In Gratitude

August 2nd was Aadi Perukku in the old Tamil country.  Also known as Padinettam Perukku, because it is observed on the 18th day of the Aadi month of the calendar.

One of the silly jokes we young chaps had was this: if "aadi perukku" is on one day of the year, is it "aadaama perukku" the rest of the year?  Hahaha ... those old days! (Note to non-Tamil readers: It is a godawful pun in Tamil, and you will be better off without understanding such groaners!)

This observance is like all others--to celebrate life and express gratitude.  Modern scientific research confirms what ancient traditions have always known, which is that gratitude brings happiness.  Every festival is for the most part about gratitude.  In the case of Aadi Perukku, it is about water, which is fundamental to life as we know it, which is why scientists are always scanning the universe for signs of water.

By the time it is Aadi Perukku, the southwest monsoon would have peaked, filling up the reservoirs and recharging the aquifers, which are the sources of water in the Tamil country that does not have rivers flowing from the snow melt in the Himalayas.  In the old days, before the modern age of dams, this is the time of the year that the canals would once again begin to flow in plenty, much to the delight of the rural folk whose lives depended on it.  I remember from the childhood days how the canal behind grandmother's home flowed with water gently lapping against the steps.

Aadi Perukku is a time to celebrate.  It is a time to express gratitude for the plentiful water that sustains life and prosperity.  Of course, with every river also being a god, this was also the time to offer thanks to the river gods.

It is now the 3rd of August in the adopted land--the day after Aadi Perukku.  Of course, we walked by the Willamette River yesterday too.  We spent a long time standing knee-deep in the river, with the cool water soothing our bodies and souls on the hot summer day that it was.  A young heron flew past us and perched on a log in the river.  Ducks floated past, and geese flew in a formation overhead.  A couple of young people were splashing around along the bank across.  The sun slowly descended.

Maybe you, too, can take a moment to offer thanks for the life-sustaining water.  The precious water, which makes our planet a special pale blue dot in the cosmos.