We lose millions for sake of saving fifty paise

We lose  millions for sake of saving fifty paise

By

P.R.Ramachander

(This is based on a story  posted in face book.My  acknowledgement to the one who posted in Tamil)

One beggar  while walking with his donkey,

Found  on his way  a real  very costly diamond.

And not knowing what it is or  its   worth  , he took it ,

And hung   on the ears  of his donkey.

An expert jeweler  in one sight  decided,

That that diamond  was worth  millions of rupees,

And he asked    the beggar, “how much would he need,

To sell   that sparkling  stone to me”.

The beggar   whose  normal income was one rupee.

Per day said, “Give me one rupee  and take  the stone.”

The jeweler   thought , that he could  haggle  its price,

Said, “I would give you fifty paise  , please give the stone.”

Another   jeweler    was watching   all these happenings,

Took out  from his pocket  One  thousand   rupees  ,

Gave it to the beggar  , took the stone and went away,

Making the poor beggar   dance   with  very great joy.

The first jeweler  chided  the beggar, “ Hey fool, stop this ,

Nonsensical dance , what you gave him costs millions of rupees.”

And the beggar replied” you are  the real fool   and not me,

For  I did not know the cost but got an amount  which is great for me.”

“I had nothing and wanted  only one rupee.,

But I got  one thousand rupees.

You have millions of rupees, haggled for fifty paise,

And lost    several million worth gem.”

Most of us   are like the first  jeweler ,

Though we  all do have great blessings of God,,

WE haggle   when we want to  give charity,

Or help or  offerings to God and we loose  everything.

All doves are simply doves but all men are not like that

All doves   are simply  doves  but all men are not like that

By

P.R.Ramachander

(This is based on a story  in Tamil posted by  Vishwanath Das. I learnt a lot from it  and so thanks Mr.Das )

There was big town with  good population of doves,

AS well  temples  of various religions   and groups.

A dove family was staying in   the top  of the tower,

Of a great  and  pretty    tower of a Hindu temple.

One day the Hindus  started  repairing  their temple tower,

The dove family  shifted  from  the temple tower  to the top of a masjid dome,

But unfortunately   they had to shift from there  to the top ,

Of the spire   of a church, as they were painting  the dome of Masjid.

God   wanted them  to soon shift from    there to the top of Gurudwara,

From there to the top of a Jain Basadi and to a top of  BUdhist Sthupa.

The  little doves   who had seen  violence  in all these  places   asked  their ma,

  “Why are they quarrelling mother?” and she replied  as follows .

A man going to temple is a Hindu, one going to Masjid  is a Muslim,

He who goes to church is  Christian  and omne going to Gurudwara  isa Sikh,

He who goes to Basadi  in a jain  and he who goes to Stupa  is a Budhist,

But wherever we go we are doves and the  little  one was confused.

It asked the mother   dove “To me  all of them appear  to  be men only,

Just like we are   doves  to whatsoever  place    we go,”

The  mother   dove   replied   with mirth  in its  voice,

“Men do not understand this and that is why , we are at the top and they are below.”

Kanu pongal - a festival to pray to welfare of their brothers by ladies

A festival when Brahmin ladies pray   for the welfare  of their brothers. For a moment each lady is transported to their childhood  when they used to live and play   with their brothers, You can have a glimpse of the festival in  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCj1heKHllw

Kanu pongal  - a festival to pray to welfare of  their brothers by ladies

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

(This write up is mainly based on the tamil write up sent by Whatsapp to me by Alamelu Ramadas(My sister-in law’s daughter. Thanks to her.  In Kerala Tamil Brahmins do not consider it as a festival to pray for the prosperity of their brothers but in Tamil Nadu  , one of the impotant aim is to pray for welfare of their brothers. Normally brothers  in Tamil Nadu do give cash gifts to their sisters during the occasion.)

Tomorrow  (The  day after Thai pongal)  is celebrated  as Mattu pongal by the farming community of Tamil Nadu.  The Brahmins   celebrate it as Kanu  Pongal. Even the three  Goddesss in KUmbhakonam viz  KOmalavalli thayar  , Goddess SIta and Vijayavallithayar   celebrate Kanu pidi on the steps of Pothamarai kulam. The offerings are done by their priests.

The festival is celebrated   at dawn before taking bath .All ladies (including small girls)  then  prepare  rice of different colours made by mixing Turmeric, Kumkuman and  curd  chadham (white) , prepared out of  rice boiled with milk of the previous day,

    . Then all  of them   visit older Sumangali women (Some references say that  this is done after  offering Kakaakai pidi and taking bath)  along with fresh turmeric   tubers  and ask them to mark their forehead with   those  tubers(manjal Kizhangu) ,They also do it with joy while telling  the following auspicious blessing(Got from THangam my  sister in law's daughter viz 

THayodum  , thanthayodum,

Cheerodum chirappodum ,

Perodum  pugazhodum ,

Perumayodum, keerthiyodum,

Chiru vayathil    thali ketti,

Periyavalaaki  , pillaikal pethru

KOndavan manam magizha,

THayyal naagi poala,

THonga thonga   thaali ketti  ,

Thottilum pilaayumaage ,

Maamiyaar maamanaar mecha,

Nathiyum mamiyum pothra,

Piranthagathor  perumai vilanga ,

Pethra pillaigal aayul onga  ,

Uthraar uravinarodu  ,

Puthaadai puthu malar   choodi 

Puthu maapillai marumagalodu  ,

Puthu puthu  santhosham perugi  ,

AAl poal thazhaithu  Aruge pal yer odi,

Yendrendrm vaazhanam,

Yeppothum chiritha  mugathudan irukkanam 

(.       தாயோடும், தந்தையோடும்,

            சீரோடும். ,    சிறப்போடும்,  

           பேரோடும்,    புகழோடும்,

             பெருமையோடும், கீர்த்தியோடும

             சிறுவயதில் ,  தாலிகட்டி

            பெரியவளாகி  பிள்ளைகள் பெற்று

            கொண்டவன்,  மனம் ,  மகிழத்

            தையல்நாயகி    போலத்

          தொங்கத்தொங்க த்தாலிகட்டித்

            தொட்டிலும், பிள்ளையுமாக,

           மாமியார்     மாமனார்  மெச்ச,

           நாத்தியும்    மாமியும்  போற்ற

        பிறந்தகத்தோர்,  பெருமை விளங்க,ப்,

       பெற்ற பிள்ளைகள் , ஆயுள். ஓங்க,

      உற்றார்         உறவினரோடு

          புத்தாடை.   புது மலர். சூடி

      புது மாப்பிள்ளை ,   மருமகளோடு,

        புது. புது  சந்தோஷம்  பெருகி,

ஆல்போல். தழைத்து. அருகே போல்.  ஏரோடி

          என்றென்றும்,   வாழணும்

எப்போதும் சிரித்த முகத்தோடு,  இருக்கணும்.)

Which loosely translated means:-

“Along with  mother and father,

With  wealth and prosperity,

With great name   and fame  ,

Getting married at  young age,

After maturing  giving birth to children,

Making the husband  happy ,

Like   the goddess THayyal Nayagi,

With  mangala suthra hanging  well,

Along with cradle and children,

Being appreciated by   father in law  and  mother in law ,

With  taken care of well  by mother  in law and sister in law,

Winning great name to the home of your birth,

With your own children living very long,

Along with friends   and relatives ,

Wearing new cloths and getting decorated with new flowers,

Along with new son in law and daughter  in law ,

With new and new joys ebbing out,

Spreading like a banyan tree,

Developing  deep roots like Arugam grass,

You should   live forever,

You should always be   with a smiling   face .”

Then all ladies  return to their homes  and  keep  Kaakkai Pidi( on turmeric leaves  ( Fist full of different rice  for the crow)

Sprinkle water over them as well as round them  , ring the religious bell, show camphor  and pray as follows :-

Kaaka Pidi vechen,
Kanu Pidi vechen,
Kaakai kku  yellam  Kalyanam,

Kaakkai kootam pirinthalum ,

Yen kootam piriyathu  irukkanam 
Kuruvi kki seemandham,
Pukkakam Pongi Vaazhattum,
Pirandhaam Thazhaithu   Vaazhattum.

The verse loosely translated would mean   :

One small ball of food for the crow,
One small ball of food for the Kanu festival

 marriage day   for all crows,

Even if the crowd of crows separate out,

My family should not get separated,

Sparrow’s baby shower (seemantham)
Let the in-laws house overflow with goodies,
Let the house that we were born in,  be forever prosperous

Another song that I got from my sister Thangam is  

Kanupidi vechen  , Kaakkai  pidi Vechen

Kanupidiyum  Kaaka pidiyum   Kalanthu  Nanum Vaithen,

Paarthu vechen, parappi vechen

Pachai ilayil  nirappi  vechen

Manjal  ilayil  virichu vechen

Magizchi ponga   pirichu  vaithen

Kaakaikkum kuruvikkum kalyanamnnu vechen

Kalar  kalaraa chadham veithen

Karumbu  thundum  kalanthu  vaithen

Vagai vagayaa  chaadham  vaithen

Vaazhai pazham cherthu vaithen

Annan, thambi  kudumbamellam,

Amogamaaga   vaazha  azhakai  vaithen

Koottu poriyal aviyal  vaithen

Koottu  kudumbamai vaazha  vaithen

Dhoopa dheepam  kaatti vaithen

Karpooram  yethi vaithen

Kadavulai  vanangi  vaithen

Aarathi  yeduthu  vaithen

AAndavanai  vendi vaithen

Kaakkai  koottam pola yengal

Kudubamum piriyathirukka

Kanu pidi  vaithen

 

 One small ball of food  for Kanu

One small ball of food for the crow

I also mixed the kanu ball and the crow ball of food and kept

I carefully examined and kept, I spread   and kept

I filled a   green leaf and kept

I spread   a turmeric leaf  and kept

With over flowing joy , I kept them separate

I kept saying that  it is a marriage  for the crow and the sparrow

I kept  several colours  of rice

I mixed a sugarcane  piece and kept

I kept   various  types of rice

I mixed a banana  fruit and kept

The family  of my elder  and younger brothers

To live  in a luxurious way, I kept them prettily

I kept koottu, poriyal and aviyal also

I kept it so that joint family  will live well,

I showed incense  and lamp  and kept

I lighted   camphor and kept

I saluted  God and kept

I showed  aarathi and kept

I requested God and kept

Like the crowd of crows,

For our family not to split,

I kept  Kanu pidi

    Afterwardss all ladies  Salute those offerings , then take bath  , prepare various  mixed rices  (On that day   all married ladies of the house  prepare  several  Mixed  rices(Kalantha Chadham),. White curd rice   Rices like lemon  lemon rice(yellow) . Tamarind rice(dark brown) , THengai CHadham  etc are prepared ) offer them to God and later the family have a great picnic lunch in their homes only

Just like the group of crows never separate ,

It is believed we also  would live together   always.

She can be a witch or an angel

She can be  a witch or  an angel

By

P.R.Ramachander

(This is based on a story retold by Sri Anantha Narayanan , who is my friend in face book. My heartfelt thanks to him.)

One great king   after   fighting   very hard ,

Defeated    another   in a fierce battle,

And the defeated  king was brought   before.

The victorious   king     for punishment.

The victorious king    told the defeated  king,

“I would ask you   a question    and if you  ,

Give the correct    answer    for the same ,

I would give you  , your kingdom back”

The  defeated   one  agreed   and the victorious one,

Asked :”What does a lady desire   deep in her heart?”

And he told  that  this question   was asked to him  by his sweet heart,

Who promised to marry him, if he   answered correctly.

The defeated  king wandered   all  over the   world ,

And none knew the correct answer   and he was  directed,

To an old ugly Witch  who said , she knew  the correct answer,

But   would tell it to   the defeated king, if he would  obey her wish.

Without   seeing any other   option   the king agreed   and the witch,

Told, “Every woman deep in her mind wishes that   she should,

Be allowed to take all decisions  , in matters pertaining  to herself.”

The defeated king told  it to the   victorious one   , this answer.

He in turn told it to  his sweet heart , who  married him.

And the defeated king got  back his kingdom    and went,

And asked the old ugly witch   as to what she wanted ,

And she   demanded   the king should marry  her.

She also told ,” I have two forms , one of an ugly witch,

And another   of a pretty angel “ and asked the king,

“whether   she should take  the form of  witch while going out with him,

And be an angel   when she is in her home or vice versa.”

The king told her  “Do take   any decision that   you like,

Deep in your mind   and I would agree   to it.”

The witch became happy and said  she would  be,

An angel   always    and always  as she liked  his response.

This  only  tells   us that  any woman,

Would be an angel, if she takes the decisions,

And a  troublesome witch    when  someone,

Takes the decisions   and compels her   to obey.

Salvation request from a great devotee

Salvation   request from a great devotee

By

P.R.Ramachander

(This is based  on two postings  by Halasya Sundaram Iyer   under the title “Kurai ondrum illai”. The devotee/priest   mentioned here   was “Pillai Perumal ayyangar “  who was  the disciple  of “Parasara  BHattar   “and who was   engaged  in the worship of Lord Ranganaha of Sri Rangam. He was  a very great poet himself  and a very   staunch Vaishnavite , who refused  even to utter the name  of any other  God  except  Lord Ranganatha. )

A priest of   the temple of  Lord  Ranganatha ,

One day  kept down , the plate containing  materials  for  worship,

And requested  the Lord  with great   devotion,

“Please   grant me  salvation    Oh Lord Ranganatha”

The Lord  started   talking to his   very dear devotee ,

And asked, “Why do you want it today?”

And the devotee   replied  ,”I feel  that I should go today.”

And then the lord    with   a very serious  tone asked.

“Have you done Karma yoga?”  and he said “No”,

“Have you done Jnana  Yoga?”  and he said “No”

“Have you done Bhakthi yoga?”  and he said  “No”,

“Have you attempted Saranagathi*?  And he said  “No”

     *absolute  surrender

The God continued “Have you given food  to my devotee?”

“Have you given my devotee    shelter   at any time  ?”

“:Have you   heard my story   being  told by a Pundit?”

And the devotee  said  “Not at all ”  to all his questions.

Suddenly  Lord Ranganatha   got up and sat  ,

With great anger and  shouted at  his devotee,

“your answer is “No”  to everything  I ask,

Making  that devotee only one who saw  lord sitting up.

The Lord continued.”Perhaps you   think  that,

Salvation   is  a very easy thing    to get  ,

Had you answered “yes”  to at least  one question,

I would have possibly thought of giving you salvation.”

It was  the turn of the  devotee  to get angry,

And he said , “Had  you not  given salvation ,

To a pot   along with Dadhi Panda ,

Who both  helped you to hide from  angry Gopis.”

He continued , “did the pot know  “Karma   Yoga”,

Or  “Jnana Yoga”   or  “ Bhakthi yoga”  or “Saranagathi”?

Did the pot gave    any food    to any devotee,

Or did it give   home  for any devotee  of yours?”

He said further  “Did the pot have  hands to worship you?,

Did it  have any mind    that  could salute   you?

And in spite  of all that , you gave it salvation,

And I do not understand, why you hesitate now.”

Lord Ranganatha     who was sitting to talk,

Was shocked   very greatly   by these questions,

And decided    to lie down  then and there,

And has never got up  to sit and stand ever since.

Paths lead to same goal , one may be rough and another smooth.

Paths lead to same goal , one may be rough  and another smooth.

By

P.R.Ramachander

(I got this idea after   reading about  one of Shirdi Sai Baba’s teaching  in Tamil. If only    we understand and follow it!

All water   that falls   on earth   flows to the  sea ,

And just like it   all paths lead  to  same God,

Understand this well and never  please say,

That one path is good  and another bad.

One man consumes  rich and sweet food,

Another man can only   consume cheap and plenty of food,

Yet another  may be able to consume  only pieces  of old bread,

All of them satiate  their hunger but  the former  is elated  and last very sorry

One man wears  only   silks   and modern cloths,

Another   wears   clean net and pressed cloths ,

Yet another  may be able to wear  only old tattered  cloths,

And all of them cover up their body  but the  former is elated and the last very sorry.

One boy studies  in English medium convent  ,

Another boy studies  in govt. aided  English mediun school,

Yet another  studies  in a tamil medium govt. school,

And all of them gain same knowledge but the former is elated and  the last one is very sorry,

One man sleeps  on  very soft  bed of cushions with silk spreads,

Another    sleeps on a   cotton bed   with cotton spreads,

Yet another   sleeps on a bare  mat  without any  spreads ,

And all of them sleep  well but the former is elated  and the last very sorry.

One man  marries  an epitome  of beauty who is an actress or model,

Another   weds   an ordinary   lady   with   average beauty,

Yet   another weds a girl considered not pretty  by others,

And all of them enjoy wedded life  but the former is elated  and the last is very sorry.

One man begets   only     sons  ,

And another    begets  sons as well  as ladies,

And yet another   begets  only girls,

And all of them have children who love them,  but  the former is elated  and the last one  is very sorry.

Joy and sorrow    are but  graded illusions   which are   the sides of a polygon,

Though  these  different  emotions   lead  us    to the same goal,

People   due to Maya  think that  one illusion at the top is great,

And another  at the bottom as bad , which is  the trick of Maya.

As same incident  can be    sorrow   for one person  and joy for another,

Understand this  and do not such thoughts  of comparison creep in to you.

And please  follow   the path   allotted by fate  to you,

And  stand stiff    and  fight  and march ahead in life.

The heart gives birth to a man

The heart gives birth to a man

By

P.R.Ramachander

(Based on a  story in Malai Malar, Tamil news paper)

It was dark night  in the suburbs of chennai,

One empty taxi was   coming with great speed on the road,

A middle aged  lady frantically  waved and stopped  the taxi,

And said to the taxi driver “Brother  I need to go to hospital”

The taxi driver  vigorously     shook his head to  say no,

And said, “I am hungry  ,I have to h go home , take food and sleep,”

The lady fell at his   feet  on the    bare dry earth  and pleaded,

“My daughter  has labour  pain, Please   do not say  no.”

The Taxi driver  thought a while and  said , “Would you give me ,

Five hundred  rupees?” and the lady said , “anything you ask, even thousand.”

The lady and her daughter  got in to the taxi   and started moving fast,

And the daughter   was shrieking   in severe  God given pain.

Unfortunately they   had to cross   a   railway level crossing.

And  the taxi was forcibly made to wait ten minutes there,

And in the pitch darkness, the shriek of  the pain of the daughter,

Made the   eyes   of the taxi    driver    full with tears.

They reached the hospital, girl was  rushed  in side ,

And after some time  her shriek subsided and they heard an infant cry,

And the doctor came and told the lady  , she had a  grand son,

And with beaming face  filled with joy , the lady gave the driver  five hundred.

He said “no”  and refused  the money    and told  ,

“Now only  I realize  the pain my mother  underwent ,

To give birth to me” and he  immediately phoned.

And asked  “Is it the   old age   home “ and they said yes.

“Sorry madam to call you this late , A few days back ,

I admitted a lady  in your home  saying she is an orphan,

She is not an orphan   but my own mother  .

I would come tomorrow morning   to her bring her back.”

Only   when   one really is pregnant  with  the real truth ,

The truth   would shock him to the core ,

And he would   be shrieking in pain  to deliver,

And  his   heart   would give birth   to a man.