VSK TN
Hindus Of Coimbatore Want Togetherness,
Pongalore Mega Event Of Hindu Munnani To Provide It
It was just a curtain raiser of HINDU MUNNANI’s “One Lakh Hindu Families Meet” in Pongalore of Coimbatore district slated for December 23, 24 and 25. Several Raths crisscrossed western Tamilnadu’s Coimbatore Vibhag (zone) motivating families to get ready for the big event. Every kind of propaganda in print and social media spread the word. Over 80,000 registrations for the meet were quickly paid up a fortnight prior to the event. The impressive list of poojas during the meet set the tone wonderfully: 1. One lakh and eight (1,00,008) Hindu women participating in Mahalakshmi Havan to sixteen forms of Lakshmi including Veeralakshmi. 2. One thousand and eight (1,008) gau (cow) pooja 3. One hundred and eight (108) ashva (horse) pooja 4. Gaja pooja, etc. Unending lines of women with pots filled with turmeric-water on their heads was witnessed for days on end. The turmeric water was for purifying the venue ground. Over 86 acres of rugged terrain off Pongalore was transformed into a table top plot after weeks of mechanised as well as manual efforts. No, it is not an annual conference of any organisation. Neither was any celebrity was held up as a mascot. Hindu families – men, women and children – living in the half a dozen districts of Coimbatore zone were for long looking forward to a pep up via togetherness. Pongalore event by Hindu Munnani is expected to provide it in ample measure. For now, all roads in Coimbatore Vibhag lead to Pongalore.
Tamil Filmy Sutra: ‘Offend Hindu Sentiments, Escape Unhurt’!
The writing on the wall for Hindu baiters in Tamilnadu is harsh. Case in point is the first look poster of a Tamil movie “Maha” now under production. The female lead Hansika Motwani is shown donning saffron robe and wearing rudraksha mala — smoking Weed (chillum). Hindu sadhus and Varanasi temple form the backdrop. Directed by a newcomer UR Jameel, the objectionable poster was released on December 9. The same day Hindu Munnani cadres noticed this poster and filed a complaint with Police, saying it hurt Hindu sentiments. PMK leader Janakiraman, an activist of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) which is campaigning against smoking scenes in films, has filed a case against her and the director for releasing such an offensive poster glorifying the smoking habit. Three days after protests by Hindus, Jameel tweeted “my intention was … not to knowingly hurt anybody’s sentiments related to caste or religion…” What a lackadaisical, charlatan way to shrug responsibility after offending Hindu sentiments! An offence committed, knowingly or unknowingly, is an offence and so is punishable by law, say observers. Jameel should have apologised to Hindu society and he should have removed the atrocious sequence from Maha, insist Hindu activists.
The Chennai Metamorphosis Culminating In “Marghazhi Season”
The month of Marghazhi (mid December to mid January) resonates with the recitation of Andal’s Thirupaavai on the streets at daybreak. It also reverberates with the music from all Sabhas (institutions promoting music and art) in Chennai. The oldest of such Sabha is Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha, established by Shri Manni Tirumalachariar, a prominent member of the Mandyam community in Triplicane in 1896, but was registered in 1900. Almost all the famous Carnatic musicians from the golden era have had performed in this Sabha and so have the existing top Carnatic singers as well as the youngsters who are trying to carve a niche for themselves. The rustle of silk sarees … the handbook of the various sabhas’ concerts complete with time, venue and the artistes’ names… The canteen attached to each and every Sabha starts catering to rasikas from early morning till the end of the day. Anecdotes of nostalgic nature are shared among veteran rasikas as they sip piping hot coffee at the canteen. Many look forward to this Margazhi Season also on account of thoughtful canteen menus. Absolute pleasure to the ears and taste buds served simultaneously. Increasing number of foreigners come down exclusively for the music season. Quite a few of them stay in rented service apartments in Mylapore area, so that they can cover almost all the Sabhas and concerts, owing to its vicinity plus connectivity. One can feel the Margazhi season’s real buzzing activities of music, noble culture, people mingling … thus holding up to the entire world the rich Indian Hindu culture that is an eternal source of solace to one and all. Incidentally, a silent metamorphosis escapes notice: What was “Christmas Season” turned into “December Season” over decades and is today recognised globally as “Margazhi Season”! This unique societal initiative of Tamilnadu – devoid of government patronage – thus works wonders for the most ancient civilisation on earth.