Yagyaraman Mahadevan

I have been hearing people say to me, your blog is good, I read this, That is intresting etc… but when I ask them to write comment, no one write comment, other than people who also blog and who normally write. If someone is not intrested in reading, I am perfectly OK with that, but now that you are reading, please let me know how is it
 
I thought what is stopping them from writing comment. I also thought, why should I need comments. I have started blogging only recently and I know fully well that I need to improve on my writing style and for that I need to get feedback as to how is the post, what is the area of improvement, is it like a speech, is it very difficult to understand etc…..
 
So if you are taking few minutes to read this post, please send two more minutes (at the max) to write in a Comment.

Our Hyundai Santro got hit when taking it out of a Kuzhi into which the wheel went when I braked to avoid hitting another car. From the front wheels some sound was coming when vehicle was moving. Went to Hyundai Service station near Office to drop the Car. What I saw there was amazing.

I was roaming around the Service station when I had to wait for the service incharge to come in rather than waiting in the reception. At that time people who are working in the Service Station had come. They all assembled in the centre of the service centre. Formed two lines and one person who was in the centre (Leader???) spoke something and after that they all stood in Attention and immediately started singing the National Anthem. I was taken by surprise especially when Hyundai is not an Indian company. Nobody even moved a little till the National Anthem was completed (I also stood without moving).

After that immediately they spread themselves out and stood two each in a row with enough distance. The Leader now said, Jump and they all Jumped for close t o 10 times. Then he said “Neck Rotation” and from 1 – 8 normal and again from 8 – 1 anti clockwise Neck rotation. After that Arm Rotation followed and then sit ups.

I then thought, they all are doing so much of physical activity all through the day and they begin with National Anthem and Warm up for their body. I also learnt somewhere in the Net that they take regular break and do some warm ups when it is too tiring.

I then asked myself, they all are beginning their day of work on a very very positive note. But how are I (or rather we) start our day. I used to start with by unlocking my computer and immediately keeping my head phones, hearing song that I stopped last evening (not even sure if that was a positive or SAD song). I then remembered the comment my relative gave when he saw a company bus full of people on the seat sleeping. He immediately said “How do they go to office directly and work just coming out of sleep few minutes early?”. Absolute true right.

From now on, let me atleast be excited about the beginning of the day and read couple of positive sentences before I start till I find my routine similar to the Service station guys. Thanks guys!!!

Me and Madhu had been to Tirupathi last week end. KSRTC Volvo from Bangalore to Tirupathi is really good. Very comfortable, cheap, good AC and it stopped at a decent place for lunch. Reached Tirupathi and felt the heat . Reached Tirumala in a Ambassador Taxi. That taxi was little more bad than the one Vijay used in “Kuruvi” Car Race.

Next Morning, reached Temple and waited in the “Q” for Kalyana Utsavam. I initially thought it would be a small group but finally there was around 700-800 people for the same. After the “Q” in 2 places, reached the place finally of Kalyana Utsavam around noon and it was an experience to see the Lord so close. We were given 2 sets of prasadham one for me and Madhu and one for her Parents.

After the utsavam, the same crowd headed towards the Lord Balaji. After close to 20 minutes, was before the Lord. It was a great experience to be there and amidst dark, Lord was clearly to be seen from the end of queue. Going close, people pushed but till then it was an awesome experience. Had an excellent darshan.

The unexpected thing was after pratakshanam, the exit was blocked close to 15 minutes to allow the pilgrims coming inside and it was HOTTTTT sun. It was not a good situation to see, small children even less than a year with parents crying on seeing the crowd. Couple of them, to console the Kid kept the child on the shoulders but on seeing more crowd the children were crying even more.

Finally came out and took the prasadham. Since we had to come in and go out in two different routes, we all decided to leave the slippers in the room. It was around 2′O clock when we came out after darshan and to walk (literally I ran) in the Sun without slippers was not something I have done earlier. TTD trucks were pouring water on the road to keep it cool so that pilgrims can walk (a great gesture) but for people like me, even that was not enough. In one strech, I literally ran to find some shelter.

After that came to Thayar temple in Tirupathi and boarded KSRTC around 10:15 PM. Reached home by 4 AM on the early morning of Monday. 

Me and Madhu had been to a Reliance Fresh store near our house. After picking up all we needed in a trolley, went and stood in the billing counter.

I was much intrested in the Software and System, Reliance Fresh uses for billing because it is different from what I have seen in other Retail chain stores. Their system is touch screen based and is full of many options rather than typing for changes. But like all other stores, once the Cashier scans the product, the name of the Product and the rates would be displayed there.

To see the Software, I went on the other side near the Cashier while he was billing. We had picked up Shampoo bottle of 400 ml and the MRP was Rs. 164/-. I remembered that clearly because we compared the rate of 400 ml with 200 ml and found it to be much beneficial to buy 400 ml. Surprisingly, when the Cashier scans the shampoo bottle, the system displays the name and rate as Rs. 196/-. I was surprised and the Cashier continued to pick up the next product so that he can finish it fast and start clearing the queue. I immediately picked up the Shampoo and showed him that MRP itself is Rs. 164/- but how come it displays Rs. 196/- He did not speak a word and went on to call a Supervisor, who came and compared and picked up the Shampoo bottle and went without saying anything. When I asked the Cashier what is happened, he cooly said “There is some entry problem and Supervisor will report it to the Systems division” and continued the billing. Later, he asked us to pick up some other Shampoo bottle with different quantity and we ended up picking 200 ml bottle.

Immediately I thought, if alone I had not noticed it I would end up paying Rs. 30/- extra and not just that, I never tend to compare the bills with the MRP of each product, because I depend / rely on Computer billing (for that matter, I am sure most of us do that). I am really not sure if it was just a mistake or fraud. I have heard something similar happened in Big Bazaar, but I had the first hand experience of the same in Reliance Fresh.

- Small town totally out of the crowd, pollution, excessive cars and more importantly IT companies

- Place where everyone in the street knows each other very well personallly to an extent, where they can walk in to the house anytime to speak with you.

- Narrow gap between houses on both sides is being “Vasal telichu and kolam pottu” in a uniform way.

- People sitting and chatting in the Veetu THINNAI.

- Small temple, amidst a small lake on side and “Vayal” on the other side

- BREEZE of the trees in the middle of vayakadu which you feel would even blow you off

- Milk in the house comes from the Cowin the kollapuram

- A door in the house which actually connects you to the house that is next to you. (In olden days, these doors would connect from the first house all through the last house)

- A function in your house, is being celebrated happily, joyfully as if it is their house function by your neighbours

- Mangais for the manga urugai comes from own mango grove

- Putting a thalani in the hall and lyling down, the breeze making you sleep even in the summer noon

- When you are given a cup of Tea / Coffee, you are expected to “Thooki kudi” (drink with the tumbler not touching your lips)

- When you enter a house as a guest, everyone in the house come to welcome you in.

- When the guest are there, spend time talking with them rather than seeing TV

Is it not going through this list amazing…….

When I type this post, I am able to experience them again!!!!

Me and Madhu experienced all of this within a day in Kallidaikurichi (my native place) near Tirunelveli.

Me and Madhu had been to Tiruchendhur on the last week of April.

That trip made me little confused or rather should I say disturbed for few moments. Had been to the temple couple of times when i was young. This is the first time me and Madhu alone had gone. Appa warned saying in temple it is only about money that would take close to God. I also heard comment like “If you are ready to pay more money there they might also give the God to you and ask to return next day after pooja at home“. I initially thought that to be an exaggarated comment.

The fact there was worse. As soon as we entered the main mandapam saw a guy who walked and said “Ten thirtykku thirai sathuva athukulla swamiya pakkalam. Vip entrance 100 rupees.”. If we had to stand, it would easily take more than an hour. It was twenty minutes for ten thirty. So did not want to take chance and said OK to him. He almost ran in front of us saying it would be late and be fast. Every sannidhi he spoke with the security or the poojari there and in the main place he spoke with supervisor there. We both sat right in front of Murugar with Thanga Kappu. It was a good experience to be so close to deity and witness that.

Everything was money there. Finished seeing all main sannidhis and he came out before us to get Prasadham as that would also be closed early. We both came out after rounding the Pragaram and after ten minutes he brought prasadham and without any standing in queue.

After visiting temple usually we feel a sense of completeness and peace and energy but here I also felt guilty and bad for the state of affrairs there.