February 2020

Dear Friends,

This month we shall discuss the most basic necessity for any living being – food, and prolonged deprivation of food leading to hunger. We have seen that the MDG #1 had attempted to address the scourge of poverty and hunger together. Those who framed the SDGs preferred to separate them into two distinct goals, 1- poverty eradication and 2 – feeding the hungry.

1. The Vayupurana lays out a condition that the Yatra should put on the dress of Karpati – wear a copper ring, a copper bracelet and reddish garments
2. Sri Bhattaoji, the commentator states that according to some, the apparel is to be put on by a pilgrim going to Gaya
3. Padmapurana and Skandapurana makes the tonsure of the head, an obligatory one (restrictions are there regarding who should undergo this.

Four awareness programmes were conducted in educational institutions in the Municipality viz. (i) SPA Girls Higher Secondary School (03rd February), (ii) MPU Primary School No: 1 (03rd February), (iii) MPU Primary School – Ramanathasamy Nagar (13th February) and (iv) MPU Primary School – Erakadu (17th February). A total of 285 students were senstized on the importance of MSWM, segregation of waste at source and environmental conservation through Power Point presentations and Rangoli competitions.

Cleome viscosa belongs to the family Cleomaceae and is a weed widespread in various warmer parts of the world like India, Pakistan, Africa, Ethiopia, peninsular Arabia, Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia and Japan. The plant is an annual, sticky herb with a strong odour with glandular and simple hairs. It grows about 90-120 cm high and is branched. The leaves are 3-5 foliate, obovate and obtuse. The flowers are yellow, axillary, growing out into a lax raceme. The fruits are capsules, dark brown 30-75 mm long, compressed and hairy throughout, while the seeds are finely transversely striate, sub globose and become brownish-black when ripe.

In our efforts to greening Rameswaram, we have already initiated the greening activities in Rameswaram. As a part of it, we have planted 15 saplings at Rameswaram Taluk office on 7th February 2020.

Teertha Location:
Teertham is on its way to Dhanushkodi inside the Nambu nayaki Amman temple

Teertha story:
They say this is just an offshoot of Deva Teertham and is known as Amutha Teertham.

Teertha Benefit:
It is also known as universal relief (Sarvaroga nivarani) because of its incorporation into the turmeric offering. There is also the practice of providing this Teertha as a cure for the disease.

This month, we are covering Third Corridor of Sri Ramanathasamy Temple, Rameswaram. Its history and other details in pictures.