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                  : * O Beloved God-mother*                                           * By Vengrai Parthasarathy * * “Ma Telugu Thalli”—is a haunting offering to  Mother-Telugu”* *This is a free translation, not conforming…

The tram rides of a different era By Vengrai Parthasarathy 07th September 2011 10:53 PM Those were the days which only Chennaites in their seventies will remember. In the Thirties and Forties the rumblings of trams were heard in all the main arteries of Madras. Those were leisurely days when no one was in a hurry.…

SHORT-CUT  RAGHU                                 Vengrai Parthasarathy Among the memories of my school life, Raghu stands out. A tall, gangling chap, he was a ‘character’. Breezy and affable, he was a talker, a talker’s talker,.He will never stand still in one place.…

Tagore’s ‘Chainless Mind’ By Vengrai Parthasarathy  |   Submitted On March 01, 2008  2 Rabindranath Tagore (aka Gurudev) was the first poet of the Indian literary canon to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in the year 1915 for the collection of his poems, GITANJALI- ( Prayerful Offering of Songs). Tagore, was an authentic Indian and patriot who…

IDLI-DOSA SHOOTOUT By Vengrai Parthasarathy  The Egmore Friends met again, as they usually do on Sunday mornings, at the Udupi Pankaja . They had their cosy corner where they expatiated on their pet themes and peeves.  This time the subject was ,” Idli or Dosa?  Thimmappa, a Dosa aficionado, spoke first. What he said in praise…

Lakshmi Dwadasa Naama Stotra   Aum Shriyai Namaha! –                                           Obeisance to Sri Lakshmi, the                                          …

Relationships      Life may be viewed as a gift or a struggle. Truly speaking it has to be viewed only in terms of a series of relationships..We start with our relationship with our mother who had borne us for nine months and pampered us and looked after every need of ours. Fed, bathed,clothed and…

STREET ENTERTAINERS OF MADRAS Vengrai Parthasaratbg  In the early forties of the last century, Chennai aka Madras >was a vibrant city. India’s population in those days was around 300 crores–a fourth of what it is now. Streets were not over- crowded and traffic very leisurely.One can move about without being nudged and  pushed around The…

Old Order Changeth Yielding  Place to New (Chennai)      BY       Vengrai Parthasarathy            Madras !  The laid-back  city of ancient traditions, orthodox people, old-world courtesies. Well, it is not there, not any more.        The Cooum is there but potable  water is not flowing in it. But, metaphorically speaking, much water has flown under the bridge, in the…

  My memory is slowly  fading.Anyway .Steel your-selvesfor repetitions. *     Kudumi: Sundar  had a kudumi , which when unrolled  flowed down and was the envy of women relatives. When, ultimately, it had to go it was as if a requiem was called for. I think Pathachi or someone took it to make a ‘switch’ out…