RANDOM THOUGHTS

   ASIA CUP FINAL IND VS PAKISTAN 2025 I am a big  and  ardent  Cricket follower and watch all India related Matches with very keen interest.  The Asia Cup Matches in Dubai had me watching all the matches ; the key one being with our Arch Rivals PAKISTAN which was getting on to everyone's nerves . The Antics of t0he Pakistanis with both their infield and off field activities ; Shahibzada Farhan ; Harris Rouf and Abrar Ahmad to name just three and their Cabinet Minister and Chief of Asian Cricket Council Mohsin Naqvi left a very bad precedent. Sept 29 2025 was the day of the much anticipated and eagerly waited clash between India and Pakistan at the DUBAI INTERNATIONAL STADIUM Slated at 10.30 AM local time here in Ajax ; Canada .  We had an important appointment for lunch on that day at Brampton some 80 Kms away . By the time we left our house at Ajax, Pakistan was comfortably placed at 112 for 2 at the end of 12.5 overs . Things were beginning to look ...

                    NAVARATHRI 2025   --  AJAX  We are at my Son and Daughter In Law’s place at Ajax in Canada this year for the Navarathri Festival . It is  a festival which has the Ladies garnering all the limelight during the Nine Day Festival with THE GOLU as the highlight . The men in the house have to get down the Cartons from the attic with the neatly packed idols of last year stored there with utmost care . Cleaning and dusting the same takes some doing . Getting the 5 or 7 Deck GOLU PADI is a big task in itself . Haarish , my son is good with his hands which includes the Carpentry work also . He has designed a FIVE DECK WOODEN GOLU PADI which can be assembled and dismantled in a very short time .  Masterminding the placement of the Various idols in formations of ASHTALAKSHMI , RAMAYANAM , GAJENDRA MOKSHAM , DASA AVATHAARAMS , CHETTIAR KADAI WITH THEIR GROCERY ITEMS , PAST AND PRESENT LEADERS ASSEMBL...

  Ajax TURNS 70 - DRONE SHOW - MUSIC  AJAX IS A CITY SUBURB ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE MEGA CITY OF TORONTO . IT REPORTEDLY CAME TO BE CALLED BY THIS NAME WAY BACK IN 1955 AS A SMALL COMMUNITY.  TODAY AFTER 70 YEARS IT IS A FULL FLEDGED CITY WITH ALL AMENITIES. TO CELEBRATE THE SAME A MUSIC CUM DRONE SHOW WAS CONDUCTED AT THE AUDLEY RECREATION CENTER.  FIRST TIME EXPERIENCE OF A DRONE SHOW WAS A FASCINATING EXPERIENCE . FABULOUS COLOURED LIGHTS DISPLAY 

      PURRATASI SANI 2025 - TORONTO  As has been our practice over the Past years to Visit PERUMAL Temples on the auspicious PURRATASI SANI ( SATURDAY ) .  This year we were at Toronto and decided to Visit the Balaji Temple at Scarborough in Toronto . There was a huge number of Devotees assembled so much so that it was difficult to find place for parking your car . The Deepa Aaradhanai was elaborately done and the PULIODARAI PRASADAM was the ultimate . This brought back memories of our visits to PERUMAL TEMPLES LAST YEAR IN AND AROUND AMBASAMUDRAM.       PURATTASI SANIKIZHAMAI 2024  In the Hindu Calendar the Month of Purattasi is considered sacred  for  offering of Prayers to Lord Vishnu.  SATURDAYS ARE CONSIDERED EVEN MORE SPECIAL FOR THE SAME . AFTER OFFERING THE MAHALAYA THARPANAM IN THE MORNING, IT WAS TIME  TO VISIT THE PERUMAL STHALAMS IN THE AREA . AS HAS BEEN THE PRACTICE THUS FAR YOU GET TO KNOW OF A NEW PLACE IN ...

                    LEFT HAND DRIVE  I have been having an Indian Driving License of Two Wheelers for close to 50 years now and for 4 wheelers for  the last 25 Years . I must confess that though I am pretty Comfortable with Driving the 2 Wheelers  , I have not been that comfortable while Driving the 4 Wheelers . Advancing age , not being able to judge the space on either side of the Highway or Road  , plus the Road Traffic which has increased many times over during the last two decades have all been the Contributing Factors . Except for Riding a Two Wheeler While in Sri Lanka , I have not ventured to drive any vehicle during my various durations of stay abroad . Being a Permanent Canadian Citizen , I have and am used to  staying here over long periods of time . Till you get the License Officially Ratified by the Canadian Authorities and with certain conditions , Indian Driving License are Valid up to a certain pe...

  ANYTHING BIG INITIALLY STARTS AS     A SMALL SPARK IN THE BEGINNING  The Saying a small spark is enough to ignite a big fire was proved right by the happenings in my Native Village RAVANASAMUDRAM . For the uninformed it must be mentioned that RAVANASAMUDRAM is a beautiful little Village in Tenkasi District ; it is nestled close to the Western Ghats and is a Picture Perfect Scenic Village . The Agraharam here with close to a 100 Houses with the Chockanather Temple in the Middle has seen many eminent personalities over the years and Generations from this place .  This is a Village which breathes life throughout the year . Festivals right through the year culminating with the Annual Village Festival is the highlight .  Lakshmi Ramanathan / Radhika hit upon the idea of conducting a talk show on the lines of    ‘ YETHU NADANTHALLUM ATHU                      NALLATHUKAY ‘  As can be visu...

              RAM LEELA CELEBRATIONS                         राम लीला का त्योहार  हर साल की तरह इस साल भी राम लीला २२ सितंबर से ३ अक्टूबर तक मनायी जाने वाली है । इस साल की थीम ३ डी में होगी जो इस त्योहार को ऐक अगली सतह पर ले जायेगी ।  श्री राम जी के हाथ द्वारा रावण का हरण यानी अच्छे के द्वारा बुरों का ,  सच के द्वारा झूठों का और कई और तरह की बदलावट लाने के कारण आज श्री राम भगवान  माने जातें हैं ।  अब सवाल ये उठता है कि हम इस त्योहार को हर साल क्यों मनाते हैं ? आदमी अपने जीवन में सिर्फ येक ही बार मर सकता है । दस सर वाले रावण के हरण को हम सब हर साल क्यों मनाते हैं ?   राम लीला इस लिये मनाते हैं क्योंकि हम सब के अंदर ज्यादातर , हमारी अनुमति के साथ  या उसके बग़ैर दस सिरों वाला रावण हमारे ही अंदर हर समय बसा करता है ।  १ ) अपने माता  और पिता का कहना  मानना .  २ ) अपने माता पिता की देखभाल करना  ३ ) गुरु के आदेशों का पालन करना ...

          NELLAI  KALI MARK GOLI SODA  NOT SO LONG BACK AGO TIRUNELVELI ASIDE OF THE GREEN PADDY FIELDS HAD THREE SIGNATURE ITEMS WHICH MADE IT FAMOUS . TIRUNELVELI HALWA - TIRUNELVELI ARUVA       TIRUNELVELI KALI MARK GOLI SODA  Thankfully the Green Fields are flourishing and the output due to scientific farming is on a constant upward spike .  Tirunelveli HALWA is slowly getting a wider clientele .  IRRUTTU KADAI HALWA used to rule the market at one time . Many other brands which includes SHANTI SWEETS are now in the Market . In line with the TIRUPATI LADDU ; an outsiders visit to Tirunelveli is considered  incomplete without the purchase and distribution of the HALWA among their friends and relatives back home in their respective places . However much that one might wish ,  the use of the TIRUNELVELI ARUVA for all the infamous reasons are showing no signs of a decline . The trademark TIRUNELVELI KALI MARK...

         PLEASANT  - LASTING   MEMORIES                              We all carry memories of the good times of the past . It could be an event in which you have participated or witnessed ,  or a place you have visited or even a Movie whose memory you still cherish for  reason which is still a mystery to many but not to you . But the sweetest of all these memories are those of the pleasant times spent in the company of friends and colleagues at work or outside . Their numbers may be too many to fit into a short write up .  You remember them for something special and a story to go with them . For lack of space I will try and elucidate a few of them.  Balu or Japan as he is fondly known to all his friends was one such person . He had this rare knack of enlivening a group which till his arrival resembled a meditation center.  His antics , anecdote...