Children who keeps the flames burning

Cape of good hope, thats how those Europeans wishing to look for the hope of Good in India called the African tip.....After 9 years of my travel outside India, when I landed in Chennai and later met few children in Chengalpattu, Ramakrishna mission I felt that the children still keep the flames of good hope burning amidst the 'modernity' eroding or seeming to erode values of this land of good hope...

I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation.--Swami Vivekananda on India for every Indian to feel proud and for the world to know and learn from Indians.

Mylapore Kapaleeshawarar Kovil.

Most important change I noticed was its tank or theertham full. Once it was a playground for children and youth has now been giving a fantastic view of water with ducks and all kinds of fishes enjoying their habitat..sourounded by trees on all 4 sides….

Great to see Spiritual Library but it should have more books/audio/video and other media stuffs….

Saddened to see that all paintings on the walls had been removed…it was earlier a showcase of Deiva Thamizh Naatin Chitra Kalai ….It was a delight to see those, for none in world can paint like those paintings.

Aadhi Kesavaperumal Kovil

Mylapore Chitra Kulam is attached to this temple and its believed in this kulam Perumal

Came to resque the elephant which was caught by the crocodile…It was a pleasant surprise to me when I visited it coincided with the day’s function.

Temple has got itself cleaned up a lot and it was refreshing to see from earlier times.

Maadhava Perumal Kovil where PeyAzhvar lived among other saints who are related to this temple.

Visit to this temple just took me off by surprise for its spot cleanliness and peaceful nature. Few years back, renovation had taken place and it was wonderful to see temple.

A priest here told me that I should live in India after enquiring about me.

Also saw a small spiritual library in the entrance. Hope here again it gets more space/books and other audio/video/media stuffs.

Parthasarathy Kovil Kovil

Swami Vivekananda’s letter to one of his Mylapore friend asking him to visit to the temple immediately and fall prostrate to Sri Parthasarathy..is kept on a board here on both entrances of the temple.

From Aazhvars time this temple has attracted devotion and Swami Vivekananda and Mahakavi Bharathiyar visited this temple.

I went on mid-day time and saw temple almost without much change..it was as if to visit the temple after a couple of weeks being away.

There was Annadanam getting ready on the second entrance side and I was bit late there and so didn’t have time to wait for the second round…so had to rush back.

Alarmelmanga puram Aancheneyar Mylapore with 18 feet I guess

I refer it as my school Aanchaneyar as its close to school where I studied..PSSenior Sec school…

Temple has added few more vigrahas and shifted earlier vigrahas from their places..so it looked a little difference and a bigger temple though the area is still the same.

Close to this is also my visit to PSSSS school and saw Pillayar there under Arasu tree at the entrance and met our Tamil,Chemistry,English teachers…and saw other staffs like PT, Cleaning, Attendents,office staffs identifiable after more than 16 years…leaving the school…Met the principal as well.

Tamil/Chemistry teachers went some time talking and gave an impression that old students should make it a point to visit the school and if possible to carry some books or anything to pay back. Both were extremely happy though spent few minutes with them.

Vadapazhani

It was wonderful to see lots of improvement in this temple..At the entrance water was coming to wet and clean our foots…(Wondered why this is not implemented in other temples?)

Then as I entered the floor tiles are polished and spot clean…

Meditation room was having a dim light and was A/C…

There was minor changes in vigrahas positions but otherwise it kept the same old feeling of back home through my mind.

Ramakrishna Mission Mylapore

Same old feeling of back home…except the old temple structure now houses a new image for Holy Mother and looked some old visitors still wanted to sit in this old temple’s first floor meditation hall…

Ramakrishna Mission T Nagar

This was my first visit though I lived in Chennai for 15 yeas..

It was so nice to see Children of the hostel playing under Swamiji’s watchfull eyes and later getting themselves ready for Bhajans and Arathi..

Here on another day, I also had a wonderful experience to watch and be blessed on a day of Vidyaarthi Homa and to listen to a wonderful speech by Swami Gautamanandaji.

Ramakrishna Mission Chengalpat

The most wonderful children I have met was here…Impressive discipline shown during the Bhajans and Arathi ..songs at top of their voice with full of devotion…

The boys within couple minutes while helping to get me a neem stick were showing the true hospitality by inviting me to stay for few more days…There was no motivation for these children, but simply the land’s deep rooted tradition of sincere hospitality in seeing their guest happy….I really regretted that I had to leave and felt that I should make another visit soon.

T Nagar Shopping

New multi storied shopping malls full to its capacity..jewellery shops built in multi storied complexes and still people are all full and making only moves by few inches…same for silk sarees and all other electronic.household items…definitely buying capacity has gone up…even right at the entrance to these shopping malls people are pushing their way even though the entrance is wide..people were seen queing even from the road side..

People standing and eating on the roadside their favorite dishes/fruits/ice creams…(It was unbelievable for in 2000 while in Kaaligaata when I looked at the same sight of people eating on the road and other things I never thought it will happen in Chennai).

Also visited Maayajaal a number of theatres in one complex (again importing ideas of the western/modern idea of entertainment). The ride to that along MRTS through IT express highway showed a different road in Chennai.

So can we say people in Chennai are all rich and happy now looking at the shoping malls/eating outlets/cinemas?

Oops the same old small children as young as even 5 years calling out ‘Anna anna anna…’ while in the auto waiting for traffic signal or as I find a place to walk in the crowded streets in T.Nagar I see how limbless body fully covered in the sweat/dusts of the road and under the mercy of the burning sun beggars still looking for pennies..and passers walk totally oblivious as if to say I have nothing to do with his/her state.

It only re-confirms Swami Vivekananda’s words and his identification of the roots to the problem in spite of large multi-storied complexes, buying/spending wealth, and technology to probe moon and earth…

Open your eyes and see what a piteous cry for food is rising in the land of Bharata, proverbial for its wealth! Will your education fulfill this want? Never.

And now we hear country’s brilliant brains (educated from such a failed system of western education/model) will spend millions and millions on giving unique id and they say its for better efficiency…to people who barely can meet day’s food/shelter/health..
Mahatma Said long back, 'There is enough for the needy but not enough for the Greedy' and so the blame is now on the 'lack of science and technology' and not the 'lack of hearts to share the haves with have nots'...and so the foolish act of self cheating to market science/tech and its education/admin continues...