Lunch at Lakshmi Vilas, Lebuh Ampang, K.Lumpur_31.03.10

I went to Lakshmi Vilas today for lunch with my friends. The restaurant is situated at Lebuh Ampang, walking distance from my office. I have not been to this restaurant for a long time. It brought back some old memories. It was twenty one years ago in January 1989, when I first had a meal here. My father drove me to KL from Klang to attend an interview for the post of Engineer in a consulting firm, Zaidun-Leeng Sdn. Bhd. (ZLSB) at Jalan Gereja, close by. My father waited at the lobby while I was inteviewed and subsequently was offered a job in ZLSB. After the interview, he took me for lunch at Lakshmi Vilas. I remembered the lunch because I requested for chicken and the waiter politely informed me that this was a purely vegetarian restaurant. We had a delicious vegetarian banana leaf meal. The quality has been maintained all these years as I enjoyed lunch with my friends today, just as I did with my father. My father passed away in 1992. Years have passed by and I have come a long way in my profession working for ZLSB. I miss my father and wish that he would been around longer with my family. I would have taken him to Lakshmi Vilas for lunch.

Yee Sang at La La Chong_07.02.2010

Last Sunday, we went to visit our aunty and cousin sister at Damansara together with my brother and his family. We then proceeded for dinner at La La Chong Seafood Restaurant at Kayu Ara Damansara.

La La Chong Restaurant

This was our first time going to the restaurant. As the name suggested, the restaurant is famous for the "la la" seafood dish. The restaurant was previously based at the vicinity of Subang Airport and have now shifted to Kayu Ara Damansara. The restaurant was packed and we had to wait a while for our dinner.

With Chinese New Year round the corner, we decided to join in the festivities and start with the "Yee Sang" dish. The "Yee Sang" dish is served as an appetizer during the Chinese New Year season to bring "good luck". We used our chopsticks to toss the ingredients into the air and it is believed that the higher you toss, the greater your fortunes! (Forgot to take a photo of the Yee sang dish!).

Dinner with mum, aunty, cousin & other family members
My brother Jayaraj, Veni, Rama & Vishnu
Apart from the la la dish, we ordered our usual dishes: lemon chicken, chilli sotong, sizzling taufu, steamed fish and kai lan vegetable. The la la dish was quite tasty as it was prepared with belacan.

We also met our good friends Farouk and Melati, from Kelana Jaya, who were dining with their family members at the restaurant. Farouk and Melati are part of our Subang Jaya Youth Football League family.

Farouk, Melati & family

It was quite an enjoyable outing and we are looking forward to dine with my aunty and cousin, who always take us to new & interesting restaurants.

Thaipusam_29.01.2010

Every year, my brothers & family would gather at my house in Subang Jaya, before leaving for Batu Caves on the eve of Thaipusam. This year my niece, Shamini, and my sis-in-law, Kanga, carried the 'pal' (milk) kavadi. Shamini actually flew in the same night from Bandung, Indonesia to continue her vow which she started last year. By the time everyone gathered, it was already 11.30 p.m.

We parked the cars quite a distance away and walked to the river to start the procession. The place was already filling up with devotees and onlookers which made it difficult for us to reach the river. After prayers at the river, we joined the procession heading toward the Batu Caves stairs.

My elder brother with Shamini

Kanga performing pal kavadi with family

The walk towards the entrance was confusing this year. Due to the double tracking, the old crossing of the railway track was fenced up. The crossing of the track could only be done by using the ramp structure across the track or another temporary crossing quite a distance away from the road. There were no signs indicating the shortest route to the Batu Caves entrance and it created confusion to the devotees. We ended up taking the longer route by using the temporary route and everyone was wandering around finding the way!
Crowd at Batu Caves

Statue of Lord Muruga
As previous years, it was a journey of faith along with thousands of other devotees which gave a sense of accomplishment after fulfilling the vows despite all the obstacles faced. We finally reached home at 4.00 in the morning.

Deepavali Celebrations_17.10.09

Last weekend was our Deepavali celebrations. This year it was my brother's turn in Klang to host the Deepavali celebrations. My brothers and families gathered on Friday for our prayers ceremony. After prayers, we all went out for dinner at Chola Kitchen in Klang. We would normally go for a Chinese Restaurant for our annual family dinner but this year as it was a Friday, half the family members were vegetarians. Chola Kitchen was ideal as they serve veggie and non-veggie catering for our twenty family members. Food was delicious from vegetarian briyiani to mutton briyiani.

Host family Jayaraj, Veni, Kanga & Vishnu

After going to Temple, we had our Deepavali breakfast consisting of thosai with chicken curry. Guest started arriving at noon till three in the afternoon.

Rama, Priya, Chitra & Raj

Raj & my youngest brother, Dr. Mohan Chitra, sisters-in-law & mom-in-law

Elder Brother Dr. Raj & mum

We left at four in the afternoon to visit my mother-in-law in Kelana Jaya followed by Deepavali dinner in my sister in-law's home in Puchong. After a full day of celebration, we went back home near mid night.

4th MRPMMAL Family Reunion_13.12.08

We attended the fourth family gathering of the Muthu Ramalingam Pillay and Marimuthu Ammal Lineage on Saturday 13th December 2008 at the Arulmigu Sri Subramaniar Temple Hall Gunong Cheroh, Ipoh. Chitra, my wife, is the fifth generation of the family. I helped produce the next 6th generation i.e. Ramaraj and Krishnapriya, our children. The first gathering which was also held in Ipoh in year 2000 gained entry into the Malaysian Book of Records as the largest family gathering. The second and third gatherings were held in Taiping in 2002 and in Kuala Lumpur in 2005 respectively.

For the record, Muthu-Ramalingam Pillay and his wife Marimuthu Ammal first arrived in Malaya from Karaikal (Pondicherry), India in the late 19th century. Marimuthu Ammal, who settled in Taiping, went on to establish herself as an enterprising rail and road contractor who amassed a fortune.
Marimuthu Ammal

The 4th family gathering started with registration and breakfast from 7.30 a.m. to 9.00 a.m.
Arriving at Temple Hall

Everyone went over to the temple for prayers at 9.00 a.m.
Organising Chairman Mr. K.Krishnamoorthy and wife being blessed.

Chitra, Rama and Nithia Ruby praying

Walking back from the temple

Rama and his cousins at the Hall

The function commenced in the Hall with a group of girls singing the bhajans songs. Our distinguished family members YBhg. Dato’ S. Veerasingam and Datin Usha were the guests of honour officiating the opening ceremony.
Singing of Bhajan songs

YBhg Datin Usha lighting the oil lamp

After the usual speeches by the distinguished speakers, the presentation of souvenirs to donors for the function was carried out. The presentation was followed by a forum for discussion of family gathering related issues. It was also decided that the next family gathering would be held in Penang in year 2010. There was also a separate games sessions for the children. A delicious vegetarian lunch, catered by Vav Catering Sdn. Bhd. was served.

Opening speech by YBhg. Dato' S. Veerasingam

Raj & Chitra receiving souvenir from YBhg Datuk Seri N. S. Selvamany

The gathering cultimated with a Family Banquet and Entertainment at the Royal Ipoh Club, Ipoh started at 7.30 p.m. The food was delicious Malysianised 8-course dinner which included four seasons dish, mutton and bread, satay, sambal fish, vegetables, chicken curry and spicy rice etc. catered by Vav Catering Sdn. Bhd. who had served all the meals for the day. Entertainment included Karnatic songs, dances and impersonation of M.G.R.
Rama & Priya with cousins

Raj & brothers-in-law

Chitra & Family

Karnatic Singers

Peacock Dancers

”M.G.R.” & YBhg Datuk Seri N. S. Selvamany, our oldest family member

Family Photo

”Bandham” Logo and theme for 4th Gathering

The party ended at midnight. Everyone went back happy meeting up with the relatives and with renewed interest to keep in touch until the next gathering in Penang in 2010.

For more information and photos, refer to family website:

http://bandham.weebly.com/index.html

Deepavali Celebration_ 27.10.08

This year we celebrated our Deepavali in my elder's brother's house in Seremban. We all gathered in Seremban on Saturday and started off the celebration with some fireworks at night.

Priya, Rama, Aishwarya & Viji

Our family dinner was held on Sunday night at Restaurant Golden Dragon, Seremban 2.
Variety of dishes served
Children enjoying their dinner
Delicious Sweet & Sour Crabs Dish

Deepavali day arrived. We all got up early for the oil bath and headed for the temple in the morning. Following our the delicious breakfast of tosai, appam jala and mutton curry prepared by mum and sister in law, we had our usual photo session with everyone dressed in the finest, wearing their new Deepavali clothes.

Priya and her cousins
Rama & cousins

The big boys with mum
Ladies posing
Raj, Chitra, Priya & Rama

We did not invite many friends for Deepavali in Seremban. However, our family friends, Wahab family,came from Klang, celebrate this joyous day. As usual, my Aunty and my cousin sister also joined us from Kepong.

Wahab Family
Raj, Cousin Premala, Aunty & Chitra

Australian Mathematics Competition Awards Presentation_26.10.08

Ramaraj sat for the Australian Mathematics Tests with more than 100 students in his school last August. We were presently surprised that he received a letter of invitation to receive an prize at an Award Presentation ceremony on 26th October 2008 at the New Era College, Kajang.

The Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) is a mathematics competition run by the Australian Mathematics Trusts (AMT) for students from year 3 to year 12 in Australia, and their equivalent grades in other countries. Since its inception in 1976, the participation has increased to around 600,000 students, with about 100,000 being from New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia and other countries.

Rama at New Era College, Kajang Registration of Prize winners

This year about 16,000 students from Malaysia took part, divided in five divisions depending on their age groups, compared to about 12,800 students in 2007. Rama was one of fourteen students who won an prize in the Intermediate category. He was given a certificate and a book voucher worth RM120. A total of 56 students were awarded prizes during the ceremony.

The Guests of Honour for the Award Ceremony were Mr Craig Chittick, Deputy High Commissioner of Australia to Malaysia; Prof. Peter Taylor, Executive Director of AMT; Mr.Yogan Rasanayakam, General Manager, Asia, Westpac Banking Corporation and Dr. Lim Chong Keang, Head of AMC Working Committee.

Prize recipients and parents

Rama receiving his prize from Mr. Yogan

Intermediate Division Prize winners
Award Recipients group photo

Rama and Mr. Craig Chittick

Rama and Mr. Yogan

Raj and Rama

For more information on AMS refer website: http://www.amt.canberra.edu.au/amcfact.html