Sita's write up in Mylapore Times- April 2015

Women's Day Guest Speaker - Rotarian Shri. R. V. Rajan - A Crusader for Women Empowerment

First time in the History of Inner Wheel Club of Madras South- General Body meetings, we have invited Rotarian Shri R. V. Rajan, husband of our Past President Smt. Prabha Rajan.  For many, this guest speaker sounded surprising.  He is a very known person to our South club, a welcoming Rotarian, but few wondered what a man is going to come and speak on a Women's Day Celebration!

But, to me, having known and heard about him for a long time, I felt that Rtn. Rajan is the apt guest speaker for the occasion.  I wanted a speaker who knows Inner Wheel, who understands women from all sides, who has contributed to the welfare and empowerment and who is still contributing to the memory of the woman in his life.  That's when we decided on Rajan sir to be our guest speaker and honestly,  he was more than what we expected a guest speaker to be.  He was like an elder brother talking to his family on how woman empowerment starts from the inner walls of our homes.

Rajan arrived with our members on time, presented himself humbly to our invitation and felt very much part of our Inner Wheel extended family.   As I introduced on why we wanted Rajan, I could see the full attention from our members appreciating our thought.    PDC Shanthi Kannan introduced R.V.Rajan to the members and we requested him to sit and talk to us.

He started telling that he cherished being an adman, fully involved and raised in typical orthodox family and started life from the humble beginnings in Mumbai.  Sheer determination and hardwork took him to the great heights and he moved to Delhi with his newly married wife-  a timid, soft-spoken and introvert Prabha.  Delhi to her was like an alien land for this tamil woman who could not speak English or Hindi.  So he decided to return to Chennai to make her stay in comfort.  

He mentioned how he thought that Prabha, a wonderful housewife,  adjusting daughter in law in a joint family,  a very caring mother to 3 loving children, in a beautiful own house and a comfortable living, is having life of happiness and peace.  He used to take her on vacations and tours abroad and thought that he was keeping her happy.  That is when one day, Praba wrote to him, a lengthy letter totally expressing her anguish and sadness of the kind of life she was living.  That day, was kind of an enlightment to Rajan.  He realized two things.  One is how unhappy his wife is crushed with the burdens of being a house wife in a joint family and wanting to fly like a bird with new wings.  Second one is, he found the beautiful writing skills of Prabha.   The adman in him did not keep quite.  He took the letter to publishing which later made Praba a good and recognised writer.

Rajan's thoughts on freedom of expression found a new meaning.  He always believed that he will throw a rope for those who want to grow big in life..whether you catch the rope and climb up, or keep hanging to the rope and subsequently stay as a low hanging fruit is  based on their choice, hard work, wish and strong will power to succeed.    This applies to both men and women.

Then, he goes on to express how Inner Wheel tranformed Prabha from being a timid home maker to a joyful Inner Wheel Member; enjoying her talents of music and letting her creativity shine.  He said that the day Prabha became a President, he was the most excited man in the world...He made her and family celebrate the day like a festival.   He stood by her during her tenure as Inner Wheel President and made her shine.  He kept encouraging her to write and Prabha was not only an intelligent writer but also a very sensitive human being which reflected in the stories she left behind.

As life was sailing smooth, god had different plans.

Prabha was snatched with an illness that disturbed the calm existence.   In those 7 months of battle with cancer, Rajan remained a house-husband taking care of his wife like a child and a nurse.

As she slowly took to the arms of  her mother and the Divine, he remained with the same passion for her.  He decided to continue to live the way she would have wanted him to do.  He wanted the woman empowerment goals of Prabha to continue and he wanted more Praba Rajan's to be introduced into this world.    He encouraged young talents and writers to come out and shed their shyness, introvertness and explore within and bring out their best.   He wanted the mission to continue, and hence started 'Prabha Rajan Talent Foundation'  which caters to the women empowerment and supporting young women to reach new heights of achievement.

Rajan, in every sentence kept mentioning about Praba.  He also kept talking to us about how women need to arise and shine in self-esteem and self-respect.   He felt that, we Indian women do not care about our self-esteem.  We should stop feeling inferior.  We should explore our talents and do the best with our interest.   Rajan for sure was a live example of how best a man could be to change a woman's world.   Infact, we felt that there is a dire need of more men like Rajan in the society,  understanding women's anxities and inner talents and supporting them to arise and awake towards success.   We wanted more men to appreciate women, as women of substance and not objects to abuse.  

Rajan gave away few books that he and Praba wrote.   Inner Wheel club of Madras South felt proud of having him as our Women's day speaker.    Rajan made us feel good,  and also made us feel like women who will want to fly high.   

We presented him a memento with the photographs of Prabha and him, and he was very happy for the choice we made.   This meeting and this great man will remain in the history of Inner Wheel Club of Madras South as an inspiring friend who stands for the welfare of woemn, who still supports our causes, and who is the true crusader of women empowerment.

Thank you Rotarian R.V.Rajan for this wonderful day.  We will for sure cherish this in our memories for long.

Warm Regards

Umasree Raghunath

President - Inner Wheel Club of Madras South 2014-2015.

 

The Birth of New Club in District 323 - Inner Wheel Club of Chennai Sunshine on Ugadi Day 2015

Babuji Oldage Home - Greet and Meet Elders Visit

Do not wait for Leaders
Do it person to person
--- Mother Teresa

Babuji Old age home is a NGO established in 1993 with the aim of providing home for the homeless.
We were only happy to visit and talk and spend time with elders and also provide with the required provisions and snacks

Those who want to visit can note the address given below

No 22 A , Thillai Ganga Nagar, 12th street
Near Palavanthangal Railway Station
Palavanthangal, Chennai -61
Phone : 9884267357/  9445634906

Sukriya- Thanks Giving and Birthday Celebrations of District Chairman Swarnalatha Jothikumar

Date:  18 Feb 2015
Venue:  Cosmo Golf Annexe , Nandanam, Chennai
Event:  Sukriya-  Thanks giving by District Chairman Swarnalatha Jyothikumar to all the committe members, friends and supporters during the year 2014-2015

Pictures related to South club

District EC with Chairman Swarna

Thanks to Dist Sec Kala Rajasekar

Thanks to PDC Shanthi Kannan

Thanks to Sita Laxminarayana

August Audience

District Chairman Swarnalatha

Thanks to IWC South President Umasree Raghunath

District Chairman Swarna with IWC south President Umasree

Picnic to Pulicat - 7 February 2015

The foundation of Inner Wheel is friendship.  With this motive in mind, we wanted to give an opportunity to our members to interact off the regular meetings and projects, into an outing where we unwind and make bonding more, taking time to talk, play, picnic and visit some place together.  

 In this process, we planned a trip to Pulicat.   We planned so much on the travel comfort, food and photography and in this sheer enthusiasm forgot to check if it is the season for the migratory birds….ultimately we missed them.  However, the trip did not disappoint us on a whole.   Around 20 of us boarded the mini-bus and taken the route of Manali-Ennore-Ropapuram and reached the Pulicat after good 3 hours thanks to our driver who took the longest route possible..giving us enough time to play, sing and eat in the van.

To our utter disappointment, there were no birds.  Forget about Flamingoes or Pelicans, we hards found much of swans and ducks in the lake due to the hot sunJ   But that did not stop us from cheering up each other.  We went spooky reaching the Dutch Cemetry watching the 400 year old archeologically important sight.   Only wished government gives importance to tourism and keep this place clean and accessible for tourists.  For a good one hour, we lost time with a tout who did not leave us till we suddenly had to let him go

Then came the best part.  Boating in the beautiful Pulicat lake.  What a ride.  It was transforming us from a chaotic city scenario to the nature’s lap of happiness.  The boat ride was a blessing and to see the ‘Mukadwaram’ where the back water lake merges with the sea was a treat to our eyes.  The evening sun, the breeze, the friends, the fun and the unpolluted waters- what else can you ask for in a boat ride.  The water was shining with a silver sparkle of the setting sun.   

We took few steps in the beach…and kids were overjoyed.   Seeing a dead turtle, a friend’s son was mentioning that turtle come to shore when they know it is time for their death. Only wished turtles don’t get trapped in the fishing nets during their breeding time and get succumbed.

Children were happy to pick up the shells and found a star fish and we watched the fishing folks catching their day’s best.  Crabs making good holes into the sands and the live snails and lobsters made us enjoy the sea shored and back waters. 

 

The boat ride back to the shore showed us the island beaches and also the gateways of one’s trade where the Pulicat was the entrance for the trade of the 17^th Century, where Dutch, Portuguese and later British came in through these passage for trade, later establish settlements and unfortunately later rule on our land.

The small town is full of traces to our history.  Very rich heritage be it the trade point today for fisheries or those days for minted coins and other trade.  The place is also known for its 17^th century mosque,   old church that replicates the dutch architecture, a  old temple that’s under renovation, that shows that all religions lived in harmony in this small town that’s famous for its migratory bird, beautiful beaches and lakes and for its fishing hamlets, light house and Dutch memories.

We enjoyed our travel back to Chennai, eating and watching movie, tired and honestly happy for the time we got to spend together and that made our bonding much more stronger and happier

***************More About Pulicat********************

Pulicat is located on the Coromandel Coast, about 60Km north of Chennai. As a prominent Dutch settlement in the seventeenth century, this small town boats of a vibrant and diverse cultural tradition. However, the history of this region is not limited to the Dutch colonialism alone; the Arabs, the Portuguese and the British established their stronghold in Pulicat at different times.

Apart from the historical and cultural importance, this tiny seashore town has an amazing scenic beauty. Pulicat offers an invigorating and thrilling experience of expedition. Among travelers, Pulicat is best known for two things: Pulicat Lake and Pulicat Bird Sanctuary. The lake in Pulicat is regarded as the second largest brackish water body in India and attracts thousands of tourists every year.

 Day Trip Itinerary: 9am to 7pm

Starting 9am in Chennai, reaching Pulicat by 11am. 11 to 1pm Sightseeing (Market Street, Dutch Cemetery, Shadow Clock, 500 years Old Church and Temple). 1 to 1.30pm Lunch. 1.30 to 4pm (Visit to Island beaches/boat-ride). 4 to 5.00pm Lighthouse. Leave Pulicat at 5pm and reach the city back by 7pm.

 Places to Visit:

Dutch Cemetry 

The Old Dutch Cemetery is probably the most interesting of its kind in India. Many of the tombstones are over 400 years old. One tomb carries a representation of the original Dutch fort and others represent Dutch coats of arms which were sent from Holland. 

The Lighthouse 

Pulicat lighthouse is the historical monument in India. At the time of its construction, it was one of the largest in South Asia. The Lighthouse positioned adjacent to the present Lighthouse Tower. It was a 20m high Brick masonry circular tower with black & white bands. The tower was constructed in the year 1859. 

Pulicat Lake

The lagoon is rich with animal and birdlife and is a center for the commercial fishery activities. The water body of the lagoon is fed by three major rivers namely the Arani River, the Kalangi River the Swarnamukhi River. Rich biodiversity and remarkable natural beauty make this lake a must-see attraction for those who visit Pulicat. 

Beaches/Islands

 Another major attraction of Pulicat is its beaches. The island beaches in Pulicat are the finest beaches in South India and has the charm of its own. All beaches are clean and ideal for sun bathing, relaxation and water sports activities.

Bird Sanctuary

 The Pulicat bird sanctuary is the second largest in India. Spread over 232 sq. km and its a home to numerous birds including the seven species of herons, egrets and spot-billed pelican. Every year thousands of flamingos congregate in these shallow waters which are rich in food especially the prawns.

People & Fishing

 The major source of livelihood for the local community is fishing in the Lake. The lake has rich fish diversity, mostly marine species, some truly brackish water and a few freshwater species. Mullets and Catfish are the major brackish water fish. Clams, Finfish, Prawns, Sardines and Milk Fish are also harvested heavily from the lake.

 source:  visitpulicat.com