MERRY CHRISTMAS!

GOD so loved us all...

He came to live among us

And is guiding us all

Like the star that lead

Three wise-men of orient

See the holy child at Bethlehem!

I am my mother's daughter ©2011VeerajaR

Ms.Mary Chinnaiah

I got this photo from my mummy-in-law, Lily Agnes who is from Puloly. Black& white pics are so precious now. Ms. Mary Chinnaiah was the first principal to accept responsibility from the the British missionaries. She is standing at the very back.

I am my mother's Daughter,

Copyright by ©2011VeerajaR

Queen Elizabeth & Lady Bug!

Who wove those petals silkier than the best Indian silk

Who perfected the curves smooth as China porcelain

Why any maiden's cheeks turn pale against my Queen Elizabeth

Whose touch turns any red Ladybug golden!

I am my mother's daughter, VeerajaR

Poetry:Copyright by ©2011VeerajaR

On Your Palm: Thanksgiving 2011

Across the oceans, my GOD you took me

Amidst strange lands, life you brought me

My mother's dream for me to fulfill

Thy grace did guide me up the hill.

On your palm you hold me Lord

In my heart I pulse your word!

I am my Mother's daughter...

Copyright by ©2011VeerajaR

Devotion!

What made me my mother's daughter

What made you see and hear

What awe I felt in my soul - for

What I am blessed to be

What angel you be and

What that I am

What good we be... is all

What HE... my God wishes...!

Copyright©2011 VeerajaR

Christ's Own- Literally!

Blessed be the Lord! I am a proud mother... immersed in tears of JOY!

I am sure mummy is VERY proud of her "Aerospace Engineer" grandson, especially, for choosing to be Christ's own!

I am my mother's daughter,

VeerajaR

My Mother: Icon of Tough LOVE!

Dhuva, My dear... Wake up!

I sprung up from my bed. It's my birthday! I know the rare instances when mummy calls "my dear!" She was beaming with smile. "Many... many... Happy returns of THE day! Happy Birthday!"

"Thank YOU, mummy" I replied happily, thinking of all the good things coming my way that whole day, including, NO spanking!

She was stretching out her hand helping me to get out of bed. She looked like an angel , especially adorned with that pretty pearly smile of hers. Everything about her is so perfect, I often wondered how in the world I deserved to have such a pretty mom. She's not just pretty, but intelligent and extremely strict.

"Come on now, get your bath. There... your new dress and ballerina shoes are waiting for you!" She said pointing to the pink lace dress with lots of frills and the matching shoes with a cute little bow that I liked. "You'll have to take the chocolate box to the principal, today" she said as she was rubbing the soap on me. "Walk straight, no stooping and answer briskly if she asks you any questions." She went on and poured buckets of water. Then came the part I liked. She put her palm on my head while pouring the water and said "Choam, choam, choam" which meant good health! She wrapped the towel around me and said "let me go and get the baby powder and Eau De Cologne while you wipe your self dry."

Holding on to my towel I turned to look in the mirror. " My Goodness, who is this?" I almost screamed looking at this unfamiliar face in the mirror. A strange face with a completely shaved head looked back at me, equally surprised. I made faces, and it made faces back at me. I ran my hand over my head, it was barely prickly.

"Oh, God! I remembered crying all evening, the previous day. I had begged Mummy "Could you wait until after my birthday..., please?" "No!" She said sternly, her face turning red "I can't bear to think of you carrying a single lice on your head." She had found a lice looking to nest in my hair and that was it! "A clean shave" she ordered and I felt like a sacrificial lamb at the barber shop.

I worried how I was going to face not even just my class, but almost the whole school, because it's my birthday and I'd have to take chocolate to all the teachers, most of whom I called aunty. On top of it I would have to take chocolate to the principal too. I knew she liked me because I get hundred marks in almost all subjects and always came first in my whole grade. But, looking bald is entirely another matter! Deep in my thoughts, I hadn't even realized that mummy had already doused me with baby talc and Eau De Cologne.

I came out of the bathroom. There... mummy was standing with the most beautiful hat that I have ever seen, with lots of lace and pink roses. " Here you go..." she said adjusting the hat on my head. She took a few steps back "Perfect, that will do it!" she said with a glint in her eyes, admiring this ugly duckling!

Oh, I miss her very much!

I am my mother's daughter,

Copyright©2011VeerajaR

Blessed Blossoms, My GOD!

Would I have known…

Who I could be – if YOU

My Lord hadn’t blessed me... with

My babies to hold!

I am My Mothers Daughter...

Copyright©2011 VeerajaR

That's for YOU, Mom!

If I had the voice of Elvis Presley...

I would have bought a brighter Red one for you, Mummy!

I am my mother's daughter,

VeerajaR

Life Is A Bowl of Clam Chowder!

This is home made clam chowder. I am sure Mummy would have loved it. My husband loved it and asked me to write down how I made it.

Like my mummy-in-law says, kitchen is my other lab--I experiment; come up with great new findings. But, unlike in the lab, I hate to write down my cooking steps. I hope I can reinvent my own clam chowder or even better, come up entirely with new flavors. I guess this keeps my interest in cooking alive!

I am my mother's daughter,

VeerajaR

Copyright©2011 VeerajaR

Blessed Anniversary!

இருவரில் தொடங்கி

ஆருயிர் இணைந்து

ஐவராய் தொடர்ந்து...

வருடங்கள் இருபத்தி

ஐந்தும் பறந்ததே

ஒரு நொடியாய்!

வீரஜா

VeerajaR

To my Mother's Peace (சாந்தி)!

What Love IS?

Would I have known

What love is -- If

My Mother hadn't held

Me, Close to her Heart?

I am my mother's daughter,

Copyright (C)2011 VeerajaR

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Many Many HAPPY Returns of the DAy!

Blessed be the Lord... my GOD,
Blessed be your Dad and
Blessed be your Mom
Blessed me they did-- through
Blessed YOU!

May GOD BLESS YOU!


*mummy's Blessings, too!

I am my-mother's daughter,

VeerajaR

Google Transliteration: To Mummy...on Mother's Day 2011

அம்மா என்று நான் அலைக்கவில்லை...
மம்மியாய் என்னில் நிலைத்துவிட்டாய்.


என் தாய் நீ தெய்வமானாய்
எட்டாத தொலைக்கு ஏன்


நீ சென்றுவிட்டாய்!





என் அம்மாவுக்கு,
என்-தாய்மகள், வீரஜாR


P.S._ Google transliteration is a google apps where you select the language of choice, but type in English as if you are speaking in that chosen language. The words are then converted to letters of that language you chose and means exacly what you spoke. Cool... because, second third generation often do not know how to write, but can speak their ancestral language.

http://www.google.com/transliterate/
I am my mother's daughter,
VeerajaR

Haiku Garland in Devine Mercy!

To those who ask-
Where' my Smiles from...:
See my mom first!


Face, I saw first--
Beheld angelic beauty
Devine Mercy lit!


Bless her forever--
Given a great mom
In Devine Mercy!

Poetry by my mother's daughter--VeerajaR
Copyright©2011 VeerajaR. All Rights Reserved!

I miss YOU... Mummy!!!
Eternal Rest Grant Unto Her my LORD
And let the Perpetual Light Shine Upon Her!

In GOD's Grace: Enter!

Miss You Mummy!

I am my mother's daughter, VeerajaR

Copyright©2011 VeerajaR

Horlicks for Grandma!

Horlicks, made in Sri Lanka! It is even exported to USA, etc.

I wish they had it 30 some years back when my Grandma kept asking for Horlicks!

My-mother's daughter,

VeerajaR

Rajaratnam Sportsmen:Father Like Son!

Gunaratnam Francis Rajaratnam: Table Tennis Champion--Colombo YMCA

Copyright©2011 VeerajaR

Augustine Shantikumar Rajaratnam: Badminton Championship-- Jaffna University

GFR is the grandfather of my kids D, J & N

I am my mothers daughter...

Copyright©2011 VeerajaR

Fiddler On The Roof!

Have you watched the movie or the play "Fiddler On The Roof"? I bought a collector's edition for my niece. Yes, for that smart little lady! I didn't have the chance to send it to her, yet---so I decided to open it and watch just make sure it is as good as I thought it was.

It is a great story and movie, of close-knit family and community as an extended family where you helped each other though you may have your hierarchy and differences. This movie depicts exactly how mummy explained about the old caste system. In the movie it is referred to as tradition. Without tradition, you may loose balance and fall---just like the fiddler on the roof might.

Our ancestors lived simple, but very connected to God, nature and each other. Yes, traditionally the villages were almost self-sufficient. At the top strata you have the rich land owner farmers (Vellalar), the medicine man (Pariyari), the priests (Iyar), Accountants & keepers of law ( Muthaliyars), and the teacher (Vaathiyar) who received the most respect from all. The last three were usually educated Vellalar carrying out these important roles in the village.Then you have the next strata---working farmers, traditional chefs (Pandari) carpenters (Thatchan), goldsmiths (Thattar), blacksmiths (Kollar), the traders (Chetti's) and fishermen. While the barber and dhoby (laundryman) are considered lower caste everyone in the village needed them and no function good or bad happens without them. There were drummers (Paraiyar), Handymen (Nalavar), tree climbers/toddy collectors (pallar) and even those with unique expertise of balance walking the "Thula" for drawing water from the well.

As beautifully explained in the "Fiddler on the Roof"---with traditions, each one knew their place in the society and knew what GOD expected of them. It was an essential strategy in oldtimes for the survival and peace of the whole village. The caste system was the same. Each caste had an expertise and served the whole society;everyone depended on each other. Even the rich/noble landowner needed the service of the barber everyday to shave his face; no one had their own razor those days.

This was actually a good system, because fathers taught their trade secret to their sons. The families stayed close and did not have to worry about what the son would do when he grows up. The whole village knew where and who the experts were for carpentry or cooking for a wedding reception, etc. The sons would accompany their fathers to help on such special occasions and by the time the sons are grown up the village would already recognize their expertise and the father's good name. I believe it was an effective business model in which you build your clients from childhood. Since the good name was important everyone worked sincerely, cared and delivered good service to each other.

On festive days people would go to greet each other with some home made gift---simple but made with care. The landowners and rich traders usually gave new clothing, money, rice or fruits to those who render services to them. No one went starving either and if someone had some difficulty, people would know and would help as much as they could.

In essence, everyone was everyone else's business; no one can be an island. Of course it could be a nuisance at times, because you have to make every move carefully. One mistake and your name is ruined for life. Marriages were proposed strictly within the castes for several reasons: keeping family trade and expertise within families, different castes had lifestyles very different from others, dowry system and indigenous law (Thesavalamai). Caste system was carried on for generations, because it was an effective and efficient way of living a peaceful life.

The traditional caste system was never meant to separate people. Only with the western imperialistic influence, the caste system took a turn towards master and slave attitude. Education was the key that eventually opened those doors that closed due to superiority complex. But, unfortunately the modern education takes people away from the families and the communities and confine them into boxed cubicles---in skyscrapers and isolated apartments surrounded with noisy gadgets. And again, if you think about it, we still have an artificial hierarchy and chain of command even in modern work place that you are expected to follow. We have traded peace to bring chaos and ruthless rule of money (not mercy).

I think ancient people were wise and knew more than what we think they knew. We are probably going to find out "ignorance is bliss" and "simplicity is luxury!"

I am my mother's daughter!

Copyright©2011 VeerajaR

Twinkle Little Star: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

A Haiku to the Apple of My Eyes: Neo Kannamma!

Twinkle little stars--

Whole galaxies revealed...

In my baby's eyes!

YOU ARE SO... PRECIOUS!

Many Happy Returns of The Day & MAY GOD BLESS YOU!!!

To my daughter, From my mother's daughter!

Copyright©2011 VeerajaR

Eliza: Grand Daughter of Muthalithamby Saravanamuttu

Copyright©2011 VeerajaR ELIZA 'Ponnu' was a grand daughter of Saivaite nobles Muthalithamby Saravanamuttu and Vairavipillai of UDUVIL. In fact, for generations this noble family's charity "Maadam" (building) on Manipay road, right past Uduvil school, had been providing water and shelter to the pilgrims on their way to Manipay Maruthaddy Pillaiyar kovil/temple. During the annual festival throughout the month of April, the relatives took turns serving free lime juice, lime pickle water, butter milk, yogurt, young coconut water and even milk rice or sweet "Aval." As a child, I had enjoyed this charity event and remember all the excitement of pilgrims whenever a cauldron full of drinks or rice was brought in. This charity Madam of our Saivaite ancestors' still exists. Ironically, still serving the people--but, as a post-office. Next to this charity-maadam, towards Uduvil school is the dowry house of my great grandma Ponnu. This being the first, mostly concrete (local limestone formula) cement-built house (1800s), my great grandma was called "kal veetu Ponnu"--- meaning girl of the stone house. She was married to my great grandfather Dr. Robert Breckenridge who was an Alumni of Jaffna College, Vadukottai. Mind you, those days and even to this day "caste system" or class is number one criteria in considering a marriage proposal. This house was later given as dowry to Eliza Ponnu's second daughter Grace Muthumani, upon her marriage to Muthaliyar Arasasingam of Alvai. The older daughter Lily, my grand mother, married Dr. Solomon Saravanamuttu Rajanayagam and was given as dowry, the dutch built ancestral house with royal crest on top. Both son-in-laws of Eliza Ponnu were educated and held very respectable jobs. Not only that they were also from noble caste, very handsome and good looking. Worthy of the dowry?

Don't take me wrong: My grand father was the most gentle, kind hearted and dedicated doctor, I have ever known! I am my mother's daughter, Copyright©2011 VeerajaR

Eliza: My Ancestor!

Upon Baptism, the Uduvil girls took up a Christian name and often their sponsor's name. Eliza, as the principal of the school was probably a favourite! My great grandmother Ponnamma married to Dr. Robert Breckenridge, was the first female in our family to convert and it's no wonder she took up the name Eliza. Older daughter of respected upper-class (so called Vellala, Chola descent) Saivaite landowner/philanthropist, she and her sister became Christians, while their brothers, Chelliah (oldest) and Thambiah (youngest) remained Saivaites. Chelliah/Chellachi couple and descendants were very fair skinned vegetarian Hindus and lived along the lane right across from Uduvil Girls school.

Upper class women were educated to marry upper class educated Christian gentlemen and raise a Christian elite family. Marriages were and are always fixed within the same caste/class---as a way of maintaining the gene pool, I was told. Even within a village the life styles and mannerism were so vastly different between the different castes, those days, it would have been naturally impossible to cross the line. Apparently, the Uduvil school and the American missionaries were sensitive to the local customs and did follow the caste rule in proposing marriages whenever they were involved. I will write in another post about mummy's thoughts on caste system: She's so ahead of her times and of course a great teacher. She always made us stop and think! *Most of these facts were directly passed on from my grandmother Lily Arulamma, her cousins Samuel Abraham and Thangamma, and my mother to me.Copyright©2011 VeerajaR

Reference: The white woman’s other burden: Western women and south Asia. Kumari Jayawardena 1995 – Biography & Autography (310 pgs)

Eliza Agnew From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Eliza Agnew (February 2, 1807 – June 14, 1883) was an American Presbyterian missionary. She was born in New York City to James and Jane Agnew. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliza_Agnew

On December 28, 1823, at a revival meeting at the Orange Street Presbyterian Church,

she converted to Christianity. She was educated in and lived in New York City

for nearly 32 years, devoting her service to the home, to the "Sabbath-school", and

in the distribution of Scripture and tracts. After her parents died, she secured appointment

to the Ceylon Mission of the American Board of Boston in 1839. She sailed from

Boston, Massachusetts to Jaffna,Ceylon (Sri Lanka as of 1972), aboard the Black Warrior.

She served as teacher for 42 years without furlough in the Female Boarding School

in Uduvil, just north of Jaffna, Ceylon. The Missionary Herald (September, 1863)

rewarded her pioneering efforts in Ceylon towards helping girls and women with the

following quote: "It is largely owing to the work she was permitted to do

that female education is more advanced here (Ceylon) than in

almost any other heathen land."

She was a woman of prayer, concerned with the spiritual welfare

of her students. Of one thousand people of three generations

under her influence, six hundred adopted to Christianity. She

visited and assisted graduates and ex-pupils with home

economics and spiritual affairs. Then she resigned as principle

of the school in 1879 and moved to Manepay, just west

of the school. She resided in the home of Misses

M. and M.W. Leitch, American Board missionaries in Manipai.

She died from a paralytic stroke in June 1883 and

was buried in Oodooville near the school over which she presided.

• Johnson, Allen, ed. Dictionary of American Biography. New York:Charles Scribner's Sons, 1936.
• Who Was Who in American Biography: Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1963.

Categories: 1807 births | American Christian missionaries | Christian missionaries in Sri Lanka | American Presbyterians | 1883 deaths | People from New York City | Missionary educators | American Ceylon Mission | Female Christian missionaries

Uduvil Women: Ahead of Their Times!

Having been raised by one, I have always admired the intellect and leadership characteristics of ladies from Uduvil.

Samuel Abraham, my grandma's cousin and author of several English language books (A.S. Kanagaratnam) had written proudly about my mother as being the first girl ever to ride a bike, in Jaffna. It was in the 1930's and I wouldn't be surprised if it's a national record. In fact, I first heard this from my best friend's Mom -- when we met for the first time and I was trying to answer her about where I was from and who's daughter -- she said "Oh, I know her from Uduvil Girls' School... very pretty and was the first girl ever to ride a bike to school."

The first thing my mom did when she started teaching was to buy her own car and drive to work. Mind you: This was in late 19-forties/early fifties. She always told me that the challenge was to reverse the car and that she avoided it as much as she could. This was a real car with stick-shift, not meant for faint-hearted ladies. In the seventies when mopeds (cute version of Scooters) showed up she wanted to get one to go for marketing, etc. Me and my brother managed to discourage her -- only because we were not so brave like her.

So it was no surprise that my mom was disappointed that I had not learned to drive even after being abroad for sometime. She would ask my husband to teach me driving and often offered to baby-sit Deepan and sent us off to practice. However, it took 10 more years before I actually muster my courage to drive on the street. But I drive now and I am sure she is very proud.

Just happened to read "women of Uduvil" in Wikipedia and amazed to see it explicitly described as "highly educated" compared to anywhere in the world!

I am my Mother's proud daughter,

VeerajaR

P.S._ Samuel Abraham, my mom's uncle is the son of former Hartley College principal Abraham (my grandma Lily Arulamma's dad--Dr. Breckenridge's brother). The Hartley College sports house "Abraham House" was named after him.

Copyright©2011 VeerajaR

Shining In GOD's Grace!

Shining in GOD's Grace... You

Rest in HIS Merciful Shadow!

I LOVE YOU & Miss YOU, Mummy!

I am my mother's daughter,

Copyright©2011 VeerajaR