Varanasi flooding 2024 !! - Namo Ghat

Kashi, Varanasi, Benares – known by so many names is among the oldest living cities of the World.   Varanasi`s Prominence in Hindu religion  is virtually unparalleled !  Mark Twain, the English author and literature, who was enthralled by the legend and sanctity of Benaras, wrote : “Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together”. 

The land of Varanasi (Kashi) has been the ultimate pilgrimage destination  for Hindus for ages. It is firmly belived that  one who is graced to die on the land of Varanasi would attain salvation and freedom from the cycle of birth and re-birth. Abode of Lord Shiva and Parvati, the origins of Varanasi dates back to many centuries.  The holy Ganges in  Varanasi washes away  the sins of mortals. 

புனித காசியில் 84 காட் எனும் படித்துறைகள் உள்ளன. இவற்றுள் - அசிகாட், கேதார் காட், தஷ் அஸ்வமேத காட், மணிகர்ணிகா காட், பஞ்சகங்கா காட், ஹரிஷ்சந்திர காட், ஆதிகேசவ காட் பிரபலமானவை. மணிகர்ணிகாவிற்கும் ஆதிகேசவருக்கும் இடைப்பட்ட பகுதி விஷ்ணு காசி எனவும் மணிகர்ணிகாவிற்கும்  ஆசி காட்டிற்கும் இடைப்பட்ட பகுதி  சிவகாசி எனவும் வழங்கப்படுகின்றன. இது காசி விஸ்வநாதர் ஆலயம் அமைந்துள்ள சிவஸ்தலம்

A pilgrimage  to holy Varanasi (Kasi) is complete with reaching the holy Ganges.  There were around 84 bathing ghats in earlier times and with passage of time, there are around 30 – among them the most important could be : Harishchandra ghat, Manikarnika ghat and .. Dashaashwametha ghat where Ganga haarthi takes place daily.   Ghats in Varanasi are riverfront steps leading to the banks of the Ganges river.  While most are ceremonial puja and bathing ghats, couple are cremation spots too.    Most of the ghats in Varanasi were rebuilt in the 18th century under the maratha patronage. The patrons of current ghats are Maharajas of Benares, Marathas, Shindes (Scindias), Holkars, Bhonsles and Peshwes (Peshwas).   Then there is ‘Namo Ghat’

 

Namo Ghat is a newly constructed ghat in Varanasi.  Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji  laid the foundation stone for the project in 2018. The ghat is located on the banks of the Ganges River and is spread over an area of 21,000 square meters. It is a modern ghat with facilities for tourists, including a viewing deck, a cafeteria, and a parking lot. This riverfront’s main appeal are three huge sculptures in the form of folded hands depicting ‘namaste’ which showcases the idea of “atithi devo bhawah” i.e. welcoming the guests always and treating them with respect.  Varanasi’s most famous Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Bridge passes near the Ghat.

 

Following an alarming rise in the water of the Ganga, the water level crossed the warning level of 70.26 metres in Varanasi and started inching close to the danger mark of 71.26 metres on Sunday morning. With the rise in the water level, the flood threat has started started looming large in low-lying areas, especially in the localities along the Ganga's tributary river, Varuna. 

With continuous rise in the water level of the Ganga in Varanasi, a flood like situation has emerged in low lying areas along the Ganga and Varuna.  Here is a pic of the submerged Namo Ghat.   The flood affected areas are Chandan Shaheed, Sarai Mohana, Rajghat Bhadau Chungi, Konia, Vijayipura pipeline bridge, Kapildhara bridge, Khajuri Konia, Konia Tadikhan, Mangraha Veerbaba Temple, Maurya Basti, Saraiya Railway Bridge, Jalalipura via old bridge.   

 

The previous pics were taken at Namo ghat during our recent visit in July 2024

-the one above is media pic of date.

Due to rise in water level, all the ghats have submerged and places of Ganga Arti have been changed. According to Sushant Mishra of Ganga Seva Nidhi, which organises Ganga Arti daily, the arti at Dashashwamedh Ghat has been shifted to higher place as the arti platform is submerged.

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
16.9.2024

 

 

  

Chess Olympiad 2024 : Ex-Hindu High School Triplicane student makes us proud

 

For several years now, defeating India in India is considered the toughest task in men's Test cricket, a claim which is backed by numbers: since the start of 2013, India have a 40-4 win-loss record at home, easily the best; in second place is Australia's 41-7. Over much of this period, India were extremely dominant with both bat and ball:  will they continue their dominance at Chepauk  against resurgent Bangladesh fresh from a Series win over Pakistan in Pak is the Q but more important is Chess Olympiad. 

 

Round 4 saw massive upsets in the Chess Olympiad with top seeded Team USA and defending champions Uzbekistan losing.  In case you are not following, the 45^th Chess Olympiad is now on,   organised by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in Budapest, Hungary from 10 to 23 September 2024. It is the first Chess Olympiad that takes place in Hungary since Budapest hosted the 2nd unofficial Chess Olympiad in 1926.  The first unofficial edition, labelled as the "Chess Olympic Games", was held in Paris in 1924, and coincided with the Summer Olympic Games that took place in the city in the same year.  Despite that the event was not officially part of the Olympic Games and the winners were not awarded official Olympic medals, the rules of the Olympic Games applied. 

India’s men and women continued to impress at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest. They posted identical 3.5-0.5 wins in the fourth round on Saturday. In the open section, Arjun Erigais also made it four out of four, with his victory against Aleksandar Indjic.   

The most important happening for India  - after the fourth round there are only eight teams left in the Chess Olympiad standings that have eight match points: India, Spain, China, Vietnam, Azerbaijan, Poland, Hungary, and Ukraine (listed according to tiebreaks). India defeated Serbia 3.5-0.5 on Saturday with Gukesh (vs GM Alexandr Predke), Arjun Erigaisi (vs GM Aleksandar Indjic) and Vidit Gujrathi (vs GM Velimir Ivic) all winning their matches while Praggnanandhaa had accepted a draw on board 2 against GM Alexey Sarana. 

Gukesh grounded out a clinical win after nearly six hours of chess. His win saw him vault into the 5th spot in the FIDE live ratings (which are updated in real-time as compared to FIDE’s published ratings which are updated at the end of every month).  Seven rounds remain in the Olympiad.

 

Image and news :chessbase.in 

 

Here is a video shared by my classmate friend RR Vasudevan.  RRV resided in Triplicane,  studied in Hindu High School and later at DG Vaishnava.  He worked in Canara Bank.  He is a very talented Chess player, a coach, runs his Chess website and is an International Arbiter.  Here he is seen greeting Gukesh at Budapest.  Vasu is at Olympiad as a journalist, a specialist job.

 

International Arbiter is a title awarded by FIDE to individuals deemed capable of acting as arbiter in important chess matches. The title was established in 1951.  Other than possessing thorough knowledge of the game, nuances and laws, the Arbiter should be adept in operating clocks of different types, using different systems, have absolute objectivity and should know   at least one official FIDE language. 

Congrats Vasudevan – Triplicane, Hindu Higher Secondary school, DG Vaishnava college and all of us are proud of you.

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
15.9.2024
 

Triplicane Ganesha Visarjana oorkolam 2024

 

Vinayakar Visarjanam - Triplicane 2024  :  https://youtu.be/zQordC0ZwVc

 

the grand procession of Vinayaka idols for immersion –

at Periya Vinayakar, Thiruvatteeswararpet.

சிட்டுக் குருவி ~ ஏறியக் காற்றில் விரைவோடு நீந்துவை

I’d rather be a sparrow than a snail

Yes, I would; If I could; I’d surely would.  !!!!

 

பறவைகள்  அழகானவை.  சிறு வயதிலிருந்து நம் வீட்டினருகிலேயே பார்த்துப் பழக்கப்பட்டவை சிட்டுக்குருவிகள். அவை சிறகடித்துப் பறப்பதையும், தத்தித்தத்திச் செல்வதையும், கூடு கட்ட இடம் தேடுவதையும், தானியங்களைக் கொத்திக்கொத்திச் சாப்பிடுவதையும்,  படபடவெனச் சிறகடித்துக் சுற்றி சுற்றி பறப்பதையும் கண்டு ஆனந்தம் அடைந்து இருப்போம். 

For sure you know this storyline ! :  Pakshi,  a passionate ornithologist has  a bird sanctuary at his house. He protests the excessive use of mobile phones, fearing that high-frequency electromagnetic radiation from cell sites threatens avian life. He loses  all attempts to warn the public about the harmful effects of cell phone radiation on birds, which led to many of his birds dying. He reports it to the authorities who show scant regard/ Deeply frustrated, Pakshi hangs himself to death from a cell tower. The  negative energy of deceased birds, becomes a vengeful orange-colored aura made of negatively charged ions who can control cell phones with electromagnetic radiation that goes on killing and destruction spree ! 

 

விட்டு விடுதலையாகி நிற்பாய் இந்தச் சிட்டுக் குருவியினைப் போலே

எட்டுத் திசையும் பறந்து திரிகுவை; ஏறியக் காற்றில் விரைவோடு நீந்துவை 

 என்ற மஹாகவி பாரதியாரின் வரிகள் மிகவும் பிரபலம். பறவைகளின் சுதந்திரம் குறித்து பாரதியார் எழுதிய அந்த வரிகள் இன்றும்  காலம் கடந்து நிற்கிறது.  

சிட்டுக்குருவி (House sparrow), (Passer domesticus) என்பது  ஒரு சிறிய பறவை ஆகும். பொதுவாக இதன் நீளம் 16 செ.மீ.ம், எடை 24-39.5 கிராமும் இருக்கும்.  பெண் சிட்டுக்குருவிகள் மற்றும் குஞ்சுகள் வெளிர் பழுப்பு மற்றும் சாம்பல் நிறத்திலும், மற்றும் ஆண் சிட்டுக்குருவிகள் பிரகாசமான கருப்பு, வெள்ளை, மற்றும் பழுப்பு அடையாளங்களுடனும் காணப்படும். 

 

The story was that of the much hyped 2.0 ~ the sequel to Rajnikant starrer ‘Enthiran’  that suffered  matching the expectations – as the original  kept the audience glued to its storyline – all credit to Sujatha, the great writer and the director Shankar.  Its storyline was :  Dr Vaseegaran, a scientist working on alternative intelligence develops a humanoid  robot  which gets rejected by sinister designs.  At a point of time, the robot ‘Chitti’ asks why he has not been provided with ‘emotion’.  Dr Vaseegaran reprogrammes it with human feelings and emotions so that it could  distinguish between right and wrong. However things go wrong when Chitti falls in love with Sana (Aishwarya).   The making of Chitti and developing its functions was well depicted – I felt saddened when Chitti is dismantled [rather asked to self-destruct] and dumped in Perungudi  garbage ! 

In 2.0 version, eight years after the events of the first film, Dr Vaseegaran creates an android humanoid assistant named Nila, which he introduces to a group of college students.  Shortly afterwards, all the cell phones in the city fly into the sky, causing a public panic. A council of politicians and scientists discusses the phenomenon, with Vaseegaran suggesting reactivating Chitti.  An upgraded Chitti fights the giant bird-shaped swarm as it wreaks havoc in the city. 

Moving away from the film, the city could have lesser of the flora and fauna than what it used to have a few decades earlier – much to do with the urban landscape change with more and more thousands settling in metropolis.  Modern urban architecture robs the birds and many animals  their nesting sites. Humans migrate from rural areas to urban. The birds have to take the  reverse route  Rapid urbanisation has accelerated changes to the biosphere, leading to the loss and homogenisation of global biodiversity.  Bird communities typically show reduced diversity and richness in urbanised areas  with most species generally exhibiting lower nesting productivity and survival in urban areas.  Urban habitats tend to favour bird species that are better adapted to survive under novel conditions.  In particular, non-native species (i.e. species introduced to a novel environment where they establish viable populations) often have greater success in exploiting human-dominated areas.

 

The diminishing trend is more attributable to dearth of food material, habitat loss, loss of greenery and too much crowds of human population and not to leave out the oppressive heat conditions that now prevail in Chennai and many other cities.  

 

"El Cóndor Pasa" is an orchestral musical piece from the zarzuela El Cóndor Pasa by the Peruvian composer Daniel Alomía Robles, written in 1913 and based on traditional Andean music, specifically folk music from Peru. Simon & Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the best-selling music acts of the 1960s. In 1970, the   duo recorded the Los Incas version, adding English lyrics which included Paul Simon in the author credits under the song name "El Cóndor Pasa (If I Could)" – and that is what you read in first para. 

Interesting ! – Good morning & welcome to my photo post – today house sparrows – சிட்டுக் குருவி.  Sparrows photographed in Triplicane yesterday

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
15.9.2024 

sleep without guilt ! - never search on web !!

On holidays, do you fall sleep in the Afternoons !  (not a Q to those fortunate to sleep on all days of the week !)  Sleep is every day activity.  Many a times, when you get up after a short [or long sleep in AN] – you may have some confusion on the time of the day – is it morning or evening ?

 

A few decades ago, most people believed sleep was a passive activity during which the body and brain were dormant. “But it turns out that sleep is a period during which the brain is engaged in a number of activities necessary to life—which are closely linked to quality of life.” 

For some addicted to social media, the sleeping time is getting reduced.  When one is sleep deprived, eyes and mind crave for a nap.   Napping offers various benefits for healthy adults, including: relaxation, fatigue reduction, increase in alertness, good moods, quicker reaction and better memory.  The timing of sleep in humans depends upon a balance between homeostatic sleep propensity, the need for sleep as a function of the amount of time elapsed since the last adequate sleep episode, and circadian rhythms which determine the ideal timing of a correctly structured and restorative sleep episode. 

Siesta,  a ‘Spanish’ word  from the Latin hora sexta – "the sixth hour" (counting from dawn, therefore noon), hence "midday rest”.  It is the  traditional daytime sleep of Spain, and through Spanish influence, of many Latin American countries. Factors explaining the geographical distribution of the modern siesta are mainly high temperatures and heavy intake of food at the midday main meal.   The "siesta" can refer to the nap itself, or more generally to a period of the day. 

The afternoon sleep is often called ‘Catnap’. A catnap is a short sleep, usually one which you have during the day. The term takes its origin from how cats take a series of naps throughout the day and night. This idiosyncratic cat-like behavior is thought to help cats stay their alert and agile selves, and humans can take afternoon napping to reap similar benefits. There’s no medical definition of a catnap, and there’s no strict limit on how long they last.   

In case you get confused when you get up of the time of the day ! – thinking of getting up, brushing your teeth as in the morning, while it is evening, don’t feel bad and never start crazily querying on forums and searching on web.  If you do so, you might get influenced by some modern phraseology like : 

Confusional arousals -  a sleep disorder that causes you to act in a very strange and confused way as you wake up or just after waking. It may appear that you don’t know where you are or what you are doing. One may have slow speech, stammering, confused thinking, poor memory, blunt responses !!   When a confusional arousal occurs, you may seem to be awake even though you have a foggy state of mind. Episodes often start when someone else physically wakes you up forcefully. 

Sleepwalking or shouting during an episode is common. Some people with confusional arousals also grind their teeth.  Confusional arousals is considered a parasomnia. 

‘Sundowning" refers to a state of confusion that occurs in the late afternoon and lasts into the night. Sundowning can cause various behaviors, such as confusion, anxiety, aggression or ignoring directions. Sundowning also can lead to pacing or wandering. Sundowning isn't a disease. It's a group of symptoms that occurs at a specific time of the day. These symptoms may affect people with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia.  

 

வேதநூல் பிராயம் நூறு மனிசர்தாம் புகுவரேலும்

பாதியும் உறங்கிப் போகும் நின்றதில்  பதினையாண்டு

 

தொண்டரடிப்பொடி ஆழ்வார் - திருமாலை பாசுரம் -  ஓர் தினத்தில்  உள்ள அறுபது நாழிகையில் முப்பது நாழிகை உறக்கத்தில் கழிகிற கணக்கில்  வேதசாஸ்திரத்திற்படியே  நூறு வருஷங்கள்   வாழ்ந்திருப்பர்களேயானாலும், அந்த சதாயுஸ்ஸில் பாதியான ஐம்பது வருஷமும் உறக்கத்தாலே கழியும் !!! 

There is still some stigma about naps but as long as it does not affect your work, your mind or your night sleep, never mind.  Don’t have any guilt, it is acting to the demands of body and mind.  Sleep well and happy – have naps and do not have interrupted sleeps.  Life is too beautiful to be spent worrying.

 

Fresh from today’s afternoon sleep – yours friendly aasami sirippu sinthanaiyaan.

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
14.9.2024

 

 

  

Jai Hind, Jai Sri Vijaya Puram.

 

Don’t ask what is there in a name !  - some are  emotion, it teaches history!   It makes me happy reading that the entry point to Andaman and Nicobar islands is now named ‘Sri Vijayapuram’ – removal of colonial vestige.

 

Port Blair is the capital city of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and also the local administrative sub-division (tehsil) of the islands, the headquarters for the district of South Andaman, and the territory's only notified town.  It is connected with mainland India by both air and sea. It is a two to three-hour flight from mainland India to Port Blair's Veer Savarkar International Airport and three to four days by sea to reach Kolkata, Chennai, or Visakhapatnam from Haddo Wharf in the city. It is home to several museums and the major naval base INS Jarawa of the Indian Navy. 

The most important place is the historic Cellular Jail is in the city, and nearby small islands such as Corbyn's Cove, Wandoor, Ross Island and Viper Island were once home to British colonists.  The city was named after Captain Archibald Blair, a British colonial navy official of the East India Company.   

For sure, the islands existed centuries earlier and it was not as if British made a new island for living – it in fact was a place chosen by them for inflicting fear and agony on Indians. A penal colony – a place where freedom fighters were sentenced to life imprisonment aka cruel lonely death.

 

In 1789 the Government of Bengal established a penal colony on Chatham Island in the southeast bay of Great Andaman, named Port Blair in the honour of Archibald Blair of the East India Company. After two years, the colony moved to the northeast part of Great Andaman and was named Port Cornwallis after Admiral William Cornwallis. However, there was much disease and death in the penal colony, and the government ceased operating it in May 1796. In 1824 Port Cornwallis was the rendezvous of the fleet carrying the army to the First Anglo-Burmese War. In the 1830s and 1840s, shipwrecked crews who landed on the Andamans were often attacked and killed by the natives, alarming the British government. In 1855, the government proposed another settlement on the islands, including a convict establishment, but the Indian Rebellion of 1857 forced a delay in its construction. 

However, since the rebellion provided the British with a lot of new prisoners, it made the new Andaman settlement and prison an urgent necessity. Construction began in November 1857 at the renovated Port Blair, avoiding the vicinity of a saltwater swamp that seemed to have been the source of many of the old colony's problems. The penal colony was originally on Viper Island. The convicts, mostly political prisoners, suffered life imprisonment at hard labour under cruel and degrading conditions. Many were hanged, while others died of disease and starvation. Between 1864 and 1867 a penal establishment was also built with convict labour on the northern side of Ross Island. As the Indian independence movement continued to grow in the late 19th century, the enormous Cellular Jail was constructed between 1896 and 1906 to house Indian convicts, mostly political prisoners, in solitary confinement. 

The Cellular Jail is also known as Kala Pani, a name given to it due to the torture and general ill-treatment of its Indian convicts. In World War II the islands were occupied by the Japanese on 23 March 1942 without opposition from the garrison. From 1943 to 1944, Port Blair served as the headquarters of the Azad Hind government under Subhas Chandra Bose. British forces returned to the islands in October 1945. 

The man who gave the Port its name -  Archibald Blair (1752–1815) was a naval surveyor and lieutenant in the Bombay Marine  Archibald Blair joined the Bombay Marine, received his first commission in 1771 and was promoted captain in 1792. In 1772, as a midshipman, he went on his first survey mission along the coasts of India, Iran and Arabia. In 1780 he was lieutenant on a ship captured by a French man-of-war off the Cape of Good Hope. He was kept prisoner by the French until 1784 when they handed him over to the Dutch who returned him to the Bombay Marine that same year. He was given the then considerable sum of £200 on account of his long captivity and suffering. Between 1786 and 1788 he took part in a number of survey missions, to the Chagos Archipelago, to Diamond Harbour south of Calcutta and to adjacent parts of the Hooghly River.  Blair's  assignment to the Andaman Islands, was with a view to establishing a settlement. On his first voyage, between December 1788 and April 1789, he surveyed the southern part of Great Andaman Island, identifying several harbours that might be useful, including a fine natural harbour on the SE of the island which he initially named Port Cornwallis (later renamed Port Blair after him).   It relied on contracted labourers, and latterly on convict labour. In 1792 Blair was ordered to relocate the settlement to North Andaman Island and hand over command to Major Alexander Kyd.  

 

Never a great movie buff, I cried seeing this film in Kakinada – ‘Kalapani (Chiraichalai)’ in Telugu.  Mohanlal as hero it was on the  lives of prisoners in British India sentenced to Kālā Pānī, the Cellular Jail in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Illayaraja’s music was lifting, yet I felt very gloomy towards the climax. So I was looking forward to the opportunity of visiting this historic place and when it occurred in June 2018, I was overwhelmed.  The imposing cellular jails, to which  the British exiled  political prisoners and treated them cruelly.  It housed many great freedom fighters including Batukeshwar Dutt, Yogendra Shukla and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, among others. 

In the dark hours of  April 29, 1912, an alarm went up on the ‘yard three’ wing of the Cellular Jail in Port Blair. Warden Gulmir, stationed at the jail’s central tower, rushed to the wing and shined a hurricane lamp through the iron-barred door of cell 82. He found the bed empty. The prisoner, a young Bengali revolutionary called Indu Bhushan Roy, who had completed two years of his ten years’ rigorous imprisonment, was dead. His body hung from the window, a strand of torn kurta wound around his neck.  The newspapers wrote : Kalapani  had claimed one more tortured soul. Three suicides a month had become the norm in Andaman.  Roy’s death drove fellow Bengali prisoner Ullaskar Dutt to madness. For the British, Dutt was a “known troublemaker”: as a student in Calcutta, he stole chemicals from the university laboratory to make bombs. One of his homemade bombs killed two British citizens—an act that landed him in Andaman. Roy’s suicide had so angered him that he accused the jail’s medical superintendent Dr F.A. Barker of aiding it. 

It is not simply any place – no Blair or any colonial vestige, it is the land when hundreds of young who fought for the Nation were incarcerated, cruelly treated and lost their lives dreaming for Free India.  Long live their memory.

 

Jai Hind, Jai Sri Vijaya Puram.

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
14.9.2024

Coloured Parakeet !!! ~ பஞ்சவர்ணக்கிளி நீ பறந்த பின்னாலும்

 

To most of us Parrots are green, occasionally there is some with yellow tinge too – here is one pictured in my terrace !!

 

கண்ணில் வரும் காட்சியெல்லாம்  கண்மணியை  உறுத்தும்

காணாத உன் உருவம் கண்ணுக்குள்ள இனிக்கும்

பஞ்சவர்ணக்கிளி நீ பறந்த பின்னாலும்

அஞ்சு வர்ணம் நெஞ்சில் இருக்கு 

Helen Ferguson, filled with dread, holds her baby as Bill Harkness reads a book. The phone rings, and police tell Bill that they are on the way to their home. She puts the child to bed, praying that the boy will not suffer for her mistakes and whispering that she was desperate. A year earlier in New York, Helen is eight months pregnant, unmarried, and broke. She goes to her unfaithful boyfriend Stephen Morley, tearfully pleading for help as she stands in the hallway outside his apartment door. He refuses to answer, but slips under the door an envelope for her, one containing a five-dollar bill and a one-way train ticket to San Francisco. 

Parrots and parakeets are names that are used so interchangeably that it is probably fair if you have come to the assumption that they are the same.  There appears lot into it.  Parrot is an umbrella term applied to a group of birds (more than 350 species) that belong to the order Psittaciformes. 

Our Common assumption is all Parrots are Green hence ‘Green parrots’.  Colloquially, the brightly coloured hued parrot is Panchavarna kili (the one with 5 colours).  Macaws are a group of New World parrots that are long-tailed and often colorful, in the tribe Arini. In addition to being one of the most brightly colored parrots, hyacinth macaws are the largest parrot species. They're also among the most gentle and affectionate birds. However, they're not the ideal pet for everyone. Hyacinth macaws have a reputation for being very sensitive. 

Mekala wants to marry Sekar – an army officer, Chokkalingam first son. To her dismay, he is married to Chitra in Delhi and they have a child. Meanwhile, Chokkalingam is looking for marriage alliance to second son Kannan through marriage broker Kalyanam. Kalyanam learns that Sekar brother already has radio singer Vani in mind. Broker fixes marriage with Vani to Kannan. In a twist, Sekar look alike Balu – Vani niece morphs a photo with him and Vani. The morphed photo is sent to Sekar house to stop the marriage. Confusing and to think that it is a movie theme of 1965 is more intriguing. 

Panchavarna Kili directed by K. Shankar and produced by Saravana Pictures starring Muthuraman, Jaishankar, KR Vijaya, Nagesh, Major Sundarrajan and Manorama,  was released on 21 May 1965, and was a hit, also commercially.  Read that the movie Panchavarna Kili, shot at AVM Studios was inspired by the 1950 film No Man of Her Own.

 No Man of Her Own is a 1950 American film noir drama directed by Mitchell Leisen and featuring Barbara Stanwyck, John Lund, Phyllis Thaxter, Jane Cowl and Lyle Bettger. Made and distributed by Paramount Pictures, the production is the second film Stanwyck made with director Mitchell Leisen. Its screenplay was adapted from Cornell Woolrich's 1948 novel I Married a Dead Man.   The Helen Ferguson storyline read in 3^rd para is that of this movie. 

Welcoming Friday –today my photo pic story captures this beautiful Parakeet – showing off its plumage.  In life, it is not always necessary to understand all details, there are images that capture our attention and make us happy.  Just live life simply.

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
13.9.2024

Decent proposal - Cattle Egret reaction ! - நாணம்??

 

Building up lot of courage I stood before that beautiful damsel smiling, with a camera on hand but she hid her head and after some pleading gave a not so friendly look.  Generally when living beings stand infront of a Camera or a mirror, they blush, smile, show their teeth, express their feeling of happiness !  but she  on the contrary hid her head !!  நாணம்??  நாணம் - என்றால் கூச்சம்!!

 

The cattle egret (Bubulcus) is a cosmopolitan genus of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics, and warm-temperate zones. It is  closely related to the herons of Ardea. Originally native to parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe, it has undergone a rapid expansion in its distribution and successfully colonised much of the rest of the world in the last century. They are white birds adorned with buff plumes in the breeding season.  

பெண்களுக்குரியதென   வகுத்துக் கூறப்பட்ட அகப்பண்புகள் அச்சம், மடம், நாணம், பயிர்ப்பு என்ற நான்கு பண்புகள்.  நாணம் என்பது வேறு! வெட்கம் என்பது வேறு! - இவற்றினிடையே மெல்லிய வேறுபாடு உண்டு. வெட்கத்தை புற உணர்வாகவும், நாணத்தை   உள்ளுணர்வாகவும் கொள்ளலாம். 

நாணுவதே நாணம்.  நாண் போல் வளைந்து போதல். ( நாண் = கயிறு). நாணல் என்பது ஒரு மெல்லிய வளைந்து ஆடும் புல். நாணம் - என்றால்  shyness, timidity, blushing, modesty  போன்ற பொருள்கள் தரும்.  இதோ இங்கே திருவள்ளுவரின் வாய்மொழி:  

அணிஅன்றோ நாணுடைமை சான்றோர்க்கு அஃதின்றேல்

பிணிஅன்றோ பீடு நடை. 

நாணம் உடைமை சான்றோர்களுக்கு ஓர் ஆபரணம் ஆகும்;  அந்த அணிகலம் இல்லையானால் பெருமிதமாக நடக்கும் நடை ஒரு நோய் அன்றோ. 

In general, people tend to blush when they feel shy.  Blushing is a normal body response that may occur when you are embarrassed, angry, excited, or experiencing another strong emotion. Flushing of the face may be associated with certain medical conditions too. Facial blushing is an involuntary reddening of the face due to embarrassment or stress. The terms blushing and flushing mean the same thing, although flushing tends to be used for more severe cases (known as idiopathic cranio-facial erythema).  

A search led to hitherto unknown word (to me) – Pudency !! The noun ‘pudency’ (ˈpjuːdnsi) means : modesty; bashfulness; shamefacedness.  The noun Modesty means the quality or state of being unassuming in the estimation of one's abilities. The word modesty comes from the Latin word modestus which means 'keeping within measure'.  

Life is simple, one need not know everything – be normal, when someone talks good - வெட்கப்படு !! – smile at people, be happy, no arguments, no fights ! life is too short to be spent worrying.  Good morning post of Aasami Sirippu sinthanaiyalan

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
12.9.2024

Breaking News : health cover for senior citizens

 

Shri Narendra Modiji’s e Union Cabinet has approved health coverage of ₹5 lakh for all senior citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of their income, under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).

 

The decision taken by Cabinet under PM Narendra Modi is set to benefit 4.5 crore families across the country, Union minister of information and broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw said

• Senior citizens aged 70 and above will receive a distinct card under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) for healthcare coverage.

• Those already covered under AB PM-JAY will get an additional top-up of ₹5 lakh per annum specifically for senior citizens in their families.

 

https://www.newsonair.gov.in/cabinet-approves-%E2%82%B95-lakh-health-insurance-for-senior-citizens-above-70-years/

 

with regards – S Sampathkumar

11.9.2024

there lived a great personality - Mahakavi Subramaniya Barathi !!!!!!!

 

Today is 12^th Sept and today dawns with heavy heart remembering the great poet, Inspirational freedom fighter, iconoclast Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharathiyar !! -  have you heard of a village in Tirunelveli by name Seevalaperi.

கணிதம் பன்னிரண்டாண்டு பயில்வர், பின் கார்கொள் வானிலோர் மீனிலை தேர்ந்திலார்;

அணிசெய் காவியம் ஆயிரங்கற்கினும்; ஆழ்ந்திருக்கும் கவியுளம் காண்கிலார்;

           மஹாகவி சுப்பிரமணிய பாரதியாரை நினைவு கூறும் இந்நாளில், நீங்கள் இந்த வரிகளை கேட்டதுண்டா ?  அற்புத கவி, தனது காலத்துக்கு முன்பே வருவன குறித்து தீர ஆலோசித்த தீர்க்கதரிசி  மகா ஞானி பாரதியார் தனது சுய சரிதையில் அன்றைய ஆங்கிலப் பள்ளிக் கல்வி முறை பற்றி  மனம் நொந்து கூறிய வார்த்தைகள் இவை.

சுப்ரமணிய பாரதியார் ~ ஒரு உன்னத பிறவி.   கவிதைகள் வாயிலாக மக்களின் மனதில் விடுதலை உணர்வை ஊட்டியவர். இவர் ஒரு கவிஞர் மட்டுமல்லாமல் ஒரு எழுத்தாளர், பத்திரிக்கை ஆசிரியர், சமூக சீர்திருத்தவாதி - தன்  காலத்துக்கு  மிகவும் பல்லாண்டுகள்  பிறகு நடக்க வல்லவை பற்றி  கூர் நோக்குடன் சிந்தித்தவர்.  நம் கருத்துக்களை ஏன் மக்கள் எதிர்க்கிறார்கள் என்று ஒருநாள் குவளை கண்ணன் கேட்டார். அதற்கு பாரதி,  ‘ஏனெனில் நம் கருத்துக்கள் இன்னும் நானூறு ஆண்டுகள் கழித்து சொல்லப்பட வேண்டியவை. இவர்களால் புரிந்துகொள்ள முடியாது’ என்றார்.  பாரதி மஹாகவி மட்டுமல்லன் ! ~ கவிதை அவர்க்கு சரஸ்வதிதேவியின் வரம்.  அவரது சிந்தனை, வார்த்தைகள்,  செயல் எல்லாமே தேசபக்தி. விடுதலை உணர்வு ~ ஆங்கிலேயர்க்கு அடிமைப்பட்டிருந்த பாரதத்தை உலுக்கி  எழுப்பின  அவர்தம்  பாடல்கள். அவர்தம் எண்ணங்கள் காலத்தை கடந்தவை.  உண்மையிலேயே அவர் தாம் வாழ்ந்த காலத்தினை தாண்டி சிந்தனை கொண்ட தீர்க்கதரிசி.

On Dec 11, 1882 in Chithrabanu varusham, Karthikai month 27th day – Moola Nakshathiram was born a boy child.  At his young age of 11, Subbaiah was given the title of Bharathi.  In 1897 June he got married to Chellammal – due to negligent governance of British, cotton mills suffered huge losses, Subbaiah’s father had to close down his mill and he passed away.  Barathi had lost both his parents and in 1897 he had to go to Varanasi (Kasi) where he learnt Sanskrit and Hindi. He also became conversant in speaking Bhojpuri, Awadhi, Brajbasha and more.

For most people, Sept. 11 draws remembrance to that ghastly terrorist attack that shook the United States.  Sept. 11, 2001, will always be recognized as a day of tribulation in the United States. Some 3,000 people lost their lives in multiple terrorist attacks, the largest one being the fall of the World Trade Center’s twin towers in New York City. Thousands of first responders and civilians risked their lives to save others.  

It is 23 years since – for some life has changed, for it stands frozen and there are those who are deeply impacted by that ghastly act of terrorism. It is not simply the count of dead or those maimed, the toll is actually more.  Many forms of carcinogens were left in the air and inhaled by thousands of people. General illnesses caused from high levels of dust inhalation have attributed to chronic coughs and asthma for bystanders and first responders. Most severely, multiple forms of leukemia, melanoma and mesothelioma cancers have been linked to the destruction at the World Trade Centre in 2001. 

The day,  Sept. 11, is remembered World over for various reasons ! -  for us - we mourn the great loss of the Nation on this day 103  years ago (actually a day later).  The man, the fighter, the poet Mahakavi Subrahmanya Bharathiyar.  He was a Genius, Extrovert, Patriot, Poet,  Thinker, man who dreamed beyond his time,  an eternal Optimist, man with die-hard spirit, motivator, man capable of uniting great minds, natural leader – all rolled one. Most unfortunate thing was his age – his life was too short - he lived for only 39 years.

His poetry stands out for many facets of his love for our motherland. He berates his countrymen for many social evils. He chastises them for a fearful and pusillanimous attitude towards the rulers. He gave a clarion call for national unity, removal of casteism and the removal of oppression of women. He calls for the British to leave the motherland in forceful ways at one point saying "Even if Indians are divided, they are children of One Mother, where is the need for foreigners to interfere?". 

The stay at his aunt house in Kasi changed his life : காசி பஞ்சகத்தில்,

‘காஸ்யாம் ஹி காஸதே காஸீ காஸீ ஸர்வப்ரகாஸிகா

ஸா காஸீ விதிதாயேன தேன ப்ராப்தா ஹி காஸிகா’ 

காசி என்றாலே எப்போதும் பிரகாசித்துக் கொண்டிருக்கும் ஆத்மா !!   உள்ளிருக்கும் காசியை வெளியிலிருக்கும் காசியானது இந்த அஞ்ஞான மயமான மனதிற்கு காட்டிக் கொடுக்கிறது.  புனித வாரணாசியை ஞானத்தின் ஊற்று கொப்பளிக்கும் இடமாக  ஆதிசங்கரர் உணர்ந்தார். காசி க்ஷேத்ரத்தையே சரீரமாகக் கொண்டால், உபநிஷதம் கூறும் மகாவாக்கியப் பொருளை கூறியபடியே ஓடும் ஞானதாரையே கங்கை என்கிறார்  .. … … : 

மஹாகவி காசிக்கு வந்த சமயம் இனிதானதல்ல !!  1898ம் ஆண்டு ஜூன் மாதம் பாரதியின் தந்தை சின்னச்சாமி காலமான பின்னர், குடும்பச் சூழல் மாறியது. வறுமை விரட்டியது. காசியில் இருந்த அத்தை குப்பம்மாளும், அவர் கணவர் கிருஷ்ணசிவனும் பாரதியை காசிக்கு அழைக்கவே, அவர் அங்கே சென்றார். 

"இன்னது நீர்க்கங்கையாறு எங்கள் ஆறே

இங்கிதன் மாண்பினுக்கு எதிரெது வேறே''

இது கங்கைக்குத் தங்கக் கவிதா மகுடம் சூட்டி பாரதி பாடிய வரிகள். . காசி-கங்கை அவரின் உள்ளத்தில் உவகையையும் தெய்வீகத்தையும் வளர்த்தது. ஹிந்தி, சமஸ்கிருதம் போன்றவற்றை கற்றுத் தேர்ந்தார்.  கங்கையின் பிரவாகத்தை விழிவிரிய பார்த்துக் கொண்டிருப்பார். சாதுக்களையும், விதம்விதமான மக்களையும் கவனித்துக் கொண்டே இருப்பார். பாரதியின் பாண்டியத்தை காசிப் பண்டிதர்கள் அப்போதே வியந்தனர். தன்னுடைய 16 வயதிலிருந்து 21 வயதுவரை அவர் காசிவாசியாக இருந்தார். கொஞ்சகாலம் பள்ளியொன்றில் ஆசிரியர் பணியிலும் இருந்தார். பண்டிதர்களிடையே பாரதியார் எப்போதுமே தீவிரமாக விவாதிப்பாராம். பாரதியார் தன் உடையிலும், தோற்றத்திலும் ஒரு மாற்றத்தை உருவாக்கிக் கொண்டது காசியால்தான். கங்கையின் கம்பீரமே அவரின் தோற்றத்தில் மாற்றத்தை கொண்டு வந்தது.

He lived the life of a fearless journalist reaching great heights.  He rose to become sub-editor of  “Swadesamitran” in Nov 1904.  .. ..  his prime of life was spent running away from the British ensuring that the fire for freedom was stoked with his powerful words.  “India”  the magazine saw the light of the day in May, 1906. It declared as its motto the three slogans of the French Revolution, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. It blazed a new trail in Tamil Journalism.  

It has been propagated that Barathi was killed by the elephant of Sri Parthasarathi swami thirukkovil – the incident did occur and the frail Barathiyar was felled .. but that happened in June 1921- Kuvalai Kannan saved him and Mandayam Srinivasachariyar with few others took him to Royapettah hospital; Mahakavi survived.  Later in the months of July and August, Barathi attended to Sudesamithiran office work and even toured Erode, speaking at Karungalpalayam – his famous speech .

மனிதனுக்கு மரணமில்லை” என்கிற தலைப்பில்தான் அவர் அங்கு பேசினார். ஞானிகளுக்கு மரணம் என்பது உடைகளை மாற்றுவது போல.  

காலா!உனை நான் சிறு புல்லென மதிக்கிறேன்; என்தன்

காலருகே வாடா! சற்றே உனை மிதிக்கிறேன்- 

The great poet Mahakavi Subramaniya Barathiyar breathed his last in the night of 11.9.1921  which actually was 1.30 am ie., early hours of 12.9.1921. 

வெள்ளையர் தம் அடக்குமுறை, எப்போதும் ஓட்டம், பசி, பிணி போன்றவற்றால் வாடிய மஹாகவிஞனை - "கோவில் யானை அடித்து கொன்றது" என்ற கட்டுக்கதையை பரப்பியுள்ளனர்.  

1882, டிசம்பர், 11ல் எட்டயபுரத்தில் பிறந்த மகாகவி பாரதி, 1921, செப்டம்பர் 11ல், சென்னையில் இறந்தார் என்பது  பன்னாள்  வரலாறு. தமிழக, புதுச்சேரி அரசுகள், செப்டம்பர், 11ம் தேதியை, பாரதியின் நினைவு நாளாக அனுசரித்து வந்துள்ளன.  திருவல்லிக்கேணி இல்லத்தில் அவரது நினைவு நிகழ்வுகள் செப்ட் 11ல் நடந்துள்ளன. ஆயினும் - அந்த கொடிய நாள் செப்ட் 12 - (அதிகாலை).   சென்னை மாநகராட்சி பதிவேட்டில், செப்டம்பர் 12ல், இறந்தார் என, பதிவாகி உள்ளது.   இந்த நிகழ்வை உறுதிப்படுத்தும் வகையில், தஞ்சைத் தமிழ்ப் பல்கலைக் கழகத்தின், பாரதி பாடல் ஆய்வுப் பதிப்பு நுாலிலும், 1921, செப்டம்பர் 12, 01:30 மணி என்றே குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.   

மஹாகவி வாழ்ந்த மண்ணில் வாழ்வதை பெருமையாக கருதும் - பாரதியின் பற்றாளன் - திருவல்லிக்கேணி வாழ் ஸ்ரீனிவாசன் சம்பத்குமார்

       

12.09.2024

 

PS : 1)  the confusion in date is rather trifle.  It was on the night of 11.9 – rather early hours of 12.9.  In his Death certificate [downloadable from Chennai Corporation website] – his name is misspelt as ‘C Subramani Barthy’ ! – address is 67 TP Koil Street; Date of death given as 12.9.1921 – age again wrongly given as 38 instead of 39. Perhaps all that reflects the care and concern ! Sad !!!

 

2) The building referred to as Sancheti Bhavan was the name of what now stands at Bharathiyar memorial at Thiruvallikkeni.  Mahakavi Barathi lived here as a tenant among others in a small portion – remember that in 1980s, the property changed hands and a businessman bought the building, demolished the existing structure,  named it Sancheti Bhavan, and lived here. In fact in its first floor, it housed -  Bank of Madura, Triplicane branch.  In 1993, Tamil Nadu Govt took over the property and remodelled making it resemble the building of the time when Barathi resided there. 

 

3) Most searches would lead to ‘Seevalapperi Pandi’ a film starring Napoleon about a crime story released in 1994.  Sad !!   The immortal  poet's forefathers were from Seevalaperi. His wife Chellammal was from Kadayam.  Barathiyar actually was ‘Seevalapperi Sundararajan (aka Chinnasamy Iyer) Subramaniya Bharathi. 

 

4) feeling happy and cherish this moment standing near Dr Jayanthi Murali, Mahakavi’s great grand-nephew (daughter of Prof KV Krishnan in the lineage of Barathi’s aunt Kuppammal aka Rukmani)  still residing at that ancestral house at Varanasi where Bharathiyar stayed.