Dancing light of grace

1. Dravidam means dravya or money. Mother was singing this song:

” You’re my mother, father and brother, sister and friend. You are my art, wealth(Dravidiam.) You, oh, divine one art my everything.”

Translated from Sanskrit.

2. Dravid country thus meant wealthy state of Tamil nadu in Bhagvat Puran.

3. IT revolution began in southern states and I lived in Chennai for 3.5 months before February 2010. I visited Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry with colleagues. I found Kannadigas to be sweeter than Tamilan people. I’d have learnt the languages Tamil and Telugu as well as Kannada if I was looking to settle over there. They found me lifeless and I found them full of pride. I never appreciated northern people spitting in public or population explosion creating burden on rich states of Southern India. On the same hand I found southern people especially Chennai citizens to be extremely unwelcoming of a northern guy who was bound by life path to follow a difficult course. I never complained about not getting wheat grains and enjoyed varieties of Dosa and rasam. How could I have found home there as I ever remained an alien in this place where everyone spoke Hindi. The blue water of beach in Mahabalipuram remains one of my sweetest memories and the drive up and down the hill on Thirupathi thanks to a rich friend who could drive. They are distant memories now. Up the Thirupathi I couldn’t understand what the fuss was about. Yet I saw a fresh biosphere better than the rest and later a colleague named Giri used to remind me of the place being a resident of the township surrounding Thirupathi. Without any doubt: except Osho and Maharshi Mahesh Yogi, the spirituality of India after Bengali Renaissance was maintained by stalwarts Ramana Maharshi, Jiddu Krishnamurti, UG, Satya Sai, Muktan anda and Amma chi. They were no match to Ramalinga, Nayanars or Alvars. Chaitanya’s southern journey didn’t seem to have affected the southern mettle and ISXKON in Bangalore merely seems to be an advent of majority of Northern Indians living in the Bangalore. Thiruvalluvar”s attitude towards beggars would never approve of Buddha or Mahaveera. In that regard Kabir and Nanak agree with him.  And yet Bodhidharma from Kerala became a messenger to China. He couldn’t stay put with Shaivism which had won over Jainism after a long battle. Neither could Ramalinga who declared that he had gone beyond both Siddhant and Vedant.

Time taken: 48 minutes.