Kairaikal Ammaiyar

காரைக்கால் அம்மையார், is one amongst the sixty three Nayanmars, is one of the greatest figures of early Tamil literature. She was born at Karaikkal, South India, and lived during the 6th century.

Listen to K.B Sundaraambal’s rendition of Karaikal Ammaiyar’s ஓடுங்கள் Odi உள்ளம் song . Caution: This is a really old number and may not make sense if you don’t know தமிழ்.

See other 12th Century Statue photos

அவ்வையே அரிது எதுவோ?

அரிது அரிது, மானிடராய் பிறத்தல் அரிது

மானிடராய் பிறந்த காலையின்
கூன் குருடு செவிடு நீங்கி பிறத்தல் அரிது

கூன் குருடு செவிடு பிறந்த காலையின்
கல்வியும் செல்வமும் தான் பெறுதல் அரிது

கல்வியும் செல்வமும் பெற்ற காலையின்
வாழ வழி நாடி வழி பிறந்திடுமே

தொடரும் . . .

“உள்ளம் உடைமை உடைமை பொருளுடைமை
நில்லாது நீங்கி விடும்”

மன உறுதியுடைமை ஊக்கம ஆகும். அது இல்லாதபோது பொருள் உடைமை நிலைக்காது
மறைந்துவிடும்

wish i could embed google indic transliteration widget into wordpress

ரகளை செய்
ரொவ்திர வீரா!

மிரலை செய்
மன்மத மாறா!

கனி தேடும்
கலகக்காரா

கண் தடவும்
கண் தள மாறா

to be continued…

Beach on the East Coast Road:

Here's another video clip from Thillu Mullu!

பண்டறியேன் கூற்றென் பதனை இனியறிந்தேன்
பெண்டகையால் பேரமர்க் கட்டு.

காமத்துப்பால > தகையணங்குறுத்தல் 109> குறள் 1083 |

I neva knew the harbinger of death,
I now see its a field warrior with battlin eyes, in feminine form

7th Century South India :
This Tamil novel written by Kalki was set in 7th Century South India when Buddhism, Jainism, Saivaism and Vaishnavism were quite prevalent. The Pallavas were ruling a major part of the South India. The Chalukyas were ruling upper South India and North India was then ruled by King Harsha Vardhana. The Cholas and Pandiyas werent that hot then.

It was also a time when art, architecture, dance, drama, bhathi movements, sculpture were promoted and were at their heights. The secret behind the longetiviy of Ajanta’s paintings is also mentioned in this novel The rock-cut temples of Mamallapuram & the awesome temples of Kanchipuram were built then. It was also the time when Heung Tsang, the Chinese scholar visited India.

Narrative Synopsis :
The first part of the story is all about how Pallava King Mahendravarman ( whose a connoisseur of arts) defended Kanchipuram when it was invaded by King Pulikaesi of Vatapi. The parallel plot is about the love affair between the beautiful dancer Sivagami and Prince Narasimhavarman. The second part of the story is how Sivagami finds herself in Vataphi, how she vowed to burn the city and how King Narasimhavarman invades Vataphi and fulfills his father’s wishes.

Think this novel is a prequel to பார்த்திபன் கனவு ( Pathiban’s dreams)

Read English Translation | தமிழ் Version in Unicode

Also finished reading Issac Asimov’s Foundation

I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don’t know where it goes
But it’s home to me and I walk alone

Update : 6 of us, Murali, Niteesh, Boony, Luther, Arun and moi took off at 9 PM on Friday night on a Toyota Qualis.

Boon and Arun : Check out Boon’s shades!

Coorg/ Madikeri is about 250 Kms from Bangalore. We hit Mysore road from Bannerghatta Road. The road was awesome till Srirangapatna, then it was getting kinda bumpy.

The weather was quite pleasant and it actually started pouring Cats n Dogs by the time we reached Kamat’s. We hogged some really hot n yummy Corn Chappatis. Then these jokers started drinking and smoking.

It was 4.15 am when we reached Coorg on Sat morning. The KSTDC hotel accomodation that we Blocked neva happenned. Finally, we checked into a relatively better hotel called Mercara Inn. Costed Rs 550 bucks for a double bed. Service wasnt that good here. Krishna Bhavan was a decent mess, where we hogged some really tasty Chow Chow Bath.

Talai Cauvery was about 40 kms from Madekeri. We drove through the Coffee Country. Fresh air and the sight of green coffee estates was refreshing. It took us 2 hours to reach Talai Cauvery. I was really dissappointed with what I saw. All i saw was a pond and a small temple in it.

Then we went to a nice temple in Bagamandala and returned back to Madikeri. Hogged some yummy South Indian meals at Hotel Athithi.

Next we went to Abbey Falls, some 8 Kms from Madikere. This place needs to be declared as a “plastic free” zone.

The next day, we went to Harangi Dam which is the first Dam on the Cauvery river.

And then we went to Nisargadama, the confluence of 3 rivers in Kushal Nagar.

Monks on a Bridge

Punks on a Bridge

Fat Albert

Boon, Murali & Arun

Luther & Niteesh

Niteesh, Muthu & Boony

To be continued.. >>

Planning to do Coorg next weekend.
There’s a lotta mention of Thalai Cauvery in Tamil Literature & History.

Wiki : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talakaveri | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cauvery