Shivam Diaries

Category: A12– Everything under the Sun

  • perinkulam- a pond, a village and a memoir part 1

     
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    Picture index:
    1. Perinkulam 2.Navaneetha Krishnaswamy Temple.
    3. Navaneetha Krishnan 4. Shivan Kovil on the bank of the pond and 5. Padingarae gramam- the VaradarAjaswamy a Temple is at the end of the village.
     
     
     
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    Perinkulam Agraharam, near Palakkad, Kerala.
     
    Every old Hindu temple in Kerala has a pond in its premises, unless the temple is situated on a seashore or on the bank of a river. Similarly, every Brahmin Agraharam in Kerala, invariably, has at least one temple and a pond, unless the dwelling conglomeration, like Kalpathi, is on the bank of a river .
    Perinkulam, about 25 km away from the Palakkad town, in a lovely landscape under the hill Vizhumalai, is one of the few Agraharams bearing the name of a pond there in. The pond, Perinkulam, meaning big pond or Brihat tatAkam in Samskritham, is in between two of the three branches of the village, namely Thekkey gramam and Padinjare gramam, southern and western parts, a Shiva temple adorning its bank.
    The Padinjare gramam extends to Kariot village and these two villages are sanctified by two temples, one for Bhoo Devi sametha Sri Varadarajaswamy and the other for the Divine consort Mahalakshmi.
    The Brahmin migrants from Tanjore, some 800 years ago, reached Perinkulam in two groups, one direct and the other after visiting Tirupati. The first group settled with the help of the local land lords and after a few years, the second group too joined, completing their Tirupati pilgrimage . The Tirupati group brought idols of Lord Venkateswara ( which they were worshipping as Varadarajan Swamy ) along with Mahalakshmy and these two idols, were installed facing East, in a shrine constructed on the western side of Perinkulam. This shrine is located in the center of the three villages.
    Subsequently, due to some petty quarrel, some people left, and formed an extension for the Padinjare gramam, carried the idol of Mahalakshmi and installed in a separate shrine in the extended village called Kariot gramam.
    On the southern bank of Perinkulam is the Thekkae gramam with a temple at the extreme end. Navaneetha Krishnaswamy is the presiding deity of this temple. The Moorthy, the idol, was brought from a Nambudiri illam called Varikkasseri mana, through a divine disposition.
    Since 1958 all the three villages collectively conduct the Chariot festivals in Feb- March, the Ratharohanam being performed on the Masi pournami , as a 9- days long festival. The annual festival gathers Perinkulams settled elsewhere and at least once a year, we visit our ancestors’ land and worship our village deities. The non Brahmin community too gather in large numbers and make the festival a success. In fact, they were always a part of the society, though unlike now, they lived in the outskirts.
    Opposite to Krishnaswamy temple, there lived a Pakku mama, whom I had met. His great grandfather, Bhaskar pattar also known as Soori, got the Chooriappan kulam dug, about a km away and on its bank, constructed a small shrine to install the Shiva Lingam and the idol of Visalakshi AmbAl.. He had brought the idols, on his return trip from Kasi. This shrine was later shifted to the present location on bank of Perinkulam pond for better proximity and safety. How much trouble he would have endured to bring the idols from the distant Kasi, carrying them on his head or shoulders, although his long walk , and also to dig a big pond and construct a shrine for them! An icon of dedication, devotion and determination.
    Ponds and temples were the head and heart of the Brahmin society in the old days. Water was their basic need not only for consumption and bathing but for their daily religious rituals, which were as important as the ingredients for their survival . The Temple was their spiritual center and a common place for social meet. It was their club, kalyanamantapam and Vedam and music college. The elders of the society used to conduct meetings under the flag post of the temple, to discuss their problems or settle their disputes.
    Brahmins were prepared to forgo food for day or two but not their Sandhya worship and temple visit. Even the womenfolk, busy with their household work, used to extend the neck towards the shrine and worship for a minute, hearing the sound of temple bells.
    Apart from these three temples, there is a Ayyappa shrine, behind the Shiva temple, which came up over four decades ago and a few Mariamman temples too, in different locations.
    (To conclude)
     
     
     
     
     
     

  • Stray thoughts of Sivasu for the day

    I don’t know whether you have observed or not every small man, however insignificant he might be in the eyes of his friends, family and society, has some admirable qualities, which will be visible only if we move closely.
    There is no completely waste product in God’s creation.
    ————————————-
    If one doesn’t talk much, don’t think he doesn’t know much. He might perhaps, know much more than me and you.
    But if your wife doesn’t talk much, not a good omen. She has learnt much about you.
    Pet, pat or do any magic and make her talk.🍎🍓
    ————————————————
    Everyone should have some aim in life; some purpose for living. Right?
    Not necessarily, if you ask me.
    The one who accepts life as it rolls before him and lives happily, doing his best, without worrying much about the future, lives happily.
    The one who plans life meticulously ends life, in many cases, with disappointment.
    I’m not advocating for NIL planning but only making my point that planning is not everything.
    No votes for me, I know.

  • The stars don't want me to come up ?

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    My grand niece Gayathri cooked Muringai elai adai and while enjoying it along with veppelai katti, the good lady remembered me and sent a picture of the snack with a tag, ‘missed you, Athan’.
    I expected her to ‘miss’ me, while boiling milk, every time!
    While I was at her house recently to participate in a Rudrajapam, I volunteered to do any work and unable to tolerate my nuisance, I was asked to ‘keep a watch’ on the milk being cooked on two vessels on the stove, side by side. After a few minutes, one of the guests came in and seeing me standing like a stick and not stirring the liquid, starred at me, removed one of the vessels from the stove, which was slowly getting charred at the bottom of the vessel.
    “The milk didn’t boil,” I volunteered to show that I did my job perfectly and if the vessel got charred, it was not my mistake.
    “Ilakkanam!”- you had to stir it-a strong but short admonition( considering my age).
    Instantly, I started stirring the liquid in the second vessel on the stove while the ‘ilakkanam’ instructor was busy transferring the milk from the first vessel to another one. Suddenly, with no warning, the milk under my control bubbled and while I was searching for the ‘off’ button, it overflowed on the stove with a ‘keetch’ sound.
    ‘Palu, palu,’ I yelled and the ‘ilakkanam’ instructor turned at me and stared as if I had meddled with his Panchagatcham. He had come ready on his traditional dress for the worship.
    Having known that he is a Pediatrician, I volunteered, ‘my nephew too is a Pediatrician’. That statement was absolutely unnecessary there. But that was just my effort to cool him down and gain his friendship. But instead of saying, ‘then, it is ok’, he simply said, ‘I see’.
    While I was searching for paper napkin to remove the milk spilled on the stove table and clean it, my grand niece entered in and consoled me, ‘it is ok, Athan’.
    ‘It is not Ok,” I expected the ‘ilakkanam’ to say, while she was clearing the mess. But he didn’t. My ‘pediatrician’ dose had obviously worked.
    But, I didn’t want to look small before my grand niece. I pulled out my iPad and showed her the picture, she had clicked on the previous evening, of my boiling the milk with great success.
    This was what happened then. Her husband was boiling milk on a gas stove outside while I was strolling nearby enjoying his garden and swimming pool. Someone called him from inside and he rushed handing over me the ladle with a request, ‘ please keep a watch’. After two minutes, he retuned and wanted to take over but I refused.
    ‘Don’t worry,’ I told him. ‘ I’m an expert in boiling milk’
    Apparently, he didn’t believe my words, seeing the angle in which I was holding the ladle in my hand, but he didn’t want to insist on my parting with it and hurt my feelings. Therefore, he went inside, keeping a close watch at me through the glass partition door, so that he could jump in and save the milk, in case it was about to overflow. His wife, enjoyed the scene and clicked a picture of my taking care of the milk.
    Had she not seen my doing the job perfectly on the previous evening, she wouldn’t have entrusted next day, the job.
    But the culprit was the electrical stove, whose on off press buttons were on the top and I couldn’t differentiate between those. In a split second, the milk started bubbling, I got confused. The gas stove outside had on- off knobs and I’m an expert in handling those.
    Many times I don’t get opportunities to exhibit my skills, but when those come, something or other happens and stops my success. As Ammalu says, Suthippodabam!- the effect of evil eyes has to be removed!
    Or, the Stars don’t want me to come up?

  • Thayir Sadam and vadumAngai – curd rice and mango pickle

    This is between us. My children take me to all types of eating houses in America- Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Japanese etc. Even to an Ethiopian restaurant they took me once. I do enjoy different types of cuisine and varieties of wine, including blue and hot wine, my son in law ordered for me once, though Margareta from any Mexican restaurant is my favorite, not from an Italian restaurant.
    During my four years in the college, I have eaten only from one restaurant, next to GVC. The owner Krishna Iyer was a smart guy. His close relatives, an Athan and an Ammanchi helped him in the business. Athan was a sober man like theimage dahivadas, fair, soft, floating happily in the shining oval stainless steel vessel. Ammanchi, the younger one, enjoyed my speeches from the hotel, the microphone aimed at the Mannathu Padmanabhan Nair gate, asking for vote for X or Y or at times for myself, for the post of office bearer of the Student union or a literary club.
    During my bachelor days along with my other four room mates, I used to walk 14 miles, to and fro Secunderabad Taj, only for dinner. Whenever we went to Secunderabad, garam Chai from the Irani restaurant by the Secunderabad Station, was a must.
    After marriage, I used to hardly visit hotels, except for parties, which was not a regular affair.
    Frequent visits to restaurants were only when children came on holidays. My eldest daughter in law( she was the only one then) organized a big party in a hotel, combining many events. Atuth’s and mine maiden visit to USA, ( he for higher studies, me as a tourist) Keshu’s birthday or his medical admission.
    Wine was served to my younger brother, much to his reluctance, as he had become a semi- Siddar after reading and singing Siddar padalkal, sitting alone at home.
    “How is it Chithappa?” Enquired affectionately, my DIL .
    “Sukham illai”, he replied. Not that good!
    We all believed him as his opinion on wine was authentic. He had lived in Goa for over five years!
    Now, back to the core point.
    With all that, at the end of the day, my preference is for a plate full of thayirsAdam assisted admirably by a few spoonfuls of vadumanghai. In MalayAlam , we call it kaduku manga, giving respect to the smell of kaduku or mustard powder, an important ingredient in its preparation,
    “You came all the way to America for thayir Sadam and vadumAngai, Appa?”, my children will ask, if I share with them, my preference. Hence, I’m sharing the secret only with you.
    Incidentally, brother Vicha’s ‘Sukham illai’ has become a catch phrase in our family. Even after 10 years, we remember that party and his crisp remark.
    Sidhars and saints won’t talk much. But when they do, they say volumes, in a word or two, like one or two tiny VadumAngais giving me complete satisfaction along with thayirsAdam!
     

  • Sugiyan

    imageSugiyan! It is ages since I had that snack with a sober look and subdued sweetness. In our house, it used to be prepared only for shradhams, along with ellurundais, uppitu etc. There were four shradhams in a year and we children had the benefit of enjoying Sugiyan that many times. After the loss of my parents I performed Parvana shradham for a long time till I had to switch over to HirAnyam under compelling reasons. No more Sugiyan.
    Unlike appam or kozhakkattai, Sugiyan is not a neivedyam item for Poojas in my house.
    After flattering her sufficiently with selected words, I asked her highness Ammalu once, ‘why not Sugiyan as neivedyam?’
    ‘Are we offering ellurundais to gods? ‘ .
    I wonder how she is ready with a return question every time , instead of answering my question.
    Sugiyan is not a fat, fair lady, like Kozhakkattai whose pride is mainly because she is the favorite of the God with a big belly. Every time she hears devotees calling Ganesa as ‘Modaka hastha’, she swells in pride. Suguian is a much humbler soul, though it has its distinct taste.
    Recipe for Sugian:
    Ulundu dal & rice in 4 to 1 measure. Grind as usual after soaking for 2 hrs. Consistency like bhajji mavu. Make coconut & jaggery poornam. Should not be sticky. Make small balls of poornam dip in the batter & fry.
    A fellow who doesn’t take life seriously, who doesn’t strain much but takes events as they come, is called ‘Sugiyan’ in our Palakkadan bhasha.
    ‘Appu is a Sugiyan’ – that comment was about me, when I was a child, as I never worked hard for studies and was always roaming about in paddy fields and woods aimlessly.
    Even today I’m a Sugiyan.
    Thanks my net friend Thangam Murthi madam for the picture and Recipe and moreover, for providing me an opportunity to remember my good old friend, Sugiyan.
    Love,
    SP
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    Sent from my iPad

  • chellammal Athai

     
    Chellammal athai was my wife’s aunt. I met her in our wedding and instantly became her admirer, attracted by her personal charm, graceful behavior and unreserved affection showered on me. She was 60 or even 70 but when you see such people, their age never comes to your mind. Still, I couldn’t but wonder how charming she would have been in her teens. But alas, she had become a widow, before the age of menstruation!
    Athai, along with my mother -in -law managed the household of her brother, PMS, and his big family of twelve children including my wife and her two siblings, almost equal no of elders and also cattle and servants. Combined families were the norm of those days and invariably there was an athai or patti or Periammai( father’s or mother ‘s sister or grandmother ) in almost every family, whose entire life was spent supporting the family, as was in our case, where we had our mother’s elder sister.
    chellammal athai ‘s father Chami pattar of Monkombu was my wife’s grandfather and also my mother’s maternal uncle. He was one of the three popular VadhyAr brothers in Moncombu.
    A simple hearted man, pious and helpful, Chami pattar was angry, outspoken and at times used to shout at everyone in the family including his eldest daughter, who took over the role of care taker after his wife passed away. Even while bedridden in his old age, he used to spurt like a handful of red chillies thrown into the tongues of leaping flames from a firewood oven, for any minor delay or deviation for his routines. Chellammal athai bore the brunt of her father ‘s anger, always smiling, despite her workload in the household.
    My mother had mentioned about her maternal uncle’s anger earlier but it was from my wife, I had a complete picture of his eccentric behavior.
    “Why was he howling at everyone including his own daughter,? I asked my wife.
    This was what she said :
    “Thatha’s howling and bowling harsh words were actually aimed at God!”
    That single- sentence reply sent a shock wave through my nerves initially and then, pained my heart and filled it with sympathy for him.
    What an unlucky father was he, to grow old and die, seeing his charming, favorite daughter, moving in the attire of a widow right before his eyes, for over fifty or sixty years! He would have dreamt, during her childhood that she would bloom into motherhood, then slowly ripe as a grandmother, heading an empire of her own.
    The young girl managed to translate her sufferings to service, smiling all the time, irrespective of the hot steam bubbling and burning from inside. But her father, suppressed by untainted affection for his unfortunate daughter found no ways, other than cursing the creator for the disaster in her life.
    In a Malayalam movie, Nirmalyam, the oracle, unable to bear the stress of shame and sufferings, spits at the face of the idol he worshiped in a temple, with contempt, before he takes away his own life. The movie was a hit, but I disliked the end where the oracle spat at the face of the Idol with his blood. But at whom else would he show his anger? In one of my stories too, the leading character, lying helpless on his death bed, raises his head and hands to punch the Imaginary God, he thought, appeared before him. Compared to these insults to the creator Chami pattar’s verbal attacks on his family was ignorable.
    But, one thing is sure. Women out -stand men, In disaster management and adapting the environmental changes. They are born with the inbuilt insulation materials to control the steam of their woes preventing it from burning them and also converting it into cool jets to comfort others.
    A friend- request received yesterday, from the youngest niece of Chellammal Athai, kindled my memory on the veterans of my wife’s parental home and made me to share some thoughts on their life, with you.

  • The elders are not waste materials

    Every living being needs food.. Your aged parents are alive and herefore, they too need it. . But that is not the only thing, they need; They need your love, affection, care and consideration These are not very expensive. Nor time consuming . Just a casual ‘bye dad, eat in time ‘, while you leave for your office-. you have made his day ! Say a few words about your work or politics or traffic jam. – you have offered a sound sleep for him. How effortless it is, to make the elders happy! My father, after a hard day’s work, used to go to his mom, arrage her bed,( though my mom would have already done it) and exchange a few words on topic of interest for her… ‘Why is he furnishing an income and expenditure statement?” My mother used to wonder.” She should know how much money I make; I am aware of the sleeples night she spent worrrying about my future “, he would reply.
    ” Wear your belt, properly, dad.” My daughter.
    ” Insert shirt uniformly, dad ?’ My daughter in law.
    Who bothers if an old man’s waist belt skips a few loops or his shirt- folds sink an inch hear and there ? But such alertness of the children and anxiety to see I go out well dressed, give me contenment . While doing pradakshinam in the Guruvayaoorappan temple some time ago, my sister who accompanied me, noticed that the jarigai borders of my veshti were unaligned and admonished me, “anna, you don’t even know to wear a veshti correctly.” Though she was not far away from truth, I chided her for diverting her attention from devotion to derailed jarigai border.
    ” Nothing else but the Lord’s image should be in your mind “. But later, when I moved away from the magnetic field of attraction of the Divinity, I felt pride in my sister’s consideration for me . And that is how the old minds work!
    More than food, clothing and shelter, what the elders need is the feeling that they are useful, they are needed, they are not an unwanted appendix for us. The depression created by the feeling that they have no role to play in anyone’s life, might even lead to suicide or wander astray, away from home. To avoid that, they have to be entrusted with some small work, which you consider, are easy and safe for them to handle.
    “Appa , please count these notes and give me the figure.” You know already the value, but still give him an opportunity to count the currency you have earned. ‘amma, keep my food ready, I might come back early today” You repeat the instruction already given to your wife and it is she who is going to keep the food ready. But your demand form your mom excites her; she enjoy musing your young days when you used to go home running from the school shoutng, ‘Amma, pasikkarathu, I am hungry”
    .My wife used to consult my mother every morning, ‘amma, what to cook today?”. The old lady would suggest some menu, the younger one might or might not go by that, the elder one never used to ask for an explanation for the change and in case there were a query, a pleasing answer would have been there.
    Make your parents feel, they are useful; they are needed.

  • How lucky you are!

    To my young friends:
    Childhood and youth are the best periods in life. Use it effectively, using every opportunity for your rise and also to help others, including your kin and your country.
    Also enjoy these periods which are one time opportunities. Knowingly don’t do any wrong things on which you might regret later .Everyone makes mistakes but try to keep their number to minimum . Better wisdom might visit you later in life but never the childhood and youth. Never miss the spring of your life.
    To my friends who have crossed their young age:
    Old age could be turned into the best period in your life, if you are mentally prepared to
    believe that you are not the only one in the world who turned old. It is unavoidable. I’m sure of it. It won’t be certainly a punishment, if you take care of your health, control your anger and words and moods and desire to eat things which are prohibited for you. Certain adjustments here and there with your family are necessary, which you will learn by experience. Old age could be even be made the prime period in your life if you learn how to keep your body and mind ever active.
    Ever means always except the time you are in the state of sleep.
    You will be excited when you realize that many known to you, have already gone into permanent sleep, and man, you are kicking and reading my post!
    Wah, how lucky you are!

  • Pongal greetings to my NIN co-pensioners

     
    friends,
    Pongal is a harvest festival, celebrating the arrival of the first crops, the bounty of which ensures the happiness of a society based on agricultural wealth. Makara SamkrAnthi refers to the event of the Sun entering the Zodiac sign of Makara or Capricorn. The farmer gets the much awaited break from his hard work and the society is elated.
    Thus starts a season of marriages, temple festivals and other auspicious events.
    You know all these. Oldies are good in telling others what they already know.
    The farmer struggles with the soil, to bring out the best from it. His toiling tunes his muscles. His sweating flushes out the toxins from his body. I doimagen’t move a grass of blade. In fact I don’t move away from the air conditioned room at all. So, I don’t deserve the celebration. I haven’t earned that, unlike the farmer..But I’m good in enjoying the harvest produced by others hard work.
    Now, coming to the point, I have restarted doing my yoga exercises, to which I said good bye some ten years ago, when Sri. Narasimha Rao discontinued taking classes on my terrace for some reasons.
    The other day, I happened to observe my athlete daughter in law, the youngest one, Meenkashi Bhaskar, training my grand children in our basement. I asked her to teach me too. “You are the most difficult student, I have come across, Appa” she said after struggling with me for ten minutes. But I’m not going to leave at that. She too won’t leave me. Good.
    By neglecting, my muscles have stiffened. It will take sometime to make those to obey my orders. But, it is worth trying. Narasimha Rao’s struggle won’t go waste. I want to earnestly continue the Yoga exercises with my DIL’s guidance, whenever she comes from New York.
    I suggest you too join me from there, if not already doing any body – exercises. It pays. You will be able to sit comfortably on the floor on SukhAsan if not on PadmAsan. Not a small achievement. You won’t have to stop every five minutes to recover your breathing rhythm while walking. I met a friend the other day in New Jersey, who has converted his basement as a yoga studio, since long . His wife too takes classes. He will be in the 85 plus range. You can guess her age .
    Together we win and enjoy the bounty of the new crop, our own healthy body. And also the old crop, our own compassionate children!Cat face
    Dr. Kidambi is from Marredpally. He works in a hospital in Florida and is a good friend of my Alludu, son in law, Vuday. He has written on his wall.
    “Treat your children well. They choose your nursing home”
    A doctor knows how important it is, choosing the proper nursing home. Also, the importance of shifting the unwell there, in time.
    Happy SamkrAnthi, prosperous Pongal, peace in mind, peace at home, peace in the society.
    Love and regards,
    Siva
    From Baltimore
     

  • when someone falls

    “Ignorance Is bliss”. No, Sir. Never. Ignorance always pushes you down. And pushes you further down, if you can’t climb up. Try to gain knowledge about anything and everything. Impossible. fine. I come down. Try to gain knowledge about minimum things. Even that is difficult. I further come down. Use your intelligence. ‘ I’m not intelligent’. Disagree. God doesn’t send anyone down without adequate intelligence to survive. Use that.
    What to do and when to do – that knowledge is important. If not books, experience guides. Experience, in many cases helps more than books. Experience alone can help in certain cases.
    Someone slips and falls. No bleeding, no external injury. There is some dust on his clothes. If man, ignore. If it woman, clear that, especially, if she is a middle aged lady, for whom dress is important.
    Only dust. No problem. No fracture, it looks. Certainly no bleeding; Very good. She is able to walk and smile too, though her smile is dry. Apparently her brain is unaffected.
    Take her home. You save the cost of an ice cream.
    Now, sit in a corner and muse- Why did she fall ? It is important to know that. If it was due to some obstacles on her path, due to a mis-step, due to any other obvious reasons and no external bleeding or visible injury, able to proceed with what she was doing before falling,- apparently nothing wrong has happened to her . But, if there were no visible external causes for the fall, you would like to know why she fell ?
    Did she fall due to giddiness? Low blood sugar? Blood pressure variation? And worse – Is there some abnormality in the brain ? some undesirable growth ? Don’t you think it is better to consult a doctor? The doctor will ask her a doz.questions. You will wonder why he is embarrassing the charming lady. But, ultimately she will thank you for taking her to the hospital, when it came to light that there was a malefic growth in the brain, which pushed her down. Alarm bell. Immediate action is called for, invariably. a surgery.
    It is also possible that the problem was not in the brain but elsewhere. Anyway, only a thorough investigation could bring out the cause for the fall.
    Constipation. Anyone can have that problem, especially in the old age. People In my place will have Kadukkai kazhayam. – a home made Ayurvedic preparation for that. It was a nightmare during our childhood, when we were forced to swallow the Kadukkai kazhAyam, an unpalatable liquid, poured into mouth, thankfully only once a month . Within an hour the insipid, irritating, sour, saffron colour liquid was forcefully pushed in, a flood gate opened from the opposite opening, an ejection of every accumulated movable stuff, with the speed of a race horse.
    I know one uncle who used to struggle to get rid of his accumulated food waste, making all sorts of noise till his madam, screamed from outside the toilet door : are you coming out or should I force feed you Kadukkai kazhayam? The very mentioning of the concoction used to
    sent lightning inside his bowl and like a thunderbolt the content used to come out, allowing a sigh of relief followed by a noise of comfort from the good old man.
    I also know, I’m sorry to say, that another uncle who neglected his constipation continuously as well as the considered advice of his wife to consult a doctor only to discover later, a cancerous growth was the cause. Too late, by then.
    Simple fever, simple stomach pain- that is how many major problems starts. If you neglect, you are building a path to disaster.
    You have to observe your body, your families too. And the person surrounding you.their action or no action, or delayed action will decide how long you will live.
    It was for nothing my friend Dr. Kidambi wrote on his wall:
    “Love your children. They choose your nursing home”
    They not only choose your nursing home, they also decide when to take you there.
    I know many cases, where they delayed and regretted for their whole life.