Super Year 2019

The day Dec 21st 2019 will be a memorable one. Jaya Jaya Shankara Hara Hara Shankara

Intent of sharing this experience is to share HIS kindness

Last week I got a call from a known person in Bangalore to visit them on Dec 21st Saturday before noon. When asked for the purpose, I was told to come. I thought this to be a regular service and Periva Aradhana is around the corner so some assistance needed.

Last 10 days I am down with viral flue with heavy cough that made me physically down and was skeptical of providing any help to them. Due to heavy medicines not able to get up and my routine Pooja and others activities were blocked for last 15 days.

To everyone’s surprise (including me) today morning got up did my routine Pooja and abishegam and left the house in a bus some 30 kms away from my residence. Reason for not using car is single travel and can use the bus journey for a nap. I have got a rudhraksra mala from Kanchi Srimatam and I will wear that only during my Pooja and will step out of Pooja room only after removing the mala.

When I visited their house and after some talking, they took me to upstairs. In the Pooja room there was a padhuka of Maha periva. They asked to me take it and I was surprised and asked couple of times to check if it is not dream. Also curious to know the background asked the reason or purpose behind. They narrated. This Padhuka was from Villupuram ( Periva Birth place), They did place it at the patasala, HIS residence and did pooja and took this to Kanchi Brindhavanam and from there to Bangalore. In fact they did Kavacham before giving it to me and also did shuthi Pooja ( Pooja after Kavasam).

When asked the reason behind giving it to me, they shared, On the day of shuthi Pooja they decided to give to the person who has periva bakthi and calls them during Pooja. They thought that periva decide where he needs to go. I happened to be that person called them for rendering some service for the upcoming Aradhana.

I can’t bring periva in a public bus and booked a cab and while returning was sharing my joy with ecstasy to Prathiba who was more surprised and shared with few other too.

During my return I noticed that I was wearing that Rudhraksha mala which I never did outside my Pooja room,that made to connect the dots.

Not due to humbleness or modesty I am saying this but out from heart, Even while writing this article still doubtful whether we(me and Prathiba) deserve this much of HIS kindness. Nothing great expect trying to follow some of HIS preaching. But long way to go.

For doing some minor service he is returning his ever benevolence. If we follow HM 100% then....

During the year 2019, there were several inquires about Padhuka and how to get them from couple of relatives. My response to them was if you are destined then HE will make way. He yet again proved that.

Yet another blissful and memorable year….

The One in All. Quick Darshan - Athi Vardhar

Omnipresent – The ONE in ALL, who else it could be

People who are close to me know that I visit kanchi one Pradhosam in a month to Srimatam and Orikai, this has been my routine for the past 2 years. Prathiba’s Chitappa’s sister who lives in Coimbatore came to know about my routine and sought my guidance in planning a visit to the temple city.  Last week she called and checked if I am planning for July 14^th and she wants to join for Pradhosam and Athi vardhar. When the response was positive she shared the train ticket details and I was shocked to see the entire group consist of senior citizens and super senior citizens.

With the rapport I have with some local people, able to get 2 AC rooms and a pick up cabs from Arakonam station that was reciprocated by local people, though the request was made during 11^th hour. Considering the age of the people I took extra care so that they are put to little hardship as there are lot of chaos already prevailing in the city due to the ongoing vardhar festivity.

The scheduled plan was they will arrive on July 14^th in Kanchi around late noon and have darshan of Maha Periva Brindhavan pradhosa abishegam. Next day early morning Kamatchi Amman abishegam and around 7.00 am stand in the Q for vardhar and late in the evening catch return train to Coimbatore.

Everything fell in place as per the plan, sumptuous lunch added more flavor to the things. After the pradhosam abishegam at Brindavan, I checked with the group if they might be interested to visit Orikai and Thenambakkam to which they all agreed. As we all came out of Srimatam, there was only one auto available outside and it seems he was waiting only for us. After little bargaining he accepted for both places and dropping them back at their hotel and me in the bus-stand so that I can catch my train to Bangalore.

Couple of points which went into head while I am on my way back to Bangalore in train are below

• The entire Sr Citizen group was with immense faith and devotion during Pradhosam abishegam that was evident in their activities.
• Auto guy during the travel, without me asking any details shared the story behind the Periva Sticker in the windshield of the vehicle. The vehicle belongs to a guy who himself is devotee of Periva and associated with trade Union that was created during the 50^th birthday celebration of periva early this year.
• July13th there were close to 2.0 lakh people visited the town for Vardhar darshan and it took close to 10 hours standing in the Q.

 On our way back to hotel/bus station from Orikai, the driver offered a help in taking them for shopping and also try our luck for vardhar darshan. The rationale he put forth are

• Hindus who consume non veg foods have restrictions during Ashada (aadi) month which is couple of days away and they try to utilize the last Sunday to have nonveg
• After consumption of non-veg during lunch many of them will not visit temples in the evenings. He was mirroring in general the views of local people
• Cricket World cup final match

Since it was already 20.00 hrs in the night and in hurry mode to catch the train, I got down in the midway and they all proceeded.The driver was 100% perfect in judgement and the vardhar darsharn was over within 40 mins.

I strongly believe in “ What you sow is what you reap”, when faith and devotion is being sowed what else you get in return. We all later felt that Auto carrying HIS image in the front is a return gift from “THE ONE who is in ALL” for the faith and devotion of the group that consist of senior citizens. Periva Charanam.

On my way to bus station looking out for auto, with Panchaghacham as my attire the rates demanded were huge. Hence thought of changing to normal attire and able to find a small house where 3 hindi speaking sadhus doing chit chat in the Thin-nai(portico) of the house. Their costume and the look will give anyone a second thought to approach, with butterflies in the stomach and Periva in the heart approached them so that some money could be saved from the autowalas.

They obliged the request and after changing the dress, for a moment I thought will leave without informing them. Later ashamed of that thought, thanked them at a distance and when I was about to turn back one of the sadhu called me near. With high heart beat went near him and he asked in Hindi and my response was also in my own Hindi

• Whether I visited Srimatam of shankarachya for which I said Yes and surprised how does he know
• Whether I had Athi vardhar darshan, for which I said no due to long Q, not able to get the hindi word for Q. He himself prompted “ baught beed ha kya” I said yes
• He took one big Guava and a mango fruit and gave it to me before showering his blessing with both hands. I had both the fruits on my way which were tasty.

 I am trying to get answers on why the auto having periva image offered a ride, suggested about varadhar darshan and also made it possible in 40 mins. Finally the sadhus blessing which I consider to be a gift for the service I did to this group of aged people from morning who are the followers of Periva.

I can understand the readers question that If I had stayed back in the auto then I might have got Vardhar Darshan but on the day when Federer and Williamson’s had several If and Buts to ponder mine is immaterial and will get dissolved in the memorable memories whenever I recollect this day in future.

During my return to bus stand had an experience which could be termed as “ The All in One”. If time permits will continue in the next episode which is equally interesting and made me to realize other side of coin.

Parental Experience

Good learning and personal experience to share. Especially to all those Animated parents while supporting the kids in their studies.

Ananya is in class 9 and the annual exams got over in Mid Feb’19 and marks was shared this week, also the class 10 started this week.

Till class 8, I used to teach all subjects except French and give her weekly test and evaluate the test. During exam times it will be stressful for both Me and Ananya as she has to answer or solve the questions picked at random. Once the exam time table is out we both will chart out plans to cover portions and after exam on the same day walk through of question paper to evaluate her performance and provide a rough marks.

All the above routine was followed in class 9 only for the first month exam, later on from July 2018 all got vanished.I decided to take a risk of not helping her in studies and told her she has to learn on her own, evaluate and plan for exams on her own and can come to me for doubts after exposing all options including Mr.Google.

Both Prathiba and Ananya was surprised by this move and Prathiba would have requested several times to support her in preparation which was gently declined by me.

During exam times I made a point not to know the time table and all I will do is wish her All the best for the exam. No walk through of question paper post exam.The risk is to not only to evaluate her independency but to boost the morale and confidence.

Performance and outcome of subsequent 2 exams went down and the marks made a nose dive compared to her class 8. During every PT meeting the teacher used to raise this and I never heeded those comments and asked Ananya to improve.

It started to improve from Half yearly followed by pre annual finally she exceeded her class 8 average marks in the annual exam. During this week PT meeting I shared my plan with teacher in the absence of Ananya and asked her feedback considering my plan. Not only she appreciated Ananya but I could see the surprise element in her face.

This approach helped in many ways

1. Provided confidence to Ananya that she can stand on her legs
2. Apart from Independency it helped me to evaluate her based on the kind of questions / doubts she raised.
3. Doubts and questions raised helped to understand her knowledge level, though marks made a dip but the kind of questions she asked gave me a confidence that she will soon reach where she belonged earlier. Since I strongly believe both knowledge and marks need not be directly proportional.

My humble suggestion to all those enthusiastic and excited parents is to give it a try and take a risk. Worth venturing this risk and definitely both the kid and parents will feel accomplished at the end.