A passionate teacher turned Digital Marketer.
Circa 1975. It was the month of July, and my Pankajam paati (maternal grandmother) was staying with us. We were excited as my beloved Chithi was due to arrive that afternoon. Little did I know then that a secret midnight feast awaited us! Paati gently woke us (we 3 sisters) up in the dead of night and beckoned us to quietly slip into the sacred Pooja room. She...
Morning walks are something to look forward to not just for fresh air, brisk movement and the feeling of wellbeing afterward but also to listen to some chosen interesting tidbit for the 40 min stroll at Thiru Vi Ka Park. Mostly I listen to the curated playlist on my Youtube app, or a multipart discourse by Sudha Seshaiyyan or an Audio story narrated by a leading...
Time is 6 pm. All tasks done for the day. Time to shut the laptop down. Hunger pangs have already begun. Been a long hard day with lots of brain work. Must reward myself with a nice dinner. Hmmm. What to cook? Aha! Rice upma in a vengala paanai. Hey you upma haters! You are missing something in life if you have not tasted this simple yet fulfilling dish. It’s...
It was after I learnt “Paal Ninainthootum Thaayinum Saala” Thiruvasagam when my yearning to visit Thiruperunthurai/Avudaiyar Koil started. The words, “Yaan Unnai Thodarndhu Chikkaena Pidithen” really touched a chord. I began my research about this temple and soon enough the wish materialized. We stayed at Pudukottai town at Hotel Saradha Grande, a decent place...
Chant the Kolaru Padhigam and have no worry about ill effects of planets The Kolaru Padhigam has recently been making headlines, along with the Sengol. It is widely known that the Sengol, or Sceptre, retrieved from the Allahabad museum, now holds a place of honor in the newly constructed Indian Parliament. Back in 1947, the Thiruvaduthurai Mutt saints entrusted the...
In tranquil waters, a father immersed, His soul sought solace, holy and pure. A three-year-old played on the sacred shore, Unaware of the path he was destined to explore. From the depths of devotion, a cry arose, The child yearned for his parents, who he supposed. To his aid, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi drew near, Embracing the child, allaying his fear. Goddess...
Have you zoomed past the picturesque East Coast Road (ECR) towards Pondicherry? Well, next time, I urge you to slow down just after Kalpakkam, right after crossing the Palar bridge, and turn right into Veppanchery. A few kilometers ahead lies a magnificent temple, nestled on an island in the middle of the Palar River. To reach it, you’ll cross a bridge that...
Would you believe that a 7-year-old girl, who was fatally bitten by a snake, miraculously came back to life after 5 years? This extraordinary incident isn’t just a legend; we have concrete proof that it took place right here in Chennai during the 7th century. Inscriptions exist that validate the occurrence of this remarkable miracle. Have you visited the...
It was dusk and darkness had begun to fall. We walked along with our guide along a narrow path from the Belur Math which we had just visited, to the bank of the river Hooghly. Our plan was to take a boat to the Dakshineshwar Kali temple. Dakshineshwar is a locality in the outskirts of Kolkata in the district of North 24 Parganas. I imagined a scenic ride sitting on a...
The Kalighat temple is one of the 51 Shakthi peedams, so the visit was definitely in our agenda. I asked Anirban, our English speaking guide whether it would be crowded as it might be very difficult for Amma to stand in a line for hours together. He said that it will be crowded and suggested we get the help of a Pundit and get our way in to avoid waiting for hours. I...