Musical Painting of Ilayaraja

This is an extraordinary musical painting by the Great Maestro Ilayaraja.

This is among my most favourite songs. Very refreshing and soothing song.

Long Live Ilayaraja.

Jagadguru Chandrasekhara Saraswathi Swamigal

This is a very rare picture of Jagadguru Chandrasekhara Saraswathi Swamigal who is known to his disciples as "Maha Periyaval".

He expressed a desire to go to Chidambaram and visit the "Natarajar Temple" and have darshan of the lord and also see the "kunchithapaadam". "Kunchithapaadam" is made out of various roots and is worn by the Lord Nataraja. The sishyaas were wondering how to go to Chidambaram as Maha Periyavaal was very old and was not having good health at that time. To the utmost surprise of everyone at the Sankara Mutt, the Dheetchadars of Chidambaram Temple came to Kancheepuram the very next day morning before sunrise and wanted to have darshan of Mahaperiyaval. They met the Maha Periyavaal and presented to him the "Kunchithapaadam". They requested Maha Periyavaal to keep the "Kunchithapaadam" in his head and the above photograph was taken on that occasion.

Darshan of "Kunchithapaadam" will cure all diseases and will help us to attain "Moksha".

This is a very rare photo which was published in "Aanmeega malar" magazine of Dhina Malar on 7th January 2012.

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

Saved in Time

துபாயில் கல்யாணமாலை பட்டிமன்றம்

நேற்று இரவு கல்யாணமாலை வழங்கிய பட்டிமன்றம் துபாய் "Al Naser Liesure Land” அரங்கத்தில் நடந்தது.

பட்டிமன்றம் தொடக்க நேரம் இரவு ஏழு முப்பது என்று அறிவித்து விட்டு நிகழ்ச்சியை சுமார் இரண்டு மணி நேரம் தாமதம் செய்து துவங்கினர். ஏழு முப்பதுக்கு எல்லா பேச்சாளர்களும் தயாராக இருந்தனர். அரங்கமும் நிரம்பி இருந்தது - கிட்டத்தட்ட ஐந்தாயிரம் பேர் அரங்கத்தை நிரப்பி இருந்தனர்.

திரு ராஜா மற்றும் திருமதி பாரதி பாஸ்கர் ஆகிய இருவரும் திரைப்பட நட்சத்திரம் போல் ரசிகர்களுக்கு ஆட்டோகிராப் வழங்குவதிலும் போட்டோ எடுத்துக் கொள்வதிலும் பிஸியாக இருந்தனர்.

பட்டிமன்றம் விவாதத்திற்கு நல்ல தலைப்பை தேர்வு செய்திருந்தனர் - என்றென்றும் மனிதர்களின் முன்னேற்றத்திற்கு காதல் துணையா? தடையா?

மனித முன்னேற்றத்திற்கு காதல் தடையே என்ற அணியில் திருமதி ரஞ்சனி, புலவர் ராமலிங்கம் மற்றும் திரு ராஜா ஆகிய மூன்று பேச்சாளர்கள் வெளுத்து கட்டினார்கள். குறிப்பாக புலவர் ராமலிங்கம் பேச்சு மிக பிரமாதமாக இருந்தது. திரு ராஜா எப்போவும் போல எதிர் அணியின் வாதத்தை மையமாக வைத்து தனக்கே உரிய நய்யாண்டியுடன் மிக சிறப்பாக பேசினார்.

மனித முன்னேற்றத்திற்கு காதல் துணையே என்ற அணியில் திருமதி ஆர்த்தி, கவிஞர் சேஷாத்ரி மற்றும் திருமதி பாரதி பாஸ்கர் ஆகிய மூன்று பேச்சாளர்கள் மிக ஆவேசமாகவும் ஆர்வமாகவும் பேசினார்கள். கவிஞர் சேஷாத்ரி புலவர் ராமலிங்கத்தை தாக்கி பேசிய விதம் மிகவும் அருமையாக இருந்தது. பாரதி பாஸ்கர் கடைசி பெச்சலாளராக வந்து எல்லோரையும் சிரிக்கவும் சிந்திக்கவும் வைத்தார்.

நடுவர் ஐயா சாலமன் பாப்பையா தன்னை ஒரு பதினாறு வயது இளைஞன் என்று அறிமுகம் செய்துகொண்டார். அவரின் துவக்க விரிவுரையும் பேச்சாளர்களின் பேச்சுக்கு நடுவே சொன்ன நகைச்சுவை மிக்க துணுக்குகளும் வெகுவாக ரசிக்கும்படி இருந்தது.

ஒரு சிறந்த பட்டிமன்ற நிகழ்ச்சியை நேரில் கண்ட திருப்தி எனக்கு.

த.ப.ஆனந்த்
துபாய்
ஜனவரி இருபது இரண்டம் ஆயிரத்து பனிரெண்டு

Meeting Project Objectives differently

Blind people work together and make parts of Boilers at Trichy for IOCL’s Paradip Refinery project …..… An experience sharing.

21^st December 2011 has etched an unforgettable memory in my mind. I was at Tiruchirapalli on a mission to expedite supplies of Boilers at BHEL’s works for Power plant of IOCL’s ongoing Paradip Refinery Project. BHEL has outsourced non-pressure parts of these boilers to certain vendors nearby Trichy. ‘ORBIT’ is among such outsourced vendors, who is making Pins & Clamps of these boilers for our project. We decided to visit ORBIT also for review and expediting balance supplies.

When we reached ORBIT works, we were greeted by their President Mr. P.R. Pandi, who himself is a blind person. To my utter surprise, the whole ORBIT workshop is run by blind persons. Though I was aware of certain special schools and institutions for blind persons but never heard about any manufacturing industry run completely by such persons. What I saw next inside the workshop is quite difficult to believe.

I had never witnessed such well coordinated and coherent working by blind persons. People were segregating the raw material, feeding the raw material on cutting, shearing and punching machines with the help of their fellow blind friends, collecting the final products and bagging them after quality checks. The whole manufacturing process was efficiently done and finished product was meeting the quality standards. I was lost in deep admiration seeing their untiring efforts for making vital parts for my project and emotionally touched. Their interpersonal understanding and collective effort was exemplary and far better as compared to normal workers engaged in other industrial units. Below photos depict it completely but silently…

People were working with no ego and communication was being made not with vital sensory organs like eyes, but with their hearts. I was thrilled and compelled to think that dedicated and sincere working by these special people is a great example towards values of humanity which defies all laws of Project management. Calm and peace prevail here in their coordinated rhythm of working against any feeling of industrial acrimony.

What came next was even more surprising. A physically handicapped welder was doing welding on the job and was assisted by a blind helper. We saw his blind helper almost running and going to store room next door to fetch the electrodes quickly. When enquired how he could do such job with much ease, my fellow companion from BHEL, Mr. Jai Ram told me that every worker working here is fully conversant with the layout of workshop and does the job with calculated steps – concepts of time and motion study, well grasped by them by heart. I was overwhelmed by their indomitable spirit, everlasting zeal and working in perfect harmony.

At the end, ORBIT president Mr. Pandi requested me ‘Sir, if you come across any blind person, please direct him to me, we will make him our team member here’. I controlled my emotions, advised them to maintain timelines and quickly moved out with mixed feelings, thinking and admiring effort and passion of ORBIT in this endeavour and with firm conviction that Paradip Refinery Project will soon be a realised dream.

Arvind Kumar

Chief Project Manager-PDRP

Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.

Refineries Head Quarters, New Delhi

Mobile: 9582262166

Email: kumarar@iocl.co.in

PS:I would like to thank IOCL Management & BHEL team for giving me an opportunity to have such wonderful experience with a noble cause during project expediting at BHEL,Trichy.

ILAYARAJA THE GREAT

This song will rank as the No.1 song of Ilayaraja for me as it is a very inspiring song. The situation is extremely well captured in the lyrics. The tune and the musical interludes used by Ilayaraja is very catchy. I have heard this song several hundred times in the last 32 years and it is still very fresh and entertaining.

MUSICAL MARVEL OF ILAYARAJA

Ilayaraja has composed many mesmerising songs. This is a magical composition which is still fresh after so many years. It is an extraordinary combination of music, lyrics, singing and picturisation. A rare combination.

35th Chennai Book Fair

I went to the Chennai Book Fair after several years and it turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. The venue is shifted to St.George School opposite Pachiappa's College on Poonamallee High Road. When I enquired they said five years back they shifted to this location as they had space constraints in the previous location.

There were more than 500 stalls and I was told that around 350 stalls were selling books in Tamil. There was ample space in the school grounds for Car Park and the stalls were very neatly laid out. They also have a separate space allocated for lectures and other programmes with comfortable seating for around 300 people. The school grounds are really vast and the bookfair is well laid out with all facilities. Hats off to the organisers for this wonderful arrangement.

There were common credit card payment counters to cater to small stalls which did not have credit card payment facility. It was very fascinating and stunning to see so many book stalls catering to the entire cross section of the society. With the advent of Internet I was thinking that the reading habit would have come down considerably (this is based on my own personal experience) and I was proved wrong in the 35th Chennai Book Fair. Most of the stalls were having very brisk business and they were all offering special discount to customers.

I went with my sons and was very happy to have gone there as it proved to be a wonderful experience for all the three of us. Ashwath picked up a few books on Automobile. Akshay picked up a book for GMAT and I bought some books in Kannadasan Pathippagam and Giri Trading.

Check out this great MSN video: Insanely Fast Finger Painter

Check out this great MSN video: Insanely Fast Finger Painter

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.

New Year always brings new hope and new luck. Towards the end of the year people start planning for the new year resolutions. I also used to pass New Year resolutions and later realized that they remain as resolutions on paper. About 20 years ago I passed a resolution “not to pass New Year Resolutions” and that resolution has been in practice for the last 20 years.

I have also been following the practice of praying from 11.45 to 12.15 and this practice I picked up from my ex-boss in Singapore. I have been following this religiously every year since 1991.

New Year brings to mind the song in Kamal film Sagalakalavallavan – Elamai Idho Idho which is the popular New Year Song since 1982. In the olden days they used to play in the Radio the famous Seergazhi Govindarajan song “Aandukku aandu thethikku thethi aayiram irukkuthu subadinam”. It is strange that we have only one song being shown in all TV channels for Happy New Year since 1982.

I wish all of you a very Happy and Prosperous New Year with good health and wealth.

T.P.Anand
Chennai, India
1st January 2012