Issue No. 54 published on 15-08-2009            
AUGUST - OCTOBER 2009


Hello everyone,

Your favourite Family magazine is back after a gap of three months. I am happy to announce the 54th issue of the family Newsletter. As in the last newsletter, there is a Tamil section (தமிழ்ப் பக்கங்கள்) .

Like the two previous issues, we start with a cricket teaser.
Who is the Indian bowler who holds the record for the highest number of runs conceded


There are three contributors from the family - Prasad, Kannan (Narasimhan) and Kausalya. Kannan continues to educate us on the work of the great Tamil poet Kamban. His article Appreciating Kamban --- A few select stanzas from Ayodhya Kandaam takes us from Bala Kandam to Ayodhya Kandam. Prasad's article, Auschwitz on the visit by him and Rupal to the Nazi concentration camps - Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland is as always interesting, educative and poignant. Kausalya had written an article after her Egypt trip which was reproduced in an earlier issue. In this issue, I am reproducing Kausalya's article Mummy returns! about her visit to the valley of the Kings in Egypt. There are two new contributors from the extended family. My cousin, Vasumathy (Urmila's sister-in-law), who is in California has sent a brief write-p and photos of her recent trip to Hawaii. Mr.Padmanabhan, Archana's father has sent a write-up on his grandfather Mr.N.S.Varadachary who was a true Gandhian.

The Tamil section contains a few interesting article. The famous Tamil writer Sujatha passed away last year and was the favourite author of a whole generation. A tribute to him is in the article - யுக புருஷர் சுஜாதா. One of the best current writers in Tamil is S.Ramakrishnan. He writes about the games played by boys of my generation and this generation in his என்ன விளையாடுவது? Maa Ramanan in Hindola Ragam is a classic composition by Papanasam Sivan. This song has been discussed in மா ரமணன். A few interesting Haikus in Tamil are in ஹை(ஜோ)க்கூ. Last time I had published two old cartoons of Ananda vikatan. This issue has two jokes from Kalki in 1950. I have also reproduced a humorous piece. All these are in கொஞ்சம் சிரிங்க. The joke about shortage of rice in those days makes us wonder whether we will again have curbs on rice, dal etc. காபியில் கலை! is a piece on art with a cup of coffee.

I got an interesting mail about a geometry problem. You can read about it in How can this be true? in the section 'FROM THE NET'. The other pieces in this section are David approaches Goliath and Art with Food..

Since I am postng Crypic crossword solutions every Sunday, I have discontinued Crossword clues. Instead Sudoku (1 Easy, 1 Medium and 1 Hard in fillable format) is the new introduction from this issue. All the other usual features, viz. Memories are made of these, Important family events, Brain Teasers and Cryptoquip are there.

Enjoy the Newsletter and do write about it.


MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THESE

Amritha and Harish in our Aynavaram house in 2004
The house and the laptop have changed. But I continue to spend 3 to 4 hours every day with my laptop. This photo was taken in 2004.

IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE FAMILY

*** Amritha had severe pain in her shoulders (first in right and a month later in left shoulder). After medicines and physiotherapy in Railway hospital, we consulted Dr.Jayashankar of Sundaram Medical Foundation. According to him, daily exercises and Calcium are necessary as the bones gradually weaken. Amritha is now ok and back to all her routine.
*** We are eagerly awaiting the arival of Shubha, Archana and Harish in September. Shubha talks a lot, much of it unintelligible, but very enjoyable. She is able to identify most of the letters of the alphabet and is very active. They visited Archana's grand-uncle in Atlanta and went to Yosimite National Park (Shoba also joined them) in the last three months. Right now they are in New York on a sight-seeing visit. Archana's chithappa and chithi who are in Canada visited them in June. Here are some photos of Shubha, Archana and Harish in the recent past. Some of the photos were taken by me sitting in Chennai while we were talking on Skype.

Here are some photos



Click on Forward to view next photo

*** After more than a year of working with Rajiv Menon, Aarthi wanted to go back to free-lancing. She left for Bangalore on 14th June and is quite busy with a few assignments. She also got selected for the Artists' Residency Programme along with three other artists from different fields (film-making, painting, sculpting and graphic design). All of them are working on projects in their own fields with a common theme. Amritha and I went to Bangalore twice in June.

*** Vanaja (my sister) was unwell and is better. Newsletter wishes her all the best.

*** After more than seven years, Vijaya (my sister-in-law) travelled alone from Bangalore to Chennai by train. For a person who was dependent on walking stick as well as others, this is a great achievement and a tribute to the skills of Dr.Jayashankar, ortho-surgeon (mentioned earlier) who replaced her knee-cap two years ago.

*** Srivatsan (my nephew who is in Singapore) has been blessed with a daughter. Our congratulations to the baby and her parents.
***Srisudan (my nephew) who is in Belgium has come on 3 weeks' vacation and will leave back for Brussels on 28th August..

*** The house in Tiruvanmiyur which was exchanged by Kannan (T.Nagar) from Rukku is being demolished and rebuilt by Jagan.
*** Prasad and Rupal have returned to India. Prasad has been regularly writing in his two blog-sites. I am once again giving the links to his blogs.
AN EXPERIMENT IN RETIREMENT (by Prasad)

TRAVEL STORIES (by Prasad)

Apart from blogging, watching TV, travelling etc., Prasad and Rupal are also spending their time changing houses. I have visited two of their houses in June and hope to visit their third house in Mumbai this month.
*** Mukund has also started his own blog. I am giving the link to his blogs.
SIMPLE PLEASURES (by Mukund)

*** Jagan is back after attending a training course in Mussoorie for 6 weeks. The training includes 2 weeks of training in USA. The US component of the training has been postponed due to swine flu.

*** Kannan (Adyar) underwent cataract operation. There was a minor complication which required hospitalisation for a few days. He s now fine.


*** Aditya is unwell and has been hospitalised. But he is fine and will be discharged in a day or two. Newsletter wishes him a speedy recovery.


*** Kausalya visited Singapore on official work and wrote an article about the festival that she attended in Singapore.

** Rahul saw Wimbledon live, but wrote that he was so far away that TV would have been a better option. But still seeing live has its own thrill.
*** Radhika has joined M.A. (Sociology) in Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. She got admission in two other insttutions - in Delhi School of economics as well as in Chennai. But she has chosen JNU. Her posting in Facebook after joining JNU was,'Why is delhi so freaking hot and why is JNU so big? :( I'm sure that in a few months, she'd find Delhi freezing cold. All the best, Radhika. We are sure you'd come out with flying colours.

*** Newsletter congratulates Chandra, Vidya and Nitya for successfully staging the play "Laila Majnu" from the Hindi movie Aaja Nachle. Nitya deserves special congratulation as she was the choreographer. According to Raghu - 'The function was a roaring success with all tickets sold out and the audience openly appreciating the youth for their wonderful performance.' Click here for some photos of the dance-drama.

The talk of India is Swine Flu. A touch of humour on it is provided at the bottom of this page. The photo is real, though I could not help laughing.

Amritha and I saw four films in cinema halls - Pasanga (very good), Nadodigal (OK), Achamundu achamundu (with Prasad - OK) and Modhi vilaiyadu (with Kannan, Rajeevi & Prasad - OK). We also saw a few films on CD. French open, Wimbledon, 20-20 World cup and a large number of music-based programmes on TV (apart from newspapers and magazines) also kept us busy.

The next issue will be published on 31st October 2009. Bye.

அன்புடன்


(S.Parthasarathy)
15th August 2009


Appreciating Kamban --- A few select stanzas from Ayodhya kandam by Kannan (Narasimhan)

Auschwitz by Prasad

Valley of the Kings by Kausalya

A True Gandhian by N.S.Padmanabhan (Archana's father)

Hawaii by Shantha Ranganathan (Vasu)

Tamil Crosswords (Fillable and with Hints)

Sudoku puzzles (Easy, Medium and Hard - Fillable)

Brain Teasers

Cryptoquip

யுக புருஷர் சுஜாதா

மா ரமணன்.

என்ன விளையாடுவது?

ஹை(ஜோ)க்கூ

கொஞ்சம் சிரிங்க.

காபியில் கலை!

How can this be true?

Davis approaches Goliath

Art with Food

Click here for the previous issue (30th April 2009)

SWINE FLU

"The only known cure for Swine Flu has been found to be the liberal application of oinkment."

"Will there be a mass outbreak of Swine flu? When pigs fly."





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