4th Stanza From Thiruppavai.

ஆழி மழைக்கண்ணா! ஒன்று நீ கை கரவேல்; ஆழியுள் புக்கு முகந்துகொடு ஆர்த்து ஏறி ஊழி முதல்வன் உருவம்போல் மெய் கறுத்துப் பாழியந் தோள் உடைப் பத்மநாபன் கையில் ஆழிபோல் மின்னி, வலம்புரிபோல் நின்று அதிர்ந்து, தாழாதே சார்ங்கம் உதைத்த சரமழைபோல் வாழ உலகினில் பெய்திடாய்; நாங்களும் மார்கழி நீர் ஆட மகிழ்ந்து ஏலோர் எம்பாவாய்

Thiruppavai..The Third Stanza

Paasuram 3 - Oangi Ulagalandha This 3rd Paasuram of Thiruppavai depicts about the Vamanavathar taken by Sriman Narayanan. "Hey Paavais! During this Margazhi month, we all should praise about the greatness of Thiruvadi of Sriman Naraynan, who incarnated as Sri Vamanan who showed his Thiru Vikrama roopams. By chanting and taking up this Thiruppavai Viradham, the word will be blessed with good amount of rain. And as a result of this, there will be proper vegetation, which makes the country progress better. In the water, the fish's starts jumping and lots of flower will show their beauty. As a result of the rain, all the grass and leaves will be fresh and the cows will eat them, which symbolizes the love and affection as it gives milk to everyone without expecting anything in return. This vegetation and wealth never diminishes and protects the entire world." In this Paasuram, Sri Andal explains about the greatness of the Noanbhu and what the entire world will get out of that. So, this Paasuram is for Logakshemam (Settlement of the world).

Manathukkan Maasilan Aadhal.Anaithu Aran Ahula Neera Pira. ....Thiruvalluvar.

THIRUPPAVAI...

The Month of Marghazhi according to Tamil Calendar is unique in the senses that Tamils all over the world devote their entire attention to the worship of the Lord to the exclusion of any other functions, such as marriage, starting building or entering a new house, etc. Mythology has it that during this month everyone shuns all other activities and concentrate only on worship of the Lord.

We bring before you the Divine Andal Paasuram known as Thiruppavai, which is said contain the essence of Divya Prabhandam, one stanza per day, with its meaning. We ardently hope and pray that all believers would recite and stand blessed by the Almighty. You see the first stanza on your right side. The second stanza is what is depicted above. The stanza as well as the meaning are as portrayed by the website: www.divyadesamonline.com One may get into the website for getting a fuller and exhaustive knowledge of THIRUPPAVAI.

Our Temple at mandhurai,Trichy, Tamil Nadu.

Mandhurai village is situate some 18 kms north of Trichy district. The family deity of thousands of people, who owe their origin to the 18 villages of Lalgudi Taluk, Angarai, mandhurai, Valadi, Sirudhur, Mayilrangam, etc., and who are now settled throughout the world is what we worshipfully call Mandhuraiyan. Mandhuraiyan is also known as Karuppu or karuppan. The family deity Mandhuraiyan is usually visited by all the faithfuls during the thamizh months of Adi and Thy, particularly on Fridays, when they simultaneously do archanas to Lord Shiva and Godess Parvathy. Lord Shiva is known as Ambravaneswaran, apart from worshipping Mandhuraiyan. Usually devotees have their heads tonsured on fulfilling a vow . Usually devotees prostrate before mandhuraiyan deity and do what is proverbially known as Angapradakshnina. They then take the sand and put it on their foreheads and also keep a portion of it at their homes. There is a stream nearby wherein all of us bathe before entering the temple sanctum sancturm. It is incredible but true that in our families a century-old custom is to offer as Nyvedyam, offerings such as pori, bananas, coconuts, and also a bunch of beedi (cigar) and also a little naatu saarayam. The priest in charge of the temple arranges for all the offerings. Normally, we also take five coconuts, to be offered one each to all the Sannadhis. The last coconut is broken before the Vinayaka Sannadhi at the entrance, when we leave the temple. Mandhuraiyan is always believed to be protecting the devotees wherever they go. Usually the parents tell their children, that when with Mandhuraiyan protecting them, they need fear nothing. For a fuller view of all the temples of Tiruchy District, kindly click on the title,to get linked to the site provided by our Tamil Nadu Government

Body Weight and Food. 10 Diet Rules to be Broken !

LIGHT EATING AND LONG LIVING (Please click on the above title, if you need to really know about myths associated with reducing weight. Otherwise, read the masala-mix below) Don't eat before bedtime or you'll gain weight. Skipping meals will help you take off the pounds. If you want to stay on a diet, eat at the same time every day.Some are half-truths, some are complete myths, and some are clearly more harmful than others, but most of them won't help you lose weight or make dieting any easier," says Elizabeth Somer, MA, RD, author of 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman's Die to learn more about an expert dietician's views on THE MOST DIETARY MISTAKES THAT WE DO http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14802078/PLEASE CLICK ON: I am trying to recollect, a song from ancient Tamil Literature, stanza from Vennpah. Loosely translated it goes like this: 'Oh Stomach! You won't listen if I order you to be to quiet for a day. Nor would you listen, if i fill you up for two full days, at a stretch. So difficult for me to be staying with you, Is it you have come along only to ail ?. '

Do not make a mistake.

It is not your HEAD, not your HEART, but it really your STOMACH that matters.

It sounds funny, but is true, for, your stomach decides how long will you be vertical..

Your doctor tells you to reduce your weight, when BMI goes above 25. He painstakingly lists your agenda till such time the next patient, impatiently peeps in. You are pretty unnerved at the doctor's command. Which sounds something like Ten Commandments.

(For an online help with regard to weight loss consistent with dietary supplements, please click :)

http://www.vitacost.com/science/hn/Concern/Weight_Loss.htm

http://www.vitacost.com/science/hn/Supp/Fiber.htm Discipline in food habits. Discipline in Regular Exercises. Discipline in Emotions. Discipline in Work behaviour Discipline in sleep.

All the above in one form or another have a say in your weight. Of course.the hereditary quotient is also there, but you can't do much about it.. From what the doctor said, you realize that none could have been more indisciplined than yourself.. Back home, you find a lunch you can hardly skip. Coconut rice, tamarind rice, jaggery rice, curd rice with pickles, curd fried cakes (vadai) fried potatoes with onions, sweets payasams, laddus. Before you let your wife know what your doctor advised you, you hear that today is your mother-in-law's birthday. You cannot not eat like a gourmet.

So you postpone your decision to cut your intake to the next day. With your tummy fully loaded, as you fall asleep, you nevertheless ponder over: First comes "thoughts on food". Is it that you will have to cut down your intake to reduce your weight? If that be so, what will you cut? The quantity or the variety ? or the frequency ? or All? For once, your good friend doctor appears a villain. If i should not be eating now, when at all shall i eat? After all, we live only to eat.

But prudence looks the other way. You resort to thinking, whether you need consult another doctor? Or resort to Yoga? In your dreams, your wife joins your doctor in advising you. You probably felt that it must be your wife to whom the doctor advised. Possibly you slept and next morning, started browsing to know more, on internet.

Legion are the websites that give you information on this. I am afraid if you go thro' them one by one, most of these advices contradict one another.You can hardly decide what you should be doing. Before you decide, the dinner plate arrives. You are tempted to continue what you do and postpone taking a decision on your food habits, to the next day. Unluckily, for most of us, the next day never turns up. When I searched as to how many websites talk on topics, related to food and weight, google gives as much as 2,79,383 catches. That is for this moment. When you click on, you will get a number, which could be even more, since this will also get added.

The fact is that most, if not all, of us is concerned about our weight. There are several slimming centres. Assure you of 100 per cent results.Much more than trimming your hip, they trim your purse and bank balances. They assure you more. That they will return the money they received, (less service tax of course) if you are not losing your weight significantly.

As you wondered what they must be doing, you found: They prescribe such protein based drugs/foods that give you a feeling of fullness of your tummy, even as you are half fed. A good samaritan has suggested why not you cut down the size of your stomach itself, instead of cutting down food? So offers for surgeries that would stich your stomach from within have also surfaced. Having said, let me caution you that there are several myths associated with eating less or fasting to reduce weight. Most of this information is just nonsense, to use a cruel word.

Webmd in its latest bulletin has talked about these myths. Click on the above title , to know a little of those myths which you honestly felt were true. Plainspeaking, it is your mind which decides what you should eat and how much you should eat. If you cannot control your life style by having a rigid discipline on your food habits, do not be worried. For more than your obesity, it could be stress which may kill you. After all, all things said, everyone has to die some day. Why not eat merrily, enjoy life, till the day we get His call.

So we shall eat, and continue to eat, as if you will have no TOMORROW, to eat.

TO enjoy RECIPES "PARUPPU BONDA' AND 'AVAL IDLI' AND "TOMATO SYRUP WITH FRIED POTATO CHIPS' CLICK ON TO:

http://content.msn.co.in/Tamil/cookery/Default

Be happy. Be cheerful. Good Day.

Celebrate Kaarthigai Festival with a Big Heart ..

Kaarthigai Festival ( 4th December 2006 )

Tamilians all over the world begin placing oil lamps on the entrance doors of their homes right from the first day of Kaarthigai month. On the full Moon day, and on the day of Kaarthigai Star, every Tamil Home is lit of with tens and hundreds of lamps. Tens of lamps in an array are placed on the interiors and exteriors of all windows and doors. The womenfolk draw highly creative rangolis in front of their houses and place oil lamps on these Kolams (rangolis) and the entire streets present a picture of procession of lamps galore.

At Thiruvannamalai, on the day of Bharani Star, Thirukkaarthigai Deepam is celebrated in a grand manner. At the hillock, the devotees light what is historically known as BHARANI DEEPAM, around the time of confluence of Sun and Moon. Thousands of devotees congregate in front of Arunachala Hills at Thiruvannamalai, to witness and worship the Bharani Deepam. Lord Arunachaleswara with his consort comes out of the temple, to be with and bless all on this festive occasion.

This is a delight to watch and almost all TVs from Tamil Nadu relay this programme live.

Kaarthigai Festival is also noted for delicious snacks. Fried rice and aval mixed with jaggery to forms Nel Urundai and Aval Urundai, apart from other snacks like appam, adai, are unique .

We lit a lamp in all our homes, on this day.

Why not we celebrate this festival with a vow to light a lamp in the future of those unprivileged children, orphans, destitutes and old-aged people ?

Indeed, it lies in our Tamil Culture when we recall Vallalar's Call to All:

Vallalar said: Vaadiya Payirai kandapothellam Vaadinen.

I felt distressed whenever I saw a distressed plant.

Vallalar advocated Jeeva Kaarunyam not only to human beings, but to all beings.

This Kaarthigai Day, let us all Tamil people, reveal our compassion, by contributing our mite

to any organisation which serves the unprivileged ones.

Hundreds nay thousands of children, destitutes, orphans, old aged people, are being cared for, by various NGOs throughout Tamil Nadu.

A few organisations that come to my mind are:

UDHAVUM KARANGAL..http:/www.udhavumkarangal.org

Sevalaya: An organisation in Thiruniravur, which brings hope to orphaned children through education; http://www.sevalaya.org

Everyone knows the organisations : CRY and HELPAGE.

http://www.cry.org

Donate Something what you feel is possible on this Thiru Kaarthigai.

And Be proud of Our Tamil Culture.

The Queen GrandMa Of Ceebros woke up today at 8.30 a.m. She immediately called for the Minister-in-Waiting. I presented myself before her. She asked: Do we have rains three times a month. I said: We have now thrice during the day. She asked: Are the lakes, ponds full of water? Do the people have enough water? I said: More than plenty. God has provided enough water even on roads. We have now swimming pools everywhere. She said: that's good. Convey my best wishes to all my subjects. 

Good Food and Good Sleep Go Together.

A lot of research is on why sleep disorders are ramphant in societies which are affluent. Invariably almost all the studies have ended with the prescription that the less you eat, the more comfortable you are, and also what you eat must equal what your body requires for good work and thereafter good sleep too. For good sleep, a lot of relaxation is prescribed too, and sets of exercises known as RELAXATION TECHNIQUES are there. The University of Maryland in its website has given Important hints in this respect. A few sleep disorders like narcolepsy are also detailed. Click the site and be benefited. http://www.umm.edu/sleep/relax_tech.html Even if you are not able to practise an exercise in full start ONE in right earnest. And I am sure, you will feel the difference, soon. Beware.

You have only one life to life.We spend a third of our life in sleeping.

LET THIS BE GOOD SLEEP

Best of Luck. Best of Sleep.

http://skbworld.spaces.live.com

One fine evening, my life partner hissed that she never had any occasion to be angry with me. I disputed. I said, not only you were angry, but I was equally afraid of seeing your face, when you were angry. "Is it so?", she asked, continuing, "how do I look like, when I am angry." I dramatised one, and to our surprise, my daughter, from somewhere, clicked this one. This cannot be true, she said. I am not this bad. But she said, your belly is too bad. Reduce it fast. I publish this with a hope that my children may pass a judgment on this. What is humour indeed ? After a long interval, I reminded to myself that this blog of mine should be including some sense of Humour. Amongst the blogs I visited, the one blog I can never forget is quoted at the title. where you get HUMOUR UNLIMITED Some real humour (without offence) you find there. Of course at the expense of indian Politicians. You cannot but laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh till your belly bursts. Please move there and enjoy . Laugh AND LAUGH to live long, AND LONG.

DEEPAVALI..THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

DEEPAVALI FESTIVAL 21ST OCTOBER 2006 HAPPY DEEPAVALI TO ONE AND ALL

Humour...or...is it just a joke !

Long ago, I read this joke somewhere. I thought I could reproduce it here expressing courtesy to the person who might not even remember he told this. Three men well versed in mimicry were also too boastful and were also competing in an evening show, full of home makers. The compere asked them, as the show began, to narrate what they were capable of. The first one jumped on the mike, said, " I bark like dogs.!" The compere said, what if, every one of us bark when our husbands come home late. The imitator said, That is OK. But when I bark, postmen climb on lamp posts. As the second imitator came on the dais, he was seen beating on his breast. He said I bellow like a bull. What for? The compere asked. Replied he: Some cows are adamant you know. As they hear my sound, they are on their knees. The third came to the dais, politely said that he does not know much in mimicry. But when he crowa like a cock,he always found the Sun rises in the East.

Oppillai...There is no parallel !

Oh Lord ! By your very name You are Unparallelled. In Your Mercy, in Your Love of Mankind, None can equal You. Kindly Bestow All Your Best on the little kid Uppili alias Mrithunjayan on His Happy Birth Day 6th october 2006 Friends who would like to have a virtual tour of All Vaishnava Temples, please visit: www.geocities.com/divyadesam108 for a virtual tour of All Divya Desam Temples

Happy Birth Day Uppili and Balaji !!

5th October 2006 6th October 2006 are very special Days for me. For on these days, my younger brother's kids celebrate their birthdays. This year, I forgot to send them Gifts. I thought what should I be doing instead? I thought of offering prayers to God to bestow on these two little children ALL HIS BEST. Naturally a question stemmed in my mind to which God I shall send the prayers? I could think of Uppili appan and Balaji since these kids are named after them only. A

Saraswathi Pooja --Today

Oh Godess Saraswathi ! I salute you this day ! Let me be endowed with such knowledge that gains wealth through virtuous means... Let me be endowed with such knowledge that gains fame through virtuous means.. Let me be endowed with such knowledge that I shall love and be loved by all beings. Let there be peace everywhere. Let there be Light Everywhere. And that Light be perceived by All everywhere.  

1st October 2006 Today is Saraswathi Pooja Day in Tamil nadu, South India. This Day is devoted to the worship of Godess Saraswathi, the bestower of All Knowledge This is the penultimate day of the 10 day festival throughout India. The conventions and rituals differ slightly from region to region but the core of the Festival remains the same. The first Three Days, Durga Maa is worshipped. The next Third Days, Lakshmi Maa is worshipped. The final Three days Saraswathi Maa is Worshipped. Durga Maa is the symbol of all Bravery, Steadfastness, Conviction and Courage. Lakshmi Maa is the symbol of all Wealth. Saraswathi Maa is the symbol of all Knowledge. In fact, by worshipping Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi, the trio symbolising Courage, Wealth and Knowledge, Hindus rededicate themselves to the path revealed to them by the Scriptures, that is simply, Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. In Tamil Nadu, and in the states of Karnataka and Andra pradesh a conventional Kolu is established. Idols made of mud, china clay, marble are displayed in all splendour. Every day, ladies and girls visit all neighbouring houses, to invite them to their houses. They dress in all colourful ways, conventional ways and the entire atmosphere is one of gay and gaiety. To develop a Kolu of your choice, please click : www.panchangam.com/kolu.htm Every evening, a popular dish Sundal is prepared and distributed to visitors. On Friday, putti which is Sweet Flour with coconut and ghee is distributed. And on Saturday, the gingelee powder is mixed with jaggery and given as Ell-urundai. To taste a few of the recipes associated with this festival, please do visit: www.indiatastes.com People all over decorate their homes and all the temples wear a festive look. During this period, all the Channels air Devotional and Traditional Classic music on air, by popular musicians. You are lucky if you can get the telecast of this music festival by www.jayatv.org You are cordially invited to visit Tamil Nadu during these days, to have your own Sweet Experiences of this colourful Festival. At Mysore, the Karnataka State, the Dussera Celebrations are really colourful. The procession of well decorated elephants with the King on one of the Well Decorated Elephant is a delight to watch. One may be curious to know the mythologies associated with this colourful festival. Also the traditions of various regions of India, a cultural heritage. I would invite them to visit one of the best sites depicting Navrathri and Durga Maa Festival, please click on to: http://www.durga-puja.org/saraswati-puja.html

Animals in Films - Is it cruel to train them do stunt performances ? Is SPCA to intervene?

Know how you can sponsor a pet click here. http://www.spca.org http://www.animalactivism.org In a recent opinion-poll conducted by GOKULAM, a popular children's magazine, a teenager attempts to defend using animals for stunt performance and the like in films, for, he feels, that once the performance is over, the animals are taken good care. Animal Rightists, however, have a different view. A software professional, Mr.Arvind, convinces the teenager the otherway.

At the outset your clarification is good, but if you dig deep inside youwill find that the animals are indeed tortured to perform the act.

Whether it is a snake whose teeth is plucked or the dog which gets beaten repeatedly until it stands on its two legs and walks as well.

The same is true with circus too.

They live in fear all the time and are poorly fed.

The plight of these animals is actually pathetic.

Also, whatthe people get paid for is really pennies.

For example, a snake charmerwill be paid may be a thousand rupees for using his snake in the movies.You think he spends the money on it?

No way.

The snake continues to betortured, pricked and the poor soul cannot do anything about it.

All it gets is some rats, eggs and squirrel to live with while the charmer drinks and eats with the money he made.

I was associated with SPCA during my college days and we were proposing banning usage of animals in movies, circus, dog shows, etc. Obviously we did not have the money power to push this through.

We wanted to putforth the idea that there should at least be one person to supervise theway the animals are treated while they are being made to act in movies.This did not take off as cost was a big factor.

Take a simple example.

How do you get a dog to perform a hand shake?

Let me share what I did to my dog when I was in school.

It was called Leena(a female pom dashund cross).

I take a scale (or stick) and say "Leena shake hand". Since dogs don't understand English (they don't understand any language that we speak for that matter), it just sits there. So I give the right front leg a tapwith the scale and believe me that pains. Since the dog is so affectionate to us it does not resist but just sulks and takes it. Next step, I repeat "Leena shake hand" and I lift its leg and keep it inmy hand. Now the dog feels that this is better than getting beaten.I repeat these steps till "Leena shake hand" settles in its mind. The dog by now understands that whenever I utter the phrase, it is better to lift the leg or else there will be a tap on the leg.

Imagine for asimple act like shake hand if a dog has to go thru such difficulties,how much of a torture it has to undergo in order to perform the act ofstanding on two legs, clinging onto one another and walk as well as theydo in circus.

This is the same as "Aadra Rama aadra Rama" performed by a Nari Kuravan with his hapless monkey. I hope you understand that the monkey is noPrabhu Deva to dance on its own and certainly don't understand "AadraRama".So, in the pretext of entertainment, these animals are tortured and madeto perform what they are not supposed to be doing. In a circus youalways find that the ring master has either a stick or a leash when allthese are performed.

Now, tell me, do the animals enjoy doing what they are doing?

Think again...

God, give me the power to liberate the animals from these inhuman humans...

HOW YOU WILL KNOW THE RAGHA AS A SONG IS RENDERED....?

an architectural beauty... You admire it..but would u ever have tried to understand the inner intricacies? So is music. How to Find the Ragha ....especially in film music On the topic Yaman Kalayan,a reader had queried as to whether the song "is rang badlti duniya mein" belongs to the YK family. No,madam, it doesn't. Sure, it has a few traces of YK, yet deviates to some other scale (something like Bageshri, I am not sure). Initially, it could be tough to identify a raga from a filmy song,since majority of them does not loyally stick to the traditional surtrack. A different note here, use of a note in the aorkan instead of inavarokan, all these tend to change the colour of the raga.Best way would be to identify on the basis of the surs.But, for those who cannot read music, we would prefer to depend betteron our own ears, which, in music, function better than eyes. Even forthe sur pandits, it would do better to follow the ears than the eyes,they seldom cheat.Every raga has its own lakshna. Once the lakshna is absorbed by themind, the identification of a raga becomes quite simple.For illustration, let us take the Yamuna Kalyani, itself. Of the songspertaining to this, single out a particular line or hum (listed below)and try to sing or play it. 1. wo jab yaad aaye- "chirag ye muhobat ki jalaye, bujaye" 2. roshan tumhi se - "meri umru bhi lelo" 3. abhi na jao - "kayee makam aayenga, to hamse aajmayenge" 4. ghar se - "raste mein hai uska ghar" 5. vennila vaanil - the humming before "aasai konda idhayamathu" 6. yamunai aatrile - "paavam raadha" The list of filmy songs on YK is endless, of course. Here are a fewmore from Hindi:- 1. Aapki nigahon mein 2. yaad rehega - Umar Qaid (the sole thing worthwhile in the movie) 3. Saranga teri yaad mein - An unforgettable number by Mukesh 4. Jab Deep chale aana - lovable Combination of RJ's music and KJ'svoice 5. chandan sa badan - another hit of Mukesh 6. Khuda hai mehrbaan - a less popular number from Mugal E Azam 7. Zulme Ulfat ki hame log saza dete hai 8. Naam bool jayega 9. Kanni magal mella vandhal - P.Bhanumathy 10. Maratha sogamthano - Gantasala & Suseela TO KNOW MORE, PLEASE LOG ON TO: http://movieraghas.blogspot.com

N e e l a m b a r i.....The eternal Lullaby.

Neelambari... That means the Blue sky... On those elegance, vastness, Poets of lore have sung lullabies .... Neelambari transcends all barriers of land and sea Will someone sing a filmy song based on N i l a m b a r i to make my little cousin sleep a while ? 

Athisaya Raham..Ananda Raham..Chakravaham

You fix your eyes on the centre of the circles, preferably one by one. Feel for yourself the experience. The colours melt down. So is Chakravaham. When you play it or sing the raha, your passions melt down.

Music rests in your heart or head ?

Music...Classical or Film ? If classical, western or Eastern ? If Eastern , carnatic or Hindusthani To get at the right film song based on a particular raga, To know the swars as related to a particular raga, To understand how and why ragas differ from one another, For all your queries and doubts related to carnatic or Hindusthani music, just log on to: http://groups.google.com/group/cineraga Post your views there, of course, as related only to music. This particular cineraga googlegroups, of which, Bhouman is a member, analyses the Filmy songs of well over 5 decades. Get immersed into the World of Carnatic and Hindusthani Filmy Music.

Chithirai Thiruvizha at Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India

WITNESS THE GREAT CELESTIAL EVENT AT MADURAI, THE CAPITAL OF TAMIL CULTURE SOUTH INDIA. Every Year in the month of Chithirai, the first month of the Tamil Calendar, at Madurai, lakhs of devotees congregate to witness the Thiru Kalyana Mahotsavam of Lord Sundareswarar and Godess Meenakshi. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu in the form of Kal Azhagar from his abode visits and enters the river Vaigai on the purnima (Full Moon Day) . The moment Kal Azhagar enters the shores of the river Vaigai, devotees feel blessed and celebrate the great event. This year, for the benefit of the Blessed Tamil Community, a new web site http://maduraimeenakshi.org brings out the live programme. You may click on the above and feel blessed by Him.

Sleep is Gift of God. When you sleep you get rejuvenated. Because of various stresses and strains, over-work, particular diseases, a few amongst us do not get enough sleep. Which causes restlessness, that leads quite often to hypertension A few amongst us sleep more than what is required, like the Kumbakarna of mythological fame, which is again not conducive to good health. If you believe you do not have enough sleep, it is necessary you must be consulting a specialist in this field. A website I recently came across is replete with all the information you and I need. http://www.nithra.com Sleep but not sleep over.

Eat Plenty of Chocolate to enhance Good Cholesterol

Fresh Evidence Suggestes that eating plenty of chocolates indeed enhances higher levels of Good Cholesterol (HDL). Not only That. It also helps reducing your Blood Pressure Levels. The research paper says that eating 25 grams of chocolate is indeed helpful to your heart. To learn more about this, please log on to: http://www.webmd.com/content/pages/24/113091.htm You will also be benefited by a video revealing the benefits of chocolate. So, Go and Empty the Chocolate Jar.

A NEW SALAD WHICH IS AN ANTI-OXIDANT

For well over a half a century, orthodox in India, prepare a salad which they offer to God Vinayaka . This is done almost in all Hindu Vinayaka Temples at the time of festivals and routine worship time. When you analyse the contents of this salad you are almost dumbfound at the energy rich contents which serves as a highly rich protein diet equally promoting digestion. With a few modifications, I am narrativing the contents of this salad and also the method of preparing the same. Since the frame is prepared in the language of Tamil (just for a change) I give below the contents of this salad. Cashew nut, Badam nut cut into pieces and fried in ghee, with 2 to 3elakkay ...25 grams each. Plantain fruits 5 cut into small pieces. Same way 2 apple cut into pieces. koyya fruits 2 nos. made as a semi paste . Madhulai fruits...only the seeds 50 nos. are added. Add two to three tablespoons of pure honey of rich quality. 50 grams of kalkandu powdered and added. A few dates (taking out the seeds) cut into small pieces. Add all the same. Wait for half an hour to get the mix settle down. I wish you prepare it once and taste it. This is a rich anti-oxidant. Mainly based on fruits, this promotes digestion, memory power. and equally a muscle relaxant. This is a supplementary to your morning Breakfast.

19th January 2005 corresponding to Bahula Panchami of Marghazhi Month of Thamizh Year Paarthiba. Music Lovers especially the Carnatic celebrate the birth anniversary of the Greatest Musician of the Carnatic Traditional Culture Saint Thyagaraja who was born on the Tamil Land and sang and sang in hundreds of hymns and songs praising God Rama and carved a niche in the hearts of all musicians for well over a century. All musicians of fame and name congregate at the village Town of Thiruvayaru - on the banks of Cauvery River - and sing the greatest kirthanas - Pancha rathna Kirthanas - to the delight of audience from near and far. Please click the link below to get a detailed life history of the greatest musician of Tamil Nadu. Most of his songs in praise of Lord Rama are composed in the language - Telegu - which was his mother tongue - which language traces its origin to the language Tamil. http://home.att.net/~s-prasad/tyagaraja.htm The festival is celebrated for full five days. All musicians are given an opportunity to sing his compositions individually and collectively with full accompaniments like Violin, Mridhangam, Ganjira, Ghatam, Morsing. Apart from vocalists, violinists, veena players, nadhaswaram players also recite lyrics of Saint Thyagaraja. The whole event is relayed directly by Doordharsan . It is a delight to watch hundreds of musicians sing in a chorus. This year, we saw some of the celebrities like Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, Sudha, Aruna Sairam, Unnikrishnan graced the occasion. Pancha rathna consists of Five Kritis: Most Important amongst the Krithis of Saint Thyagaraja. presently, in addition to the main festival at Thiruvaiyaru, musicians celebrate the festival in different places in Tamil Nadu. A group of enthusiasts hold the festival also in USA. For more details, please click on www.tamilmovieusa.com/links1.html http://tamilmovieusa.com/links1.html

Ride and Pride at Pongal Sport Festival Tamil Nadu.India

Alanganallur, normally a quiet village cum town in South India, bristles itself into full-throated activity during Pongal Festival. This is where, thousands of not only Tamils but people from far-off places including Foreigners, watch with awe the highly inspiring Sport Festival of Tamil People..THE JALLIKATTU.

In an earlier picture, you have seen how valiant youth struggle to tame a ferocious bullock.

The above picture shows the valiant hero sitting with all his pride.

Of course, nothing is won without a price. It is reported, that one man died and hundreds injured during the sport when tens and hundreds of wild bullocks were let loose and heroic youth fell hither and thither in their efforts to tame the rushing and running animals.

That one or two die during the sport has become a stale news in India. In Pongal Sport, it does happen. What is inspiring is that even the injured ones, on getting well, prepare themselves for the next meet that is the day when the next Pongal Meet Comes.

And that is the Pongal Spirit.

And that is the Tamil Spirit.

And, remember what the Tamil Sage Thiruvallar proclaimed two thousand years ago:

Whoever does in the way one has thought fit to do, no hurdle will appear.

Picture Courtesy: http://www.dinamalar.com

Jallikattu Sport in Pongal Festival-Tamil Nadu/South India

In my Last Article on Pongal Festival. I was searching for a suitable live picture on jalli Kattu Sport During Pongal Festival In Tamil Nadu. You see one such live photo here. Courtesy: http://www.dinamalar.com As reported by the Press, a few die and a good many get injured while taming the bullock which is ferocious. But as you know the adventurous among the young risk even their lives to demonstrate their physical stamina and will to achieve their goal.

 

Pongal Festival.

Celebrate Pongal Festival Pongal, also known as Magara Sankranti, is celebrated by Tamils all over the world on the first Day of the Tamil Month Thai (pronounce it as 'thy') mostly synchornising with 14th of January every year. Pongal is the day when the farmers agriculturists thank God Surya for his Mercy towards tillers and show their gratitude by worshipping Him. In the early hours they draw Rangoli . http://cuisine.com/FestivalMakarSankranti.htm

Pongal Festival draws its very name by the Sweet Pongal, which is a boiled mix of rice, dhal, jaggery, coconut milk, cashew nuts, ghee, dry grapes and fruits. One has to be cautious about preparing this, since it is essential when to mix the jaggery boiled paste with the boiled rice. The flavour of a good pongal draws even the ones seated some 500 yards away. Along with Sweet Pongal, a sort of salt pongal is also prepared as a CONTRAST. The side dishes are aviyal, thayir vadai,etc.

For better understanding of these dishes, you may visit

http://ghayu.kaaninilam.com

or

http://hyderabadcakes.com/pongal-recipes-02.htm to name only a few sites on the subject. In Southern Districts of Tamil Nadu, there is a Jallikattu Festival on the following day, when bullocks and cows are decorated. A few bullocks are let loose with money and gifts tied to their horns, and those young lads who succeed in taming these bullocks get hold of these gifts. A good many are injured in the process also, but ambitious and bold young men of Tamil Nadu hardly look at the risk factor. These festivals in southern Districts are good attractions of foreign tourists also. Simply said, Pongal is a day of mirth and merriment. A good many of ortodox men and women visit temples and pray to God, as the day marks the beginning of the period of prosperity in a Tamil Year. You may hear the hymns recited in the pujas by clicking the site: http://www.mypurohith.com/Festivals/Sankranti.asp In short, Pongal signifies Sweet dishes and Rangolis, high-flying kites, and new dresses and greetings for everyone. The Government of Tamil Nadu distributes new clothes to nearly 10 million people.

What is Good Music ?

What is Good Music? You and I have grown enjoying the lullabies that mom sang when we were infants. Over the years, we developed an ear for the music that came from the environment, I mean the TV, the operas, the cinema, and the big big orchestra. Now, we listen to all types of music, the classical, the eastern and the western music. Several musical instruments also enchant us. Violin, Sitar, guitar lure us . What is good amongst these? It is relative. None is bad, if it pleases and relaxes you. For the job of "music" is to pacify your physique and drive you into an oblivion where you forget your physical ills of the moment to elevate yourself into a seventh Heaven of JOY. For me it is Carnatic music. When someone sings Bairavi, even when I am on some other job, I stand there to listen. For you it must be classical western. Or something else. Then, what is important in a music ? Is the rhythm, the tune, or the lyric or all? In our days, the lyric was most important. Nowadays it does not appear to be so. Words hardly matter in today's environment. There are ragas which are of particular value to the time in which they are tuned. In Southern India, we normally say : Early Morning Ragas: Boopalam, Morning: Hamsadhwani, Hindolam Noon: Thodi, Kamboji, Evening: Kalyani, Naattai, Bandu Varali Night: Anandha Bairavi, Nilambari, Sahana We have in our midst musicians who have elevated themselves to versatile scholars in the grammar of music. Dr.Bala Murali Krishna is one such musician who has done a lot of research in the field of new ragas. Apart from musicians we have also critics, who are not musicians themselves, but could pass on their value-based constructive criticism of any performance. Dr.Yesudas is known throughout the world for his heart rendering performances. you may visit his website to know more about his contribution. I am equally a fan of Bombay Jayashree, Nithyashree, Aruna Sairam, Unnikrishnan, whose performances make any listener spell-bound. The beauty of Carnatic music is that once you get accustomed to it, or say develop an ear for the particular type, you become a die-hard addict. Other music is taboo for you. There are many websites which give a lot of information about Carnatic music in the area of curing many ailments. You might have heard of the famous Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, the violonist turned cine-music-director whose melodies lure the folk and the masses apart from the classes. If you visit Chennai, in Southern India in the months of December and January, please do not forget to attend performances by any of our great carnatic musicians, both vocal and instrumental. After listening to the performances, you will agree, that yours was a thrilling one-time life experience.