Adam Gilchrist of Deccan Chargers has been named as the Golden Player of IPL 2009. Really, the play he exhibited in
the IPL Semi Final 1 against the Delhi Daredevils need a good amount of appreciation. Delhi's prime bowler,
Dirk Nannes was almost washed out by Gilly. Gibbs faced the first ball and hit that on the leg side and ran his first run.
But that was declared as a leg bye. The remaining 5 balls of the first over, that was the start of Gilchrist show. He
smashed all 5 balls to the fence, scoring 20 runs off 5 balls. That gave a comfortable start to the chargers.
That was Ashish Nehra, who broke this partnership in his over, by bowling Gibbs out for a duck. Anyway that didn't affect
Gichrist's spirit. He continued to rock. He scored the quickest IPL 50 in just 17 balls. Every ball that he faced went straight
to the boundary. He scored 70 runs (5 sixes and 10 fours altogether) out of boundaries. He faced 35 balls but scored 85 runs.
This was the match that I enjoyed the most. I was expecting to see such an innings from a batsman for a long time. Nothing
could have stopped Gilchrist if there was not a strategic timeout that cut down his flow. Anyhow he almost
finished the match with in 10 overs.
Matthew Hayden of Chennai Super Kings got the orange cap (highest run scorer) and RP Singh of Deccan Chargers got the
purple cap (highest wicket taker). Rohit Sharma (Deccan Chargers) has been named as the best under 23 player of the League.
Anil Kumble (Royal Challengers Bangalore) was declared the man of the match of IPL 2 final for his wonderful figures 4-0-16-4
(Read as Overs - Maidens - Runs - Wicket). Kings XI Punjab got the fair play award.
That was a wonderful experience in watching IPL 2. Expecting more interesting games in the upcoming T20 World Cup that is to be
held at England.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Mother's Day
This year (2009) Mother's day is on May 10. Usually 2nd sunday in the month of May is celebrated as Mother's day. Staunch Indian People may comment that this kind of celebrations is an impact of westernization. According to me there is nothing like that. Mother has given birth to us. She has been our teacher in our initial stages. She has taught us to walk, to run, to speak and what not! So when there is an occasion to thank her, do it. Do not miss it.
Again don't mistake me that I am restraining the love to a single day. We can and we must thank her for ever. For people who have failed to do that, let this be a start.
Our spiritual books have mentioned, that an Indian child encounters 5 mothers in its lifetime.
1. DEha mAthA - One who has given birth to us
2. bhoo mAthA - The mother Earth who sustains us
3. gO mAthA - The mother cow who has been nourishing us all these days
4. vEda mAthA - The mother of all vEdAs which has picked us an identity among rest of the world.
5. dEsa mAthA - Our motherland where we have been living so far.
So every one should take care of these mAthAs and they will in turn take care of us.
There is a shlOkA in our ancient texts:
gAyatrI tulasI gangAm kAmadhEnum arundhatheem |
pancha mAthu smarEn nityam mahA pAtaka nAsanam ||
This means, remembering the 5 mAthAs - gAyatri, tulasi, gangA, kAmadhenu, arundhathee daily will slay all our sins.
Thus is the greatness of a mother.
Again don't mistake me that I am restraining the love to a single day. We can and we must thank her for ever. For people who have failed to do that, let this be a start.
Our spiritual books have mentioned, that an Indian child encounters 5 mothers in its lifetime.
1. DEha mAthA - One who has given birth to us
2. bhoo mAthA - The mother Earth who sustains us
3. gO mAthA - The mother cow who has been nourishing us all these days
4. vEda mAthA - The mother of all vEdAs which has picked us an identity among rest of the world.
5. dEsa mAthA - Our motherland where we have been living so far.
So every one should take care of these mAthAs and they will in turn take care of us.
There is a shlOkA in our ancient texts:
gAyatrI tulasI gangAm kAmadhEnum arundhatheem |
pancha mAthu smarEn nityam mahA pAtaka nAsanam ||
This means, remembering the 5 mAthAs - gAyatri, tulasi, gangA, kAmadhenu, arundhathee daily will slay all our sins.
Thus is the greatness of a mother.
Monday, May 04, 2009
A trip to Tiruvallur
It was on May 1 2009. We were sitting at our home. Time was around 9 AM in the morning. That day being "May day", we were planning for some outing. The discussion was started with a suggestion, "shall we go for a movie tomorrow?". I had been fed up with now a days movies. I said, "Movie.. Movie... Movie.... Always Movie?? Try for something different!". Immediate response was "Where?". I said "a temple". Another member of our family said, "I had never been to Madhuranthakam. Shall we go to the yEri Kaatha Raamar temple?". At the same time I added, "Any where.. either to Madhuranthakam or to Tiruvallur.. Any place Ok for me.". After taking into considerations the distance etc.., we came to a final conclusion that we shall go to Tiruvallur. We arranged a taxi and started to that place by 4:15 PM.
It was nearly a one and half hour journey. We went via Guindy - Porur - Thirumizhisai and reached our destination Tiruvallur. It was a nice town. We entered "Kanakavalli sametha Vaidya Veeraraghava perumal" temple. Sri Aanjaneyar was welcoming the crowd from his sannidhi located at the very entrance of the temple. In front of aanjaneyar sannidhi was the mantapam, holding the gopuram. On that day there was some procession I guess. I could see the hanumantha vaahanam near the main entrance. The priests were preparing for another procession on the anna pakshi (swan) vahanam and of course there was the garudan (vahanam of Vishnu).
To the left of the temple was the big holy tank - "Hruth thaaba pushkarani" that cures all illness and anxiety. It was a majestic tank. Very huge in size of course. But the water content was very very less. Of the large area, only at the center near the neer aazhi mandapam (hall in the middle of the pond), there was water. Remaining portions were full of sand and the corners were converted into a park with beautiful flowers and small benches made out of stone to sit.
Surrounding the temple, there were large number of shops selling flowers, betel leaves, photos of the deity, salt etc. People have the practice of offering salt to the deity to cure their illness and grant happiness. An area near the dwijastambam has been allocated for the same. I have also heard of people dissolving jaggery in the pond in earlier days as an offering. But now I could seldom see that.
We entered the temple. We were directed to the sanctum sanctorum of Sree Vaidya Veeraraghava Perumal. Perumal here lies on his serpent bed - Sri Aadhi Sesha. Sri Devi sits by the side of his feet and Saint Markandeya sits near his head. Veeraraghava Perumal's right hand is touching the saint's head. Veeraraghava was so large in size, that one cannot have his full darshan at one shot. While entering we need to have a look on his upper half (from his face) and while leaving we need to see the remaining half (from his feet).
We moved out of his sannidhi and circumnavigated the temple in clock wise direction. There came the Kanakavalli thaayar sannidhi. Had a good darshan of thaayar and the priest offered us the kunkuma prasadham.
On the way we saw Sri Ramar sannidhi. Here Rama was accompanied by Sita and Lakshman alone. Hanuman was missing. Perhaps he must have went out and sat at the entrance, welcoming the devotees.Then came the sannidhi of Sri Venugopala, flanked on both sides by Rukmini and Sathyabama. After having the darshan of Sri Venugopala, we had darshan of great poets, saints - Sri Ramanujar, Sri Vedanta Desikar and few more.
Went out of the temple with a sense of satisfaction and got into our car. On the way the driver said, "In the morning also I had been to a Perumal temple." I asked where he had been in the morning. The answer was "Madhuranthakam yEri Kattha Ramar temple!". I smiled silently and we reached our home.
It was nearly a one and half hour journey. We went via Guindy - Porur - Thirumizhisai and reached our destination Tiruvallur. It was a nice town. We entered "Kanakavalli sametha Vaidya Veeraraghava perumal" temple. Sri Aanjaneyar was welcoming the crowd from his sannidhi located at the very entrance of the temple. In front of aanjaneyar sannidhi was the mantapam, holding the gopuram. On that day there was some procession I guess. I could see the hanumantha vaahanam near the main entrance. The priests were preparing for another procession on the anna pakshi (swan) vahanam and of course there was the garudan (vahanam of Vishnu).
To the left of the temple was the big holy tank - "Hruth thaaba pushkarani" that cures all illness and anxiety. It was a majestic tank. Very huge in size of course. But the water content was very very less. Of the large area, only at the center near the neer aazhi mandapam (hall in the middle of the pond), there was water. Remaining portions were full of sand and the corners were converted into a park with beautiful flowers and small benches made out of stone to sit.
Surrounding the temple, there were large number of shops selling flowers, betel leaves, photos of the deity, salt etc. People have the practice of offering salt to the deity to cure their illness and grant happiness. An area near the dwijastambam has been allocated for the same. I have also heard of people dissolving jaggery in the pond in earlier days as an offering. But now I could seldom see that.
We entered the temple. We were directed to the sanctum sanctorum of Sree Vaidya Veeraraghava Perumal. Perumal here lies on his serpent bed - Sri Aadhi Sesha. Sri Devi sits by the side of his feet and Saint Markandeya sits near his head. Veeraraghava Perumal's right hand is touching the saint's head. Veeraraghava was so large in size, that one cannot have his full darshan at one shot. While entering we need to have a look on his upper half (from his face) and while leaving we need to see the remaining half (from his feet).
We moved out of his sannidhi and circumnavigated the temple in clock wise direction. There came the Kanakavalli thaayar sannidhi. Had a good darshan of thaayar and the priest offered us the kunkuma prasadham.
On the way we saw Sri Ramar sannidhi. Here Rama was accompanied by Sita and Lakshman alone. Hanuman was missing. Perhaps he must have went out and sat at the entrance, welcoming the devotees.Then came the sannidhi of Sri Venugopala, flanked on both sides by Rukmini and Sathyabama. After having the darshan of Sri Venugopala, we had darshan of great poets, saints - Sri Ramanujar, Sri Vedanta Desikar and few more.
Went out of the temple with a sense of satisfaction and got into our car. On the way the driver said, "In the morning also I had been to a Perumal temple." I asked where he had been in the morning. The answer was "Madhuranthakam yEri Kattha Ramar temple!". I smiled silently and we reached our home.
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