Post 101- Looking Back with Gratitude

WordPress tells me this is my 101st post. Wow! The day I started blogging, way back in November 2006, I never dreamed I would get this far. It all began far, far away in a land called Rediffiland. The Ilanders were a motley crowd of wonderful people. Some of the best blogger friends I made were early dwellers of this mystic place. We all came together, supporting, motivating and being there for each other as we learnt the ropes of blogging. Somewhere along the way, the place unravelled and most of us migrated to WordPress or Blogger. But the friendships that sprouted there haven’t faded away. They merely spilled over to Facebook and continue to thrive.  

Somebody’s Child

Somebody’s child

Driven out by

Somebody’s will

Kept out of

Somebody’s land

Understanding Shiva

The title is rather overambitious I know… I should make that ‘Trying to Understand Shiva’ because this is just a humble effort to comprehend a small drop in the mighty ocean that is Shiva. Even that, I do realize, is a foolhardy endeavor beyond even the Gods, as the legend of Brahma and Vishnu who went in search of the crown and root of the towering pillar of flame that was the manifestation of the mighty Mahadeva, bears testimony. However, I am sure that the Supreme Lord who is both quick to anger as Bhairava and swift to calm down as Ashutosh will bless this small effort by someone who has long been enraptured by His magnificence.

Amme Narayana! On the Amazing Attukal Pongala

The neatly woven baskets are out there, so are the smooth red earthen pots. Stacks of firewood tied up in neat bundles have arrived and so have the bricks to build makeshift hearths. Flowers have been wound into beautiful garlands, ready to adorn the Mother. The crowds have slowly started trickling in from near and far. The ones who can, have already booked their spots with friends and family and others are camping overnight to save theirs. Everywhere in the city, in the very air, there is a palpable sense of excitement especially among the womenfolk, as they gear up for the most massive event that Ananthapuri bears witness to … Attukal Pongala.

Tava Virahe Keshava… Happy Birthday Krishna, Eternal Lover

This was originally published in www.yentha.com on Janmashtami, a few years ago, when I was doing a weekly column named Kochuvarthamanam for them. This article was the one for which I received the nastiest comments. Turns out this was also the column I had the maximum support for.

The Ten Days of Onam

There is a popular Christmas song here that goes thus:

“On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me

A partridge in a pear tree.”

And it goes on till the twelfth day, tallying the various gifts sent by one’s true love.  When I heard this song last Christmas, it suggested to me an excellent way to teach my kids about Onam and the various traditions associated with this festival close to the Mallu’s heart. Being far away from the land of Onam, we NRIs need to resort to such gimmicks to pass on our traditions to the next gen. So here’s my attempt at the Onam version of

The Twelve Days of Christmas:

When Faith becomes the Scapegoat

The pilgrimage to Sabarimala is by no means a fun trip. To most people, it is a very serious affair involving great piety. It is a spiritual journey that puts to the test both your physical endurance and willpower.