Thank you God for favours received

Thank God for favours received

Last week on Friday I set out, as usual to R.S.Puram to do some shopping. Reached the bus stop in time to take the 9.30 a.m. bus. There was just a young girl waiting for the bus. I said ‘Hello’ to her. Then I didn’t have to worry what to say after. The conversation moved so easily. She asked me where I live, why l live there, what about my family etc. I answered her questions. Then I asked about herself. And she told me where she lives and about her family background. Just then the bus arrived. I had a seat. The girl Kavitha, bought the ticket for me too. When the seat next to me was empty she sat next to me and told me more about herself. Before I got off at my stop, Kavitha invited me to come to her place for Pongal, on Sunday.

I had a list of what I wanted to buy for myself and my neighbour. I am fairly familiar with the two streets in R.S.Puram, where I know the shops to buy my weekly needs. I went to Giri Trading and Nilgiris and bought what I needed. Next I had to go to buy the fruits and chips. Usually I would walk. But having done some extra walking and climbing steps few days earlier, my legs were protesting. I decided to indulge in some luxury. I engaged an auto to go to the two other places and drop me back at the bus stop. He was so willing to come for the short distance and even to wait for me at each place for me to do the shopping. He dropped me at the bus stop. I asked him ‘how much’. He said pay ‘whatever you wish’. I asked him ‘what if it was too low’. He said ‘he would ask for more’. I paid him 50 rupees, he accepted gladly. It was such a nice feeling to be treated like that.

Within few minutes the bus arrived. It was not crowded at all. I got a good seat. I travelled back enjoying and savouring my experience of the morning. When I got off at my stop, I noticed that Kavitha too has travelled by the same bus. We walked back together. I handed over a letter I had to post to the postmaster at our post office, after a brief chat with her. Kavitha pointed out to me her house at a distance with two coconut tree for landmark.

My bag was full, but not too heavy to carry. I walked home, in time for lunch, with the satisfaction of a morning well spent. At each step of the way I felt God has been showering his blessings.

At home in unknown territory

At home in unknown territory

Today I went to Anubhavi Subramaniar Temple. Took a 10 minute bus ride to Chinna Thadagam. Though I could have taken another bus to go from the main road to the temple, I preferred to walk the 2 km. distance instead of waiting for half an hour for the bus to arrive. It was only 8.30 a.m. and the weather was cool and the scenery green. The road went via small villages with brick making the main activity. Even with my brisk walking, it took me half an hour to cover the distance. Wished and smiled acknowledging people on the way.

Went into the Lalithambikai temple at the foot of the hill and had darshan of the Ambal. The spacious space at the base was so picturesque with huge banyan tress and a single small tea shop. I climbed the steps. I was given different figures by different people (from 100 to 300) as to the number of steps to the temple. So I counted each step. After 300, I knew they were wrong. I counted 440 steps before I reached the shrine. Except for the priest there was nobody else. Had a darshan of Lord Muruga. There was another Shiva shrine 100 steps above this. Went up there too as it looked so inviting. Enjoyed the view all around listening to the gurgling tiny stream.

On the way down a man at the temple told me there will be a bus going to Thadagam by 10.30.

Walked down slowly and was at the base by five minutes past ten. Had a cup of tea and half a packet of Britannia Tiger biscuit at the tea stall. I was surprised that a 45.5 gram packet costs just 5 Rupees. How could it cover the raw material, production, packaging and transport costs and still make profit selling at five Rupees?

Again impatient to wait for the bus I started walking back to the main road. There I had to wait for nearly 20 minutes for the bus to go to Mangarai. The bus was not crowded and I had a seat. Got down at my stop and walked the half a km distance to the Home. I was not tired even though I had walked over 5 km and climbed up and down 540 steps.

I enjoyed the trip - visiting the temple on my own, and walking the distance and climbing the steps. The entire journey I was able to follow my thoughts and it was about 'here and now'.

A perfect relationship

A perfect relationship

I am very fond of my brother and sister-in-law. I have laughed and shared a whole lot with them without any reservation. I admire their open relationship. They would discuss issues, argue over it and settle it then in there, in the family setting, in friends’ company or in official meetings.

One day as I was entering their house they were arguing over an issue very strongly. I suggested a solution; my brother immediately accepted it. My sister-in-law got so upset that she quickly blurted out, “You always agree if your sister suggests”.

My brother immediately said, “I agree with whoever is most loved”.

For a second I was so happy, but knowing my brother’s inability to express such mushy sentiments and our family trait of talking loudly, I understood that he meant ‘whoever is most loud’. All of us burst out laughing and the volatile situation was diffused.

Today I remember this incidence and wonder - did he really say ‘loved’.

To be at the right place at the right time

To be at the right place at the right time

Two days ago I was returning from the city by bus. There was a lady sitting next to me with a child on her lap. The child may be about 3 years old. Suddenly the child said “aai ponam” (want to pass motion). The mother shifted the child’s position, hoping that would make him hold it for a while. But the child repeated the statement. Just then the bus halted at a stop. The women made a quick decision and got off the bus with the child. I was feeling sorry for the women thinking, she had to wait in the middle of nowhere for atleast half an hour for another bus to come and again pay for the ticket.

After two stops I was surprised to see the women getting back on to the bus. Only then it dawned on me the peculiarity of that stop. At that stop the bus takes a detour from the main road to go into a small town (Thadagam) and gets back on to the main road to go on its way to Anaikatti. The women had enough time to attend to the child’s need and get back on to the bus. After getting back she explained to the conductor why she had to get off and he waived issuing the ticket again, though he grumbled that she should have informed him before getting off!!

The incident made a deep impact on me. The women’s presence of mind amazed me. More than that how the child announced at the exact time and location for his mother to take action, without affecting her plan for the day.

The neighbourhood temple

The neighbourhood temple

Vaikunta Ekadasi is a special day of great significance. People make it a practise to visit famous vaishnava temples like Srirangam, Thiruparkadal, Thirvallikeni Parthatsarathy perumal etc. Being a person with a faith of a different kind I am not one to go to temples when it is overly crowded. Yet I too wanted to visit a temple.

As luck would have it, on the day before this ekadasi, while on my evening walk along the ghat road near our Home, I saw a man going around a small ulagalandha perumal (Thrivikrama) temple that I have come across earlier but found closed all the time. I asked the man when the temple would be open. He said during the month of margazhi the temple is open from 6 to 7.30 a.m. everyday. And he further elaborated that the pooja starts at the nearby big banyan tree which has a lingam embedded in its main trunk.I have heard about this tree and have seen it. I can even see it from my bedroom window. In the last couple of weeks, I have heard the blowing of the conche early in the morning and have wondered where it came from.

I was so happy to have this information and made up my mind to visit this temple the next day, though it required a little adjustment in my early morning schedule.

On the morning of the ekadasi, I was at the tree by 6.30 a.m., walking along a barely visible single file track, over-grown with weeds on either side.

At the site there were only half a dozen men including the priest. I was the odd women, but didn’t feel odd, as I have always considered trees to be my friends. I look at all trees as bodhi trees. A rain tree (thoongumoonji maram in Tamil) has ones helped me get out of my depressive mood, by talking to me, telling its own life story and philosophy about life. (It was published in Mangayar Malar, Oct ’88.)

I could feel connected with this tree and its ancient wisdom. I went around the ‘tree’ temple placing the palm of my hand on some of its aerial prop roots that have grown into thick woody trunks. In the early morning serene ambience it felt heavenly. After the pooja there, the men moved on to the temple that is on the main road walking along another track almost invisible. I had the pleasure of the company of the trustee of the temple to guide me.

The temple though not very impressive from the outside was remarkably well cared for on the inside. The flowers that adorned the deity and the coconuts that have been offered showed the commitment of the organiser. I was so happy to be part of this worship where I could communicate personally with the God. Had a prasadam of aval and vellam (beaten rice mixed with jiggery)

The happiness lingered all during the day as i shared it with all my fellow residence of the Home.

The value of values

I found this passage from the book, The value of values by Swami Dayananda Saraswathy very profound.

A Value is a value for me only when I see the value of the value as valuable to me.

An ethical value can be defined as dharma. Dharma is a standard or norm of conduct derived from the way in which I wish others to view or treat me. In other words my norm for what is ‘proper’ behaviour or a good ‘attitude’ is based on the way I wish others to treat or view me. What I expect or want from others becomes my standard for dharma.

Behaviour norms such as, being truthful, non-hurting, humility, charity are all based upon the same consideration of how I would like others to treat me. Thus, ethical norms are not just arbitrary man-made rules but stems from an inherent, common regard for one’s own interest and comfort. Ethical standards are natural and universal.

My values are universal in content but relative and situational in my application of them. In general practise, I will apply values more consistently and more absolutely to others than to myself. After all, the source of my value is found in the way in which I want others to treat me. I find it easy to have others observe ethical standards so I can be the beneficiary.