Panchamritam 100
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(Vishwa SamvadKendra, Chennai)
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PANCHAAMRITAM 100
Pancha is five inSamskritam, Amritam is nectar
Dear PANCHAAMRITAM reader,
Namaste.
We thank those who responded to our noteon the eve of PANCHAAMRITAM 100. More responses are coming in. A sample:
"Panchaamritam hasbrought back the self-esteem of Bharatiyas through well-chosen yet unglorifiedpublications. The Indian elite, which has been groomed to look down uponanything Indian has run out of excuses to demean itself further with each issueof Panchaamirtam.(S.Karthikeyan).
This issue of your PANCHAAMRITAM,as you may note, has a theme: "collect to serve". The idea is by reader Shri.Bhaktavatsalan, an RSS pracharak.
-- Team Panchaamritam
ONE
Smt Amudha's hobby has a purpose: to help others. In herhouse in Oorappakkam West, on the outskirts of Chennai-603 202, Tamilnadu,Bharat (mobile: 9382201800, 9444762972), Amudha has organized a `GlobalReference Service', catering to the research needs of scholars. Occupying almostevery nook and corner of the house are issues of over 500 magazines andnewspapers collected over decades and arranged chronologically. Says Amudha,"so far 15 scholars have benefited by data inputs from Global Reference Serviceand got their Ph.Ds. The news of this service spreads by word of mouth anduniversity students have begun making a beeline to our house." Thisextrordinary housewife (husband Shri. Bhupathi is a journalist and son Shri.Stalin Kumaran is a trained technician) values a late 60's copy of THE ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY OF INDIA carrying the interview of Shri. Guruji Golwalkar byEditor Shri. Kushwant Singh as precious possession. "Indeed, the Editor tries to prostrate before Shri. Guruji",Amudha points out excitedly.
From a report byShri. R.P. Murugesan and Shri. Pudhuvai Saravanan in the 2006 Deepavali specialnumber of VIJAYABHARATAM (page 129).
TWO
A. Shri. Sankaran, 35, an activist ofBharatiya Vikas Parishad of Chennai, presents himself at gatherings of devoutpeople anywhere in the city. He patiently waits at the gate with a load ofTulsi saplings. When the devotees disperse, he offers them the saplings free.He ensures that the receiver has regard for Tulsi. At early mornings, Sankarantakes position at the gate of big parks in the metro. As morning walkersemerge, he offers Tulsi plants to them. If someone offers a little money he does not refuse. (Idea: Shri.Ranganathan, Shri. S.Murthi). B. Parampara, of Chennai, takes up projectsthat integrate national wisdom with modern applications. Its Tulsi Projectspreads awareness of the greatness of the Tulsi by offering its saplings topeople who promise to nourish and nurture the holy basil. Krishna tulsi grownat Parampara is a plant that has very high medicinal properties and is usedextensively in Ayurveda. The Tulsi saplings make ideal gifts on auspiciousoccasions like griha pravesam and children's birthdays. (www.chennaionline.com , August 9,2003).
THREE
Chennai-based Shri. N.Balasubramanian, a former Defencedepartment official, has a sizeable collection of publications "on, of and by Subramania Bharati", the nationalist poet (1882-1921). All that meant for theyouth, he adds. Every month he collects a few dozen persons in one of theChennai neighbourhoods at the residences of friends by turn and reads out pagesfrom Bharati's prose, which is not as familiar as the Deshiya Kavi's poetry.The readings are quite often on subjects alive even at present. This postretirement service of Balasubramanian has its beginnings in the centenary year(1982) of the patriotic Kavi. Then a resident of Delhi, Balasubramanian,managed to sensitize, as it were, the Central government on the need tocelebrate the poet's centenary. He had to goad Delhi-based litterateurs likeKa.Na. Subramaniam and Professor Swaminathan into action, he says. As theover-formal state celebration that was duly wound up at the end of the year"failed to measure up to the stature of Bharati", Balasubramanian started hiscampaign to cause Bharati's message reverberate through next generation --under the banner of "Bharati 200". An idol of Bharatamata worshipped by Bharati(obtained from the Mandayam family) is the unique piece among his collections.
As told to TeamPanchaamritam
FOUR
From Tiger Varadachari of yesteryears to Unnikrishnan of today --you can listen to almost all Vidwans. Cassette players, ear-phones, aptcubicles, etc., add to the listening pleasure. Yes, there is an excellentcollection of Carnatic music audiotapes (over 3,000) at Sampradaya (onKalakshetra Raod, Thiruvamiyur, Chennai). The voices of S.G. Kittappa, N.C.Vasanthakokilam, Ariyakudi, Semmangudi and D.K. Pattammal are easilyidentifiable. Smt. Geetha, Director, Sampradaya Trust (Phone: 044-24521217) andShri. Govindan are ever willing to help music lovers in their pursuit. Some 25years back, Shri. Ludwig Paesh, a German, and Shri. Michael Nicholson of USA,both students of Smt Savithri Rajan, a disciple the legendary M.D.Ramathan,began this service in an empty garage in Chennai. Max Mueller Bhavan of Chennaipitched in with recording facilities. Ford Foundation of USA funded the projectfor some time.
As told by Smt. Geetha to TeamPanchaamritam
FIVE
One who sets out to learnVedanta in a traditional method needs to devote quite a bit of time and energy.If such an arrangement, that facilitates one to grasp the outlines of Vedantaauthentically at leisure (that too in one's mother tongue or in a language oneis conversant with) is there, then it would be excellent. The Chennai basedSastraprakasika Trust provides precisely that. It offers pre-recorded audiocassettes containing recording of the discourses / lectures by learned acharyaslike Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Swami Paramarthananda, Swami Omkarananda andSwami Guruparananda. The cassettes mainly contain the lectures, in Tamil and inEnglish, delivered by them on Vedantic texts to their students. For the last 26years, the Sastraprakasika Trust meets the needs of spiritual seekers throughits audio-cassette lending library comprising 3000 audio cassettes in Mylapore,Chennai (Phones: 044-28475009 and 28470311). A nominal membership fee of Rs. 40is charged. Over 200 members are benefited by this service. According to thewebsite of the Trust: www.sastraprakasika.orgthe Vedanta cassettes are also available for sale.
As told by SwamiParamarthananda to Team Panchaamritam
OOOOOOOOOO
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