Go away from your own self to go nearer to Him.

Go away from your own self   to go nearer   to Him. 

Original  lecture  in  Tamil by

Tenkachi   ko  Swaminathan

Written  in his own words by

P.R.Ramachander

(Wikipedia says  “Thenkachi Ko. Swaminathan (1946-2009) was a popular orator, an author of various Tamil books, Deputy Director of "All India Radio" a-k-a AIR, radio channel, a host of the daily programme Indru oru Thagaval on All India Radio (AIR). A down-to-earth human being, genius in Life Improvement, Positive Attitude and Story narrator.” I  have leant a lot by hearing him as well   reading him. This is my humble   contribution  in face book   to rekindle the memory   of a   great man.)

One day   a seeker    wanted   to see God,

He enquired   about whereabouts   of God,

And    was walking   with confidence   to the temple .

And on the    way    he was   stopped   by a  holy man.

Holy man asked   the seeker   where   he was  going  ,

And the  seeker   replied  , “To the   temple   to worship    God”,

And the holy man asked  , “Have    you   seen him ealier,

And the seeker   replied, “No, I have  not seen him earlier.”

Hoily man further  asked ,”You     do not   even know   who he is?

And so the  worship that  you intend    to do may  possibly  only a drama,

And when you go to the   temple, you would   see  many like you ,

Asking  the unknown God  fulfilment of many   desires  and tell   him all  Their complaints.”

The Seeker   said, “I do not   want any thing   from him  nor have I complaints,

I want   only to show   my love to  him.”  And then the  holy man asked ,

“If he   is a stranger  to you   , how can you show    your love to him.”

Then the seeker   asked, “Please guide  me how  I can meet him.”

The holy man said, “You can never   ever meet him but only learn to feel him.,

And this  can be done  by meditation “  and the seeker    asked,

“What is   the   connection   of that  unknown god  and this meditation?”

The holy man said , “nothing whatsoever”   and the seeker   was greatly surprised.

The holy man continued “Meditation  comes     deep from your mind,

And it would create a deep silence in you   and in that state  of silence,

You would start knowing  about God   and this will lead  you to worship.

And that   is perhaps    the only   way  to start   worshiping him.”

At that time a   westerner  passed   that way   and approached   the holy man,

And requested, ”I want peace” and the holy man smiled and told , Leave out  first two words,

And you will get “peace” . for when you   leave  “I”  , you  lose your   ego,

And when you  Lose “wants”, only  “ peace”    would remain with you.

The westerner  knew that   he had    got the   right   answer and went back,

And they both saw   a  satisfied  rich    devotee   returning    from the temple,

And the holy man asked “Did you have a good darsan  of God “ and he replied,

“I paid fifty rupees  and I  could go very   near   to the  God in the sanctum.”

The holy man smiled  “ how far   were    you   from God consecrated  there?”

And  devotee said “Just  ten feet  “   the holy man asked  “Was not the priest,

Nearer  to Him than you?”   and this jolted    the rich devotee   who could pay fifty rupees.

 And he went back    very much disappointed,  as  he had not  got the best darsan.

The seeker  took leave  of the  holy man and    was seen going back to his home,

And the holy man asked  him , “ You were going to temple   to see   the God.” 

And he said  “I understood that  I should know the God first by going away   from myself.”

And the holy man told  “Spirituality   is not going nearer  to god  , but going  far away   from your  own self.”

Our misunderstandings of the profession of a doctor

There  is a general feeling in our country that  Doctors    as  a profession are exploiting    the common people . Here is a poem trying to clarify that  misunderstanding. I am not a doctor  .

Our misunderstandings of  the profession of a  doctor

By

P.R.Ramachander

(Based on a  whatsapp post that I  received. Acknowledgements to anon)

1.We all feel that  Doctors are doing  service to humanity,

And hence  they  should not   bother  about  the fees that they get,

But the truth  is, to every doctor , his job is a profession,

By which he earns money and looks after his family and parents

2.We all feel that   a doctor  due to his   great profession,

Should be greatly  honest and  we get disturbed, if he is even slightly dishonest,

But we forget that  doctor is a human being like  judges, Generals,

Ministers and police and if they can be dishonest  he too possibly can be.

3.WE all feel  that  the only job  that  a doctor   does   well,

Is to order  for thousands  of unnecessary tests,

And prescription of   costly drugs  by firms which can make him happy,

But we forget that he cannot  gamble with our lives, just based on his hunch.

4.WE all feel  that  Doctors   are   next to  the silent Gods  in our temples,

But we forget  he too is a human being like   us , who have to look after  his family,

Get upset and angry some times  and  suffer  diseases like  us at any time,

And if we   want only  God to treat us , we  better  go to temples  rather  than hospitals.

5.WE feel that  every doctor ,   to make himself   immensely rich,

Hikes   his fees  for consultation  and surgery  so that,

Ordinary people  like us have to prefer  death  rather than treatment,

But we forget that, he is a human being like us and wants to live like us.

6.WE  feel that  doctors  are careless  and commit   errors and kill many,

But  if a careless  doctor  kills  one individual due to error or tension,

A careless  driver kills  dozens  per day and a  careless  engineer,

Kills   hundreds daily by causing  breaking of bridges and accidents.

Realistic problems of getting universal property to cure wounds

Realistic problems of getting  universal  property to cure  wounds

By

P.R.Ramachander

( Based on a  post by  Ravi Ramanathan    in tamil in face book  and my acknowledgements  to original   author.)

It  was a village   near   the sea   in Kerala  ,

And a  man lived with his old Grandma  in that  village,

And one day  Grandma was wounded  in  her leg,

And    the would   was   never   getting healed.

The local  ayurvedic doctor advised him  to pour  salt water ,

In her wound so that   it can get healed   very fast,

And the friend  of the man told  him that  water  in ocean was  full of salt,

And advised   his friend   to take  some ocean water   and pour  it on the wound daily .

The man thought  it was  a wonderful   idea   which will save money,

But thought   that  water  in the ocean   is a public  property,

And to use   it he   should   get  government’s permission  ,

And so he gave  an application to  village lever officer for its use.

The VLO was confused  and did not want   to take any risk whatsoever,

And forwarded   it to the  Tehsildar   for approval   and that officer ,

Thought that   there   was some thing fishy  in it and   sent it to collector,

And that  poor collector thought it was political and  forwarded   it to the   chief secretary  of the state.

The  chief secretary  advised   the minister  that water  of ocean  for  20 km,

Was  the property  of central government  and   so there   was a great need,

To obtain permission   of   the central minister  of off shore   fishing   and transport ,

And that minister   consulted    his prime minister   about the entire thing.

The prime minister   who was  also a foreign minister   thought   that,

Water  in the ocean was  an international  asset   and sent it to the UN,

Whose secretary general   thought   that  it was an important political issue,

And  kept it ans an agenda item   in the next security   council meeting,

And there  they decided  that the old woman can use  one litre  of water per day.

It was  communicated  to the prime minister , minister  of  off shore fishing,

To the minister  of the state  , the chief secretary of   the state , the collector  of the district,

Tehsildar  and village  level officer  and with   red tape every where ,

Reached   the old  woman’s son  after  forty    years   through  registered post.

That  man  by the time was seventy and his grand mother had died  thirty   years back,

But he was  glad    the reply had come  because by that time  he   had a  wound   in his leg ,

And he called  his grand son   and told him to bring one litre  of water  from the ocean daily,

But the grand son   google searched   and found out  that pouring  sea water ,

Is not at all  a good idea , as it may cause  infection   in his grandpa’s  leg .

Honoured slippers and the dishonoured body

Honoured  slippers  and  the  dishonoured  body

By

P.R.Ramachander

(This is based on    the tamil write up posted by Seshadriinadhan Ramasubramanian  in the face book..My acknowledgements to him.)

There was a very rich well known man in a village ,

And one day while  he was  walking one of his slippers.

Got damaged   and he   left it near  the home of a poor man,

And told him, :”I shall leave my   slippers here  and tomorrow my servant  will collect it.

The  poor man told him,  :”having your slippers    in front of my home ,

Is a  great  luck for me , for you are  a very great man.”

After some days the rich man died and while his  dead body,

Was being   carried for cremation , it rained heavily near  the poor man’s home.

One of the   rich man’s  relation  approached   the poor man   and asked him,

It is raining heavily  and so can we  keep the dead body   of the deceased  here ,

Till the rain stops” and the poor man shouted   at him  and said ,” What do you  ,

Think of yourself  ,  I do not  want  his evil  smelling body here  and trouble us .”

Please understand   that the   honour   and respect that all of    you get today,

Is  for you with the soul and once  the soul leaves   the body,

The body  would not get  any respect and so  , as long as   you are alive,

Live a life   of honesty , truth and love , so that you are  respected till you die,

Oldies and conservation of environment

Oldies  and conservation  of environment

Rewritten    from original English

With deep sense of acknowledgements   to that author

By

P.R.Ramachander

We hear   the need to preserve  enviorment, the need to conserve energy  , eat   ready made food and  to conserve fuel  , whenever we opened a newspaper  or switched our TV. Our little ones  chided us for being careless   to the environment. A recent essay  in English made  me think whether   all that is true . For:-

We used to buy   milk in bottles, wash it and reuse it,

Initially we filled   ink in our pens   and purchased   just a pen,

We used   refills   for our ball pens  and never purchased  new pens,

We bought    just one razor    and used  it for ever   by changing blades,

WE walked    whenever   we needed to nearby places and did not use  petrol,

WE walked   up and down the stairs  and did not use  fuel for the escalator  ,

We used cloth nappies to babies , washed  and reused   them,

WE had just one Tv or one radio  in our home and not in every room,

And that Tv was    size of a   slightly   bigger  hand kerchief  and not a foot ball ground,

WE used   manual grinders  , mortars and pestles    and did not waste   electricity,

WE walked, climbed up and worked hard and did not a gym to excercise,

WE   drank water  from a tumbler washed  and reused it  instead of throwing plastic bottles,

WE knew   that most of the   food was seasonal and did not import or export it,

WE never food that came from a packet  and our grocer packed   everything in old news paper,

WE  washed , cut and cooked our vegetable and did not buy pre cooked ones,

A house at most had   two or three electric sockets,

Each of us knew where a   shop selling a product was and we  did not google for it,

We  bought newspapers  ,  and used to  pack things in that and to cushion   fragile material

WE used manual lawn mowers and not ones   driven by the fuel

WE never used  anything that   was preserved  or which had  preservatives

WE conserved all rain waters  in ponds and lakes

Please tell whether  I am right or it that  they are  right?

The greatest among them all

 The greatest   among them all

Posted   in facebook by

Sri J K  Shivan

Translated  by

P.R.Ramachander

(This   small write up by   my great friend who has   given up his entire life   to Lord Krishna  shocked me to tears. How many of us    will  think like my friend.)

There was a great king   and he wanted   to identify,

The best citizen   in his country   and give him or her a great award.

His  ministers  worked   doubly hard , without any rest,

And brought   the four   great citizens  , so that  the king can identify the  best.

The first among them was   not only very rich  but had  spent,

Crores  of money   in charity and also fed millions of people,

The second was   a great doctor who treated  patients   for charity,

And he had   saved thousands  of people   from death and   suffering.

The third was   a great justice  and  all his judgements ,

Were greatly   appreciated   as several criminals were  punished  by him,

And the king   was astounded   to see   the fourth   well chosen great person,

For she was   only a  lady, who wore   tattered cloths   and no ornaments .

The king was surprised , Where   is the very rich   charitable  man,

The doctor  who saved   thousands  of lives  and judge   who prevented crimes,

And this very old   and extremely poor   lady  and he  stared angrily   at his ministers,

And they  saluted him   and told, “She is   the  teacher  of the  other great three.”

The  king stared   at that  poor lady  in tatters   and poverty ,

Once again and told her , “Mother  , do you  not recognize me ,

I too  like these  four greats  was   your student and you had told us ,

I may not become   great but definitely you will, and mother.”You are  greater than all of us.”

“To cut or not cut “ is the question?

“To cut or not cut “  is the question?

Translated   from  a face book post by A.G.Kesavan   in Tamil

By

P.R.Ramachander

Wife asked “Shall  I  cut my   hair?”

Her husband replied  , “Please   cut.”

She replied ”If I cut  , to again grow  it would take a lot of time”

Her husband   replied “Do not cut”

She replied “Maintaining  less  hair  is  the modern fashion”

Her husband   replied”Do cut”

She replied , If I cut  . my friends  may tease me.”

Her husband  “do not cut”

She said, “My mother says  that for my small  face , it would look good.”

Her husband  “Do cut”

She said, “Suppose  in Beauty saloon, they do not cut it properly?”

Her husband  “Do not cut”

She said , “I feel cutting is better.”

Her husband “do cut”

She said, “If I cut and it is not good  , you only are  responsible”

Her husband “Do not cut”

She said, “If I cut  management of hair would be easy”

Her husband  “Do cut”

She said , “I am scared   it may  look ugly”

Her husband “Do not cut”

She said, “Whatever  it may be , I have decided  to cut”

Her husband  “Do cut”

She said, “ I am not sure   you will like it”

Her husband “Do not cut”

She said, “My throat is  paining , What should I do?”

Her husband “Do cut it”

She said, “What happened? I am talking  about our doctor”

Her husband  “Then do not cut”

She daid, “What nonsense  are  you talking”

Her husband , “Then do cut”

She said “ Oh God”

Her husband  “Then cut”

   This poor husband is now in a lunatic asylum   muttering “Then you cut, Then you   do not cut”

Please decide  to cut or not cut quickly.

God knows what you need

God knows    what you need

By

P.R.Ramachander

(Based on the tamil  post in Face book. My acknowledgements   to whoever  wrote it.)

There was a   young man in a  village ,

Who went on wandering   doing nothing,

And one day he saw   some people chanting ,

The names of Lord Krishna   again and   again.

He approached    the  one who appeared  as their leader,

And asked him, “What is the  use   of chanting    this name,

Again and  again   And I feel   you are   wasting your time .”

And that one replied,”There  is nothing   that cannot be achieved by such chanting.”

Hearing it   that person     who was   very hungry   went    to a nearby  forest,

Climbed on a tree   and  wanting to test  the power  of Chanting God’s name ,

Started again and again chanting   the name   of Lord Krishna  praying for food

And suddenly he saw  a  wayfarer coming to take   rest under the tree.

After some time the wayfarer  left the shade  of the tree  leaving  there,

A huge packet of food and though he wanted   to eat the food ,

He did not  because  God has not given that food  to him  but it was left there by  a stranger,

And again after   some time  a gang  of dacoits    came to take   rest   under the tree.

They had  some wealth stolen by them    and  when they saw   that packet of food,

Since they were  hungry   they felt like   eating it but desisted , feeling the man ,

Who was chanting God’s name must have mixed poison  in that   food to kill them,

And they caught hold of him   and force fed  him so that his  hunger vanished.

When they saw that not only   nothing happened  to him  but   that,

He was also cheerful after being well fed , ate some of the food  themselves  and gave that man,

Lots of money from their loot  and that man realizing   the power of chanting ,

Name of God  , went to the temple   and put all  the money he got in to  the  coffers of temple.

Then that person decided that  he would   forever   chant the name of God,

Not to get anything    nor to achieve   anything  but  to   get  whatever,

God wanted  him to get  ,  as he knew , that God knew   what he wanted,

And eventually  he worked hard   and   became a rich satisfied man.

This room of thousands of mirrors

This room of  thousands   of mirrors

By

P.R.Ramachander

(Idea is copied from   a tamil posting of face book. Thanks to original author)

Once one rich man approached  his scholarly Guru and asked,

“Sir,   this whole world  seems to be   an extremely place,

All  my servants, my relations  , my children and   even my wife,

Seem to be  very  bad people   as they    do  not like me   at all.”

The  Guru roared   with   laughter    and  told the rich man,

“There was  a  room with  one thousand  mirrors placed all round it ,

A  young  smart   , very happy  playful   and smart girl   entered  that room,

And all round her   she saw   smart , happy  , playful and jolly   girls  in that room.”

“She became   happy and   enjoyed    being in that  room   and went there again and again,

But    a mad man who  had a scowling face   who shouted  in anger   at every one   entered there,

And all around him , he saw   angry  , undesirable   people  shouting and scowling at him,

And he decided that he disliked    that room    and would never   go to the room  once again.”

“This society   where we both  live is that room with the room  with one thousand  mirrors,

It only reflects    again  and again  our own emotions    and attitudes towards   all others ,

So if you keep    your  mind like   that of a child  and  enjoy everything   and love every one ,

You would    see that the whole world  is a very nice place   where  every one loves us.”

How did South India cook pungent dishes before Chilly was introduced in India?

How did  South India  cook  pungent dishes before Chilly was  introduced  in India?

By

P.R.Ramachander

   

  Chilly  or Chilli pepper   was discovered by Christopher  Columbus in the  Norther America.  Since one of his aim was to find a spice to replace  Pepper, he brought it with him to Europe  in 1493  . The first chillies  must have arrived in India  along with Vascoda Gama  in to India in the year 1498. That means   till  1500   all pungent dishes in India   were prepared  using  only pepper. Pepper got replaced  because of huge cost of pepper compared  to red chillies 

    This would mean the sambar that we know  I or even Vettal Kuzhambu   or puli inji   or   other several tamarind based   dishes  were either  prepared  using a pepper  or they did not exist at all. The cooking  in India without chillies   , tomatoes and potatoes has been discussed in detail   in  https://www.quora.com/What-was-Indian-cuisine-all-about-before-potatoes-chilies-and-tomatoes-were-brought-to-India?redirected_qid=793453  .Most of the North Indian dishes even to this day   can be prepared  using  pepper but  when we come to the south the story is different  .WE are 100% dependent  on Chilles   for preparing pungent   and sour  main dishes as on today .Some of these dishes are Pulungari in Kerala, SAmbar /Pitlai  in Tamil Nadu  , Pulusu  in Andhra   and Huli in Karnataka .It is interesting to note   that Chilly(Kappal milagu- pepper which came in a ship  ) is completely avoided by people undergoing  Ayurvedic treatment.

         But on Sradham days  in Tamil  Brahmin homes   chillies   are  not used  but sour pungent   dishes are prepared. The  traditional  Nambudiri cusine  again  depended  only   on pepper  for adding pungency but they preferred   curd or butter milk   for adding sour   taste   when needed. I am giving below   some of the pepper  only based  dishes   from Tamil Nadu  and Kerala 

1,Pitlai 

1.Cook  well needed  green gram dhal   and Bitter gourd in Tamarind water

2.Fry  without oil  Black gram dhal and pepper

3.Grind  the  fried pepper   and Dhal   along with coconut and add  salt

4.Season it   with  Mustard  . coconut and Curry leaves

    I feel all Kuzhambu    was  prepared  this way  .

2.Podi Podicha Pulungari

This is possibly the Kerala substitute for Tamil Nadu Sambhar.Here is the recipe:-

1.Cut into long thin pieces, Brinjal, red Pumpkin, ash gourd or Chow Chow.

2.Cook in pressure cooker in tamarind water.

3.Fry in a dry pan rice and pepper.The colour of the rice should turn ivory.

4.Powder the rice , pepper

5.Add to the vegetables and boil.

6.Season with mustard and garnish with curry leaf

3.Yerisseri (Erisseri)

Needed materials

1.Chena (Elephant food yam)-25 gm
2.Raw Nendran Banana -one
3.One table spoon of pepper powder+ 1 ½ litre water
4.Turmeric powder one teaspoon and necessary salt
5. ½ coconut grated + jerra seds ½ tea spoon
6.One table spoon of coconut oil
7.one tea spoon mustard
8. ½ grated coconut
9. one table spoon ghee
10.Jeera seeds ½ tea spoon

Method

1.Cut yam in to small pieces and put in water
2.Remove skin of banana, split it in to four pieces length wise and cut it in to small pieces
3. Mix pepper powder in water and wash it to remove skin portion .Filter it in a nice cloth
4.Boil yam and items in 4 for some time in the water where pepper powder is added.. When three fourth cooked add cut banana pieces and boil till well cooked
5.Grind items in 5 add it to the boiled vegetables and bring it to boil
6.Take little oil , heat with mustard. When it splutters add grated coconut mentioned (in a low fire) in 8.
7.Add ghee to the frying coconut mixture, When coconut turns brown season it with jeera
8.Add the fried mixture in the boiled vegetables and heat.

(comments by P.R.Ramachander: This preparation could be also done only with yam or carrot or red pumpkin pieces. Though adding ghee would add to the taste , in small scale preparations it is not a must.)

4.Kurukku Kalan

Materials required

1.Sour curd ¾ litre
2.Pepper powder 1 teaspoon
3. Yam (Elephant foot yam) 15 gm
4.Green nendran Banana 1
5,Curry leaves, 3 green chillies, I tea spoon turmeric powder ,salt
6.Ghee –one tea spoon
7. ½ green coconut , one spoon jeera seeds, pepper powder
8.Mentha seeds -1 teaspoon
9.Coconut oil –one table spoon
10.Mustard – ½ teaspoon , red dries chillies 2 , curry leaves

Method

1.Churn the curd well and remove impurities
2.Wash and clean the pepper powder
3.With this pepper add water, cut yam, cut nendran Banana , and items mentioned in s.no.5 and boil
4.After the Yam has cooked well and water has almost disappeared add ghee and stir well
5.Add the churned curd in to this
6,When it becomes very thick , add grinded articles mentioned in S.No.7 and boil
7.Switch off the stove
8.Season with articles mentioned in S.No.10

5.Mulagooshyam

This is possibly one of the very simple Kerala recipes. It is also called Karingalan by some Here is the method:-

1.Choose either plantains and Chenai(Where Chenai is not available choose carrot instead).Cut into small pieces.

2.Boil till coked with turmeric powder, pepper powder and salt with medium water.

3.Season it either with raw coconut oil or mustard and uzhuttam parippu

6.Mulagu Vellam

This needs very sour buttermilk to prepare. Here is the method

1 Cook pepper powder in water for some time.

2,Add sour butter milk , salt and turmeric powder and boil till it is reduced to half the quantity,

3.Season it with mustard, red chillies and fenugreek.

6.Jeera  Rasam

1.Boil Tamarind water    along   with  Turmeric powder  and salt

2.Fry pepeer and jeeragam (cumin)   and powder it

3.Add to the boiled Tamarind water   and boil it further

4.Season  with mustard   and cumin seeds and add  curry leaves

கண்ணின் மொழி-Language of the eye

                        கண்ணின் மொழி-Language  of the eye

Translation

By

Ramachander

(Possibly before human beings invented the art of talking with the mouth , they talked with each other  using their eyes,. But even after   we invented the art  of talking, we needed   to convey many secret emotions   without  opening our mouth.  Because of this   the art of talking  silently  using the eyes   continued. Poet Kamban , about meeting of Rama   and Sita says, “He saw  and she saw   and then afterwards what is the need of language  of words. I saw  this Tamil write up in Whatsapp. My thanks   to the one who  originally   wrote it.)

1. கண்கள் வலப்புறமாக பார்த்தால் பொய் சொல்கிறது

If  eyes   see   to the right side, that person   is telling a lie

2. கண்கள் இடப்புறமாக பார்த்தால் உண்மை பேசுகிறது

If eyes   see to the left side , that person is telling the   truth

3. கண்கள் மேலே பார்த்தால் ஆளுமை செய்கிறது

If eyes  are seeing to the top  , He is ruling

4. கண்கள் கீழே பார்த்தால் அடிபணிகிறது

If eyes are  seeing to the bottom , he is surrendering 

5. கண்கள் விரிந்தால் ஆச்சர்யப்படுகிறது,ஆசைப்படுகிறது.

If eyes    are   wide open, He is either   wondering   or desiring

6. கண்கள் சுருங்கினால் சந்தேகப்படுகிறது.

If  eyes are slightly folded , He is suspecting

7. கண்கள் கூர்ந்து பார்த்தால் விரும்புகிறது

If eyes   are sharply staring , He is desiring

8. கண்கள் வேறு எங்கோ பார்த்தால் தவிர்க்கிறது

If eyes   are  seeing somewhere   else, he is avoiding

9. கண்கள் வலமும் இடமும் மாறி மாறி ஓடினால் பதட்டத்தில் உள்ளது.

If eyes  speedily move from right to left    and left to right, he is nervous

10. கண்கள் படபடத்தால் விரும்புகிறது, வெட்கப்படுகிறது

If eyes    are beating fast  , he  or she is shy

11. கண்கள் மூக்கைப்பார்த்தால் கோபப்படுகிறது

If eyes are seeing his own nose  , he   is very angry

12. கண்கள் எதை பார்க்கிறதோ அதை விரும்புகிறது.

Eyes desires    those it is seeing  constantly

13. கண்கள் கழுத்துக்கு கீழே பார்த்தால் காமம்

If eyes   look below your neck, it is passion

14. கண்கள் கண்ணுக்குள் பார்த்தால் காதல்

If eyes see   within other’s eyes  it is love

15. கண்கள் இடமாக கீழே பார்த்தால் தனக்குள் பேசிக்கொள்கிறது

If eyes see downleft , he   is talking   with himself

16. கண்கள் இடமாக மேலே பார்த்தால் பழைய நினைவுகளை தேடுகிறது

If eyes see  up left  , he is  reminiscencing  

17. கண்கள் வலமாக கீழே பார்த்தால் விடை தெரியாமல் யோசிக்கிறது

If Eyes are seeing down to the right , He is baffled   and searching for an answer

18. கண்கள் வலமாக மேலே பார்த்தால் பொய் சொல்ல யோசிக்கிறது

If eyes  are seeing up   to the right, he is making up his mind to tell a lie

19. கண்கள் உயர்ந்தும் தலை தாழ்ந்தும் இருந்தால் காம வயப்படுகிறது.

If eyes are raised and hear  is bowed  he is trying to  show his passion

20. கண்கள் ஓரப்பார்வையில் அவ்வப்பொழுது பார்த்தால் விரும்புகிறது.

If Eyes are  throwing side long glances   again and again, he is desiring for some thing

21. கண்கள் மூடித்திறந்தால் உள்ளுக்குள் தேடுகிறது

If eyes are kept on shutting   and opening, he is searching  for something inside

22. கண்களை கைகள் மறைத்தால் எதையோ மறைக்கிறது

If palms are kept over the eyes, he is hiding   some thing

23. கண்களை கைகள் கசக்கினால் தஞ்சம் கேட்கிறது.

If Palms are rubbing the eyes, He is seeking  protection

24. கண்கள் மூடித்திறந்தால் வெறுக்கிறது.

If eyes are closed and them opened, He is hating something

25. கண் புருவங்கள் உயர்ந்தால் பேச விரும்புகிறது

If eye brows are raised   up, he wants to talk  something

26. கண் புருவங்கள் சுருங்கினால் பேச விருப்பமில்லை.

If Eye brows  are stitched together , he does not want to talk

27. கண்களும் புருவங்களும் சுருங்கியிருந்தால் கோபம்

If eyes as well as eye brows are folded, then he is angry

We met our guardian angel after 42 years

We met our guardian angel after 42 years

By

P.R.Ramachander

The year  was 1972 and I was working in Coimbatore at that time. My wife had presented me with our first son. I got a senior class I gazetted job  in Central tobacco Institute  in Rajamundry and after   despatching   all our household goods by TVS , I arrived   at the new Institute.One of my office people called Nalam   got  me a house  for rent there.My landlady who was  a Ph.D  in Leather biochemistry and who had been unfortunately   widowed   was living in one portion along with her   two kids- a boy and a girl. My  father  , in laws and my wife   with our new son    came and joined  me there. My wife who did not know Telugu and  though a graduate   was not confident enough to converse in English. Within a minute after  we occupied  our house. Our landlady the  three of us under her  protective wings. WE used  to call  her Aunty. My son who had  several health problems   as a baby was her baby right from that time and wife became younger   sister  of Aunty. I became uncle to both  her kids  Rani and Babu. It was   an  extremely miserable  financial   emergency for both of us. Once all  our responsibilities   were fulfilled, the money that  I took home was a pittance .WE used   to struggle to make  both ends meet and there were times during the month end  that We did not have money    to  pay   for Baby food. Being in a new place   and being one of the senior most   officers  of the Institute, I used to feel shy to ask for loan.But Our Goddess, our guardian angel  Aunty  decided   that we were  hers and our problems was hers. About 2 years later  we had a baby girl   who was the pet of Aunty and was 100% of the time with Aunty.I got a transfer    to Bangalore   after 3 years   competing with 85  candidates and tearfully Aunty  bid us farewell.Just before   we left Rani was  requested  by her school  to  write  and act in an English Drama  during the children’s day and It was  the only Drama  that  I wrote in life . Two years later  Rani   got I rank  in Andhra  Pradesh  matriculation examination and she is  now one of the famous opthomologists  in USA and Babu is a lawyer  in Rajhamundry.

    A few days back   we went on a pilgrimage  to few important   temples of Kona seema and met our  Goddess   and protective angel once again with eyes  bathed in tears. Our Aunty  is as cheerful as earlier  and blessed  us. She was  the greatest Goddess  whom we   saluted    during our tour.

The first fierce feud to get control of a kitchen( home)

The first fierce   feud  to get   control of  a kitchen( home)

By

P.R.Ramachander

(I took this theme from  a face book  tamil  post of my friend Sridhar  Ramaswami, thanks to him.)

A family showers tonnes   of affection  in bringing up,

Its great so who  is going be the seed that  would  not allow,

To break   the chain   of the paternal    family in  India,

Not only In India but  wherever  paternal inheritance is practiced.

In  our Country that  is the  bruhat(big) , Bharath, as soon as  son attains,

Twenty five years of age, we  travel all  over the country  ,

To search for a pretty bride for him , from a family   that  is noble,

And after  weighing  her education,   culture and  heredity,

WE bring her   as the  b(p)ride  of our home  with  joy  and celebrations.

It is the mother  of that boy who insists   on  a a regal(royal)  marriage to him,

And she  invites   the new  pretty cultured   bride   of her son   to her home,

Not as a daughter  as per law   but a daughter whom she has carried  for ten months,

Gave birth, cherished    as well as nurtured her and for  a few   days ,

And after  the marriage   she would be   her greatest  f(r)iend and the gift of God.

Slowly the new daughter  of the family would understand  the cultures of her new home,

The likes as well as   dislikes of each and   every one  of all the people  in that home,

Especially    her husband and she would have   also    understood   to enjoy,

The moments of solitude with him,   and  the art giving    him joy    as well as  getting joy from him.

One day   after  all the guests  of the marriage, in the morning  the shy bride ,

Chewing all that  recently happened  at night enters the kitchen   of her new home,

So that she can prepare   a cup  of  degree coffee to her  new darling,

And finds  her new mother there, not at all  happy to see  her that time ,

For right   from the day that mother in law  expired , this was  her  own palace.

The mother in law who   was no more  her mother   becomes   greatly scared,

And tells her in a troubled voice , “I know he likes strong  bitter coffee  with a spoon of sugar,

And I would make it   up   and you can take  it to him and before   you go,

Tell me your likes and I would also  prepare   them for you

Then the new  d(evil)aughter  in law  of the home   starts  serving  her husband breakfast,

Offers him water   to wash his hand  with sweet   silly loving murmurings,

And she  makes it a point  to be always   at three feet distance   from her husband.

Selects dress  for him to wear at office and bids him good bye  to office with a flying kiss.

When his mother   who  was   doing all this as her own monopoly    right ,

Finds that at one stroke, at least to avoid  gossip she has to give  up all of them.

Becomes greatly miserable   because   she feels   that He is Her own,

And all these   are  her duties and the intruder can do it only after she gives them up.

Every moment instead  of thinking   her  in law daughter   as her daughter,

She starts   thinking that  she  is her   fiercest enemy   who has stolen .

All that  is hers  including   her love(affection)   to her own son,

And starts  asking herself “Does he belong to me or to that  teen aged ghost?”

The well educated   daughter  in law    without understanding    that  these signs,

Are   the prime signals  of possessiveness from her monster like mother in law ,.

Tells every one that , she is not allowed to do any work and she is very unhappy  to be there,

And feels jealous on her mother in law and some times   even shouts    at her.

And the mother feels  that this nasty one has stolen her  son from her and becomes miserable.

Possesiveness  is a mental trauma   similar   to a child   with a toy,

And she starts seeing the world is her    greatest enemy   and feels,

That though she can give    every thing this    chit of girl  does,

She  can never , ever  hope   to give her that which she alone can give.

All mothers   are all   alike  and they want  they   only want to love their sons,

All  young women are alike in that  they want to  be the only  source of joy to him,

But if  the mother   is in a good mood to understand   and wife is in a good mood to explain ,

Let the  young one make the elder one understand   that she too was once young and once newly married.