Parthasarathy, Adhavan, Ambai and a poem...

Yesterday, went to Parthasarathy temple. Its been more than three years since I went to the temple and so I wanted to go and pay Him a visit. Thiruallikeni is one of my favorite temple for many a reasons. Its one of the places I used to go when I first came to Chennai in 1997 and one of the few places which will make all worries fly away. It is a temple where you feel completely at peace with the Perumal and it makes one feel good also. So it was yesterday also. There are more lights and the KarbaGraha has been air-conditioned. But the serenity of the koil remains the same and the wonderful pragaras and the sight of Thelliyasinga perumal makes one surrender everything at His feet and a feeling of elated happiness permeates the mind. Being a 1500 year old temple, sung by Alwars and which has withstood the various assaults on it through the times, it is amazing that nothing much has changed inside the temple. And it is wonderful to know of the fantastic foresightedness of the Rajas of building such big temples so as to enable the future generation to get the same peace of mind. I am thinking of going to Thiruvidanthai next.

Just finished Adhavan's 'En peyar Ramaseshan'. It is a fantastic novel and it took only 3 hours over 2 days to finish it. Although written in the 80's, it is not possible to wonder how contemperory the subject matter is. Terrific is the one word that comes to mind. Next up is Ambai's 'Kaatil oru maan'.

And finally, a poem I (re-)read recently..

Ae Fond Kiss

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
A farewell, and then forever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.

Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerful twinkle lights me,
Dark despair around benights me.

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy;
Naething could resist my Nancy;
But to see her was to love her,
Love but her, and love for ever.

Had we never loved sae kindly,
Had we never loved sae blindly,
Never met—or never parted,
We had ne'er been broken-hearted

Fare thee weel, thou first and fairest!
Fare thee weel, thou best and dearest!
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
Peace, enjoyment, love, and pleasure!

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee!

Robert Burns