Karthigai deepam

Deepavali is celebrated on an Amavasya day, whereas Karthigai deepam is celebrated on the Pournami (full moon) day of the Karthigai month (november-december). This usually falls just after Deepavali. In the Thirvannamalai Shiva temple, a very huge lamp is lit on the karthigia deepam day.

People light oil lamps (earthen lamps, Kuthuvilakku, pithallai akal etc). Down south it is a tradition to give new set of lamps for the newly married girl from mother’s house. Also similar to holi in North India, for karthigai deepam, sisters pray for brother’s welfare and brothers in turn give some gift to sisters.

And ofcourse none of the festival is complete without our home-made sweets. For Karthigai , Pori Undai and Appam are the important sweets.
Pori Undai is made from “Karthigai pori” and jaggery and made into balls.

I suddenly think what are names for these in English. Since I could not find much on the internet about these, I made my own definitions using my logic (similar to the counterparts corn flakes, pop corn etc):
Karthigai pori is puffed rice. This is crisp.
Normal white pori is popped from nellu (rice seed!). So it is nelpori. This is soft so difficult to make the sweet with jaggery.
And Aval is rice flakes.

You feel great when thinking about how all these festivals and celebrations have evolved. Imagine people have even thought of the health from ages before, because for each traditional festival, sweets and savouries are different and are good for health…!

To light your own decorated lamps visit Decorated Karthigai Akal

I love India!

Deepavali celebrations

Our family celebrated deepavali with new dresses, sweets and crackers. Till last year Abhi was scared of crackers. But this time he wanted to light sparklers and crackers. He enjoyed deepavali.

In addition to our normal celebrations, I wanted to do something more. I-volunteer,chennai members decided to visit the juvenile home at royapuram. Though it was bit far away from my residence, my family also decided to join me. We took lot of clothes,toys, shampoo sachets and sweets.

We could see the happiness in the children to see visitors bringing them sweets etc.

Small is beautiful - Our Golu

This is the first time I am keeping a full golu though a small one.

Abhi was very excited and interested to help me in arranging the Golu, park etc. Some of the Golu dolls which my mother-in-law gave are atleast 50-60 years old or may be more. It shows that to keep antiques, enjoy and encourage variety of art forms are part and parcel of our culture.

Also once in a while these festivals are good. All the nine days we systematically do the puja, be pure physically and mentally and do good to others.

Be happy and make others happy too!

Navarathri

Yet another "Navarathri" has come. And everyone around have become really busy doing pujas, lalitha sahasranamams, making chundals, visiting other houses for "Golu" .... The navami and dashami (9th and 10th day) is considered as auspisious for starting new ventures, professional prosperity, education prosperity, art & music etc . Navarathri and "Golu" is mainly in southern states of India. In some parts of India it is celebrated as "Dusserha".

"Golu" brings me lot of childhood memories.

Arranging the "Golu", the park, colour kolams etc were all real fun. Everyone at home join hands to make the "Golu" arrangement and decorate it.

Being a girl has lot of advantages during this festival. A small girl child (Kanni ponnu) is considered as "Goddess Kamakshi" and whatever is offered to small girls are beleived to be offering accepted by the goddess.

So girls are invited to "Golus" and are given lot of goodies (as children say these days) like new dress, bangles, bindhis etc along with the thamboolam. The thambolam consists of the betal leaf an aracanut, turmeric, kumkum, banana and a 1 rupee coin. We girls used to collect these coins for our piggy banks, making the boys at home jealous! Boys get usually their share of the chundal in the evenings!

Every mami used to compete to make different types of chundal and sweets and children used to compete to get the taste form as many houses as possible. But the current "Golu" trends have changed a lot.

Another important memory that comes to mind is the "Navarathri Katcheri" at the Saraswathi mandapam near Padmanabhaswami temple at Thiruvananthapuram. All the nine days, vetarans of music will sing at the mandapam. The royal family willbe there to listen. Public are also allowed. This tradition was started by Maharaja Swathithirunal.
Any music lover from Thiruvananthapuram cannot forget this event.

Some links of interest :

http://chennaionline.com/specials/navaratri04/navarathiri.asp
http://www.indiatastes.com/festivals/navarathri/durga.shtml
Navarathri festival at Thiruvananthapuram
http://www.swathithirunal.in/rlinsti/navarathrimand.htm

Sree Krishna Jayanthi

Sree Krishna Jayanthi is the festival to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna was born on the midnight of Ashtami day (8th day) on star Rohini. This festival is known by different names like Janmashtami, gokulashtami, ashtami rohini etc.

This is one festival which I love to celebrate because this festival is not meant for praying for one own wealth etc but symbolizes the happiness when Lord Krishna was born at Gokulam. People towards Kerala, pray Krishna in the form of Guruvayurappan.

I doubt whether anybody is there who is NOT fascinated by baby Krishna and his Leelas (childish pranks). Celebrating this festival gives a special joy to all mothers and ofcourse the children. It is a festival which accepts the pranks which children do.!

The celebration is done by putting kolams and “Krishnan kal”. (supposed to be baby krishna’s foot prints as he plays around the house). These are drawn with paste made from rice flour. I even put them in my kitchen tables imagining the stories of Kannan (pet name of Krishna) climbing up to steal butter.!

We make delicacies and snacks which are favuorites of Krishna. They include Unniappam, Aval, Pal payasam, Thattai, murukku, Cheedai etc and ofcourse his ever favourites milk and butter. Puja is done in the evening. The sweets and snacks are distributed to the children.

I have heard that in olden times, and even now in some villages and northern parts of India I suppose, games like Uri-adi etc are conducted remembering the games which Krishna played with his friends.

P.S: My mother and grandma used to make 7 or 9 items at home itself. Children loved to eat these home made through out the day. Recently, all items are available as a package (!) from many sweet shops at Chennai. Also the current trend is of the Lays chips and Kur-kure than these home made and quite healthy snacks.!

Onam Celebrations

Onam is the festival of Kerala. Celebrated in remeberance of the great ruler King Mahabali, shortened as "Maveli". People put flower arrangements known as "Atha poo" for the 10 days of celebration. Vallam Kali or boat race is very famous during this season. And ofcourse the Onasadya!

When non-keralites also joined for the "atha poo" arrangements in our apartments, it became a featival of national integration. Celebrating many festivals in the aprtment complexes bring people together.

Maveli nadu vanidum kalam, manusharellarum onnupole.....

The best Manager I have known …!!!

After facing the challenges of Project Leader or manager in a software industry, I have often thought about my paternal Grand Mother. She could have definitely become one of the best Project Managers of all the time!

I have tried to analyze her character which made me grade her as a manager. May be there are many more qualities with her which I had not understood in my childhood.

Utilization of Human resources!

She doesn’t allow anyone to idle away time, including the children. And when my aunties, cousins come for holidaying, she had the knack of making them also participate in the houldhold activities.

I wonder how efficiently she had managed “Delegation of work” and performed as a strict supervisor. But still she herself was a hard worker. I have heard relatives say that my grand mother can cook for 50 to 100 people single handedly.

Planning and Scheduling

She should have planed every work in her mind, for there was no planner, or planning softwares at that time! This considerably reduced the last minute tension, effort and cost. Not only planning, but keeping the schedule as per the plan was part of her.

During our summer holidays, we children used to guard the appalams, vadams that had been put to dry in the sun, from the crows & squirrels. Our other duties include helping her in watering the kitchen garden, keeping the backyard clean etc.

Budget

Another important aspect of any work executed (in Current terms – Project) is the budget.
In those times people had less money and many members in the joint family. So definitely, one should be good in planning the budget. Everyone was accountable for every paisa spent. There will not be any unnecessary expenditure.

Preparing pickles depending on the seasonal fruits and vegetables, planning travels ahead, purchasing of gifts for festivals, marriages, relatives etc

She will throw away anything only after 110% sure that it cannot be reused!

Good Values

Apart from all the strictness, she believed in good values, which naturally was instilled into all of us. Some of the values she held strongly are

Honesty
Love and Respect
Kindness
Hospitality

Though when I was a child, I used to get annoyed by my grand mothers strictness and we cousins used to tell that as our granny’s dictatorship. But now I can understand because of her leadership qualities only, our big family was able to grow prosperously. She had been the main support for many nuclear families that enjoy prosperity now. I give her a very big SALUTE from my heart!

My Visit to Maithri

July 6th – I cannot forget the day – when I met Mr.Sridhar of Maithri Trust. Irrespective of his odds and restrictions, he has been doing so much. I have great regards and respect for him.

I talked and discussed with him. I took a volunteering work that can be done from home, for the visually challenged students. To read out and record passages from the books given.

Seeing people who have struggled and come up successfully, opens a new perspective of Life before us. God has given me so much, definitely I have to do something utilizing whatever he has given. I have to help those who are in need. I leave his residence-cum-office with a new spark in my heart.

To know more about Maithri, visit
http://www.maithritrust.org/index.htm

Volunteering

When I was in my school-college days, I wanted to do some kind of social service. But I neither had the courage to do nor the circumstances allowed me.

Once I started to work, I used to contribute financially to some poor homes. And for the past few years have been contributing to Udavum Karangal. But deep within me I wanted to help in some other way also. Due to family restrictions I was never able to do so.
But now an opportunity is has come….

I must thank my indirect friend who introduced me to i-volunteer. Few months back i-volunteer Chennai group was formed. When going through the messages, I saw about volunteer need for “Maithri” towards helping visually challenged students. The work can be done at our home, in our leisure time. So immediately I got the alert and decided to give it a GO..! And hopefully, I will be able to take up more in future.

Click to join ivolunteerchennai

Home Maker?

When I tell that I am a Home maker, people raise their brows! And many have told me that I am out of senses to leave such a lucrative career.

If you ask me if the decision was worth; I will say YES A MILLION TIMES. I have the confidence that I can build it up all again, after sometime. But my son’s childhood is not going to wait; later I should not say that if only I had done that to him at the right time…!

But getting adjusted to the new way of life was bit difficult initially. Suddenly there was an emptiness created in my mind. I don’t have a hectic schedule to achieve, I don’t have a target, I don’t have to pull my hairs to solve the numerous software bugs! It is very depressing when you are not able to pursue your passion.

Another problem I found being at home is that, there are so many ways time can be wasted.

First & foremost is tendency to watch TV
Sleeping – afternoon nap
If on computer, never ending Browsing
Postponing the work

Then I decided that I should not waste away the few hours I get when Abhi goes to school. I started to develop my hobbies. Instead of scribbling my feelings and thoughts in books, I started to blog. I found there are many ways I can spent usefully, other than the above time wasters.

Fortunately I got few contract projects through known contacts that can be worked from home. That rejuvenated me and also opened a way for me to keep in touch with technology. Yes – a work-at-home MOM! I can do what I love as well as take care of my son! This is one good way to utilize ones own skills.

But in India this concept is still not popular and people hesitate to employ like that. But I am sure soon the scenario will change.

What was it being in the career?

Ummmm..Great !I have always enjoyed my work. My policy is "Whatever you do, do it with the passion". Take interest in the work, then definitely, it will be enjoyable. Then only, the work completed will have quality and perfection. Being in the software industry, I took quality to be part of my life.

I enjoyed meeting and talking to the various clients, mainly from outside India. I got many friends with whom I worked, who are all now in different places. Some of them become very close pals.

If one looks at the advantages of working :-

• The monthly paypacket makes woman think about financial independance (The catch is you have more money, but alas! less time to enjoy....)

• It definitely builds confidence in you


• You change into a matured person by the exposure in life


• There is no time to fuss about many things!


• Every human has a internal aspiration ,other than satisying his/her basic needs of food,clothing etc. Once the career is able to bring you closer to this, you get ultimate satisfaction.

But every coin has its other side too! especially so if you are a woman. Generally our society thinks that Man is the bread-winner and Woman is the home-maker.!

Many times I myself have felt the need for my presence at home. I feel by nature itself, a woman's mind is more tuned for care giving, nurturing etc. So if we dont satisfy our own feminine aspect, we will never get satisfied doing anything.

• Taking care of small children, children who need special attention, old/sick parents


• Due to the inherent feminine nature, woman still feel that home is her main responsibility. As long as this feeling is there deep inside, the stress builds up as we try to bring perfection to both home and career.

If the circumstances permits, definitely one should be in a career and do productive work. As for the reverse side, Care should be taken as not to spoil one's Physical and Mental health. So prioritize goals and plan accordingly. And always if situation demands, quitting from career does not stop anyone from taking alternate options, which gives you more personal time. World offers umpteen oppotunities, we only have to make the choice.

Career Woman or Homemaker

In my childhood and adolesence I used to argue that women should be in career (as men). I used to ask my mom why she left the job in those times (i think it must be around year 1965), when money was less and also it was difficult to get job easily. But now I can understand my mother better.

Leaving my profession was very difficult decision I had to take. But I decided that even if I quit, this is not the end. It is only a starting of a new chapter in my life.