The Indian Government has been busy…..at leasy busier than my scanner has been for I have been remiss. There have been a few worthy releases…

Continue reading More Stamps on Cinema – S.D.Burman and Madhubala

Bhagwan Baba with my father and mother at our home Glen Gyle -Kodaikanal -1986.I wish to narrate a beautiful experience that I had of Bhagwan…

Continue reading Sathya Sai Baba and Ayyappan

WOW…..I am really proud that our own ARR has won 2 OSCARS , and Resul Pookutty one. As part of the film fraternity to which…

Continue reading A.R.Rehman – Arcot Road to Oscars -ஆர்காட் ரோடு லிருந்து ஆஸ்கர்ஸ் வரை

இது கலியுகமா ? கலி முத்திவிட்டால் நல்லவர்களும் நல்லதும் இருக்காது. தீய சக்திகள் தாண்டவம் ஆடும் என்பார்கள். பல நேரங்களில் நல்லவர்கள் கூட தப்பான பாதையில் போவார்கள் என்றும் சொல்லுவார். சமீப காலத்தில் நடந்த…

Continue reading இது கலியுகமா ? The Four Horsemen….In English and tamil

I had an opportunity to drive down to Arivalur on Saturday the 7th of February. It was a lovely drive ( almost ) . The…

Continue reading Arivalur Ayyanar -an Update -February 7th 09

My Journey in this Tinsel world was covered fairly nicely by KTV in an interview that took place a few years ago. I have just…

Continue reading My Journey as an ACTOR – The people and the Movies

VENKATA PATTABHI RAMAN or simply Bala to his friends

I just wanted to write a few lines on my father. If ever there was a list of men whose amazing intellect was to be revered for the sheer variety of subjects they could intelligently converse on , I guess my dad will be somewhere right on top of that list.

Continue reading V.P.Raman , My father

It was a great feeling when my friend Mr.Pattabhiraman , whose family is spearheading the renovation Project sent me Photographs of the Progress made in this. The Temple is well on the way to getting a Total facelift and hopefully devotees will have better facilities when they come to worship.

Continue reading Arivalur Ayyanar Temple – Renovation underway

இதை தமிழிலும் போட வேண்டும் என்ற காரணத்தினால் ….நூறு ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன் என் தாத்தா ( A.V.Raman) அவரின் சொந்த ஊரை விட்டு வந்தார் . ஏதோ காரணங்களால் அப்பக்கமே திரும்பவில்லை . என் தந்தை (V.P.Raman) கூட அந்த கிராமம் எங்கு இருக்கிறதோ என்று ஒரு சில முறை தேடிவிட்டு முயற்சியை கை விட்டுவிட்டார். தாத்தாவின் கூட பிறந்தவர்கள் (Muthukrishnan,Pattabhi ,Swami ) ரங்கூன் சென்று வ்யாபாரம் தொடங்கினர் . இவரோ இங்கிலாந்து சென்று தனது இன்ஜினியரிங் கல்வியை தொடர்ந்தார் . உறவுகள் இருந்தனவா ? அந்த ஊரில் ? Continue reading அய்யனார் – அறிவளுர்

This is a story much like the Alex haley one – Roots. It all started a century or more ago. Around the late 1890s my grandfather left his native village and went to England ( not sure of when exactly) . He had a few brothers Muthukrishnan , Pattabhi , Swami all of whom were to leave for Rangoon or had a few of them left ??? and another younger brother Srinivasan who went on to pursue medicine. The net result was a total severance of links with his ancestoral Village – ARIVALUR. This is near Mayiladuthurai ( Mayavaram) on the Thiruvarur Road , behind the Village of Elandhangudi. Anyway Venkartaman , my grandfather , after whom I have been named, son of Agneeswara Iyer , left his Roots for Good. Continue reading My Arivalur Ayyanaar