Olympic hype in India.

As ever,the Indian media has gone overboard with their projections. Who is to blame? Is it the athletes? Is it the federations? Is it our photoshopping culture?

Athletes
Not one of them tells their true world ranking. Eg. Discus thrower Krishna Poonia. We know only from BBC that there are 8 people who have hurled the discus farther than her best this year.

Federations.
The less said the better. They couldn't control their tennis players and shooters. After permitting an intruder into the march past, now they are asking the IOC to explain.

Photoshopping culture.
Looking for the quick gain instead of the steady progress.

OK

R CHUDAMANI

Friday 19.08.2016.

R CHUDAMANI. 

Incidents about R Chudamani.

(1) Related to her work practice and habit.

About 15 years back, I used to travel with my office friends regularly by road between Tiruttanni and Sholinghur. On the way we passed many small hamlets and villages which have names ending in the word KANDIGAI. Like R.S. Kandigai, R.K. Kandigai etc. We were always intrigued by the meaning and origin of the word KANDIGAI. One day I decided to ask my Aunt Chudamani about it. 

So what did she do?

"Good question. Let me check the dictionary" or some such words she says and briskly walks across to her collection of multi volume tamil-tamil dictionary. Runs those frail and spindly fingers across the three volumes and pulls up the word and tells us the meaning.

On that day, I observed her work habit.

No evasion or putting off the question. Instead a habit clearly inculcated by daily practice of tamil reference and writing. 

Also, thats the day I learnt that KANDIGAI has three meanings (at least).

• A unit of land measure used in the pre independance days in northern districts of tamilnadu.
• A small decorated box containing a lady's "vanity" items. 
• An ornamental shoulder piece which was part of a soldier's armament in ancient tamilnad.

(2) Related to her relationship with visitors.
Even in a family of people who were basically very courteous, her concern for visitors and their sensibilities stood out.

IRRESPECTIVE OF WHO THE GUEST - OR WHAT THEIR BACKGROUND - WAS, she would first offer them what refreshments were available. This is in stark contract to many ladies from sophisticated families who treat guests according to their position. Eg: Peers or higher like gurus and samiyars always get refreshments first. Others get to finish the work or business first then only refreshments.

Chudamani's aunt Sushila also has the same observation about Chudamani and used to say that Chudamani was really special in so many ways.