I have posted some photos /post on Thiruvallikkeni kainkaryabarars – here is another one – photo taken this evening (but with a tinge of sadness!)
Ozhaiyur Mudumbai Soundararajan is my batch-mate – during late 1970s, though in schools Soundar was into kainkaryam – in every possible manner – arulicheyal, sripatham, carrying ther kalasam alongwith some others and was a busybee in temple. He used to go to Kanchipuram and other divyadesams and other temples too for kainkaryam. At that age, used to wonder his energy, passion and the amount of time he spent in temples.
He completed + 2; joined some workplace [Solidaire TV I think!] – was contemplating to go abroad when destiny struck – in mid 1980s – he was travelling in a bus, returning from his sister home in Bangalore and the bus he was travelling was involved in an accident near Kanchipuram – he was unconscious and was lying in Govt Hospital when a friend spotted him, brought him to Chennai – underwent treatment for couple of months.
The accident left him with speech difficulty, difficulty in
walking, various health issues and sort
of difficulty in remembrance for sometime .. .. it took many years for him to
recover – now almost 35 years + later, he is able to walk with difficulty. His
father too was a great kainkaryabarar and a very nice person. He lost his parents recently and is living
singly.
Still the innate
goodness, smile, attitude, attachment to Sri Parthasarathi – all flow gently.
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Photo of my friend Soundar taken this evening during Ekadasi purappadu at Thiruvallikkeni
4.11.2022
I am Sampath Kumar. My father & his father were close friends from childhood and same way my mother and Soundar's mother were close friends from childhood. I still remember an incident that shooke upside down: At Kancheepuram Varadharaja Swamy Temple, Sri Manavala Msmunigal Sannadhi will be in a dark isolated place. There was a theft there & the thieves have stolen the Silver Kavachams of Alwar. Soundar's father without any hesitation took all the silver he had accumulated for his daughters' wedding and gifted to the temple for remaking the Silver Kavachams.When my father came to know about this he asked Soundar's father " Your daughter's have grown up and ready for wedding . What will you do for them?". Soundar's father simply replied " Athellam Alwar parthuppar". What a dedication and faith. Soundar was very affectionate to my second daughter Srinidhi, who is now in California. Even during the period when he was struggling to speak, he used to ask me " Srinidhi eppadi irukka?". Wonderful human being.
ReplyDeleteTrue swamin .. such a dedicated and wonderful kainkaryam their family did. .. .. and that way it pains more to see Soundar not so well now.
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