Pictures of get together at Kumar's

Here are a few of the pictures taken at the get together at Kumar's. To see a slide show of all the pictures (in better size and resolution), visit

http://homepage.mac.com/kk.n/Menu4.html

Gayathri's slokams

In the surrounding silence here in Watchung, hearing Gayathri's slokams [with Rajiv's support] was an elevating experience. Congratulations, Gayathri. Keep on with the good work.

Rukku athai

A GET TOGETHER

IT was a happy gathering of the PSC clan at 248 High Tor Drive, New Jersey, the home of Krishna Kumar, on Saturday, July28, 2007. The earliest to arrive, around 3.30 pm, were Arvind and Anu by train from New York [KK met them at Summit, the nearest station]. Soon after came Srikkant, Vidya, Shyama and Skanda from Munroe,NJ. The group from East Brunswick arrived late as seven of them had returned from Florida only at noon. The goup consisted of Chandru and Mythili, Shekar and Rajini, Hari, Uma, Meghna and Malavika, and Anu, Arjun and Aditya. At home were Narayanan, Rukku, Krishna Kumar, Kristin, Kiran and Ketan.

The eight children had a rollicking time running around the place but concentrating their activity around the playroom and the basement. For the adults it was non-stop chatter and boisterous laughter. Since the houses here are far apart-- each is on 1.5 acres of land-- there was no problem of neighbours complaining.

Srkkanth brought excellent samosas on which children [and adults] gorged, leaving them with little capacity to do justice to the dinner [outsourced] which was: thair vadai,ven pogal-gotsu,bisisbelebhath, with potato and cabbage-peas curries, akkaravadisal, and curd bath with mango pickles. Kristin took care of the children with pizza and cookies.

There was a surprise to follow--the whole gathering trroped into the living room bearing two cakes, lighted candles on them, and singing happy birthday to Chandru who enters his 80th year in September and Narayanan, who completes 75 in August.

The gathering dispersed around 9.30p.m., Arvind and Anu leaving earlier to catch the train.

Gayathri: slokams with Rajiv on the keyboard

Here's a link which will tke you to a few minutes of slokams rendered beautifully by Gayathri, with great support from Rajiv on the keyboard.

In the news

Sowmya and Varshaya are in India for a brief holiday. After spending a couple of days with Gayathri in Chennai, they have gone to Kovaipudur. We look forward to seeing them at the function on 8 August.

MUSIC AND BEACH

Jayaramanna

1. The music was good. Is there any specific reason for posting this!

2. How nice M.Vaishnavi will feel with Shruti and Aarti at beach!! We have to arrange a picnic for that.

Ramu

WORDS OF PREMJI

The worst fear I used to have is HOW TO MANAGE THIS KIND OF CHILDHOOD AND TEENAGE IN MY NEXT BIRTH!!!! ha ha.

The society and some major instituions have started realising what Premji has said. But, for the present system to change to somewhat like our childhood, will take a long time.

I think Andhra Mahila Sabha, has started bookless classes upto Standard 5, may be the first step towards a good change.

I used to feel the same thing about present day Executives, who come home only for sleep!!
This tendency is increasing day by day as more and more B schools are coming up. But there will be an end sometime!!!

Ramu

Wise words

Akila's post, of Premji's advice, should make us all think. It is perhaps futile to hope that this kind of advice will be heeded by today's parent. It is saddening to think of the life children have to lead today.

If you are a parent- Azim H Premji, Chairman - Wipro Ltd.

If you are a parent, you have many aspirations for your child that may include him or her becoming a doctor, an engineer, scientist or another kind of successful professional. I believe these aspirations are driven by your thinking about your child's future, and her centrality in your life.Since good education is often the passport to a good future, I presume it leads you to getting your child admitted to a good school.Then you encourage your child to study hard and do well in school exams. To bolster this, you send him or her for tuition classes. This would have primed your child for board exams and entrance exams, thereby leading to admission into a good professional course. Doing well at college increases the probability of landing a good job. And a good job means the child's future is ensured.I am neither a psychologist nor an educationist, and what I will now state may seem counter-intuitive. I think that these aspirations and actions might be doing more harm than good to your child. To understand why, we need to re-examine some of our fundamental assumptions.In the first place, I have seen time and again that living for some distant future goal also means you do not live in the present. The distant goal will always translate into an external measure of success, such as exams. And most exam-focused children start forgetting what it means to be a child - to be curious, mischievous, exploring, falling, getting up, relating, discovering, inventing, doing, playing.Childhood is very precious; precious enough not be wasted by the artificial pressures of contrived competition, by too many hours of bookish study, and by school report cards that simplistically wrap up an entire human being in numbers.The second assumption is that education is merely a ticket to socio-economic success. Given the state of our country, this reality cannot be ignored. But restricting education to only this aspect is, I think, a very limiting notion of the aim of good education. The primary purpose of a school is to guide the child in her discovery of herself and her world, and to identify and nurture the child's talents. Just as every seed contains the future tree, each child is born with infinite potential. Imagine a school which sees children as seeds to be nurtured - here the teacher is a gardener who helps to bring out the potential already present in the child.This is very different from the current view which sees the child as clay to be moulded - where the teacher and parents are potters deciding what shape the clay should take. There is an old (and forgotten) Chinese saying: ``Give a seed to a potter, and you will get a bonsai.''Even in a commercial organisation, to make profits we do not have to chase profits. Rather, we need to build an institution that gives every employee an opportunity to do meaningful and fulfilling work.Create an organisation driven by values of innovation, integrity, customer centricity and care. And as you practise these values everyday and moment, you will see that the profits take care of themselves.Similarly, dear parent, this is my request to you. Do not give up your child's present to secure his or her future.Give your child the freedom to truly explore life with abandon. In doing this, you will see your child flower into a creative and sensitive human being. And when this happens, everything else - money, social success, security - will fall into place automatically.Let your child be a child.

Shruti, Aarti at the beach

carnatic music programme Part - 1

This is a test upload.

Malavika

Wow, Meghna and Malavika have grown!!! Meghna has not changed but Malavika has changed so much now. I don't know whom she resembles. :)

Jayashankar's new address

Shankar has moved house. His new address is:

Jayashankar Jayaraman
2/8 Withypool Complex
2 Boat Club Road
R.A. Puram
Chennai 600028

Phone: (044) 24438797

BIRTHDAY OF MALAVIKA

June 23 is the birthday of Malavika and not July 23. I am sorry for the mistake.
The pictures are very good.

Ramu

Happy birthday Malvika! (23 July)

Content

Regarding Jayanth's [Chandrasekhar Anand] query and Jayaraman's reply, I feel it will be better to stick to PSC familry members, their experiences, reminiscenses, etc. Otherwise the blog may lose its focus and character. Things likes, some published excerpts, may form part of the contents.

SUMANGALI PRARTHANAI

Jayaramanna

1. The pictures are very nice.
2. There is nothing under Janga Manni.
Ramu

PRAYER

1. Sarada and I attended a ten day class three years back in Shiva Yoga Kendra, for meditation and yoga. Meditaton for 15 mts. The master said that only if mediation is done daily without break, we will slowly get full concentration after THREE YEARS.

2. Rukku has said what I was also recalling. The evening slokha and bhajan session by PSC.
I read in a book that doing bhajan loudly, clapping the hands, is very good for the body also.

3. As I am typing this, Sarada recalls what Nambiar, tamil actor who has been visiting Sabari mala for decades said once. The Power of Swami Ayyappan there increases many fold by the loud chanting of `` SWAMIYA SARANAM AYYAPPA `` by lakhs of devotees.

4. My own personal experience is, a daily routine of chanting slokhas, japam, visit to temples, pranayamam and some meditation slowly decreases the thoughts of useless things and whenever such thoughts come, I am able to comeout of it faster and easier. And mind goes more and more on contentment, efforts to be more happy, etc.

Anand's query

To answer Anand, the rule is that there are no rules. Posts need not concern the family only. Anything that could interest the members would be welcome.

Sumangali Prarthanai on 20 July 2007

Here are a few pictures taken at the Sumangali Prarthanai at Raju's house on July 2007.

Sumangali Prarthanai on 20 July 2007

Here are a few pictures taken at the Sumangali Prarthanai at Raju's house on 20 July 2007.

Are we supposed to stick on to topics which centre around the family?

Sorry...small mistake

Hi,


I didn't realise you have to provide your real name. I thought maybe one has to give 'some ' User ID, just to get access.

So, from now onwards, Ram Mony, becomes foryoureyesonly!

Affly,

Ram/4YEO

agree about posts

I agree that it would be easy for everyone to see the direct 'posts' rather than check each post for comments. I just now found Akila's & KN Athimber's comments. And I want to say 'yes, yes, yes' to all of it!
Gayathri

Prayer

The comments of Gayathri, Akila and KN on prayer and its efficacy should enthuse us all in our efforts at meditation and control of the senses that Velukkudi Krishnan is now expounding.

One suggestion to all members of the blog. I have not yet learnt how to make the 'comments' apear on theblog without one having to click on anything. Till this is achieved, can I suggest that we all 'post' what we have to say, referring wherever necessary to earlier observations. This will ensure that everyone will read what is posted (while comments may be overlooked).

Missing posts?

Re. Gayathri's comment. I must apologise but I deleted a comment I had posted, as there was a spelling error. Also, the link I created misfired, taking a position I did not expect it to take - I thought it would be a small line somewhere below the post itself. Shows how much there is still to learn!

PSCFAMILY: JANGA MANNI

PSCFAMILY: JANGA MANNI

PSCFAMILY: JANGA MANNI

Family

JANGA MANNI

Jayaramanna, I think a photo of Janga manni also, will be good.
I am thinking about the role of Janga manni in the life of PSC. How much of support she should have been to him and what all experiences they must have had in life!

For my admission to Class 6 in P.S.Secondary School , all boys were made to sit in a hall in the school. The Head Master started looking at the eligibility of all of us. I was admitted without any problem, just because I was a son of PSC.

Same thing again for Class 8 in P.S.High School. I was sent there easily .

All teachers used to point out to me at every oppartunity that I was extremely lucky to be PSC,s son.

Ramu

PRAYERS IN KALI YUGA

This is in response to Jayaramanna,s visit to temple with Shruti.
I remember to have read, I think in Deivathin Kural, that in Kali yuga, just chanting the Mantrams, Slokams, etc will fetch good results. Any comments or clarifications please.
Ramu

NICE TO SEE PHOTOS

It is nice to see photos. Jayaramanna is spending time for this and it is nice to all. Since I am not familiar with computer, I am unable to give any suggession.
Ramu

Members' Gallery

The photographs alongside are supposed to form a collage of all the members of our blog. I am still groping about, finding out how to make the pics smaller, how to reposition them and so on. I have yet to add the pictures of the other members and perhaps replace existing ones for better ones. Any guidance from the members will be most welcome.

In praise of God!

Yesterday I was in a temple with Shruti (my granddaughter). A group of elderly women were seated there, reciting the Vishnu Sahasranamam. Shruti asked what they were doing and I told her. Then she asked why they should be doing it at the temple, in a group. I said it brought them joy and satisfaction. To which Shruti said: "But they do not look happy. They seem gloomy. They are a dreary lot" (all adjectives Shruti's).

Which made me wonder if we ever get really transported when we are praying, reciting slokas etc. Granted that it is extremely difficult to focus the mind on a single thing at a time to the exclusion of others, it is still something to think about.

Commercial for Berlitz

Nice to see people beginning to sign up and to read their comments. I shall have to work on a profile for PSC. Meanwhile, here is a link to a short video clip which will bring a smile to most lips.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK5RkV7OJUI

I AM FULL OF JOY

Yes. July 13 is the most appropriate day for creating this. Most unexpected. Jayaramanna deserves all praises and thanks for getting such an idea. I jumped in joy seeing fathers photo.
Most appropriate time to start this also because now I am retired and my mind goes to K.Nagar more often than before.
Akila helped me to open my account to post this and I hope I will be able to do on my own now.
I hope we get very interesting things in this.
Ramu

WELCOME

The guru, who calls himself tyro, is to be congratualated on this launch, on a very appropriate day. I am sure it will, and it should ,flourish.

To add value, Jayaraman should add a profile of the great personality whose name this blog carries, and also a family tree--I think he has a copy of the one I prepared for Krishna kumar who wanted one. Earlier today I saw the pscfamilywebsite which had Jayaraman's reference to PSC's birthday, and thoght about the need for a profile. This is thebetter place.

K.Narayanan

Welcome to PSC Family!

July 13 will be the 111th birthday of PSC, who was born in 1896. We already have a Yahoo Group for the PSC family. But I thought we should have a blog as well, which members can visit when they like, read whatever posts there are, add their comments or make their own posts. We could also have some pictures posted in the blog itself. What better occasion can there be than Appa's birthday to launch this blog and invite the family members to become active participants. So here it is, an effort by a tyro at computing. But with the inputs of the more learned and the gurus, we can surely make this interesting and worthwhile.

Welcome all!

Jayaraman