Today being Ekaadashi, is a very auspicious day to Hindus in general and Vaishnavites in particular. It was treat to eyes, ears and to the mind, to view a Divine Discourse on Shree Raam Katha (Lord Shree Raam's Biography) by saint Shree Murlidharji Maharaaj. He was describing saint Thulasidas's 'Raam Charith Maanas', Shree Raam's Divine Wedding with Seethaa Devi, importance of mother cow etc.
BBC World TV Channel's 'CLICK' presented by Spencer Kelly has been one of my favourite programmes, which I don't usually miss. (Their prograames are to some extent value added by the presenters: for insrance, Zeinab Badawi and Stephen Sachur's Hardtalk', and so on). This evening's 'CLICK' featured a mobile phone museum with the curator explaining the fast development of mobile tech and sucessive replacement of mobile phone versions in the market.
It is said that change is inevitable, and understandably so. But in areas like communicational instrumentation, if changes are at a slower pace, it would be easier for most people who are not economically well off, to adjust with the changes (considering affordability to buy new gadgets frequently).
In this post let me share a difficulty that is probably common to most senior citizens of my age (70 plus) who live alone in their dwellings, though there may be close relatives staying in other parts of the town or city.
Thanks to Amul India Limited for their KoolCafe, for sparing me from the trouble of preparing my morning coffee, daily.
Thanks to growing number of Brahmin food catering services for sparing me from the ordeal of cooking side dishes such as gravy and curry. I don't mind cooking rice by myself.
Sometimes I prepare my favourite dosaas (rice and urad dhaal pancakes) for dinner. But often oddly enough I get so much immeresed in viewing my TV programmes until such time when the dosa in the frying pan sends s strong signal that it is burnt beyond rectification. These are the times that I do miss my Shortwave digital radio (that used to be somewhat like a part of my body for more than 40 years until the early '90s). I think that a radio receiver is better than any TV in this aspect.
(I had a very reliable and efficient Digital Radio viz ICF7600, for many years, until it was deliberately broken by my divorced wife's son many years back when he and his mother came on a visit for some reason).
A few minutes back I did Google Search to find out if there is any Didital Radio supplier in India, and found that there is none. Even SONY India Limited doesn't seem to market shortwave receivers any more.
Well, I think that fast technological development is inevitable and necessary, but not at the cost of stable options of using gadgets such as radio receivers.
Today there have been many functions including the one in which our Prime Minister Narendra Modiji delivered a speech, to commemorate the birthday of Rani Lakshmibhai.
I remember my stay in Jhansi when I worked as Principal of Rani Laxmibhai Public School, Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh.
I fondly remember my visit to a nearby dam alongwith my colleagues (and driving the jeep for some time), a fellow Rotarian (who used to take me to Club meetings in his car and drop me back), my colleagues Mr Takur, Ms Ametha Singh, Selvaraj (a teacher from Tamilnadu), Mrs Renu Bansal and many others. (I also remember a few bad colleagues such as Gaudamani, a teacher from Tamilnadu, and Sujatha, a teacher from Andhra Pradesh).
I regret that I didn't use my weekends and holidays to visit places of divine importance such as Ayodhyaa (Birth place of Shree Raam) and Naimishaaranyaa.
I remember the authentic Aaloo Paraathaa that used to be cooked in the school kitchen and served hot. It was pleasure working in my office during dinner time amidst which I used to get Aloo parathaas and delicious dhaal as side sish.
As Mary Hopkin sang "Those were the days ...".
Recently we have heard a lot about eminent people from different countries using big phrases in the COP 26 Summit in Glasgow, Scotland (which had featured in many of the British classic novels by writers such as Charles Dickens). Previously in the early '90s there was a similar Global Meet in Mexico. Like many people, I am skeptical as to possible outcomes and as to whether the Meet's main aims and objectives would be realised.
Let me give an example right in my neighbourhood. Just adjacent to the Apartment complex where I reside, there used to be a large mangrove; the owner/s of the grove used to display their mangoes and sell them at a probably reasonable cost. Nearly two years back, the trees were cut and large machines were brought in to construct concrete buildings in the area. Besides, the work was (and has still been) carried out day and night, amidst a lot of sound emitted by these machines. No body seems to question the atrocitites comitted by such highly selfish and greedy owner rascals.
I think that we live in a world of contrasts.
It was nice to take a virtual visit (thanks to technology) to Ayodhyaa, the birth place of Lord Shree Raam, an Avataar of Shree Mahaa Vishnu, to view a Divine Discourse on Vaalmiki Raamaayan by Shree Bhaaskarji Maharaaj.
The program reminded me of the Bhoomi Puja ritual performed as part of construction of Shree Raam temple in the city of Ayodhyaa and how devotedly our beloved Prime Minister Shree Narendra Modi participated in the event.
It was nice to view Shree Raam Kathaa (Story of Shree Raam) by Shree Prembhushanji Maharaj on Ashtha TV yesterday.
Yesterday was a very auspicious day in the Sanaathana Dharma Calender. According to ancient Scriptures, this was the day on which Daamodaraa (a roopaa of Shree Krishnaa, an Avataar of Shree Mahaa Vishnu) married Tulasi (a roopaa of Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, wife of Shree Mahaa Vishnu). This day is known as Uththaana Dwaadashi or Uthwaana Dwaadashi)
Today being Ekaadashi, one of the most auspicious days to worship Shree Mahaa Vishnu and His wife Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, I liked to spend atleast some time viewing to Divine Discourses on TV.
I had the joy of viewing two speakers on Amritha Channel's 'Sandhyaa Deepam'. The first speaker described what Shree Raamaa said to His brother Lakshmanaa on His first sight of Hamumaan, the greatest devotee of Shree Raamaa. The second speaker described Sudaamaa's meeting with Lord Shree Krishna.
(Although I can understand Malayaalam very well, my spoken Malayalam is very moderate and written Malayaam is nil. Hence I am unable to remember the names of the two speakers as displayed on the TV screen. However it is my pleasure to include their photoes in this blog).
Formally retired senior citizens in our country either continue working or like to take rest after serving for a few decades. I belong to the latter category.
I have always liked the company of good books or any media with good content than people (with a few exceptions when people are compatible). Nowadays I like viewing good programmes on TV rather than working on my PC or fiddling on my mobile.
This morning, it was great pleasure viewing Shree Bhai Shree's Divine Discourse on Shreemad Bhagavath Kathaa (Divine Story of Shree Hari) on Ashtha, one of my favourite TV Channels. In the discourse when he sang "May nahi markand khaayaa.." (a popular song about Lord Shree Krishna), I was reminded of Shree Anup Jalota, one of my favourite Bhajan singers popularly known as 'Bhajan Samraat'. My memory took me to 1989 when I first heard Anup Jalota in a friend's house in Southern Africa.
South Africa has lost one of its neutral statesmen in the recent demise of Mr FW de Klerk, former President of South Africa. Alongwith Mr Nelson Mandela he was instrumental in eradicating the country's apartheid stand that lasted for several decades. Mr de Klerk and Mr Mandela received the Nobel Prize for Peace.
The recent news that Tigray Liberation Force is moving towards the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. I hope that the ongoing efforts of the UNO and several countries to bring peace in the region on a permanent basis succeed.
Yesterday was an auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. This day is known as Bali Pratipat.
Recent news that the Swedish popmusic band ABBA is teamed up after 40 years to come back in it's digital form is interesting. I was one of their numerous fans in the late '70s when they were most popular. It was sad that they split in 1982 (much like how The Beatles split in 1970 with their 'Let it be'). Who can forget their songs and related movies such as 'Mama Mia? (I remember the sunny day in 2009 in a restaurant in Phnom Penh, where I was viewing this movie on wide screen, with a colleague from Holland).
It is sad that Puneeth Rajkumar, the Kannada actor and son of popular veteran Kannada movie actor Mr Rajkumar passed away at a young age. I haven't seen any of Puneeth Rajkumar's movies. But the fact that he was the son of Mr Rajkumar is evidence enough to show that the young actor was talented.
As Deepavali is just a few days away, my memory takes me back to my younger days.
In those days, my father used to buy crackers two months earlier and my mother used to distribute them to us. Thereafter, I, Jyothi (my sister) and Ramesh (my brother) used to exchane them according to our likes and dislikes (for example as I was afraid of handling large crackers, I used to exchange them for light crackers with my brother who was fond of large ones. He was far more daring than my father. Mr. Padmanabha Rao, a professional cook and a nice gentleman used to make sweet items such as Jangri etc. a few days before the festival. My mother used to make items like kai murukku (for which she used to have bronze or brass implements, taken away by Jyothi later). All the eatables were offered to Shree Hari and Shree Mahaa Lakshmi before our consumption and distribution to our neighbours, friends, well-wishers and the needy people.
Apart from these, Ramesh used to do additional shoppings for crackers (for all the three of us). During the Fest, my father used to be active in firecrackers like us children whereas my mother used to be busy in the kitchen cooking special items.
These were all not unique in our house; these were part of all good households.
As Mary Hopkin sang in her famous song, "Those were the days...".
