Anbe Sivam :)

My dad always told me we belong to the caste of Pillai and our god is Lord Shiva. I never gave religion, caste and similar factors much importance cuz my brother is a very free willed person and I am lot more connected to him in my house than with any of the others. Both of us were bought up in Bahrain and it didn't matter much to us as we mostly communicated in English and did not know how to read or write Tamil. And neither did my parents rub the ritual of going to the temple or doing pooja everyday. Thus, I have friends of all castes. Never has anything spiritual touched me. Even during my school days I used to call myself an atheist when we used to have discussions within friends on spiritual stuff. (But now, I believe into the All Mighty about which I will blog later here :)). So, the first time I was really touched by the qualities of Lord Shiva was when I watched this film Anbe Sivam. When Kamal keeps pressing on the fact that there is God in all of us. Who loves another and knows how to share love and prevent destruction has God in himself. (By the way, I love Kamal and have always admired him.). The second time I was touched was when I was part of a "NarPani Kuzhu". I stay in Saligramam which is close to the Vadapalani Siva Temple. My mom being a very dynamic person always participates in social activities. And she is an inspiring example of the saying "Age is only a number". She is god fearing and just like the Nalla Sivam character in Anbe Sivam. She knows only to love. I might not have seen Mother Teresa. But, I am humbly happy to be born to mommy cuz she suits all those names you would say about people who are for humanity. She just knows only to give Love. You hate her and she will still just love you back. You get angry with her and she would still love you and most importantly be there for you when you need her. I love you Ma. (I could just go on and on about her....)

But, now back to the my love for Lord Shiva. Mom told me to participate in this "NarPani Kuzhu"(its a social service group) where we have people of all ages. The plight would be to travel early in the morning in a tempo traveler to a temple which is in the outskirts of Chennai. There is a research group who would find out which Shiva temple has not been accessed for a long while ....like in years. Our mission is to reach there and start cleaning the temple. The little ones take up responsibility to search for flowers, make garlands, chant mantras and to serve tea to others who are in the tedious tasks of cleaning the shrubs around the temple. Young and middle aged men get into the bushes and start clearing of wild plants sometimes encountering snakes. The aged women start cooking lunch for all of us. Old men and ladies take up roles of washing the walls inside the temple and my favourite part - cleansing the idols and making them shine. I loved this part. It touched me to see that only in the Lord Shiva temple can u walk into the place where the idol is and you can touch and cleanse the Lingam. It is a great feeling which I can never express in words. In a world where they say that the Brahmins should be the only one who would chant in Sanskrit and have access to God. Shiva is one deity who is one among all of us. He is preached in the way where you know he is everywhere and in everything (FYI critics, this is my personal outlook and emotions ...) The whole group chant only in Tamil. No Sanskrit. And in the evening the temple looks afresh. Poojas are performed and all of us chant Shiva mantras. When we return home it is such a complete feeling in the heart as we leave behind a temple which is flooded by the localites who are ready to take care of this clean temple from then on. It touched me to see this task of rejuvenating holy places which were not accessed for a long while. And the third time I was really moved with the Shiv mantras was when I saw Naan Kadavul. The intro scene of Arya. Shivers ran down my spine, I had goose bumps. I just was engrossed into the vibration. I love this feeling. It is so beautiful. Will cherish this moments of my love and devotion towards the Lord Shiva. Just love this hymn from the movie Naan Kadavul. Have listened to it a 1000 times now :)

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Anda brammanda koti
Akhila paripaalana
Poorana jagat kaarana sathya deva deva Priya
Vedha vedhartha saara
yagna yagnomaya
Nishchala dushta nigragha
sapta loga samrakshana
Soma soorya agni lochana
Swetha rishaba vaaghana
Soola pani bujanga booshana
tripura naasha nardhana
Yoma kesa mahaasena janaka
pancha vaktra parasu hastha namaha
Om Sivoham
Om Sivoham
Rudra roopam bajeham
Om Sivoham
Om Sivoham
Rudra naamam bajeham