Global village and language similarities

We have heard the term 'Global village' many times. An interesting concept about diverse landscapes, people, cultures and traditions defined in a single term as 'Vasudeva Kutumbakam' meaning 'Shree Mahaa Vishnu's Family' tens and thousands of years ago by sages in ancient India.

In this context, I happened to read an interesting article a few days ago. Let me share that article.

Online shopping odds

I had ordered for a few essential grocery and house cleaning items through Amazon/Big Basket a week ago, but still havn't received the items.

Although online shopping is hassle free, the way in which the system works is appauling. If we order a few items and pay for them in advance (as against COD), some times we are informed that the item/s are out of stock and that the order is cancelled. Even when these are in stock, items are delivered at different times and not once. I find it very frustrating.

I placed order for a pack of mosquitoe repellant through Amazon one week ago, but hasn't received the item still. As usual I have paid the cost in advance. 

This is how Amazon works. Highly frustrating. 

There should be some regulation to fix such oddities.

Thanks giving

In the US, fourth Thursday of every November is celebrated as Thanksgiving Day. Yesterday was this day.

One main difference is that every day is the Thanksgiving Day in Indian Culture and tradions. 

Most importantly, Shree Mahaa Vishnu, Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, Shree Hanumaan and Gurus including parents, are remembered when thanks giving.

Let me thank Shree Mahaa Vishnu, my friends and acqaintances as well as readers of this blog on the occassion.

Maargasheershaa month

Yesterday marked the beginning of the month of Margasheersha according to the Hindu Sanskrit Calender. Mrs Meera Raghu sheds light on this very auspicious month in her blog.

Our Guru's birthday

I belong to Uttaraadi Mutt of which revered Shree Satyathma Theertha Swaamijee is the chief guru. Recently his 50th birthday was celeberated as shown in this Utube video. He is one of the youngest saints to lead a Mutt. My brother told me that the Swaamijee holds a Ph D degree in English and another Ph D degree in Sanskrit. Swaamijee is so simple that he has never mentioned about it anywhere in the Uttaradi Mutt website. My humble pranaams to Shree Hari who resides in Swaamijee's heart.

Ekaadashi

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu calender. Devotees of Shree Mahaa Vishnu offer special worship of gratitude to Him on this day occuring twice every month. There are many religious TV Channels which continually telecast divine programs. One such is '1000 Naamangal 1000 Kathaikal', a Tamil term meaning '1000 Names and 1000 stories'. The program is presented by a young eminent speaker who explains the Names, their Devine Historic backgrounds and His qualities associated with each divine Name. These Names are very popular among Vaishnavite devotees and are listed in the revered 'Shree Vishnu Sahasra Naama Stotram'. 'Sahasra' is a Sanskrit term for 1000 but in this context, it means 'countless divine Names. Saints chose a thousand Names.

Shree Vishnu Sahasra Naamam is explained by this another young eminent speaker, in English, here.

Mammutty

This morning I happened to view Kairali Phoenx Awards 2022 program on Kairali TV. It was amazing to see Mammutty, one of my fabourite actors, looking far younger than most men of his age. Films such as 'Snehamulla Simham' (meaning 'Friendly lion') cannot be forgotten as is Kochi, where I had the pleasure of working, in the early '80s. 

Online shopping

Just like numerous customers of my age, I prefer online shopping for different reasons for it's advantages.

I had thought that one advantage is the discount that is offered by online vendors. But on careful observation, I realise that this is not always true and that we end up paying more than what the service deserves.

I discontinued the transaction as I didn't want to spend for the high cost of delivery.

Divine Discourse

In the midst of all kinds of pollution and falling temperature and increased moisture in Chennai for the past few days, TV has been a God given gift to many of us, as it enables to watch our favourite programmes. 

Religious channels such as Sanskar have been doing great service to humanity in telecasting divine discourses by saintly people such as Geethaa Mani Gnananand Maharaj Jee. This evening's program was part of 'Divya Geethaa Sathsang'.

Courts and criminal minded judges

Yesterday, there was a news report that the Supreme Court of India has ordered the release of six criminals involved in Rajiv Gandhi assasination in the '90s.

I guess that this would have brought shock to numerous Indians like me. The court verdict seems to give a hint that any one can murder any one and get away without getting punished for the crime.

All documents had proved how these six criminals planned the assassination. But still the two rascal judges at the Supreme Court had given a wrong verdict. This is one more example showing how some top level judges and police officers stoop down like stray dogs when biscuits are thrown at them. 

I think that our country needs a complete overhaul of Rules and Regulations that can fix corruption issues in Judiciary and Police departments and bring them to normalcy, to some extent as shown in 'Indian', Kamal Hassan's movie.

Eclipses

Today, the world will witness lunar eclipse, a cosmic dazzling display, one of te countless plays  by Shree Mahaa Vishnu.  During the eclipse, Hindu devotees offer special worship by meditating on Shree Mahaa Vishnu's Names and offer Tarpana. Shree Velukkudi Krishnan, a chartered accountant turned spiritual speaker explains the eclipses from religious perspective, in Tamil, in this video.

Lord Shree Krishna's Names

Maadhwaa devotess know that Lord Shree Krishna is worshipped in different forms. Traditionally, each month, a particular form of Shree Hari is worshipped. In that way, in this Kaarthika month, He is worshipped in His Daamodaraa form as explained by respected Shree Sathyaathma Theertha Swaamijee in Kannada language in this video.

Following is an image of Daamodaraa:

Poet's birth centenary

Today is the birth centenary of Ala. Valliappa, one of the most popular poets and writers for children.

When I was a school going kid, my father used to buy a lot of children's books in English and Tamil, and my mother used to explain the contents to me.

I fondly remember the writer's collection of poems published in two volumes; it was entitled 'Malarum Ullam', a Tamil term meaning 'Blossoming heart'. I remember the nicely printed contents with very child friendly font with the books bound using cloth. It had a dark blue colour covering.

I found the news about the writer's birth centenary from Google search, during my browsing. I tried to access info from Polimer News, a Tamil language TV news channel, but couldn't find any mention about it. I think that our news channels don't give due importance to writers etc. as much as they do to political rascals such  Perarivalan (who was involved in Rajiv Gandhi assassination); TV news watchers would know that he was given such a lot of importance as if he was a patriot who fought for our country's independence from the British.

Following is the image of Perarivalan rascal with his mother and his supporters soon after release from Vellore prison:

Following is an image of Mr Ala Valliappa:

As Mary Hopkin sang, "Once upon a time there was a tavern ...those were the days my friend ...".

Digital demons

In a few posts, I had mentioned my unpleasant experiences due to wrong handling of digital technology by banks, online shopping vendors etc.

This morning I heard from BBC World TV Channel news that Twitter will be charging a subscription fee from customers for blue tick verification. This is one of the first decisions taken by Twitter after Elon Musk took over as it's CEO.

Mobile phone consumers know that the manufacturers display details including the minimum distance that should be kept between the user and the device, in theor user manuals. For example, for Nokia X2, (which I had been using for a few years before switching on to smartphone) stipulated it as "one and a half centimeters". 

But my current smartphone, viz. Samsung Galaxy, doesn't have this information. For the past three days I have been communicating with Samsung india Customer Service via all their options, including a communication to it's CEO, but in vain. This is inspite of the fact that there is an auto generated response that they would get in touch "within 24 hours" every time I send my message via their website option, email or WhatsApp. 

I think that rascals use digital technology in a manner that is diametrically opposite to what it is aimed at. It is good that criminals such as Sashikala Natarajan involved in Jayalalitha murder, Apollo Hospital CEO Prathap Reddy involved in Jayalalitha murder case, Congress MP Sashi Tharoor involved in Sunanda murder case, ĎMK MP Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi etc. are not IT entrepreneurs.

There should be strict guidelines to ban such evil practices.

Shree Satchidananda Swamijee

I was trying to find some nice videos for the daughters of my niece Sushma and got this video by respected Shree Ganapathi Satchidaananda Swaamijee.

Holy Basil - Shree Krishna Wedding

Yesterday was a very auspicious day to Hindus in general and Vaishnavites in particular. It marks the anniversary of the devine wedding between Lord Shree Krishna, an incarnation of Shree Mahaa Vishnu, and Thulasi Devi, an incarnation of Shre Mahaa Lakshmi.  Devotees worship the Indian Gooseberry form of Lord Shree Krishna and Holy Basil plant form of Shree Mahaa Lakshmi with utmost devotion on this day. They perform the Thulasi wedding with utmost devotion. A US based devotee has given details about Shree Thulasi Pooja, in Kannada language, in her blog. Divine wedding of Shree Mahaa Vishnu with Shree Thulasi Devi is conducted in all Vaishnavite places of worship,  as shown in this video.