Padhu Athai (1938 to 2025)

Padhu Athai passed away earlier today (October 18, 2025) at her residence in Indira Nagar. As with Chakku Manni, I was fortunate enough to be able to spend time with her during my July-Aug India trip (earlier this year).  

Neela Akka  remembered her as a "vibrant personality". I was telling Neela Akka that I spotted her in a YouTube video in an event with Kanchi Periya at Ziva.  Vidya and I were thinking about her love for social causes, particularly go-samrakshanam, and how Neela Akka took us to the goshala at Ziva on our last visit. I will particularly remember her love for Jeeyapuram, and her efforts to celebrate Manimma's 80th birthday in 2008. Mami (Vidya's mother) forwarded me the message that was communicated in "Ziva news". Meera, Pushpa, Raja Anna and Geetha Manni posted condolence messages and shared their thoughts on a WhatsApp group.

Some photos from over the year are attached below.

At Uchi Pillaiyar Koil, Trichy, 1955

A few of Athai and Dhona Athimber's wedding photos from my father's album 

சக்கு மன்னி - நினைவாஞ்சலி

 Chakku Manni passed away earlier today (August 11, 2025) at her residence in Mahalingapuram. I had the good fortune to spend some time with her during my recent visit to Chennai. Exactly as she said for her father,  Durga Akka said today that she lived a full, contented life. One photo similar to the one in that link (taken by Raja Anna in Besant Nagar) is attached below, and many more are to be found in the post on Chandru Perippa. 

Chakku Manni - taken by Raja Anna in SeaPoint Apartments (March 2013)

Also posted below is a photo that Kitcha Anna has liked and asked that I share with him, that has his parents, with his father holding him in his hands.

Varalakshmi Vratam - 7 & Avani Avittam - 2

 I got back 2 days ago from a wonderful trip to India, just in time to observe, I think for the first time in my life (or at least for the first time I consciously remember) both Avani Avittam and Varalakshmi Vratam occuring on the same day, Friday Aug 8, here in the US (In India, they are on 2 separate days, Fri the 8th and Sat the 9th)

In my last post about Avani Avittam, I had referred to  a video by Shri Raja Vadhyar, and I just wanted to mention that in recent years, I have switched almost entirely to videos posted by Shri Sathya Vadhyar. Here are his videos for Avani Avittam (today) 

and Gayatri Japam (tomorrow)

May Mother Gayatri Devi bless us all !

विश्वामित्रपःफलां प्रियतरां विप्रालिसंसेवितां

नित्यानित्यविवेकदां स्मितमुखीं खण्डेन्दुभूषोज्ज्वलाम् ।

ताम्बूलारुणभासमानवदनां मार्ताण्डमध्यस्थितां

गायत्रीं हरिवल्लभां त्रिणयनां ध्यायामि पञ्चाननाम् ||

and as mentioned in my last post on Varalakshmi Vratam, may Goddess Mahalakshmi/Varalakshmi dispel our (spiritual) poverty and confer all auspiciousness

शुभां हिरण्यप्राकारां समुद्रतनयां जयां |
नमामि मङ्गलांदेवीं विष्णुवक्षःस्थलस्थिताम् ‖

विष्णुपत्नीं प्रसन्नाक्षीं नारायणसमाश्रितां |
दारिद्र्यध्वंसिनींदेवीं सर्वोपद्रववारिणीम् ‖

नवदुर्गां महाकालीं ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्मिकां |
त्रिकालज्ञानसम्पन्नां नमामि भुवनेश्वरीम् ‖

Memories from Jamshedpur (TataNagar) - Part 5 (Loyola school photos + uncategorized) - concluded

 

In part 3 of this post, I had posted photos from a group picnic in Jan 1979 to Pavapuri, Rajgir, Nalanda, Gaya etc, in Jan 1979, and some travels in Rishikesh, Delhi, Agra etc in Part 4 

After a long gap, on July 3 (that Srikanth reminded me of today when he called to speak to our mother), I finally conclude this series (more than a year after I first started posting these pictures) with some school photos (Loyola) that he has preserved (+ some misc uncategorized photos).

Loyola school photos 

I start with some photos of mine from 1979 (?) Ms. Patel's class (1B).

 

Grade 1B (or KG?), Loyola School, Ms. Patel, 1979 (or 1978?)

 

Grade 1B, Loyola School, Ms. Patel, 1979

Grade 2B, 1980 (other details unknown)

and some of my brother Sriram from grades 3 to 5 (1978, 79 and 80)

Sriram, 03A, Loyola school, 1978

Sriram, 04A, Loyola school, 1979

Sriram, 05C, Loyola school, 1980

More photos of the children (not necessarily from Jamshedpur or school)

Sriram, Grade 7, St. Johns Besant Nagar

Srikanth, Grade 10, P.S.Senior Secondary, 1994-95

Srikanth, Grade 12, P.S.Senior Secondary, 1996-97

(L2R), Sriram, Appa, Sridhar (Krishnamurthy Ammanji's Residence)
Photo taken by Dhona Athimber

Neela akka, Nimma akka, Sriram, Sridhar, Rajiv & Srikanth
12 June, 1980

Padhu Athai, Perippa, Sriram, Sridhar, Rajiv & Srikanth
12 June, 1980

Upanayanam of Shashwat Venkat Ram 16-06-25

|| न गायत्र्याः परमो मन्त्रः न मातुः परं  दैवतम् ||

 

The upanayanam of Shaswat Venkat Ram was conducted nicely by Harini, Amrith and blessings of Jaganmata Bhuvaneshvari, Gayatri, Guru-s and elders and the good wishes of family, friends, and relatives on 16-06-25 (Father's Day here in the US).

On this occassion, I post a small discourse of Sri Ramanacharana Tirtha (Nochur) Swami "காயத்ரி ஜபத்தின் மகிமை"