Coimbatore is the second largest city in Tamil Nadu, one of India’s states. It has many salubrious areas and more than 25,000 small, medium, large and tiny industries and textile mills. There are also many educational and religious institutes. Though Anantadev had been told a lot about Coimbatore, he had never been there till he visited there on 18th September 2005. Thanks to Shri K.Murali of Deaf Leaders (Coimbatore) who, for a few years, kept pursuing him to come and lecture to deaf persons there, he came, saw and appreciated some charming areas in it. In the morning on Sunday, Murali took him to his bungalow from Coimbatore railway station. Anantadev saw an awe-inspiring hill some thousands metres away from the bungalow. Murali said there is a big well-known Hindu ashram on the hill. Due to a paucity of time Anantadev was not able to visit it and hoped to visit there in the future. Perhaps Murali is the most prominent deaf person in Coimbatore. He is fired with a lot of enthusiasm for his projects to help the deaf, especially in the educational field, not only in Coimbatore but also in many parts of India. He is greatly impressed by Anantadev’s lectures and talks. His aged hearing mother, deaf wife Sudha and eleven years old hearing daughter Sneha are staying with him. Sneha has extraordinary ability to grasp any talk between persons in signs.
Anantadev was scheduled to lecture to deaf members of Coimbatore Association of the Deaf at 3.00 pm on Sunday. Murali rode with him on his scooter to the association’s office in YMCA complex. Anantadev was introduced to some members of CAD including Vice-President Subramaniam and General Secretary Balasubramaniam. Murali had told him that Anantadev would lecture in an open air. Since the open area was exposed to the sun, the sun is still shining and more and more deaf members were expected to come pouring for the programme after 4.00 pm, he was requested to wait till 4.00 pm and agreed to it.After 4.00 pm the members of CAD arranged everything for SDD programme both outside and inside the border of a basketball YMCA ground. Shri Anantadev began with his lecture on `Proverbs’ like 1) A bad workman blames his tools, (He advised the audience not to point out others’ faults without realizing their own faults. Otherwise it could boomerang on them). 2) A friend in need is a friend indeed (You can have friends everywhere but it is difficult to find a true friend. True friend means someone who is helpful to you in need. But Lord Krishna is the True Friend who always remembers you and want you to come back to His spiritual world. He never leaves you). 3) A tree is known by its fruits. ( When you taste any fruit you come to know the basic nature of the tree. For example, when you taste a mango, you will have a real concept of a tree. Similarly you should not judge a person by his outward appearances and garments but judge him by his inner qualities and manners). 4) Barking dogs seldom bite. (Someone criticizes you too much without reason but fails to hurt you if you can tolerate him, knowing he has his own faults). 5) Charity is universal duty. (Everyone should be charitable. Charity is everywhere in the world. When you contribute for others’ betterment, you sometimes feel better. But when you do your charitable work for the Lord’s activities, you will feel more better and safe.).Then Anantadev asked the audience to give examples of the proverbs. A few members in the audience did it.
He spoke about Lord Krishna and His childhood friend Sudama, Bhagavad-Gita, Arjuna’s refusal to kill his enemies, Krishna’s disapproval of such refusal, His cruel uncle Kamsa’s murdering six babies and Krishna’s effortless killing the demoniac persons including Kamsa during His childhood. He appealed to the audience to chant ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare’ regularly and not to expect quick results of such chanting. The results should be surely manifested in due course.Later Shri Subramaniam the Vice-President of CAD garlanded Shri Anantadev and Shri Balasubramaniam presented him a souvenir of Lord Ganapati. Finally with the audience totalling 50 CAD members,Anantadev recited Hare Krishna mantra. Snacks which were offered to Lord Krishna by him were distributed among everyone. Everyone was satisfied.
