At 1-03 pm IST today (27 Aug 2013), my blog was read for the millionth time!
I thank my readers for making this mark.
For a novice and a lesser known entity like me whose basic task is home making, I consider this as an unbelievable achievement. I have absolutely no knowledge of internet tools – something which readers can make out from the same old page set up that I am having ever since my daughter opened this blogger account for me. She is instrumental in making me write blogs as she kept telling me that whatever I talk to her on so many issues – on dharma, epics, literature, cosmos and astrology – must be recorded in some form and reach people who would like to know. It was then we came to know of blogger and she opened this account and even typed some of the early articles of this blog.
I dedicate this mail to her for having given me the impetus for starting this blog. It was because of my children I was able to fine tune my knowledge and rationalize many concepts in the course of my answering their inquisitive questions of why and why not. One of my best original ideas was the description of cosmos by means of the image of Nataraja. It was conceived at a moment I was discussing with her on interlinking scientific ideas on multiple Universes and Brahma sutra verses on Brahman given in the first chapter.
My children had been my first audience, now I have lakhs of readers who had listened to me and helped me to fine tune my ideas and even look for more ideas by their interactions through their comments. My humble NAMASAKRAM to all of them.
Infact it is they, the readers who brought out and continue to bring out the best out of me. I am very happy to have well informed readers who have added to my knowledge and made me think and refine my knowledge by questioning me on many topics. There have been occasions when I had to go back to look for more info in order to convince them or convince myself about what I wrote.
I also remember at this moment my internet friend, Mr M.K.Krishnaswamy an octogenarian, who has been an admirer of my articles on Vedantha and Dharma since 2003 when I was writing in yahoo groups. His comment on my write-ups that I "see" where people merely "gaze" boosted up my self-confidence that I can write "something" which others may not know or see. My heart-felt thanks to him for being a motivator.
Some stats on the millions reads.
The millionth read was one of those traditional and old articles which had always attracted steady readership. You would have guessed it right, it is either one of the astrological articles or the traditional topics such as oil bath or dreams. At the time of millionth read, the top ten reads had 5 articles on astrology and the other 5 on traditional practices.
The "Moola, Aslesha.." article continues as the top read with over 33,500 reads, followed by an article in Kanimozhi and then on Karunanidhi. 2G scam had attracted many readers; so also Karunanidhi's Sethu bickering.
But Moola, aslesha article hogging the top slot for most days in all these years, is not a happy thing, for it shows that the stigma on these stars particularly affecting young girls waiting for marriage still continues in our society.
On readership, the highest number had come from India only. Nearly half of that number has read from the USA. Next comes UK which is one sixth of the USA readership. Half of UK readership constitutes the number of reads from Singapore. Close to them are Malaysia, UAE, Canada and Australia. All the above have formed the major chunk of reads in the last 5 years. Most of the readers have come through google search only. I think the topicality of the articles had helped in attracting steady visitors. Currently 1200 to 1400 reads are made per day.
Certainly blogging had boosted up my self confidence and motivated me to write more. I have learnt more and analysed more in these years of blogging mostly for the sake of blogging. Blogging has been very interactive and fulfilling experience than what we feel when we write in print media.
Though I am presently a bit slow in posting my original articles, due to a thesis I am writing, I would be back in a few months with more ideas on Indian past, Aryan – Dravdian issue, Sundaland - Mayan and Vedantha.
Thank you once again dear readers for making me what I am.
- Jayasree Saranathan.
