Freedom and Compulsion

The basic trouble with the modern world is the intellectual fallacy that freedom and compulsion are opposites. To solve the gigantic problems crushing the world today, we must clarify our mental confusion. We must acquire a philosophical perspective. In essence, freedom and compulsion are one.

Let me give you a simple illustration. Traffic lights restrain your freedom to cross a street whenever you wish. But this restraint gives you the freedom from being run over by a truck. If you were assigned to a job and prohibited from leaving it, it would restrain the freedom of your career. But it would give you freedom from the fear of unemployment. Whenever a new compulsion is imposed upon us, we automatically gain a new freedom. The two are inseparable. Only by accepting total compulsion can we achieve total freedom.

~ Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

Listen to Harris Jayaraj Hits in May

Await the musical event with melodies by leading playback singers. For tickets contact advesatrust@hotmail.com

Chennai Exhibition near Annanagar Roundtana

A very big "Manitha Kurangu" invites you to the exhibition near Annanagar roundtana. As you walk past the entrance there are numerous shops with household utility items - Magic sponge that magically wipes off dirt from any surface, mini water vaporiser to produce steam for medical and beauty needs, and vathals of all kinds.

As you turn to the right, stalls sell olive oil, gobi manchurian ready ix, milk khoa, portable picnic chairs and more. The homemade kadamba paal of Amba's Junnu was really tasty. You can place party orders if you want more than 50 sweet bowls. Contact Sridhar at 9791107856 or mail to needzchennai@gmail.com.

The center of the exhibition has many shapes of merry-go-rounds, sugarcane with lime juice, Madurai's jigarthanda and chilli bajjis. Step in and enjoy your day this summer.

Memento from Advesa Charitable Trust

Thank you Advesa.

Marina Tamil Movie - Breezy and Funny

Have you watched a movie in which every character is etched with care, every scene is rib tickling, and provokes your slumbering mind? Then you must watch Marina?

Renting a tree branch to a newcomer, having a competition to measure the reach and measure of piss, or a ranting crackpot - you will live inside the Marina Beach for the 2+ hours.

The love story of actor Oviya and her boyfriend is funny. An expenses track is shown in their scenes to show the money spent on the short lived love. The boy who sells a conch or 'sanggu' is prophetic as he blows the conch everytime he tries to sell one to the pair.

Other stories are interesting too. After a long and hilarious search, the police find the boy who hurt an Inspector's son. As we wait for the revengeful act, the boy is let off with just 10 "kottus" or mild knocks on his head.

The beach boys collect money and conduct cricket and running races. An old beggar, who was once wealthy, yearns to give the trophy to the winners. The kids never call him. Though dejected, he buys a trophy and asks the boys to conduct another competition. The boys conduct a grand horse race. The grandpa gives the trophy to the winners. The need for acceptance and belonging even when a person is old and begging is brought out well. The death ritual of the old beggar on the horse is very touching.

The film ends with a message that child labour in Marina should end and that the kids should go back to school. Wish you all a happy journey inside Marina. Thank you Director Pandiraj for the wonderful tour.

About Muttram StreetPlay Troupe

Muttram Troupe was formed on Nov 25, 2009. It was started by Prof. Ravindran, HOD of Journalism and Communication, Madras University. Muttram is an all-student troupe and the 4th batch is currently active. Venu Gopal engira Aadalarasu is the Secretary and Trainer. The troupe was inaugurated by the Vice Chancellor Thiruvasakam. Sahayaraj is now the President of Muttram. Muttram performs Street plays, Folk dance and Folk songs. They visit slums and perform for the underprivileged kids. They visit the tribals who live in mountains. They perform as well as learn the dying art forms of the Tribals. Once a year, a Japanese cultural team visits the University to perform. Muttram performs during this intercultural communication event. The Muttram team would have done more than 50 shows so far. You can reach Muttram team at aadalarasu.adi@gmail.com

Advesa Trust - 4th Annual Day on 28th April

Advesa Charitable Trust will conduct their 4th Annual Day on 28th April, Saturday. All are welcome. We will be glad to have you at the venue, enjoy the cultural events, visit the in-house library, and spread a good word about our work. View the location map on page 2 of the invite.

Yuga Design Conducts Crafts Workshop for Advesa Trust Kids

On April 21st, Yuga Design staff conducted a crafts workshop for 120 kids at Advesa Charitable Trust's rural library at Mathur. The day started with lunch. Yuga people distributed vegetable bringi and curd rice packets.

The kids got crayon boxes and sample pictures. Then they painted beautiful designs using crayons. Next, the kids learnt to make Nehru cap using newspapers. Then they made birds and shirt with color paper. Thanks to Vinodhini, Gautham, Guru, Sucheta, Jagan, and Saravanan for conducting the origami and painting workshop.

Click here for more event photos.

Primary and Secondary Template in a Marriage

Psychologist Vijay Nagaswami in one of his books explains how a groom and bride walk into the marriage with a primary template or a primary set of expectations. This primary template is mostly derived from the lifestyle of parents, relatives, and close friends. Say for example the husband expects his wife to give all her earnings to him. Or the wife wants a nuclear family.

Most of the times, this Primary Template of either partner may not work. So, both the hubby and wify tweak their Primary Template a bit and arrive at a Secondary Template. Say the husband agrees to take only a part of the earnings of his wife or share household expenses. The wife may agree to live in a joint family for the first five years of marriage and later move into a nuclear family.

All is well for the couple if they are able to lessen their egos and settle for a Secondary Template. Else it is splitsville in the making. So, wats brewing in your family cuppas ;)))

Unity in Variety

I am not the standard of the Universe. The apple tree should not be judged by the standard of the oak, nor the oak by that of the apple. To judge the apple tree you must take the apple standard, and for the oak, its own standard. 


Not all men and women in any society are of the same mind, capacity, or power to do things. They must have different ideals and we have no right to sneer at any ideal. Let everyone do the best they can to realise their own ideal. Unity in variety is the plan of creation.

Swami Vivekananda

முடக்கிய மூட நம்பிக்கை

அந்த கிராம ஆரம்ப சுகாதார மையம் எப்பவும் நிரம்பி வழிந்தது. "அந்தம்மா கைராசி டாக்டர். அவங்க பிரசவம் பார்த்தா ஆம்பள புள்ள தான் பொறக்கும். நமக்கு முதல் நாலும் பொண்ணுங்க. இந்த தடவையாவது பையன் பிறக்கணும்." என்று தன் கணவனிடம் சொல்லிக்கொண்டே கவிதா மையத்துக்குள் நுழைந்தாள்.


டாக்டர் ஜானகியை பார்த்தவுடன் கவி மனதில் பூரிப்பு. அம்மா வந்துட்டாங்க.
ஜானகி கவியை பரிசோதனை செய்தார். வயிற்றில் கை வைத்து பார்த்தால் தலை இருக்க வேண்டிய இடத்தில தலை இல்லை.கை எங்கோ இருந்தது. ஒரு வேளை இரட்டை குழந்தைகளா? என்று குழம்பினார் டாக்டர் ஜானகி.


"இங்க பாருமா கவிதா. குழந்தை குறுக்கால இருக்க மாதிரி இருக்கு. இந்த சுகாதார மையத்துல இந்த பிரசவம் பாக்குற வசதியில்ல. நீ பக்கத்து ஊர்ல இருக்கற பெரிய ஆஸ்பத்திரி போயிட்டா நல்லது."


"அய்யய்யோ ? என்னம்மா இப்படி சொல்லிட்டீங்க. உங்க கிட்டதான் பார்த்துபேன்னு அவர் கிட்ட அடம் பிடிச்சு கூட்டி வந்தேன். உங்க கை வைச்சா பையன் பொறக்கும் எனக்கு . மாட்டேன்னு சொல்லாதிங்க டாக்டர். " என்றாள் கவி.


"நான் கடிதம் எழுதி குடுக்குறேன். நீங்க அத எடுத்துகிட்டு பெரிய ஆஸ்பத்திரி போங்க." என்று ஜானகி கடிதத்தை கவியின் கணவரிடம் நீட்டினாள். கவி தட்டு தடுமாறி வெளியே சென்றாள்.


எவ்வளவு உயரமாய் சிவப்பாய் இருக்கிறாள் கவி. நல்ல பொருத்தமான ஜோடி அவர்கள் என்று டாக்டர் ஜானகி மனதுக்குள் சிரித்தார்.


"ஆ ஊ" என்று கூவிக்கொண்டே மையம் வந்தாள் கவி. டாக்டர் ஜானகிக்கு அதிர்ச்சி. "நீங்க இன்னும் பெரிய ஆஸ்பத்திரி போகலயா ? சரி வாங்க. " பிரசவ வலியில் தவித்தாள் கவி. சுகாதார மையத்தில் எல்லோரும் பம்பரம் போல் வேலை செய்தார்கள்.


குழந்தை வெளியே வருவதை ஜானகி பார்த்துகொண்டிருந்தார். தாங் என்று தலைக்கு பதில் கை வெளியே வந்தது. "இது என்ன கை முதல் வந்திருக்கு.  நான் அப்பவே சொன்னேன். இரத்தம்மா கொட்டுது. சீக்கிரம் ஆம்புலன்ஸ்ல ஏத்துங்க. "


சிறிது தூரம் வண்டி சென்றதும், கவிதா இறந்துவிட்டாள். அவள் கணவன் கதறி அழுதான். நாலு பெண் குழந்தைகளுக்கு தாய் இல்லை.


இந்த இரண்டு உயிர் போனதற்கு யாரை குறை சொல்வது? பெண் குழந்தைகளை மட்டமாக நினைக்கும் நம் நாட்டையா? கைராசி என்னும் மூட நம்பிக்கையையா ? போதுமான மருத்துவ வசதி இல்லாத கிராமஆரம்ப சுகாதார மையங்களையா ? பழி சொல்வதற்கு நமக்கு சொல்லியா தரணும்? 

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If We Cannot Get Nectar...

Every child that is born sees the sky overhead very far away, but is that any reason why we should not look towards the sky? Would it mend matters to look down and go towards superstition? If we cannot get nectar, would it mend matters for us to drink poison? Would it be of any help to us because we cannot realize the truth immediately to go into darkness and yield to weakness?

- Swami Vivekananda