சென்னி மலைக்குமாரா சித்தர்க் கருள்வோனே

சிரகிரி வேலவன் சீக்கிரம் வருக

சிரகிரி = சென்னிமலை*

சென்னிமலை முருகா சரணம்.

* அருணகிரி நாதர் திருப்புகழ் - பாடல் 557

* சிரகிரியை சென்னிமலை என்றும் கூறுவர். சென்னிமலை ஈரோட்டிற்கு அப்பால் ஈங்கூர் ரயில் நிலையத்துக்கு அருகில் உள்ள தலம்.

When we devotees go to remote hill temples like Chennimalai, we the devotees have to take it upon ourselves to care for the eco system and the environment there. We don't have admin system like Tirumala in any Temples here. Remember, you are checked and scanned at Alippiri, the Tirumala foothills before you go further up on the pilgrimage. You can't carry anything plastic, like water bottles made of plastic beyond Alippiri. But no such checks here in Tamil Nadu in any hill temples.

Yesterday in my trip to the hill temple at Chennimalai, plastic litters were rampant. No idea, is any clearing system of these plastic trashes is there. I went on Saturday. Very minimum crowd. Peaceful and heartful darsan. Ironically, though Sun Lord was scorching, going up the hills through steps, 1320 in numbers, while going up didn't feel much heat, despite profusely sweating.

All along, at every 100th step, thanks to philanthropists who have put up small mantaps to relax, you can rest and relax for a few minutes before you resume your climbing upwards. Monkeys all the way, if we behave they also reciprocate good behaviour. But don't carry any juice bottles. They will literally fight with you and be victorious in snatching away your juice.

No good accommodation for outstation pilgrims in this tiny town, nor a temple cottage either.

Before I went I gave a call to Temple number, information I got was, as pathway work is under progress, transportation has been stopped. So many other pilgrims also were informed similarly. Hence the only way forward was to trek up. I started at 9.52 yesterday, when I reached up, it was 11.35. Those who struggled to trek up, they tuned Kandar Sashti kavadam to energize and motivate themselves. Strangely the வேல் மாரல் was wafting into my ears. I turned to look who had tuned it. To my surprise, it was a north Indian Family. 

The lines,  

உலகெங்கும் நிறைந்திருந்தும் கந்தகுரு உள்ள இடம் ஸ்கந்தகிரி என்பதை தான் கண்டு கொண்டேன் கண்டுகொண்டேன்

flashed in mind.

11.45 a.m. Time for உச்சிக் கால darsn.

Then, thanks to a family of Annadan sponsor, we headed to the dining hall further up behind the temple. A wholesome holistic lunch.

Unlike the misinformation given out, there was a bus waiting to take the pilgrims back to the foothills.

May those,

Annadata Sukhibhava.

பெண்ணே நீயும், பெண்ணா, பெண்ணாகிய கண்ணா?

 .

W

"Women, whether subtly or vociferously, have always been a tremendous power in the destiny of the world."

 - Eleanor Roosevelt

நா.முத்துக்குமார்   

கவிதை 

தூர் ...                                                   

“வேப்பம் பூ மிதக்கும்

எங்கள் வீட்டு கிணற்றில்

தூர் வாரும் உற்சவம்

வருடத்துக்கு ஒரு முறை

விஷேசமாக நடக்கும்.

ஆழ் நீருக்குள்

அப்பா முங்க முங்க

அதிசயங்கள் மேலே வரும்...

கொட்டாங்குச்சி, கோலி, கரண்டி,

துருப்பிடித்தக் கட்டையோடு

உள் விழுந்த ராட்டினம்,

வேலைக்காரி திருடியதாய்

சந்தேகப்பட்ட வெள்ளி டம்ளர்...

எடுப்போம் நிறையவே!                                                                                   

‘சேறுடா சேறுடா’ வென

அம்மா அதட்டுவாள்

என்றாலும்

சந்தோஷம் கலைக்க

யாருக்கு மனம் வரும்?

படை வென்ற வீரனாய்

தலைநீர் சொட்டச் சொட்ட

அப்பா மேலே வருவார்.

இன்று வரை அம்மா

கதவுக்குப் பின்னிருந்துதான்

அப்பாவோடு பேசுகிறாள்.

கடைசி வரை அப்பாவும்

மறந்தேப் போனார்

மனசுக்குள் தூர் எடுக்க..!”

          நா. முத்துக்குமார்.

(கணையாழி இதழ் விழா ஒன்றில் எழுத்தாளர் சுஜாதா பேசிய போது, “கணையாழி இதழில் வர்ற கவிதைகளை, கடந்த 10 வருஷமா நான்தான் தேர்ந்தெடுத்துட்டு வர்றேன். இந்தக் கணையாழி இதழ்லகூட ஒரு கவிதை வந்திருக்கு. தமிழில் வெளிவந்த சிறந்த 25 கவிதைகளை பட்டியலிடச் சொன்னால் ‘தூர்’ கவிதையை அதில் நான் சேர்ப்பேன்” என்றார். உலகத்துக்கு நா.முத்துக்குமார் அவர்களை வெளிச்சம் போட்டு காட்டிய நிகழ்ச்சி அது.)

 .

My grandfather was an MLA of good old genre...in 1930s owing his allegiance to the good old National Party. Later he turned completely spiritual and lived his life like a Rishi.

Whenever occasions arose, he insisted that we should learn Hindi, the Rashtra Bhasha. Later when I grew up, I had a mild anger why he didn't educate my Mother and her twin sister in a formal school. Of course at the very tender age, I remember my mother telling me, she and her sister along with girls of her age then we're sent to a school in a Chettinad Village, specializing in teaching Tamil, other திருமுறைகள், சைவ சித்தாந்தம், etc.

Now I despice myself how fair am I to complain my grandfather that he didn't send his daughters to a formal school. The question nagging me is what attempt did I make to get them educated formally.

Yes my Mother reads தேவாரம், திருவாசகம் etc. Attends Satsangs, mutrothal et al. I was very happy she recently asked me to get her a திருப்புகழ் by a good author with a good elucidation. I got one for her.

Well,

Over to Na Muthukumar 's,

Esp., his last stanza, நச்.

Thanks to Sujatha Sir in highlighting such a wonderful poet. Flowers wither, we know. But what we don't know, or God doesn't want us - Mortals to know, is why He plucks Cherries fast.

I can't end this piece just blaming still looming patriarchy, male chauvinism in not being supportive to Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. If anyone introspects, still, hard reality is in many households who stands in the way for a woman to soar greater heights is sadly the other of the same gender in the household, society. Situations do change of course. What it needs is Godspeed.

Thank You for patient reading.

Health your First Investment

iatrogenic

adjective

iat·ro·gen·ic (ˌ)ī-ˌa-trə-ˈje-nik 

: induced unintentionally by a physician or surgeon or by medical treatment or diagnostic procedures

iatrogenic illness

iatrogenic injury to a nerve

… obtaining blood from humans is an invasive procedure with inherent risks to the patient such as pain at the needle site and the increased likelihood of acquiring an iatrogenic infection.

—Tony K. L. Kiang and Mary H. H. Ensom

Description of iatrogeny:

Expert induced illness.

Either consciously or otherwise.

40% of Modern medicine is iatrogenic. - Shiv Visvanathan, a Social Scientist, in his Article, "When Violence is built into Logic of Policy", The New Indian Express, edn., 10 April 2025.

Yesterday I saw a full two pages ad printed in the mid page of a popular Tamil Magazine, a weekly dedicated to Women. It was the ad of a brand hospital, headquartered in Chennai and with its presence across pan India. The ad showcased the hospital's prowess in treating arthritis - with pictures, an expert Dr explaining the causes and remedies. Remedy included types of treatment like open surgery and using laser surgery. He went further on explaining how it's far superior to go for less invasive laser technology. He added that side effects in adopting is far less.

Note here.

Side effects are imperative in any medicine. Even much talked about Indian ancient medicine, for these are now packed in plastic containers, with limited shelf life. 

Isn't there a way out?

Not a single way.

There are multiple ways you can tend to your good health:

பசித்த பின் புசி.

உணவிற்கு பின் சிறிது நேரம் கழித்து தண்ணீர் அருந்து. தண்ணீர் ஆக இருந்தாலும் அளவுடன் அருந்து. அளவுக்கு மிஞ்சினால்.... போன்ற பழமொழிகள் பஞ்சமே இல்லாமல். நீர்ச்சத்து சரியாய் அமைய நீர் முத்திரை பயிற்சி செய்யலாம்.

நடைப் பயிற்சி செய்யலாம்.

யோகா சிறந்த குருவிடம் கற்றுக்கொண்டு செய்யலாம்.

இறுதியாக இந்த திருமந்திரத்தை நினைவில் கொள்க 24x7:

உள்ளம் பெருங்கோயில் 

ஊனுடம்பு ஆலயம்

வள்ளல் பிரானார்க்கு வாய் கோபுர வாசல்

தெள்ளத் தெளிந்தார்க்கு சீவன் சிவலிங்கம்

கள்ளப் புலன் ஐந்தும் காளா மணிவிளக்கே

(பாடல் 1823).

வாழ்க வளமுடன்

வலியரிதல் ...The true Awareness,.. to feel the pain

Above message is a striking sharing by a friend, who is a regular not to miss my sharing in WhatsApp status.

The point is we do see, read, listen to such good thoughts, but the question remains, are we getting lessons ingrained, let alone living by the values embedded in those thoughts.

In life we seek counselling,

Or people turn to us seeking counselling.

Forget the qualification to counsel or of the one counselling.

Always, remember emotions overweigh and we try to present only that side which is convenient to us. Ask oneself, are we not holding back the other part.

What to do when one doesn't know the whole story?

Always recall the most precious gem of a குறள்,

"எப்பொருள் யார்யார்வாய்க் கேட்பினும் அப்பொருள் மெய்ப்பொருள் காண்ப தறிவு”

- திருக்குறள் 423. 

Nothing else to do

Literally 

Nothing else 

To do.

No friends,

No foes.

Neither pleasure,

Nor pain.

Then what,

No question.

When all

Merge in

ONE,

ONENESS,

Where's the 

Other.

Then 

Only the

Complete 

AWARENESS.

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पुर्णमुदच्यते

पूर्णश्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om purnamadah purnamidam purnat purnamudachyate

purnasya purnamadaya purnamevavashisyate

Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaanti!

The State...to be... Blissful

விருப்பம் தவிர்.

வெறுப்பு தவிர்.

Is it an oxymoron?

No.

Then what does

Maharshi point to?

The State -

The Awareness -

Where there is

Neither Pain,

Nor Pleasure.

Just ecstasy,

Bliss

Which defy

Any Expression.

Who can feel it?

Anyone -

Especially 

A Yoga enthusiast,

A Meditator

Would vouch it.

If anyone asks,

When should I try,

Answer is 

Right Now.

Should consistency 

Matter?

Try even for a

Fragment in time.

Then you would 

Find the Answer.

Oh!

You are already 

In the Grip -

The Bliss Grip!

சுக்ஷும Guru

Advaith.

Don't worry. 

Not about philosophy.

Advaith,

A child's name.

So named by his parents.

Curiosity bug bit.

What made the parents 

Baptize the child 

With 'Advaith'.

The word, 'Advaith'.

What a magic it's full of!

The non-duality.

Is there,

Ek hi hai -

Just only one 

And none else?!

Yes.

Only one.

All else is

Maayaa -

Illusionary.

Is Advaith taught?

Can a Guru imbibe you

With nitty gritty of

The tatva -

The philosophy,

Philosophy of Advaith.

The Guru is soul-stirrer

He kindles it in you.

Hence a சுக்ஷும Guru,

Gu - ru

गुरु 

Gu - அஞானா 

Ru - Remover of அஞானா agnaana.

It's you

Who

Experience,

Feel

And live

The tatva -

Tat Tvam Asi (तत् त्वम् असि) -

You are That.