Vanna kolangal, vanna kolangal !! - Murali bagavathar

A few decades, ago, there were not many options.  Doordarshan Tamil later known as Podhigai Channel would on Sundays air Tamil dramas and people were glued to them.  SV Shekhar’s ‘Vanna Kolangal’ [colourful drawings!] was a great hit.   

Life in Corporate World can change too suddenly – often there are people rising to higher echelons while many remain low … a ‘glass ceiling’ is a metaphor – of the unseen, yet unbreakable barrier that stops people from rising to upper rungs, despite possessing qualification and capability. 

Glass ceiling refers to the fact that a qualified person wishing to advance within the hierarchy of his/her organization is stopped at a lower level due to a discrimination most often based on sexism or racism. The glass ceiling refers thus to vertical discrimination most frequently against women in companies. Though there could be no final definition, based on several studies, the glass ceiling can be defined as subtle but persistent barriers/obstacles, underpinned by discriminatory, conscious and unconscious practices, and attitudes that hinder access to top/senior management positions . .. .. 

Uthsavams are festivities ~ at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam, there are so many Uthsavams and purappadus.  Primordial among them is the 10 day long annual  Brahmothsavam, initiated by Brahma himself at Thirukachi.  At Thiruvallikkeni it is Chithirai Brahmothsavam for Sri Parthasarathi and Aani brahmothsavam for Sri Thelliya Singar.  This year we had two more brahmotsavams !! 

The streets are clean and tidy – before every purappadu – beautiful kolams are drawn.  Kolam (கோலம்) is a form drawn by using rice flour.  Theoretically, it is a geometrical line drawing composed of curved loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots – in effect, they are passionately put on the street as offering to Lord.  Kolams are thought to bring prosperity to homes. Every morning devout  women draw kolams on the ground with white rice flour.  The floor is readied by cleaning with water and in earlier days cow dung was used.    The rice powder also invites birds and other small creatures to eat it, thus welcoming other beings into one's home and everyday life: a daily tribute to harmonious co-existence. 

Many beautiful kolams are seen all over the mada veethis, before the purappadu of Perumal – welcoming Him.  During all uthsavams, Mrs Aravindhakrishna and her group draws beautiful kolams in front of Nammalwar sannathi / vahana mantapam.  There are more of such beautiful kolams .. .. and this colourful one (literally one with multi-colours) would take a pride of place – as it is drawn by a man – yes – Sri Murali bagavathar, who is an expert in kolams and the vahana bommais that add to the beauty. Apparently, there are many more such experts – and everyone of them is binded by the fact that such kolams are not mere artistic expressions but done with devotion to Emperuman. 

Here are some photos of  his kolam taken during the recent Aani brahmothsavam of Sri Azhagiya Singar.  Many days they are much more grand too !!

 

adiyen Srinivasa dhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
15^th July 2022.