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Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Driving Force!!-From within or from Supreme

Driving force is a word often referred to in various discussions, publications articles and so on and so forth.It is certainly not the force with which we are able to drive a motor cycle or a car or a bicycle.(Hi ,hi).It is much more than that. It is that force which keeps u going in the thickest of challenges, in the midst of adversities and in times which are difficult. And the issue is what makes the times difficult, what makes you to come to face with the challenges and so on and so forth.

The answer is simple, the answer is self. Yes, it is the choice exercised by the self, the action initiated by the self, the reactions given by the self which has created the challenges, hurdles, pain and hurt. Imagine for a moment that you have not exercised the choice to take to a particular job, that you have not chosen to fall in love with a particular person(mutual or other wise is immaterial), that you have not chosen to prefer one dress over the other, one friend over the other of for that matter you have not exercised a wish to have a friend at all.What happens then?

Some of the most happy, healthy, and indulging moments which one experienced at the time of exercise of the choice is lost. Equally true that some of the deep pain/hurt/anxiety/disillusionment /disappointment faced later , caused by an exercise of the choice is also not experienced. Therefore the lesson is to own the causes of our action. Once this ownership is cultivated, there is no time lost in blaming others , in finding reasons for the happenings, in loosing temper, in hating others.

Here comes the force from within. The consciousness that each event /person/experience is capable of causing you both hurt and happiness is the wisdom of the highest order. Once this awakening comes nothing can disturb the self. This awakening is the source of strength, the source which drives the force from within.This awakening itself is linked to the supreme. AND THAT IS WHY THE PRAYER TO THE ALMIGHTY SHOULD BE TO SEEK COURAGE TO FACE OBSTACLES WITH CONFIDENCE RATHER THAN A PROTECTION FORM ALL SUCH OBSTACLES.

And that leads to the next question.If by exercising the choice i have to get involved , whether it is better to refrain from exercising the choice itself. The answer is that to take a decision to refrain from exercising a choice, is in itself a choice exercised.Therefore the puzzle is unresolved.The weakness of the human being comes to teh forefront with a vengence.Is there no way out ?

THERE IS A WAY, FLOW WITH THE TIDE, BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS, TREAT OTHERS WITH EMPATHY, you will find the ;life much better to be lived.

We are our sole masters. If we can bring grief to ourselves, by our own action, the contrary that we are capable of bringing cheers to our own lives should be equally true. Quite often we blame ourselves for the situation we are in with out even thinking that the way forward and the way out to our own peace of mind and happiness is also lying with us. And to know that IS THE FORCE FROM WITHIN.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

A journey down the lane; Malarum ninaivugal

Four days holidays at a stretch,thanks to present CM of Tamil nadu.
Celebration of Pongal, Kanupongal, Mattu Pongal , Kanum Pongal and so on and so forth,.
Irrespective of the age there is always a liking to wards holidays, especially when they come in plenty,but as the aging process goes on, the enthusiasm with which these are used to be celebrated undergoes a change.

My earliest memories of Pongal goes back when i was in School (reading in first standard) and when my sisters used to celebrate KANU PONGAL . And i am blessed with sisters, 4 own sisters and half a dozen cousin sisters. Those days , it is customary for the girls who have offered Kanu podi (for the well being of their brothers) to approach elders and take their blessings. Blessings usually will be accompanied by gifts in cash, I remember my sisters getting Rs 10 each (good money in 1960s) and since i used to accompany them, i will always get a few rupees.Mind you , 25 paise in those days can get you one plate iddly, one vada and a cup of coffee.Thus in one day, by simply accompanying my sisters, i would have temporarily become rich. If the gifts are good, the luxury of having a masal dosai in India Coffe house, accompanied by a movie in Krishnaveni theater are the addl benefits.

And then the memories go to the point of time when i reached my teens.This is the difficult age.On the one hand you will have to give something to your younger sisters as gift and on the other hand you have to recoup your reources, with out making it to appear too obvious. The fact that i had only one sister younger to me and all other sisters elder to me saved me the embarrassment.This was the time i was living in one of those houses (Recall server sundaram, if you want to have an idea about the house we lived in), containing, one small verandah, one hall and one kitchen in which me , my two unmarried sisters, my elder sister and my brother in law along with their three kids have to live.Some one said, the constraints are not outside, but inside, Yes 100% true. The happiness which we used to get while celebrating Pongal in these "ondu kudiththanam " as they used to be called, despite limitation in moving space, is still evading me after two decades.There used to be a Radha krishna temple near by and the loud speakers will start playing songs both from movies aswell as devotional songs, right from the day before the
Pongal which used to last till the week end, almost 4-5 days at a stretch.This is the time when girls in their teens in the neighboring houses will visit and exchange glances, on the pretext of taking asirvathams from elders in the house. No formal talking, only eyes will meet. That is enough to keep the day wholesome.

Then comes the College days.Along with attendant pressures. Still, home preparations which have always been a speciality during Pongal, used to keep the interest at its best. These are also the days when participation in tamil speeches used to take a front seat. And emerging victorious, nine out of ten times added glitter to the same.This was to be the trend setter for a reward later obtained from the hands of Kaviyarasu Kannadasan later in 1980s in Kolkatta when the undersigned was fortunate to win three awards for best speech, best story writing and best analytical skills of a novel(MARAPPASU) by Thi. Janagi raman.

And then came the long and sullen officialdom.The time spent for literary activities and to enjoy the little pleasures that is offered by the Pongal festival have all gone into oblivion till a break took place, when i was given an opportunity to work in Hongkong. I was elected the president of HK Tamil cultural association which gave an opportunity and time to make good the last time to some extent. This was the time when Chinese New Year will be celebrated. Combining both events there was occasion to rejoice by organising patti mandrams, Vazhakkadu mandrams, drama festivals etc.

And now in CHENNAI, with official duties keeping one as prisoner of circumstances,Pongal comes and goes But the pleasures associated with it, are seldom enjoyed, especially when my two loving eyes (Son and daughter) are not around to enjoy the same,

But i am a hard core optimist, waiting for the union to come and then to redouble the happiness of enjoying Pongal in all its grandeur,

Till then hats off to all those sisters, elders, damsels and my dear son and daughter who make the remembrances of Pongal to be very personal and very enjoyable,

kodvasri

Monday, January 11, 2010

ADVENT OF THE NEW YEAR

Every New Year , brings its own charms.It is the individuals who make a difference to it , based on their mood sets.

It has become customary for almost, with out exception to sit in front of TVs waiting to see that the clock strikes zero hours so that they can wish the near and dear a very happy new year.

Crackers are burst, telephones suddenly comes to life with non stop ringing at mid night, Drinks (hard and mild) flow like water , Prayers are offered at Churches and at times in temples too.

In all the glee and momentum that follows, the flaws committed in the yester year are given a go by, the challenges awaiting in the new year are consciously forgotten and the moment per se is enjoyed and enlivened.

If it can give a boost to energy levels by celebrating the new year, why not we celebrate each dawn like the same way.After all it is a new ray of hope and a new dawn of life as one never knows as to weather the sleep overnight is temparary or permanant.

AS the famous Tamil Poet Thiru valluvar said "Uranguvathupolum sakkadu, urangi vizhippathu polum pirappu", each dawn calls for a celbration, irrespective of our mind sets as it is a boon offered to us to live one more day.

And here comes the great poetic words of Maha Kavi Subramanya Bahrathiar when he declared
'indru puthithai piranthom".

Yes in what better manner, one can overcome the past and enter in tom the future, tahn by simply declaring 'i am born afresh'.

Let the messsage sink in you.Enjoy the day as the day is the only day that is available to you to do all that is good, all that is helpful all that will make you at peace.Repeat that every day. see what a difference that it has made to your lives.

all the best to each one of you on this happy new year , this day and every day to follow.

Seems like a belated greeting..Is it not1, To greet any one, every moment is good..is it not!!

See you later when some thoughts flow..worthwhile(?) to be recorded in the blog.

Monday, December 28, 2009

LAST WEEK OF DECEMBER

Today of this year and today of yester year.Does it seem gramatically incorrect, never mind..

WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS NOT THE GRAMMAR , BUT THE CONTENTS, RIGHT..

The fact that i do not have any followers give me the additional liberty of psoting /recording what i want, you remember the title of my blog.Right "Honest Impressions"

Last week of December last year was spent in the company of my dear daughter and son in that order. This week, fortunately my son is with me and the daughter's presence or rather absence lingers in memory as ever..

By far the year 2009 has been good to me, perhaps due to numerological coincidence, yes 2009-the sum toatl 11 is my birth number.

And in retrospection, the question comes, whether any thing can be regarded as absolutely good or absolutely or bad , the question becomes profound after having completed the book on Ramana Maharishi by BHANU RAMAMCHANDRAN, about which i made a refrence earlier.

To make the understanding complete, the quote from the book, attributed to the saying of Ramana Maharishi to his own mother when he is hardly 19 years old , sums up as under :

TO GET ANY THING DONE IS BY HIS GRACE, IF ANYTHING IS NOT DONE , IT IS ALSO ACCORDING TO HIS DICTATE,

That being the case where is the need to celebrate good and to brood over the worst, as we are not instrumental to the outcome,He is the one who decides the out come, therefore have the balance of mind to treat good and bad alike and accept things as it comes your way,that gives you the permanant bliss and peace of mind..

I think i have moved away from my main topic,

Very few, like my son has the capability not to lose focus on a topic started , may be more but i know and i am glad that i know only my son's blog as my palm..

Again this statement may be misconstrued by a few as being partial.biased and so on .

But when one tries to be honest why bother about the counter effects..

And let me continue my focus.

Year before last year it was in HYDERABAD and at Raghavendra mandir(Manthralayam)

An year before that it was at Goa......

Last year it was again MANTHRALAYAM, and Sheeradi

This year it has been the Guru Temple at Thiruvottiyur.

Different Gods and Goddessses , The purpose is one, Peace of mind to all.

I have been a witness to tremndrous turmoil witnessed by my own near and dear and those who were near and dear to them.

But while i retrospect at the end of the year, it has given courage, wisdom and peace of mind in many walks of life to whom this reference is made.

Yes, still there are a fwe things to be accomplished, but the journey has well begun and a journey well begun is equivalent o travelling half the distance and the tempo takes you thru the rest of the journey with HIS GRACE.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010 IN CASE I DO NOT POST MY NEXT BLOG WITHIN NEXT 108 HOURS....

Sunday, December 27, 2009

60th Anniversary

Time and tide waits for no body they say.True.
When a person traverses 60 years of life and turns back to see the life of 60 years it gives lessons of ommortal value.
Life filled with VICTORIES AND DEFEATS, Achievements and disasters,Associations and seperations ...Oh the list is endless.
To travel these 60 years and then to turn back and look at it with pride is something unique.
I recollected the 60th birth days that i have attended to date , after being a spectator in one such event to day evening, the Shastiaptaporthy of my wife's (and mine too ) friend ms Bhanumathi .I think i should not shadow her name , for more than a dozen reasons.

Some of them i would reiterate;
1.She lost her husband in her forties
2.She had two young sons(Not even in their teens)
3.She underwent an entrepreneurship programme(the first of its kind exclusively conducted by our bank for women alone in coordiantion with SIDBI- Having been selected out of 200 competitors for 20 births).
4. She left her past behind and worked like a robo killing all her personal (or should i say ) overcoming all her personal desires with the sole goal of seeing her two sons on board.
5.She went to US to ear a livelihood.
6. She saw to it that her sons reached an impeccable place in society and today her 60th birthday is celebrated in style with love and affection b y her two sons and their wives/grand children/

To top it all she has authored and broght out a book on Bhagwan Ramanmaharishi.
She has started the Madipakkam Ladies welfare assciation on 26th JAN 1985 and today the Association is celebrating its 25th Anniversary when this gret womwn is celebrating her 60th Anniversary.

i happened to speak a few words, not out of compulsion but out of an impulse,
When she recalled what i have done to her life asa faculty i had only one thing to say...

GREAT TEACHERS ARE CREATED BY GREAT STUDENTS. I WAS GLAD TO HAVE HER AS MY STUDENT.

And what a gift the student gave ne, a book of universal knowledge and faith...

hats off to her. May everyone's anniversary be filled with such outstanding attainments.

kanthakannan

Friday, August 7, 2009

MEMORIES , SOME SWEET AND SOME BITTER

It is almost a month since i posted my first post.The reason for the delay..guess it ..
Yes, you guessed it right, i have forgotten my pass word.
so it took some time to get a new pass word and here is my second post.

Hence those who heaved a sigh of relief that they have escaped the ramblings in my blog, will have to curse their fate as i am back with a vengence..

In between few things happened, the good ones (or is it really good) first..I have been promoted up the l;adder by my organisation.Is it good or bad is a debatable question..may be good for me and bad for them or vice versa..

And that takes me to the label of this post...MEMORIES.
When you travel down the memory lane you find that the memories which gave you the maximum comfort and happiness initially slowly drifted away to be replaced by some other memories of equal or stronger intensity. The feelings associated with such memories (good or bad) however strong they remained at the initial time of memory slowly lost its blunt later and remained a scar.

And therefore why do we suffer so much at the revisit of memories, if the memories and their impact are not of permanace? It is because we ahve put the persons and the events associated with the memories on our priority where as what ought to be done is to place the self as the prioirity.

Sounds crude and blunt and selfish..Right ..
Yes truth is always bitter and difficult to digest...

But look around you and see the persons who are happy ..all at some point of time have trampled on other's feelings and then (hold your breath) moved on with out even thinking a fraction of a second as to what they they did or as to what they did not do ...MAY BE LOVE, MAY BE FRIENDSHIP, MAY BE A RELATIONSHIP , MAY BE A CONTRACT , AND SO MANY MAY BE's WHEN DAY IN AND DAY OUT ONE FINDS THE DOUBLE STANDARDS...

Therefore give the memories , whether good or bad, the attention they deserve and then move on.
Make it a point that if you can leave with some one a memorable moment and a beautiful memeory (whether the other person has understood or not, resiprocated or not) thne your emories will always be sweet only.other wise they are going to be bitter..

HENCE MEMORIES , GOOD BYE TO THEE AS I HAVE MANY MORE MILES TO CONQUER AND POSSIBLY MANY MORE MEMORIES TO BE REVISITED AND RELEARNT AND RECREATED.....................................................................................

Monday, July 13, 2009

HONEST IMPRESSIONS

HI ALL
FOR QUITE SOME TIME I HAVE BEEN TOYING WITH THE IDEA OF CREATION OF BLOG.NOT WITH ANY INTENTION TO EDUCATE ANY ONE BUT WITH THE SOLE PURPOSE OF EDUCATING MYSELF!!!.

AND THE CREDIT GOES TO MY SON WHO HAD NUMBER OF CREATIONS IN HIS BLOG TO HIS CREDIT .I DO NOT WANT TO NAME HIM FOR FEAR OF HIS BEING REBUKED FOOR HAVING A FATHER LIKE ME!!

ANY WAY , IT IS THE EVENTS OF POORVA JANMA WHICH DECIDE THE EVENTS IN CURRENT LIFE AS SOME PEOPLE SAY. IF THAT IS TRUE IT IS MY POORVA JANMA WHICH MAKES ME TO USE THIS BLOG AND IT IS THE POORVA JANMA OF OTHERS IF THEY HAPPEN TO VISIT THIS SITE!

TO GETHER LET US NALYSE SOME OF THE INTERESTING SITUATIONS IN LIFE AND ELSE WHERE