Twin Numbers

I am always fascinated by Numbers. I was born on 3rd June 1963 (3-6-63) and it is a nice coincidence that I have the mirror image of the first two numbers and I also have two twin numbers in my date of birth. I am also blessed with Twin Sons.
The twin numbers 11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88 and 99 can occur in our life in several ways. There are two sets of these which I would like to examine in my own life. First set of twin numbers is the Calendar Years – being a person born in 1963 I have so far seen 66, 77, 88, 99 & 00 so far. I am waiting to experience the year 11 which is next year (2011). In terms of age I have experienced ages 11, 22, 33, 44.
If I end up living for another 45 years then I would have the experience of seeing 11, 22, 33, 44, 55 (leading upto 2055 – my age will be 92). This would mean that I would see all the twin numbers in the Calendar Years. In terms of seeing all the twin numbers in age I have live till I complete 99 years which will be 2062.
In Numerology the numbers 11, 22 and 33 are considered to be very powerful numbers. In real life my experience, on both Calendar Years as well as age, with the twin numbers has been very challenging.
At age 11 (1974) I had the biggest challenge of transiting from Bharathi Bala Bhavan (there were only 8 of us in 5th Standard and only one Section) to Hindu High School (there were 50 students in each section and there were 12 Sections). Getting admission into Hindu High School itself was a big challenge as I could not get through the Entrance Test. The first question in the test was “What is your Father” and I wrote “My father is T.R.Parthasarathy”. Much later I came to know that I am supposed to explain what he is doing in his profession or vocation. It took a great deal of effort for my father to secure my admission in 6th Standard in Hindu High School. Luckily my father uncle Shri.Gopala Iyengar was a teacher in Hindu High School and through his influence I managed to get into the school.
Age 22 (1985) posed the best and most challenging task of clearing CA Final that too within the statutory Articleship period of 3 years. It was a very tough and challenging year as I was drawn between the Articleship Training and Studies. I was engaged in several Audits simultaneously and could not devote time for my studies. Finally I decided to go ahead with a three month study holidays and prepare for CA Final. I went to my sister’s house in Bangalore on study leave but was called back by the Audit Firm. My leave was cancelled and my dreams of clearing CA Final within Articleship was shattered as I got busy with the Audit of a company and ended up completing the assignment after a huge struggle of 4 months.
Age 33 (1996) was the most challenging year in terms of career. I had done well by setting up branches for TT Travels (Forex Division) all over India and showed consistent performance in the Money Exchange Bureau business for two years in succession. When things were looking well settled and hunky dory I took the decision of resigning my job to set up Professional Practice in Chennai. I shifted my family from Bangalore to Chennai and started on my own. I neither had money (savings to take care of family needs) nor had any contacts to bring in professional work. It was a huge challenge to manage the profession/career aspirations whilst trying to satisfy the family needs.
Age 44 (2007) was an emotionally challenging year. Having worked in Koohiji for 6 ½ years I had to take a tough decision of resigning my job as there was a dire need for me get back to Chennai. My Twin Boys (Ashwath and Akshay) were approaching their final School Board Exams (12th Standard). I went back to India from Dubai towards the end of 2007 to be with the family. I also had to get the Engineering Admission for both of them. The biggest relief was the sweet and nice ending that happened in age 44 – I took my wife and sons for Europe Tour.
I do not recall any special challenges faced during the Calendar Years 66, 77, 88, 99 and 00.
Life poses several challenges and while we are faced with challenges we feel pressurized. It is always good to look back at those challenging times and how we faced those challenges. Hindsight is always 20: 20 (perfect) but when we are in that situation we may not always take the best or most practical decisions. These challenges do teach a lesson or two which comes in handy at a later stage in life. I am happy that these twin numbers in my age have posed those challenges as it has taught me the right lessons and helped in “personality development”.
T.P.Anand, Dubai, U.A.E.
3rd June 2010

சீர்காழி கோவிந்தராஜன்

திரு.சீர்காழி கோவிந்தராஜன் எனக்கு மிகவும் பிடித்த பாடகர். நான் என் சிருவயதில்

“அகஸ்தியர்” படம் பார்த்போது அவரது பாட்டுத்திறனையும் நடிப்புத்திறனையும் கண்டு வியந்தேன்.

நான் CA படித்த காலத்தில் அடிக்கடி முணுமுணுத்த பாடல் “ஆண்டுக்கு ஆண்டு தேதிக்கு தேதி ஆயிரம் இருக்குது சுப தினம்”. கணீரென்ற அந்த குறலை எப்பொழுது வேண்டுமானாலும் கேட்கலாம்.

அவர் 55வது வயதில் மரணம் அடைந்தது இசை துறைக்கு ஓர் பேரிழப்பு. சிறு வயதில் இறந்து போன சில அறிய கலை பொக்கிஷங்கள் - சீர்காழி கோவிந்தராஜன் (55); கவியரசு கண்ணதாசன் (54) சந்திரபாபு (47) - காலத்தால் அழியாப்புகழ் பெற்ற பெறும் பாக்கியசாலிகள்.

எனக்கு மிகவும் பிடித்த சீர்காழி கோவிந்தராஜன் பாடல்களை பட்டியலிட்டிருக்கிறேன்:

1. உள்ளத்தில் நல்ல உள்ளம் உற்ங்காதென்பது வல்லவன் வகுத்ததடா கர்ணா
2. அமுதும் தேனும் எதற்க்கு நீ அருகினில் இருக்கயிலே எனக்கு
3. ஆண்டுக்கு ஆண்டு தேதிக்கு தேதி ஆயிரம் இருக்குது சுப தினம்
4. கல்லிலே கலை வண்ணம் கண்டான்
5. ஆண்டவன் ஒருவன் இருக்கின்றான்
6. ஆடி அடங்கும் வாழ்க்கையடா ஆறடி நிலமே சொந்தமடா
7. மதுரை அரசாளும் மீனாக்‌ஷி
8. வினாயகனே வினை தீர்ப்பவனே
9. தேவன் கோவில் மணியோசை
10.நீ அல்லால் தெய்வம் இல்லை
11.கணபதியே வருவாய் அருள்வாய்
12.ஓடம் நதியினிலே ஒருத்தி மட்டும் கறையினிலே
13.வெற்றி வேண்டுமா போட்டு பாரடா எதிர் நீச்சல்
14.அபினய சுந்தரி ஆடுகிறாள்
15.இருக்கும் இடத்தை விட்டு இல்லாத இடம் தேடி
16.நெஞ்சில் உறம் இன்றி நேர்மை திற்ன் இன்றி
17.வெள்ளி பனி மலையின் மீதுலவுவோம்
18.சின்னன்சிறு பெண் போலே
19.ஆரோடும் மண்ணில் எங்கும் நீரோடும்
20.அழைத்தவர் குரலுக்கு வருவேன் என்றான்
21.ஒற்றுமையாய் வாழ்வதாலே உண்டு நன்மையே
22.Beautiful Marvelous Excellent Very Very Excellent நான் பிற்ந்திருக்க
வேண்டியது England.
-தி.பா.ஆனந்த்
துபாய்
14th July 2011

Parental Care

Parental Care is of utmost importance to all growing children. In tamil they say “Maatha, Pitha, Guru, Deivam” which means Mother, Father, Teacher and God. That is the sequence of importance one has to give in life.
Mother gives birth to the child and knows the child much better than everybody else in the world. Mother is the “First and the Best” teacher for a child. Even before the child is ready to go to school the Mother teaches alphabets, numbers and nursery rhymes to the child. Father provides the requisite protection and security that is so much vital in this world.
Parents always care for their children and keep thinking of how to support the children and how to make them into a very good grown up individual. No one else will be concerned so much about the overall development of an individual. As a kid and as a youngster I have got irritated with my parents on several occasions. I have shouted at my mother on several occasions. I have not appreciated and failed to understand her care, love and affection. It took a very long time for me to realise this and finally when I became a parent I started realizing how stupid I was during my younger days.
I have completed 47 years of existence in this world and when I look back into my own life, my thoughts are filled with the greatest legendary couple – Smt.Pushpa Parthasarathy and Shri.T.R.Parthasarathy Iyengar – my parents. They were responsible for my birth into this world and it is a great blessing that I was born to this legendary couple.
My father is a great individual who has taught me Discipline. The self imposed discipline has made me into a well rounded person, giving me the ability to organise myself, lead by example and demonstrate all the time how a well organised, systematic approach could lead to successful implementation of plans.
I am very proud to write my name as T.P.Anand and I am known in office and among friends as TP. “T” stands for Tirupathi (my native place – my fore fathers hail from Tirupathi) and “P” stands for Parthasarathy (my father).
Incidentally “P” also represents my mother “Pushpa”. Some people tell only their first name and even write only their first name. Some others write their initials after the name. I am proud and blessed to be
known as T.P.Anand and popularly called as “TP”.
Whenever I meet somebody for the first time I am very proud to tell that person my pedigree and about my brothers and sister. It gives a great feeling to say that you are born to “so and so” parents and your brother is “this” and another brother is “that” and your sister is “this” & she is married to “so and so”.
My father though physically handicapped has faced several challenges in life with a brave heart. He is very methodical and systematic. He has a flair of his own and style that he maintains in everything he does. For me he has been a great “Hero” and many of my qualities are copied from him. He can play Harmonium, Tabla, Doluk and is very fond of Filmy Music.
He used to spend two full days to decorate the 9 steps for Navarathri Kolu in our house. We all used to rally around him and help him with the arrangement of dolls, decoration of the 9 steps with so many colour papers. He used to cut them so nicely into different designs with lot of ease and passion.
He was one of the most successful Sales Managers and used to always come back from his business tours with sales orders. Once I took him to an Orthopedic Surgeon and when my father said he is in Sales the Doctor was actually shocked and said you have only one leg and you are touring 28 days in a month on sales. The doctor said to my father “you are not supposed to be in Sales. You should do a proper desk job and walk as little as possible in the day”. My father said “Doctor I have been travelling extensively and doing a Sales job all my life – now more than 30 years – and how can I now switch over to a desk job”. Eventually my father retired as a Sales Manager after more than 30 years of successful selling career.
He set up a business to trade in spare parts for Cinematographic Equipments which he ran successfully for nearly 10 years. He finally gave up the business venture and took shelter at home once and for all at the age of 70. He is now 81 and we celebrated the “Sadabishekam” on 9th January 2010 in Chennai. Behind every successful man there is a woman. Behind this successful legend Shri.T.R.Parthasarathy there is a woman – Smt.Pushpa Parthasarathy.

This picture was taken at the 81st Birthday Celebration of my father – Sadaabishegam and my elder brother T.P.Ashok is behind them (Ashok has been a great source of support for my Parents – the most obedient child).

My mother though not formally educated in an University is the most intelligent woman that I have met in my life. She took the bold decision of marrying a physically handicapped person (which is highly commendable) and has raised four children.
My sister, two brothers and myself are all very well qualified professionals. My Sister Mrs.Vyjayanthi Raman is an “Interior Designer” and a “Social Worker” and she is married to Mr.S.K.Raman a very successful Chartered Accountant. My eldest brother T.P.Ravikumar is a Software professional working for IBM. My elder brother T.P.Ashok is a software professional and a banker working for IOB. Last but not the least, I am the last of the siblings – qualified Chartered Accountant. All the four of us have had very good education and upbringing – thanks to my wonderful mother.
She has been a wonderful cook and though she has not been interested in handicrafts she suddenly took interest in stitching fancy clothes for temples. My father helps her with the cutting of clothes and purchase of materials. My mother makes very beautiful and highly creative clothes in velvet and other materials for the Hindu Temples. Her handy work is displayed in most of the Hindu Temples in Tamil Nadu and even in the United States. It is a great service that my father and mother are doing for the Hindu Temples. This good deed will bear fruit and probably guide the next generation (the children of our generation – my sister, brothers and myself) and help them grow up as very good human beings.
I am very proud to be the son of this legendary couple. They have shown me what parental care is all about and I am trying my best to show similar parental care to my children.
T.P.Anand, Dubai, U.A.E.
1st July 2010

Oh My Lovely Newspaper

Have you ever cared about the newspaper that gets thrown at your doorstep everyday?

By care, I do not mean you picking it up and reading it.  By care I mean, opening it with love, feeling the fresh print smell that comes out of it – like the fresh smell that you would have experienced when you got those new books when in school.

Quite a few of you might think that newspaper has lost its relevance in this world of advancing technology.  News is now a button’s click away if you use the remote or the mouse.

Like an ever flowing river or an unclosed water tap, news is flowing all over us; when we are awake and when we sleep – on the television, from the FM radio, on the internet, through that forwarded email you received from your friend, in your mobile through an SMS pushed by the telecom company.

With all these things, the news carried by the newspaper is no longer new, even if it is NEWS (from North East West and South).  Still, I love reading the Newspaper everyday in the morning.  You might think it is bit traditional.  But I just love it.  I love its freshness.  When I get up and move to my doorstep, with my half open eyes still feeling sleepy, it is the sight of that day’s paper that energizes me.  I pick it up with lots of excitement and enthusiasm.

The moment I pick it up, my eyes open wide and as if someone poured ice-cold water over my face, my sleepiness goes and my day springs to life.  A cup of hot tea in my hand and the brand new newspaper on my lap, I inhale the freshness of the morning.

How much ever you see the visuals, debates and the reporters shouting at the top of their voices, in my opinion, none of these can equal the joy of reading the news and analysis that is in the newspaper.

The newspaper means a lot to me.  It reminds me of the teamwork that goes to bring the newspaper to my lap.  The team that collects the news, the team that punches the articles in, all those proof readers who work against time to see that everything is completed on time, the layout artistes, the editorial team that stands on its toes to move around the news when something more important has to be pushed to the headline, the people who work in the press, the bloodless hi-tech machines that synchronize with the full of flesh and blood human beings, the packing staff, the van drivers, newspaper vendors and finally that newspaper boy who might be doing it for earning that extra bit of money for his family or for his higher studies.

The best thing about a newspaper is that it has several sections whereby it caters to the interests of different age groups and different people from different walks of life with differing interests.  I like to read the headlines and then quickly flip to the sports page.  I spend maximum time on the sports page and then if I still have time I look into world affairs.  Some days if I am really very lucky to spare some more time for the newspaper, I turn to the pages on politics.

There are occasions when I am just not satisfied with reading one newspaper.  I go out and grab many newspapers on some special occasions, newspapers in English and Tamil to read and re-live the moments of glory such as, the Indian cricket team’s till date unparalleled cricket world cup victory in 1983, the T20 world cup victory, the breathtaking bowling performance of Kapil Dev in Melbourne to pull off an unlikely victory for India against Australia, the first ever successful chase of a 400+ score by the Indian team in West Indies (aided by the super batting performances of Gavasakar, Viswanath and Co.), the twin Oscar award win of A R Rahman and so on.  I just love to read the narratives of these glorious moments by different authors and columnists.  My happiness grows unbound when this happens.

And there are days when I do not get enough time to go through even one newspaper I get in the morning.  On those days, when I reach back home after a long day’s work I eagerly look for the newspaper I missed only to realize that it is difficult to find that paper even in a small house of less than 1000 square feet.

Finally, when I locate it, I can only see a part of it – some sections missing and strewn around in various corners of the house.  I notice with sorrow that in less than 12 hours, what was fresh and neat has become a waste paper, as none who have read the paper during the day bothered to even fold it nicely and stack it in the shelf!  I notice it having lost its sheen and with it the excitement, value and importance.

It appears no longer needed except may be as something fit for packing.  When I see its status in the evening, my mind once again wanders back to think about the team that made that paper possible and about all those people who, even today, cannot afford to buy a newspaper at home and take a glimpse – borrowing it on their way to office in the trains, buses and at the office.

It is so precious and valuable in the first hour of the day (the first 60 minutes from the time you wake up) and has so little value if you had not spared that time earlier.  It has absolutely no value once the newspaper of the next day arrives at your door step.  Oh yes, the old newspaper does retain some value.  Those who keep it stacked nicely can refer back to it for that job advertisement or that discount sale offer that they missed out in the first read and were reminded of the same by their neighbours or friends.  It also keeps the residual value that (in countries like India) it can be sold to the small time vendor for some petty value per kilo.

Thinking about it, many of us start the day with the newspaper and so get into a mindset of using everything and everybody like a newspaper.

Like I feel that I have been used like a newspaper by others in my life, there will be several others who have interacted with me and feel that I have treated them like a newspaper: use & throw or stack-in-the-corner.

Whilst there are a host of things in the world that are immortal, in real life we do deal with quite a few of them that have a very short life, like my lovely newspaper.

T.P.Anand, Dubai, U.A.E.

6^th April 2009 

ADVANTAGE 60s

I feel very happy, privileged and lucky to have been born in the early 1960s. I really enjoy listening to film music both Tamil and Hindi.

When I was a small boy the popular singers in Tamil were T.M.Soundararajan, P.B.Srinivas, Yesudas, S.P.Balasubramaniam, P.Susheela, L.R.Eswari and S.Janaki. When I grew up a little we had the likes of Chitra, Malaysia Vasudevan and Mano joining the bandwagon.

In Hindi Films it was Kishore Kumar, Mohamed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bonsle.  As a youngster I enjoyed listening to Music and at that stage old songs were those from films in the 1940 – 1960s. I used to listen to Radio and enjoy hearing both old songs as well as new songs.

In 1980s with the emergence of TV I had the opportunity to listen to more songs and we

graduated to Very Old Songs, Old Songs and New Songs. I liked listening to an old M.K.Thiagaraja Bhagavadar song or an old T.R.Mahalingam Song and with the same enthusiasm.  I used to enjoy the S.P.Balasubramaniam songs in M.S.Viswanathan or Ilayaraja’s music.

Now in 2010 when I look back I am able to appreciate and enjoy the songs from 1940s right upto 2010.

My parents who are born in the 1920s and 1930s definitely enjoy the Film Songs from 1940 to 1970 but they are very reluctant to adjust to a Ilayaraja music leave and hence no question of talks about Yuvan Shankar Raja and the rest.

My Children who are born in 1990 enjoy Film Music from mid 1980s to 2010. They just cannot stand the music of 1940s to 1970. They do not know who is M.K.Thiagaraja Bhagavadar or P.U.Chinappa or Manna Dey or Mahendra Kapoor. They do not appreciate the intricacies involved in songs of L.R.Eswari (pattathu raani paarkkum paarvai vetrikkuthan ena enna vendum or Elanda payam elanda payam).

In direct contrast to my Parents (or my previous generation in general) and my Children (or my next generation) I love the Film Songs. I enjoy the old Kishore Kumar or T.M.Soundararajan songs and with the same ease and enthusiasm I enjoy the songs of Vijay Antony – Naan adicha thaanga matte naalu maasam thoonga matte.

I was born when the Films were evolving and maturing. I have passed through the several evolutionary changes and trends and thus widened my listening power. This is what is making me feel happy and comfortable with both a Sivaji Ganesan song (Enge Nimmadhi) and a Vijay Song (Puli urumudhu).  It is very soothing to my ears when I hear Jikki (chithirai poo pole sidharum mathappu, thee edum ellamal vedithidum cape) or S.Janaki (singaara velane deva) and the same soothing effect and happiness is there when I listen to recent breed of singers like Mahathi or Anuradha or Shreya Goshal.

I attended a recent concert in Chennai “Tribute to Sivaji Ganesan” which was compered by Y.G.Mahendra. It was a treat to hear the old Sivaji Ganesan songs. The very next day I watched Vijay film “Vettaikaran” and enjoyed listening to those songs. This is what I call as “Advantage 60s”. This is a very unique advantage and a really good feeling. I am sure people who are born in the 1960s would agree with me and subscribe to my views.

- T.P.Anand

August 2010