், மறுநாள் காலைக்காக ப்ரெட்டும் எடுத்துக் கொண்டோம். எக்மோர் ரயில் நிலையத்திற்கு மாலை 6-45க்கே சென்று விட்டோம். ரயில் 7-30 க்கு கிளம்பியது. மறுநாள் (அக் 11) காலை 7-30க்கு திருநெல்வேலி வந்தது - ரயிலே காலியாகி விட்டது ! மெதுமெதுவாக ரயில் 11-40க்கு தி-புரனம் சென்றது. ரமணி தன் MARUTI 800 கார் கொண்டு வந்திருந்தான். வீட்டிற்கு வந்து, குளித்து சாப்பிட்டோம். சாப்பாடா அது ?? கண்றாவி. வெளியிலிருந்து வரவழைத்து இருந்தார்கள். கேரள சமையலே மிக மிக மோசம். நான் சாப்பிடவேயில்லை. அன்று வெளியில் எங்கும் போகவில்லை. அக் 12 வெள்ளியன்று, ஆனந்த், ஐஸ்வர்யா, குழந்தை ஆதித்யா, ஐஸ்வ...

It has been my long-time desire to create and develop Family tree of my appa and amma. I talked to Savithri during Aug 2007 at Hosur re this. She said she would contact Gopu anna (my mama son) at Salem for help. He has taken pains and efforts to write details and send it to Savithri. I have received these papers on 4 Oct 2007 and now I have started filling in the blanks. I have asked others for help and I hope to complete it by Dec 1st week, God willing. rajappa 12:15PM on 7 Oct 2007

Ravi Ganesan took us on Sept 23, 2007, to the film Chak De, India, at CineMax, Andheri East, Mumbai. This film, based on a real life incident, stars Shah Rukh Khan and fifteen new faces. Kabir Khan, the character played so wonderfully by Shah Rukh, is a leading hockey player, who misses a penalty stroke against Pakistan in a Finals. Based on his religion, Muslim, he is branded as traitor, hounded out of his native home. He goes away crestfallen. After 7 years he returns with a proposal that he would coach the Indian Women Hockey Team. Initially booed down, he gets the job simply because there is no one else to take up the job of coaching Women hockey team. 15 young and raw girls arrive from all parts of India for being coached by Kabir Khan. The film is all about how these raw girls, some simple but others arrogant and proud, are strenuously coached to play as a Team and how they finally win the Women World Hockey Cup. An inspirational and excellent film. At first, critics told that it...

earlier The RETURN Home. 30 Sep 2007 Sunday Our last day at Mumbai. Packed and lunch at 11AM. Ravi and Sweta came by 1130 and we started for airport. Had a very enjoyable time with everyone at Mumbai / Pune / Thane. Reached airport by 12 noon and checked in the two bags. Vijaya trolleyed these bags for X-raying. Checked in, security clearance completed, and we were inside the aircraft by 12-50. Took off at 1-25PM. The flight was via Bangalore and we reached Bangalore by 3-30PM. The aircraft had to circle around for over 30 minutes before being permitted to land. Informed Arvind and Ashok re this delay. Took off from Bangalore by 4-10PM and after a 40-minute flight we landed at the Kamarajar domestic airport, Chennai at 4-50PM. We walked out thru the air-bridge and came to the baggage arrival conveyor belt. Collecting our two bags, we came out to wait for Arvind. He came 10 minutes later and then we drove back home. Home, sweet home. Aditi was all smiles on seeing us and she ...

earlier Visit to Pune . 24 Sep 2007 Monday. Went to Santacruz market to purchase some eats - it was raining. Lunch and at 1-45PM we two left by auto for Bandra Station. I stood in one of the ten Qs for tickets, and as I approached the counter it was closed ! I stood again in another Q nad got the ticket. The local started from Bandra by 3-00 and we reached VT (now, CST) by 3-30. Got into the Pragati Express in PF 11. Left VT at 4-25PM and reached Shivajinagar, Pune at 7-45PM. Took an auto (60.00) to Dapodi to Sundaresan's house. We had to take a divert as there was a Ganapati visarjan procession. Meals. Arvind had come to Mumbai this morning and he has now gone to Bangalore. He and Ashok phoned from Bangalore. Arvind is going to France on 1 Oct. T20 Finals - IND beat PAK. I could say it was a lucky win. But a great win. Sowmya's mudi irakkuthal this morning at Kaliyaperumal Koil Ariyalur. After this, Arun etc went to Kumbakonam Tirukarugavur Koil and then start...

earlier 16 Sep 2007 Sunday As we reached house, Ganesan was ready with vada paav for us. After this and then lunch, we all (except Subhadra Manni) left for seeing the Ganapatis. Read our experince 17 Sep 2007, Monday Got up at 0730. Sundaresan phoned. He is leaving for Pune this afternoon. Sudhakar is leaving for Germany in the night (0230AM). Evening at 5, we two walked towards Santacruz railway station - we had travelled on this road many years ago - the Potdar school on this road has changed beyond description. We saw a couple of Ganapatis in the station road. On our way back, we walked along SV road where Arun was born in Kashibai Nursing Home. This nursing home has been demolished and was not to be found. 7PM or so NIRUPAMA came and she & Vijaya went out to purchase dinner for all of us - Paav bhaji, and ice cream. Niru left at 11PM. An enjoyable day. 18 Sep 2007 Tuesday . Rains in Mumbai. I initiated Ganesan to Blogs. Announcement in media that there would be no...

Ganapati Bappa - Visarjan. The Ganapati idols that are kept for pooja in individual houses and Sarvajanik Mandals are bid a warm sendoff after 3/5/7/9/11 days. These idols are immersed in water (sea / river) and this is known as Visarjan. Visarjan is celebrated with gaiety, passion, and bhakti in Maharashtra. On 19th Sept 2007 we went to Juhu beach in the evening just to spend a few minutes by the sea. We were not aware of Visarjan that day. As we walked along the Juhu beach road, we could see many Ganapatis taken in procession towards the beach. On the sands of the beachfront, there were dozens of families - big and small - with their Ganapatis. They carry the idols either in their hands or (mostly) in a push cart. Many bring them in auto-rickshaws or in their swanky cars. The entire family - thatha, paatti, son / daughter, grand-children - come to the farewell party. As soon as they reach the sands, they put a kolam on the sands and keep the idol within the square. They t...

GANAPATI BAPPA - GSB GANAPATI Vijaya and I reached Mumbai on 16th Sep for a fortnight's stay here. We (it was Ashok-Neeraja to be precise) chose this time because it coincides with the festivities in Maharashtra particularly and the entire India in general - Ganeshotsav Festival. Even though I have lived in Maharashtra during the 60's and early 70's, I have never visited Bombay during Ganeshotsav - this is my first time. The same evening (on 16th) we planned to "see" at least one Ganapati Seva Mandal. Vijaya's elder brother said there are tw o most important Mandals to choose from and he himself chose the GSB. This Seva Mandal organised by Gowd Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) community has been functioning for the past 50 plus years. This community is originally from South Kanara, Karnataka, but are now spread all over India, particularly in Mumbai. The Ganesh idol they install is 17 feet tall. It is at the Kings Circle (Wadala, Matunga). This is supposed ...