Dear Fellow-Bhagavathas,

It is an immensely reluctant, yet, inevitable decision. To call time on something that is an integral part of our divine journey for over eight years is not an easy thing to do. The monthly online quiz Trail Our Glorious Sampradaya by www.svdd.com has endeared itself to hundreds of Bhagavathas across the globe by providing a platform to enrich one's knowledge on various aspects of our hoary Srivaishnava tradition. The programme, which was started in April 2007, has seen its 100th and final episode today. Yes, the significant milestone has doubled up as the destination!

I record my gratitude to the temple authorities and our team members for providing the fullest support, and Sri V.N. Srinivasan, a former Trustee, who sponsored the prizes for over the last six years in memory of his father Sri V.S. Narasimhachari. I am touched by the warmth extended by the participants who have grown with the programme, and they deserve my sincere thanks.

I can sense the tinge of disappointment this would entail, for, the quizzes provided joy, pride, inner challenge, satisfaction, healthy competition, enlightenment, recognition, reward, etc., in varying degrees over the years. For us at www.svdd.com, it was a fulfilling experience all through.

Challenge it would have surely been for the participants, given the general standard of the quizzes consciously maintained, but I can tell you that it was equally demanding to set questions to a knowledgeable group of Bhagavathas that was willing to raise the bar constantly, so to say. I hope that I, in my role as the quiz-writer, have done the job diligently and to the best of my ability.

The two-fold principal objective of the quiz programme was to enable participants enhance their grasp and awareness in matters of our Sampradaya and express what they know/have learnt, with due recognition. The score of 10, or even 9, out of a possible 10 was deemed as distinction, and rightly so.

The by-products of this process are assiduous reading habit and interaction with like-minded Bhagavathas. Often some of the interpretative questions in these quizzes would result in fervent debates in quest of zeroing in on the most logical and correct answer. And when it proved right — even when it was a hunch — the delight derived would be delirious.

It was hence an apt and hearty compliment when one of those very regular participants remarked, “I look forward to the quiz on the first of every month more eagerly than even my pay cover”. He added that he was only voicing the sentiments of many. It would be an understatement to say that it was this quiz that made svdd.com a household name in the Srivaishnava circles. The blessings of the Divya Dhampathis and Swami Desika are the real cause of all this.

It would be pertinent here to state that the rewards in the form of books (on our Sampradaya) were considered coveted by the participants. Books to the tune of over a lakh of rupees have been distributed over the 100 months. This, together with quarterly prizes for Weekly Paasuram Quest, must have raised a sizeable library in the homes of many Srivaishnavas.

One could wonder what prompted the curtains to be drawn. Well, first of all, it had become progressively difficult to set questions eschewing repetition, as most of the aspects had already been covered. If the standard is further raised, the average participant would find it difficult to attend with any serious purpose. Pressure on time and demands of logistics were contributory deterrents.

Nevertheless, the website will continue to house the archived pages of all the quizzes. We shall keep in touch through other regular features like Weekly Paasuram Quest and Editor's Note. You will be kept abreast of new programme(s) if and when decided upon.

Meet you in the next Note.

Please feel free to let us know your views/comments about the site at [email protected]