How Life Takes You In Its Own Way....💭💬😁Part-1

 Hi fellow humans,

Sorry, this post comes after a very long time, probably even because of the pandemic which created a very big loss not only for me but for the entire world. 

Well to start with precisely, I am also one of those employees, or to say now a student again, whose is in search for a job which he wants to pursue but stuck up with a lot of criterias which makes him tough to get into a permanent job. To begin with, I finished my Bachelorette in Commerce from Loyola College, Chennai in the year 2013. My parents were very much interested in making me take up the glorious Chartered Accountancy course. Obviously, if something does not get into your head, you would drop off and then eventually it happened. I quit CA articleship after 9 months, not only because I did not like it but also because it was never ever my cuppa tea. 

A person always has options in his life to choose. In my case it happened always the parents' edition never the sons' edition because of the beautiful world where we live with comparison and not compassion. So, what happened next if I am not able to pursue CA, make go further into the Company Secretaryship course which I happened to clear by fluke when I was doing my UG. I was literally wondering in what world I am in because I was not able to clear the Inter in CS for about 6 times. There is this clause of having either an aggregate of getting 150 in two groups and also a totality of 300. Every time I wrote the exams, I would either fail in a paper but get all the aggregates or I would clear the papers and lose the aggregate. I got frustrated to an end where my mom asked me write at least one group for the last time and if I did not make it, I can quit.

If you had read until the last para you would have known what would have happened😅 

I decided to write the second group which had company law and income tax. Normally, one would expect a lot of income tax problems to solve in that paper. But, the 7th attempt which I took for her sake I studied companies act,1956 so well that I was expecting an exemption from that. The Income tax paper was a shock, I had only theory questions to attempt. So, i decided to write whatever rubbish I can to fill the paper to at least 13 pages. But, the greater shock was that, I failed in company law and I scored the maximum in Income Tax. I observed this stupidity which totally ruined my New Year 2014 when the results were announced.

I did not attend the campus drive in my at that point of time which was the biggest mistake I made. I never wanted to do MBA but finally that was the option we both got into. I wrote GMAT twice and TOEFL and did not score much in GMAT still. The funny thing in life is that, if you think you won't get any university abroad, that is the time you will receive an offer from University of Bridgeport, Connecticut and also get an admission for 50% scholarship with 3 subjects waived. Now, since the ball is in my court, I never got a visa at the US consulate twice here in Chennai and in Hyderabad which was a shocker.

So, cursing my time and the consulate, I applied for the same course in Australia obviously because of my mom😅😅 and to my luck got the admission in Deakins University with the same 50% scholarship.........

To be Continued....😁

Realising Value of Culture And Tradition!!!

Its not quite often you see a tambrahm do his daily routine viz.Sandhyavandhanam, chant Vishnu Sahasranamam, Do Salagramam Aradhana,etc. When I was 16 years old my maternal grandfather passed away on May 6th,2009. According to the Hindu ritual rights I was glad I was given the duty to perform the final duties for my grandpa. Though, I did not know much about being a Kartha and performing Karmas at that time because, I was so grief struck. The role model of my life ripped my heart literally. I was stuggling to the extent where I could not lit the fire on my grandpa.

But, it was this lady (my grandma), who was as strong as iron from inside which gave me the strength to move on and continue doing the Devasams for about 11 years. Since, my childhood the only thing I have always seen in her is being calm, composed, handling situations cleverly and above all that chanting Mantras and writing RamaNama. I think no one of my generation would have seen a woman not eat outside at any given circumstance even at her daughters' marriages. It is called 'Parannam' as they say eating outside or at someone's place in the brahmin tradition. 

I was so curious during my childhood because of my grandma. If you have seen a woman who has been to the United States four times and has not even eaten anything during her 24hr travel and ate everything what she made there at her my chithi's place then how can you not be. I asked her one day why is it that you don't eat out and not even at your friend's place. She made me sit next to her and told me, have you ever observed how people cook food? I started laughing and told her of course I have (she knew I would laugh and give this answer). But, being my granny she was so patient in rephrasing the question again. She said she meant the way people cook and I said no not quite really.

When you get up at home do your mom and dad talk the same way everyday when they cook or they have a heated up conversation at times? I said yes it is not the same. When your mom listens to any spiritual slokas or bhajans and cooks, have you observed the taste of the food and how your day goes? I was thinking a lot when she said that  because whenever there was a fight at home early at the day, I would have a rough or probably a day which I would not have wanted. On the other hand, when the day starts with lot of spiritual prayers or slokas during cooking (viz.during the month of Margazhi) without any talking, my day would so different. 

She told me every single human being in this world carries either positive or negative energy which creates an aura around them. So, when people have fights or have a heated up conversation when they cook, it creates a negative aura around them which is added with the food they are going to serve. It is for this reason I do not eat anywhere else because you do not know how the energy of the food might be even though it is tasty or good to eat. That day I realized the reason why I feel different when I eat outside and when I eat at grandma's place.

She always motivates me in one way or another. If I am strong and healthy both in my body and mind, she is the only reason. The will power I inherited in my DNA from my mother is from my grandma. She always tells me to do Sandhyavandhanam or atleast chant Vishnusahasranamam and have the symbol of Srichurnam on my forehead the hindu (TamBrahm)tradition. I never followed any of these though I was spiritual except singing bhajans and going to temples. That was something my grandma liked so much in me.

Unfortunately, during the month of August I caught the corona virus and my contacts were my brother, my mother and sadly my grandma. All of them were tested positive despite which my grandma who is 80 years old fought the virus and got discharged as negative. Weak lungs was the only reason we were not able to save her though being discharged. The one thing I am happy is that she had a peaceful death without any suffering which she used to tell me. 

When she left my life I was not able to express that pain and that suffering to my family in words. It was at that day when I started performing the ritual rites for my grandma also I decided to fulfil what she wanted me to do in life, follow the tradition and culture. I started chanting vishnusahasranamam in the evenings and also started doing sandhyavandhanam. I GOT TEARS WHEN SHE CAME BACK HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE, SHE SPOKE TO ME VERY CALMLY AND CLEARLY-"KANNA TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH DA, DON'T KEEP ROAMING OUTSIDE." THAT LOOK OF HER, EYE TO EYE GAVE ME THE INTUITION ABOUT HER.

I would just tell one thing to anyone who reads my blog, following the culture and tradition is very important and it shows who you are, where you are from and what is your culture. Being said September seems to be a very obscure month to my family and me.

MISS YOU SO MUCH GRANDMA!!! WILL DEFINITELY MAKE YOU PROUD!!! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! 

S.V.RUKMANI  -    SEPTEMBER 8th 2020

(13-12-1940)-(08-09-2020)

OMG!!! take care!!!😂😂😂😅 COVID-19

Vanakkam Makkale!!!!Every year this flu used spread around Chennai. At that point of time I used to get Throat Infection which gives me a fever for three two to three days. But, this year it was a totally different scenario, the worldwide pandemic CORONA VIRUS which was spread like a wildfire around 200 countries starting from the epicentre Wuhan,China. The worst part of the virus was that it actually started much earlier in November in some other province in China which they later declared to the World Health Organization (WHO) by December 31,2019.

Well I am actually lab rat😋😅 for the Neurology Department of SRM Institute of Medical Sciences, Chennai for different syndrome which I will explain it in detail in the next blog. Where was I......yeah!

I got this infection and developed a fever on Saturday which used to be a very coincidental day😝 for any injury, cough, cold, fever,etc after that syndrome. Appa and amma used to keep Eau de cologne on my forehead if the fever goes high. Because of the of the Covid pandemic the house was filled with sanitizers and a handgun to check the temperature often.

Usually I am hot😜 but this infection made the fever shoot up to 101.5 on a constant scale. The symptoms of the Corona virus were headache, cough, cold, fever, and diarrhoea. Since, they could not control mine when it shot up to 102.5 degree celsius, they decided and asked my brother & myself to take a COVID test just because he had a 100.5 degree celsius. Unfortunately, both of us were tested Positive and thank God dad tested negative.

People who were in contact with me apart from them my mom and my 80 year old granny also tested positive. Since, my grandma is too old and fragile to be taken care of she was shifted to hospital along with my mom. The point is I could not see my grandma struggling to breathe to maintain the oxygen level and on the other hand my mom could not handle the pressure because grandma did not want the complications on her.

The greater part was the people who cared for my grandma and my mom and also the hospitalisation fees. When my dad finally found an attender to take care of grandma, mom relieved herself and got discharged from the hospital and came home to quarantine herself the remaining 7 days. Whilst we got our home quarantine over my mom came in and made us stay inside for the 7 days just because she is in.

When this storm was going on, the hospital started to juice out the fees day by day and the worst part was who was gonna pay how much. My grandma is a very strong lady, she had quantamount of her savings from grandpa's pension. When she asked my brother and myself about partaking the money we told her, you were more important to us than this cash. I am glad now that she does not have to answer anyone.

All our neighbours were so helpful during our tough times. Everytime I get this doubt whether the blood relations really help through tough times or is it just their cash in and cash out and inquiries.......ohh apdiya!!! pathuko!!na pray panren!!!take care calls everyday!!!

Waiting for this month to get over and go out to get some fresh air......most importantly....meet my granny and make her health better.

Don't know how many of you out there got this pandemic really and for governments fake record for a day and the amount. If so hope you all take care of yourselves well and get rid of the pandemic and find out who are really caring for you at this time.Please do not run over for a Covid Test if you have a fever make sure you check yourselves with DOLO 650 for a day and then check with your local doctor and move on!!!CHEERS!!!CHENNAITES!!!

tik tik tik!!

Once upon a time long long ago.,...it took me ages..,..

When you actually hear these words some people might think people just talk about the fact of "TIME", but it is not. These words contain a lot of emotions for different people of different ages. For some people time heals in a different way and for some people time might seem still. 

For me time showed me different phases of life till now. Even though its almost eleven years since my grandfather had left me it took me hell a lot of time to get rid of those memories after May 6th 2009. I literally cried in happines that if my grandpa where here I would be happy to show him my 12th grade marks he would have been so proud of me. But, every time it is my grandmother the IRONLADY who gave me that strength to face life and asked me to move on because it was just a part and parcel of life. I enjoyed my school life at Jawahar Vidyalaya and infact had lots of memories. Although, my high school life at Ahobila Math was not so funfilled I did not have had any friends who were like the ones with whom I had good times.

But, it was my college life which painted a shade of colour in my life. The 3 years totally took away lot of ideas which I had for myself to enjoy the way I wanted to lead it. Why not take this way, because I am highly optimistic I learnt about friendship and also to keep away from some people who totally fried my back. I learnt Carnatic Music for about 2 years, when I was about to start to learn Varnam..the main song g g r s s r r  g g r r...the 10th CBSE exam came as a big "HIROSHIMA"  from my family because I didn't do good in my science model paper and was forced to quit from the classes.

Music was always a part of my life since my birth and in my DNA. This was the only 'light' which made me continue singing bhajans at temple and also grouping with people. All these kept my passion for singing alive by singing cine songs at home.  Sometimes, the same passion may also change your life in the you never expected. I lost about two years for the same forgetting campus interviews and did articleship alongside searching for singing chances and recording songs. 

When you get that thought of somehow making into the industry it is quite difficult, because you don't know that are just a drop on the grass. But, after certain point of time you will get to know that you can always record a song for your own passion. 

When I was young I used to collect a lot of stamps and coins (was a Philatelist and Numismatist). Whenever I used to go by Pondy bazaar, I will definitely goto the post office and buy the new release of stamps just for the sake of collection. All these kinds of hobbies takes our life on and on and as I said time might seem still but it's ticking all the second in your life along with your emotions. 

If time seems still for you don't worry, you are way ahead than me. 😉😊

Vaanam Kottatum!!

Some people might have the passion for science and go for it with confidence because they know the concept and the theory behind it. This was never the case for me since childhood. My favourite drink would be those days in the early 2000s was Milo. I used to get a lot of free gifts also along with it, one of which was the book about planets, stars and galaxy. 

Normally, I used to be fascinated if it was geography class because it used to be a lot about climate, weather, global warming, etc,. Beyond that I stared to google or find or learn any info about the space. I had this passion towards science but couldn't present it very much on paper. Therefore, I had to take commerce group and finished B.com and MBA. 

This passion inside me never left me because I used to predict the weather for Chennai for today and tell my neighbours, friends and family. They gave me the idea to post the current weather update for Chennai on and off on my page in facebook. Once I had even warned my friend who was in Georgia,USA about the Hurricane that was about to hit Florida after 10 years and cross the state of Atlanta. 

I had asked him to be prepared with his food stock for three days because all the stores near him would be fully crowed to buy their stockings. He was confused first whether to buy or not but to his fortune he listened to me and bought a day earlier before they started to announce on the local TV news. He thanked me because every single shop was full including Walmart. 

The same incident happened here when the IMD was confused about the movement of the cyclone Wardah in 2016. I had informed my neighbours about the cyclone not crossing Andhra but about to cross Chennai after 30 years which was on 1985. The neighbour next door and our family had stocked the goods when the shop owner and other fellow people had no idea what we were upto only when they came by the night to switch on the TV and get get the official news from IMD. 

Like I earlier mentioned on my previous blog post about the 2015 cloudburst,people did not have any idea as to what Elnino and Lanina phenomenon.  I had put an entire post as to make sure people know what is Elnino,but still only a few handpicked followers read the post and one of them shared it.

Most people keep a radar or look at a Satellite picture to predict the upcoming situation. I require the satellite image or the radar only 25% of the time. The rest of my predictions are just pure observations of the movement of the cirrus cloud and nimbus clouds and the flow of the air from which direction to which. This five minute observation is more than enough for me to predict the days weather because I have grown just by seeing the sky from my childhood. 

The surprise of the whole of my passion is even my 80 year old grandma asks me how the day will be it a sunshine or a drizzly morning 👌😆

Anyways wanted to share with you one of my passions in life and how I am pursuing it in a different manner. Hope you people liked it! If you want you can follow me on my facebook page for updates on weather 😊 

Idhu Namma Chennai! Chancey illa!!

Vanakkam Makkale!! Don't know if you have read my first blog. I am new to this blogging and so do comment and share your views so that I can improve my blogging better 🙃 Doing my usual weather updates on facebook I thought this was the doomsday for Chennai (December 1st 2015) the Elnino phenomenon.When the clouds shredded and made the sky jet black

The rain started early by November 30th evening and was torrential which made the cars and bikes to wade through even big Anna Salai. Already,the city and the outer had started receiving heavy rains at intervals for the month which was actually 20% more than the normal of what Chennai city and Kancheepuram should. 

When just one night's rain flooded the streets, still the meteorologists were not able to predict anything about the sudden cloudburst which was going to happen because of the Elnino.We struggled for daily milk and bread as the supermarket next street had no idea what to do. Most of the storm chasers and the private meteorologists had suggested the opening of Chembarambakkam Dam everyday by 500cusecs per calculating the outbreak that was about to occur. The officers of the dam were waiting for the official order from the government. But it was too late when the government had ordered the release of the dam water by midnight. 😑The adayar river in its flow crossing the kasi theatre bridge under after the day people could even wake up to its full flow over the bridge.

The order was late and also the dam was about to break it's walls which would cause a big rampage in the nearby areas in kancheepuram. Every single house or an apartment or a township constructed above an once upon dried lake had submerged until the first floor both inside and outskirts of the city. I had somehow had an instinct that the water levels would rise more than expected and therefore parked our car inside the apartment which was raised.The water had even come upto the ground level of my apartment and had covered the tire by night.

The flood made it difficult to help a struggling young boy of age about 13 to help him get injected both in the morning and in the evening because he had a kidney transplant. The worst of the whole thing was not even a single doctor was available here even if he was he was not ready to offer help. We formed a group in the street and they helped me carry the boy to an old man's place inside this flat where we found humanity still exists. Behind his place the wall would be so small to cross to the next street's apartment where a girl was practicing her final year medical in Stanley Medical Hospital. She offered to inject meds for the if we brought him from his place without getting wet or any kind of dust. ❤️😇

The whole grand Duraisamy Subway was closed for more than a week totally submerged.

But above all of this we people gathered in our terrace everyday to eat with what each and everyone had. Some said they had their worst time of their lives, but I would say those were the days which could never be rewritten or asked for. Those were the moments everyone not only in our flat but also in our street enjoyed and saw truly what humanity was and is. Now, people would not ask for the police or the government because they know Chennaites will unite whenever and wherever it is necessary. ❤️✌️ cheers people have a good day!!

Silence?!!- Say What You Need To Say

Vanakkam!! This is the usual way every person down south in tamilnadu greets and ofcourse that's how I used to post on my facebook or Instagram page when I forecast a weather for Chennai. Yes! This tambrahm has a younger brother who is ofcourse taller than me. I live in the west mambalam area, literally 27 years now when I am making this blog happen.

Like every other tambrahm family I was brought up by my grandparents but specifically maternal. I was very fond of the railways and I still am a Philatelist and a Numismatist. This was only because of my grandpa who used to lead a simple life yet all perfect. 

A MAN WHO NEVER RAISED VOICE AGAINST HIS WIFE. He used to take me to show off the railways every evening no matter what because his grandkids are his life. He just loved teaching me even simple stuff from cricket news in The Hindu to playing a carrom board. He worked as the manager in the admin department of port trust and retired in the mid 90s in the ABK-AOTS DOSOKAI, an Indian and Japan collaboration office as a manager till 2004.

He used to take me to all the stamp exhibitions and flower exhibitions conducted by train. I know people talking about the OCD amongst the too perfect but when I was about to think that he had, NO. He is just a man of perfection who just comes home keeps his watch, spectacles, and wallet at its place, he would start doing SAVASANA by lying down on the floor to get more strength to do the next job and ease himself out if required. 

Even if it is bandh or no-transport day, he used to walk all the way from beach station to Mambalam by the trackside. My grandma is only half his height and sometimes when going out she finds it difficult to follow him up😂 It was one of those summer holidays were I used to hangout with my grandpa. He came from his work and his yoga to give him a jolt because it's WEDNESDAY. He used to leave the home 3:30pm exactly and would ask me if I wanted to join him for buying veggies from the market across the station. 

He was all ready with his bag scrolled up under his arms and asked me one last time, "dei na kelambaren variya illiya?" I was watching some show in the history channel his wait would be exactly for five minutes and the best part is he will not say bye to me😂 When the door shuts, I would realise, and run after him saying bye to my grandma.

He would know what to buy, where to buy and from whom to buy. All those sellers would recognise him and give him the correct veggies. One important thing about my grandpa is that "HE NEVER LIES" 👌I would forget this point everytime I go out with him and get caught by my grandma. I would willingly carry the bag for him till home he would resist but I would still do. There will be two shops near the Ranganathan street staircase, one would be the ice-cream vendor and other popcorn. My grandpa would look at me and notice that I would want one from each and he would buy me. On the way home, I would tell him," thatha please paati kitta solidadha", and you know what would have happened😇

Later on he joined a local religious centre here called Ayodhya Mandapam started serving people as much as he could because he can never stay home idle without doing anything. Because of his influence there I would get a seat in the front every time during the margazhi utsav and would get autographs of Mrs.Sudha Raghunathan, Embar Mr.Kannan, etc., and also would ask them to sing my favourite songs by writing it and sending a small parchment.

Till 2006 he stayed with us in the same apartment after which he was asked to vacate because of the landlord. Until then he stayed on his own legs and payed rent from his pension. HE WAS ALWAYS A MAN OF HIS WORDS. He would never mean harm to anything and till he was alright I have never seen him raise his voice against anything or anyone. 

My grandparents had three daughters including my mother in the middle. My chithi(3rd) left to the US after marriage in 2003 and my perimma (1st) lives exactly opposite to the door which my chithi had bought initially. My grandpa was asked to move to her place and stay free of cost because it's her place. But, my grandpa who was used to standing on his own legs was not able to digest this. Ofcourse, it's his daughter and she is the one who is offering the generous flat. 

The point was he wasn't interested in her daughter losing the rental money for his sake because he had to search for another place. My grandpa was such a hard hearted man that he wasn't able to say NO to his daughter's offer and also take that place.

In the initial phases of his life he had just completed PUC to marry my grandmother and later on he was working and studying and finished his colled in The Presidency college, Chennai. He had friends in his morning walk with whom he talked and even completed ICWA. He had started taking tuitions to manage the family by then. 

Such a person was on his own legs and he had even made 6-month US trip thrice, the last one which went horrible because he was just confined to four walls when his grandkids were out to school. He also fell sick beacuse of it and somehow managed to come back home. 

I was in tears when I received my grandpa because he lost his memory. He couldn't even recognise my face as he was high in DEMENTIA. He went back forty years in his life memory and identified me as his cousin whom he had helped. The man had cheated him in his good times so my grandpa always had a grudge for me. 

But, gradually it didn't last long. He used to run away one day and sleep fully the other day. One fine May day the 6th 2009, he had decided to leave us all in just a fraction by walking in godspeed. He had been the first victim to the scorching agninatchatram. Since then I had taken rights for doing the final rituals and it's been 11 he has breathed his last.

A legendary man who kept things within himself. He had never let out voice against anything which had ultimately taken him to deep thoughts. You should not cage a bird which shouldn't be. My grandma used to tell me that it was his karma which he had to go through. NOPE

Man Proposes God Disposes

We may have thought of lot of things to say, to do but ultimately the end result is different. Wish my grandpa was still there to guide me through my life. Wanted to start my first blog about my grandparents and especially my grandpa.

LET LIFE ROLL ON AS IT GOES!

CHEERS!!✌️😇

Grandpa- S V RAMANAN

Grandma who just hit her 80, the proud S V RUKMANI 

with them this Mambalam thachimamu

HARISH G