Search This Blog

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Temples during Piyer times - 2

It  is   interesting  to  recollect the  namesof  temples...I  think  in  Annammannad   the  elai  adai  and  ney  payasam   in  Manapallikkavu,Vaikom  temples  are  tasty   and   we used to like.  I  dont  know if somebody  can  throw  light  on  how  these  payasams were prepared.
 
Regarding the temples  the  list as I  know  is  incomplete...as  I  understand  there  were  600  temples unde Cochin  Dewaswom....
 
Raghavan

Temples during Piyer times

Dear Raghavan,
 
  TRISSUR is made out of Ashokeswaran,Bhaktapriyan & Vadkkumnathan...all shiva temples
Other temples in Trichur are  Thiruvambhadi and Paramekkavu.
The Cochin devaswam temples I can think of are
1. Annamannada
2. Arattupuzha(?)
3.Chottanikkara
4.Erankulam(?)
5.Kuzhur(?)
6. Kodungalur
7.Pazhur(?)
8.Pazhayannur
9. Thiruvanjikkulam
10. Thrippayar
11,.Tthrippunithura
  Many more must be there probably Konhai, parvathy, bagavathy will know.
 
psm

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Testing email posting

Testing email posting to blogger

Chapter 2 correction

I make the correction we left Trichur for Bangalore in Oct,1960. I rmemeber lour alighting a train at Punkunnam Railway station.At Malkunnathukavu station...Veluthodan Govindan had come with tears in his in parting with us and had brought a bunch or kolai of poovan pazham...Govindan although a landryman by profession was employed in Dewaswom temle ...we have seen him lighting Kadanai...
At Ollavakkot station our cousing Dr.T.V.dundareswaran with his family ...Visalam athai and syamal had come...Vislalam is our Brindhas athai...
Nowregarding Appesan I rememeberr he wsa a Chemistry professor at Mysore University.
I think somebody should consolidate points found in many of our messages and reassemble them and maket the pucka and fully informative. This is only a beginning.
I was imagining if anyone could recollect the various temples under...Cochin Dewaswom and someof themlike Thriprayar,Manaplliakkavu,Pulkeekadavu,Thiruvanchikulam,,etc and write some inforamative piece of information.When I remember it was appa about to retire from service and I remember ourgooing to Vdakkunathan temple withhimfor Sivarathri,,,and sometemple we used toget neyyappamI dont rememeber.
Raghavan

Sundaram Periappa's comments

Dear Raghavan,
Today only I could read ur 2nd chapter I have not read the first. It is really fantastic a sotre full of invaluable information for we piyers.
Few points I wd like to add,

1. Appa's father was doing Shiva pooja for a monthly salary of Rs5/=
2. We shifted to Bangalore in June 1960
3 Calcutta Vswanathan passed away in Bangalore recently
4 Veeran is in Bangalore with son Sridhar & Meera is in Dubai
5 Krishna periappa was in the Army & has worked at MHOW,which is in MP. He used to do things like buying kothambalarisi for his whole monthly salary and put the rest in real trouble
6 Appesan was physics professor i think
7. P Iyer stood first in class and was awarded 4 or 8 gold coins for that , to receive which his elder brothers accompanied him. Also he made golden Kappu for his mother with thatgold
i think we should get input from all and update this family details , and later on add later details and burn a CD for all.
psm.

Next_Chapter_16.7.2006_piyer_family.doc

Next Chapter… 16.7.2006…….

Now that Konthai Anna has added certain incident cum accident about my accidental fall from mango tree, the seriousness of accident and the Grace of Lord Guruvayurappan in saving my life…etc…. It used to be heart throbbing stories to hear the various real incidents narrated by manni, our amma,appa, Bagavathy,etc who were the witnesses to the episodes…..….My appa used to narrate various incidents in his life… I shall touch on that later..

NOW I SHALL TRACE THE HISTORY OF PIYER FAMILY THE ORIGIN

ITS DECENDENTS ETC…………

Our family belongs to Baradwaja Goth ram………and group Brhacharanam…

Su.kla Yajurvedam…Mother tongue…Tamil…migrated to Palghat…which was in Madras presidency previously….and we are Aryans…...Brahmins Iyers…..Hindus…

I record below the particulars of our forefathers,foremothers,etc as available in a note book of piyer available with me

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All these are in relation to Shri.Parameswara Iyer………..

Father Grandfather Great grandfather

Ananthanarayanan Sundareswaran Venkiteswaran

Mother Fathers mother G grandmothers mother

Parvathi Lakshmi Ananathambal

Mothers Father Mothers grandfather Mothers g grandfather

Venkiteswaran Narayanan Venkiteswaran

Mothers mother Mothers g mother Mothers g g mother

Meenakshi Nagamabal Nagamabal

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Our mother Annapoorni..second daughter of Nurni Seshan

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Our mother’s mothers name …their Gothram….etc please ascertain and incorporate…------

I give below the next of kin of Parameswara Iyer…..including the coparceners…

He was born as the last child to his parents….having 4 elder brothers…and two elder sisters…His father was a Brahmin..Vadhyar…used to perform Sivapooja in Divans house …and mother a holy Brahmin housewife….both not much educated…..by modern standards…

Eldest brother was Chaama Periappa…Venkiteswaran….who was In Trichur married to Brahmin…had a son and 2 daughters…His son was blind and was in a temple near Mysore Cahmundeswari temple…he was knowing all his uncles/cousins..etc but alas. the fate he himself was blind….I don’t know if he is still in Mysore.

About the daughters….we don’t know where they are …but likely to be somewhere in Gujarath…..

Periappa had a mistress after death of first wife…commonly called as Achi, in Malayalam…and had issues though her. Her son brought aged Periappa in 1960 to our Ganapathy Agraharam house where the entire family was immersed in the sorrow caused by tragic death of kutten at Bombay at the age of 30…But appa was very fond of periappa and thus welcomed him to the house. Periappa was aged blind and had to be nursed…given food…and we were doing it for some months. Naryanana n may remember the Periappa… Thereafter when we were about to shift the entire family to Ban galore in Oct,1960 Periappa was taken back by his Achis son…and we came to know later periappa had passed away…the sad end of the eldest member of the family…Periappa although an illiterate innocent man had influences through domestic pressures and family matters and thus was not much attached to our family members…

Then Sundara periappa…Ernakulam….Periammais sister in Trichur…

His sons Poona Raman and Calcutta Viswanathan Vishwanathan passed away recently at Palghat.

Poona Raman was a popular family member,,,he left for Poona in 1957 before which he was in Ernakulam…He had come for Aggravates marriage at Ban galore and Poona’s…I have met him at Annapoornis house Amanjikarai when her second son was born…I think 1982/1983.

Ramans sons are Vemban,Ambi,Tahandveswaran and daughters Annapoorni,Parvathi.

Sundara Periappas daughter ws Lakshmi…whose son Dorai married to Annapoorni…Raman annas daughter.

We had Krishnaperiappa…Krishnaswamy…..whose sons, Veeran, Balan,Babu,Raman and daughters Nagalkshmi,Baby, Rasammal.Radhai.. rasammal is no more.

Veeran Neelakanatan was in Chembur near Sankara Maamas house and same age as our Sridhar ..r and daughter Meera…both married….

They are in Bangalore now I think.

Then Babu …a popular cousin….his house in Gardoida nagar, Ghatkopar…

Children some studying/married in USA….Babu got married late in 1974 I think…

Balan was in USA before 1958….he had gone to USA along with the Textile Committee Delegation of Govt of India and settled there. His children all are in USA…New Jersey…wife was one known veils daughter…sister of Radioman,, Paapa,etc.Bangalore

Then it is Raman who still stays in the same house where Periappa and family had shifted to in 1956 or so,,,that it as at Rajewadi,Kakkad Estate,

He was in Western Railways/Voltas and now retired…has his daughter Vaani..married to Gujarathi..neighbour…may be related to Ambani..

Rasammal a paavam like our mother and mothrers contemporary staying near Petrol Bunk Naickanal…he rhusband a cook in Udupi hotel in Madras. Her children narayanan/Lakshmi …Syamala knows them well’

It is Naglakshmi daughter of Krishan periappa given in second marriage to Kalayanskrishnan Noorani..her daughters Ponnammal ..married to Athimber Lakshmanans brother….at Mulund…who ws an Engineer and who is no more now.

Babi was in Palghat vadakkanthari gramam and her husband is also no more.

Radhai was married to music vidwan in Bomaby they live in Govandi..

Our Eachara periapt Cascara was a master, sportsman…known as Tennis Easwaran.had won many medals in sports…he was postgraduate..

His sons Easwar sagar ws correspondent of the Hindu at USA and children settled in us.

His daughter Raasam was in London. married in Bombay in 1957..to Rajagopal..who is no more. Papa used to say for the marriage Mr.M..Chagla a legal luminary had come..Ofcourse our Maanu athan ..High Court master of Bombay was also there

Eachara periapp ws living with us in the Vdakke angadi house for sometime…his wife lost her diamond ring some where not found out…as a bad omen…Periappa died in our house that year,. I remember we used local Dr Krishan Iyer for emergency to rat periappa.

When Periappa died his eldest son Raasamoni married to a Malayali…came next day from madras when he ws with Hindu there…but couldn’t perform any rites…for obvious reasons. He was the first person togo to US from our family..although not a highly educated person..was in ship and later through his own ability became a journalist and joined the Hindu and was with them till he was in USA…Periappas other son was Raaasappan whom I have seen on Vellore once when I went on tour as a sales representative in 1967.

Another contemporary of Appa ws Appesan Who was appas maternal uncles son ..who ws a Chemistry Professor at Mysore University and appa used to say that he helped appa financially when appa was studying for B.A. at Pachaiyappas college,,,Madras Appa used to say out of 300 students who appeared for BA ..10 got through including Appa getting a Second Class with English and Economics as his subjects. His University certificate framed is in our house a valued possession. He used to say that our thaatha sitting in front of house in Ernakulam say everybody passing by…Enga Parmeswaran BA pass pnniyoottan,,,an achievement for a meber of a poor family those days. Perhaps he laid the stone for the family members to get educated and producing…Engineers, Chartered Accountants,Doctors,Lawyer and Managers….and all successful housewives..,

Appas sisters…Mangle Athaii...…who used to come home for our thatha/patties devasam etc…

Had sons Anathanu,mani,Krishnan,Ramakrishnan,and Venkitchu..(Bombay)

Another athai Lakshmi…her children Manu athan and Anatharama athan who ws in Malaya

Maanu athan was a frequent visitor to our house from Bombay bringing us all Bombay peeporukku and athamanni although good…children used to avoid her.and was a contemporary of appa..used to calla ppa as Paappan…

Regarding our mother she ws the last daughter of Noorani seshan..her sister Lakshmi having children like chellam,Singari,saroja,etc.

Ammas brothers were many like Sankara maama.Ramaswami maaama,Choodamanai,Rasamani.Akkitumeshu, Ikkini,….

Above is a rough sketch….members may state their memories….abt all the above person. I shall continue next week……..

Stop me for a break whenever found necessary……..



-Raghavan

Konthai Periappa's comments & story

Raghavan/ Rajesh,
The write up was excellent and so too the editing. I appreciate the minute details given in the write up though not very chronologically. I wish some more anecdotes in our family be focussed and narrated. Particularly I felt the notable omission of Raghavan'sfall from Mango tree and his dramatic survival.. I have enclosed a small write up on this Ms word format. Please edit and circulate.
I will be glad if others also cover the following also
1.Narayanans admission the schoolat Bangalore His _expression of Tamil talent by reading aloud THINATHANTHI which gave him a seat. He was given 3rd division.In the evening he was rpomoted to 4th or so.Idont exactly remember.
2.Narayans cross with the examiner atMedical School and challenged to write another paper on fresh questions. and how he met the challenge
These and the like covering
Parvathsy wedding preparations,,Bagavaths marrage and Lekshmys marriage and MHK.etc etc.
Sasis wedding.Sundaram, Raghavan Narayananswedding and trip to Vadakkancherryetc etc


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Raghavans fall fom MangoTree at Punkunnam

One of the unforgettable events in Parameswarier family was he fall of Vijayaraghavan from a mango tree where he had climbed to pluck a mango on a rainy day.We had all gathered at our family as we were bereaved at the untimelydemise of Kuttan at Bombay

Sudddenly a thud was heard aloud and Lo it was Raghavan who had fallen from the tree about 30 metres in height with his forehead pointed towards ground. Immediately our opposite neighbour L.S Rajagoplanwas called for help as we were all gathering around stunned at what should be done soon. The boy had closed his eyes was almost motionless.He was picked up and a taxi was called.unfortunately taxi cannot enter the narrow lane leading to the house and he was physically carried up to the taxi a the end of the lane and admitted toTrichur govt Hospital. Thanksto the help of Kasi (son of C.R.Balan Kalyanis chittappa timely medical help was given. But unfortunately the Cheif Doctor said unless 24 hours is elasapsed nothing could be said for certain. I remember some Coramine or someother injections were given in syringes of the size of a PIPPETTE.

Immedialely the injection is given the boy will suddenly rise as a spring and rollback. Probsably a reaction for the intravenous injection. Moreover he will say uncoherent words and the last waor was always NJAN INNU MARIKKUM.This put us a;ll in great angushand anxiety. Docto rhaving said so WEi.e myself and Manni decided to go to Guruvayur and pray and return th next day.This we did and you may believe or not when we returned and went to hthe jhospital he opened his eyes and started loking around.. Doctor was called and he felt the purse , and pulse beating gathered momentum. He then DECLARED ‘ INI ONNUM PEDIKKANILLA’ meaning nothing to fear hereafter

It was a greart solace for all of us the familyfrom the double calamities that had overtaken the family

By the Grace of Lord Guruvayurappan Raghavan recovered rapidly and was discharged in about a weeekstime.


-By Konthai (P.Ananthanarayanan)

Manni days

If RK Narayan authored Malgudi Days………I attempt………….Manni days in piyer family………

There was no occasion when we did not feel our mannis presence in any of our family functions/gatherings…

It was during Master Abhinavs Poonal on 2.7.2006 at Balaji Hall….near Kasturbanagar.Chennai that manni reminded me with motherly touch and affection that I was just three years old kid when she had joined our family as Periya Manni in 1950 …in Paruvakkat House, Trichur.. Being the first sister in law in the family she is called Manni by all…

I am 59 years old now and entered my 60th year…an old man …but had the rare and the fortunate opportunity of being a contemporary of manni….and it was almost six decades ago that manni came to our house…..

We recall and recollect many events in our life but certain personalities remain dear and memorable always on account the persons close association with us and their likings, attittude, attachments towards us. It was manni who was a person came to our house as sister in law but remain as an embodiment of vidya, Dhanam and all good qualities….providing us motherly affection, and taking care of the welfare of all of us. She was just like Goddess Saraswathi providing us all the necessities on acquiring knowledge in various fields and made us lead happy life as independent individuals…..

Whatever I write here is truly as spontaneous outburst of heartfelt feelings..

It is hard to recollect what took place some 55 years back each day in exactness just as what I was doing on 19.6.1950, at which place,location,etc whether eating, walking, sleeping or thinking,etc. However certain unmemorable events remain green in our memory and a few relating to our being with manni are incorporated here.

Ours is a large joint family of Thondikualam Ananthanarayana Iyer Parameswara Iyer..Piyer was in service and retired as Dewaswom Commissioner. Cochin Dewaswom and was living in a rented house…Paruvakkat House at Vadakke Angadi,Trichur. The house where all of us lived together say after 1950 was the one which we all remember …situated opposite to Palace, Ayurveda Hospital, Land record Office. Other some important places in the vicinity included Kunnath Mana, Namboori Illam, Nalapachagam Hotel, Nilakanatan barber shop, Judge Vaidyanaantha Iyers palaceous ouse, Dr Krishana Iyers house and clinic, Kamala Medicals, Vivekodayam Boys/Girls High Schhols, Kundu School, One Vadyar s house behind our house, Janaki Teacher, Menon, Sanakaran nair shop, Varghese provision store, Compounders house, Mariamman koil, The house was quite large

In size having ground surrounding with flowers such as jasmine, Gandharajan, etc and plants such as Marudhani, Coconut tree, Vegetables such as Ladies finger, brinjal.tamarind tree, avarakkai springs growing in pandal, marathakkali plants, banana trees, yam plants, etc…

The house also didn’t have present day flush out bathroom but had a lavatory at the back of the house in two small rooms where those days tin vessel or patter was the basin to leave our daily night soil and to be removed by the scavengers next day…. the place commonly known as pattai kakkoose those days….

We had a well in the house with one door/window for drawing water through the kitchen and get water from public water from the tap in front of the water where the water used to be supplied from Peechi uncut. Manna used to water the jasmine plants, other vegetables, etc.

On one of the days while manni had gone to water jasmine plants, she saw a chenathandan snake below the plant and rushed to house informing everybody as any snake was found dangerous reptile with poison within it . Immediately neighbor rushed to the spot to see the snake with the ultimate aim of getting it killed by someone as Hindus believed it that killing a snake was a sin. Finally some woodcutter passerby was called who came inside the house went near the snakes pit pulled out and beat it with a stick and the snake was killed. This episode was a talk of the locality/neighborhood for someday.

Now back to the original part of history…..manni used to say how she was proposed for marriage to our brother/ Manni was the daughter of Vaikom Krishna Ayer a music vidwan who has taught veenal to many people including manni.Genrally it is the practice of the bridegroom visiting the brides house before selection or approval with his family members…seeing the girl…her comlexion,other features, talent in music,etc and finally conveying the approval or dissent to the girls parents.Here she says that she came to our house one day and the girl was seen approval conveyed to her father through Anathanu athan….Her marriage with our brother eldest took place at Pazhayanadakkavi Brahmana samooham it is being told as I don’t remember it being too small a boy then…say 3 years old…

I make an attempt to remember and narrate a few occasions in the history of our acquaintance with manni as a contemporary. Mainly manni was the permanent member of most of the family functions…..just to narrate a few:

Mannis marriage

Parvathis marriage

Kutten our annas marriage at Cannanore

Appas Shashtiabda poorthi at Paruvakkat house, Trichur

Ayushhomas of all of us our birthdays

Bagavthi sevai a prayer to Bagavthis for providing all good things to all or just as said a rare pooja…..with colourful kolam flowers in abundance including hibiscus,lotus..chethi,etc……special nei payasam made…….manni is an expert in making payasam as they say the uruli is specially selected and used pouring enormous quantity of ghee, jaggery, cahsewnuts,etc and the final product is concnentrated ney payasam

After praying to Goddess by the priests finally some mantras are chanted as under”

apadho nasaya naasaya,Sambado vardaya vardayay

Satru naasaya.mitrovardhaya vardhaya.

Anukuoolam prayascha prayascha etcx

These are the prayers at the end of the Bagavathi sevai

And thre after we have circumambulation prostration in front of diety by all…etc all prescribed rituals…very seriously observed….

It was here I remember Mani anna mannis elder brother who used to be a regular visitor to our house and especially for Bagavthi sevai He was a pleasant person having the gift of narrating jokes… by verbal _expression and through behave ..smiling stealthily….Our papa was particular that we children should chant Vishnu Sahasranama every evening after lighting the lamp and before taking food. Manni used to say that I used to sleep when sahasranama s were chanted by others and get up after it was over.May be it was God Aananthapadmanabha who in his sleeping posture was listening to the sahasrnamaas and getting up after the chanting was over…….

We had other periodical visitors for Richer Wormlike Sheri C.P.Rama Iyer from Chelakkara….Shri Krishnamamni. Maanu athan…etc to metion a few.

Now coming back to the entry of manni to our house after marriage, we do remember, at that time we were children. Our parents had 13 children similar to Presidents eleven in any national games we had payers 13….starting from ascending order..

Sobhanaa,Narayanan,self, Sundaram,Lakshmi,Bagavathy, ……Our elder brother kitten was for sometime studying in Kerlavarma college and later migrated to Bombay with Manu atman and got employed in Bombay, and manni was at home during to rememeber….

Manni was a proficient veena player….she had many students…..had her audition at All India Radio Bangalore forgetting selected for Programmers through AIR. We remember some programmers of Manni we used to tune to AIR in one GE Radio... Ban galore at 12oon and hear mainly the announcement stating veena play by Rajalakshmi Ananathananarayanan

If I remember the amount paid to her was Rs. 75/ by Radio Station...AIR……after getting payment in one of the programmers she took all of us to Mavalli Tiffin Rooms… the food in silver plates, cups,etc…Those days it was possible….

In addition she had a few Veena students like Rukku.Saroja,Pathu, etc Rukku was incidentally my Hindi classmate too. but was a part of our family being close to manni and all of us. It was pleasure to be in the house manni was playing veena and teaching students and we remember some songs which reverb rate…..Raghuvamsa sudha…..etc.

There were events which have definitely saddened and grieved manni the most. After her coming to Bangalore in 1957 within a year her younger brother Hariharan who was in our age group had tragic death by drowning in Padinjara chera….in Trichur. I remember Anthanu athan coming home one morning at 8 and calling our appa with the sad news of Hriharan having drowned in the water and his body being searched and our father rushing….etc….not to mention the agony thereafter….More sorrowful events in life were faced by her when her younger sister…always smiling lovely child also passed away at Bombay with a disease which had no medicine those days is curable now a days….One more addition to the agony was her next younger sister Jayam whom I remember vividly having come with me to Sion Station in Bombay having a cruel death at the time of her delivery…..perhaps her life could have been saved….as fate decided otherwise…

In Bangalore during her period for over 3 years since 1957 a major tragedy was encountered by our family it was the untimely death of our brother at Bombay at the age of around 30….sickness being diagnosed as Para typhoid…leading to meningitis….his having his wife and child born 2months back about to join him but fate deciding otherwise….It was in June, 1960 .By his death our family was immersed in utter confusioin/financialcrisis as father being pensioner having to look after all of us at Trichur…while we were staying in another house at Ganapathi agraharam….it was decided by manni and Anna to shift the entire family to Banglaore where manni had just gone and started establishing…Our Lakshmi studying in SSLC had some sickness…related to mind…..joining school after a few months of treatment at Vallppuzha Guineans Menons vaidhyasala…manni was taking care of the family and the ailing Lakshmi I still remember….After making all arrangements for shifting to Bangalore our parents with all of us Sobhana toLakshmi…all studying in Malayalam medium schools in Trichur….proper persons were contacted at Bangalore and got us admission in English .Medium school Seshadripuram High school. It was something good that all of us got good education at Bangalore by starting the English medium schooling at Seshadriouram High school…

I remember in 1959 while Lakshmi was ill and undergoing treatment like having Dhara,kashayams,medicines, ….under vallpuzhas treatment manni had come down from Bangalore as savior….our mother was too innocent and a sadhu…who didn’t know much about the world or anything…but was a mother to all of us…Manni was taking care of Lakshmi..Manni in the family at the time o similar ailments /treatments o f Lakshmi and had taken care of the ailing me members. Here I remember occasions all of us were laid up with typhoid, smallpox in Bangalore….in 1961…and Lakshmi having smallpox ..spots clearly visible on her face on the last 2 days of her exam and still her writing the exam…without showing her illness to any body…but coming our with flying colors and very high marks in the exams which she wrote through seshadripuram highschool..During illness to us it was manni/brother who used to take us tour family Doctor’s one of them Dr Jay Raman although ad retired radiologist…he was our family friend and physician…who used to be visited by brother and manni for stomach ailments,indigestiointc. He ws a Doctor who didn’t prescribe medicine but made some medicine preparations and gave us. he was compounding the medicine powder, liquid mixture etc as it was prevalent those days. Another Doctor to whom Manni used to refer us was Dr Rukmangadhan in Guttahalli having his bungalow near Kumara Park playground.

Another event of happiness and memory is the arrival Sridhar in the family in the year 1966…he was delivered by manni in the KMS Hospital near malleswaram circle….It was a pleasant happy occasion for all of us to have Sridhar a cute, playful, child……sleeping beside manni in the hospital bed where we used to go and see the mother and the child after delivery…

Then it was time of our brother shifting to Nellikuppom joining EID Parry at their confectionery unit. Nellikuppom was a God forsaken place those days. As manni used to say If I remember we have all gone there during vacation Manni used to be frightened remaining alone in the Official quarters as there was a burial ground behind the house…and so on..

We had occasion to go to Nellikuppom by catching early morning bus at Kalasipalayam NS bus starting from the Madras café point…While at Nellikuppom we were taken to various neighbors by manni and places like the confectionery factory, Cuddalore and some cinema also …

I don’t have details thereafter but Manni and anna had shifted to Madras thereafter after having a brief stay at Thiruvalla, Samalkot etc ….

While in Madras it was a rented house Lakshmi Nil yam Sarojas mother in laws house near present Mandevalli busstand, and some time later near Padmanabhapuram in Adyar near to TM Soundararajans house or Sarojadevis house. Later shifted to New street in Mylpore and in1967 when they were in Kesavaperumal koil street I used to visit after returning from Bombay.

Prior to it Remember the days they stayed in Bombay Sion West Ekta building….where Sridhar was a small kid…Syamala was studying at Bangalore…Manni had her parents on the opposite side Sion east at Welfare view..coop society…and Jeyam her sister at Adhere…Niggards Road…and her sitter in law always remembered…Leelavathi…There used to be occasional visitors to this house by Main anna.Ghatkopar Babul, Raman,etc….I was a sales representative in Richardson Hindustan Ltd,Haines Rd,Bombay..visiting Bombay every month after tour south India….It is happy to reacall those days in Bombay…we used to travel in a taxi to VT station from sion for my getting night mail train to Madras at 9PM…or10 PM

After completing my BSc degree exam before announcement of results I had got job as as Sales Representative in Ms.RichardsonHindustanLtd,Haines Rd rd,Bombay. While reaching Bombay Dadar Stn mannis anna Appukutti and my brother konthai had come to the station took me to Sion by another train…it was 10 night…Next day I had interview at the company near Mahalakshmi….and was selected…and was about to leave on tour to places like Nagerkoil within a couple of days. Manni and her sister in law Leelavathi took care of my travel needs took me to Sion circle some shops bought for me an umbrella, one box, one holdall,etc…as I was going to be on tour in different place…I used to visit Bombay after every tour say monthly and stay in mannis house at Sion. I think manni and anna left for Madras after 5months.

They had started living in a rented house in new street.1971…. Then there was our Lactic marriage at Madrs..along with Narayanans poonal…I couldnt be present for it as I was In Mariammanahalli,Karnataka and couldntavailllleave Syamala was a stenographer employed in Poppat Jamal…Broadway for some months and later joined Carborundum Universl Ltd..married in 1972…an occasion to rememeber..It was in a kalaynamanatapam Triplicne…Many of our relatives and Mannis had come for the marriage…

I do not exactly remember a few dates/details thereafter….but remember their having shifted to Besnatnagar to the house where they live now. It is a house where many of us had lived for long period…and had very happy functions like marriages,Poonal,satabishekam,Narayaneeyam chanting, Thyagarajutsavam arranged by manni.,,,etc…Our father along with mother usedto say in Madras for sometime for the year and in Bangalore during remainingperiod.I M43….reading newspaper, Sundarakandom or listening to some Tamil/karnatic music. Those days wedidnt have any TV/internet etc..In the M43 house various family functions took place under the graceful presence/guidance /leadership of manni…like..

Samaras marriage

Sundarams marriage at MM Kalyana Mandapom Adyar

Mohans poonal…all in 1974.

My marriage at Natesa Gramini sabha Kodamabakkam Sridhar’s poonal I don’t rememeber the year /date..

My son Rajesh Andunoravu///first birthday was also celebrated there…with mannis blessings….I couldn’t be present for it as was in Bihar then

Another occasional visitor family frined/relation was chainnamannis brother ..Gopu who used to comethere…He was fond of manni…

Then it was our Appas Sathabishekam…

And many more minor but still great…

In a large family like ours it wasn’t impossible for one memeber marrying outside caste ..our youngest sister Sobhana was the one…in 1974..PHILOSOPHICALLY SPEAKING FATE IS CERTAIN,Manni had silent dissent for the alliance with Dinakar..was silent quite some days.

Narayanan had joined as Medical Officer at Cancer Institute at Adyar…after having a small clinic at Siadapet.

It was manni whowas taking care of him as a child getting ready to go to school/office…et

Manni ws the most senior mattuponnu of the family…she being traded as a daughter by our parents and her reciprocating equally by treating them as paretns…taking care of them throughout….Many years passed by…..

There was arrival of new members in the family…..each one a pet for manni…

Sujatha

Srirman

Rajesh

Chithra

Sudha

Karthik

Priya

Dinesh

Bipin

Etc…..

These new entrants had arrival and seen manni as the head of the family…or mother of the house…. And remember having had acquaintance immersed is affection and love throughout…

In 1982 Returned from Bihar….remember settlingdown at Madras…taking a rented house…Mr,Nambiars..at M44 adjacent to Haris House...….Syamala was staying in M 42 then…Thus manni was in our middle.. orperhaps sandwitched between the fighting kids…Rajesh/Sriram…. And simultaneously taking care of aged parents….

I didn’t remember names but manni had a large group of students…veena….some mamas like Poona mama…others like Geriatric, Lakshmi, Sumatra…some wife of a Customs Collector,,,another Dr Girija…etc….Our Chithra also practiced or learnt veena under mannis guidance of over 2 years….

It is required to mention that manni contributed financially also from her earnings in AIR programmes..andVeena tuitions. All for the welfare of all of us…..and brought up all of us and made independent and thereby provided the support to piyer family grow taller/larger and stronger…..

Many years passed away….Some more events….

Rajus marriage at madras

Sridhar’s marriage at madras.

Etc

Etc

Readers please fill up their memories….

Then it was Sridhar who ws was employed in GE, Teynampet madras to leave for USA……he stayed there for a few years later agreed for marriage and married Sarah….year I forget. Sridhar may remember…

I don’t have data of exact dates/year but am aware that konthai and manni possessing passport,multiple visa have been visiting Sridhar and Narayanan say almost every six months and thus continues the story becoming a history….

We are at Birthday celebrations of manni and contain on 29th June 2006 at Balladic. Mahan...

And thereafter poonal of Abhinav…sreedhars eldest son...…

Great grandson of Parameswara Iyer…

This write up or biography or autobiography what ever it is called is made in a hurry. there may be many missing links…incorrect data…but the events remembered and incorporated are ones remembered by manni and all the offspring ofpiyer family.

I REQUEST OTHER MEMEBERS OF PIYER FAMILY TO MAKE SIMIALR CONTRIBUTIONS…

AT THE END I WILLBEFAILING IN MY DUTY IF I DONOT STATE…

BEHIND EVERY SUCCESSFUL MAN THERE IS A WOMAN….AND HERE BEHIND EVERYONE OF US SUCCESSFUL/..THRE WAS ONE WOMAN…MANNI AND SHE CONTINUES TO SHOWER HER BEST WISHES AND BLESSINGS ON ALL OF US…

SO THERE I LEAVE …..MANNI DAYS IN PIYERS FAMILY………..

RAGHAVAN

PS.PLEASE PARDON ME IF I HAVE HURT FEELINGS OF ANY BODY OR EXCLUDED ANYBODYS PRESENCE IN THIS HISTORIC NOTE…

Tuesday, August 10, 2004

Sarve Janaha Sukhino Bhavanthu

Hello all..
This weblog has been created by Rajesh Vijayaraghavan for his beloved appa- Vijayaraghavan Parameshwara Iyer,fondly addressed by all as 'Raghavan'.
Piyers refers to the lineage left by his father Mr.Parameshwara Iyer and hence the name of this blog www.piyers.blogspot.com
I dedicate this blog to my beloved grandfather and wish my appa a great time blogging his wonderful memories.
As for the title of the blog "Sarve Janaha Sukhino Bhavanthu",that is what my appa often utters.."Let everybody be happy"..a very noble thought!
-Rajesh