tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76025952656336395402024-03-19T15:54:40.057+05:30Temple, Travel and SportPRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.comBlogger1189125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-75456717760651301632024-03-12T14:14:00.006+05:302024-03-13T10:22:50.151+05:30 Kapali Panguni Utsavam 2024 Rajeswari Devotee<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">This 96 year old lady is looking forward to the midnight Rishabham next Wednesday</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfL_UHbYkNaI7mJ82s6hpRFe1BP13lEgePfF2WWQCa6ipFFBFEPdqnpX5M7614kfC9rgW_0FBim-uMOarTHsz5uMgVhFgJZcgOi86_Ld83P-ErJg2vlfIilKu3zPLHycRBbLI0Of8zg9RolJlz6T7k8CTylDPrKXwpH5ZJAcjL7WyMa4S1IsblNxfgPEkr/s1627/kapali%20rajeswari%20devotee%2096%20year.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1627" data-original-width="1615" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfL_UHbYkNaI7mJ82s6hpRFe1BP13lEgePfF2WWQCa6ipFFBFEPdqnpX5M7614kfC9rgW_0FBim-uMOarTHsz5uMgVhFgJZcgOi86_Ld83P-ErJg2vlfIilKu3zPLHycRBbLI0Of8zg9RolJlz6T7k8CTylDPrKXwpH5ZJAcjL7WyMa4S1IsblNxfgPEkr/s320/kapali%20rajeswari%20devotee%2096%20year.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">This section has featured many stories in the last few years on the devotees’ love for Kapaleeswarar and their attachment to the annual Panguni Utsavam (</span><a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/kapali-panguni-utsavam.html" style="text-align: justify;">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/kapali-panguni-utsavam.html</a><span style="text-align: justify;">) and how each of them play a part in it. There are just a few days to go for this year's utsavam, and the grand processions from the decades gone by are already playing out in the mind of this 96 year old devotee.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hailing from Kadaladi village near Pozhur (Vandavasi), K. Rajeswari has been present at the Panguni Utsavam for close to six decades. It is a hot Tuesday (March 12) morning at the Kapaleeswarar temple but unmindful of the heat she has made her way to each of the Sannidhis and is walking around the prakara with her son VK Manoharan, a retired Sanskrit teacher. Just 48 hours earlier, devotees thronged in large numbers on Sunday morning to carry the 1000 Paal Kudam to the Kola Villi Amman temple. This is an event that she fondly remembers from her early years in Mylapore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1fjz36VhGBWpNicdN9EAStrA1xFTsL2cElfuxTK_Xl9VhXr2hU0HMCFxiwBI9aQMTnuK1bAeNrAw0l2WpSumAFHjY3igX_59WQDtbJ-BFY4HvBZaJ-PdIWwi1Ogq19Z-EaIBzEceRpH-FfqDFXZl_X1OmHoX9ij7CZm7j_NZ0qnX54dgco56MgQ5gOOIm" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1fjz36VhGBWpNicdN9EAStrA1xFTsL2cElfuxTK_Xl9VhXr2hU0HMCFxiwBI9aQMTnuK1bAeNrAw0l2WpSumAFHjY3igX_59WQDtbJ-BFY4HvBZaJ-PdIWwi1Ogq19Z-EaIBzEceRpH-FfqDFXZl_X1OmHoX9ij7CZm7j_NZ0qnX54dgco56MgQ5gOOIm=w225-h400" width="225" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="color: #38761d;">To the temple before 5am on the Adikaara Nandi morning</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rajeswari is all excited as she recalls to this writer her experiences at the Panguni Utsavam dating back to the late 1960s and early 70s <b>“I would wake very early on the third morning and reach the temple well before 5am for the start of the Adikaara Nandi procession. There were three specific locations that I would particularly stand and have darshan – the deeparathanai at Yaaga Salai, the Gopura Vaasal and the 16 pillar mandapam. These are three points where I never missed having a close darshan during this utsavam.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">Rishabham - A Lifetime favourite</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rishabham (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/03/kapali-devotee-aparna-panguni-utsavam.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/03/kapali-devotee-aparna-panguni-utsavam.html</a>), like for most other Kapali devotees, has been a lifetime favourite for this nonagenarian. <b>“Even as the procession started inside the temple, there would be big fire crackers that would go on the north mada side of the tank near the Indian Bank. It was a grand display of fire works that all the devotees look forward. And then the Gopura Vaasal Deeparathanai at midnight was the big moment for me as devotees roared with shouts of ‘kapali, kapali’. It was an unforgettable experience to be amidst those hundreds of devotees in front of the Raja Gopuram”</b> says Rajeshwari even as tears roll down her cheeks narrating that most devotional midnight moment of the Panguni Utsavam.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimJqEtV9oO1DDGglsNPi0c_fZpIXgU3PunfNXO2cRoOlW6UKnUbK56ExeEQFqwr6d7p0UXGU7nvHG0JkC2mTWuGQqESCngNFRiGLo6iu23J-f3F_KfPbvq207rXvmMapdd9kBt_yh-ZJV1P0m5dEJd8kF3sspfgFMWWteQTNq_ivJf1PIINJhODIoxHsg7" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="2172" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimJqEtV9oO1DDGglsNPi0c_fZpIXgU3PunfNXO2cRoOlW6UKnUbK56ExeEQFqwr6d7p0UXGU7nvHG0JkC2mTWuGQqESCngNFRiGLo6iu23J-f3F_KfPbvq207rXvmMapdd9kBt_yh-ZJV1P0m5dEJd8kF3sspfgFMWWteQTNq_ivJf1PIINJhODIoxHsg7" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">All the way on the Chariot morning</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As the Panguni Utsavam moved into the second half, Rajeswari would be present end to end for the Chariot festival pulling the car at the start of the procession on the East Mada street. <b>“It was the one day in the utsavam when devotees congregated from afar to pull the chariot around the four streets. We saw huge crowds on that morning and there would be devotees on the top of house floors to witness the chariot passing by at a slow pace.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>“Being the start of the summer, cucumber, butter milk and paanagam would be distributed and that came as a relief to the devotees.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">The Arubathumoovar</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the Arubathumoovar evening (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/04/kapali-panguni-utsavam-2023.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/04/kapali-panguni-utsavam-2023.html</a>), she recalls having darshan of Lords from different temples in the city. <b>"While we were all excited to have darshan of the 63 Saint Poets, it was also an evening for us to have darshan of swamis from different temples in the city and we heard stories about each of these temples on that evening" </b>Rajeswari tells this writer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Her husband V. D. Krishnaswamy Sarma, who passed away in the early 1980s, was a school teacher at Vayalamoor, a village near Senji. He was an Upanyasakar and would sit near the Pillayar Sannidhi at the eastern entrance of the Kapaleeswarar Temple presenting historical stories including interesting episodes from the Thiruvachakam. <b>“Once he went to Calcutta to present an upanyasam. A week later, Kripananda Vaariyar too presented one at the same location. When he found a name from the Senji village in that memory book of the organisers, he came back to the village and located Krishnaswamy Sarma.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tQRBHAeHMrJvaDXjuHQjFNzrdNXOZYHisx-dx0C5vRFMeB-GZ598TlmweNH-IfJZ0kaCWBsqh0F7XCpAUkFyzUHc_uvLv1FcPg784nS2aZW6k_hyP83XHpRUQYsGKEpnQbGkJDZqYv6YFLnlG6EGRRsvK9FvpS4oLaVjkOlV9ZO9bM4kSD14MxXDv8xe/s1738/krishnaswamy%20sarma.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1738" data-original-width="1537" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tQRBHAeHMrJvaDXjuHQjFNzrdNXOZYHisx-dx0C5vRFMeB-GZ598TlmweNH-IfJZ0kaCWBsqh0F7XCpAUkFyzUHc_uvLv1FcPg784nS2aZW6k_hyP83XHpRUQYsGKEpnQbGkJDZqYv6YFLnlG6EGRRsvK9FvpS4oLaVjkOlV9ZO9bM4kSD14MxXDv8xe/s320/krishnaswamy%20sarma.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b>Maasam Pathu - enakku 'Maa Sampathu'</b><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Impressed with his contribution to the history and culture, Vaariyar organised Rs. 10 to be sent to him every month by money order. Acknowledging this support, she says that her husband told him ‘Maasam Pathu is ‘Maa Sampathu’ for me bringing out a big laughter in Vaariyar.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> “Later when the sons had grown up and we moved to Madras, my husband went to an upanyasam of Vaariyar at Asthiga Samajam and requested him for the financial support to be stopped. Vaariyar was so impressed with this gesture that he made a public announcement about the contentment of my husband at the end of that upanyasam", she recounts as to how contended her husband was. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sandy Prakaras</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Son Manoharan says that she likes being in the midst of devotees at this temple. Even though she has to climb two floors at home, she insists on coming to the Kapali temple every day and is already looking forward to the Panguni utsavam. "There was no cement flooring like you have now in those early years and the sandy path around the prakara was soft on the feet in those years. We enjoyed walking around in a pradakshinam.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpr3qaIfi10aANpB6Er2wGt6X6l1p-yloHaJw_B0d2OQavesXpuU_lmvDkPjrg1N5ZN-2ZleK77eMnrPy1o5iFWkXDn0iG1A4_06XYYTxXn6tId13v8Cg9-kmqSdX_HVCYhUu7Ph4Y15K7FvsZtZDIXJgQuVnhOOWCl-1Juh3xnzAt8jSJeM8m4rmD0ux/s590/with%20son%20manoharan%20at%20kapali.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="590" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpr3qaIfi10aANpB6Er2wGt6X6l1p-yloHaJw_B0d2OQavesXpuU_lmvDkPjrg1N5ZN-2ZleK77eMnrPy1o5iFWkXDn0iG1A4_06XYYTxXn6tId13v8Cg9-kmqSdX_HVCYhUu7Ph4Y15K7FvsZtZDIXJgQuVnhOOWCl-1Juh3xnzAt8jSJeM8m4rmD0ux/s320/with%20son%20manoharan%20at%20kapali.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b><span style="color: red;">Her son donned the Sripatham role<br /></span></b><div style="text-align: justify;">One of her sons, Sekar, who passed away in a road accident, was an active voluntary member of the Sripatham team that carried Kapaleeswarar on their shoulders during this utsavam. She misses him badly at this utsavam but the sight of him carrying Kapali is still fresh “<b>Every year, when I am at the procession, I visualise Sekar carrying the Lord around the four streets.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Come 9pm on Friday evening, it is likely that the longtime Mylaporeans (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/07/kapali-theevatti-pmo-consultant-v.html?m=1">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/07/kapali-theevatti-pmo-consultant-v.html</a>) will see this familiar face yet again at the start of the Pillayar procession on the Mooshika Vahanam. It has been 55 glorious years for Rajeswari at the Panguni Utsavam and she just cannot wait for this year’s utsavam to start and the shouts of 'Kapali Kapali' is already ringing in her ears. </div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-46528566023869275312024-03-08T15:33:00.003+05:302024-03-10T01:26:20.865+05:30 Rajesh Kannan IPL Umpire<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">This honest and straight forward cricketer makes his mark in Umpiring</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgf2HojZT2TSv1Nz17ssPjYW5vJyUzQXHwppCT1Vx5AvwhS_JIzoMJ4CEm4tWL6sPLESoS4MPDlBeWaZqwlcWbaZp2OqziqusSM8EvHCo-dLHQUlH8g6muzf583HLXp9QFfuKMuyeskBDXYLUgU5M3VLu0cxUD9G5TrNxHb3HO_SGAvZzpYPxf4MxRdQW/s2156/rajesh%20kannan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1943" data-original-width="2156" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgf2HojZT2TSv1Nz17ssPjYW5vJyUzQXHwppCT1Vx5AvwhS_JIzoMJ4CEm4tWL6sPLESoS4MPDlBeWaZqwlcWbaZp2OqziqusSM8EvHCo-dLHQUlH8g6muzf583HLXp9QFfuKMuyeskBDXYLUgU5M3VLu0cxUD9G5TrNxHb3HO_SGAvZzpYPxf4MxRdQW/s320/rajesh%20kannan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's mid February and the biggest match in the life of this down to earth umpire from Mylapore, Chennai. And he has a surprise visitor in his room at tea time. Former India star and captain of Bombay Ajinkya Rahane has himself come to meet Rajesh Kannan. The reason - Rahane, who has had a terrible season as a batsman, has just been given out obstructing the field. Rajesh is unflustered at this star batsman making a polite enquiry and explains the reasoning behind his decision and stands by it. That is Rajesh Kannan for you. He played fierce cricket for IOB for two decades in the first division league in the city but with a great deal of honesty. He is as straight as it comes and does not mince words irrespective of stature of the person on the other side. He also once, just under two decades ago, innocently asked B Kalyanasundaram (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2011/08/kalli-b-kalyanasundaram.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2011/08/kalli-b-kalyanasundaram.html</a>) as to what cricket he had played when the two were selectors at the U17 level.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the back of his strong showing in the Ranji Trophy this season including in this match between Bombay and Assam, Rajesh has made the big leap in umpiring. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">From a rank outsider as a cricketer to an IPL Umpire</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>He was a rank outsider in the mid 1980s with no backing in those early days. Very few in the cricketing circles knew him. He did not have a cricket kit of his own. He was not financially strong. But he made up for all this with a determination that indicated very early on that he would succeed against all odds.In those early years in the 1980s, he would walk all the way from Saidapet to play matches over the weekend and during the summer against a little more fancied YMCA (TSR) team at the YMCA ground in Nandanam. Other times he would catch the crowded 45B bus to Nandanam. But he was always on time and raring to go and prove himself against the more established players. Almost every match, he would take his team to victory single handedly from precarious position that he would find his team in. Many a ball was dispatched into the tennis court on the Western side and the YMCA boys had to jump the wired fencing to fetch the ball back. </div><div><br /></div><div>Close to 40 years after this writer first played against him in a Saturday match at YMCA, R. Rajesh Kannan (Kanna to all the cricketers in those days) has just received news that he will be officiating in this year's IPL as a fourth umpire, quite a significant achievement for a quiet and low profile cricketer. It is 11.30pm and Rajesh is fast asleep. He is woken up by an email notification and as he opens the mail, he is all excited to read that he has been assigned the fourth umpire role in the IPL this year. </div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is a big moment in his life after what he went through during the Pandemic and what he had to endure from a lot of his bank colleagues and relatives. The national lockdown came at the worst moment for Rajesh. It was only six months earlier that he had quit a high paying manager’s job at IOB, where he had worked for 25years. He could not straddle between working late as a manager at the branch and umpiring cricket matches. When BCCI began to assign women’s matches that required travelling across the country in the 2019-20 season, he found it challenging to take off from the Bank for many months. With the prospect of an umpiring career ahead of him, he quit the job to focus full time on umpiring. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9B2NJ2bZ6igXFzlQyIMyjcPcnTaFHKK3XoZdQ44_x2QzlENuUht3IHpN_TdkRNLPvnhQownkIWpHaK5Ej9litI_m1NaMfQ45Q4m4I3vk4PW4CpoqD1aYNjz4A-hFhkm4GBuAl6IWug9P7DzDxGkrG0gRRzJz_hweqF2qLuQ8C-hD0Tg2Vwg5_zOdFMsQ-" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="428" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9B2NJ2bZ6igXFzlQyIMyjcPcnTaFHKK3XoZdQ44_x2QzlENuUht3IHpN_TdkRNLPvnhQownkIWpHaK5Ej9litI_m1NaMfQ45Q4m4I3vk4PW4CpoqD1aYNjz4A-hFhkm4GBuAl6IWug9P7DzDxGkrG0gRRzJz_hweqF2qLuQ8C-hD0Tg2Vwg5_zOdFMsQ-" width="217" /></a></div>When he informed his non cricketing colleagues at the bank about his decision, each of them asked him if he was quitting the job to umpire in the IPL and if he would be officiating in matches with Simon Taufel. His relatives too were looking for to him umpiring in the IPL for they thought that cricket did not exist outside of the IPL.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">The Pandemic impact </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, the pandemic dealt a severe blow to Rajesh and his umpiring dreams. He neither had cricket matches to umpire nor the bank job to continue his flourishing career in the banking space. He spent hours with this writer walking at the Nageswara Rao Park unsure of his future and wondering repeatedly if he took a wrong decision to quit the Bank job. It was a tumultuous 2020 for Rajesh with him spending most of his time in anxiety and constantly reviewing this big decision he took the previous year. Lord Hanuman of Alamelumangapuram, where he has been residing over the last few decades, was the one he looked up to for confidence in that phase. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Makes up for lost time - Graduates to Ranji</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He managed to somehow wade through that phase patiently waiting for cricket to resume. When it did, he spent a lot of time in background work – focusing on his physical fitness, continuously working on 3rd umpire simulations with TNCA umpire Rakesh Raghavan, improving his communication skills and learning the protocol aspects relating to umpiring at the highest level. He also worked very closely with senior umpires such as his old colleague KN Ananthapadmanabhan and JR Madanagopal (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/10/madanagopal-j.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/10/madanagopal-j.html</a>) who he says were always ready and immediately available to clarify complex umpiring scenarios. When he began to umpire the BCCI matches once again, the negative thoughts about quitting a secure bank job became history and in the last couple of years, he has made rapid strides on the umpiring front. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Rajesh graduated to officiating in the national U23 tournament including in the knock out this year (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/02/rajesh-kannan-ranji-debut.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/02/rajesh-kannan-ranji-debut.html</a>). He umpired in the entire set of league matches in the Vijay Hazare national one day tournament this season and did well. Good performances in the plate group of the Ranji Trophy in 22-23 led him to moving up the ladder into the Elite group this year. In the meanwhile, he also officiated in the TNPL including gaining experience as third umpire and the DRS.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglSjKECKPhVYFq1iS_KLCMxUt9fc56cO7Bw_T2OtKJ8irYF8DjepgNYwLBNd2gfN6bcahnnS_kjuoEMmJMBeT2XO8NEVDIkBsd-_SJ2Eim_KqNKx8kVK6VyEZbpeh3uhYIVE59PVtlbGmTlcsKVpb8XlbI9Qwg6cc2Lzu1XzfDmhFzL9V-OzngUGi2YcEZ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1380" data-original-width="1175" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglSjKECKPhVYFq1iS_KLCMxUt9fc56cO7Bw_T2OtKJ8irYF8DjepgNYwLBNd2gfN6bcahnnS_kjuoEMmJMBeT2XO8NEVDIkBsd-_SJ2Eim_KqNKx8kVK6VyEZbpeh3uhYIVE59PVtlbGmTlcsKVpb8XlbI9Qwg6cc2Lzu1XzfDmhFzL9V-OzngUGi2YcEZ" width="204" /></a></div>Now an International umpire Ananthapadmanabhan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/09/ananthapadmanabhan-kn.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/09/ananthapadmanabhan-kn.html</a>) watched Rajesh Kannan closely through the 1990s and the 2000s when the two played together for IOB. <b>“Rajesh is someone who takes a lot of pride in whatever he does - from representing the IOB team in cricket to being a Banker and now as an Umpire. He always tries to get better and give his best. I wish him the very best for the forthcoming IPL season”</b> Anantha told this writer this week.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The terrible times of the Pandemic seem to be distant memory for Rajesh. It will now be an entirely new experience of officiating in the IPL, with the fourth umpire role being the entry point and he can now proudly go back to his non cricketing colleagues at IOB and tell them that he indeed will now be officiating in the IPL!!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Best Wishes to Rajesh Kannan in his new assignment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/06/rajesh-kannan-bcci-board-umpire.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/06/rajesh-kannan-bcci-board-umpire.html</a><br /></div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-87418508345613278832024-03-06T11:46:00.006+05:302024-03-06T14:27:09.667+05:30 TN Ranji Semi Final 2024 Coach Captain Public Spat<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sandhu in 85, Shardul in 24</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">At Lords, in 1991, Azhar went against Bedi's instructions, chose to bowl first and England amassed 650runs with Gooch scoring a triple hundred</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Like Bedi, Kulkarni let out his frustration against Captain Sai. Unfortunately, TN lost the match not at the toss but on the 2nd afternoon when they let Bombay slip from 100/7 </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwXdNGUSHyngCUQTDfQPpflbz419Ia9B3kPirDHw7we6JWaI7OzxLtAOxNRjQ26wQgXsFeH0QbMuLHs0326Gl4SyGp6OKXN6XkoxU0hxfSfEpvWdoMh8Uvod4nGp55pC2v3ZHKKA0Kna4V-XnCXXWjond9JgObQySRPoghyB0UokVifuHc4DzbYmNy5L-/s974/Sulakshan%20Kulkarni.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="831" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwXdNGUSHyngCUQTDfQPpflbz419Ia9B3kPirDHw7we6JWaI7OzxLtAOxNRjQ26wQgXsFeH0QbMuLHs0326Gl4SyGp6OKXN6XkoxU0hxfSfEpvWdoMh8Uvod4nGp55pC2v3ZHKKA0Kna4V-XnCXXWjond9JgObQySRPoghyB0UokVifuHc4DzbYmNy5L-/s320/Sulakshan%20Kulkarni.jpg" width="273" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the last 36 hours, in the aftermath of TN’s exit from this year’s Ranji Trophy following another big defeat against Bombay, there has been a public spat on the reasons for the defeat. Interestingly almost all the leading media houses have let go an important phase in the match and instead focused on the more juicy part of the post match conference of Captain Sai and Coach Sulakshan Kulkarni.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><br /></div><div>Batting on a seamer friendly wicket after winning the toss, TN was bowled out for less than 150. Following the innings defeat Kulkarni has held that the team lost the match at the toss. He pointed out that the idea of TN picking three fast bowlers was to take advantage of the conditions and that it was lost after the team chose to bat. He also said that in his discussion with Sai just ahead of the toss, he wanted TN to bowl first if he won the toss. </div><div><br /></div><div>Minutes later, Sai followed his instincts and chose to bat for he felt that the team had an advantage bowling fourth as the two spinners had picked up over 85 wickets in the season (it turned out later there was no fourth innings in the match as TN lost by an innings on the third day).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4VyQQ16Jn3w44M9LHuODFhBBocbnCSRI_RKG5zNfSK6cAs_mw-3010s9tZfiOmbY9NxE_6LOs32GyUHE-ym6LfNQ4ki08rr1Dm6bfVlQnt4AIctx90Xb96eEmaTc9ta3Iw7zuTi8SuJ1sbuP9KxNX7RWeRLs4_qnmc3rR4PnGlfeuwa67FkJaqHj_WTt/s219/sai%20kishore.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="219" data-original-width="166" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4VyQQ16Jn3w44M9LHuODFhBBocbnCSRI_RKG5zNfSK6cAs_mw-3010s9tZfiOmbY9NxE_6LOs32GyUHE-ym6LfNQ4ki08rr1Dm6bfVlQnt4AIctx90Xb96eEmaTc9ta3Iw7zuTi8SuJ1sbuP9KxNX7RWeRLs4_qnmc3rR4PnGlfeuwa67FkJaqHj_WTt/s1600/sai%20kishore.jpg" width="166" /></a></div><b><span style="color: #38761d;"> Sai Kishore- from his X page</span></b><br /><div><br /></div><div>In a cricket world that is now dominated by social media opinions, former players have hit out against the coach for letting down his captain and the team in public.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, this public spat between the captain and coach is nothing new and not restricted to domestic cricket. Way back in 1991, on India’s tour to England, Bishen Singh Bedi, who was designated as the manager on tour (there were no coaches in those days) asked Azhar to bat first at Lords if he won the toss and went around for a walk around the stadium. </div><div><br /></div><div>And similar to Sai Kishore, Azhar followed his instincts and chose to bowl on what was to turn out to be one of the flattest wickets later in the match. However, there too, similar to this match, there was a big opportunity that came its way that was not capitalised.</div><div><br /></div><div>Within the first hour of play, Kiran More dropped a sitter when Gooch was not yet in his 30s and he went on to score his first and only triple hundred as England amassed over 650runs. Interestingly, Gooch was so shocked after having edged that ball that he did not run the single even though the ball went towards third man. Had that catch been taken in that first hour when there was movement, things may have been different. As it turned out, Gooch had a glorious run scoring a century in the 2nd innings as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>This match is also known for one of the best test innings played by an Indian batsman at Lords with Azhar scoring a scintillating century at better than run a ball. No bowler in the opposition rank had an answer to his masterful stroke play. Later that innings, Kapil Dev hit Hemmings for four successive sixers to save the follow on.</div><div><br /></div><div>On that first morning, when Bedi heard that India were bowling he was furious that Azhar went against his decision. Bedi was not known to mince words and let his frustration on Azhar at the end of the day for having gone against instructions. Similar to Kulkarni this week, Bedi had held that the decision to bowl tilted the match in England’s favour (England won the match at the toss!!!). And similar to Sai Kishore's fourth innings turner argument, Azhar justified that there was swing on offer on that first morning and had that catch been held, the match may have taken a different course on day 1.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the Ranji Semi Final, Kulkarni’s views were endorsed with TN collapsing on day one. However, what almost the entire journalist fraternity has failed to focus on over the last 36 hours is the fact that TN bounced back on the 2nd morning and had Bombay on the brink at 100/7. Had they got the tailenders cheap, it is likely they would have been on even terms after the first innings and then Sai’s decision to bat so as to leverage the advantage of bowling fourth may well have come true. TN lost the match on that 2nd afternoon when they allowed the tail to score over 250runs. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Historical matches of TN bowlers letting it slip</span></b></div><div>Here too, it’s not the first time. Multiple occasions, in the 1980s, TN let go golden opportunities to beat Delhi and Bombay in the knock out encounters when they allowed the a rather unfancied lower order to flourish after TN had got through the top order of the opposition. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">The Famous LS match</span></b></div><div>In that famous Quarter Final at Chepauk in Feb 82, where Vidya Mandir school boy LS got 7 wickets in the 2nd innings (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/04/l-sivaramakrishnan.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/04/l-sivaramakrishnan.html</a>), TN had had Delhi on the brink at 290/7 in the first innings. But Surinder Khanna engineered a recovery to take the team past 400. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">All rounder Madan Lal did it then like Shardul this week</span></b></div><div>Two years later, against the same team and at the same venue, TN had got half the Delhi team out for just over 200 chasing TN’s 350+ score but Madan Lal, similar to Shardul Thakur, led a big recovery scoring a century that took Delhi past the 450mark. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">BS Sandhu- Another Bombay all arounder, another late order recovery</span></b></div><div>The next year, history repeated itself again in the semi final at Bombay. Current state selector, S Srinivasan, was part of that TN team (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/08/s-srinivasan-tn-bombay-ranji-svpb-spic.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/08/s-srinivasan-tn-bombay-ranji-svpb-spic.html</a>). He had declared with confidence on the eve of the match that TN would well inn this match. Chasing TN’s 400+ first innings score in March 1985, (TN collapsed after V Shiv and CS Suresh Kumar - <a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/07/cs-suresh-kumar-india-schools-tn-opener.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/07/cs-suresh-kumar-india-schools-tn-opener.html</a>) - had put together a big opening stand), Bombay had lost half its side for 300 but Balwinder Singh Sandhu, another fast bowling allrounder most famously known for that big down the slope inswinger that got Gordon Greenidge in the 1983 World Cup final, forged a late order recovery to take Bombay past 500. That match turned out to be the last for Srinivasan's SVPB team mate NP Madhavan, who scored a century in his last innings.</div><div><br /></div><div>Back then in the 1980s, Venkat and Co did not have any answers to the opposition lower order in the Ranji knock out games. And this week, Sai and Kulkarni did not have one. </div><div><br /></div><div>Both of the Captain and the Coach will have to keep the argument of the toss for another day for TN did not lose the match at 9am on Day 1.</div><div><br /></div><div>(At the time of writing this story, Vidharbha had just fashioned a comeback win after being bowled out for 170 in the first innings in the other semi final!!!) </div></div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-68953040231909208912024-03-04T20:05:00.009+05:302024-03-05T22:57:54.118+05:30 Kapali Temple Pushpa Kainkaryam GG Sivakumar<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Over the last year, this devotee, who runs a Recruitment firm, has put together a team of 35 ladies to knot and present flower garlands every day at the Kapaleeswarar temple</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivOKbwLUk7zMmgV-Hx5s7X_O3uaDiSPQG1W98GSzlpAqYlGV661IN0-pHUKM6Vyny9cDy2QJrQRdW4vp-IJBUt1FVT81RQw_zEzpyYDX-orsUxE9XVemphl7FXLKaasKnQw083r52VmlosTjuzSFRLtTwcQ2PZzqgDFe0RnmJgwRfkA1io3Zp4YNzDNxk/s1802/gg%20sivakumar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1752" data-original-width="1802" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivOKbwLUk7zMmgV-Hx5s7X_O3uaDiSPQG1W98GSzlpAqYlGV661IN0-pHUKM6Vyny9cDy2QJrQRdW4vp-IJBUt1FVT81RQw_zEzpyYDX-orsUxE9XVemphl7FXLKaasKnQw083r52VmlosTjuzSFRLtTwcQ2PZzqgDFe0RnmJgwRfkA1io3Zp4YNzDNxk/s320/gg%20sivakumar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Devotees at the Kapaleeswarar temple have found different ways to engage themselves with the Lord. When Sundaram Finance's S Harini Yogalakshmi moved from Madras to Erode following a transfer, she missed Kapali and took the late night Yercaud express to be on time for the start of the Adikara Nandi procession and on another occasion for the return of the Lord in the morning on the Rishabham (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/kapali-panguni-utsavam.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/kapali-panguni-utsavam.html</a>) during the Panguni Utsavam. IT Professional KS Sankar has been leading the crowd management during the Panguni Utasvam, especially on the Arubathumoovar and Chariot days in the last few years (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/11/sankar-ks-kapali-festival-crowd.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/11/sankar-ks-kapali-festival-crowd.html</a>) . </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was at the start of the Vasantha Utsavam in 2022 that the former World Bank Consultant, V Ramkumar, a consultant to the PMO in 2023, began his Theevatti Kainkaryam (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/07/kapali-theevatti-pmo-consultant-v.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/07/kapali-theevatti-pmo-consultant-v.html</a>). Ever since, over the last couple of years, he has expanded this service to other utsavams round the year including the annual Panguni Utsavam. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And last year, ahead of the Vasantha Utsavam, GG Sivakumar, a long time devotee, kicked off a Kainkaryam of a different kind. When he found that there was a shortage of flower garlands for the deities, he asked the hereditary priests if he could present garlands during the utsavam. Buoyed by the positive response from them, he went about collecting flowers from the wholesale market in Parrys and put together a team of like minded individuals who were interested in knotting the flowers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sitting in front of the Yaaga Saalai, the team knotted garlands through the entire period of the long 25 day utsavam. Delighted with their presentation, the hereditary priests asked Sivakumar if he could expand this to a round the year service. Interestingly, the temple trustee too vouched for this and got an official approval for him to continue the service through the year. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0FukRO_t9mI373JLuRT31In1cj6opibmZBXHeM3WW9540jEZ-o8O7WqDaGTkKbAXXJiPPbwWt_gfNrpmDI5y5-JWBFpwyLM6aJD_gSjYDkoeKvfaHhOMlRX25GPdYqkgiM1UvzCHg5KkhmVf-usVksC3jkm4XsOyTErteKE9Zoc-C2zGkMzSkODmRqAoF/s4000/flower%20garland.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2221" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0FukRO_t9mI373JLuRT31In1cj6opibmZBXHeM3WW9540jEZ-o8O7WqDaGTkKbAXXJiPPbwWt_gfNrpmDI5y5-JWBFpwyLM6aJD_gSjYDkoeKvfaHhOMlRX25GPdYqkgiM1UvzCHg5KkhmVf-usVksC3jkm4XsOyTErteKE9Zoc-C2zGkMzSkODmRqAoF/s320/flower%20garland.jpg" width="178" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was also around the same time that PS School teacher Veda began initiating young kids into the Thevaram verses in another corner of the kapali temple(<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/08/kapali-temple-thevaram-kids.html?m=1">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/08/kapali-temple-thevaram-kids.html?m=1</a>). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Very early on his life, Sivakumar's appa had initiated him into devotion by taking him everyday to the Parthasarathy temple in Thiruvallikeni (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/11/manavala-mamuni-utsavam-thiruvallikeni.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/11/manavala-mamuni-utsavam-thiruvallikeni.html</a>).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From a one off initiative, when this exercise became an ongoing and long term one, Sivakumar, who joined hands with his relatives and close friends, to support service personnel at TN temples through the Pandemic period reached out to them again asking them if they would be interested in partnering in this Kainkaryam <b>“Following the Vasantha Utsavam, we began presenting flower garlands every morning at the Swami, Ambal and Singaravellar Sannidhis”,</b> Sivakumar told this writer on a hot afternoon at the Navarathri Mandapam where his team now knots the flowers every evening between 7pm and 9pm.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> “This exercise costs approximately Rs. 70000 every month and my friends and relatives who pooled in money happily agreed to partner on this one as well” says Sivakumar.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2X7l1i2C45M7znvdQM3CN8Gp9neMvhsySRTcQByyu1b32eThsmDsZ8yzTJLUI-IiJFL3ty8l1nq7gfMIe2FeDbhfUn24B1ciZzfSADyN1hslHzunYPaUuTzSsEhkFiK_NVl1iKhES7aILTl5pNO3o38AUZYS8bxIxd05fXTxoNrCMK4iVt8K06iO9avAy/s2569/sivakumar%20gg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2569" data-original-width="2152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2X7l1i2C45M7znvdQM3CN8Gp9neMvhsySRTcQByyu1b32eThsmDsZ8yzTJLUI-IiJFL3ty8l1nq7gfMIe2FeDbhfUn24B1ciZzfSADyN1hslHzunYPaUuTzSsEhkFiK_NVl1iKhES7aILTl5pNO3o38AUZYS8bxIxd05fXTxoNrCMK4iVt8K06iO9avAy/s320/sivakumar%20gg.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Into the second half of 2023, Jayakanthan Shivachariar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/07/kapaleeswarar-temple-jayakanthan.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/07/kapaleeswarar-temple-jayakanthan.html</a>) asked Sivakumar if the team could present for the four Kaalams of the Pavitrotsavam. The Pushpa Kainkaryam also expanded to the Naalvar and Naayanmar Utsavams.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">47 year old Sivakumar, who runs a recruitment firm in the city, says that while initially during the first few months, he came in every morning to present the garlands knotted the previous evening to the priests in the respective sannidhis, his team member Kumar has taken up this role in recent months. Similarly, another team member Sumathi has taken up the responsibility of coordinating every day with the entire team whose strength has now risen to 35.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWj1ZJsCdZPbFmRL9faxCWJcEfnwqOJj4Nne5F5NDhARo_KSkecCjhiSXeReAloruF3fKjm8hs_cvaDdyPV9suOwtChfCC0W7MO_pScphMjbUl5zOVw5xTBaRM8KHMTl86jDKoyiXLRriLecObJIqL-px30WwZzNKu6Sbh12eb_KrCsb-hSJd3KcAvASp/s2915/pushpa%20kainkaryam.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2106" data-original-width="2915" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWj1ZJsCdZPbFmRL9faxCWJcEfnwqOJj4Nne5F5NDhARo_KSkecCjhiSXeReAloruF3fKjm8hs_cvaDdyPV9suOwtChfCC0W7MO_pScphMjbUl5zOVw5xTBaRM8KHMTl86jDKoyiXLRriLecObJIqL-px30WwZzNKu6Sbh12eb_KrCsb-hSJd3KcAvASp/s320/pushpa%20kainkaryam.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the course of the year, Balaji Gurukal (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/04/kapali-temple-balaji-gurukal.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/04/kapali-temple-balaji-gurukal.html</a>) suggested that they could explore more Sannidhis at the temple and thus the Pushpa Kainkaryam expanded further and now includes Pillayar, Annamalayar, Jagadeeswarar, Saneeswarar, Pazhani Andavar and Vayilar Nayanar Sannidhis, among others. Sivakumar points out that with the expansion to many more sannidhis, the Kainkaryam has become even more interesting <b>“Each of their deities are in different sizes and the team is now required to knot the garland in many different sizes.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Priests happy with this Daily Kainkaryam</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He is particularly happy that the hereditary priests as well as the trustees have presented positive feedback about the way the ladies have gone about the Kainkaryam <b>“Jaya Anna specifically told me that there is very little noise while the ladies are performing this Kainkaryam and they seem to be fully committed to this and asked me to continue this without a break.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Team Members have found this engaging</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That, Sivakumar says, was very motivating. He is also happy that his team members have found this to be ‘stress buster’ in their everyday lives <b>“There are different challenges that we encounter in our lives every day. For a number of these team members, sitting together in a group and performing this Kainkaryam has relieved them of the stress. Knotting a flower garland is a traditional activity and they seem to be energised at the end of this exercise every evening. Seeing the garland they have knotted draped on the Swami and Ambal has given them a great deal of satisfaction.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">This young devotee considers it a great blessing</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One such devotee is Shivapriya Viswanathan who is pursuing her BS in Data Science at IIT Madras, a large part of which is run through the online model. She is aiming to get into the Fintech world following the completion of this degree. Even as a school student, she had developed great interest in knotting flowers having learned the art from her Thatha Gopalakrishnan, a retired staffer at BSNL and has presented the garlands both at the monthly anusham celebrations of Periyava as well as the annual ten day festival at Kanchipuram for many years. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>"My Thatha would collect flowers from the garden, engage himself in knotting these into a garland and present it to a near pillayar koil every day of the year. He was my inspiration and after he taught me the basics, I became very interested in this Kainkaryam"</b> she told this writer on Monday.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLsc6Ysxjf4xTYUAW7doLIHp2mW_bzTEfhL1vcxXvLDj2J-Ev4hws2ZjtuGS4CKl77pEPv0loAUysOhS8U1xiONDcVHzg70N4fHSje5FApcHSa2TdMsuNt6HwwKHk2siWls07NB0ywwBCDICjzrFsjp7cioTkiGwnT6SwEeZxluMnkxoMS6JdqkellorR/s1577/shivapriya%20v.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1577" data-original-width="1502" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLsc6Ysxjf4xTYUAW7doLIHp2mW_bzTEfhL1vcxXvLDj2J-Ev4hws2ZjtuGS4CKl77pEPv0loAUysOhS8U1xiONDcVHzg70N4fHSje5FApcHSa2TdMsuNt6HwwKHk2siWls07NB0ywwBCDICjzrFsjp7cioTkiGwnT6SwEeZxluMnkxoMS6JdqkellorR/s320/shivapriya%20v.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She moved from being a devotee of Marudeeswarar (Thiruvanmiyur) to Kapaleeswarar in mid 2022 after shifting to Mylapore. While she has been on the laptop through the day with her academics, she considers the Pushpa Kainkaryam opportunity that came her way out of the blue as a great blessing <b>"When Sivakumar (Sir) asked me if I would be interested in participating in this, I immediately agreed for I had already done it for many years. Kapali has been my life over the last 18 months or so since the time I moved to Mylapore but I never expected that such a Kainkaryam at the feet of Kapali and Karpagambal would ever come to me and not at such an early stage in my life. Not all get such an opportunity and I grabbed it with both hands when he offered it to me."</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She says that these two hours of Pushpa Kainkaryam have been a big devotional break away from academics and that it has been a wonderful experience over the last year to be part of this team where she has learned the finer nuances of this art from the seniors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other devotional engagements of Shivapriya include presenting Konnakol (learning from Guru Ghatam Rajaram) at temples and performing at Thyagaraja Aradhana. In the past, she has also presented at the Kapali temple, which has now become very close to her heart.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Panguni Utsavam 2024 - A different set of Kainkaryam activities </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The annual Panguni Utsavam (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/04/kapali-panguni-utsavam-2023.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/04/kapali-panguni-utsavam-2023.html</a>) is round the corner and Sivakumar has a different kind of Kainkaryam lined up for that as well. Based on the suggestion from Theevatti 'Sanyasi 'Ramkumar, he is hoping that his team will be able to take care of the Kainkaryapakas during and after the daily processions <b>“Through all the days of the utsavam, our pushpa kainkaryam team members are planning to distribute butter milk and water, on the West and North Mada streets, to the service personnel of the temple during the processions and also present curd rice at the end of each of the processions to the service personnel who participated in the procession."</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9h9KU-9QmFO61R4xFlKiGXypmN4sBVBKRC_qxF3AX6mmZQflVWoxAHDryhHfrAW4nXXOGH108xFrLRo8HTDtgpT9QvRXB2G5kMx0_br9WiSwjQ9facSZlJxi4xC6an8WqTec36rla3kN2tPzZHzN4l9c7C9vFF_gkIUM8-DJmaqPxVyKOgu8MjyKB2w9F/s1059/kapali.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1059" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9h9KU-9QmFO61R4xFlKiGXypmN4sBVBKRC_qxF3AX6mmZQflVWoxAHDryhHfrAW4nXXOGH108xFrLRo8HTDtgpT9QvRXB2G5kMx0_br9WiSwjQ9facSZlJxi4xC6an8WqTec36rla3kN2tPzZHzN4l9c7C9vFF_gkIUM8-DJmaqPxVyKOgu8MjyKB2w9F/s320/kapali.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He says that this kainkaryam has also brought together the family members of the team to both support the ladies in this endeavour as well as back them in newer initiatives such as the one that is being planned during the Panguni Utsavam next fortnight. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next time one sees a beautiful garland on the Lord, it may be one knotted by this set of volunteers led by Sivakumar. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For Sivakumar himself, there is a great deal of satisfaction in putting together a team for the Pushpa Kainkaryam and to have grown this to 35 from out of nowhere just under a year ago. He is open to more Kainkaryapakas coming forward to participate in this daily service to the Lord.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Those interested may call him on: 98402 00661</span></b></div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-24201395818967707652024-03-01T16:04:00.008+05:302024-03-06T10:59:09.641+05:30K Srikkanth India Opener 1980s<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Heartbeat shot up for the fans when he batted in the 1980s as he thrilled them with a new brand of cricket that was hitherto unseen at the international level</b></span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">From the Sundal seller in the D-Stand to the most knowledgeable of cricket fans, Srikkanth was a crowd favourite and created a new audience for cricket with his exhilarating batting </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;">I learned a lot from Srikkanth. He transmitted Positivity - TVS' R Dinesh</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtyqsY9TrrvlJSyL2sMOSK4CnF6RJJLboxvYVHhBMdtX-C1SDCczjJCN3xFIw87FJb9p26Y0GXfJITqnVRUunOhaBkPA_lrz2jUi6dISAhZooEtLtZyJ-FHZoFkLpT4BTcnYYwboVTr9is0crz9cG9Hu-VsCsIDDerAWHHC0MTibGh7od-SFksSZw_VL6/s2090/K%20Srikkanth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2090" data-original-width="1840" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtyqsY9TrrvlJSyL2sMOSK4CnF6RJJLboxvYVHhBMdtX-C1SDCczjJCN3xFIw87FJb9p26Y0GXfJITqnVRUunOhaBkPA_lrz2jUi6dISAhZooEtLtZyJ-FHZoFkLpT4BTcnYYwboVTr9is0crz9cG9Hu-VsCsIDDerAWHHC0MTibGh7od-SFksSZw_VL6/s320/K%20Srikkanth.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>It’s a scene from the 1980s. Tamil Nadu is batting first on a sunny morning at Chepauk. The Peanut vendor is all set at the far end of the ground at the D Stand with his basket and all excited as his favourite cricketer walks on to the middle with his Symonds bat. He shouts out the best wishes to him and within 15 minutes has sold a sizeable quantity of the nuts with the opener in blazing form striking fours and sixers including the answering the request of the vendor with a hit straight into the D Stand. The packed crowd in that stand is just as thrilled as the vendor boy as they go up in chorus cheering another six. It is what they have come for that morning – fireworks from ball one. There are near misses as well as a lofted stroke just clears the fielder and an outswinger beats the edge, each of which send the crowd into silence. It was always tense as one did not know what would happen the next ball and how long the blitzkrieg would last but they enjoyed every minute of what came their way. And when his favourite batsman gave it away yet another time when he was just beginning to look dangerous and well set for a big score, the peanut vendor’s mood changed quite drastically. The chatty guy suddenly turned sad and angry after his ‘Thalaivar’s’ dismissal. He was done with it for the day and left the D Stand happy with what he saw but his heart still yearning for more and shouted out the message that the King of Chepauk would score a Century the next time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhawcz3JhQeI3khHO1cuyYWrnMz7zErV1WTnksyaqrBuro8snrzN2fUvFjUEss6KQ2dttr9AVFvihY6HNQJQJjYygP6UNjF7qxGIAQpWAXZ1msKTj-zsPt8qX4zoo1aWuvrzfcsPnq7ljiJCVHoR5payqWQu4eqFcpA7AYPt_CdwX1fkCdSXxyjzCJwOAS/s624/peanut%20seller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="418" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhawcz3JhQeI3khHO1cuyYWrnMz7zErV1WTnksyaqrBuro8snrzN2fUvFjUEss6KQ2dttr9AVFvihY6HNQJQJjYygP6UNjF7qxGIAQpWAXZ1msKTj-zsPt8qX4zoo1aWuvrzfcsPnq7ljiJCVHoR5payqWQu4eqFcpA7AYPt_CdwX1fkCdSXxyjzCJwOAS/s320/peanut%20seller.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><div>In the 1980s, Krishnamachari Srikkanth set the stands on fire with his batting that was well ahead of his time. Most of his teammates were conservative and traditional in their approach but not he. He was fearless and aggressive and wanted to dominate the fast bowlers right from the word go. He was also terrific against the spinners and dismissed them to all parts of the field with nonchalant ease. A feature of his batting was that his aggression was all directed straight – back over the bowler and over mid-off and mid-on. Rarely did he play ugly cross batted swipes. When the pacers tried to bounce him out, he hooked them into the stands with the best of that generation getting a taste of his medicine in the 1983 World Cup final. In the one dayers, he used the field restrictions in the first 15 overs to his advantage and hit over the top leaving the fast bowlers stunned.</div><div><br /></div><div>His dashing stroke play reached its peak in Australia where a lot of the Indian openers had struggled previously and he even had the Aussie commentators looking forward to his demolition of the opposition bowlers. Many a time he committed Hara-Kiri and that’s one regret he has but the 1980s was a memorable decade when he transformed the way international openers looked at batting at the top of the order. Three decades after his retirement, he looks back with great joy at his cricket career in a chat with this writer. Here’s the story.</div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">The Early days - Devotional learnings from his amma</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Srikkanth’s amma was very religious and initiated him into a devotional way of life during his school days. Sitting at the verandah of his home in Neelankarai, Srikkanth recalls those early years when his interest in serious cricket was limited and restricted to playing tennis ball cricket <b>“We lived a middle class way of life and as was the tradition those days, my parents inculcated in me devotional habits very early on that held me in good stead later on in life. I would regularly recite Adithya Hridayam and Hayagriva stotrams during my schooling years. Visiting the nearby temples was also a ritual that was initiated into me by my amma. The focus was on excelling in academics and in those early years, I batted in a ‘natural’ way, which turned out to be an aggressive way. It was not any well thought plan to play in that fashion. When the tennis ball was hurled at me, I instinctively hit it hard and back past the bowler and that’s how I developed that style of play.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">His Devotional Engagement with the Sun God</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Later on in his cricketing years, his walk towards the square leg umpire and looking frequently at the Sun became a distinctive feature of his stay at the crease. Srikkanth once again credits his amma for instilling in him the devotional thoughts <b>“Right from my school days, Surya Bhagawan was part of my daily prayers. We were told that Sun is the visible God and hence I always invoked His blessings when I was on the cricket field, especially while batting.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was those lessons from his early days that taught him humility. Despite his mega achievements at the international level, he did not forget the past and remained the same simple, down to earth, friendly human being to all his teammates from the 1980s. He simply did not have any airs about himself and continues to move around with cricketers in the same way he did back in his prime.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">No Cricketing Ambitions</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As a young boy, he had no inclination to play serious cricket. Even into his teens, the focus was on academics and he joined Engineering at the Guindy Engineering College with the intention of getting into a corporate life “Doing well in academics was the only focus and I joined Engineering with the intention of pursuing a career path similar to the boys my age. Even into my mid-teens, I had absolutely no ambition of even playing for the state let alone for the country.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">A Distinctive style right from his teenage days</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But Devanatha Perumal of Thiru Vahindrapuram (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2008/03/thiruvahindrapuram-devanathan_29.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2008/03/thiruvahindrapuram-devanathan_29.html</a>), who he had great devotion for, had different plans for him. By the time he was into his late teens, things changed dramatically for Srikkanth. There was a rapid upswing in cricket and he made his Ranji debut at 19. Rohinton Baria winning captain SM Krishna Kumar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/01/sm-krishnakumar-madras-university.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/01/sm-krishnakumar-madras-university.html</a>) saw the aggressive side of Srikkanth even in that early phase much before he had made his Ranji debut <b>“The fearless cricket that Srikkanth played at the top of the innings reminded me of the aggressive style adopted by P Ramesh in the preceding years in the mid 1970s. </b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"><b>While most others in
the city played in a traditional way focusing on building an innings, Srikkanth
was different and his natural ability to hit the ball right from the start stood
out distinctly even in those early years of his cricket</b></span><b>.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh77_EZrfTqij7ZOyuNqu4zbF_vgeJ2KfryRKjp18uapetR3Gp24KPp4zRb3jpk0suptIIH4XNw_IbwqCy9d8cwzHurY2xq5X_Hg-r4I018wLsX9_rGSWfv1IfSSi9pt9D3-MYNSXYv9kjk3EZyS_U466MtXSaab9nRlV_UDe6I9hbAnExgABwcImPGEcWK/s1025/SM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="934" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh77_EZrfTqij7ZOyuNqu4zbF_vgeJ2KfryRKjp18uapetR3Gp24KPp4zRb3jpk0suptIIH4XNw_IbwqCy9d8cwzHurY2xq5X_Hg-r4I018wLsX9_rGSWfv1IfSSi9pt9D3-MYNSXYv9kjk3EZyS_U466MtXSaab9nRlV_UDe6I9hbAnExgABwcImPGEcWK/s320/SM.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">No role model for his aggro</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Srikkanth says he had no role model whose approach he based his game on and this just came naturally to him “<b>While I was really impressed with Richards and Lillee and their aggressive way of playing cricket, GRV was the one I admired the most in my teenage years. But my aggressive batting style was just instinctive and there was no role model that I wanted to emulate. I tried to be as natural as possible and like in tennis ball cricket during my school days, I just wanted to hit it back over the bowler as straight as possible. I felt it was a simple approach to batting.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Selectors</span></b> <b><span style="color: red;">back the new approach of this teenager</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He gives credit to Sriraman, Annadurai and Rangachari for spotting the talent in him <b>“Right through my career, I adopted the same approach and in fact threw away my wicket many times after crossing 50 when I could have easily converted those to centuries. But in that early stage in my career in the late 1970s, the Selectors and the Powers that be at the TNCA took a judgement call based on my approach. They liked the way I batted and saw something different in me and encouraged me a lot. Unlike the more conservative and traditional players who built long innings, those like me could get out early because of the ultra aggressive style and hence needed that extra support. They really backed my style of play and believed that I could go a long way with that different approach that not too many adopted in that period in the late 1970s and early 80s.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><span style="color: red;">Play and become like Venkataraghavan – Elders tell him</span></b></div><div>It was a traditional practice in the century gone by for youngsters to take blessings from elders on special occasions or ahead of important events. He recalls as to why S Venkataraghavan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/venkataraghavan75.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/venkataraghavan75.html</a>) was such a legend and an iconic cricketing face for Tamilians <b>“When in my late teens, I began showing some promise in cricket, the blessings from elders would always be the same thing every single time ‘Play and become like Venkataraghavan’. It showed what an impact he had made in the minds of middle-class families in Tamil Nadu."</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsC0p0EF4YH4SQoKTX1Oz2z6mcuUCXaWIBbKIb9pLvkebn9j9B6268jDAo4WfUd5uDZvU2OiIOWY3ZYTH6CFSGzTtfCKrYhTIvJAtthODE47bwbZNDNP2umMmhP1bXM369LJHoYGSwEoOfy0G01pEQIIQa11hyt-jutSmypGFDjJJbMxQ5U6KvDwUM22au/s1196/venkat%20srikkanth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1196" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsC0p0EF4YH4SQoKTX1Oz2z6mcuUCXaWIBbKIb9pLvkebn9j9B6268jDAo4WfUd5uDZvU2OiIOWY3ZYTH6CFSGzTtfCKrYhTIvJAtthODE47bwbZNDNP2umMmhP1bXM369LJHoYGSwEoOfy0G01pEQIIQa11hyt-jutSmypGFDjJJbMxQ5U6KvDwUM22au/s320/venkat%20srikkanth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>In the late 1960s, opener KR Rajagopal (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/03/kr-rajagopal-dashing-opener-brilliant.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/03/kr-rajagopal-dashing-opener-brilliant.html</a>) was a brilliant wicket keeper and had amassed huge runs in domestic cricket but could not get into the squad to Australia. Similarly, B Kalyanasundaram picked up a hat trick in the Ranji final and always picked up the crucial big wickets when his captain needed him to but he too was overlooked at even the zonal level. Srikkanth has great regard for Kalli in the way he contributed to TN cricket and that came through in the way he agreed to meet this writer (when Kalli spoke about this writer at the 1970s cricketing meet at MCC and suggested to Srikkanth that he should meet and get featured in this section, the trust factor - another distinctive characteristic of Srikkanth - came through. He trusted the words of Kalli so much that in a matter of a few seconds he agreed to meet this writer despite the fact that he has not met any other media house for a story on his cricketing career). </div><div><br /></div><div>In light of the above challenges that high performing TN cricketers faced in the 60s and 70s, Srikkanth credits Venkat's mental strength for holding his own in international cricket for such a long period <b>"To play the kind of cricket he did at the international level amidst such stiff competition and to hold his own against three giant spinners was unbelievable. I had the greatest respect for him right from my childhood. There were times when he shouted at me especially when I did not meet his expectations and threw away my wicket but I took it in the right spirit that he was well meaning. He encouraged me a lot and was the guiding force and inspiration for me in cricket. He was my ‘Guru’ in cricket. I am also happy that I was able to fulfil the prayers and wishes of the elders. Like Venkat, I too did Engineering, played for India and also captained the country."</b></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Sudden rise to cricketing glory</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Srikkanth made his Ranji debut when he was just 19 in the 1978-79 season. Within a couple of years, he rose to great heights in cricket. Instead of donning the role of an engineer in the corporate world, he engineered a cricketing revolution on the cricket field with a style of play that was transformational <b>“Like I said, till well into my teens, I had no cricketing ambitions. But its all Karma, and God decided that I should spend that decade in cricket and not as an Engineer. The big differentiator was that I scored big when it really mattered – be it the Irani Trophy match or the Zonal matches or those against visiting teams” says Srikkanth crediting all his success to the divine powers.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>A great partnership with V Shiv – Opposite poles like each other!!!</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a glorious two year phase, Srikkanth forged a great opening partnership with V Sivaramakrishnan and the two posted several century stands both for TN and the Zone. It all began against Hyderabad in Dec 79 when Shiv came up against his brother Ramnarayan and almost notched a century with Srikkanth scoring 66. A month later the two put on a century stand in a Deodhar Trophy match playing for South Zone.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZ7sYke3f3CwCrMs9UzdDZFUTUAIKqutVQAlTPhDzyidyb4R8rydqr7_pvpYq1_HFvrqstraZQJ_DI7iFPg3Iwijai3DQVZETgcaamr_5dy5VTzL9q5XWYE7WYomb3gRub1JBC49jwFc6thrTw7J8CEhoKFhAagPDemK_en06GD1E8VK8LHrSzMv25JCW/s1331/V%20Shiv%20Cheeka.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1331" data-original-width="1121" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZ7sYke3f3CwCrMs9UzdDZFUTUAIKqutVQAlTPhDzyidyb4R8rydqr7_pvpYq1_HFvrqstraZQJ_DI7iFPg3Iwijai3DQVZETgcaamr_5dy5VTzL9q5XWYE7WYomb3gRub1JBC49jwFc6thrTw7J8CEhoKFhAagPDemK_en06GD1E8VK8LHrSzMv25JCW/s320/V%20Shiv%20Cheeka.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The knock against Goel gives him great confidence</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 1980-81 season was a big one for Srikkanth, one that catapulted him into the next phase in cricket. He scored close to 500 runs in Ranji Trophy including a belligerent 172 against Karnataka, once again sharing a century opening stand with V Shiv. But the knock that stood out that year was the fourth innings chase at Chepauk against the spin twins Rajinder Goel and Sarkar Talwar in the Ranji QF. Chasing over 250 to win, Srikkanth and Shiv posted another century stand to help take TN into the SF.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Srikkanth is philosophical about his big partnerships with Shiv in that phase <b>“Shiv was a solid bat with a good temperament. We had a great understanding. When we went out to bat, he would ask me to play my strokes freely while he focused on giving me the strike. Yes, we did not have too many common qualities in the way we batted but maybe it was the case of ‘opposite poles’ coming together in a big way. I really enjoyed batting with Shiv and many a time we gave great starts to TN and SZ in that phase.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He says that innings against Goel was a big confidence booster for him and it played an important role in him moving up the ladder in cricket.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">The transformational season</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The great start to the 1981-82 season got him into the teams against the visiting English side. He began the season with another century stand with Shiv in the Deodhar Trophy Final and followed that up with two half centuries in the Duleep Trophy. He scored half centuries playing for India U22 and the Board Presidents XI against England, innings’ that got him into the squad for the first test in Bombay <b>“In those days, scoring big against visiting teams counted a lot as the selectors kept a close watch on these matches to see if the players were up to it against the international teams. My knocks against England in these two matches went in my favour ahead of that first test.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">The Debut Test - Takes a stroll and is run out</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The previous year Ian Botham performed extraordinarily in the one off Golden Jubilee test in Bombay with a 13 wicket haul and a century. And just a few months prior to this first test, Botham made a remarkable comeback in the Ashes after being stripped of the captaincy. The old Botham was back to his aggressive best as was Bob Willis, who too was on the verge of being dropped. Willis' 8 wickets to bowl England to that famous win in Headingly is still spoken about four decades later as one of the best spells in cricket. And Srikkanth knew he was up against two of the best that year and the spinner in Emburey, who too had played a role in the Ashes earlier that year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Srikkanth recalls the tension that ran through his blood in that debut test <b>“I was not yet 22 and had received an early break in international cricket. I was really tense in that test match and overwhelmed by the occasion.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While he made a duck in the first innings, he was in the spotlight for the wrong reasons in the second. He was infamously run out by Emburey when he strolled down the wicket for a casual walk after playing the ball to Gully. <b>“The bigness of the occasion got to me and it was a mindless act. Yes, I did not attempt a single but I had no business to walk out of the crease and they were right in running me out. It was one of those early lessons in international cricket and that came to me in my very first test match.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But this wandering itself and him being in his own world was not new, for in a Ranji match earlier he moved around in the field all on his own much to Captain Venkat’s anger. Later that decade, in a WSC match against Australia, when he was hit wicket and no one noticed and appealed, he quietly picked up the bail and placed it back on the stumps and continued to bat!!! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">The first of the many big partnerships with Gavaskar</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His debut was a huge disappointment to him and his fans back in Madras. He also scored a duck in his One day debut but he turned around the disappointment of the week in the 2nd test in Bangalore where he was to share the first of many great partnerships with the legendary Sunil Gavaskar. However, Srikkanth looks back with a bit of disappointment in the way he let go that opportunity <b>“In my playing career, there were many days when I let go the opportunity of converting my fifties into big knocks. This was the first of those on the big stage. I had put together a century stand with Sunny and was batting well at 65 and should have gone on to a century. A hundred in just my 2nd test after the way I got out in the first would have given me greater confidence but I missed that opportunity and gave away my wicket.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Kudos to the TN and Indian Selectors of the time</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Owner of TSM(TS Mahalingam & Co), 2nd hand car dealer, K Ravishankar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/12/k-ravishankar-alwarpet-tsm.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/12/k-ravishankar-alwarpet-tsm.html</a>) played for Alwarpet for five seasons under Srikkanth starting 1987. It is a typically busy day at the TSM headquarters on Royapettah High Road and Ravi is at the receiving end of non stop calls from customers with queries on the sale and purchase of 2nd hand cars. But when he hears the name Srikkanth, he is all excited to talk for he considers Cheeka as a one in a generation and his All Time Favourite cricketer. <b>"For a youngster like me, he was the greatest blessing I could have had in cricket. He had no airs about himself, mingled with all of us as equals and wanted the youngsters to succeed. What a confidence booster it was for the teenage cricketers to have him around at Alwarpet."</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlJ_SCxwFT6wucuQsagalnI62dLDg_Jqgzp6kRXy28cwJqrmiCYoa2lLHu4rksXcEGk4v-eKs60b6Bw0LcZUiWNIAr2JrjLW1z3u6SliJuOlvEBSNWSRPd3oBKK5Bg5q32M5Him4kdmWBLthSpiBbwmUBOs5aEwBV0PKp9qBnwhPHGNBSYh9miBfE9TxA/s2893/TSM%20K%20Ravishankar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2893" data-original-width="2317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlJ_SCxwFT6wucuQsagalnI62dLDg_Jqgzp6kRXy28cwJqrmiCYoa2lLHu4rksXcEGk4v-eKs60b6Bw0LcZUiWNIAr2JrjLW1z3u6SliJuOlvEBSNWSRPd3oBKK5Bg5q32M5Him4kdmWBLthSpiBbwmUBOs5aEwBV0PKp9qBnwhPHGNBSYh9miBfE9TxA/s320/TSM%20K%20Ravishankar.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>"The selectors of the time really need to be appreciated for having backed him early on. Based on pure stats and numbers, there were others at that time who made big hundreds but there was no opener in the country who could have batted like him. And the TN selectors, initially, and later the Indian selectors placed their faith on Cheeka and felt that his unique approach would put the opposition on the defensive. At a time, when you were told by your coaches to start slow, leave the first few balls alone and ‘pace your innings’, Srikkanth chalked out his own path but very importantly the selectors backed his approach when the selection methodology was to pick players who played the traditional way. It was a huge call by the selectors and it paid off for them through the 1980s."</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Greatest Chase in Domestic Cricket</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the start of the next domestic season, he played an innings that stands out as one of the best in his career. In the Irani Trophy match against Delhi, Rest of India were set a target of 420 in the fourth innings in less than 100 overs. Srikkanth, who made 83 in the first innings, recalls the message from his captain at the start of that chase <b>“The rivalry between Bombay and Delhi was huge and Gavaskar did not like losing to Delhi. We had given away a big first innings lead and he was keen for me to give us a blistering start and asked me to go after their bowling.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The fastest Indian bowler of the time TA Sekar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2013/08/ta-sekar-architect-behind-worlds-best.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2013/08/ta-sekar-architect-behind-worlds-best.html</a>) was part of that team and remembers watching that magical innings <b>“Scoring over 4 runs an over was unheard of in those days and definitely not in the fourth innings of a match. The way Srikkanth treated Sunil Valson at the start of that innings was unbelievable. He really had the belief that we could win and that was always his differentiator throughout his career. He always played positively and to win and believed that anything could be achieved. It was one of its kind success and he laid the foundation to chase a seemingly impossible 420runs and we did it in 80overs. Srikkanth’s century stood out for its positivity and he impressed everyone with that knock.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Srikkanth himself credits that knock for his selection for the tour to Pakistan that immediately followed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">(Interestingly, six years later, his TN opening partner VB Chandrasekar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/01/vb-chandrasekar.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/01/vb-chandrasekar.html</a>) played a similar belligerant knock in the fourth innings to chase out an unlikely 350+ target in the Irani Trophy)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Very helpful to fellow cricketers</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sekar was roped into the Indian team ahead of the fifth test after Madan Lal sustained an injury midway through the tour. He has a lot of words of praise in the way Srikkanth guided him in that last part of that tour “<b>Throughout his career, he was always helpful to his colleagues. I landed up in Karachi just one day before the match and did not know any bit of Hindi (or Urdu). Srikkanth was very supportive that fortnight and gave me a lot of confidence encouraging me all the time from his fielding positing at Short Leg. He genuinely wanted his teammates to succeed and did everything in his might to give them that much needed confidence.” </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWdm2s0sL3WQ1-lIOazXtfyPqDg96ZuVhbiWogqsWATK-jWi4ygTVzXHh_-jYg39Qz1wvi_Ew29-LpZjVmCS-6RLjUTfITfkv3f0qijTrJIIQxkbbytX0xKFdM188rreh0MM9Wo2id9STtXYn0EX_gawzBhgHNeOq3Z6vRMzAYkuUm7r4Wa2vbYGJxFwJ/s1144/TAS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="922" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWdm2s0sL3WQ1-lIOazXtfyPqDg96ZuVhbiWogqsWATK-jWi4ygTVzXHh_-jYg39Qz1wvi_Ew29-LpZjVmCS-6RLjUTfITfkv3f0qijTrJIIQxkbbytX0xKFdM188rreh0MM9Wo2id9STtXYn0EX_gawzBhgHNeOq3Z6vRMzAYkuUm7r4Wa2vbYGJxFwJ/s320/TAS.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Score against Venkat and you will get in</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ravishankar recalls how Srikkanth motivated him and helped him get into the Buchi Babu team. "He came up to me at the end of the first day’s play against India Pistons and asked me to score big the next day as Venkat was watching me 'Perform against Venkat and show him that you belong'."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>“It was his piece of advice that helped me concentrate the next day to score 96 before I got out to Venkat. I was soon roped into the Buchi Babu squad and I owe a lot of that to Cheeka in the way he encouraged and motivated me to make big scores. Alwarpet was a dream dressing room. He kept it light, the atmosphere was jovial and there was always good spirit when he was around. He made a big difference to Alwarpet. He was big hearted, trusted everyone around him and didn’t carry anything to heart. He was such a selfless cricketer."</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Crowd lost interest after Cheeka's dismissal</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ravi says that he was always under huge pressure when he went in at No. 3 for Alwarpet <b>"Sanku and Cheeka would blaze away at the start and when Cheeka got out and I went in and defended a few balls, the crowd got restless and slow handclaps would start that put a great deal of pressure on me. He set the standards so high at the start that it was an uphill task for a No. 3 like me to keep the crowd happy with my style of batting. The hands would shiver when you heard those claps from the crowd expressing their displeasure but Cheeka was always encouraging and allowed me to play my natural game."</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Owe everything to Cheeka</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Srikkanth's opening partner in the 1980s VV Sankapani (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/01/sankapani-vv_21.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/01/sankapani-vv_21.html</a>) says that he owes all his success at the club level to Cheeka<b> "In order to allow me to express myself, he would slowdown his pace of batting and ask me to bat freely. He gave me all the space and freedom to showcase my talent. He wanted me to play my strokes and always backed me when I got out early to a rash shot. It was his backing that gave me the confidence to play my strokes without the fear of being dropped hanging over your head. If I am today known a little bit for the way I played cricket, it was solely due to Cheeka's motivational talks and his encouragement. He was easily the best captain and a player's delight."</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3CqO9KZ6-rNgEWf-5NuFekoo1Pdfa3JLdZN9N2jSbZsBgonxpZwFytsllChEHPM_72qU2sbul1RnMzY0K4WMi_vkIKc0Aa6c3VnJlKv7YHMJfGwNk5HSDcYnMkrqSenEUv3nu26n3OTZ7PtIJhA1S-yRSyvGKKMpjjyms5dd_YIKAZz8hg4DXTni534k/s891/sanku.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="703" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3CqO9KZ6-rNgEWf-5NuFekoo1Pdfa3JLdZN9N2jSbZsBgonxpZwFytsllChEHPM_72qU2sbul1RnMzY0K4WMi_vkIKc0Aa6c3VnJlKv7YHMJfGwNk5HSDcYnMkrqSenEUv3nu26n3OTZ7PtIJhA1S-yRSyvGKKMpjjyms5dd_YIKAZz8hg4DXTni534k/s320/sanku.JPG" width="252" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Bazball model in the 1980s!!!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While he did not make much of an impression through the matches in the first phase of the World Cup, one of his biggest moments in his cricketing career came in the final. He top scored in the final with 39, a knock that is talked about even today for the way he punished the greatest fast bowlers of the time. Middle order TN bat from the 1970s and owner of The Hindu, K Balaji, watched the final (he had also watched Richards’ century in the 1979 final at Lords) - <a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/10/world-cup-1979-reliving-final-k-balaji.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/10/world-cup-1979-reliving-final-k-balaji.html</a>- from a vantage position at Lords and is all praise for Srikkanth’s style of play in that phase <b>“I had seen Srikkanth start off his TNCA league career in the mid 70s as a school boy in the same aggressive way that he later displayed at the international level. It is creditable that he continued in the same vein unmindful of the criticisms that came his way when he got out cheaply to a rash shot. For a World Cup final, when India were clearly the underdogs and against the best fast bowling attack in the world, he showed no nerves at all. I saw that square drive on one foot off Roberts from a reasonable distance and it was mindboggling- the confidence with which he played that shot. And so too the hooks that day of the bouncers that were hurled at him.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChHiUoj5e2ZCx_VCH2MdY6ASZXUpmsXGnuyTP6KpEQe3IWDS4md-gmw420q6kRUl_jSoMp2EYi-O-1xQPTCjxfWqYCUoSMMw-zjhLSL26QDtghnBqLkUNGOUE4zOvrCghXqmUKX0XQ0pWVyWRHi8kyaD0wGBkbHgY_V5Qo_foeNiwyw_d22LfTD-S7PFI/s1114/KB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="792" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChHiUoj5e2ZCx_VCH2MdY6ASZXUpmsXGnuyTP6KpEQe3IWDS4md-gmw420q6kRUl_jSoMp2EYi-O-1xQPTCjxfWqYCUoSMMw-zjhLSL26QDtghnBqLkUNGOUE4zOvrCghXqmUKX0XQ0pWVyWRHi8kyaD0wGBkbHgY_V5Qo_foeNiwyw_d22LfTD-S7PFI/s320/KB.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>“It is one thing to play aggressively at the domestic level and completely another to achieve success playing the same way at the international level against top notch fast bowlers. It is really creditable that he did not conform to the traditional style of the time and yet managed to succeed the way he did. He followed his natural instincts and unmindful of what others (the critics) thought of his game, he continued to pursue his unique style”, </b>Balaji told this writer this week of how Srikkanth managed to buck the existing trend.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>“I would say that he followed the Bazball kind of approach way back in the 1980s and that says a lot about Srikkanth’s thought process. He was way ahead of his time in terms of approaching the batting at the top of the order.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">BBC's Agnew experienced Bazball at Hyderabad in Jan'85</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jonathan Agnew, the Chief Cricket Correspondent of the BBC for the last 30 years, was on his first overseas tour to India in 1984-85 having flown in from England mid way through the tour as a replacement after Paul Allot was injured. He played his first tour match against South Zone in Hyderabad ahead of the fourth test and immediately came to experience Srikkanth at his flamboyant best. Srikkanth scored 90 that day in a scintillating knock earning him a test recall for the Madras Test. Agnew himself did not play much of international cricket after this mauling. In a Podcast on Sunday (March 3, 2024) on the BBC, Agnew looked back at what Srikkanth did to him that day and his view endorsed Balaji's opinion on Srikkanth's approach in the 1980s <b><span style="color: #38761d;">"I probably had the worst bowling figures for an overseas fast bowler in that match. It was the most expensive five wicket haul (for a tour match) and I was taken apart by Srikkanth and gave away 100 runs in 19 overs which was unheard of in those days. But Srikkanth, who I met recently at the World Cup and had a hearty laugh about how he destroyed my confidence in that match, was really the 1980s Bazballer and hit me all over the park."</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZllbVWnwhAMmJiNSPj8I4W7l2kNHIqihyBTTl_xoIbqcpj7Vjkw-dd_QZZ5oa7_1KMJ3rGZ0tULhXUC2R9w3-GRxL1hRdIR-fGH8RBWqtucwszCRsvN3H3okTUN1Opa-kfsnObweUOO5yUF6-7mOEOmgzkQJ_D5aVHNDi4VCSwO-MN9NfynKTyOc1o7x/s320/jonathan%20agnew.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZllbVWnwhAMmJiNSPj8I4W7l2kNHIqihyBTTl_xoIbqcpj7Vjkw-dd_QZZ5oa7_1KMJ3rGZ0tULhXUC2R9w3-GRxL1hRdIR-fGH8RBWqtucwszCRsvN3H3okTUN1Opa-kfsnObweUOO5yUF6-7mOEOmgzkQJ_D5aVHNDi4VCSwO-MN9NfynKTyOc1o7x/s1600/jonathan%20agnew.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red;">Photo Courtesy: BBC</span></b></div><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Expectations soar</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Srikkanth says that the World Cup Victory and his contribution in the final changed his life completely <b>“When I came back to Madras, everyone started talking about my innings and the way I demolished the West Indian quicks. It was a feeling of conquering the ‘Everest’ and I was over the moon. The expectations among fans and friends shot up dramatically.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>On the test front, he went through a lull for a couple of seasons and it was not until the tour to Australia in 85-86 that he made any significant contribution.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cricketing Peak</span></b></div><div>For a couple of years from early 1985, Srikkanth went through a glorious phase in his cricketing life. He captivated the worldwide audience with his dashing stroke play in the world championship of cricket (WCC) leaving even the Aussie commentators stunned. They had seen the West Indians play that style of cricket in the past and the only Indian who had given a glimpse of such attacking stroke play was Sandeep Patil with his knock in Adelaide earlier that decade but he did not last too long in the international circuit. The consistency with which Srikkanth tore apart the new ball attack sent shock waves across the opposition teams and 'there goes SriCant again' became an oft repeated phrase in the commentary box in the Australian summer of 85 and 86.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-kGPgexnAIkHV1caSmFQq_rMrHusVF2K-e90RqeaSwCzmKziTiiGMYnUIxcVU-xgG-Agx1p06vjEKuTA1zE06SUO4Nu_a8uirVDtJYkushLb3KK5Y-5MBFKtmbBqmC9Vu74DNV0GaWs4qUdflO3LHNir3sKdKP9jWmQrbkGbxtg6Vxeq47fxqMvezsPS/s1479/cheeka%20neelankarai.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1416" data-original-width="1479" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-kGPgexnAIkHV1caSmFQq_rMrHusVF2K-e90RqeaSwCzmKziTiiGMYnUIxcVU-xgG-Agx1p06vjEKuTA1zE06SUO4Nu_a8uirVDtJYkushLb3KK5Y-5MBFKtmbBqmC9Vu74DNV0GaWs4qUdflO3LHNir3sKdKP9jWmQrbkGbxtg6Vxeq47fxqMvezsPS/s320/cheeka%20neelankarai.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">A Special Knock that he cherishes</span></b></div><div>While he played two scintillating knocks against Australia in the league phase in the WCC and then in the final against the Imran Khan led bowling attack, Srikkanth counts his knock against England as one of his favourite innings in his cricket career. It was a match famous for Sadanand Viswanath’s five dismissals and L Sivaramakrishnan and Ravi Shastri bamboozling the English batsmen with their turn but it was Srikkanth who set the Sydney crowd on fire with his breathtaking half century that afternoon It was the kind of knock that had been rarely seen from an opener in Australia and definitely not from any one from the sub-continent. None of the English bowlers had any answers to the way Srikkanth batted that day and he finally got out the only way he could have – run out beaten by a throw from the deep as he attempted a second run<b> “That knock gave me a lot of satisfaction. It was one of the cleanest innings I played in one day cricket. Run a ball half century was unheard of in those times (from an Indian) and I played the perfect game that day. It ranks as a very special innings in my career and I cherish it to this day.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">The Humane side- WCC Final</span></b></div><div>Srikkanth’s humane side came to the fore in the WCC final when one of his favourite lofted shots over long off saw Ramiz Raja bang his chest against the railings. Srikkanth immediately showed great concern about the well being of Ramiz and that was a characteristic he displayed throughout his cricketing career. He always cared for his fellow cricketers.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">His best test innings overseas- Flaying Bob Holland</span></b></div><div>He continued this one-day form in Australia into the test series later that year. Srikkanth had his best overseas test tour with a knock of 86 at MCG and a century at the SCG where he took a particular liking to the leggie Holland. Srikkanth considers taking on Holland and hitting him all over the park as an unforgettable experience<b> “Only the previous year at the same ground, he had picked up a 10wicket haul against a very strong West Indian side at its peak. You never know about leggies. That knock gave me a lot of satisfaction and I count that as one of my best innings, overseas.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>In a matter of 12 months, Srikkanth had played his two most memorable knocks at the SCG.</div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: bold;">Ravishankar is not surprised at the way he despatched Holland and recalls an innings at Chepauk that remains etched in his memory<b> “Venkatramana had moved to Indian Bank from Alwarpet. After Sanku got out, I joined Cheeka at No. 3. While most count Srikkanth as a great player against fast bowling, he was equally outstanding against spin. On that day, he tore apart Venkatramana, who had already made his test debut by then and was in prime form. He hit him for over 50 runs in two overs including five sixers in an over and moved to a double hundred in no time. He hit Ramana to every part of Chepauk and showed what a class player he was against spin bowling too. He would look at the crowd and ask if they were happy. And when they wanted more, he hit another one into the stands. That's how entertaining he was and I was greatly privileged to watch one of the greatest innings in first division league cricket from the non striker's end."</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Positive outlook made a huge difference</span></div><div>Sekar says that his was a significant achievement. "<b>In a purist era, when the focus was on a strong defence, Srikkanth had the mental strength to buck the trend and play the way he wanted and succeed at the highest level. The biggest advantage he had was that he did not fear facing the fastest of bowlers and took them head on. It was very difficult to bowl to him as he hit the length balls over the top and hooked the short balls to the boundary. The selectors saw that as a big plus in him. He was always positive and energised his teammates with his outlook and instilled the feeling in them that a team could win from any situation. He rarely played for a draw." </b></div><div><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div><div><div><b><span style="color: red;">His Best and most favourite innings in Test Cricket</span></b></div><div>In February 1987, at his home ground where he had thrilled the crowd over the previous decade, he played the innings of his life with a century against a strong Pakistan attack <b>“The Chennai crowd and especially the supporters from D-Stand hold a special place in my heart. It was their encouragement that had given me a big boost early on in my career even from the time I was just getting into Buchi Babu cricket. It was always my desire to pay back to them through a big innings at Chepauk in international cricket. To play that kind of a knock against Imran and Akram and the legendary leggie Qadir remains the most memorable innings of my test career. I can still hear the crowd cheering every stroke of mine that day.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Kind Hearted and Found Joy in others' success</span></b></div><div>It was around this time that a cricketer from Madurai was spotted by Srikkanth and whose life was immediately transformed. From nowhere, it was Srikkanth who spoke to TVS Chief R Dinesh to send the teenaged M Venkatramana from Madurai to Madras. Venkatramana, who is just back in the city from a coaching engagement with the Kerala Ranji team looks back at how Srikkanth transformed his cricketing life<b> “It was the annual inter office match in the 1980s between TVS Chennai and TVS Madurai where Srikkanth saw me for the first time. He was so good at spotting talent and helping young cricketers that he immediately called Dinesh requesting him to send me to Chennai for greater exposure.”</b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHXhEXwPQhArCAyR6Vm-GMYcVbyc7nS7cup9pGkEMJDpv8w5fNUFt907v6ie5qZYirM8pmEC_EWt1jdxTiKhZbGW0Fq_mzumVob1M4ofxhYZEkLmisoHJW01JY81PrbYmvo1tlM-3ARJ8YOxZM1tDOPqXyWj21obgfXwz4QhviBunU7vomWlabdfm2q1-/s736/M%20venkatramana.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="562" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHXhEXwPQhArCAyR6Vm-GMYcVbyc7nS7cup9pGkEMJDpv8w5fNUFt907v6ie5qZYirM8pmEC_EWt1jdxTiKhZbGW0Fq_mzumVob1M4ofxhYZEkLmisoHJW01JY81PrbYmvo1tlM-3ARJ8YOxZM1tDOPqXyWj21obgfXwz4QhviBunU7vomWlabdfm2q1-/s320/M%20venkatramana.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><div>“It was a very important phase in my life and he gave me the big break at the right time. It opened up new opportunities for me and I went on to play U22 and U25 cricket. Within a year or so, I was in the TN Ranji team and then shortly after I made it to the Indian team. Without Srikkanth, I would have missed the bus. It was also Cheeka who, soon after my test debut, asked me to join Indian Bank for long term security.”</div><div><br /></div><div><b>“He was very kind hearted, always looking to give opportunities to youngsters and took great joy in the success of others.”</b></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Srikkanth - The surprise off spinner</span></b></div><div>End of 1988, he shone with the bat and ball against New Zealand including taking two five wicket hauls in the one dayers with his off spin. Unfortunately, a few months later in the final one dayer against the West Indies, he had his hand broken by Ian Bishop that ruled him out of the entire test series, one where his ‘Guru’ Venkataraghavan was the manager. Venkatramana bemoans that as a personal loss in his career "Had Cheeka been there for the test series, I may have played earlier on a turning track at Port of Spain and it may have given me a boost to my career, especially as I had performed well in the tour matches."</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Makes a mark as a captain</span></b></div><div>In what was to be one of his biggest achievements in his test career, Srikkanth captained India in late 1989 to a famous series draw in Pakistan, something that had not been achieved in earlier periods, though he himself was woefully out of form with the bat. </div><div><br /></div><div>Once again, like with his batting, he credits his approach for his success in captaincy <b>"As a captain, you need to show confidence in the team given to you. I trusted the players and had faith in them and allowed them to express themselves without any restrictions. It was the same reason that we were able to chase the huge target in the fourth innings in the Irani Trophy match in 1988. When they did not enforce the follow on despite a lead of over 200, I told my players that we have it in us to chase whatever target they give us and instilled the belief that we could do it come what may. And it rubbed off on VB who played a once in a life time innings." </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAoAG9FRo7AzgnPgBw-HvhBO8b43iCnBK0kev7hn5Npgttjux6WIfomTEV0fucf-afNoQbdndgxBL-HVTh-WWzSdgNwiWpn56tGM2LwNS0KoLVh3AhtF9OBOyALJbkEMN-LwWokJPPUTXqwomUEgIg3o0Jeq-f7X4-QPORKlPPYKxm9PPtvEYyeIH2tYN/s623/npm%20cheeka.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="623" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAoAG9FRo7AzgnPgBw-HvhBO8b43iCnBK0kev7hn5Npgttjux6WIfomTEV0fucf-afNoQbdndgxBL-HVTh-WWzSdgNwiWpn56tGM2LwNS0KoLVh3AhtF9OBOyALJbkEMN-LwWokJPPUTXqwomUEgIg3o0Jeq-f7X4-QPORKlPPYKxm9PPtvEYyeIH2tYN/s320/npm%20cheeka.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Not changed one bit in four decades</span></b></div><div>TN opener of the time NP Madhavan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/05/np-madhavan.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/05/np-madhavan.html</a>), who later moved to SVPB Udumalpet first opened with Srikkanth at the U22 level in the late 1970s and also opened with him later in Sri Lanka in the Gopalan Trophy match. He met his opening mate at the 1970s cricketer meet organised by SM Krishna Kumar at the MCC in January (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/01/1970s-madras-cricketers-meet-mcc.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/01/1970s-madras-cricketers-meet-mcc.html</a>) and is surprised at how Srikkanth has remained unchanged over four decades <b>“Cheeka is still what he was and remains a very good friend. There is no change in his attitude or mannerism. He had always been lively and helpful to anyone. He never held grudge against anyone and never complained or spoke a bad word about any cricketer. Whenever he meets, he never forgets to enquire about the well being of the family. For a player of his stature, it is amazing that he has not forgotten his early days in cricket and the players he played with before he became an international star."</b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBNjzydjN9_yVF61cZmhzcE-zzFRX17AcWxwTcYK2UDftoTQFfav7J3EvvRPnir2c-Nbxjq_3W0OX4UM2dgH2lFBH_MdGgMyBknjNziTJEzuaEJdlBu5p2bAHHxbZX156nDmQpCULxr6dPBPdgDEoPefzz7-0Ph4G8IIfkh7LLYP8_x1kBPxhx5ipkcDo/s2304/Cheeka%20Kalli.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1485" data-original-width="2304" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBNjzydjN9_yVF61cZmhzcE-zzFRX17AcWxwTcYK2UDftoTQFfav7J3EvvRPnir2c-Nbxjq_3W0OX4UM2dgH2lFBH_MdGgMyBknjNziTJEzuaEJdlBu5p2bAHHxbZX156nDmQpCULxr6dPBPdgDEoPefzz7-0Ph4G8IIfkh7LLYP8_x1kBPxhx5ipkcDo/s320/Cheeka%20Kalli.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Hat Trick man from the 1973 Ranji final B Kalyanasundaram (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2011/08/kalli-b-kalyanasundaram.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2011/08/kalli-b-kalyanasundaram.html</a>) was the Chairman of TN Selection committee when Srikkanth was the Chairman of the National Selection committee last decade. He echoes Madhavan’s sentiments and says that despite his huge success at the international level, he remained very humble and has always been down to earth.<b> “Cheeka was the one who showcased to all the cricketers on how to hit over the heads of mid off and mid on. He paved the way for the upcoming generations to play fearless cricket. He is a big legend in Indian cricket having played a big role in India’s famous victories in the 1983 World Cup and the 1985 WCC tournament but has always remained very simple and never forgotten his old friends.”</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Unfortunately, a rift with the BCCI cut short his captaincy stint and that remains one of his regrets. He had been unanimously praised in the way he handled his players and the way India came back with their heads held high after the Pakistan tour but he had to let go his captaincy when he believed he had it in him to captain the country a bit longer. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Another special knock against Windies' quicks</span></b></div><div>At the tail end of his career, he gave one final reminder to his fans. In the triangular WSC match at Adelaide in December 91, he scored 82. He counts that as one of his best innings in one day cricket <b>“It was a pretty fierce attack comprising of Marshall, Ambrose and Patterson and once again I scored a run a ball 82. That knock gave me a lot of satisfaction for I could show the cricketing fraternity that I could still hold my own against the fastest bowlers in the world.”</b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgle5-P2q5v8WenkkTjhoPca-WEpkxim8Y6ESPym3mm__eLgJjptMyS4jTWtg5IRlLmR8H1JX4AY1fjx-HWqSH_Gw30jkpvGLLZnsQ5nzTvSFXFkXe1qXU5ZpgC20svwNPnXFHuFUHgkovtCnMV2i4skkJImjmA_Z_hy0Mvm2L4tseSBBsuUx3fWDVvOSwG/s2674/K%20Srikkanth%202022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2674" data-original-width="2454" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgle5-P2q5v8WenkkTjhoPca-WEpkxim8Y6ESPym3mm__eLgJjptMyS4jTWtg5IRlLmR8H1JX4AY1fjx-HWqSH_Gw30jkpvGLLZnsQ5nzTvSFXFkXe1qXU5ZpgC20svwNPnXFHuFUHgkovtCnMV2i4skkJImjmA_Z_hy0Mvm2L4tseSBBsuUx3fWDVvOSwG/s320/K%20Srikkanth%202022.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><span><div><span><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Displayed great warmth and was genuinely affectionate</span></b></div><div>With his international success, he was wanted by every club in the city in the 1980s but he would never leave the TVS group and Alwarpet right till the end for he believed that they backed him all the way and at the top of his career. Srikkanth told this writer in May 2022 that very early in his domestic career, Jolly Rovers had reached out to him but in his mind he had provided a lifetime commitment to the TVS Group and would not move away from them irrespective of the lucrative offers. </div><div><br /></div><div>A day after he was with the PM of India at the MSME event organised by his firm in Madurai, TVS’ R Dinesh spoke to this writer on how he himself learned a lot of positive things from Srikkanth <b>“For all his big achievements at the international level, he displayed no ego. He was genuinely interested in the game and enjoyed playing cricket at any level. He simply gave his heart and soul to the game.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzS9-PAIO__Stgcj8_2U8usq9-gsk5xk783ptb-O2250QtUIcB-Tj90rwOoPdeIUCORYUMUhU217TFV730FaXOCUUj3D6Yim-oihSWzkB72fdDZmPPK7voubaAXJYyeZs_jji3r3yGTDYf3iMNigXGxFVZ8Whyphenhyphenrtpt8U9NtSCFYPecLWbGjZ-1duQgySd1/s5290/R.%20Dinesh%20-%20High%20Resolution%20Photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5290" data-original-width="4264" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzS9-PAIO__Stgcj8_2U8usq9-gsk5xk783ptb-O2250QtUIcB-Tj90rwOoPdeIUCORYUMUhU217TFV730FaXOCUUj3D6Yim-oihSWzkB72fdDZmPPK7voubaAXJYyeZs_jji3r3yGTDYf3iMNigXGxFVZ8Whyphenhyphenrtpt8U9NtSCFYPecLWbGjZ-1duQgySd1/s320/R.%20Dinesh%20-%20High%20Resolution%20Photo.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">International Cricketer - By Train to Virudanagar to play a match!!!!</span></b></div><div>Dinesh is still awe struck with the simplicity of Srikkanth <b>“In the 1980s, soon after he returned from an international match, he took a train from Madras and played a match in Virudanagar. It was mind boggling to see 10000 people come to watch a match in that town and every single person came just to see him. That was the kind of positive impact he had on people in that phase.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>“His biggest differentiator was the ability to connect with everyone. He could relate to the fan on the street and get into an engaging conversation with him. And the next minute, he could be talking serious intellectual stuff with the CEO. And his friendly Chennai lingo was a big hit with the cricketing community.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>"Even when you met him after a year’s break, the way he engaged with you made it feel like he was there with you the previous day. For a man who achieved such great success at the international level with the greatest cricketers of the time being spell bound with his approach to batting, he displayed great warmth and was genuinely affectionate as a person off the field even when he was at his peak for India. Even today we are good friends because of that."</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>"I learned a great bit from the way he conducted himself and imbibed a lot of the positive qualities from him."</b></div></span></div><div style="color: red; font-weight: bold;"><b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="color: red; font-weight: bold;"><b>THE GREAT ENTERTAINER</b></div></span></div><div>Srikkanth went on to become the only Indian to win the World Cup both as a player and a selector. He provided a dashing start in the fourth innings chase in the tied test in Madras in 1986. He was a trend setter in international cricket in the 1980s with his dashing style of play at the start of the innings. It was only towards the end of that decade that New Zealand opener Mark Greatbatch followed his model in one day cricket. And it took another decade for Adam Gilchrist and Virendra Sehwag to adopt the aggressive model that Srikkanth had kicked off in the early 1980s. He was an extra ordinary fielder in the outfield as well as at short leg. </div><div><br /></div><div>His biggest contribution was the cheer he brought to everyone around - his teammates, the opposition and the crowd alike with that incident in the 1985 WCC semi final being testimony to the way he played cricket and entertained everyone. With Cairns going great guns in the final few overs to take NZ past the 200 mark (which was a big deal in those days in one day cricket), Srikkanth dropped a sitter at deep mid wicket. And then the next ball, he refused to go for the catch when Cairns hit another big one. In front of that huge crowd at the SCG, an angry Gavaskar, unhappy with his effort, dismissed Srikkanth away to square leg much to his anguish. But Srikkanth had the last laugh and with him the entire cricketing world too as the next ball was skied once again in his direction this time high to square leg and the great judge of a catch that he was, he held it with ease. Even as he was explaining the twilight as a reason for not being able to spot the previous ball, the cameras shifted its attention to a blushing Gavaskar who covered his face with his hat to hide his sheepish smile. That was Krishnamachari Srikkanth for you – always an entertainer.</div></div></div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-37148291867273369982024-02-27T11:47:00.012+05:302024-02-27T19:09:26.272+05:30Kesava Perumal Temple Mylapore Hereditary Priests<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Giri Bhattar's forefathers came to Mylapore from Vandavasi in the 1550s and have been performing archaka service at the Kesava Perumal temple for almost 500 years</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQmCAmjBtK0YtGNyJy2oacx3VkJlMs9XKQTVC411LJE4LI6_pXBKsxoxpYy-rt9ojJGc3wlpuQaqMIZUPEU7v2xJR4DaVg2wydrzDAg-1S9a0ZfEEcU8kWrKFnXhys35b4DLHjpBZMQFxKPGgXzSvBrn4z_UGF4SHdI-lUJm_h1DTgYOkGj6bBfxoD4jI/s1540/Giri%20Bhattar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1540" data-original-width="1411" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQmCAmjBtK0YtGNyJy2oacx3VkJlMs9XKQTVC411LJE4LI6_pXBKsxoxpYy-rt9ojJGc3wlpuQaqMIZUPEU7v2xJR4DaVg2wydrzDAg-1S9a0ZfEEcU8kWrKFnXhys35b4DLHjpBZMQFxKPGgXzSvBrn4z_UGF4SHdI-lUJm_h1DTgYOkGj6bBfxoD4jI/s320/Giri%20Bhattar.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Srinivasarangan (Giri) Bhattar is 30. Over the last 15 years, he has been carrying on the hereditary archaka service that has been performed by his forefathers at the Kesava Perumal temple in Mylapore from the 1550s. At various points in time, the family have been in serious financial situations but the message that has been passed on through generations has been the same ‘Believe in Mayuravalli Thayar’ and ‘Perform archaka kainkaryam with sincerity’.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A lot in the current generation have moved away from archaka service into the corporate world but for Giri Bhattar, the only thing that he is reminded of everyday is the message from his Thatha Veera Raghava Bhattar (popularly known as 'Chellapillai') who performed kainkaryam for almost seven decades and who passed away during the Pandemic. “I would sit with Thatha and listen to the stories about his grandparents and the way they lived their lives” Giri Bhattar told this writer at the home opposite the Kesava Perumal temple where several generations of this family have resided.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Kainkaryam as the only way of life</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He recalls two unforgettable stories that Veera Raghava Bhattachar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/veera-raghava-bhattar-kesava-perumal.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/veera-raghava-bhattar-kesava-perumal.html</a>) narrated to him when he was young “Over 125 years ago, a financially rich businessman from North Madras was handing out 4gm gold coins to the Brahmins in this village (Madras). My Thatha’s thatha – Srinivasa Varada Bhattar - performed archaka kainkaryam from the 1870s till the 1930s. The family was experiencing financial challenges in that phase and my ellu patti asked him to go to Parry’s and collect the Sambhavanai.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_B1miaOkz4YPB5qDloAKUyjhZrGYJveNfOVWnkTqLkpYcQQ6IH3mftMMzGO7uINVJOATV7ejFdh_nmtPvlpvVvhM025rJUCPjOMR-8KIHdq1i9fRgqcmroyiBAAtI1tN_1OeQfWpZifqE6MK6wNvTv-8epI5WW9kYu5jtP4vFOw-n8DeTzkJuQTgLkm-V/s1683/Kesava%20Perumal%20Garuda%20Sevai.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1683" data-original-width="1669" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_B1miaOkz4YPB5qDloAKUyjhZrGYJveNfOVWnkTqLkpYcQQ6IH3mftMMzGO7uINVJOATV7ejFdh_nmtPvlpvVvhM025rJUCPjOMR-8KIHdq1i9fRgqcmroyiBAAtI1tN_1OeQfWpZifqE6MK6wNvTv-8epI5WW9kYu5jtP4vFOw-n8DeTzkJuQTgLkm-V/s320/Kesava%20Perumal%20Garuda%20Sevai.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It would have been reasonable for Srinivasa Varada Bhattar to have gone and collected the gold for it was being donated to the Brahmins performing service but Giri Bhattar’s ellu thatha refused and told his wife that he would not let go of Kainkaryam to Mayuravalli that day. It would have taken a great deal of time to go to Parrys and return back to Mylapore in those days.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><br /></div><div>Tears roll down Giri Bhattar’s cheeks as he narrates what happened in the second half that day <b>“My ellu thatha was sitting at the Mayuravalli Thayar Sannidhi when a group of devotees from North India visited the temple. They had been to Thiruvallikeni earlier in the day and were now visiting the avathara sthalam of Pey Azhvaar. Pleased with the Kainkaryam of my Thatha, they placed 8gms gold in the Thattu which was double of what the North Madras businessman was handing out that day in Parrys. He came home and told my ellu patti as to how Mayuravalli blesses archakas who perform kainkaryam with complete devotion.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Giri Bhattar says that his thatha, Veera Raghava Bhattar, constantly reminded him of this story to instill in him the importance of unflinching faith in Mayuravalli Thayar “My Thatha would often say that Kesava Perumal has a 1000eyes and keeps total watch on us every minute of the day. And he would not let go easily those that stray away from the dharmic path but Mayuravalli is full of Karunai and that she is always considerate and hence we should fully surrender to her and perform our service with utmost sincerity.”</div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyM_8J-yG_CTGR3eazh4TTVczhl6WjQ4F1o7IyeRUAgdho-ffiMfTVV8Bn6MBoF92fFRSMRjHBHXedfzPwVCV4jO8jQ8vs1SeSUFqpqvBUqVCFfyWPIUB3SHoX2N-a3ZLyaq_PYbwSxJivz5IiHCB6V-TOJ9DGyBa_gs5AEkrDCC6BT44fSPzKbIBKSLgO/s1067/Chellapillai%20K%20Veera%20Raghava%20Bhattar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="727" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyM_8J-yG_CTGR3eazh4TTVczhl6WjQ4F1o7IyeRUAgdho-ffiMfTVV8Bn6MBoF92fFRSMRjHBHXedfzPwVCV4jO8jQ8vs1SeSUFqpqvBUqVCFfyWPIUB3SHoX2N-a3ZLyaq_PYbwSxJivz5IiHCB6V-TOJ9DGyBa_gs5AEkrDCC6BT44fSPzKbIBKSLgO/s320/Chellapillai%20K%20Veera%20Raghava%20Bhattar.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Chellapillai Veera Raghava Bhattar</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wouldn't eat without presenting Thaligai to Kesava</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On another occasion, just under a century ago, there was a death in the far corner of the Sannidhi street and Thiru Aradhanam could not performed and Thaligai presented to Perumal for almost 36 hours <b>“My Ellu Thatha (Srinivasa Varada Bhattar) did not eat anything in that period because his way of life was such – he would not eat food without presenting the Thaligai to Perumal. They were steadfast in their faith and lived their entire life in the belief that complete devotion to ‘Kesava and Mayuravalli’ was the only way of life and there was no compromise permissible in the way they performed kainkaryam at this temple.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Giri Bhattar’s forefathers moved from Vandavasi to Madras around the 1550s and came to reside in the Sannidhi Street in front of the Kesava Perumal temple ‘When the financial situation was really bad, my great grandfather Kesava Bhattar went to the Parthasarathy temple in Thiruvallikeni as a support priest (during his non service days in the month at the Kesava Perumal temple). With the income generated during his Kainkaryam there, he performed the Deepavali utsavam at the Kesava Perumal temple.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Born to perform Kainkaryam</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The thought that this Vaikanasa Bhattar clan has been born only to perform archaka service to Perumal and Thayar had been instilled in Giri Bhattar right from the time he was five years old <b>“Instead of learning the alphabets at Chellammal School, I learned the slokas. When a traditional event was held at Sivaswamy Kalalaya, I donned the Hanuman Thirukolam and won a prize. Similarly, when my teacher at school asked how it rains, I said that Lord Varuna throws water from the sky in a Jug. My early life was almost completely centered around Kesava Perumal and Bhakthi towards him. Hence I related everything in life to the concept of devotion and kainkaryam.” </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He says from being an academically poor student in early school, he managed good marks in Class X and XII and completed his graduation in commerce from the Vivekananda college. He later went on to a degree in law. His thatha and appa had lived through poverty and there were days when there was no money at home to even eat a meal. During the Pandemic, when his thatha passed away due of Covid, there was not enough money to even perform the last rites and the monthly Kaaryams but Giri Bhattar says that Kesava and Mayuravalli have always shown the way and helped them come of all kinds of challenges.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHN82Sj_WuWIpgkmKQD5Bw5gRqAlbLmwxK0gPzi2QowRaqhb-HpE8qIlSgi3kjTMaxvZsunsu-58JfGxGZVNDUkm0Dd9xoNrefngtCx47yL3G8SsIMCOHjKKcvBtVLLutddjnpUIdPUN0y1LI_Rujw21bhNgkbClBN7RarRbXtOn2KTFlAEbH8biLXaGH/s1459/KP%20temple.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1459" data-original-width="722" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHN82Sj_WuWIpgkmKQD5Bw5gRqAlbLmwxK0gPzi2QowRaqhb-HpE8qIlSgi3kjTMaxvZsunsu-58JfGxGZVNDUkm0Dd9xoNrefngtCx47yL3G8SsIMCOHjKKcvBtVLLutddjnpUIdPUN0y1LI_Rujw21bhNgkbClBN7RarRbXtOn2KTFlAEbH8biLXaGH/s320/KP%20temple.jpg" width="158" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The previous consecration had taken place 20 years ago and the temple is currently seeing a restoration exercise with Thiruppani works having started in the second half of last year. The consecration is expected to take place later this year by when it is hoped that the temple will wear a new and fresh look. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Taking forward the Hereditary Service into the next phase</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Given the current scenario in temples, Giri Bhattar will continue to don the role of an advocate in the foreseeable future but as has been way of this family over the last 500 years, Giri Bhattar is clear that his first and foremost duty in this life is to perform Kainkaryam at the Kesava and Mayuravalli Sannidhis at the Kesava Perumal temple in Mylapore. There are challenges for archakas relating to hereditary service in temples but Giri Bhattar is confident that with the blessings of 'Mayuravalli', he will be able to continue this five centuries old tradition during his life time. At this young age, he has been able to captivate the minds of the devotees with his sincerity and committed service. He says that he will endeavour to perform Kainkaryam in a way to not spoil that regard the devotees seem to currently have for him as a devoted archaka.</div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-1430849293418744282024-02-21T12:35:00.005+05:302024-02-21T15:24:57.940+05:30 Srirangam Brahmotsavam Padippu Sridhar<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">The historical Padippu event on the final evening of the big utsavams has been revived over the last decade at the Ranganathaswamy temple</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Temple staffer Sridhar has been assigned this sacred Kainkaryam of reading out the greatness of the temple near the Dwajasthambam in front of Namperumal</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8fxjr-pKOLrvvCTTw9_n4z7RrNYopQvw0U9sUrXc51zNP25Y2tzOJlusi37K0JX4nnfEevldjlWWmwelpT9-butzgj73OgMSwCalx3fhU9QsXdFAmdYO-oAwAMyGZBHFhBEu20SIQa76leX7wtrcamvFjyMdRwhw91dM__t7kROy9i6KM6yQ1yXA3EB0/s1617/padippu%20sridhar%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="1617" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8fxjr-pKOLrvvCTTw9_n4z7RrNYopQvw0U9sUrXc51zNP25Y2tzOJlusi37K0JX4nnfEevldjlWWmwelpT9-butzgj73OgMSwCalx3fhU9QsXdFAmdYO-oAwAMyGZBHFhBEu20SIQa76leX7wtrcamvFjyMdRwhw91dM__t7kROy9i6KM6yQ1yXA3EB0/s320/padippu%20sridhar%20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When TVS’ Venu Srinivasan was assigned the task of the restoration exercise of the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam a decade ago, he undertook a Prashnam to understand the violations that had taken place at the temple earlier and the corrective measures that were required to be initiated. The outcome of the Prashnam pointed to a deficiency in the conduct of the big utsavams. The Padippu at the end of the utsavams had been a centuries old historical practice performed as a hereditary service and takes place at the conclusion of the big utsavams such as the four Brahmotsavams, the Adyayana Utsavam and Vasantha Utsavam on the final day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When there were no descendants of the Thiru Thaazhvarai Dasar clan to continue this service, this sacred event came to a halt around four decades ago.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Venu Srinivasan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/11/venu-srinivasan-srirangam-temple.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/11/venu-srinivasan-srirangam-temple.html</a>), the then Chairman - Board of Trustees, was keen for the historical Padippu event to be revived and in discussion with the temple authorities identified a Vaishnavite to perform this service .</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3OdqbpsFprGjCJDUI1VnhNB8O3W_zKkRrtk_3yV5l3Y6nBxk4mVyJpeFm4Ac3Y-DPBHazoTtSdcDq_tk2uUKk-hDPk9xK726aR4PzOzIk2Lr3zGnWY2GBzGFg1Qjuxgxb_EZMQqHxNwIBPPyai7cgyDB3KTTTUYBFxg7ejxk3nsNAix8CpLjEB8WelWp/s742/Venu%20Srinivasan.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="742" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3OdqbpsFprGjCJDUI1VnhNB8O3W_zKkRrtk_3yV5l3Y6nBxk4mVyJpeFm4Ac3Y-DPBHazoTtSdcDq_tk2uUKk-hDPk9xK726aR4PzOzIk2Lr3zGnWY2GBzGFg1Qjuxgxb_EZMQqHxNwIBPPyai7cgyDB3KTTTUYBFxg7ejxk3nsNAix8CpLjEB8WelWp/s320/Venu%20Srinivasan.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">N Sridhar, who has been working in different departments at the Srirangam Temple since 1999, was asked if he would be interested and willing to don the role of reading out the text and the verses on the final evening of the utsavams. While he had no prior knowledge or experience in this recital, he considered this a great blessing to be assigned this Kainkaryam.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He reached out to the Mela Thirumaligai Vishnu Chithan Swami and learned the Santhai from him. Sridhar told this writer that he sourced the historical script relating to the Padippu from Krishnamachari of Sri Sri Press <b>“Only after Mela Thirumaligai Swami was convinced that I was equipped to present the padippu and gave me the nod did I proceed to present the Padippu, the first of which was at the end of the Vasantha Utsavam just under ten years ago.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6txlSWzeKDcrK9g4t5DpZPvTwT7CT8jl-gn3h4wH3M7XAiqcU3HVGpafDOw_YZxHiliFIx0fwbH-rf7_4YucXTtrIt7412aseNm8m6nsr3_xugDkN3WCWaO7gPHTEzG4WbdSMOt63ANoahednOj6CepZ6wR-tR6u-bDpZsNPeRcV6T3kQ9Bk02xMr_t96/s971/Maasi%20satru%20murai%20padippu%20feb%2020%20tues.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="971" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6txlSWzeKDcrK9g4t5DpZPvTwT7CT8jl-gn3h4wH3M7XAiqcU3HVGpafDOw_YZxHiliFIx0fwbH-rf7_4YucXTtrIt7412aseNm8m6nsr3_xugDkN3WCWaO7gPHTEzG4WbdSMOt63ANoahednOj6CepZ6wR-tR6u-bDpZsNPeRcV6T3kQ9Bk02xMr_t96/s320/Maasi%20satru%20murai%20padippu%20feb%2020%20tues.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>“I was very emotional on that Satru Murai occasion. It was well past mid night when Namperumal made his way back from the Vasantha Mandapam. At that debut performance, there was a certain fear within me that I should present this to the best of my ability in front of Namperumal and without mistakes.” </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Padippu at Thayar Utsavams and on Vedu Pari evening</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since then, Sridhar has been the man who has performed this Padippu kainkaryam at all the Raksha Bandhanam utsavams. In addition, he also presents ‘padippu’ during the big utsavams for Thayar. Also, on the evening of the Vedu Pari event in Manal Veli during the Era Pathu Utsavam, he presents the Parimuthal Kanakku reading out the list of jewels of Namperumal.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQwlNEGb_wluB03Aiu3H2PKfsnmGLFwd_5fdNdy3SMFV7dg_e8TRH4R0JD1hyphenhyphen0sYW5khdgqw5pvx5-LjiLFaKHN1sUtNj0umL70SdmfylTKfvf8ewvOg3jFnkbo_MQfzwFoLw4hkknv5JvYnKLkWRchJ71ALoifjP2bsvNLwbiWCLABCha-8id1aEMaWa/s1290/namperumal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQwlNEGb_wluB03Aiu3H2PKfsnmGLFwd_5fdNdy3SMFV7dg_e8TRH4R0JD1hyphenhyphen0sYW5khdgqw5pvx5-LjiLFaKHN1sUtNj0umL70SdmfylTKfvf8ewvOg3jFnkbo_MQfzwFoLw4hkknv5JvYnKLkWRchJ71ALoifjP2bsvNLwbiWCLABCha-8id1aEMaWa/s320/namperumal.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Padippu goes into the legend of the temple, the origin of Periya Perumal, reference to Srirangam as Bhoologa Vaikuntam and the greatness of Chandira Pushkarani, among other details. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His appa, K Narayanan, who worked in the commercial taxes department had been the ‘double lock officer’ at the temple three decades ago.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His thatha, Krishnamachariar, performed Theertha Kainkaryam at the Chakkarathazhvaar Sannidhi in the middle of the 20th century. He credits the sincere kainkaryam of his thatha in those years when there was very little financial returns and the fruits of his service to him being belessed with this Padippu Kainkaryam. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1E8uoJTbXw6-VBye0GmE9q0vQF4pvFC5brtUXDyHhqtDNJ2H7rFobm2rN1MAZhS5CocA92XqWAOISUwQQJ4GkEX8zES-SrOoox5GidiM2vwFk-M6Wc7SAzvou6_iec1lw7v0Ep8_y2Tc5KXTJzNpaBzefvUbWAZTr4MhXTGlWXN3lXOLHCUmleR3OxpWH/s467/padippu%20maasi%20feb%2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="380" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1E8uoJTbXw6-VBye0GmE9q0vQF4pvFC5brtUXDyHhqtDNJ2H7rFobm2rN1MAZhS5CocA92XqWAOISUwQQJ4GkEX8zES-SrOoox5GidiM2vwFk-M6Wc7SAzvou6_iec1lw7v0Ep8_y2Tc5KXTJzNpaBzefvUbWAZTr4MhXTGlWXN3lXOLHCUmleR3OxpWH/s320/padippu%20maasi%20feb%2020.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, almost a decade after the Padippu revival, Sridhar is confident and renders the Padippu with great devotion. He did not seek this kainkaryam nor did he expect that one day in his life, he would be the one to present such a sacred recital at the end of the Brahmotsavams. He considers it Ranganatha's blessing that this Kainkaryam has come on its own to him and that he has been reciting without a break for almost a decade.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Following the Bandha Katchi procession on the final evening of the Maasi Utsavam 2024, Sridhar presented the Padippu on Tuesday (Feb 20) evening in front of Namperumal near the Dwajasthambam at the Ranganathaswamy temple.</div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-34331035587494185772024-02-20T13:29:00.007+05:302024-02-21T12:45:18.310+05:30Srirangam Maasi Theppam 2024<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Prabhandham Ghosti present Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Madals in the hot sun, Poor Management lead to chaotic scenes after the Theppam during Mariyathai and a once in a year late night procession of Namperumal through North Adayavalanjan mark Maasi Theppotsavam at Ranganathaswamy temple on Monday</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8SwSTWEdlKAwhyp53zsTHDxghZP5yycRBM2XNUohghFLUHktAZeyOG3R7D-UKYMKQrLlwSNTRZkc23xFvDVcV_7UX77VmibDqSsMxoKVLDR5Ti1N37HE972PbXWw6dMmv4ojlFjEXD893VZNUqx-QZVbv5KDePdVF-Hm9UigTpBTjPdj7v-1uzLFPItY/s1514/namperumal%20to%20theppam%20pp.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1514" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8SwSTWEdlKAwhyp53zsTHDxghZP5yycRBM2XNUohghFLUHktAZeyOG3R7D-UKYMKQrLlwSNTRZkc23xFvDVcV_7UX77VmibDqSsMxoKVLDR5Ti1N37HE972PbXWw6dMmv4ojlFjEXD893VZNUqx-QZVbv5KDePdVF-Hm9UigTpBTjPdj7v-1uzLFPItY/s320/namperumal%20to%20theppam%20pp.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>Its just past 3pm on a hot Monday (Feb 19) afternoon. It is a big day in the year in Srirangam – the evening when Namperumal will provide darshan on the float at the sacred tank west of the temple. The Prabhandham Ghosti members are waiting on the South Chitrai Street for Namperumal to arrive on the palanquin on his way to the Theppam.</div><div><br /></div><div>Back inside the Naazhikettan Vasal, the two EOs of the temple are present ahead of the start of the procession to ensure that everything is on track. Only last week, the JC of the temple Mariappan had told this writer that the Theppotsavam is a challenging day for the temple authorities and a lot of care has to be taken on this day. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Prabhandham Ghosti present the Madals</span></b></div><div>Hot chakkarai Pongal is presented to the Sthalathars and the Sripatham members following which Namperumal leaves for this two-hour procession. As he enters the Chitrai street, the Prabhandham members, who have gathered in good numbers, begin the presentation of the Siriya Thiru Madal (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2012/10/thirumangai-azhvaars-madal.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2012/10/thirumangai-azhvaars-madal.html</a>). The Sun is beating down from the West and hence the full screen is on through the procession on the South Chitrai Street with the devotees running towards the West Chitrai Street for darshan of Namperumal.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Dewe8xUngsWq415Nhkxn336hND_1HXwfQklGue0YkY2fdC6RodiUZJC-uuAV_s2pUrgglZSpKmTObiayYmaNrpgx9H-WXBtBge6HotXdJfgTCoE-1XVCCS-TWLH335alG7lLRem7o9JNmwRNIJWGVME4mm5qnbDLBcTXiy2rqEqDojv4slE0lephbfeC/s2525/prabhandham%20ghosti%20west%20tank%20street.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="2525" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Dewe8xUngsWq415Nhkxn336hND_1HXwfQklGue0YkY2fdC6RodiUZJC-uuAV_s2pUrgglZSpKmTObiayYmaNrpgx9H-WXBtBge6HotXdJfgTCoE-1XVCCS-TWLH335alG7lLRem7o9JNmwRNIJWGVME4mm5qnbDLBcTXiy2rqEqDojv4slE0lephbfeC/s320/prabhandham%20ghosti%20west%20tank%20street.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>This is the first time in the Thai and Maasi utsavam that Namperumal makes his way on a procession through the Chitrai streets (through the entire Thai Brahmotsavam and till the day of the Maasi Theppam, the processions are all on the Uthirai Streets).</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Like on the Garuda Sevai procession last week, Namperumal makes his way this time too to apartments on Melur Road and a devotee home adjacent to the tank to provide darshan as part of the mandagapadis on this evening. The Prabhandham members have completed the rendering of the Siriya Thiru Madal and have begun the presentation of the Periya Thiru Madal. Its past 5.30pm when Namperumal has made his way around the tank streets and the screen is shut for alankaram of Namperumal ahead of the procession on the float.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Namperumal presents himself with Kili Garland</span></b></div><div>By 7pm, devotees have gathered in large numbers outside the mandapam waiting for the first glimpse of the alankaram and as the screen opens, they are delighted to see Namperumal adorning a Kili Garland. The devotees count the number of parrots on the garland and engage in conversation on the beauty of the parrots.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5ZKvu6ZCJIKiypRwTvORMF4yiYNmKf8y5TGtwYrxueiokq80yu9VL8Zcji3uxhVJdh-piV7EVFCHcXazv2SwxoIx9t5sE7fpxxI4ZvJNS10sJoj_iO1RkPPLO7LmQfTJ9kueNOv9XWuWGb58OXyBZxIoIDrqscxtI_1WflDiBMJAkppUwecIWc8tW8Yq/s3180/float%20fest%20srgm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="3180" height="59" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5ZKvu6ZCJIKiypRwTvORMF4yiYNmKf8y5TGtwYrxueiokq80yu9VL8Zcji3uxhVJdh-piV7EVFCHcXazv2SwxoIx9t5sE7fpxxI4ZvJNS10sJoj_iO1RkPPLO7LmQfTJ9kueNOv9XWuWGb58OXyBZxIoIDrqscxtI_1WflDiBMJAkppUwecIWc8tW8Yq/s320/float%20fest%20srgm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>The float itself is grandly decorated as well as any float in a TN temple Theppotsavam. The lights are bright. Everything is colourful and grand inside the float. The service personnel and the temple staff get on to the float along with Namperumal.</div><div><br /></div><div>The devotees positioned themselves at marquee locations around the huge tank for the best view as Namperumal goes around thrice in hour long procession before he makes his way to the mandapam in the middle of the tank for Thaligai presentation.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is 9.30pm when Namperumal makes his way out of the float for the return trip to the temple. And what followed over the next half hour or do did not make for good viewing. It has been a customary practice for many years now that on the Vedu Pari evening during the Adyayana Utsavam and on this Theppam evening, the ubayadarars and the workers who made the float a success are presented with Mariyathai. While the programme schedule has the return of Namperumal to his abode as 11.15pm, it has been rarely stuck to over the last decade. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSR50VCQq079r7fyLw30cGCpa4Neh1F704quybgijC3ABFDIgbetLho-BJpOWY90RcftK5eoue458cUsA4w88NFw2mTZ6ZeZwDoxTVYqcC9f2J6w0C43S_8yauCIDLbg-a7_N_14UCv4FDI83dJo6KnK0E7HGAvMARQ6cUjTCcOsj0qal0zJuHP3ynIF1j/s4096/Namperumal%20from%20theppam.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1983" data-original-width="4096" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSR50VCQq079r7fyLw30cGCpa4Neh1F704quybgijC3ABFDIgbetLho-BJpOWY90RcftK5eoue458cUsA4w88NFw2mTZ6ZeZwDoxTVYqcC9f2J6w0C43S_8yauCIDLbg-a7_N_14UCv4FDI83dJo6KnK0E7HGAvMARQ6cUjTCcOsj0qal0zJuHP3ynIF1j/s320/Namperumal%20from%20theppam.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Devotees walk out from the Mariyathai process</span></b></div><div>It was expected for the shatari mariyathai to go on for at least half an hour. But when a set of devotees weren’t happy at the respect given to them, they protested and staged a walk out in a group. The maniyakarar, (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/03/srirangam-temple-time-keeper.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/03/srirangam-temple-time-keeper.html</a>) who is the time keeper of the procession and whose responsibility it is for ensuring that all goes as per plan, was away on his phone even as the mariyathai was being accorded and was not aware of what was going on.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is 10.15pm when the priests and the service personnel call out for him to resolve the challenge ahead of the return procession. A decision is taken that the aggrieved devotees will be presented with the Mariyathai on the east side of the tank and they are consoled.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">JC should ensure that the processions are orderly</span></b></div><div>It was quite badly handled by the temple authorities. The JC, who has been known to straight forward and on the dot on any issues relating to the temple, has to ensure that devotees are not put off and made unhappy for Namperumal makes the procession to provide darshan to the devotees. Even on the Garuda Sevai (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/02/srirangam-namperumal-maasi-garuda-sevai.html?m=1">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/02/srirangam-namperumal-maasi-garuda-sevai.html?m=1</a>) procession, there was a lot of noise and pushing of devotees and was not handled well last Thursday evening. Such unsavoury events take away the charm and the grandness of the utsavam which has grown in scale in recent years.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0x3mE1nZcwwqlUXkWHBf4Zde6gA8OpOgGaqjRwcZQs2KEU7j1B_SG1z1gZaLD1fYJjceJpG07loy74rlYhwQa-WtTKIwxOm5r-mftv2Ydn0ZyWL-oPdGHdh2b4F9238cIcfSo9XO98zkLowZgLh3sBXqNdwpDR0nW7cSQ6lOkft5_kYGTm8pJqyT2oLpA/s4096/sripatham%20vethal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0x3mE1nZcwwqlUXkWHBf4Zde6gA8OpOgGaqjRwcZQs2KEU7j1B_SG1z1gZaLD1fYJjceJpG07loy74rlYhwQa-WtTKIwxOm5r-mftv2Ydn0ZyWL-oPdGHdh2b4F9238cIcfSo9XO98zkLowZgLh3sBXqNdwpDR0nW7cSQ6lOkft5_kYGTm8pJqyT2oLpA/s320/sripatham%20vethal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">MAV joins the Ghosti for Thiru Kurunthandagam</span></b></div><div>It was back to the sacred events past 10.30pm as Namperumal made his way on to the West Adayavalanjan Street for the start of the night session of the Prabhandham Ghosti. It is the one day in the year when Namperumal makes his way through the North half of West Adayavalanjan and the North Adayavalanjan Street. There was a surprise visitor at the late evening procession. Thiruvallikeni’s MA Venkatakrishnan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/05/ma-venkatakrishnan-thiruvallikeni-divya_16.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/05/ma-venkatakrishnan-thiruvallikeni-divya_16.html</a>) joined the Thodakkam of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Thiru Kurungthandagam while his son was with the Vedic members even as hundreds of devotees came out of their homes to have darshan of a beautifully decorated Namperumal.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>11pm and Namperumal gets into another apartment - this one the last on the night- at the junction of West and North Adayavalanjan. </div><div><br /></div><div>MAV told this writer that he has bought a house in North Adayavalanjan street and as a thanking gesture to Namperumal, he was with his family in front of his house to present his offerings to the Lord.</div><div><br /></div><div>After Thiruvanthikaappu in front of Thaayar Sannidhi, Namperumal made his way back to the temple via the Chitrai Streets. It was 12.30am when he made his way back via the Naazhikettan Vasal after a nine hour trip. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmdvw_sabmQkw2X6-R7G-BavSfjAMLBiDBpE1_LrI9U3rYYD6bBKPCu55uW1fii4HgB0oHkp017xIq1OPJ5PJLL6cLCpi_qKOppCeUvRP-OJUiqNSWbRQXKs_MhDANHMUtMfMsI05HBs-xjgl9jaywgp16akH0LCAAdaXI-1Q6JploEijD2NlwLsxaSS1/s1162/singan%20theertha%20kudam.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="861" data-original-width="1162" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmdvw_sabmQkw2X6-R7G-BavSfjAMLBiDBpE1_LrI9U3rYYD6bBKPCu55uW1fii4HgB0oHkp017xIq1OPJ5PJLL6cLCpi_qKOppCeUvRP-OJUiqNSWbRQXKs_MhDANHMUtMfMsI05HBs-xjgl9jaywgp16akH0LCAAdaXI-1Q6JploEijD2NlwLsxaSS1/s320/singan%20theertha%20kudam.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><b><span style="color: red;">Tail Piece: Kudos to Theertha Kudam Singan and the Sripatham Vethal team</span></b></div><div>Journalist Singan worked with the Press Trust of India (PTI) for several decades before retiring a few years back. During these utsavams, it is he who carries the Theertha Vessel on his shoulder. On this long return trip, it was yet another occasion when he carried on his shoulder the heavy sacred Theertha Kudam all the way from the Tank side to the temple during the procession.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Sripatham personnel comprising of Vethal volunteers were patient and joyful on this three hour late night return trip. It is their positive spirit that kept everyone going on this long evening for Namperumal. Many of their shoulders are swollen but with their minds firmly on carrying Namperumal, they withstand the pain finding great joy in performing this Kainkaryam as a Sripatham.</div></div></div></div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-35106798418434114472024-02-16T22:02:00.007+05:302024-02-18T20:37:01.950+05:30P Ramesh TN Opener 1970s<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">He burst on to the scene with a half century against West Indies and then thrilled the Madras crowd with a century on Ranji debut against Chandra and Prasanna at Chepauk but the cricketing end came sooner than expected much to everyone's disappointment</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYk5mfNzcMLPZkd1H8PRYz0oH0WW4UVLXS9KiAw77gCcjHjg-Sk6g7ByPqAJTQV0yyxhqNcN0k3hr735l_0Drf0mBT8dWQtaui6P8DdEyi_BywY8pc-1VDJhtVOaMub0EwO4-FAh0_aMoMuQw3dYJaQPnjA6rAsn2_IwvkKCrI6zKP35Igkdq5E_BLwAId/s1792/P%20Ramesh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="1740" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYk5mfNzcMLPZkd1H8PRYz0oH0WW4UVLXS9KiAw77gCcjHjg-Sk6g7ByPqAJTQV0yyxhqNcN0k3hr735l_0Drf0mBT8dWQtaui6P8DdEyi_BywY8pc-1VDJhtVOaMub0EwO4-FAh0_aMoMuQw3dYJaQPnjA6rAsn2_IwvkKCrI6zKP35Igkdq5E_BLwAId/s320/P%20Ramesh.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the late 1980s, left arm spinner Sunil Subramanian (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/05/sunil-subramanian-tn-left-arm-spinner.html?m=1">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/05/sunil-subramanian-tn-left-arm-spinner.html?m=1</a>) was young and bubbling with enthusiasm at the SPIC nets in YMCA Nandanam. S Vasudevan, who captained SPIC in that phase, retired from first class aged 33 soon after winning the Ranji Trophy in 1988 to make way for Sunil. The young spinner would often challenge the best of players at the practice sessions to go after him. Left hander state opener from the 1970s P Ramesh, the great grandson of Buchi Babu, was well past his prime but he repeatedly showed glimpses of the fearless power hitting that he had become famous for the previous decade. Even as Sunil was about to deliver the ball, he would shout out ‘Six’ and the ball went soaring over the fence at the north end of the ground. Such was his class. After his half century for Indian Universities against the West Indies and the debut century against Karnataka in Ranji Trophy at Chepauk, expectations went up. His teammates were in awe of the natural ability he possessed and expected him to play for India in the 1970s. But he faded away in the late 70s after some sparkling knocks and it was to be another case of ‘what might have been’. Here’s the story.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Cricket at Baliah Avenue at the Luz House</span></b></div><div>Most of his early cricket was played at Baliah Avenue in Luz, a property of 4 acres owned by his maternal grandparents. Every evening senior school boys from PS and RKM came there to play cricket with Ramesh being the youngest. The locals in the area also formed a cricket club (Srirama) with a subscription of Rs. 25paise.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqW_K_O5aymk4MYzz20XbowG0bKRujKgrGT1R-4_PrvfQCCIGaHmtIgLw8KphJsTh1gAf0FSSln3Z6JtbKy7NFRsktduCljzVRvcUBlE3OnaGO1lhSX12gVkC4oGDbp7z0KjGxXOaITHFGH7v95DJhSCIILDn29YwBnT9Dehf7hYvEZp6dNcABoMI1-qIY/s1024/Luz%20House.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="703" data-original-width="1024" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqW_K_O5aymk4MYzz20XbowG0bKRujKgrGT1R-4_PrvfQCCIGaHmtIgLw8KphJsTh1gAf0FSSln3Z6JtbKy7NFRsktduCljzVRvcUBlE3OnaGO1lhSX12gVkC4oGDbp7z0KjGxXOaITHFGH7v95DJhSCIILDn29YwBnT9Dehf7hYvEZp6dNcABoMI1-qIY/s320/Luz%20House.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><span style="color: red;">LUZ HOUSE - Sundar and Ramesh learned their cricket here</span></b><br /><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>He is now 70 and undergoing some health challenges. At the gated villa in Puppalguda, 15kms West of Hyderabad, he told this writer as to how his uncle MM Kumar, who played for TN, was his first and early inspiration in cricket “My uncle would come and bowl to me on the Marble floor of our house and that helped me develop my stroke play. He also gave me his bat for me to practice and play in school matches.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZg3sTPPQjhGfdg3bxL3KGkh3XM8moJDS1tObGTkrQJn2qA4bj1amQNSzOIRQhcOHtx5C9IwjKAlyu11WT3v7kPcD9U_SeKXGHEHQSB7j_M4SUUHKz0eoPLBC7sDHtvFBuqd_6WGpWrLxFDeTQ9COdUsveE5AcGALRJ2UgQ-Se_odzmXsN7sP3-nQzpLq/s630/st%20bedes%20team.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="630" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZg3sTPPQjhGfdg3bxL3KGkh3XM8moJDS1tObGTkrQJn2qA4bj1amQNSzOIRQhcOHtx5C9IwjKAlyu11WT3v7kPcD9U_SeKXGHEHQSB7j_M4SUUHKz0eoPLBC7sDHtvFBuqd_6WGpWrLxFDeTQ9COdUsveE5AcGALRJ2UgQ-Se_odzmXsN7sP3-nQzpLq/s320/st%20bedes%20team.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>There was a lot of encouragement at St. Bedes, where he was coached by the AG Ram Singh. He credits his first coach as being a big positive influence “He was such a disciplinarian and would always be at practice ahead of the boys. He came in simple canvas shoes but shared some great insights on how to play together as a team and inculcated the importance of discipline and a positive attitude.”</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Six decades friendship</span></b></div><div>Former IOB opener M Sundar has lived almost all his life at Luz Avenue and been Ramesh’s closest friend from childhood. The two played gilli thanda, marbles and flew kites from atop the teak tree in addition to playing cricket in the verandah of the palacious Luz House in Baliah Avenue from the time they were five. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sundar has great memories of the childhood days of climbing the oak, mango and teak trees and Ramesh’s uncle MM Kumar throwing fast paced balls from 15 yards to help develop their stroke play. He recalls Ramesh from those days from the early 1960s “He hailed from a wealthy family and had a luxurious upbringing. He had cricket in his blood. He was always cheerful and kept all of us in good humour. A lot of the time he would foot the bill at drive in woodlands where we spent the evenings.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAdl80gi58wn02GejuQMcKhDvMxOevKN76fW3Nx6wkTGBXugWHB7niIFDKsg3Rkwx1cgpVL_nv4ZMgZ-h8S2fFfRYhyphenhyphennmTh0ExbXkNobNYSn60K09mHQQfhdeVgq_FoGuS19XXpodQ39t38Fn_UAJcIgsZQuNRUKEZDIBySKbJFiTOcdnXT40Ke2qYcur/s808/M%20Sundar%20IOB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="549" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAdl80gi58wn02GejuQMcKhDvMxOevKN76fW3Nx6wkTGBXugWHB7niIFDKsg3Rkwx1cgpVL_nv4ZMgZ-h8S2fFfRYhyphenhyphennmTh0ExbXkNobNYSn60K09mHQQfhdeVgq_FoGuS19XXpodQ39t38Fn_UAJcIgsZQuNRUKEZDIBySKbJFiTOcdnXT40Ke2qYcur/s320/M%20Sundar%20IOB.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><div>Sundar says he owes a lot of his cricket learnings to Ramesh “He inspired me to play cricket, took me doubles on his cycle to the selection at St. Bedes, allowed me to use his high- quality kit and also helped me learn cycling and later on the motor cycle as well.”</div><div><br /></div><div>In his first match, the team was bowled out for 36 by Hindu HSS’ Devaraj, who Ramesh refers to as a whippy and a terror of a fast bowler “I top scored with 21 and was immediately noticed as someone with potential.”</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>The Leggie bags 4 in 4</b></div><div>In that early phase in cricket, Ramesh also bowled leg spin and picked up 4 wickets in 4 balls for Bharathi cc in the lower division league at PS School ground. In his early teens, he also scored a league century that same season. Pretty quickly he moved up the league ladder to playing first division cricket for MCC. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>At Lovedale - Captured on camera for the first time</b></div><div>He went to Lovedale to play for city schools. Ramesh recalls the first photo shots of his cricketing career “The Hindu’s Editor G Kasturi (father of Balaji who too went on to play Ranji cricket in the late 1970s) was present there with a 30mm camera to take pictures of the match. And I was all excited to be photographed as a school boy cricketer.”</div><div><br /></div><div>By his mid-teens, he had played for South Zone schools. And was then selected to play for the Indian schools against a strong Ceylon side comprising Roy Dias and Wettimuny, among others. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Hits Mohinder for a six off the first ball</span></b></div><div>In shivering cold in Jammu, playing for Madras University against Delhi, he hooked the first ball from Mohinder Amarnath for six and made runs both against Delhi and Bombay. Based on these performances, he was picked to for the selection trials in Indore where the Indian Universities was to picked to play against the touring West Indians.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Impresses the Selectors with his technique</span></b></div><div><div>PR Ramakrishnan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/10/pr-ramakrishnan-coimbatore-cricketer.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/10/pr-ramakrishnan-coimbatore-cricketer.html</a>), under whose captaincy Ramesh played for the Madras University, was in prime form that season in the inter university matches and was confident of finding a place in the Combined Universities side but was once again overlooked. In the story in 2021, this section had featured as to how SMK and Ramesh had booked the return ticket to Madras and Ramki had not. </div><div><br /></div><div>He recalls the innings that Ramesh played in the selection match in Indore <b>“There was stiff competition for the top order slot. He played with aggression in the practice match and captured the attention of the selectors with his fearless display. After watching him bat, one of the selectors, who was mightily impressed, remarked ‘this Ramesh plays so close to the body’. He also had the advantage of having played for the Indian Schools earlier.”</b></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjz0Np3Bxx6FoyFVNiGGcRKSe98SGmWNDInRkUJJ4koaUH5-KXbnbpDaWjoZoD0GH8TIKjDQDo7kzDmPDeQm7VklaB3cyCbrGbFBUqRnkVq6_vhWkg7uASUcyJCszxNVVNESJAhPg1PJ-piRnj5GH2Gr-J4gdhNwDOkD7cFiuvofVN4IpgjJehyyMTA1D/s1505/cbe%20ramki.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1505" data-original-width="1342" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjz0Np3Bxx6FoyFVNiGGcRKSe98SGmWNDInRkUJJ4koaUH5-KXbnbpDaWjoZoD0GH8TIKjDQDo7kzDmPDeQm7VklaB3cyCbrGbFBUqRnkVq6_vhWkg7uASUcyJCszxNVVNESJAhPg1PJ-piRnj5GH2Gr-J4gdhNwDOkD7cFiuvofVN4IpgjJehyyMTA1D/s320/cbe%20ramki.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Lot of similarities with K Srikkanth</span></b></div><div>SM Krishna Kumar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/01/sm-krishnakumar-madras-university.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/01/sm-krishnakumar-madras-university.html</a>) captained the Madras University to a triumph in the Rohinton Baria tournament the next season. He opened with Ramesh for Madras University and also later in the 1970s with K Srikanth in U-22 and U-25 cricket. He found similarities between them “I always found that both of them were quite similar in that they had that bit of extra time to play the ball which comes from a quick eye and good hand-eye coordination. He did not hesitate to play his shots, irrespective of the opposition, as this was his natural style” </div><div><br /></div><div>“When playing against him in collegiate and league cricket, it was vital to get him early as otherwise the scoreboard would move quickly against you.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8L0Z93u-NIchbtDqdhmSfmQg2XojfOu_fFudmT3VlIMgvXReWzzEkE4Yx_eGie0ecnkUCK7jgPVJwkoVYgeoTT6oxZfHym9oqahU7p52PCctc6k67OPRabE6XlAWmYAL594P0fOzniVIOeytoj5ot8ezwAd3czz1xx6Vom9ot-mhtdIT64zJ6A2uyH7Cn/s1424/SMK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1424" data-original-width="1020" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8L0Z93u-NIchbtDqdhmSfmQg2XojfOu_fFudmT3VlIMgvXReWzzEkE4Yx_eGie0ecnkUCK7jgPVJwkoVYgeoTT6oxZfHym9oqahU7p52PCctc6k67OPRabE6XlAWmYAL594P0fOzniVIOeytoj5ot8ezwAd3czz1xx6Vom9ot-mhtdIT64zJ6A2uyH7Cn/s320/SMK.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><div>Krishna Kumar was also in Indore in Nov 1974 for the selection trial. While he and Ramesh had many good partnerships at the top of the order in that phase, he fondly remembers the century opening stand before lunch in that two-day selection game where both scored half centuries before retiring to give opportunities to other batsmen <b>“The bowling attack was spearheaded by medium pacer Amitava Roy of Bengal who was talked of as a Test probable at that time. With everybody vying for a spot in the Combined Universities team, it was a pretty strong attack. I still remember Ramesh’s fluent batting that day. He was duly selected for the team to play the WI. </b><b>It is likely that the selectors were impressed with his approach and style of play.</b><b>”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Slams the feared quickies, gets out to Richards</span></b></div><div><div>Against a strong attack, Ramesh scored another aggressive half century in the second innings after failing in the first innings. Having survived the fast bowlers, he surprisingly got out to a seemingly innocuous spinner “I was ‘given out’ LBW in IVA Richards’ first over. As I was making my way back dejected at the decision, Alvin Kallicharan came up to me and offered his condolences and said ‘hard luck’ (about the decision).”</div><div><br /></div><div>(Anshuman Gaekwad scored a century in the first innings and was soon inducted into the Indian team)</div><div><br /></div><div>Ramki says that it was that innings that transformed his cricket career <b>“Till that time, he was on par with many others his age but this half century gave him a lot of confidence and took him to the next level in cricket.”</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><b>A memorable century on Ranji debut</b></div><div>He made his Ranji debut a month later and played the best innings of his life against two legends<b> “I had only heard of the greatness of Chandra till then. It was a great experience to play him in my first Ranji match. I treated him like a fast bowler and that’s how I managed to survive. When I was 96, I swept Prasanna to the boundary to reach my century and he immediately hugged and said ‘you will do well in cricket’. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"The great GRV called me aside and said 'the ball is there to be hit and you should continue to play your strokes without fear'.”</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>These gestures from the cricketing greats boosted my confidence and my aspirations went sky high, says Ramesh on his recollections from that match.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">He would have been a 'Standout' performer in the white ball era</span></b></div><div>TT Srinivasaraghavan (TT Ramesh to friends in his teenage years) played for Vivekananda College in the early 1970s under P. Ramesh’s captaincy and went to head Non Banking Finance company Sundaram Finance for close to two decades. The two along with M Sundar and K Sundar were ‘foursome’ of a kind and met almost every evening at Woodlands during their collegiate years. It was TTS (he owned a 'Royal Enfield' bullet very early in his life) who inspired Ramesh to buy a Java. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigD34uFvmCz5hztsy_kMl4yNXHX7OaIthUE3Tgqsfyr2m6Ri3wGOnUjXARdNMYzZIlKasF1wQj6ENkKl-KPm7Pip8jtj-H8oZs-FSKVyHiDcYjEYXtyv4WXwgd24PkDM4-4D5i5Ge3ofvAtGBUiGwit5CE0NwSTU7QLEcUhZwhWT2DBB5oWjZkZBU79WzE/s689/royal%20enfield%20TTS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="689" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigD34uFvmCz5hztsy_kMl4yNXHX7OaIthUE3Tgqsfyr2m6Ri3wGOnUjXARdNMYzZIlKasF1wQj6ENkKl-KPm7Pip8jtj-H8oZs-FSKVyHiDcYjEYXtyv4WXwgd24PkDM4-4D5i5Ge3ofvAtGBUiGwit5CE0NwSTU7QLEcUhZwhWT2DBB5oWjZkZBU79WzE/s320/royal%20enfield%20TTS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>TTS (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/08/tt-srinivasaraghavan-tts-sundaram.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/08/tt-srinivasaraghavan-tts-sundaram.html</a>) watched Ramesh make his Ranji debut from the prestigious Pavilion Terrace at Chepauk with M Sundar and other close friends at College. He recalls what he saw of Ramesh as a cricketer in that phase <b>“Ramesh and I were classmates through the 4 years of college and I was fortunate to play for the college team under his captaincy. He was an extremely positive and fearless cricketer and someone who led from the front. Though he was primarily a gifted opening batsman, he took on the mantle of opening the bowling as well, and did a pretty good job of that as well, because the team needed it. His exploits with the bat are many, but for me, the enduring memory is his century on debut at Chepauk, against a Karnataka attack comprising the two legends, Prasanna and Chandra. I was privileged to watch that match from the pavilion terrace, alongside my Vivekananda college teammates. Had he been part of the white ball era, he would have been a standout performer.”</b></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Buys a Java to ride alongside TT Ramesh's Bullet</span></div><div>His Ranji opening partner V Krishnaswamy (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/08/krishnaswamy-v.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/08/krishnaswamy-v.html</a>) asked him to join IOB as soon as he completed his graduation. One of the first things he did was to buy a Java, a decision that he says was motivated by his namesake (TT Ramesh) owning a bullet. Both were so close to his heart that P Ramesh still remembers the registration numbers of the Bullet and the Java.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhof5V7-k-LRgForrh_Vho0U0FOcb45cCa0avTHekjA2mChTjMb1wakqf5yTcsDWMR8ufSxdLAN2O7Ot50PKepcC-lDA_lticQ-68iU1nvEPjZqv4oozaiaOB6c8k8gNycP5s5GY0TcJ4aKmPYO8wJ52NxaNguiSjH29CJ_ri0M039ySbCHES_AJvisCFUQ/s2846/P%20Ramesh%20Java.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2242" data-original-width="2846" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhof5V7-k-LRgForrh_Vho0U0FOcb45cCa0avTHekjA2mChTjMb1wakqf5yTcsDWMR8ufSxdLAN2O7Ot50PKepcC-lDA_lticQ-68iU1nvEPjZqv4oozaiaOB6c8k8gNycP5s5GY0TcJ4aKmPYO8wJ52NxaNguiSjH29CJ_ri0M039ySbCHES_AJvisCFUQ/s320/P%20Ramesh%20Java.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Duleep Trophy Debut - A meeting with another cricketing legend</span></b></div><div><div>A year after his Ranji debut, he was picked in the South Zone team for the Duleep Trophy match against Central Zone. He has great memories of sitting for a couple of hours with another cricketing legend of the time <b>“I had got out to a rash shot in the first innings but scored an unbeaten half century in the second to take our team to victory in the run chase. Legendary Hanumant Singh, who saw me closely in that match, asked me to meet him at the West End Hotel and took a two hour class about batting. He said that I had the potential to play for India and I should not throw away my wicket.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>“After the gestures from GRV and Prasanna, this was yet another great moment early on in my cricketing life”</b> says Ramesh.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">From Indiranagar to Padi with Vasudevan</span></b></div><div>He quit IOB after just a year to join Lucas TVS at their Padi Plant. “Ratnam was a close friend of appa and he asked me to join. Vasudevan and I took turns on the two wheeler to ride from Indira Nagar every morning at 6am. This long ride as well as my frequent trips to Avadi on work took a toll on my neck. And in the coming season, I had to take multiple pain killers before going into bat.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zku3yxMajS_dZTpW8H5zlqh_oqvLfFa9I6Edc1ZCrbCMIgO5-kuncHHpGTxHhWXx2yGvgSD5K_umVpunf966AlqmqfgSR4SJfThHt3mqxBhEZ8N2H3zYCXhXtqStlxT-z0_9aimax1T2Jo1_C_fXCPn_KczCLw3DNwxBH5eYaOmiaO469_e-Yk4aRWKt/s1203/S%20Vasudevan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="867" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zku3yxMajS_dZTpW8H5zlqh_oqvLfFa9I6Edc1ZCrbCMIgO5-kuncHHpGTxHhWXx2yGvgSD5K_umVpunf966AlqmqfgSR4SJfThHt3mqxBhEZ8N2H3zYCXhXtqStlxT-z0_9aimax1T2Jo1_C_fXCPn_KczCLw3DNwxBH5eYaOmiaO469_e-Yk4aRWKt/s320/S%20Vasudevan.jpg" width="231" /></a></div><div>Due to the daily two wheeler trips to Padi, Vasudevan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/vasudevan-tn-ranji-trophy-retirement.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/vasudevan-tn-ranji-trophy-retirement.html</a>) developed a great understanding of Ramesh in those years <b>“He was a most aggressive and a dashing batsman. He had a great sense of humour and when he was around, we always had a joyful time. We all had great expectations of him at that time.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Gesture from Venkat</span></b></div><div>In Sept’76, batting in the middle order he scored a century against Andhra at the Forest College grounds in Coimbatore <b>“When I was going into to bat, Venky asked me to score a hundred and I did it with a big partnership with Jabbar. When I returned to Madras, he presented me with an ‘autograph’ bat. It was a terrific gesture from him and I still cherish it as a great gift from a legend.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>A couple of months later, in December, he scored his third and final Ranji century against a strong Hyderabad attack taking TN quite close in its fourth innings run chase.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Fails in the Biggest Match of his life</span></b></div><div>These performances earned him a place in the South Zone team to play MCC in January 1977 but he scored a duck in both innings. In that phase, the match against visiting teams was considered as the stepping stone to play for India <b>“It was a big match for me but it turned out to be a bad one. Lever (the series is known for his Vaseline incident) was swinging big. I was on the threshold of the selection into the Indian team but was overlooked after this failure. In the first innings, I edged the ball on to my pad and it trickled on to the stumps. They judged me just on this one match!!!”</b></div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>For about three years, he had on a cricketing high - Century on Ranji debut followed by two more centuries and playing in the Duleep and Deodhar trophy tournaments. But after the twin failures against MCC and two lean years in Ranji cricket, he was dropped from the TN team for the 79-80 season. Ramesh was vocal in those days and went up to the selector Balu Alaganan to enquire the reason “I was told that I did not make runs in the first division league!!!”</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">A Ranji Revival as a new ball bowler</span></b></div><div>He came back the next season only to be dropped again after a duck against Hyderabad in the season opener. And then late in January 1981, he says he received a surprise call from Venkataraghavan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/venkataraghavan75.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/venkataraghavan75.html</a>) on the morning of the Ranji match against Karnataka asking him to come to Chepauk immediately <b>“TA Sekar had injured his ankle and Venky asked me to bowl with the new ball. I picked up 5 wickets and scored a rapid half century batting in the middle order. This comeback gave me a lot of satisfaction and my hopes were once again revived.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>In the quarter final against Haryana, the next month, he scored 60 but his twin failure in the semi-final against Bombay signalled the end of his Ranji career and he was never to play for TN again. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Ramesh was great fun and had some lovely times together</span></b></div><div>SPIC was promoted to the first division after he joined in 1981. He went on a hiring spree roping in V Sivaramakrishnan, TA Sekar and S Vasudevan among others. The team went on to win the first division and The Hindu trophies under his reign as captain. In the mid 80s, he convinced AC Muthiah to send the triumphant team to the UK on a cricket tour. Shiv met his opening partner recently at the 1970s players get together organised by SM Krishna Kumar at MCC and the two recollected some wonderful memories from their playing days.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOnY-oH1GKu5-h34vqJ9Itqn8r-OHgHh_34k8u8hyHIHoVBExvAno8O1byQji6j15WGtxstayZFY7WPwKwx9pDAocm5aKeHRAQvyzIwjExcsjycpD7wR5msVqoGDOMVF7qIJ8FN6kQ5Y2b3EP77wY5IjuJKG5eY4Qt7I5ltiLj991f34zwL0kD_0ZRIC1W/s3945/p%20ramesh%20v%20shiv.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2545" data-original-width="3945" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOnY-oH1GKu5-h34vqJ9Itqn8r-OHgHh_34k8u8hyHIHoVBExvAno8O1byQji6j15WGtxstayZFY7WPwKwx9pDAocm5aKeHRAQvyzIwjExcsjycpD7wR5msVqoGDOMVF7qIJ8FN6kQ5Y2b3EP77wY5IjuJKG5eY4Qt7I5ltiLj991f34zwL0kD_0ZRIC1W/s320/p%20ramesh%20v%20shiv.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>He says that Ramesh was a stylish left hander with immense talent. <b>“Our first stint together as an opening pair was with Alwarpet. He was a hard striker of the ball and I really enjoyed partnering him. He was also a very useful medium pace bowler. His debut century against Karnataka consisting of Chandra,Pras and Vijayakrishna was a brilliant one. Off the field he was great fun and we had some lovely times together.”</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>TN middle order batsman from the 1980s and the current Head of the TNCA Academy PC Prakash (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/04/pc-prakash-tn-ranji-1980s.html?m=1">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/04/pc-prakash-tn-ranji-1980s.html?m=1</a>) played for Alwarpet and SPIC alongside Ramesh. He says that Ramesh made batting look easy.<b> “He was stylish and a gifted cricketer and had so much time to play his shots.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Technically Sound - did not seem to have any weaknesses while batting</span></b></div><div><div>Former India fast bowler TA Sekar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2013/08/ta-sekar-architect-behind-worlds-best.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2013/08/ta-sekar-architect-behind-worlds-best.html</a>) played for five years at SPIC in the 1980s under Ramesh. He is particularly disappointed that Ramesh did not fulfil his potential <b>“Among the three, Kicha was defensive and did not play rash shots. V Shiv was sedate and good against spinners. Ramesh was stylish, versatile and had great eye hand co-ordination. He was technically sound and did not seem to have any weaknesses. He never flinched against the fast bowlers opening on matting wickets and not once did he get hit. Very quickly, he earned the respect of the opposition. He could suddenly change gears and move into an ultra-aggressive mode. He hit sixers with such ease that it was a treat to watch him bat. His class came to the fore when he played Prasanna and Chandra with such ease. After his century on debut in Ranji, I thought he would go all the way but he disappointed me. Coming from a cricketing family, he had all the facilities. He was easy going and may not have worked hard enough.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazds17uAZRo8pF2PAUVMfLZlt0vyP9YYxqgAA0feH9D2GAa0ubyOZNPDPg73YKdwO_A_VK1ReM1I9nObYcxGwsBGeb_SWlWEhVlm53QpSvucWz3pl7beeK1BQzvuKh4R8-bJZYRvl9wSLkw_kIdp2JnxmqlT68V33I1LBZY6lgy6N9yXL5o3VivkTgIzU/s2446/TA%20Sekar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2446" data-original-width="1575" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazds17uAZRo8pF2PAUVMfLZlt0vyP9YYxqgAA0feH9D2GAa0ubyOZNPDPg73YKdwO_A_VK1ReM1I9nObYcxGwsBGeb_SWlWEhVlm53QpSvucWz3pl7beeK1BQzvuKh4R8-bJZYRvl9wSLkw_kIdp2JnxmqlT68V33I1LBZY6lgy6N9yXL5o3VivkTgIzU/s320/TA%20Sekar.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><div>“In the 1970s, the standards were high and competition was stiff. I felt Ramesh gave up his national aspirations far too quickly for my liking.”</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">A Bowler's Captain</span></b></div><div>At SPIC, Sekar says Ramesh showed his captaincy mettle <b>“He was a bowler’s captain and was quite demanding of me and KAK (K Arun Kumar). He would needle me in an act of motivation to get me to do better. He himself was quite good at the club level and bowled sharp bouncers and cutters.”</b></div></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Sixers land up at the Presidency College</span></b></div><div><div>IOB’s Rocko’ Sundar was at the receiving end of some of Ramesh’s power hitting<b> “He once hit IOB’s Dayakar off successive balls on to the Presidency College batting for TVS in The Hindu Trophy final when he scored a rapid 75.”</b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvXQD_zICpl3ypMh6zg7DCHGPQhnJK5cov0sEgJqYxQuxTToCZ74WdUfcvYjXwVLzqCQ9PkYf0arrev1Aw0o174p1L1Xvwzxo6j21NLUEWnf_-SVAI0xv1iOR1WCOa0y_5dHElo1xoTvnf5ELR5ATDuxwnVIgrN6FJuODz4dt69pPMDTpo-bHsaAKqjZk/s495/Ramesh%20Just%20Srinivasan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="492" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvXQD_zICpl3ypMh6zg7DCHGPQhnJK5cov0sEgJqYxQuxTToCZ74WdUfcvYjXwVLzqCQ9PkYf0arrev1Aw0o174p1L1Xvwzxo6j21NLUEWnf_-SVAI0xv1iOR1WCOa0y_5dHElo1xoTvnf5ELR5ATDuxwnVIgrN6FJuODz4dt69pPMDTpo-bHsaAKqjZk/s320/Ramesh%20Just%20Srinivasan.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sense of Humour high like his towering sixers</span></b></div><div>S Srinivasan, who played Ranji cricket for Bombay and Madras, is now the selector of the TN Ranji team. He too was roped in by Ramesh at SPIC. He says that Ramesh was one of the most technically equipped hard hitting batsman of his time.<b> “He made batting look so simple. His sense of humour was always like his towering SIXERS. There was never a dull moment when he was around.”</b></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div></div><div>Vasudevan succeeded Ramesh as captain at SPIC after having played under him through the first half of the 80s. He says that Ramesh was a great motivator and got the best out of his players. “If he had worked hard, he may have played higher levels of cricket. Unfortunately, his glory was short lived after the highs of a debut century in Ranji.”</div><div><br /></div><div>TTS too says that it is a pity that he didn't go on to bigger things.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">VV belonged to a different space, admired Kalli for his guts</span></b></div><div><div>Ramesh counts Bishen Bedi as one of the best spinners he faced. “At the Kotla, I wanted to sweep Bedi and ended up playing a defensive shot outside the off stump. That was testimony to his greatness.”</div><div><br /></div><div>But like many others of his generation, for Ramesh too VV Kumar was the best “VV belonged to a different space and simply mesmerized batsmen.”</div><div><br /></div><div>In the 1970s, he says he had great admiration for B. Kalyanasundaram <b>“After just a few overs, Kalli would be taken off from the attack and despatched to long leg but he rarely showed any dejection. When Venky threw the ball at him late in the innings, he gave him crucial breakthroughs with the old ball. As a fast bowler, you needed a lot of guts to shine in that phase dominated by spinners and Kalli had that in abundance.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>He is delighted with the revival of Buchi Babu tourney that was once upon a time the stepping stone to a budding cricketer in Madras. He was in Coimbatore last year for the finals. He was also recognised by the TNCA during the TNPL for his contribution to TN cricket.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBW0tNVxONALTlH2qzaxcRd6XP_GtvaL-lzyw3KuD9vdiTDmMXz8abHh_qBjQ_UCdsyH59hgRex_UT9spZvfXtiqwLpqfnuahY56De27CwxzQoj1dNTkY21JP4V0rl1qG5xtwHEPCDaiKN2mvZJgZ7bUvEVIGkByebw4_CmiKyseA3xT6oF11L2-XNm3N_/s1709/handsome%20ramesh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1709" data-original-width="1364" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBW0tNVxONALTlH2qzaxcRd6XP_GtvaL-lzyw3KuD9vdiTDmMXz8abHh_qBjQ_UCdsyH59hgRex_UT9spZvfXtiqwLpqfnuahY56De27CwxzQoj1dNTkY21JP4V0rl1qG5xtwHEPCDaiKN2mvZJgZ7bUvEVIGkByebw4_CmiKyseA3xT6oF11L2-XNm3N_/s320/handsome%20ramesh.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Hitting out at Chandra remains in my everlasting memory</span></b></div><div>He says he harboured great hopes between 1974 and 77 to play for India but the failure against MCC (England) was a big setback and in the years that followed ‘I lost that aspiration to play at the next level’. Looking back at that phase, he says he could have been given more chances in the Deodhar trophy given his aggressive instincts. </div><div><div><br /></div><div>For this handsome man, not getting right to the top in cricket was a disappointment but he says that the century on debut in Ranji and stepping out to Chandra and hitting him with ease that day will remain in his everlasting memory as will the childhood days of playing marbles, gilli thanda and climbing teak trees to fly kites at the Luz House with 'great friend' M Sundar.”</div></div></div></div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-21314350240615071152024-02-16T05:38:00.010+05:302024-02-16T10:09:11.340+05:30 Srirangam Namperumal Maasi Garuda Sevai 2024<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Close to 30 stopovers mark the five-hour morning procession from the Ranganatha Swamy temple to the Thathachariar Thoppu West of Srirangam</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Namperumal provides darshan atop Garuda in the evening as he makes his way around the Uthira Veethis</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLy8AsTWbL0XsainSFeR4qhjQVTKIF2TrLLPzl6d_hx17ZxwD-SDjyt1VGLP2I-tHihmmBMglGiyGwYhRv_Le0bAz6R_xdNCmT-oUDrN_TG2ch8QbIyFelhUn3insFmsT3GF7UGFIcrvuFWO6MGj6eC0lNQM3-pcGUpU8BtY5csisd5P_6KIluFXo5nWwX/s2483/Maasi%20Velli%20Garudan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2483" data-original-width="1867" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLy8AsTWbL0XsainSFeR4qhjQVTKIF2TrLLPzl6d_hx17ZxwD-SDjyt1VGLP2I-tHihmmBMglGiyGwYhRv_Le0bAz6R_xdNCmT-oUDrN_TG2ch8QbIyFelhUn3insFmsT3GF7UGFIcrvuFWO6MGj6eC0lNQM3-pcGUpU8BtY5csisd5P_6KIluFXo5nWwX/s320/Maasi%20Velli%20Garudan.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is just after 11.30am on Thursday (Feb 15) morning and Thathachariar Nandakumar (husband of renowned writer Prema Nandakumar), a long-time resident of South Chitrai Street, is delighted with the presence of Namperumal at his huge Thoppu west of Srirangam. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The entire area beyond Thiruvadi street was full of mango and coconut trees running into several hundreds. Till the end of the previous century, there were just a few donors for this procession from the Ranganathaswamy temple to the Thathachariar Thoppu. Namperumal, the utsava deity, made his way on a morning procession on this fourth day of the Maasi Theppotsavam in two hours with very minimal stops.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uj6bswI77hfYBxqyQnAjcK4Dl8nePkffqQURhDz1TwrArbbCpPSFRZ01lvyQdYvUbchEz0nuE98rGLrUtNkk30pYMiRIUQNIeKCOnvalkK7giQouFJ816J_AMO-meaV7qhnMknpz0ZgrjRlizay51_ZpVt9NbnIO7mCCU4zkhV_jdbk75vT-MaJbsKQD/s1418/nandakumar%20prema.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="1418" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uj6bswI77hfYBxqyQnAjcK4Dl8nePkffqQURhDz1TwrArbbCpPSFRZ01lvyQdYvUbchEz0nuE98rGLrUtNkk30pYMiRIUQNIeKCOnvalkK7giQouFJ816J_AMO-meaV7qhnMknpz0ZgrjRlizay51_ZpVt9NbnIO7mCCU4zkhV_jdbk75vT-MaJbsKQD/s320/nandakumar%20prema.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nandakumar told this writer on Thursday that it was his grandfather, MS Raghunath, who gave a piece of this huge grove to the Municipality a century ago for them to create a path for Namperumal to make his way through the coconut and mango trees to the Kasukkadai Chettiar Asthana Mandapam inside the Thathachariar Thoppu. Hence when Namperumal makes his way to this location on the fourth day of the Theppotsavam in Maasi, it is a moment for Nandakumar’s family to reminisce about the glorious days from the past. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_vUS_yrjWqKjTw816Qcgd3xvIaTsTjhcpI4XhH3LPP1Vb1BY08WDXo0EIb2FYh9O25jG4OLwC77hsWkfV0Ftt4BNGjkcoAjxluVDyRu9pD-_UzyGfJImXp_z-MvVYIERmebY0wPBL56ZgoUHOYqXhcXyyDR_XUzZtzsDnxpWciuwq4paYPZpvfjWBkXm/s3986/moolai%20thoppu%20veethi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2060" data-original-width="3986" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_vUS_yrjWqKjTw816Qcgd3xvIaTsTjhcpI4XhH3LPP1Vb1BY08WDXo0EIb2FYh9O25jG4OLwC77hsWkfV0Ftt4BNGjkcoAjxluVDyRu9pD-_UzyGfJImXp_z-MvVYIERmebY0wPBL56ZgoUHOYqXhcXyyDR_XUzZtzsDnxpWciuwq4paYPZpvfjWBkXm/s320/moolai%20thoppu%20veethi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Till four decades ago, there were hardly any mandagapadis on this morning trip on a palanquin but with the development of huge apartments west of Srirangam, the stopovers of Namperumal have increased manifold.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Starting at 6.30am on Thursday, as has been the historical practice during the Thai and Maasi utsavams, Namperumal made his way around the four Uthira Streets before heading towards the Thathachariar Thoppu via the towering Raja Gopuram in the South.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Donors in Large Numbers</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Till the 1980s, there were neither apartments on this stretch nor large number of donors for these stopovers. But on this morning, Namperumal went to almost each of the large apartments in Raghavendrapuram and then on the Moolai Thoppu street. It was a challenging time for the large contingent of Sripatham personnel including the Vethal team for they had to shoulder Namperumal for five hours without a break. At each of these apartments, that have come up over the last decade or two, huge number of devotees had darshan of Namperumal presenting fruits and vegetables. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">From couple of mandagapadis to almost 30 now</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The manifold increase in the mandagapadis meant that Maniam Sridharan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/03/srirangam-temple-time-keeper.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/03/srirangam-temple-time-keeper.html</a>) had a list in his hand with details of each of the stopovers on this morning. From a two-hour procession, this has now expanded to five hours and from a couple of mandagapadis, today there are close to 30 stops from the temple to Thathachariar Thoppu.At each mandagapadi, Thaligai from the temple madapalli was presented to Namperumal. He recalls the days from his teenage years when it was a pretty quick procession on the fourth morning of this utsavam <b>“There were no mandagapadis like now in those decades. I myself have carried Thaligai from the Madapalli to the Thoppu and was paid Rs. 5 as Sambhavanai for my service four decades ago.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">The Thoppu Owner arrives</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is just after 3pm and Nandakumar makes his way to the Kasukkadai Chettiar mandapam in the middle of his Thoppu along with his Scientist son Raja (who has been a Scientist in the UK for 15 years) and his relatives for the Ubayadarar darshan and mariyathai. Through the afternoon, scores of devotees from Srirangam made their way to the mandapam to have a once in a year darshan at this thoppu. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXx3jaxduCxjBYinLPY-_AguwTIXSOW-lJ8IWW2KUlS9593nMuh1sEvK09aInj2ArWlkoFjSKb6NyQ2gcqJwNQqdmvHgGAuFckOryhOIFQ21e_CiUXSmkjiLUYQdV6BKDwNQuoM6Qr_uzrHSWeSPio5cQN6u8Yyi1YPt6xSu1MxyGxBLPazLjEu4tVej-/s4096/huge%20crowd%20ahead%20of%20garuda%20sevai.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXx3jaxduCxjBYinLPY-_AguwTIXSOW-lJ8IWW2KUlS9593nMuh1sEvK09aInj2ArWlkoFjSKb6NyQ2gcqJwNQqdmvHgGAuFckOryhOIFQ21e_CiUXSmkjiLUYQdV6BKDwNQuoM6Qr_uzrHSWeSPio5cQN6u8Yyi1YPt6xSu1MxyGxBLPazLjEu4tVej-/s320/huge%20crowd%20ahead%20of%20garuda%20sevai.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Silver Garuda Vahana arrives at the Thoppu just before 4pm. While the archakas are decorating Namperumal and Garuda at the mandapam, police personnel gathered in good numbers at the entrance gate. There is not a space for anyone to move around the Kasukkadai Chettiar Mandapam as devotees wait eagerly to find out the colour of the attire of Namperumal and Garuda on this special Maasi evening in Srirangam. Prolific temple writer Prema Nandakumar has had health challenges in recent times but for decades she has always made her way to this Thoppu for a darshan of Namperumal atop the Silver Garuda Vahana. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kXd4KgoNxoQ2Sccd92i5ilVT_FnTCAN_JF3x8FmFX8kASYKeW-1hLARFBFvaYWeXsx5EgXaXjIMNhyphenhyphenih_Yu5xlNKKety2IBXbjfOk8L8UYA6Fo7_gsBmj9Gn8OoiCZkr3GyBzKw4cuoKFrzmSZjQ8QBCY4BY2N4VPEp58Z-NAeY2s3PbMmeXapXhqP2Y/s3890/thathachariar%20nandakumar%20family.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1619" data-original-width="3890" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kXd4KgoNxoQ2Sccd92i5ilVT_FnTCAN_JF3x8FmFX8kASYKeW-1hLARFBFvaYWeXsx5EgXaXjIMNhyphenhyphenih_Yu5xlNKKety2IBXbjfOk8L8UYA6Fo7_gsBmj9Gn8OoiCZkr3GyBzKw4cuoKFrzmSZjQ8QBCY4BY2N4VPEp58Z-NAeY2s3PbMmeXapXhqP2Y/s320/thathachariar%20nandakumar%20family.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Maasi Velli Garuda Sevai </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even as the screen opens, video cameras and phone cameras raise for a first shot of the Garuda Sevai of Namperumal. Through the evening, the clicks continue unabated. There are discussions among the devotees of the blue vastram that Garuda is sporting on the evening and the jewels of Namperumal and his decoration. Even as the Sun is setting in the west, Namperumal makes his way out of the Thathachariar Thoppu on to the Moolai Thoppu Veethi that now houses the Srirangam Munsif Court and the office of the Electricity Board. Devotees continued to swarm in large numbers on this street.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>It is 7.30pm when Namperumal makes his way on to the South Uthira Street for the Prabhandham Ghosti Thodakkam of Naangam Thiruvanthathi. The Uthira streets are jam packed on the eve of Ratha Sapthami as hundreds of devotees continue to have darshan of Namperumal on Velli Garudan. The Prabhandham Ghosti lead the procession around the Uthira Streets while a few devotees walk along with the Nagaswaram troupe enjoying their traditional presentation. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxOWZlrIFu44wE5IYo8r_77xK_RO8oTa1AQqXU3BkkMhJE32vPIA9fCy-6la7HnXe7oZnKYeuytMKPE9LbjdgxTfCJiFFZAmHhVjmXQox5-akpcm3alSLaY7lU4MZuSDyGHc5bRQjIHk_6s1_cRUOgtC3fO5KrYZxcXW_Hkhu0x9dKdzbOVIZPlMEIqvA/s2654/garuda%20sevai%20thoppu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2654" data-original-width="2455" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxOWZlrIFu44wE5IYo8r_77xK_RO8oTa1AQqXU3BkkMhJE32vPIA9fCy-6la7HnXe7oZnKYeuytMKPE9LbjdgxTfCJiFFZAmHhVjmXQox5-akpcm3alSLaY7lU4MZuSDyGHc5bRQjIHk_6s1_cRUOgtC3fO5KrYZxcXW_Hkhu0x9dKdzbOVIZPlMEIqvA/s320/garuda%20sevai%20thoppu.jpg" width="296" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is the one big evening ahead of the Maasi Theppam when devotees throng all along on this three hour evening procession from Thathachariar Thoppu to the Vahana Mandapam inside the Ranganathaswamy temple. A good number of devotees stay back for the pallakku procession to the Gayathri Mandapam and the Padi Etra Sevai just after 9.30pm. There is a certain delight in the faces of the devotees after having had darshan of Namperumal atop the Garuda Vahana and they head back home discussing the attire of Namperumal, the special steps of the Sri Patham, who did a commendable job through the 8 hour processions (5hours in the morning and 3hours in the evening) and also wondering as to how mangoes would turn up this summer at the Thathachariar Thoppu with very little rain in Srirangam in 2023.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Theppam will take place on Monday (Feb 19) evening. </div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-70468620994480083902024-02-09T21:12:00.012+05:302024-02-28T23:53:58.932+05:30Abdul Jabbar TN Middle Order Batsman<div style="text-align: justify;"><div><span style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;"><b>From Fateh Maidan to Chepauk as a teenager – The Man for a Crisis and the Backbone of the TN Middle Order<br /></b></span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;"><b>Jabbar was associated with cricket for 55 years and counts his ‘Durability’ as his greatest achievement</b></span></div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Jmsqm8IqQx-iGB_rzkYcLcEG0IJpzL6V5U3oJDk5p3W_cssrd8JlQktQFf7CpDC-Md8G-cGW0_G0-D7DA_jPNR-AnZ0L2KgY_j-HrG57G6bS8u2kmsIe7_j3_-PlDYqOvqpT0nNp9HvrC_kzSZGLERLb4M1mtTiLPzJn71mS16jPL14vZkVZZlHL7TKj/s1703/Jabbar%20abdul%20pic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1546" data-original-width="1703" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Jmsqm8IqQx-iGB_rzkYcLcEG0IJpzL6V5U3oJDk5p3W_cssrd8JlQktQFf7CpDC-Md8G-cGW0_G0-D7DA_jPNR-AnZ0L2KgY_j-HrG57G6bS8u2kmsIe7_j3_-PlDYqOvqpT0nNp9HvrC_kzSZGLERLb4M1mtTiLPzJn71mS16jPL14vZkVZZlHL7TKj/s320/Jabbar%20abdul%20pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></b></div><div>From the time he began playing Gulli cricket very near the Fateh Maiden, Abdul Jabbar Khan decided that cricket would be his way of life. Impressed with his gutsy approach and the confidence to take on senior bowlers in challenging conditions, Man Singh (later the manager of the World Cup winning Indian team) took a special liking for the young boy and presented him with opportunities and exposure to quality cricket. Into his mid-teens, he had played for South Zone schools. At a time when he was looking to continue to play in Hyderabad, he was offered a job at SBI Madras by the legendary leg spinner VV Kumar. It was a transformational move to Madras one that saw him anchor the TN middle order for 15 years. To all in TN cricket, he was 'Mr. Consistent'. Later, he was a guiding force for youngsters at Jolly Rovers and coached them for a decade and a half. But for all his monumental achievements he remained humble and behind the radar far away from the limelight. After almost a decade of persuasion, Abdul Jabbar, now 72, finally agreed to meet this writer at his palacious farm house in Moinabad in the western outskirts of Hyderabad where he is now settled. Here’s the story.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">The early cricketing years – Grateful to Man Singh</span></b></div><div><div>Growing up in the heart of Hyderabad, cricket came naturally to Abdul Jabbar. When he began playing street cricket in Saifabad (next to Ravindra Bharathi) alongside boys who were many years his senior, he surprised them with his intensity. He showed fighting qualities right then remaining unfazed and taking on, boldy, these senior bowlers who tried to knock the young boy down. Turning out for Aliya School, the then puny looking left hander played many a match winning knock for the school that earned him the respect of the opposition bowlers. It was this fighting spirit that impressed Man Singh the most.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sitting amidst the greenery at the corner of his huge garden on a chilly morning in February, Jabbar told this writer that he is ever indebted to Man Singh for the way he handled him as a teenager <b>“Every youngster needs a mentor like Man Singh. He spotted the potential in me very early on after watching me bat against senior bowlers and felt that I had it in me to make it big. He was instrumental in giving the early exposure that every youngster yearns for. While I was still playing for my school team in the second division league, he included me in the senior Deccan Blues team and gave me opportunities in non-league tournaments where I got to play alongside and against the greats of Hyderabad cricket. I am ever grateful to him for helping with a solid cricketing foundation. It was the opportunities that he provided that helped me showcase my abilities in those early years.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Batting 'left' came naturally to him though he did everything else right handed!!!</div><div> </div><div>By the time he was into his mid-teens, Jabbar had played for Hyderabad and South Zone schools. His entire focus had turned to cricket and his mind was far away from academics. He skipped classes to go and watch cricket matches at the stadium and it was this experience that helped him understand the nuances and subtleties. He counts that among as great early lessons in cricket <b>“I was still a young boy watching matches at the Fateh Maidan. There were those who believed that they should have played in those matches but were dropped and expressed frustration. At important moments, catches were dropped much to the bowler’s disappointment. Umpiring decisions went against the batsmen and they showed anger. I realised very early on that a lot of things in cricket was outside one’s control and that one had to simply focus on giving his best. And that’s what I did throughout my entire career. When given a chance, I wanted to give my best. When dropped, I went back to the nets and practiced hard to prove myself again. That philosophy stood with me all through my playing career.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>He played for the Osmania University in the first year of his College (he did B.Com at Nizam College) and also played for South Zone University but the Telangana Agitation meant that he did not get to play Varsity cricket in the next year.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The Africa tour that turned his fortunes</span></b></div><div>In 1971, Man Singh took the Hyderabad Blues team to East Africa on a cricket tour. Jabbar remembers the trip as the one that probably secured him the opportunity to play in Madras “We had Belliappa, Milkha Singh and VV Kumar as guest players from Madras. I topped the aggregate on that tour and was involved in many good partnerships with Milkha.”</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">The SBI offer from legendary VV</span></b></div><div>Soon after that tour came an unexpected offer end of 1971. Man Singh had taken a special liking for him and so too had ML Jaisimha but this call came from outside Hyderabad from a legendary leggie. <b>“I had not focused on academics at all in my school and college days and had spent the previous decade almost entirely at cricket grounds. The offer from VV Kumar presented me with job security and financial stability that was very much needed at that stage in my life, especially given my academic background. In addition, I was excited to play day in day out alongside greats like VV, Milkha, SVS Mani and R Chandru. And I immediately accepted the offer”, </b>Jabbar told this writer with great delight looking back at that transformational moment in his cricketing life.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6YMs-3qUMh7rl4jtv3IlsvtP7nTDdz6Jl5BY9gcSVbo0xTAGjjyYf5Cyy0wpYUshBrwYz4dqoo6xMofMfiMkqi9WQhsGeaud9nkopa9KTlfwWpeTdybGnWTWEjuGdwIkRMM3x6-EKuYjDQmoo06gFPFMUOEUsKeVzL_a5OZvT9vfrFJHQXAR18kAs9Ig/s1996/VV%20Kumar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1996" data-original-width="1558" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6YMs-3qUMh7rl4jtv3IlsvtP7nTDdz6Jl5BY9gcSVbo0xTAGjjyYf5Cyy0wpYUshBrwYz4dqoo6xMofMfiMkqi9WQhsGeaud9nkopa9KTlfwWpeTdybGnWTWEjuGdwIkRMM3x6-EKuYjDQmoo06gFPFMUOEUsKeVzL_a5OZvT9vfrFJHQXAR18kAs9Ig/s320/VV%20Kumar.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><div>At 88, VV Kumar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2007/07/cricket-tales-exclusive-with-vv-kumar.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2007/07/cricket-tales-exclusive-with-vv-kumar.html</a>) is fighting fit and continues to don the coaching hat to this day. Every week, he is off to Hosur to contribute his bit to try and produce the next generation of leg spinners. He is proud to have been the man responsible for bringing Jabbar to Madras. He told this writer as to what prompted him to get the teenager to move to Madras way back in 1971 <b>"At SBI, we were looking to build a team for the long term, one that could compete strongly in all tournaments in addition to the first division league. I was playing in the Moin ud Dowla tourney and watched Jabbar in action in Hyderabad. His defence was impeccable and he seemed to have a great backfoot play. I thought he could handle the best spinners of that era as well as anyone else and believed that he would go a long way in cricket. I was also confident that he would bring stability to both the SBI and the TN middle order with the technique he possessed at that time. It was against this backdrop that I asked if he could move to Madras and join SBI.”</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Jabbar recalls MLJ asking him to stay back as he believed that he would get into the Ranji Squad in Hyderabad the next year but by this time he had already accepted the offer from VV.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><span style="color: red;">The first six months at SBI</span></b></div><div>In those early days, Jabbar lived in a small room in a lodge in Triplicane along with his close friend Rashid Mirza, with whom he had played right from street cricket. Later, Govindaraj’s brother (who joined IOB) and Shabbir Ali (who joined India Cements) also joined them at the lodge.</div><div><br /></div><div>His earliest memories is of the bank advertising the arrival of two young cricketers from Hyderabad <b>“In that initial phase, SBI Madras created a lot of buzz internally about hiring two ‘big’ cricketers (Mirza and Jabbar) from Hyderabad. The Chennai circle created an expectation among the crowd even before I played my first match.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>“I joined SBI in the middle of the cricket season in 1971-72 and hence was not eligible to play in the first division league as I had already played league cricket in Hyderabad that season. But what I saw in the early 1972 was unbelievable. We beat India Cements to win The Hindu trophy in front of a huge crowd at Marina. The support of the Madras crowd and their knowledge of the game took me by great surprise. I had not seen such crowds earlier and it was a great first of its kind experience. Even as I was playing my first set of matches for SBI, they knew my entire cricketing background and began to engage with me in discussions from the boundary line. I was completely taken aback by their support for me, one that remained right till the end of my career.”</div><div><br /></div><div>He was also surprised at the way TNCA ran cricket “The structured approach and the systematic processes that the TNCA had put in place for cricket in the city also impressed me a lot in that early phase in Madras. It was very different to what I had seen in Hyderabad, which at that time was only a small association.”</div><div><br /></div><div><div>In his very first year in league cricket, Jabbar amassed runs and impressed everyone. In the Buchi Babu tournament, he scored a half century in the semi-final against ACC that included Ramakant Desai, Babu Nadkarni and Karsan Ghavri. He followed this up with another half century in the final against Mafatlal.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>“At the prize distribution ceremony, Sriraman complimented my batting and predicted that I would soon make my debut for TN. It was one of my first big cricketing moments in Madras”</b> says Jabbar looking back at that final.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">First Glimpses at Chepauk of Jabbar's fighting spirit </span></b></div><div><div>Indeed he got into the TN team soon after. In March 73, he scored a double duck in the Gopalan Trophy match batting at No. 3 but a couple of months later, one had the first glimpses of what Abdul Jabbar was made of. In the high profile semi-final where TN carved out a famous comeback victory against Maharashtra, Jabbar top scored for TN in the first innings when the team was bowled out for 160.<b><span style="color: red;"> </span></b></div><b><span style="color: red;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwyyiYkQVVnaopkbnsN3kbOuWHyLC6e9zK7KfMWAhQpSH9K8bX3qGpc0EIHEKNAROeouSlb9ClJwXVXmus26PUTScRfPzeL1Ees7YYiMZ_8EfoENNc9IQxFBvTq-1HF7755F8zbC0mYUGLA00ChNBIcmMQWduFW2Cwg3zUyx0T_KKz082KQ7RVjKwsTll/s1155/S%20Vasudevan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="786" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwyyiYkQVVnaopkbnsN3kbOuWHyLC6e9zK7KfMWAhQpSH9K8bX3qGpc0EIHEKNAROeouSlb9ClJwXVXmus26PUTScRfPzeL1Ees7YYiMZ_8EfoENNc9IQxFBvTq-1HF7755F8zbC0mYUGLA00ChNBIcmMQWduFW2Cwg3zUyx0T_KKz082KQ7RVjKwsTll/s320/S%20Vasudevan.jpg" width="218" /></a></div></span></b><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The 1973 Ranji Final</span></b></div><div>10 days later, in April 1973, TN prepared a rank square turner for the final against Bombay at Chepauk, a decision that backfired on them. TN Ranji winning captain S Vasudevan was in his final year at school and watched Jabbar’s gritty performance in the final. He remembers Jabbar’s knocks in both the innings when TN was shot out for 80 and 61 <b>“It was his first year for TN and he was yet to cement his place in the team. Although we lost badly in the final, Jabbar played two brilliant knocks on an almost unplayable turner where Shivalkar spun a web around all the TN batsmen. He emerged as the sole batting warrior top scoring for TN in both the innings and I was very impressed with his determination to not give it away against a top spinner of the time.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Those two knocks set the tone for Jabbar’s future as a batsman as the man for the crisis and he went on to become a rock in the middle order for TN in the decade and a half that followed.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">A Glorious Moment- Sardesai calls on him</span></b></div><div><div>At the end of that final, Dilip Sardesai, who played his last match, was accorded a farewell. Jabbar recounts what happened at the TN dressing room soon after <b>“Sardesai came to our dressing room and asked for me. He took me aside, spoke to me for ten minutes and said that having watched me play those two knocks, there would be no stopping me if I continued in the same vein and that I was destined for greater glory”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Jabbar says that it was one of his biggest moments of his cricketing life <b>“For a legend like Sardesai to come and talk to me like that was truly inspirational and it spurred me on cricket.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div>He says that his experience at SBI in the midst of legends was all positive. <b>"Bedi, Hanumant Singh and Wadekar were a great source of inspiration and</b><b> encouraged me all the time. Wadekar asked me to move to Bombay so I could play Ranji cricket for them.”</b></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Jabbar believes that every youngster needs to be spoken to <b>“Talking to newcomers and encouraging and guiding them in their early phase in cricket is a very important aspect in a cricketer’s journey. Most time, the simplest of advices could turn around the fortunes of a budding cricketer."</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">The Double Hundred - His Best Innings in Ranji cricket</span></b></div><div>In the last match of the 1975-76 Ranji season, Jabbar played a memorable innings. He counts the double hundred against Prasanna and Chandra as his best innings for TN and the knock is still fresh in his memory <b>“We lost three early wickets before Kicha and I helped stablise the innings with a partnership of close to a 100. But we lost three more quick wickets and were struggling at around 200 for six. It was a great recovery from there and my partnership of close to 150 with Venkat was an ‘enterprising’ one. When my friend from the early Hyderabad days Shabbir Ali walked in at No.11, I was well past 150. In Hyderabad, he had opened the innings in school cricket and I knew he could bat. He stayed with me till I got that magical double century. Never did I dream that I would play such a special knock so early on in my career against the spin greats Chandra and Prasanna. The knock gave me a lot of confidence.”</b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrRTE7WpabKWDpzJWrtUVOGpU3pj3KyQwh0x5x5t66AdbG5kEthREQGoCUxssdxk7WSLc11bfRcAlU4wwAbVVNxn62HXa8qTSVugI2py-vRqWaouKu0MBifCEsFBV5BrUsY7NEoEij0kPk1LvkRAoTIRHkSConGnu2BXiFpz7ElwKeEBgU8YOkbOjpNoC/s2982/jabbar%201970s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2982" data-original-width="2502" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrRTE7WpabKWDpzJWrtUVOGpU3pj3KyQwh0x5x5t66AdbG5kEthREQGoCUxssdxk7WSLc11bfRcAlU4wwAbVVNxn62HXa8qTSVugI2py-vRqWaouKu0MBifCEsFBV5BrUsY7NEoEij0kPk1LvkRAoTIRHkSConGnu2BXiFpz7ElwKeEBgU8YOkbOjpNoC/s320/jabbar%201970s.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>He says that the expectation among the cricket crazy supporters in Madras did go up and ‘everyone thought that I would get the opportunities to move up to the next level’. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>He began the new Ranji season with two half centuries. He particularly remembers with special pride the partnership he put on with Mukund to help TN recover in the Ranji Quarter Finals against Railways in Delhi <b>“We had lost half the side on the first day for around 50 and were in big trouble. Mukund and I put on a good partnership to help TN to 190. I enjoyed that knock of 45 as I thought it was a very gritty knock fighting with our backs to the wall. And we went on to win the match.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Overlooked for South Zone against MCC</span></b></div><div>After his double century and the start to the 1976-77 season, he was hopeful of being picked for South Zone against MCC (the infamous Lever Vaseline series) but was overlooked for this match. Sadly even the zonal chances were to elude him for a long time. He was on a cricketing high at that point of time with some solid performances for TN and not being given an opportunity against a visiting team did sadden him for a short while. But as has been his way of life, he continued to focus on the opportunities he got for TN.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">A fighting partnership with KB at his childhood stadium</span></b></div><div>The Hindu’s K Balaji scored his first and only Ranji hundred batting alongside Abdul Jabbar in Jan’79. TN was once again in trouble chasing Hyderabad’s 218 when Jabbar joined Balaji at 130/4. Lal Bahadur Sastri stadium was one where he had grown up as a school boy and it was close to his heart. He was keen to bat well and batted with great determination. The two put on a partnership of close to 150 to help TN gain the lead. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CGj512dph_aX5E6PbGJCw0f-hzE6Oh8n1Muvyrjzj0zsxq5bJ5nZV2SS0oZ-iw97WyvhysQNL_HESBYkP2eXXCELlGH-klmzpEJCG7dqwl95LGPmYC8rbGkIMBIXjZDgTDlWaQ8fpbdg0CJEs0sESxvXH7teUpC2VRUMrO8aAgHtqthiwtM9rU0kkE4Z/s1114/KB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="792" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CGj512dph_aX5E6PbGJCw0f-hzE6Oh8n1Muvyrjzj0zsxq5bJ5nZV2SS0oZ-iw97WyvhysQNL_HESBYkP2eXXCELlGH-klmzpEJCG7dqwl95LGPmYC8rbGkIMBIXjZDgTDlWaQ8fpbdg0CJEs0sESxvXH7teUpC2VRUMrO8aAgHtqthiwtM9rU0kkE4Z/s320/KB.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><div>Balaji (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-blossoming-cricket-career-was-cut.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-blossoming-cricket-career-was-cut.html</a>) says that Jabbar was a hard-working cricketer, a team man who gave his 100 per cent whether batting, bowling or fielding (he spent a lot of time fielding at forward short-leg). As a batsman he could hit the ball pretty hard. His fastish off-breaks were a good addition to the team’s bowling resources.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Great contribution in the early 1980s</span></b></div><div>At the turn of the decade, he made some telling contributions in the knock out Ranji matches. Finally he was given the break and a consistent run in the Duleep Trophy where he performed creditably. Against West Zone in October 1982, he once again fought right till the end with a half century batting at No. 7, with an injured knee, putting on 51 with Sekar for the 10th wicket and taking South Zone close to a first innings lead. A couple of months later, he top scored for TN in the Wills Trophy match against Railways and also bowled his full quota of overs conceding just 29 runs. He would have been a good allrounder in one day cricket but there too the big opportunities eluded him. In the Ranji quarters against Delhi in Feb’83, Jabbar top scored with an unbeaten 87, a knock that he considers as one of his best.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWL1QLbh5SLWSPbvH0jPz-TF0A_HkfY-UvvPFAT5JT5l42C8SpfPkD04jZVY8iLToLgd72Fh0a3EeWBBGBem535ZwiauVLeVxWE5sXSKV6MZ8vIGVfIBx4zh4gqxMwjEN4y4AjBS900drhdMvaLiIvvpyMCxSxRgw-pDBCcjRyPObf7i3Msu2c4zjKICl/s3953/jabbar%20lofts%20the%20spinner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3953" data-original-width="2258" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWL1QLbh5SLWSPbvH0jPz-TF0A_HkfY-UvvPFAT5JT5l42C8SpfPkD04jZVY8iLToLgd72Fh0a3EeWBBGBem535ZwiauVLeVxWE5sXSKV6MZ8vIGVfIBx4zh4gqxMwjEN4y4AjBS900drhdMvaLiIvvpyMCxSxRgw-pDBCcjRyPObf7i3Msu2c4zjKICl/s320/jabbar%20lofts%20the%20spinner.jpg" width="183" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">The Big Opportunity - Close and Yet so far</span></b></div><div>In light of these performances, he was confident of being picked for South Zone against the touring West Indians in October 83. He was past 30 but was going through yet another bright phase in domestic cricket. It looked like his time had finally arrived and he would reap the rewards for his decade long contribution. He says he was looking forward to a good knock after his captain told him that would be playing <b>“A day ahead of the match, Brijesh asked me to get a good helmet as he said that I would be batting at No. 3 against Marshall and Roberts. I searched around with my brother Azeem and finally managed to find one late on the eve of the match. But the next morning, just a few minutes before the toss, Brijesh told me that I was not playing. At that time, I felt I had lost yet another opportunity to showcase myself against a visiting team.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Forty years later, Jabbar still does not know as to what transpired in those 24 hours for him to be moved from No.3 to out of the playing XI.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhsJszg3vF2Y1RLolwU3WO2h7W7LCbT9I9hx5HEWn4wKFz2UnfvktiMGCZtIAit_dFv0eKrAUuDmdRxQz-C6jTmj043ZoyRDx0xlUThcmiop-ztsqG1MGhknKrblI2VweOU4HQ1EmF5FQyKnJIykoiDv4a68DDFHSgBvfJd1q4DEoMYN3oM65L6Bv4xPb/s4096/jabbar%20moinabad%20farm%20house.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhsJszg3vF2Y1RLolwU3WO2h7W7LCbT9I9hx5HEWn4wKFz2UnfvktiMGCZtIAit_dFv0eKrAUuDmdRxQz-C6jTmj043ZoyRDx0xlUThcmiop-ztsqG1MGhknKrblI2VweOU4HQ1EmF5FQyKnJIykoiDv4a68DDFHSgBvfJd1q4DEoMYN3oM65L6Bv4xPb/s320/jabbar%20moinabad%20farm%20house.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Puts back the disappointment, begins new season with a century</b></span></div><div>There was a bit of a disappointment at another missed opportunity but Jabbar was once again unfazed at not being considered for an important match. This made him even stronger to showcase himself better. He began the new domestic season with another century to get TN out of trouble. In December 1983, within minutes of the start, TN was three down against Karnataka on a chilly morning in Bangalore. R Madhavan scored a century to help TN recover before Jabbar took over with a knock of 148 (sharing a double century partnership with LS). <b>"I was looking forward to playing the West Indian greats but it was not to be. And I reconciled myself to quickly get back to giving my best for TN. This century gave me great satisfaction as it had rained hard in Madras and we had not had any practice leading up to this match" </b>says Jabbar looking back at yet another solid performance against a strong opposition and with his team in trouble.</div><div><br /></div><div> A fortnight later, he scored a century in the Duleep Trophy match against Central Zone. He followed this good form into the Ranji quarter final against Delhi, where he scored 88 and 62.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Everyone liked him</span></b></div><div>Vasudevan(<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/vasudevan-tn-ranji-trophy-retirement.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/vasudevan-tn-ranji-trophy-retirement.html</a>) remembers the two partnerships he had with Jabbar in that match including the big century stand in the first innings helping TN recover from a shaky start. <b>“He was one of the sweetest persons I have come across in my cricketing journey. It was a great joy to bat with him in that match at Chepauk. Despite his great contribution to TN cricket, he showed great humility. Everyone in TN liked him - not just the players and the administrators but also the crowd. He always batted in a crisis for TN and was the one designated by Venkat to steady the ship.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">He was a Role Model for Youngsters- R Madhavan</span></b></div><div>At the start of the next season, in Nov’84 once again Madhavan and Jabbar scored centuries - this time against Hyderabad with the two putting on close to a double century stand. Yet another time in his career, Jabbar had helped get TN out of a precarious position (this time the team had lost 3/70 on the first morning).</div><div><br /></div><div>A month later, he played two brilliant knocks in Salem that reminded one of the two he played against Shivalkar in the Ranji final in 1973 <b>“</b>It was a red soil pitch and turned square. Raghuram Bhat was at his best and almost unplayable. I had great satisfaction scoring 38 and 77 on a pitch where most found it difficult to survive.”</div><div><br /></div><div>Madhavan recalls the role of Jabbar in his cricketing life <b>“I hold him in very high regard. The influence of Jabbar (and Moses) was very helpful especially in the early Varsity years and when I was on the threshold of first class cricket. He was a constant source of encouragement and available anytime you needed advice in those early years of my cricketing journey. For someone who scored a double hundred against Karnataka, it was sad that he did not get opportunities at the next level. He had absolutely no malice and never showed his disappointment in not having played higher levels. To me, he was a role model - brilliant fielder in addition to tremendous batting and bowling skills and carried himself on and off the field with exceptional behaviour. I feel very fortunate in batting with him on a couple of crucial partnerships.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-m0UyYB2Hyg3fLmUNqwz68TgNSclJoz4-qblRovU02DpGveYZadZsO7LbAQhVWA6JOc0DHRUAq7fcsD5Vc5eUdDOLpoie_2HhSFUtQUuYEQeDanquMqorPsxK4FWD3UHawiXUnnUFXBogW6tjEdl8RgIPisQ58N_rx3DlH1vtLlV9SdSAX37hxPO5N2L/s536/R%20Madhavan%20photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="398" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-m0UyYB2Hyg3fLmUNqwz68TgNSclJoz4-qblRovU02DpGveYZadZsO7LbAQhVWA6JOc0DHRUAq7fcsD5Vc5eUdDOLpoie_2HhSFUtQUuYEQeDanquMqorPsxK4FWD3UHawiXUnnUFXBogW6tjEdl8RgIPisQ58N_rx3DlH1vtLlV9SdSAX37hxPO5N2L/s320/R%20Madhavan%20photo.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Four years in a row from 1980/81, he performed extraordinarily in the knock out Ranji games against Bombay and Delhi. After his consistent performances in these matches, in challenging conditions and now in Duleep Trophy as well, his expectations rose ahead of the selection of the South Zone team to play David Gower’s England in Jan’85. He recalls his thought process at that time <b>“In the previous year, I scored a century in Duleep Trophy and began the new season with a 100 against Hyderabad and played really well in both innings on a square turner against Bhat. But once again I was over looked. Even Venkat felt sorry for me that day when the team was announced.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Venkat asks him to postpone his retirement</span></b></div><div><div>In the final of the Duleep Trophy in Feb’85, it was Jabbar’s knock of 68 that helped South Zone recover from 100/6 in the 2nd innings to a respectable total of 236 to help the team lift the trophy. He also scored close to 500 runs in the Ranji season. And yet at the start of the next season, his name was missing from the South Zone squad. “<b>I thought my time was up and wanted to retire but Venkat convinced me that I still had it in me to contribute to TN cricket and asked me to continue for a couple of years. I could not say NO to Venkat and I nodded."</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWNTMHYRvwNjYnkd1k0YVrRl20vb3LM3exMOdGVeXRU7didznatjNxYHcvjRVIYsOYNtuuCdQ7_hJhuuMfVdVxDo687FCs0OD34ewtwNbJMOwPwKT2pwYhAsjB9WbirS7BirPanpuCmTQ9A3QuJbhQ5-Y0uS8TBEnHfSPaBA1GRxBYCC_mQW-VLE_smll/s942/venkat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="681" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWNTMHYRvwNjYnkd1k0YVrRl20vb3LM3exMOdGVeXRU7didznatjNxYHcvjRVIYsOYNtuuCdQ7_hJhuuMfVdVxDo687FCs0OD34ewtwNbJMOwPwKT2pwYhAsjB9WbirS7BirPanpuCmTQ9A3QuJbhQ5-Y0uS8TBEnHfSPaBA1GRxBYCC_mQW-VLE_smll/s320/venkat.jpg" width="231" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">PC Prakash's Debut season - Jabbar’s gracious gesture</span></b></div></div><div><div>And so he continued. It was in December 1985 that PC Prakash, (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/04/pc-prakash-tn-ranji-1980s.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/04/pc-prakash-tn-ranji-1980s.html</a>) now head of TNCA academy, made his Ranji debut after having waited for a few years. He told this writer at his home in April 2022 as to how grateful he was to Abdul Jabbar for the noble gesture from the veteran in his debut season <b>“I was slated to bat only at No. 6 but it was the gracious gesture of Jabbar that helped me move a slot up and it made a big difference. He sacrificed his slot for me and I am ever grateful to him for that. His decision gave me a lot of confidence and I wanted to prove to him that his sacrifice would not go waste.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleujUFnyuxlvHy1e52EXzaDyW_XfAT5UZEBNWLhbAKis7GYFxmS03dOAQaPtAejAxbJmGtyBTQt-MUOaxLxVcZKKeFDd29QmFvRFhvjuisMikrk0bCSbh1z0TXU2cJupJbaP73gPJq1d3PpWJnsdClKXvQ8I90Ahhgk_0AMbrnZwrIrsHkkqXBRKNP6_y/s1391/PC%20Prakash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1391" data-original-width="1208" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleujUFnyuxlvHy1e52EXzaDyW_XfAT5UZEBNWLhbAKis7GYFxmS03dOAQaPtAejAxbJmGtyBTQt-MUOaxLxVcZKKeFDd29QmFvRFhvjuisMikrk0bCSbh1z0TXU2cJupJbaP73gPJq1d3PpWJnsdClKXvQ8I90Ahhgk_0AMbrnZwrIrsHkkqXBRKNP6_y/s320/PC%20Prakash.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><div>Jabbar says that PC had been in the squad for a few years but had not made his debut.<b> "It had been a frustrating period for him and I was sensitive to the feelings of a young cricketer all excited to make his debut. I volunteered to move to No. 6 so he could have more opportunities to showcase his batting skills and seal a permanent place for himself in the TN team.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>And that Prakash did brilliantly with successive centuries in his debut season. In his very second match, he shared a century partnership with Jabbar in the process also scoring a century.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Jabbar is proud that even in his last Ranji match in Jan'87, he top scored for TN with a half century that helped the team secure an outright win against Andhra after having conceded the first innings lead.</div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Most Loveable Character on and off the field - Kalli</span></b></div><div>Jabbar had impressed in his first season for TN when he played two gutsy knocks in that Ranji Final at Chepauk. Fast Bowler B Kalyanasundaram, who picked up a hat-trick in that final, says that Jabbar was a very lovable character both on and off the field. <b>"He was popular with every TN cricketer. I was a witness to his magnificent double hundred at the Chinnaswamy Stadium against Karnataka. He was a reliable middle order bat and served TN with distinction over a long period of time. I would say that TN was very fortunate to have had the services of Jabbar." </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WGzAscCQJsGjMnUmY__BZZC19aE2bQeBHX_uToe75LENInnMcjKB6UKETmQuWIcsKWR2sJzU91__ogq78PEPsy7m4gunnaD1AnfM0U8zpjrSBQQPupVfGZo1om2s105XGWU77Hou8VyKAyO-KQzR3oSIL4NDEsVAg5Chcpv6NBPGdimmzNhv_lCI-Byi/s1039/Kalli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="762" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WGzAscCQJsGjMnUmY__BZZC19aE2bQeBHX_uToe75LENInnMcjKB6UKETmQuWIcsKWR2sJzU91__ogq78PEPsy7m4gunnaD1AnfM0U8zpjrSBQQPupVfGZo1om2s105XGWU77Hou8VyKAyO-KQzR3oSIL4NDEsVAg5Chcpv6NBPGdimmzNhv_lCI-Byi/s320/Kalli.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">A specialist at short leg</span></b></div><div><div>Jabbar had great reflexes even as a youngster and enjoyed fielding at short leg, especially to Venkat, VV and Vasudevan. Right from a young age, he took interest in fielding and taking difficult catches gave him a great deal of joy. However, it was always fraught with danger as there were no shin pads and helmet in those days. He recalls a couple of occasions when he received nasty blows “Against Andhra at Chepauk, a full-fledged sweep hit my forehead and the ball raced to the third man boundary!!! In the Duleep Trophy match, a flick of the first ball of the match thudded on to my right knee. Within minutes, the area from my knee to the upper thigh turned ‘red, blue and purple’. I could not field after the first ball.”</div><div><br /></div><div>All through his career, he received a number of such blows on his shoulder. The positive out of this was that Venkat liked him a lot “Venky liked those who gave their 100% on the field and he was always appreciative of my courageous efforts at short leg.”</div></div><div><br /></div><div>PCP himself fielded for many hours for TN as a 12th man before he finally made his Ranji debut. He says that Jabbar stood f<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">or long hours at short leg without ever complaining. <b>"He just enjoyed fielding. He had great reflexes which helped him take some outstanding catches. It gave the bowlers a great deal of confidence when Jabbar was at short leg."</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>While he says Prasanna, Chandra and Shivalkar were outstanding spinners he faced in Ranji cricket, VV Kumar was ‘simply out of the world’ and<b> </b>bamboozled batsmen with his flight and googlies. "It was just a delight to stand to him at short leg. I genuinely felt that there would be a nick every ball such was the day he made the batsmen dance" says Jabbar looking back at how he enjoyed the discomfiture of the opposition batsmen facing up to VV.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Jabbar – The Breakthrough Bowler</span></b></div><div>Even as a teenager playing cricket in Hyderabad, Jabbar had begun to bowl. Once again, it was Man Singh who gave him the first opportunity <b>“In a match in the late 1960s, Deccan Blues had taken the first innings lead and there were just a few hours left. Man Singh gave me the new ball and I surprised him picking up four wickets bowling medium pace. In the next match against a State Bank side comprising of state players, I once again opened the bowling and picked up six wickets. We won the match much against expectations.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>When he moved to Madras, he continued to bowl alongside R Prabhakar for SBI. In his very first over in Ranji cricket, he picked up a wicket.</div><div><br /></div><div>At the BS nets, after his batting stint, he began to bowl off spin for 2-3 hours as he did not want to spend time doing nothing. He says Venkat (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/venkataraghavan75.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/venkataraghavan75.html</a>) was impressed with his spin and began to use him as an off spinner in Ranji Trophy.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The missed catch and what might have been!!!</span></b></div><div>In the Ranji semi-final in March 77, Jabbar bagged the prize wicket of Gavaskar though by then the Bombay opener had scored a century. The following season, Mukund captained TN in Venkat’s absence. When he handed the ball to Jabbar against Karnataka, he removed Sudhakar Rao and shortly after Imtiaz Ahmed for zero. He recalls that moment “Vijayakrishna was on zero when he drove me to Moses but he put down the catch. Had that catch been held, I may have gone to pick up five wickets as I was on a roll with the ball that day.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtt8wZ43Q1VG_hkr9URfggz91w6ycucOz3AQJPx-rG7QZbmGmt7JsRelxS135TgPWsUXypLG-J-gY3y2gUyhjX1hKGxkZfrNx9GrZFlcZ1Ob5CksmB8QKPY0dfwC3a7qNfj-aDUS0QZETT2MjXOMJZWL1UKY3MSFaxbuFXnP_DXZQHwU57lIzn6dxvhZFE/s2660/Jabbar%20with%20india%20stars.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2660" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtt8wZ43Q1VG_hkr9URfggz91w6ycucOz3AQJPx-rG7QZbmGmt7JsRelxS135TgPWsUXypLG-J-gY3y2gUyhjX1hKGxkZfrNx9GrZFlcZ1Ob5CksmB8QKPY0dfwC3a7qNfj-aDUS0QZETT2MjXOMJZWL1UKY3MSFaxbuFXnP_DXZQHwU57lIzn6dxvhZFE/s320/Jabbar%20with%20india%20stars.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">His Best spell in Ranji cricket</span></b></div><div>He counts his four wickets against Bombay in the Ranji quarters towards the end of his career in Feb’86 as his most memorable spell for TN <b>“Bombay had a terrific start and had gone well past 150 losing just one wicket. When Bharath Reddy gave me the ball, I got him the breakthrough. I also got the wickets of Sandeep Patil and Manjrekar cheaply. It was my best spell for TN bowling over 40 overs.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>In the first division league, he bagged around 40 wickets with his off spin every season for three consecutive years in the early 80s. But in the year that Bharath Reddy moved from SBI to Chemplast, he did not bowl a single over but Jabbar would not go and ask his new captain even once that year. Such was his gentlemanly conduct.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiwlH17qIsoflCj5Cbk4hhS4GvlFm3ZlGdZUUu_YGyBFaVdQ_g5oOHgooV0ro4slV57__cPxe-FszQy5Huf9a7hzsYeIXMADiKvsAvBExQHKjm5MG-4tQ5P6mkwY3P5EIm40lx1AeG2KTDJaxWKu2I6dGbrTbc6r_7fmp6chnsC39nDBcI9Pp91h_fuDp/s4096/A%20Jabbar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiwlH17qIsoflCj5Cbk4hhS4GvlFm3ZlGdZUUu_YGyBFaVdQ_g5oOHgooV0ro4slV57__cPxe-FszQy5Huf9a7hzsYeIXMADiKvsAvBExQHKjm5MG-4tQ5P6mkwY3P5EIm40lx1AeG2KTDJaxWKu2I6dGbrTbc6r_7fmp6chnsC39nDBcI9Pp91h_fuDp/s320/A%20Jabbar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Am proud I secured his services for TN - VVK</span></b></div><div><div>It is now just over 50 years since VV Kumar brought Jabbar from Hyderabad to Madras. He says he is proud that he was instrumental in securing for TN a player of Jabbar’s stature who made a solid contribution over a long period of time <b>"Over the 15 years that he played for TN, he gave a great bit of confidence to those that batted with him. He would pick the gaps beautifully and rotate the strike. I also thought that Venkat handled him really well. He found Jabbar to be an ideal batsman for the team in the late middle order and saw him as one best suited to handle a crisis situation and guide the other batsmen including the lower half.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>VV thinks that Jabbar was under bowled at the state level <b>"If he had been given more opportunities as a bowler for TN, he would have turned out to be an outstanding allrounder for the state but he was used only as one who could provide us the crucial breakthroughs to break partnerships and then the main bowlers would come back."</b></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">A bowler that opposition feared and the most economical TN bowler</span></b></div><div>Much after his Ranji retirement, Jabbar had two 'enlightening' moments about his bowling. Hyderabad cricketer Vijay Paul revealed to Jabbar a piece of information that he said they had kept secret during his playing days "In all our team meetings, the message from the captain was not to give our wicket away to Jabbar. All of us felt that you were a dangerous bowler and hence wanted to play you safe."</div><div><br /></div><div>On another occasion, TN left arm spinner Sunil Subramanian (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/05/sunil-subramanian-tn-left-arm-spinner.html?m=1">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/05/sunil-subramanian-tn-left-arm-spinner.html?m=1</a>), who played for Jolly Rovers in the 1990s when Jabbar was the coach, came up to him and revealed to him an info that gave him great delight "I thought that I would be the most economical bowler for TN but I found that its you. Congratulations."</div><div> </div><div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Jabbar hits a six with GRV's bat</span></b></div><div>He had played for 15 years at SBI and it had been a memorable stint for him. Long standing opener of SBI S Kedarnath(<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/06/kedarnath-s-opener-from-1970s.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/06/kedarnath-s-opener-from-1970s.html</a>) played with Jabbar for a decade. He recounts a memorable innings that Jabbar played against Nirlons in the semi finals of the Moin ud Dowla tournament in Hyderabad <b>“We were chasing and were five down with over 60 to win. There was persistent drizzle but Gavaskar refused to go back to the pavilion forcing us to play. Off the last ball of the penultimate over, I took a single much to the disgust of the crowd. At the start of the last over, Jabbar asked me to get a single of the first ball which I did. And then much to my shock, he came to me to the non-striker’s end and asked me to hand my bat to him.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOp_kozhLRkPud1VY-GDysrLd8iEJoCqMSqSaKt1T3RwLOpTRm0qiYkw4bm9wk0iuisdXtIZbsZYNoQueMYmYqWq17C94GgfCju4psSZ87FY3XLLuqZOoK05u8lycO8C0ZYCgcBJg42NACJ8lMafVAPDiROFzR1_kouBWWaXh5pDaSx5OIY-e4iYysQh9/s1297/Kedar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1297" data-original-width="1217" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOp_kozhLRkPud1VY-GDysrLd8iEJoCqMSqSaKt1T3RwLOpTRm0qiYkw4bm9wk0iuisdXtIZbsZYNoQueMYmYqWq17C94GgfCju4psSZ87FY3XLLuqZOoK05u8lycO8C0ZYCgcBJg42NACJ8lMafVAPDiROFzR1_kouBWWaXh5pDaSx5OIY-e4iYysQh9/s320/Kedar.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><b>“It was a very special bat that legend GRV had given me. I had never given that to anyone else till that moment. He psyched me saying that if I valued SBI and wanted the bank to win, I should give the bat to him. A win for SBI meant everything to us and I handed him ‘GRV’s bat. He lifted the next ball from Ravi Shastri over deep midwicket clearing Fateh Maidan for a six to help us secure the win."</b></div><div><br /></div><div>“Rotating the strike, batting with a clear and positive mindset and with no half measures were my differentiators at the crease” says Jabbar on the way he approached batting. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">A Great Time at SBI but it was time to move on</span></b></div><div>Jabbar counts winning so many first division titles, Hindu Trophy year on year and the Simpson Trophy for three years as great moments in his playing days for SBI. <b>"The seniors there like VV really took care of the youngsters and encouraged us. There was such camaraderie among the players. We enjoyed each other’s success. We were given a lot of freedom to express ourselves in our cricket and it also put a lot of responsibility in each of us to give our best for the Bank. We understood that we were playing for a prestigious team and jelled as a unit that helped us win so many tournaments in the 1970s and early 80s."</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Given his academic background and the fact that he had not worked much at the bank in that phase, he wanted to continue to be engaged with cricket. And when Bharath Reddy offered him a cricketing opportunity at Jolly Rovers he gladly accepted it. He played for them till he was into this 40s and then took on the role of a coach. </div><div><br /></div><div>Jabbar played some unforgettable knocks for Jolly Rovers. VB Chandrasekar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/01/vb-chandrasekar.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/01/vb-chandrasekar.html</a>), who he considers as one of his favourite cricketers, would ask him to bat just for 7 overs in 30 over matches and the direction was for him to hit out (and get out) after giving the team a good start “In that match against SPIC, I hit out at everything and ended up with 130 much to VB’s delight!!!”</div><div><br /></div><div>His twin hundreds in the Pasadena finals for Chemplast, years after his Ranji retirement stands testimony to his endurance.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">His big influence - I was a decent version of Jabbar!!!</span></b></div><div>S Sharath (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/12/sharath-s-tn-crickets-atg.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/12/sharath-s-tn-crickets-atg.html</a>), who played over a 100 Ranji matches for TN, joined Chemplast in the early 1990s at a time when Jabbar began coaching the team. He says that Jabbar was a big influence on his batting <b>“He was at the fag end of his playing days when I joined Jolly Rovers. But even at that time, he looked a different breed and gave us glimpses of both his gutsy side as well as his strong stroke-play. His temperament was at a different level both as a batsman and a coach. I was fortunate to have learned batting from him in those early years at Chemplast. It was Jabbar who was instrumental in shaping my batting. He taught me many things about playing spin and very minute technical aspects about batting." </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9m-jm7_0zhzisZ48awhkne6NXzOyIq4by9dCjGFE3JVNKAbhq7RkwgQ0GiZqD5RBI0uJnOvuJI4E3idwiS84X6CIKnrV-GwIVWMn8xukY3Q2zEUL3o35bDKVbn9TLSIvdfzhZ4z7EzReJLx3IHAkdDHM1gsTiNEMDIGfpDaWGwlrwtAAquvrkAtbFlX6/s735/Sharath.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="543" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9m-jm7_0zhzisZ48awhkne6NXzOyIq4by9dCjGFE3JVNKAbhq7RkwgQ0GiZqD5RBI0uJnOvuJI4E3idwiS84X6CIKnrV-GwIVWMn8xukY3Q2zEUL3o35bDKVbn9TLSIvdfzhZ4z7EzReJLx3IHAkdDHM1gsTiNEMDIGfpDaWGwlrwtAAquvrkAtbFlX6/s320/Sharath.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><div><b>"He was a big player but always maintained low profile. He was humility personified. He generated positivity among the players. He was one of the biggest inspirations for me as a cricketer. I can say with a great deal of pride that in later years I turned out to be a decent version of him as a middle order batsman for TN."</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">His brother - Vocal, Blunt and on your face</span></b></div><div><div>While Abdul Jabbar was the silent, non complaining, take it in your stride cricketer in Tamil Nadu, his brother, Abdul Azeem, younger to him by 9 years, was completely the opposite. He was vocal, blunt and on your face. Like Jabbar, Azeem too played a decade and a half of first class cricket. He was a dashing opener who had all the strokes. Of course, he once scored a patient triple hundred against TN. When his elder brother asked him the reason, he said 'he was running temparature that day'.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrnmp-1ZuwIISeqTX-dYCF8vCiNs1l4kORuUAixtbKpnK8kQcOEr3o033iFXyaJby_WZxFu74oRo8hnm3mW31DQs6OKarj1iNCuGD0hzn_YT3SvJocVmeH1832712ONRC_YixO3xQqd8Mlvc_VuBkeIq9F7gQ4TyuWf95ILY4_ixft8pEbZdUHbKhmQv_/s459/azeem%20jabbar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="459" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrnmp-1ZuwIISeqTX-dYCF8vCiNs1l4kORuUAixtbKpnK8kQcOEr3o033iFXyaJby_WZxFu74oRo8hnm3mW31DQs6OKarj1iNCuGD0hzn_YT3SvJocVmeH1832712ONRC_YixO3xQqd8Mlvc_VuBkeIq9F7gQ4TyuWf95ILY4_ixft8pEbZdUHbKhmQv_/s320/azeem%20jabbar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>He too was on the verge of zonal selection. On occasions when dogged openers from another state got picked for the Zone in one day tournaments to which he was most suited, he threatened to take it up with the authorities. Jabbar was the calming influence on his brother and every time Azeem boiled with anger at non selection, it was the elder brother who quietened with the same philosophy that he followed in his own cricketing life.</div><div><br /></div><div>All his life, Jabbar was very close to Azeem <b>"We discussed cricket for hours together. At his peak, he would often say that I was soft and one had to take genuine issues with the authorities. He gave the impression that he did not agree with my views but inside him he listened to what I said and usually calmed down after expressing his anger."</b></div><div><br /></div><div>He is saddened that Azeem did not get the chances at the higher level he may have deserved with the runs that he amassed. Also, the demise, last April, of his brother was a big blow to Jabbar. Like another dashing opener, KR Rajagopal(<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/03/kr-rajagopal-dashing-opener-brilliant.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/03/kr-rajagopal-dashing-opener-brilliant.html</a>), Abdul Azeem too was on dialysis in the last phase of his life.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">No Life outside of Cricket- His wife's new terms and conditions</span></b></div><div>Right from his childhood he knew nothing other than cricket. After he had moved to Madras, he spent almost his entire time at the nets or matches. If he was not at one of these, he would be discussing cricket for hours together with his team mates much to his wife’s frustration. It was Arifa who managed the household and brought up the children all on her own with Jabbar away at one ground or the other all through his life!! Jabbar credits his wife, who holds a Masters Degree, for taking the entire responsibility and allowing for smooth sailing at home when his mind was solely on cricket.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQ9LyitngypJtGf3iDfMaoLfxadsblJftDaD17PJDghDRy_YueXA0ywSag2r8vIhW_Ocz6tMbnDpzFnjVRL0xDpjqDuUQT8viq1ScmRBQD26PoLDRSLtNa3oncOZT27XnBfjIJzQlsq15ywi84ErE45Z-d_ZerKgCrnMSCdBkYx2zfdKEo2zx0_jT_3Bm/s1080/jabbar%20with%20wife.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1080" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQ9LyitngypJtGf3iDfMaoLfxadsblJftDaD17PJDghDRy_YueXA0ywSag2r8vIhW_Ocz6tMbnDpzFnjVRL0xDpjqDuUQT8viq1ScmRBQD26PoLDRSLtNa3oncOZT27XnBfjIJzQlsq15ywi84ErE45Z-d_ZerKgCrnMSCdBkYx2zfdKEo2zx0_jT_3Bm/s320/jabbar%20with%20wife.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Arifa told this writer she knew what she was getting into when she married a cricketer like him. He is now into his 70s but she finds him no different even now. And that led her, recently, to lay down a stringent and a bit of an absurd condition. Jabbar let out a big laugh when she shared the details of the new terms and conditions to this writer <b>“When we go to a bank, he has to stay outside and not enter the bank till I complete my work. In the past, when I went out with him, all the staffers and even customers would engage in long cricketing conversations with him for he was that passionate about cricket. The only solution I had was to keep him away at the entrance so I could first finish my work before he entered the bank. This model is now working well for me!!! When he gets into a phone call, it goes on endlessly for hours and hours and he forgets everyone around him - such is his passion for cricket.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Vasudevan is of the same view <b>"Whenever I am to talk to Jabbar (even on phone), I tell my wife that I will be away for a few hours. He is so passionate about the game and his life has all been about cricket, that when he gets talking, it turns out to be like his playing days - He simply becomes unstoppable."</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">A Satisfying five decades in cricket</span></b></div><div><div>Jabbar looks back with great satisfaction at his TN comebacks <b>“I was dropped thrice in my Ranji career. My early lessons during my school days directed me to go back to the nets and the local matches to prove myself to make my way back into the team. The comebacks gave me a lot of satisfaction and made me stronger, mentally.”</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Another aspect that gave him a great bit of happiness was scoring runs in challenging conditions and against strong oppositions. He always made runs against teams like Karnataka, Bombay and Delhi that possessed high quality spinners. He puts his success against these teams to greater concentration levels in those matches <b>“I focused a lot more against the top teams as even one small lapse in concentration could have costed my wicket. It was very satisfying to have got runs against all the top ranked opposition in very challenging conditions and against top spinners of the time.”</b></div></div><div><br /></div><div>At least thrice, those around him and the cricket loving people of Chennai felt that he was on the verge of a call up to play against visiting sides but the big opportunity always seemed to elude him.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Almost close to four decades after he retired from Ranji cricket, Jabbar has no regrets or ill feelings about not playing higher levels and remains philosophical about his cricketing career <b>“Very early on, in my teenage days, I realised that selection was not in my hands. My job was to score runs and contribute to the team. Right till the end of my playing days that is what I focused on and did not worry about the selection. And I take pride in the fact that I scored runs for TN even in my very last innings.”</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b style="color: red;">He counts his durability in the game as his biggest achievement in cricket. </b>"I played Ranji cricket for 15 years, coached Jolly Rovers for 15 years and also ran a coaching academy for several years at CLRI. In my last engagement, I was coaching Pondicherry. From 1965 to 2019, I was involved with top notch cricket without a break of a single year and the longevity of my cricket association gave me a great deal of satisfaction.”</div><div><br /></div><div>It was finally left to the Global Pandemic to put an end to his five and a half decade association with cricket. His undying passion for the game may get him back though. There have been offers in the recent past which he has not taken up. But don't be surprised if sometime in the near future Jabbar gets into some modern tools and techniques such as video analysis and the like for you cannot keep this TN cricketing legend out of the game for too long.</div></div></div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-84476848616781514652024-01-28T12:24:00.003+05:302024-01-28T12:24:49.500+05:30 Kapaleeswarar Temple Theppam 2024<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">For the first time, Singaravellar provides darshan as Sankara Narayanan sporting a Vaishnavite Thiruman on his forehead and holding a mace in his hand</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAAkw3HKOZfv_QOJVE_oojEpUplHPlBO4qH9j5C8BU22xzAWvl0FYLFnABUgH0t-tjs1FE-ICOgvf2nKnpf6heqmHG2GLmGJWGBf6kpXO-mutSMLDW-R-Wa83t_sZ1iFUB0EqgB_deeof0IKmIFAl7RWlS3C-OO-OGY-WRMZ6GPJPedlOJgbt_5uxDpNoX/s1472/singaravellar%20sankara%20narayana%20thirukolam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="949" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAAkw3HKOZfv_QOJVE_oojEpUplHPlBO4qH9j5C8BU22xzAWvl0FYLFnABUgH0t-tjs1FE-ICOgvf2nKnpf6heqmHG2GLmGJWGBf6kpXO-mutSMLDW-R-Wa83t_sZ1iFUB0EqgB_deeof0IKmIFAl7RWlS3C-OO-OGY-WRMZ6GPJPedlOJgbt_5uxDpNoX/s320/singaravellar%20sankara%20narayana%20thirukolam.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Across temples in Tamil Nadu, the next gen priests are becoming increasingly interested in decorating the Lord in different ways. Grand and differentiated alankarams are becoming the order of the day at utsavams. So what’s different today at the procession is a question that comes up every now and then among devotees visiting the utsavams. At least the new gen devotees seem to want to see something new and different at processions that they can take photo shots and discuss with their friends and family members.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Saturday evening, devotees visiting the third and final day of the annual Thai Theppotsavam at the Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore were in for a surprise. A set of devotees seemed to be excited at the unveiling of Singaravellar in a new Thiru Kolam but there were those traditional devotees who were not so impressed in this first of its kind attire at this Theppotsavam.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Murugar sports a Vaishnavite Thiruman</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just after 6pm, Singaravellar accompanied by his consorts Valli and Deivanai, made his way out of the Navarathri mandapam for a procession around the Mada Streets. What took many by surprise was the Thiru Kolam of Singaravellar as Sankara Narayanan sporting a Vaishnavite Thiruman on his forehead and holding a mace in his left hand.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Excited devotees clicked any number of photo shots over the fast paced procession. There were devotees who took a close look at the attire of Singaravellar, the posture of his legs, the ornaments across his chest as well as the different weapons that he carried on Saturday evening.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">A puzzled look</span></b> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">On to the South Mada street, a devotee family who had come to the Kapaleeswarar temple earlier in the evening stood perplexed as they looked at the Lord on the procession while they were on their way back home. Is this Perumal asked one family member to another or is this Kapaleeswarar. They also asked if the consorts were Sri and Bhoo Devi only to be told that this was Singaravellar making his way to the Theppam along with Valli and Deivanai.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Why change the traditional attire</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of the service personnel who has been working at the temple for three decades was saddened at this new trend of differentiated Thiru Kolam. There is a certain attire that has been a tradition for Murugar at this Theppotsavam “After being on the Theppam on the first day, appa ‘Kapaleeswarar’ tells his son to enjoy himself on the next two days on the float along with his consorts. But to decorate Murugar in a Thiru Kolam of Appa (Sankarar) did not seem right”, he told this writer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Thiru Kolam of the day was anchored by Chief Priest E Venkatasubramaniam (Jayakanthan) Shivachariar, who was in-charge of the procession on Saturday evening.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhheiI-suhrodlhgMrlQgXislq3c3ZpM1xaLVv9a-UAeENbGF9Ph6aXggktOalHo6u6P7kJBTwjN1RYCWcQh9wYnpm-POv82bkZNI6CLNNSD1auZ4nCmOH-0F4gCAQtWJPzUo1M3VZrEdVqZT8kElmfYxVOM6TY2lEcP5GOzgn3k6oBUXHBrL2P2IC0PxSa/s1253/singaravellar%20theppam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1253" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhheiI-suhrodlhgMrlQgXislq3c3ZpM1xaLVv9a-UAeENbGF9Ph6aXggktOalHo6u6P7kJBTwjN1RYCWcQh9wYnpm-POv82bkZNI6CLNNSD1auZ4nCmOH-0F4gCAQtWJPzUo1M3VZrEdVqZT8kElmfYxVOM6TY2lEcP5GOzgn3k6oBUXHBrL2P2IC0PxSa/s320/singaravellar%20theppam.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The service personnel told this writer that till a few decades ago the previous generation of priests stuck to traditional attire for the Lord as had been customary for centuries. <b>“Singaravellar was always seen in a Muthu Kumara Thiru Kolam on the second and third days of the Theppotsavam but clearly there is a new trend emerging now”</b>, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If Lord Muruga was indeed to be decorated as Sankara Narayanan, the consorts too should have been appropriately attired as Parvati/Thaayar, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But for a large section of the devotees, Saturday evening was exciting as they sat around the steps of the temple tank and enjoyed Singaravellar go on a three hour nine round procession including one in the rain that struck late after 10pm.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Singaravellar made his way back to the temple after 11pm. The three day utsavam ended with the Sripatham personnel delighting the hundred odd devotees with a display of Voyali in front of the Ambal Sannidhi.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was an evening of mixed feelings among devotees as they were caught between the traditional attire of Muthu Kumara Thiru Kolam and the new one of Murugar as ‘Sankara Narayanan’ but it looks like the new trend of differentiated Thiru Kolams is here to stay.</div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-81725853214352794792024-01-23T01:25:00.013+05:302024-01-24T11:04:47.890+05:30 1970s Madras Cricketers Meet MCC <div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Over 50 cricketers from the 1970s came together on Monday evening at the MCC to share and recount the glorious cricketing days from that decade</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSuG7-kCXFqKGyAFh56F9nME0OFeSeRP-AOyvYaunYpSULI6qnh5cgM8y_Bbyb43-pEDpHyH4B9-28o94KzOumUGnyogKW8g4K18T2McvQx9yTmHI5EG9l7D8x2AoroibsvPZHBur-Nqs78q3OBhUnIOVmNW9zQpUajf825eKVDfZS3jvbKSqtYS7AVi9/s3986/1970s%20cricketers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="3986" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSuG7-kCXFqKGyAFh56F9nME0OFeSeRP-AOyvYaunYpSULI6qnh5cgM8y_Bbyb43-pEDpHyH4B9-28o94KzOumUGnyogKW8g4K18T2McvQx9yTmHI5EG9l7D8x2AoroibsvPZHBur-Nqs78q3OBhUnIOVmNW9zQpUajf825eKVDfZS3jvbKSqtYS7AVi9/s320/1970s%20cricketers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">TN's perpetual 12th man from the 1970s PR Ramakrishnan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/10/pr-ramakrishnan-coimbatore-cricketer.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/10/pr-ramakrishnan-coimbatore-cricketer.html</a>), now a leading advocate in Coimbatore, was SM Krishnakumar’s favourite cricket captain. SMK played under Ramki for Madras University a year before he himself captained and led the team to the Rohinton Baria triumph in Jan 1976. SMK told this writer on Sunday morning that he was all excited to meet his captain after almost 50 years. The two shared a special rapport when they played together in the 1970s. Coincidentally, both were on the verge of making their debut for TN but did not get to play for the state and quit serious cricket in their mid 20s and moved into a corporate career – PRR as an advocate and SMK as a Banker.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">SMK was delighted to meet his captain, who had flown in from Coimbatore over the weekend, twice on successive days. On Sunday evening, the two met as part of the 50year celebrations of the Rohinton Baria victory in 1973 under Sushil Haridas and on Monday evening, it was the coming together of cricketers from the 1970s that SMK organised at the MCC, Chepauk.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">The LMW plan fails, a new corporate opportunity opens up</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">SMK’s colleague at IOB in the late 1970s NP Madhavan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/05/np-madhavan.html?m=1">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/05/np-madhavan.html?m=1</a>) had made the reverse move in 1982 quitting the bank and moving to Udumalpet where he joined SVPB, a group where he has been serving for over four decades, now as the VP. He was delighted to meet his old mate from Chengalpet S Balaji with whom he shared some interesting old cricketing memories. In 1982, the two of them, who had played together in the inter districts tourneys, were exploring the possibility of playing for auto major LMW in Coimbatore. They went to the company headquarters on the Mettupalayam highway and held discussions but the financial terms did not work out with the hattrick man of TN cricket B Kalyanasundaram (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2011/08/kalli-b-kalyanasundaram.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2011/08/kalli-b-kalyanasundaram.html</a>) who was leading the cricket recruitment at LMW at that time. Interestingly, Kalli, now a director at CSK and a talent scout, too was present on the evening having driven down from Pondicherry where he has been residing for the last few years.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjxprntvnKi5sFYl63wSJGwfUuGEN0jAlvY_YplBWuuV3di64_hfmA_48EY6wwgsrEEqWUJbv6NIh7pnSwD1-cGCumFvrrgOnFPhZxoE5cRkCGJJlvY0PABXh3aOLUdKuqiQX30FJWJLfDRMaAZU2UCSjwW9oukd_LOzppLP6pqedIqZ1RndCu3PeD1-J/s3388/s%20balaji%20npm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2065" data-original-width="3388" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjxprntvnKi5sFYl63wSJGwfUuGEN0jAlvY_YplBWuuV3di64_hfmA_48EY6wwgsrEEqWUJbv6NIh7pnSwD1-cGCumFvrrgOnFPhZxoE5cRkCGJJlvY0PABXh3aOLUdKuqiQX30FJWJLfDRMaAZU2UCSjwW9oukd_LOzppLP6pqedIqZ1RndCu3PeD1-J/s320/s%20balaji%20npm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As luck would have it, within the next few months Madhavan was roped in by Soundararajan of SVPB, Udumalpet (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/06/svpb-udumalpet-soundararajan.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/06/svpb-udumalpet-soundararajan.html</a>) and Balaji joined the Railways. The two had been thick of friends in that phase in the late 1970s/early 80s and they enjoyed this Monday evening catching up on their old cricketing moments and the victories they had forged playing together.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The Threesome at the top of the order</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was intense competition for the opening spot in the TN Ranji squad in the 1970s. IOB’s cricket mentor V Krishnaswamy (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/08/krishnaswamy-v.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/08/krishnaswamy-v.html</a>) was a regular opener for TN in that phase. He shifted base a few years back to Bangalore and made his way to Madras to be part of both the meetings - on Sunday and Monday evening. His batting partner that decade P Ramesh worked at SPIC for several years before shifting base to Hyderabad. He was excited to meet V Sivaramakrishnan, the third of that set of openers and recollect the good old cricketing years in the 1970s. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the last conversation Ramesh had with this writer, he had expressed the desire for the TNCA to revive the annual Buchi Babu tournament that was held in memory of his great grandfather. On Monday evening, he recalled that conversation and was visibly delighted that the tournament had been revived this season. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBv9d5Czb2t5x-2fP-Wp5FO8km7rv4nQLJzqnjQMMM7uLJhUuUdBkYleoeNqAnlOAQqSUkf_JqpJuCtfxxHA88qH0v-sOcl5GGda7UHR15ux8jGYrlsQ26TVTlw0gg943W-qq4Dh1uxyVc8zqwuDGV1nkoJ1s12c4g_lCQGOTeW706sYyMdoUodF_QlWN/s3945/p%20ramesh%20v%20shiv.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2545" data-original-width="3945" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBv9d5Czb2t5x-2fP-Wp5FO8km7rv4nQLJzqnjQMMM7uLJhUuUdBkYleoeNqAnlOAQqSUkf_JqpJuCtfxxHA88qH0v-sOcl5GGda7UHR15ux8jGYrlsQ26TVTlw0gg943W-qq4Dh1uxyVc8zqwuDGV1nkoJ1s12c4g_lCQGOTeW706sYyMdoUodF_QlWN/s320/p%20ramesh%20v%20shiv.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">All eyes turn to Venkataraghavan</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The cynosure of all eyes on this evening was the legendary S Venkataraghavan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/venkataraghavan75.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/venkataraghavan75.html</a>). As soon as he entered the hall, the entire attention shifted to him as cricketers from that era went up to him to greet him and enquire about his health. VV Kumar, in his address, asked Venkat if he remembered his first Gopalan Trophy match in 1965-66 in Madras when the duo picked up 14 wickets. Interestingly, the man sitting next to Venkat through the evening AG Satvinder Singh top scored for Madras with a knock of 89.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">VV Kumar also reminded those present of the commitment of his spin colleague <b>“I still remember Venkat catching Doug Walters (who had scored a century) of the last ball of the day off Bedi at the Chennai test in 1969. From ball one to the last ball of the day, Venkat remained alert and as a close in fielder he was always looking for that edge to come to him.” </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another batsman who missed out on playing for the state in the 1970s alongside PR Ramakrishnan and SM Krishnakumar was also present on the evening. S Kedarnath (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/06/kedarnath-s-opener-from-1970s.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/06/kedarnath-s-opener-from-1970s.html</a>) played many a brilliant knock for SBI in a cricket career that spanned over 15 years for the Bank but like Ramki he too could not breakthrough into the strong top order batting line up of the 1970s despite a string of consistent scores!!! During that entire phase with SBI, Kedarnath was also the star off the field with his mimicry of fellow cricketers such as VV Kumar and R Chandrasekar that sent his teammates into uncontrollable laughter. It may have been a good idea for the organisers to have got Kedar to relive some of those magical mimicry dialogues of VV Kumar from the 1970s.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRvH6JWq2GjR9pc69-v6vbAuE9BesOKFn4w6gB-sUc6JFgiUWFzbJS9v49QoMycb9sLLYyfd9f6fv-H2jIilFfKVN-0vVYFMWb1dQiD9IIldZMzDSLsyx-b3N1MxTKKhzNqJWVhQ2iUFjlf5yXlXp7sB1963re9YYtIynJelxiIJykDNcZ6MqXxOKXGmm/s3712/kedar%20prr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2222" data-original-width="3712" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRvH6JWq2GjR9pc69-v6vbAuE9BesOKFn4w6gB-sUc6JFgiUWFzbJS9v49QoMycb9sLLYyfd9f6fv-H2jIilFfKVN-0vVYFMWb1dQiD9IIldZMzDSLsyx-b3N1MxTKKhzNqJWVhQ2iUFjlf5yXlXp7sB1963re9YYtIynJelxiIJykDNcZ6MqXxOKXGmm/s320/kedar%20prr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><span style="color: red;">Kedar and PRR - Ranji debut proved elusive despite creditable performances</span></b><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">SMK’s MCC school mates PS Moses and Bharath Reddy too were present as was The Hindu’s K Balaji(<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-blossoming-cricket-career-was-cut.html?m=1">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-blossoming-cricket-career-was-cut.html?m=1</a>) who played together (with SMK) at the city / state schools and University level in the 1970s.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Batsmen hopped at the crease when this man ran in to bowl</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sunil Haridas is now based out of Coimbatore where he runs an auto ancillary engineering unit. His Pachaiappas College Captain SR Prakash, who later joined ICF, reminded him of the way he made the best of batsman in the city dance around the crease with his pace. But quickly Sunil reminded Prakash that the two of them he found most difficult to dislodge were the Viveka openers - Kicha and V Shiv - and they for most part frustrated the opposition new ball bowlers by amassing runs in that phase in almost every match. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His brother and the captain of the Madras University team that won the Rohinton Baria tournament in 1973, Sushil Haridas was also present on the evening as the players took him back to that glorious year of triumph.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SxY30jbG_CRcBklHNMrmlP03La3fO09Rq2dRrWO4Nx4OIgwoqLaoD8k-B_sovIM8niTuJncL05MLEqR2WNMixwosb2l5L1KfEdekat4-N7IuMN4Lf2ZnbFxRrmTQN3rlSCh44wSp6-fMS3u286pgcAcqsxSreFKgnIfArPLFpMAZeavX3ZvPR4kRYUrM/s3809/smk%20with%20haridas%20bros.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1549" data-original-width="3809" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SxY30jbG_CRcBklHNMrmlP03La3fO09Rq2dRrWO4Nx4OIgwoqLaoD8k-B_sovIM8niTuJncL05MLEqR2WNMixwosb2l5L1KfEdekat4-N7IuMN4Lf2ZnbFxRrmTQN3rlSCh44wSp6-fMS3u286pgcAcqsxSreFKgnIfArPLFpMAZeavX3ZvPR4kRYUrM/s320/smk%20with%20haridas%20bros.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">SR Prakash (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/06/sr-prakash-icf-pachaiappas-cat-lover.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/06/sr-prakash-icf-pachaiappas-cat-lover.html</a>) reminded Kalli of the motivational words he had shared at the BS Nets <b>“I was a youngster trying to make my mark in cricket. Kalli was already a star bowler in Ranji cricket. He would bowl to me at his full pace and challenge me to not get out in the nets. It is five decades now but his encouragement at the nets remains fresh in my memory and served as an inspiration for me to do well.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Satvinder Singh (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/04/satvinder-singh75.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/04/satvinder-singh75.html</a>) recalled the decade of the 1970s as one when inter collegiate matches and the first division matches attracted huge crowds and Ranji matches were played in front of crowd of over 20000. It was great motivation for the players to be competing in front of such big crowd. Also, he recounted as to how cricket was the one thing that brought people together <b>“It is so energising now at this age to meet and chat up with so many of the cricketers who had played together five decades ago.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3JDVZbbkudaSSRjYNE19o24AqZ-rCOHJd-VH2v7X6cNtm6XbmWIqpybViGWFbKEVEHgTs5trbjy1QCCKKF9BmXgegTEFisLLen2ZApc2iTbF5Hy7lALVWyC8rBmgVtTRq2vfY5jilj7Of6MvrWUxsjmrqqL2IER_Kc8W7yGOhjSeZ5ph52WLlGBqlJYF5/s3567/sativinder%20venkat%20smk%20prr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1291" data-original-width="3567" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3JDVZbbkudaSSRjYNE19o24AqZ-rCOHJd-VH2v7X6cNtm6XbmWIqpybViGWFbKEVEHgTs5trbjy1QCCKKF9BmXgegTEFisLLen2ZApc2iTbF5Hy7lALVWyC8rBmgVtTRq2vfY5jilj7Of6MvrWUxsjmrqqL2IER_Kc8W7yGOhjSeZ5ph52WLlGBqlJYF5/s320/sativinder%20venkat%20smk%20prr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He took the audience back to that memorable semi final victory in Pune against Maharashtra in 1973 when VV Kumar, Venkat and Kalli bundled out the opposition. <b>“We asked Sushil (Haridas) to go and get us a few ‘Kingfisher’ bottles. When we had a drink later that evening, he revealed the truth that sent the team into rapturous laughter ‘the shopkeeper had a few plain beer bottles and he wrapped those with the Kingfisher sticker!!!’</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">TN Ranji win on Sunday in Coimbatore</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PR Ramakrishnan has been overseeing some of the cricket developments in Coimbatore and has played an advisory role as and when required. When this writer congratulated him on getting TN to win its first match of the season in his home town after a not so convincing start to the new season, he told P Ramesh who had been present for the Buchi Babu final in September last year that the pitch in Coimbatore is a good one for batting and he saw Jagadeesan bat really well on the opening day. “The spinners seemed to have bowled well to bundle out the Railways twice in two days”, he said.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3EeM1CXfBpaNYa5ope3So59JFh5pwXtsN-taC76BuGHPptcUXu4EQO0OjqBPQvPq3fKBD7wAkxIA8hi6HDbhVDMpKU8VVahVR75jm8DPqGtTlYR39w6eOhZjHQB0Ct4N4TMoGmPhWRO7JA8azx2ckh_d2Psu6LCgTALtxej67te4z_uL8d5Ti6UglNjcR/s2884/riaz%20smk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1916" data-original-width="2884" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3EeM1CXfBpaNYa5ope3So59JFh5pwXtsN-taC76BuGHPptcUXu4EQO0OjqBPQvPq3fKBD7wAkxIA8hi6HDbhVDMpKU8VVahVR75jm8DPqGtTlYR39w6eOhZjHQB0Ct4N4TMoGmPhWRO7JA8azx2ckh_d2Psu6LCgTALtxej67te4z_uL8d5Ti6UglNjcR/s320/riaz%20smk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Railways cricketer Riaz recounted as to how his slow looping off spin got him wickets "I was probably the slowest off spinner in that period and many batsmen got out reaching out to the ball when it did not quite reach them!!"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Star Studded IOB Team</span></b></div><div>SMK’s IOB team mates from that phase M Sundar, N Ramesh, TA Sekar, S Ramji and B Bhaskar (Bosskey) were also to catch up on memories from those early years at the Bank when V Krishnaswamy was trying to build a strong team in the first division. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzP5-plNDpzOZwKO06KNwTGB8T6ssQfPkx53M2w4UAPDkNbfS-zx8042Ovz4JhTSP8bFW1z4iuju8-Z9KBAKvSzBCsp_gR7Zq_7-IwM1RqezHDqNG7FEA9tUelFvcFsyAm5WkYLhPzPhEwtWTNq6Zo8-69OgmNMynGQWRzUHQU9Z28W1Ac1IuntEpIrhFd/s3879/IOB%201970s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="3879" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzP5-plNDpzOZwKO06KNwTGB8T6ssQfPkx53M2w4UAPDkNbfS-zx8042Ovz4JhTSP8bFW1z4iuju8-Z9KBAKvSzBCsp_gR7Zq_7-IwM1RqezHDqNG7FEA9tUelFvcFsyAm5WkYLhPzPhEwtWTNq6Zo8-69OgmNMynGQWRzUHQU9Z28W1Ac1IuntEpIrhFd/s320/IOB%201970s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">K Srikkanth, his brother Srinath, big hitting R Prabhakar, Off Spinner V Ramnarayan, P Mukund and K Barath Kumar too were present.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">AG Harjinder Singh was delighted with SMK for having put together such an event "It has really provided us with fresh energy looking back at those great years in cricket", he told SMK.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">From the man who put this event together</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The final words of the evening came from the organiser SM Krishnakumar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/01/sm-krishnakumar-madras-university.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/01/sm-krishnakumar-madras-university.html</a>), now working for Reuters in Sydney. He said that it was always great banter in the dressing room with each pulling the other one’s legs. <b>"It was great excitement to play in Chennai in the 1970s as there was great competition and you were always fighting for your place. There was happiness after a win. And a loss resulted in long post mortem. There was also drinking on the sly. But what was the biggest outcome of that decade in cricket was the bonding amongst players that has stood the test of time and this evening’s gathering is testimony to that."</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A cricketer commending SMK's great helping attitude said that the victorious University captain had supported him financially, quietly without making noise, at a time when he was in real need of help. That marks his character, he said. SMK is every ready to help his fellow cricketers of the 1970s in any way he can.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">SMK placed on record the great support extended to him by V Shiv over the last month in making arrangements at the MCC for this evening's event.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1H_CTkcnmt9PO9ruvbH6Df_45rhwNuftUPrq-SXkTUKEKjL-Evqad81zx1XoEujyBQx3jkPbbGIT22Lu9Lhj-hoGnGnssOhiIroFD70C8Pf-featAcaHpeVWwhkF14Fjtc4XQZyudTBmpyU6vRGVKIWfZjkEUWN4muOZAuijs9En86eOK1rlAcDiG82bm/s2290/venkat%20srikkanth%20booklet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1661" data-original-width="2290" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1H_CTkcnmt9PO9ruvbH6Df_45rhwNuftUPrq-SXkTUKEKjL-Evqad81zx1XoEujyBQx3jkPbbGIT22Lu9Lhj-hoGnGnssOhiIroFD70C8Pf-featAcaHpeVWwhkF14Fjtc4XQZyudTBmpyU6vRGVKIWfZjkEUWN4muOZAuijs9En86eOK1rlAcDiG82bm/s320/venkat%20srikkanth%20booklet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A small booklet brought out by senior cricket journalist Partab Ramchand, who also welcomed the gathering, was handed out to the cricketers with Venkat receiving the first copy from Srikkanth.</div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-3852443398933689752024-01-21T23:17:00.006+05:302024-01-31T22:41:33.898+05:30SM Krishnakumar Madras University Rohinton Baria<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">His biggest cricketing moment came in Jan'76 when he lifted the prestigious Rohinton Baria Trophy at the Wankhade after beating a strong Bombay team</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPR4MRtMEOCqEEW15IDaiJOKELuDYXLHHRBui7E2aUgvhayNSVqm_X4y5jTi3ytWomceyc3l1ujjiH5kqQBUHfpOWUc-6d3BBRdRN2TaeORuUMdXH3RuC7emIiuJ-QeWIMzDhNIOBior_SlRjSONdjnPdGNiWu6zsZrvhwtLvVL_z1C5DdDlJkpYi5hq3/s1025/SM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="934" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPR4MRtMEOCqEEW15IDaiJOKELuDYXLHHRBui7E2aUgvhayNSVqm_X4y5jTi3ytWomceyc3l1ujjiH5kqQBUHfpOWUc-6d3BBRdRN2TaeORuUMdXH3RuC7emIiuJ-QeWIMzDhNIOBior_SlRjSONdjnPdGNiWu6zsZrvhwtLvVL_z1C5DdDlJkpYi5hq3/s320/SM.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Its forty years since SM Krishna Kumar left the Madras shores but his memories of lifting the prestigious Rohinton Baria Trophy after defeating a star-studded Bombay team in 1976 remain fresh. It had been the best moment in his cricketing life. He had been a captain right from his school days and this victory in Bombay was the icing on the cake for this soft-spoken cricketer. A month later, he scored a century in a practice game for TN against Ceylon a couple of days ahead of the Gopalan Trophy match but the TN selectors had already named the XI as was the model then and he was informed, much to his shock and disappointment, by his captain Michael Dalvi that he was not in the XI. Within months of the University triumph, he was roped in by the then TN opener V Krishnaswamy to IOB in the first division. A year later, he was to be in the TN squad for the Ranji match but unfortunately he twisted his ankle, not for the first time in his career and was ruled out of cricket for a few months. He took to umpiring in 1978 seeking to emulate his appa who had officiated in a test match in 1961 and made his Ranji debut (in umpiring) in the early 1980s. However, an extraordinary performance in the all-India officer promotion examination led him to IOB Hongkong and his mind shifted to a career in ‘Currency’. Here’s the story. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Krishnakumar (SM to his cricketing friends) began playing cricket as a five year old in the corridor of his home in Purasawalkam. There was so little space on one side that he could not play his strokes freely as a right hander and hence became a left- handed bat. The open space on the leg side for this left hander meant he developed on side strokes a lot better in those early days. His advocate appa, SV Kumaraswamy, who played a bit of cricket alongside the legendary Pattabhiraman and Sriraman, took to umpiring early in his life and officiated in the Delhi test in December 1961, the one that saw Tiger Pataudi make his debut against Ted Dexter’s England.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">SM is on a trip to his home town after five long years and is busy catching up with old mates soon after he landed in Chennai this week. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amidst his packed schedule, he made time to meet the writer to recount his cricketing years<b> “My sister was studious and academically brilliant and here I was spending almost my entire time on cricket during my school and college years but much to my delight my parents gave me all the freedom to do what I enjoyed. Cricketing legends of the time visited home at frequent intervals and hence the discussions in that early phase in my life was always around cricket. When I was just five, my appa took me to the Corporation stadium to watch the Ranji players practice and that experience created a great bit of interest in cricket. My goal had been set right then - I wanted to play for TN”, </b>he told this writer as to how the TN Ranji players of the time proved to his early inspiration in cricket.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">A Big early lesson in his cricketing life</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His earliest taste of captaincy was rather bitter as a strong Senior side at MCC School lost to an un-fancied St. Georges School led by Burrows <b>“It was a huge upset and our loss sent shock waves across the cricketing fraternity. I was quite disappointed that day but it also taught me a big lesson that has been with me for the rest of my life – Never underestimate your opponent however weak you think they are.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">A long association with MRC A</span></div><div>In 1968, he joined MRC A in the third division of the TNCA league <b>“I had heard a lot about the history of MRC. PR Sundaram was in the process of rebuilding the team and he encouraged youngsters. I was just 13 years old but the club presented me with a number of opportunities and that early exposure to league cricket gave me a lot of confidence.”</b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5eA4ljr4OyV4FZ3Sqnl81F9f8agzbnJ01HqvOukE5SH-TUgICuHghJdPRb6NJVX60rQ2qPHB0SjLEJ16wKu3xGLrnSxc5DTPF_NrRUMtxddptHEuZyHqqh-9-zh48As1skgy5yQantLUfEzCbmKlZMgkRmhfo_Fq7rhMGZZauIboL0AmB9YVkBMAwJIb/s787/Mrc%20a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="787" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5eA4ljr4OyV4FZ3Sqnl81F9f8agzbnJ01HqvOukE5SH-TUgICuHghJdPRb6NJVX60rQ2qPHB0SjLEJ16wKu3xGLrnSxc5DTPF_NrRUMtxddptHEuZyHqqh-9-zh48As1skgy5yQantLUfEzCbmKlZMgkRmhfo_Fq7rhMGZZauIboL0AmB9YVkBMAwJIb/s320/Mrc%20a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">A left hander's delight - SM caressing the ball through the covers!!!</span></b></div><div><div>TT Srinivasaraghavan (TT Ramesh during his school days), who retired in 2021 from Sundaram Finance after having served as its MD for over 15years, played alongside Krishnakumar for a few years at school and then against him at the college level (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/08/tt-srinivasaraghavan-tts-sundaram.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/08/tt-srinivasaraghavan-tts-sundaram.html</a>). He has fond memories of Krishnakumar from that period in the late 1960s and early 70s <b>“SM, as we called him, was one of the most stylish left handers of our time. He was gifted with the natural left hander's grace and was a sweet timer of the ball. We were teammates, and played a lot together, since we were in the same class until 9th standard, and were the team to beat, in the inter section matches! We were also teammates in the school team. He moved to the engineering section in Class 10, after which we became rivals! We later played against each other in college as well, he representing Pachaiyappas college and I Vivekananda!”</b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rwrtJgyGVts-J8reARoyF7CR49arzQtfliJF6SZ6c8hYKwaKqEh2Tf4rX0-McFdns58sW0IRlNLBsiFLNd3AeIaYFi7ZSKKnL962DAqlJfQfUY4wDK81-vbW7Xu3utZsnQBBRTJdyO47CsqY__NQeFQTF1TCWO5YezXBs9B0Q1WVPao7OSmPIzu9w2nA/s676/mcc%20school%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="676" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rwrtJgyGVts-J8reARoyF7CR49arzQtfliJF6SZ6c8hYKwaKqEh2Tf4rX0-McFdns58sW0IRlNLBsiFLNd3AeIaYFi7ZSKKnL962DAqlJfQfUY4wDK81-vbW7Xu3utZsnQBBRTJdyO47CsqY__NQeFQTF1TCWO5YezXBs9B0Q1WVPao7OSmPIzu9w2nA/s320/mcc%20school%20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div><b>“As I recall, he curbed his natural stroke making abilities in the latter part of his career and became more of a defensive batsman. We were also in the NCC, Naval wing together, through our school years. It's well over 50 years since we left school but the memories of SM caressing the ball through the covers are still vivid!”</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div>Former Ranji middle order batsman and a team mate of Krishnakumar right from the MCC school days, PS Moses(<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/06/ps-moses-tn-ranji-batsman-1970s-80s.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/06/ps-moses-tn-ranji-batsman-1970s-80s.html</a>) who is now deep into 'Faith' says SM was one of the best human beings he has come across <b> "He was very humble, honest, refined, very kind hearted, knowledgeable and very friendly. </b><b>As a batsman, he was very gritty and it was never easy to get him out. He valued his wicket and would grind the opposition."</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div></div><div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Cricketing Idol</span></div><div>Even as his cricket was beginning to take shape in the early 1970s, two outstanding performances had a great bearing on Krishnakumar as a batsman and a captain <b>“India’s victories in the West Indies and England under Ajit Wadekar left a lasting impression in me. Though the 1983 World Cup is cited as a turning point in India’s cricket history, the performances in the WI and England in the early 70s put us on the world map in cricket. Wadekar helped bring the team together and brought the best out of the players. He was my cricketing idol from my teenage years in cricket. Of course, as a left hander, I was also greatly inspired by Sobers’ twin knocks in Chennai in January 1967.”</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div>He had remained a middle order bat during the school days. It was when V Sivaramakrishnan moved out of MRC A that he was elevated to open the batting for the club in the first division. He recalls with great cheer saving the first match of the new season against VV Kumar and Co<b> “We came up against a strong SBI team at the start of the season and I was opening for the first time at this level. They had scored 195 by lunch and were confident of bowling us out in the 2nd half. I batted for 3 ½ hours against VV, Chandru and Prabhakar to save the match for MRC ‘A’ It was one of my first big moments in cricket.”</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Played some unique shots</span></div><div>Owner of The Hindu and middle order Ranji batsman from the 1970s K Balaji (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-blossoming-cricket-career-was-cut.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-blossoming-cricket-career-was-cut.html</a>) first went on a long tour with Krishnakumar with the City Schools team to Lovedale. He had seen Krishnakumar from close quarter through the 1970s and remembers him as being ahead of his time in terms of shot making<b> “We see scoops being played now but SMK played some unique shots even way back then. He would even confidently sweep the fast bowlers.”</b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBUq-eaksLQzpkz1CwGELdw5rRXiPPF5O4eRalD3kLbWPu7-e8aezUIGgWAiSQMq5jCQWrRqpMirrTMT6yg2ufmtQw7pomkJMrMNuzVvMbyinGy4X63kQAX6M_FgoRiv7_dDad4oN-GyjAiHait-Mb8yFsi_7y9jGklpXzIk45vD_kkj_ep7MQvW8O4dk/s764/University%20team%20at%20Mysore.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="764" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBUq-eaksLQzpkz1CwGELdw5rRXiPPF5O4eRalD3kLbWPu7-e8aezUIGgWAiSQMq5jCQWrRqpMirrTMT6yg2ufmtQw7pomkJMrMNuzVvMbyinGy4X63kQAX6M_FgoRiv7_dDad4oN-GyjAiHait-Mb8yFsi_7y9jGklpXzIk45vD_kkj_ep7MQvW8O4dk/s320/University%20team%20at%20Mysore.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Krishnakumar played under PR Ramakrishnan’s captaincy for the University team in 74-75. Ramki (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/10/pr-ramakrishnan-coimbatore-cricketer.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/10/pr-ramakrishnan-coimbatore-cricketer.html</a>) now a leading advocate in Coimbatore recalls SM as a complete team man ‘He was the ultimate team man and a captain’s dream. He always played for the team. He exhibited good leadership qualities even as a teenager. He was a non controversial and a jovial person with his sole thoughts revolving around wanting the team to do well.”</div><div><br /><div><b><span style="color: red;">The Glorious Triumph</span></b></div><div>Krishnakumar reached the pinnacle in his cricket career in early 1976. He recalls as to how they stayed as one unit leading up to the Rohinton Baria tournament<b> “Under my captaincy the previous year, the city colleges took the first innings lead against MCC in the semi-final of the Buchi Babu tourney but lost outright. Though we lost, it gave us a lot of confidence that we could take on a strong MCC team and give them a serious challenge. It was almost the same team that played in 75-76 in the inter university tournament. We had already built a good rapport and were playing well as a unit.”</b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYsaQtiRIwdvtJYSoiyV4Okp1pwZrC6dPv-IU3UUn9-FpCEr4bYKxUPW8Zm29rrCmbTup7X81r9-CyVCBAH8u02trOwBBJm8R-PJtOuHwqMY8yacEI_2ltcSQl-kXCQBYm5o2jwfoup54A6eeQdbzCi3aNaL8_TT1lZosq9V-S5EkRfxYUGOMBCVsvmPQN/s954/smk%20rohinton%20baria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="954" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYsaQtiRIwdvtJYSoiyV4Okp1pwZrC6dPv-IU3UUn9-FpCEr4bYKxUPW8Zm29rrCmbTup7X81r9-CyVCBAH8u02trOwBBJm8R-PJtOuHwqMY8yacEI_2ltcSQl-kXCQBYm5o2jwfoup54A6eeQdbzCi3aNaL8_TT1lZosq9V-S5EkRfxYUGOMBCVsvmPQN/s320/smk%20rohinton%20baria.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div>After winning the trophy earlier in the decade, the Madras University had missed out on success for a couple of years. And in 75-76, they recaptured the lost glory under SM. He enjoyed Pongal in 1976 with a terrific 81 in the semifinal against a Punjab side comprising the likes of Malhotra, Yashpal and Yograj Singh. It was his first innings effort that set up Madras’ victory.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>A fortnight later, he proudly held aloft the Trophy. Krishnakumar credits the great unity among the team members for the victory <b>“Bombay was a star studded line up that included Sandeep Patil, Rahul Mankad, Suru Nayak and Zarapkar. We were clearly the underdogs and nobody gave us a chance but within the team we were quietly confident. I was blessed with a terrific set of players each of whom made vital contributions when the team most needed. To post a comeback win like we did in the final after conceding the first innings lead gave each of us a great deal of confidence.”</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>He counts the victory under Sushil’s captaincy in 1973 as a thrilling one while the one in 1976 gave him a lot of satisfaction. <b>“I had dreamed for an entire year of lifting that trophy and when it happened in Bombay, it was a magical moment for me.”</b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXprwwNKch5oNSeDi_ZGQ-Y6upP-pk9mi0llVN8_SP3RuMHevPSlngtrjvOszRu6HFhjnoOpJC7HgGt03cHIrzLfAqU5wRqiYLHYrGgpNLe7zTRhBTwFk7QQffIZpXhVXRnQXY2uq_6mx2yTgp3oFKl63qfKRjLJ1Ulc_Rf3MWIrgk-aYmofH0bmA5oMzd/s631/RB%20Trophy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="631" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXprwwNKch5oNSeDi_ZGQ-Y6upP-pk9mi0llVN8_SP3RuMHevPSlngtrjvOszRu6HFhjnoOpJC7HgGt03cHIrzLfAqU5wRqiYLHYrGgpNLe7zTRhBTwFk7QQffIZpXhVXRnQXY2uq_6mx2yTgp3oFKl63qfKRjLJ1Ulc_Rf3MWIrgk-aYmofH0bmA5oMzd/s320/RB%20Trophy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>He says he was determined as a captain and went about bringing the team together as one unit that was cheerful all the time and the spirit was good among the team members <b>“As a captain I was lucky in a way that each of the teams had some outstanding contributors - S Vasu and SK Patel at the Rohinton Baria, Rajasekar and Prasad for Junior State and M Santosh Kumar and Dayakar for IOB. You could bank on them to turnaround the fortunes at important moments in the match.”</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">The Decisive break eludes him</span></b></div><div>A month after this momentous victory, Krishnakumar was picked in the TN team for the Gopalan Trophy tournament in Sri Lanka. Ranji Trophy winning captain S Vasudevan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/vasudevan-tn-ranji-trophy-retirement.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/vasudevan-tn-ranji-trophy-retirement.html</a>) is now the spin coach at the TNCA Academy. He was an integral part of the team that won the Rohinton Baria Tournament under Krishnakumar’s captaincy and made a telling contribution with the ball both in the semi-final and the final picking up 13 wickets. He recalls the century in Colombo ahead of the Gopalan Trophy match “S<b>M was in prime form. He had led the Madras University to a glorious triumph in Bombay just a month earlier and was looking forward to the move to the next level in cricket. He scored a superb century against Ceylon in the practice game and could have been picked for the TN team for the Gopalan Trophy but unfortunately the Selectors had already named the XI and this century did not count for anything. An opportunity in that match could have been a decisive break for him especially as his confidence was high at that time but it was not to be.” </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Gvu45mua68N99MbsYZwDEWVp5I7cp5wrYovYmIo4E7L6Umtnu4ZxOhFQjvE6t74rYaWuSRI_gFqvqTuL2Kuo2mgN3Y_UEL5QIuoh2u7OCdvqDMdGitEF8xmIsv3nyw588cCNlQn0q-fHTS2q1ITAM0bJ69j8nbztLO-vqJrIr7t9Yidoewv18Uc2n-YS/s723/TN%20juniors.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="723" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Gvu45mua68N99MbsYZwDEWVp5I7cp5wrYovYmIo4E7L6Umtnu4ZxOhFQjvE6t74rYaWuSRI_gFqvqTuL2Kuo2mgN3Y_UEL5QIuoh2u7OCdvqDMdGitEF8xmIsv3nyw588cCNlQn0q-fHTS2q1ITAM0bJ69j8nbztLO-vqJrIr7t9Yidoewv18Uc2n-YS/s320/TN%20juniors.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>Krishnakumar himself recounts the disappointment at not getting that crucial break when he was in good form. <b>"My confidence was sky high. I was all excited and raring to go. I had worked hard for close to a decade with the ambition of playing for TN and believed that the moment had arrived. When I did not get to bat at the nets on the eve of the big game I thought that they had seen enough of me after the century and that I was a certainty in the XI. When captain Michael Dalvi called me aside and told me that the Selectors had already chosen the XI and that I would not playing the match, I realised that the century had kind of turned inconsequential. It was one of the low points of my cricket career. I had been scoring decent runs and believed that I was on the cusp of achieving what I had been my cricketing dream since the time I saw the TN cricketers at the nets as a 5year old boy. For a while, I was completely dejected and disappointed and it took sometime for me to overcome the shock of being dropped.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>He also scored a half century against the Sri Lanka U25 team, one comprising of future international players.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBarCfDo0A3YnyBQrE9zU7JOa-IItcU7ks2KR69w4LNqXhfFrJvml0LnsS-EWgxKwuxTWRcU69CFhrp0KSoCfx-ciG1aE_SQJ6UZAL_h0UybFL7NZ-Lv6KllWouG52XC9AT6MRIWzdmoahaYnQmUuQZMmvvAfk72kpISVXdgAl71eSyNpdJLkdB8fNTuC/s576/srini%20sm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="576" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBarCfDo0A3YnyBQrE9zU7JOa-IItcU7ks2KR69w4LNqXhfFrJvml0LnsS-EWgxKwuxTWRcU69CFhrp0KSoCfx-ciG1aE_SQJ6UZAL_h0UybFL7NZ-Lv6KllWouG52XC9AT6MRIWzdmoahaYnQmUuQZMmvvAfk72kpISVXdgAl71eSyNpdJLkdB8fNTuC/s320/srini%20sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Always a high price on his wicket</span></b></div><div>S (Just) Srinivasan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/08/s-srinivasan-tn-bombay-ranji-svpb-spic.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/08/s-srinivasan-tn-bombay-ranji-svpb-spic.html</a>) was involved in a big century partnership with Peter Fernandez in the Semifinals of the inter University tournament in January 1976. He played under Krishnakumar both for Madras University as well the Junior State team. In 2018, when Srinivasan went to Australia, he remembers Krishnakumar hosting a great lunch at his home in Sydney <b>“SM was an astute Captain. I had always admired him as an opening batsman who played with a lot of guts & determination and wondered as to how he managed to play so capably sporting the spectacles. He understood his limitations and played well within himself. He always laid a high price on his wicket. We had all hoped and wished that he would be rewarded with the State Cap after emerging as a Victorious Captain of the Madras University against the star studded Bombay University team & having scored useful runs in the tournament but it was not to be.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Takes up Kicha's offer at IOB</span></b></div><div><div>Within months of the Rohinton Baria triumph and even before he graduated, TN opener V Krishnaswamy (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/08/krishnaswamy-v.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/08/krishnaswamy-v.html</a>) offered him a job at IOB. He says legendary S Venkataraghavan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/venkataraghavan75.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/venkataraghavan75.html</a>) too offered him a job at SPIC and an opportunity to play for YMA but he had to reject that as he had already accepted the offer from Kicha. </div><div><br /></div><div>The man who hired him was a strict disciplinarian and SM got a taste of that in a league match soon after<b> “Family events combined with my evening classes at Law meant I had to miss the practice at IOB ahead of a league match. Soon after the toss, I padded up ready to open only to be told by H Sundaram (who was like an elder brother to me) that Kicha had imposed a one match punishment on me for missing the practice the previous day. I had become a regular in the team by then but it did not matter to Kicha for whom team discipline was important. It was yet another great early learning in my life on aspects of successful team building” </b>says Krishnakumar.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Has always been a great host</span></b></div><div><div>IOB opener M Sundar played together for the city and state schools and joined IOB the same year as Krishnakumar <b>“We had a great 7-8 years at IOB. He was very knowledgeable and could talk on a whole range of subjects. Even way back then, he was very philosophical. We would often meet for the victory celebrations at the terrace of his house at Fort St. George overlooking the Bay of Bengal and have long hours of cricket chats. After the University triumph, he was ambitious and quite serious about his cricket but later turned his attention to focus on a Banking career where he has done extremely well. He was a brilliant guy and stood first in the all-India examination when both of us were promoted to the officer grade.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>"He never forgot those early years at IOB and always tracked the performance of the players at the Bank. While meeting at his house had been a regular feature in Madras, he surprised all of us by hosting the IOB team members in Hongkong after he moved there in the mid 1980s."</b></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">A top human being</span></b></div><div>Former state opener NP Madhavan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/05/np-madhavan.html?m=1">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/05/np-madhavan.html?m=1</a>), who too was picked by Kicha for IOB in the late 1970s, has great words of praise for Krishnakumar as a human being <b>“He was very calm in nature and moved well with every one. He was very knowledgeable and committed in work and that reflected in the strong career growth he has had."</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Most loyal to IOB</span></b></div><div><div>Former Test cricketer and architect of the MRF Pace Foundation TA Sekar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2013/08/ta-sekar-fastest-indian-bowler-of-1980s.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2013/08/ta-sekar-fastest-indian-bowler-of-1980s.html</a>) was one of the fastest bowlers in the Indian domestic circuit in the early 1980s. He played together with Krishnakumar for many years in the 1970s including at Pachaiappas College and was part of the Madras University team that won the Rohinton Baria though he did not feature in the knock out matches. He particularly commends his ability to stand up strong on the unfriendly batting pitches in Chennai <b>“To open on the dangerous matting wickets in those years needed great determination and grit. SM had both of these in abundant quantity. He could not be dislodged easily and placed a high price on his wicket.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYTV8Le4c4bpGngmb60Y6wQpEKtgtwtZsyC34t68qoeE8VRdTUUgkUICvbMHtIkbZC8AtoJSBycCYFYL32ZRLanXaTPQ1ueNroGpRyjoGasAx_by0QJ8aQvVrIgsnyuaIw1mSHdAvebiexFV2Fbbavb29NKBZnNe9ShBWYkyTFjXaiKdSgCDglwruYpRH/s1024/pachaiappas%20win.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYTV8Le4c4bpGngmb60Y6wQpEKtgtwtZsyC34t68qoeE8VRdTUUgkUICvbMHtIkbZC8AtoJSBycCYFYL32ZRLanXaTPQ1ueNroGpRyjoGasAx_by0QJ8aQvVrIgsnyuaIw1mSHdAvebiexFV2Fbbavb29NKBZnNe9ShBWYkyTFjXaiKdSgCDglwruYpRH/s320/pachaiappas%20win.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><span style="color: red;"> Victorious Pachaiappas team</span></b></div><div><br /><div>Sekar found SM extremely loyal to IOB and incurred his wrath when he decided to move to Jolly Rovers in the early 1980s <b>“He was a very friendly person and for most part was a non- controversial type. But when he heard that I was moving from IOB to Chemplast, he was very upset. He was so loyal to IOB that he could not put up with anyone quitting the bank and moving to another team.”</b></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fought for the Bank's cause</span></b></div><div><div>Another Pachaiappas and IOB teammate M Santosh Kumar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/06/m-santosh-kumar-iob-tn-ica.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/06/m-santosh-kumar-iob-tn-ica.html</a>) made his debut for Junior state under Krishnakumar’s captaincy. He counts SM as one of the best human beings he has met on the cricket field and says that everyone in the team liked him. He recounts an incident in those early years that showed his great loyalty to IOB <b>“A match for IOB coincided with the Ranji nets. SM was clear that all of us had to play the match for the bank and let know his views to the powers that be at the TNCA. Not only did he convince them that it would be good match practice for the players, he also fought for IOB’s cause. The bank had provided us with jobs and he wanted each of us to be grateful for that and show our commitment by playing for the bank unless there were other compelling reasons. Most others would have succumbed to the pressure from TNCA but not SM. He spoke his mind on most occasions.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>In a Buchi Babu match where Santosh took 12 wickets, IOB were left to chase well over 300 against the TNCA XI <b>“TA Sekar was at his fastest that day on a bouncy wicket at Union. There were no safety guards in those days but SM fought it out and gave his life for the Bank that day. He never gave up till the very end. It was his knock of 80+ that helped IOB win the match.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>He was a very shrewd captain too <b>‘</b><b>He was also tactically brilliant as a captain. </b><b>Dayakar and I were the main spinners at that time for IOB. Much to our disgust, he would take us off when we were bowling well and bring in NP Madhavan or Vasan and one of the them would immediately get us a crucial breakthrough. He knew how to get the best out of each player and always played for the team's winning cause.”</b></div><div><br /></div></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Gives up the Ranji playing dream but debuts in Umpiring</span></b></div><div>Runs for IOB brought him back into contention for the Ranji team under P. Mukund’s captaincy but once again his knee gave in. That was the last nail in the coffin and the weakness in the knee meant that his Ranji dream as a player would remain unfulfilled. But he chose another route to make his Ranji debut. Even as a young boy, he had learned the laws of cricket from his appa and had taken great early interest in understanding the nuances. In 1978, he cleared the umpiring examination and began to officiate in lower division matches while still playing for IOB in the first division. </div><div><br /></div><div>Into the early 1980s, he passed the Board examination and made his debut as a Ranji umpire in 1982 something that gave him great satisfaction <b>“I could not make it as a player but to officiate as an umpire in a Ranji match before I had turned 30 was very satisfying. At that time, I was very serious about umpiring and believed I had it in me to become a test umpire."</b></div><div><br /></div><div>But he surprised himself with his outstanding performance in the promotion examination at IOB and things changed quite dramatically for him in his life <b>“The bank had a ‘special motivational offer’ for those who came first in the all India examination. When I stood first in the officer promotion exam, I was posted on an overseas engagement. It was an exciting opportunity at 29.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Another life lesson - Appa's sudden death and his last conversation with him</span></b></div><div>However, everything was not rosy that year and 1984 turned out to be a mixed bag for Krishnakumar <b>“I was following in my appa’s footsteps as an umpire and had taken to it seriously. Within two months of my marriage, my appa passed away all of a sudden and then came this overseas posting. There was no plan to leave the country and all my focus had been on cricket over the previous 15years. My life changed quite unexpectedly. In a way it turned out that I was gone from Madras for ever with that overseas assignment for I have never come back to work in India in the last 40 years.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOC5VdUsplWFoD7a3Mqqoan1VEhAYIA3jcSubOamLgaenfhO8HKMPBZYaPpzly65nHGOVT1WU2MNJKmvgpJuQidpyZlZjwPoSyLczmLl8_CDpf90PCTUT_vmlwAWbNd4WCeYU8nRf7HgbCcOm0xCLuPt6c2tpIHrhCufjHz-WGTqBcfFecfckZ03hwYgc/s916/SV%20Kumaraswamy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="916" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOC5VdUsplWFoD7a3Mqqoan1VEhAYIA3jcSubOamLgaenfhO8HKMPBZYaPpzly65nHGOVT1WU2MNJKmvgpJuQidpyZlZjwPoSyLczmLl8_CDpf90PCTUT_vmlwAWbNd4WCeYU8nRf7HgbCcOm0xCLuPt6c2tpIHrhCufjHz-WGTqBcfFecfckZ03hwYgc/s320/SV%20Kumaraswamy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>He remembers his last conversation with his appa as having imparted another important lesson in life <b>“That morning I had dropped my appa at the court. He wanted to share something with me after he got down but I was in a hurry to reach the bank and told him that I would talk to him in the evening. By then, he had gone into a coma and I was to never talk to him again. Do not postpone a conversation with your near and dear ones was a lesson I learned that day.”</b></div><div><div><br /></div><div><b>“I missed my appa a lot in later years for he would have been happy with my corporate and cricket success overseas.”</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">To Hongkong in 1984</span></b></div><div><div>He landed in Hongkong in 1984 after leaving behind his cricket kit and his umpiring attire back in Madras with a mind that was set to focus on currency trading<b> “It was then a very volatile market and I was handling US and Europe. That initial phase took a lot out of me as I had to work in multiple time zones. I had put my cricketing thoughts behind me and was mentally tuning in to focus on some challenging work at the Bank.”</b></div></div><div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>But he was in for a pleasant surprise. When he was passing by one morning, he stood at a ground to watch a cricket match for a few minutes. Soon he got into a conversation with the cricketers and in no time registered for a club signalling a rather unexpected return to cricket. In his second innings in cricket, he performed so well that he bagged the cricketer of the year at Kowloon Cricket Club in 1986<b> “There was no competitive pressure and I played for fun. Suddenly I found that I was beginning to enjoy the game a lot and that resulted in me scoring a lot of runs for that club.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzJu9Dgowj6ifxJGcBglH5MPBeFv-7-E3DmhjNmCymtW5HW9CKnuSKd6L2q2Q-adb5QRc604wpJ4fSvmk5VjSB2nruq2INW19njlwDW0wlXCDUpDKl-4k2GhDlQ9EWhwHO-cK62Hdz5tm6Zlk0l5jqrKHAh3uNiv2Bd7qhj2UaXl2v5JZeLaoYk8YmwJn/s843/kowloon%20cc%20best%20cricketer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="843" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzJu9Dgowj6ifxJGcBglH5MPBeFv-7-E3DmhjNmCymtW5HW9CKnuSKd6L2q2Q-adb5QRc604wpJ4fSvmk5VjSB2nruq2INW19njlwDW0wlXCDUpDKl-4k2GhDlQ9EWhwHO-cK62Hdz5tm6Zlk0l5jqrKHAh3uNiv2Bd7qhj2UaXl2v5JZeLaoYk8YmwJn/s320/kowloon%20cc%20best%20cricketer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Builds a big network through cricket</span></b></div><div>Cricket in Hongkong helped him expand his network as the who’s who of the country came and watched the club matches. Lords Taverners from the UK that included David Gower, Minor Counties, Oxford and Cambridge, the international teams from New Zealand and England all came to Hongkong to play cricket and it was great fun for SM to play against top notch players. An unofficial Indian team comprising of Madan Lal, Maninder and Ravi Shastri among others too visited Hongkong and SM had the opportunity to play against them as well. It was great cricketing fun without the pressure of looking for a 'Ranji debut' and that helped him express himself much more as a batsman. Soon he was in touch with the Chief Justice and Governor and the top Corporate Chiefs.<b> “On a day when I scored a century against Dunlop, my wife too had come to watch me bat. As we got talking at the end of the match with the opposition members, she unexpectedly landed up a finance job!!!”</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>After over a decade with IOB, he quit the bank and joined State Bank of Victoria in 1987. His cricketing engagement continued unabated. At the turn of that decade, he played in the world cup qualifier for Hongkong and top scored against Holland though the team lost the match “The opportunity to play against top players was greatly satisfying and I enjoyed it thoroughly”, says Krishnakumar on that cricketing phase in Hongkong in the second half of the 1980s.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoG-rVpX8Mj8HcsoZyfagjWOfXgBk9sDJvexkTJIzAQAvD-39H07qmrhLpN7qNk1yK4GEHcMbOrDVpL-xghTe4p3LeTdq8n7t6EiTLeHh-2Z0VjwOMWR_3vFoQ0wgpUmlNVUtzSRHtzsWmeFIZAOf_QYPQhf7BDSRtwacHijQ4Ooy4pwiVavVqONuaPPm/s816/1990%20hongkong%20team.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="816" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoG-rVpX8Mj8HcsoZyfagjWOfXgBk9sDJvexkTJIzAQAvD-39H07qmrhLpN7qNk1yK4GEHcMbOrDVpL-xghTe4p3LeTdq8n7t6EiTLeHh-2Z0VjwOMWR_3vFoQ0wgpUmlNVUtzSRHtzsWmeFIZAOf_QYPQhf7BDSRtwacHijQ4Ooy4pwiVavVqONuaPPm/s320/1990%20hongkong%20team.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>In 1990, he moved to Singapore where too he played cricket with a good deal of interest and joy for the rivalry with Malaysia was intense. He played around 15 games every year though the heat and humidity drained him many a time when he played a long innings.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Retires from cricket after almost 30 years</span></b></div><div>After almost three decades of non stop cricket, he finally ‘retired’ from playing in 1996 when he moved to Sydney<b> “The Asian Crisis towards the end of that decade meant I had very little time for anything outside of work. It was an extremely busy phase at work and I let go of cricket after I moved to Australia.”</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><b>SM turns Selector - A third stint in Cricket</b></div></div><div><div>In 2001, he moved back to Hongkong and once more to his surprise, he found a cricketing association coming his way. He was appointed as the Selector for age group teams and by 2005 had become the Chairman of Selectors of Hongkong at a time when Robin Singh was the coach. It was during this phase when the country also made it to the Asia Cup in Pakistan.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gets TN team to play in Hongkong</span></b></div><div>It was in that phase that current CEO of CSK and former VP of the BCCI KS Viswanathan went as a manager of the TN team that toured Hongkong <b>“As a batsman, he was very gritty and did well very well as a team man for every team that he played. Soon after the Ranji finals around two decades ago, it was SM who invited the TN team to Hongkong to play a few matches there as part of their 150th year celebrations. It was a great experience for all the players.”</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">A dignified person with a penchant for the English Language</span></b></div><div><div>TN hat-trick man from the 1970s, B Kalyanasundaram (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/01/kalli-b-kalyanasundaram-selector-match.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/01/kalli-b-kalyanasundaram-selector-match.html</a>), bowled a lot to Krishnakumar when he making his way up the ladder. He says that SM was a fighting cricketer and would not throw his wicket in a hurry. He was always difficult to dislodge <b> "Unfortunately he could not play for TN in Ranji as he had to compete with quite a lot of top order batsmen like Kicha and Sivaramakrishnan.” </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"SM has always been a very dignified person and I particularly like his English. His father Kumaraswamy was a very accomplished umpire and a wonderful gentleman very well-liked by many cricketers of our time and I was definitely one of them" </b>says Kalli.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHTNNK-gfD2diBpG55FS6YydOKtHqiDOerZRXvWAHXRpDhN3FopTWxQDV-kcwqLqqcnXyP2E8zNV9tXAB92v70Tz_cj56236rPDMf5IoZXr-cvHY9VhPpzhAdPS2lZwVgTEiBHORwr8Izdd4KUxpfA2kGG-QcZA4AN-cUjMCOe-vnRgGh6mB2Q457LZSz/s642/the%20captaincy%20years.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="642" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHTNNK-gfD2diBpG55FS6YydOKtHqiDOerZRXvWAHXRpDhN3FopTWxQDV-kcwqLqqcnXyP2E8zNV9tXAB92v70Tz_cj56236rPDMf5IoZXr-cvHY9VhPpzhAdPS2lZwVgTEiBHORwr8Izdd4KUxpfA2kGG-QcZA4AN-cUjMCOe-vnRgGh6mB2Q457LZSz/s320/the%20captaincy%20years.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>In 2009, he moved back to Sydney when international news agency Reuters offered him a writing engagement on the financial markets and has been with them for the last 15years as a currency analyst. Retirement is not in sight for this once Victorious Captain though he will turn 70 next year for he is greatly enjoying the writing work in his area of expertise.</div><div><br /></div><div>He is all excited to be meeting his old cricketing friends this week after several years. He says cricket provided him with a never say die attitude and a confidence that one could bounce back from even seemingly impossible situations <b>“I would have loved to have played at least one match for TN and the fact that I came close but couldn’t breakthrough into the XI remains a disappointment. But that pales into insignificance when I look back and count the huge number of friends I have made through cricket over the last 50 years. That everlasting 'cricket' friendship has been a great blessing that this life has given me and I am grateful for that."</b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-29112320633546470312024-01-19T22:28:00.008+05:302024-01-20T16:38:12.072+05:30 Phaneesh Murthy@60<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">The glamour boy of the IT industry, who turned Infosys into a Global IT Brand in the 1990s and later led iGATE to a Billion Dollar IT firm, has found great happiness in his new avatar as a Mentor for Indian IT Founders in the US and is now at peace with himself</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg313UUZaIYwhCqrHQuDn2D8X6U2B0IcDh-GW-ew27hQgwvj4yTCnxpFMCVivGvCsTpGWS-RIzAoH_0HNZquwC6cTPLi_bv9XNrGVdkNaZuK3oPsfOotWCVQavGd1YuEsJnyYATj-NUUFAHdprdeFKrWgzkbEz_5XoMRUbuYE6Bd7O_efzEj1mQTxxTGDSz/s2092/phaneesh%20murthy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2092" data-original-width="1942" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg313UUZaIYwhCqrHQuDn2D8X6U2B0IcDh-GW-ew27hQgwvj4yTCnxpFMCVivGvCsTpGWS-RIzAoH_0HNZquwC6cTPLi_bv9XNrGVdkNaZuK3oPsfOotWCVQavGd1YuEsJnyYATj-NUUFAHdprdeFKrWgzkbEz_5XoMRUbuYE6Bd7O_efzEj1mQTxxTGDSz/s320/phaneesh%20murthy.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just a few months ago when Phaneesh Murthy celebrated his 60th birthday at his new palacious house on the 6th floor on Old Airport Road, he was pleasantly surprised at the warmth extended to him by his decades long friends. Many of his childhood friends with whom he had played tennis ball cricket 50years ago were present taking him back to his Malleswaram days when he was a high flying student at Bishop Cottons. Phaneesh has been a very people friendly guy right from his young days and this occasion was a particularly memorable one for him for it indicated the strong bonding he had forged with several hundreds of them over the years that had stood the test of time. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over a decade ago when soon after achieving his stated goal of taking iGATE to a billion dollar firm, he quit, it looked that there would be no coming back of Phaneesh a third time. Most had written him off. But interestingly, he has just completed the happiest decade of his life taking great satisfaction from mentoring Indian founders of IT firms in the US and helping them achieve their dreams. He has been behind the turnaround in fortunes of close to ten firms in recent years and made big millionaires of these IT founders by devising a growth strategy for them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">From IT CEO to Mentoring CEOs</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Soon after landing at the new international airport in Bangalore on Thursday morning, he drove straight to the cricket match organised by Sai Madhusudhan, who he has been supporting in recent times in a strategic advisory role. Later in the evening, an hour after returning from the match, he sat around with this writer to recount the years after his exit from iGATE “I had CEO offers from Indian companies including listed firms but by then I had become fully engrossed in this new unexpected role of mentoring firms and Indian IT founders.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Indian founders of IT firms were going through a challenging phase. Phaneesh finds an interesting variance in the mindset of the Indian founders based in India and those in the US "In India, the original owners are apprehensive as to what their life would look like even after a successful exit. For long they had come to be identified with the company they founded and feared loss of that identity in life."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Contrasted with this, the Indian founders in the US were happy to grow the firm and exit at an appropriate time to hand it over to another to take it into the next phase of growth. Phaneesh understood the aspirations of these Indian Founders in the US and has been devising a specific strategy to help them in their journey towards achieving their goal <b>"I see myself as a person enabling the founder’s aspiration. Most of these firms were over five years old and had reached a point of stagnation. They did not know what to do next and reached out to me to change the orbit of margin and revenues</b><b>, </b>he told this writer on Thursday evening in Bangalore.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One such Indian origin founder who Phaneesh has been closely associated successfully exited his firm and is now running an University, much to Phaneesh's delight. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">The Sonata Experience in the late 1980s</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He says he has surprised himself with the level of happiness he has achieved over the last decade after his exit from iGATE. For 25years in his career, he had been part of individual IT firms and had played a role in building a global brand for these Indian firms. In the late 1980s, it was Phaneesh who built brand Sonata. As he looks back at his first job soon after he graduated from IIM -A, he is proud at what he learned and achieved at Sonata Software <b>"Instead of opting for lucrative MNC offers that came my way, I took to software products. It gave me a phenomenal experience of managing and marketing an Indian software product. It was such a fascinating experience that I went back and wrote a case study for IIM on ways to market an Indian software product.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Phaneesh was a Genius at work</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For a brief period a few decades ago this writer worked on the PR for Sonata Software at a time when B Ramaswamy, who passed away recently, was at the helm. It was he who hired Phaneesh soon after he graduated from IIM in the late 1980s at a time when Indian Software Products were struggling to find its feet. He saw the genius in Phaneesh and picked him up without flinching an eyelid <b>"Not many IIMians chose a software products company but Phaneesh was different. He always chose an innovative path and strove hard to succeed at it. Within a year, he helped turn around the company with a product that had not gained acceptance till then", Ramaswamy once said crediting Phaneesh with the early success of the company.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDw4OWubDn7rexrp_9jvmX7N6M8zzS6eA73b6q_MTuZIkaidFjc4KXeXnduJqNIEPJ1Uf3O6YnttTAO-hMwy8lVJdCTaCMkESCUHA4CwaqIh6OSfv6N8Pv-jUUvyF1IzXQrri-SG7qZ7krIQj39rFemuHINVI4OLNBxAnG8bc81ksAGaY4KjCpCW4YCghW/s480/phaneesh,jaya%20murthy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDw4OWubDn7rexrp_9jvmX7N6M8zzS6eA73b6q_MTuZIkaidFjc4KXeXnduJqNIEPJ1Uf3O6YnttTAO-hMwy8lVJdCTaCMkESCUHA4CwaqIh6OSfv6N8Pv-jUUvyF1IzXQrri-SG7qZ7krIQj39rFemuHINVI4OLNBxAnG8bc81ksAGaY4KjCpCW4YCghW/s320/phaneesh,jaya%20murthy.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><b><span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> with wife Jaya at the Gaza<br /></span></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">His appa wanted him to reject the Infy offer</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By the turn of that decade, he had built Sonata into such a brand that when Infosys offered him a job in the early 1990s, his appa, who passed away recently, was apprehensive and not keen for him to join <b>“Sonata had become a popular IT brand while Infy was completely unknown at that time. But I told my appa that if I could create a brand out of Software Products at Sonata, I was confident of selling software services globally and build the Infosys brand as well. I managed to convince my appa and accepted the Infy offer.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Blue Eyed Boy at Infy </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And sure he did. He wanted to be a winner all the way and would not take no for an answer. He went about achieving the seemingly impossible. Hourly rates shot up after he managed to convince the global firms of the merits of outsourcing. By the end of the 1990s, he had become the blue eyed boy of Infosys. He was the cynosure of all eyes. He was instrumental in taking Infosys from a $2million company to over $500million in revenues in the decade that he was with them. Though this writer had heard this several times over during the PR engagement with him, Phaneesh is all excited to narrate, just one more time, the model he used to win over global corporations <b>“India was completely unknown on the Global Map. My first slide to the US CIOs in those early years was always on India and its location on the map. The slides about Infosys and its capabilities came much later. I had to sell India and Bangalore first, then the Outsource industry and finally convince them that Infy was the right choice for them."</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0W7-tNezUOLkUGVAByVPdjyPR6yxiAp3dazCqr3mhXCCYLG14pc-7RrF1rh5eK1Qv66-qBeYgN_kU9Putmzmfz_VcXFPxeexHWXoQA9jlSQ1TACXyIiysxWDhoMomW6Wfn662acWY89J4r8dRg1NOdiPkdzy7j7gVWb8LmLjexLXArmz2YxpWP1zHNNyf/s1955/PMurthy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1773" data-original-width="1955" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0W7-tNezUOLkUGVAByVPdjyPR6yxiAp3dazCqr3mhXCCYLG14pc-7RrF1rh5eK1Qv66-qBeYgN_kU9Putmzmfz_VcXFPxeexHWXoQA9jlSQ1TACXyIiysxWDhoMomW6Wfn662acWY89J4r8dRg1NOdiPkdzy7j7gVWb8LmLjexLXArmz2YxpWP1zHNNyf/s320/PMurthy.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>"Tech was a sunrise industry in India. Till then, we were very much known only for hardware. Almost nothing of software had emerged from India. It was personally exciting for me because I was part of a country, industry and company in the making. India became known for something in the global industry for the first time. Brand India became one to reckon with thanks to IT", he told this writer sipping a glass of water.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>"I was the only Board member outside of India at Infy. I did almost the entire groundwork in the US on the Nasdaq listing. It was very fulfilling"</b>, he says proudly of how the 20th Century ended for him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">A Glorious Journey cut short</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was destined for higher glory at Infosys but had to face a rather sudden and unexpected exit. He founded Quintant, an iTOPS (integrated tech and ops) start up that was acquired within the first year by iGATE. From the top of the IT world at Infosys, he was now with a firm that was struggling to find its feet having seen multiple CEO exits in the period leading to Phaneesh's appointment. Despite his exit from Infosys, he remained a favourite with the media. He had that X factor in him that attracted everyone towards him. The intensity of his engagement was seen even in his early morning stint at the shuttle court. He wanted to win hands down even when he was playing with a neighbour or a colleague. He remained supremely fit and maintained a lean frame through those iGATE years but the early phase was not easy and he had to scale a mountain <b>“When I became the CEO of iGATE, it was quite a hostile environment there. Everyone expected me to follow in the path of my predecessors who had all quit in frustration one after another. It was a big challenge that I had not face until then in my career. It was an interesting phase where I had to tell the employees that I was there to stay!!!”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqrg2xKfsprGuwdOVPPtUsRxLADvDWnu2JX_ujU6ik_vB1FXZQG-yVQDH5bsynBrLNvWzV2xiG7Jvyuu97MG5fljOiPcraPqKk8DMGvqL-Cv64W5Ae6sRAi5JUoZ83F9jKilGhEgOIfsLJ5dwaCvpHj91bhMq8tPvF9RFQfqlMkIFNF-_Mo-ekwLDzwO7/s2843/phanmurthy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1432" data-original-width="2843" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqrg2xKfsprGuwdOVPPtUsRxLADvDWnu2JX_ujU6ik_vB1FXZQG-yVQDH5bsynBrLNvWzV2xiG7Jvyuu97MG5fljOiPcraPqKk8DMGvqL-Cv64W5Ae6sRAi5JUoZ83F9jKilGhEgOIfsLJ5dwaCvpHj91bhMq8tPvF9RFQfqlMkIFNF-_Mo-ekwLDzwO7/s320/phanmurthy.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Phaneesh survived that initial phase and announced an ambitious goal of touching $1billion in revenues something very few gave a chance at that time especially since he was banking completely on his pet iTOPS (charging for results as against the hourly rate model that he himself had popularised at Infosys in the previous decade) taking off in a big way. iGATE's revenues had come down drastically to just over $200m when he joined the firm. “<b>Given where iGATE was at that time, not many were convinced that I could transform a struggling firm into a $1billion IT company”, he said.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the turn of that decade, he went after India’s oldest IT firm, Patni Computers <b>“The brothers were not talking to each other and I had to convince them that it was good for their company’s sake to sell off at that time to take the firm into the next phase of growth. There comes a time in every company’s evolution when it becomes a good thing for the original owners to let go and sell off for the next management to take over. Else they would be causing more harm to the company that they had founded with great passion once upon a time.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Though it took a very long time for Phaneesh to bring the brothers together on to the discussion table, he finally managed to acquire Patni, one that helped him achieve his billion dollar target for iGATE. But soon after disaster struck once again. In 2002, he faced the axe at Infosys just at the time of his peaking after having been with them for close to a decade. And destiny played out a second time. At the peak of his glory having achieved what he set out to – The $1 billion target of a struggling iGATE- Phaneesh once again had to face the sack. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The resilient man comes back stronger in a new avatar</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The media that had showered their love on him over the previous decade were taken aback at this misadventure. He was completely written off and for a large part he has been a forgotten man over the last decade. But Phaneesh has shown great resilience to 'stay alive' and bounce back every time he has been down. Most in the world may have succumbed after a fall from glory not once but twice. But not Phaneesh. He gathered himself back including from an unsuccessful attempt to try a revolutionary idea in the healthcare industry soon after his iGATE exit, one that did not take off resulting in burning of cash. With the idea of improving the health care offering in the country, he founded ZIGY, a health exchange, with the former marketing head at iGATE as the CEO. Phaneesh had been a b2b man, a free global markets guy all his life. He found the healthcare regulations to be restrictive. After a couple of years of this experiment he shut shop around 2015 waiting for another day to unshackle the healthcare system in the country. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpXI4LRJLJhx26NdOnd8SbMu2wWi-nQILhQI-9okgqOUyQjNerav_NNRIDQyl_QWaKNR5z0vQVAJBEgLTPeCZLUOKWIpbpTZnElnSnXf_wEouyziTbskEBSR4vFrk9t3InAbsDShLD9SGWtNwFSBBRkwpEmu-e29-jpEnUiulLQIPu3IZ7x5iNoRXQdna/s2766/parvathi%20phaneesh's%20amma.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2766" data-original-width="2346" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpXI4LRJLJhx26NdOnd8SbMu2wWi-nQILhQI-9okgqOUyQjNerav_NNRIDQyl_QWaKNR5z0vQVAJBEgLTPeCZLUOKWIpbpTZnElnSnXf_wEouyziTbskEBSR4vFrk9t3InAbsDShLD9SGWtNwFSBBRkwpEmu-e29-jpEnUiulLQIPu3IZ7x5iNoRXQdna/s320/parvathi%20phaneesh's%20amma.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He credits this mental strength to his amma Parvathi <b>“During my school days at Xaviers Ranchi, she inculcated in me the importance of work ethic and discipline. She would always be with a ruler to get me to do the homework on time and to do things as per schedule. That strict upbringing helped me understand the importance of sticking to timelines.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After his appa moved to a new job in Calcutta, Phaneesh and his sister came back to Bangalore to be with their grandparents in the old Brahmins colony at Malleswaram. He was a top ranker at Bishop Cottons for successive years topping all subjects except arts. It was also a phase where he became very close to his elder sister, one that has remained so till this day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">A wannabe Doctor turns to Management</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was keen to become a doctor in that phase and recounts as to how he got into Management and Business when his life goal during his teenage phase was to serve the patients and save lives of people <b>“At that time, one could join IIT after Class XI while one could take to medicine only after Class XII. Just for experience sake, my appa wanted me to write the IIT entrance exam. But as it turned out, I was offered a subject of my choice and IIT of my choice. My mind was still firm on becoming a Doctor and serving the society but each of my friends found this decision to refuse IIT maddening. Not many stood where I was to choose a subject and an IIT and peer pressure led me to move to IIT Madras.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlx9vEFz7Z4XRivCj5zhkZRdciDdezSzYm-AHzpYSLmkFDKW5L0eOfZjTZ213WzmOgAjcZPFCW327xAsnBbkxFeqZxnHKVuPhjzs-H8zvBescNYN3Gdq_Pj9WEJ6cc9RwiizE1B6mL1_gtxwiIFMYKlrdLIvyul3iagPh0IDstq8bnOgXeg1u6lQsCcx8/s2465/pmurthy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2402" data-original-width="2465" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlx9vEFz7Z4XRivCj5zhkZRdciDdezSzYm-AHzpYSLmkFDKW5L0eOfZjTZ213WzmOgAjcZPFCW327xAsnBbkxFeqZxnHKVuPhjzs-H8zvBescNYN3Gdq_Pj9WEJ6cc9RwiizE1B6mL1_gtxwiIFMYKlrdLIvyul3iagPh0IDstq8bnOgXeg1u6lQsCcx8/s320/pmurthy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Lets go The Harvard Opportunity</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was still keen to pursue medicine after his IIT and got a seat for a Doctoral degree at Harvard <b>“It was very expensive to study in the US and we could not afford it at that time and that’s how I ended up at IIM-A. In that phase, my mind automatically shifted from serving the patients to getting into management.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Turns Philosophical - Dharmic discussions with appa late in life</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the period leading to his appa’s death, Phaneesh engaged in intense debate with him on traditional values of Indian firms and dharmic people from the Mahabaratha taking big learnings from the great epic turning a bit philosophical. He finds Gandhari as the one extraordinary character in the epic for sacrificing her entire life for her husband.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Phaneesh has always been a people friendly person. In his new role as a mentor at IT firms, he has initiated some interesting philosophical thoughts into the Indian founders <b>“I have insisted for the founders to allocate 15% of their wealth to the employees and another 5% for a charitable cause of their choice.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It has been a very fruitful and fulling last ten years for Phaneesh though he has been away from the media limelight that had been so integral to his life over the previous decade. He says it has been intellectually challenging and stimulating working with passionate founders at multiple companies and has taken great satisfaction in enabling Indian IT entrepreneurs in the US overcome a challenging phase and transforming the companies into successful ones in the process creating several middle class Indian multi -millionaires. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Three decades after his great experience of working at Sonata Software, he had an opportunity to engage with them again recently when he worked closely with them on an acquisition. It was kind of a happy 2nd home coming for Phaneesh at this old world IT firm whose late founder Ramaswamy he particularly liked and had respect for.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Taking to Medicine along with his daughter!!!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is one unfulfilled dream remaining in Phaneesh’s life that of pursuing Medicine. When his two sons were growing up into young teenagers, he had threatened that he would go to the medical college with them leaving them puzzled!!! Now, he is telling his daughter that he might do medicine and take to college education alongside her!!! He is hoping that one day he will get to do Medicine. For the moment, he is focusing on working closely with Sai Madhusudhan who is offering free education in Medicine. Phaneesh believes that this initiative is all about inclusiveness of a mega kind and this will ensure that service minded people will take to medicine. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAphJIkQkSw1EqzVjgixEKLLAB1RJ_T-mMGrVM798p5TGcLg3W-Okc0WtsZthxtW12YUiig3-ckFKmdJxKnsY6PE0Fnd77yodRoh_yV_Dcwv_9K7DJlIhSwygTAWU5kVouwU7x1DTBiJzz9TwSkLLHcb_IQP-0SV-taJtA9asrtVfiH9Of2H6Wdz_DDCT/s480/Giza%20CD.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="480" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAphJIkQkSw1EqzVjgixEKLLAB1RJ_T-mMGrVM798p5TGcLg3W-Okc0WtsZthxtW12YUiig3-ckFKmdJxKnsY6PE0Fnd77yodRoh_yV_Dcwv_9K7DJlIhSwygTAWU5kVouwU7x1DTBiJzz9TwSkLLHcb_IQP-0SV-taJtA9asrtVfiH9Of2H6Wdz_DDCT/s320/Giza%20CD.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">A richly fulfilling phase in life</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Personally, the decade gone by has been quite rewarding for the 60year old Phaneesh Murthy - mentally, financially and emotionally. The ever-cheerful IIM A grad continues to make new friends in his life’s journey. Two childhood tennis ball playing friends are trustees at the Sai foundation and Phaneesh sees a role for himself in helping them scale this healthcare initiative into great heights. In the two and half decades of his working engagement in Indian IT firms, he had always been seen as one who worked with great intensity. These days, he seems to be at peace with himself in his new role as Mentor and has even surprised himself in the way this role has turned out for him and his happiness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He has always been very closely attached to his amma. On Thursday, she has been waiting patiently for his long day one of his latest trip to Bangalore to end to chat with him. And finally late into the evening Phaneesh sits next to her and gets into a conversation with the lady who he credits for his mental strength and resilience in life.</div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-47691235654443262522024-01-06T01:10:00.005+05:302024-01-07T09:28:09.609+05:30 Sarangapani Koil Era Pathu Utsavam<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">The 19th day of Margazhi is a special day every year at the Sarangapani Koil </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">On this evening, Sarangapani Perumal is seen in Thayar Thiru Kolam while Komalavalli Thayar provides darshan in Perumal Thiru Kolam</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwpkknAMUY_bLwp0nJKbWYycSZDo5VA2XW9UALZVVbJoVoA7X0sriUzD1LmM3kNhuE2fHB5IEraNvoRuT_aztJARmgM-H8OaPV5Z3wqrmmILFUPQDph891vjPZzm7JhOSzqiyG9NREEC-aCR-o9-BZgmB8gK1TLeautxZbt_KANXx0SATnKFBkMZ2wuHb/s2883/sarangapani%20paramapathanathan%20sevai.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2883" data-original-width="2602" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwpkknAMUY_bLwp0nJKbWYycSZDo5VA2XW9UALZVVbJoVoA7X0sriUzD1LmM3kNhuE2fHB5IEraNvoRuT_aztJARmgM-H8OaPV5Z3wqrmmILFUPQDph891vjPZzm7JhOSzqiyG9NREEC-aCR-o9-BZgmB8gK1TLeautxZbt_KANXx0SATnKFBkMZ2wuHb/s320/sarangapani%20paramapathanathan%20sevai.jpg" width="289" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sarangapani Koil in Thiru Kudanthai is the only Divya Desam where the Divine Couple provide darshan in a ‘Maatru’ Thiru Kolam during the Adyayana Utsavam. It is also the only Divya Desam where this utsavam starts on the first day of Margazhi every year. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the early days, Vedic Recital was a prominent feature in the month of Margazhi. It was Thirumangai Azhvaar who wanted the Utsavam to be a Tamil Divya Prabhandham festival as against just the Vedic recital that existed before his time. The 10-day ‘Era Pathu' Festival called ‘Thiruvoimozhi Thirunaal' was specially created for the Lord to listen to the beautiful compositions of Nam Azhvaar and thus began the 10 day Divya Prabhandham Adyayana Utsavam. The first ten days of the Adyayana Utsavam - Pagal Pathu - was added later when Nathamuni wanted to create a festival for Thiru Mangai Azhvaar to recognise his contribution to the Divya Prabhandham. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham, Nam Azhvaar praises Thiru Kudanthai as a location where paddy grew in abundance aided by the fertile waters. The Lord was surrounded by huge stone walls. Large lotuses were seen all around Thiru Kudanthai. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>ஆரா அமுதே அடியேன் உடலம் நின்பால் அன்பாயே</div><div>நீராய் அலைந்து கரைய உருக்குகின்ற நெடுமாலே</div><div>சீர் ஆர் செந்நெல் கவரி வீசும் செழு நீர் திரு குடந்தை</div><div>ஏர் ஆர் கோலம் திகழ கிடந்தாய் கண்டேன் எம்மானே - Thiruvoimozhi ( 5-8-1)</div><div><br /></div><div>Among the three large Perumal temples in Kumbakonam, the Vaishnavites took care of the Sarangapani Koil, the Sourashtrians the Ramaswamy temple and the Madhwas took care of the Utsavams at the Chakrapani temple.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Uthaana Sayana Kolam</span></b></div><div><div>Seeing the sleeping posture of Lord Aaraavamudhan at Thiru Kudanthai, a curious Thiru Mazhisai Azhvaar questioned if his tiredness (having fought the battle in Lanka) was the reason for him to be lying down thus. After hearing this, it is believed that the Lord slightly raised his posture to greet the Azhvaar. Feeling the guilt of having caused strain on the Lord, Thiru Mazhisai Azhvaar asked him to remain as is. And the Lord remained so ever after. </div><div><br /></div><div>The main sanctum has been conceived like a chariot with wheels drawn by horses and elephants and is truly a splendid sight to watch. </div></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">A once in a year darshan - 19th day of Adyayana Utsavam</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Early on Thursday (Jan 4) evening, Soundararaja Bhattar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/02/thiru-kudanthai-soundar-bhattar.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/02/thiru-kudanthai-soundar-bhattar.html</a>), known for his alankaram expertise, worked on the Maatru Kolam of Perumal and Thayar. Around 7pm, much to the delight of the 100 odd devotees who gathered at the temple, Komalavalli Thaayar came out on a procession from the Moolavar Sannidhi as Sarangapani Perumal. With Perumal taking the form of Komalavalli Thayar, the divine couple provided a once in a year darshan to devotees around the huge temple prakara on a procession led by the presentation of the Mukha Veena.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhksUlPynYQM2-sN0exdsws3QDy_c2zd-fkJ7EY77Cj-fLh903tvxMn3a_Fu_g2GNrJFGbVly4ZygFcNWmgimlPbCUdMoRvXkTYGD42s9FF8ZyJEyQzJkqAGJdWwJoM0DGe6Fr5ALRPeSNqLDT9hTEIu2FOVnqAvdOv9UsfOsUCCGgyaNUllW6V90VOg2uz/s3895/maatru%20thiru%20kolam.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="3895" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhksUlPynYQM2-sN0exdsws3QDy_c2zd-fkJ7EY77Cj-fLh903tvxMn3a_Fu_g2GNrJFGbVly4ZygFcNWmgimlPbCUdMoRvXkTYGD42s9FF8ZyJEyQzJkqAGJdWwJoM0DGe6Fr5ALRPeSNqLDT9hTEIu2FOVnqAvdOv9UsfOsUCCGgyaNUllW6V90VOg2uz/s320/maatru%20thiru%20kolam.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Soundararaja Bhattar, with an experience of over three decades in decorating the Lord and Thaayar, had done such an expert job that it was difficult for the devotees to recognise the Maatru Thiru Kolam. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An hour later, the Prabhandham Ghosti of around 20 members began the recital of the 9th canto of Namazhvaar’s Tiruvoimozhi. Much in contrast to last year at the Adyayana Utsavam at this Divya Desam, the devotees were allowed to use the Prabhandham book to track the recital of the Ghosti.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Paramapathanathan Sevai</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the decades gone by, this special 19th day programme went on till 1.30am for a variety of reasons that included Sripatham personnel turning up late for the start of the procession. Bucking that trend, every aspect of the evening’s programme went as per plan on Thursday. The Prabhandham recital of the first nine decads was completed by 9pm following which Soundararaja Bhattar made his way from the Moolavar Sannidhi to decorate Perumal in another special Thiru Kolam on this evening.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ef5eIwc1JJ3Ve-VeNSXHSkihZJ-d89dpmb_mzFvlQIkh0N_HLVX6D1KZVn-SQI0oFzDrgpZkr1AuFuZpFZ4R8wW8u5DrEro7Gu98bKM_Tl8-Cd8odmRLMReQZ90ahsZad3GU43cPbkLKRFTZiBVFi00dEsDjEgkyYe-Gc_2S8grO09qcjIeJCpa6qEeO/s3898/paramapathanathan%2010pm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2543" data-original-width="3898" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ef5eIwc1JJ3Ve-VeNSXHSkihZJ-d89dpmb_mzFvlQIkh0N_HLVX6D1KZVn-SQI0oFzDrgpZkr1AuFuZpFZ4R8wW8u5DrEro7Gu98bKM_Tl8-Cd8odmRLMReQZ90ahsZad3GU43cPbkLKRFTZiBVFi00dEsDjEgkyYe-Gc_2S8grO09qcjIeJCpa6qEeO/s320/paramapathanathan%2010pm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Around 10pm, as the big screen opened at the Tiruvoimozhi mandapam, the devotees’ eyes remained stuck to the beautiful Paramapathanathan Thiru Kolam of Sarangapani Perumal. Even as tears of happiness rolled down their cheeks with their eyes firmly glued to this late evening Thiru Kolam, the priest had to request them to move for the Prabhandham Satru Murai of the Thiru Kannapuram verses to commence.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>மாலை நண்ணித் தொழுதெழுமினோ வினைகெட </div><div>காலைமாலை கமலமலர் இட்டு நீர் </div><div>வேலை மோதும் மதிள்சூழ் திருக்கண்ணபுரத்து</div><div>ஆலின் மேலால் அமர்ந்தான் அடியிணைகளே- Tiruvoimozhi 9-10-1</div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, the devotees could not resist the temptation to have one more glance at the Paramapathanathan presentation, and following the Satru Murai and the presentation of Puliyotharai Thaligai and Sundal, they were back at the Thirumaamani mandapam to have one more close look at this special Thiru Kolam.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7f5nDOwUXk7pNbyY1LUK3-XYgYQVgjgB-eUu-cEU5orVfnAvONM5dTv5LjagIyM9LBaR1Lqwv8fAnLiVW7KFQsXv2zmKzdDSkC8nVl2jSnfsZtG-LIltOo8k47YLR1uXtQ_T9NIbYzPBy6feWolilr00e5PVMfOVWZiEUdnH_1b_Knzh629_Eywgcdwi6/s3606/ghosti%20members.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1796" data-original-width="3606" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7f5nDOwUXk7pNbyY1LUK3-XYgYQVgjgB-eUu-cEU5orVfnAvONM5dTv5LjagIyM9LBaR1Lqwv8fAnLiVW7KFQsXv2zmKzdDSkC8nVl2jSnfsZtG-LIltOo8k47YLR1uXtQ_T9NIbYzPBy6feWolilr00e5PVMfOVWZiEUdnH_1b_Knzh629_Eywgcdwi6/s320/ghosti%20members.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Delighted with the darshan of the divine couple in Maatru Thiru Kolam, the devotees were seen involved in conversations dissecting the alankaram that ranged from beauty of the huge flower garland to the glittering jewellery even as they made their way out of the temple after a satisfying four hour devotional engagement at this Divya Desam. While a few of them spoke about the Vedu Pari event that had taken place last Saturday evening at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/12/srirangam-era-pathu-vedu-pari-2023.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/12/srirangam-era-pathu-vedu-pari-2023.html</a>), they showed their unflinching devotion for and attachment to Thiru Kudanthai by concluding that this Maatru Thiru Kolam of Sarangapani Perumal and Komalavalli Thayar was unmatched.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">A quiet return procession </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Young priest of Vedantha Desikar sannidhi Sudarshan also dons the role of asst Maniyakaarar at the temple. It was he who anchored the activities late into the night. Past 11pm, a handful of devotees remained for the return procession of Komalavalli Thayar to her abode with a devotee doubling up as Sripatham. It was almost close to midnight when Sarangapani Perumal made his way back to the Moolavar Sannidhi bringing to end this special 9th day of the Era Pathu Utsavam at Thiru Kudanthai Divya Desam. For the priests at the Moolavar Sannidhi, there was still work to do for they had to put the divine couple to sleep after Madapalli Sudarshan brought Sayana Sevai Thaligai. It was a long tiring evening for the priests at the Sarangapani temple and they had to get back to the temple at 4.30am for the morning service on Friday. For the devotees though, including a family that came all the way from Guruvayur, it had been a special experience of having darshan of this Maatru Sevai at this historical Divya Desam praised by seven Saint Poets.</div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-893068848027057272023-12-31T15:31:00.013+05:302023-12-31T22:06:29.403+05:30 Srirangam Era Pathu Vedu Pari 2023<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">The 8th day of the Era Pathu Utsavam was marked by an amazing display of Kona Voiyali by the Sripatham Personnel, the enactment of the historical Vedu Pari episode and Veenai Ekantham at 2am</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">5yr son in ICU but Barathwajan Araiyar presents Nedumaarkadimai abhinayam at midnight</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEm22f3G63VufTA6gyAhAs-BWPNi4WaSeft_IkCBokE0EwkIPuroUYw4J2Pq5jmFymNW8XKryzPzW7CT6RI_n5SDnGWZlisjEvIob-gl4mzrSlFpYcfnUDizzlRfraQSd8BegzigOq8hooRpU8M7584-P5n1yWYn4OG1VPFiN-NcWskkKtqS3UujvNeUu/s3830/thiru%20mangai%20azhvaar%20after%20vedu%20pari.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3830" data-original-width="2572" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEm22f3G63VufTA6gyAhAs-BWPNi4WaSeft_IkCBokE0EwkIPuroUYw4J2Pq5jmFymNW8XKryzPzW7CT6RI_n5SDnGWZlisjEvIob-gl4mzrSlFpYcfnUDizzlRfraQSd8BegzigOq8hooRpU8M7584-P5n1yWYn4OG1VPFiN-NcWskkKtqS3UujvNeUu/s320/thiru%20mangai%20azhvaar%20after%20vedu%20pari.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ten day Era Pathu ‘Thiruvoimozhi Thirunaal’ Utsavam at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam was created by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar in recognition of Namazhvaar’s contribution to the devotional world. While the Pagal Pathu utsavam that precedes Vaikunta Ekadasi was started later to recognize the contribution of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar, the first part of the eighth day of the Era Pathu Utsavam is dedicated to the last of the Azhvaars with the enactment of his transformation from a king to a Saint poet enacted at the Manal Veli on the Eastern side of the temple.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Its 4.30pm on Saturday (Dec 30) evening and the entire temple is packed with year end devotees seeking darshan of Moolavar Ranganatha in Muthangi. The long queue extended right up to the far corner of the East and West Uthira Starts outside the Ranga Ranga Gopuram. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">HR &CE Joint Commissioner Mariappan who took charge in the second of this year has been clear with his philosophy since the time he has taken charge at the temple. His motto has been to reduce special entry for those throwing up ‘referral names’. In line with his staffer behind the Garuda Sannidhi ensured that every single devotee irrespective of their status only goes through the queue.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Through the Vellam Gopuram side, this devotee, who wanted to experience only the utsavar, managed to reach the Naazhi ketten Vaasal ahead of the start of the procession which was slated for 5pm. While on most other days in the year, Namperumal begins his procession through the western side, this one on the Golden Horse Vahana was through the eastern side. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Elaborate arrangements had been made at the Manal Veli where the events were to unfold on the evening. Devotees seated themselves on the far corner of the north end in good numbers. On the east and west side too, devotees stood in good numbers behind the ropes held by the police personnel. On the South end of the Manal Veli, Ramanuja and Namazhvaar remained stationed to welcome Namperumal on to the Manal Veli. Cameramen from TV channels had taken vantage positions on all sides of the Manal Veli to record this once in a year enactment of the historical episode.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kona Voiyali display delights the devotees</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was past 5.30pm when to the loud cheer from the thousands of devotees, the Vethal members, the voluntary Sripatham service personnel, presented a wonderful exhibition of Kona Voiyali from the South end of Manal Veli to the North end and then back to the South end. For a large number of devotees, the zig zag movement of Namperumal across the Manal Veli at a rapid speed was a high point of the evening’s events.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTb0eb-yrmTlPSAV7bYbbPHzKO2icCR4y0hk4gyu1TcZrEOgO5g3OayB0eAc4a_CzVnZXuiGt71l_uid-VtxYahsBo0FWPEiEx9Uz93NPLkEkEkU5L23z9GKU1TruH8M6heCWIDiif7U1tve_5PPi8Io3ev005DSJ6D_6JcSEz4u4hyphenhyphenZ9QA2S_nIGRFPEs/s2706/kona%20voiyali.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1574" data-original-width="2706" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTb0eb-yrmTlPSAV7bYbbPHzKO2icCR4y0hk4gyu1TcZrEOgO5g3OayB0eAc4a_CzVnZXuiGt71l_uid-VtxYahsBo0FWPEiEx9Uz93NPLkEkEkU5L23z9GKU1TruH8M6heCWIDiif7U1tve_5PPi8Io3ev005DSJ6D_6JcSEz4u4hyphenhyphenZ9QA2S_nIGRFPEs/s320/kona%20voiyali.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While many left the Manal Veli following the Kona Voiyali, the more traditional ones remained for the enactment of Vedu Pari, the event wherein Thiru Mangai Mannan transformed himself to Thiru Mangai Azhvaar. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Vedu Pari enactment </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Born in Thiru Kuraiyulur, 2kms from the Thiruvali-ThiruNagari Divya Desam near Sirkazhi, Thirumangai Mannan (King), who belonged to the Kallar Community, fell in love with the beautiful Kumudavalli of Annan Koil. She was keen to get him initiated into Vaishnavism and devoted to Lord Vishnu. To lead him into this path, she laid down ‘wedding’ conditions, one of which was to feed 1008 Vaishnavites every day. The story goes that Thirumangai Mannan, in this attempt, lost a lot of his wealth. To fulfil the conditions, he turned a thief and resorted to ‘stealing’. One night, Thirumangai Mannan saw a newly married couple, decked with jewellery, coming his way. It was Lord Ranganatha of Thirunagari taking along with him Amruthavalli Thayar of Thiruvali. In that darkness, in Vedarajapuram (the village between Thiruvali and Thirunagari), he waylaid the disguised Lord Ranganatha and threatened him by lashing out his spear. With all his might, he also tried to bite and remove the Perumal’s ring. Having picked up the jewellery and packed it into a sack, Thirumangai found the bag far too heavy. Despite repeated attempts, he could not lift the bag making him wonder if the person in front of him had a magic mantra. It was then that the disguised Lord Ranganatha initiated the ‘Astachara Mantra’ by whispering into the ears of Thirumangai. It was after this initiation that Thirumangai Mannan became Thirumangai Azhvaar.</div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As has been the practice at this temple, those from the Kallar Community came with tall sticks in an enactment of way laying the Lord and robbing him of his jewels and belongings. Soon after, the king received the enlightenment from Namperumal and was seen in a transformed state as a Saint Poet presenting himself with folded hands before the Lord of Srirangam. This was followed by reading out of the jewels of Namperumal to confirm that his belongings were all intact and nothing had been lost in the robbery attempt. Soon after Araiyar Krishnan presented the first set of verses of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar after he became a Saint Poet – Vaadinen Vaadi - marking the end of the enactment of the Vedu Pari episode on this 8th evening of the Era Pathu Utsavam. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By 8pm, a large part of the devotees had left the Manal Veli though the crowd continued to swell inside the Ariya Bhattal Vaasal for Moolavar Muthangi darshan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-IL-gDineXboeNcNTyu6OnDL15k4KdI5cU-PeRKOMIYwVC_w9PAcjDKakWQq5TqqUoZthjbeTg6fIUhAWEpvLd46mmcu7TjOiYVpK-SHtik_mH0qMGvb2ahDZbXBFHXiiXU2AsgCLCULPWmZn-hsT_3c8Ds7qCkb1rbUgM4BLzXrMMPhN8-PwUoYjTmO/s651/namperumal%201.45am%20procession.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="502" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-IL-gDineXboeNcNTyu6OnDL15k4KdI5cU-PeRKOMIYwVC_w9PAcjDKakWQq5TqqUoZthjbeTg6fIUhAWEpvLd46mmcu7TjOiYVpK-SHtik_mH0qMGvb2ahDZbXBFHXiiXU2AsgCLCULPWmZn-hsT_3c8Ds7qCkb1rbUgM4BLzXrMMPhN8-PwUoYjTmO/s320/namperumal%201.45am%20procession.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Namperumal at 2.30am </span></b><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A trend in recent years has been the increasing number of people from the Kallar community seeking the ‘mariyathai’. In the last decades of the previous century, there were around 10 devotees who received the parivattam and shatari presentation following the Vedu Pari episode but it has now gone so high that it took almost an hour for the priests to go through this process at the Manal Veli. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well past 9pm, the Azhvaars and Acharyas had made their way to the 1000 pillared mandapam. It was almost close to 10pm, when Namperumal on the horse vahana finally made his way to the Thiru Maa Mani mandapam within the 1000 pillared complex.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The police personnel on this evening had managed the huge crowd quite well and most who had gathered at the Manal Veli for the Kona Voiyali and Vedu Pari enactment went back happy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Araiyar Sevai</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>With a cone-like coloured cap on the head and a sacred garland on their chest, Araiyars, descendants of Nathamuni, present the divine hymns of the Azhvaars through a differentiated musical chanting and </div><div>dance performance using two cymbals in their hands.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">5year son in ICU but Barathwajan Araiyar presents abhinayam</span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was 10.45pm when the Araiyars began their presentation of the eighth canto of Tiruvoimozhi verses praising the Lords of Thiru Chengannur, Thiru Kadithanam and (Kutta Nattu) Sirupuliyur with around a 100 devotees staying through their 90 minute enactment. Pilot Barathwajan Araiyar presented the Abhinayam of the Nedumaarkadimai verses, the last decad of the 8th canto. His devotional commitment was extraordinary given the fact that his 5 year old son (who had been at the araiyar sevai earlier this week on Tuesday on the 4th day of the Era Pathu Utsavam) is in the ICU after a bad fall the previous day. Soon after the araiyar Sevai performance, he was all in tears before namperumal for having given him the courage to perform for 90minutes despite the emergency. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYMEsrwsu3CycqsHBhJgNaLbQmUxwQ5JDt0NvOZLzwSpeWlPKv_eDHTRnzHT-i5wdK29JTbBio_HVzIeJVIYNKVZslxcL1ORs2f2tmdCkpjFivnAnghgY44JEqskFyG-vf27dtMKuWqBoStBoDu6qd1wI_P9dCucDcAEV4WWs4oO4HZnDZN-AhS1SKoDv/s988/araiyar%20son.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="988" data-original-width="812" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYMEsrwsu3CycqsHBhJgNaLbQmUxwQ5JDt0NvOZLzwSpeWlPKv_eDHTRnzHT-i5wdK29JTbBio_HVzIeJVIYNKVZslxcL1ORs2f2tmdCkpjFivnAnghgY44JEqskFyG-vf27dtMKuWqBoStBoDu6qd1wI_P9dCucDcAEV4WWs4oO4HZnDZN-AhS1SKoDv/s320/araiyar%20son.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A surprisingly big highlight of this late Saturday evening was that there was pin drop silence through the entire presentation by the Araiyars. While the crowd had been quite noisy at the Manal Veli, the traditional ones remained glued to the special recital of the Tiruvoimozhi verses and the Abhinayam.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDsmRdL5sr7xkPP8x6IX99FBmFL_g9diw20SmdMfj5jYZS5lRYPI4H7OVohrEiFfvc5uqbiytlTCeFKxo6fWkDvhIdnGkwVX6VIjTR59MOS6rmmE-FOdc2Vm2t_qUk3-GMLXQs1VvIX8p1DCmWDYOnEgHlxX5LWaq6ZY8LIf04HOwerHMpMtMIMHcnLkp/s746/Bharathwajan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="580" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDsmRdL5sr7xkPP8x6IX99FBmFL_g9diw20SmdMfj5jYZS5lRYPI4H7OVohrEiFfvc5uqbiytlTCeFKxo6fWkDvhIdnGkwVX6VIjTR59MOS6rmmE-FOdc2Vm2t_qUk3-GMLXQs1VvIX8p1DCmWDYOnEgHlxX5LWaq6ZY8LIf04HOwerHMpMtMIMHcnLkp/s320/Bharathwajan.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Pilot Araiyar Barathwajan as a 3 year boy</span></b><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The longish mariyathai to the Kallar community on the Manal Veli meant the schedule of the evening was behind by an hour. It was 1.45am when Namperumal began his procession from the 1000 pillared mandapam to his abode. Inside the Naazhi Ketten Vaasal, a sizeable crowd had already gathered ahead of the Veenai Ekantham.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Veenai Ekantham at 2am</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Ramanuja laid down specific processes to be followed in each area of service at the Ranganathaswamy </div><div>temple in Srirangam. He ensured that people from different walks of life participated in the temple routine. Finding reference to the Veenai (Yaazh) in several pasurams of the Azhwars, he wanted Veena recital to form an integral part of the daily routine at the temple and assigned ‘Sathya Kootam’, a clan belonging to a village near Srirangam and well versed in this art form. </div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The team members of the Veenai Ekantham too had made their way and were ready by 1.30am. Unfortunately the Veenai Vidwans were without senior member Srinivasan, who suffered a stroke soon after the Veenai Ekantham presentation a couple of nights earlier and has been hospitalized with a ‘block’.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Usually the Veenai Vidwans are accommodative on the 7th and 8th days of the Era Pathu Utsavam as Namperumal and the service personnel have already had a very long evening. While their presentation on all other evenings goes up to one hour, on this late Saturday night they confined themselves to presenting the glorious verses of the ‘man of the day’ Thiru Mangai Azhvaar. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvwbOr9iwKaj8cMScoh0sHb9WCzQCZwrqcK07RIBTWkZFXnbesajVDVm4VUcEbxWy6KM7Zo6u6iD429r5SUjxF5rUf8Ff4QbClH27_GFTP5EubO8qU3VavvrR3kjTgePytmrNq47lhDlQJc757cQvkFjqtED5CDJv10Cqk3Pui2wi0JcU_g7JwLqRD3Xo/s4006/Veenai%20Ekantham.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2065" data-original-width="4006" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvwbOr9iwKaj8cMScoh0sHb9WCzQCZwrqcK07RIBTWkZFXnbesajVDVm4VUcEbxWy6KM7Zo6u6iD429r5SUjxF5rUf8Ff4QbClH27_GFTP5EubO8qU3VavvrR3kjTgePytmrNq47lhDlQJc757cQvkFjqtED5CDJv10Cqk3Pui2wi0JcU_g7JwLqRD3Xo/s320/Veenai%20Ekantham.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a number of verses in the Periya Thirumozhi, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar repents for the fallacies of his earlier days and asks for devotees to surrender to the Lord at least in the later phase in one’s life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">தெரியேன் பாலகனாய் பல தீமைகள் செய்துமிட்டேன் </div><div style="text-align: justify;">பெரியேன் ஆயினபின் பிரர்கே உழைத்து ஏழை ஆனேன் </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">கரிசேர் பூம்புழில் சூழ் கனமாமலை வேங்கடவா </div><div style="text-align: justify;">அரியே வந்தடைந்தேன் அடியேனை ஆட்கொண்டருலே </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">பற்றேல் ஒன்றுமிலேன் பாவமே செய்து பாவி ஆனேன் </div><div style="text-align: justify;">மற்றேல் ஒன்றறியேன் மாயனே எங்கள் மாதவனே </div><div style="text-align: justify;">கலதேன் பாயத்தொழுகும் கமலச்சுனை வேங்கடவா </div><div style="text-align: justify;">ஆற்றேன் வந்தடைந்தேன் அடியேனை ஆட்கொண்டருளே</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was well past 2.30am when the Sripatham personnel presented the Padi Etra Sevai to the tunes of ‘Eth Sarigai’ of the Veena Vidwans bringing to end the eighth day of the Era Pathu Utsavam, one that the devotees at the Srirangam temple thoroughly enjoyed.</div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-24138278420590944872023-12-20T01:20:00.018+05:302023-12-20T23:50:04.044+05:30 Nachiyar Koil Kal Garuda Sevai 2023<div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">Devotee from Netherlands has a debut experience of Kal Garuda Sevai procession at Thiru Naraiyur</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoXtP02QiJKTg3t7MFldWwVW8nJyO2HzEcv3pMyVKSmJJN1M649snf3lYeF1CPAV3ou9rhyphenhyphenPaE8plj-4Q_2-RurPm-Jd90J8A6g9LJKLgkK2n_nuID3V5lB6JQVhSYMVbygM2RU6zLlvilBBfDVg5uJQC-09zMiyNdjQu19DBN3H1R9bnbKl7gp88eJgm/s1046/srinivasa%20perumal%20kal%20garuda.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="805" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoXtP02QiJKTg3t7MFldWwVW8nJyO2HzEcv3pMyVKSmJJN1M649snf3lYeF1CPAV3ou9rhyphenhyphenPaE8plj-4Q_2-RurPm-Jd90J8A6g9LJKLgkK2n_nuID3V5lB6JQVhSYMVbygM2RU6zLlvilBBfDVg5uJQC-09zMiyNdjQu19DBN3H1R9bnbKl7gp88eJgm/s320/srinivasa%20perumal%20kal%20garuda.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After a break for a few years, first because of the Pandemic and then the year long Thiruppani works, the now popular Kal Garuda Sevai was back at the Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam on Tuesday much to the delight of the devotees. Only a few days earlier, the mandalabhisekam had been performed on the 48th day after the consecration. On Tuesday evening, there was a surprise visitor from the Netherlands to watch this grand enactment of Kal Garuda increasing in the weight and more sripatham personnel required to carry him at every succeeding stage of the procession from the Moolasthanam. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">32 year old V Vidhvath, who is into research and production of medicines for cancer treatment at a multi national firm in the Netherlands, had arrived in Chennai only on Friday evening and he immediately headed to Kumbakonam to watch Kal Garudar carrying Srinivasa Perumal on his shoulder as part of the fourth day celebrations of the Margazhi Brahmotsavam.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCVL6xlggvmWExXPIBKPTuQq4qFsc8NrR4iJtKW3BO2qFy49ZoChhnpOLRK_3ulJ5kwjfZbn3fuZoQjXE9JxXljWhyphenhyphenpVIpruwdRs0d4Q01w1JCJCa8E9XZWfucneoNfu1SsNxLSwg-Yen2vfpWpMGkNog5mjDbQ0sh2u7afre1Hw-H186YcfIen648qvgw/s437/vidhvath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="434" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCVL6xlggvmWExXPIBKPTuQq4qFsc8NrR4iJtKW3BO2qFy49ZoChhnpOLRK_3ulJ5kwjfZbn3fuZoQjXE9JxXljWhyphenhyphenpVIpruwdRs0d4Q01w1JCJCa8E9XZWfucneoNfu1SsNxLSwg-Yen2vfpWpMGkNog5mjDbQ0sh2u7afre1Hw-H186YcfIen648qvgw/s320/vidhvath.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The prominence for Garuda at Nachiyar Koil began in the 1990s when Gopinathan Bhattar and his brother created a seven week prarthana model for devotees invoking the blessings of Garuda for their wishes to be fulfilled. Three decades later, this historical temple praised with a century of verses by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar, has come to be famous worldwide for this twice a year Kal Garuda Sevai procession when Garuda’s weight is said to increase manifold during the procession.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>மாண் கொண்ட தோல் மார்வின் மாணியாய் </div><div>மாவலி மண் தான் கொண்டு தாளால் அளந்த பெருமானே </div><div>தேன் கொண்ட சாரல் திருவேங்கடத்தானை </div><div>நான் சென்று நாடி நறையூரில் கண்டேனே - Periya Thirumozhi 6.8.1</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was the first time in his life that Vidhvath, who holds a P.Hd from the Delft University, was watching a grand enactment at a Brahmotsavam in a Divya Desam. And naturally his excitement was palpable. He told this writer late on Tuesday night following the street procession that he been really curious about the Kal Garuda procession and how the events would unfold in the evening <b>“Expectation was high with a lot of energy among the devotees. There was a certain buzz inside the temple. I got early to the temple to capture a vantage position near the Garuda Sannidhi so I could get a close look at the start of the procession.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As has been the trend at this utsavam, people began to trickle in just after 5pm. “You could sense that something was happening as each corner of the temple was buzzing with activity.” </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the Kal Garuda Sevai taking place after a few years, it was natural for the temple authorities to expect a huge crowd. Being one of the first entrants at the temple on this evening, Vidhvath saw firsthand every move of the priests, the service personnel and the devotees <b>“Since I was there from 4.30pm, I could see the mood change with every passing moment. I entered the temple with great anticipation and curiosity having read about the utsavam in the past. By 5.30pm, the police personnel had gathered in good numbers even as one could sense a bit of restlessness among the devotees, each being eager to get a first look of the beautifully decorated Garuda. Hot milk was presented to the devotees and with the passing of each minute, anticipation of that much awaited moment was on the rise. More and more people wanted to enter the sannidhi and get close to Garuda as possible.” </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By 6pm, the entire long pathway leading to the Garuda Sannidhi was packed with hundreds of devotees lined up on either side. Everyone was treated to a delightful presentation of Tavil and Nagaswaram. The entire mood had turned completely festive. And right opposite the sannidhi, there were scores of people waiting with bated breath for the unveiling of the decorated vahana. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a matter of minutes, the crowd extended right to the Eastern Raja Gopuram and there was not an inch of space left in the entire temple complex. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">And then it happened all too quickly. Garuda’s strode down the steep steps of this Mani Mada Koil built by Ko Chenganan Koil at a rapid pace. Flowers were thrown on Garuda during this procession. Folded hands went up invoking the blessings of Garuda while in line with the current trend phone cameras and videos too went to capture that magical moment of Sripatham carrying Kal Garuda. The Sripatham personnel treated the devotees to a fast paced Voyali going back and forth a few times before Kal Garuda made his way to the alankara mandapam at the Eastern entrance for Srinivasa Perumal to be mounted on the Garuda Vahana. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTbsgXTAcJ2mugm3k7YoTeazzotzgjbfSd7nfcZv059rqKZqzBpOrdv90LNj4S2rSB7_cOuVkrynqh568enPEWxZS9kvo7SGm0YAcYqh38zslYWUVZ101tfS4XEOMXuKQLx2axosup1Tl_PvFoAyUPyOdJdpOE6LueizZ1xtricw9qMHXyBFX-JPWo62G/s1205/vanjula%20valli%20thayar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTbsgXTAcJ2mugm3k7YoTeazzotzgjbfSd7nfcZv059rqKZqzBpOrdv90LNj4S2rSB7_cOuVkrynqh568enPEWxZS9kvo7SGm0YAcYqh38zslYWUVZ101tfS4XEOMXuKQLx2axosup1Tl_PvFoAyUPyOdJdpOE6LueizZ1xtricw9qMHXyBFX-JPWo62G/s320/vanjula%20valli%20thayar.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the utsava deity was mounted on to his Vahana, devotees made their way atop the Mada Koil for a darshan of the Moolavar Srinivasa Perumal and Vanjula Valli Thayar. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Inside the temple complex, Vidvath saw quite an energetic Namasankeerthanam concert with active participation from the audience.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>முருகிலங்கு கனிதுவர்வாய் பின்னை கேள்வன் மன்னெல்லாம் முன்னவியச்சென்று </div><div>வென்றிச் செருக்கழுத்துத் ததிறலழிய செற்ற வேந்தன் சிறந்துணிந்தான் திருவடினும் சென்னிவைப்பீர் </div><div>இருக்கிலங்கு திருமொழி வாய் எண்தோள் ஈசற்கு எழில் மாட எழுபதும் செய்து உலகமாண்ட </div><div>திருகுலத்து வளச்சோழன் சேர்ந்த கோயில் திரு நறையூர் மணி மாட சேர்மின்களே </div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The Street Procession at 9pm</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was almost 9pm when the screen opened for the second time this evening. Srinivasa Perumal provided darshan atop Kal Garuda. Shortly after Perumal along with Vanjula Valli Thayar made their way around the four streets on a wheeled procession which has become a norm in remote towns in Tamil Nadu. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was past midnight when Kal Garuda made his way back to the temple after the devotees were treated to a delightful darshan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For Netherlander Vidhvath, it was a new experience that he referred to as a fantastic one. He even had unexpected tears rolling down his cheeks watching the magical moment of Moolavar Kal Garuda making his way down the steps from almost a touching distance. Only a couple of days earlier, he had had a 24 hour flight trip from Europe and had felt the jet lag. And soon after, he took a train to Kumbakonam. He says that Kal Garuda energized him dramatically <b>“Everything changed once I was at the Garuda Sannidhi. The anticipation and the buzz among the devotees captivated me. I found that everyone had their reason to come to the temple and to pray. And each expressed his/her devotion in their own way.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Clearly the Kal Garuda Sevai is gaining in popularity and is going global.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoEXVVQSGOJ43RG6uL7vtfsaobFKRYMbZVCXlWrnxUofGF8SarDd8hQkRTBukIytWpmDUkg0xGzXL1j2Mod59JMZY0woSiYvIttE8bLM58ZE6F4xYxj-EQU3c_3mgU96hgoLm-b01eF4d3lI2ajCpY6SUYbh3cYt1jH4bW8n4kulkOvmu6DsX2shzWVXEV" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="260" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoEXVVQSGOJ43RG6uL7vtfsaobFKRYMbZVCXlWrnxUofGF8SarDd8hQkRTBukIytWpmDUkg0xGzXL1j2Mod59JMZY0woSiYvIttE8bLM58ZE6F4xYxj-EQU3c_3mgU96hgoLm-b01eF4d3lI2ajCpY6SUYbh3cYt1jH4bW8n4kulkOvmu6DsX2shzWVXEV" width="223" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Tail Piece</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It has been a fulfilling couple of months for Gopinathan Bhattar ( <a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/08/nachiyar-koil-gopi-bhattar.html?m=1">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/08/nachiyar-koil-gopi-bhattar.html?m=1</a>). After almost single handedly carrying out the renovation exercise for a year securing donor devotees in good numbers and organizing the consecration on October 27, he also anchored the mandalabhisekam on December 14. <span style="text-align: left;">And then within 36 hours of the event, the Margazhi Brahmotsavam began last Friday. The successful presentation of the Kal Garuda Sevai on this Tuesday evening is a crown in his cap and he can enjoy some well earned rest.</span></div></div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-25000694626862751642023-11-28T01:29:00.007+05:302023-11-28T07:49:53.096+05:30 Nachiyar Koil Thirumangai Azhvaar Avathara Utsavam<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">After the big facelift to the Thiru Mangai Azhvaar Sannidhi, his Avathara Utsavam was celebrated in a grand way on Monday</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Srinivasa Perumal and Vanjulavalli Thaayar made their to his Sannidhi to recognise his big contribution to the temple</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">100 verses of Praise on Thiru Naraiyur and the two Madals were dedicated entirely to this temple</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxiMEBCb2uNGzwbDbvr44s367I9HJwMNUYX29Ew7egH8k9zYpzs3BzWE8CSYD9Lkxn5ScOZ5EBWQAFD-Q8wfhWKIX4Rh3yrPXll8Q7_SLNm5CzaKfG1DEeLS1aT842ftgjtDGn8StmGWyod_iHs6YTZ1afToxon6kPZ_1TrOGEqE5kHNfD6UaHuJ8Bqai/s795/tma%20nk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="555" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxiMEBCb2uNGzwbDbvr44s367I9HJwMNUYX29Ew7egH8k9zYpzs3BzWE8CSYD9Lkxn5ScOZ5EBWQAFD-Q8wfhWKIX4Rh3yrPXll8Q7_SLNm5CzaKfG1DEeLS1aT842ftgjtDGn8StmGWyod_iHs6YTZ1afToxon6kPZ_1TrOGEqE5kHNfD6UaHuJ8Bqai/s320/tma%20nk.jpg" width="223" /></a></div></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Lord of Thiru Naraiyur initiated the Pancha Samaskaaram on Thiru Mangai Azhvaar, the only Divya Desam Lord to have performed this on an Azhvaar. And thus Thiru Mangai Azhvaar refers to him in his verses of praise in the Periya Thirumozhi as ‘Thiru Naraiyur Nambi’. Delighted with his experience here, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised the Lord with a century of verses. The only other Lord that Thiru Mangai Azhvaar has praised with a 100 Paasurams is Thiru Kannapuram Sowri Rajan Perumal, where the Lord explained the Thiru Mandhiram to Thirumangai Azhvaar.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On October 27, a grand consecration took place after the biggest renovation exercise seen at the temple in several decades. The entire flooring around the moolavar sannidhi has been re-laid. The azhvaar acharya sannidhis at the eastern entrance has been restored to its historical glory. Right in front of the historical Thirumangai azhvaar sannidh had been the temple HRCE office for decades. It had become difficult for devotees to have darshan at this sannidhi because of the presence of the temple office. As part of the current restoration the office was shifted to the opposite side and a big facelift was given to this sannidhi.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKS-lX4A6PY-abryDTE_TNN_-HmwVUoH1IJFDifp6giP7MpFDFqeuv17NDyE6016F4eQ2H6TmCSHH0UMpjiyBozFsoFOft8dVehSj2FiWhINVY_pIQpSRHohTi52nsixbVYscrnd-TSkanatuDHD5bFj3yuGjwdXIKVjyFYBz78hXtN4BYYArrUNo9qVa8/s2495/nachiyar%20koil%20gopuram.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2495" data-original-width="2198" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKS-lX4A6PY-abryDTE_TNN_-HmwVUoH1IJFDifp6giP7MpFDFqeuv17NDyE6016F4eQ2H6TmCSHH0UMpjiyBozFsoFOft8dVehSj2FiWhINVY_pIQpSRHohTi52nsixbVYscrnd-TSkanatuDHD5bFj3yuGjwdXIKVjyFYBz78hXtN4BYYArrUNo9qVa8/s320/nachiyar%20koil%20gopuram.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">A month after Consecration</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Exactly a month later, on Monday (Nov 27), on the occasion of his birthday, the utsavar deity of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar made his way from the Azhvaar Acharya Sannidhi to his Sannidhi on the north side of the eastern entrance. Gopinathan Bhattar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/08/nachiyar-koil-gopi-bhattar.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/08/nachiyar-koil-gopi-bhattar.html</a>), who anchored the big renovation single handedly, performed a Thirumanjanam for both the moolavar and utsavar.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Prominence for Goddess</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lord was of the view that in Kali Yugam men would have to listen to women (husband to listen to wife’s words). Hence, he decided that to first serve as an example and listen to the Goddess here. On all occasions, the first rights are reserved for the Nachiyar. Even the sacred food is first served to the Nachiyar and only then to the Naraiyur Nambi. Being a temple where Goddess has prominence, one can see the Lord slightly by the side and the Goddess is the one who has the prominent position inside the sanctum. Even from the entrance of the temple, one gets a glimpse of Vanjulavalli Nachiyar.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyG-XogCFvWRc6uC1oTeTL84dsr7gayAkYhppSY0Nmsjs620F11AFPXpcDruJv9kEmQT5Xbpd0Gbp4rcdPCxk5AqhT048v9N41GRe-EQgMTSkKLJG99RDGuMBI9AF6xSjxQadHYzASeKMRGknh3w6wOJ-lXcrJmkvcIihYdkQfRSQPcSwgvmJXXBr34TjV/s2201/nachiyar%20koil%20procession%20to%20tma%20sannidhi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1321" data-original-width="2201" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyG-XogCFvWRc6uC1oTeTL84dsr7gayAkYhppSY0Nmsjs620F11AFPXpcDruJv9kEmQT5Xbpd0Gbp4rcdPCxk5AqhT048v9N41GRe-EQgMTSkKLJG99RDGuMBI9AF6xSjxQadHYzASeKMRGknh3w6wOJ-lXcrJmkvcIihYdkQfRSQPcSwgvmJXXBr34TjV/s320/nachiyar%20koil%20procession%20to%20tma%20sannidhi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Prabhandam members present Thiru Mangai Azhvaar's verses</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Immediately after the Thirumanjanam, the grandly decorated Srinivasa Perumal and Vanjulavalli Thayar made their way from atop the Moolavar Sannidhi (this is a Mada Koil) on a procession to Thiru Mangai Azhvaar’s Sannidhi. A couple of ghosti members from Sarangapani Koil including the erstwhile Maniyam turned up for the Prabhandham Ghosti and for about an hour, the birthday boy Thiru Mangai Azhvaar listened to the sacred verses rendered by him over a 1000 years ago with the Divine Couple enjoyin the swing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For the first time in several decades, the avathara utsavam of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar has been celebrated thus - with the sannidhi visible without the distraction of the office.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">'Mathil Inghe, Madal Anghe’ - Thiru Mangai to Srirangam Ranganatha</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As seen in an earlier story on Srirangam, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar had built the wall at Srirangam Ranganatha temple (<a href="http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2007/09/108-divya-desams-srirangam-lord.html">http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2007/09/108-divya-desams-srirangam-lord.html</a>). So pleased was Lord Ranganatha with Thiru Mangai Azhvaar that he wanted him to praise with Madal - Love Letters to the Lord. However, Thiru Mangai Azhvaar told Ranganatha that the Madal was dedicated solely to the Naraiyur Lord: “Mathil Inghe, Madal Anghe” meaning ‘Wall in Srirangam” and “Letters in Thiru Naraiyur”. He composed two Madals - Periya Thiru Madal and Siriya Thiru Madal, both of which were presented this morning by the prabhandam ghosti members as part of the Avathara Utsavam celebrations (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2012/10/thirumangai-azhvaars-madal.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2012/10/thirumangai-azhvaars-madal.html</a>).<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9uvGIYbiidaxOnglJyo1g9dHtF9LK8nE8D8YlW5R3skbJA78APmHCCA4y7-7IhRIpIHkKjneFfOzWdQrcQvVnCKFnbyG6nvmtIbSHwx2qOo3jfiJecoqYm5TefERn86B4ZHqs48NArHK-GJ790ao5PAuD4VmWNtQseePijUmWLWOukUfRhroLDTJXq3P/s559/divine%20couple.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="499" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9uvGIYbiidaxOnglJyo1g9dHtF9LK8nE8D8YlW5R3skbJA78APmHCCA4y7-7IhRIpIHkKjneFfOzWdQrcQvVnCKFnbyG6nvmtIbSHwx2qOo3jfiJecoqYm5TefERn86B4ZHqs48NArHK-GJ790ao5PAuD4VmWNtQseePijUmWLWOukUfRhroLDTJXq3P/s320/divine%20couple.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Thiru Mangai Azhvaars praise -Ko Chenganan's Mada Koil</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As the concluding part of the utsavam, Perumal’s garland was presented to Thiru Mangai Azhvaar in happiness of him having sung a 100 verses of praise. Kathambha Rice, Puliyodharai and Dhadhyonam was presented as part of the celebratory event. Following the divine couple made their way back to their sannidhi climbing the big steps built by Ko Chenganan Chozhan who did not want elephant to enter the temple complex and hence constructed this as Mada Koil, praised so in a decad of verses by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2014/12/ko-chenganan-and-nachiyar-koil-divya.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2014/12/ko-chenganan-and-nachiyar-koil-divya.html</a>).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>வம்பு அவிழும் செண்பகத்தின் வாசம் உண்டு</div><div>மணி வண்டு வகுளத்தின் மலர்மேல் வைகு</div><div>செம்பியன் கோச் செங்கணான் சேர்ந்த கோயில்</div><div>திருநறையூர் மணிமாடம் சேர்மின்களே</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the previous evening, on the occasion of Vaikanasa Deepam, over a 1000 lamps were lit on these Mada Koil steps and the newly renovated temple that is shining bright during the day, had an even more glowing look late on Sunday evening.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO11rA5xpwJn6LCnc0W0NOOTutfVQtr9KqBo8wRyqnxylPfMsWqJeJ6yvwkhfIHtcfLXn3RSV0Joj5hrpRglcJcbNE3DZ2YcuifqSppln0aDlRQitsibsjmJLiSVSlsv9dDvhaGyxGXIhErOXo1Qdo-oYfxqCEtnjzOIhyMg2yg_6EjDu-uWJiofqsdxVz/s2050/gopi%20bhattar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2050" data-original-width="1905" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO11rA5xpwJn6LCnc0W0NOOTutfVQtr9KqBo8wRyqnxylPfMsWqJeJ6yvwkhfIHtcfLXn3RSV0Joj5hrpRglcJcbNE3DZ2YcuifqSppln0aDlRQitsibsjmJLiSVSlsv9dDvhaGyxGXIhErOXo1Qdo-oYfxqCEtnjzOIhyMg2yg_6EjDu-uWJiofqsdxVz/s320/gopi%20bhattar.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gopinathan Bhattar sported a happy smile at the end of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar's utsavam on Monday. It was his effort that led to the relocation of the temple office to the other side which paved the way for the Avathara Utsavam celebration a month after the consecration. His is an example of working with single minded devotion towards restoring the temple and to reviving the utsavam to its historical grandeur. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Kal Garuda Sevai on Dec 19</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Street Procession for the now popular Margazhi Kal Garuda Seva has not taken place in the last few years first because of the Pandemic and then last year because of the Thiruppani works. Gopi Bhattar is all excited about the prospects of a huge crowd at the Kal Garuda Sevai procession this year on Tuesday December 19 that follows within 5 days of the mandalaabishekam (Dec 14). By this time, he would have also completed the refurbishing of the huge temple tank ahead of the Theppotsavam.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Kal Garuda Sevai will be a big event for him as it's the first one after the consecration and several thousands of devotees will be able to experience the positive vibrations at the temple. </div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-81515232785404280192023-11-26T15:00:00.011+05:302023-11-26T22:24:57.833+05:30 Othuvar Bhargavi Dy CFO to Othuvar Thiru Valleeswarar Padi<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">35 year old Bhargavi has taken a devotional call to quit a high paying corporate job to perform service as an Othuvar in a Paadal Petra Sthalam</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqxoIpTIr6SxoBQYM6-0U5-mojS7CFqBw6w5Yrtki7-_J0Qw9tgoeY5zhf2u6dQfwsC2Vz5FffNP7xGSq8srPLAQrMrSd9qpqhkX2yNi6X4pNVCWZzQa0MSFSAu1wVffo49gHZ2AkIuGlG7FO4RKstUYwBMzDtLS5VebqRfQcQvpYXhmGXR7XuwwdOhHnN/s1372/Othuvar%20Bhargavi%20valleeswarar%20padi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="1331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqxoIpTIr6SxoBQYM6-0U5-mojS7CFqBw6w5Yrtki7-_J0Qw9tgoeY5zhf2u6dQfwsC2Vz5FffNP7xGSq8srPLAQrMrSd9qpqhkX2yNi6X4pNVCWZzQa0MSFSAu1wVffo49gHZ2AkIuGlG7FO4RKstUYwBMzDtLS5VebqRfQcQvpYXhmGXR7XuwwdOhHnN/s320/Othuvar%20Bhargavi%20valleeswarar%20padi.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This section had featured a story in 2020 on how finance sector professional Harini Yogalakshmi came all the way from Erode to have darshan of Adikaara Nandi and Rishabham during the Panguni Utsavam at the Kapaleeeswarar temple (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/kapali-panguni-utsavam.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/kapali-panguni-utsavam.html</a>) and last year a story on college student Aparna Sai staying through the night for the Rishabham procession (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/03/kapali-devotee-aparna-panguni-utsavam.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/03/kapali-devotee-aparna-panguni-utsavam.html</a>). This story is of another staunch Kapali devotee who has taken her devotion to a completely different level. She just quit a high paying corporate job at a top notch logistics company to don the role of an Othuvar at a Paadal Petra Sthalam. Here’s the story.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Challenging Childhood Phase</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Struck by financial poverty, Bhargavi could only go to a Corporation school in Perambur. She took to the Commerce group at the Kandakottai Govt school in Doveton and was keen on pursuing CA. But the needs at home meant that she had get on to a job quickly and start earning even as a teenager. On many days, she ate the ‘amman temple koozh’ for lunch and that was the only food she had on those days. But she was blessed with extreme devotion. Her patti Dakshayini initiated her into devotional songs when she was two years old. Even before she was into her teens, she walked a mindboggling 75 kms every year in Puratasi to have darshan of Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal in Thirumalai Vaiyavoor (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2011/01/thirumalai-vaiyavoor-prasanna-venkatesa.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2011/01/thirumalai-vaiyavoor-prasanna-venkatesa.html</a>). All through that long walk from Chennai, she would recite Bhajans along with her Patti. During the Chariot Festival of Venkatesa Perumal, she would sing the sacred verses walking behind the Chariot.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was little else she did in her childhood with almost all her time outside of school being spent in spiritual activities and temple visits.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBv0pR_fNHudN1n1ACjiVCBKRMJsALPDwjYwjp_yyZ7BTPM1dhLWvpcJ_kg8Z6NQjaoO_V2BgO2ioLg7PErF2yqgutf4M3pn9yZAqgjsBRyI0jLycFbHN2Ir5wZgcnfmnLP_7OrtREnsn0Pf_gz5pFfqJC2PAO2pthyufHhhZYUQoLCotSdRK0YMKiCn2/s284/Bhargavi%20@%20school.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="284" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBv0pR_fNHudN1n1ACjiVCBKRMJsALPDwjYwjp_yyZ7BTPM1dhLWvpcJ_kg8Z6NQjaoO_V2BgO2ioLg7PErF2yqgutf4M3pn9yZAqgjsBRyI0jLycFbHN2Ir5wZgcnfmnLP_7OrtREnsn0Pf_gz5pFfqJC2PAO2pthyufHhhZYUQoLCotSdRK0YMKiCn2/s1600/Bhargavi%20@%20school.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Karthigai Pournami</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On a highly crowded Pournami Sunday morning at the Thiru Valleeswaram temple in Thiru Valithayam, Padi, Othuvar Bhargavi rolls out with great devotion sacred verses on Pillayar and then in front of Murugan adorned in a Grand Santhana Kappu. Surprisingly there is pin drop silence as the 100 odd devotees around the Sannidhi listen to her presentation of Thiruppugazh. A few minutes later two young girls come up to her with devotional tears rolling down their cheek “Madam, your devotion was extraordinary. We were spell bound with your devotional voice and your presentation” they tell her in the South Prakara.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Long queue stacked up at the temple to have darshan on the Karthigai Deepam day. Many other devotees come up to her to praise her presentation. <b>“No amount of money in the corporate world can match the opportunity to present the sacred verses in front of the Lord every day”</b> she tells this writer even as more devotees turn to her with a word of praise for her presentation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Thirumalai Vaiyavoor temple was my first big initiation into the spiritual world and that will always stand etched in my memory. Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal meant everything to me in my teenage phase <b>"My Patti was my first Gurunathar and she initiated into me songs on Pillayar, Murugar as well as Vishnu Sahasranamam in addition to taking me on Paathai Yathirai. My Patti even let go of her jewels to meet some of my expenses in that phase such was her contribution in my life. ”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Tier 1 Companies for a decade</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Scholarship from Bhoomika trust helped her graduate in Commerce at Ethiraj College and she went on to do MBA in Finance. For over a decade, she worked in top notch tier 1 IT companies such as Wipro and TCS in the finance vertical and then as a DY CFO at CMA CGA, a logistics player with presence in over 150 countries. While the family situation warranted this, she continued to be highly spiritual. Even at the office she sported the big sacred white ash much to everyone’s surprise. She has always been seen at the Kapali temple with Rudraksham Maalai.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0-twAUw6gUkvbMOWCITc0FXRgdf-1mxTcwlrpwKE91sgls0F2UdTaUTqJT5Vf48RFdvxddYUvK1MtCBVX2YvVt4Wi7UX8Qoy9AC2goargS3o44naxy95lG4h5aOoT3SgV_OmU9YzoC4jbuvFh8pOAUvYLAi0uDh5iAdjTterr_lowuhdmLtD7rkI4nRO/s3450/Thiruvalithayam%20temple.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2201" data-original-width="3450" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0-twAUw6gUkvbMOWCITc0FXRgdf-1mxTcwlrpwKE91sgls0F2UdTaUTqJT5Vf48RFdvxddYUvK1MtCBVX2YvVt4Wi7UX8Qoy9AC2goargS3o44naxy95lG4h5aOoT3SgV_OmU9YzoC4jbuvFh8pOAUvYLAi0uDh5iAdjTterr_lowuhdmLtD7rkI4nRO/s320/Thiruvalithayam%20temple.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Alongside her corporate work, she did the Saiva Siddhantham course at the Thiruvaduthurai Atheenam. She had always been interested in Thirumurai and she did a course in Thevaram /Thiruvachakam as well. She credits Nagappan Othuvar and Murugappan, with over three decades experience in Thirumurai, as the two who motivated and encouraged her to go deep into this.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The transformation at Kapali</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But working well over 12 hours every day was taking a toll on her health and there were issues on work life balance as well especially after the birth of her daughter. It was then that she visited the Kapaleeswarar temple and it immediately brought about a transformation in her way of life “Kapali showed me the way and has been a guiding force every minute of my since then. I felt a certain peace there. I involved myself in long conversations with him and would just stand in front of Somaskandar and talk to him. My life changed dramatically since the time I visited Kapali. Now, there is no decision I take without approval from Kapali.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During her weekend trips to Kapali over the last many years, she would sit near the Kapaleeswarar Sannidhi and sing the sacred verses. And many times, she would roll into tears of bhakthi as she rendered the sacred verses. She says that her inspiration has always been Othuvar Sathgurunathan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/12/othuvar-sargunathan-kapali-temple.html?m=1">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/12/othuvar-sargunathan-kapali-temple.html?m=1</a>) . </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In that phase, she also visited Paadal Petra Sthalams across TN and recited the sacred verses in those temples.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Once you start looking at Him, it's difficult to take your eyes off", she says with her thoughts ever on Kapali and his handsome image. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She has also led many corporate workers facing challenges in life to the Kapali temple and found peaceful solutions for them. She sees herself continuing to don that role of leading devotees on the dharmic path.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Inspiration from a SVC member</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Only last Sunday, this section featured a story on Station Vigilance Committee and its role at Kapali Utsavams (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/11/sankar-ks-kapali-festival-crowd.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/11/sankar-ks-kapali-festival-crowd.html</a>). It was during the Arubathumoovar utsavam last year that Elango, a senior member of the SVC team, impressed with her devotional recitals suggested to her to take Deekshai which she did from the Thiruvaduthurai Atheenam.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJisMRxvpxtCAiYkFklhc5uuCQ5u3MvJRkkD6B1Dci3OdioboZiJAmwdlE1RVraOaMOQSG2jKOuvuW5xVsdtUtcqjzezUK78jAmGLsmI7sg7YfrYpndf6PD3nACPzzWyKI9Wl8PptJ2WwR_SSr9ABLucXhsVe5PFMHYDhIQ4X-y_Nim52LTmfRxIbEn97F/s504/SVC%20Elango.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="443" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJisMRxvpxtCAiYkFklhc5uuCQ5u3MvJRkkD6B1Dci3OdioboZiJAmwdlE1RVraOaMOQSG2jKOuvuW5xVsdtUtcqjzezUK78jAmGLsmI7sg7YfrYpndf6PD3nACPzzWyKI9Wl8PptJ2WwR_SSr9ABLucXhsVe5PFMHYDhIQ4X-y_Nim52LTmfRxIbEn97F/s320/SVC%20Elango.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Through the years, she had been to the Thiru Valleeswarar temple in Padi <b>“Singing the thevaram verses in front of the Lord gave a great deal of happiness. And I once asked him if I could sing in front of him everyday.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In June this year, as she was browsing her phone, she found the HRCE advertising for an opening for Othuvars. <b>"I applied and was interviewed in July by a panel of seven members that was video recorded as well. I was delighted to receive the appointment order to serve at a temple praised by Thiru Gnana Sambandar and one visited by the Great Raja Raja Chozhan." </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While it was a great opportunity to be rendering the sacred verses at the Thiru Valleeswarar temple as an Othuvar, the salary was just one fifth of what she had been earning at the corporate work place. She credits her husband for endorsing her decision <b>"Most of the colleagues at the work place thought I was mad to be quitting a high paying job. My appa, who had encountered financial challenges in his life, too did not approve of this. It is only because of the great support from my husband (Kamalakannan) that I was able to quit the high paying corporate job. Without him agreeing to a big cut in my salary, this transformation would not have been possible."</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>"We went to the Kapali temple with the appointment order and presented it at Kapali’s feet."</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJejA2W4HIRU6qijPJUW1o-APnjlw_GxHvuTpIobYI9Tms7RN_Urr-7QGTcBjBrecnaJdkf2HrtzZIrQM9NzPkEu_NOC4PpzBkbCLsdk_vpQsj77xrAqtkD_jdErXMthjONAGDgjiQBzL3Zp8vQm6aKpiuj6OBhzs9nHq61MzoljPBKNOjNRS6Cb086-Op/s1981/Thiruvalithaayam.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1981" data-original-width="1935" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJejA2W4HIRU6qijPJUW1o-APnjlw_GxHvuTpIobYI9Tms7RN_Urr-7QGTcBjBrecnaJdkf2HrtzZIrQM9NzPkEu_NOC4PpzBkbCLsdk_vpQsj77xrAqtkD_jdErXMthjONAGDgjiQBzL3Zp8vQm6aKpiuj6OBhzs9nHq61MzoljPBKNOjNRS6Cb086-Op/s320/Thiruvalithaayam.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Othuvar Bhargavi is just two months old at the Thiru Valleeswarar temple in Thiru Valithaayam but already she has been able to find great devotional vibes. The priests have been very supporting of her and she has been able to render the verses for a bit longer. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Having gone through a chequered childhood, she is keen to support the education of Shiva Adiyars. She says that her patti always stressed the importance of getting the blessings of elders. At the Thiru Valleeswarar temple, she says she has been getting them in plenty in the last two months and she is grateful to God for that. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just before she quit her corporate job a few months back, she had been earning close to six digit salary. Both in that high flying phase and now as the Othuvar in a Paadal Petra Sthalam, she counts two qualities as the most important ones <b>“I want to stay grounded at all times in my life and to be humble, especially when I am on a high.”</b> And of course she is keen to be a lifelong devotee of Kapali, a temple that she rushes off too for a darshan of her favorite Somaskandar on this Sunday afternoon after she has performed her role as an Othuvar at the Thiru Valleeswarar temple in Padi.</div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-65793061697309826212023-11-26T00:16:00.001+05:302023-11-26T07:22:28.990+05:30Thiru Vellarai New Raja Gopuram by end 2025<div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: red;">7 Tier 125 Feet Raja Gopuram to come up in Thiru Vellarai Divya Desam by 2025 end </span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coimbatore Devotee Jayapal will spend close to Rs. 8 crores on the construction as the sole donor</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">This complete 'Lime Mortar' Raja Gopuram will rank amongst the tallest Divya Desam Towers</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkc1fhfw7rz0drHhpp7GFSSJFcdPwoAkqE49oPpTogabpLAgBhjQeAents0UPlAlKI60l6gwnsaR_2tyhNiyw0tYbnFEUezWZYX9vSwibYZZJMAQ_G4JaX0roUoieojh37JR8lq62TnhiThjw8niLilggz0SMZi4BWMUe0vK0upvaONjz3hd-an10I-xc/s1600/thiruvellarai.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkc1fhfw7rz0drHhpp7GFSSJFcdPwoAkqE49oPpTogabpLAgBhjQeAents0UPlAlKI60l6gwnsaR_2tyhNiyw0tYbnFEUezWZYX9vSwibYZZJMAQ_G4JaX0roUoieojh37JR8lq62TnhiThjw8niLilggz0SMZi4BWMUe0vK0upvaONjz3hd-an10I-xc/s320/thiruvellarai.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The final hurdle has been overcome. The foundation stone for the Northern Raja Gopuram at Pundareekakshan Divya Desam in Thiru Vellarai, the birth place of Uyyakondan and Engal Azhvaan, was laid this week by HRCE minister PK Sekar Babu and work began this weekend. This section had earlier featured a couple of stories, one in 2017 and another last year, on the hurdles facing the construction of the Raja Gopuram </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Towers at the main entry point of two prominent and ancient Divya Desams near Trichy had been left as Mottai Gopuram and remained as such till the 1980s when a decision was taken to construct a world beating Raja Gopuram at the Southern entrance to the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam that now stands tall at 236 feet.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The other one, the Pundarikakshan temple at Thiruvellarai Divya Desam (<a href="http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2016/10/thiru-vellarai-divya-desam.html">http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2016/10/thiru-vellarai-divya-desam.html</a>) dates back to a period when 3700 Vaishnavite families lived in the town. For reasons, unrecorded, the Raja Gopuram at the Northern entrance remained unfinished.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Periyazhvaar describes Vellarai as a prosperous town</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is Thiruvellarai that Periyazhvaar praised as his first full decad on a temple (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/09/krishna-kaapidal.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2015/09/krishna-kaapidal.html</a>). Periyazhvaar describes Thiru Vellarai as a place with lofty mansions that were so high that they seemed to touch the moon.Through this description one can well imaging the prosperity of Thiru Vellarai in the centuries gone by. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He praises this as a place where Indra, Brahmma, Shiva and other Celestial Lords brought flowers for the Lord from heaven. To this day, as a symbolic gesture of this episode, one can see the sculptures of the Indra, Brahmma and Shiva on the western side of the complex housing the Lord. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">இந்திரனோடு பிரமன் ஈசன் இமையவர் எல்லாம்</div><div style="text-align: justify;">மந்திர மா மலர் கொண்டு</div><div style="text-align: justify;">மறைந்து உவராய் வந்து நின்றார்</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">சந்திரன் மாளிகை சேரும் சதுரர்கள் வெள்ளரை நின்றாய்</div><div style="text-align: justify;">அந்தியம் போது இது ஆகும்</div><div style="text-align: justify;">அழகனே காபிட வாராய் - Periyaazhvaar's Kaapidal</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Big Hurdles along with the way</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some ground work had started at Thiru Vellarai in 2016 but the Madras High Court order restraining renovation in temples meant the work came to a grinding halt. The hereditary priests of the temple had told this writer in 2017 that they were all excited that their temple too would get a Raja Gopuram similar to the one at Srirangam but with the objections against the construction of the Raja Gopuram on the Northern side, the steps inside the then battered 2tiered Gopuram was abound with bats and there was disappointment all around. One of the priests had wished then to this writer pointing to the towering Raja Gopuram at Srirangam with the Rock Fort temple in its background that one day Thiruvellarai too would have a towering temple tower that the residents would be proud of.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdl6BgvbSkQbecExS9x9vsv7uJsTRh8Du2FParYx6LkD8DVgDpve72yhahdlJd3BqcZwa7wagWE3cjivOSgPoT9oJA2M44JcF_mLYiVvPAvISLs0clIqnBCmxU9zETBmAe265T4x7b5F15U7ymyLmo_2bndP8AfdblcKhNyFNnBOlTsPmCZfZwV3RcNZZy/s988/Vellarai%20gopuram%20foundation%20stone.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="988" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdl6BgvbSkQbecExS9x9vsv7uJsTRh8Du2FParYx6LkD8DVgDpve72yhahdlJd3BqcZwa7wagWE3cjivOSgPoT9oJA2M44JcF_mLYiVvPAvISLs0clIqnBCmxU9zETBmAe265T4x7b5F15U7ymyLmo_2bndP8AfdblcKhNyFNnBOlTsPmCZfZwV3RcNZZy/s320/Vellarai%20gopuram%20foundation%20stone.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">S Mariappan, JC, Sekar Babu HRCE Minister along with the Coimbatore Donor </span></b><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Subsequently, with the High Court directing the appointment of a Panel to decide on the merits of renovation in temples, Thiru Vellarai seemed to get a life line with the Panel issuing an order to strengthen the existing structure at the Northern Entrance based on the technical reports. After the strengthening works of the existing structure, the donors, brothers Veeramani and Jayapal from Coimbatore (Unfortunately Veeramani, one of the brothers passed away) applied to the renovation committee that was satisfied with the strengthen of the base and gave the nod for the construction of the Raja Gopuram.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">வென்றி மா மழுவேந்தி முன்மண்மிசை மன்னரை </div><div style="text-align: justify;">மூவேழுகால் கொன்ற தேவ </div><div style="text-align: justify;">நின் குரைகழல் தொழுவதோர் வகை, எனக்கருள் புரியே </div><div style="text-align: justify;">மன்றில் மாம் பொழில் நுழை தந்து, மல்லிகை மௌவலின் போதலர்த்தி </div><div style="text-align: justify;">தென்றல் மா மனம் கமழ் தரவரு, திருவெள்ளறை நின்றானே - Thiru Magai Azhvaar</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Minister Sekar Babu directs a fast push</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier this year, this section had featured a story on the intention of HRCE Minister Sekar Babu (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/05/hr-ce-minister-sekar-babu-on-roll.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/05/hr-ce-minister-sekar-babu-on-roll.html</a>) to speed up restorations in temples. Two Divya Desams in the Chozha region saw rapid renovation exercises this year and recently consecration took place at Nachiyar Koil and Thiru Kannamangai. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This week Sekar Babu, who this writer has seen in multiple temples as a sincere and quiet devotee, laid the foundation for the construction of the Raja Gopuram at Thiru Vellarai. Late on Saturday night, he told this writer in a conversation that the construction will go on at a rapid pace. He said that while there will be a lot of strenuous work involved as this is a huge construction, he is determined to see the seven tier Raja Gopuram come up as quickly as possible.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zKCntvKTiVm5lA-njocpz14q3WCewm64-w5cairld1PApUR3n4zwsGDphoTw3-cbmo_YfiYdq610SiHJg0ri4yT709Rainep0kZyE_gLetUAU8L01PI67I2fDxIDAffIk_qdHiowuX5jIykGebXE9_3t3RO_Q8RzW0JJTv_aeoXIrkrDU-u7ikOSAz2X/s3755/PSB%20HRCE%20Minister.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3755" data-original-width="2698" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zKCntvKTiVm5lA-njocpz14q3WCewm64-w5cairld1PApUR3n4zwsGDphoTw3-cbmo_YfiYdq610SiHJg0ri4yT709Rainep0kZyE_gLetUAU8L01PI67I2fDxIDAffIk_qdHiowuX5jIykGebXE9_3t3RO_Q8RzW0JJTv_aeoXIrkrDU-u7ikOSAz2X/s320/PSB%20HRCE%20Minister.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">An exclusive Donor from Coimbatore</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sekar Babu confirmed to this writer that Jayapal from Coimbatore will be the exclusive donor for this exercise and that he will take up entire expenses of the Raja Gopuram that is estimated at close to Rs. 8crores.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A priest at the temple told this writer that the Raja Gopuram was likely to come up in two years. He was not sure if the Northern entrance would be shut completely once the work starts in a full fledged way. When the strengthening work of the base of the Gopuram took place, the Northern Entrance had been shut and devotees had to enter the temple through the Eastern Entrance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Pundarikakshan gives the Green Signal</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Varadaraja Acharya, a descendent of Engal Azhvaan and a resident of Thiru Vellarai for several decades had told this writer a few years back that he was nonplussed at the delay as Lord Pundarikakshan will decide what is good for the devotees and that if he willed, the towering Raja Gopuram will come up someday. It looks like the Lord of Thiru Vellarai has finally given the green signal and devotees in all the nearby villages are all excited at the prospect of their temple sporting a towering Raja Gopuram sometime in the near future.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidj84xATypjaWUnbvsB2KTrIGPD59K_0yoSiqjQ252XG8mzJoS0cmHYdCXtNC6c9x8ggcIlEmhs_QWS0H5c8jt7EMLNVowivrF3Or_S16JLHcD5C3lWAiEVKbKXVq2vMGaVV2TFJ7DmzuLWVRdO8GHsp67sFYoNkNmHI6nJsMw0Vv3oxmwGKLjiSOhKzUy/s1366/Varadaraja%20Acharya.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="1079" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidj84xATypjaWUnbvsB2KTrIGPD59K_0yoSiqjQ252XG8mzJoS0cmHYdCXtNC6c9x8ggcIlEmhs_QWS0H5c8jt7EMLNVowivrF3Or_S16JLHcD5C3lWAiEVKbKXVq2vMGaVV2TFJ7DmzuLWVRdO8GHsp67sFYoNkNmHI6nJsMw0Vv3oxmwGKLjiSOhKzUy/s320/Varadaraja%20Acharya.JPG" width="253" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It has been a long time coming at Thiru Vellarai and the approval process has seen several hurdles over the last decade since the plan was first made. With Sekar Babu at the helm, temples in TN are seeing massive renovation exercises and the numbers (of temple renovations) are surging by the day. With the foundation stone laid this week, it looks like finally the new Raja Gopuram at Thiru Vellarai will be on its way. When complete, the 125 feet high Raja Gopuram at Thiru Vellarai will rank amongst the top five tallest towers on the Divya Desam list and thus in a matter of three and a half decades, Mottai Gopurams in two ancient temple towns near Trichy would have seen towering Raja Gopurams!!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And when the Raja Gopuram at Thiru Vellarai does sport a new look, the hereditary priest would have seen his lifetime wish fulfilled…that of seeing a towering Raja Gopuram similar to the one at Srirangam (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/11/venu-srinivasan-srirangam-temple.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/11/venu-srinivasan-srirangam-temple.html</a>).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hopefully sometime in the near future, Thiru Vellarai will be back to its Golden Days as described by Periyazhvaar and Thiru Mangai Azhvaar.</div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-81036828035968119412023-11-19T15:04:00.005+05:302023-11-21T02:16:21.584+05:30 Sankar KS Kapali Festival Crowd Management<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">IT Professional turns to Temple Crowd Management Service</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrV3xgO-sXBlPjajHbaqTikgBoGY46ZjhXCyoxItVnp2pPPdMo0_wQO09qRAB7wQ42vnanSYgElyMo4lDxU2RBbNJ-Kr74kBqe4tNgpuU8rrz8J1jXsb4oHKH6Uah_ZO1lXMEUCmi5_o2VGtkGFnYq-Jy3QEVQj-n94Et1u9vKq6V38TGbf6WAzFwJRn6/s1831/ks%20sankar%20svc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1831" data-original-width="1532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrV3xgO-sXBlPjajHbaqTikgBoGY46ZjhXCyoxItVnp2pPPdMo0_wQO09qRAB7wQ42vnanSYgElyMo4lDxU2RBbNJ-Kr74kBqe4tNgpuU8rrz8J1jXsb4oHKH6Uah_ZO1lXMEUCmi5_o2VGtkGFnYq-Jy3QEVQj-n94Et1u9vKq6V38TGbf6WAzFwJRn6/s320/ks%20sankar%20svc.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">51 year old IT professional KS Sankar was at Singaravellar’s Soora Samharam event on North Mada Street on Saturday (Nov 18) evening. Several hundreds of devotees gathered near the temple office to watch the enactment of Kapali Temple’s Singaravellar killing the asura. He anchored the team of crowd management personnel helping the Mylapore Police and the temple authorities at the event keeping the highly devotional and excitable crowd in order. Ropes had been placed on each side of the road to ensure that the devotees don't invade into the path of the asura who made his away on a procession from the East end of the North Mada Street six times in different forms around Singaravellar signifying Lord Muruga's role in Aru Padai Veedu. On Thursday, the Station Vigilance Committee (SVC) team was in Thiruvallikeni for the street procession to mark Manavala Mamuni's Avathara Utsavam (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/11/manavala-mamuni-utsavam-thiruvallikeni.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/11/manavala-mamuni-utsavam-thiruvallikeni.html</a>). The team also is involved in managing the crowd on the Vaikunta Ekadasi day at Thiruvallikeni.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The entire team is active on Saturday evening with Aavin providing several sachets of rose milk for their service while team member Sivakumar runs around to bring in bottles of water for his team. The crowd is not always cooperative as Sivakumar found out with an old man who refused to move away from the processional path and he had to be stern to take him away. But that is what the team's experience has come in handy in recent times with their understanding of the utsavam processes and the peaking of the crowds at important points.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of the big occasions in the year is the Panguni Utsavam when crowds throng the Kapaleeswarar temple especially on Arubathumoovar and Ther (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/04/kapali-panguni-utsavam-2023.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/04/kapali-panguni-utsavam-2023.html</a>). The Mylapore Police work in close coordination with the SVC members to manage the crowd through the festival. The team has also helped spotting offenders at these big events and brought them in front of the police. On the occasion of Anna Abhisekam, Sankar found huge jewellery at the Kapali temple well past 10pm and handed it to the Mylapore Police. The devotee was delighted with his service. On a Pradosham evening, he anchored securing back two lost children for the mother who was seen in tears at the corner of the Kapali temple. And when the mother fell full stretch at the feet of Sankar, it left him stunned but also gave him a feel of the big role that the team plays during high crowd events at temples.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">A 'Greenery' and Service Orientation at at young age</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Right from a young age, Sankar had been initiated into a service mind set by his appa, a batchmate of TN Seshan, who served as a superintendent in the forest department. His appa had played a role in the arrest of Veerappan in the early 1980s. Sankar saw his appa perform his duty with sincerity and that rubbed off on him. The concept of greenery too had been instilled in him very early on in his life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He had been visiting the Kapaleeswarar temple as a devotee for several years and joined last decade the State Vigilance Committee team that had been performing service since the 1950s. Its role had diminished over a period of time and the team members had come down to a low number. He found that a formal systematic process had not been developed and he took it upon himself the task of setting up a system that could be used by the next gen.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_KUoHkHA5eZ8S_bbsjAehyRs2QEBRCxZJ56_BxqT6xtsJK-GiG0eVUqq3UTlqyVL_F95LgTnxp1cjoGA6F1it3Egh-0Va4R7s_B_W0PKMhw8K8Fe7-tqIyfUXv8C6Uon2kruNMZ2EukdDAm_r5YHdK7pMEZF9nUbRpxu1SYnF2qOvE6y0ldLBSKXstaj/s434/Singaravellar%20Soora%20Samharam.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="344" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_KUoHkHA5eZ8S_bbsjAehyRs2QEBRCxZJ56_BxqT6xtsJK-GiG0eVUqq3UTlqyVL_F95LgTnxp1cjoGA6F1it3Egh-0Va4R7s_B_W0PKMhw8K8Fe7-tqIyfUXv8C6Uon2kruNMZ2EukdDAm_r5YHdK7pMEZF9nUbRpxu1SYnF2qOvE6y0ldLBSKXstaj/s320/Singaravellar%20Soora%20Samharam.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is just a few hours prior to the big Thiru Kalyanam event at the Murugan temple in Vadapalani and EO Hariharan, who has taken charge only a few months ago, is keen for Sankar to be present along with his team to manage the crowd on Sunday evening. Just ahead of the event, Sankar told this writer as to how he has become fully involved in temple service in the last few years <b>“The health issues relating to my amma and a wrong diagnosis led me to quit my IT job that I had involved with for two decades. While I donned the role of a consultant, I found that I could spend my free time in performing service to Kapaleeswarar and that is how I became actively involved in crowd management.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">A strong process at SVC</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sankar went about understanding in-depth the whole process of this crowd management process and what it entailed. He recounts his first meeting at the Commissioner’s office <b>“When I met a senior person there who was on the verge of retirement, he asked if the SVC still existed. Over time, the SVC had slowed down and its members had branched out starting their own ones in different locations in the city but the police were happy that the SVC was being making a comeback of sorts. I was determined to make the team stronger with the help of the senior members in the team who had been involved for many years.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybpnkFFe-hot1OAmVNg8VMTt1o-si1GM-VxhNsrcngsAifXERRe9DJ6e3OwUw6WrWOuMeeK6UVuFADGTmmIeAtV927GCUOpasDM08DCRtn8JN4uojvhSE5YqxwJ6mRPqrkbwM-i5lVEbQ9ZzhDqAOhllcpI_FxAraBkFs13lzn9PN7EtIBo6LKZK926L2/s683/Sankar%20Kapali.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="381" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybpnkFFe-hot1OAmVNg8VMTt1o-si1GM-VxhNsrcngsAifXERRe9DJ6e3OwUw6WrWOuMeeK6UVuFADGTmmIeAtV927GCUOpasDM08DCRtn8JN4uojvhSE5YqxwJ6mRPqrkbwM-i5lVEbQ9ZzhDqAOhllcpI_FxAraBkFs13lzn9PN7EtIBo6LKZK926L2/s320/Sankar%20Kapali.jpg" width="179" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2019, he organised a meeting between around 25 SVC members and the Police team at Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan to discuss the revival of the SVC and to set up formal process of engagement between the temple, the police and the SVC. New rules and conditions were laid out for the SVC members including 15 hours of service every month. A formal badge was presented to the members after a minimum of six months of sincere service. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">This is pure service not a power grabbing opportunity</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He says that this team is there to perform a voluntary service and that the members cannot use this as a power weapon. But there are the odd ones out there too looking just for popularity and to leverage the power that this service entails as this writer found out in multiple interactions with the SVC members in the last three years. But they are only a small fraction of this strong team that now tops 50members. Sankar is hoping that more sincere voluntary service inclined members will join. The team is also performing night patrol services in the city on Friday and Saturday and has also been managing traffic on the weekends at Marina and Besant Nagar beaches. He is particular delighted with the fact the senior police officials who served in Mylapore have called on him after they have been transferred to other parts of the city to check if the team could help out the police in those areas. "This is a big endorsement from the police that our team has gained credibility" says Sankar.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Uab2D1FE_Hf8RWJP8IcXYs2UQMarD8B_dMwLjzp1Uxv5qI8F02VRCSlSyJV95pqc9dRpWJlS1fbyWwMNjI9pyaUWBP4s39XD5vi_MdiYOiRv9AeC6uOYZ__opf_rtS_M8CkEwKqzJqkYqm0iBlloznk63wFMnj0rKg2ZefC5v3Lkwr5KbrhBiW62WtMV/s1337/Sankar's%20certificates.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1337" data-original-width="820" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Uab2D1FE_Hf8RWJP8IcXYs2UQMarD8B_dMwLjzp1Uxv5qI8F02VRCSlSyJV95pqc9dRpWJlS1fbyWwMNjI9pyaUWBP4s39XD5vi_MdiYOiRv9AeC6uOYZ__opf_rtS_M8CkEwKqzJqkYqm0iBlloznk63wFMnj0rKg2ZefC5v3Lkwr5KbrhBiW62WtMV/s320/Sankar's%20certificates.jpg" width="196" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sankar has been maintaining records including photographs and attendance of members at every event where the team has performed its service. This he says also gives an indication of the commitment of the team members. Annual presentation is made to the Police Chief on the service rendered by the team in the year gone by. The shelf at his home is adorned with several certificates and medals presented to him by the city police for his voluntary service.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While Sankar continues to play the role of a trainer in the corporate world, he is often seen at temple festivals managing the crowd. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Corporate plans may soon take him away back into the business world but Sankar has documented and recorded the entire process and formalized the system in a way that he believes will make it easy for the next in charge to take over. For the moment he rushes off to Vadapalani Temple for the big Sashti culmination event on this Sunday evening.</div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-77403885145693553322023-11-14T00:44:00.008+05:302023-11-24T11:59:04.862+05:30 Kallukuzhi Hanuman Temple<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">FM Nirmala Sitharaman’s Thatha found the handsome small idol of Hanuman at the Trichy Railway Yard and built the temple just under a 100 years ago </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">The Grand Hanuman Jayanthi will be celebrated on January 11 with One Lakh and Eight Jangiris and Vadais</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Invoking Hanuman's blessings here has now become a regular exercise with those seeking a job overseas</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBdW2wV5uvkK10ZY4DImOfTmgLIx7NIZwcPhAGl_6siGOyjkXDTblaqQoZqlgezYOEtvW6nFfffajn32wL22hvqhQCiW4Gbq63J6z7eAhYnjHKvxsN1PR3Lj25hEY79p3sYXQXAvUllVELTTHmfcw_HfiIndHM2tYrY3KuIt29zmdvFxumRD4iRZv6zWm/s1394/Kallukuzhi%20Hanuman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1394" data-original-width="1066" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBdW2wV5uvkK10ZY4DImOfTmgLIx7NIZwcPhAGl_6siGOyjkXDTblaqQoZqlgezYOEtvW6nFfffajn32wL22hvqhQCiW4Gbq63J6z7eAhYnjHKvxsN1PR3Lj25hEY79p3sYXQXAvUllVELTTHmfcw_HfiIndHM2tYrY3KuIt29zmdvFxumRD4iRZv6zWm/s320/Kallukuzhi%20Hanuman.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On January 11, the popular and powerful Hanuman temple in Kallukuzhi at the east end of the Tiruchirappalli Junction will see the Grandest Celebration of the year. For almost the last century, the Hanuman Jayanthi has been celebrated in a big way with a street procession in the evening around the railway colony. On the 26th day of Margazhi, Hanuman will be decorated with one lakh and eight Jangiris and Vadais such has been the support from the devotees. The moolavar deity is seen with the Sanjeevi Hill in his hand and a curved tail that has a small cute bell at its tip.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the temple undergoing a renovation exercise, there will not be a street procession on the occasion and it will be restricted to a procession inside the temple complex. From the quiet temple with just the Hanuman Sannidhi just under a century ago, this temple has expanded now to multiple sannidhis. In the 1940s, Murugan and Pillayar Sannidhis were added. At the turn of the century, the Pandurangan Sannidhi was built in the location where Hanuman was originally consecrated. In 2007, as part of the previous renovation exercise, Chakkarathazhvaar and Navagriha Sannidhis were built and this led to more devotees visiting the temple. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The current Thiruppani works will see the entire flooring sparkling with new marble in line with the modern trend. The Gopuram and Vimanams will be painted afresh. The Dhyana Mandapam on the Western side is being rebuilt. Over the last decade or so, the temple has also been offering annadhanam at noon each day of the year in a big hall behind the Hanuman Sannidhi. The entire renovation exercise is taking place through support from the devotees. The consecration is slated for the third week of January. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><span style="color: red;">A battle between HRCE and the Railways</span></b></div><div>However, there is a battle brewing between the HR & CE and the Railways. A few decades ago, the HR & CE took over the temple in controversial circumstances. This temple is within the land belonging to the Railways and there has been a tug of war between the two. The once popular Railway Quarters east of the temple is in a deserted state now. In the century gone by, this area housed the entire staff of TPJ (Tiruchirappalli Junction). The railways is planning to demolish the quarters and build new complexes. The Hanuman temple is located between the Trichy Railway station and the Railway Colony. The dispute between the Railways and the HRCE is not likely to see an end soon.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4-C3HY4XB8ItBDnj4DAGfpw1bOneP_ljiKhV-1LAuqARbtRFZkjjO_IsXh-Y3UbvvQNQtQliQy0mwSG_nsKQh4kmXnArLTTg2IEhrm9VkOibViGz9K3ElpO3njwvEl2jWwYNGlom7A0bfgY7y5d32efNYOxU5NPpnaNyQf0QtVEV2pLqmsppnVlfr4jQ/s4096/Railway%20Quarters.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4-C3HY4XB8ItBDnj4DAGfpw1bOneP_ljiKhV-1LAuqARbtRFZkjjO_IsXh-Y3UbvvQNQtQliQy0mwSG_nsKQh4kmXnArLTTg2IEhrm9VkOibViGz9K3ElpO3njwvEl2jWwYNGlom7A0bfgY7y5d32efNYOxU5NPpnaNyQf0QtVEV2pLqmsppnVlfr4jQ/s320/Railway%20Quarters.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">FM Nirmala's Thatha found the idol just under a 100 years ago</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The consecration of the Hanuman idol has an interesting history to it connected with an event in the life of Narayana Iyer, the grandfather of the current Finance Minister Nirmala Seetharaman. He lived in Kallukuzhi for several decades and had a soft corner for the deprived in the society. During his life time, he performed the Anatha Pretha Samskara for the orphans in that area.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was he who found the idol of Hanuman, built a small temple east of the railway station that has now become highly popular with devotees in Trichy. In a conversation with this writer, the FM recounted the role of her Thatha in the consecration of the idol in the 1920s <b>“My Thatha anchored the construction of the goods yard at the Trichy Railway Station (he also built the yard at Punalur). While his team was digging the earth at the Trichy Junction as part of the yard building exercise, he found this handsome little idol of Hanuman. He sought permission from the Railway officials to install the idol near the station.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlB70txeksPUCVXZRqUHFHATl7tyuGLhU4jJjInu40RhSg4-WT3qJAtcgKPluVQFMiXIZo2aDgtewAKiyTsx3GWyAFLgCa-x5cQoqbcdy5WI8bNdJ_K3ky-tTR2iePi9JNgOoTXvx__V4rxKQEpDGzwhzqAnVcTkl00TWjiiV0-ByQrTAYjzEm0_ZlXstT/s755/FM%20Thatha.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="755" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlB70txeksPUCVXZRqUHFHATl7tyuGLhU4jJjInu40RhSg4-WT3qJAtcgKPluVQFMiXIZo2aDgtewAKiyTsx3GWyAFLgCa-x5cQoqbcdy5WI8bNdJ_K3ky-tTR2iePi9JNgOoTXvx__V4rxKQEpDGzwhzqAnVcTkl00TWjiiV0-ByQrTAYjzEm0_ZlXstT/s320/FM%20Thatha.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><span style="color: red;">Narayanan Iyer and his family at Kallukuzhi</span></b><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Back then, Tiruchappalli Railway Station (headquarters) was one of the most developed railway stations in Southern Railway (South Indian Railway) boasting a huge staff strength. After the consecration, the entire employee base began visiting the temple invoking the blessings of Hanuman.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">The FM's devotional engagement with Hanuman in the 1970s</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After her schooling in Villupuram and Chennai, Nirmala moved to Kallukuzhi in the early 1970s and lived a few hundred yards away from the temple. During that decade, she visited the temple at least twice every week, on Thursday and Saturday evening. She delightfully recalls those glorious days of her devotional engagement with Hanuman <b>"There were lot of friends my age and we used to go together to the temple and recite Hanuman Slokas. Vadai Malai was a regular feature at the temple and when the priest handed us the Sacred Vadai, we would go back home and give a small piece to each of our family members. It was a great devotional experience and I enjoyed every moment at the temple. Even though it was only a small temple and the idol was a very small one, it was very powerful. My eyes stayed devotionally glued to Hanuman. I particularly remember the priest being very sincere and performing pooja with great devotion. ”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>“The ‘Sendhooram’ Prasadam (the special orange coloured ash of Hanuman) was presented to us. We picked it up on our ring finger and sported it that on our forehead. It gave us a very positive feeling.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Bhattar’s daughter and Nirmala studied in the same school and college and were close friends for many years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Hanuman Jayanthi and Mandagapadi</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nirmala also vividly remembers the grand celebrations on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanthi <b>“Till his very end, my Thatha ensured that the mandagapadi on Hanuman Jayanthi went on well. We would all wait for the Lord to arrive on the procession and the entire Kallukuzhi First Street was decorated ahead of His arrival. It was a great moment every year to welcome Hanuman into our homes on his birthday."</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She recalls the presence of eminent personalities in Kallukuzhi during the 1970s <b>“Tamil Professor Balasubramanian took great interest in us and taught me Kamba Ramayanam. The agent of Swadesa Mitran also lived in Kallukuzhi. Jayendra Saraswathi’s parents lived in Kallukuzhi and my Thatha interacted with his appa quite closely.”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: red;">Happy Memories of Kallukuzhi Hanuman</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Into the 1980s, soon after her graduation, Nirmala moved to Chennai and she hasn't been back at the temple since then but the memories of her presence at the temple from those teenage years are still fresh</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>“There was great devotional vibration when I stood in front of Hanumar. The celebration of Hanuman Jayanthi, the Mandagapadi and the devotional experience of hosting Hanuman at our home, presenting the Sacred Vadai to our friends and relatives and the colourful Sendhooram ash left a big positive cultural and social impact in all of us .”</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Four Decades Kainkaryam </span></b></div><div>56 year old Selvi has been performing kainkaryam at the temple for four decades since the time she was a teenager. Her appa served as a load-man in the railways. She moved to Kallukuzhi from Manaparai afterwards marrying her uncle and has been serving at the Hanuman temple ever since. She started out when this was a private temple managed by Sriram Naidu, a Railway staff. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>She donned the role of a sweeper and it was thanks to her efforts that the temple always remained clean. Her husband passed away early and it was her devotion to Hanuman that led her to continue her service at the temple and bring up her daughters. After a decade of this kainkaryam as well as ‘Thiru Vilakku’, she took to the role of selling flowers and taking care of the chappals and vehicles in front of the temple. In those early years, she would get Rs. 5 per cycle parked in front of the temple and fifty paise for every pair of slipper left behind by the devotee. She lived in a hut in the far end of the temple complex before renovation and expansion of the temple led to her moving away to a rented home away from the temple complex. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNgz0bUtFyGcQsXnS2Cg8vqh4vK4Jj9aTfnh_4FxyfNhlrpcUdPbKBk1auwdBNewf1VM8vUZBf0EHVRcV8v4ragVQB_WkHRmE4lGENOynm3wQMWHe3vwQ3pkQ9qwx-1j-I3_of-hc0tbhClVAU-v5XCl-FdUSoL2JC1ipMNleMzutiURiP9xdmzXY2bHQ/s3597/Selvi%20Kallukuzhi%20flower%20vendor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1430" data-original-width="3597" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNgz0bUtFyGcQsXnS2Cg8vqh4vK4Jj9aTfnh_4FxyfNhlrpcUdPbKBk1auwdBNewf1VM8vUZBf0EHVRcV8v4ragVQB_WkHRmE4lGENOynm3wQMWHe3vwQ3pkQ9qwx-1j-I3_of-hc0tbhClVAU-v5XCl-FdUSoL2JC1ipMNleMzutiURiP9xdmzXY2bHQ/s320/Selvi%20Kallukuzhi%20flower%20vendor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div>She recalls the period from those early years<b> “I found great satisfaction in serving Hanuman right from my childhood days when I used to visit Kallukuzhi. Hence despite the financially challenging times, I wanted to dedicate my entire life to this temple. I would go and hand over prasadam to the North Indian devotees in the Bazaar and they presented some money for my devotional service.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>She is hoping to spend the rest of her lifetime in service to Lord Hanuman. Her son too has secured a night watchman job at the temple and she is happy that her next gen too is involved in temple Kainkaryam.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">The Devotional Wave - Hanuman who sends devotees Overseas!!!</span></b></div><div>The devotional wave has hit this temple big time with the crowd increasing manifold in recent decades. From 100 odd devotees in the century gone by, thousands now visit the temple. Interesting, Kallukuzhi Hanuman has come to be positioned as one who answers devotees’ prayers with overseas job opportunities. This belief has led to devotees thronging the temple in large numbers especially on Saturdays. </div><div><br /></div><div>Come end of January, the temple will sport a grand new look. A lot has changed in the area around the temple. The temple complex itself bears no resemblance to what it was in the 1970s when this writer too grew up in the colony near the temple. The historical railway colony and the quarters there could soon become a thing of the past. May be before then one day in the near future, the FM too would re-visit Kallukuzhi and have darshan at the temple in its new avatar.</div></div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-38763593312871371122023-11-08T14:37:00.001+05:302023-11-08T14:39:39.699+05:30Srirangam Sripatham Chakrapani<div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><span style="color: red;">From late night factory shifts to now anchoring the front line of the Sripatham at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, Chakrapani has seen a devotional transformation in his life</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">In addition to managing the huge crowd at the Moolavar Sannidhi during his non processional time, he has just been handed additional charge of the historical South facing Kothandarama Sannidhi near the Manal Veli</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4gncIsq3nnCq1K4AzVzEQ4T1LXUwwuUZvVqtdoP2AQMcbdTKglGZWUNQa4T7crV4vR5eh477LAgOiCw7q9m6KyjTlKRNZ9Hk8u5BIRex0pk_l1tiZln7VoIA_Tp5ya8xs0P0hqcOLNEp36viaMGjuyLaauBJoJKFO006SqHiiC5rgRKa3ukYRaI4_HUHG/s2174/srgm%20chakrapani%20sripatham.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2013" data-original-width="2174" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4gncIsq3nnCq1K4AzVzEQ4T1LXUwwuUZvVqtdoP2AQMcbdTKglGZWUNQa4T7crV4vR5eh477LAgOiCw7q9m6KyjTlKRNZ9Hk8u5BIRex0pk_l1tiZln7VoIA_Tp5ya8xs0P0hqcOLNEp36viaMGjuyLaauBJoJKFO006SqHiiC5rgRKa3ukYRaI4_HUHG/s320/srgm%20chakrapani%20sripatham.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>Chakrapani, the Sripatham at Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, is delighted with the developments of the last week. He has just been assigned additional charge of the historical Kothandarama Sannidhi, where one also finds Kulasekara Azhvaar, who sung thirty verses of praise on the people of Srirangam surrendering himself to the Lord of Srirangam (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/03/kulasekara-azhvaar-srirangam-ranganatha.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/03/kulasekara-azhvaar-srirangam-ranganatha.html</a>).</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">A Financial Struggle in his childhood</span></b></div><div>From the time, he struggled working late night shifts at manufacturing firms in Trichy two decades ago and lost his health to now spending all his time with Namperumal, it has been a transformation that he simply did not foresee. And that he says is all God's play.</div><div><br /></div><div>Just over a dozen ago, Chakrapani, a longtime resident of West Adayavalanjan street near Veli Andal Sannidhi <a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2011/08/aadi28-festival-in-srirangam.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2011/08/aadi28-festival-in-srirangam.html</a>), faced severe financial challenges. His appa Anantharaman had been a school teacher for three decades in Kambarasampettai but the family was short on finance. </div><div><br /></div><div>Chakrapani secured a diploma at the ITI and joined the manufacturing sector soon. But constant late night shifts in manufacturing firms in Trichy for many years was taking a toll on his body. He could not no longer do the fifteen kilometer rides on the two wheeler from Srirangam, and returning well past 1am every night of the year was proving a tedious exercise. Even as he was pondering over his future, an unexpected devotional opportunity came his way. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">The Devotional Shift</span></b></div><div>The Srinivasa Perumal temple (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2013/07/srinivasa-perumal-temple-srirangam.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2013/07/srinivasa-perumal-temple-srirangam.html</a>) South of the toweing Raja Gopuram was looking for a cook for its madapalli and Chakrapani grabbed that opportunity with both hands. He quit his manufacturing job, quickly learned the art of sacred cooking from his uncle in Bangalore who was into catering and moved into temple service. He slogged for a couple of years and made the madapalli a popular one among the devotees of the temple.</div><div><br /></div><div>Just under a decade ago, the Ranganathaswamy temple was looking to strengthen its Sripatham team and Chakrapani applied for the post. In his younger days, he had been part of the Vethal team and performed the Sripatham service in Srirangam as well as in Thiruvallikeni and Thirupathi among other Perumal temples in Tamil Nadu including the popular Srinivasa Perumal temple in Papanayakan Palayam in Coimbatore during the Brahmotsavam. Carrying the Lord on his shoulder was something that he had always had devotional interest in and it was one of the biggest moments of his life when he received the appointment as a Sripatham at the Ranganathaswamy temple.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>It is just past five am on the seventh day of the Oonjal utsavam at the Ranganathaswamy temple. The elephant carries the sacred water from the Cauvery on the Golden Pot in this Tula month. Walking alongside the elephant from the Amma Mandapam, Chakrapani told this writer as to how a devotional fervour has taken over him in recent years <b>“I consider it a great blessing to have the opportunity to carry Namperumal on my shoulder from the sanctum. It had been a financial struggle for several years and we were living in a house with a thatched roof. I would start cooking at 3am at the madapalli at the Srinivasa Perumal temple and the devotees took to a special liking for the prasadam in that temple. I was motivated by that and slogged even harder to make them enjoy the prasadam.”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijywB4ufcskHSeWDl97Eyit3A6b8pUaguPHNA0P9BYXr2LXQm963lzUZS9JjesYN02c61JXiJvFIR8Bo8TatcbXZTQ6FOjPl3esHoiT02NJhDvEMlkJT7ZQg5we2phL2jwUddXXjcsW7XGoKfHgTUbXQczHEljk5dTWzaY7y36nblt2hNZta7UVHH5uyjf/s1817/Srgm%20amma%20mandapam%20golden%20pot%20tula%20month.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1817" data-original-width="1256" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijywB4ufcskHSeWDl97Eyit3A6b8pUaguPHNA0P9BYXr2LXQm963lzUZS9JjesYN02c61JXiJvFIR8Bo8TatcbXZTQ6FOjPl3esHoiT02NJhDvEMlkJT7ZQg5we2phL2jwUddXXjcsW7XGoKfHgTUbXQczHEljk5dTWzaY7y36nblt2hNZta7UVHH5uyjf/s320/Srgm%20amma%20mandapam%20golden%20pot%20tula%20month.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>“The two years at the Srinivasa Perumal temple led to a financial revival for my family and I was able to renovate my old house.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Chakrapani has been the front anchor of the Sripatham team since the time he joined. It is a role that he has thoroughly enjoyed<b> “When I was at the factory working late nights, I never visualized that I would carry Namperumal and Ranganayaki Thayar at every procession in the year. It is easily the greatest blessing I have had in life.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>When not on processions, he is the chosen one by the HRCE to manage the crowd at the Moolavar Sannidhi between six am and noon. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTzcNvFspjxA1WF5cQh5nIyZPYVVDRQjNQ1eOw8kxYz7aSsMRAeMB5lEHStqcrLDW9-Pk60YH5gSud0VFkAxOB4iacG3DyWBoNQXNmwT6mFa6-f7En9R32Sl_sO0H54m669wNUpfMMaVaCE-pWfnL2nG-Za6OYim93hdmglLeksfIt7mOJeyokNwgaC4Q/s2926/chakkarai%20sripatham.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2926" data-original-width="2156" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTzcNvFspjxA1WF5cQh5nIyZPYVVDRQjNQ1eOw8kxYz7aSsMRAeMB5lEHStqcrLDW9-Pk60YH5gSud0VFkAxOB4iacG3DyWBoNQXNmwT6mFa6-f7En9R32Sl_sO0H54m669wNUpfMMaVaCE-pWfnL2nG-Za6OYim93hdmglLeksfIt7mOJeyokNwgaC4Q/s320/chakkarai%20sripatham.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #38761d;">An assignment to manage the Kothandarama Sannidhi</span></b></div><div>Last week, much to his surprise he was asked by the HRCE to take additional charge of the Kothandarama Sannidhi near the Chandra Pushkarani <b>“When I was appointed as a Sripatham, I considered it a great blessing. And this one now to be given the responsibility to manage this South facing Sannidhi (providing darshan to Vibheeshana in Lanka) is beyond my wildest dreams. It is a big honour to take care of the devotees and ensure that they find peace in the Sannidhi.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>It is also the same motto with which he serves when he manages the crowd at the Moolavar Sannidhi. While most devotees these days get only a few seconds in front of the Ranganathaswamy in Sayana Kolam, Chakrapani is keen to ensure that they find their moment of happiness in those few seconds so they go back satisfied after the darshan. Not once in the last few years has he uttered a harsh word on the devotees at the Moolavar Sannidhi.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>அந்தமிழினின்பப் பாவினை அவ்வடமொழியைப் பற்றற்றார்கள்</div><div>பயிலரங்கத் தரவணையில் பள்ளிகொள்ளும்</div><div>கோவினை நாவுர வழுத்தி எந்தன் கைகள்</div><div>கொய்ம்மலர்தூய் என்று கொலோ கூப்பும் நாளே .... Kulasekara Azhvaar</div></div><div><br /></div><div>After he took charge of the Kothandaramar Sannidhi last week, a Thirumanjanam has already been performed for Moolavar deities. He is hoping to make it a more vibrant Sannidhi given that Kulasekara Azhvaar who quit his kingdom and surrendered to Lord Ranganatha is also housed there (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/03/kulasekara-azhvaar-srirangam-residents.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/03/kulasekara-azhvaar-srirangam-residents.html</a>). </div><div><br /></div><div>From a very young age, Chakrapani had great faith in Ranganathaswamy and Ranganayaki Thayar and he always believed that there will be a turnaround in fortunes. While the financial scenario at home led him into working at the manufacturing plants, the devotional call came his way a decade ago. And since then there has been no looking back with him spending almost his entire time at the Ranganathaswamy temple. While he thus performed his service with unwavering devotion and commitment, his wife who manages the finances at home, he was delighted to hear from his wife that they were now completely away from debt, a scenario that they had previously been locked in for many years. His daughter is soon to complete her Engineering at the Sastra University and he believes that she will be able to find her way into the corporate world. And when that happens, it would have been a big relief for him as he had to encounter financial poverty during his childhood years.</div><div><br /></div><div>Chakrapani dedicates this devotional turnaround entirely to the Divine Couple. He says he thanks them every single day of the year for this unexpected service opportunity that has been handed to him at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam and hopes that God will bless him with this service till the very end for that is where he has found the greatest happiness in his life.</div></div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7602595265633639540.post-35397516004862811682023-11-06T11:43:00.008+05:302023-11-06T13:51:14.731+05:30Othuvar Danabal Kapali Temple<div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><span style="color: red;">From Mitsubishi and Ashok Leyland to Kapaleeswarar Temple</span></b></div><div><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Othuvar Danabal has been reciting the sacred verses of the Saivite Saint Poets over the last one year sitting in front of the Navarathri Mandapam</b> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1BLGiV1gPA5eRG1bM6DJxZ9nYAkLyz4SySICNM7gGceSIZNNvimzvHZZuICwOCZEv25O0rfXH8eVxTUs9cwakdPg_XiaA8ny4e8dshLXdb9wbQ1DoWASSlY1acMI27nk8eYUCkFoLO2kmcSX4JIOvgcL3mdym04kHF6RdqjKhQdoYb3ik0VmJ_8GSlx8S/s1136/Othuvar%20dhanpal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="1007" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1BLGiV1gPA5eRG1bM6DJxZ9nYAkLyz4SySICNM7gGceSIZNNvimzvHZZuICwOCZEv25O0rfXH8eVxTUs9cwakdPg_XiaA8ny4e8dshLXdb9wbQ1DoWASSlY1acMI27nk8eYUCkFoLO2kmcSX4JIOvgcL3mdym04kHF6RdqjKhQdoYb3ik0VmJ_8GSlx8S/s320/Othuvar%20dhanpal.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>This section had earlier featured a story on World Bank Consultant V Ramkumar carrying the Theevatti at Kapaleeswarar's processions over the last year (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/07/kapali-theevatti-pmo-consultant-v.html?m=1">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/07/kapali-theevatti-pmo-consultant-v.html?m=1</a>). This story is about someone who worked for over three decades at the lower rung at two auto majors now taking to the sacred recital of the Saivite Sainy Poets at the Kapali temple. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is one year since Othuvar Danabal was assigned the role of reciting the sacred verses at the Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore during the non pooja period. </div><div><br /></div><div>He is well past sixty and dedicates this opportunity to the then EO D Kaveri. </div><div><br /></div><div>In October last, he received a surprise call from Kaveri (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/12/kapali-temple-eo-kaveri-passes-away.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/12/kapali-temple-eo-kaveri-passes-away.html</a>) referring to him as Othuvar <b>“She asked me if I would be interested in reciting the sacred verses at the Kapaleeswarar temple. Within a few hours, I took a bus from Thiruvottiyur to Mylapore and landed up at the temple. She asked me to start reciting from the next morning”</b> he told this writer.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since that day, he has been reciting on the mike the sacred verses of the Saivite Saint Poets from 10am every morning in front of the Navarathri Mandapam. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Thiruvottiyur temple to Kapaleeswarar</span></b></div><div>Othuvar Danabal had earlier donned the role of an Othuvar for over a dozen years at the Thyagaraja temple in Thiruvottiyur. That opportunity too had come after Kaveri who was the EO there saw him singing the sacred verses at the temple as a devotee. “I had darshan at the Vadi Vudai Amman Sannidhi and then moved to the Swami Sannidhi where I sang a couple of verses. She heard my recital and asked her staff to bring me to her office. I was delighted when she asked me to join the temple as an Othuvar. I recited the sacred verses there for 13 years till my retirement."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5soDI8-mszYFycmkQTvhjPqgu0QISnDPf5g-l3vh7JAT_Zw8sm-0mPi52XvB80yATG1ilAVnOS_83MVmYSB6OWBqfSpMiZBr4FK2GRFzZerBhlGlaeiNXQyXVCQ5JNO4RLbs8-XH7D8AMG8NboM_gOqW_UA_QtMXMdYpl7FoDnLaP2_nB4-3QnXJBNlb/s320/D%20Kaveri%20Kapali%20Temple%20EO.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="281" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5soDI8-mszYFycmkQTvhjPqgu0QISnDPf5g-l3vh7JAT_Zw8sm-0mPi52XvB80yATG1ilAVnOS_83MVmYSB6OWBqfSpMiZBr4FK2GRFzZerBhlGlaeiNXQyXVCQ5JNO4RLbs8-XH7D8AMG8NboM_gOqW_UA_QtMXMdYpl7FoDnLaP2_nB4-3QnXJBNlb/s1600/D%20Kaveri%20Kapali%20Temple%20EO.JPG" width="281" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">From Thiruvottiyur to Mylapore every morning</span></b></div><div>Thiru Gnana Sambandar had walked all the way from Thiruvottiyur to Mylapore and sung praise of thr grand round the year of Kapaleeswarar.</div><div><br /></div><div>Every morning, Othuvar Danabal takes a bus from Thiruvottiyur (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/04/thyagaraja-temple-thiruvotriyur.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/04/thyagaraja-temple-thiruvotriyur.html</a>) to reach Kapali temple by 9.30am to present the sacred verses of the great saivite saint poets.</div><div><br /></div><div>On a Tuesday afternoon, with devotees trickling in for the Durga archanai at 3pm, he is seen presenting the verses of Abirami Bhattar on Thiru Kadaiyur with devotional tears rolling down his cheeks. He recites the verses at noon during the anna dhanam and then every evening when the temple opens for darshan before returning home in North Madras at five pm.</div><div><br /></div><div>This has been a big devotional transformation for him in this phase. Earlier in his life, he had served for many decades in the auto sector as a clerk at Mitsubishi and Ashok Leyland before his life took a devotional turn <b>“I received Deekshai and took up this role as an Othuvar at Thyagaraja temple.”</b></div><div><br /></div><div>He travels almost fifty kilometers every day making it to Kapaleeswarar temple all the way from Thiruvottiyur in the morning and heading back home after the recital in the evening. He feels happy about having got this unexpected opportunity at this age <b>“I was leading a retired life in Thiruvottiyur when I received a most unexpected call from the then EO. I have not taken off even on Pongal or Deepavali. My life in this phase is entirely dedicated to Kapaleeswarar and I want to repose the faith placed in my devotion by the late EO (Kaveri).”</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_jOnuoH6bdkTyGzK2GrYis7PnG_aNAtwQmctbIe25X9x995ZQLZtCJKI2jHFG5qApaHVOuIcylyCu87qIwkPiD7SY6SZ4NJ-vNvXTox5gItl40PPNa5S6KU6pq3NhfbxG0Dwi2ivGlaPd439fYSR5xhR1aQO_szKHWH-YbTFXuVDagTrUXZ-mFXD0Nxe/s1444/Kapali%20Gopuram.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1444" data-original-width="1224" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_jOnuoH6bdkTyGzK2GrYis7PnG_aNAtwQmctbIe25X9x995ZQLZtCJKI2jHFG5qApaHVOuIcylyCu87qIwkPiD7SY6SZ4NJ-vNvXTox5gItl40PPNa5S6KU6pq3NhfbxG0Dwi2ivGlaPd439fYSR5xhR1aQO_szKHWH-YbTFXuVDagTrUXZ-mFXD0Nxe/s320/Kapali%20Gopuram.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><div>While Othuvar Sathgurunathan (<a href="https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/12/othuvar-sargunathan-kapali-temple.html">https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/12/othuvar-sargunathan-kapali-temple.html</a>) and Othuvar Vageesan perform the role during the daily pooja and utsavams, Othuvar Danabal recites the sacred verses through the day with great devotion every day of the year in front of the Navarathri Mandapam. His has been a refreshing addition to the devotional spirit at the Kapaleeswarar temple.</div></div>PRabhu Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09191565775458667807noreply@blogger.com1