NAPOWRIMO 2017 : Day 17 : Poems on Erotica

#AtoZChallenge: Inspiring Indian Women : P for Preethi Srinivasan - SoulFree

 

It was just a regular day, almost 17 years ago, when Preethi was at a beach with a few friends. While playing in the waves, she stumbled a little and fell face first. Nothing major if one looks from the outside but in that instance, her life changed. “A kind of thunder passed through my body and I just couldn’t get up. I tried but just couldn’t get my body to move. I stayed there holding my breath till my friends pulled me out,” says Preethi recalling that traumatic moment. She was taken to a hospital in Pondicherry but was wrongly diagnosed.

After a critical four hours, she was taken to a hospital in Chennai where doctors were able to diagnose her serious case of paralysis.
Preethi's life changed completely. Everything she cherished and held so dearly vanished.

She was the captain of the U 19 women’s cricket team of Tamil Nadu, she was also a champion swimmer and, on top of all this, she was performing great in her studies. But suddenly, all this became non-existent. “

I started losing my friends; I was not given admission to a college since the classroom was on the third floor. There are close to zero considerations for people with a disability in India,” says Preethi. It is distressing to note the state's apathy, in that till very recently, the government didn’t even consider spinal-cord injuries as a disability.

It has been a long journey since that fateful day for Preethi. She has had two more near-death experiences, where she left consciousness for minutes but something brings her back. Maybe her mother and grandmother’s will, maybe the good wishes of people or maybe the universe has some plans for her.

A few years ago, looking at the situation, Preethi’s mother encouraged her to do something about it. The medical facilities for patients with spinal-cord injuries are terrible and most people lose hope after suffering from this major setback. This is how SoulFree was born.

Soulfree is a public charitable trust that has been established to help the severely-disabled live a life of dignity and purpose. Soulfree aims to expose the plight of the severely disabled in India, especially women, so that society can become sensitised to their needs and help create a more inclusive and accessible India. Awareness is one of the most important tools to prevent future spinal-cord injuries from taking place. Therefore, Soulfree aims to spread knowledge on spinal-cord injuries to every school, college possible and amongst the general public so that people will understand the gravity of the condition.

On top of this, Soulfree strives to provide a support system for people with disabilities and their family via donations, education and employment opportunities.



Soulfree has a monthly stipend programme, where a sum of Rs 1,000 is provided monthly for a period of one year, as an incentive to those with spinal-cord injury and struggling to survive without an income.

It also has a wheelchair and mobility aids donation programme, along with medical treatment for those in need, as well as awareness campaigns.

Preethi is also a popular motivational speaker and she donates all her earnings to the working of the trust. “We have been working very hard and are proud that our trust will be donating a para-Olympic sports wheelchair to a talented athlete.” This wheelchair costs Rs 3.5 lakh on its own but a success story like this goes a long way in motivating others with disabilities.

Soulfree has also given a new lease of life to people by invigorating the entrepreneurial spark. From taking up farming in a small piece of land to starting a tailoring shop, people supported by Soulfree have done wonders for themselves and the world. “The idea is to do whatever it takes to give people financial independence, wherever they are. Purchase of laptop, seed-funding for farming, setting up of shop, purchase of sewing machine for those trained in tailoring, purchase of popcorn machines, dosa dough grinders etc.,” says Preethi in an email interaction after our meeting.

Going forward, the dream is setting up a rehabilitation centre where people with disabilities find a home. This centre is envisioned as a small island where people with disabilities find support and have access to means that make life more meaningful. Soulfree had sought land from an NGO but the government hasn’t approved it yet because of which things are on a halt. Till that happens, Soulfree marches on with whatever resources it has and invites one and all to join hands with them on this journey.

Write to them at preethi@soulfree.org and visit soulfree.org to look at ways in which you can contribute.

References:
https://yourstory.com/2017/01/preethi-srinivasan-soulfree-thiruvanamalai/
http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/challenged-by-quadriplegia-former-cricketer-preethi-srinivasan-is-transforming-the-lives-of-persons-with-disabilities-through-her-social-initiative-soulfree/article6552449.ece
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preethi_Srinivasan
 

One day trip to Sriperambadur and Kanchipuram

Happy Pilgrimage to Sriperambadur and Kanchipuram...had great darshans of

Sri Adi kesava perumal and Sri Ramanujacharya, Sriperambadur,

Sri Vaikunta Perumal and Sri Embar Swamy in Madhuramangalam,

Kanchi Kamakshi amman, Ekambareswarar temple with 3500 year old mango tree, Sri Varadaraja Perumal and the golden / silver lizards...

Mangadu Kamakshi and Sri Varasidhi Vinayagar temples and bonus of happy shopping of sarees from kanchipuram weavers

NAPOWRIMO2017: Day 16- Aadi Adangum Vazhkaiyada Lyrics

#Kannadasan #FailedAttemptofTranslation #IncrediblePoem

Aadi Adangum Vaazhkaiyada
Aaradi Nilame Sonthamadaa

Aadi Adangum Vaazhkaiyada
Aaradi Nilame Sonthamadaa

Aadi Adangum Vaazhkaiyada

Muthalil Namakkellam Thotilada

Kan Moodinaal Kaal Illaa Kattiladaa
Piranthoam Enbathey Mugavuraiyaam

Pesinoam Enbathey Thaaimozhiyaam
Maranthoam Enbathey Nithiraiyaam

Maranam Enbathey Mudivuraiyaam

 Aadi Adangum Vaazhkaiyada
Aaradi Nilame Sonthamadaa

Aadi Adangum Vaazhkaiyada

Siripavan Kavalaiyai Maraikindraan
Theemaigal Seibavam Azhuginraan

Iruppoam Endre Ninaipavar Kangalai
Iranthavan Allavo Thirakkindraan

Aadi Adangum Vaazhkaiyada
Aaradi Nilame Sonthamadaa

Aadi Adangum Vaazhkaiyada

Vaguppaar Athupol Vaazhvathillai

Vanthavar Yaarume Nilaithathillai
Vaguppaar Athupol Vaazhvathillai
Vanthavar Yaarume Nilaithathillai
Thoguppaar Silarathai Šuvaipathillai
Thøguppaar Šilarathai Šuvaipathillai
Thødanguvaar Šilarathai Mudippathillai

Aadi Adangum Vaazhkaiyada
Aaradi Nilame Šønthamadaa

Aadi Adangum Vaazhkaiyada
Aaradi Nilame Šønthamadaa
Aadi Adangum Vaazhkaiyada

 

#AtoZChallenge Inspiring Indian Women O for Onake Obavva - a toast of history

Onake Obavva-  An Ordinary woman who displayed extraordinary courage

Onake Obavva (18th Century) was a woman who fought the forces of Hyder Ali single-handedly with a pestle (Onake) in the kingdom of Chitradurga of Karnataka, India. Her husband was a guard of a watchtower in the rocky fort of Chitradurga.

In the state of Karnataka, she is celebrated along with Abbakka Rani, Keladi Chennamma and Kittur Chennamma, as the foremost women warriors and patriots

During the reign of Madakari Nayaka, the city of Chitradurga was besieged by the troops of Hyder Ali (1754-1779). A chance sighting of a man entering the Chitradurga fort through a hole in the rocks led to a plan by Hyder Ali to send his soldiers through that hole. 

The Guard (Kahale Mudda Hanuma, who was on duty near that hole) had gone home to have his lunch. During his meal he needed some water to drink, so his wife Obavva went to collect water in a pot from a pond which was near the hole in the rocks, halfway up the hill.She noticed the army trying to enter the fort through the hole. 

She used the Onake or pestle (a wooden long club meant for pounding paddy grains) to kill the soldiers one by one by hitting them on the head and then quietly moving the dead without raising the suspicions of the rest of the troops. 

Mudda Hanuma, Obavva's husband, returned from lunch, was shocked to see Obavva standing with a blood stained Onake and several of the enemies' dead bodies around her. Later, the same day, she was found dead either due to shock or having been killed by the enemy soldiers.[1] She belonged to the Holayas (Chalavadi) community.Though her brave attempt saved the fort this time, Madakari could not resist the attack by Hyder Ali during 1779, when the fort of Chitradurga was lost to Hyder Ali

.

She is considered to be the epitome of Kannada female pride. The hole through which Hyder Ali's soldiers sneaked is called Onake Obavvana Kindi (kindi=hole) or Onake kindi.Her heroic effort is depicted in a famous song-sequence in Nagarahavu picture directed by Puttanna Kanagal. The sports stadium in Chitradurga - Veera Vanithe Onake Obavva Stadium, is named after her.

References:

https://www.shortstories.co.in/onake-obavva/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onake_Obavva

https://yourstory.com/2015/08/herstory-flashback-onake-obavva/

http://www.rejectedprincesses.com/princesses/onake-obavva

 

NAPOWRIMO2017: Day 15: Kannadasan - Buddhi Ulla Manidhnellam....English Translation

Buddhiyulla

Buddhi ulla manidhnellam vetri nkanbadhillai
Vetri petra manidharellam buddhisali illai

Intelligent people don’t always become successful
All those who succeed are not necessarily intelligent

Panamirukkum manidharidam gumanamiruppadhillai
Gunamairukkum manidharidam panamiruppadhillai
Panamirukkum veetinela vandhadhellamsondham
Panamilladha veeetinile sondham ellam …

The rich are not generous
The generous are not rich
A rich man has many relatives
The poor, none

Kanavu kaanum manidhanuku
Kanbadhellam kanavu
Avan kaanuginra kanavinile
Varuvadhellam uravu
Avan kanavil aval varuval
Avanai paarthu sirppal
Aval kanavil yaar varuvar
Yaarai paarthu azhaippar?

For a day-dreamer
Everything he sees is a dream
In his dream all that comes is relationship (sexual fantasies I think)
In his dream, she will come
And smile at him
In her dream, who’ll come
And call whom?

# NAPOWRIMO2017- Day 14 Yaarai Nambi - English Translation

Yaarai nambi

Yaarai nambi naan pirandhen
Pongada ponga en kaalam vellum
Vendra pinne vaangada vaanga

Whom did I trust in when I was born?
So go away
My time will come when I’ll be victorious (successful)
Then you all will come to me

Nenjamirukku thunivaaga
Neramirukkku therlivaga
Ninathal mudippen sariyaaga
Nee yaar naan yaar poda po
Aadiyile kaathadicha aipasiyil mazhai varum
Thedi varum kaalam vandha sondham ellam odi varum

My heart is strong and brave
My time is clear
I’ll finish what I set out to do
Who are you and who am I? Get lost (Meaning we’ll see who wins in the end, sort of a challenge)
If the wind blows in the month of Adi it will rain in Aipasi (Natural course of events like, if winter is there can spring be far behind type sentiment)
When (good luck) comes looking for me
All the relatives will come to looking for me (Fair weather people)

Thennaiya petha ila neeru
Pillaiye petha kanneeru
Pethavanan maname pithamma
Pillayin maname kallamma
Paanayile sorirundha
Poonaigalum sonndhamada
Vedhanaye pangu vacha
Sondhamille bandhamille

If you plant coconut sapling, you get coconut water
If you plant seed for children, you get tears
Parents’ heart is mad (crazy for kids)
The children’s heart is stone
When there is food in the pot even cats are your relatives
When you want to share your sorrow no relative, no nothing