My Musings

My younger brother SUGAVANAM (Sai Krishnan) had passed away on 27 August 2016 (aavani Krishna Dasami thithi) at Chennai. One year has gone by, and his Varushaptikam was on 15th September 2017 (Friday). It was performed at Subha's house at Pallavaram. Sothakumbam was on the first day (14th Sept), next day was Sraththam and on the 3rd day (16 Sept, Saturday) was Grekkiam or Subasweekaram. We two, and Arvind, Krithika, Arjun, left on 15th at 0730 AM for Pallavaram. We did not attend the previous day's rites of Sothakumbam. Pattu Manni had reached Pallavaram on the night 0f 13th and she attended it. Sastrigal came by 11-15 AM and the ritual was completed in one hour. Lunch for Sastrigal and Magesh, Subha, Pattu Manni, and two kids were over by 1-30 PM. The cook who was arranged, did not come, so Sudha and Subha had started cooking. Sudha had arrived the previous night from Thiruvanmiyur. Vijaya and Krithika changed into 9-yards sari (madisar) and joined in the cooking...

This year, 2017, Appa sratham was on 02 September 2017 Saturday, at our house 3, Kalakshetra Avenue, Chennai. Avani, Sukla, Dwadasi      SIMHA Maase W e performed it in Hiranya roopam. The sastrigals came at 7-30 and completed by 8-10. Arvind, Krithika, Arjun joined us. Sri VENKATESA SARMA and his brother Sri Venkatachala Vathyar came.  (1000 + 1000) Payaththam paruppu, arisi, Vazhaikkai given to both the Sastrigals. Rajappa 03-09-2017

SAPTHA STHAANA KOILS OF MYLAPORE. The following seven temples are known as the SEVEN Shiva Koils in Mylapore. # 1. KARANEESWARAR KOIL Swami : Sri KARANEESWARAR   Amman : PORKODI {SORNA LALITHAMBIKA} It is located in Bazaar road of Mylapore . Bazaar road is just near Mylapore Post Office on the Kutchery road. He is the primordial cause of this universe which is His very form. He is also the Lord who can teach us the causality behind all events. # 2. THEERTHAPALEESWARAR KOIL AMMAN : TIRIPURA SUNDARI 2nd of the seven koils. Located in Natesan Street - the street opposite to City Center. # 3. VELLEESWARAR KOIL SWAMI VELLEESWARAR     AMMMAN   KAMAKSHI VELLI is Sukra.  So, Velleeswarar is Sukrachariar Sri Sukracharya worshipped the Lord here and got back the eyesight he lost at the hands of Lord Vamana. You can see the statue form of Sri Sukra worshipping the Lord here in this temple. Located next to Sri Kapaleeswarar Koil. Pray to Him ...

# 1. SIVASAMI IYER SCHOOL . Thirukattupalli is a small village in Thanjavur district of Tamilnadu. It boasts of an ancient history, mentoned in Ponniyin Selvan book by Kalki. About 2.5 km from this village is PAZHAMANERI another small village. In this village there lived one family of Sundaram Iyer and his wife Subbalakshmi Ammal. On 7th February 1864, a son was born to them and was named Sivaswami. He had his early schooling in nearby schools and studied in different colleges and obtained his Law degree.  He was a shining lawyer throughout and finally he became the Advocate General of Madras Presidency .He was elected to the Senate of Madras University and the vice chancellor of the Madras University, then the VC of Banaras Hindu University.He was a Member of the Executive Council of the Governor of Madras. He was a keen educationist, in particular of Girls' education. He wanted to uplift girls education.He instituted and maintained a school for boys at Tirukkattupalli, and ...

GEMS of Mylapore. RR Sabha. Mylapore, Chennai is well-known for its cultural, bhakti, historical background. Even today the one place everyone wishes to visit Mylapore for its cultural brilliance. There is that world-famous temple of Sri Karpagambal sametha Sri Kapaleeswara. Around this temple are its four Maada Veethis (streets) - East, West, South, and North Maada Veethis. The East Maada veethi is the location for many cultural centres like Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and Rasika Ranjani Sabha (RR Sabha). The RR Sabha is the oldest Sabha in the whole of Chennai, it was founded in 1929. It is located in Sundareshwarar Street at the southern end of the East Maada street near Lady Sivaswami Iyer School (more about this famous school later). Carnatic music concerts were held monthly twice then, dramas were staged, and music classes were also conducted there. It was renovated in 1958 and Smt MS amma was the first to perform in the new auditorium. Yearly membership was just 20.00 then, and...

This year, 2017, Amma sratham was on 17th June 2017 Saturday, at our house 3, Kalakshetra Avenue, Chennai. Aani, Krishna, Ashtami W e performed it in Hiranya roopam. The sastrigals came at 9.00 and completed by 9-45. Arvind, Krithika, Aditi, Arjun joined us. Sri VENKATESA SARMA and his brother Sri Venkatachala Vathyar came.  (1000 + 1000) Payaththam paruppu, arisi, Vazhaikkai given to both the Sastrigals. First sratham where both Sugavanam and Savithri were NOT alive ! Rajappa 18-06-2017

KALYANI Jayaraman has been suffering from hernia problem for some time now. Jayaraman took her to Global hospital first, then to Billroth at Shenoynagar. Later, he came to Fortis, Adyar for treatment. He and Kalyani came to Fortis on 13th March, Monday for prelim tests. She was told to have treadmill test. For this, they had to visit Indiranagar, they came to our house by 3 PM (13 March), stayed for 3 hours and then went for the test. It was successful and she was asked to get admitted on the evening of 15-03-2017. They two, and the servant girl came to Fortis on 15th, got admitted. The surgery was at 0800 AM on 16th March (Thursday) . We two went to Fortis by 8AM on 16th, stayed there till the operation was over at 10-30AM (successful). We left FORTIS by 1100, went to Saroja's house where Jayaraman is staying. Then we returned home. Rajappa 11:45 17-03-2017

On Saturday the 4th March 2017, Vijaya and I went for a walk around Thiruvanmiyur. While we were returning there was a huge trafiic; when we came near Maruntheeswarar koil, I hit a parked scooter and "fell down" (not exactly fallen, just I sat down, fumbling). I got up somehow, went inside the temple, sat there for 15 minutes and then walked back home. Except for some pain in my buttocks, I had no other problem. On 6th we heard the news about Gopu (passing away), so we went to Ashok Nagar, on 7th we walked to Besantnagar, on 8th to I seaward street, and Giri's shop. Once we returned home, I was on PC for an hour or more; when I went out of the room, Arjun saw me and exclaimed, "thatha, something black on you." Vijaya checked it up, it was a black patch on my neck, below the chin. Horrible. No pain, no itching, only the black color. This was on 8-3-2017. On 9th March, Thursday, we went to CGHS. They couldn't diagnose the cause. They suggested blood tes...

I had two mobile phones one the old Nokia and the other a Windows Phone, Microsoft Lumia 640. The Lumia was purchased in April 2015 and I wanted to purchase a new one with Android software. First, I chose Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Plus, but unfortunately, the phone was selling as a special once-a-week Sale only. Then I browsed further and learnt that HUAWEI the Chinese giant has launched their latest phone. HONOR 6X, but this too was not on Open Sale. Suddenly, on 26th Feb 2017, I saw the announcement that this w ill be on open sale from 27th Feb ( Monday). On 27th morning at 6-15AM, I opened Amazon website and within 5 minutes, booked my Honor 6X phone (Rs 12999.00 for 3GB / 32GB). The very next day, on 28th Feb, Tuesday, the phone was delivered by 9 AM !!! I paid thru SBI debit card (Kilpauk branch), Then, at 11 AM, Vijaya and I went to 2nd Avenue, Besantnagar, JIO store, and got a 4G nano SIM. Free. The store-man inserted the Sim into the phone and said it would be activated by eve...