Basic Varmam Reflections

From late 2010, had been wanting to attend varmam classes, however, either missed the workshop schedule or having known the workshop schedule, could not attend.

After 2-3 years, finally could attend the basic workshop in Salem on October 19th, this year to learn 80 of the 8000 points that our jovial, practical aasaan taught us.

Reminiscing couple of stories that he related for some of the varmam points:

Kavuli Kalam: In those days, people in villages used to stack betel leaves between their thumb and index finger and those bunch of betel leaves used to be called kavuli vetrillai. Hence kavuli kalam

Nakshatra Kalam: Once one of the students asked his aasan, why is nakshatra kalam called so? The teacher slapped the student and student said, he saw stars in front of his eyes. The teacher said, this is the reason, it is called nakshatra kalam. Pressing it indeed shows stars.

Kondaikolli: Not sure, if it was for kondaikolli. But aasaan described how his teacher had parted the wet hairs of a pregnant lady and blown air into this point. Apparently, it was drizzling and the very pregnant lady had been assisting her husband in lifting a heavy sack onto the cycle. The husband in a hurry to hold the sack from beneath, used his hand forcefully and husbands finger had entered the womb. The lady had fainted and after some varmam treatment, the child and mother got well.

KathirKaam Varmam: Two stories. One of a mother and grown up daughter who were trying to pluck fragrant jasmine flowers standing on parapet wall. The grown up daughter slipped trying to pluck a jasmine flower and mother had instinctively caught her daughter. Daughter was safe, but mother could not use her hand after lifting a grown up daughter in one go.

Second story was that of an mid day meal worker. There was a storage place, where sacks of rice were stacked up. A kid had gone to retrieve a ball and accidently all the heavy rice sacks fell on the school kid. The kid was buried under a huge pile. The mid day meal worker, in an earnest attempt to save the child had single handedly, pulled and thrown the rice sacks. Luckily, the child was ensconced in the gap between 2 sacks without even a single scratch. However, the lady, having had thrown aside so many sacks, suffered so much pain, which was cured with this varmam.

Saramudichu: Aasaan started telling about one of his interesting aasaans, stating that he had every right to talk about him. Teacher's teacher was a mixed bag. He charged 50k from Chennai folks for a treatment, and gave all the amount for a girl's wedding next street, just taking Rs. 50 out of it. Another time, that aasan had sneaked plates of fish for all his 4 students from across the street; once, paying money taken from the cashier back to the hotel guy. He was a bit notorious and after his death, it was reported that his spirit was disturbing the villagers. So they redug his grave and severed his saramudichu after which the spirit was not reported to linger around.

My experience: Really works wonders. Compared to pranic healing, where mental strain is more, this physical touch points are miraculous. Be it going to sleep instantly or getting relief from head ache, hand and leg pain, varmam rocks. Varmam has got me interested in the human nervous system anatomy and physiology. Need to learn that first.

Equality and Competition

avidyāyām antare vartamānāḥ, svayaṁ dhīrāḥ paṇḍitam manyamānāḥ.
dandramyamāṇāḥ pariyanti mῡdhāḥ, andhenaiva nīyamānā yathāndhāḥ. (5)

The ignorant, who live in the midst of darkness but fancy themselves as wise and learned, go round and round deluded in many crooked ways, as blind people led by the blind. (I.2.5)
Looking back at what i am doing, this verse is what came to my mind...

Self Service
At this stage, i can't even imagine pouring milk, honey, gandha amongst other things over idol reciting specific mantras like my teacher says. I would rather feed someone with that. So decided, rather than pooja parihara, for my own planetary dosha nivarthi, why not serve folks afflicted with my problem to a greater degree like Barbara pijan suggests?

This is the true selfish reason behind my volunteering at an NGO. Initial enthusiasm in teaching visually challenged diminished, since, his availability clashed with my swimming timings and learnt to my dismay that i was not that disciplined to continue what i had started. Am good to go for one time adhoc activity, giving my best in bursts and spurts, but could not assure a long term steady availability of my hours.

A feeling of not having given enough
The NGO had organized a walkathon and could go only for the mock walk and not the actual one due to an out of station funeral and home trip on the same day. In spite of not attending walkathon, in spite of discontinuing teaching to a visually challenged BCom student, in spite of not arranging corporate sponsorship from company, in spite of not onboarding the Indian chapter to our official giving site, NGO invited couple of folks, including me to for thanking tea party. Apart from bus and auto fare on travelling, i contributed nothing from my own purse, it was only $150 per quarter twice, that the organization, I worked for, gave to the NGO's US chapter, since India chapter was not recognized. Was overwhelmed with tea party, two free T shirts (for me and my audio challenged friend), memento and speeches, that i volunteered to write exams for a visually challenged II PUC student.

Scribing for visually challenged
Realized that was the most painful, blunder mistake i ever did. The reason, i discontinued teaching the first visually challenged student, was because, i lacked patience to explain, the very fundamentals again and again. I can be extremely patient the first few times, after a while, a slow intellect frustrates me. The worst part was to realize that i competed not with myself but with others on certain aspects.

Unequal Competition
Typically in the examination hall, every second would count and i remember clutching the dear paper trying to write the last few points, as the invigilator would try to grab the paper and walk away after the exam duration got over. And for the last 3 days, i was here in the examination hall, after having recited sahanavavatu from school and having sung National Anthem after so many years. All visually challenged students had scribes, however, the guy behind me did not have one. The student i was scribing for knew no answer, nothing whatsoever about central tendency, leave alone mean median mode for economics exam. And i was actually teaching him in the hall, instead of scribing for him (not finals). It was so painful to know the answer, and not be able to write them to get marks, because, the student didn't know and could not speak one sentence in english.

The student behind me was simply sitting holding the paper, smiling once in a while like these people who can't see; he simply sat for more than an hour waiting for the scribe who didn't turn up. 30 minutes for him, (since another scribe finished the exam faster and scribed for him); while 1.5 hours for the rest of the people. The second day, the student didn't come for the exam. How can anyone expect a blind student to remember 25+ data points, do statistical calculations in that crunched time? Not everyone is a yogi with perfect concentration. If we were yogis as our culture had once indicated, then of course we would not need these external eyes. And our employers, filter candidates based on marks on that one day, the colleges give certificates based on that one day of exam! The third day, the student did not want to write the psychology exam, he had not revised and could not form sentences. Was equally upset, that i ended up eating mini meals in A2B inspite of having swimming session in another 1 hour.

It was extremely frustrating to think, what and all, specially challenged students have to memorize and write an exam and seek employment from a company, which cares two hoots about world history or australopithecus. How much and what should these kids learn to stand on their own leg, set up a business or be employable without depending on some charity? To wish for a world, without disabilities, old age or illness is like wishing for a waveless sea. Ok, whatever, this too shall pass.

Life and Microsoft Excel
Life is like excel at times. It takes hours to selectively delete rows based on certain criteria, while it takes seconds to copy rows we want. Guess, should not try to bother about perennial problems that have no apparent solution and rather, take aspects of life, which make life beautiful and meaningful and move on.

Great Souls Above
What i know is hardly 1%, there are so many advanced souls above, who would feel the same frustration for the souls below who make the same mistakes again and again and face so many physical disabilities or special challenges whatever over many lives! We have a poem where they talk about evolved teachers who sit disciplined achalam without interfering the natural evolution and individual learning! Greater still are living examples who spend tireless hours, like the sage who helped the scorpion, in spite of being bitten by it so many times.

2017 Feb Update:

Lucky are souls are who are guided and pious from birth. Took me years to realize. Hari is sarvottam vayu is jeevottam, and now nothing pleases me more than seva to Hari, dvija and go.

Isha Upanishad and Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar

December 11th was a batchmate's birthday, a proper tambrahm who had married a mallu christian. Was exploring, her birthday and realized that it was birth anniversary of the great poet Subramanya Bharathi in 1882, Osho in 1931 also Vishwanathan Anand in 1969.

Just, the previous week, had gone to Chennai and then to Trichy unreserved in bus. Surprisingly, just as the bus started after a halt some place after Villupuram on the way to Trichy from Tambaram, Bharathiyaar's kaakai siraginile was playing soothingly. A pleasant surprise, considering that places where buses halted way back in 2000, used to play the most unmentionable songs, with unpalatable remixing.

காக்கை சிறகினிலே நந்தலாலா - நின்றன்
கரிய நிறம் தோன்றுதையே நந்தலாலா

பார்க்கும் மரங்களெல்லாம் நந்தலாலா - நின்றன்
பச்சை நிறம் தோன்றுதையே நந்தலாலா

கேட்கும் ஒளியில் எல்லாம் நந்தலாலா - நின்றன்
கீதம் இசைக்குதடா நந்தலாலா

தீக்குள் விரலை வைத்தால் நந்தலாலா - நின்னை
தீண்டும் இன்பம் தோன்றுதடா நந்தலாலா
source: hiox

The poet sees divinity in crow's feathers, trees, all sounds, he even relishes caressing fire. Was wondering, what if Mahakavi and author of Ishavasya upanishad met, what kind of discussions would they have.

Our upanishad teacher would state succinctly in one line ॐ ईशा वास्यमिदँ सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् । and, MahaKavi would beautifully elaborate it with touching examples, that God is in this, in that and so on. To perceive divinity in all things and beings! easier said than done...

Thumbai Chutney - Kovai Kootu - VaathaNarayanan Poriyal - Vaazhai Poo More Kootu - Meals

Outer cups R->L: Carrot Halwa, Avarakai Sambar, Lemon Rasam, Curd
Inside Plate R->L: Pudhina Ajwain Roti, Thumbai Chutney, Kovai Kootu, Vendaika Sukku poriyal,  Arisi Murukku, VaathaNarayananKeerai poriyal, VaazhaiPooKootu

Thumbai Chutney

Roasted channa and black gram dal, sauted Thumbai leaves, and grinded with a little bit of chilli and shredded coconut.

Kovai Kootu

Fried mustard seeds with curry leaves and asafoetida. Sauted tomato cubes with kovai leaves and finished with boiled dal and coconut paste. Absolutely yummy kootu!

Okra with dried ginger, chilli powder, turmeric

VaathaNarayanan Keerai, stir fried with turmeric and shredded coconut

Vaazhaipoo with coconut paste and buttermilk with cumin seeds fried in coconut oil

The joy of a simple meal at home with mom, can not be overstated. During morning walk, mom plucked thumbai, kovai and vatha narayanan leaves. Even vaazhai poo was from the backyard.

It was a tiny vaazhai poo, just sufficient for two. I kept on asking, why mom cut it so young. She said, it would not have grown bigger. I ate the world's smallest bananas from our backyard. With curd, coconut paste, vaazhai poo more kootu was too good.

Carrot halwa didn't have kova, instead, i added cashew paste. Fried cashew, raisins and sauted carrot in ghee and boiled it in milk with sugar and added cashew paste. Flavoured with 2 crushed cardamoms, i simply loved carrot halwa and could not stop myself tasting a little every now and then.

Fulfilling it was, from carrot halwa, nei paruppu to fresh creamy curd. Guess, would not want to go to a star hotel for south Indian meals. Be it Bon South, Radha Hometel, Royal Orchid, east or west, home food is the best. Without mom, of course, i would rather survive on jain tiffin the whole sunday, and feel too lazy to make anything other than maggi noodles.

Kovai Ilai - Coccinia indica - Ivy Gourd Leaf - Bimba/tundika

Ever since swamy said, arum marundhu, perum marundhu, elaigalukku irungam marunthu (wonderful medicine, great medicine, medicine that helps the poor...), i requested mom to show me the leaves, so during every morning walk, she reels out various names, while i click fast, matching her pace.

Medicinal Benefits:

• Cures Diabetes as per agriinfotech
• For piles as per TraditionalIndianMedicine
• Soothes eyes, heals sores, used to treat bronchitis, as expectorant as per openmed
• Reduces glucose levels  - kitchentantra

In trichy, never remember eating kovakkai even once. In Chennai, my telgu roomie, said Dondakaya mandhabudhi. Ever since that i stopped buying kovakais. Kovai got back to kitchen, ever since Swamy recited the song that talked about kovai leaves.

Now, am not sure, what i like more, doing surya namaskars alone early morning, or walking with mom, learning, new leaves, being with nature.

Fried mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves. Sauteed cut leaves with tomatoes, added turmeric salt and boiled dal. It was so yummy!

Outer cups R->L: Carrot halva, Avarakkai Sambar, Lemon Rasam, Creamy Curd
Inside Plate R->L: Pudhina Ajwain Roti, Thumbai Chutney, Kovai Kootu, Vendaika Poriyal, Arisi Murukku, VaathaNarayanan Poriyal, Vaazhai Poo More Kootu

Periyappa and Periyamma

Even before I could become a mother, am going to be a big mother to my younger sister’s twins. Looking back at the high standards of love and care that my periyappa (mom’s younger sister’s husband’s elder brother via inter-caste marriage) and periyamma (mom’s elder sister) have set, all I can do is pray for them and look upto them.

Periyappa – Annatchi Uncle

He was the pillar of support for the whole family. In the absence of father, he educated all his brothers and sisters like a dad would do. He got all his sisters married off, to good grooms; guided all his younger brothers on proper careers and got them well settled as well. Funded the education of all their kids as well. He was such a great soul. Always with a kind encouraging word, to reach out to the stars, going beyond. Everyone looked up to him. He was a uniting factor amongst fighting brothers and sisters. In his presence, everyone would be reassured and be in love, peace and harmony.

In early cognizant days, I would reach home late, and rush to office early, without making the bed. Thanks to his words, I learnt the importance of keeping things neat and tidy. On Deepavali, I would typically make spicy vegetable pulav at home, but he would begin his skanda shasti vratham, thanks to him, I followed his foot steps of fasting on fruits till shasti.

When I told him about my iimb interview, especially considering how hopeless I was after the interview, he told me, you will definitely get into b, and I did. He would encourage my numerology programming in C. He would come down to the level of each person and talk their language and encourage them. He would mail me random stuff, from beauty tips to tying scarves.

The only time, I would contact him, was for his birthday on December 16th. It was only on Thursday morning, when I had already kept my trolley in the cloak room, that I learnt, that he had passed away on Wednesday around 10:30 am due to heart attack. His two sons were flying from US and so he was kept in icebox. Mom was staying all alone, and so, I didn’t want to skip the trip back to Trichy, especially after booking tickets in Mayiladuthurai express two months in advance.

At Kannali, I bought oranges, at carmelaram railyway station, I bought vegetables. Trolley and bag was quite heavy now. I called up my Gemini lagna-Anusham mentor and told him, that I was like a cat on the wall, mom or periyappa. He said, you must go and meet Periyappa, and then I retraced my path to watertank, where I boarded a Chennai bus. Reached periyappa’s apartment in Keelkatalai. Realized, never to buy an apartment in Chennai, where there were no trees around. The wind, was so strong, that I had to hold on to something.

Wish there were residential areas, with plenty of trees, not blocking sunlight to maindoor and kitchen, with abundant shade, yet good ventilation. Is there a way to get plenty of sunlight inside house, without being too windy? In Bangalore, I face the same problem of strong winds in the 5th floor, without any trees around.

Periyappa in Ice Box

I just sat in silence, trying hard not to let that tear drop fall. All others around me, cried aloud, inconsolably. Didn’t know what to say. He had been icebox for quite sometime, so I could not see his hands. Guess, I will forget testing Cheiro’s words on palm lines of dead disappearing. The first thing, that mom asked me was - so you travelled all the way to see the hand right? I told her, no, he was a great soul, wanted to meet him physically one last time; and since I had gone, palm lines were secondary, immaterial now in fact.

The poojaris recited thiruvasagam, and did abhishekams with curd, milk, tendercoconut, turmeric, honey, like they do for a God’s idol. They wrapped him in silk dhoti and upper cloth, smeared fragrant sandalwood, javaadh, camphor and took him away in ambulance with the mud pot for cremation. 4 hours went by in a jiffy, watching all the rites and rituals. After the ambulance went off, I went inside the room, picked my trolley and laptop bag and came out without telling a word to any soul. It was past 6 pm, when I reached home in Trichy. Took bath and collapsed with wet hair. Alls well, that ends well. Annatchi uncle was quite tall, both physically and morally. Great man he was full of love and kindness, providing for everyone around him, going beyond the family! Should live like him.

Delonix elata - VAta nArayanan - Siddheshwara

If you give me the leaves of tamarind, arai nellika (amla) and vadha narayanan, would not be able to discern the difference, till I see the bark, leaves, pods, flowers etc. Just clicked, as mom pointed it out to me.

Vata Narayanan

Small cups R->L: Carrot Halva, Vaadha Narayanan Kozhambu, Lemon Rasam, Curd
On plate: Okra Poriyal, Parkakai kootu

Medicinal Uses:

• For its flowers see kalrayanhills
• hindu belief on its being the air amongst pancha bhoothas
• Cure for pain in shoulders and joints
• For treating rheumatism as per DrManikkam
• For anti-inflammation activities as per Ancient Science of Life
• For bone related complaints, joint pains, anti-inflammation as per TamilHerbs
• For arthritic disorders as per AyurvedUniversity

Was really wondering what to make with vaata narayanan keerai, since, other than a mildly sauteed thugayal or chutney, any other form of prolonged heating would destroy the medicinal properies of leaves. Found sites which talked about vaatha Narayanan Kaara kozhambu, then yes, made it like the usual keerai kozhambu. Yummy! Lemon rasam was ultimate.

Even dentists, add lemon in boiling hot water. For lemon rasam, added lemon juice after finishing kozhambu, when rasam was luke warm. Last time, only one two lemons had fallen down, now there are more than enough for two. So its going to be lemon rasam every alternate day, lemon juice twice a day.

Thanks to my teacher, i had for years, stopped adding onions and garlic. Better obey him. At home, mom would complain of gas, so though, i had stopped onions, i would add garlic for rasams for her, till i saw guruji's post where he showed, how tasty spicy food titillating the taste buds could be prepared without garlic and onions. I am not sure about rajasic food, but the intense smell of garlic onion is what keeps me away. Mom eats whatever i prepare, so no issues. At my sister-in-laws place, they would be shocked, that i forget their ubiquitous onions. Whatever, food is all god's krupa, whatever, he gives! should eat without making any fuss.

Pongal Holidays 2015 update:

Vatha narayanan dosa, vatha narayanan thugayal, thirattu paal pepper sweet, kambu idli

Amla and Kalkandu

VAdha NArayanan RAgi dosa with yellow moong dal sAmbhAr, coconut chutney and kalkandu nellika

VAdha NArayanan roti with bindi moong dal, and green moong kheer

kuthirai vali rice with dates, vata narayan thugayal, moong dal sambhar, sunda vathal puli kolambu

Kambu rava kothumai vAta Narayan ghee roast, nAyuruvi chutney, mango moong dal sAmbhar, athipalam milk smoothie

VAta NArayanan Vadai on Nov 19th, 2016

Menu
Gasegase payasam (poppy seeds and 2 spoons basmati rice)
Nei paruppu
Maanga kovakka sambhar
Maanga rice
VAta Narayana vadai (with channa dal/kadalaparuppu, red chillies, hing, salt)
Bindi ghee fry (marinated bindi with ginger channadal, red chilli, asafotida paste, fried in ghee without a drop of water)
Manathakkali keerai kootu
Sorakka kootu

Adhatoda - Adusa - Justicia adhatoda | वासा

Aaduthoda leaves

Aaduthoda Ghee Roast with Thumbai-Corriander Chutney and Tomato Chutney

For me, taste in food is foremost. For someone who relishes pavakai pitlai, modakathan keerai dosai, agathi keerai, aaduthoda scaled new heights in bitterness. No wonder, even goats don't touch these leaves. After adding, lots of dosa batter, as crisp ghee paper roasts, this was finally yummy and very much eatable.

Best part was Thumbai chutney. Nothing can beat the fragrance of Leucas aspera (thumbai) flowers and leaves. That along with roasted black gram and bengal gram, shredded ginger and coconut - resulting Thumbai chutney was amazing.

For medicinal benefits:

• For cough and cold; bronchodilatatory (wiki)
• Used for bleeding disorders (herbalgarden)
• Increases memory (natural)
• For treating asthma (hindu)
• For thumbai see

Why aaduthoda and thumbai today?

       After a equilateral triangle bus trip from Bangalore to Chennai to Trichy, i collapsed after bathing without even waiting for my hair to get dried. So thumbai chutney with aaduthoda to get rid of all the phelgm.

Nov 22, 2016 update

वासापत्रं तु तरुणमानीय क्रिमिवर्जितम् । चूर्णं तोयेन विपचेत्ततिक्तविनिवृतये ॥ ४९५ ॥
गते तिक्ते पुनस्तच्च मन्थानेन विलोडयेत् । तत्र निक्षिप्य संभारान् पूर्वद्विपचेच्च तत् ॥ ४९६ ॥
पुनश्च वासनादौ च कृते तन्मधुरायते । विपाकसमये चेदं कासश्वासहरं भवेत् ॥ ४९७ ॥

-P. 78 of  Pākdarpaṇa of Nala by Dr. Madhulika

Preparation of Vāsa leaves and its Properties

Ingredients

• Fresh vāsa leaves
• Powder of lime
• Spices

Preparation

• The tender vāsa leaves, uninfested by worms should be cooked with powder of lime in order to remove its bitterness.
• Afterwards, it should be stirred well and mixed with appropriate spices
• After making in fragrant, it becomes sweet in taste.
• This preparation gets rid of cough and ashthma

Words Reference

• वासापत्रं तु तरुणमानीय क्रिमिवर्जितम् 

वासापत्रं  Adhatoda leaves
तु and
तरुणमानीय = तरुणम् + आनीय tender + having bought
क्रिमिवर्जितम् without germs/worms
Having bought tender adhatoda leaves without worms

• चूर्णं तोयेन विपचेत्ततिक्तविनिवृतये ॥ ४९५ ॥

चूर्णं lime powder
तोयेन 3v. by/with water
विपचेत्ततिक्तविनिवृतये = विपचेत् + तिक्त + निवृतये
           विपचेत्   वि.लि. could cook thoroughly;
           निवृतये to render relief/remove
To remove bitterness, you can cook with lime water

• गते तिक्ते पुनस्तच्च मन्थानेन विलोडयेत् 

गते तिक्ते bitterness having gone

पुनस्तच्च and again there
मन्थानेन by churning stick विलोडयेत् वि.लि. stir
After bitterness is gone, again stir it with churning stick

• तत्र निक्षिप्य संभारान् पूर्वद्विपचेच्च तत् ॥ ४९६ ॥

तत्र there/ in that
निक्षिप्य keeping
संभारान् preparations
पूर्वद्विपचेच्च = पूर्वत् विपचेत् च previously added/cooked
तत् that
Cook that having previously added spices to it

• पुनश्च वासनादौ च कृते तन्मधुरायते विपाकसमये चेदं कासश्वासहरं भवेत् 

पुनश्च again and
वासनादौ fragrance - in the beginning, initially, at first
च and
कृते for/ for the benefit/account of
तन्मधुरायते (तत् मधुरायते) it becomes sweet
विपाकसमये during cooking

It becomes sweet, having made it fragrant, during cooking

चेदं and this
कासश्वासहरं (कास श्वास हरं) relieving asthma
भवेत् let it last
Thus prepared in a special manner, it will provide relief for asthma symptoms.

Humble thanks to ARaoji and JKDeshpandeji for corrections

Daddy!

Suddenly dad came to my mind this Sunday.

Counting the Blessings:

• Dad was very punctual. Always on dot, that even neighbours would comment about what an early riser he was. He would not drink bed coffee, he would take bath in cold water. Not once have i seen my dad take bath in hot water. 
• He was very devout and he had a silver shiva linga and prayer set. Early morning after taking bath, he would offer god milk, do pooja and only then have his breakfast. He would go for sabarimala so many times with proper anna dhana. He gave a lot for temples.
• He encouraged, never forced, praying to God, fasting, abstaining from non-veg, eating together at proper timings together as a family.
• He would repeatedly talk about having unity of thoughts, words and deeds. Having a clear conscience. Not keeping anything in mind. As I grew out of childhood, I could never lie to dad, never had to in fact.

• While we would beg mom to sprinkle water on us to wake us up. Dad would never wake us up. In his presence, even though he never made any disturbing sound, I would just wake up on my own.
• Was my dad's apple of the eye. I was given boiled apples as a child; all my life the best quality fruits, vegetables, the best food, costly clothes and abundant love.
• He knew the best tailors for my bulbul dress, and chudi suits and drive for more than 1.5 hours for the perfect stitch.
• Dad designed his own house, gates, closets, furnitures. He designed his own greeting cards for his clients and wished them for their birthdays. He maintained good relations with all his clients.
• He encouraged creativity. From childhood, remember having oil paint, all colours. He got us all story books, magazines, champak, Gokulam, Readers Digest, Twinkles etc. He even got a casino keyboard. He would take me to all painting competitions, essay competitions and wait till i finished them and escort me. He would escort us to school, carry our lunch hot during noon, pick us back. Of course, in college, he didn't get me Arabian Nights from bhel library after i finished the first volume and i had to borrow the remaining 5 volumes from another uncle in the library.
• He would make me write and would take a scale and correct font sizes and alignment and spacing for my handwriting.
• He got a Remington typewriter and made me practice keying, thanks to him, and his exercises of keying in question papers for my brother's board exams, his client letters, i can type very fast within minutes. 
• During summer holidays, he would make us translate hindi to english and vice versa, even Indian express editorials.
• Remember playing frisbee games with dad as a child. He would make us run in a competition with the neighbouring girls.
• Remember serving food for dad. He would eat very beautifully and neatly. He would mix curd rice neatly and we would feed from his hand in the end. Dad liked it very clean and neat. With mom, we could eat with cooking vessels next to our plates, with dad, serving vessel had to be properly set.
• Dad believed in food is medicine and medicine is food. His always ate food at regular times. I don't remember even one day, when he ate his breakfast without bathing. He would like curry leaves chutney over coconut chutney. He never made fuss about food, enjoyed it when it was good, didn't complain when it was bad. He liked lemon tea.
• He would set up time table of food to be prepared each day, since he was also managing the canteen. We had eggs with pepper early morning. He made me prepare sambar till i got it perfect. He would get the expert to cook a new dish like hotel at home few times. He would teach me to make the perfect sambar, tasty kurma, cauliflower fry during holidays.
• Even in 10th standard board exams, he would make us help mom in kitchen by cutting vegetables, before we started our studies. When my mom was sick, he would prepare a timetable of when to serve juice, food for mom.
• It used to be an elaborate tea - party with snacks served on tray in the evenings, when mom came from office. Even if there was no milk or sugar, dad would make us drink sukku malli kaapi with jaggery with gusto, which the guests also enjoyed.
• He loved fried moong dal and boiled peanuts. Can't ever eat fried moong dal without thinking about him
• He was a vegetarian in his later years. Whenever, i would go home, he would serve keerai on vaazhai ellai. 
• He would treat his friends elaborate meals at home or outside and delight them with some specialty dish.
• He would feed me the best food, buy lots of fruits. He would peel mosambis, and pomegrenates every afternoon and evening and put glucose on top of it and make me eat.
• More than mom, it was dad, who comforted me, when i fell down and hurt my knees. Mom was strong and would not show it, dad would get emotional when i was hurt.
• With a budget of 5k for Diwali, he would spend 50% on my clothes. He was lavish when it came to spending on me. 
• He encouraged all my interests. When i asked for 500 for astrology, he would give it without another question. He never put a stop for my interest in astrology, unlike my mom, brother and sister, who never liked me studying astrology. Whether it was numerology books and consultation, a costly interior decoration book or maps book from RD, he would unflinchingly pay all my bills.
• Had lost a year after joining REC Jalandhar and had written the local BDU entrance exam after 9 months of hospitalization. He did not want me to waste another year and paid 1L much beyond his strength and got me admitted in engineering college, arranging car for each trip.
• He provided me the best medical care known to him, irrespective of how it emptied his pockets.
• He got the best books - colourful chemistry foreign edition book with amazing reaction colours, that made me love inorganic chemistry
• For my 10th standard, he printed previous year question papers and wrote math questions in his hand and made me write exams every sunday. Even when he was in a hurry to go to office, he took out some time, to test what i have been studying since morning by asking questions or asking to relate the whole lesson, expressing such keen interest and being fully present.
• Dad would time everything, the time i took for making up my sister's hair, getting ready for school.
• If i forgot a pen for assignment, he would travel all the way from home to college to give me the pen for assignments.
• He would never question, on why i was late. If i boarded a new bus and came late, he would not question why. During inter-college or school competitions, even if i came home at 2:30, he would not question me and let me in. He would fund all esoteric things like numerology, astrology. 
• He introduced me to Thirumoolar and his writings. He introduced me to sukku milagu thipli. After ilizarov surgery, i stated that am not to going eat, till i can shit on my own, without anyone's support. He preached at length thirumoolar and importance of elimination and got our Indian loo replaced with western loo within a day.
• When i put vaseline and creams, for my vata skin, he would talk about simple coconut oil. Now, after years, i have come back to oil, malai and nuts, rather than these petroleum jelly based creams.
• When i bought Baba Ramdev's relatively costly medicines, dad would say, that whatever medicine you need, would be available at your doorstep. And looking back now, it is indeed true, vata narayanan leaves, pirandai, kovai, aloe vera, kuppai meni, keelanezhi, you name the herb, i truly need, everything is indeed growing wildly all around where i stay. I don't have to spend 100s or 1000s on some packaged medicine.
• Dad was particular about poojas and pariharas. Once he made me travel all the way to kodumudi for a marriage sort of function with a kalasam.
• Even when he was away, he ensured, i was properly taken care of.
• He would help with all assignments and projects, kaleidoscopes. He would help me practice and rehearse bharatnatyam where i was the snake kalinga, he would drum the tea poy as me and my sister sang in unison. He encouraged singing, and our neighbours would say, drumming and singing was a sweet orchestra. Even in the bikes, he would make us sing on the way. He was a great fan of fine arts, music and dance and had learnt guitar. He loved traditional music a lot.
• For my school, even as he was getting ready, he would express keen interest to listen to what the hindi or english chapter was all about. Early morning, he would check, if what i read was correct and ask me questions. he would dictate at great speed to check our spellings. He would ask us to enact our own ads in the evenings.
• He would make us (cousins included) do exercise on the terrace early morning before sunrise. 
• He would take us for morning and evening walks and was particular about maintaining good health. He made sure the tv was never disturbing our studies.
• For my sister who used to go for pravachans, wrote sanskrit exams and became a vaishnavite and a vegetarian from childhood, he would make her recite omkaras and mantras early morning in gyan mudra, while it was exercise and books for me.
• Dad was a great fan of brahmin culture and would relate stories of his brahmin friends, the food habits and always made sure, it was reflected in our cooking and cleanliness. He would describe how maamis served him food or beverages and that would become the rule going forward at home. 
• I would hurriedly clean up when i would hear his bike sound, he would come home and take the broom and clean up the dust under the cupboard. He would clean and wash even vessels to perfection.
• Dad was very particular about housekeeping, neatness, cleanliness and punctuality.
• He would take us for LTC tours every year, to a different part of the country.
• He gave our anna nagar home for a school for many years at the lowest possible rent.
• Whenever i travelled with him, dad would make sure, i was very comfortable. He would arrange a car for me everytime. He would wait for me, early morning around 5 am as Mayiladuthurai express would come.
• He had one huge master bed, but he would sleep down and let me sleep alone on the bed. Even in our unconfirmed berths, he would sleep down on newspapers, while letting me sleep properly on the berth from Delhi.
• When i had my first breakup in b-school, he took off to stay with me in hostel, took me to temples and soothed me. He never forced me for marriage. He was over protective. At college, he locked the phone, so that i don't answer calls from my engineering friends. 
• Dad was a master salesman, he would convince anyone that his idea was actually theirs and make them buy LIC policies from my school teachers to colleagues. He had a huge client base and winning sales pitch. Dad had a sweet way of convincing people.
• He had a subtle sense of humour and like to speak on stage voluntarily and share his experience in meetings and crowds.
• As dad got ready and wore his formal shirt, we would go behind and adjust the shirt. 
• Dad would make neighbouring akka ask me if i loved any guy, stating, that he had reserved his bhel shares for my wedding and asked if i wanted gold. I told him, no, i don't want anything to be locked, other than what i can wear and roam freely all around without fear.
• Dad would buy me pink dress and cakes for my birthdays for many years till i grew out of pink
• For his 6-2 shift, he was always on dot, that my neighbours would relate even after years.
• Dad was the only reason, i joined IIMB and not FMS. If not for dad, I would have chosen the cheaper option for doing MBA. He never asked for a single penny from my salary in cognizant days.
• Dad was my company, whenever i walked alone in Bangalore. I would keep talking and walking for hours with dad. He would take time off for enrolling in colleges, paying fees, registration etc.
• Dad was the reason, i took engineering. He would say, that by mistake he chose BCom over BE without knowing the significance and so i chose BE over Fine Arts for him.
• Dad would wear all the dresses i got for him without complaining. He would set up high standards, belts had to be park avenue, shirts from raymonds, he had high standards on quality and pomp.
• He took the best care of my grandmother till his death. He funded the education of all his younger sister's kids, kept them at home, enrolling them to the best schools. He married off all his younger sisters and provided for them.
• Dad never thought small, he wanted it big in life, be it anything. Dad was my mother and mom was my father in some aspects. Dad had high standards in life. 
• He was never comfortable with window shopping. He valued others times. While i would go to coffee shop and sit talk, not buying anything, dad would not let me spend time thus.
• Dad was very caring about where i travelled at what time i travelled. While my mom readily agreed on my tours, dad would give me lectures to stay in one place.

Earlier i used to miss dad a lot, now, i know, he is there always looking after me. God bless you where ever you are. God keep you safe, healthy, prosperous and happy.

Nenju Thudikidhu Gemini Gemini

This morning, I knew, I didn’t have to do yoga for the next 3 days, so slept not minding the sun rise timings. Had woken up at 2 am and then again it was past 7 am, when I saw the daily calendar next to my bed. I saw the planetary positions for this day’s chart and realized amavasya. So didn’t do varmam also, though our asan mentioned restriction only for pulli muthu adangal on amavasya.

Turned the daily calendar page and realized that venus is moving from dhanur to makar the next day. Astrojyoti says December 6th. Whatever, the peculiar magic is gone thankfully. Had a crush on a Gemini lagna. Was looking back on the combinations, dhanu shukra and guru in Gemini created the awkward magic for a month or so and that has come to an end. For women, while the karakas like guru/shani stay for a year or 2.5 years in a rashi, for shukra the karaka for men, hardly stays in a rashi for 1.5 months. Was listening to Katha Upanishad, on and off the whole night, as Swami Sarveshananda, kept relating his stories. Am exploring this Upanishad for 2 years and am still in the 1st chapter, not sure of the 3rd valli, leave alone the rest of the Upanishad.

While returning from pool from Advaith petrol bunk near BTM 1st stage, I called up my brother and said, from February 12th to June 19th 2014 is the time, while my darakaraka Jupiter is still in Gemini. So either that period or I can remain a spinster all my life. Told him, that I would rather give gold coins to all relatives, rather than eating up their purses. He asked me what my expectations were. I said nothing but destiny, I will know it when I see his kundli.

This morning, in the cab, it was another Gemini Ardra next to me, who related her stories – 2 younger sisters. We were discussing Bauhinia variegata on the stretch from Ejipura signal to Domlur flyover. And on Saturday - Sunday, it was a retired Gemini reiki practitioner who has 3 clinics. Because of him and listening as he had his lunch, while I sipped pineapple juice, I went to swimming pool 15 minutes late and out of the pool after 25 minutes later in the shower, I realized, delays have a valid reason. He showed me his numerous patient’s homes on the way, while dropping me to the pool, relating each patient’s history.

Patient Healer Nexus

Like patients are attached to their pains and illness, doctors and healers are attached to their healing techniques and medicines. On Saturday, this Gemini, almost convinced me to buy a conybio socks for Rs.600+ and an aloe vera facial cream for Rs.300. To make Rs. 300 sound less, he marketed it as only Rs. 50 per month which would last for 6 months. And now, as l look back, considering that at home, I eat aloe vera as it is from nature freely, why should I buy them? Realized how not to grow old. Definitely not like this gemini reiki healer. He was with sujok as well, like my earlier yoga teacher on healing with magnets. For me, having anything adhesive sticking to my body was anathema to say the least. This medicalization of life is not sustainable. Need to just leave it to nature, for nature heals.

Gemini Narratives

Why am even considering spending Saturdays on varmam with patients? The only reason is Ms. Nagarathna Bhatt, a lady who clearly specified the dates on which certain events would happen, which did happen. She said, I would be into medical field. Besides, there is parivartana between the 6th lord Mars and 11th lord mercury. So would rather spend money and time on healing others than healing my body.
Reiki healer’s narratives on his incompatible wife stating her birthday is Jan 28th and hence a taciturn fight club at home, reminded me of my sister’s maid’s narratives. This clearly contrasted with the narratives of my directors, founders of organizations, world leaders. When they talk about their wife, they typically start saying, she is the smart one at home, the pillar of support, etc. There is hardly any cribbing, a light of kindness in their eyes in spite of all that they inured over decades of their relationship.

Whereas our domestic help, whose drunkard husband threw toilet cleaning on her face, had a narrative of abusive father, and subsequently an abusive husband. This reiki healer’s narrative matched his 2 daughters lives who had inter-caste marriage. He also narrated how her younger daughter’s husband was torturous and how she was destined to have a mentally challenged kid. His concept was that at the time of conception, the kids destiny was fixed and my counter argument was that the present thoughts, words and deeds coupled with faith could harmonize any amount of previous karma or prarabdha or whatever. He countered with numerous poignant destined stories of his patients, which is better left unsaid. He was quite upset that he could not mix sujok or suggest homeopathy medicines in the varmam healing center. Attachment to certain medicines!!!

This reiki healer shared Aung San Suu kyi’s bday, 7 years younger to her though. The one thing, when you see Suu Kyi’s eyes is a smiling soul. No matter what she had to endure, she smiles through. No bitterness what so ever. All smiles. That is the sparkle in the eyes; I look for in elders, healers. Growing old with kindness and smile in their eyes, no matter what.

Cassia auriculata - Aavaram Poo - Aavarataki

Avarampoo Milkshake flavoured with ellaichi and sweetened with Jaggery

Avarampoo roti with paneer bhurji stirred in ghee

Aavaram Poo Chutney with Keelanelli Chutney

Aavaram Poo Idli with Tomato Chutney, Curry Leaves Podi, Thumbai Chutney, Coconut Chutney

On Plate: R->L Jaangri, Ajwain Parantha, Thumbai Chutney, Snake gourd, Vadai. Katoris: Aavaram Poo Nei Paruppu, Kathrika Sambar, Curd

Medicinal Uses
wiki
Aavaram Poo sambar helps in diabetes it seems
Helps in skin disorders, abdominal disorders, diabetes

It was by accident that mom plucked keelanelli and avaram poo on the same day. Listening to Dr. Valiathan in NPTEL, on how jaundice was cured in atharva veda era. The bhishak had a red cow tied at the foot of the patient and yellow parrots near the head of the jaundiced guy. The idea was restore the colours where they naturally belonged to -  the biliousness of the jaundiced patient to the yellow parrots and sanguinity of red cows to the patient.

It was quite to funny to realize that, i put keelanelli typically used to cure jaundice, with yellow avarampoo. Whatever, everything unto lord. Let him guide my hands and choose the food that i cook, serve and eat.

Leucas aspera - Thumbai - Dronapushpi/Chitrapatrika/Chitrakshup

Leucas aspera/thummi/Thumbai

After mom plucked

Aaduthoda Ghee Roast with Thumbai Corriander Chutney and Tomato Chutney

On the plate: R->L Pudhina Chutney, Okra poriyal, Carrot poriyal, Thumbai Kootu
R->L Whole Green Moong Dal Kheer, Dal, Mudakathan Keerai Rasam, Mor Kozhambu, Curd

It has a very distinct fragrance. Mom was telling about the honey extracted from this flower. Never realized that i would end up cooking this plant, we just passed by as kids.

Medicinal Uses
siddha says it is used for cold, headache, constipation, gastric problems, tonsillitis, menses probs
wiki echoes the same
Review by R.Srinivasan etal talk about various benefits including skin problems
Dronapushpi lists benefits in telugu

2015 Update:

Come december january, the entire stretch is filled with these plants and its tiny fragrant white flowers as far as eyes can see. So mom plucked some, golden fried them in castor oil and i applied that oil to my eyes.

Euphorbia pilulifera - Periamman Pacharisi - Dugdhika/Nagari/Kshira/Nagarjuna

Periyamman Pacharisi

Periyamman Pacharisi thugayal, Tomato Chutney, Jaangri

Medicinal Uses
wiki
Siddha Medicines

There are so many types of ammaan pacharisi - Periyamman Pacharisi, sivamman pacharisi, vayalamman pacharisi etc. The one we found on the road, matched periyamman pacharisi. The thugayal we made with roasted channa and urad dal, with a little bit of coconut shreds, a bit of corriander and curry leaves was quite yummy.

It was quite enlightening to learn, that herbs are male and female. So one should balance and eat them.

Great escape from a biting three year old

Hamsa Mahapurusha Yoga
Of all my nephews and nieces, this July 15th nephew is my favourite. A strong sun, moon Am going to ignore his married life in future. D60 shows it all. Other aspects, am sure, he will become somebody big. He is god's gift, the first great grandson of my grandfather, in an unbreakable male chain. He has my favourite hamsa mahapurusha yoga, like most babies born in 2010 have.

He made us laugh all the while. Many a times, i caught myself gazing at him. Wonder, how guru being a GK is going to impact hamsa mahapurusha yoga. Like the midnight's children, i wish these 2010, 2014 June 4 borns could grow up soon. Wonder, what they would become.

Action replay
After a late lunch, i was working on the laptop, sprawled on the sofa, when the 3 year old wanted to play with the digicam and laptop. In an effort to save the digicam and the dongle, that was precariously hooked to one end of laptop, i bit my nephew's arm, very lightly and he was wearing a full handed tiny blazer. My mom, her elder sister were there, my bro was there, yet no one took my nephew away from the dongle which was flashing blue lights.

Not to be outdone, he came back to bite me and at last, after many shrieks from my end, my brother and aunt came to my rescue and lifted my nephew tussling to bite me. All my work was stopped now. Thank god, at last, my brother distracted my nephew with a recording of his recitation of A for apple, B for bat sing song. He soon gave up biting and went to sleep. It is a privilege to be with him even for just one day.

He repeated, everything, we said. Amazing, this young age, any language of the world can be mastered. Anything could be learnt and imprinted for life. Wish i could get back my childhood. Either i should be less than 5 or greater than 60 years old. :-)

Kurinja Keerai - Gymnema sylvestre - Meshashringi aka Madhunaashini

Kurinja Keerai - Gymnema sylvestre - Madhunaashini

Yesterday, my train escort's mom came home. A very lean lady with a heavy bottom, a radiant face, sharp nose, pleasant appearance on the whole. I offered her kuppaimeni parantha and keelanelli parantha with paneer. She said kuppaimeni parantha was not bitter. After a while, i showed her other paranthas. She told, how much her daughter disliked my favourite mooli parantha. She also told, how she disliked mom's ration rice yellowish idlis. So much for the government hoopla over scheme distributing inferior rice freely. People feed hens with that rice. And mom makes yellow idlis with that rice. Whatever! That aunty, told mom that she gave her husband kurinja leaves everyday for his diabetes. After reading wiki, i wanted to test, if kurinja keerai, indeed suppressed the sweet taste. No suppression in sweet taste, that i could discern, for i had gulab jamuns, and semiya payasam along with kurinja keerai.

She also introduced saaranai and karkataan keerai. Need to explore this sometime later.

Jamuns, Semiya payasam, Nei paruppu, Kurinja Keerai kootu, Carrot poriyal, Kothavaranga paruppu usili, Kondai kadalai sundal, Ullundu vadai, appalam, Mulangi Sambar, Okra kaara kolambu, Rasam, Curd

Kurinja keerai is a bit bitter, but it is very much eatable as a paruppu kootu with a liberal dose of coconut cumin seed paste.

Medicinal Benefits
See this blog

A member asked guruji, westerners ask us to eat less, more frequently, while we talk about fasts, eating one or two meals, or nothing at all. How to lose weight?

Guruji replied stating, eating meshashringi with honey increases metabolism and thereby helps reduce weight.

2015 update:
Rains, and no one to clean the terrace top, and nature takes over with mango, tamarind leaves decompose providing a nice layer of soil.