They are simply fascinating. And i cant wait to see kalki,AV and Kumudam(for sandilyan's novels) in digitised format. Can our group members having close links to the Kalki publications group take this up?
at 4 we go to school...our mom (since i have a twin brother) we used to read a lot. that too Tamil, its in our blood :) so we started reading tamil so soon... i still remember that me and my twin brother, we used to read Poondhalir and Ambulimama etc by each letter. (we didnt know to read completely a phrase) so we read for ex:a n d h a o r u k a a t t i l....like this...
I remember walking home (not trying to look like running) fast from the bus stop with my brother to get hold of the copy of siruvar malar every friday before my brother got hold of it. (The paper wouldnt arrive until we left for school in the morning).
My brother would also be walking fast - trying to not look like running and cue me into the siruvar malar availability that day.
yeah.. i too rem those days we used t read siruvar malar, thanga malar n ambuli mama... but these days, due t te impact f TV , our children 've lost those golden moments..:(
Thanks Malathi. Though I don't remember any story from Ambulimama. I can still remember the story including the pictures of the Mahabharath story from Gokulam (Beema kills the Ratchasan when they were in the first exile after Gaurav burns their palace, where in the village each family should send one person with food every day and Beema eats everything and kills the Ratchasan)
Wow.. thanks a lot Malathi. Never thought I would read Ambulimama again. If we conduct a poll who are all in the group had read Ambulimama and Gokulam, guess the count would get near 70% - 80%.
I am very glad so many people liked it!! I remember AM for their pictures more than their stories, half page picture and another picture corner of right hand page with only the remaining written letters. The image of handsome Vikramaditya looking over his shoulder with the 'vedalam' is unforgettable!! AM had beautiful illustrations of mythological stories - Vikraman was their artiste I think. We had bound copies of their serialized krishnavataram and ramayanam as well.
AM was a monthly, don't remember about Gokulam, probably monthly too, I remember 'Neela Mala' from Gokulam a really nice 'detective' story, a page on scietific Q&A. The beautiful tamil text with little lotus on top of 'm' in Gokulam is unforgettable!! It is really a pity Kalki publications will not come out with any online archives.
If my memory is right Gokulam was weekly. That time we were in Trichy and me and my friend Meenakshi (Who is now a mother of two teens!) were the first to register ourselves in our colony (Urupinar Yenn Marandhu poiduthu!) Infact Meena was also in the Brindhavana Kavi list, she use to write poems and some of them were published in Gokulam.
If its possible to rewind time I would definitely go back to early 80s. With Ilayaraja and Sujatha at their best and my elder sisters and cousins discussing them. Me playing Cricket in the morning and evening. In the noon it use to be one of the following Business @ Trade / Dhayakattam / Carrom / Chess. Measuring the length and breadth of Singarathope Street / Super Bazaar / Uchi Pillayar Kovil. I could see that my nephews are missing all that these days. Blame it on the competition in studies during school days or blame it on the idiot box during summer holidays. Good old days! OK Udanx enough of Nostalgia now will you get back to work?
----- Original Message ---- From: Udanx [email protected] Measuring the length and breadth of Singarathope Street / Super Bazaar / Uchi Pillayar Kovil. Icecream in Michaels, Jigirthanda.......oh, thanks Udanx for leading thro the memory lane... Sundar
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How did I miss Michaels & Sons Icecream. The only place where you can get quality Vanila Icecream for 75 Paise & Ice cream with Fruit Salad for Rs 1.50/-. I guess even now they sell icecreams at an offardable price. Lending libraries around town hall / chowk where you can get all the books you can think of!
The 90's wasn't bad actually.I was an avid reader of Poonthalir,Ambulimama,Gokulam and the one and only Rani comics. It's a pity not many quality books are available for children.
In my opinion 90s was the begining of the fall. I wasn't reading the Ambulimamas in 90s and there weren't (Or Shall I say I didnt come across some good books) All Master pieces of Sujatha were over in 80s itself. No good movies / music around that time. Competition in studies so the summer vacation also saw students sitting the coaching classes in April / May also. Entry of Cable TV and all the overdosage of cinema. I may be wrong also!
Udanx, Nice nostalgia. Kosuvathi yaetheetinga (in blog language) ! What u've said is absolutely right, children these days miss a lot of fun. When my children were young I used to feel the same way. As children we went to our native village for vacation whereas my children had only city vacations 'cos their grandparents were city dwellers! I find that Tamilians take roots wherever they work & do not go back to their native on retirement (I may be wrong), as opposed to Keralites who go back to their roots whther they work in home state or other states. With the next generation going out of the country & their parents moving in with them, village vacations & children playing in open air will be history :( Shobha
Even I missed the village life, unfortunately that my grand parents were dead by the time I came to this third rock from the sun. Only my maternal grandma was alive and she too died in 1983! She was in Trichy. I haven't frequented to the villages Athigudi (Near Lalgudi, Anbil is not far from there! My Maternal ancestors Anaipatti (Near Dindigul) my Paternal ancestors but have been there for a couple of seasons during my schooling.
1. Every day morning me and my cousins would bathe near the motor room where there will be a small pond. 2. Heavy Brunch with all the members in the family. 3. Ace spade / Literature game after that. 4. Adithadi sandai for oonjal as there use to be only one and patti / athai shouting at the top of their voice "Ithana perr oonjala aadinelna .. Utharam Keezha Vizhaporadhu" 5. Evening bath at the kenathadi (Minimum 15-20 buckets of water for every person with no idea about water conservation) 6. Kovil / Visiting relatives during the Golu. I still remember almost all the family in the agraharam were our relatives. Either they will be Dhayadhi or they will be Sambandhi. In our generation I am supposed to be an expert among my cousin in knowing the relationships. Many of our relatives are related to us in more than two ways. All that is outside the offstump!
Today's kids don't even know the exact relations. Couple of years back two of my nephews met in a marriage and one was informing his mother, "Amma yella kalyanathukkum oru paiyyan varuvane avan indha kalyanathukkum vandhu irukkan". After hearing this me and my sisters starting laughing. But that made me think and I started yahoo groups for my family anaipatticousins & aathigudicousins. The new generation daughters in law and sons in law are finding it very easy to understand the relationship. Its a one point contact address for all family updates / nostalgia anecdotes that happened in 1960s and 1970s. Whats surprising is that Chithappas and Mamas are also net savvy now a days and they are also in this group.
Udanx ... Manave unnoda manager inikku unna bend kazhatta poraan. See you makkale
Udanx Talking about Oonjal & more flash back- we had to buy tkts.(chumma bhavanaithan no money) from senior cousins to board the oonjal & the guy posing as driver will swing it to such heights nijamaave utharathai thottutu varuvom. We had a kulam in the yard (village in kerala) & seperate bathing times for ladies & men . " Manushala illai yerumaya? Podhum oorinadhu chapada vango" nnu Paatti kathara varai kulipom & repeateeeyy in the evenings :)
Hi Sobha and udanx, already i dont feel like working! and you people are demotivating me by telling all good and interesting things! :P
we used to take bath in Cauvery in tiruchy. our mama will shout at us saying the same words "podhum, vaango ellaarum! ucchi veyil mandaya polakkaradhu...."
Dear Member, There are always exceptions. I was educated and employed in Chennai and up to the age of 53 I was a Chennai resident. But my native is Chola nadu. After the marriage of my last daughter, I sold my flat in Chennai and came to Kumbakonam. Now Ihave built a house and settled in Oppiliappankoil
Some people do what they want, others keeping themselves in dilemma, wont do it. The lifestyle, childrens education, employment, etc., wont let them to decide. Thats the differene. Vishwaksenan(Kalki)
Thanks Vishwaksenean Sir. Thats why I've given the disclaimer that I may be wrong.I've seen many people in Delhi settle down there after retirement & when they get older move to Chennai & not to gramam, but they may have their reasons. Basically I would love to see people moving back to their roots, (I want to) but I understand that with changing times people have many constraints in doing so, hope I am able to with God's grace.
what about people like us? with no gramam whatsover to traceback to for at least three generations? and even that gramam is now under the mettur dam... boohoo :...(
Dear Shobha, my goal is the same, I think it is very important to give back to roots, as much as possible. Although may not always be moving there since there are many factors connected to that, especially factors around making a living.
I am not sure I agree on keralites moving back compared to tamils, although do not want to judge or generalise. There are some misnomers, one is that NRIs all move out to make money - most of my indian friends for example make a lot more money than I do. Second is that these cultural values go away only because we move out - it is not so and is happening quite widely in India too. Most modern indian kids do not know the pleasure of family vacations, home cooked treats, simple pleasures like playing outside, and reading books connected to tradition. Video games, movies and eating out have largely taken over combined with increased cost of living and nuclear families.
It is unfortunate that we have to live through such times but also to remember eveyr generation that passed felt similar that the next generation has lost its values. Only in our times it is more apparent perhaps.
Yes me too!! My 'gramam' is traceable, but what would I do there for a living? I mean I am not someone who has stacked up a bank balance to live an idyllic life and would like to work till the day I die. I need medical facitlities close to home for me and my family and other amenties that come from living in a city. I think it is important to give back, undoubtedly but that does not necessarily mean moving back always. And some values I belive are gone for good, grandparents cooking, kids playing outside, and village vacations. Even if we long for them the kids are probably not going to appreciate much.
Dear Malathi Thanks. I am definitely not of the opinion that NRIs are after money. And one has to make a living & also save for rainy day so why not go where it is available? Nor am I saying that people who go out forget their culture & tradition, rather I've seen all the festivals celebrated in countries outside India . Even temples abroad have become a place for socialising which used to be in India onceupon a time. As u've rightly said going back to a gramam may be difficult, but can still consider the nearest town. My point is if everyone wants to settle down only in Metros, then there is no control over the way the rent level & other costs going up in metros.
Shoba, yes that is very very true, what you say regarding cities becoming concentrated and cost of living going up skyward. One NRI friend of mine actually adopted a small village in Punjab, a couple of hours drive from the nearest city - he has a big home there, and has done a lot for the village. But he had that kind of money, and the heart to go with it!!
It is not an easy decision to make for many for us, even moving back home itself. One thing that bothers me about our cutlure is lack of dignity of labor, I mean I know several people who move back because they need 'domestic help', and labor is cheap. Definitely not something available abroad. I dont know if I want that to be my reason. Definitely not. Although it is great to have someone clean the house and do my dishes. Perhaps am thinking tangentially, sorry.
Actually to me 2000 - dawn of the cell phone and internet is the beginning of the fall and radical change. There are still people doing great things with technology - like Udanx's yahoo group for family, has inspired me to think of my own on similar lines!! Thanks Udanx!
Very interesting and enjoyable. Will you be able to clarify the difference between dayadhis and pangalis? I havn't got a satisfactory answer till now.
If the children cannot be taken to villages, then village life has to come to cities. A holiday resort with a village setting; well - a well, pump, cows and ilanir and thoppu. There is a restaurent in Ahmedabad (Vrushali) which has a rustic setting, where you wash your hands after the meal with ash and water poured from a jug.
This is infectious. I remember the days when more time was spent in scrubbing the cow and calf in kollidam, and occassionally, pahan permitting, scrubbing the elephant with a brick.
Last summer we, my brothers and I got a chance to visit ancestral lands near Samayapuram (Tiruchy). The eldest original tenant from my grandfather days, is still alive (98 years old), doesn't get on with his grandsons and lives in a hut. He did remember those good old days, when he took care of us with nice village stuff - buffalo rides, mattu-vandi drives, plenty of fresh eatables, and baths in rivulets and wells. The present tenants (grandsons) are quite modern, have built a nice house with all facilities including western toilets, send their children to english medium schools 15 kms away, and are quite friendly.
No need to say that we have not received any income from this piece of land for over 30 years.
You guys might be right that it was probably the beginning of the fall. But as a child I felt I had wonderful books for that age. For eg, the Rani comics I read during those times is the reason I am in love with graphic novels at this age. As for film and film music - unquestionably late 70's and 80's can be classified as the golden era as the two Raja's took the industry by storm and brought films closer to the lives of people.That reality went missing during the 90's when films went back to the hero-worship drivel.
Perhaps 50s-80s itself were the golden era as far as movies go. How can we possibly forget the Sivaji-VR-Kannadasan trio as in the 50s and 60s? There is no tamil film music without them!!
the rights of succession varies regionally .. and among varios sects too..
to cite, in some andhra / kerala sects, property succession goes through daughte side lineage..
We can safely postulate that
Dhayadhi is the lineage with comparable ritual rights etc., from the paternal side ( 10 days theettu etc.,) whereas Pangali should also be a dhayadhi, having scope to inherit in Class II succession.
Class I succession being wife / husband, father, mother, children.