விஜய தசமி பார்வேட்டை புறப்பாடு

Vijayadasami, the concluding day of Navarathri is considered very auspicious. During Navarathri, Sakthi is invoked in difference incarnations. At Vaishnavaite homes, special pooja to Saraswathi is done by placing all the books, education material and other items before the idol and Divine blessings are sought.

The books so kept before Goddess Saraswathi are taken after ‘punar pooja’ and this day is considered very auspicious to begin new ventures – be it business or education. Toddlers are taught their first alphabet and some are admitted to school on this day.

Vijayadasami has many significance going by legends and mythology. In many places, it is the beginning of harvest season and Mother Earth is revered. It is believed that in Treta Yuga, Rama killed Ravana on this day. This is the day of killing of demon by Mahisasura Marthini.

 In Sri Parthasarathi Swami temple and in many other temples, it is day of ‘Parvettai’ when the Lord is taken on procession doing ‘vettai’. The Lord would aim his arrows at vanni tree. I remember that in my young days, Lord Parthar on kuthirai vahanam would go to ‘Vasantha Bungalow’ where parvettai would be performed – then he would visit Bandala Venugopala St., TP Koil Second lane and come through TP Koil St on National Girls’ High school side.

Perhaps this purappadu signifies the Agnatha vasam in Maha baratham. In the Virata parva, Arjuna caches his weapons in a vanni tree and when the incognito duration is over, Vijaya retrieves his hidden arms from the tree and starts practicing which eventually helps in his success in the war.   Yesterday, Sri Parthar in his resplendent splendour was taken on kuthirai vahanam. As he no longer visits Vasantha Bungalow in Venkatrangam Street, the vanni mara parvettai was performed at the entrance of the temple. Then was the glorious oorgola purappadu with stothra padal ghosthi.

Here are some snaps of the Perumal taken on Vijayadasami.

Anbudan – S.  Sampathkumar.

மெரினா என்ற குறு நாவல்

சுஜாதாவின் இந்த குறு நாவல்  மிக   மிக விறுவிறுப்பானது.  ஒரு பணக்கார அப்பனின் தறுதலை பிள்ளை நடந்து கொள்ளும் விதம் பற்றிய கதை இது.

கதையின் பெரும் பகுதி ஒரு பின்னிரவில் மெரினா கடற்கரையில் நடக்கும் ஒரு நிகழ்ச்சி பற்றியது.  பணக்கார பசங்களின்  பொழுது போக்குகளை அழகாக விவரித்து கதை பின்னி இருந்தார்.

எல்லா கொலை கதைகளையும் போல கடைசியில் யார் கொலையாளி என்பதல்ல இக்கதையின் முடிச்சு.............

இறுதியில் கொலையே நடக்கவில்லை.  போலீஸ் தான் பணம் பிடுங்க கொலை ஜோடித்ததாக முடிச்சு  அவிழும்.  இந்த எதிர் பாராத திருப்பத்துடன் கதை முடிந்து விடாது. 

அந்த மகன் தான் பண்ணிய வேறொரு தவற்றிற்காக கைது செய்யப்படுவது ஆகே தனக்கே உரிய பாணியில் கதையை சொல்லி இருப்பது வேறு எவராலும் இயலாதது.

பாரெல்லாம் புகழ்ந்திட்ட முண்டாசு கவியன் பாரதியார் - Sept 11 [Hailing Bharathiyar]

Sept. 11, the world over is remembered for different reason. In the minds of patriotic Indian, especially Tamil community, this is a day to remember the versatile revolutionary born as Subbaiah - as common a name any rustic village child would have. For the National activities, he was put in the list of list of anarchists, political suspects whose movements were shadowed closely, followed and arrested if they were to move into British territory. Though hailed as a genius, he lived in a single room and only a handful of people partook in his funeral procession.

In many countries, places significantly identified with great men are considered revered and are preserved. The house where this great man lived and breathed his last, was sold – exchanged hands and decades later, Govt. thought of converting it into a monument. For the past two years, public have been denied access in the garb of renovations and there are rumours that it might house some Govt. office as well.  It is unlikely that you remembered this Great Man today. If not, please read  on………………………..

The annals of history book has recorded it that he was struck by elephant of Sri Parthasarathi Swami temple but factually his health had badly been affected by very many confinements and punishments by the British. His failing health was perhaps primarily behind the tragic premature death of this genius on Sept 11,1921 – not even forty years of age. In this short span, he implanted his foot prints as an undying symbol of vibrant nationalism and unity of the Country. He was born in a small village called Ettayapuram in Tuticorin district. 

This great freedom fighter notably was a Great Poet, a prolific writer, philosopher, a great visionary of immense genius who in those days of repressive British rule ran few magazines. His national integration songs earned him the title “Desiya Kavi” (National Poet). His patriotic songs emphasized nationalism, unity of India, equality of men and the greatness of Tamil language. Though his life span was very short, he left an indelible impression in the National history and stoked the flames of independence in the minds of people. He waxed eloquence in the national scene as an inspirational patriotic poet. With a simple and yet fabulous technique of combining the rhythm of spoken language in a ceaseless flow of prose and poetry, Bharati captured the imagination of the Tamil people. Bharati introduced spiritual dimension to the freedom movement and deliberated on important aspects in a marvellous literary combination ofprose-poetry.

He was a linguist - fluent in many languages including Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit, and English and frequently translated works from other languages into Tamil. In April 1907, he became the editor of the Tamil weekly ‘India’; he also edited the English newspaper ‘Bala Bharatham’. He participated in the historic Surat Congress in 1907, which saw a sharpening of the divisions within the Indian National Congress between the militant wing led by Tilak and Aurobindo and the ‘moderates’. Subramanya Bharathi supported Tilak and Aurobindo together with V.O.C. In 1908, he gave evidence in the case which had been instituted by the British against ‘Kappal Otiya Thamizhan’, V.O.Chidambarampillai. In the same year, the proprietor of the ‘India’ was arrested in Madras. The British Govt imposed curbs on publication of his nationalistic and patriotic works, he was placed under surveillance by the government. To avoid arrest by the British which forced him to move to french territory of Pondy. This period proved to be the period of his prolific writings. During 1918 he was arrested and incarcerated in the Central prison in Cuddalore. Bharathi met Mahatma Gandhi in 1919 and in 1920, Bharathi resumed editorship of the Swadeshamitran in Madras. He breathed his last on Sept. 11, 1921.

Despite his literary genius, he lived in extreme poverty and died in chill penury. He was not merely content of being proud of the motherland but outlined his visions of a free India, not as wild dreams of some living in imaginary world but specifically outlined aspirations of a true patriot with clearly planned ideas on how different regions of the country can live happily, share the resources for their mutual benefits. 

Blessed are those, who have scented the soil where Mahakavi lived. The house where he lived should be a sacred place of pilgrimage for all those who love the Nation.

Today is certainly a day to remember the Mahakavi SUBRAHMANYA BHARATHIYAR who underwent untold sufferings for the cause of this Great Nation.

Desiya paniyil - S Sampathkumar.

கற்றதும் பெற்றதும் - எழுத்தாளர் சுஜாதா மறைந்த அன்றும் பாதிப்புடன் எழுதியது [What is learnt & begotten - sad day - death of Sujatha (Srirangam Rangarajan)]

28/02/2008   அன்று நான் பெரிதும் விரும்பிய சுஜாதாவின் 

மரண செய்தி கேட்டு எழுதியது இது.

There are days when something hurts you sentimentally. Today is onecsuch day, for it started in a very melancholic mood. Morning gave me the news of the passing away of a great genius, a man most reverred by me and one who was loved by vast multitude of tamils interested in reading – short stories, novels, fiction, question & answers, religion – to

capitulate whoever were interested in reading.

His great novel “Manal kayiru’ enamoured me to read more about him. It was first published in Kumudam on Aug 1968. I perhaps had not started reading tamil alphabets in that year and read it much later. One of his science fictions written in the early 70s “Sorga theevu” portrayed his understanding of computers and many of us even today do not understand

computer better. There were more fictions like " Moondru nimisham Ganehs, En Iniya Iyandira" and "Meendum Jeeno" which vividly captured my imagination in my formative years. His skillful mix of crime and science is unrivalled by any of the contemporary (or past) tamil writers. Sujatha wrote over 100 novels, 200 short stories, essays, stage plays, and popular articles on science. His fictional character of Gansh / VAsanth (lawyers) are extremely popular. Whilst Ganesh was the soft spoken, suave kind, Vasanth was more vibrant. Here is a sample of his style and science writing….

(Embedded image moved to file: pic13357.jpg)

Alas he is no more and today we have lost one of the most reverred writers. Sujatha (May 3, 1935 - Feb 27, 2008, Aged: 72) was the pseudonym of the Tamil writer S. Rangarajan who authored of over 100 novels, 250 short stories, ten books on science, ten stage plays, and a

slim volume of poems. He was a regular contributor to topical columns in Tamil periodicals such as Ananda Vikatan, Kumudam and Kalki. He had a very wide readership, served for a brief period as the editor of Kumudam, and has also written screenplays and dialogues for several Tamil movies. 

He was a great scholar in Sri vaishnavism, could quote at ease alwar pasurams and was in fact writing detailed commentary for one pasuram a week in a popular weekly. 

His schooling was in Srirangam. He attended St.Joseph's College, Trichy, where he was classmate with our Ex president APJ Abdul Kalam. Sujatha graduated in the 1954 class with a B.Sc in Physics (1952-54) and masters degree in Electronics from the Madras Institute of Technology. He worked first in Civil Aviation Department of Government of India and later for Bharat Electronics in Bangalore, India before his retirement to Chennai, India, where he lived till his last days. As an engineer, he was a forward thinker and enabled many engineers to think ahead of times. He enabled the development of advanced word processing before the

days of personal computers. He supervised the design and production of the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) during his tenure in Bharat Electronics which is currently used in elections throughout India. 

Sujatha received an award from Govt of India's National Council for Science and Technology in 1993 for making Science accessible to the public through his books, magazine contributions and other media. 

Sujatha wrote a number of science fiction stories in Tamil and has sought to explain science in very simple terms to a layman. He routinely used to answer science questions in magazines like Junior Vikatan. His science FAQ has been released as separate books called En, Etharku, Eppadi and Athisaya Ulagam by Vikatan publications. With "Katradhum,

petrathum" in Anantha vikatan and "Sujatha Bathilgal" in Kungumam he sought to explain many complicate issues in a simple languid manner.

'Lateral thinking' was a hallmark techniques fluidly used by him. He had the uncanny knack of explaining some of the most difficult scientific concepts with amazing ease. . Here is an example:"you boil the lentils in the pressure cooker while cutting vegetables for the curry. that is parallel processing". 

Some people felt that his stories had an overdose of science. What Sujatha was trying to do was to kindle the scientific temparament and increase the awareness. Apart from being an author, he has also extended his writing skills and expertise on science to movies. the first of his were gayathiri and priya. In Priya his fictional charecter Ganesh comes to the screen done by superstar Rajinikanth but without vasanth (because the actor who was supposed to play vasanth did not get passport). Kamal Hassan's Vikram, which was written by him. He penned dialogues for the movie 'Roja' (directed by Maniratnam). In recent times, he has been associated with Mani Ratnam (for Iruvar, Kannathil Muthamittal, Aaitha Ezhuthu etc) and Shankar (Boys, Anniyan, Indian, Mudhalvan, Sivaji). He was also a co-producer for the banner MediaDreams which went on to produce critically acclaimed bio-pic, Bharathi, of the

great Tamil poet Bhaarathiyaar. He was working on Shankar's Robot before passing away on Feb 27, 2008. This is what he had written earlier about death :-

If there is something which I am avidly fond of more than cricket, it was Sujatha…….. 

With deep anguish  – S Sampathkumar.