Inspired By Cheeniya..... Some Musings...

Dear Friends,

Inspired by the “Inspired by” posts of Cheeniya I have decided to devote a full thread to the ramblings of my mind inspired by Cheeniya Sir’s “Senile Ramblings.” And that is to celebrate my homecoming. My version of a “fattened calf” spoken of in the biblical parable, The Prodigal Son.

Let me start with one of his finest posts, In the Spirit of Vedanta, the post that bagged the most number of nominations from the Gracious ladies for the finest post and rightly so - a post interlaced with very subtle humour but containing a very profound truth. Of course the very nature of its contents is likely to hurt the sensibilities of the students of Vedanta tempting them to brand Cheeniya sir as the champion of the Anti-Vedanta group.

And to them let me make a confession. That I was a student of Vedanta. An ardent one at that. Got to read Gita several times. Was thorough with the principal Upanishads and their commentaries. Vivekachoodamani by Adi Sankara was my travel-reading while for some serious stuff, I chose Sankara’s Nirvana Shadgam, the ultimate in Vedanta. Sankara roars there, “na punyam, na paavam na saukyam na dhukham, na vedo, na mantro na theerthaha”

There is no punyam or pavam, no grief or happiness; neither are there the vedas, the mantras or the sacred waters.

I am in no way competent to comment on the effect Vedanta has on its students. But on me, its effects were palpably glaring. It did not make me an enlightened one, nor even an awakened one. Instead it hardened my intellect and increased my arrogance, which of course was already on the higher side. I kind of looked down on others, especially those who were not aware of Vedanta. Spiritual pride is the worst enemy of personal happiness, which I realised to my chagrin.

I ran to my friend who acted as my psychiatrist and my counsellor. His prescription was simple : Read some devotional literature, or at least some plain good, classic literature. It was then I entered the magic world of Somerset Maughm, Aldous Huxley and Herman Hesse. And soon went into Nalayira Divya Prabandam, the Vaishanavite Bakthi literature, which to us is Tamizh Marai. The Tamil Veda.

I became normal soon and my mindly slowly got filled up with real love, not just for some unseen God, but for the butterflies, the flowers on which they sit, the distant stars and the glowing sun. And believe me friends it was during this period that I started to write.
The bottom line is that Vedanta is good - good as the strongest coffee decoction you can ever imagine. To drink it on the rocks would be to invite trouble. So take some good quantity of milk, which here is literature, sprinkle it with this decoction, you have a refreshing, revitalising drink.

Drinks and cocktails brings to my mind another of Cheeniyas characters, Ponnaiya, the honorary dietitian and the unpaid Doctor. Ponnaiyas are likely to be hated by most of us as they usually cross their limits while poking their noses into our affairs. But then he was not half-bad as the hypocrite who shouted at his wife in the presence of guests, while the wall hanger proclaimed that he had his wife’s permission to be the boss of the house.

This version of Ponnaiya, as seen by Cheeniya, I would say is good. Irritating but not malevolent. I have seen the evil version. The real hypocrite.
Kishan was about to buy his first ever two-wheeler. Should it be a low-cost scooter or a high-end motorcycle, was his dilemma. He sought Rams counsel. Now Ram was a brilliant chartered accountant. He made a huge chart comparing the cost-factor, the maintenance and mileage factors and finally the safety factor. And then gave his verdict in no uncertain terms. “Go for a motorcycle. You will stand to gain in the long run, though the initial investment is high.”

Awed by Ram’s analytic prowess Kishan went in for a brand new Kawasaki Bajaj though it was slightly beyond his means. This story would have meant nothing had it not been for the fact that six months down the line when Ram faced a similar problem, he went in for a low-cost scooter. Between Ram and Ponnaiya, I will any day prefer the latter.

More musings next week…..

Varalotti

I did say you are back with a bang!
Yes, Cheeniya happened to us while you were away. Now we IL'ites are the spoilt lot with a box full of pralines to choose from. As is with the tempting chocolates which are impossible to resist, so is with all you Elites of IL. We simply cannot choose. We want all:)
So, it is going to be a read fest from now on.

Once again, welcome back Varalotti.

L, Kamla

Dear Kamla,

My homecoming is complete with your kind words of welcome.

Of course Cheeniya is a very good thing that happened to IL.

I have a lawyer friend who calls me every week on Monday to talk about my Dinamalar Article. When he called me last monday, he casually asked me, "Do you write for a site called, Indusladies?"

I was stumped. How did he know that? And then he gave me the second shock, this time, more pleasant. "Have you noticed one Cheeniya writing there in that site?"

I jumped in my seat. One thing led to the other and soon I was on the phone talking to Cheeniya listening to his majestic, metallic voice.

I happened to read some of his articles and my feedback to them has become this thread.

You will have all, Kamla.
L.,
sridhar

Sridhar
Welocme back to IL...
u always rock with ur posts....
And I observed one similarity, we got two great writers, whose names starts with 'Sri', which is the most beautiful and lucky word...
Sridhar.. Srinivasan..... Great!
Now IL got more beauty with u both....
i am very happy to read ur musings.... For sure, a healthy competition will begin... So, we've to find more time to do justice to both of u....
Waititng for ur feedbacks what u told to Kamla, to post....

Gayathri.

Thanks a lot Gayatrhri with your kind words of welcome. It is a pleasant feeling to see that two middle-aged men are adding beauty to a site which contains all the most beautiful ladies of the world.

There is no question of competition between me and Cheeniya. Simply because both of us do not aspire for any prizes or accolades; we seek your love. And in love there is no scope for and there cannot be any competition. Love when shared always doubles.

Gayathri I want you to be with me in that controversial story SHE. To you and every ILite my request is that please read it every week and post your comments then and there. You may not know; but every word you write will help me build the story one way or other.

regards,
sridhar

Sridhar
Just now I gave reply in the thread of SHE.....
I am curious to read it....
I'll definitely make it...

Gayathri.

Originally Posted by slgayatri

Sridhar
Welocme back to IL...
u always rock with ur posts....
And I observed one similarity, we got two great writers, whose names starts with 'Sri', which is the most beautiful and lucky word...
Sridhar.. Srinivasan..... Great!
Now IL got more beauty with u both....
i am very happy to read ur musings.... For sure, a healthy competition will begin... So, we've to find more time to do justice to both of u....
Waititng for ur feedbacks what u told to Kamla, to post....

Gayathri.

hey gayathri,
it does not stop there both share their wife's name too both are indhu regards sunkan

Dear Varalotti,

Nice to have you back in IL.

Between You and Cheeniya I guess all of us at IL are going to be spending more hours reading those wonderful writeups. As it is my husband says that I am addicted to IL. Well..he will have to get used to it I guess. Cant wait to read more of the musings.

Regards,
Jothi.

Dear Jothi,

Thanks for the welcome message. For us writers the greatest pleasure is to know that our writings are enjoyed, in this case, enjoyed the world over.

When someone drinks alchohol every day he is addicted to it. But when some one exercises every day, he is not addicted, but has developed a good habit.
IL is a great habit, Jothi. And could never be an addcition. As it can never be otherwise than good.
Thanks for your warm welcome, Jothi.
sridhar

Dear Sridhar
I read your musings more than once. Long time back, I wrote in one of my posts that comparing me with you is blasphemy! After reading your musings, I stand firmly committed to that statement of mine.
It is indeed nice of you to have come to my rescue on my brand of Vedantha! Some puritans may even call you the Devil's advocate!
As a Sanskrit student, I have felt drawn to works of Adi Sankara. But I could never go to the depth of such profound works. I am more like the people who read the back cover and review the book!
I am saying this because I know I am not competent to attempt a critical analysis of the effect of Vedantha on our thinking. I merely attempted to point out what good there is if our learning cannot make us better human beings. My reference was only to people who are branded as 'Padikkaradu Ramayanam, idikkaradu Perumal Kovil!"
Reading your day's musinings, I can only compare it with a sea from which I shall get my material for my future writings! Have not millions of stories been spun out of the Epic, Mahabharat? You keep musing and I'll spin my yarn out of your musings!
I join the hundreds who have welcomed you back with the same fervour as a person who has been starved for months finally sights his delicious food.
Sri