• Bharat Our Country,  Chanting,  My Interests,  Spirituality

    The resurgence of Bhakti movement

    I am delighted to note that the Bhakti Marg of our Vaishnav Acharyas which used to attract every one towards the feet of Lord Sri Hari is again revived with the help of our acharyas in North India. The stories about the past times of the Lord pull our heart strings and make us recite the divine names of our Lord. What a time to be able to witness this great revival of our Sanatana Dharma in Bharat! When I first returned to India after living abroad for more than a decade, I noticed that Indians in India had become more Westernized than Indians abroad. A shocking revelation, and for…

  • Chanting,  Spirituality

    The unexpected gift

    I have been reading Goswami Tulsidas Ji’s Ramacharitmanas since 2012 usually around Ram Navami. I learned about this sacred scripture from a Shukla Yajurvedi priest in the temple I used to frequent in the U.S. I just joined and started chanting the Manas as part of Akhanda Ramayan (24 hour) path or as Saptah (as 7 day or 9 day parayana) in the temple community. The language Awadhi is simple and anyone can start chanting. That is one of the greatest beauty of this scripture. So I used to read it with around 8-10 others in the temple in U.S. as part of Ram Navami celebrations. This year I got…

  • Chanting,  Music,  My Interests,  Spirituality

    Muthaitharu Pathi Thirunagai – Thirupugazh

    My Veena rendition of Thirupugazh “Muthaitharu Pathi Thirunagai” is right here for your chanting. முத்தைத்தரு பத்தித் திருநகைஅத்திக்கிறை சத்திச் சரவணமுத்திக்கொரு வித்துக் குருபர …… எனவோதும் முக்கட்பர மற்குச் சுருதியின்முற்பட்டது கற்பித் திருவரும்முப்பத்துமு வர்க்கத் தமரரும் …… அடிபேணப் பத்துத்தலை தத்தக் கணைதொடுஒற்றைக்கிரி மத்தைப் பொருதொருபட்டப்பகல் வட்டத் திகிரியில் …… இரவாகப் பத்தற்கிர தத்தைக் கடவியபச்சைப்புயல் மெச்சத் தகுபொருள்பட்சத்தொடு ரட்சித் தருள்வதும் …… ஒருநாளே தித்தித்தெய ஒத்தப் பரிபுரநிர்த்தப்பதம் வைத்துப் பயிரவிதிக்கொட்கந டிக்கக் கழுகொடு …… கழுதாடத் திக்குப்பரி அட்டப் பயிரவர்தொக்குத்தொகு தொக்குத் தொகுதொகுசித்ரப்பவு ரிக்குத் த்ரிகடக …… எனவோதக் கொத்துப்பறை கொட்டக் களமிசைகுக்குக்குகு குக்குக் குகுகுகுகுத்திப்புதை புக்குப் பிடியென …… முதுகூகை கொட்புற்றெழ நட்பற் றவுணரைவெட்டிப்பலி யிட்டுக் குலகிரிகுத்துப்பட ஒத்துப் பொரவல …… பெருமாளே.

  • Chanting,  Spirituality

    Medha Suktam Chanting

    Above is the video of Medha Suktam chanting along with the accompaniment of my divine Saraswati Veena. I bow down before Goddess Saraswati who blesses devotees and grants them great intellect and intelligence and gives them all the things that one desires. My Goddess Saraswati stands with me as a muse as I write my novels and stories. She stays in my “meetu” and helps in creating the Nadam. She is ever resident in my Veena. Without Her, one cannot learn or master anything. With Her blessing, even the most ignorant fool can become a scholar. There is nothing that Goddess Saraswati does not provide to all Her ardent devotees.…

  • Chanting,  Music,  Spirituality

    Durga Suktam – Praise of the Goddess – Lyrics and Chanting

    Here is my chanting of Durga Suktam with Saraswati Veena as an accompaniment. जातवेदसे सुनवाम सोममरातीयतो निदहाति वेदः ।स नः पर्षदति दुर्गाणि विश्वा नावेव सिन्धुं दुरितात्यग्निः ॥१॥ Jātavedase Sunavāma Somam-ārātīyato ṇidahāti Vedah |Sa ṇah Parssad-āti ḍurgānni Viśvā ṇāve[a-ī]va Sindhum ḍurita-āty[i]-āgnih ||1|| We offer oblations of Soma unto Agni. May he burn those who are against us. May that Agni lead us beyond all difficulties, like a boatman takes his boat across a river. तामग्निवर्णां तपसा ज्वलन्तीं वैरोचनीं कर्मफलेषु जुष्टाम् ।दुर्गां देवीँशरणमहं प्रपद्ये सुतरसि तरसे नमः ॥२॥ ṭām-āgni-Varnnām ṭapasā Jvalantīm Vairocanīm k͟harma-Phalessu Jussttām |ḍurgām ḍevī[ngu]m-ṣarannam-āham Prapadye Su-ṭarasi ṭarase ṇamah ||2|| I take refuge in that Goddess, who has the lusture of…

  • Family,  Ilaiyaraaja,  Music

    Grateful to my mother

    “Amma Endrazhaikaatha Uyir Illaye” The famous song of Ilaiyaraja that celebrates the greatness of mothers has stood the test of time remaining as one of the top songs that glorifies the sentiment of devoted children to their mothers. It is a moving song that makes us feel grateful to our mothers who have given us everything including this very life. I used to love this song when I was younger mainly for the musical merit of this. I have many things to be thankful for. Of the many things that my mother has done for me, I am indebted to her mainly for instilling in me a passionate love for…

  • Books,  My Book,  My Interests

    My Fascination with Historical Fiction

    Historical fiction has always fascinated people. There is something extraordinary about leaving the four corners of one’s mind and into different landscapes, long-forgotten but absolutely inviting. A time in history when there were no computers and phones to distract people from their lives. A period in history where humans lived intensely, experiencing emotions like happiness, love, and anger from the depth of their beings. We have connected with the psyches for many millennia through our epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. We have felt the pain of Lord Rama and enjoyed the victory of good over evil in the end. Every time we read the epics and the Puranas, a part…

  • Places,  Spirituality

    Mylapore – The Rhythm of My Soul

    Years back, when we were living in the U.S., I used to longingly look at videos of Kapaleeswarar temple and the Mada streets of Mylapore. I vividly remember dreaming about the sensation of my feet touching the granite stone flooring of these temples. I yearned to return to the cosy feeling of being swarmed in the vibrancy of Mylapore.  As a true child of God, I requested Kapaleeswarar to bring me back to Mylapore. As an ocean of compassion, He made that happen in His own way. Mylapore has a magic to it, a secret rhythm to calm one’s tensions. What is it that sings to us? Is it the…