Finest Post - June Winner

Dear ILites,

June was one jaunty month and we were particularly thrilled to see the contest for Finest Posts picking up steam and strength. Winners we all are in this contest - we gave some praise, we received much wisdom, wit and womanship not in exchange, not in barter, but in the simple spirit of sharing and reading. Bacon rightly said, 'reading maketh a (wo)man!'

Our job this month was interesting and testy. And even as the winner was decided upon, we had another task in deciding the post which rendered her the Finest. So, it is with much satisfaction and shak that we declare the winner for June

Malathijagan

for 'Had the Roses Chosen to Wither-----'
Congrats Malathi!

Over the past months, your poems and articles in IL have become much enjoyed regulars. In the poem 'Had the Roses chosen to wither', Malathi pens her soulful verse with not just the skill of a poet. She writes with the heart of a mother, a friend, philosopher and well-wisher when she laments,

'Why do Ye yearn to give up thy life
At the fall of a hat or a bat of a lid?'

Such words need to be said and heard often in today's brutish world of terrorists, child soldiers and suicide bombers. Malathi's poem is not just a plaint, but upholds a simple example from Mother Nature to teach the lost souls that one needs to 'strive,seek and find and not yield.'

We must stress here that in deciding the Finest Post, we did not go by the numbers game.The number of nominations, responses, viewerships are only quantitative indicators. Malathi's words that held out sympathy, empathy, lament, reprimand and above all example and hope decided that this soulful poem is a winner for all times.

Dear ILites,

In this month of June, we had a record number of nominations- with new members joining in to nominate, with same posts being nominated multiple times, with whole threads being nominated and to top it all, we have an exchange of dialogue nominated at the last minute. With each nomination we either discovered a valuable post that had been missed inadvertently or re-discovered the joy of re-reading a panache filled post.

While we have decided on a Poet par excellence, Malathijagan, as the winner this month, we have to talk about the other nominations that made our job challenging and stimulating.

I must be bestowed your indulgence to make an Honourable mention here about Kamla. Many different posts by Kamla have been nominated this month and each shows her maturity, experience and way with words. Kamla can paint a rainbow with her words and she has managed that in each post of hers that has been nominated. Well-done,Kamla!

Different posts by Mrs.ChitVish, Varalotti Rengasamy and Cheeniya have been nominated imparting vegetable soup for the soul and heart. We are quite relieved that they have graciously asked that their posts should not be considered for the contest. How does one ever judge these starwalts who are the 'dum and dil' , the punch and psyche of IL?

Two serious articles by SudhaNarasimhachar and Janani have been nominated. Both are thought provoking and and dwell on contemporary issues. Both make serious reading a pleasure.

Preethi's useful post giving new comers a valuable ready reckoner to find their feet in IL is a post that has and will continue to receive much recognition and gratitude in IL.

Dewdrop's post is one of practicality and acceptance. We are blessed to read her post and learn from it.

Shreyashri has also made a mark for her work in IL with her responses in Cheeniya's thread.

Manjureddy's reply in Varalotti's thread, 'Your Religion--' is a treatise in spirituality and lofty thinking. With original thoughts, apt quotes in many languages, Manju has captured the essence of true spirituality.

What to Pray for by Pooja is a post that would have inspired a whole book on religion.

A special word of thanks, last and latest, to the members who nominated posts and shared them. It takes a heart to reach out to the glory in others and in doing so, you all have made Indusladies a pleasant place to surf round.

Please check out the Finest Posts Index and read a post a day! A post a day keeps the blues away!

See you all in July!

Dear Malathy,
You richly deserved to win for your beautiful poem & I am very happy for you.
This happened to a friend's daughter & I know the anguish shared by everybody who heard about ths shocking news.
You penned it beautifully & soulfully, Malathy. May this be one of the many accolades to come your way in I L !
Love,
Chithra.

Thank Vidhya and the ILite team for having chosen my poem 'Had the Roses Chosen to Wither-----' as the finest post for June.
When I wrote that poem I was literally in tears as I had already mentioned in one of my replies that an incident in my son's college disturbed me to such an extent that even in my sleep it haunted me for days. To shake it out of my system, I took the route of poetry. So I have poured out all my emotions into the poem and I felt much relieved as though I had done my duty. Poetry has been my way of letting out my emotions, happy or sad.
I would like to add that some of the threads, I had nominated had really impressed me, especially, the exchanges between Kamla, Tamil and Sridhar. They brought to light the various facets of human personality and would have been of great readership value.
Now, that My work has been recognised, I too would like to keep away from being adjudged as the winnerfor the finest post in the coming months. This is my humble request so as to pave way for the new deserving ILites.
Thank you once again and regards,
Malathi

Thank you Chithra for all the love and attention I am getting from the ILites. No money or material can fetch as much happiness as that of recognition and acceptance from society.

Dear Malathijagan,

Congratulations for winning the finest post award for June. You richly deserve it and although all your posts are exemplary this particular poem is fabulous. You have kindled our appetite for many more such poems and wish you all the best.

Regards,

TDU

Dear Malathy,
Please accept my hearty congratulations on winning June's nomination for your poem, Had the Roses Chosen to Wither.
It is not given to every one of us to write such magnificent lines. While praising you and congratulating you on this victory, let me also, as your friend and a fellow ILite caution you, that a talent implies a great responsibility. This responsibility is two fold. First it to use the talent for good purposes, which I am sure, you will definitely do, given your system of values. But the more important aspect of that responsibility to put that talent to constant use.
In those days we will fight with the bank to get a cash credit or an overdraft limit, a kind of borrowing for business. At the end of the year if we do not use the limit, the extent to which we do not use, will be automatically cut off by the banks. Or they would levy a commitment charge on the unutilised limits.
Remember God also operates on a similar system. So keep on writing. That is some thing you owe to your Maker for bestowing you with this kind of talent.
I wish you all the best, Malathi.
Regards,

Vidya,

That in itself was a great post. It was very gracious of you to have taken time to comment on each of the nominations. With you and Kamla permanently in the panel of judges, I am sure that the Finest Post Nomination will be one of the finest activities in this wonderful site.

I want to say two things here.

Number one, the thread What To Pray For by Puja did inspire a whole book of religion by me. I was not sure of my writings first and sent it to a very learned friend and a highly spiritual person for comments. By God's Grace the comments were good. I gave final touches and delivered the manuscript to my publishers. It has been accepted for publication. The timing and title of the book are under discussion now. I am saying all this to say that the thread was what Bharatiyar would call an "Agni Kunju"
அக்னிக் குஞ்சொன்று கண்டேன்
அதை அங்கோர் காட்டிலோர் பொந்திடை வைத்தேன்
வெந்து தணிந்தது காடு
தழல் வீரத்தில் குஞ்சென்றும் மூப்பென்றுமுண்டோ.

I saw a tiny spark of fire
I hid it in the hollow of a tree
In a forest
The whole forest was burnt down
When it comes to the rage of fire
Is there a difference between a tiny spark
And a great fire?

Number Two, I want to accuse you of partiality. For you have conveniently forgotten one of my significant nominations. That was a post by an ILite registered under the User ID Vidya24 appearing in the thread, "Provoked By Cheeniya......" I had written an one page essay on the relevance and significance of that post. Why was that post omitted even in the summary you gave? Should such a good piece of writing be summarily rejected?
Or should I complain to the other judge?

regards,

Dear Malathijagan,

I take pleasure in Congratulating you for your poem!

Your words were very poignant and grasps the heart. Our future lies with our youth. We should spare no effort to raise a strong , well meaning and healthy youth and protect them and their world from negative hazards in as much as possible.

I still hope and pray that this poem of yours will find itself in the right channels where all the youth have access to it and read and ponder its meaning. Please try and get it published in the right pages so it can grow roots where it matters most.

I also loved your other nominated poem....The Painter par Excellence....extremely appealing. But then, One had to be chosen! :)
Keep them coming Malathy.


L, Kamla

Dear Vidya,

I had to address you. A wonderful job of presenting the winner from you! You are a wizard when it comes to words. Do write and do publish your works.
If I could, I would nominated this post of your's for the month of July!!
Thanks for all those sweet words, I do not feel I deserve them. All the same, let me bask in its glory for now:)

L, Kamla