Breaking News or Views!

Unlike many senior citizens who sit glued to a TV set whenever they have spare time (which they have in plenty), I hardly watch television these days. My television viewing is restricted to watching  the news channels an hour before going to bed. Most of the channels seem to be “Breaking (the) News” with the same news  from morning till evening, with every channel claiming  that they are the first to telecast that  particular news. When you get fed up of watching the same news repeatedly  on one channel and try to surf the other news channels-  you find the same breaking news being featured in those  channels too!

Nowadays most of the advertising clips are also the same at any point of time.  I am told that some whiz kids in the Ad Media world came up with the idea of broadcasting the same television commercials  in all the selected channels at the same time, so that even if the viewers skip a channel during ad breaks to go to another news channel, they will find the same commercials running. The ad guys surely know how to get the ‘eyeballs’ of their target audience!

 Then there are the mandatory debates on every Breaking News topic. It is most irritating to see the anchor becoming  the chief judge, conducting a trial by media, cross questioning a bunch of experts that his channel is  able to assemble at short notice. Most of the channels also have their favorite panelists  who appear in their programmes every day. I often wonder how the same experts appear live on different channels at the same time. I have realized that participating in any debate on a news channel requires special skills – to say what you want to say ignoring the constant interjections  by both the anchor and the fellow panelists! Some of the anchors are so obnoxious – they shout at the top of their voices, bulldozing their pre-conceived views  on the panelists,  aggressively  forcing them to agree to their own point of view.

I derive enormous pleasure when I find an articulate and intelligent panelist gives it back to the anchor in the same coin. Some even threaten to walk out of a discussion if the anchor does not allow them to express their views. Like what the late Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Selvi Jayalalitha did in a  `Devil`s Advocate` programme on CNN IBN some years ago. Fed up with the provocative attitude of the anchor when she got up to leave midway, the `Devil` (Karan Thapar) tried to tell her “It was a pleasure having you in the programme”. She snubbed him, “ It was no pleasure talking to you” and walked out. Another person who was notorious for snubbing the anchors was that `enfant terrible` Lawyer (late) Jethmalani.

 Sometimes, the debates end up becoming shouting matches between panelists, especially when politicians from opposing parties are involved. While I hate the TV debates, I watch them ensnared by the eloquence of some of the panelists. I really admire their abilities to think on their feet or shall we say think on their seats!

 Like millions of people in this country I still prefer my morning newspaper for a comprehensive coverage of national, state and local news. Television can never give me the kind of joy I derive reading a newspaper as most of the times television is only giving views and not news!

 I was surprised recently to see a programme titled `Breaking Views` being telecast by NDTV immediately following their 8 pm news. I wonder how the channel got to read my mind!

Stories from our families

This Sunday I had the privilege of participating in the launch of a  book titled `Nammathu Kadaigal`( Stories from our families). It  was like a big family affair. The book is a collection of  61 short stories/essays in Tamil  by 34 writers, compiled by Dr.Sunderaraman Chintamani. He is  a corporate honcho turned digital Marketing consultant and  a popular professional  speaker  apart from his many other talents.

 I received the first copy of the book from Mr.Suresh, the Managing Director  of the Arun Excello Group of Companies,  a house of Engineering & Construction excellence, whose Senior Citizen facility `JIVA` near Mahabalipuram is becoming  favourite destination for many senior citizens. Other guests of honour on the dais were the ever popular auditor & philanthropist,  Kalaimamani J.Balasubramaniam & `the one woman army`  Girija Raghavan, the editor of Ladies Special magazine. The function which was held in the mini Hall of IIT Tech park in Taramani, anchored ably by Mrs Jayanthi Sunderaraman, was attended by some of the contributing  writers and their families.

The uniqueness of the book is that it contains stories of  families  with brahminical background with generous use of brahminical language/conversations, which according to Dr.Sunderraman is missing from most of the stories published in the last 20 years.  He felt the need for archiving such stories so that the younger generation is aware of the brahminical culture and traditions, which is sadly going out of fashion.  It took him almost five years to compile the book as initially there was resistance from some writers who were worried about participating in a venture which focused on a community. However Sundararaman`s persistence paid and his dream has become a reality.

The book  has the cover designed by auditor and part time artist Sridhar Seethapathy who  has  also done  the illustrations used in every story.

The four dignitaries on the dais offering their felicitations to the author  congratulated him and wished him well.

As a part of the programme, using the power point presentation,  the author gave a brief introduction to all the writers featured in the book .Those present in the audience or their representatives received their first copies from the guests of honour.  This ambitious book  of the author is  self published  by Jingyashika, a company owned by the Sundararaman . The project has been supported by a few sponsors. The 450 pages book is priced at Rs 450/- and is presently available with the author who can be contacted on 9840923764.

 

A DREAM HOME FOR 40 YEARS!

It was 1980, the year when my son  was born  that we decided to buy a plot of land in Sastri Nagar, a beautiful colony where we were staying in a rented house since 1974. I had to opt out of my PF account completely and pay for my share of the cost of the plot (3000sq ft). So  when we started building the 1100 sq.ft. house in 1982 I had no money. A few  friends were kind enough  to lend me the money in  the initial stages.  The generosity of the then Manager of the Walajah Road branch of Standard Chartered Bank who offered me a revolving loan, until I got a housing loan from LIC, also helped!

 After a bad experience with an engineer, I decided to seek  the services of Sheila Sriprakash, the wife of a Tabler friend and a professional architect to give me a new plan. She is today a big name in the world of architecture. The plan she came up with was unique, making effective use of the limited space. A contractor was appointed to build the house. It was going to be the first architect designed home among my family circles.

 I remember the great joy Prabha and I felt, standing on top of a make shift  ladder to  see the roof with freshly laid  concrete by a battery of workers. A roof of our own!

 After performing the necessary puja, we moved into the house on 12^th December,1982. Exactly forty years ago. I was then forty years old. Another milestone in my life and another dream come true since not only did I have a separate room for my parents with an attached bath, but I also built extra toilets to ensure that nobody had to wait in the queue for use of  bathrooms in the mornings! The two bedroom  house had three toilets, with one of them being a common one which could also be used by guests. It was an unforgettable experience for a guy from a Chawl in Bombay who lived in a 250 sq ft room with a family of six, sharing two common toilets with 5O others every morning for 26 long years!

 Over the next 10 years, brick by brick, I added a floor and extra bedrooms to satisfy the demands of my growing children for separate  bedrooms for each of them. Keeping the future in mind  I ensured that the first floor layout was exactly as per the ground floor with provision for an independent kitchen, so that it could become an independent unit when the need arose. In the process of adding facilities, I tried to realize some of my dreams for the house.  A small terrace garden with a small fountain at the first floor level and also facilities for holding parties on the terrace on the second floor were added. The small sit out adjacent to the main drawing room with French doors was later converted into a study with attached bar. This became a multipurpose room where, post retirement, I have my office and also meet friends when they visit me.

The small terrace garden on the first floor was first converted into a study and later into a small guest bedroom. After the renovation necessitated by flooding problem inside the house during the recent rains and the elimination of  the extra guest toilet for the same reason the home now has five proper bedrooms with attached toilets

At its peak of occupation the home had seven people staying –my family of five and my parents. The first to go out was my elder daughter Kavitha  who got married in 1994. The same year, my father passed away just a month before the marriage when he was 79. My second daughter Sowmya got married in 1998 and left home and my mother passed away in 2000 when she was 82. My son Balaji also left  for USA to do his Masters in Industrial Engineering in 2002.

Now the five bedroom independent home had only two people staying– Prabha and I. It was around the same time I was going through tough times in my business. So we decided to rent out the upstairs portion  to a tenant with independent access from outside. The arrangement continued until my son who had  returned from USA  in 2008 and got married the same year to Tulse. After  a brief stay in  Trichy after marriage he decided  to shift to Chennai and set shop  on the first floor of my home. Right from the beginning Prabha and I were clear that we will not merge the families. My son would have his own space and live the life that he wants to live and we will have our own space.

I have continued the same policy even after Prabha left this world in January,2013 when she was only 61.. As of now I live alone on the ground floor and my son whose family has expanded to four members  with the arrival of a son and daughter in quick succession, lives on  the first floor

As long as Prabha was there, being a house proud woman, she would slog to keep the house spotlessly clean. Though I cannot  maintain her standards, I am happy when some guests tell me that the house, particularly the kitchen and the Pooja room  are maintained well.

In the last 40 years I have had some wonderful  moments living in this house. Apart from hosting several memorable get togethers of  family and friends. I had to conduct the engagement ceremony of my elder daughter Kavitha at home, at a very short notice, attended by over 60 family members. The house also witnessed the arrival all my 6 grand children. The four grand children  through my daughters spent their first three months in this house being looked after by their proud & loving  grandmother Prabha.

Arul, my first grand child, born in 1996, was special. I had the energy and inclination to indulge in all his games, as I was still in my fifties. I remember I even recorded his activities for a whole day on video and called it a `A day with Arul`. After the arrival of Uthara, Nila and Keshav  between 2001 and 2003 in quick succession, it was fun when all of them came on a visit during family get togethers. My big `thoppai` was their play ground. Lying on my back in my bed I would allow them to do what they want with my big madhya  pradesh! Oh what fun it was!. Unfortunately I neither have the energy nor stamina to indulge my resident grand children through my son Thavam (4.5yrs) and Bakthi (1.8yrs). At 80, while the spirit is willing the flesh has become weak.

While I have gone through the aging process, hopefully gracefully, my home of 40 years is beginning to show signs of wear and tear.  Should  we go for major repairs or go for redevelopment of the house, as has been done by many house owners in our colony, is a question that is cropping up often these days.  I will leave that decision to my son  as I am beginning to develop a detached attachment  towards all near and dear ones including my beautiful home! I can always live with the memories of this  home just as I have been celebrating the memories of 40 years of my  life with Prabha!

Time to Let go!

Over the years I have been associated with several voluntary & professional organizations.  In some of them  the original founders refused to give up control or refused to `Let Go` which resulted in such organizations’ collapse after the exit of such founders due to natural causes.

I was a trustee in an NGO which was  being run by a dynamic but aging friend, I suggested institutionalizing the organization so that the NGO continues to flourish even after the exit of the founder. My idea was accepted and a retired professional from the corporate sector was appointed to run the NGO on a day-to-day basis. But the founder refused to let go of his control and encouraged staff to come to him with any problems they faced thereby undermining the position of the professional who quit after a couple of years. As expected, the NGO ceased to exist after the demise of the founder.

In a Rotary Club which celebrated its Silver jubilee last year, the original founders, all past presidents now, have dominated the running of the Club so much that they are not able to attract new members resulting in a Past President taking over as the Silver Jubilee President. Unless this club ropes in some new, young members and encourages potential leaders to take over the mantle of the club and empowers them, I will not be surprised if the club ceases to exist after a couple of years.

I also know of a company started by a friend, which grew by leaps and bounds, got into serious trouble when he was immobilized due to a major accident and could not run the company. In the absence of an identified successor to run the company, his family had to sell the company.

Whichever organization that I have founded or in which I  have occupied leadership positions, I have always ensured that there is a lineup of potential leaders to take over the mantle after me.  Wherever possible, I  also tried to institutionalize the running of the organization so that the day-to-day functions ran smoothly, irrespective of the caliber of its leaders.

I have always believed in the power of the youth and encouraged them to come up with new ideas so that the institution continues to grow and stays relevant to the times. There is no point in past presidents constantly harping on what happened during their times and interfering in the affairs of the institution concerned preventing the younger teams to function. Instead, they should provide advice and help only when sought and generally encourage the new teams.

I am proud to say that this is what is happening now  in the Rotary Club of Madras South of which I have been a member since 1977. A  62 years old club it has over 26 Past presidents out of a membership of 75. Thanks to the constant induction of young blood it has become such a vibrant club where the old and new members work hand in hand bonding like a big, happy family!

It is time leaders know when to let go so that not only the institutions survive them but also do better!

Dr.Kalarani Ramachandran- A scholar among dance exponents

When I met Dr.Kalarani Ramachandran ( Kala), a Bharatanatyanm exponent and a scholar in dance theory & history for this article  I was intrigued to hear that these days she conducts  Nrithyobics-  a workshop on dance movements as therapy for house wives ,senior citizens and anyone interested in keeping fit. Though using dance as a medium to teach people physical exercises is common,  using the classical Bharatanatyam movements as therapy, I thought,  was unusual. Probing about her background I found  that Kala has dedicated her whole life to Bharatanatyam, initially as a performer and later as a teacher, speaker and a researcher on the history of Bharatanatyam resulting in her becoming an author of five books on dancing.

Born in Coimbatore, she did her schooling in ,Bangalore and Ahmedabad and later went to get a degree in Music  from Queen Mary`s College  in Chennai.  Her mother  Sivakamasundari, herself an accomplished Carnatic singer , encouraged Kala to learn dancing from the age of 3 and had  been a great support  to her in her dancing career. Her mother would sing in her dance programmes and was also capable of composing  Varnam, Padam  and Thillana.

Kala gave her first public performance when she was only 6 and had her arangetram  in Coimbatore when she was 8. “When I was only 8 years I  Performed `Krishna nee begane` and got a standing ovation which made my parents proud” says Kala.

Over the years she had the privilege of being trained  in renowned institutes under stalwarts like V.Chalapathy Rao,  Smt. Mrinalaini Sarabhai (Founder, Darpana Academy), Thanjai Arunachalam, Chennai , Prof. Anjali Merh (Head of Department of performing arts, MS University, Baroda), Sri Sriramulu Acharyalu (Kuchipudi)and Kerala Kala Mandalam (Mohiniattam and Kudiattam). A chance meeting with Dr.Padma Subramaniam  who was visiting the city on a lecture cum demonstration tour got her interested in  the theory  and history of dance.

Kala  got married to Ramachanadran of Bombay when  she was only 21, and moved to Madurai where her husband decided to set up a business  and where she was to spend the  next  30 years. Though a daughter and son  arrived soon after marriage, encouraged by her husband and her in laws she continued to indulge in  her passion for dancing by conducting classes  in Bharatanatyam  under the auspices of Nrithyanjali Dance Academy which she founded in Madurai.

 It was in Madurai, when she was in her early  forties  that she decided to get a doctorate  from  Madurai Kamaraj University on `History of dance`. The year was 2001. Since her arrival in Chennai in 2006 Kala also has been experimenting with the use of Bharatanatya`s melody based Bhava`s to teach mentally and physically challenged children at V-Excel and Mithra,  both schools in Chennai, for children with special needs. In addition to her first book based on her thesis for her Phd she has published  other  books titled Bharatanatyam in Tamil Nadu (2004),Thanjai Valartha Bharathakalai  ( 2004), Road to Happy Dancing ( 2014). In  2019 Tamil Nadu Eyal ,Esai Nataka Manram  sponsored the publication of her book in Tamil

Currently she is working on a book on dance grantha  ( grammar of dance) -a translation job from Sanskrit to English based on techniques of dancing practiced in 17^th Century.

Kala says,`My  mission to day  is to pass on whatever I have learnt about dancing to the next generation`.

Kala, who lives in Kalakshetra colony in Besant Nagar can be contacted on – email; kala_ram@yahoo.in or mob. 9884887913.

( This article has appeared in Adyar Times issue dt.20^th November,22)

 

 

 

 

 

Self publishing or Vanity publishing?

Publishers are generally not interested  in encouraging new writers unless they are celebrities or well known for their subject specialization. Many of the famous   writers of today had to face rejection by several publishers before their first book got accepted. I had some experience with this when I wanted to publish my first book- my autobiography in 2009 which I wrote post retirement Two Chennai-based publishers were interested but were not giving me a firm commitment. In the meanwhile, my good friend Srinivasamurthy of Productivity & Quality Publishing, specializing in management books offered to help me provided I promised him a book on Rural Marketing ( my area of specialisation then) which he would publish. He however wanted me to self-finance my autobiography and wanted Rs 1,00,000 for printing 1000 copies. He promised to give me 500 books to sell myself and on the balance that he sold through his distribution network, he promised me a royalty.

 

The concept of digital printing and print on demand was yet to make its appearance then. Being an impatient man I agreed to the terms and within six months the book was ready featuring my cartoon by legendary cartoonist R.K.Lakshman on the cover. I had a dream launch of the book at a meeting of the Rural Marketing Association of India (of which I was a Founder President) where I was being given the Life Time Achievement Award by the association. The two-in-one function held in Chennai with a packed audience consisting of friends and well-wishers was a resounding success. I sold 100 copies of the book on that day. Within the next two years not only I sold most of the copies I had through aggressive marketing among my contacts but also received a handsome royalty from the publisher over a period of four years for copies sold through book shops. My next book on Rural marketing sold about 2000 copies and I was happy with the good royalty I got from the publisher. However, I lost money on my self-financed third book, the first collection of my essays, because I had printed more copies than what I could sell through my contacts.

 

Right from the beginning I had decided that I would try my hand at different genres of writing and realized that no publisher would be interested in supporting me in my experiments. By this time self-publishing, digital printing, and print on demand were becoming popular and I got introduced to Mr Diwakar of Compuprint who is a specialist in this area. I decided to use the services of Diwakar who not only prints my books but also publishes them. Needless to say that I self-finance them. He also gets the ISBN no. and uploads my books on Amazon and handles the orders received. But he has no arrangement for distributing the books to book shops.  I, on my own, ensure the sale of my books in a couple of book shops in Chennai by directly contacting them.

 

I am clear that I am publishing my books not to become a world famous author or make big money through my books. I am doing this because of the immense joy it gives me every time I publish a new book and it is favourably received by my readers who are growing in numbers. Besides, holding the first copy of every new book is like holding your new baby. I market my book shamelessly and promote it through social and other media, which helps create awareness about my book but does not result in big sales. What gets me the result is the direct marketing efforts to targeted audiences. 

 

Since I do not have the benefit of getting my books sold through a distribution network, I initially print 150 copies and order extra copies as and when I run out of copies. Some of my well wishers even order extra copies to gift them to their friends. The fact that I have a huge network of friends through my association with several voluntary and professional bodies and my background as an ex-adman  helps in selling my books.

 

I am very happy with the system I am following because I am completely in control of my book projects and know exactly where I stand with the sales at any point in time. The same cannot be said about the experience of some of my friends who have used the services of a well-established self-publishing house and even after two years they don`t know where they stand in terms of the sales of their books. Most of them have not even recovered 40% of the investment they made in self-publishing their books. It is a well-known fact that good publishers can help in distributing the books but cannot guarantee sales. If an author is interested in selling his books he has to relentlessly promote his book through every available media and at every available opportunity. Even well-known authors have to do this when their books are released.

 

 

Thanks to self-publishing and print-on-demand facility today every other writer is able to become a published author. It is also called `Vanity Publishing`. Today Self publishing or Vanity publishing is an accepted norm in the world of writers/authors. It is also an ideal solution for those who want to see their writings in book form. They can print limited no of copies of their memoirs or any other book that they have written for free distribution. With the experience of publishing 12 books in 13 years covering seven genres of writing I have already  helped 15 friends self publish their books.  I will be happy to offer my services, pro bono, to anyone needing advice on self publishing their books. My email id: rvrajan42@gmail.com

 

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The attached photo does not feature my new book titled `Bright Stars in the Chennai Sky`- my 12^th book in 13 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why you must always carry your identity card

Every one must carry an identity card when they go out. After reading the following stories you will agree with me on this very important message, which I got a few years ago.

During my regular walks on the Elliot beach road in Chennai,  one day I found a crowd gathered around a  gentleman,  probably in his  sixties, lying dead on the footpath. Eyewitnesses mentioned that he had come on a two-wheeler and after parking it in the parking lot as he stepped on the footpath he collapsed. Someone called the ambulance which arrived in no time and on checking the pulse and other parameters  of the gentlemen he was declared already dead. He must have suffered a massive cardiac arrest. The police arrived and found no identity card on his person.  After some deliberation, they broke open the glove compartment of his  two -wheeler and found his insurance paper from which the dead man`s address was noted. By the time the family was informed and they arrived to take charge, the body was lying on the footpath for nearly five  hours with a policeman keeping guard.

This gentleman, in his fifties,  was a regular at the tennis court in an upscale colony  of Chennai where  he had moved in recently . Everyone knew his name but  no  one had an idea about his address. One morning at the end of a vigorous session, he collapsed. He was rushed to a nearby hospital by fellow players but they did not know whom to contact as he had no ID card on his person. His mobile phone was locked. It was with great difficulty, using social media, his identity was known  and later the family was  informed.

The latest incident involved a very good friend , a part of my  walking group. He was 81 years old and used to come in a two wheeler  to the popular coffee shop near Elliot beach where we regularly  meet for coffee after our walks. He was not doing well with old age related  problems  and in spite of repeated appeals from friends not to use the two- wheeler he insisted on using it and refused to  carry any identity card on his person. During my morning walk a few days ago, a regular walker on the beach road,  interrupted me and told me that he saw an accident involving an old man on a  two  wheeler and wondered if could be our  friend. Instinctively  I rang up my friend`s mobile and found the attendant of the ambulance responding. He asked me about  my relationship with the mobile owner who, he said,  was involved in a serious accident and was being taken in the ambulance to a hospital . He named the hospital  and asked me to come there. I  got into action and through another friend in  the group  the son of the victim was informed.  The son  rushed to the hospital only  to find that his father was brought dead to the hospital. He had died of a serious head injury as he was not wearing a helmet.  But for the tip I got, I wonder how his family would have been informed  of the accident in time as my friend did not carry an identity card.

So my friends, young or old, always carry an identity card on your person whenever you go out  walking alone or going on errands  in your vehicles. It is not enough if you have your Aadhaar card. You must carry a card featuring your name and contact details on the front and on the reverse of the card it must feature the names of your near and dear ones who can be contacted in case of an emergency. It will be a good idea to also mention your blood grouping. I am reproducing  below the scanned copy  of a laminated identity card I always carry with me. Any big Xerox shops which also offer  printing facilities can help you with this at a nominal cost.

A bumper harvest of articles!

Happy to report that nine  of my articles have appeared in as many publications in the last six weeks. That includes Times Of India, Chennai,  Adayar Times,  Dignity Dialogue, Seniors Today & Seniorgiri ( both e-magazines published from Mumbai, Vidhura,  Kalaimagal ( Diwali Issue) and  Ladies Special ( Diwali issue) and a guest article in the Biography of my good friend R.T Chari released at a glittering function held at Music Academy last Sunday at which the who`s who of Chennai  were present.  My guest article in Chari`s Biography talks about Chari`s service to Tamil Literature through Tamil Puthaga Nanbargal ( Tamil Reader`s Forum) with which I was also closely associated. My article in Ladies Special  is an adaptation from this guest article and  the first bio sketch I wrote about Chari published in an issue of Madras Musings in 2013 which is featured  in my new book `Bright Stars in the Chennai Sky`.  I am happy to reproduce  below the English version of my article on Chari, the Tamil translation of which for Ladies Special  was done by my brother`s wife Mythili Seshadri . I thank Mrs Girija Raghavan the dynamic editor of the magazine for inviting me to write this article. If this article on the inspiring story on Chari motivates you to read his full biography titled `The Inspiring Saga of an Accidental Entrepreneur`  by my good friend S.R.Madhu, the purpose of this posting would be more than served.  Book is not for sale but  available on  request to  Rajagopal on Whats App no 9884320292.

     R.T Chari – A philanthropist with a difference!

How many businessmen will think of building an auditorium, not to make money, but to primarily conduct programmes of their choice and to derive great joy in throwing it open to friends and well-wishers as well? This always preceded or followed by delicious South Indian tiffin. Food for the stomach and food for the soul! Doing it month after month for more than 20 years. That businessman is my good friend R T Chari  who has been sharing his wealth and his passion with the society, long before Corporate Social Responsibility became a buzz word in the corporate world! The auditorium he built  is the Tag Centre on T.T.K.Road in Chennai.

Chari was born into a typical middle class Iyengar family at Kesava Perumal Street in the heart of Mylapore, as the fifth child and fourth son in a family of nine children. His father, with his limited means could only assure his children three square meals a day and decent education. While he was the favourite of his grandfather, his grandmother  was more fond of his other brighter brothers. Sometimes she would join her brothers in tease him about his inadequacies arising out of his being mildly dyslexic as a student.

Chari says, “It was this constant comparison between me and my brothers that sowed the seeds of an angry young man in me. I was determined to prove to the world what I am capable of.”

Fortunately, the family moved to Tambaram where he was enrolled into Corley High School run by Christian missionaries. The headmaster of the school discovered that not only was Chari a good student but the tall young man was also good in sports. It is in this school that Chari realized that he was good in Maths and also in Science subjects.

“My success in sports and the recognition I got because of it changed the attitude of my family towards me. My family members stopped teasing me. I was now even more determined to prove to my family that I was different from others”, Chari recounts.

Different he was as happenings in  his life over the years proved. After successfully completing his engineering degree from  College of Engineering, Guindy he joined Seshasayee group as an Apprentice Engineer in 1961  and quickly  rose to become the Chief Technical Commercial Manager in 1972.

Chari was married to Rangi, a multitalented girl from Bangalore, chosen by his parents, in 1971. A year after his marriage through a force of circumstances and backed by luck Chari was allowed to start his own company in 1972 while continuing as the Commercial manager of the Seshayee until he proved himself in his business. Chari could have his cake and eat it too! This turned out to be the ultimate break in his life

Chari  took to business like duck to water. Within a couple of years of starting on his own he started seeing big money and instead of just hoarding the money, he decided at the  young age of 40, to share his prosperity with  society. From being a successful businessman, Chari was on the road to becoming a generous philanthropist. A philanthropist who did not believe in just cheque book charity.

He joined Rotary Club of Madras South in 1974 and became close to the well known  Diabetologist Dr.C.V.Krishnaswamy who motivated him to help in  some of his pet projects in Voluntary Health Services.

While Chari was continuing with his generosity, an incident in his personal life completely changed him as a person and the direction of his philanthropic activities. Provoked by a challenge posed by his brothers  regarding  his lack of interest in Carnatic music, Chari decided to listen to Carnatic music every day. He realized that Carnatic music was not only giving him great joy but also helped him to become a calmer and a focused person. Just as he had decided to share his wealth with the deserving in the society, he also decided to share the joy of listening to Carnatic music with his close friends and relatives. Thus began his tryst with not only Carnatic music but also South India Heritage.

 As one of  his good friend in Rotary he would invite  me and Prabha to every one of the events that he organized. First to the series of Chamber Music he organsied at his own flat in Poes garden and  later to  the South India Heritage Lecture series at Tag Centre.  The number of Musicians,  heritage enthusiasts  and  writers /authors he has encouraged & rewarded and the number of institutions he has supported with his active involvement is too long to be recorded in this short article.

Later in life Chari developed an  interest in Tamil literature which led to his starting a Tamil Readers Forum ( Tamizh Puthaga Nanbargal) the idea for which he got at a Tamil book launch function I had organised at Tag Centre. In his inimitable style of identifying the right man for the right job, he roped in Charukesi, Ravi Tamilvanan and me to help him with the project. Thus was born Tamizh Puthaga Nanbargal comprising the four of us. Though I have known Chari for the last 45 years thanks to our association with Rotary Club of Madras South,  it is TPN which gave me an opportunity to work closely with him and observe his style of working.

Chari is an ideas man. Every time he gets an idea he pursues it relentlessly. He is also impatient  to get things done fast. He is highly focused on  whatever idea is implementing. He is a stickler for time. He always believes in  starting meetings on time and ending on time. So much so that even if the auditorium is full and waiting eagerly for the start of the meeting he will not start until the scheduled time. Similarly you can see him getting  fidgety if a speaker exceeded his time limit. Chari has always believed in his invitees responding to the RSVP for any meeting he organizes. The same rule applied to TPN meetings also. It was my job to receive the RSVPs and inform Chari about the number of people likely to attend the meeting so that he could make catering arrangements.

Another interesting feature of the TPN meetings was the decent  honorarium which Chari decided to give the chosen author and the reviewer at every meeting. Authors from outside Chennai were also given a travel allowance to cover their travel costs. An  unheard of practice in any Tamil literary meetings.

.

Thanks to my involvement with TPN I started reading Tamil  books. I think the same thing happened to Chari as well. Even at the age of 83 he his bubbling with ideas to serve the society.

 

 I must thank Rotary for introducing me to a wonderful friend who motivated me to get involved in philanthropic activities in my own small way  but  also for reinforcing my belief that age is no barrier to pursue one`s dreams!

A bumper harvest of articles!

In an earlier post I had promised to reveal about other good things that happened  to me around Diwali time this year as a writer. Happy to report that eight of my articles have appeared in as many publications in the last six weeks. That includes Times Of India, Chennai,  Adayar Times,  Dignity Dialogue, Seniors Today & Seniorgiri ( both e-magazines published from Mumbai,  Kalaimagal ( Diwali Issue) and  Ladies Special ( Diwali issue) and a guest article in the Biography of my good friend R.T Chari released at a glittering function held at Music Academy last Sunday at which the who`s who of Chennai  were present.  My guest article in Chari`s Biography talks about Chari`s service to Tamil Literature through Tamil Puthaga Nanbargal ( Tamil Reader`s Forum) with which I was also closely associated. My article in Ladies Special  is an adaptation from this guest article and  the first bio sketch I wrote about Chari published in an issue of Madras Musings in 2013 which is featured  in my new book `Bright Stars in the Chennai Sky`.  I am happy to reproduce  below the English version of my article on Chari, the Tamil translation of which for Ladies Special  was done by my brother`s wife Mythili Seshadri . I thank Mrs Girija Raghavan the dynamic editor of the magazine for inviting me to write this article. If this article on the inspiring story on Chari motivates you to read his full biography titled `The Inspiring Saga of an Accidental Entrepreneur`  by my good friend S.R.Madhu, the purpose of this posting would be more than served.  Book is not for sale but  available on  request to  Rajagopal on Whats App no 9884320292.

 

                        R.T Chari – A philanthropist with a difference!

 

                                                       

How many businessmen will think of building an auditorium, not to make money, but to primarily conduct programmes of their choice and to derive great joy in throwing it open to friends and well-wishers as well? This always preceded or followed by delicious South Indian tiffin. Food for the stomach and food for the soul! Doing it month after month for more than 20 years. That businessman is my good friend R T Chari  who has been sharing his wealth and his passion with the society, long before Corporate Social Responsibility became a buzz word in the corporate world! The auditorium he built  is the Tag Centre on T.T.K.Road in Chennai.

Chari was born into a typical middle class Iyengar family at Kesava Perumal Street in the heart of Mylapore, as the fifth child and fourth son in a family of nine children. His father, with his limited means could only assure his children three square meals a day and decent education. While he was the favourite of his grandfather, his grandmother  was more fond of his other brighter brothers. Sometimes she would join her brothers in tease him about his inadequacies arising out of his being mildly dyslexic as a student.

Chari says, “It was this constant comparison between me and my brothers that sowed the seeds of an angry young man in me. I was determined to prove to the world what I am capable of.”

Fortunately, the family moved to Tambaram where he was enrolled into Corley High School run by Christian missionaries. The headmaster of the school discovered that not only was Chari a good student but the tall young man was also good in sports. It is in this school that Chari realized that he was good in Maths and also in Science subjects.

“My success in sports and the recognition I got because of it changed the attitude of my family towards me. My family members stopped teasing me. I was now even more determined to prove to my family that I was different from others”, Chari recounts.

Different he was as happenings in  his life over the years proved. After successfully completing his engineering degree from  College of Engineering, Guindy he joined Seshasayee group as an Apprentice Engineer in 1961  and quickly  rose to become the Chief Technical Commercial Manager in 1972.

Chari was married to Rangi, a multitalented girl from Bangalore, chosen by his parents, in 1971. A year after his marriage through a force of circumstances and backed by luck Chari was allowed to start his own company in 1972 while continuing as the Commercial manager of the Seshayee until he proved himself in his business. Chari could have his cake and eat it too! This turned out to be the ultimate break in his life

Chari  took to business like duck to water. Within a couple of years of starting on his own he started seeing big money and instead of just hoarding the money, he decided at the  young age of 40, to share his prosperity with  society. From being a successful businessman, Chari was on the road to becoming a generous philanthropist. A philanthropist who did not believe in just cheque book charity.

He joined Rotary Club of Madras South in 1974 and became close to the well known  Diabetologist Dr.C.V.Krishnaswamy who motivated him to help in  some of his pet projects in Voluntary Health Services.

While Chari was continuing with his generosity, an incident in his personal life completely changed him as a person and the direction of his philanthropic activities. Provoked by a challenge posed by his brothers  regarding  his lack of interest in Carnatic music, Chari decided to listen to Carnatic music every day. He realized that Carnatic music was not only giving him great joy but also helped him to become a calmer and a focused person. Just as he had decided to share his wealth with the deserving in the society, he also decided to share the joy of listening to Carnatic music with his close friends and relatives. Thus began his tryst with not only Carnatic music but also South India Heritage.

 As one of  his good friend in Rotary he would invite  me and Prabha to every one of the events that he organized. First to the series of Chamber Music he organsied at his own flat in Poes garden and  later to  the South India Heritage Lecture series at Tag Centre.  The number of Musicians,  heritage enthusiasts  and  writers /authors he has encouraged & rewarded and the number of institutions he has supported with his active involvement is too long to be recorded in this short article.

Later in life Chari developed an  interest in Tamil literature which led to his starting a Tamil Readers Forum ( Tamizh Puthaga Nanbargal) the idea for which he got at a Tamil book launch function I had organised at Tag Centre. In his inimitable style of identifying the right man for the right job, he roped in Charukesi, Ravi Tamilvanan and me to help him with the project. Thus was born Tamizh Puthaga Nanbargal comprising the four of us. Though I have known Chari for the last 45 years thanks to our association with Rotary Club of Madras South,  it is TPN which gave me an opportunity to work closely with him and observe his style of working.

Chari is an ideas man. Every time he gets an idea he pursues it relentlessly. He is also impatient  to get things done fast. He is highly focused on  whatever idea is implementing. He is a stickler for time. He always believes in  starting meetings on time and ending on time. So much so that even if the auditorium is full and waiting eagerly for the start of the meeting he will not start until the scheduled time. Similarly you can see him getting  fidgety if a speaker exceeded his time limit. Chari has always believed in his invitees responding to the RSVP for any meeting he organizes. The same rule applied to TPN meetings also. It was my job to receive the RSVPs and inform Chari about the number of people likely to attend the meeting so that he could make catering arrangements.

Another interesting feature of the TPN meetings was the decent  honorarium which Chari decided to give the chosen author and the reviewer at every meeting. Authors from outside Chennai were also given a travel allowance to cover their travel costs. An  unheard of practice in any Tamil literary meetings.

.

Thanks to my involvement with TPN I started reading Tamil  books. I think the same thing happened to Chari as well. Even at the age of 83 he his bubbling with ideas to serve the society.

 

 I must thank Rotary for introducing me to a wonderful friend who motivated me to get involved in philanthropic activities in my own small way  but  also for reinforcing my belief that age is no barrier to pursue one`s dreams!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An evening to remember!

It was the 65^th Anniversary of Adclub ,Madras, at Grand Chola,  which was to witness 12 Past Presidents being honoured, each  with a special memento. Only seven were present. I was one of  them. 84 yrs old K.A Srinivasan, oldest among the Past Presidents  came with his wife. He is staying at a senior citizen home in Vandalur. There was  Prof. A. Srivatsa , who came from Bangalore. Others who received the mementos  included S.K.Swamy,  Vijay Xavier, Jagannath Ramaswamy, U. Jayraj Rao. Others who were not present included R.Seshadri, , C.D.Harish, Mrs V.Saxena and Ranju Kumar  Mohan. V.Kalidas was honored posthumously.

Mr N.Murali , the director of the The Hindu group and a great friend and well wisher of the Adclub, Madras was the chief guest. It was good to meet old friends after a long time and going down memory lane.

 I was a member of the Adclub Madras from 1974, the year I moved to Chennai. I was actively involved  with the Club only from 1988 to 2006 . I was the President of the Club in 1993-95. During my year as the President of the Club  I established a Permanent  secretariat at Club`s Own premises in Carex Centre which I had helped the club acquire the previous year. I also started a PG Diploma  Course in  Advertising, the only  ad club to run such a course in the country. Though I was actively with  the course in the initial years, the credit for taking  on the responsibility as the Director of the course for the next 25 years goes to PP Jagannath Ramaswamy.  I understand that the Course which was suspended during the Pandemic is going to be revived with a new syllabus  in keeping with the changing  times.

In 2006, as the Chairman of the Golden Jubliee Committee, apart from organizing  some memorable events  including the Grand Finale night where 10 veteran advertising professionals from South India were honored with Distinguished Service Awards, I also took on the onerous task  of bringing out the Golden Jubilee Commemoration volume, a Coffee Table book  providing the history of the Club. It was a tough job in the absence of any old files and records. An old member S.Krishna came to my rescue not only running from pillar to post trying to get whatever information and old photos that he could get but also writing the main history of the club. I consider the GJ Coffee Table Book professionally designed and printed by Brand Portrait as one of my important achievements in life.

Though the Club missed celebrating the Diamond Jubilee I am happy that the current Executive Committee of the Club  with Paul Antony as the President decided to celebrate the 65^th Anniversary providing an opportunity for many Past Presidents like me to meet and share their experiences with the younger generation. It was certainly an evening to remember!

For 54 years he was the voice of industry in South India

 A Tribute to S.Viswanathan

Can someone without specific academic qualifications or experience in journalism, and no financial resources but just a dream, launch an industrial magazine and run it successfully for 54 years? S. Viswanathan (SV), Founder Editor and Publisher of ‘Industrial Economist’ (IE), dared to do this.

SV  celebrated  two landmark events in his life in 2018; his 80^th birthday in January and the Golden Jubilee of IE on March 15th. I had the pleasure of attending this grand event at ITC Grand Chola in Chennai  and  witness for myself the tremendous respect he commanded from both the corporate bigwigs of the time and Bureaucrats of both state and central governments.

SV`s story as a successful economic journalist is worth recounting to provide inspiration to many aspiring  young  journalists.

SV’s first brush with writing and printing happened when, after graduation,  he was teaching  mathematics in some well known institutions in Chennai. His association with the Social Service Centre, Mambalam, provided him an opportunity to work on social issues like hygiene and nutrition and also to bring out a souvenir for the Centre. It was a good experience in editing, advertising and marketing.

 This  brought him in touch with Krishna Srinivas (KSri) who was publishing two magazines, ‘Indian Industries’ and ‘Poet’—both printed at his printing press. Impressed by SV’s work, KSri invited him to help him run the magazines and the press. Armed with the knowledge gained working with KSri, Viswanathan decided to turn entrepreneur. He was only 24 when he launched the monthly magazine ‘Mobile’, in 1962, devoted to the transport industry  with  guidance from S.N.Ramasami of the TVS group. Less than two years later, he started another trade magazine, ‘Trade Wheel’, devoted to the two-wheeler industry.

An important breakthrough came when he traded advertising space for a round-trip ticket to Europe with Pan-Am. He used his connections with the Press Bureau of German Industry in India, to get the opportunity to visit  six renowned German companies . The trip opened  SV`s  eyes to the immense opportunities and scope for industry-focused journalism.

SV decided to phase out  `Mobile `magazine and  bring out an industry based-magazine focused on South India as  there was an opening up of a window of opportunity because economic journals from Kolkata (‘Capital’), Delhi (‘Eastern Economist’), and Bombay(‘Commerce’), all industry-owned publications, had folded up. And so, ‘Industrial Economist’ (IE) was born in 1968.

The first issue of IE was released as a fortnightly on March 15, 1968. It had 36 pages, a cover price of 75 paise (annual subscription Rs. 15), and a print order of 2,000 copies.

According to SV, the concept of the ‘Advertorial Supplement’ on a particular topic/event introduced by IE, was the first of its kind in business journalism. The supplements had anywhere from 24 to 80 pages. The first supplement was on the inauguration of Madras Refineries Ltd. in September 1969. It was a part of the regular issue of the magazine and carried special features on the prestigious plant built with multinational involvement. MRL ordered 5,000 copies of the supplement for distribution. It was a good business idea and IE over the years produced over 100 such supplements.

The growing business necessitated shifting the office from his home in T. Nagar to a rented premises. With the move, came the idea of expanding the press. Unfortunately by the time  SV imported  printing machines  from Germany  and installed them technology had changed. Letter-press became obsolete and computers took over. SV struggled for a decade before deciding to quit the printing business!

Even while SV was fighting a battle on the business front, burdened with term loans, he was fast gaining recognition as an economic editor. He started getting invited to the annual Economic Editors’ Conferences hosted by the Union Government in Delhi which provided for interactions with Central ministers and senior civil servants. From 1973, for 45 years, SV was the sole representative to focus on southern economic issues  at  these conferences.

In 1985, SV switched to electronic/computer typesetting and desk top publishing/digitisation. Eight years later, IE celebrated its Silver Jubilee. To commemorate the 1993 Silver Jubilee, IE instituted the first ever ‘Business Excellence Award’ for corporates in South India. SV  formed an independent awards committee to make the decision. The Awards were discontinued in 2001 when SV found the mushrooming TV channels in Delhi presenting a plethora of awards.

In 1994, SV decided to go public. His company IE became a unit of the new company, Economist Communications Ltd. In the early 1980s, SV had moved to a  rented property in Guindy Industrial Estate. When new sheds were built there, he got allotted a 2,500 sq. ft. shed, and in 2001, 5,600 sq. ft. land. Foreseeing the transformation of Guindy into a large commercial hub, he raised a sophisticated commercial building designed by C.R. Narayan Rao architects and constructed by L&T.  In a record seven months, Economist House was built.

With steady rent coming from lessees, SV was  able to bring out IE regularly, modestly supported by advertising. Importantly, he was able to be independent. SV fought a long legal battle to win the right of journalists to be critical of corporates.

SV groomed many young journalists in economic journalism. His enthusiasm and energy displayed in  bringing out IE for 54 long years without compromising on  the quality of the contents or production is truly praiseworthy. In spite of a setback in his health due to Covid, he bounced back  to think of new ideas to keep the magazine going.  Keeping with the times in recent months the magazine had also started coming out in digital format.

In his passing away on 22^nd October, at the age of 84,  the world of economic journalism has lost a veteran.

He was a good friend and a well wisher. I will miss him. May his soul attain Satgathi!

An unforgettable Diwali gift!

The ninety year old Tamil literary monthly  Kalaimagal has carried my short story titled `Ilamai Thudippu` ( Pulse of the youth) in its Diwali issue this year.  It is appearing  along side the stories of many eminent writers in Tamil. I am thrilled at this special Diwali gift from Kizhambur, the editor of Kalaimagal . I wrote this unpublished story  in Tamil 60 years ago when I was still in college, when I was a Tamil fanatic  writing essays, stories and plays in Tamil. While  a couple of my plays were staged by a group of my friends in  which I also acted, the stories were only  circulated among friends and relatives.

 Kalaimagal has published a couple of my short stories and travelogues in the past in its regular issues  and Diwali issues. But they were all Tamil translations of my original articles in English. This is the first time that my story which I wrote in Tamil has been published. I can`t believe that I wrote this story . Because today  I can`t even compose a simple  sentence in Tamil without struggle as I am out of touch writing in Tamil for over 55 years.  Judging by the response I am getting from  some friends to  `Ilamai Thudippu` it is time that I get out of my mental block and start writing more stories in Tamil. To do that I must first learn to type in Tamil. That is the next Challenge I will take up seriously.

Since I don`t know how to send a link to the article in the Diwali issue, I am attaching the scanned copy of the story which has appeared in Kalaimagal. If my friends on FB who know Tamil find it difficult to read  & want a clearer copy  I can send the article as a word document. Please connect with me on rvrajan42@gmail.com.

I have two more good news to share this Diwali. More about it in my next posting.

Wishing all my friends on FB  a very happy Diwali!

A memorable 3 in 1 function

A reunion of ex emloyees  of Anugrah Madison (Team Anugrah)to felicitate me on my 80^th birthday  where my latest book was also released was held yesterday at  Sastri Nagar Ladies Club, close to my home. About 23 team members  had turned up . I was surprised to see Vivek  &  Koshy who had come all the way from Amsterdam & Dubai  only to attend the event. So also Murugan from Bangalore. The programme meticulously planned by Shobha Murthy  gave enough opportunities for members to go down memory lane. The screening of the seven  minute film on me by Rajeshwari Anand,  a long time associate,  as her personal tribute was followed by a quiz that she conducted  based on the film. A film titled `Naalu Parukkaikaha`  based on a short story by my late wife Prabha  and produced by Shobha`s daughter Shruthy sponsored by Prabha Rajan  Talent Foundation was also screened. The four senior managers of Anugrah were felicitated with special Cardamom garlands. The icing on the cake was a special `RVR-80` ceramic mug  gifted  to  all members who attended the event. I was happy to learn that many of the members had turned entrepreneurs and were doing very well. It was also heartening to know that they all harbored very pleasant memories of their association with Anugrah and were grateful to the management for empowering them and teaching them good values which has stood them in good stead in their respective careers. The meeting was followed by a typical south Indian lunch. The fact that even after lunch members were hanging around  until they were forced out of the hall by the next event organizer reflected the success of the event.

Personally I was happy that I was in the company of my old colleagues who were like my family who also ensured that all the copies of my new book which I had taken to the venue were sold out. Thanks Shobha & Team for organizing a memorable event.

 

A memorable trip to Karaikudi in Tamil Nadu

I had visited Karaikudi 35 years ago to attend the wedding of a cousin. It was not that crowded then  nor did I see that many shops. Traffic was bearable. It was a different experience when a group of walking friends decided to visit the town  recently on a  two - in- one trip; to attend the Sadhabhishekam (80^th birthday celebration) of  one of the members and also visit places of touristy  interest in and around Karaikudi.  The programme was masterminded by the wife of one of the members whose families  belong  to Karaikudi also known as capital of Chettinad, land of Chettiars. Traditionally Chettiars are well known as private bankers and money lenders  who also believed in philanthrophy . They built temples and educational institutions wherever they settled.

Eight of us decided to travel by two cars, leaving Chennai at 6 am on a Sunday morning. On the way we had breakfast  at  Murugan Idli, a new branch of the well known chain of restaurants located immediately after crossing Thindivanam on NH 4.While the restaurant offers their famous Sweet Pongal ( Chakra pongal) and Kuzhi Paniyaram to every guest , we found their  Podi  Uthappam outstanding. After a quick breakfast , we reached the Thappa Gardens, where we were booked,   by 1.pm. It is  a resort type hotel, with air conditioned cottages  surrounded by beautiful greenery, and located within the city limits.

After a simple lunch and a brief rest we were off to see Athangadi  Palace which is one amongst the many Chettinad Heritage Palaces that are still maintained well. Although the owner of the Athangudi Palace, left the palace long back. it is still used by his extended family. It is open to the public with an entry fee of Rs 50 per head.

“A house with 600 ornate windows and 64 grand rooms! With tiles imported from Italy, coloured glasses brought all the way from Belgium, intricately carved massive wooden doors and jharokhas! Massive Varandas covered in Chettinad Tiles. And beautifully coloured artwork all across” is how a visitor  describes this grand mansion in one of the literatures on the Athangadi Palace. The grandeur of the palace is to be seen to be believed. The palace follows the three porch formula – a characteristic seen in most of the Chettinad homes

When you arrive at the central courtyard of the house you see tall & heavy symmetrical pillars all around the square courtyard giving  it a very grand look. Though it is 100 years old, the house still stands strong. An important landmark worth a visit.

Our next destination was the famous Pillayarpatti Karpagavinayagar temple-( Ganesha temple) the first temple on our list of temples to be visited. Pillaiyarpatti Pillaiyar Temple is a 7th-century CE rock-cut cave shrine. When I visited this temple 35 years ago it had an open space in front without any of the Mandapams and other paraphernalia which have cropped up over the years to meet the growing number of  devotees visiting the temple. Our visit coincided with the Sayaratchai Puja (evening puja)which was in progress. Our group felt  blessed to witness the special aarthi performed as a part of the puja. After spending more than an hour in the temple we left for our next halt- the Vairavan temple devoted to Lord Siva in Vairavanpatti which is one of the nine  Nagarathar Clan Temples and belongs to a few thousand  Vairavanpatti Koil clan members.

It is a private temple which does not attract big crowds normally. But it comes alive during festive season when hordes of families attached to the temple living in other parts of the country or abroad visit the town and participate in the week long festivities.

After a quiet darshan we moved to our host`s house for dinner.

We were delighted to see a variety of delectable tiffin items including some special Chettiar items like Aadi kummayum ( sweet), Vellai paniyarum,  Milagai chutney,. Seeyum , Red rice idiyappam ,  Vengayakose and  Podi dosai.

The next morning, after a leisurely breakfast, our first visit was to the Balaji Temple in Ariyakudi, which was located very close to our hotel. It was a beautiful temple with a spacious courtyard. The main deity is called `Alamelu Manga Samedha Thiruvenagada Mudayan` and was as tall as you find Lord Balaji in Tirupathi. I had goose bumps while offering my prayers as Balaji is my favourite god. It was a very satisfying visit.

It was now time for us to visit the main item in our itinerary- visit to the famous Chettinad Maharaja`s Palace located in Kanadukathan village  also known as Kanadukathan palace. Though visitors are not allowed inside the palace, thanks to the connection that our host had with the owners of the palace we not only got permission to see the insides of the palace but were also treated like VIPs.

The palace  was built by S. Rm. M. Annamalai Chettiar in 1912. With so  many beautiful ornamental features, it is still being used by the  descendents of the original owners, M A M Ramaswamy`s son M A M R Muthiah, whenever he  visits Karaikudi. Like other palaces in Chettinad this palace also represents traditional Chettinad architecture built using materials like teak wood, marbles and granite pillars imported from abroad, mainly from East Asian countries and Europe. With a beautiful façade at the entrance, the main doors and entrances of the houses resemble the gateways of the Hindu temples.

While Ramaswamy`s family is known for the establishment of Annamalai University and other educational institutions in Chidamabaram in Tamil Nadu, Alagappa Chettiar. also known as Vallal Chettiar or the Socialist capitalist belonging to Karaikudi established  scores of educational institutions in Karaikudi itself . Many campuses of Alagappa University can be seen on either side of the beautiful & spacious college road through which we had to pass to go to Chettinad palace.

 We finished the Chettinad  Palace visit  in time to go to the host`s house for lunch- again a delectable Chettinad cuisine consisting of special items like Paruppu masiyal, Capsicum, chole and maavudu inji mandee, Pineapple rasam,. Vazhakai fry poriyal,.Cauliflower, peas , carrot uppu poriyal & Mango vella pachadi. Though the majority of  us were vegetarians, the host had ensured that the couple of  non vegetarians in the group could taste the special Chettinad chicken gravy. The lunch was topped with the desert `Kuruvai arisi (rice) payasam .

Before reaching the lunch venue the two couples in the group went shopping for Chettinad Kandangi sarees. Karaikudi is also known for  Athangudi tiles which are basically cement tiles like mosaic used for building the palatial houses in the town. Another interesting piece of news was that Indian overseas bank was founded in 1937 in Karaikudi by M Ct M Chidamabaram Chettiar.

Next & last item on the agenda was our participation in the 80^th birthday ( Sadabhishekam) celebrations of a popular walking friend Veerappan Chettiar. Sadabhishekam is a religious event conducted to mark the witnessing of  thousand moons by a man during his long life. Interestingly the celebrations and the associated rituals were held in a small village called Ilayathangudi from where Veerappan`s family hailed. It is an hour`s drive from Karaikudi . The rituals were held in a special mantap,located close to the Shiva temple  with which Veeappan`s family is connected.The function was attended by not only close relatives but also by many friends who had driven down from Chennai to Karaikudi. It was a grand affair strictly following the Chettinad practices. The family of Veerappan made us feel like a part of the family. Needless to say that we not only enjoyed watching the proceedings but the tasty but simple Chettinad lunch served on the occasion.

Since we had already checked out of our hotel, after partaking the lunch our group left for Chennai around 1pm on the third day. It was a memorable trip indeed the memories of which will be cherished for a long time.