SECRET TO REMAINING YOUNG AT HEART

It was on a train to Kerala that I met Jalaja and her friends. Her “friends” were not just a few in number but an amazing team of 30 ladies, in their mid forties and fifties. Jalaja bustled around checking out berths, tickets and ensuring that everyone was safe and fine. Something about the entire lot struck a chord of curiosity and intrigue, and that prompted me to ask one of them, as to where they were heading for.
Thenmozhi, one of the ladies smiled in reply and told me that they were all residing at KK Nagar in Chennai, and were united in conducting “Narayaneeyam parayanam at various temples within the state. On request, they travel out to other cities and towns to give recitals. What she said next had me floored.” Everyone seems to think, that once our children are grown up, and settled, we women are left with no interests, hobbies or passions of our own; and they decide to dump their kids on to us. We do love our grand children, but we too are not old or willing to be relegated to the back ground. Now it’s our turn to venture out on our own, and do what we like to do”.
Well said, indeed. I wanted to know more and I was guided to meet their team leader Ms Jalaja Gopalakrishnan. Incidentally, the entire bevy of ladies was on their way to Guruvayur for a Narayaneeyam recital.
Later, in Chennai, on speaking to Jalaja, she explained in brief as to how it had all started out. Born and brought up in Pathanapuram, in Kollam district of Kerala, Jalaja had been deeply interested in learning Sanskrit. This coupled with her mother’s devoted Bhagavathaparayanam had left deep imprints on her mind. Much later, in the year 2000, she decided to seriously take up reciting Lalitha sahasranamam, Vishnu sahasranamam and Narayaneeyam. People heard her reciting these with rare beauty and approached her for training in reciting these.
News about her skill in reciting these spread by word of mouth and she started training those who were similarly inclined in learning these divine texts. Thus, over the years, a team of ladies was formed and they take up recitation in various temples all over the city, and this has now expanded to other places within the state and now also, to other states.
All training is imparted free of charge and Jalaja is kept busy throughout the day, from ten to five PM, imparting training in these to interested women and kids. “ I train kids to recite Bhagavad Gita for competitions and most of my students have bagged the prize”- smiles Jalaja.
She is also the Vice President of the ladies wing of Krishna Samajam at Ramapuram.” We are based at Ayyapan Kovil in KK Nagar, Chennai. “- explains Jalaja.
Dedicated, committed and focused on reciting and imparting training in chanting the Divine texts, Jalaja and her friends have found new meaning to their lives. This keeps them glowing with an inner happiness and this is the secret of their eternal youth. They have found a magnificent means of countering the onset of aging.