My Musings

Amma's Sraththam - 2014 Amma's Thithi is Aani, Krishna Paksham, Ashtami. This year (2014) amma's thithi came on Friday, 20 June 2014. 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 19-06-2014,we purchased all the vegetables and fruits, and Vazhai Ilai from Thiruvanmiyur market.  Earlier we purchased four blouse bits from Mylapore.  On 19th evening, Vijaya and I cut vegetables. and made all prelim works.  On the day of Sraththam, we two got up by 4-45 AM and started the work. At 08:00 Jayaraman came with Kalyani and Purnima. They have shifted to Chennaipattinam 45 km away recently. Sugavanam followed. Saroja did not come and Mangalam had gone to Thiruvannamalai. Later, Gayathri came. Vijaya, had finished the cooking by the time Jayaraman came. Kalyani joined her later. Sri Venkatesa Sarma (Sastrigal) came by 10-3...

SUNDARESAN SUBRAMANIAM. 01-07-1937                    03-04-2014 Sundaresan was born at Salem on 01 July 1937. He had his earlier education at Salem where our parents lived that time. Later, they shifted to Cuddalore circa 1948. We lived there for nearly 45 years. Sundaresan had his higher school education at St Joseph’s High School, Manjakuppam and passed out in 1952. Then he joined Tamilnadu Polytechnic, Madurai for his LEE (electrical) diploma. He lived there at our eldest mama ,Sri Chidambaram Iyer’s house for three years who and mami took good care of Sundaresan. After obtaining his LEE diploma, he came back to Thirupapuliyur where our father, Sri GR Subramania Iyer put him in TNEB office at Villupuram. He served at a couple of places in South Arcot Dist and moved to Western Tamilnadu to places like Puliampatti, Singarapettai, Thiruppaththur, Perundurai, Coimbatore, Ooty (Kunda...

Thursday 3 April, 2014. 4 PM My landline phone rang and when I answered, it was Suresh and he gave the most stunning and unbelievable news that SUNDARESAN , his father and my elder brother, had passed away at Dapodi Pune an hour earlier (3:05 PM). I couldn't find words to speak or console him. As per his request, I started calling everyone in the family and conveyed this sad news. Sundaresan was suffering from minor ailments (or so we thought) for the past 7 days. He and Manni were to leave for Thane for further treatment; Suresh came in car to pick them up. As they came one floor down, on the 1st floor, Sundaresan felt unwell, wanted to sit, and sat in a chair, but collapsed suddenly. A few seconds ago he was speaking, next second he was no more. He was 76 and 9 months. We two planned to go to Thane / Mumbai by 5 AM or 8:30 AM flight, but we were told the rites would be over by the time we reach Pune - so we dropped that idea. 4th April 2014 Friday. Sundaresan was cremat...

On 29th Nov 2013, Friday, we received an email from Sugavanam that he has been seeing doctors at Chromepet and Pallikkaranai for the pains he is suffering inside the anus. He thought it was piles and he consulted the doctors for this piles. The doctor after checking him told that he(the Dr) suspected something else - so he has taken samples of tissue for biopsy. PET / CT of the whole body was taken at Bharat Scan, Royapetta for "LUMINAL ADVANCED CARCINOMA (Anal Cancer) has been diagnosed ! This will be clarified / confirmed by the Biopsy result. 75 - 80 days of Radiotherapy (five sittings a week) first will be done to reduce the size of the tumor. Simultaneously oral Chemotherapy also will be given. The radiotherapy will be at Kamakshi and later the Surgery at Chromepet. We were stunned, shocked, speechless. We two went to Sugavanam's house to see him and console him. 2nd Dec 2013 Monday : Sugavanam did not receive the Biopsy Report; so his treatment may start after 4th De...

On 18 Sep 2013 Wednesday, we two went for registration of Aadhar cards. At Besantnagar. Our finger prints (10 fingers) were taken, photo of Iris taken. We stood for over 2 hours at the Middle school, Damodarnagar there. On 30 Nov, 75 days later, Vijaya received her card. And I had to wait for a further 20 days and I received mine on 17 Dec 2013. Good work. VIJAYA : 3369 7424 5360 SELF      : 4991 9929 5519 On 3 Jan 2014, we got the cards laminated and also took photocopies. We went to SBI on 6th Jan and submitted the Aadhar details there. On 20th Jan, we registered with Gas agency. rajappa 21-01-2014

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