Mount Rushmore

As I start writing about my travel to Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone National Park/Grand Teton National Park – that took place during June 2004 and lasted for a week - I still recollect our experience vividly with great awe and inspiration. I need to admit that this was one of the grandest tours I ever undertook so far. The areas we visited are among the greatest blessings of Mother Nature and God. We saw there the highest manifestations of HIS grandest blissful state. Some of this planet’s most daring evolutions have taken place here on this expansive field several hundred thousands or millions of years ago and its geological manifestations are there for everyone to see, admire, bewilder and enjoy even today. The mountains with its valleys, rocks, waterways, geysers (hot-springs), woods are all stunningly beautiful.

Our entire circular trip took us through three States, Viz., Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming.

America is one country that has been abundantly endowed with natural resources and they generally take care of them very well. What I saw in these areas lend credence to my earlier belief that they also contribute a lot to conserving nature. They seem to be spending phenomenally on preserving their natural resources, providing and maintaining facilities for the visitors who throng to these places and, documenting their wealth for everyone to know in more detail. Wherever we went, we saw convenient visitor centers, information on places, well laid and maintained roads and, patrolling by police. Though most of these roads looked deserted, tourists could always move around fearlessly on those desolate places.

I have tried to narrate our tour as realistically as possible without trying to create artificial embellishment. My thanks are due to a number of brochures, literatures, publications and www.wikipedia.com for the information contents and some of the images and through them I also understood in great detail about this region, their history, heritage, geology, animal world etc., My thanks are also due to Viji and Bala for their extensive research on this area for quite long for the trip and for the meticulous planning for travel, commutation and stay in this wilderness. And again, as usual, my grateful thanks are due to Lakshmi for her excellent company and food ideas during this trip.

I felt it is impossible to contain a report on a weeklong tour just in a couple of pages, especially when you have exhaustively covered different places of interest. Hence, I will be subdividing the report into two or more parts – one covering Mount Rushmore and the nearby areas and the others covering Yellowstone/Grand Teton National Parks.



Part I
Mount Rushmore

On 2nd June 2004, we – Viji, Bala, Lakshmi and me - departed Phoenix by an early morning flight to Billings(State of Montana) with a stop over and change of flight at Denver. Denver is a huge international airport with an underground train facility to move from one terminal to another. I was admiring the engineering marvel at the airport when we took the train to change terminal. This is one important thing that I noticed in America. They seem to be planning for big things and for a century ahead of time. Fortunately for them, financial resources do not appear to be a major constraint. I had a similar feeling when I first visited World Trade Center at New York during early January 2001. The World Trade Center with the twin towers appeared to stand over a mammoth three level underground train station. America has built some of the world’s biggest airports. For that matter, Sky Harbor at Phoenix is one of the busiest airports in the world. Every minute, a flight either takes off or is in the process of landing at Phoenix Airport.

We reached Billings at around 12.00 in the mid afternoon. Our travel from Phoenix to Billings took nearly six hours or so including our stop over at Denver. Viji and Bala had booked a rented vehicle for our entire trip from Billings for all the seven days. They approached the Car Rental counter. The vehicle we were allotted was a large Chevy Impala with plenty of leg space. Bala took the steering initially and Viji sat with her Yahoo and AAA (Automobile Association of America) Map opened up on her lap. We passed through the city of Billings located at a height of 3126 ft above the sea level in the Yellow Stone Valley, carved out of Yellow Stone River, which passes through the city. Two thirds of the city is in the Yellowstone Valley and the city is divided into the Valley and the Heights by the Rims, a long cliff, also called the Rimrocks – mostly sand stone cliffs of 300 to 500 ft high. Billings is surrounded by six mountain ranges - Beartooth Mountains on the South and Snowy Mountains on the North being most significant - and is the largest city in the radius of 500 miles.



The journey from Billings to Keystone (State of South Dakota), the town where Mount Rushmore is located, took about seven hours by road. On our way, we were passing through the Rimrocks, which presented tantalizing picturesque for our eyes. We reached Keystone at around 7.00 in the evening. We rested for the night after having the dinner we brought all the way from Phoenix. This was something, which I insisted – that we should make our own food during the entire trip to Mount Rushmore and Yellow Stone and avoid eating out. So, we brought some rice, puliyodarai mix, pickles, and a small electric rice cooker. Enough buttermilk or curd was available in many stores. We made plenty of salads, sandwiches with spread and cheese, cut-vegetables (with lots of green chili) and sauce. During the entire trip, hardly two or three times we ate out. The breakfast was complimentary from the hotels we stayed in and we generally ate sumptuous breakfast in the morning. We gained substantially in terms of food cost in the entire trip and we never encountered any digestive problems.

On day 2, i.e., on 3rd of June 04, we left the hotel after our breakfast. Our first destination was Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which is located near the Keystone town at a short distance. This is a monumental granite sculpture located within the United States Presidential Memorial that represents the history of the first 150 years of United States of America with 60 feet sculptures of the heads of former U.S Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. The entire memorial covers 1278 acres of land and is 5725 ft above sea level. The weather was excellent that day, bright and sunny and the air was a bit chilly and during our entire trip weather cooperated with us very well.



The entrance to the Memorial, the surroundings, the ambience everything was picture perfect. Near the entrance, there was a person who had dressed like Abraham Lincoln with his tall black hat and it was nice to take photographs with him with the entrance gate to the memorial and the sculputres at the back ground. He was so tall that Lakshmi was measuring hardly up to his hips.

I understand that the carvings on the mountain started in 1927 and ended in 1941 with few injuries and no deaths. Gutzon Borglum was the sculptor. He along with 400 workers undertook this historical project and when Gutzon died in March, 1941, his son Lincoln Borglum continued the project. The entire project costed a million dollar those days. Extensive visitor center, museum, sidewalks, the Presidential Trails have all been undertaken during the redevelopment work in the 1990s.

Mount Rushmore is controversial among Native Americans because the United States seized the area from the Lakota tribe after the Black Hills War in 1876–77. The Lakota consider the hills to be sacred, although historians believe the Lakota also gained control of the hills by force, displacing the Cheyenne in 1776. The Crazy Horse Memorial is being constructed elsewhere in the Black Hills to commemorate a famous Native American leader and as a response to Mount Rushmore. It is intended to be larger than Mount Rushmore and has the support of Lakota chiefs; the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation has rejected offers of federal funds.

So, our next destination was the Crazy Horse Memorial which was loacted a few miles from Mount Rushmore.



The Crazy Horse Memorial is a mountain monument in progress in the Black Hills of South Dakota that when complete will be the world's largest sculpture. It is named after the Lakota warrior Crazy Horse. The sculpture's final dimensions will be 641 feet wide and 563 feet high. By comparison, the heads of Mt. Rushmore are 60 feet high; the head of Crazy Horse will be 87 feet high. It was begun in 1948 by sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski, who had worked on Mt. Rushmore under Gutzon Borglum, who claimed that several Lakota chiefs requested a counterpoint demonstrating a Native American hero. The sculpture portrays the warrior Crazy Horse, who led the Ogala Sioux (now Lakota) battle in 1876.

The memorial is to be the icon of a huge educational and cultural center that will include the University and Medical Training Center for the North American Indian and the Indian Museum of North America. The current visitor complex will anchor the center. The entire complex is owned by the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation, and Ziolkowski's wife and several children remain closely involved with the work, which has no fixed completion date. The face of Crazy Horse was completed and dedicated in 1998, with a view to aiding fundraising. The monument is being built with no public money and is primarily supported by visitor fees (more than one million people visit annually, bringing in millions of dollars). Much of the earth-moving equipment used is donated by corporations.

The US Federal Government offered $10 million to help fund the project but was turned down. This was supposedly due to fears that the Government would claim a stake in the project and its profits.

When we visited this place, very little work was going on at the construction site. One could see the gigantic face of the sculpture coming up even when one approaches from a distance.





We went around the visitor centre and tried to grasp the great efforts of the Native American Families in bringing up this memorial without governmental support. As we were extremely satisfied with the great view of the sculpture coming up even from a distance, we decided not to go inside the construction complex and we decided to hop on to our next destination, that is, Custer State Park.

Among other things North America is so much blessed with rain, soil, alternate water resources, and the resultant greeneries and forests. Every place looked uniquely beautiful on its own.



The lean, tall rocks rising from ground are called needles and when they rise in rows creates a fabulous view from distance.

Custer State Park is a state park and wildlife reserve in the Black Hills. The park covers an area of 71,000 acres (290 sq. kms) of hilly terrain and is home to many wild animals like free roaming bison, Elk, mule deer, white tailed deer, mountain goats, sheep, mountain lions etc.The park is famous for its scenery, its scenic drives Needle Highway and the wildlife loop.

We drove around the park and the scenic drives. One or two sample pictures attached are sufficient proof for the scenic beauty of this place. We saw several bisons in the park and at one point there while driving, there were so many sorrounding our car that we had no choice but to stop the vehicle and allow the horde of bisons pass by. We had the pleasure of many close encounters with their faces when a few of them decided to stop by and tried to peep inside our car through the glasses.. It was almost evening now and we decided to return back to the hotel to take some rest so that we could visit the ‘Light and Sound’ show that was to be held in the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the early night time.




So, in the night we went back to Mount Rushmore National Memorial to watch the Light and Sound show. The whole atmosphere at the Memorial was one of great quietness. Though thousands of people started assembling there, one could hear only the noise of the stillness there. We watched from an elevated open-to-the-sky balcony, the speaker addressing and so we had good view of the show. Plenty of seating arrangements have been made at the lower level. The speaker’s voice reverberated over the hills and rocks. He recalled the contribution of the Great Presidents of America in the early years of the formation, integration and development of United States of America. The speaker had deftly ornamented his address with weighty notes on patriotism and in the finale, with the grand music in the background, a number of celebrities and stars were invited to the stage for commendations. The whole crowd stood up and clapped and cheered. The speaker’s address, the depth of his voice, his voice modulations, the music, the light effects and the finishing touches to the show were all resonating in our mind for the rest of the night.

On the third day of our trip, i.e.,4th June 2004 we set out again early in the morning. The weather was very sunny, bright, and pleasant. We decided to go on the winch ride that was located adjacent to the hotel where we stayed, as our first activity. We bought our tickets and got into the open winch that took us to a higher elevation over a steep hill. We were dropped at the summit of the hill from where we had a great view of the city and also the statutes of the four Presidents. To get down from the hill, we had a choice – either we slide down a crooked path specially built for fun and adventure loving people or take the winch back to the ground. There were many who took the slide and it was funny watching them sliding down at terrible speed and hitting the ground. We could not afford to be adventurous and so we took the winch and landed back. The winch ride took about 10 to 15 minutes each side. There was also a helipad near the hotel and it took visitors for a mountain ride for a fare. We decided not to take the helicopter ride as we were not very sure whether the ride would be comfortable to us.

We then hurried to the Rushmore Caves not very far from the city as we would have to leave Rushmore immediately thereafter around lunch time, if we were not to be late for our next stay at Cody for the night. We were in a totally alien terrain and we did not wish to be stranded for any reason.

The beautiful Rushmore Cave was discovered by placer (Gold) miners in 1876. The miners were digging a flume (an inclined channel) into the mountainside to carry water to the gold mines below when they found the cave opening. The cave was opened to the public in 1927, just before the carving of Mt. Rushmore began. The Black Hills Region, to which the Mount Rushmore belongs, is home to some of the most unique caves – unique for its age, evolutionary history, rare formations and complexity -in the world. They share common bonds of their origin; each is unique in its own way. Located in a band of limestone rock called the "pahasapa limestone" the caves encircle the central granite core of the Black Hills. This limestone was created during the Mississippian Period, approximately 360 to 330 million years ago on the bottom of an ancient sea. The present day caves were greatly affected by a number of evolutionary stages they had gone through in their history of geological past.





I was trying to visualise the enormous difficulties the original miners might have undergone in excavating the place without damaging the naturally evolved limestone rocks that were hanging from the roof in different shape, dazzling in light everywhere, resembling in some way the solidified melting ice falling from the rooftops. While walking through the caves with the hanging limestone deposits all over, we also felt a bit frightened. The admission to this cave was not free and the price one pays is really worth.The tour guide who took us around the cave was a high school student working part time over there and he gave lucid explanation on the cave formation, it’s chemistry and geology, origin, age, etc and he meticululously showed us some of the very minute and most delicate formations using a torchlight. Even as we were appalled by the exquisite beauty of the caves, we were holding our breath throughout, imagining that the roof could just heavily collapse on us. We heaved a sigh of relief only when we exited the cave after about an hour completing the cave tour.

Immediately after the cave tour, we left Keystone after a brief stop in the market place to buy some souvenirs of the place. Our drive to Cody (State of Wyoming), where our night halt was planned, ended later than we anticipated. We had to retrace the route back towards Billngs and on the way took a diversion at Sheridian, a small town towards west. We again passed through winding roads, rising mountainous rocks on either side and also plains. Our journey to Cody took almost eight to nine hours and the roads were desolate with virtually no vehicular traffic. When night fell and it became pitch dark, I felt scared of the completely empty roads and suggested that we could change our plans and rest somewhere in between instead of driving through night time. The idea was vetoed by both Viji and Bala, who shared the steering alternatingly and we finally reached Cody in the state of Wyoming sometime around 10.30 in the night. We were all exhausted. The food we have cooked in the morning at the hotelroom in Mount Rushmore was still with us. We gulped them quickly and slept away.

Epilogue for my report on P F Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon

To my amazement, a number of you have come back to me with your comments on the marathon. The response was way beyond what I expected. I suspect, it was so because, it was Viji and Bala who successfully participated in the marathon and to a small measure because I reported on the event. Nevertheless, the comments from many of you were very much encouraging not only to Viji and Bala, who are now determined to take-part in the next marathon too, whenever that takes place, but to me as well for my enthusiasm to write. I found that a website provides an easy platform from where we can all share interesting events and experiences amongst ourselves. This could also be a welcome change from and in addition to our routine, ‘hello, How are you? Trust this finds you all in the best of your health and prosperity,’ types of mails and letters, we usually exchange. So, you can be assured of more mails and write-ups from me. I look to you for your continued commentaries – good or bad – palatable or not – so that I can explore adopting changes to the way they are written and to the areas written about or drop writing altogether.

Eventually, I do not know whether most of you are aware or not, I am a fond traveler and a quick-to-move-out-of-town character. It used to be generally hard for me to sit or stay in one place for long until eventually seven or eight years ago, I started taking up meditation more seriously, after I came into contact with Sri Kalki Bhagawan. In my last little more than three decades of work life, whenever, I got the slightest inkling, I would travel out. Thanks to the nature of my job, I was very frequently transferred from place to place, north to south and vice-versa and that gave me enormous opportunities to me to see places in India and that I loved. Places that are scenic beauties are my favorite places and that way hilly terrains are my most sought after destinations. I had the privilege to travel to several hill resorts in India and I still continue to cherish my memories about my trips to those places.

An idea just occurred to me, ‘Why not I write on some of my travels?’ I am sure many among you too visit places and love your visits to these places and your memories about them.

Hence, I started writing about, one of my, not so recent, travel to Mount Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park in USA. This took place in June, 2004 and it lasted about a week. I would confess, this was one of my grandest tours in my lifetime. Mount Rushmore is a great memorial to the great Presidents of USA. The surrounding areas of Mount Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park are among the greatest blessings of Mother Nature and God. To me, they are one of the Highest Manifestations of His Grandest Blissful (Ananda) State. Some of the earth’s greatest evolutionary geological manifestations and exhibitions are there for everyone to see. The rocks, the hot spring geysers, the waterways, the woods, the heights are all stunningly beautiful. I thought I should write about them to begin with. You will have a chance to watch some of the most beautiful photographs we took during our trip.

As this was a weeklong trip, it will be very difficult for me to complete a write up in just one report. Hence it might take a series of reporting. Our each day trip was more and more bewildering about nature’s display of its beauty. I am sure you would all enjoy the travel reporting which might begin to be published in my website: www.neel48.blogspot.com in the next about a fortnight or so.

Finally, I have three things to tell you:

1. I presume that I am not inconveniencing any one of you with my frequent mails on my writings. May be, I am taking a little extra liberty with people who are near and dear to me. I apologize if I have been indulging in your valuable time.
2. I also wish to reach more readers and more friends and relatives. So, I would not mind, if you mention about my website to your meaningful friends and relatives. This would encourage our family becoming larger, bonded to each other through a common medium.
3. Please continue to send in your comments.

T.N.Neelakantan
23rd Jan,2007

PF Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, 2007 at Phoenix

P F CHANG’S ROCK ‘n’ ROLL ARIZONA MARATHON AT PHOENIX ON 14TH JANUARY, 2007

It was sometime in late October,2006, Viji and Bala enthusiastically mentioned to us that they have registered themselves for participating in a Marathon to be held in January,2007 at Phoenix. The Marathon, we were told, was being organized by P F Chang and Rock ‘n’ Roll to mobilize funds for some noble medical research programs. It did trouble me initially because firstly I knew that they were never so fitness freaks to undertake any great physically stressful activities. Secondly, Viji was just recovering from the after-effects of the medically terminated pregnancy. To add to their woes, during their visit to India during September/October, both had a taste of the polluted air and water over there and some food contamination and they both were sick even as they were returning to Phoenix. However, they assured us that everything is going to be ok, their health is fine and that they are going to assiduously practice long walks regularly in the next couple of months to improve their physical and psychological fitness for the marathon. We were told, the full marathon is a 26.2 miles run and the half-marathon is a 13.1 miles walk. The half-marathon was to be completed within a maximum of four hours to be eligible to receive a certificate.

We arrived in Phoenix on 17th Dec,2006 from Chicago. During the weekend following our arrival, we had the first taste of their preparations for the marathon. They had heavier than usual breakfast and we set out to a nearby park. The park had a long and circuitous walking-trail and in the center a fairly large lake. The park and lake were very beautiful. Three rounds of this walking-trail would make 2 miles and as such they have to make a little more than 18 rounds to cover 12 miles and depending on the time they take, they have to make finer adjustments to their pace in the marathon Lakshmi and Me took nearly twenty minutes to complete even one go. One of Bala’s friend and his wife too joined that day’s marathon practice. Viji, Bala and his friends completed the entire 18 rounds in a little over three and half hours and that was fairly close to what they are expected to do in the half-marathon. We were told that right from the time they registered themselves for the marathon, they had been vigorously practicing. Great! I thought, regardless of the outcome of the marathon, their participation is going to give them a useful and productive routine to go for regular walk and keep themselves physically fit. It was no doubt a worthy effort.

The participation in the marathon was not free. The fee required to register was seventy- five US dollars per person for the half-marathon and one hundred and twenty dollars for the full marathon.

In between, they had an opportunity to test their own fitness again. There is a mountain peak named Squa Peak in Phoenix and they went for this hill trek. Rajamani, Girija and Sriram, and Prakash who were eventually with us at Phoenix from Chicago to enjoy the Christmas vacations, joined this hill trek. This was an arduous trek, as I understand and predictably Lakshmi and me kept ourselves out; we had food to cook at home for everyone. However, Girija decided to cut back on the full trek, sensibly, of course. Others had reached the peak. Predictably, I was really amazed at the tenacity and will power of Rajamani who too made it to the top; though, I was told that however after reaching the peak, he felt physically fully exhausted. Anyhow, he managed to stay there and return back safely feeling full of enthusiasm for having made it. Rajamani and his family returned back during the first week of Jan itself as Sriram’s college was then re-opening for the next semester.

So, we grew confident that Viji and Bala, would after all, make the marathon as they appeared to be fit.

The D-day came. It was January 14th, 2007, a Sunday, – the day for the marathon. Couple of days before, Viji and Bala had gone to collect their marathon-kit. The kit contained, among other things, a six-by-six inches cloth with their registration number printed on it, a t-shirt with the half-marathon logo, a timer sensor, called the “champion-chip”, to be worn inside their shoes, information on the route for the half-marathon, and car parking, details of the entertainment programs en-route etc. The instructions were precise.

On the day prior to marathon, they told us that they felt as though they were just about to face an examination (reminiscent of their school and college days). They told us of the butterfly in their stomach. They were full of excitement and expectations about the day to follow.

The previous week, Lakshmi had read from weather reports that it was going to be very cold on 13th, 14th and 15th Jan. We did not really realize at that time how cold it was going to be on the D-day eventually, when the day dawned.

We woke up at five in the morning. We took shower. Both Viji and Bala had breakfast to half-fill their stomach. They were saying that plenty of refreshments would be available for them during the marathon, if they wanted to. Lakshmi and me packed some Uppuma as breakfast for us. We set out for the great marathon. Both Viji and Bala had several layers of dresses/sweaters. It was biting cold outside. Aided by the map, we reached the ‘orange’ parking lot near the destination. Luckily, we could locate a comfortable parking slot immediately.

It was around 7:25 a.m. We came down from the parking level to the ground. A long line of people had already formed waiting to get board the buses that will take them to starting point, Arizona Capitol. The finishing point was close to the Sun Devil Stadium and that was not far from the place we parked. We were all virtually shivering in the cold as we stood in the line. When their turn came, they boarded the bus and rode off. Waving hands, we prayed to Bhagawan to help them complete the marathon successfully.

We went back to the car in the parking lot. We were loath to the idea of exploring nearby areas in that biting cold. We just sat inside the car for about one and half hours. In between we finished our tasty breakfast. It was dark and not enough lights were there. I closed my eyes and was listening to some music. Lakshmi too must have dozed off for some time, I presume. In fact, we did more preparations on how we will spend our time even as the marathon was on and so we had some books, cassettes, audio CDs. I even had a small notebook to write notes. All these were packed neatly in my backpack, without realizing that the marathon event was going to be a great thriller and fun and we would hardly be requiring any of these to spend our time.

Noticing bright sunshine at around 9.15 or so, we stepped out of the car. Outside was less cold now. We slowly walked towards the finishing point near the stadium. Waves of people too were moving towards the stadium. As we arrived close to the finishing point, we saw thousands of people already assembled there and cheering up the marathon runners who were just making it to the destination. At the time when we reached, the runner who was the fourth to make marathon was just there.

So, I assumed, after all, we were not very late then for the events. T.V camera crew on mounted platforms and on ground at the finishing point were shooting pictures and beaming them on the huge electronic screen for everyone to watch. In loud voices, the commentators were reeling out their commentaries and galvanizing the crowd to cheer the runners with all its might.

The first to finish the 26.2 miles marathon run, as I understood later, was the 25 years old Terefe Yae, an Ethiopian and he bagged the US dollars twenty thousands prize money and he made the marathon run in 2 hours, 14 minutes and 13 seconds won only by a margin of 3 seconds over fellow Ethiopian Fikadu Degefu, aged 34. Many of the front- runners were from the African American communities and I could see thousands more of them witnessing the run and cheering up their runners. I understood later that many of them from distant countries do participate in the marathon either as a trial for Olympics and other international marathon runs or for the huge prize money. I also understood later that when the marathon kicked off at 7.40 a.m, the temperature at the Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix, the 5th busiest airport in the world, was 29 degrees. No wonder, we were shivering and freezing that morning and so, thousands of runners and other spectators.

The area around the finishing line was full of gaiety, cheer and fun. Wherever I turned, I saw only heads moving over the area like waves. There were several tents, put up for the benefit of the participants to re-energize themselves on the marathon route and at the finishing point. The organizers surely, must have worked for several days and nights in the preceding months before this event to make all preparations. Many facilities included for the crowd too. I was very much impressed by the disciplinary manner in which the spectators conducted themselves even as they were exhibiting all their passionate enthusiasm in their loud cheering, whistling, clapping, jumping, filming, shaking hands, waving raised placards and posters, encouraging their family and friends who were running. Anywhere else in the world, the whole place would have been a scene of utter rubbish thrown all over, but not here. The ground and surroundings were still neat and clean and the air still fresh. Mobile restrooms were kept in several spots to help people ease themselves without any discomfort so that place does not turn filthy.

Adanech Zekiros (Ethiopia)(2:31:43) ended the three-year women’s reign of Shitaye Gemechu 2004(2:31:33). We were there at that time, though we did not know her name at that time. Gemechu, 2:31:43 was the second fastest by a woman, but slower than Gemechu, the women runner who gamely hung in the top four through the first half of the marathon before being taken to a Scottsdale hospital suffering from dehydration and hypothermia. The wheel-chair course record fell to Tyler Byers of Reston, Va in 1:57:28. He is a University of Arizona graduate who also won here in 2005 and set a course record at 2006.I happened to read about this in the next day newspapers.

After hanging around the marathon finishing point for some time, we moved slowly to the half-marathon finishing point. Around that time, the first to complete the half-marathon had already started reaching there. The half-marathon participants were released in batches of thousand or so, starting at 8.30 a.m., to avoid too much crowding. I came to know that Northern Arizona University student Morten Bostrum, a native of Finland, and perhaps used to the cold, won in 1:06:33. That is the best time since 2004 when some top American ran here to prepare for the Olympic Marathon Trials. This place was much more crowded than the full marathon. We could see people of different ages energetically reaching the goal post. Astonishingly, we could see people who were virtually in sixties and seventies making the half marathon- even people with potbellies - and so also people in their teens. Americans seem to have phenomenal energy and enthusiasm for such events, as I could see in their faces. They were boisterously jumping around everywhere. Many small children were there standing in line close to the periphery, either waving off their placards and posters or shaking hands with successful participants.

We moved slowly in the opposite direction to the marathon and eventually entered Mill Avenue, a notable market place. The marathon was progressing from another direction. A couple of coffee shops and restaurants that were open were full of people. At several junctions, there were musical bands that sent out the right reverberations in that chilly atmosphere. We were roaming around Mill Avenue for some time, had some coffee, strolled around a bookshop, bought a book (that one thing which I cannot resist, whenever I am in a book store) and gradually returned back to the marathon finishing line. In the mean time, Viji had already called me over cell phone to inform us that probably they will finish the half marathon in another about an hour.

As we neared the finishing point, even we were excited to watch Viji and Bala running towards the goal post. I was urging Lakshmi to get faster on her foot, so that we don’t miss them. I did not know at that time that we were already late to reach the observation posts at the finishing point.

We stood on a viewing stand near the finishing point, keenly watching the crowd, taking lots of pictures and looking beyond to find out whether we can spot Viji and Bala in the crowd. No, we could not. It appears that Viji had called us over the cell phone several times to inform that they have already made to the finishing point, but in the din and noise, I did not get the cell ringing. Eventually, she caught us and we rushed back to meet them.

There, they were. They had completed the half marathon well in time. They were presented with a medal and – shall I call it – a plastic shawl as a celebration of their success. Lakshmi was in tears that she missed them near the finishing point. We were very happy about them completing the half marathon and so, they were too. They were very too excited about their accomplishment, as I could see on their faces. They had managed it and I thank Bhagawan for that.

In conclusion, this marathon gave substantial boost to the morale of Viji and Bala. This event is an exemplary sample for human spirit and its endeavor to accomplish, tenacity in times of challenges, and its response to the collective needs of society. The marathon had targeted to collect US dollars 5.8 million towards 13 charities for serious medical researches and was a great effort to contribute in no small measure to ease some of mankind’s problems. More than 37000 runners have braved the morning freezing temperatures to make this possible and more than that number have cheered these achievers, without which the event could have missed much of the warmth and enthusiasm.

T.N.Neelakantan
January 18th, 2007

CREATION AND CREATOR

24th Dec,2006


We all create. It might be hard to accept this. But it is true.

We first create everything in our mind before they become reality outside.

Our mind and our body are tools that are given to us to create.

We create what we deeply desire.

When the desire comes out of our mind, what is created also has all the elements, which the mind is associated with.

Initially everything arises as a thought, before it becomes an intention. When we give shape to our intention, sooner or later it becomes reality.

What comes out of our mind depends on what state it was while it intended something. Hence the outcome too has all the ingredients of that state from which the mind intended.

Many times, it is the body that is put to use to create what mind intended. Other times, the universe responds to bring into reality what mind intended.

When we intend from deep inside, 'but out of our mind', then the outcome is always blissful – for what is deep inside knows nothing other than bliss.

Nothing becomes reality overnight, though, many times, it could be instantaneous. It took nearly 14 billion years since the so-called “Big Bang” to reach the state, what we currently see. It was nearly after about 10 billion years from the so-called “Big Bang” that the first life came into being. Everything seems to have begun from ‘nothing’.

No one clearly know what was IT before it became something.

So, when we intend – whatever level from where it happens – it takes its own course before it can become reality – though each intention has the potential to become reality spontaneously.

So, why are we just anxious that our expectations are not becoming reality immediately or according to our plan. We do not know what other plans are in force. We are operating in a field where everyone’s intentions criss-cross, how many of them will co-operate with each other, or fight with each other, we do not know yet.

Whatever you wish to happen in your life, wish them well; intend from the level of soul, that deep-inside phenomenon, for, when you desire and intend from the deep inside, you have the whole cosmos working for you to bring your intention into realty.

Ultimately, when you use a brush, a paint, a canvass, a stand, a model and paint something, the ultimate painting is not the brush, not the paint, not the canvass, not the stand or not the model, but it is, what it was already ‘inside you’. Painting is an outward expression of what you have pictured inside and is your creation.

Yes, We can all create and We are all Creators. We have to only know this. We are no different from the Creator who has created us and by the same argument what we create will not be different from what we are. We are a blissful expression of God, but gifted with free will. We can use our free will the way we want it, the way we choose it. And so, intend well, choose well, express well and create well. Create from your blissful state. All your creations will be blissful.

Oh, Thank God for today’s revelation

Oh, Keerikkadu

It was sometime during the third week of 2006 June that the opportunity to visit Keerikkadu.– the dream place about which my wife had elaborately talked to me from time to time in the last couple of decades- came on our way. Just to recapitulate, this is the place where her mother hails from and I have heard from her that anyone who visits this place will greatly feel exhilarated about the naturally beautiful scenic settings. This visit took place after we decided to take our retirement from an active work life during June,06.

So, on that bright morning, we embarked upon our visit to Keerikkadu and we drove from Ernakulam. Hareesh, my wife’s nephew, stays in Ernakulam with his parents and he volunteered to drive us to Keerikkadu. Besides his mother, my paternal auntie, who is in her seventies and staying in Ernakulam also accompanied us. Hareesh’s father was away on a pilgrimage to Sabarimala and was expected to return back that day evening only.

Our two-hours drive to Keerikkadu from Ernakulam took us through a few other important places on the way. We passed through Alleppey and Mannarsalai. At Alleppey, we had a darshan at the temple of Mullaikkal Bhagawathi and at Mannarsalai, there was the famous Nagaraja temple. We had our worship and prayers in both these places. The deities in these places were known to be very powerful. The temple and surroundings were extremely beautiful. I must make a special mention about the temple tank at Mannarsalai, which was exquisitely beautiful. You may look at the photograph of this tank.

As we were approaching Keerikkadu, there was some confusion about the actual location of this village town. It appears that even my wife’s cousin had not visited this place for quite long. The house was said to be behind ‘maadharnadai’ (meaning, ‘temple’ in Malayalam). After some enquiries, we were guided to the place. We had to take a road that was going down from the main highway. It was a metal road that you normally find in villages, not asphalted. We had to park our Maruthi 800 just near a small culvert, very close to a steel fencing, just adjacent to their erstwhile house.

By that time, I was ready with my video camera. We walked a small winding narrow path taking us to the house where my wife’s maternal ancestors have stayed during major part of 20th century until it was sold away during early 1970s. We happened to enter the surroundings of the house through a small pathway adjacent to the house without even knowing that there is a regular motorable road the new owners have laid for themselves.
As we entered, I was appalled at the beauty of the place and I could make out, why my wife had always felt excited about her memories of this place.

It was a fairly big land. The whole area was lush green under the canopy of a variety of trees; I could not name all of them. My wife mentioned that there were at least three water ponds in that place, all filled with rain water; one entirely for drinking water purposes and the others for taking bath. We visited at least one pond and the water in the pond was shallow and muddy. The (new) owners seemed to have made a few modifications to the place, the most noteworthy being construction of a palatial house in a location where there was said to be a pond earlier. As we entered the house, the (new) owner – by now he is said to have grown very old – received all of us with great warmth, as though we were his closest relatives and friends – notwithstanding the fact that the land had changed hands completely more than two decades ago now. He was a very kind person. His hospitality made him a great host. He invited us inside the house, made us sit, provided us with lots of fruits that were naturally grown in his land, some very delicious pan cakes and fried savories. He enquired a lot about everyone in the family; he was remembering all though two decades have passed by. Incidentally, his wife and his daughter were away and were expected sometime in the afternoon only. He suggested to us to stay over there for the night, and be their guests. He took us on a tour around the house, showed us the various rooms and explained the modifications he had done since he bought this place. He humility and simplicity stunned me.

Now, I would like to describe the house as it appeared. I have known about the Kerala type houses during my previous other visits to Kerala. With passage of time, things have changed everywhere in Kerala. With the influx of money from Gulf countries on account of remittances from Non Resident Keralites, the outlook has vastly changed. You find the most modern houses in the remotest villages in Kerala. However, strangely, to our pleasant surprise the owner has retained the overall antique appearance of the house.

The outer structure of the house seems to have remained the same. The exterior was a near square, with very spacious verandah in the entire length of the front side of the house. The cement flooring was remarkably smooth on these verandahs. The roofs were all constructed with old type Travancore brick tiles, sloping from the center to either side. The roof was supported with wooden pillars and trusses allover. Inside at the center, there was a small squared well-type area. My wife explained to me that it is where they used to play when it rained, as this area was open to the sky; this arrangement provided lot of air and light ventilation to the entire house, without necessitating the modern day gadgets like fan, electric lights, which were nevertheless not available in that house three decades back. As I said earlier, the roof was sloping in the interior too, towards this well. The idea was, Kerala being rainy area all through the year – you will always find a Malayalee with his or her inseparable umbrellas on the streets during any part of the year - sloping roof made of Travancore tiles was the common building practice those days. Now, I understand that this automatically provided rain seeding for their land around the house and there was never a time when they ran short of water. My auntie told me that today on the contrary, there are water shortages in many places in Kerala. Broad corridors surrounded this well area and kept open. The private rooms were only attachments to these corridors. I noticed my people commenting (or were they lamenting the thought?), “Oh, he has changed all the floorings?” The flooring on the entire corridor was fixed with the modern glazed tiles. I was just silencing them sarcastically that after all, the buyer of the property should have the liberty to change the floor tiles at least. He has placed a few wooden cots with mattresses and he explained that this is where he sleeps at night. When I was hesitating with my camera on hand, he voluntarily suggested to us to take photos as much as we wanted. I could see how the owner still lived with nature with minimum gadgets.

The owner then took us through the individual rooms. The kitchen was very spacious, combining the modern with old. There were two or three private rooms, all partitions made of wood. He showed us the storeroom, which was still kept in the antique style, below the ground level, with a narrow passage and a small stair leading to the storeroom. This store had a very low ceiling, just sufficient for people to enter keeping their heads lowered down. This is where all the agricultural produce of his land- like coconuts, fruits, cereals etc - were getting stored. I could appreciate the grand design that had gone into constructions, those days. Necessities were dovetailed with luxury while deciding the building design of a house during those days before the later discovery of electricity and machines.

I could imagine that this house can accommodate many, not just a couple with two kids alone. I was able to appreciate how such a vast space was needed to suit the joint family system prevailed in earlier times. There was plenty of space to live in and to play around.

In the front, the owner has erected a fiber plastic ceiling as a portico. Probably changing weather conditions and the need to bring in a motor vehicle would have necessitated such an arrangement. The bathrooms and lavatories also have undergone complete changes. I was gently reminded about how arduous it would be in olden days to use the lavatories in the night time, as it used to be located at least several hundred yards away from the house for hygienic reasons, having to carry a lantern on hand; sometimes other elders at home needed to accompany the younger, when they feared the darkness. The sight of snakes was a common feature and my wife explained how one of her uncles was an expert in finishing off a snake to heaven with a small stick.

We then went around the surrounding areas. As I mentioned earlier, the whole area provided plenty of shade from sun with lot of trees around. The place was very cool, green small grass has grown everywhere giving the place a fabulous look. There was a long drainage canal separating two distinct parts of the land. On the other side, as I have earlier narrated, a new modern house had sprung up on a place, which once happened to be a fresh water pond. My people had a disturbed feeling about the conversion of a pond into a house; they could still not recognize and accept the fact that the place is no more theirs. They felt so much attached to this place- all the while my wife and her cousin were recollecting their happy early childhood days spent in this place. They felt so nostalgic about their memories of this place.

Plenty of vegetation was growing everywhere. Towards the end, when we had to reluctantly leave, the owner was so good enough to pluck out plenty of tapioca from the field and stuffed our car dickey. This is a staple food in Kerala even today. Earlier people seemed to have learnt to live on what was grown within their land to a very large extent, requiring minimum bartering around for their daily needs. Coconut, plantain, tapioca, jack fruit, greens, mangoes and a few handful of home grown vegetables were all, that made their daily food

On the whole, our trip to the erstwhile living place of my wife’s ancestors was a very fulfilling trip. I envied the olden day people, especially with regard to their living with nature. They did not possess any of the today’s physical comforts, for they did not need any, other than what nature offered to them..

The trip to Keerikkadu also became another motivating factor to my subsequent decision to settle down in a place like Tenkasi for my retired days. I will sure, write on this too soon.

Photos of First Snowfall in Chicago

I I thought a few pictures of the snowfall could have added some little charm to my write up. So, I am giving above some of the photos we took when the snowfall was there. I hope everyone enjoys the photos.

First Snowfall in Chicago

I have been visiting USA quite often nowadays in the last several years. My children are working here. However, I have never experienced the snowfall so far in USA and I have been longing for this experience for quite a long time. This year, we decided to travel during winter in USA so that we can experience the snowfall. I have seen snowfall in movies and I have watched them with great interest and fun, everyone playing around when it snows. So, right from the time we landed in Chicago in USA, I was building up my expectations and excitement about having a fun time when it snows here and I was talking about this to everyone. Yes, finally on 30th Nov, 06 the weather forecast predicted considerable snowfall during the later part of the day. I was beginning to be ecstatic and anxiously anticipating the snowfall.

In the morning we had a brisk walk to a nearby market hoping that it could snow when we were out. No, it did not happen that way. We came back disappointed. At home, from time to time, I was looking through the windows to find out whether it was snowing. No, the weather was playing hide and seek game with us throughout the day. I was becoming frustrated and tension was mounting. I know that weather reports in USA cannot falter and generally they are accurate. In fact, one of the first things people do here in the morning is to watch the weather reports in their TV and this is a regular ritual for most in USA. It became dark in the evening – as it approaches winter here, the sunlight fades at around 4 to 4.30 in the evening and it is pretty dark by 5 PM. My excitement was growing and so too my frustration. It was night. No, nothing happened.

But for sure, I was able to smell the snowfall coming through anytime. Anticipation and excitement were growing for me from moment to moment.

At last, at around 12 in the midnight, when I looked through the blinds on the window, I could see snow falling slowly and steadily. I saw snow slowly covering the pavements, the small trees around, the cars parked over there. I immediately took out my video camera, stepped out on the small balcony we had at the house and shot the pictures. The weather outside was not cold. People have told me that when it actually snows, it will not be very cold. I stood outside for sometime. I took lot of cool air and I could feel the cold air traveling down through my nostrils into my lungs and I could feel the air I was exhaling hot. Smoke came out of my nose as I was breathing. I could feel myself totally immersing in the cold wind and the snow that was falling and spraying everywhere. Not wanting to be affected by cold standing outside, I went to bed reluctantly. I did not want to be separated from the snowfall experience.

Soon, I was taken over by sleep only to find that I woke up too soon at around 4.30 in the morning. I rushed to my windows, peeped through, only to find that snowfall was intense now, falling more heavily. I was seeing the snow scattering all over, carried by the cold wind. It was really a very enjoyable and memorable experience.

Not wanting to go back to sleep, I just lied down in the couch in the hall. When my wife woke me up at around 7 am, I again rushed to the windows. By this time, I saw the snowfall has grown to almost one foot on the ground. Even our balcony was covered with two inches snow. I took pictures again. I wanted to step out of the house and wander around, on the snow, excitement further growing.

Even as I was getting prepared, then I was seeing our neighbors, one after another, trying to take out their cars from their parking lots. There was no covered car parking and so, all cars were more or less fully covered by snow. By this time, I noticed that the snow was becoming hard, getting settled on to the ground like a rock. One of the neighbors was using the shovel and was removing the snow so that he can take out the car. I do not know whether he found it funny to be standing out and clearing the snow. Normally, it is the job of the apartment leasing office to arrange for the clearance of the snow on pathways so that minimum movements can be maintained. However, I saw no one doing this that early on this day. Another couple in the neighborhood was unsuccessfully trying to maneuver their car out of their parking lot even as another couple was trying to remove the fallen snow from the exterior of their car with the help of brushes and scrapers. I found a few others, not even wanting to step out of their house and not wanting to take the botherations of removing their vehicles that were irregularly parked due to their failed attempts in taking out their vehicle from their parking lots. I saw another African American successfully driving out his vehicle after his mammoth efforts with shovels in removing the snow.

Now, we were outside our house on the ground below along with our son who was trying to take out his car. I did not find it very cold and it was bearable, though I knew sooner or later, my hands will freeze. My wife too joined me on the snow. We took lots of pictures in our camera. The car gave in initially from the parking lot, only to get stuck after a few yards. The wheels were rolling, but not the vehicle. We borrowed the shovel from the neighbor and worked hard to remove the snow on the pathway. My son was not able to take out his car any further and it was deeply stuck in the snow.

At least my wife and me were enjoying the snow, the cold outside, as this was a play and fun for us. But I could see frustration building up for my son as he was not able to remove the car further and now, in all probability he cannot attend his office unless he decides to call a taxi. You will never know when and if the taxi arrives to take you to the office.

At least, one neighbor took the snowfall casually commenting, 'is it not a nice weather?'

Now at around, 10.30 AM, I see the snow fall still continuing to more than a foot of snow. I see most of the cars in the neighborhood not taken out at all. I was wondering what they would be doing at home.

Sitting by the window, and typing out this experience of witnessing a snow fall alive, and enjoying the scenery outside where everything is amazingly white, peaceful, quiet, calm I was wondering whether everyone feels the same way as I am. I had always like white color.

What was happening outside is the same to everyone around, but how we experience it, could be different for each depending on how we take it. I remembered my daughter's one of her earlier comments, 'Dad, you might be excited about the snow fall as long as it takes place on the movie screen. But when you live here with the snow, you must see the frustration in everyone. The life for many people suddenly slows down and for some at stand still. The day suddenly moves dramatically slowly as though the clock does not want to tick anymore.'

Yes, probably this is the experience of many.

I realized once again that what is a pleasure for me, need not be so for others and there is no universal phenomenon that uniformly brings pleasure or pain to everyone alike.


T.N.Neelakantan
1st Dec,2006Chicago, USA

Lost and Found

26.08.2004

With Bhagawan miracles repeat again and again.

I was in the office today. It was around 1:00 pm and many were preparing to leave for their lunch.

I heard Mr.C (real name hidden), my colleague and friend in the office saying little loudly to Mr.V(real name hidden) , another colleague to lodge a police complaint about the loss of mobile phone instrument so that it can be a lesson for the future.

I went near C to enquire what happened and came to know that V just lost, a couple of minutes ago, a valuable and costly mobile phone. It cost Dh.1600 and a costly model. The loss has taken place in the office and this was not the first time that people lose their mobile phones due to their carelessness. Generally the disappeared mobile phone never traced out. Of course, it is a shameful matter that mobile phone disappears in the office.

I called V and asked him how he happened to lose it and enquire about when he last used the phone and what all he did after the phone call. He was not clearly remembering where he could have misplaced the mobile phone and it has happened just a few minutes ago. He was quite disturbed, though he was trying to pose cool.

After talking to me, he went back to his place to search for the phone again and I saw him making enquiries with others as well.

I was standing at a distance and something in me told me that I should help him find his mobile phone. I also noticed that a few thoughts were also disturbing me telling me that after all, V may not believe the method that I am about to suggest to recover his lost mobile and after all it was his fate that he had to lose it today. May be, what if after I suggest him something, the mobile is not traced at all, then I could look ridiculous.

So, there was a mind tussle going in me about the pros and cons of suggesting anything at all to him about his lost mobile phone instrument.

All along, I continued to notice that he was searching for the mobile everywhere and making calls to others to find out where he could have possibly left the mobile.

At that point in time, I was able to feel a strong urge in me – it is difficult to explain that urge – which told me that I am the one going to help him recover his mobile through divine powers. I saw me calling V once again and he came to me. I told him to sit in the nearby place and he obeyed. There was C and S (another colleague of mine) by my side. I told V that we are going to pray and help him find his mobile. We all sat for the prayer. I saw me closing my eyes and going into a deep state where there was absolute quietness. From that state, I some how knew that his mobile is not lost and that he will get back immediately. It was a few minutes before I opened my eyes and I saw V attending a phone call rather than praying for recovery of his mobile phone. Of course, he came back and sat and I saw him closing his eyes. When he opened his eyes, I told him that his mobile is not lost and he will get it any time.

The next thing I knew was only when I saw V coming back to our place in the next few couple of minutes with the mobile in his hand stating that one another colleague had taken it from his place and that the colleague returned the mobile. I do not know what really transpired (rather I was not even keen), but the fact remained that he got back the mobile.

May be it was his frustration or anger over the episode, he was just leaving our place without any further word that I had to remind him that he needs to be thankful for recovery of his mobile – not to me, but to the Almighty whose powers only helped in finding his mobile phone. C was more emphatic about the need to be in a gratitude mood for the help God has given him. I am sure V must have felt bad. He thanked me and left the place. Once again, I had to remind that thanks are due to God and not me.

Oh Bhagawan !! How do I express my gratitude to YOU to have shown to me that we are all spiritual people capable of finding solutions to our problems instantaneously with least effort just by only knowing our true SELF and our true nature. Thank you Bhagawan for the insight YOU give us.

Sangeetha Irattayargal ( The Musical Duo)

One of the very few programmes, I watch on and off on Sun TV is the late night ‘Thenamudhu’ where they show some of the old film songs. I enjoy such moments and it delights me to watch them for their music and melody content. But, there is another part to it – how a famous actor like MGR always ensured that his film songs are musical hits – this I will come back later in another of my writing sojourn.

I will of course place special emphasis on the music tuned by the great M.S.Viswanathan and Ramamoorthy pair and later, when they parted with each other, by M.S.Viswananthan. They were my musical heroes in my younger days when I was in my teens.

I used to go crazy whenever I could listen to their early music. I could realise that I am very sensitive to music even from those young years. In my school days in late 1950s and early 1960s, when we were not having facility of recorded music players, Radio Ceylon used to be the only forum we could listen to good film music. (Our All India Radio always lived in the past and in a different world altogether those days totally oblivious of current films and their popular music. What a bright idea! I can write on this too in a separate column)(The more I sit down to write, the more topics I can think of to write on)

“Pava Mannippu” was a super hit Tamil Film by Sivaji and Gemini Ganesan and also a musical hit. “Kalangalil Aval Vasantham”, “Chilar Sirippar, Chilar Azhuvar”, “Vandha Naal Mudhal Indhia Naal Varai”, “Paalirukkum Pazhamirukkum” were all great hit songs. I used to closely follow the rating competitions for film songs from Radio Ceylon. There used to the most popular Mayilvahanan whose commentaries and introductions to songs were legendary. Week after week, at least one song from this film “Pava Mannippu”used to be declared winner and top rated. I used to run from anywhere, if I happen to hear the songs from this film. I vividly remember my throwing away the shuttle racket even while playing and running to the radio when this film song used to aired, while we used to enjoy our holidays in Trivandrum. The songs from this film always arouse my emotions and feelings even now.

Then came series of “Pa” movies by the successful film director Bhimsingh. He always relied on simple family stories involving love and affection, conflicts within the family and their resolution. I remember movies like “Paasa Malar”, “Paalum Pazhamum”, “Paarthal Pasi Theerum”, “Paar Magale Paar” “Padithal Mattum Pothuma”. All films were not only commercial successes, but great musical hits too.

All by M.S.Viswanathan and Ramamoorthy.

There was a great combination. Bhimsingh, film director, Kannadasan, the lyric writer and a great poet (and an unpopular politician), and Viswanathan and Ramamoorthy. Later in my age, I learnt that Viswanathan and Ramamoorthy will innovate a tune first (write the ‘santham’first) and Kannadasan used to give poetical lines on the spot to fit into the tune and the situation in the film. Unlike today, the songs carried deep meanings and unlike most film songs today - where all that one hears is the screeching noise from the female singer and the hollow or coarse sounds from the male singer. The amazing thing, I learnt, was that Kannadasan could give several alternate poetical lines for the tune instantly all conveying similar meanings. We used to debate among like-minded school going people – whether their music came first or the lyrics came first.

Then, probably, the great matinee idol MGR too discovered MSV and R. I am told that MGR used to insist that he must clear the songs before they are included in the film. He seemed to have had great tastes for music and rhythm. He never faltered in his selection. In most of his movies, the songs were great hits and jingling more cash for the music distributors as well.

Going back- at a time, when we did not have the facility of music recorders or players, one fine day, a distant relative of mine who was working for the Tamilnad Electricity Board, bought a gramophone and invited all known and close to his house to see its functioning. It was a great news in that ‘agraharam’ (the locality where Brahmins were predominantly staying). That place was almost 2 miles from where we stayed. Every now and then, I used to hire cycle and pedal down to his residence only to listen to “Ponal Pogattum Poda”and “Palum Pazhamum Kaigalil Yendhi” from, the film “Palum Pazhamum”- the only one gramophone record he could immediately afford to buy at that time. Initially the gramophone records could take only one song on each side and they were called LP records. They worked on keys and one has to wind the key every now and then to ensure that the play speed is maintained – lest you can hear all kinds of hollow and shrill sounds. We would happily wind it every now and then. At times, we would play that record repeatedly again and again much to the annoyance of the auntie in the relative’s house. The pain of cycling down in the hot sun was always forgotten in having listened to the songs. I think this happened in very early sixties or late fifties - I have now forgotten when was this.

My brother in Madras is crazier about MSV and R’s music than myself. During our very young days, we were considering ourselves as another musical duo in the making. (This gives me another topic to write on  - I cannot but mention about SGS, our childhood friend in Tirunelveli , who was a part of our musical adventures) Whenever we visited our relative’s places, there were lots of fans for our singing and we happily sang songs (Listener’s choice).

I can write volumes on this topic. May be another time I can continue.

But before I conclude for the time being, I wish to mention about our surprise decision to visit M.S.V’s house in Madras on a New Year day. We were in Mylapore, Madras those days during 1980s, long time after M.S.V has virtually taken retirement from film music. He was doing films very rarely. On a New Year day, I suggested to my brother in Madras that we go to M.S.V’s house and greet him. He was too enthusiastic about the idea and more than him, was his daughter (my niece and greatly talented in music) who was only in her early teens. It was early night and we three went to M.S.V’s house and as I expected, there was no one to stop us at his gate. We went upstairs and rang the bell, though the front door itself was wide open. We told someone at his house that we are just fans of M.S.V and wanted to greet him on the New Year day. We were asked to be seated in the visitor’s room. In a short moment, the great M.S.V came in a simple white Dhoti and white shirt with all his ‘religious decorations on his forehead with chandan, vibhuthi, kumkum – his usual appearance. We introduced ourselves – those days I was working for a public sector bank and he mentioned that he was quite happy to be associated with that bank as a client – he was too happy to talk to us for almost half an hour. My niece was too quick to sing one of the songs from the forthcoming film where M.S.V has tuned the music after a long gap and he was greatly excited about the little girl singing his song. He even called his wife and introduced us, specially my niece and was very proud that the little girl could sing well a song from his forthcoming film that was not yet released in the theatres. We were served with hot milk and he carefully remembered to gift my niece with some nice fruits.

 It was a great feeling to meet a very popular personality whom you revered and admired in your life and that too two decades after you have known him as a famous film music director. We returned with deep appreciation of his simplicity and his friendly approach to people. That must sure have made him very popular in the industry. It was again a very pleasant surprise, when he happened to be seated by my side in a small aircraft on our way from Madras to Salem sometime later during middle 1990s. We were recollecting briefly our personal visit to his place and about my niece who sang the song composed by him with enthusiasm. He was clearly remembering our visit – thanks to my little niece who’s singing were fresh in his memory. I could not spend the entire journey talking to M.S.V as the actor Prabhu and Koundamani too travelled by the same aircraft and they engaged in conversation with each other.

I envy the talents of M.S.V (and R too) and their simplicity in life. I could not even try to enter the field of film music in my lifetime though it used to be my childhood fancy. But our appreciation for M.S.Viswanathan and Ramamoorthy and for their work in Tamil film music field stays forever.

May God bless them and bless this earth with more such talented musicians.

Anubhavam

21st July, 2004
 
I had been wanting to start writing about some of my experiences and the messages I have in those experiences. I Had always wondered where I could begin. But, it always happens - when you really have the mind, life always conspires to present an opportunity as though it was just waiting for you around the corner.
 
Thanks to Nattu from Australia and his spirited advice and guidance that I have a web site now where I can write, for others to read and comment.
 
Where do you think our ears are located? Anyone would answer just as easily …  But do you think only our ears listen and hear….. I think otherwise.
 
Do you know that you can talk to your body and the various parts of your body listen to you. Just look at this experience. Remember this was not the first time I have experienced this and may surely not be the last time even.
 
I had severe pain in my legs last night- a kind of nervous pain people get quite often when they strain their legs. May be it was due to my exercising in the last couple of days. The pain was more severe when you lie down. In the normal course, I would have immediately looked for ‘Bengay’ an ointment (thanks to Viji and Bala) – an US product that is quite effective in controlling such pain – or many times I used to be too quick to go for a pain killer tablet. But nowadays, I use a different technique. I talk to my body – specifically that part of the body that aches. So, I talked to my leg and the pain disappeared. I did not feel the pain anymore.
 
Strange, but it is true. It happened. I closed my eyes. I was quite intent and also was quiet inside. I spoke to my leg as though I just speak to another person. I just make a fervent appeal to my leg. I just tell my leg that it can heal itself so that I do not have to feel the pain. I also assure myself that yes, the pain I experience will not be there anymore. After this conversation – all these things happen even while I was lying down – I just wished the pain away and closed my eyes quietly and I never felt the pain the for the rest of the whole night in my sleep.
 
Miracle !!!!!
 
Yes, I trust this can happen to anyone.
 
It is even possible to talk to another person’s body as well.
 
 Incredible.
 
The other body responds the same way.
 
I have tested it – on whom else – only on my wife. It happened yesterday only and again in the night. She complained of severe pain in her both upper hands – similar nervous pain. I just held her one hand with my both hands at the point she experienced pain and I do the same thing – yes, just talk to that hand. It listened. After this talk, I told my wife to just ignore the pain and sleep. I am sure she followed what I told her. She quietly slept without any further complaint of the pain during the rest of the night. I believe the hand listened to my request to heal itself and gave her relief.
 
I do not know how this works. The feeling of pain goes when you talk.
 
This, of course, was not the first time I spoke to my body and it heard and obeyed.
 
May be it has to do something about what we ‘feel’ of a particular situation, experience and about how our mind-brain interprets it. May be there is a disturbance to the physical system and how that is interpreted by our brain or how it is perceived by our mind makes all the difference. May be due to suggestion given to it, the system gives its own response.
 
Finally- to make our moods lighter - youngsters might definitely tend to agree with me definitely eyes do speak. When your favourite girl or boy is there, you hardly have to speak – the eyes speak for you. ‘Kanngal pesina, karuthorimithom, kaadhal kondom’
 
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The two figures whom I always cherish remembering are my favourite Tamil Film Music Directors Shri M.S.Viswanathan and Shri Ramamoorthy.

They are legends.

Myself and my brother Raman never fail to dwell on his music whenever we are together in Chennai for hours together. I would like on this in my next report. I hope you would all join me in this appreciation of our memories about them.

Just await the release of my report shortly

Profile

Age : tending towards retirement
Profession: Financial Services Consultant
Location : Middle East - United Arab Emirates
Married
Children: Employed
Native of Chennai, in Southern India
General Interests: Soft Music from India, devotional singing, bhajans, reading and writing, watching English movies, cricket and tennis games, sight seeing, visiting places etc.
Current Interests: Spiritualistic pursuits,healing, prayers,counselling,enlightenment, and charities
Current Favourite Authors: Dr.Deepak Chopra, Neale Donald Walsh, Dayananda Saraswathi Swamigal,Michael Crighton, John Grisham,
Past Favourite Authors: Earl Stanley Gardner,Irwing Wallace, Arthur Haily,David Baldacci,Leon Uris,Fredrick Forsith, Jeffrey Archer,Sujatha Rangarajan, Kalki, Javar Seetharaman and a host of others
Favourite Music Director: M.S.Viswanathan and Ramamoorthy
Most Remembered Persons on Earth : My parents who have given me this life experience