My Musings

Ashok, Vijaya, and I left our house on 24th November (Sunday) by 9 AM by 49 bus and then an auto to Akila's house at Valasarawakkam. From there a group of 15 people left for Tirumala in a van. The driver took us via Puzhal, Red Hills, Tada, Sri Kalahasti, and Renigunta. Another group of about 15 travelled in a second van. We carried food-packets from a caterers and we ate the food on the way. We reached கீழ் திருப்பதி by 6 PM and took the mountain road for Tirumala. There was a tortuous checkup at the start of the climb. And at Tirumala we had to search for the Mutt where we were to stay. Each family was allotted a room in the Mutt. We three stayed in R. No 7. Kamakshi, Krishnaraj, his son, Poornima, Jayasankar, their two "kids", Jayasankar's brother, his wife, a kid, Jayasankar's amma, we three, Lalita, Kumar, Janani, Ramsundar, their son, Akila, Raja, Shobha, Anand, Aishwarya, their two children, four from Kamakshi's in-law side (total 30) stayed there. ...

KRISHNARAJ MARRIAGE. Krishnaraj, son of Vijaya’s akka Mrs Kamakshi, had unfortunately lost his wife;   he was taking care of his 3-year old son with the help of his mother and a servant-maid. A few months back he met the sister of his friend and they decided to marry. The marriage was fixed for celebration on Monday, the 25 th November, 2013 at Tirumala. He invited us and his other family members.   He came to Chennai   on 23 rd Nov and arranged   vans to take us to Tirumala. We went to Tirumala on 24 th and the marriage was performed in Kannada Samprathayam on 25 th Nov. Many relatives attended it. We left Tirumala by 3 PM and returned   to Chennai. Rajappa 26-11-2013 12:30  PM

53rd FIDE World Chess Champioships started on Saturday, 9th November, 2013 between the Champion ANAND and Challenger Magnus CARLSEN of Norway. The venue was the Hotel Hyatt Regency at the Mount Road, Chennai. Anand is the World Champion for five years, and he is 44 years old. His challenger is the current World # 1 and is just 23 years old. The younger player was tipped to win. The First Game The first four matches were drawn, with score remaining at 2 - 2. Carlsen won the 5th, and 6th games. Score 2 - 4. Seventh and eighth games were drawn; 3.0 - 5.0 The 9th Game on 21-Nov-2013 was won by Carlsen. 3.0 - 6.0 was the score in favour of Carlsen. The 10th game was a draw; with 6.5 points CARLSEN of Norway won the Champioship and became the new WORLD CHAMPION. I followed all the games except the 8th game. Well played both ! rajappa 1000 AM 23-11-2013

On Tuesday, the 5th of November 2013, we two went to SBI, Kilpauk and returned home by 12:40. As soon as we came home, a phone call from Jayaraman gave us the stunning news that Ramamurthy athimber has died. Numbed and shocked by this news, we two and Arvind rushed to Saroja's house. It appears he had gone to Marthandan Stores and while returning he felt pain in the chest and wanted to rest in Balaji Cabs shop. Before he could sit, he collapsed and died. It was 11:30 AM .The end was so sudden. He was taken to Swaram hospital but they pronounced "DOA" and did not take him inside. He was brought home by 12 noon. As Uma, Bala, and Satya were to come from UK / USA, the cremation was planned for Thursday 7th Nov. Sugavanam, Savithri, Jayaraman, Kalyani, Mangalam, Gopi, Chama, his wife came one by one. We two, Savithri, Sugavanam, Mangalam stayed there for the night. On 6th Nov, Uma, Sundar, Kirtana, Aadit arrived by 11 AM; Sundaresan, Manni came by 5 PM. Arun, Ashok, Nee...

B: 28-09-1935     D:  05-11-2013 Our athimber Sri S.Ramamurthy was born on 28 September 1935 at Soolamangalam, a village near Thanjavur, Tamilnadu. His parents, Sri V.S Subramaniya Iyer and Smt Lakshmi had two daughters Rajalakshmi and Srimathy and two sons Ramamurthy and Swaminathan. They belong to Athreya Gothram; his birth star is Hastham. Our athimber had his schooling at various places in Tamilnadu, as his father was employed in Indian Railways and naturally had frequent transfers. After passing his SSLC Exam, athimber had his engineering   studies and then joined in Army Base Workshop, Bangalore in the year 1957. He married our sister Saroja on 27 June 1960 at Cuddalore and they started their married life at Ulsoor, Bangalore. Later, in the year 1964 he got a job in Telco, Jamshedpur and they shifted there. They have two sons and one daughter. His daughter Uma was born on 19-02-1963 at Cuddalore. Balasubramanian, their first son, was born ...

On 18th Oct 2013, I ordered three books and a case for the mobile phone (Nokia Asha) from Flipkart. They were delivered the next day (19-08-2013 Saturday). ( i) THE KILL LIST - Frederick Forsyth --- Rs 199.00 (ii) THE DEATH BENEFIT - Robin Cook -- Rs 179.00 (iii) NANO - Robin Cook - Rs 299.00 (iv) case for the phone -- Rs 175.00 Cash on Delivery. rajappa 20-10-2013

I purchased a few months ago ( on 03/06/2013) a new all-in-one PC for my use. A HP product (Pavilion 20). The keyboard, the mouse are both connected via wireless and the PC itself is WiFi connected. Its o/s is WINDOWS 8. Since Microsoft felt that Windows 8 had some drawbacks, it started developing an upgrade called Windows 8.1 having many improvements. Windows 8.1 was launched on 17th Oct 2013 at 4:30PM worldwide. It was free for those whose PC had already Win 8. I switched on my PC at 0930 AM on 18th Oct 2013 and started downloading the 8.1 software. It went on and on and completed finally at 2:50 PM (after 5 1/2 hours). It is fabulous and working well. Thank you, the Windows 8.1 Team. rajappa 19-Oct-2013

Venkatraghavan (a) Vijay (b: 07-04-1979   d: 20-09-2013) VENKATRAGHAVAN (Vijay) ,eldest son of my younger brother Jayaraman and Kalyani on 7th April 1979 at Erode, Tamilnadu. He had his school education in Mathuranthakam, Rangarajapuram (Chennai) and Coimbatore. He did his BBA in Coimbatore. Jayaraman and family shifted to Chennai in 2009 after retirement and lived at Vadapalani in their own house. Vijay lived with them. Though he had temporary jobs at various times, he was jobless many of the times. He didn't get married either, unfortunately. He left the house on Friday, the 20th Sep 2013, to an undisclosed destination. As a normal routine, I phoned Jayaraman at 6 PM that evening and enquired about all, incl Vijay. Jayaraman told Vijay is fine and okay. The very night, at 12-10 midnight, Jayaraman phoned us and gave the shocking news that Vijay has expired at Pondicherry ! We could not just believe it. He had died in a Lodge room at Pondicherry...

Arvind, my youngest son, joined a new job at Hitachi, Chennai on 30 September 2013. He quit IBM after serving it for 9 + years, at TTK Road, Chennai. We wish him all the best and a bright future at the new job. Rajappa 01-10-2013

அப்பா ஸ்ராத்தம் - 16-09-2013 அப்பாவின் ஸ்ராத்தம் இந்த வருஷம் 16 செப்டம்பர் திங்கட்கிழமை   நடந்தது. வழக்கம் போல 7 நாட்களுக்கு முன்பே மளிகை சாமான்களை வாங்கிவிட்டோம். மார்த்தாண்டன் கடையிலிருந்து வாங்கினோம். ஞாயிறு 15-ஆம் தேதி நாங்கள்  மந்தைவெளிக்கு ஒரு கல்யாணத்திற்கு காரில் சென்றோம். அங்கு கோவை பழமுதிர் நிலையத்தில் காய்கறிகள, பழங்கள் வாங்கினோம். தூக்க வேண்டிய சிரமம் குறைந்தது. பிறகு, 10 மணிக்கு திருவான்மியூர் மார்க்கெட் சென்று, வாழையிலை வெற்றிலை, வாழைக்காய் போன்றவற்றையும் ,விட்டுப்போன மீதி காய்கறிகளையும் வாங்கினோம். அன்று மாலை 4-45க்கு காய்கறிகள் நறுக்க ஆரம்பித்தோம்; 7 மணிக்கு முடிந்தது. பாத்திரங்கள் தேய்த்து வைப்பதும் முடிந்தது. மறுநாள் 16-09-2013 காலை 5 -15க்கே இரண்டு பேரும் எழுந்து, குளித்து விட்டோம்; ஸ்ராத்த சமையலை விஜயாவும் கிருத்திகாவும் ஆரம்பித்தனர். 7-00 க்கு  சரோஜா அக்காவும், மங்களமும், சுகவனமும் வந்தனர். விஜயா, கிருத்திகா, மங்களம், சரோஜா ஆகிய நால்வரும் சமையலில் ஈடுபட்டனர். 10:15 க்கு 2 பிராமணாளும், 11-15க்கு சாஸ்திரிகளும் வந்தனர். ஸ்ரீ வெங்கடேச ச...

விஜயாவின் பெரிய அண்ணா கணேசனின் மனைவியும், விஜயாவின் மன்னியுமாகிய சுபத்ரா, 2013ம் வருஷம் ஆகஸ்ட் மாசம் 13 ஆம் தேதி காலை 10-45 சுமாருக்கு பம்பாயில் காலமானார். அவருக்கு வயது 65. நானும் விஜயாவும் அன்று காலைதான் பெங்களூர் சென்றோம். அஷோக் வீட்டில் இருந்த போது விஷயம் தெரிய வந்தது. அர்விந்த் எங்கள் விமான டிக்கெட்டை ஏற்பாடு பண்ணினான். ஆக 24 அன்று விடியற்காலை 6-10 விமானத்தில் நாங்கள் இருவரும் பம்பாய் கிளம்பினோம். அஷோக் - நீரஜா காரில் எங்களை விமான் நிலையத்தில் விட்டார்கள். பம்பாயில் கண்டிவிலி என்னும் இடத்தில் ரவியின் வீட்டில் இருந்தோம். மறுநாள், 25-08-2013 அன்று சுபத்ரா மன்னியின் 13-ஆம் நாள் காரியம் (சுபஸ்யம்) நடந்தது. 26-ஆம் தேதியன்று தாணே சென்று கிருஷ்ணராஜ் வீட்டில் தங்கினோம். அடுத்த நாள் 27-08- அன்று பகல் 1-40 மணி விமானத்தில் கிளம்பி, பெங்களூர் திரும்பினோம். இதன் முழு விவரங்களையும், ஃபோட்டோக்களையும் இங்கு படிக்கவும். http://en-jannal.blogspot.in/2013/09/our-bangalore-visit-aug2013.html ராஜப்பா பெங்களூர் 28-08-2013

When I purchased my SAMSUNG Mobile on 2-11-2012, I gave Vijaya my old mobile phone SGH-200. On my birthday 7th Aug 2013, suddenly I decided I would purchase a new phone for her. I chose Nokia Asha 501 the most recent launch from Nokia and ordered it from Flipkart. It was delivered the next day 08-08-2013. Krithika put the SIM no 80560 48545 and we started using it. Price Rs 5000.00. We put a new 4 GB memory card, free offer from flipkart. Looks beautiful. Note : On 19 Oct 2013 I purchased a 'case' for this Phone from flipkart (Rs. 175) rajappa 10-08-2013

Amma's Sraththam - 2013 Amma's Thithi is Aani, Krishna Paksham, Ashtami. This year (2013) amma's thithi came on Sunday, 30 June 2013. Vijaya and I purchased the grocery items from Marthandam Stores, Lakshmipuram, Thiruvanmiyur. Vathyar Samangal like erumuttai, saraay were available in the house. A day before the thithi, on 29-06-2013,we purchased all the vegetables and fruits, and Vazhai Ilai from Thiruvanmiyur market.  Earlier we purchased three blouse bits from Thiruvanmiyur itself.  On 29th evening, Vijaya and I cut vegetables. and made all prelim works. As the servant maid is absent for a long time, Vijay washed all the utensils needed. On the day of Sraththam, we two got up by 4-45 AM and started the work. At 06:15 Jayaraman came with Kalyani. Sugavanam, Saroja, Mangalam, Sugavanam followed. We missed Padma akka. Later, Subha, Magesh, the children, Sudhan, Harshita and  Ramamurthy athimber came. Being Sunday, Arvind, Krithika, Aditi, ARJUN were al...

Shri Ramani  Butter (ரமணி பட்டர்) of circa 1725 is my 7th ancestor. He is followed by Srikanta Iyer, then Sri Venkatesa Iyer - Alamemu Ammal, then Sri CHIDAMBARA Iyer - Seethalakshmi Ammal. This great grand thatha of mine had four sons, the youngest being Sri BC NARAYANASWMY IYER. (b:1864). He married three, one after the other, the first two wives, Swarnambal, Lalitambal both died in their early age. He married a third, YOGAMBAL (b;1819). Narayanaswamy Iyer - Yogambal are my Thatha - Paatti (maternal side) .They had 10 children - six female and four males. Thus I have four maternal uncles - மாமாக்கள் - Chidambaram Iyer, Venkata subramaniam (Raju), Krishnamoorthy, and Srinivasan. They all lived and died  in the Maravaneri area of SALEM town. Thus I may call Salem as my mother's hometown. Saroja, Savithri, Sugavanam were born in Salem. My periya mama Chidambaram had three sons - Narayanaswamy (Gopu), Jagannathan (Jakku), and Sugavanam (Sukku) - and two daughter...

I was using a PC that was about 6-years' old. By May 2013 it started developing "faults". I thought of purchasing a new one. When I went to Bangalore during May, Ashok suggested to purchase a "All-in-one"  desktop. He took me to shops there to see a Reliance Reconnect PC (20" size). When I returned to Chennai by mid-May 2013, I expressed this desire to Arvind. He said he would take me to the shop but we will purchase a Dell, HP, or Lenova. At the shop, we liked the HP model and Arvind ordered it thru his friend. The 20" Desktop was delivered on Monday, the 3rd JUNE 2013. It is good, all wireless, the PC itself is WiFi. With Windows 8 loaded, it looks colorful. Cost Rs 38000 nearly. rajappa 05-06-2013 Broad Specifications O/s --- Windows 8 till 17 Oct 2013; then Windows 8.1 single language Processor: Intel(R) Core (TM) i3-3220 CPU @3.30 GHz 3.30 GHz Installed Memory --- 4 GB (3.84 GB usable) System type --- 64 bit operating system x64-bas...

Our Bangalore visit May 2013. Ever since Savithri informed us that she would be celebrating her 70th birthday at Hosur, we had determined that we would go there. And then she informed that she is having RUDRAM at her house by 15 Veda Vidwans on 12th May and she asked us to come without fail. We agreed and started planning. Initially we thought of travelling via Salem and so i booked our tickets to Salem for 2nd May and from Salem to Bangalore on 3rd May. From SBC to Chennai, I booked by the 0800 AM train of 15th May. But, after i booked these tickets, Arvind told me suddenly to take ADITI also to SBC for a week; he would come to SBC and bring her back. So our rescheduling started;  I cancelled the Salem tickets and booked three tickets by Shatabdi (6 PM) express for 27th April. Then, the Railways announced on April 23 that the new Double Decker AC express would commence from 25th Apr to Bangalore. I was eagerly awaiting for this Double Decker train, so I cancelled...

ARUN SHIFTS TO BANGALORE. Arun got a job at Bangalore and he joined there on 1st August 2012. He left Gayathri, Sowmya , and Sriram at Padur, Chennai itself for the completion of the Academic year 2012-13 Sowmya and Sriram wrote the entrance exam at Vag devi school Bangalore on 15 Dec 2012; Sowmya was successful but Sriram is to write again in Jan 2013. He wrote on 19 Jan 2013 and got admission. Arun paid 41900 for Sowmya and 41500 for Sriram on 26 Jan 2013. Thus the School admission formalities were successfully completed. He decided to shift to Bangalore by end-March and he started his preparations accordingly. He finalised a house (2nd floor) at Marathahalli, Bangalore by 1st week of March. Rent Rs 13000.00 and advance Rs 70000. He paid the advance and did the paal kaaychi kudiththal on 13 March. We went to Padur on 2 March and stayed there for 6 days. His home articles were packed on 28 March (we two went there). The packers (ICM Ltd) were tocome by 11 AM but they came at ...

Neeraja and Ashok performed this year's (2013) Sri Satya Narayana Poojai at their Bannarghatta Road house on Tuesday, the 26th March 2013. We could not go but Arun attended it this year. rajappa 27-03-2013 11:00 AM

PART 3. I covered upto 21 Jan 2013 in Parts 1 and 2. 22 January 2013 -Tuesday Evening we two went to Meenakshi Maal and purchased some items there. 23, 24, 25 Jan 2013 Spent in house only. 26 January 2013 Saturday Pathakota Temple, HOSUR. Morning at 1100 we went to Reliance Digital shop and purchased speakers for PC. Logitech USB model (rs 495.00) for me and Ashok. Evening 5-15 we two, Ashok, Neeraja left for Pathakota Sri Ramar Koil. Savithri also joined us at Hosur. We spent 15 minutes at the Pennai river at Pathakota and another 30 minutes at Sri Ramar koil. Read my blog elsewhere. Then we went to Sri Chandra Sudeswarar Koil also. Had dinner at a hotel in Hosur and dropped Savithri at her house. Returned to our home by 11 PM. Arun paid the school fees for Sowmya and Sriram. 27 January 2013 Sunday CHITRA SANTHE We two, Ashok, Neeraja, Arun went to the annual festival of Arts CHITRA SANTHE at Kumara Krupa Road. Read my blog elsewhere. 28 January 2013 Monday ...