Ambimama - India

NEW DELHI: Union Human Resource Development Minister and senior Congress leader Arjun Singh embroiled in a trouble with the police registering dowry harassment cases against him and many of his family members based on the complaint filed by the father of his grand daughter-in-law Priyanka.

However, Arjun Singh denied all charges and said, “He stays away from family matters”.

The erstwhile ruler of Narauli Madhvendra Singh, whose daughter Priyanka had married Arjun Singh’s grandson Abhijit Singh, in his complaint alleged that the minister and his family members have been torturing his daughter for dowry.

He alleged that Arjun Singh’s family members demanding a Mercedes car along with a flat in Noida as dowry and had even beaten his daughter for not fulfilling their demands.

Madhvendra Singh complained to the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) of Chandausi who directed the Moradabad police to register a case of dowry harassment.

The CJM of Moradabad passed orders for the registration of the case July 27. The magistrate directed the police to name Arjun Singh, his wife, his son Abhimanyu Singh, daughter-in-law Beena Singh, sister-in-law Aradhana Singh, grandson Abhijit, brother-in-law Dilip Singh and Dilip’s daughter Mandakani Singh as accused in the case.

Moradabad’s Senior Superintendent of Police Prem Prakash admitted that the case was registered at the instance of the magistrate.

When asked why there was a two-day delay in registering a case despite the court order, Prakash said: “An inquiry was being conducted into the matter.”

Reacting to reports Arjun Singh said, “I have nothing to do with it. My opinion was sidelined at the wedding”.

Even he said, “Did not even attend the marriage of his grand son which held one and half year ago”.

Comment by ambimama: MP’s and MLA’s are like Raja and Maharaja. In olden times Guru and Rishis guided them to rule. Now the only Guru is arrogance and corruption. Instead of being a role model, Arjun Singh sure has set a very bad example.

Courtesy – New Indian Express - Chennai

NEW DELHI: Ameer Sultan’s Paruthiveeran has been named the best Indian movie at the 9th Osian’s Cinefan festival with the Tamil film’s leading lady Priyamani bagging the best actress award.

Paruthiveeran was chosen for its “strong narrative that allows reality to be played out cinematically, rendered with visual energy to connect with a wider audience” while Priyamani was awarded for her “intense and vivid portrayal of a character driven by obsessive love and for her performance in a broad range of acting prowess”.

Kay Kay Menon was named the best Indian actor for his “searing and restrained portrayal of a character in Shoonya whose struggle to overcome his personal vulnerability becomes an allegory of a nation in search of its conscience and values”.

Dancing Bells, by Malaysian filmmaker Deepak Kumaran Menon was adjudged the best movie in the NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) section while Woven Stories of the Other by Sherad Anthony Sanchez of Philippines triumphed in the first features section.

In the Asian and Arab category of the festival, which concluded yesterday, South Korean director Zhang Lu’s Desert Dream got the best film award while Tunisia’s Lotfi Abdelli was named the best actor for his role in “Making Of”.

Cherry Pie Picache got the best actress award for the Filipino film Foster Child.

Courtesy - PTI

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone may destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, others may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is all between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

The above commandments are often attributed to Mother Teresa of Calcutta, as a copy was on her wall. But it was written by Kent M.Keith when he was 19, and first published by the Harvard Student Agencies in 1968.

The poet Arunagiri Nathar represents a remarkable blend of Tamil literary genius, a high degree of devotion to Murugan and a musical expertise. Although music had always been an integral part of the Tamil religious hymns such as Tevaram,

Arunagirinathar was one of the first poet to set all his compositions to reverberating music in the style of “Santham” which means setting the verses within a certain length to conform with rhythm (thala).

Arunagirinathar was the pioneer in the art of setting his poems to the sweet sounds of music. Just like the seven octaves in music, Arunagirinathar, is known as a santhakkavi – musical poet, utilises certain repetitive phrases rhythmically to achieve movement and colour in his poems. By combining the Tamil hard or soft consonants and long or short vowels in different ways, Arunagirinathar produces hundreds of compound rhythmic words such as, tatta, taatta, tantha, thaantha, thaiya, thanna, thaana, thanana, etc . At the beginning of each poem in the Thiruppugazh, Arunagirinathar gives the rhythm notations.
Arunagiri’s poems can be enjoyed for its poetic beauty as well as for its devotional fervour. Arunagirinathar has combined his poetic skill and his devotion towards Muruga with remarkable ease.

Scholars hail Thiruppugazh as a great literary masterpiece and as a good work of devotion. Going through Thiruppugazh, one finds it difficult to judge who is great; Arunagiri, the poet or Arunagiri, the devotee. It is only the ardent devotee within who made Arunagiri a versatile poet.

Arunagiri, the author of Thiruppugazh, was not a born poet. He was not a devotee either. He started his life in a different footing. How come, such a man with all weaknesses could transform himself as a towering personality, an erudite scholar and as a versatile poet. Arunagirinathar himself answers the question in Kandhar Alamgaram) (The Adoration to God) thus: “This talent, this skill, this knowledge and this devotion, do not belong to me. These are the gifts of Muruga. It is only you, Lord Muruga, who make me sing.” (Yaam Odhiya Kalviyum Em Arivum Thame Pera Velavar Thandhadhanal”).

Arunagiri has weaved a beautiful garland, made not of fragrant flowers (Poomalai) but of beautiful verses of Tamil and has presented this colourful garland to all so that everyone could offer it to the Lord and derive immense inspiration, knowledge and blessings from Him. Thiruppugazh is an ideal form of prayer, a beautiful set of songs, a panacea for all ills and above all a way of life.

Popularity of Thiruppugazh
Arunagirinathar describes all the infinite qualities of the Lord in vivid details and hail His glory in his verses and so his works have got the name: “Thiruppugazh” Glory to Lord Muruga. There are various works of devotion that hail the glory of the Lord but only Arunagiri’s works have got the title: “Thiruppugazh” as he succeeded to a great extent in bringing the glory of Muruga into full focus.

Music is divine. Music is sublime. Music is the expression of love and devotion. Music is the language of God. Thiruppugazh, which is a set of prayers, is addressed to the Lord in musical verses. This musical worship has brought devotees of Muruga nearer to their Lord. Be it a temple, a musical consort or a bhajan, a singer invariably renders a song from Thiruppugazh.

Though Arunagirinathar composed Thiruppugazh, the verses written in manuscript form remained in some dark corners, unheard and unsung.

Perhaps these sacred verses were calling someone to retrieve them and resurrect them. Perhaps, Sri V.T. Subramaniam Pillai of Tiruthani heard the call. Realizing their importance, he swung into action, made thorough search and collected the songs scattered at different places. Sri Sachidhananda Swamigal who was initiated to sainthood by Saint Seshadri swamigal took Thiruppugazh as the mission of his life and popularised them. Many other saints like Sri Sengalvarayan Pillai, Pamban Swamigal, Sri T.M. Krishna Swamy Iyer, Thiru Kirupananda Vaariyar, Pithukulli Sri Murugadoss have taken the glory of Thiruppugazh to great height. Guruji Sri A.S. Raghavan of New Delhi has started a powerful Thiruppugazh movement which is spreading across the country. Selecting certain songs, he set them to music in different Raaga and Thaala.

Rendering Thiruppugazh one feels he is transported from a mundane world of materialism to an eternal world of spiritualism. Rendering Thiruppugazh one feels he is one with the God.

Bhagawad Geetha was told on the battlefield by God himself to Arjuna who was filled with confusion, fear and the will to surrender and follow Law of Karma.

Just as Vedas and Upanishads have no authors and the words came from space and passed on by hearing, chanting and pass it on – Arunagiri Nathar’s songs are divine and reveals the Divinity in you which was always there.

There was a great King. He went for hunting in the forests. One of his his arrows accidentally hit a Sadhu.

The Sadhu cursed the King to become a Pig. Always the curse will be followed by a solution and cure for the mistake.

The Sadhu said when the KIng’s son becomes of age and comes hunting to the forest and kills the King (now in Pig form) he will become a King again.

Immediately there ia an announcement by the ministers of the KIng that no pig in the country should be killed.

So there are pigs everywhere - in the forests, at home and even in the kitchen! And all of them are very fat and confident that no one will kill or hunt them.

After some time when King’s son goes on hunting spree. He meets at last a very fat Pig surrounded by a huge crowd of pigs.

He lifts his bow and arrow to kill the Big Pig. Immediately the Pig speaks! “Do not kill me I am your father!” But the son says “Only if I kill you you will be liberated and will be King again.” But King Pig says “See my family here - I have lot of daughters, sons, sisters and brothers - How can I leave them?”

So the son leaves the choice “Choose what you want! If you want to be King or remain as a Pig”

To the novice: Pig here means the filthy character traits in me!