Kaveri Vantha Kathai - By Sridhar

An eMagazine for TDRites

--------------------------------------------

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: swami nathan <gsn1000@gmail.com>

காவிரி வந்த கவிதை

இறையனாருக்கும் உமையவளுக்கும் திருமணமாம் கயிலையிலே
இதனைகான குவிந்தனர்  முனிகள் கூட்டம் கயிலையிலே
புவிப்பாரம்  தாங்காமல் தாழ்ந்ததாம் வடக்கு உயர்ந்தாம் தெற்கு
இது கண்டு வியப்புற்று  உமையவள்தாம் ஈசனிடம் முறையிடவே 

வந்த முனிதனில்  குள்ளமான  கும்பமுனியினையழைத்த 
ஈசன்  கும்ப முனியே அனைவரும் வந்ததனால்  தாழ்ந்ததாம் 

வடக்கு உயர்ந்ததாம்  தெற்கு,  மேருவிற்கு போட்டியாக வளர்கிறதாம் 

விந்தியமும் எனநீ  தென்திசை நோக்கி செல்லென  ஈசனவன் ஆணையிட

 

வருந்திய அகத்தியனை வாவென்றனவழைத்து தமிழ்

செவ்விலக்கலக்கணதன்னை காதில் ஓதி  அதனுடன் கையிலொரு 

கமண்டலமும் தந்து  தென்திசை சென்று தீயனை அழித்து 

எம்மணத்தினை நீ இடைமருதிலே  காணென்ருரைத்தான்

சிவ தொண்டு, தமிழ் தொண்டு, உடற்தொண்டு என சாத்திரம்பல

படைத்து அழியா புகழ் பெறுவாய்  என ஆசி பல நன்கூறி அனுப்ப
 தென்னோக்கி புறப்பட்ட அகத்தியமுனி விந்தியத்தை என்னைவிட

குறைவாக எழ என வேண்ட வழிவிட்டதாம் விந்தியமும்

விதர்ப்ப மன்னன் வேண்டி வந்த சிசுவரமளித்த பின்னர்  

அந்லோபமுத்திரையுடன் மணமுடித்த கும்பமுனி
 விந்தியம் தாண்டி பஞ்ச கௌட பஞ்ச திராவிட என

பிராந்தியங்களை பத்தாய் பிரிக்க பத்து மொழி உருவானதாம் தென்னகத்தே

தான் கொணர்ந்த தமிழ் மொழிக்கி தென் பொதிகை மலைதனிலே

தனியிலக்கணம் உருவாக்க தவமிருந்த முனியினிடம்
தஞ்சமானன்   சோழ மன்னன் மருதராஜன்

உனக்கென்ன வரம் வேண்டும் என கேட்ட முனியினிடம் 

வந்த மன்னன் முனியினிடம் எனது நாடு வளமாக நீர் வேண்டும் எனகூற  
ஈதென்ன மாமன்னா இதில் கூட பொது நலமா என கேட்க

எனது நாட்டு மக்கட்கு ஈதென்ரி    வேறேது என மன்னன் கைகூப்பி நின்றபோது

வந்தது காக்கை உருண்டது கமண்டலம் திரண்டது காவேரி
 தனது நாடு வரவெண்ணி சோழ மன்னன் கைகூப்ப
தைபூச தினத்தென்று  காவிரியில் நீராட இடைமருது

வருவேன்னென மகிழ்ந்துரைத்த கும்பமுனி
 
சொன்னபடி தைப்பூச திங்கள்தனில் மன்னனுடன் இடவையிலே

காவிரியில் நீராடி மருதனையே வணங்கினானே வந்தமுனி

இடவையிலே இறையன்மண கோலம்தன்னை 

கண்டபின்னர் மகிழ்ந்தானே

 

ஸ்ரீதர்

Reminiscences - part 6

An eMagazine for TDRites

--------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:53:26 +0530
Subject: reminiscences - part 6
From: chandru.sharma@gmail.com

when you are writing or recollecting after more than 55 years the memories come to you in a kaleidoscopic form - all jumbled up and with so many flashing colors. sometimes you tend to mix up dates or names but the events, in isolation, remain correct. the events also get, like the accordion box, jackknived into tiny parts. but it is fun to dig up memories of those days.

 

our school had two parts, to the best of my memory - primary and secondary. 5th,6th and 7th were located in one corner. i really dont remember anything about the senior side. did they even exist at all for us? our part of the school had a tin roof, may be couple of windows, may even have had two or three dingy fans, walking all  the way from mahadana street thru the temple, mandatory தோப்புகரணம் to pillaiar, run thru the rest of the temple and to school. everything else was a blur.the most important events were the lunch bell and the evening bell. return back the same route. khaki shorts and white shirts was the uniform. pens and ball pens had not yet come in. we carried ink pots and nibs. my shirt, as most of my friends', always had blue spots on their pockets.the invention of the pot bellied nibs which could hold ink enabling us to write upto 1/2 a page continuously was, at that time, the greatest invention. saved us lot of trouble. and it was silver color instead of the moronic copper color of the single nib. we got this in 6th. by the end of the 6th we graduated to the earliest form of fountain pens- we had to pump ink and put it inside. and loss of pens became a common feature. of course, causing more trouble at home. i had the gall to pinch my tata's parker pen and promptly loose it with predictable consequences. but i had been, for at least a day, an hero in my class porting a parker.

mornings used to be spent in our huge gardens. i never counted the number of tamarind or mango trees or coconut trees we had. or the number of banana trees. as i learnt first hand the use of these trees i could, in later years, always write very good essays on their uses. every time we had plucking of these fruits we had a gala time. coconut plucking to us also meant going to the oil mill and coconut water and coconut cakes. and within our garden was a mini flower garden with so many varieties of flowers and so many colours. so bright and blooming. we had also 7/8 wells. often in the evenings tata and his man friday umaiyan used to draw water from these wells using a crude contraption( do we call it ஏரி?)  and me and ramu had to run fast to direct the water thru various canals and sub canals to the the different plants. we also had number of bamboo and palm trees.

evenings were also spent washing our cows. drawing water from the well, pouring over the cows, slowly brushing them and cleaning them and also the calves. i think we got more water on ourselves than on the calves! and feeding the cows. when it came to milking the cows initially the calf used to be allowed to drink some milk and forcibly dragged from its mother.i had more objection to this than the calf itself. i mean this was so unfair. and some time the cow was taken for breeding. again something mysterious to us. and so many cows changed in our family and we had to get familiar with each of them.
just before naga's marriage i had taken a cow for grazing in the morning. when it was time for it to come back by 12 or so it was not to be found. so a cow hunt started. ramu,myself and tata searched the whole of tdr gradually enlarging our circle of search. hunger pangs were eating our entrails. where did the darn cow disappear? here the ladyfolk were not at all amused. whenever one of us reported back home with a negative report some choice words and admonitions to have lunch first. ramu and me did not dare. 3 p.m. came and went. 4 p.m. at the end a kindred sole whispered to me 'பையா பவுண்ட்லே பாத்தியா?' so i ran to the local pound and found our cow there serenely grazing on some grass. fine rs 1/- to get it released. now to me it felt that someone who had a 'khunnas' (mal intention) against tata had brought and left the cow there. but i dared not tell him that. but how do i tell him that there is a fine? i thought it better to leave the cow there itself and forget about it. finally mustering courage i told my patti and scampered from the house. i believe he paid the fine but only after the pound in-charge got a mouthful from him. but i saw the cow in our shed that night. we did get our lunch by 5 p.m.

a compulsory duty for me and ramu was visiting the post office twice a day for collecting tata's mail. a business man - he was trading in blue bird brand tea - and coffee seeds, he used to get plenty of letters. i have seen letters in roman hindi - hindi written in english. and when the bulk supply of tea leaves or coffee seeds came we had to dry them. they used to be spread all over the house. i loved the tea leaves but never the stink ( sorry aroma for each one of you!) of coffee. ( i have not drunk coffee in over 50 years.) ( by the way too much of mango eating at that age had also given me an allergy to mango!)  these had to be packed in smaller packs and then sent to various places. we were totally blank about the financial aspects or what tata was worried about some time.

when my elder uncle - ramu's father -  would visit tdr i also had my first glimpse of yoga. he would stand on his stand head every morning for 20 mins or so. he was also passionate about lotus ( i think that is what the name was) lottery. he had to complete a cross word and write a one line caption or something like that. so he would break his head for hours and complete it and at the cost of rs 1/2 every week he would send it in by post. the weekly result would , invariably, find him disappointed. once, however, he won a prize of rs 1/2 and , man, you should have seen his joy. we got sweets that day. not a very healthy return at all in terms of financial investment , i suppose, but in terms of his winning something finally that was a great success. 

our home was also a mini zoo. monkeys,snakes,frogs in the well, toads, crows,parrots and many other birds, scorpions and numerous insects. when some city slicker visited our home it was fun explaining the nuances of what harm all these could do to him/her. see that person be generally always on tenterhooks. by the second year even i had become a resident expert. seeing some of my aunts taking the cows out in the garden was really different. how awkward they would be. how the cows would drag them round.  finally somewhere i was better. i could also draw water from the wells with ease. score - chandru 2 aunts 0.

i would say that till end of 1953 most of the gardens in tdr were similar to what i have described. every house had prominent gardens, prosperous and bountiful. and then disaster struck.  

end of 1953 was one of the most severe cyclones tamilnadu ever had had and tdr was no exception. 3 days of severe cyclone devastated our small little town. this is the cyclone in which danushkodi vanished. today, after almost 60 years, i can still remember vividly the awful sound of wind and the lashing rain and the utter ravage i saw afterwards. during the cyclone itself it was fun. despite dire warnings from tata and patti and papa mami we two were running  to and fro front and back, peeping at everything available. and when the elders were not looking i ventured out of the front door. and in front of me, far away, may be near chatram, lightning struck a street lamp. with a crackle and flow of bright candescent light there was a surge from there till way beyond even the canal in a matter of seconds and i saw in that light street lamp poles bent into 'S' shapes or other odd shapes. stunned i ran in shaking. next night at the back myself and ramu ventured out, opened the garden door. evening 6 i think. pitch dark. no electricity of course. and then in front of us another bolt of lightning - this time it struck a coconut tree. the tall tree was cut into two pieces in a second and before we knew the base part of about 10 feet was charred. we could see the embers and the smoke raising just a few feet away.  ( after wards we saw that the ground surrounding the tree within a radius of 10' had also been charred and no plant could ever come up in that place even after we removed the stump of the burnt coconut tree.) we were so scared that our quaking body had to be held by pappa mami . the caning, this time, was well justified, even we knew that we had crossed the limit for if anything had happened to us tata would have been responsible. we stayed strictly indoors for the remaining time.

to be continued..................

luv

chandru

--

Idavai Raman

An eMagazine for TDRites

--------------------------------------------

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Narayan Ramaswamy <nrs1_rttc@yahoo.com>

பூஞ்சோலை சூழ் வளர் தஞ்சை மத்தியில் காவிரி பாயுறை சீர்மிகு மருதூர்தனில் இடைமருதீசன் உடனுறை சுந்தரி அருளால் மடைதிறந்த வெள்ளமென இங்கு மாணாக்கர்காள்!   தாயின் மடியில் தவழும் சேயாகி பின் பாலகனாய் பயின்ற பொழுதில் அகக்கண் திறந்த ஆசான் ஆசிகள் வேண்டி நீவிர் இங்கு ஆசான் அனைவரையும் கூட்டி மகிழ்கின்றீர் பள்ளி முடித்து நீவிர் விரும்பின பெற்றுய்ய காலத்தை திட்டமிட்டு செவ்வனே செயல்பட்டு கவின்மிகுகலைகள் பல்கலையில் கற்றுணர்ந்து நவினுறு வாழ்வில் நயம்பட உரைக்கும் ஆற்றல்பெற்று இணைந்து செயல்பட்டு எதிலும் வெற்றி கண்டீர்!  தோல்வியை கண்டு துவளா நெஞ்சம் பெற்று மாற்று வழியில் முயன்று வெற்றி பெற்ற நீவிர்-வாழ்வில் கற்ற இவ்வடிப்படை விஷயமே விளையாட்டிலன்றோ?-அதனை இன்றைய மாணவர்க்கு உணர்த்தவே இங்கு இவ்விளையாட்டோ? ஆண்டுகள் பல ஆனாலும் நம் மனதில் பள்ளியில் வாண்டுகளாய் கூடி விளையாடிய பொழுதில்  தலையில் குட்டு வைத்து திருத்திய ஆசான்முன் பணிவுடன் - மனதில் பட்ட சொற்கோவையிதனை  குருபதமலராய் சூட்டுகிறோம்! ஆசான் அவர்தம் சுற்றமும் நட்பும் மன-உடல் நலம் சிறக்க பெற்று மன்பதையில் பல்லாண்டு வாழ்ந்து பலரையும் வாழ்விக்க இடைமருதூர்உறை உமையொருபாகன் அருளட்டும்! இமைபொழுதும் நீங்காதான் நமையெலாம் காக்கட்டும்! நாடாளும் வேந்தர் முதல் - ஒபாமா முதல் காடாளும் அரசன் வரை - ஒசாமா வரை அனைவரும் நலமே பெருக!வளமுடன் வாழ்க!!- அனைவர்தம் சிந்தையுள் அன்பே கடவுள் என ஒளிரச்செய்வோம்!! வாழ்க TOSA !   வளர்க TOSA !!  காத்தருள்  மருதீசா!!!                                                                            - நா.ராமசுவாமி                                                                             9445008033.

Anbudan Aparna

An eMagazine for TDRites

--------------------------------------------

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: aparna iyer <iamaparna.gutzygal@gmail.com>
Date: 2011/6/9

ஒ ஆணினமே  !

பெண்கள் உதட்டுக்கு சாயம் 

பூசுவதால் -நீ !

மனதுக்கு பூசிகொண்டாயோ ??.

வாழ்கை பட்டு வரும் போது

வசந்தங்களை மட்டுமே 

வர வேற்று ஏமாறுவது -என்றென்றும் 

வஞ்சியின் மென் மனமே ...

பெண்ணின் கண்ணீர் துளி 

ஆணின் இதயத்தை என்றுமே 

ஈரபடுத்த வில்லை - பின் அவள் 

சிந்தும் ரத்த துளியா அவன் 

கண்ணின் நீர் தேடுவது ...

ஒ ! ஆணினமே 

ஓடும்  நீர் நிலையின் கல்லும் 

நாளடைவில் உருமாறி மெதுவாகும்

ஆனால் 

நீ மட்டும் ஏன் 

ஆண்டாண்டு காலமாக 

ஆண் ஆதிக்கத்தை மறக்க மறுக்கிறாய் ???

ஒரு வேண்டுகோள் 

உன்னை நேசிப்பவளை -உன் 

அன்பை யாசிபபவளை -நீ 

பூசிக்கா விடினும் நேசக்கரம் நீட்டு 

தோஷம் இல்லை 

மாசற்ற காதலை -உன்

மனைவிக்கு காட்டு

நாச நினைவுகள் நாடது உன்னை....

அன்புடன் அபர்ணா 

Anbudan Aparna

An eMagazine for TDRites

--------------------------------------------

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: aparna iyer <iamaparna.gutzygal@gmail.com>
Date: 2011/6/9

ஒ ஆணினமே  !

பெண்கள் உதட்டுக்கு சாயம் 

பூசுவதால் -நீ !

மனதுக்கு பூசிகொண்டாயோ ??.

வாழ்கை பட்டு வரும் போது

வசந்தங்களை மட்டுமே 

வர வேற்று ஏமாறுவது -என்றென்றும் 

வஞ்சியின் மென் மனமே ...

பெண்ணின் கண்ணீர் துளி 

ஆணின் இதயத்தை என்றுமே 

ஈரபடுத்த வில்லை - பின் அவள் 

சிந்தும் ரத்த துளியா அவன் 

கண்ணின் நீர் தேடுவது ...

ஒ ! ஆணினமே 

ஓடும்  நீர் நிலையின் கல்லும் 

நாளடைவில் உருமாறி மெதுவாகும்

ஆனால் 

நீ மட்டும் ஏன் 

ஆண்டாண்டு காலமாக 

ஆண் ஆதிக்கத்தை மறக்க மறுக்கிறாய் ???

ஒரு வேண்டுகோள் 

உன்னை நேசிப்பவளை -உன் 

அன்பை யாசிபபவளை -நீ 

பூசிக்கா விடினும் நேசக்கரம் நீட்டு 

தோஷம் இல்லை 

மாசற்ற காதலை -உன்

மனைவிக்கு காட்டு

நாச நினைவுகள் நாடது உன்னை....

அன்புடன் அபர்ணா 

FEMINISM……!!!? By Sindhuja.S.Iyer

An eMagazine for TDRites

--------------------------------------------

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sindhuja Iyer <iyersindhuja@ymail.com>
Date: Wed, Jun 8, 2011 at 8:27 PM

FEMINISM……!!!?

     The feministic movement which started of to help women to come out of their shells and express their views and match their male counter parts has now transformed into an institution busy asking for alms of reservations.  Rather than competing as equals the so called ‘feminists’ are busy blaming the society that fails to give’ women equal rights’.

The irony is that they fail to realize that rights or freedom is no commodity to be given or taken.  Freedom that is gained by obtaining reservations is equal to getting the right to do something as alms, and no person receiving alms is ever considered equal to the one giving it.

So, I just wonder what these feminists are out to prove by bragging about women liberation from the societal norms.  They fail to realize that freedom doesn’t refer to breaking open the cage of culture been built around us and nurtured for years.  It is rather the ability to make up a fort around us and strengthen and retain opposition. 

True liberation can only occur when we liberate our souls from the imagined slavery, and submission which doesn’t occur anywhere beyond the power packed speeches of the feminists. It would be better if people stop complaining about, who has been dominating whom, and get to reality and realize that only hard work and true determination can take us places and not day dreaming and reservations….

SINDHUJA .S. IYER

 

Mothers Day-By Muthukumar

An eMagazine for TDRites

--------------------------------------------

--------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Muthu kumar <muthukumar9958@gmail.com>
Date: 2011/5/6

அம்மா .....

அன்னையருக்கு  விழா  எடுக்க  வருடத்தில்  ஒரு  நாள்  போதுமா..ATM --Any  Time  Mother ..
யாரிடம்  பட்ட  கடனையும்  அடைத்து விடலாம்...அம்மாவுக்கு..?  அன்பு  தந்து, அரவணைத்து,
சோரூற்றி,  தலை  துவட்டி, ஆடை  மாற்றி,  ஆய்  அலம்பி, பொட்டு வைத்து, திருஷ்ட்டி
கழித்து, தூக்கி  விளையாடி,  உச்சி முகர்ந்து, நிலா  காட்டி,  நடக்க  வைத்து, கண் கலங்கி,
கட்டிப் பிடித்து, மருந்து  கொடுத்து, தலை தடவி,  கண் துஞ்சாமல்  மடியில்  வைத்து, உறவு
சொல்லி,  பாட்டுப் பாடி, பெரியவனாக்கி,  தலை நிமிர்ந்து, வேகம்  கண்டு  ஓரம் நின்று
ஏதும்  அறியாதவளாய் ..இறைவா  என்  குழந்தையைக்  காப்பாற்று  என்று மௌனமாய்
இறைஞ்சும் ...மிக  உயர்ந்த  ஜீவன்  அம்மா ....அம்மாவை  வணங்குவோம்.

ஆதி சங்கரரின்  மாத்ருகா  பஞ்சகம்.......இந்நாளில்  படியுங்கள்.

கருத்தரித்த  நாள்  முதலாய்  உள்ளிருந்து கணந்தோறும்  காத்தருள்  சுரந்து  சுரந்து ...
உருவெடுக்கும்  என்னுயிரால் ருசியிழந்து  உணவு குன்றி மசக்கை எழ  மெலிந்து  மெலிந்து...
வருத்துகிற  கவலை எழும் வேளைதனில்  வளர்கின்ற பிள்ளைச் சுமை சுமந்து சுமந்து...
பெருத்தவலி சூழ்ந்துற்ற  காலைதனில் பிரசவத்தின் சூல்வலிக்கு இறங்கி  இறங்கி...

திருத்தமொடு பூமிதனில் தவழவிட்டு  சிம்மாசன  மடியேற்றி மகிழ்ந்து மகிழ்ந்து...
பொறுத்து எனை, மலமூத்திரம் கழிந்த காலை, புன்னகையே பூத்து முகம் மலர்ந்து மலர்ந்து...
கருத்தொரு  நலன்கோடி தந்தனை அம்மா!  கடன் சுமை என்னிடத்தே மிகுந்து மிகுந்து...
உறுத்துகின்ற  பான்மை தீரப் பதிலெதுவோ..ஒன்றினுக்கு ஒன்றேனும் உவந்து உவந்து...

பொருத்தமொரு தீர்த்திட  முடிந்திடுமோ  பொற்பாத மலரடிகள்  நினைந்து நினைந்து...
உருக்கமோடு  திருவடிகள் தொழுவதல்லால் ஒன்றறியேன்  அன்னையே ..!
பணிந்து  பணிந்து   வணங்குகிறேன்.
*****     *****     *****     *****     *****

முத்துக்குமார் 

Electricity Connection to TDR…..How it came?

An eMagazine for TDRites

--------------------------------------------

From Sridhar’s cup board

Electricity Connection to TDR…..How it came?

 Power….Power…..Power…..Constructive generation from Power is none other than Electricity,. Recently, during Sangamam IV, we witnessed Power Cut at TDR. I also had discussions with some elders at that time and this gave me a spark to write about the story of “When and how Electricity came to TDR. Let us go into it. This is the right time to rekindle the past facts told by our elders in the Thinnai talks.

Electricity was first generated through Hydro power for a capacity of around 1.3 mega watts. in Sivasamudharam falls, a proud possession of our river Cauvery to transmit and for the use in Kolar Gold Field by the British to dig the mine to transport the Gold ore by a conveyor belt, to  purify the gold…..finally to make the gold bar for commercial distribution / sale.  Thus, the success story started.

In the year 1925, Stanley, the then Governor evinced interest to construct a dam across the river Cauvery. That is our Mettur Dam named as Stanley reservoir. Yes………Mettur Dam was planned to exploit the rich delta area of Trichy and Thanjavur district….our proud homeland. As per the plans, the Dam was completed in the year 1929  and electricity was also generated about 31 mega watt. However, the consumption level was not that much high at that time. (When we got independence, we were 40 crore and today,….we are 120 crore plus. Rapid industrialization, a felt need also increased the Power requirement, these days).

Therefore, the Governor Stanley ordered for supply of electricity to all Municipal Corporations, bigger towns and also ordered for supply of  electricity to villages, Municipal administrations that are required to pass one resolution for the requirement with a minimum of five household and to undertake the distribution of electricity within its limits on its own including bearing maintenance expenses.

In those days….there was no many Government Departments to take care of the day-today administration. All the activities are undertaken either by Revenue Administration & Law Department with the help of police or through Local Administration Department apart from the Railways and Postal. The local administration department revenue was predominantly through local property tax, land revenue and registration revenue.  There won’t be any contest for the post of President of Panchayats (including TDR), invariably in the pre-independence era.

In the late 1920s, Shri Kumarasamy Pandaram was the President of TDR Panchayat, father of Palani Pandaram, grocery merchant as known to us. He had his shop opposite to present Central Stores of Mahadana Street and elder TDR ites can recollect the name “ Pandaram Maligai kadai “. President Kumarasamy Pandaram was illiterate and also a conservative. The education level of the majority of the members was also not at the required level. Nevertheless, due to the stature, what ever Kumarasamy Pandaram says, everybody will accept and support him in the Panchayat Board. That was the condition at that time in TDR.

At that time, a letter from the Collector came to TDR Panchayat….stating that electricity connection can be extended to TDR, provided at least five households in the Panchayat opting to utilize the facility, with a pre-condition that Panchayat will undertake the maintenance. The letter was read by a Government translator at the Panchayat Board meeting. Kumarasamy Pandaraman, citing the financial condition of the Panchayat together with comment “If electricity comes,…the character of our womenfolk will undergo change”…..... Hence, we don’t require electricity supply to our village. It was unanimously supported by all the members and the translator was asked to prepare the resolution accordingly.

Manja Iyer, was then the Deputy Accountant General of Government of India in Patna. Subsequently, he retired as Chief Accountant General of Rangoon. After his retirement he settled at Pachayappa Mudali Street in TDR. At that time, his monthly pension was Rs.3000/- and was a notable popular person, not only in and around TDR but also in the entire Tanjoore District. He was honoured by British Government with the coveted title “ Rao Bahadur “. He had enough clout in Government circles due to his education, knowledge and the post he held earlier. His services were also a telling tale to the clout he enjoyed. Once, the District collector came to TDR and met Manja Iyer and informed about the resolution of TDR Panchayat about the electricity connection issue. Manja Iyer called and told the Dy.Thasildar, not to attest the translated version of the resolution for some time and asked the translator to come and meet him.

Thereafter, he organized four people with application for electricity connection. One for his house, another for Mandapam Rajam Iyer (Thadi Raman’s grand father), Calcutta Srinivasa Iyer, and from Krishnamurthy Iyer (Pattabi’s father). He then called on the Maha Sannidhanam of Thiruvavaduthurai Aaadheenam (Laksha Tahmbiran) and apprised about getting electricity supply to TDR and also expressed willingness to get the electricity connection first to Mahalinga Swamy Temple before getting connection to his house. The Aadhheenan readily agreed and applied for electricity connection.

Thereafter, he informed the Deputy Thasildar of TDR to send the Translator and asked him to read the resolution passed by TDR Panchayat.

“ Resolved by the Panchayat that TDR Panchayat do not require Electricity supply to TDR “

He modified as under.

“ Resolved unanimously by the Panchayat that TDR Panchayat require Electricity supply to TDR and the Panchayat undertake to maintain the relative facility as per the requirement “

He told the Translator to get the Left Thumb impression of Kumarasamy Pandaram without informing the correction made by him. Translator went to the house of Kumarasamy Pandaram informing that Manja Iyer had fine-tuned the resolution using his English knowledge. Pandaram also immediately affixed his left thumb impression saying within himself….“AYYA ELLAM SARIYAA THAAN EZUTHA SOLLIRUPPANGA”.

Manja Iyer also called the Contractor Ramachandra Iyer (Crompton Parkinson Contractor and also father of our beloved ICE PATTI of Mahadana Street),….  not to disclose about the electricity connection to anybody in TDR for the time being.  Two months later, one fine morning….a truck load of electricity materials from SMT Transport Bus (Coal based Driven Bus) came to TDR and it was unloaded in front of the house of Kumarasamy Pandaram in North Street.

When Pandaram woke up and saw the materials, he sensed the issue and immediately asked his house maid to bring the translator. When translator came before Pandaram, Pandaram started shouting at him. In turn he told to Pandaram  “I did nothing and what ever Manja Iyer gave in the paper, I got your left thumb impression……that’s all. Then Pandaram went to the house of Contractor Ramachandra Iyer and shouted at him stating that when Panchayat passed a resolution against getting electricity connection……..you are acting against that…. What is this Iyer?. Ramachandra Iyer politely and diplomatically told Pandaram “ You go and meet  Manja Iyer “.Then Pandaram met Manja Iyer at his house and told that

“ Sami current veandaannu Panchayathula ……………………..

In turn Manja Iyer told Pandaram….Mr. Pandaram Aiya,….I know, whether electricity is required or not for TDR. I will take care,….You can go and look after Viyaaparam.  Then Manja Iyer and Maha Sannidhanam arranged electrification of our Temple around Aanda Vinayakar Prakaram with the jar type Glasses around the Prakaram.

That year, Tiruvaathirai was celebrated with glowing electrified shades at TDR in the Natarajar Sannadhi. Even today, one can see the old type of wirings in the sannadhi of Natarajar. Then all the houses who applied for electricity connection including Manja Iyer got electrified. This is the story of arrival of electricity connection to Namadhu Thalainagaram. This was told me by our beloved teacher Late Viswanathan Sir..!!!

Meendum Sandhippom…..

 

G.Sridhar

Budding Journalist

An eMagazine for TDRites

--------------------------------------------

Hi Team

Sindhuja is daughter of 'Anbudan Aparna'  of TDR and she is doing her Journalism at Hyderabad. During her second year she took initiative and got appointment with Sri Chandrababu Naidu and did an interview.for her one of paper Print media.

Let us all join hands and bless her for her Journey...

Regards

TDR Times

On Thu, Jun 2, 2011 at 11:22 AM, Sindhuja Iyer <iyersindhuja@ymail.com> wrote:

  

As I settle down to pen my emotions,   I am challenged by the flow of my thoughts as to what I am supposed to write….should I write something that interests me or something that would interest you(the reader)…then I let my mind wander about the group and decide to put in words my childhood experiences…

But the I realize that I belong to a generation which has been chained by the pressures of academic excellence…we are taught to see our neighbours as arch enemies in a battle of marks and grades rather then as friends with whom we play….

Our generation talks to computers and plays with x box….as the pleasure of childhood is gone with the golden age when kids had races with their tiffen boxes floating in the river behind the school or cycled in the school playground….i turn green as I join the time travel led by ramji uncle and sridhar uncle who take us through the exortic world of their childhood every week and fill the hearts with joy and a tear drop in every eye….

As I have still not made up my mind as to what I am supposed to write I am posting an interview which I’d done during my second year in college…hope it doesn’t bore you guys….

YOUNGISTHAN TIMES

CHIEF EDITOR:

SINDHUJA IYER

AN ASTONISHING EXPERIENCE

The NTR BAVAN was buzzing with activity as our correspondent tries to catch up with the opposition party leader about the recent floods in the state and his political career during his busy schedule. Excerpts from the interview…

Credited with developing Hyderabad as the techno hub the president of TDP MR. N. CHANDRABABU talks to about ‘what next’ for the states progress as an opposition leader….

Ø  Initially you were an MLA of CONGRESS now you’re the party president of the TDP. How do you feel about this transformation and how was your journey?

Nothing comes bout easily…and even I had my ups and downs…and talking about the transformation , it was not a transformation of my loyalties from one party to another…it’s the conflicting ideals f the party which I could not appose by being a part of it which led me towards choosing something more close to my heart…. And when you’re in politics to serve people then being with the ruling party or being the opposition doesn’t matter….

 

Ø  You were on a tour to the flood affected areas .what do you think about the relief operations being taken up by the government?

When ever a natural calamity occurs like this there are three things to be done immediately like rescue, relief and rehabilitation. Rescue is saving of all the people, animals etc…relief is providing food, drinking water, clothes, utensils, etc…to the people…finally comes the process of rehabilitating the people by giving them medicines and helping them rebuild their homes etc…as far as the government’s activities are concerned the rehabilitation process is very slow. The slit is not being removed properly which increases the risk of infections, epidemics etc….

Ø  Can you say something abut the activities that are being taken up by your party, for the flood victims…?

The NTR memorial trust is being actively involved in serving people in all fields…we are now focusing on the relief activity by providing them with all the basic needs for their day-to-day life when they are battling for food. Our doctors along with the mobile clinics have camped in the flood regions. Even now a few vehicles are leaving today with many volunteers from the state and I would join them this evening….

Ø  What do you think about corruption in India? Do you think there is a solution to this problem?

Corruption is like an epidemic which has no definite origin but effect everybody. If you speak of corruption, general opinion is that only the people with some powers are involved. But each and every person opts to corruption in some part of their life. It is like the global warming and does not have a fixed solution and whatever is our opinion about it we just cant ignore it….

Ø  Before we windup what’s your message to students like me?

Study well and achieve your dreams….it is necessary that youngsters get themselves involved actively in community service...which does not mean that all should opt for joining some NGO’S its just that everybody should consider it as their responsibility to give back something to the society…and you can also get involved in politics but only if your motive is service and not power….

As told to our correspondent

SINDHUJA.S.IYER