Month: March 2009

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subscriptions thoughts

Rituals


As the Meenakshi temple is gearing up for the consecration,I had an opportunity to witness the rituals aligned to the grand event ,which falls on April /8/2009.

The consecration takes place every twelve years.The renovation consists of repairing the concrete structures, panting the gopurams, and cleaning the floors and pillars.

The base of the Gods and Goddesses have to be treated with a holy mixture of eight or ashta marunthus derived from herbs . This medication will bind the statues to the base and provide a medicated treatment to the age old edifices. It rejuvenates the sculptures and adds to the divine charm .

A couple of days back , I went to the temple, particularly to see the ritual , A batch  from Nemam Koil , near Thiruppathur, had come to Madurai . They  have been trained  to prepare the medicinal balls.A committee  consisting of the local Nagarathars , a community which has spent  a fortune in renovation of temples and still relishes in involving itself in the spiritual endeavour. Twenty persons were performing the task. A group of five were sorting out the extracts, and another group was pounding the herbal format in a wooden base ,specially brought from Nemam. The pounding was so hard and so scrupulously mixed . Soon it got metamorphosed into a red ball, taking the form a Clay. They had an appearance of wax, elastic in shape .It  has a strain of viscosity in its properties , which provide the bondage. They are more or less akin to the modern adhesive.

The preparation were  collected in a big brass vessel .It was taken to every sannadhi. The required amount were taken and evenly applied to the base of the idols, The fervour and the interest of the committee ,the dedication of the workers amazed me.The work was carried out for a week . Donors undertook the  serving of meals to the workers and the members.

Everything was done in perfect harmony. The event was a disciplined ,meticulous arrangement devoid of fanfare and ostentation.It was a worthy effort .It was a beautiful experience and a very interesting sojourn.

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reverberation subscriptions thoughts

Hail To Thee Meenakshi


The fish like eyes,

emit expressions,

sweet  and love .

cheer and passion,

grace and grandeur,

benign and beatitude.

The slender figure,

emulates thoughts,

high  and poignant,

grave and gracious,

kindred and reverence,

charm and rhapsody.

The smiling face,

stimulates intensity,

sheen and sensation,

piety and devotion.

profuse and promotion,

strength and sublimity.

A blessing hand,

warrants help

sincere and  extending,

noble and knowing,

promise and progress,

delight and discerning.

You are the creator,

You are the maker,

You are the  inspirer,

You are the impeller,

You are the leveller.

Ecstasy rants high,

Exhilaration scales  heights,

Endowment  rises  above,

Enthrallment breaks the mark,

Enticement blows over,

Envisaging  celestial glory.

“Meenakshi “cries the heart,

“Meenakshi” sings the voice,

“Meenakshi “folds the hands,

“Meenakshi “wells up the eyes,

“Meenakshi “permeates the soul.

Bestow your blessings,

Shower your kindness,

Inundate your spell,

Illuminate the spirit 

Unify the appeal

Unite all.

 

 

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subscriptions thoughts

Bringing Up Children


The task of bringing up children is a heavy deliberation and an enthusiastic  endeavour. It is both a strain and a pleasure. It is plausible and untenable.Begetting them is a comparatively  facile process. But bringing them up is an  herculean enterprise.

Children are like soft petals. They are like a liquid. The property of the  liquid is that it assumes the shape of the container. It  isso flexible and extremely pliable. Liquid do not profess a stiff exterior. It is  smooth , delinquent and free flowing. It  can be accumulated  collected without effort and distributed without labour.

So are the lovely children. They are so beautiful, lovely and cheerful. Their mind is free .They can assimilate any syllabus  and integrate with evidences . ,with fine tact and diligence.  The leading hand , mostly that of the mother , should be eligible, evaluative, and responsible . The modem ,so as to term the disciplined scrutiny of the mother, should be severe and simple, should be strict and kind, should be attentive and careless, should be fastened and loose, should be following and distanced and should be punitive  and forgiving .

My harangue may seem to be a resemblance  of the impossible. It may sound implausible. It may be a combination of the positive and the negative. But , in reality , only this recipe will hold water. This is my experience of bringing up three boisterous boys.

The children should have a constant feeling  that somebody is behind you, some person  is hovering above you, of some eyes watching you.  A regular look up of their activities, an occasional enthusiastic remark of their performance, a little coaxing when they tend to be sluggish , a brief cajoling when they feel let down , mild chiding when they slip. a a rancour address when they fall short of expectation , a  rigorous remonstration when they show irreverence and even a bash or a slap when they talk back , go a long way in moulding up the little ones.

This programme has to be meticulously taken up by the parents , more so by the mothers till the children reach the age of twenty, till they become mature, till they understand the horrid world . Then .gradually the tightening can be relaxed . The adults would have , by now  become promising youngsters and would have reached a stage , totally insulated from wild and  rash habits. They would no longer succumb to demonish ,derogatory symptoms.

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reverberation subscriptions thoughts

Meenakshi Amman Kumba abishekam


The temple city of Madurai is decked up for the MahaKumbha abishekam . The shrine has been extensively renovated. The old structural emoluments which had withstood the test of time ,have been refurbished. The painting work is in full swing. The special poojas have started. The temple is wearing a festive look.

Meenakshi Temple ,is always in a celebrating mood. Every day is marked by  regal ,resounding occasions.Each day is an unique  collaboration of devotion and  resonant inspiration . This is the reverential experience of this ancient town.

Modern architecture has crept in.The assimilation of old and new  is not a synchronised  concept.It is not a seamless configuration. The old and the new do not blend .

The present Temple management committee, has taken a bold step. It has removed all the new designations. The shining marble in different hues, and the glittering granites in multi shades, the brass covering to the encrypted stone pillars have been removed. These fresh additions had marred the grandeur and the antiquity of the temple. They presented a ghastly portrayal . The fixation of  such expensive materials presented an unholy combination and  an unwilling amalgamation.

The temple ,now has seen a transformation. It has regained its originality. It looks royal and grand, sober and sumptuous, great and ecstatic..

Piety and sublimity are the essence of worship. The sanctum sanctorium , where all the godly powers converge has been modified to receive  the consecrated divine effluence in absolute unison.

The reorganisation of the shrines of Meenakshi  and her consort Sundersewarar, has been executed scrupulously. The damaged roofing in certain parts of the temple has been replaced with great care.

The commercial  restrictions are implicated. Selling of tickets for darshans  are a provision to restrict the crowd. But God is for all.The demarcation of the poor and the rich , the ordinary and the elite , the simple and the snobbish, the modest and the audacious , has to be withdrawn.

A free flow of devotees will add grace to the shrine ,as it had been practised all these years. Restrictions hamper normality. The faltering mob creates confusion. This distractions diffuses devotion and leads to unpleasant adherence.A little thought to this digression ,will resume prosperous  endowments. 

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subscriptions thoughts

Do Not Listen To Your Body.


A seemingly amusing caption is in the air. Not listening to your body, appears to be an apparent objection and an irrelevant remark. But , in real  reference ,we have to lend our ears to this call.

The body ,complains of so many ailment, right from the common headache to the chronic illness.Taking note of each and every indisposition will make us an invalid , and render us a non performer.

An headache may be splitting. It will make you impoverished.   Do not succumb to its taunts. Take a pill, go along with your routine, The dose will bring down the pain to a certain extent. Much more , the concentration in your work ,will minimise the suffering. The focused attention will enable you to forget the rigours of turmoil.

I have bad legs. They do not cooperate with me at all. They ache when I climb up. They send signal of discomfort , when I get down. They pose a strenuous alibi  when I squat on the floor. My knees ,literally beseech and plead for rest. But I carry on . I care a tuppence to my legs and knees. I move about my job, without complaining, without exhibiting pangs of pain. The spasm ,at times ,force me to lie down . But ,I never do that. In case , I give room to such  licences, then my tampered organs, will evince a speculation . They would progress in tandem and throw a tantrum. My mobility will come to  a standstill. I would be tied to a wheel chair .

To avoid such  a gross impediment, I go on the track , limping  mostly, wobbling awkwardly  at times, moving in slow motion  exerting  much care and much caution.

Ignore the cry of your body, set aside its  threats, go ahead with your itinerary as normally you do.The disobedient body will definitely coordinate with you.

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Economy subscriptions thoughts turmoil

A Piece Of My Mind -Placidity-Morsel -5


Calmness ,a soft euphoria ,that rallies in the mind , reigns the heart and rationalises the economy.Unnecessary furore, uncalled ripples and unethical developments have ruined the economy.

A sullen person is an embodiment of solemnity and  grace. In a garrulous society, an mature silence is an oddity . In a gibbering community a sober conversation is an anachronism. In a noisy avalanche , the rustling of leaves is an unfitting sound. In a stormy blizzard ,the sweet flowing of the river is an anomaly. In a whacking habitation ,the warm cordiality is a distinct reference. In a tumbling economy , the assuaging voice of  coherence is a rare phenomenon.

The swirl and stagger of the economy, the high cry and low whimper of the financial, the abnormal surge and the unexpected fall of the commodity quotes, the effective ablaze and the enthralled collapse of the banks ,and finally the resounding absorption and decrying disposition of employment has left the world in a rambling ,receeding ,  jerky collaboration.

How to restore this offending tenacity? How to reconfirm the mandatory compulsions?How to work out a formulated convergence ?How to devolve an enticing accumulation?

These introspect ions takes us on a tour to all the nations of the world. They force us to research on different economies, to compare the re surging portfolios, to elucidate the propositions  that will ensure crystalline progression and gelatin infusions.

The principle  of calmness or placidity  has to be implemented. An attempt has to be enforced to get away from the turbulence,  settle in a placid penthouse and deliberate on the way out.

A certainity will dawn . A serenity will embark. A solution will descend. The discerning analysis will propel a determined appraisal and a radiant enlightenment.

Placidity restores wealth.

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Economy subscriptions thoughts turmoil

A Piece Of My Mind-Fear-Morsel -4


Living with fear is  a perennial drawback . Fear ,holds us from performing, pulls us from perseverance, and paralyses our idealistic approach. We  become a bag of flesh and bones , reacting to nothing and restraining from any progress.

Fear clogs our mind . It blocks our mental agility . It concurs on basic programming of undesirable reformation and undermining registeration .

This psychological cohesive factor blurs our vision to visualise the dream of promotion and prosperity. Fear , in children , may have no reason. Fear of darkness, fear of being alone and fear of fire , fear of water and fear of harsh sarcasm are common among children. This abstract feeling will diffuse as the child attains maturity,.

The adult has a different kind of apprehension altogether. The preparation for exams takes the prime spot. The  results ,steal the limelight. Still, as years progress, we develop a strange insecurity.

This tossing reverie afflicts  the business fluctuations,  irradical  fluidity in the stock market ,and hard tampering in the housing mortgage An eerie of dilemma  encircles the economy as though we are in a world of maze, in an environment of demystifying cloud  and in a disheartening jowl of dismay.

The unmindful investment , and the capricious outlook of the senior executives, and the slanderous impact of Madoffs and Stanford ,have unscruplously knitted a network of fear and withdrawal, restlessness and recurrence, dimness and black out.The people , world over , look panic stricken, and exasperated. The are at a loss to come out of this peril. They fear to throw their  tremble  and  shudder to put up a brave face .to witness  ups and downs, brakes and breakers, cutoffs and cut downs, and perks and infringement.

Fear gobbles wealth.

 

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Economy subscriptions thoughts

A Piece Of My Mind -Greed-Morsel-3


Greed is the most foul quest. Telling lies, cheating, being treacherous, being venomous,are all qualities that need to be uprooted from the mind. But greed  is the extreme vibrant virus that should be totally shunned.

Greed overwhelms the thinking faculty, overpowers the analytical perception, corrupts the mind and shoots up to bring utter disaster and chaos.

It is found in the micro and macro levels . It is depicted in fables and elucidated in novels, described in poems and focused in moral  lessons.

A famous illustration of greed is  the story of  Midas.His is a typical example of greed for gold. His lust for gold has a stunning effect on the readers. His wish that everything  he touches should transform into gold  , may sound a little extraordinary and very much exaggerated . But , it is a stiff and erect prediction of the negative impact of greed.

The economy has downturned , not because of any policy .It is greed which has given a callous blow  to it and a striking reference to the  gloom.

Wanting more, amassing extra, hoarding enormous, and scouting for largesse has led to a recession unpredicted. Aspiration and ambition have to be encouraged. But over dose of this ethics will spell destruction and spit venom.

The best way to switch off these viral infection is to work in the proclaimed path of righteousness and provincial authenticity.

Greed erodes wealth.

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Economy subscriptions thoughts

A Piece Of My Mind-Excitement -Morsel-2


Excitement makes you crazy, pushes you to  the extreme, lulls you to hypersensitivity and marshals you to incandescence. This virtuoso is dramatic in promise,  vivacious in speech,ineffectual in approach and erratic in action.

As a child ,I got excited ,when I went to the beach fronts.The white sand, the blue ocean ,the tides ebbing over and receding down, professed a charming expression. Children  used to play in the sand, dig wells and to their delight,, water gushed out, . In their excitement,  they moved a little beyond, engaged themselves in digging again. They rushed to the previous spot, and found out to their dismay that water had dried up. They also indulged in another sport.After heaping sand over their feet, they slowly pulled their feet out, to find a small mud hut with an entrance. They jumped in joy and promised to return the next day. The day after  proved a disappointment to them as their mud houses have fallen prey to the high tides.

The economy, so to say, is a part of this child like excitement,at present.The stocks shoot up in the morning, and the winning streak is there for a few hours , then it depletes. The  index builds up, edges slowly higher, and oscillates thus for a few days, then thud , it falls down. The fluctuations lead us to invest , to wait for a hike in percentage , and an unexpected bonanza that may land suddenly and take us out of the blue. This feverish tendency compels us to be in tenterhooks, always watchful and market based. The aggressive impulsion palpitates our rhythm and renders harm to the biological system and mental make up.

A practical advance in these impractical situations, is categorically  a significant catch. A less strain ,a minimal interest and a fraction of withdrawal from the fret zone will harbour us from failure and defeat, from morbidity and dereliction,and from taunt and scorn.

Excitement robs wealth.

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Economy subscriptions thoughts turmoil

A Piece Of My Mind- – Over enthusiasm-Morsel-1


Enthusiasm enlightens the mind and cherishes the spirit. But, an overdose of it tackles your wit and disrupts your reasoning.As an overworked body gets tired, an extra loaded mind denounces radical thinking.

The enthusiasm extravagant in the economical sphere has caused a difficult context and a gruelling strain.People,.world over ,are groping in pain and pulling on in shoe string budgets. References of stimulus and rehersals of the rescue  are leading us nowhere.

An  anecdote of my childhood days comes to my mind. as a girl of seven, I was decked  with most expensive jewellery and dressed up in abeautiful south Indian apparel of pavadai and blouse, green Kanchi pattu  with zari and a matching green blouse with chumkis and embroidery. I accompanied ,my mother to attend a wedding of my cousin. My mother had warned me not to participate in any play and be careful. I nodded my head coyly. I sat beside my mother, who was busy talking with her sisters and relatives. I ,saw my  cousins ,playing hide and seek . I could not resist my temptation, I slipped from my mother, sight. I slowly mixed with my age group and forgot my mother,s warning. At the height of the play, one of my cousin , stepped on my pavadai, the kanch silk gave way. it tore . I fumbled and was terrified to see my mother, who waas still engrossed in the conversation. Tears roolled down, my eyes swelled up and my face got reddened,. I sobbed, my mother noted my precipitation. She came towards me, my legs got weary,I was trembling. She cast a severe look .Then took hold of my hand ,dragged me up the aisle.Her eyes looked daggers. 

The investing community ignored all forebades and stop brakes. They wanted to make quick money ,and theydid make when the going was good. They should have blocked  the locking of money is stoocks, when the markets tended to go down. They mistook the decline, as a time to buy more. More and more they bought, more and more they got trapped. The unpredictable economy tumbled, the investors also fell with it.  The finance got nudged, so also the players who felt numbed. The stocks hit rock bottom, the marketeers ffell down . The economy looked daggers, the community of investors pose pathetic.

Had they listened to the voice of caution? Had they refrained from putting their money in the same basket?Had they paid attention to intricate definitions?Had they worked with determination?All these mishaps, all these turbulence, all these posterior reactions and all these indelible washouts would have been averted.

Over enthusiasm destroys wealth.