Day 6 of Navarathri: Goddess Katyayani!

Katyayani Mahamaye Mahayoginya dheeshwari | Nandgopasutam Devi patim Me Kuru te Namah ||

Devi posting something religious? Really? 🤔

Those who know me very well would be surprised by this post; but read on..You will surely smile in the end ;)

I read online that today happened to be an auspicious day for Goddess Katyayani Devi, on the Sixth Day of Navarathri.

This reminded me of a little snippet my Amma shared with me later in her life. We used to live in a small town called Valliyoor. There was a joint family next door with almost 4 generations under the same roof.

Being a very young one, I used to frequent their house every day. There was a great grandma who was teaching the grand daughter at a marriageable age, the above slokam. I had apparently learnt the slokam by-heart, through their rendition, but chose to ask the paati why that Akka was the only one saying the slokam. Paati apparently explained saying that if that slokam was chanted religiously and with sincerity, the girl chanting would get married to a fine young man soon. I used to say the slokam religiously with that Akka, not understanding the Paati fully and knowing the implications that were in store for me. Later, when i got married, it was the running joke in the maternal family that i chanted way too religiously, so much so that i got married in late teens.

Lesson Learnt: If you want to get married, chant this slokam, but do not start when very young. You would end up getting married in your teens ;)

What's important in life!

As I park my car on the driveway, I see Appa sitting in the porch. At 6:30 pm? Should he not be watching his usual television programs, switching between channels, jotting down important events of the day and weather for days ahead?

I walk up to him and ask, “enna appa inga ukkandhundu irukkel? (why are you sitting here Appa?). Before he could respond I notice a white envelope in his hand. Millions of things run through my head in a split second. He quietly extends his hand and hands me the envelope, and says “please buy a new microwave. I think I have damaged it”. I ask, “what happened Appa?”, while handing back the envelope. His response was, “I was using microwave to heat up something I bought today from the shop. I didn’t realise it had a metal in packaging. I overlooked and it burnt the microwave”. I ran to the kitchen, sure enough the microwave had black and gray burn marks. I told him to be careful in future, as he was alone at home during the day. For which he responded, “I know. I shall buy you a new microwave. I am sorry”. I said to him that microwave was the least important stuff and that he was precious. I had not changed the microwave, as it was working.

Why did I choose to write about that incident now? I don’t know, but felt like it! I was on a cleaning spree the past week or so. Yesterday happened to be “cleaning the microwave” day. My microwave after scrubbing, lost the burnt marks, that stood as one of the memories of my greatest love in life, my Appa. Materialistic possessions mean nothing over one’s aged parents and in laws. I have witnessed instances where elderly people have been so upset and guilty that they have broken or damaged something, belonging to their children. One day, all of us will be in similar situations. I feel I already am on my way to being one soon. My Amma, couple of years before passing on, said to me one day, “I should stop wearing silk sarees. I am starting to spill things on them”. She was visibly upset. I said, “Amma they are your sarees. Continue to wear them every day like you do. Don’t worry about them getting soiled”. Little did I realise she’d go soon after, leaving behind all those for me in near new condition. Every time I wear them, I feel I am being wrapped in her love. I feel I am becoming her.

Be gentle to the elderly, shower love, give them company that they long for. I wish I had more time with my parents, because I have matured over the years and have so much to share with them, but the time is gone.

“You should tell people how important they are to you; not because they could leave at any moment, but because they are here NOW, and it is worth saying something”

உறவுகளும் நேசமும்

ஒவ்வொரு நொடியும்
ஒவ்வொரு உறவுகளிடமும்
உண்மையை தேடி தேடி
உண்மையான உறவென்று
எண்ணி எண்ணி
என்னிதயம் ஏமாற்றம்
கண்டு கண்டு
அனைத்தும் பொய் பொய்
என்றே எண்ணுகிறது..

வெறுத்து விடுகிறேன்
இறுதி வரை உறவுகள்
நிலைத்து நிற்பதில்லை..

கோபத்தில் ஏமாற்றங்களில்
வலிகளில் என்னையே நான்
வெறுத்துவிடுகிறேன் மொத்தமாய்..

சரியோ தவரோ
எனக்கான உறவுகளிடம்
உண்மையுடன் பழகுகிறேன்..

அதை என்னை சார்ந்த
உறவுகளிடம் எதிர் பார்ப்பதால்
ஏமாற்றம் காண்கிறேன்..

வெறுத்து விட்டேன்
இன்று மொத்தமாய்..
நேசத்தை, நேசிப்பதை..

Suicides increasing in Indian children

Though I don't live in India, I feel obliged, rather pressured to give my 2 cents worth on the sad ending of Anitha, a girl who committed suicide after not cracking NEET.

Where were all these so called educated people that use social media to voice their opinions, those who blame the society when this poor kid was coerced by political party for their benefits?

Fundamentally there is a disconnect between children, the future of the country and the parents (educated and uneducated), teachers (today i read that a 12 yr old child ended her life because the teacher humiliated the child when she asked permission for her clothes getting wet because of heavy periods.. Oops! It is a taboo in the society)and well wishers who cry foul now. Had the child been advised not to take to lodging a case, had the child been told that there were many options in life than a career in medicine, a life would have been saved. It is the society that puts pressure on any child that he/she is not good enough unless one becomes a doctor or an engineer or an IT professional. There is more to a career than these ones. So, parents, the society, the ones crying foul now, corrupt politicians, educational system, are all at fault. No use in pointing fingers at others when no one is willing to change self and make a difference.

While the news of Anitha is making waves in TN, there was another 12 yr old child who jumped off the balcony. Reason? She had stained her uniform. When she asked to be excused, the teacher and the principal humiliated and reprimanded the child. This led to the child jump off and end her life. Why is the education system so flawed in India? Why is the media making hoo haa about the girls' suicides rather than making it well known that the educational system is flawed? Where is the state heading?

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/girl-commits-suicide-menstruation-senthil-nagar-palayamkottai-tamil-nadu/1/1036788.html