lifcozine - volume 1 issue 2

April 2010 | Vol. 1 : Issue 2

Welcome

Our second issue is a potpourri of religion, culture, cuisine and has a special accent on

what makes today's youth tick. After our inaugural issue , we received a lot of feedback

and wishes from our well wishers and readers. These suggestions have been carried out

in this issue as far as possible. We are still growing and will need a lot of encouragement

from you - the readers.

Now to the content of this issue and an intro about our team of writers.

The exquisite feature - Night of The Lord is by Ahana a multi faceted personality with a

flair in rendering translations and writing Children's stories. Galloping to Gold has been

penned by Vasanta , who is a M. Phil in Literature and talks about Ratan Kumar a

teenage equestrian rider with many gold medals to his credit .

The Youth Corner also offers two more articles : tips in fashion and the path to self

reliance . These are the output of young and dynamic scholars Sandhya and Mahima

and one can feel the words crackle with their exuberance.

The Ramayana quiz and answers have been provided by Veeru , financial consultant and

The Carnatic Quiz by Vasudha - a keen rasika of carnatic music and Tamil poetry.

Again : we welcome articles relating to religion, culture, fitness, and sport . Please

forward your feedback and suggestions to us.

Happy Reading!

Vidya Saranyan

Inside This Issue :


The Night of the Lord 3

Why is it specially indicated

that puja should be done to

the Shivalinga?

Galloping to Gold 5

He is so interested in his

riding classes that he never

misses an opportunity to be

with his horse says his father

Youth corner 2 6

If used smartly, this pointer

can make you the belle of

any ball!

Badam Burfy 9

Soak almonds in warm wa-

ter for around one hour

Carnatic Quiz 12 Vasudha Murali

Ramayana Quiz 11 Veeru

Thyagaraja Krit 10

The Night of the Lord - Ahana Lakshmi

One of the first prayers I learnt was ―Margabandhu stotram‖. I remember my mother

singing ―Shambo Mahadeva deva…‖ with her fingers gently strumming the tambura while

I joined with a loud ―bhaje Margabandhum‖ for the endings. This stotra by Appayya

Dikshitar is a prayer to Margabandhu, the ‗Lord of the path‖ recited by travellers before

and after journeys, to request his protection. Shiva is the destroyer of evil and of course,

the protector of the good and the innocent.

The worship of Shiva in India goes back to very ancient times and is pan-Indian, from the

Himalaya to Kanyakumari. There are hundreds of legends associated with Shiva, and

many festivals too. One of the most important is Shivaratri, observed all over the country.

The term is often used colloquially when we refer to staying up all night – especially when

Why is it specially indicated that puja should be done to the Shivalinga? Here is one story:

Once upon a time there was a hunter who lived in the forest. One day, out hunting, he lost

his way and since it was getting dark, he climbed up a tree to spend the night. Wild

animals prowled around and the hunter was quite scared. He was afraid of falling asleep

as he would have easily fallen off his perch. To keep himself awake, he whiled away the

night by plucking leaves of the tree and dropping them down, all the while reciting the five

-syllable mantra, ―Namah Shivaya‖. As he thought of his family, tears poured down his

face.


babies refuse to sleep at night but want to play, it is

‗Shivaratri‘ for the parents! But how did this term

come into use and what are the legends linked with

it?

Every month, on the fourteenth day of the waning of

the moon, ‗krishna paksha chaturdasi‘ is observed

as the ‗maasa Shivaratri‘ or monthly Shivaratri.The

waxing and waning of the moon is associated with a

number of observances, especially fasting or the

eating (or non-eating) of certain foods. Mahaa

Shivaratri is observed on the fourteenth day of the

dark phase of the moon in the month of Phalgun,

sometime in February-March. Observed extensively

by devotees of Shiva, this is a day for special puja to

the Shivalinga.

The Night of the Lord - Ahana Lakshmi

In the morning, he found that all night he had been dropping bilva (Aegle marmelos)

leaves on a Shivalinga below the tree and his tears had washed the linga. He found his

way home at last. About to have his dinner, he heard a knock on the door and found an

old beggar standing there. The hunter first fed him and then had his meal. Much later,

when he died, he learnt that the beggar was Shiva himself. The hunter was supposed to

have been reborn as King Chitra Bhanu according to the Mahabharata. And to this day,

people worship the Shivalinga with offerings of bilva leaves and do ‗abhishekam‘.

There are other legends too like the one based on the churning of the ocean. As everyone

knows, samudra manthana resulted in the throwing up of Halahala – the poison which

would have destroyed the world. It was consumed by Shiva, but for it to have no effect, he

had to stay awake – and this was done by the devas and asuras staying awake through

the night praying. So pleased was Shiva in the morning that he said that those who

worshipped him on this day in this manner would get their wishes fulfilled. Though

generally he is seen as a stern Yogeswara, we see him also as a divine lover in Kalidasa‘s

magnificent epic, Kumarasambhava.

The sixty-three Nayanmars of Tamil Nadu have sung his praises in simple, enchanting

Tamil. Sekkizhar‘s Periyapuranam tells their stories, of their intense devotion to Shiva

and how they assure that personal worship is very much possible. The very first verse

beginning, Ulakellaam, shows how Shiva‘s dancing feet are the origin of the worlds:

―He is beyond the world‘s thought

His tresses are decorated

With the moon and the River.

Immeasurable brilliance;

Shiva, the Dancer in the Hall.

Praise and worship His feet

That blossoms as Grace.[1]‖

The destroyer of evil, the protector of the good. I can hear my Sanskrit teacher in school

booming, Chakaarachandatandavam tanotunahsivahsivam, ―Lord Shiva did the

auspicious dance of Tandava and may He shower prosperity on us all‖.

Worship. Belief. Bhakti. So many who have extolled the praise of Parameswara.

Translated by Prof K.R. Srinivasa Iyengar


Galloping to Gold - Ratan Kumar

- Vasanta

Ratan Kumar A.P a student of SRM University is a National Champion in the Equestrian

Sport. From a very young age he was fascinated with adventure sports and he was

irrestibly drawn towards horses and consequently equestrian training. What was an early

fascination turned into his passion, says his father Parthiban, who has encouraged his

every 'trot' and even takes him to the riding classes in the mornings. This translates

into getting up even at 5 in the morning finishing his training and then rushing to the

college.

He is so interested in his riding classes that he never misses an opportunity to be with his

horse says his father.

But this dedication has paid off. Also with him in his endeavors are some of his friends

Bharath, Subbu who also do the training . He learns at the Chennai equestrian academy

in Sholinganallur . Murugappa group & LMW have been closely monitoring the training

done at the Academy run by Mr. Kishore Futnani who himself is a very good rider and

supporter of Ratan's cause.

Ratan has shown speed and accuracy in a recent Pondicherry show wherein he has won

the first place scoring 23 points ahead of four other brave riders in the Junoir National

tent pegging Championship.

He has also won the national bronze medal for the dressage in the sub junior category.

he has been featured in several top dailies like The Hindu , Times etc. quite frequently.

He has also won the first place in the jumping fault and out juniors event (national gold)

Kudos to our young hero and many more gold's to him.


Youth corner 2 - Sandhya Ramachandran

Have your curves been getting the better of you? Seriously, HOW long has that tempting

black top been stashed away in the nook of your wardrobe because of major flab spilling?

Well there's good news! Flush that gym membership and give yourself a makeover! You'll

be rocking 'em outfits with our list of top 5 ways to slim down just by dressing!

THE COLOUR BLACK

It‘s true! You can never go wrong with simple, sleek, black. An

added advantage that it suits pretty much every occasion, black

flatters the figure and does not draw attention to your

'flaws' ( black pants save the day!!!!). With the right material and

length, this tip can go a long way in taking the 'weight' off the

problem areas! But it is not necessary to don black top to

bottom - experimenting with monochromes or other bright

coloured tops is a great option :)

VERTICAL STRIPES & PATTERNS

Horizontal lines make you look wide (or in some cases; wider!). Period! Vertical lines on

the contrary, command the eyes to follow the movement of the lines. It creates an illusion

where the eyes follow the stripes; so there is focus on length and NOT width!

FITTING

At some point we've all made this mistake; and if there's one thing we've learnt, it‘s that

wearing looser outfits does NOT hide the ugly truth but makes you look bulky! But if too

tight, you could resemble a pillow stuffed in its cover. Not pretty! So even if it takes hours

in the fitting rooms, do NOT underestimate the importance of proper size!

HAIRSTYLE

Quite arguably, your crowning glory can actually make you look fat or fit! A new study

reveals that tying hair up 'removes' pounds from the face, making the face slimmer and

giving it a dash of youth. Shorter hairstyles like bobs also make the face slimmer.


Youth corner 2 - Sandhya Ramachandran

ACCESORIZE

Earrings, bangles, chains, scarves or even a sassy bag can steer the focus away from

your figure and give you an edgier look. The key is basically to distract. However, there is

that thin line between looking awesome and over the top! Handle with care. Remember,

the aim is to look trendy and NOT tacky!

HEELS

If used smartly, this pointer can make you the belle of any ball!

Heels make you look taller, elongate the body and therefore make you look thinner but in

the long run, heels affect the back. However, when they make a rare appearance, they

have their advantages! Don‘t be surprised if you have some sudden compliments about

your 'magic weight loss'!


Little Jobs, Bigger Steps — Mahima. A. Jain

The youth today are looking to part-time jobs and freelancing for a multitude of reasons -

money, experience and passion. With expenses of youngsters rising akin to the value of

Gold, with recession contaminating the air and making people jobless, with interests and

talent spilling all over the place : freelancing and part-time jobs look to be the perfect

option..

There are all kinds of part-time jobs in the field from promotional jobs to something as

interesting as telecommuting. And freelancing is another world altogether – writing,

photography, web designing, copywriting you name it and it is there.

―Not only for the extra cash but also for the amazing on-job experience,‘ explains Sandhya

Ramachandran a media student who works as a voice over artist. While the money was

definitely handy for Sandhya, she believes that things you learn at a part-time job help

you to realize the professionalism in the industry and prepares you for what lies ahead.

Shwetha Sheshadri another student who does promotional jobs as well as modeling

assignments believes, ―you improve each time you take a new job. When you do four little

jobs, the fifth one might be huge.‖

Both Shwetha and Sandhya agree that these kinds of jobs – big or small – do add on to

your resume. Sandhya says, ―It indicates that a person might be great at multi-tasking.‖

While they do it for the cash and the experience like many others there is a huge chunk of

teen and young adult population doing it for passion and art‘s sake.

Youngsters who have it all - money and experience but want to put their talent to use go

for freelancing. Ankit Siroya, a young business person, has stuck to his passion for

photography, even after settling down. His priority is his interest not the pay. He says, ―If

someone asked me do a photo shoot for free I would do it.‖

So do these part-time jobs and freelancing assignments lead to distractions in life? Are

they stressful? ―People know their capabilities and should stay within the limit. If you

can‘t handle it don‘t take it up,‖ quips Sandhya.

So if you want to keep yourself busy find yourself a part-time job or start freelancing. As

Dan Quayle, former Vice-President of the USA quotes, ―a part-time job is better than no

job at all.‖ So grab the ―Classifieds‖ section and start ticking off what fits your bill – pay,

experience or passion.


Traditional South Indian Badam burfy

V . Indira

Almonds - 1 cup

Sugar – 1 ½ to 1 ¾ cup approx

Saffron threads - a pinch

Ghee – ½ cup approx

Milk - 1/2 cup approx

Powdered cardamom - a pinch

Soak almonds in warm water for around one

hour. Remove peels and grind to a fine thick

paste, with saffron strands using approx half

cup milk. At this point measure the almond

paste. The sugar you need for the burfy

should be one and a half times this paste.

Dissolve this sugar into a little water and

bring it to a boil till it a single thread sugar

syrup consistency is obtained. Now gently

mix the almond paste into this syrup, add

ghee and saffron threads and stir on low

flame till mixture thickens. Just when it

froths and leaves the sides of the kadai remove from heat, and pour onto a greased

plate. Let cool. Cut into squares.


Thyagaraja Kriti

ராகம்: வராளி

பஞ்சரத்ன கீரத்தனன

பல்ரவி கநகந ருசிரா- கநகவஸந நிந்நு (கநகந) சரணம் ம்ருகமத ரராம ஸுப நி டர வர ஜடாயு மமாக்ஷபரத பவமாநஸுதுடு நீது மஹிம ததல்ப ஸீத

ததரஸி வரசி தஸாக்க மரதா ரீதி நிந்நு (கநகந)

சபரி பாக்யம்

(பிறகு ராமரக்ஷ்மணரகள் காட்டில் மபாய்க் தகாண்டிருந்ததபாழுது எதிரபாராதபடி ஒரு மகார உருவம் தகாண்ட கபந்தன் என்ற ராக்ஷஸனுனடய னகயில் மாட்டிக் தகாண்டாரகள். அவரகள் கபந்தனுனடய னககனை

தவட்டிவிட்டு அவன் உடனரத் தகனம் தசய்ததும் அவன் சாபத்திரருந்து விமமாசனம்

பிற்று ஒரு Anjal ArulMathi திவ்ய மங்கை ரூபத்துடன் தநருப்பிரருந்து தவளி வந்து

'நீங்கள் ஸீனதனய அனடவீரகள், பம்பா தீரத்தில் ரிச்ய மூக

மனரயில் வசித்துவரும் ஸுக்ரீவனின் நட்னபப் தபறுங்கள்' என்று தசால்ர மனறந்தாள்.

ராமரக்ஷ்மணரகள் பம்பாநதினய மநாக்கிச் தசன்றாரகள். ஒரு அழகிய பிரமதசத்தில் மதங்க

ரிஷியின் சிஷ்னயயான சபரி என்கிற விருத்த சந்யாசினினயக் கண்டு, அவளுனடய

உபசாரத்னதப் தபற்றாரகள். சபரி மகாஞானி, ராமன் நாராயணனின் அவதாரம் என்று

அறிந்தவள், ராமனன கண் குளிரக்கண்டு அவன் பாதத்தில் வணங்கிப் பரமன் திருவடினய

அனடயக் காத்திருந்தாள். ராமனுக்காகத் தான் மதடி னவத்திருந்த மிகுந்த ருசியான

பழங்கனை சுனவத்துப் பாரத்து இருவருக்கும் தந்து உபசரித்தாள். பிறகு சபரி

அவ்விடத்தின் மகினமகனை எல்ராம் ராமனுக்குக் காட்டியும் தசால்ரயும் தீதயழுப்பி அதில்

பிரமவசித்து உடல் நீத்து மறு பிறப்பில்ராத மமாக்ஷ ஸாம்ராஜ்யத்னத அனடந்தாள்.)

இனத உயரந்த கவினதயான க்ருதியில் த்யாகராஜர, சபரியின் பாக்யத்னத என்னதவன்று

வரணிப்பது என்று பாராட்டிப் பாடுகிறார.


Answers for Ramayana Quiz - Veeru.

Question 1 - How many wives did Dasaratha have?

Answer in brief

The answer is 350 (or 351?) and not just three as many of us would be thinking We get to

know this revealing number from Valmiki in Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 34. But Valmiki does

not come out say that Dasaratha had 350 wives in a straightforward manner!

Sumanthra enters the ladies' court and informs them just that the

King calls all of them to Kaikeyi's court! Communication is only about

the king's desire and not the why. Now Valmiki tells us that the three

hundred and fifty ladies led by Kausalya, or encircling her, all of them

shaken by the sorrow of the imminent departure of Rama, come to

the king with tearful eyes. So, is it 350 or 351? But one more or less

does not matter. It is much more than three!

So that is the count. Later in Sarga 39, we are told that when Rama

looks at the other 350 stepmothers (Maathara:) to take leave of

them, they also are all in sorrow like his own mother Kausalya.

*Extract from Valmiki Ramayana, English Translation by CR Srinivasa Iyengar, published

by LIFCO

2. What is the name of Kaikeyi's mother

Answer in brief

Valmiki does not directly tell us Kaikeyi's mother's name; but he tells us what names

Sumanthra the charioteer and great friend of Dasaratha called her: bitter like a neem

tree, dushtai, etc. (samkrit words from original).

Sumanthra who was in the position of a family friend tries to talk Kaikeyi out of her

scheme to send Rama out to exile. When he finds that he is not able to persuade her out

of frustration he resorts to name calling and abusing the ancestors of Kaikeyi. (This

practice was there right from those days?)

He flashes back to an incident where Kaikeyi's mother kept insisting on her husband

sharing a secret with her - even at peril to himself till the exasperated king chases his

wife out of the country. Does Sumanthra imply that that will be Kaikeyi's ultimate fate?


http://www.lifcobooks.com/booktitles/details/43/4/titles-on-lord-rama/the-ramayana-of-valmiki-in-two-parts.html

Carnatic Quiz - Vasudha Murali

1. What does Melakarta Raga Mean?

i) Pashanga Raaga

ii) Janya Raaga

iii) Janaka Raaga or Thai Raaga

2. How many Melakartha Raagas are found?

i) Thirty Two

ii) Seventy Two

iii) Sixty One

3. How many parts can the Melakartha Raaga be separated?

i) Two Parts

ii) Six Parts

iii) Four Parts

4. What is the name of the fifteenth Melakartha Raaga?

i) Kambodi

ii) Pilahari

iii) Mayamalava Goulai

5. Sankarabaranam belongs to which Melakartha Raaga?

i) 29th Melakartha

ii) 34th Melakartha

iii) 42nd Melakartha



6. What is original name of Saint Purandaradas?

i) Rangarajan

ii) Srinivasan

iii) Srivasthsan

Refer Next Page for Answers



Answers:

1) Janaka Raaga or Thai Raaga

2) Seventy Two

3) Two Parts

4) Mayamalava Goulai

5) 29th Melakartha

6) Srinivasan

Vasudha is Editor at LIFCO Publishers Pvt. Ltd. and is a keen afficiando of Tamil Literature and Carnatic

Music and writes vibrant Tamil couplets in her spare time.


www.lifcobooks.com

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