I want it ever'GREEN'!

If I am arrogant,

please correct me,

but don't abandon me

If I am boastful,

Please subdue me

but don’t boycott me

If I am lazy,

Please enliven me

but don’t leave me

If I am foolish,

please bear with me

and don’t forsake me

Scold me,

Haul me over the coals

But please don't walk out of my life

If the ‘Green’ goes off, then what will remain here...Oh Mother!

If your Big Beautiful eyes do not cast your care on me, who else will!

Letter to my liver!

My dear Liver,

You have been such a loyal friend to me from the time I was born. You have been playing so many roles in my life  for almost 3 decades now. While I was sitting happily and enjoying all the tasty foods available, you were toiling behind metabolising them, and made sure that I am energetic. Not only that, you made sure you did your detoxification function effectively so that there was no toxic accumulation inside me.

You were such a nice friend to me that, you did not expect anything back from me. It was such uncondition al love that you kept doing your duty even when I did not appreciate your role. You continued your tasks even when I overloaded you. A simple thanks would be a gross understatement to you. You deserve more.

Now although we are of same age, because of your over working, you seem to be tired now. I can see that you have slowed down....I can see that you are confused these days. I can see that instead of burning the calories you are accumulating them! It's ok, it happens. Now it is my turn to be concerned towards you.

I promise you I will not overburden you here afterwards. I will give you regular boosters like lemon and pepper.I will give you comforters like apple, orange and other healthy vegetables.
I will help you achieve your goals with the right kind of exercises.
I will free you off your metabolic activities by evening, so that you peacefully do your other jobs, after sunset.

I am sure, with this mutual concern we have for each other, we will go long way together.

Come, bounce back to good spirits!

Yours
Thankful friend 

Modi- the alternative Perspective

If you are also, like me, pissed off with the media's brainwash on the Narendra Modi's PMship and 'the 2002', here have a look at this analysis, I came across.
It is really interesting to look at the perspective that is being constantly shrouded!

http://guruprasad.net/posts/modi-phenomenon-propaganda-or-reality/

http://guruprasad.net/posts/part-2-modi-phenomenon-propaganda-or-reality/

http://guruprasad.net/posts/part-3-modi-phenomenon-propaganda-or-reality/

The above blogger has really done a good case-study and has impressively brought the Modi phenomenon to light.

I really wish that everyone looks at this alternative perspective also before the 2014 elections to understand the Modi phenomenon.

                            (This page is scanned from last week's issue of Vijayabharatham)

Kolu at Akhilandeswari temple last month!

This post had been lying in my draft for a long time now.  A new tradition of Kolu started at Akilandeshwari temple started this year, like the one at Meenakshi temple (although, the kolu is huge at Meenakshi temple).

Better late than Never!

To some Diwali means festival of lights and crackers, to some it also means festival of sweets. All these years that's what Diwali meant to me also. Additionally, it was also meant to show off my new dress to friends. But this year, Diwali became a festival of learning for me! I know its too late to learn these basic things....but I am glad atleast now I wanted to learn these. I learnt to make Badushah (Its called Balushahi in the North), Ashoka Halwa, Murukku and mixture. I also made my  favourite recipe- the Chocolate. Wow, it was very exciting to see that they all came out reasonably well..!

Spent two days relishing all these sweets and sharing them with friends and family! Besides these, I also had the usual dose of Medu vadai, Thayir Vadai, Suhyam.....and the ladoos, adhirasams and gulab jamoons that our neighbours shared with us! Ended the day with that traditional Diwali Legyam (a digestive medicine)! Never knew that I had such great appetite !

Cheers and good going Lals!
Now back to gym!

Sweet Tips!

Its Diwali time! I am all excited.......because this time I am all set to make sweets and savouries for the first time. I have requested my Mom to guide me through the procedures. (If I am successful in my attempts I shall upload this blog with some of those pictures) Chitthi has sent some very interesting tips for making sweets from  'Dinamani Kadhir'.
I thought I will share it with everyone.

Wow! The thought of all sweets is mouth watering- the best part of Diwali!
Well, I am not only preparing myself for making some sweets, but also preparing myself for pouncing on them -yes, I am regularly hitting the gym and dieting for the past 2 weeks so that I am ready for that HIGH CALORIE RICH FOOD !!!!

Chaos at home

There is some repair work going on inside our home, because of which we are forced to totally vacate 2 rooms of the house for the workers to work there. So now the living space left for us is the hall and a kitchen. And that hall also looks like this. (Look at this picture of the state of our hall today).

Poor mom!! She has just a couch to sit, read or even lie down!

In short, my home today looks like a platform in a railway station with so many people loitering around, with so much of dust, with so much of stuff piled up in one place and more so to see my mom lying down in the couch at one corner. This reminds me of the night I spent with my friends in the Amritsar railway station a year ago. Cannot forget that crazy night and fun filled times we had together. My heart yearns for more such moments!

This post is from a corner of this hall !

Out of the blue!

Nothing can match the standard of lyrics and the music of songs from old, black and white tamil movies, for sure. However, in the recent years, there have been some nice songs that touched my heart. And most of them have been from Bollywood. Songs like khwaja mere khwaja, Kal ho na ho, Maula mere, Noor-e-khuda etc. I have generally seen that most hindi movies have one such touching song with rich lyrics and soul-touching music. When on one end, I have enjoyed it, I always used to wonder, 'Why there are not that many such songs in Tamil movies today?!' Honestly, I have not felt so touched with any song in tamil, like the ones from bollywood, I have mentioned here.

However, this song which I came across recently touched my heart so much. Click the link to listen to it. Ennena seidhom ingae from the movie 'Mayakkam Enna'

Did not expect such a song from a 'Danush-type movie'!!!!!!!

Relationships......

WHAT KEEPS A RELATIONSHIP STRONG ARE:

1. TRUST
2. COMMUNICATION
3. INTIMACY
4. A SENSE OF HUMOR
5. SHARING TASKS
6. SOME GETAWAY TIME WITHOUT BUSINESS OR CHILDREN
7. DAILY EXCHANGES (meal, shared activity, hug, call, touch....)
8. SHARING COMMON GOALS AND INTERESTS
9. GIVING EACH OTHER SPACE TO GROW WITHOUT FEELING INSECURE
10. GIVING EACH OTHER A SENSE OF BELONGING AND ASSURANCES OF COMMITMENT


How many ever times I read this, I feel so good. When I see any two people with such strong relationship, I feel great and inspired. That tells me that it is not just theory, but can be practiced.

Main nahin maakhan kayo........

I love this Surdas bhajan "Main nahin makhan khayo"!
When Yashoda Maa catches Little Krishna red-handed, when he is stealing butter, she asks Krishna, "why did you steal the butter and eat?", Krishna says, "Maiya Main nahin Maakhan Khayo...." (Maa, I did not eat the butter) and little Krishna establishes that he did not eat the butter.
He justifies his point by giving explanations:
First he says,
1) I return after grazing the cows only late in evening, where is the time for eating Butter?
When Maa does not agree to this argument, he says
2) I am such a small boy, I have small hands, and you have hung the butter at such high place, how can I take and eat butter from there?
When Maa does not agree to this also,
3)He says, the Gopis are keen in complaining about Him to her and so they deliberately applied butter on his face so that he is caught.
Then, he tries other smart tactics....
4)Little krishna tries to flatter his Maa by his sweet words.
Now also Yashoda Maa is unhappy.
5)So now, Little Krishna shows a little anger and says "tomorrow onwards I will not go for grazing the cows"
Then also when Maa shows anger,
6)He says something which no mother can listen...He says "You are my step-mother, which is why you are blaming me like this."

Now, Maa is unable to listen to such big words just for a butter, so she says, "Kanhaiya, Te nahin maakhan kayo" (Krishna, you did not eat the butter.)

Now that Maa has accepted and Krishna won the argument, He again now says, "Maiya...Mai ne hi Maakhan kayo." (Maa, I only ate the butter).
Surdas ji's play with words (Main Nahin & Mai Ne Hi) is the speciality of this bhajan!

Listen to this bhajan rendered by Anup jalota: Surdas bhajan- Main nahin maakhan kayo

Sometimes HIS ways are so strange that, first He makes you deny certain thing, then He makes you agree with the same thing that too by making you give up your arguments, ego etc. Then He again tells you, "Oh, forget it, you don't have to agree to it"and makes you deny it again!!!!" STRANGE ARE HIS WAYS! But I strongly believe there are strong and valid reasons to HIS ways. 

Malarum ninaivugal!

I had to drop my mother in the temple and go to Ganapathi nagar yesterday. I went through Vibhuthi street. Sometimes, it is really amazing that a road, a board can just rekindle the past so much. As I crossed the 'Parthasarathy hotel' and the house next to it, memories poured in. I wanted to stop and take a photo of it with my mobile camera, for this blog. But vehicles behind were honking. So had to move on.

But those were days which I don't think will ever come back in life. Days when I studied with my brother together the whole day, where we charted out plans for the day, for the week and for the semester.......! How hard we worked, but still with so much joy. Oh, nostalgic!

Happy Teachers day!

September 5 of every year is a remarkable day, I never forget. It is a day, when I take time to thank all those who chiselled me to whatever I am today - MY TEACHERS!

The most important teacher and the best one I want to thank today is MY LIFE, MY EXPERIENCE! I have never seen a better teacher than her. Why Her, why not Him? Well, I have a reason to give my EXPERIENCE a feminine gender. That's because I mostly relate the EXPERIENCE to my MOTHER,because

-She makes sure I remember her wherever I go, whether she scolds me or she hugs me.
-Her thought gives me pleasant feelings, most of the times.
-She teaches me even the simplest thing of life.
And most importantly, 
-She teaches me, many times, the harsh way, because, she wants me to learn it, come what may and that's it!(and she knows those lessons stay longer than the sweet ones.)

I had wonderful experiences in the past years, and, especially in the recent years, when, my learning curve had been the steepest. I have interacted with so many people around, which in turn, has helped me understand my own self in a better way.

When I came across a silent person, I realized, how talkative I am!
& when I met a talkative person, I realized how much time I waste!

When I spoke with an argumentative person, I realized, what a critic I am!
& when some one criticized me, I realized how sensitive I am!

When I interacted with intelligent people, I realized how dumb I am!
& when I met dumb people, I realized how lucky I am!

When I met boastful people, I realized how simple I am,
 but when I met the real simple people, I realized how 'small' I am!

When I dashed with an angry person, I realized how arrogant I am!
& when I came across an arrogant person, I realized how impatient I am!

When I spent time with my friends and kins, I realized what a loving person I am,
but, When I met the real loving one, I was ashamed to know how selfish I am!

The lesson goes on....It never ends and is never going to..!

I am enjoying the lessons! Sometimes , I learn them quickly, sometimes I take a lot of time, sometimes I keep struggling with the hope that I will learn it soon and sometimes I am adamant not to learn it.  But, Life and experience are not that lenient teachers who will excuse me if I am lazy to take the lessons....So I know they are not going to let me move ahead until I learn it !

HAPPY TEACHERS DAY DEAR LIFE! KEEP MENTOR-ING ME LIKE THIS FOREVER!

My vote for alcohol prohibition!

A call from the wife of a young man, whom we know very well for a long time, has disturbed me a little. He has come up in his life with financial help from some elders in the society and most importantly through his sincerity and hardwork. But he has not yet reached any great heights. He is just in the steps to success. He still has the small struggles of life and I have always thought he has been gracefully handling it. Now this lady calls us one night and complains that her husband drinks alcohol with his friends often and she is scared! Her panicky complaint stopped suddenly and then the phone was switched off for the rest of the night! We could easily guess what must have happened there. We were shocked because this person was from a very poor background a decade ago, who would not even take tea / coffee unnecessarily. Even if we offered he would refuse. We have always seen him as a teetotaller! But this call shook me! Why does he not realize that this could ruin his life. His children are small, they are yet to complete their education and live their life. How can he be so irresponsible!

As a neuroscience graduate, I know the neurobiology behind alcoholism. It would start ruling a person. Its difficult to control (although not impossible). Now if he is going to lose all the money at the TASMAC, how is he going to run his family...and his business itself depends on being alert and sane! How will he do that carefully??!

Tamilnadu is a state that has a history of a very long term alcohol prohibition. It is said to have had prohibition from 1937-1971!  Whoever had been key to legalising alcohol again is solely responsible for ruining so many families!!!Once indiscipline creeps in, we all know how difficult it is to set it right again.And now that there is TASMAC, a government company that has monopoly over alcohol sales, the government is fetching lot of revenue from it.

If a nation is going to depend on its running on the revenue collected by ruining so many lives, what kind of nation is it!! I don't see it as anything different from a  mother selling her daughter off for lot of money, to run her family in a better way?Will this ever change? Will there be a prohibition again?

This is just a useless outburst that is an outcome of seeing a well-disciplined boy's family in the ladder of success, destroying themselves knowingly! Although I know it is a futile rambling, I also do not know what to do!!

But I am an insignificant person, who can still say, "I do not know what to do?" But how can some famous writers be so dumb.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/The-underage-optimist/entry/saying-cheers-in-gujarat
When I read this article, I could not disagree more. When he says, there is no point in a law which everybody breaks, I am startled! There are people who break the law and do prostitution, there are people who break the law and indulge in drug abuse. So are you saying that all these should be legalised to prevent people from breaking law. Don't you think a simple man who earns his daily wages, will go for it only when there is availability readily and he is someone who will not fight through to fetch it at any cost. Law breakers are generally those wealthy lot, who can spend money to fetch it and enjoy! If you can't do some good to the society with your writing, its acceptable. But please do not create waves that will negatively impact the society. There are lots of people who respect your writing and so kindly try to use this huge responsibility properly!

I know for sure that this young man am talking about would not have become an alcoholic, if it was not readily available! And, I am sure, every Indian would have witnessed a story like this....a family like this!

I vote for complete prohibition of alcohol!

NB: This is not any kind of campaigning. It is just about my views!

The Twins' birthday

Everyone's house will have Vella seedai, Kara seedai, murrukku, thattai and butter. So I thought He and She will be bored of that traditional food !

Nothing can beat a black and white movie for its quality!

I watched this black and white tamil movie "நத்தையில் முத்து" today. I have watched this movie earlier with my parents, here and there. But this time I watched it alone, completely. I listened to every dialogue in the movie.
I must say for a movie made in 1973, it holds true even today. The way the writer conveys his message of how the economy of the country is affected because of laziness, internal fights and how these politicians use this "Divide and Rule" so effectively and take advantage out of this, is so true even today.

There is this song in the middle of the movie "ஆடு ராட்டே, இந்த நாடு படும் பாடை பாத்து ஆடு ராட்டே ". This mind-blowing, meaningful song I feel, conveys everything that the writer wants to convey in this movie.

The plot revolves around a foreign returned Brahmin boy with broad minded outlook who marries a poor, Harijan girl against the wishes of his mother. The mutual sacrifices they make for each other strengthens their relationship. The girl through her beautiful, unassuming, compassionate character soon wins the heart of her orthodox mother in law.

With this as the main story, the way the writer touches so many wonderful subjects in this movie is awesome.
 - He sarcastically points to the plight of today's politics and beautifully explains the value of being self dependent, which could in turn improve the economy of the country!
 - Then and there he exhibits his respect for the Ramayana!
 - Every line in the movie is so piercing.
 - The "Thathuva padalgal" and the Ram Naam in the picture are so soul touching.

A beautiful beginning, meaningful going and a 'visionary' ending.

Apart from the messages conveyed in the movie, the soothing title music (the characteristic of most of black and white movie), the versatile acting of 'Kalaimamani' Varalakshmi and apt expressions of the actors Muthuraman, S V Subbiah and not to mention the excellent story and direction by K S Gopalakrishnan is worth the 3 hours. No wonder he is called the "இயக்குனர் திலகம்". (இப்பவும் இருக்காங்களே இயக்குனர் தங்கம், தகரம், சிகரம் எல்லாம்......தரமான சிந்தனையே இல்லாம ! )

One has to watch this movie to appreciate it.
Here: Nathayil Muthu Full picture (Click here to watch)

P.S: This is not an intended 'Movie Review'. It is just about my likes. 

Give way for ambulance please....!

108 is a great service! Life saving project!

Years ago, one of my relatives, died in an accident. Also I have heard my Uncle's friend died in an accident ages ago. Probably these people would have been saved if there was an 108 service then. From anywhere you call they will be there within 18 minutes. Many people have died in accidents because of excessive bleeding. If they had reached hospital on time, their lives could have been saved. There are so many other emergencies too that require timely attention.

Everyday when I go out, I see atleast one ambulance making that loud siren. "Give way to ambulance" is a rule. It is sad to see when ambulance is stuck in a traffic! I am just wondering the plight of those inside the ambulance at that moment.

Getting stuck in unavoidable traffic on one side, yesterday, when I heard an ambulance behind our car, I moved aside towards left, but to my surprise, there was another car that overtook me on my right!!! What a disgusting, shameful act! Some months ago, when I heard "Suki" sivam talk on a program, I heard him say that, "Today people are selfish to that extent that when an ambulance is heard, they want to hasten in front of it, and use the clear passage that the siren creates." I saw that yesterday. I witnessed this once in Bangalore also. To all those who irresponsibly do not give way for ambulance, listen...."Think how you would feel if one of your close ones is inside that ambulance. A Life could be saved if you are not so selfish. Every second could be precious for the life."

So please GIVE WAY TO AMBULANCE !

Note: Dial 108 in any emergency - be it a fire, crime or accident. It is a 24x7 FREE emergency service functioning in many states in India. They would ask for basic information like
1. The place where you are calling from
2.Type of emergency
3.Number of people injured
4.Caller's name and number

Anyone can call 108 from the place of accident and it is not necessary that the person affected should only call.

Let us help save a life with whatever best we can do.

Raksha Bandhan wishes!

Happy Raksha Bandhan to all my brothers.
I have too many of them. After all "All Indians are my brothers and sisters " .
But still there are only a few close to my heart, who at many instances have showered their love on me that it is impossible for me to verbalise their care for me. If I think of what they are to me, I can only cry in silence.

On this special day, I want them to know that they are very special to me.

To my brother who shares my joy and grief:
You are the most disciplined brother I have in my life. Perfectionism is thy name. I wonder how you accepted a sister like me! Because of your vocabulary prowess, you wrote several lines to me. I preserve them all, although I know I don't deserve any of them. Here is one of those that you wrote to me 12 years back.

You wrote to me
"So what if not of same blood
 Tears too prove when they flood"

I can't believe now that we are not of same blood!
Thanks Bhaiyya for being there at all times for me.

To my brother who lent his ears to me:
If I have to talk about this one, the first thing that comes to my mind is this, "Have we agreed with each other on atleast one thing so far...?? !"We always used to disagree with each other. Most of the times we spent in arguing! We were from completely different backgrounds, yet we have spent lot of time together in that home of ours where we actually became "philosophers" :-)! Even today though we are far away, when we talk on phone, we get enough time to argue....! But despite our differences, I must confess you are one brother who cared about my well being. You spent maximum time listening to me whenever I was in trouble.
Thanks for being there, Yaar.

To my brother whom I would call 'my mother':
I spent half a decade of my life in a hostel for the first time. I fell sick too often. He stood at my gate always with those special recipes he made especially for my sick self. If anyone here thinks a formal education civilizes people, we must all rethink. He disproved it. He proved that "Education is hardly required to be good-hearted". Today I am far off from him, but when I think of him, I recollect that he was just an embodiment of my mother.

To my little brother who fights with me, but still cares for me:
This is to that little brother of mine, who finds out reasons to irritate me and keeps bullying me. He is still very small, who has to grow a lot, but behaves at many times like an elder brother to me by his acts of care. Till today, I have never shown any special care towards him. But he still keeps calling me often to check on me and my well being.

There are lot more to mention. My blog pages would not be enough if I show that endless list. There are so many more whom I have been encountering in my life ,who have been contributing to my  growth at several points of time. Some have given their time listening to me, some have escorted me, some have spent time teaching me, some have written so many encouraging letters to me which I preserve still and so on....Some are elder to me, some are younger and some, though elder act like kids   ! My wishes to all of them and my sincere prayers for all their good health and happiness!

Truly,
Your Sister.

The green gram instant dosa

 Every time someone asks me, "what did you have today for dinner?", I used to answer "Dosa..." or "Idli"! I got fed up with this reply. So I started looking for other interesting options. I googled and found out this "Pesarattu" to be such an alternative.

Also, I guess this is a nice and a simple substitute for all those dosa lovers. The best part is, it is an instant dish unlike dosa, where you wait for the fermentation.

Here is how you make it:

1.Take 3 cups of green gram (Paasi paruppu) and 1 cup of raw rice (Pachai arisi) and soak them separately in water for 1-2 hrs.

2.Take this soaked gram and rice along with 5-7 green chillies, a 2 inch piece ginger, salt and required water and grind it into a fine batter in a mixie.

3. Add cumin seeds/ powder to the batter.

4. Spread it on the tawa like dosa with required oil. The batter spreads out nicely.

Tasty, healthy, crisp pesarattu ready!
Serve with chutney of choice.
Simple, is it not?

Note: 
1. 3:1 is the ratio of gram and rice. Since the batter can't be stored for long, you can make lesser amount as required.  I made it in the night and stored the excess batter till next day in refrigerator. The amount of batter from 3 cups of gram and 1 cup of rice could be enough for some 16-20 pesarattu.

2. My mom's friend said that in the original pesarattu procedure, only pepper corns and salt are added to the batter (and not chilly and ginger). One could try that.

3. I preferred it plain, however, you can have interesting toppings like onions or grated coconut to make it more interesting!

A Prayer!

"When the heart is hard and parched up, come upon me with a shower of mercy.

When grace is lost from life, come with a burst of song.

When tumultuous work raises its din on all sides shutting me out from beyond, come to me, my lord of silence, with thy peace and rest.

When my beggarly heart sits crouched, shut up in a corner, break open the door, my king, and come with the ceremony of a king.

When desire blinds the mind with delusion and dust, O thou holy one, thou wakeful, come with thy light and thy thunder."

~Gitanjali Poem 39

(Rabindranath Tagore)

My favourite Rasam!

In the past 10 days, I had been into experimenting several recipes.....Earlier, I had never ever been able to make a palatable rasam! However, now it seems like my culinary skills are improving ! I learnt and tried some 4 different types of rasams (Not to mention, this is also Amma's recipe). They came out fairly well. For a toddler in kitchen, like me, they were really good.

This is the rasam, I liked the most, of all that I tried and tasted!
Here is the recipe:
1) To  4-5 glasses of water, add 4-5 cut tomatoes.

Add 1  table spoon full of Vathakuzhambu powder.

Add salt.

Add 1/2 tspTurmeric powder.

Allow this mix to boil well till the raw smell of tomato, turmeric and vathakuzhambu powder vanishes.

Switch the stove off.

Filter this extract and discard the solid waste.

Set this extract aside.

2) Pressure cook Thuvaram paruppu (thoor dal; without salt). Add the Dal water to the above extract (Try not to add the solid dal, since it will make rasam thick; but you can use the dal for something else in the same day, may be u can make sambhar on the same day or simply eat the dal).

Allow this to boil. As you will boil it will froth. 

Keep removing the froth as it boils (discard the froth).

When you have got the required consistency, switch off the stove.

STEPS 3-6 to be done offline, i.e. after switching off stove

3) Squeeze 1 big lemon to the above extract.

4)Cut 7-8 long slender pieces of ginger and add to the above.

5)Cut 1 green chilly in to small round shaped pieces and add to the above. (cut one more green chilly into round pieces and set aside for the step 7)

6) Add curry leaves and cut coriander leaves to the above.

7)Now take a small kadai, keep it on stove, add 1 tsp of ghee to kadai, and add mustard to it. When the mustard crackles completely, add the green chillies in to the ghee. Now add this seasoning to the rasam above.

Tasty lemon Rasam ready !

I love especially to eat the green chilly in the rasam...they are so yummy !

Important note: DON'T add Hing (Asoefitida) to this rasam, it will not be nice. 

There was, there is and there will be no one.......if not YOU!

அக்கா அடிச்சா அம்மாகிட்ட அழலாம், அப்பா திட்டினாலும் அம்மாகிட்ட அழலாம், ப்ரெண்ட் கோபமா இருந்தா அம்மாகிட்ட அழலாம், அம்மாவே பேசலைனா யார்கிட்ட போய் அழுவறது??

பேசாம இந்த பாட்ட கேக்கலாம்:
"Naa Koi Hai Na Koi Tha Zindage Mein Tumhaare Siva"

My all time favourite story...

"Once upon a time in an island there lived all the feelings and emotions : Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love. One day it was announced to them that the island would sink! So all of them constructed boats and left, except for Love.

Love wanted to hold out there until the last possible moment.

When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love, in a boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?"

Richness answered, "Sorry Love, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat and so there is no place here for you."

Love next asked Vanity who was also sailing by. 

Vanity was also ready with the same answer. "I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat."

Sadness was close by so Love asked, "Sadness, take me along with you."

"Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!", sadness said in a sullen voice.

Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so preoccupied with her happiness that she did not even hear when Love called her.

Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder figure. An overjoyed Love jumped up into the boat. When they arrived at a dry land, Love got down and  the elder went her own way. In the overwhelming joy, Love forgot to ask who that caring elder figure was.

Realizing how much He owed to the 'elder', Love asked Knowledge, another elder there, "Who is the one who helped me?"

Knowledge answered, "It was Time." 

"Time?" thought Love. Then, as if reading the face of Love, Knowledge smiled and answered, "Yes, Time...only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."

My motivation to do physical exercise

Till few months back I was very motivated to do physical exercise and I used to hit the gym regularly. But of late because of lot of travelling (or whatever excuses!), had slackened a bit. Now it is getting difficult to fall into that routine.

I know exercising prevents most of the health problems, I also have experienced that if I regularly do it most of my health complaints also stay far off. I also know that this rigorous physical activity for an hour or two makes me feel fresh for the rest of the day. Moreover, I have witnessed so many publications stating the importance of Exercising in preventing age related neurodegenerative disorders....!
Despite knowing all this, ooooof...this procrastination.....!!

But now I am getting into this routine again.....and  I am amused to see what is driving me!!! It is this...

A decade back or even later than that, if someone on the road or someone in the train or temple would address me as "papa" , I used to be furious....I used to keep telling my mom,"Why do they call me papa? I am so grown up"...and all that...

But now...
When someone addresses me as "papa" in the temple or in train, I feel tickled and delighted! Ironically, I am definitely older than what I was a decade ago....But I feel excited now because, it reconfirms my illusion that I am still young and more than all that it motivates me to exercise so that I stay young for some more years......

What a motivation!!! Cheers!

Beyond imperfections!

I like this song for its lyric and music.
Listen to it here: Angadi theru - music by G V Prakash
This is a beautiful song because its about looking beyond imperfections...
I guess many wonders in human relationships work only because of such a perspective!

Happy Friendship day!

There were times when I used to think that in any relationship, there should be reciprocation, otherwise there is no point in continuing such a relation..., but at that time, you popped up and said "no......even if you don't give me, I am here to give you because I care for you"!

I wish I would never forget this precious lesson that I learnt from you ever.

This picture just reminds me of you Neha!  It just reminds me of that soup you made for me and delivered it at my room when I was ill, inspite of the fact that I was angry with you!
I miss those days of our togetherness!

Happy friendship day dear friend!
Although I have many more friends, I think you are the one who influenced me the most, especially because of your patience. And I think you don't even know it :-)!

But now if you ask me, to describe one such characteristic of every friend I have, I can't.....because if I investigate too much, I just end up realizing that I don't have to have a reason to like someone....I just love my friends because they make me happier by just being there! And yes, with every friend, the best part is the fight we had..!
Don't you too think so friends...;-)?!

Thank you all, for making this life a better one!

Happy Friend's day!

Ah! after all the time's not lost!

"On many an idle day have I grieved over lost time. 
But it is never lost, my lord. 
Thou hast taken every moment of my life in thine own hands.

Hidden in the heart of things thou art nourishing seeds into sprouts, buds into blossoms, and ripening flowers into fruitfulness.

I was tired and sleeping on my idle bed and imagined all work had ceased. 
In the morning I woke up and found my garden full with wonders of flowers."

~Gitanjali (poem 81)

Taste of Tagore

Pluck this little flower and take it, delay not! 
I fear lest it droop and drop into the dust.

It may not find a place in thy garland, but honour it with a -touch of pain  from thy hand and pluck it.I fear lest the day end before I am aware,and the time of offering go by.

Though its colour be not deep and its smell be faint,use this flower in thy service and pluck it while there is time.

~ Rabindranath Tagore's Gitanjali (Poem 6)

P.S: Thanks Maya, for this gift. 

I never thought I would ever read Tagore!

Amma's recipe!

I had always been interested in cooking. But I always liked to cook something special...as in, I like to make chocolates, paal payasam, pavakkai stuffed with paneer.....etc. The traditional sambar- rasam cooking never interested me.But of late, I have been realizing the importance of this traditional cooking!

I learnt from Amma to make Pitla ( I see it as a variant of sambar)! I was surprised that my first experiment was almost perfect. Here is the glimpse of the pitla I made.

Here is the recipe. Try if interested.

A)On a kadai, add a table spoon of oil, add 1 table spoon of kadalai paruppu (Bengal Gram/ Channa dal) and 1/2 table spoon of ulutham paruppu (Black gram, Urad dal)and saute till golden brown. Add a handful of Dania seeds and saute till golden brown. Add 7-8 red chillies (or as required) and saute till the red chillies fry a little. Add 1/2 tsp of pepper corns (Milagu) and add 6-7 tablespoons of grated coconut 
(half of a coconut will make it tastier) and saute till golden brown. Let this mixture cool and grind it to paste along with a very little amount of jaggery (just about half a teaspoon) and set aside.

B)Take tamarind (about lemon sized) and prepare extract in water and set aside.

C)Take a small cup of Thuvaram paruppu (Thoor dal) and pressure cook it in a cooker and set aside.

D)Take a kadai, add a table spoon of oil, add the cut Brinjal (1/2 tp 3/4 Kgs), add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, and required amount of salt. and saute for few minutes until the brinjal becomes softer. Add the tamarind extract (from B) and leave it on low flame until the raw smell of the tamarind goes off  (This step took a long time, actually!). Then add the paste (from A) to the above and allow it to boil for few minutes. Then add the Dal (from C) and allow the whole mix to boil for few minutes...Pitla is ready! Switch off the flame.

Add cut corainder leaves (kothamalli thazhai) and curry leaves to the above. Add perungayam (Heeng/ Asoefitida) over the pitla.

E)in a separate smaller kadai, add a teaspoon of ghee for mustard seasoning. Pour this over the pitla such that it touches the Asoefitida (perungayam) sprinkled on the pitla.

Hot, tasty, fragrant Pitla ready! Aaha!

The Visionay Leader...

I read this article on "Kamaraj" in facebook. Wanted to share it here.

எத்தனை பேருக்கு தெரியும் இந்த சிறந்தமனிதர் சாதனை?

காமராசரின் ஆட்சி காலம்:
ராஜாஜி நிதிப்பற்றாக்குறையைக் ... காரணமாகக் காட்டி, 6000 ஆரம்பப் பள்ளிகளை இழுத்து மூடினார். அடுத்தச் சில மாதங்களில் ஆட்சிக்கு வந்தார் காமராஜ். அதுதான் அவர் தன்முதலாக ஆட்சியில் அமர்வது. ஆட்சியில் இருந்த ராஜாஜி,அரசாங்கத்திடம் பணமில்லை என்று கூறி இழுத்து மூடிய 6000 பள்ளிகளைச் சிலமாதங்களில் ஆட்சிக்கு வந்த காமராஜ் மீண்டும் திறக்கும்படி உடனடியாக ஆணையிட்டார். அத்தோடு நில்லாமல் 14000 புதிய பள்ளிகள்
கட்ட உத்தரவிட்டார். படிக்க வரும் மாணவர்கள் பட்டினியாக இருக்கக் கூடாதென்று உணவும் அளிக்கத் திட்டம் தீட்டி நிறைவேற்றினார்! நிதிப் பற்றாக்குறை, அரசாங்க கஜானா காலி என்று ராஜாஜி தமிழகத்தைப் பிச்சைக் கார மாநிலமாக முன்னிருத்தினார்.

ஆனால், அடுத்து ஆட்சிக்கு வந்த காமராஜ் அதே பிச்சைக்காரத் தமிழகத்தை இந்தியாவிலெயே தொழில் வளர்ச்சியில் இரண்டாவது மாநிலமாகக் கொண்டுவந்து நிறுத்தினார்!
1.நெய்வேலி நிலக்கரித் திட்டம்
2.பெரம்பலூர் ரயில்பெட்டித் தொழிற்சாலை
3.திருச்சி பாரத் ஹெவி எலெக்ட்ரிகல்ஸ்
4.ஊட்டி கச்சா பிலிம் தொழிர்சாலை
5.ஆவடி கனரக வாகன தொழிற்சாலை
6.கல்பாக்கம் அணுமின் நிலையம்
7.கிண்டி டெலிபிரின்டர் தொழிற்சாலை
8.சங்ககிரி துர்க்கம் சிமெண்ட் தொழிற்சாலை
9.மேட்டூர் காகிதத் தொழிற்சாலை
10.கிண்டி அறுவைச் சிகிச்சைக் கருவித்
தொழிற்சாலை
11.துப்பாக்கித் தொழிற்சாலை
12.நெய்வேலி நிலக்கரி சுரங்கம்
13.சேலம் இரும்பு உருக்காலை
14.பெரம்புர் ரயில்பெட்டித் தொழிற்சாலை
15.அரக்கோணம் இலகுரக ஸ்டீல் ப்லான்ட்
தொழிற்சாலை
16.சமய நல்லூர் அனல்மின் நிலையம்
17.சென்னை அனல்மின் நிலையம்
18.நீலகிரி கச்சாபிலிம் தொழிற்சாலை
இவை மட்டுமா?
மணிமுத்தாறு , ஆரணியாறு, சாத்தனூர், அமராவதி, கிருஷ்ணகிரி, வீடூர், வைகை, காவிரி டெல்டா, நெய்யாறு, மேட்டூர், பரம்பிக்குளம், புள்ளம்பாடி, கீழ்பவானி என்று இன்றைக்கும் விவசாயிகள் பெரும்பங்கு நம்பிக்கொண்டிருக்கும் பாசனத்திட்டங்கள் காமராஜ் உருவாக்கியவை!

அவர் ஆட்சி ஏற்றபோது தமிழகத்தில் இருந்தது 3 சர்க்கரைத் தொழிற்சாலைகள். அவர் ஆட்சி விட்டு இறங்கிய போது 14. 

159 நூல் நூற்பு ஆலைகள், 4 சைக்கிள் தொழிற்சாலைகள்,  6 உரத் தொழிற்சாலைகள், 21 தோல் பதனிடும் தொழிற்சாலைகள், 2 சோடா உற்பத்தித் தொழிர்சாலைகள், ரப்பர் தொழிற்சாலை
காகிதத் தொழிற்சாலை, அலுமினிய உற்பத்தித் தொழிற்சாலை, கிண்டி,விருதுநகர்,அம்பத்தூர், ராணிப்பேட்டை, மதுரை,மார்த்தாண்டம், ஈரோடு,காட்பாடி, தஞ்சாவூர்,திருச்சி...என்று.
தமிழகத்தில் 20 தொழிற்பேட்டைகள் உருவாக்கினார்.

மனசாட்சியோடு கொஞ்சம் சிந்தித்துப் பாருங்கள் தோழர்களே...! காமராஜ் ஆட்சி புரிந்தது 9
ஆண்டுகள்தான்..! (பட்டியலில் இன்னும் சில விடுபட் ள்ளன). அவர் 9 ஆண்டுகள் ஆட்சிக் காலத்தில் செய்த இந்தச் சாதனைகளில்.....இந்தியாவிலெயே தொழில்வளர்ச்சியில்
இரண்டாவதாகக் கொண்டு வந்த காமராஜர் செய்தது சாதனையா..? இல்லை
"இலவச"த்தின் பேரில் நம்மைப் பிச்சைக்காரர்களாக மாற்றி இருக்கும் இன்றைய தலைவர்களின் செய்கை சாதனையா..?

When I read this I feel so sad.......that we have become so insensitive that we do not recognise the difference between an administration with a long term vision, that will make all of us be self-dependent.......and an administration that has plans only to make us all dependent on someone always.....and make us all self-centred. 

Atleast we can stop fooling us....that our 'leaders' are doing their best..........We need not blame anyone for not being a visionary. But at least can't we realize that there is something called a 'vision', which is not there at all now....and all what is there is lots of laziness which always pushes us to seek everthing for free.....We are so happy with the free TV, mixie, fans and laptops.....How shameless we are! 

Do we even realize where are we heading towards? 

And for all those people who want to tell me that, "It is easy to sit and talk or blog, it is easy to criticize others.....", I have only one thing to say....... realizing that there is a crisis is the first step to even make attempts to solve it. If  we just fool around saying everthing is alright, I don't think we can ever see light......!

The movie on Kamaraj that was released in 2004 is really very touching...depicting his life..If interested, watch it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9RORemfBBk

This great leader, it seems, just had Rs.12/- when he died......Why talk about comparing him with today's politicians. Can anyone even stand near him???

வலிமையும் எளிமையும் சேர்ந்த ஒரு மாமனிதர்!

The fury of Mother Nature.....

(Please click on this picture to read the content clearly.)
This was just one of another shared messages in facebook. I also shared it on my FB wall. That was the very least I could do. When I saw this little girl, my heart asked me "Do I have the capacity to support a girl child in my life?" My brain was crammed with lot of questions and thoughts. For a moment, it was very disturbing. But when I read some of the comments for this picture, it was little comforting....there were atleast 3 people willing to adopt this girl and were asking for the contact phone numbers to take further action regarding the same. My salutes to those great souls....

May God bless the little one with a better life!

This is just one glimpse of the fury of Mother Nature. A lot more are out there.......
I am not at all eligible to help any of them in any ways. But, this incidence only set me into one thought. What if this happens to me? If I end up with no home, 'no one' to possess me....At that time what will help me out...? Will my educational qualification help me? Will the money that I have earned help me? Will the post I hold in an office help me? I am stumped with no answers!

ENGA RAMA!

See that Rose garland that my mother made today! I have never seen a more beautiful garland.....just fit for our Ram at Home. Thats Vaduvur Ramar, Pattabi Ramar and a rare picture of Hanumanji that was given to me by my Amma.

Hats off to my mother who makes such beautiful garland everyday.

Faults could be insignificant.......!

My mom had purchased some Madurai Saris for this summer. She is generally fond of sober colours like grey, sand-brown, mud-brown etc...We used to make fun of her often for her choices. This time she had brought some unusual colours. But still there was one grey sitting in the middle of her choices. I told her to give it to someone else, since that's so sober. But she said, she would keep it come what may, because she likes it. She wore it today, and, in fact it was very beautiful and pleasant, that even I liked it so much. I told her, "Mom, sometimes, your choices are good..".

And as we spent time together, I suddenly noticed that there were some insignificant coloured patches at some 3 places in the saree. I showed it to her. She said, "Oh, I did not see them....". I told her, "how does it matter, anyways you like it". She said,  "No...had I seen these patches before, I would not have got the sari."

This was a small conversation, me and my mom had....but this caught my attention so much and I realized one big thing...

"When we like something, we do not see the shortcomings in them. But if we see the faults, we miss the nice things in it....and sometimes even lose what we like."

And I am glad she did not see the small blotches in the sari, before...Had she, she would have really lost something she liked and something that suited her the most.

Do I have to worry...!

Do I have to worry...
when I have a Mother to,

Console me when I cry
Laugh with me when I am happy
Pacify me when I am angry
Boost my spirit up when I am sad

Do I have to be bothered
when I have a Mother who,

Corrects me when I am wrong
Pulls me up when I slip
Teaches me to face life when I fear
Appreciates me when I am right

Do I have to be perturbed
when I have a Mother who,

Motivates me when I am discouraged
Warns me when I am overconfident
Fuels me when I am lazy
Accompanies me when I am alone

Do I have to be concerned
When I have a Mother who,

LOVES me despite my shortcomings
Only has LOVE to give me come what may

Maa, Despite all this you give me, I worry Maa, that I have nothing to give you... I have nothing to give you...
But you still LOVE me!