எண்ணச்சிதறல், என்னென்று சொல்லுங்கள் !!

சிலவற்றை சொல்ல முடிவதில்லை 

சொல்லிவிட்டாலும் மதிப்பில்லை 

மறக்க ஏன் ஆவதில்லை ?

மனதுக்குள்ளும் இடமில்லை.

எங்கு தான் கொட்டுவது ?

கோபமாய் உற்றாரிடமும் 

குமுரலாய் பெற்றாரிடமும் 

விரக்தியாய் சுற்றத்திடமும் 

புலம்பலாய் நண்பர்களிடமும்  

சிடு சிடுப்பாய் பிள்ளையிடமும் 

கடு கடுப்பாய் வேலைஆட்களிடமும் 

வடித்து என்ன ஆவதோ ?

தவிக்கும் உன்  மனதுக்குள்ளே

தங்கமாய் ஜொலிக்கும் அந்தப் 

பரம்பொருளை ஏன் காணாய் நீ ?

அதன் ஒளி உன்னை ஈர்க்கவில்லையா ?

மன அழுத்தத்தை உடைத் தெறிக்கும் 

அருளாற்றல் அன்றோ அது?

மன அழுக்கையும் துடைத்துத்,

தும்பைப் பூப்போல் உன்னை 

தூய்மைப் படுத்தும் துடைப்பானும் 

அதுவன்றி வேறென்னவோ?

உன்னை  உள்நோக்கி சற்றே பார்!

உனக்கே தெரியும் உன்பலம், என்னென்று ஏதென்று? 

Wanted Mom...!!!

I have read and heard much of mother's love. I have experienced the pure unconditional love from my mother, but have always not felt myself at par with the benchmark mothers. I have always felt I need to grow up in many ways, to reach the bench mark. Even now I am far from the bench mark, but have started realising one thing, that I enjoy being a mom.
Grown up kids. You don't have to keep chastising and feel bad for the same. You can talk in the direct language, no simplification, no dilution needed in words and content. They can understand you. We should only know how much to tell, how long to tell. The longer your speech, the more tired they are to listen. Once you are precise in your diction and effective in presentation, you are heard, you are understood. What else you need as a parent. This doesn't need a training as such, but only pure love, unconditional love.
When the innate love in you is pure and vibrant, you won't complicate your words and toughen your stands. Not all days are dark or the whole day is dark. Light and darkness do alternate each other. Hence when you feel a day was hard with your kid, dont try to resolve it the same day. Give it a day or two. IT would be stressful to put up with odd behaviour patterns with children. But after you convey your dissatisfaction wait not only for them to melt down, but you yourself to calm down and get the balance. Once we understand thiese intricasies we can pass this phase smoothly.
Tholukku Minjinaal Thozhan is a Tamil saying which means once your child grows above your shoulders they are your friends.They really are!!! Would anyone want to lose that friend? All parents need to remember this, that they are your close friends and not your wards any more, share your ups and downs with them, that will urge them to share theirs with you. Give them the feeling that you are not going to bark and bite them for the worst of mistakes lest they should not open up at all. That is a bad state of affairs. Let them talk their heart, let them talk their mind. They may utter shocking things, you may not want to hear but you cannot let them bottle up those emotions. You need to know their mind, unless you let them talk how will they open up.
Let them have their privacy but don't let them develop secrecy. All these are not just ideals. These are possible, when you give them long rope and let them enjoy all they wish with in that rope.Once you lose controlnand shout or hit, they are not innocent enough to respect you still. The Generation Next has  a lot of self esteem, self confidence and self worth. It is not like our parents who followed 'spare the rod and spoil the kid' formula.
Once all these are taken care of and you try to be a friendly parent, you are the most wanted. I bet you. The pure love that exudes from the heart's depth cannot be veiled, will not be distorted until it reaches the target - your dearest friend, your daughter or son.
Not only emotional support, they look upon you for a lot of physical support in the sense they demand your physical effort, in terms of variety of food. The world is full of junk food and is also full of the knowledge that junk food is not good. Hence they know not to indulge in it too much. So they want you to attend to their palate lavishly.
Theyu demand openly. feel good you are 'wanted'. Try and chisel your culinary skills. Your love will bring the best in you I am sure. Don't feel lazy to explore your kitchen. Dont pick the word 'slog' to describe your status. Enjoy the chore. Your children will definitely give you a break when you need. Once in a while, when you are too tired they will adjust with the stuff you feed and will not forget that their mom is the best waiter for them. Giving them a break with ordered food will also help occasionally.
It is very important for a mom to be healthy - mentally, emotionally and physically to cope with the new age kids' needs. Hence appeal all my friends out there to keep a healthy mind, body and soul to give the best generation next.

Autowala - the Mr. Reliable in Mumbai

One of the salient features of Mumbai, that adds to the better life style is her very own 'auto rickshaw walas'.
Characteristics of a model auto driver is as follows:

1. They are innumerable, you hardly meet the same person again in your life time. You can add it as the wonders of India. Past 17 years I have been in this beautiful land but pondering back, every time I hire an auto it is a new person, not even once, glanced a familiar face, but in general they behave as one. Ask yourself every one and see, you wouldn't have met the same auto driver again even after many days and months. This is something unique.
2. You hardly find anyone talking politics or current affairs with the passenger.
3. Their first motive is customer satisfaction.
4. They dont need a penny more from their customers. They are the most clean servants of the society in Independent India. Our corrupt officers and politicians can take lessons from them. The most self esteemed persons. No equal to this quality of theirs. They leave you absolutely convinced about every paisa that you render to them. It is a matter of convincing themselves of getting the right amount rather than convincing us. Who sowed this righteouness in them? I have heard punctuality is ingrained in a Japanese train driver, they give their lives for being in time. Can we compare these rickshaw walas to them, though a little high, let them be held high, they are different.
5. Widely knowledgable about various destinations. 
6. Very safe and faster.
7. If it is officially double charge time, they tell you before they take you. They are not used to fighting later. 
8. Their meters are 99.9999% accurate. Same distance different autos demand same money, this is testimony to their honest meters.
9. They are in tune with the seasonal changes. They are ready with plastic coverings on either side to protect you from rains.
10. 90% of them dont grumble for their waiting for you. 

Most trust worthy person, once you are out from station, you hire an auto, you can be rest assured you are under safe hands. You tell where to go and you are taken very safely and charged honestly.

Thane Passport Office!!!

Tools of God are both animate and inanimate. Humans are no doubt tools of God, work for God without knowing that they are working for him. Yesterday, I had a wonderful experience in the passport office 'Passport Seva Kendra' Thane. I never expected it to be so systematic and orderly. Government offices though privatized cannot exist with out its original flavor, but this office has really undergone tremendous change. Hats off to the employees there.
Even the security personnel is well informed. They play a vital role in regulating the entry of public inside the office. Application and getting an appointment are both made online over the net, only after which you get an entry into the office. Once you enter, first of all, you have a queue, but it is not a never ending one as was the case in the former system. Only those who are wanted are there. The people who attend to you  are polite and friendly for a change.
I was in the tatkaal queue. Not even 25 minutes I had to wait for my turn. The young man who attended me was very good. They gave us proper response, proper instruction what to do, which was really gladdening in a govt. office. We were asked to wait behind in the line for our papers to be approved for tatkaal and the token be given.
10 minutes on and we were given the token. We were sent to the second level of screening, no sooner did we enter the waiting area our token number was on the monitor. Our counter was specified as A18. The youngster there, was very polite, took the needful with us, but when asked for the 10th passing certificate of Sindhu we got shocked. We were not at all aware that we need 10th certificate for ECNR, neither the website nor my husband's travel department who guided us told us of this. Hence I quickly decided to go home and get it. They were ok to proceed our papers when we came the same day, otherwise it would be put on hold till whenever we bring the document. Oh God it was so urgent, hence didnot waste time and rushed out. 5,6 autos went engaged or didnot stop for us. Somehow one boy stopped.
What I liked with that boy was that, when I said we have to be back to the same place in an hour, he was so optimistic. He took it quite easy and was confident of making it, but did not take it casually, he took it very seriously and drove us. For the first 10 minutes he took us in a strange route, I was a bit confused until we reached a familiar road. It was there that I realized he has brought us really closer than I expected and he could have done nothing better than this. Then I gained some courage and  became more hopeful. Auto's pick up is not a joke, they really strive hard to accelerate the vehicle, my God. Never bothered to think how fast an auto picks up speed, for the first time was moving with the auto.
Quickly grabbed the papers from home and rushed back to the rickshaw. Hope became brighter. The driver really drove us well in 20 minutes to the office. SAFE..! 10 minutes to 4 and we were there. The acknowledgement letter that they gave let us in quickly. The staff inside helped us get our token and reach the counter. A level got cleared well and were sent to B level, before even we were ready signing the papers our taken was called out. Surprising!!! Apart from the executives who attend to you on the counter there are a couple of bright youngsters regulating and guiding the public. They do a wonderful job.
Documents easily signed and we were asked to wait for C level, the granting zone. We hardly waited 10 minutes that we were called. Papers got signed even there and we were sent to the final cabin, to the officer who grants passport.
He was very good. He sanctioned the passport, sealed and sent us with a smile... Oh is this India?


Things are changing in India!!


Really surprised and happy about it. 


Tools of God are present at many places!!!

குழலைக் கோலாக்கு/Make Rod of Your Flute

குழலைக் கோலாக்கு  

சின்ன கண்ணன்
என்னை முறைக்கிறான்,
கண்களை அகல விரித்து!

சரி கண்ணா, சரி, சரி,
சரி செய்கிறேன் என்னை,
சாவி எங்கே? உன்னிடமன்றோ?

ஆய நங்கை யசோதை,
தாய்க்குக் கட்டுண்டாய்,
தாயாய் எனை ஆட்கொள்ளாய்?

என் போக்கில் விட்டு
எனை ஏளனப் படுத்தாதே,
உன் கொற்றம் செலுத்து என்மேல்!

அறியாது உழல்கிறேன்
தெரியத்தான் படுத்தாயோ,
அரிதான வாழ்விதென்று?

குழலைக் கோலாக்கு!
வழிகாட்டு! பக்திப் பாதையில்
செழிப்புற இட்டுச்செல்!!


Translated for friends who cannot enjoy Tamil!!!

Make Rod of Your Flute

Young Kannah

Stares at me,

With His eyes wide open!!

OK Kannah OK, OK,

Will set right me,

Where is the key? Not with You?

Cowherd woman Yashodha,

You got controlled by her,

As a mom, wont You take charge of me?

Leaving me to myself

Dont let me down, 

Exercise Your rule on me!!

Struggling in ignorance

Wont You bring awareness that 

Rare this life is?

Make rod of your flute!

Direct me! On the path of devotion

Progressively guide me!!

New School New Life!!!

What a change!!!

The change of school of my daughter Sindhu has really changed her life style totally.

She has to now leave home at the time her dad leaves, which is 7.15 am around. It is only 5 days since her school started and her dad has been out for 4 days. His pool partner whose son also is in the same class has taken charge of dropping the kids.

Harish who used to seldom see his dad during weekdays nowadays doesn't get to see even his sister. Less fights, more missing, more love perhaps. Once they are gone, he is leisurely getting ready and leaving for his school.

Sindhu's coaching class has stubbornly not agreed to change the schedule to the preferred one until 26th of June which makes this batch attend their classes even on weekdays for this week, their first week at the new school. They are stressed out too much - new school, new friends, new teachers, new schedule, new lessons... that too on various subjects from both the quarters. God, no time even to think what they are doing. Especially last 2 days was too too hectic because of a stay back in school. They were out of home from morning 7 am till night 9.30pm, God, isn't this too much for this young kids? This was not the chosen schedule actually. Thank God, He guided Sindhu take the right choice of week end batch.

Two more days she has to manage this full day schedule, after that she will settle down. They need breathing space. They can't suffocate themselves with classes all day long. Working full day doesn't mean 100% effort. For the effort be fruitful, it should be wise effort. Compressing the whole day of the kid with classes doesn't mean the kid is learning a lot. He is spending time, he is not sure of learning. I have always felt so and have never put her into tight tuition schedules. She had done her X boards in a very comfortable fashion, enjoying herself, enjoying learning on her own.

Now her mind doesn't open at all to learn anything, as it is craving for rest. I can see it vividly. Poor girl doesn't complain, just mentions and gets going. Only relief for both of us is that it is for 2 more days only. Then her school will be from Monday to Friday and her coaching class will be on Saturdays and Sundays. She will have time.

This situation will change!!!!

Serving opportunity!!!

One of my friends has gone to Puri for the Rath Yatra festival of Jagannath. She is an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna and never misses this festival every year. She has always insisted on my attending this grand event, but I have still not made it. I know Jagannath has a plan for me.
This year she was not so keen but then, the Lord has arranged for her visit and she had to go. No choice. The reason for her set back this year was her commitment of her aged parents at home and of course her school going sons. Though her parents could take care of the children being at home, the auntie is not healthy enough to cook food for all of them. Hence Jagannath has beautifully delegated different people for different meals. A friend stays with them to take care of their breakfast needs, sons are given lunch boxes directly at their school by another friend. Amazing arrangement of the Lord.
I am glad I got a meal's duty. He knows whom to choose for what. As a typical South Indian cook I am, I have been allotted to serve the aged parents lunch. Some one believes in your cooking style, ready to be fed by you, is itself very nice. Being in nuclear families, where even husbands travel half the time and there is no one solid, except your kids to benefit by your work in the kitchen, such opportunities to cook for some needy people is a boon for a person like me.
For me cooking for loved ones is a pleasure. More the people more the pleasure. Hence this request by this friend of mine was more than welcoming for me. She was too hesitant to entrust this job to me, I had to convince her that it is not a big deal, she need not think too much and just go ahead and plan her travel.
It was real pleasure cooking.... Everyday it is a pleasure and when the dish is finished it gives immense satisfaction.
I went to hand over the food. I could see the love beaming out of their eyes. I opened the food and offered the same to their Great Lord Sri Jagannath, waited with them for awhile and came away. They would serve themselves, I just prayed that the food be tasty enough for their palate, suiting their soft teeth.
Coming home I rushed to taste the food myself to check whether it was in acceptable standards. The all Savior Lord, the maker of everything drives you in the kitchen, and you are just His tool. What to boast of ones own skill here. I got my friend's message that the food 'lovingly' prepared by me was liked by them and her mom did not stop praising it. She mentioning my love in the preparation, not seeing me, not hearing me, but just from the words of her mother over the phone, really amazed me. Rare in this world is LOVE. When someone recognises your love and is ready to reciprocate what more would you need. He sits on your head and steers you. Otherwise how do you think you can bring the love and taste in the food.
Today I just put my heart (here again see I am taking the credit of doer ship) in to the task and they  have really really been very receptive and too sweet to appreciate me. I was only worried why my friend could not take the liberty of giving me the service. She could not understand my heart, how much I can love people, how much I have space for people inside that. Perhaps this gave an opportunity for her to understand the depth of my heart full of love as given by the Lord Himself.

Baby thoughts...

Hi friends,
I have always had a dream of becoming a writer, but somehow I had not taken the initiative to become one all this long. But now that I have gained some knowledge about blogging, thought of giving expression to my thoughts and realizations.

Life has always been good to me. Both the path and goal of life as I understand now is Love of God. As I recollect my childhood days, what I had conceived as God, is very candid till date. No confusion. The rough idea, that I had as a kid has undergone tremendous change gradually as I grew up and I cant forget all of that. I always wanted to register those stepping stones in my life. Each stage has been significant in my soul shaping and am sure there is still ample scope for purification.

The first thoughts of God I can trace in me was when I was in Chennai, may be 5 years old. I remember my mom catching me and my sister doing some offensive act like telling a lie or playing with some offensive article. Mom got so worried that she advised us much. One thing conspicuous about our mom was that, though a short tempered person quick to beat us while chastising us, when the matter is really serious she would handle it differently. Her burst of anger wont be there. Her words used to be more sharper and the tone would do all the chastising. When she is serious, she never used to break the pot by mishandling it, but would delicately handle and drive home the message. She scolded us, at the same time was very kind and caring, and sent us in front of the home God and asked us to pray and ask for forgiveness probably, put sacred ash on our foreheads and let us read some sacred hymns. I still remember that day. That house, that day, that much was what I remember now. But I am sure, that was the day, that was the moment, that was the way my mom instilled the thought of God fearing attitude. She must have told this idea in many ways but as a kid, it mustn't have created any impact in me, until this happened.