Ekaadashi

Yesterday was a very auspicious day in the Hindu almanac. It was Dashami and Ekaadashi. Today, devotees observe fasting as revered respect to Shree Mahaa Vishnu, our Divine Father.

Divine Discourse

This evening, in his Divine Discourse 'Bhaagavath Katha' meaning 'The Divine Story of Shree Mahaa Vishnu' on Sanskar TV Channel, Poojya Bhai Shree Ji explained as to how the sacred river Gangaa is "the Supreme Reality in liquid form".

According to Scriptures,  Mekong, the river that flows through many countries in South East Asia including Cambodia, got it's name from the sacred term 'Maa Gangaa" meaning 'Mother Gangaa'.

Seetha Fest, Shree Raam Temple and Mr Seshacharyulu

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu almanac. This day is celebrated as Seetha Jayanthi (meaning 'Seetha Devi's birth anniversary). On this day, the Divine Mother and Her Husband Lord Shree Raam are offered special worship.

Following image shows a Kondapalli doll of Lord Shree Raam with His wife Seetha Devi and His brother Lakshman; Hanumaanji, the greatest devotee of Lord Shree Raam offers his humble respects  to the Divine Parents.

(I remember my visit to Kondapalli, a small village near Vijayawada, alongwith Mr Seshacharyulu, my colleague at Nalanda Vidya Niketan. Mr Seshacharyulu was the Head of the Department of Sanskrit in the school. He and his brothers were taking care of Shree Raam temple in a village known as Ibrahim Patanam, on the outskirts of Vijayawada, known as the commercial capital of Andhra Pradesh. He was a very simple nice gentleman and a scholar in Sanskrit and Telugu. He used to be popularly known as 'Ditta kavi'. 

I tried to access a photograph of him from my computer. But when I upgraded my Computer Operating System from Windows XP to Windows 7 at Hulett Packard Sales and Service Centre in Kodambakkam area (Chennai), although I asked the technician to transfer all data into the upgraded version, it was not done and thereby I lost much data. 

However, I could access a photograph of this gentleman from Google Search a few minutes back; following group photo taken nearly two years back in Vijayawada at a School function shows Mr Seshacharyulu (Standing third from right):

Demise of Mrs Lalitha Bharathan

Indian cinema in general and Malayaalam language cinema in particular have lost a versatile, gentle and talented actress with the demise of Mrs Lalitha Bharathan last night. As Mammootty, the famous Malayaalam film actor said in his tribute, she was one of the finest actors in the Malayalam cinema.

Thousand Names of Shree Mahaa Vishnu

It was joy to view Shree Bhupendrabhai Pandya ji's divine discourse on Shree Vishnu Sahasra Naamam (literally meaning 'Thousand Names of  Shree Vishnu' though in reality it means 'Limitless Names of Shree Vishnu') via Sanskar TV Channel. As he mentioned during his discourse, Sanskrit is uniquely different from other languages that each of it's alphabets and words carry some meaning. (For example in many languages, 'Oh' is uttered but it means nothing).

Neighbourhood nuisance

Today was the last day of taking a divine bath known as 'Maagha snaanam' marking the end of one month period. Although according to Hindu Scriptures, we are expected to get up, brush our teeth, wash, take bath and complete daily rituals such as Sandhyaa Vandanam, chanting of Shree Naaraayana Ashtaakshara Manthram etc. before sunrise, people like me are unable to do this. It is for such people that the Scriptures have relaxed some rules and regulations. According to these, one should strictly observe this, at least on any one day during this one month duration. 

As today is the last day, I tried to follow this although I couldn't, with perfection. As I got up by 4 am with not much sleep overnight, I felt sleepy in the afternoon. But by the time I fell into somewhat sound sleep, here was the woman residing next door, keeping her TV or Mobile with loud sound level. She has been doing it for the past few months even during nights, some times even during midnight. I think that she does so as she doesn't get good sleep herself. A few weeks back, I told her not to do this as it disturbs even a very few hours of my sleep every day. She didn't accept doing it. She is the attendant woman to my next door neighbour. He is about five or six years older than me. He doesn't seem to have wife, family or children. Although he seems to be physically okay (going to the Apartment Office to pay maintenance charges etc), I don't know why he needs a woman attendant to 'take care' of him round the clock including nights. This attendant woman who is about 60 plus stays full time with him in his apartment. My problem is that this old man too never bothers about her disturbing my sleep.

Shree Raam Kathaa

This evening it was joy to view a divine discourse on Lord Shree Raam (Shree Raam Kathaa) by Pundit Shree Vijay Shankar Mehta ji on Sanskar TV Channel. He was explaining the great qualities of Hanumaan ji, the greatest devotee of Lord Shree Raam, an incarnation of Shree Hari.

Saint Fest

Today is a very important day to a community of people known as Maadhwaas. This day is celebrated as Madhwa Navami and it is on this day that the community's chief Shree Madhwaachaaryaa reached the Lotus Feet of Shree Hari, in Bhadhrikaashram, and serving Shree Hari.

Lata Mangeshkar

Our world has lost an accomplished singer in the demise of Ms Lata Mangeshkar on day before yesterday at 92.

Sun Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Almanac. It is celebrated as Ratha Sapthami. Shree Lakshmi Naaraayana, golden colored, wearing gold arnaments and seated on a chariot pulled by seven horses, is offered special worship on this day.

Chennai power cuts

Chennai is very well known for its frequent power cuts. Except during Dr M G R's regime as Chief Minister, the city has had a nasty history of gross misadministration with it's peak during DMK.  

We had power cut almost the whole night last night. This evening as I am typing this post, at 6.54 pm, residents in this part of the city have been subjected to 3 power cuts in an hour's time duration. With no justifiable cause, the only reason remains to be weak electric lines installed, instead of strong ones, with huge amounts of money getting into the nasty pockets of political rascals in the DMK.

I think that it is high time that naxalite kind revolution erupts here so that all bad political 'big wigs' are wiped out completely in our communities.