Monday, December 24, 2007

Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal Deivath Thamizh Isai Vizha

Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal Deivath Thamizh Isai Vizha

I came to know of the programme Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamigal Deivath Thamizh Isai Vizha from thier pamplets and would like to share with other interested devotees too:

Date and Time: 22nd December 2007 to 28th December 2007 (Margazhi 6 to Margazhi 12) 1900 hours to 2100 hours.
Venue: Mahodaya Hall, Stree Seva Mandir, 36, 4th Avenue, Ashok Nagar, Chennai -- 600 083. (Near Pudur Government School)
Organizers: Madhuramurali and Chaithanya Mahaprabhu Namabhiksha Kendra
Related Websites:

1) http://www.madhuramurali.org/
2) http://www.namadwaar.org/ [Chaithanya Mahaprabhu Namabhiksha Kendra, #51, 7th Avenue, Ashok Nagar, Chennai -- 600 083. Telephone: +914424895875]

Quick Summary of Programmes:

22 December 2007: Nadaswaram by Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Asthana Nadaswara Vidwan, Cuddalore Sri. M. P. Balachandar and Sri. M.P. Balamurugan

23 December 2007: Thirumurai Innisai ("Vedageethan" Kudanthai Sri Lakshmana Iyer (Vocal), Sri S. Balakrishnan (Violin), Sri S. Yugarajan (Mridangam), Sri Ramakrishnan (Kanjira))

24 December 2007: Thiruvasagam, Divyap Prabhandham (Padmabhooshan, Sangeetha Kalanidhi, Bharat Sangeetha Samrat Madurai Sri. T. N. Seshagopalan (Vocal), Sri S.D. Sridhar (Violin), Sri. M.S. Varadan (Mridangam))

25 December 2007: Arunagirinathar and Arunachala Kavirayar (Sri N. Vijayasiva (Vocal), Smt. Charulatha Ramanujam (Violin), Sri Vaidhyanathan (Mridangam))

26 December 2007: Muthuthandavar, Marimuthappillai, Gopalakrishna Bharathiyar Songs (Dr. R. Ganesh -- Maharajapuram Sri Santhanam Sishyar(Vocal), Sri. V.V. Srinivasa Rao (Violin), Madippakkam Sri Suresh (Mridangam))

27 December 2007: Bharatanatyam Uthukadu Venkatasubbayar and Tamil Songs (Selvi Sruthi Kalyana Sundaram (Smt. Manimekalai Sharma Shisyay))

28 December 2007: Villupattu - Bharati Darshanam. (Gnanakala Bharathi, Villisai Vendhar, Kalaimamani Kavignar Sri Subbu Arumugam, Smt. Bharati Thirumagan, Sri S. Gandhi and group).

Monday, December 17, 2007

"Pallikkattu Sabarimalaikku" Programme in Vijay TV during early morning hours...

"Pallikkattu Sabarimalaikku" Programme in Vijay TV during early morning hours...
 
Sometime back we have been discussing about a programme called "Pallikkattu Sabarimalaikku" that is being telecasted in Vijay TV at 1900 hours everyday between Monday to Thursday. It had been a cause of concern to everyone since not many people who return from work could catch up at this schedule.
 
One of my friends (Sundar (Sundersan)) told me yesterday (and just confirmed me a few minutes before calling) that a casual tweak of channel once a few days back he found that Vijay TV is actually telecasting the programme once again during 0500 hours in the morning.  I am sure that this would be a great boon for many people since those who can not catch up the evening 1900 hours telecast and now get a glimpse of the same during the 0500 hours telecast.
 
Again from today, it is Margazhi month (dedicated to Thiruppavai). Hence while 0500 to 0530 is for "Pallikkattu Sabarimalaikku" programme, from 0530 onwards till about 0700, have your schedules to television particularly to channels like the following:
 
  1. Asia Net
  2. Vijay TV
  3. Jaya TV
  4. Doordarshan (Podhigai)
All these channels are telecasting devotional song programmes during morning hours. Asia Net telecasts Ayyappa songs while others are also telecasting Thiruppavai.


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Saturday, December 15, 2007

Get Payments from those who Scoff at!

Get Payments from those who Scoff at!
 
Following up our discussion on the societal malady that a few people nurture sadistic pleasures in passing circastic comments on others deriving pleasures and satisfying their bestial instincts in that way, we outlined a solution of making them donate a few bucks which we can channelise for the upliftment of the society.
 
I just thought instead of putting the noble thought to slumber, let me roll out an implementation quickly. The following are the first-cut implementation of the same:
 
 
Readers: What do you feel? Aren't we more socially concerned now? This is just a very small pebble to lay foundation towards Rama Rajya but in the story of Ramayana, which praises the efforts of little squirrels which have also helped in the construction of the great Sethu Samudram Bridge. Even when the little tender squirrel is helping the Lord, shouldn't we also be more service to the Lord?
 
I am intending to update the spreadsheet with the donors (subject to thier permissions). So no more worry about people laughing at us for useless things.  We are more socially concerned to help the downtrodden.
 
Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa!!


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Scoffing At? Why Can't They Donate a Dime?

Scoffing At? Why Can't They Donate a Dime?
 
Sometime back I had given a good comprehensive case study on the topic on 'How to deal with people who envy your progress?'. I had been receiving steadfast feedback and appreciation from diversified quarters of readers on the case study. One of the HR personnel hailing from a software company in Pune actually appreciated the post and she was actually supporting the 3 steps that I had mentioned which would be instrumental in shoo-shooing away the prankster who envies you.
 
After a week-long foray of incidents which I am personally exposed to, thanks to a humorous set of folks who keep always envying against me or scoffing at, I just wanted to thank them for being instrumental in writing this post and also to enhance my case-study with one more solution in dealing with the menace. In this solution, not only the menace is dealt with but really really in a very colorful way.
 
This topic is little sensitive. A few people may think that instead of making the victim more fragile and succumb to more scoffing, we should empower him by raising against the prankster. But I sincerely feel that that does not help the matter. The prankster derives sadistic pleasures because of one or more of the following factors in favor of him:
 
  1. Political Power
  2. Muscular Power (of him or his close circle proximity neighbors. He might be practicising a kind of dadagiri (bully) against everyone because of that).
  3. Money Power (He might be having good potential money power overflowing in his Debit/Credit card wallet to its brim and hence does not know how to spend and enjoy his lifetime exorbitantly and lavishly.
By rising against him, it only presents a situation of hostile environment damaging the peace and tranquility of the environment. I used to wonder about God's creation in this regard. How has He created people who derive sadistic pleasures by laughing at others? But then when this new concept struck my mind, I really thanked the Lord Almighty for even making a good benefit of those jerks to fruitful means. No wonder there is a very proven Tamil proverb ("சிறு துரும்பும் பல் குத்த உதவும்"), which means even a little stick is useful for cleansing up the dentures particularly for non-vegetarian people after a good meal.
 
Well. I would just like to delve deep into the concept of making even sadists to be society-friendly. After all, the whole-purpose of sadists is that they want to derive pleasures to satisfy the bestial instincts by tormenting others. Well! And nothing comes free in the world. How about levying them a small service fee which in turn actually goes to the benefit of society itself.
 
To explain about modus operandi of this thought process, I am trying to visualize this way.
 
"If X is unduly laughing at Y, Y need not suffer mentally. The agonies that Y undergoes because of X should be actually converted (or typecasted in technical terms like in C#) as hardwork for the society. Since X has used the services of Y in some form or other, he has to pay for it. So, Y should prepare an invoice and send the same to X. It would be appreciated if Y is proactively exposing a good channel that accepts automatic payments from X or X is prompt in responding to invoices sent by Y".
 
Currently I have the following observations with respect to this new social service scheme:
 
  1. The method by itself depends on X and Y being proactive. I am totally dismissing any other bias of any kind without any preconceived notions or prejudices that may exist at all between them. The only underlying idea is to use the scoffing itself as a vehicle for social activities. If X derives sadistic pleasures, then he is obliged to compensate Y
  2. If you ask me, I can even show my gratitude by having a hosted spreadsheet kind of, thanks to Zoho Sheet, which would indicate the person name and the amount he donated for his sadistic deal offering. That would also indicate a sign of gratitude from the victim to the sadist. In a way, I am trying to stick on to this 'New Testament Saying' that if some slaps you, don't attack him; rather show him your other cheek to slap too.

    Of course, as always exists, some donors and service-seekers would feel to remain in anonymity. We need to respect their privacy and should mask their names from being listed in our hosted donor-spreadsheets.
  3. Taking it one way further, I am actually thinking that such donations which are recieved should be separately maintained in a bank account. The victim can take the responsibility of preparing a list of social events that need monetary support and assistance. A few venues that are open are:
    1. Temples in remote villages which are suffering from resource shortage.
    2. Orphanages, Old Age homes and Rehabilitation Homes for Destitute.
  4. There might be truant service-seekers who might consume services but reluctant to pay. Here comes a different legal battle to play against, as always the case everywhere else. Since the service-seeker is well-known, I think, we can try contacting their near authorities to get the payments materialized. Perhaps, I wish, as time progresses, this also gets streamlined by the Governments to make more friendly society for the people to live in -- a humble step towards Rama Rajya.
Readers: What do you feel about this approach to deal with people who derive sadistic pleasures in laughing at others in thier quench to satisfy thier bestial instincts. Let me know your views/comments/suggestions so that we can try to incorporate the same for the benefit of the society that we live in.


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"The Thiruchi Ayyappa Temple"

"The Thiruchi Ayyappa Temple"

As I had outlined my travel weblog and a brief halt at Thiruchi Ayyappa temple on 9th December 2007 over here, I just thought of writing a few words about the same for the benefit of other interested pilgrims also.

This temple has a number of excellent innovative blessings that any pilgrim would love to visit.


  1. The atmospheric ambience of the temple is really very calm, holy and very divine.
  2. Every alternate step they have boards that display quotations, great sayings etc. There is one place in the temple which consists of a song in praise of Mother. It asks the visitor to halt for a while there remembering the parents and thier love before proceeding ahead.
  3. They have strict instructions on the following:
    1. Ban of mobile phones within temple premises. If you are caught using a mobile phone, you are liable to penalized to an amount of INR 100.
    2. A request not to talk very loudly in the temple premises.
  4. There is a huge instruction set that the temple staff should not be called for or engaged in private celebrations or home functions without prior consent and permission of the temple trust.
  5. There is a separate hall they have constructed for Bhajans.
  6. There is a real big place they have dedicated in the temple where they have kept the stones from various Holy Places so that people can visually worship them and get blessings of the Lord.
  7. The temple authorities request all transactions to be routed through the Trust only so that corruptions in any form can be eliminated.
  8. Neatly laid out lawns
  9. Perfect discipline enforced in the entry and exit ways
  10. Pin drop silence throughout

The address is as follows:

Trichirapalli Sri Ayyappa Temple,
2, Lawsons Road,
Thiruchirapalli -- 620 001.

Telephone: +91-431-2461415