The SriVidya Connection of Madurai

Kadamba tree near West Gopuram of Meenakshi Temple
Picture Credit: S. James

In Hinduism, the worship of the Divine Mother Goddess is known as Saktham. Among the various schools in Saktham, one is known as SriVidya. 

In the SriVidya tradition, the supreme goddess is called Lalita TripuraSundari. She is also called Kameswari. In Kancheepuram, she is worshiped as Kamakshi.

The goddess Varaahi serves as her Chief Commander. Matangi is her Prime Minister. Together the trio of Lalita, Matangi and Varaahi represents Icha, Jnana and Kriya Sakthis.

In Madurai, the goddess Matangi is worshipped as Meenakshi. As Ngana Sakthi, she represents represents speech and wisdom. This is why she has a parrot. In Hinduism, parrot symbolizes speech. Matangi is also known as Shyamala or RajaShyamala. 

The word Shyamala refers to her dark green complexion like that of an emerald stone. Hence she is called as Marakatha Syama (marakatham = emerald). 

One of the many names of Matangi is Kadamba Vana Vaasini. This was mentioned in the famous song known as ShyamalaDandakam. It was written by Kalidasa. Kadamba Vana Vaasini means she who resides in the Kadamba forest. 

Matha marakatha shyama, Mathangi madha shalini,

Kuryath kadaksham kalyani, kadamba vana vasini,

Jaya Mathanga thanaye, Jaya Neelolpala dhyuthe,

Jaya Sangeetha rasike, Jaya Leela shuka priye

-Kalidasa's Shyamala Dandakam-

Madurai has many names. One of it is KadambaVanam because it used to be a large Kadamba forest. The entire Madurai city is the abode of the goddess Syamala. 

However, there are not many Kadamba trees left in today's Madurai. The SthalaVriksham (temple tree) of the Madurai Meenakshi temple is the Kadamba tree. It is believed that this tree was part of the original Kadamba forest before the forest was cleared to build the city over 2500 years ago. The tree is still there in the temple.

So when you go to Madurai, bow down to the beautiful Meenakshi and as you sit under her Kadamba tree, remember this article and the SriVidya connection of Madurai.

Should India Relocate Its Capital to Nagpur?

Nagpur in India

The present location of India's capital, New Delhi, has resulted in a considerable bias towards northern regions in terms of development and decision-making within the country. Moreover, its geographical proximity to Pakistan and China raises security concerns. To address these issues, a prudent approach for the Indian government could be the contemplation of relocating the capital to a more centralized and strategically advantageous location.

Nagpur: A Favourable Contender

Nagpur emerges as an ideal candidate for India's new capital city owing to several compelling factors. Formerly the geographic center of undivided India, Nagpur retains historical significance and now stands as one of the world's fastest-growing cities with an approximate population of 2.5 million. Notably, the Oxford Economic report for the 2019-35 period ranks Nagpur at an impressive #5 globally, underscoring its robust economic potential.

Strategic Advantages of Nagpur's Central Location

One of the significant advantages of Nagpur's central position is its potential to catalyze economic growth in the heart of India. Unlike New Delhi, which poses logistical challenges for southern states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Nagpur's location would be more balanced, providing almost equidistant access to all corners of the nation. This balanced accessibility would foster increased regional economic integration and development.

Enhanced Transportation Infrastructure and Connectivity

The relocation of India's capital to Nagpur could result in substantial investments in transportation infrastructure, such as roads, highways, and railways, connecting the city with other parts of the country. The consequent enhancement in regional connectivity would facilitate the seamless movement of goods, services, and people, thereby giving a considerable boost to economic activities across the central region.

Alleviating Urban Congestion and Boosting Urban Planning

New Delhi currently grapples with severe traffic congestion and overcrowding, negatively impacting transportation efficiency. Shifting the capital to Nagpur would alleviate this burden, easing traffic pressure in New Delhi while encouraging better traffic management and urban planning in both cities.

Potential for Defense Advantages

Nagpur's central location presents strategic advantages for defense purposes. Being geographically closer to various regions, the relocation would enable more efficient deployment of defense forces and quicker response times during emergencies or security threats. Additionally, the establishment of defense-related institutions, research centers, and manufacturing facilities in Nagpur would foster regional defense infrastructure development, equitably distributing defense capabilities nationwide.

Fostering Cultural Heritage and Tourism

Nagpur is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, and designating it as the capital could provide an opportunity to promote and highlight the diverse cultural tapestry of central India. Consequently, this could lead to increased tourism, showcasing Nagpur's historical sites, traditions, arts, and crafts, thereby stimulating the local economy while preserving and celebrating India's cultural heritage.

Conclusion

The potential relocation of India's capital from New Delhi to Nagpur, though not without its challenges, offers significant benefits for the nation's overall growth and development. By strategically positioning the capital city in Nagpur, India can achieve a more balanced and prosperous future, fostering equitable regional progress and enhancing its national potential.

The Benefit of Romanising Tamil Writing

Tamil language was written in several older scripts before it was written using the present day Tamil script.

Personally, I prefer the Romanised version, the ISO15919.

Some benefits of Romanising the Tamil writing:

1. The switch from Abugida to Alphabet system also means that less letters will be needed.

2. We only need a maximum of 36 letters to write in Tamil without errors and with accurate pronunciation.

Presently used traditional Tamil script. The Sanskrit syllables are represented using Grantha script. In total, a person needs to memorize not less than 216 unique letters to write in Tamil using this script.

Using Romanised Tamil, a person only needs 36 letters as shown in the green boxes to write every sound combination that exist in Tamil language! This even includes the Sanskrit sounds.

3. It will be a lot more easier to learn the writing as most of us are familiar with the existing Roman (Latin) alphabets. A person needs to only know less than 10 additional letters with diacritics.

4. Fewer letters also mean that it will now be faster to learn Tamil writing. 36 familiar looking letters is definitely faster than learning a combo of 216 unfamiliar looking letters!

5. More people will be attracted to learn not just the writing but also the language itself because it is now easier and faster.

6. This will boost the growth of Tamil language and help to spread it faster around the globe.

7. Tamil will have a global appeal and attract more non-speakers,

8. Typing Tamil using keyboards will be a lot more easier than the present script as shortcuts can be created for the additional diacritics.

9. This will also benefit the printing and publishing industries as there will be fewer letters to focus on.

10. It will also be easier to transliterate it into Braille. Even the blind can start reading in Tamil!