Pejaawar Mutt Swamiji's passing away

His holiness Pejaawar Mutt Swamiji passed away yesterday.

Best wishes to my christian friends

Today being Christmas, my best wishes to my christian friends, their families (to whom I have sent greetings) and all christian well wisher readers of my blog.

Indian sportspersons in South Asian Games

It is a nice gesture that sports persons from our country have brought laurels by taking our country to top the list of medal winners in South Asia Games.

Congratulations to them and their coaches.

I fondly remeber by beloved father who used to encourage students to participate in outdoor games wherever he worked, and my employers such as Dr Jacob D Raj who used to provide all necessary support to encourage community friendly outdoor games in remote schools in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

Geetha Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. This is on this day, more than 5000 years back, that the dilemma of Arjuna, one of the Paandavaas, was cleared by none other than His Almighty Lord Krishna himself through his Geethopadesham, revered as The Bhagvat Geethaa all over the Universe.. 

Communication, food and transport: A melting pot of problems: Chennai

Last week as I had to go to many Samsung Service Centres and mobile shops to get my mobile phone fixed, I didn't have much time to cook my breakfast. Hence I had to depend on restaurants. In the process I discovered that the cost of food in food outlets in Chennai is beyond the reach of common folk.  I was shocked to note that just one plain dosa cost Rs 51 at Hotel Krishna Prasad and Rs 68 at Murugan Idli Shop located in the Vadapalani-Valasaravaakkam areas of Chennai.

Murugan Idli Shop Receipt

In sharp contrast none of the food items sold in 'Amma Unavagam' outlets launched by former Tamilnadu chief minister Jayalalitha, and run by TN Govt. costs more than Rs 5. I don't see any difference in the quality of food items supplied by Amma Unavagam and expensive restaurants mentioned above.

Everyone including the traffic police  in Chennai know that almost all autorikshaws ply without their metres on and they charge exorbitant fees from helpless commuters. I think the State and Central Governments should look into such important issues, instead of keeping a blind eye to such realities.

Divinity and Music

Today was a bit exceptional to me, rather to my usually worried mind.

After a long time, I could enjoy Shree Bhupendra Bhai Pandya's Gita discourse in Hindi on Astha Channel, His Holiness Thriddhandi Chinna Jeeyer's precious divine discouse on Shree Hari in Telugu on Bhakti Channel and Carnatic vocal music renderings on Lord Krishna by popular musicians such as Sangeeta Sivakumar, T N Krishna and Sankaran Namboodiri as part of the Chembai Music Fest 2019 on DD Malayalam Channel.

50th mile stone of 'Abbey Road'

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the release of  the album 'Abbey Road' by the legendary pop music group 'The Beatles'. Numerous fans of the Fab Four will remember the group for years to come.

Divine Wedding

Yesterday was an important day in the Hindu Calender. Every year on this day, devotees perform the wedding of Damodaraa  (one of the forms of Shree Mahaa Vishnu) and Tulasi Devi  (Holi Basil plant form of Shree Mahaa Lakshmi) and perform Poojaa (worship) to the Divine Couple.

Festival of Lamps

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calendar.  It was on this day during Dhwaapara Yuga  (nearly 5000 years back) when Shree Krishna killed the demon Narakaasuraa and established the victory of  the Good over the Evil, with the assistance of Sathyabhaamaa.  Festival of lamps known as Deepaavali or Diwali is celeberated as humble thanks giving to His Almighty. Shree Mahaa Vishnu's Consort Shree Mahaa Lakshmi and Yama, the Deity of our ancestors, are also offered special worship on this day.

Nobel Prize for Peace and Economics

Nobel Economics Award to Abhijit Banerjee and his wife brings pride to Indians as well as Americans. Hope our Modi led Government applies the concepts in reducing poverty in our country as Mr P V Narasimha Rao led Congress Government did to some extent when Mr Amartya Sen was awarded the prize for his work many years back. I think that Mr P V Narasimha Rao and Mr Manmohan Singh (who was the Finance Minister at that time) paved the way for an economically stronger India.

A few days back, Ethiopian Prime Minister was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Any one who lived in the Ethiopia Eritrea border region in the '80s would know the effects of civil unrest on the common people. As one of several Indian teachers posted in schools in the region at that time, I remember persistent gunshots all around the small town where I was teaching. I remember how we sought the intervention of our Indian Embassy and Foreign Ministry in Delhi, to get transferred near Addis Ababa, where it was safe. Ethiopian Prime Minister does deserve the Prize.

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calendar. It marks the end of Dusserah, the 'Ten Days Fest'. This day is believed to be the day when Lord Raamaa killed Raavanaa, the demon king, signifying the Good destroying the Evil, at the end of ten days of fierce battle. This had taken place during Tretaa Yugam, billions of years back.

Today is also the day on which His Almighty Shree Mahaa Vishnu incarnated as Buddha.

Today is also the birth anniversary of Madhwaachaarya, the first saint of the Madhwa sect. This day is celebrated as Madhwa Jayanti. I have explained about this saint in my previous posts.

Gandhiji and Shastriji

Today marks the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhiji known as 'Father of the Nation'. It is also the birth anniversary of Mr Lal Bahadur Shastri,  second Prime Minister of India and a Gandhian. He was born in 1904.

I remember the role that I played as 'school boy Gandhi' in a school drama during my high school days in the mid '60s.

I also remember my visit to the Phoenix Ashram which he founded and the Pietermaritzburgh railway station where he was pushed out from the 1st class compartment of a train by a white South African in Apartheid struck South Africa of those years. (Although I had taken many photograps, my camera fell down and the film got spoiled. This was in early '90s when digital cameras were not popular).

Bill Clinton

As I was viewing a news programme this evening on the former French Prime Minister Jaque Chirac's passing away and former US President Bill Clinton's tribute, I was a bit sad to see a lot of wrinkles on Bill Clinton's face. He and his wife Nancy Clinton were liked by people all over the world.

I clearly remember the happiness exhibited by people of different nationalities when he won his second term as President in the late '80s or early '90s when I was working in Southern Africa.

Statesmen such as Bill Clinton, Barrack Obama, Robert Mugabe, Nelson Mandela and his predecessor Mr F W De Klerk
will always be remembered.

Nine Nights' Fest

Yesterday marked the beginning of the 'Nine Night Festival' considered very auspicious by Hindu people all over the world.

Goddesses Shree Durgaa, Shree Mahaa Lakshmi and Shree Saraswathi are worshipped on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd three days respectively. These Goddesses are consorts of the Divine Trinity Shree Shivaa, Shree Mahaa Vishnu and Shree Brahma respectively.

In many houses, dolls (particularly those depicting events from Hindu scriptures) are kept on display and worshipped with sanctity and appropriate rituals.

 

Memory of my beloved parents

13th and 17th of this month were the birth anniversaries of my father and mother respectively. I fondly remember them and all the sacrifices that they did for us.

Anantha Vratham

Today is a very auspicious day for Hindus. Anantha Padmanaabha Swamy form of His Almighty Shree Mahaa Vishnu along with His wife Shree Mahaa Lakshmi is worshipped by devotees on this day.

Vaamanaa Fest

Day before yesterday was a very auspicious day for Hindus. This was the day on which His Almighty Shree Mahaa Vishnu descended on the Earth as a Brahmin boy revered in Scriptures as 'Vaamanaa' and appeared before King Mahaabali (grandson of Prahalaadhaa, the greatest devotee of Lord Narasimha, another Avataar of Shree Mahaa Vishnu) and blessed him. This day is celebrated as 'Onam', a state festival in Kerala, by people across barriers.

Balarama Fest and Dhanvanthari Fest

Yesterday was a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. This is the day on which His Almighty Shree Mahaa Vishnu incarnated himself  as Lord Dhanvanthari (known as Lord of medicines) many Yugaas back. 

This is also the day on which Balaraamaa (Elder brother of Shree Krishna) was born in Dwaapara Yuga that ended nearly 5000 years back, after which Kali Yuga, the present Yuga, was created by The Almighty Shree Mahaa Vishnu.

Shree Varaahaa Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender as this is the day on which the Supreme Almighty Shree Hari incarnated as Varaahaa to protect the Vedaas (Divine Scriptures) from evil forces billions of years back.

Lord Vinaayakaa Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu (Sanaathana Dharmaa) Calender. This day is celebrated as Vinaayakaa Chaturti (known also as Ganesh Chaturti). Lord Vinaayakaa is the son of the Divine couple Paarvathi and Parameshwaraa. This day is considered to be the day on which Lord Ganesha was created. He is one of the sub deities according to Maadhwaa sect (to which I belong).

Today is my beloved father's death anniversary according to the Hindu (Sanaathana Dharmaa) calender. I fondly remember him.

PM's visit to Bhutan

TV programs about Our Prime Minister's visit to Bhutan and his address to students of Royal University brought pleasant memories of my stay in the Druk Kingdom, 40 years back. I remember my two days' stay in the University campus (which was a Higher Secondary School  known as Sherubtse College, at that time. I was there as Visiting Examiner for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, equivalent to GCE O Level). I fondly remember Prabhakaran Nair who was also an Examiner and a good friend. As Mary Hopkin sings, "Those were the days my friend ..."

Woodstock

Today is the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock Festival that took place in a New York suburb. I think that people of my age would remember the festival in which several rock musicians participated. Though the Woodstock Fest did accompany negative factors such as drugs and hippies, promotion of good softrock was welcome by numerous pop music fans then. (I remember how I used to complete my Physics Lab at college and rush home to listen to Woodstock proceedings on Voice of America).

Vishnu Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Sanaathana Dharmaa calendar.  It was on this day several million years back that Shree Mahaa Vishnu incarnated as Hayagriva, restored the Divine Vedaas and gave it to Lord Brahma. In this avataar He took the face and neck of a beautiful horse (In Sanskrit, 'haya'  and 'griva' mean 'horse' and 'neck' respectively). He is worshipped mainly as Lord of Knowledge and Wisdom.

Shree Mahaa Lakshmi Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Sanaathana Dharmaa  (Hindu) calender.  This day is celebrated as Shree Mahaa Lakshmi Vratham.  On this day, devotees, especially women, offer special worship to Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, divine Mother of all of us and Consort of Shree Mahaa Vishnu. This worship used to be performed by good women who took care of themselves, their families including husband, children and parents in law. (Unfortunately we can see that this trend has changed. I knew a woman who obtained her BEd degree by paying bribe to Annamalai University and worked as a teacher. This woman was 'proud' to remove her mangala sutraa and throw it out just a few days after her wedding. I just don't understand why such evil women deceive and mislead the community. I sincerely hope that such women are taught a lesson in some way).

Like parents of most people of my age, my parents were also dignified in the way they dressed themselves.  My mother had always appreciated women who were dressed in a dignified manner. One woman whom my mother liked in this aspect was one of our relatives by name K L Sujatha.

Sushma Swaraj

This morning's news that Mrs Sushma Swaraj has passed away brought tears in my eyes.

Our country has lost one of its great leaders in the passing away of the  former external affairs minister in the BJP Government.

She used to be admired by my beloved mother especially for her dignified way of dressing.

I join numerous patriotic Indians in expressing my heartfelt condolences to her bereaved family.

Everyone knows that today's TV media is mostly filled up with useless content. However there are exceptions, and one of them is the Tamil regional channel Makkal TV telecast from Chennai.

This morning I had the opportunity of viewing one of it's programmes known as 'Unnaippol deivam illai' that literally means 'There is no God like you'. This is a program in which celebrities remember their mothers. In this morning's episode, Dr Tiruppur Kumaran, a popular Tamil writer, spoke about his mother and how his spiritual life was influenced by her. 

His description brought tears in my eyes, as I could easily remember my mother's attempts to make me spiritually strong. (But I never followed much of her advice like most men of my age. When we were young, most boys liked to emulate their fathers than mothers. Hence I also emulated my dad in this aspect). 

She used to do her best not only in household chores but also in advising me to some extent when I erred in spiritual terms. For example once when I mentioned that I was tired after performing my Sandhya Vandanam, she said that one shouldn't say like that, meaning that my  attitude was a disrespect to His Almighty.

During her last few years, even when she had to be hospitalised three times in four months due to medical problems and was becoming very weak, she used to pluck jasmine flowers from the plant in front of our cottage and place them in water in a container so that I could offer the flowers to God. 

Indeed there is a great meaning in our Sanaathana Dharmaa saying "Maathru devo bhava, Pitru devo 

bhava...".

Bank officer's fraud

From a Tamil regional TV channel's news bulletin this morning, I came to know that a branch of Indian Overseas Bank (a nationalised bank) approved and sanctioned considerable amount as loan on the basis of jewellery produced by the client, and later came to know that the jewellery was fake. In such circumstances both the fraudulent client and the involved officer of the bank should be arrested and given severe punishment preferably death penalty or at least life imprisonment.

Divine Turtle Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Sanaathana Dharmaa calender. It was on this day that His Almighty Shree Hari incarnated as Divine Turtle (known as "Koormaa Avathaaram" in Sanskrit) billions of years back. This was second among His Almighty's ten most popular Avathaars.

Lord Narasimhaa Fest

Today is a very  auspicious day to Hindus in general and Vaishnavites in particular. This is the day on which Shree Mahaa Vishnu took Avathaar as Lord Narasimhaa to kill the demon king Hiranyakashipu and bless Prahalaadha (the king's son and His greatest devotee), billions of years back. Many years later, Shree Mahaa Vishnu took Avathaar as Vaamana to bless King Mahaa Bali  (grandson of Prahalaadha). It is believed that in the present Kali Yugaa,  the divine sage Raaghavendra Swamy was born as an incarnation of Prahalaadha.

Vedavyaasa Fest

Today is celebrated as the birth anniversary of sage Vedavyaasa. He wrote the two great Sanaathana Dharmaa epics Raamaayanaa and Mahaa Bhaaratha. He also compiled the four Vedaas.

Paanduranga Temple Fest

A few minutes back I had the joy of viewing the Kumbaabhishekam ceremony of Shree Paanduranga Swamy Temple in Bengaluru via Sankara TV Channel.  While the program itself was filled with divine radiation from Shree Hari, the background music aptly contributed to the program. It was an instrumental version of the famous classical song "Krishnaa nee begane baaro..." meaning "Krishnaa, please come quickly...". This song was one of the most favourite songs of my beloved mother. I fondly remember her.

27 April was the 2nd death anniversary of my beloved mother according to the English calender. I fondly remember her. I tried to write this post on that day, but couldn't as my mobile net was too slow.

Hanumaan Fest

Today is the birth anniversary of Hanumaanjee, the greatest devotee of Lord Shree Raam and His wife Seethaa Devi. He was born during Tretaa Yugaa. He is considered to be a 'chiranjeevi' and is considered to be present wherever the Divine Name of Lord Shree Raam is chanted.

Shree Raam Fest at Bhadraachalam

As I am writing this post, I have the privilege of viewing Shree Raama Navami Pooja being performed at the famous Shree Raama temple at Bhadraachalam, via Bhakti TV channel.

I fondly remember my beloved mother performing Shree Raam Poojaa every year on this day until her last few years when she became increasingly weak.

 

Traditional new year's day

Yesterday was the beginning of the new year to people in Tamilnadu, Kerala and countries such as Cambodia.  Cambodia was ruled by Khmer kings who were originally from the Pallavaa dynasty that ruled Chennai region. According to historical records, ancient India stretched from present day Afghanistan in the west to Indonesia in the south east.

Shree Raam Fest

Tomorrow being Shree Raama Navami, I remember Shree Seshaacharyulu, who worked with me in a school in Vijayawada, many years back. A excellent gentleman, he was teaching Sanskrit in the school. I remember how I used to spend some weekends at the Shree Raama temple which was being served by him and his family. I have mentioned about Mr Seshaacharyulu in my earlier posts.

Shree Raam Fest

Tomorrow is a very auspicious day in the Sanaathana Dharmaa (Hindu) calender. This is the birth anniversary of Shree Raam, an incarnation of Shree Vishnu. Shree Raam was born in Tretaa Yugaa, more than 8, 64, 000 years back,  as the son of king Dasarathaa and queen Koushalyaa in Ayodhyaa. Shree Raama avathaaram is one of the 10 main incarnations of Shree Hari.

I fondly remember my beloved mother who used to perform special pujaas meant for this day regularly (except during her last few years when she couldn't, due her health condition).

(By the way, even in her last few years when her health went bad with a few hospitalisations following loose motion, lung problem etc., she used to pluck jasmine flowers and place them in a bowl of water so that I could use them in my daily puja).

Grand daughterly affection

A few weeks back I went to a local Siddha herbal clinic to get my piles and severe constipation treated. After taking their medicines  my health improved. When I went there for the second time, one of the staff members told me that one of the girls at the reception desk said, "Anda thaathaa alagaa irukkaaru " meaning "That grandpa is good looking". I thanked the girl and told her that if I take take birth as a human being in my next birth, I wish to have someone like her to be my daughter or grand daughter. It is nice for any person when children or grandchildren admire him/her, of course from an affection point of view without any odd or perverted feeling.

I have always thought that my parents were a very good looking couple.

Sanskar has always been one of my favourite TV channels due to their religious content. This morning there was a nice rock music performance by 'Madhav Rock Band' consisting of Krishna concious youngsters singing "Krishna my Hero". The song featured dance by children in praise of The Almighty. I think that children need to be exposed to such programs instead of trash ones that are featured in our TV programs today.

New year's day

Today is the beginning of Tradisional new year for Kannada, Telugu and Marathi speaking people. My best wishes for the day to those who celebrate this day. According to Vedic Scriptures, this is the day on which the 9 day battle between Good and evil (between Lord Shree Raam and demonic Raavan) began and ended with the Lord's Victory. The day on which the battle ended is celebrated as Shree Raama Navami by Hindus all over the world.

Orange peel chutney

As I write this post, I am viewing 'Seasoning the Seasons' on NHK WORLD. It an interesting program  (like many on this channel) explaining 'Mikan' (a local citrus fruit resembling Orange).

At this time I fondly remember my beloved mother who used to cook delicious chutney from orange fruit peels.

As I write this post, I have the pleasure of viewing 'Direct Talk' on NHK WORLD TV. It is an interesting program with an interview with Ivan Penn, a young Afro-American journalist. The program includes a lot of material on American Civil Rights movement and works by Afro-American leaders like Dr Martin Luther King Jr. I remember my first ever article published nearly 50 years back in my College Magazine when I was a teenaged student working for my first degree. The inspiration to write the article entitled 'Racial Discrimination' came from the the circumstances in the US at that period of time. 

It is a well known fact that Dr Martin Luther King Jr himself was inspired by Mahaatma Gandhiji and Gandhian values.

Shree Thyaagaraajaa Fest and Kumbh Mela Fest

Today is one of the most important days in the Sanaathana Dharmaa (Hindu) calender. This day, reveredly known as 'Ekaadashi', occurs twice every month. I have described the significance of this day in my earlier posts.

A few days back, annual aaraadhanaa of Shree Thyaagaraajaa (one of the three most revered classical music composers and singers from Thanjavur district in Tamilnadu) was performed with classical musicians from all over the world at Thiruvaiyaaru. The fest went on in different places in the country and abroad.  Shree Thyaagaraajaa was not only a revered composer,  musician and singer, but also a great devotee of Lord Shree Raam. He was also blessed with the Dharshan of Lord Shree Ram and His Consort.

Another event that is inexplainably divine is the Mahaa Kumbh Melaa Festival that is being celebrated in Prayaagraaj  (Formerly Allahabad), where three divine rivers Gangaa, Yamunaa and Saraswathi meet. It is a great treat to view saints and experts under one roof delivering religious discourses and performing satkarmaas.