Discreet Moments Discreet Thoughts (2)

Discreet Moments Discreet Thoughts

An Auto-Biography (kind of)

by S.Sivasankaran (19.12.2014)

Preface

To start with, to those who might think or ask me ‘Nee enna Appa Takkara?  Biography athuvum Auto-Biography ezhuthura alavakku Nee enna saathichutte?  Intha samoogathukku Nee enna solla vare?’ 

Sorry guys, somehow I am inclined to share my life events. It so evolved in the process of my own introspection, I have had the visibility of ‘looking back’ and ‘beyond at times’ much ahead of times many a times, quiet indiscreetly though.  By and large, I led my life purely on the direction of my instincts as they call it, I am driven by may intuitive nature, I give more weight to what my intuitive mind directs me to do an act or not to act.  Perhaps, by being a Piscean (by English Solar-based Astrology theories while I am a Gemini by Indian or Lunar-based Astrology theories), I think I might be blessed to have both the characteristics of a Piscean and/or a Gemini either.

In a way, this is just a random collation of weird incidents occurred around me where I took lessons of human life on the go, thus, consciously I took steps to avoid pit-falls and negative tenets that an average human being would otherwise commit as faults as an action that he can claim to have done so inadvertently. Indirectly or precisely to say, certain common characteristics, traits or behavioral pattern that a fellow friend or relative who would have observed in me, would have been a result of this conscious self-assessment that over a period of time I would have inculcated within me, purely on getting inspired by any such occurrences around me, over a long period of time. Chapter 1

Early childhood days

As I recollect bits and pieces of events now, at an age of 51, while the earliest incident could have occurred when I was on an age as early as 5 perhaps, may be even before. I just quote 5 here for a reference.

I belong to Kumbakonam, the temple town in Thanjavur District of Tamil Nadu. My forefathers, at least 4 in the immediately preceding parental hierarchies ahead of me were living in Kumbakonam or its surrounding villages.  By and large we were told we hail from a tiny village called Kallur, about 10 kms distance from Kumbakonam Town on the Northern side that’s when we cross the Holy River Cauvery towards North but prior to reaching the horizons of Cauvery’s sub-entity Kollidam (aka Kolroun in English terms).  This small village or hamlet is located near Cholapuram on the Tanjore-Chennai National Highway.  It comes under Neelatha Nallur jurisdiction where our ancestral properties were said to be located and where our family Deity (Kula Deivam) Shri Dharma Sastha also knows as Maha Sastha (which is right, I have no clue). We have always been told to prostrate towards Dharma Sastha and/or Maha Sastha.

Shasta or Sastha is the name of a Hindu deity in India. Shasta is a generic Sanskrit term for a teacher. In South India, Shasta is attested from the 3rd century C.E. in Tamil Nadu State. In Kerala where the Shasta cult is well developed, he is attested from 855 C.E. Shasta cult is used as a cult of syncretism that tends to unite the Shivites (followers of Shaivism) and Vaishnavites (followers of Vaishnavism) sects of Hinduism. He is identified with various deities like Ayyanar, Ayyappa or Skanda.

Shasta, is a generic term for a teacher in Sanskrit. In South India, a number of deities are known by this name. Dharma-Shasta is Ayyappa whereas Brahma-Shasta is Skanda. Legends indicate that Shasta is the son of a union between Shiva and the female form of Vishnu, namely Mohini.^[5] The Shasta cult is also an attempt at reconciling the differences between the sects of Shaivites and Vaishnavites amongst Hindus.^[4]

We would always go at least once a year to perform our annual religious rites and tributes to Shri Sastha also named Ayyanar.   For the several districts come under Southern Tamil Nadu, Ayyanar might be a famly-deity (Kula Deivam), perhaps this may have roots to the Holy Sabarimala Shri Sabari Ayyappan Temple.  If we dig deep into historic or puranic verses, there were several Sasthas quoted i.e. Dharma Sastha, Maha Sastha, Veera Sastha, Brahma Sastha and so on. I may not recall all such as Sastha has been identified with either in Tamil Nadu or Kerala.

We used to always to go to Kallur upto Kadichampadi by cycle trips and/or very rarely by Public Transport. Then from there we would walk it down towards Kallur village, about 2-3 kilos distance. It used to be a normal muddy path or passage, encircled or surrounded by hefty paddy fields on either sides of the road purely giving us a green environment, coupled with huge-sized Tamarind Trees (Puliya Maram), Coconut trees (Thenna Maram), Palm Trees (Panai Maram), Plaintain (Banana trees), Mango Trees, Jack Fruit Trees and many more Trees.

Of course many other fields where Paddy is not the crop that’s on produce (under cultivation, awaiting their prime time to be chopped off as a final produce) like (Nilak) Kadalai, Ulundu, Payaru, Thuvarai and many more fresh green vegetables that we always get to see in the local vegetable market on streets (in local terms it’s wet market in popular algorithm). Vegetables include Banana (raw), Brinjal, Vendaikkai (Ladies finger), Kothavaraikkai, Avaraikkai, Pudalangai, Poosanikkai, Parangikkai, Red or Green Chillies, Cucumber, Ginger, and few root vegetables like Beet root, Onion etc. I don’t know what types of root vegetables used to be produced in Tanjore district. If I remember right, Onions were used to be procured from Salem, Bellary while Seppa Kizhangu used to be from Salem, Urulai Kizhangu (Potatoes) from Andhra (may be).  Certain varieties of cucumber that used to be produced in Tamil Nadu is totally different from what we get to see in Mumbai or Delhi wet markets.

I vividly recall the day when I was not refused an admission to my primary school for Class 1. It was when I was aged 5 years, when my eldest brother Murthy (Ramamurthy) took me to the Thirumanjana Veedhi Middle School (also known as KTV Middle School) one fine morning.  I have no clue why my father (as parent) did not accompany me that day. After seeing the birth certificates etc. documentation, the Head Master of that School (Late) Shri Rajagopala Iyer (Periya Vathyar as he was popularly known) refused admission stating I am too young and he asked us to come only next year.  I remember again my eldest brother Murthy Anna only took me for proper admission procedures to the same school next year. It was 1969 or 1970.

Few incidents that I relate to, recalling the presence of my mother.  I can only recall her face by subsequent photo images shown to me during childhood, otherwise, honestly I have no clue how she was looking like.  By sheer look of photos, I cannot definitely say have I come across this person in my life, but since I was too kiddy a boy then, I think I can honestly excuse myself as I have no memories of my mother.