பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துகள் / Pongal Wishes

Pic by Jeevan (mom's kolam)

தை திங்கள்  திருநாள் 

தொன்மை வாய்ந்த  தமிழர் திருநாள்
கால்நடைகள் தொட்டு  
வேர்வை சொட்ட
உழைக்கும் உழவர் திருநாள் 

மழையின்றி வெயிலின்றி 

அயராமல் உழைத்து 

உலகுக்கே உணவளிக்கும் உழவாளி 

வானுக்கும் பூமிக்கும் 

இடைப்பட்ட வாழ்வை இணைக்கும் விவசாயி. 

வாழும்  வள்ளல்களாகிய 

நம் விவசாயிகளை வாழ்த்தி

போற்றி பாதுகாதிட உருதிஎடுதிடுவோம் .

Thai moon festival
the ancient Tamil festival
touching livestock’s
and dropping of sweaters
working farmer’s festival.

Unexpected to rain and sun
working tirelessly
the farmer, feeds the world
connecting the co-existence
between earth and sky.

To the living philanthropist
farmers, let wish and take vow
to praise and protect their deeds.

Footnote:

Pongal, is a harvesting festival of Tamil people, festival of farmers, who feed food for the entire world. It’s a way of thanksgiving natural elements, cattle’s that assist the farmers for good harvest. Pongal is celebrated as four day festival in Tamil Nadu, with the beginning of the Tamil month Thai (Jan 14 or sometime 15) which believed to bring flourish, prosper and hope into life.

As per Tamil proverb ‘Thai Piranthal Vazhi Pirakkum’, which means the birth of Thai will show signs of new path in life. Pongal also marks the cultural identity of Tamil and a route of thanksgiving nature in their unique way of boiling rice – which is the meaning of Pongal; and worshiping cattle’s and sun and rain for their basic sustain throughout the cultivation.

This year the nature wasn't favorable for farmers, as well farming faced a severe setback with lack of rain and prevention of opening Kaveri water from neighboring state, all leads to destruction of crops.I hope and wish nature provides plenty of good deeds to farmers, flourishing ever like before and farmer’s golden paddy grains gain more scope than gold in trade market. So wish you all a very Happy Pongal. இனிய பொங்கல் வாழ்த்துகள்.

Songs that I cherish

A still from Puthagam

I was listening to the songs of Tamil film 'Puthagam' (Book) and one of the compositions of songs, truly impressed me. 'Mella Pookkudhe' was simply a beautiful song enhanced by Deepa Miria and Bellie Raj in their sugary tone; mesmerize me each time listening to this romantic rendering from James Vasanth.

Those were the same couple (Deepa Miria and Bellie Raj) who sung the awesome song Kangal Irundal has once again enliven with this melodious florescent. The directorial debut of actor Vijay Adiraj’s Puthagam, seems to be a decent romantic thriller which I want to watch after its release and the stills were already fascinated me with Rakul Preet Singh charming in pretty attires. And actor Arya’s brother Sathya leading the center page.

Another song that stole my heart was, 'Moongil Thottam' from Tamil film 'Kadal' (Sea). After long time A.R. Rahman has gifted some cherishing melodies in Kadal; whereas Moongil Thootam fascinates me both lyrically and musically which is hard to describe the depiction rejuvenated at heart. My all time favorite Harni has chanted along with Abhay Jodhpurkar, totally outstanding and couldn't imagine the desire the song supposed to behold on screen when it releases.

Last year I listened to so many songs and during the year end, the above two songs beat like anything and I also couldn't stop praising 'Mazhai Mazhai' and 'Aaha Kaadhal' from 'Moondru Per Moondru Kadhal' (Three Person Three Love). Mazhai Mazhai has truly blessed with sweet lyrics being blissful and music playing pitter patter, drenching through the vocal expressions of Karthik and Shwetha.

Greetings by artists without hands

I received a wonderful bunch of greeting cards with awesome paintings printed on it, through a post mail from an insurance company for taking their car insurance. What very special about these greeting cards are, the painting work on the card front were done with brushes hold to mouth and between the toe by handless handicapped artists, who are members of the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists Association having lost their hands due to accident, illness or birth defect.

They sent us some gift-tags and envelops along with lovely cards, enclosed with a kind request for purchasing the products if we liked so and if not using it for further purchase via paychecks and online credit card. MFPA is an international for-profit association, wholly owned and run by disabled artists to help them meet their financial needs.  Over the half century, the MFPA had brought to the forefront, the aesthetic creations of the disabled artiest by providing them a platform to express their artistic talent.

What touched me was the letter attached with the mail, describing their life and self-motivation despite being differently challenged. It feels we are nothing when it comes to their talent of painting with mouth and toe, even I know it is a practice makes it perfect which does not come easily without intention and pain. By purchasing their painting I hope it will help them feel more independent and create an opportunity of earning and secure livelihood, dignity and honest.

Glad the greeting cards came on time when I looking for something to send my dear ones as Pongal greetings and before sharing it with them, I took some photos on the painting to save as since I loved the artwork. The cards came out plainly inside, helping me to write down my thoughts on selfless farmers messages signifying Pongal. Here I like to share the artwork, below:

Check their website for more reference and if you like to purchase their products. 

First travel of the year – Javadu Hills

My first travel of the year happened on the weekend and we did a trip to Javadu Hills; which is a part of the shattered Easter Ghats Mountains, rose between the Vellore and Thiruvannamalai Districts of Tamil Nadu, India. Being a low-lying hill station among the others visited, it wasn’t too cold but being winter there was moderate cold at night, comfortably. And it was the reason for me to choose this time for experiencing some cold, and as I expected the morning was immense refreshing with atmosphere foggy or mist. But it doesn’t wonder me, because it was almost same the way sensed on plains once we touched the highways, out of city and home.

This is not from a hill station, but the hills beyond the Chengalpattu town among the fog.

It wasn’t like every day morning: for me regularly the morning means only after 8 or 8.30 am, the usual time I wake up whether it’s cold or hot no matter what. But I try my best everyday to wake up early and if not the passion for traveling, I wouldn’t be checking sunrise at all or unless bladder filled up to wake me early, that too not much less than the usual time. We experienced a fog of Kodaikanal or any other hill stations on the morning of Saturday and the fog visibly makes invisible the distance buildings, trees and towers and even the Kolava Lake of Chengalpattu lose its trace in gray white. Unlike the usual sight of stunning sunrise over the lake during our early morning rides and the fog lasted until 9.30 or 10am. The roads after Chengalpattu were state highways, which are my favorite lanes taking via scenic countryside’s that hardly visible through NH.   

Jamunamarathur is the capital village of the entire mountain range of Javadu, which has two ways to reach – one via Polur and Alangayam; and Jamunamarathur was the only place to accommodate on the hills, that too the government provided BDO (block development office) guest house. There are many towns close to the foot hills easily accessible via road and railways which also holds many hotels and lodges to accommodate. Gladly we took the Polur route which has a long ghat road section with half a dozen hairpin bends passing through forest division. Before taking the ghat or uphill road, someone needs to sign at the forest check post writing a reason to visit.

A lake near Uthiramerur

It took more than an hour to reach Jamunamathur from Polur and thanks to the GPS in my galaxy player; it was very easy for us finding routes on Google maps. We already booked rooms at the BDO guest house, seeking their phone number at the Thiruvannamalai district govt. website, the guest house had been handed over to a private person in charge who maintained it well. We requested for a ground floor room and also before reaching there we contacted the person in charge on the way, but initially he told someone had haired the ground floor and later discussing with the other describing my state, they decided to shift the room so kindly and humble. Thanks so much to those unknown kind hearted and the wise man who arranged the rooms for us.

(To be continued…)

Harvest

Pic by Jeevan (near thiruvannamalai)

Farmers pain

the well grown grain;
their sweater
the sweetest sugarcane.

Paddy fields
the farmer’s playground;
with plow and sickle
harvest the starvation.

Agro-green
the country’s spine;
as India green
represents the fertility.

Cows dung
the nature’s fertilizer;
cultivates organic
disease free mass health.