Year: 2011

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Pitchumani and his non vadama wife – Chapter 09

‘There is apparently a force in the Universe working towards order than disorder’Seshumama’s speech became confused, his face, left arm and leg got twisted.I knew that he had a paralytic stroke and in such cases, timely intervention and medical treatment are absolutely essential.
When I started the vehicle, to take him to the hospital, one “Ottappattar” (single brahmin) came from the opposite direction and though I do not believe generally in ‘sakunam’, I waited for a few minutes, went inside the house, drank a cup of water and then only started my car. I sincerely prayed that the guy who came from the opposite direction was not a brahmin but a chettiar or of any other poonal wearing caste !” stroke is a ‘brain attack’ that happens in the brain rather than in the heart”, explained,Dr.Rao.”Every minute lost, from the onset of symptoms to the emergency contact, cuts into the limited window opportunity for intervention. Longer the delay in getting the medical treatment, the more damage a stroke can do and the chances of recovery are less.”Dr.Rao admitted Seshumama in his own ward and said,” You did a good job in bringing him here in time. He will be under my direct supervision, though another expert will treat him.You all can go home and relax. The hospital will take care of his food and medicine requirement”None of us went back and in fact everyone came from home and also some friends, hearing the news.
I know that Dr Rao doesn’t like a crowd in wards. So, we all came out and after sending others home, I stayed back, seeing Vishnu Namboodiri, clad, as usual, in his ‘kasavu double’ and ‘melmundu’ and sitting under the tree, chewing pan, completely relaxed and smiling. Well built, fair skinned, pleasant mannered and jovial, Namboodiripad is, in looks and character, opposite to the dark and dry like a stick, ill mannered and irritating, Chamianna. Namboodiri has nothing to claim as his own, no house, no source of regular income, no family, except music and melody and love and goodness flowering in his heart; He spends every moment of his life, singing Sanskrit slokas and Malayalam poetry and katahkali songs, when he doesn’t chew betel leaves, which of course, he does every alternate hour.
“Periase, varu, onnu murukkam” (come, let us have chew of betel leaves). Vishnu invited me . I am not a regular pan chewer, but to do that along with my friends is a pleasure, inherited from my father. For my father, it was a celebration as well as a tonic to remove the stress and strain and also a constant companion. It was a pleasure to watch him slowly opening his silver casket, removing the top and bottom parts of the leaves, cleaning them by a gentle rub on hands and applying the calcium paste, slowly and leisurely as if the very purpose of taking birth in this world was to enjoy eating betel leaves.
Whenever there was a kathakali program around Palakkad, Krishnavadyar used to come all the way from Perinkulam, and as a child, I remember accompanying them to watch the shows.  Both of them used to sit in the front row with their ‘chellappetty’ and enjoy the dance and songs as well as eating betel leaves, through out the night. How content and happy they were, with these small pleasures, I used to think often, when, at later days,  I used to spent sleepless nights , due to some worry or other, real or imaginary, even after obtaining, fortunately, almost everything I asked for, from life.

‎”Look at that coconut tree’, Namboodiri said,”every part of it, the stem, the leaves, the seeds, even the outer shell of the seed are useful to us. When they die, apart from their flesh, the animals leave, their horns, claws,and skin, for our use and birds, their feathers. Only man, leaves nothing useful, when he quits the world”
.
“Be thankful to the Creator for that, Vishnu”, I said, ” Otherwise, we would not be talking like this, enjoying betel leaves; Someone would have killed us and taken away our skin or bones or nails or teeth.”
” Who was that madama, foreign girl, I saw, along with Seshumama’s family? Vishnu inquired about Liz .When I explained to him her background and that she was to marry mama’s son, Vishnu said,”Earth is but a small pebble on the beach when compared to the size of the known universe; the known universe again,a small grain of sand, when compared to the unknown one. We go on making compartments and compartments, within that small place, close all the windows and doors and struggle for pure air.””Are you looking for your antharjanam ( his deceased wife), among the stars,Vishnu ?”‘”Why should I look up, when she is within me and not a single moment passes without her touch,without her smile,without her laugh, within me.Death is not the end of life; but a part of it.If you still wants to believe that she has left me”, he continued with a smile,
“yes, she got down at Coimbatore and I will be getting down at Erode or Salem. Ithoru theevandi yathrayado,Periyase !”(life is nothing but a train journey)
He got up, put his melmundu on his shoulders and closing eyes enjoyed the Viswaroopam of the Lord,”Anekabahoodara vakthra nethram—” kings and slaves, humans,animals and birds, sun , moon stars and sky, everything living and non living,seen and unseen, heard and unheard, rushing towards that huge mouth,in terrible speed.
“What a magnificent woman  Leelavathi was?”, I thought while walking towards the car along with Vishnu, “And she was his only asset, and when she was taken away, Vishnu became not living, though alive, a walking corpse . He could, however, manage to hide agony by wrapping it with with his loud laughter and infectious smile.
Seshumama was brought home after a week and Liz wanted me and Meera to join Seshu family for dinner that night. Dr.Rao with family also was invited.
” I have made all arrangements for the wedding of Ravi with Lakshmi. Give me the matter for printing the invitation card and arrange for your purohit”, Dr.Rao said. “The wedding will be performed strictly according to your customs and there will be no interference from our side”
‘Won’t it be better to perform Pitchumani’s wedding also on the same muhoortham?”,I asked, “because there are hardly ten days left for their return to U.S.A”
“Ya, Pitch’s wedding also can be performed the same day,” said Liz,” but not with me. My short stay in this house changed my thinking, my vision and attitude towards family life. I have decided that I will not stand in between Pitchu and his parents as, all said and done, there is bound to be a vaccuum between me and the elderly couple who speak different language and are used to a different type of living. I will not be able to cook what they like when they come to US and I will not even be able to share their feelings. Pitchu was not born in wilderness as a cactus in a desert; he was raised in a garden. I never realised before coming here that the family bondage could have such an influence on an individual. l love Pitchu now, more than any time before.  We had discussed this issue in detail and Pitch agreed to accept my decision reluctantly.
I have found a girl for Pitch in Meera, whom I feel will be an ideal partner for him. Dr.Rao has already spoken to Meera’s parents and they are willing for this alliance provided Meera agrees for this proposal.. I think Ravi already had a talk with Meera yesterday and her response is positive. Athai is happy about this alliance and she has agreed to obtain the permission from Pitch’s parents.  I am sure that Perias  too will have no objection.
“I have now a second home in Hyderabad and have found my parents in mama and mami. I will come here every year, for Mother’s Day”
”Mera thamaak karabh kardiya, thum” I told Meera and hugged her.
While going to bed, I remembered what novelist R.K. Lashmanan, said while concluding his short story ‘ My old home’.
” Hope cannot be said to exist, nor can it be said to not exist. It is just like roads across the earth. For actually, the earth had no roads to begin with, but when men pass one way, a road is made”
Weather we walk through the roads already made or make new roads, let us not claim them as our own.
‘There is apparently a force in the Universe working towards order than disorder”, my father used to say, “call it by any name you like’
 Bon voyage Liz and happy wedding to the other youngsters !
Concluded.
(Concluded )
Comments:
Hi Siva,
It is very sad that the saga of Pitchumani has to come to an end

really enjoyed this
I am in a vacation in London with my wife to be with my son and DIL
It kept me going
Thank you
regards
ramani krishnan

Thanks for being with me to hear this story patiently.
Love and regards,
sperinkulam
from Vaancouver
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Comments:

Respected Sivasubramanian ji,
I used to read your mails and this Pitchumani story is very nice.  I appreciate your way of writting.  May God bless you as well as the couples you
have mentioned i.e. Ravi & Lakshmi and Pitchu & Meera.
With kind regards,
M.N. Mani Iyer
Bangalore.

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shontha==================================================================================================================
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Pacifying a parched soul

To
Iyer123 yahoogroups
Friends,
Soon after introducing my friend, benevolent Dr. Chalpathi Rao, I feel sad to write uncharitably about the men of his profession.
A co-member of this group, a respected elderly woman, never seen or known to me, recently shared her grief on the loss of her husband which she believes was avoidable had the hospital treated the patient, instead of ‘cheating’ .  Ramu, my nephew, a super specialist in medicine, commented when I showed him madam’s  mail: ” Luck decides a patient’s recovery in such hospitals ” How true but how sad! The hospitals are for pulling patients out of the jaws of death and not to push them into it.
I am releasing her letter, with her permission along with my response to it.
As I do not wish to burden you with too many problems, I have deleted my personal story though I disclosed to her, hoping that it might bring some solace to that unknown unfortunate lady. The kind soul responded immediately expressing relief and raising my status to that of a ‘non blood -related brother’.  “I don’t know how I thought of you and decided to mail you.Though accidental it was meaningful and may be His wish that  someone in your form to console.Thanks again, for I feel a bit relieved”.
An affectionate hug, a kind back-pat or even a benign look or smile can relieve mental pain to some extent.
Love and regards,
sperinkulam
Vancouver
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Respected Madam,
Thanks for sharing your mental agony with a stranger, whom you have never seen and about whom you know nothing.
I too have passed through similar trauma when—-
*************************************************************************************************** –
Sorry, I have been talking too much about me. It was intentional yes, to assure you that you can trust my words as a partner in distress.
Now let me attempt to answer your query:
The past cannot be undone, however we might long for. That, in fact is one of the blessings showered on us, which ensures the continuity of the world.
Some corporate hospitals have become death-traps and the black monsters in white aprons, who squeeze our pocket as well as the life of our kin, instead of saving them, are having a free time and unless they are sued in a court of law as their counter parts are subjected to in the western countries, their atrocities will not stop. The kin of the deceased, in their depressed mental state concentrate on the rituals initially and immediately after that, on the ways and means of settling the problems of the family left behind by him. We do not have a social organization to fight for the ‘cheated’. I am borrowing that word from your letter.
Leave away the legal part, which is cumbersome and time-taking. The immediate requirement is to find a way to heal your wound. For atheists, probably, the issue is comparatively simple. There is no third agency, other than the deceased’s men on one side and the doctors’ group on the other. For people like me and you, there is a third agency called God, Fate or whatever we designate and for good or bad we seek the intervention of that power-source and feel that we are left in lurch when things go wrong.
“Why should I believe in God who did not offer a helping hand when I needed it most ?” was my query, when I underwent the agony, then. That exactly is your question too now. It is natural for any believer to raise that question. Our ancestors firmly believed  that the seeds for what we reap in this birth were already sown in our previous births and the Divine hands propels our life boat. That belief was summer showers for those parched souls.  In a way, they were lucky. They had an instant cooling agent.
For thirty years I did Siva panchayathana pooja and as that did not come to my rescue when I wanted the divine intervention most, I almost lost faith in the God . The pity is my children, who were taught our values and raised in a traditional surroundings also lost belief in Him. Even today, my two sons do not wear poonal or visit temples. The eldest one does  perhaps to satisfy me or his wife. Notwithstanding their overt disbelief in the  Supreme, they are epitome of goodness in all respects, much finer than their father. They woke up from their cradles hearing the ringing of my pooja bell and therefore some amount of the spiritual sediments is bound to stay in the inner layers of their subconscious mind. I am sure, that will manifest at an appropriate time . In me, due to my intense exposure to the Divine influence , the calamitous typhoon did not uproot the tree of faith in God though it did some temporary damage by shaking the branches violently .
As the rituals did not come to my help in time, initially I neglected them but in due course, started performing sandhyavandanam, temple visit etc albeit with lesser seriousness. To make up the loss, I concentrated on Upanishads where I found solace. That unique acquaintance taught me to believe in God just for inner peace and just for that alone. I have now learned that belief in God without expecting anything removes the turbidity in the  mind and makes our ‘manasa saras’ absolutely clean, tranquil and transparent. In a clean surroundings good thoughts develop, fresh air blows and life becomes a flower garden.
I am also now convinced that it is impossible for me to live without Him. I have, however, not reached that mental maturity to trust that He is a part of me and therefore, now and then, unnecessarily, plead that He should never discard me and go away .
It will do good for you if you take refuge under the old saying that ‘whatever has to happen will happen’.It may look absurd for an enlightened person like you but such a strong support prevents our sagging moral from complete collapse.
Also, we lose faith in God only because we expect something from Him. If you can tune your mind to trust him, just trust Him expecting nothing in reward, there will be a change in your way of thinking and the way your life moves.
It is easy to preach so but extremely difficult to practice.If you develop the belief that God is not there to give you what you ask for but to give what you deserve, disappointment can be avoided. Much better if you can believe that God is not there to give you anything at all. He is just a sakshi, witness.
Vishnu sahasranamam helped me a lot to regain steadiness and restore my faith in myself. You may loose faith in anything including God, but if you loose faith in yourself , that is the end of the journey. I have in a recent article mentioned that each word in that composition is a ‘madu chaskam’ and my scholar friend VVR has endorsed my view in his erudite article, which you would have read.The advantage is your knowledge in Sanskrit. You can spend hours together enjoying the meaning of each word and how they are linked. I am now able to forget all my worries and play like a child with other children and sing like other players of nature, the sky, the clouds, the moon and stars. Upanishads and Vishusahasrnamam act as stimulants.
I am not particular about my sandhya, pooja or even about the Sahasranamam. But most of the time, while moving in a car or jet, while sitting in front of food or even while lying on the bed awaiting sleep, knowingly and often unknowingly, the memory of the  Lord appears in one form or the other, like a lotus leaf or a log of wood or a swan floating on clear waters. That is the advantage of our stotrams if you know the meanings. Just the first word ‘Viswam’ alone can keep your mind engaged for the whole day . So is the first word of ‘Sree and then the second matha’ in the Lalitha sahasrnamam. Soundarya lahari and Sivandalahari are life-long joy-givers. Some say our mantrams and slokams will give the expected benefits when recited even without knowing their meaning. May be. What about the joy they shower ? You are lucky, you know their meaning.
Expect nothing more from life, madam. You have received the best of what you are entitled for.Think, sitting in a corner, away from your people . Compared to many others known to you, are you not luckier despite the recent disaster that struck your life? Also just assume that your life -partner leaving the stage, before you, was predetermined. The chain had to be broken and one of you had to leave the stage before the other does. The friend who advised you to admit him in that particular hospital and the doctors who were instrumental for pushing him into the jaws of death, no doubt were to be blamed but nothing could be done about that now. So consider them as the agents sent by Mrithyu to remove your partner from the stage. As I already mentioned, the past is a post ‘sent’ . Try to reduce its impact on the present so that the future doesn’t suffer a stroke.
As a child and later as an youngster, I disliked my elders blaming Fate for any disaster. I labelled them as superstitious. Even now I feel that 90 percent of our losses are due to our ignorance, inefficiency or inability to act in time and in the correct way or due to our ego or the compulsions of our environment or any such matters. But in spite of acting in the best way, when things go wrong, what do I do ? whom do I blame ? my so called education stand in the way of throwing the blame on Fate. But some one has to own the responsibility, right? Who is that someone ?  I pity myself. My less educated ancestors were lucky to have had ‘blind’  faith in the Fate. I envy them.
When the mind is in the midst of such a sorrowful state of amavasaya darkness, there raises from the distant horizon a powerful sun with all the glory of a Heavenly bliss, Geethacharya’s ‘ Karmanyeavadhikarasthe, Ma bhaleshu kathaachana ‘- Do your job and don’t worry about the result’. My shrunken mind jumps up asks, “have you done your duty ? ” I reply, yes, yes, yes ”
“Then why do you look up ? Go and sleep “, the mind says. Simple, so simple
In fact life is handed over to us in the most simple form, no clothes on, no wants except for a mouthful of mother’s milk. We make it complicated wrapping it with more and more clothing and packing inside with more and more wants and desires.
There are many secret holes in the Universe to explore which science is struggling. In no way less are the hidden secrets of our own life.It takes you nowhere if you go too deep into the secrets of life with our limited knowledge. Our ancestors have suggested some herbs and tools to treat our jaundice. Sahsranammam is one among them. There are many others. Choose from the invaluable treasure trove any jewel you like. They are all luminous, they will show you the path.
Thank you for giving me an opportunity to share with you some of my thoughts purely personal. They are not intended to teach you something new or even for counseling you. You have to search for your own path.
From my own experience I can however advice you to concentrate on your children, grand children and when time permits think of the Supreme Reality, in whatever form you want, Sai including.
Live the remaining part of your life. The God has a purpose. Otherwise, He would have removed you from the stage either along with your husband or before or after his exit.
May the Easanan, who is the praanada and also the praana revive you. I am sure He will . He did it for me. Live on the memory of the good days and nights you spent with your husband, rather not on those which are lost. As I told you, past is a post ‘sent’
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change things I can and the wisdom to know the difference
Afftly,
Siva
from Vancouver
P.S There may be some more parched souls like ours in our group and I would like to share this note without mentioning your name, if you have no objection.

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A cradle song in Tamil

Siruvanithanniyile sernrndhuvandha sempavizhom,
Sevarkkodiyazhakan thernthedutha senkathali,
Maanagar Mathuraiyela malarnda kaodaimallikappoo,en-

Maroda sernthuranghu mazhalimozi marakathamea.
சிருவாணித் தண்ணியிலே சேர்ந்து வந்த செம்பவிழம்,
சேவர்கொடியுடயோன் தேர்ந்தெடுத்த செம்கதளி,
மாநகர் மதுரையிலே மலர்ந்த கோடை மல்லிகைப்பு
என்  மாரோடு சேர்ந்துறங்கு மழலை மொழி மரகதமே!
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How small issues give us BIG happiness

Went to the Greater Baltimore temple to say ‘Good bye’ to the colorful, Gracious Gods as I will not be seeing them again for sometime. I am leaving for Vancouver and from there come back to US but go to Florida. The Saturday bajan was going on and enjoyed the last part where the NAMASIVAYA in chores filled the air. Murali Vaadyar tells me that 17th, there is an Ayyappa pooja with Rudrabhishekam, padipooja, thalppoli etc, all the steps we follow in our Thiruvanthapuram or Hyderabad. So, I am missing another sasthapreeti sadyai.
There are not many Malayalees here and  how Ayyappa pooja came to Baltimore ?. Probably because of the Telugu population.  Anyway, wherever we go we carry with us our culture and tradition.
Murali vaadyar also told me that the day I am leaving for Vancouver is Karthikai. I was delighted to hear that. You know why; My first sister to whom I have not given her karthikai gift as an elder brother for the past several years, is in Vancouver with her son Dr. Ramu. I will be reaching her house on Karthikai night and I can give her my gift. Some cash and clothes. It is nearly two decades since I gave her some  ash for karthiakai and she along with her spouse is the longest living pair in our family.  My trip was not planned but it so happened that I am reaching there on an ideal occasion. As I used to tell my children, HE knows what is good for me.
My children are joking, ‘Appa, how excited you are on such a small issue ?’  ‘Small’ issues sometime give us big satisfaction. The four anna coin Appa used to give , after guiding me  to sit before the Vishukkani,  was exciting; the thousands I earned later in life, was only an income.
Love and regards,
sperinkulam
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Thanks for sharing my feelings, VVR. When it comes to finer sentiments, we are all one.
Your Kutty pattar is not a new face to me. The aroma of your appam, pori has reached me crossing the oceans to rejuvenate me and remind the flavor of the past.The God has given you that gift- ‘to touch the chord’ – How great a Gift!
Let me share with you some more . Ammu, my sister,  around  seventy, grabbed the clothes I had brought for her, as if she was seeing woolen jackets for the first time in life ! Her artificial knee caps prevented her body to bend when I handed over the Karthikai smabavanai, two or three dollar notes, but her warm ear drops fell on my feet. The memory of my hugging her to my chest, at the kalyana mantapam of the Perinkulam Krishnaswamy temple, some fifty years ago, when she prostrated before me along with her just -joined life-partner would have emerged from her inner pool. Or could it be the hug I gave her when I returned home after cremating my father’s body ?
“After living with  her husband for over fifty years, sharing his unstained love and enviable plenty, how excited she is to meet her brother  and receive a small gift !” I asked myself, lying in the lavish bedroom of my nephew.
“every hair of our women  stands erect and every blood vessel vibrate faster, when the memory of their ‘poranthaam’  which they left long ago, raises its head.
Our women are great !
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Suttipodal- to ward off 'drishti' or evil eye

Dear young friends,
This is for you:
A co-member of the ‘pattars’ group, after saying many kind words purely out of his affection for me, added a post script to his mail, which reads as below :
“After reading this, you should ask someone in your family to ‘suttipodu you”
Do you know what this ‘suttipodu’ is ? it is a home-remedy to ward off the evil eye, cast on you, or your belongings, action, success etc. Even a good sari or mookkuthi , long hair, proud walk, good singing , scoring good marks in the exam- anything can be the cause of an evil eye or drishti.
”Avalodu kannu karinkannakkum; karinkallai polikkum- her eyes are so bad that they can break a granite stone” patties, old women in the villages used to say.
There is a ‘pariharam’, remedy in our system, for every problem, So, your mother or grand mother or any elderly woman in the family, picks up a handful of salt pebbles adds one or two dry chillies and rotate  that stuff in her hand around your hair or face and sometime around your whole body, thrice, making circles in the air and  throws that uppu-mulakai collection into the burning fire in the fire-wood stove in the kitchen. It will make a put=put sound and with that is gone the condemned  ‘kandrishti’. The intensity of the sound is an indicator for the density of the ‘drishty’ cast on you and absorbed by the salt-dry chilly pack. In the olden days, fire-wood stove or ‘aduppu’ was the main heat provider for cooking and later, when that vanished from the kitchen, only salt was used as a dristhi repellent and thrown into the well water, and in the absence of a well, inside a bucket- full of water.
My mother and even my father, who was otherwise not very orthodox in outlook believed in  drishti and ‘sakunam’.  ‘konthaikku’ uppuchithippodidi’, he used to order mom, whenever he hears from my friends about my achievements in the school or college. ‘On putrasikhamanikku  uppuchithi podu’ he used to say sarcastically, grinding his teeth in anger, when I fail in an exam or someone brings complaints about me-such occasions were not rare !.
The manjal chatham balls which women throw away after removing the drishti of the bride and bride groom when they sit together for the oonjal, swing is a practice followed in our weddings . Arathi with
turmeric water, with which we welcome home the newly married couple and after every auspicious function at home is also some sort of suttippodal.
To be frank with you I don’t believe in sakunam or kandristi.  But my modern daughter in law does. That was how I happened to do that myself, as instructed by her, to receive my two nephews and Meghana’s brother when they entered our Baltimore home, for the first time, along with their spouses, recently. And I forced the young couples to part with some coins which they dropped in the color-water vessel, as per the  custom.  That amount I have kept safely for giving ‘vishukaineettam’ to the kids next year.
‘Why you don’t believe in these ?” I hear you asking. Like wind, I always keep moving while in India and I can’t wait for an auspicious object to come opposite to me every time I get out of the house. And in US, none comes opposite, no humans or animals.
And about the drishti, there is noting in me to attract an evil eye, not even an ordinary eye —ONLY YOU SHOULD BE CAREFUL IF I COME ACROSS YOU.
Baltimore,
Dec 2, 2011
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Dear Sir
As always your postings/stories/anecdotes are gripping and one cannot just read them. Some emotion or other always wells up afterwards. It is very clear that you have earned a lot of punyam (koti punyam, in our lingo) by the actions of yourself, your parents, thathas kollu/ellu thathas. How else will you have children, nephews and nieces doting on you. Believe me you are a very rich man, rich beyond everyone’s imagination with a vast trove of love and care. You would like to enjoy that wealth and pray every now and then to Siva & Vishnu there to keep you with Aayurarogyasowkhyam. My pranams to you on the occasion of your birthday. Please bless us.
Ramani
P.S. After reading this you should ask someone in your family to suttipodu you.
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The smell of the soil- chapter 04

Chapter  4
What a happy dou !
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Chapter 04
“Are there no temples or ponds around here?” Shyamu mami asks.
“No ponds similar to the ones we have in our village, but Temples are there.” Ramu replies, “We will go to the Greater Baltimore Temple this evening”.
“We can show them a swimming pool also,” Ramya adds, “heated pools, I mean”
“Ramya, a top covered, sides covered  water body with almost-  as -was- born men and women floating on the water or moving around , is not what Amma has in mind”  Ramu  remarks and asks with an intended smile,” of course, if she  is interested in seeing, we will take her “
“No harm in seeing once, to know what a swimming pool is.” Swamy shows interest.
“No need,” his wife rejects his suggestion outright and adds with a stern look, “eschew any such erratic ideas from your mind’
“What harm is there?” Ramu enquires, as if he failed to see the catch in his Amma’s admonition.
“Ramu, you don’t know him as much as I do” Mami is not in a position to relent.
“Contain and control “that is all what your mother has been doing with me, all these years”.  Swamy complains, “let your mom be here; I will go back alone to our village.”
“Eschew that aspiration also from your mind,” Mami warns,” I will follow you not like your shadow, but like your kudum[1]i.”
“Oh, mam that is fantastic. Your following dad not like his shadow but like his kudumi, tuft”
” Ramu, that is not following,” Swamy clarifies with a concealed joy, ” that is sitting on my head . Following is less worrisome.”
” Appa, what she wanted us to know is that she dances to your tune, every time you shake your head”  Ramya’s humor rocked the house. Even little Swan bursts in laughter as if he enjoyed the joke.
“Shall I take bath and get ready to go to the temple?” Swamy asks in the evening.
”Dad, this is not your village temple where you walk in, fresh from a dip in the pond behind, with barren torso”
Ramu, recalls his frequent dips in the village pond along with his father, “dad, you remember you used to lift me above your head and plunge into the water?”
“I and your mother remember every small talk, walk, fall and rise of your childhood days.” Glancing at his son and feeling proud of his physical growth, Swamy speaks, emotion embracing his paternal satisfaction, “even while I am left with only an ounce of life in my body, I can recognize your foot steps”
“Thanks Appa.” Ramu decides that he should bring back the old man to the normal ground and asks Ramya to get the parents ready for the temple trip.
“Abnormal.” his father comments, while Ramya was helping him to wear jacket, shoes and other protective wears.
“Not at all, can you visit a Himalayan temple, chest- barren?” Ramu asks, “if you are not comfortable to meet the gods with a shirt on, you can leave it outside, cover your chest and back with a woolen shawl, during worship.”
While helping the elders to remove their jackets and shoes, at the side room, Ramya tells them, “The restroom is to your left, you can wash your hands here in the basin. If you are ready, we will move on to the temple”
“How far is it?”
“Here in the same building” she shows the direction. ”Just a few yards away”
“The toilet in the same building where the sanctum is?” Swamy’s eyebrows raise.
“So what, dad?” Ramu explains,” this is a huge building and toilet is in a corner. Are we not having, in our house, three toilets in the same building?’”‘
“That is true, but in a temple?” his father was not convinced. However big the Temple building is, toilet should be away from it.
“Ah, what a sight!” The elders were awestruck at the beauty of the gorgeous idols adorned with dazzling apparels, jewels and garlands. The wall to wall carpeted, high domed, well ventilated central hall which led to the sanctum, the greenery in the vast land around the building ,the spacious flush green front lawn- all these mesmerizes them .The priests, clad in snow white clothes, spoke politely and distributed apples, banana and dry fruits . There was serenity and peace. But with all that, when they came out, the elders did not have the fulfillment of expectation. They didn’t have the satisfaction; they used to derive in the temples in their villages and outside. Without any paraphernalia, those simple deities, housed in meagerly ventilated, moderately illumined sanctum, instantly vibrated the inner chord of devotion and they could establish a one to one relationship,’ soul to soul ‘ as Swami remarked later. Neither the oily walls and pillars nor the devotional verses flowing from the throat of other devotees diverted the concentration.
“Why was I not able to think of my children and hold my hand close to my chest and pray, ‘God, protect my children’ asks mami.
“Simple, amma” Ramu aires his reason, “you were familiar with the village temple and it will take some time for you to replant your attachment to the new environment”
“What is  it that I have missed ?” Swamy muses, while boarding the car.
” Dad, let me ask you a question,” Ramu turns to his father, while driving, and asks, ” which house do you like better, our ancestral village house or the one here ?”
‘You house is palatial with all modern facilities, ideal for all age group”
“Appa, answer to the point please,” the son insists,” reply this or that”
‘To be frank with you, Appa likes our village house better.”  Mami gives the reply.
‘”Fine, what about you, mom, let me know your preference.”
“I don’t have an opinion of my own.Whatever Appa likes, me too like”
“When it rains, you need an umbrella to go to the toilet ” Ramu argues with mock anger,” because that facility is far away from our village house, in a corner of the back yard. If you forget to close the back door at night,  reptiles will enter inside. Even during daytime, you need a lamp to go inside the store room. There are so many minus points there and still why do you prefer that house?  Because–”
” We love it as we continue to love our body, though it is aged, wrinkled and getting disabled ” Swamy intervenes conclusively, “We love the smell of that soil, in which is mingled our ancestors’ s breath, belongings, memories and our own aspirations, failures, happiness and disasters”
“True, like that, this abode of the gods, despite all its riches does not attract you as much as your village temples, as you are used to them right from your birth and were also patronized  by your ancestors, even before you were born..”
Little Swan, least affected by the talk on present or past, is sleeping in the backseat of the car.
Lucky guy.The future is his.
Comments:

Hi SivaThis serial is good and revels the generation gap between parents and their children who are settled in more developed parts of the worldJust imagine the gap between the grandchildren and grandparents who are used to stay in some agraharm in Palghat !!!!Some of us who stay in Mumbai and kids stay US or UK ,still have some adjustments to make !!!!
You sure have a style of writing
keep it up
regards
Ramani krishnan

–

[1]  Tuft. The elderly Brahmins used to sport a tuft  and even some do.
Posted in B04 — The smell of the soil Leave a comment Edit
 
Comments:

Hi SivaThis serial is good and revels the generation gap between parents and their children who are settled in more developed parts of the worldJust imagine the gap between the grandchildren and grandparents who are used to stay in some agraharm in Palghat !!!!Some of us who stay in Mumbai and kids stay US or UK ,still have some adjustments to make !!!!You sure have a style of writing
keep it up
regards
Ramani krishnan

–

[1]  Tuft. The elderly Brahmins used to sport a tuft  and even some do.
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On dogs, cats and Gita



What a pity! We have come to such a level to refer our holy scriptures to decide whether we can have a pet or not ! And discuss on that issue for days together ! And as if we refer to the holy Books on every mundane matter !
How sad if Baghavan Sree Krishna  had to spend so much precious  time and energy in the midst of a great war to create a master- piece just to tell us whether pets are allowed in our households or not . And how sad it is if Baghavan Vyasaa and Mahaganapathy had to  compose a huge volume of eighteen chapters of a precious life -guide, only to show us whether cats and dogs can be allowed to sleep in our beds or not!
If you want the company of cats, dogs or squirrels or any other animals and if you like them, have them, although they dirty your house, they make you restless sometime when they fall ill and it is a task to keep them hygienic to prevent their polluting your home, food, kids and beds. But if you have facilities to maintain them, go ahead happily.  Why bother the scriptures on this trivial issue ? It is your need, it is your home and it is your potentiality to be taken into account and not what Vedam said or Puranams said.  Those valuable volumes are not animal guides !
A well- wisher asked me, ‘most of the time you live alone in a big house . Why don’t you have a dog ?’
I replied :
1. I may be alone but I am never lonely. I have my books, my music, my computer, sky,clouds, trees, birds, poetry, dreams and above all my Krishna’s flute in the vrindavanam of my heart, to keep me busy through the day and the divine angle, sleep, to embrace and engage me through night.
2. I have people near and far to love me and to be loved by me.
3.. I do not want to create a new relationship, develop attachment for that creature, cat, cow or dog and mourn when it falls sick or dies, especially at an age when I should try to withdraw my mind within, as a tortoise withdraws its head towards its inner body..
4. While going for a walk in the morning or evening I would like to be free, look at the sun rise or sunset or the trees, flowers, birds or animals or sometime even at lovely women faces or kids playing or women fighting.  A dog pulling me towards it or me pulling it towards me or I keeping a watch when it raises its hind leg and where it raises etc are totally unwanted botheration.
and
5. If a burgler enters my house at night, he has to go disappointed as I have nothing which attracts him, such as  gold, silver or cash . My book Almira, dining table, wardrobe and other furniture are so heavy that four hefty men are required to carry each of them.
Now, some stories to keep you in good mood:
Our Payiakka (given name Baagheearathi, what a beautiful name ) my wife’s patti  did not leave her Vaikom puthan madam for nearly 20 years because she had a cow to look after and she was so much attached to the animal that she didn’t trust the neighbors to take care of it, in her absence.
Another relative had a colony of 3-4 generation of cats, all roaming about in their house, dirtying every corner. Their attachment to the cats was so deep that when they were in search of daughter in law it was not gotram or nakshtram that came for consideration first, but it was cats. Yes, you will not believe it . They were looking not for horoscope matching but for cat-matching. The girl should like cats ! And they did find a family who were equally fond of cats though their colony was less populated, only 16 .
Another relative, a widower and retiree, who was living alone, had a dog .
‘Intha vayassukalathilae enthukku ithai kettikkindu azhareer? Why this animal in your old age ?’ I asked him
‘kettikkindu azharathukku than. Nan millalae ponal ivan ennaikettikkindu azhuvan; illai ivan ponal nan kettikkindu azhuvaen. This dog will morn me if I predecease him and vice verse ”
Unfortunately that old relative of mine, unlike me, had none to call him or call on him from near or far..Once upon a time, his house, like mine, resembled a kalyanamantapam, wedding hall !
Now refer to Bagavath Gita, if you have finished reading to the last line. That exactly is what that sacred book is meant for.
Baltimore,
Nov. 29 2011
Comments:

Dear Siva,
Namaskarams.  What a beautiful article ! I would like to read millions
of such articles from you!      My earlier wish gets reinforced that
you should continue in your inimitable style for centuries to come!
Now I pray for myself that I should live long for that!
Love
KVG
--
न कर्मणा न प्रजया धनेन त्यागेनैके अमृतत्वमानशु:|
परेण नाकं निहितं गुहायां विभ्राजते यद्यतयो विशन्ति||
कृष्णेति मंगलम् नाम यस्य वाचि प्रवर्तते |
भस्मीभवन्ति तस्याशु महापातककोटयः ||
കൃഷ്ന്നെതി  മംഗളം  നാമ  യസ്യ  വാചി  പ്രവര്‍ത്തതേ
ഭാസ്മീഭവന്തി  തസ്യാശു  മഹാപാതകകൊടയ:   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEAR  SIR, PRANAMS  TO  YOU YOUR  ARTICLE  IS  FANTASTIC  AND  REALLY  WONDERFUL  AND  HAD  TRIGGERED  MY  INNER  BEING  TO  WHAT  MEANINGFULNESS  YOUR  ARTICLE  HAD  CARRIED

 WHAT  YOU  HAVE  MENTIONED  ARE  ABSOLUTE  FACTS.  IF  A  PERSON  HAS  TIME  AND  CONVENIENCE  AND  PEOPLE  TO  CARE  OF THESE  PETS  IT MAY  BE  WORTH  HAVING.  OTHERWISE  NO.
 
WHEN  COMPANY  OF  BOOKS, SPIRITUAL  MATTERS ,  DAILY  WALKS  AND  ENJOYING  THE  SUNRISE  AND  SUNSET  HAD  OCCUPIED  YOUR  TIME  WHY UNENNECESSARILY  BOTHER.  AS  RIGHTLY  TOLD  BY  YOU  THERE  IS  NO  NEED  TO  REFER  THE  SCRIPTURES FOR  TAKING  CRE  OF  PETS

REGARDS

B.HARIHARAN
 

-
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My Birthday

 
Vrichika masam Hastha nakshatram, according to my friend Murali vaadyar, is tomorrow ie on 21st Nov.. My children have arranged for a Rudrabhiskekam in the Greater Baltimore temple, tomorrow evening , for my 75th birthday. My 70th birthday also was remembered with a Rudrabhishekam in the same temple. I have two English dates of birth, one on 15th October, official in all records and the other, 7th December, actual, as per the date I landed, head down, on the floor or pullu pulpai or a bed sheet or a kambili, in the Ittikombi atchan’s  kottaram (!!!) at Kalpathy, where my thatha, mother’s appa was permitted to live, considering his contributions to the Kasi Viswanatha swamy temple, which was under the custody of the Palakkad Raja vamsam.
At the time of admission in the onnam class (first standard at the Padathu Ele. school Olavakkode, Pankunni Menon  head master asked Appa for my date of birth and Appa told him
‘Ezuthikkolu masteai ‘ and provided a rough date or month, as there was no birth certificates then. This ‘ ezuthikkolu’ resulted in loosing some two months service and resulting pension benefits. That was not much. The real problem came  when I had to obtain a birth certificate or a certificate to the effect that ‘no records available’ from the Palakkad corporation, when my children had to apply for my Green card, on which they were particular and I was not . They are anxious that I should stay with them, when I advance in age and all my ‘ottams and chattams’ come to an end .
I don’t know how long this ‘ottam and chattam’ will continue and even if it continues for another day, I am thankful to the God.
Now, the purpose of this letter is exclusively to express my heart-felt thanks to each and every one of you in the Pattars group, where my first article,’ the Haridwar kids’ appeared and in the Iyer 123  forum in which I am an active participant for the past several years. The Thatha patty group, I joined much later but I have some good friends there too.  My biggest achievement and benefit is that I have a large number of net friends now all over the world, some write to me often, many know me by my name. I have met only a handful of them. For some I am appa, thatha, anna etc. The biggest award for me was, when a Perinkulam mama, whom I met for the first name during the car festival last year, told me after the installation of a laminate board inscribed on with my ‘Namami nithayam Navneetha Krishnam’ navakam on the front wall of the temple, that Perinkulam has become famous because of me, among the Palakkad Iyers..
The purpose of this letter is also to apologize to those whom I have hurt intentionally or unintentionally, through my posts and rejoinders. I have a habit of fighting for what I stand for. Many times it has boomeranged on me . Take my ’tishum-tushum’ lightly please. No ill will, no harsh thinking and the moment I click the ‘send’ button, I forget the contents. I am honest in this statement.
My blog which I started for a fun has now grown into a big tree. You and you alone are responsible for the growth of that tree in my ‘muttam’, court yard. My children wants to see my articles in book form, during my life time. If their dreams materialize, the credit again goes to you and you alone, my dear friends.
May the Karuna kataksham of Ambal be always on you and me.

Sarve bhavantu sukhinah= may everyone be happy, said our ancestors. Fine, let every one be happy!
Sarve santu niramayah= may everyone be free from all diseases. that too fine. How can we be happy if we are not healthy?
Sarve bhadrani pashyantu = may every one see goodness and auspiciousness in every thing- oh, what an anxiety for the good old thathas to ensure that we live happily and others too live happily.
Not only that,
Ma kaschit duhkha bhaag bhaveet- may none be unhappy or distressed- none should suffer, none should be unhappy . ‘Kozhandakal nannirukkanumae, Bagahvanae’  Don’t you hear that prayer from the depth of your thathas and patties in this universal prayer ? After praying for the happiness of EVERYONE, our forbears want to reemphasize that none should suffer, none should be unhappy
And after such a prolong, sincere prayer, our thathas say, Om shantih, shantih, shantih-Om peace, peace, peace!
The very essence of our cultural heritage is encapsulated in this single sooktham.
We may not be able to follow the foot steps of our ancestors in many respects. Our present way of life, our circumstances, our surroundings and several other factors are not often conducive for us to walk the path they paved . But at least let us follow them in their prayer at least,  for the happiness of every one.
There were nearly twenty long-distance trains passing through the Olavakkode Junction, now Palakkad, during night hours and invariably some one or the other from the nearby villages used to knock at our door, which was close to the Rly. stn,  after seeing off or receiving their relatives. My parents  used to receive them with a smile at those odd hours and give them food , rice or snacks and coffee.
“Nammal evalukku seithal, namma kozhanthakal nalaiikku kazhtapadamaatta’ . If we serve them today, our children will not suffer tomorrow”, they used to say.
Today, when my children, not only my own but my nephews and nieces too, look after me with so much care and consideration, showering all the affection and love on me, I think of that loving couple.
Have I taken too much of your time ? Pardon me friends. We are after all one family .
Good night and all the best
Love and regards,
sperinkulam
Baltimore,
Nov 20, 2011
———————————————————————————————–
Dear friends,
It was a memorable birthday with a million bouquets from you in the form of warm wishes, right from your heart, no thorns, no pollution. I have thanked you individually and if by oversight, have missed any, ‘Aparatham kshamswa,kshamaswa”.
” More birthdays you have, longer you live” says VVR, in his unique style. yes, I wish to have more birthdays so that I can receive more of your bouquets soaked in love, unstained. I wish to have more birthdays so that I can receive more lovely greeting cards, self-made by the little hands of my grand children and other kids nearby, addressed to ‘thata’, ‘dadu’ ‘grand pa’ all me. They have spent two or three hours, when I was away or under a nap, to scribble on a piece of paper with a colour pencil, either ‘dear thatha, I love you, happy birthday’ or simply,  ‘ dadu, happy birthday’ or just a few pencil marks, sketched here and there, drawn aimlessly but with a great aim in mind and to decorate that paper as well as the envelope for that with studs, stones or simple colour codes. I wish to live more birthdays so that my sons and daughters, sons in law and daughters in law of the family,  brother and sisters, their sons and daughters and their spouses , sambandhies and their relatives – they all or some of them, call me if they are away and convey their greetings and seek my blessings as  I am the eldest member which has over-grown and spread beyond the borders of the country.
Living long is no doubt a blessing, as long as our kin also live longer and our brain and facilities obey us. I cursed the God when he took away my aged father but I thanked Him for the same action, when subsequently I lost a sister. Our spouses and children should never precede us in leaving the world. if it happens, living becomes a curse.
I am blabbering; let me take you to the Rudrabhishekam in the Greater Baltimore Temple, last evening. Sri.Joshiji from Haridwar performed the abhiskam, in the absence of Murali Vadyaar and I could recite  Rudram, chamakam  and sookthams almost in unison with the him despite his soft voice and  variation in intonation . Those who are used to the Iyer style of  high pitch chanting, will not be comfortable with the North Indian Panditjis or Namburdithiries, whose voice is audible only to whom it is intended for, the God. Similarly those who are used only to the temples of the southern states, may not be comfortable with the shrines here as well as those in the other parts of our country.
But for the small gopuram, the GB Temple, outwardly looks like a school or any other building. The ‘sanctum’ which you will see across, straight at the other end, when you enter the wall-to wall carpeted hall is nothing but a raised platform, just two-steps-high, where the idols are installed on separate 2 feet high pedestals. On the left is the Lingam where abhishekam is performed, next ‘ashtow bujanghi’, then Sree Rama with Sita and Laxmanan, then Radha and Krishnan and at the right extreme Venkitachalpathy. Nandi and garuda await at the sannidhies of the Lingeswara and venkiteswara respectively. Two steps below to your left is Govardhan Dwarakesh and to the right  Kumarswamy. There are two rooms on the sides of the hall, where the  idols of Mahaganpathy, Sarswathy, Padmavathy, Sri Laksmi , Anjaneya and jain theethankaras  are installed.
Most of the idols are in match-less , snow – white  marbles, sweetly smiling, artistically and colorfully attired, elaborately ornamented, glistening and graceful. It is indeed very pleasing to see them . The premises inside and outside are meticulously maintained. The two purohits, Joshiji and Murali vaadyar are learned, well versed in scriptural knowledge, wear neat dress and wear them well, talk politely and treat the devotees courteously.
I prayed, as my mother used to pray, ‘ellarum nammarikkattum- let every one be happy’. It is not that I do not have individual requirements to seek from the God . I am not a sanyasi who has left every thing and in fact I have left nothing though the most precious asset in my life has left me. But somehow or other I do not feel asking anything from the God. The reason could be the firm belief that He gives me what I NEED and NOT WHAT I DESIRE. Desire is endless; needs are not.
And just one more prayer I had-don’t laugh at me That was, “Orikklaum hridayathinnozinju pokaruthea Nee!’ -YOU should never go away from my heart !”
Funny, is isn’t ? Not so. I will come to that next.
Love and regards,
sperinkulam
Baltimore
Nov 22, 2011

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Let me enjoy today's festival

Alas, the lovely yellow Dahlia, humbled by the maiden snow pellets never woke up. She had the look of a bride awaiting her partner under the shade of the nuptial solitude, just a few days before. The single dahlia brightened the entire deck area and its beauty spilled over the dining hall penetrating through the glass partition-door. That overflow of calmly beauty was a festival.
I loved the fall of white pellets of snow when they rained from the sky like little angels. Why did they kill a flower, I wonder. Flowers are not to be killed. They should fade on their own. when their time is up.
I am sad, I am dispirited.
Hei, wait a minute; look around. look at these cheerful cherry and maples, paling pines and oaks.  It is as if one has stood high up in the sky, hiding behind the clouds, smiling mischievously and poured buckets full of colored water, over all the trees , everywhere in the garden , on the borders of the highways, in parks, in boulevards, in bushes and in small forests around here. What a color display ! Golden yellow, dazzling orange, pleasing purple with gorgeous green in between ! How could the Nature wrap so many trees with so many apparels of unbelievably absorbing colors, so generously, so artistically and in such a short time !
And the maple right across my window is fully soaked in a vibrant vermillion velvety solution !
I wish this colour show lasts for ever !
How foolish I am to expect a show to last for ever ! Shows never last. A few days before these multi-colour magic was not there and in a few days now on, that will cease to exist. Then the entire leaf-wealth of the trees will dry, shrink, shiver and shed on the mother earth and get dissolved in her bosom.
I am sad; I am dispirited.
Hai,  wait a minute. the leaves will come again; they will, I assure you. They will take a rebirth, bloom on the tree, rejuvenate her, enchant the birds, entertain the bees and elevate the spirit of the wind that will embrace. But when they come again, the same colors will not adorn them. But how does it matter ? When the next fall arrives, the naughty boy there high up in the sky, hiding behind the clouds will lavish these foliage with lovely colors again! What is there to worry ?
I am not sad; I am not dispirited. I am enjoying today’s  festival.
Baltimore. Nov 9, 2011
Copy right fully with the author

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Eakam sat vipra bahuda vadanthi

Friends,

Sometime ago when, in one of my posts, I mentioned Sree Aanjaneyaswamy as a mahayogi, my respected senior Brahmashri. ————- was not happy. I was wondering why.
After all,  Hanuman, though had no wings, could fly across  a vast ocean like a huge bird, shrink his body to the size of his thumb and enter  the mouth of a woman, come out of her interior without a bruise, then bring his body to its original size, all this, while crossing the sea, then return with his long tail fully torched but without getting a burn, again cross the waters carrying  a mountain and return with the mountain to place it back at the original place ! If not a yogi who could do such wonders ?
In the recent two posts Sri. —– is repeatedly calling Hanuman as an Ape -God (he was an ape and he was a god no doubt, but when you repeatedly mention him by that name, it doesn’t sound respectable; and Hanuman was a respectable living being ). Anna also ridicules that by worshiping Hanuman, we are only paying him a bribe seeking his  ‘siparsai’ or recommendation to approach Lord Sree Rama.
Something has definitely gone wrong between the master scholar and the master monkey.  Obviously the vadai-malai for the vaal of the Suchindram Mruthi has not worked !
In Vaarnasi, there is a famous Hanuman temple. In fact there are temples for Hanuman all over India and in Andra  pradesh, every other rock you see in the open will have a red-painted -idol of the monkey- god carved in it. People worship with great bakthi and when they do it, not a single Hindu consider their worship as a bribe for a ‘siparsai’ . Even an illiterate Hindu widow in a remote village, who has zero knowledge in scriptures or epics other than the story of Ramayanam heard from her mother during her childhood, knows the importance of Hanuman and worship him purely due to devotion and not for ‘siparsai’. That does not mean that she worship only Hanuman.
As popular as Hanuman, is the Hanuman chalisa, especially in the northern part of our country. It stands on the same pedestal of our Narayaneeyam or Adyathma Ramyanam in Kerala. My daughter in law, a Palakkad Iyer girl, raised in Lucknow, observes fasting during the Navarathry  when she reads Chalisa during all the nine days with utmost bakthi. In the Greater Baltimore temple here , we had a mass recitation and in one of my articles I have mentioned about it. Hanuman is not the main deity there .
Chalisa is a revered religious book and it is not to be condemned as some one’s  dreamed- up product.
Now, coming to the role of Hanuman in the great epic, I consider that the most important character after Sree Rama is not Baratha or Ravana or even Sree Sita . It is Hanuman; yes it is the ‘Ape- God’. Valmiki introduces him in the Aaranya kantam , allots a full kantam out of the total six, for him and in the Yudha kantam, he is shown at the peak of his glory when he saves the life of Lakshmana and later that of Bharatha, another brother of his master.
No one is as big as Hanuman in the Sowndarya kantam. Valmiki is lavish in his narration of this character. His poetic imagination fully blossoms in this kantam and it is a verbal feast , every slokam, flying like a peacock in its full colours or swimming like a swan in its pristine purity. The glory of the hero of the kantam is sung right from the from the second slokam :
துஷ்கரம் நிஷ்பதித்வன்த்வம் சிகீர்ஷன்கர்ம வானர:
ஸமுதக்ர சிரோக்ரீவோ கவாம் பதிரிவாபபௌ
Meaning:பிறரால் செய்ய முடியாததும் நிகர்ற்றதுமான காரியத்தை செய்ய விரும்பி ஸ்ரீ ஹனுமார் கழுத்து தலை இவைகளை உயர த்தூக்கி பசுக்களின் கூட்டத்தில் நிமிர்ந்த தலையுடன் நிற்கும் காளை போல் விளங்கினார் . Keeping his head and neck straight and high, Hanuman stood like a bull among the crowd of cows, ready to perform a unique task which none else could do. (What a beautiful simile !.Many times, I remember Kalidasa, while reading Sundara kantam )
Rama was a king, without a crown or a kingdom or even an army. Hanuman, maneuvered and  made available and placed at the disposal of Rama a mighty army which could construct a bridge across the sea and conquer the enemy. In the entire plethora of divine characters in our epics, there is none to supersede Hanuman, in wisdom, physical strength, mental power to think cool, act swiftly, advice aptly and talk intelligently . And no other assistant could  serve his master as efficiently and faithfully as Hanuman did.
Now coming to the statement that “he was a fellow-Raama-bhaktha, along with us. And a marvelous one ”-What is there to worship in a fellow -disciple? Swamy sarnam. No answer!
But let me tell you that the  worship of Hanuman is sanctioned by no less a  scripture than ‘Skantham’ . Here is the procedure suggested before doing the paaraayanm ie  reading seven sargams, chapters from the Sundarakantam every day, to achieve the required result. My attempt is only to show that Hanuman worship is sanctioned. Whether you worship him or not is not my concern. I do. That does not mean that I worship only him .
“ஸ்ரீ ஸ்காந்தத்தில் ஸ்ரீ சுந்தரகாண்ட மாஹாத்ம்யம் – ஸப்த ஸர்க பாராயண  க்ரமம் – Sundarakanta maahatmyam- Saptha sarga parayana kramam as given in skaantham:
ஒரு நல்ல நாளில் விதிவத்தாய்   ஸங்கல்பித்து ஸ்ரீ ராமர், ஸ்ரீ சீதை, ஸ்ரீ லக்ஷ்மணர்,  ஸ்ரீ ஆஞ்சநேயர்  இவர்களின் பிரதிமைகளை சக்திக்கு தகுந்தபடி ஸ்வர்ணத்தாலோ, வெள்ளியாலோ, தாம்ப்ரத்தாலோ செய்து முறைப்படி பிரதிஷ்டை செய்து  பூஜிக்கவேண்டும் . இவைகளை செய்ய அவகாசம் இல்லாவிடில்  கூற்ச்திலாவது பிரதிஷ்டை செய்து பூஜிக்க வேண்டும்”
On an auspicious day, the idols of Sree Rama, Sree Sita, Sree Lakshmana and Sree Anjaneyar are to be properly installed as per the prescribed method ( dhyana, aavhanam etc) and worshiped. These idols can be of gold, silver or copper and if there is no facilities for installing  idols, the pradishtai can be done on ‘koortcham’
“பாராயணத்துக்கு முன் தியானம் செய்ய வேண்டிய ஸ்தோத்ரம்கள் : Stotras to be recited before the Sundarakanta paarayanam :
1.ஸ்ரீ விநாயக த்யானம்– Sree Vinayaka dyanam
2. ஸ்ரீ சரஸ்வதி பிரார்த்தனை– Sree Saraswathi prarthanai
3. ஸ்ரீ வால்மீகி ஸ்துதி- Sree Valmiki stuthi
4.ஸ்ரீ ஆஞ்சநேய ஸ்தோத்ரம் – Sree Anjaneya stotram-Goshpathee kritha vaarasim———vathathmakam vaanaarayootha mukhyam Sree Ramdootham sirasa namaami
கோஷ்பதீ கிருத வாராசிம், மசகீக்ரித்த ராக்ஷஸம்— வாதாத்மகம் வானரயூத முக்கியம் ஸ்ரீராம தூதம் சிரஸஆ நமாமி
5. ஸ்ரீ இராமாயண  பிரார்த்தனை- Sree Ramayana prarthanai
6. ஸ்ரீ ராம தியானம்                        Sree Rama dyanam
7.ஸ்ரீ ஹனுமத் தியானம் :- Sree Hanumat dyanam
ஸர்வாரிஷ்டநிவாரகம் சுபகரம் பின்காக்ஷமக்ஷாபஹம், சீதான்வேஷண தத்பரம் கபிவரம் கோடீன்ற சூர்யா பிரபம்
லன்காட்வீப பயங்கரம் ஸகலதம்  சுக்ரீவ  ஸம்மான்விதம், தேவேன்றாதி சமஸ்த தேவ வினுதம் காகுஸ் ததூதம்   பஜே ”
So next time when you stand before a Hanuman idol don’t feel shy- you are not there to pay a bribe! And don’t ask me the next question- he will not say ‘give me a seat along with my Lord’
And the next  observation, “devotees in Shivan temples ducking under the iron railings surrounding the stone statue of Nandi the sacred Bull facing the main Shiva sannidhi — to whisper into the Bull’s stone year”- I am really sad that he made such a sarcastic  remark about the bull’s stone ear. Does he mean that the ear of the deity inside the temple is live with blood, nerves and skin and only that of the bull outside is that of stone. Is it so with the vilwam tree in the temple premises which you circumambulate, ‘moolatho Brahma roopaya, madhyatho Vishnuroopinae, Agratho Sivaroopaya—–?’ Is it so with the disc of the Mahavishnu which is worshiped as chakrathazvar, ‘Jaya jaya sree sudarsana, jaya jaya sree sudarshana ‘ and dipped in the swamipushkarini along with the idol of the Lord of seven hills? Is it again so, with the kalasam and khantam which you worship first before starting your pooja, your forehead, chest and hands lavishly lined with white marks, ‘ kalasasya mukhe vishnu, khante Rudra— ……?. Is it so with the chariot you pull across the streets of your village accompanied by pipers and percussionists ? Is it so with the framed picture of Mahaganapathy we keep in a corner in the kalyanapandal ? Is it so with the flag post, kodimaram, before the sanctum of a temple, before which you prostrate?
Even a pinch of dust in the temple premises is sacred, of course if you consider temple a sacred place. And they say a nandi, a bull with stone ear, moved sidewise , on its own, for the sake of a pious man, who was not able to see the Lord as the animal was obstructing the vision.  Whom are they trying to fool ? How will a stone bull move ? Even live bulls are not moving unless you give a bribe of a handful of fodder.
This is belief. Untu entral untu; illaya illai- simple, Sir.
And where is the question of above or below among the gods ? Is there seniority list or grading among the gods ? “A monkey -god above all others __?'” who said so ?  Some like Hanuman and they worship him; some like Kathavaraayan or karuppayi, they worship them. You cannot say only  Sree Rama and Sree Krishna are. For you it might be so; for me there are ‘muppathu mukkodi thevalum indranum, mummorthikalum veda brahmanaalum’
Our great, great grand pa did not have this problem. His gods were natural elements, Vayu and Varuna,  air and water etc. He could see the supreme Divinity as Vishnu, a force with bramanam or sancharanam covering the entire universe and manifesting as fire on the earth and as  sun and lightning above and all over.

ഇദം വിഷ്ണുര്‍ വിചക്രമെ ത്രേധാ നിദധെ  പദം
സമുള്‍ ഹമസ്യ  പാമ്സുരെ .
ത്രീണി പദാ വിച ക്രമെ
വിഷ്ണുര്ഗോപാ അദാഭ്യ:
അധോ ധര്മാണി   ധാരയന്‍
Idam Vishnur vichakramae threadha nidhathe padam
Samulhamasya pagumsurae
Thrinee padaa vichakramae
Vishnur gopaa adabhya:
Ado dharmaani dhaarayan
or
ഇന്ദ്രം മിത്രം വരുണ മഗ്നി മാഹു –
രഥോദിവ്യസ്സ സുപര്ണോ ഗരുത്മാന്‍
ഏകം സദ്വിപ്രാ  ബഹുദാ വദന്തി
അഗ്നിം യമം മാതരിശ്വാനമാഹു :
Indram, Mitram, Varunam, Agnim, aahu-
radhodivyassa suparno garutmaan
Eakam sat vipra bahuda vadanthi
Agnaim, yamam, maadariswanamaahu:
Meaning : This God is called Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni , Garuda.
It is eakam and sat- The learned call it by different names
Agni, Vayu, Yaman etc.

ഋഗ്വേദം : Rigvedam
Several years ago, Appa was admitted in the hospital with a serious health problem and Amma was told about that. She didn’t say a word.  Silently walked towards the tulsi plant near the well, spread the corner of her nine yards sari and with swollen eyes and sunken face, begged to that small plant  : ” Thayea, maangalya pitchai tha ” . Pleading to a nine inches high plant to protect the mangalsootram in her neck, by preventing the death of her husband! That is called BELIEF.
I remembered this incident the other day when I was chided, ‘ you do not know the meaning of ‘deerga sumangali bhava’ . I remember it again now.
Now you tell me whether my Aanjaneya swamy who flew across a vast ocean carrying a whole mountain with a forest wealth of life saving- herbs from the distant north to the extreme  south and thus saved the life of Sree Lakshmanan and several other warriors is worth worshiping or not .
Love and regards,
sperinkulam
Baltimore,
Nov 5th, 2011
Comments ;
Dear brother,

Your are 100 % right about mentioning and describing  Sri Anjaneya as Mahayogi.  He is Jithendria and a  Bhudhimatham varishta.
Do not worry about what others have to say.  They are all ignorants.

K. Sanckar
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Excellent rejoinder!!
Padma
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Superb write up!  Some of us who are not so well read in our religious literature, could not give a fitting reply to the erudite elder.
regards
saikrishnan
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Abhivadaye….
Athreya Gothra…..
Aapasthambhasoothra….
Yajur shaakhadhyaye….
Kameswara Sharma-nah:
Namovakam. I wanted to reply on specification of Ape God, but I was crossing language barriers. I felt its not right, so I deleted.
Yours is a very composed reply mama, appreciated. Lot learned in terms of language and descriptions, not that am completely ignoring / ridiculing Sri Narayan. My reaction was like kshana-kopam.
HariOm
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07 November 2011
Dear Sri Sivasubramanian Mama:
Namaskaram. Thank you so much for your scholarly response which puts things in proper perspective. It is tiring at times to convince or to argue with someone who knows what is what, but still persists with self-assumed ignorant stance just for the sake of argument or to abuse somebody. We call them purblind. Seniority in age has perhaps given them the license and so it be.
To what you have already added silencing the wanton, I would like to add the following from the most recent of Tamil literature, from one of the songs of the film Dasavataaram by Sri Kamala Haasan which says Kallai mattum kandaal Kadavul teriyaadu. Those who intentionally see only animals in a Hanumaan or a Nandi or a bird in Garudan or probably an elephant headed man in Sri Mahaganapati, how can you prevent them from doing so? It is their privilege and so be it.
With best regards,
Sri Aiyer Raju Sreenivasan (alias)
Sri Swaminatha Sarma (Trikaala Sandhyavandani* & Nithya Sahasra Gayatri Upasaki)
PS: *Sri NS Mama forgot to mention this particular title of mine apart from the others in his response full of wit and sarcasm, may be due to an oversight. I consider being “Trikaala Sandhyavandani” is no mean achievement for anyone in this time and age. Anyone who does that can take pride in it — at least in order to subtly encourage others reading it to becoming another one of “Trikaala Sandhyavandani(s)”. There is no arrogance hidden or implied in such titles — it is only a psychological goad for others to follow in the same line especially when we have all been commanded to pursue that by none less than our Sri Mahaswamigal in his Deivaththin Kural. In fact I have myself started being a “Nitya Sahasra Gayatri upasaki only after reading Sri Mahaperiyvaa’s command some five-six years back. I only wished that I had read his command at least a few decades earlier which would have enabled me to accumulate that many more Gayatris — may be One Crore plus — to my account. I have only about 20 lakh plus now. I consider myself all the more poorer because of that!
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