I AM ..........................???

Who Am I?

One day a professor went to see Ramana Maharshi and asked him, "Can you help me to see GOD?"

Ramana asked the professor, "who are you, why do you want to see GOD?"

"I am Devadutt Sharma", exclaimed the professor.

"That is your name, but who are you?" asked Ramana.

"I am an Anthanan," said the professor.

"That is your hereditary, but who are you?" Ramana asked again.

"I am a college professor," proudly said the professor.

"That is your profession, but who are you?" Ramana went on further.

"I am a man," said the professor, getting a little frustrated.

"That is your gender by birth, so who are you anyway?" nudged Ramana.

The professor finally said, "I really do not know who I am then."

Ramana replied, " You don't even know who you are to begin with, and how do you think you will ever know GOD."

"Self-discovery is the first step in the journey towards attaining higher level of consciousness of spiritual realization."

Unfortunately for many, the search is for quick fixes to their worldly problems. A miracle is what everyone wants. Divinity has been hijacked by giving it a generic term called GOD and have been given multiple brand names via RELIGION. As human life becomes more intertwined, so have complexities in leading our lives. Brand religion became popular by providing convenient solutions to the UNKNOWN.

FAITH and HOPE have become the buzz words in selling GOD. So GOD became the granter of wishes to mortal souls. But we have been taught to believe that nothing is free in this world.  I guess that applies to GOD as well. So how would GOD grant our wishes? Well we have to give something to GOD in return for HIS/HER blessings. By the way by now Divinity has also been given a gender. Convenient isn't it? Thereupon a dogma is constructed around this concept to provide for a structure to attain GOD's blessings. So goes the practice of undivided conformity to rituals and prayers. But often in a hurried world today, even that is found to be a little tedious and time consuming.

Enter the Places of Worship or Godmen or Holyman or Evangelist or Shaman who becomes GOD's agent and who can connect one directly to GOD. But of course there is a price to be paid - often large material contributions to the coffers of these places of worship or middleman, all  in the name of donation.

An example to quote, the world’s richest place of worship would be the Thirupathi Venkateshwara Temple. It is said that the temple is estimated at a worth of USD8billion, with a daily collection of donations amounting to about USD700K. That is just a glimpse of the level of desperation people have in hoping for that 'miracle' which would change their entire life. Of course this temple runs multiple charitable activities which includes schools, colleges, hospitals etc. However it can't be said that all places of worship have similar agendas. Interestingly it is also reported that there are places of worship in Pakistan that not only harbor, but also promote undesirable anti-social activities.

From a Godmen perspective, TeleEvengelist Chris Oyakhilome of the Christ Embassy, is estimated to be worth USD50million. He was implicated in USD35million money laundering activities which he was later cleared of. Or for that matter the infamous Swami Nithyananda of India who was implicated in a sex tape scandal. Regardless, the irony is that the faithful are unperturbed by all these, as they merely treat these as minor distractions in their quest for higher callings i.e. 'miracles'.

Desperation and faith are a powerful concoction that has potent results. Militants preparing to be martyrs, are often found to be individuals who come from disadvantaged or even a psychological scarred strata of society. Martyrdom promises paradise in afterlife. For some it could be a way out from a wretched life that they are already living.

Whether one is sitting for an examination, going for an interview, in financial difficulty or facing any other life challenge, everyone seeks a 'miracle'. Even a glimmer of hope of a quick fix from GOD or Godmen would entice human imagination.

Funnily enough, in all these desperate attempts, humans seem to externalize their search for satisfaction or redemption, never once looking inward in search of the answer.

Instead of looking for the elusive GOD in the heavens, perhaps people should start looking within oneself to find the answer.

"Brahman is supreme; he is self-luminous, he is beyond all thought. Subtler than the subtlest is he, farther than the farthest, nearer than the nearest. He resides in the lotus of the heart of every being." Mudaka Upanishad 3:1:7.

"What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own." Corinthians 6:19-20

Both the above have been quoted from the respective holy books, and both belief systems prescribe to the same philosophy, but where did they fail?

The failure was human GREED. Greed commoditized everything, including DIVINITY. In a world filled with the expectation for instant gratification, spirituality has lost its relevance. Spirituality is often confused with the act of devotion and prayer, for it is only a precursor towards a journey of self -realization and it is not the end itself.

But first we have to find the humanity within us. We should stop the attitude of "expecting to be a receiver" and start becoming a "giver without expectations".

OM TAT SAT.   

ravivarmman21082014

THE HIDDEN TEMPLE SERIES 1 : PARAMESWARA VINNAGARAM TEMPLE, KANCHEEPURAM, TAMIL NADU

VAIKUNDA PERUMAL TEMPLE, KANCHEEPURAM, TAMIL NADU.

(aka PARAMESWARA VINNAGARAM TEMPLE)

Parameswara Vinnagaram or Vaikunta Perumal Temple is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, located in Kancheepuram in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The temple is believed to have been built by the Pallava King Nandivarman II (720-96 CE), with later contributions from Medieval Cholas and Vijayanagar Kings.

The great Vaishnava saint Thirumangai Alvar was his contemporary. This temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon by Thirumangai Alvar in 10 hymns. The temple is classified as a Divyadesam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the Vaishnava canon. The temple is one of the fourteen Divyadesams located in Kanchipuram and is part of Vishnu Kanchi, the place where most of the Vishnu temples in Kancheepuram are located.

Like other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Vaishnavaite community.  The Vaikasi Brahmotsavam, celebrated during the Tamil month of Vaikasi (May-June), and Vaikunta Ekadashi celebrated during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December-January) are the two major festivals celebrated in the temple.

Vaikuntha Perumal temple was first built with a distinctive style in South India.  The walls of this temple are adorned  with religious sculptures. Further, the inner wall of the verandah running around the four sides of this temple, has a series of Pallava Dynasty history sculptured on it, up to the reign of Nandivarman II Pallavamalla (builder of the temple). 

Nandivarman II came to the throne at the age of twelve in c. AD 731-32. He ruled for nearly 65 years and it was an important era in Pallava history. His relations with the Chalukyas, the Rashtrakutas and the Pandyas were varied, and at times hostile, at times peaceful. Nandivarman's reign is notable for the development of two conflicts one in the north with the Chalukyas, which is traditional, and the other in the south with the Pandyas which was later to have such fateful consequence in the battle of Tiruppurambiam.

One particular sculpture that stood out was of I Ching, the famous Tang Dynasty Buddhist monk, who traveled by sea to India and studied at Nalanda University for eleven years before returning with a collection of as many as 500,000 Sanskrit stanzas. He translated more than 60 sutras into Chinese, including Saravanabhava Vinaya , Avadana, and Suvarnaprabhascottamaraja-sutra. He is also responsible for the translation of eleven Buddhist tantras and eighteen works on monastic discipline, as well as exegetic works. I Ching travelled in India during the reign of King Narashimhavarmman II (aka Rajashimha) who is the father of King Parameswaravarmman II, whom Nandivarmman II inherited the Kingdom from.

One of the main attractions of Vaikuntha Perumal temples is the exceptional 1000 paired hall.  The extra characteristic about it is that each pillar has a statue carved on it.  Inside the temple, lion pillars support the enclosed passages and the architecture of the temple has played a vital role in the architectural evolution of the grand thousand pillared mandaps (halls) built-in the later South Indian temples.  On the wall of the temple there are several inscriptions related to the wars between the Pallavas and Chalukyas.

One interesting phenomena here is the Nawab Sathathullah Khan Mosque which was built by the Nawab of Arcot who ruled the Carnatic territory under the patronage of the Mughals located next door to this temple.   Interestingly the temple shares its water source from a tank for more than 300 years with the mosque. The beauty is that Moslems participate in the Brahmatvasam festivals of the temple every year.

   

The Nawabdom of the Carnatic was established by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1692 AD. With the Vijayanagara Empire in serious decline, the Nawabdom of the Carnatic controlled a vast territory south of the Krishna river. The Nawab Saadatullah Khan (1710-1732 AD) moved his court from Gingee to Arcot. Muhammed Ali Khan Wallajah (1749 - 1795) was freed from his suzerainty and made the independent ruler of the Carnatic by the Mughal emperor in 1765. His rule was long and mostly peaceful. He donated generously to Churches, Temples and Mosques. The temple at Sri Rangam was one which benefited from his generosity.

The thirteenth Nawab, Ghulam Muhammad Ghouse Khan (1825–1855), died without issue and the British annexed the Carnatic Nawabdom applying the doctrine of lapse. Ghouse Khan's uncle Azim Jah was created the first Prince of Arcot (Amir-E-Arcot) in 1867 by Queen Victoria, and was given a tax free pension in perpetuity. This privilege continues to be honoured by the Government of India. This status is protected by the Indian Constitution and the family continues to retain its privileges and titles. The current Prince of Arcot Abdul Ali came to the title in July 1994.

Religious harmony was and still exists, in Kancheepuram.

Next time in Kancheepuram, TN, make sure you don’t miss this temple. The grandiose of its architecture and sculpture depicting the history of the Pallava Kingdom is truly mesmerizing and a feast to the eyes.

Source:various

photo@ravienavarmman&ravivarmman072014

THE HIDDEN TEMPLE SERIES 1: Jurahareswarar (aka Iravanatheswara) Temple at Juragaresam

The main deity in this temple is Shiva in the form of linga known as Jurahareswarar.

Legend has that a demon called Juragan was destroyed here. Devas worshipped in this place to cure themselves from disease due to heat and they were cured. Therefore it is believed that those who worship Shiva here, is known to have been cured of ailments such as fever, relieving them from excessive body heat to maintain normal body temperature.

There are five windows in the sanctum sanctorum which in itself has a circular design. 

(a side view of the sanctorum)

(a view of the circular sanctorum)

(Intricate carvings on the main Gopuram)

(one of the 5 windows adorns the inner sanctum)

It is a magnificent example of Pallava architecture. The temple was built using both sandstone and granite and many figures are engraved on them.  The idol of Juvarahereswarar here is one of the 64 holy idols (formless form of Lord Shiva). There are two kinds of divine treasures in the temple. There is a statue of Lord Gubera (God of treasure) in this temple.

(Side view of the temple with the Nandi Sannidhi, Bali Peedam and the Upperi Kulam on the extreme right)

The temple tank is called ‘Vepperi Kulam’ and now is popularly known as ‘Upperi Kulam’ where the temple Theerthem (Holy water) is sourced.

This temple is famous for its splendid Vimana (deity's vehicle) Nandi (Bull). 

(the smiling Nandi)

This temple was built by Pallava King Narasimhavarman II (aka Rajasimhan) who ruled from 695.C.E-728.C.E.

Apart from Jurageswarar Temple, Narashimhavarman II was also instrumental in building the famous Kailasanathar Temple,  Vaikuntha Perumal Temple at Kanchipuram,  Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram and the Talagirisvara Temple at Panamalai.

The temple is located next to Pandava Thootha Perumal temple to the south of Sannidhi street of Sri Ekambareswarar temple, Kancheepuram, TN.

Most people do give this temple a miss for other famous temples in Kancheepuram, not realizing both its spiritual and historical significance.

Do visit this temple for its architectural marvel when you are in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu.

Currently this temple comes under the purview of ASI (Archeological Survey India)

photo@ravienavarmman072014

FLASHMOB IN CHENNAI

A flashmob at Express Avenue, Mall, Chennai. TN. India has joined the bandwagon of many Asian cities boasting of large "supermalls". There is a sudden surge of such Malls in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Gurgaon, and even second tier cities in India has caught on with the "mall bug." 

I believe this is in line with the changing lifestyle of urban India. Education and exposure has created a new breed of generation in urban India. (not much different in modern taste and preference as similar generation elsewhere but the distinction is they are still deeply rooted in culture and tradition.

Interestingly I have also noticed that reading habit is still very much alive here than in other parts of Asia (particularly Malaysia.)

From Idli Vada to Pav Bhajji, has become hypp food all over India with the mushrooming of snack bars and chain restaurants giving a run for the money for other western style food.

There is no denial, that western themed restaurants are gaining popularity, but at this point it seems a healthy competition but not too sure what the future holds.

One of the overrated restaurant (at least I think so) the Hard Rock Cafe, has mushroomed in India, from the first restaurant in Mumbai (2006) it is now operating in all major metros in India. From my reading the patrons are primarily urban college students, IT professionals, celebrities etc. (Would be checking it out in Vellacherry, Chennai, end of the month, to obtain a first hand account).

Meanwhile the flashmob in this photo danced to the tune of "Lunggi Dance" in conjunction with the movie "Chennai Express" (SRK & Deepika P.) 

A GREAT MAN

“A GREAT MAN”

We often hear the above being echoed usually upon the demise of a person. But how do you measure the greatness of a person? Would it be based on the volume of accolades the person receives? Then again how much of these are sincere appreciation, or could it be a mere politically correct gesture?

Just last week, a political champion passed away in Malaysia. Mr Karpal Singh known as the “Tiger of Jelutong” (Jelutong was the constituency he represented in the Malaysian Parliament), was also a lawyer by profession, who took on many cases pro bono. From a humble beginning Karpal Singh rose to be an eminent lawyer and a statesman. In his rise there was one commonality observed, he was humble, down to earth, a man who lived by his principles and more importantly he was always a people’s person.

Therefore I was not surprised that at his funeral, thousands of people from all walks of life paid their last respects to this great man. Never before, had Malaysia witnessed, such an outpouring of grief of this magnitude. The Chief Minister of Penang State, Mr Lim Guan Eng, summed it up very aptly in the obituary, “Your greatest legacy is not the honours bestowed by leaders or tributes by famous personalities overseas or locally, but what moved us are the tears shed by the many ordinary Malaysians who do not know you and whom you never met but yet were touched by the sacrifices you have made.”

So how would a person’s legacy remembered?

When JF Kennedy’s body was lying in state, thousands lined up in near-freezing temperatures, some reportedly waited for 10 hours just to pay their respects. Many people apparently arrived from different states of the US just to pay their respects to this man. People openly displayed emotions when the carriage bearing the casket passed by.

When M.G. Ramachandran (better known as MGR, the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, India), died in 1984,  more than a million people were estimated to have been involved in the funeral procession. Further 30 people were reported to have committed suicide upon hearing of his death. People from all walks of life openly wailed while the funeral procession was in progress.

When Princess Diana passed away in 1997 it was reported that 2 billion people all over the world were glued to their television watching the state funeral broadcasted live, reportedly one of the most watched events in history. More than one million people lined the streets of London, and flowers rained down onto the cortege from bystanders. Many were seen openly crying, hugging on to each other. During the four weeks following her funeral, the suicide rate in England and Wales rose by 17% and cases of deliberate self-harm by 44.3% compared with the average for that period in the four previous years. Researchers suggest that this was caused by the "identification" effect.”

All the four individuals  mentioned above had one commonality, all of them had at one time or another touched the hearts of ordinary people.

 

The greatest legacy a person can leave behind is to be remembered for his/her humanity, all other achievements would pale in comparison. The three pillars of humanity are love, kindness and social intelligence. That reminded me of Swami Vivekananda’s words,

These individual I have mentioned above may not be Mahatmas (Great Souls), but their actions have made their existence on Earth meaningful.

Perhaps if more of us strive to be  better humans, the world would be a better place to live.

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller.

Mr Karpal Singh, Fare thee well.  Gone but will forever be remembered.

Asathoma Sat Gamaya

Tamasoma Jothir Gamaya

Mirthyoma Amirtham Gamaya

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti…………

Translation of the above Sanskrit manthra from the Upanishad:

Lead us from Unreality (of Transitory Existence) to the Reality (of the Eternal Self),

Lead us from the Darkness (of Ignorance) to the Light (of Spiritual Knowledge),

Lead us from the Fear of Death to the Knowledge of Immortality.

Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

ravivarmman@22042014

AMBEDHKAR VERSUS GANDHI

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/a-modernday-enlightenment/article5919496.ece?homepage=true

In response to the article above, one commonality that I observed in both Ambedkhar and  Gandhi  are their inclusive approach to their course within the ambit of religion. Gandhi sought to redress the issue of caste inequality within Hinduism, whereby Ambedhkar took refuge in Buddhism for the same.  Both leaders definitely have had created intense debate on the matter at their time, but political agenda then and now merely used their doctrine’s as how one would consume pickle in a meal.

Today India is caught in a crossroad, where the inevitable connectivity has given access to citizens across social order to information. As such, an awareness that used to be within the reach of the elite has cascaded down to the illiterate as well. To top it further, India is also experiencing huge transmigration of people across the country. The intermingling of people is creating a new diaspora of thought and action. The mobility which was once confined to the endowed, today for economic reasons has forced the rest to seek opportunity elsewhere in the country.

To add a personal experience on my family farm in Tamil Nadu, currently there more than 300 workers from Bihar, Assam and MP employed.  According to my cousins most farms in TN employ workers from those states as it is difficult to find local workers. Many of these workers, apparently after sometime bring their families to join them as well and there have been cases where intermarriage also do take place, though not prevalent yet.  

Interestingly one observation I have made in Tamil Nadu over the last few years is the greater acceptance and usage of Hindi especially in urban areas. It is well known that TN politics has always championed Tamil over Hindi, however slowly but surely, socially it is changing.

So revisiting thoughts of Ambedhkar, Gandhi, Periyaar, Vivekananda and the likes would give cue in the shaping of the socio-politico-economic landscape of India. Or perhaps not, organized chaos has always ruled in India whether in thought or action. We will never know because it is evolutionary, both the beginning and the end are mere hypothesized speculation.

WHAT?....... SPIRITUALITY.....IS THAT A NEW RELIGION?

RELIGION IS THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF SPIRITUALITY,

WHERE AN INSTITUTION EXIST, BOUNDARIES ARE CREATED,

WHERE THERE IS BOUNDARY, THEN THERE IS AN IDENTITY,

WHEN THERE IS AN IDENTITY, THEN THERE IS A NEED TO PROTECT IT,

WHEN IT NEEDS PROTECTION THEN POWER IS NEEDED,

WHEN POWER IS PRESENT THAT LEADS TO POLITICS,

WITH POLITICS, SELF CENTEREDNESS BECOMES A PREDOMINANT BEHAVIOUR,

AND THAT, PEOPLE, GOES AGAINST THE VERY EXISTENCE OF MANKIND,

SO WHAT FUNDAMENTALLY WAS THERE (SPIRITUALITY) TO HELP MANKIND TO NURTURE HAS BECOME THE VERY TOOL TOWARDS ITS ULTIMATE DESTRUCTION.

PEACE PEACE PEACE
SADHU SADHU SADHU
SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI
@ravivarmman04042014

THE HIDDEN TEMPLE SERIES 1: TANJORE BRIHADEESWARAR TEMPLE, TANJORE, TAMIL NADU

The temple is also known as Thanjavur Periya Kovil   is located at Thanjavur in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. This temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This is one of the largest temples in India..

The temple was constructed during the reign of Emperor Arulmozhi Varman, (who was also popularly known as Rajaraja Chola I) and was completed in 1010 CE.

The Brihadeeswarar Temple was built to grace the throne of the Chola empire. The scale and grandeur is in the Chola tradition. An axial and symmetrical geometry rules the temple layout. Temples from this period and the following two centuries are an expression of the Tamils (Chola) wealth, power and artistic expertise. The emergence of multifaceted columns with projecting square capitals depicts a more contemporary Chola architecture.

The Brihadeeswarar Temple was built to be the royal temple to display the emperor's vision of his power and his relationship to the universal order.

The architect and engineer of the temple was Kunjara Mallan Raja Raja Perunthachan as stated in inscriptions found at the temple. The temple was built as per ancient building and architecture texts called Vaastu Shastras and  the Agamas. The temple was built using a measure of 1 3/8-inch called an angula (24 units equalling 33 inches called a hasta, muzam, or kishku).

This temple is the first building fully built by granite and finished within 5yrs (1004AD – 1009AD). The solid base of the temple raises about 5 metres (16 feet), above which stone deities and representatives of Shiva dance. The huge “Kalasam” or “Vimanam” (top portion of the shrine) is believed to weigh 81.28 tonnes of single stone block and was raised to its present height by dragging on an inclined plane of 6.44 km. The big Nandi (bull), weighing about 20 tonnes is made of a single stone and is about 2 meters in height, 6 meters in length and 2.5 meters in width. The presiding deity of lingam is 3.7meters tall. The “Prakaram” (outer precincts of the temple) measures 240meters by 125meters. The outer wall of the upper storey is carved with 81 dance “Karanas” – postures of Bharathanatyam (South Indian classical dance).

An interesting characteristic of this temple is that the shadow of the “Gopuram” (pyramidal tower) never falls on the ground. The temple is said to be made up of about 130,000 tons of granite. The Kumbam itself, a 60 ton granite stone carved in one piece, on top of the main gopuram is believed to have been taken to the top by creating an inclined slope to the height of 66 meters to the top of the “Gopuram”.

The shrine of Goddess was added by Pandyas (the presiding rulers after the decline of Chola Kingdom) during the 13th century.  Subramanya  Shrine was later consecrated by the Vijayanagara rulers  (14^th Century) and followed by the Vinayaka shrine renovated by Maratha rulers later part of 17^th century.

Today this temple is designated as a world heritage site by UNESCO as the “Great Living Chola Temples.”  In the year 2010 the temple celebrated its 1000^th year anniversary.

Next time in South India (Tamil Nadu) don’t forget to visit this temple if not for its spiritual significance, definitely for its architectural marvel.

AUDACITY OF HYPOCRISY

I was watching a HBO Sports report on Camel Racing in UAE, and how children as young as 2 years old are trained to become camel jockeys. Most of these  children owing from Bangladesh and Pakistan, owing to poverty are sold  by parents. Owners of these jockey stables come from the ruling class of the oil rich kingdom, and are also the regarded as the moral guardians of the country.

New research on behavioural psychology states that transgression instituted by one is deemed more ‘fair’ than when others commit the same. Interestingly such transgression seems to be volitional rather than circumstantial.

From the same perspective one such big hypocrisy is the concept of ‘democracy’ itself. The philosophy of government by the people for the people has totally lost its meaning. How many countries in the world can truly attest to such governance?. But in the name of democracy much atrocity has been committed from Iraq to Sudan to Vietnam by the very proponents of democracy.

Abraham Lincoln, much touted as the president who emancipated slaves in the US, himself had a narrowed perspective on the concept. Lincoln did not think that blacks should have the same social and political rights as the whites. In one of his debates in 1858 when contesting for the US Senate, Lincoln stated, “I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races,” and going on to say that he opposed blacks having the right to vote, to serve on juries, to hold office and to intermarry with whites. What he did believe was that, like all men, blacks had the right to improve their condition in society and to enjoy the fruits of their labor. In this way they were equal to white men, and for this reason slavery was inherently unjust.

Gandhi has been often branded as a man of convenience.  In his early days he even wrote to the Viceroy of India to form an Indian Volunteer Corp to help the British in WW2, although it did not materialize because Gandhi fell sick. Even his “experiment with the truth” has been ridden with controversy since Gandhi was supposed to practice celibacy.

Eventually it comes to not so much on the action of an individual but who the individual is. The audacity of hypocrisy appears to be louder when the beholder commands power and influence.

The story of Karna comes to my mind in the Mahabaratha. Karna lived a virtuous life prescribing to the philosophy of Dharma (act of righteousness and charity).

When Lord Krishna revealed that the Pandava brothers were actually  Karna’s half- brothers and  tried to dissuade Karna from battling against his brothers, in the war of Kurushetra, Karna refused. Instead Karna said that he had moral obligation to fight for his friend Duryodhana of the Kauravas. Respecting Karna’s virtues Lord Krishna withdrew in disappointment. Again when Karna’s mother Kunti approached him for the same reason Karna only promised that at the end of the war she would still have 5 sons. He believed that only Arjuna is a worthy adversary to him and he would keep his battle only with him not the other 4 brothers.

At the end of that battle, when Lord Krishna appeared before the wounded Karna disguised as a Brahmin, Karna did not hesitate to transfer his merits of Dharmam (charity) when it was requested by Lord Krishna. It was Karna’s nature to ‘give’. Upon transferring of this merit, Karna dies. It was  believed that it was Karna’s merit that kept him alive though he was badly injured, and it was Lord Krishna’s deed to put Karna out of his misery.  Karna, I am inclined to believe was a character who lived to his last breath without flinching, to walk the talk.

That was the end of Karna, one of the greatest warriors of Mahabharata who was also the greatest “Giver”.  A man who would never refuse the request for any gift or donation, howsoever costly that might be, and irrespective of the consequences to his own well being or security. This I would certainly state is a character that stood beyond hypocrisy.

I had a chance to visit Mother Teresa’s Mother House of the Missionary of Charity in Calcutta last year. I was emotionally awe struck by the humility of Mother Teresa life. Mother Teresa lead a humble life serving the poor and sick in Calcutta. She herself although had the opportunity to live a life of comfort within her home, instead lived like everyone else in the mission.

She once said, “love, begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much of love we put in that action.” She was a woman who; indeed lived by that virtue.  She went on to say “intense love does not measure, it just gives.” Such was her dedication and commitment in what she believed and continues to live; in the hearts of many.

Does this mean one has to be a saint to be a non-hypocrite?

I leave it to the beholder to be the judge of their own actions.

HYPOCRISY = BELIEF – ACTION

AUDACITY OF HYPOCRISY = EGO – NOTHING

varmman@20140228

PONGGAL - A FESTIVAL OF THANKSGIVING FOR A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST

The month of Thai is an auspicious month in the Tamil calendar. Incidentally the Tamil calendar as well as the Hindu calendar are Solar- based calendar. Today marks the day when the Sun moves into the zodiac sign Capricorn on the celestial path. It also marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring,

This period is considered to be most auspicious for Hindus where it is celebrated all over India and other parts of the world where Hindus live with diverse cultural, spiritual and festive forms.

PONGGAL is celebrated predominantly by Tamilians as a harvest festival. Similarly in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttarakandh, Rajasthan, Madya Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Odisha, Sikkim and West Bengal its called MAKARA SAKRANTHI. In Gujarat is called UTTARAYAN, MAGHI in Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, LOHRI is what is called in Punjab, BHOGALI BISU in Assam and KICHDI in Uttar Pradesh.

Interestingly this auspicious event is one of the very few Hindu festivals that fall exactly on the same date as the Gregorian calendar i.e. on 14th January every year owing to its solar orientation.

In Malaysia, Tamilians celebrate Ponggal with much fervour and gaiety. Based on the Hindu Panchagam (Hindu Almanac) the start of the month of Thai is determined. Most households would start cooking rice Ponggal (rice with milk, palm sugar (or jaggery), raisins, cashew nuts and ghee, in a earthen pot over a wood stove in front of the house. Of course in urban households more so in high rise dwellings,  it may be not be possible to use traditional stove, as such normal cooking in the kitchen is common.

The Ponggal pot is decorated with fresh turmeric plant. Turmeric is regarded as highly auspicious and holy in India.  Turmeric is associated with the sun as well as Lord Vishnu in Hinduism. Hindus also believe that Goddess Durga resides in this plant. The plant is also regarded as the manifestation of Goddess Durga. Turmeric is also used to make the form of Lord Ganesha, who is regarded as the remover of obstacles and is invoked in the beginning of all occasions. Further yellow is the colour of solar plexus chakra, where in Ayurveda (Indian Traditional Medicine) it is associated with the energy center relating to the metabolic and digestive center. Further orange is associated with the sacral chakra which is the energy point for the reproductive system. Thus the significance of turmeric. 

Ponggal or the Harvest festival in a way is also considered thanksgiving to the Sun, which has provided for the living of mankind. Prayers are offered for continued blessing for a bountiful harvest in the coming year as well. 

Ponggal festival is celebrated over four days, with day one being Boghi (Day of Cleansing), Veetu Ponngal  or Surya Ponggal (Home Ponggal / Sun Ponggal) being day two, the third is Maattu Ponggal (Cow Ponggal) and the final day being Kaanum Ponngal (Reunion Ponggal).

Boghi is the day where everyone does spring cleaning. The highlight of the day would be to burn old or unusable household items or clothing. Purchasing of new items example vehicle, furniture or fittings, new clothes etc would be welcome. A home which is cluttered with old and unused items actually generates negative energy. Similarly a home which is unkempt also does not generate positive "chi".   

Veetu Ponggal is the day when the household is decorated with sugarcane, mango leaves, and kolam . The cooking of the Ponggal as described above takes place. On a spiritual level sugarcane which is firm and straight symbolizes a stern and a balanced mind that controls the five senses (lust, anger, greed, pride and jealousy) and fosters positive thought in an individual. Mango leaves basically is believed to absorb negative energy from entering a home or places where an auspicious event is taking place. Kolam is generally drawn on the floor at the entrance of the home. Rice flour is used so as to allow it to be food for crows, squirrels, ants and other insects. As a Hindu this is part of Pancha Maha Yagna (daily duties) which is called Bhutha Yagna. This act is intended to create in man the spirit of sharing with all living beings.

On the third day the Maattu Ponggal is celebrated, where cows regarded as sacred to Hindus are honoured. This is because cows plays a significant role especially in the agricultural sector and in rural India. Cows are used as a mode of transportation, in farming, and it is also the source for milk (a staple and from which yogurt and ghee are made). Therefore it is not surprising why cows are revered in India. On this day the cows are bathed in scented water, their horns are coloured and Ponggal is cooked and served to the cows.

On the fourth day Kaanum Ponngal is celebrated. Kaanum means "to view", on this day family and friends visit each others' homes to share the joy. Also in India, this is the day employees (in particular in the agricultural sector) are given special bonuses by their bosses. This day also sees filial piety where brothers shower their married sisters with gifts. In some customs unmarried girls also seek divine blessings to be betrothed. These customs may differ from place to place.

At 6.00pm, whilst I was typing on this blog, I witnessed the milk overflowing and rice was just added to the milk and soon other ingredients would follow suit to prepare the Ponggal. This year, my daughter, Raviena had been entrusted  to make the Ponggal. Ponggal is not complete without the shout of "Ponggolo Ponggal" when the boiled milk overflows from the pot. This represents the fervour and expectations of prosperity that a household would like to witness in the coming year. It is time the younger generation understand traditions & customs and its scientific & spiritual significance. Today I see many of these traditions and practices are slowly dying, not because it has become irrelevant but due to lack of understanding and knowledge.

The role played by elders is very important in imparting these gems. However ironically many of these elders themselves are equally ignorant on many aspects of these traditions and rituals. Perhaps they themselves blindly followed their forefathers and with the passage of time it merely became a ritual without a soul, and eventually became susceptible to neglect and consigned to oblivion.

But I see a lot of curiosity in the younger generation. With the right motivation and encouragement, perhaps we can can re-ignite the "pearls of the past" to create a meaningful future.

I am going to have my bath now, the Ponggal will be ready soon, we will do our prayer and than off to dig into the sumptuous "Chakkara Ponggal" (Sweet Ponggal).

HAPPY PONGGAL EVERYONE!!!
MAY WE BE GUIDED ALWAYS WITH WISDOM AND COMPASSION
OM TAT SAT 

        

THE HIDDEN TEMPLE SERIES 1 : STAMBESWARAR TEMPLE, SIYAMANGLAM, TAMIL NADU

I chanced upon Stambeswarar Temple while reading an article in a magazine. I was intrigued by its history and during my visit to India in December 2013, I made sure to visit this historical/sacred site. The temple is located in a village called Siyamangalam, Vandavasi Taluk, Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

This temple was built during the reign of Mahendra Varmman I (600 - 630 CE), a Pallava King who was known for his interest in the letters and architecture. In fact he was instrumental in the rock cut architecture which later became the stamp of identity of the Pallavas. This particular type of architecture does not use brick, wood, mortar or metal. Amongst the famous architecture would be Mahabalipuram, which incidentally was also built by Mahendra Varmman I. Thevaram written by Appar and Gnanasambanthar (Tamil Saints) also flourished under his reign.  

Interestingly Mahendra Varmman was a patron of Jain faith and later he embraced Saivism under the influence of Saint Appar. In remembrance of his father Shimhavishnu whom he preceeded, Mahendra Varmman I built this temple at a holy site revered by locals for time immemorial. The protruding stone seen below has a 'Puranic' story attached to it. It is believed that this was the site where Lord Shiva's staff got embedded and the protruding stone below is said to be the staff, and legend says that the stone formation grows by a few millimetres every year.  

Today this temple comes under the purview of ASI (Archaeological Survey India). I managed to speak to the temple priest who enlightened me with many unique features of this temple. Firstly the Shiva Lingga was constructed with a square 'peedam'  (base) a typical early Pallava structure, which is unlike Chola architecture (and practiced todate) which has an oval shaped 'peedam'. Further to that the Dwarapalakar (inner sanctum guards) are Lord Yama (Lord of Death) on the right and Chitragupta (Record Keeper of Karma) on the left.

Lord Shiva's consort in this temple is known as Maragathavalli. Her statue is carved in such a way that when one looks from the right you see a smiling face and from the left, a fierce look can be seen. Interestingly from a direct frontal view her face looks pretty normal. 

There is also a carving of Lord Shiva in Dancing Nadaraja form outside the main sanctum. This is believed to be the first carving of Nadaraja in Tamil Nadu. The uniqueness of this carving is unlike the usual pose where the snake will be on Lord Nadaraja' head and a demon on his feet, here you find the snake is dancing with the Lord Nadaraja and the demon is playing a musical instrument. Nandi (Lord Shiva's Vimana is located outside the temple and the reflection from oil lamp placed in front of Nandi illuminates the inner sanctum. Lord Murugan is carved out on a another rock mound within the temple compound. So are Lord Ganesha and the Lords of the Nine Planets carved out within the compound at ground level. 

The temple is closed during full moon. It is believed that during this period Siddhars (Perfected Ones) visit this temple and offer prayers to Lord Shiva. The priest mentioned that in the morning after, holy water placed in the inner sanctum if taken on an empty stomach by women who have difficulty in conceiving, would result in their able to conceive within 48 days.

Beyond the miracle that this temple is believed to possess, I was totally awe struck by the history, architecture and the divinity this temple embraces.

Next time if you are in the neighborhood, this place is worthy of a  visit.. 

End of Gregorian 2013 and The Beginning of Gregorian 2014

On 24th February 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced the refined version of the Julian calendar which has been adopted as a universal standard since. 

Today marks the second day in the Gregorian calendar of the year 2014.  

My family and I ended the year with a great holiday and at the same time had to hear a tragic news about a friend who was brutally attacked as he was leaving a bank.

Life is full of surprises, my neighbor who was a national hockey player and a tennis coach by profession collapsed after a match point with a massive cardiac arrest and died on the court. On the other hand a friend, 15 years after his first boy tried unsuccessfully to have another, eventually was gifted with a baby girl in December. 

These events reflects the many wonders that we can't comprehend. Much as we try, the more intriguing it becomes. So how do we account and manage ourselves? A perpetual question dealt differently by different cohorts.

For the religious they seek divine intervention. For the secularist they crunch the numbers. When outcome conforms to expectations they resign to their convictions. But when outcome differs from expectation than rationalization sets in. To the religious they believe they have not accumulated sufficient karma to deserve an eventful outcome, so resolution for the following year would be to do more good deeds, pray harder and seek forgiveness from the almighty. To the secularist it would have been due be unsound projections, weak planning or poor execution. So the solution is to back to the drawing board to rectify the wrong.

Hence life goes on year after year driven by individual psyche based on perspective as to how they perceive their purpose of existence.

In all these haste in chasing the desired outcome often people neglect to understand and appreciate the state of a "MEANINGFUL LIFE."

Meaningful to whom? Obviously to 'thine self 'and the 'environment' one lives. 

My friends wife who is a Headmistress in a small rural primary school of fifty students narrated a story. Six of her students excelled in the Primary School Assessment Test (a government examination) and as a reward she asked these students what would they like. Apparently without hesitation all the six students indicated that they would like to visit her at her home. As much as being baffled, she, her husband and children played host to these kids who came from rural and pretty much a poor background. The students had a good time and narrated to other schoolmates. This apparently had created a buzz in the entire school and somewhat had kick started a drive to excel amongst other students. A simple gesture it may have been, but it was definitely a meaningful one that has affected the psyche of these aspiring kids. Kudos to my friend and his wife. As he is going through some difficult time now, I believe his simple and meaningful gesture would invoke positive vibration from these innocent and aspiring kids towards his healing.

Being aware and understanding the fragility of life, in itself, should lead us to a meaningful existence.

Lets reflect on what has happened in 2013 and celebrate 2014 with open arms.

OM TAT SAT.