sunday stories

When I was young, they planted me near a powerful stone. They built some pillars around, made a beautiful  temple  and  I was fortunate to become the  sthala vriksh. Wondering where?? I reside at the Sivan Malai temple in kangeyam district . Everyday I get  royal treatment with flowers. All  that I  need is water and sunlight, anyway, dosent matter! I accept all this love from humans with a lot of gratitude. I enjoy basking in this love from the young and the old alike.  But my brotheren on the road, who have stood the test of time are being cut mercilessly in the name of ROAD EXPANSION....  All you temple visitors?? Where hav u gone? Go and save them. Serving them is like serving me.  May be if I  plead, it falls to deaf. If I curse you,would u care? I know.. FEAR drives people more than faith.

Ardhanareeswara Hill Temple is less than a 45-minute drive away, yet it had been a long time since I last visited. Thanks to my mother’s insistence, I joined her this morning for a special pooja conducted by her maternal uncle’s family. “Puliampatti Thatha,” as we fondly called him, was a calm, composed and ever-smiling person. He passed away peacefully, chanting the name of Lord Arthanareeswara. He had served as the dharmakartha of the  Temple for many years. For the past 25 years, on the day of the “Kodi Etram,” their family has been performing this special abhishega pooja. Puliampatti Aatha (in pic) is now 88 years old — still active, cheerful and positive. I was glad to spend some time talking to her today at the temple. One quality I have always admired in her is the impartial love and respect she shows towards all her three daughters-in-law. Perhaps that is the reason the family continues to remain united as one strong unit. During my teenage years in Salem, I shared a specia...

Just got back home after a spiritual sojourn at SSPN , puttaparthi.  This May, I took the luxury of two weeks of offline work — or  “work from home,” WFN  as Gen Y and Z calls it  !  On a sudden impulse, I decided to spend a week in service ( as part of Tamilnadu's " sevadal " team)  at the Puttaparthi Sai Baba Ashram. I was assigned duty at the museum. There were no fans or AC inside, and on the first day  I was sweating profusely. But I made up my mind  to simply accept the situation ,  and to my surprise, my body gradually adjusted and I felt perfectly fine throughout the service period. I truly enjoyed my duty and learnt the essence of Sanathana dharma. During the weekends, thousands of people visited the museum. From ancient religions to modern spiritual paths, the displays are beautifully planned. The unity of religions can be understood even by a layperson through the layouts, models, and visual presentations. Personal...

Sustainability is often seen as a trend or a lifestyle choice, but in reality, it is a crucial survival skill for the modern world. The events of the COVID pandemic reminded us how fragile our systems can be and how important self-reliance is. For many, having a small home garden was not just a hobby, but a necessity during uncertain times. This experience highlighted that sustainability is not just about saving the planet—it is about ensuring our own survival. In a world facing climate change, resource scarcity, and unexpected crises, the ability to live with less becomes a strength. Minimalism in clothing, mindful consumption, and the ability to adapt to situations like power cuts or lack of air conditioning are no longer optional—they are essential life skills. When we see global conflicts and disruptions, it becomes clear that resilience comes from how well we can adjust to limited resources. These are not skills that can be developed overnight. They must be nurtured...

This morning, as I stepped into my veranda, I noticed a moth resting quietly on the floor. I had always believed moths were dull, colourless creatures of the night—far less captivating than butterflies. But this one carried delicate, intricate patterns I had never paused to admire before. And the eyes on her wings caught my attention...In that still moment, it felt as though the moth carried a gentle powerful message. Just two days earlier, my brother had shared a photo of Maa Samaleswari, the revered goddess of Western Odisha. My mind connected the two instantly. Divinity is not confined within temple walls; perhaps it is born from nature itself. And I wonder—are we truly revering God, or quietly enclosing the divine within concrete boundaries? Beauty exists everywhere; we simply need the eyes to see it.

Every morning at sunrise I offer my sun  salutations with gratitude to the divine. Blessed to be able to see the morning light( many people living in urban spaces do not see the sun till late morning!). About a month back, I noticed one spider in our balcony, spinning its web waiting for the prey. The metal insect mesh in our balcony is so fine that even mosquitoes cannot pass through. Every day  I wondered how the spider gets his food!  To my surprise, after a couple of days I saw three more spiders ( little smaller in size). May be the young ones?? Its a mystery how they survive in this place without access to food. It has become a habit for me to look for them every morning. Their webs seem to be getting bigger. Glad to see that they are fine. What do they feed on? Harsh Sun and gusty rains in the past few days has not dettered their spirit for survival. I am reminded of Mr. Hira Rathan Manek. Born in a Gujarati family from Kutch, Mr. Manek's  visit to Aurovi...