My Musings

There was Aditi Drama at Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, East Mada Street, Mylapore on 8th May 2018.(Tuesday). We two left house by 4-45 PM and went to Sri Adi Kesava Perumal Koil and Sri Srinivasa Perumal Koil first. We are going to these temples after 5 or 6 years. The water tank of the temple is dry, very dry. Once, it was brimming with water. Adi Kesava Perumal Koil Temple Tank - DRY Next we walked to East Mada Street. Since it was very earlt, we went to Mami's Mess nearby, and had bondas. We took a parcel for Aditi or someone else. (We gave it to Lalita-Kumar) Then we entered Bhartia Vidya Bhavan, took our seats. Later Lalita-Kumar also came and they sat next to us. The drama started by 7PM; actually there were 4 bits of drama skits each for 25-30 minutes. Aditi's was the second. It was uproarious, with Aditi shining all the way. God Bless the child. ADITI's Drama Once the drama (4 parts) was over, L-K took an UBER home. We walked to Mami's ...

ARVIND, Krithika, Aditi, and Arjun left Chennai on Saturday, the 9th May by 11-45 AM flight to Singapore. Singapore is 2 1/2 hours ahead of IST and the flight duration is 3 h 50 m. TSG and Mami also went with them. They returned to Chennai on Friday, the 15th May 12 noon. The trip was quite nice and Arjun and Aditi enjoyed. Rajappa 7:05 PM 15-05-2015

PAA - the film starring Amitabh, Vidya Balan, Abhishek, and Arundhati Naag - is a superlative film. Released in Dec 2009, it was a stupendous success film because of the greatest-ever acting by Amitabh, very ably supported by Vidya, Abhishek, and Arundhati. I had written a blog on this film earlier. This (11 Dec 2011) evening we watched this memorable movie on a HD channel. What a film, what an acting by Amitabh. Words fail me to describe this movie and Amitabh's acting. Last time when we watched this an year and nine months ago, Aditi was still younger - she didn't know many nuances then; now she has grown up (!) a lot, she enjoyed the acting of AB, her favourite actor. Questioned me non-stop on the dialogues, but she was immersed in the movie. A great and memorable film. Have you watched it? Rajappa 6:30PM 11-12-11 Tidbits :: The film garnered almost all the Best Acting Awards that year - for AB, Vidya Balan, Abhishek, and Arundhati Naag. Including the National...

We celebrate Kolu every year and this year(2011) was no exception. We started the preparations on 28th Sep when the slotted-angles and sheets were taken down from the attic and steps (படி) were erected. The dolls were also taken from the attic, dusted, and generally cleaned. This is the first KOLU in our new, own house at Kalakshetra Avenue.   With this step over, Krithika decorated the place and arranged the dolls. Arvind took care of serial lights. Thus the Kolu started this year. Guests started coming from the next day. Aditi was ecstatic and excited. 3 Oct 2011 Today we hired a driver and we two, Krithika, Aditi went to Ambattur first. We took the Chennai bypass road to reach their house. Then to Lalita-Kumar's house at Avadi. Lunch there. Then to Vadapalani (Jayaraman-Kalyani). On our way back, we went to Mrs Saveetha's house at Adyar. She is a close friend of Krithika. Back home after 8 hours' travel. 5 Oct 2011. Today is Saraswathi Poojai. We perfrormed it nic...

I had written my first and only blog on KOLU in 2004 - read here . From then on we used to celebrate Kolu every year except for 2008 when Girija had passed away. This year, 2010, we started the preparations on 7th Oct when the slotted-angles and sheets were taken down from the attic and steps (படி) were erected. The dolls were also taken from the attic, dusted, and generally cleaned. With this step over, Krithika decorated the place and arranged the dolls. Arvind took care of serial lights. Thus the Kolu started this year. Guests started coming from the next day, that is 8th Oct. Aditi was ecstatic and excited. UPDATE on 17 Oct 2010. Today (17 Oct) is Vijaya Dasami Day. The day auspicious for commencing education / music etc. Chi Sriram, (2 1/2 years young), s/o Arun is going to school from today. Yesterday, Saturday the 16th, was Sri Saraswati Poojai. We performed it from 10-45 to 11-40 AM. Aditi's books were kept predominantly. Thus ended this year's Na...

This year (2010) Gokulashtami or Janmashtami was celebrated on 1 Sep. Iyers celebrate this festival on Ashtami thithi whereas Iyengars celebrate on Rohini star. The preparations start the previous day; if not, at least on the morning of the festival day. As the evening approaches, the small footprints of Sri Krishna (as a child) are "drawn" from the doorstep to the place of poojai - we are "receiving" the child Krishna. Seedai (both salty and sweet), murukku, Aval and many other things are prepared for Neivethyam. "Uppu Seedai uruttuthal" is itself an interesting task. Aditi was so enthusiastic this year and she participated eagerly in all "activities" along with her Paatti. ”பாட்டி, நான் மாவு பிசையறேன் பாட்டி, சீடை உருட்டறேன் பாட்டி” என எல்லாவற்றிலும் அதிதி சுறுசுறுவென பங்கேற்றாள். சீடை முதல் “ஈடு” பண்ணியதும், அதிதி ஒரு சீடையை எடுத்து சாப்பிட்டாள். ”உம்மாச்சிக்கு நைவேத்யம் பண்ணிட்டுத்தான் சாப்பிடணும்னு” பாட்டி சொன்னதற்கு, “பாட்டி, கிருஷ்ண...

Dear Vasu, I wouldn't say "thanks" to your wonderful comment on my recent blogpost. I know that you, Suresh, Jayaraman, (and many others like Sudhakar, Magesh, et al) of our family have wonderful writing / expressing ability and skill. It is ingrained you see. Only people don't find time to sit and write / express their thoughts. I am sure you and all others would spare a few minutes daily / weekly and continue posting. I consider it my greatest fortune and Sri Rama & Sri Krishna_blessed opportunity that we shifted from Kilpauk to this present house three years ago. It is so near to Mylapore, the Cultural Capital of Chennai and Tamilnadu. Do you know that, if you draw a circle of just 1 1/2 or 2 km radius with the Sri Kapaleeswarar Koil Kulam as its centre, you have - (a) more than 8 Easwaran (Shiva) koils, all ancient and grand. (b) three Perumal koils, again very ancient, and grand (c) a great Saibaba temple (d) two Aiyappa temples, (e) four large Sri Anchaneya...

THE DINING TABLE To designate this piece of furniture as just a dining table will tantamount to calumny and insulting. Multi-Specialty Furniture? Multi- faceted furniture? For want of a better word, let me call this dining table only. We purchased this sea-green colored table in early 1975 at Hyderabad. For a paltry Rs. 400.00, I guess. Then Vijaya and I ran around Hyderabad to get the chairs, made to match the color of the table. We had to try hard but we did manage to get the same color. Six chairs were got made at Rs. 100.00 per chair. At last, we too had a dining table and we could sit around it for eating. But, it wasn’t a simple plain dining table. When Ashok was months old, he would lie on the table and play with us. Then, 2 years later, in 1978 it would be Arvind to replace Ashok on the table! This legacy stopped as Arvind grew up. After nearly 28 years, in 2006, Arun’s daughter SOWMYA and then Arvind’s daughter ADITI resumed this habit. When they were about four – five months’...

ON BECOMING A THATHA. When I was born in August 1941, I became a SON to my parents and a THAMBI to all my elder brothers and sisters. When I started getting younger brothers and sisters, I became an ANNA to them. When my brothers and sisters got married, I became various relations to different people. When Rama was born in 1957, I got a new relationship - i became CHITHTHAPPA. With Uma coming, I became a MAMA. My marriage was in 1971 and I became a HUSBAND. When ARUN entered our lives, I was a APPA. Sudha was born to Sugavanam, and I was a PERIYAPPA. From Vijaya's side, I became ATHIMBER also. My next promotion came when Santosh was born - he started calling me THATHA. Many followed to call me THATHA. When Arun married, I became MAMANAR. I became a direct THATHA on 17 May 2006 when Sowmya was born. And again on 17 June 2006 when Aditi was born. Same individual, but a series of new relationships. A natural corollary of Life. I am glad to be called by different relations by differen...