Gandhiji's death anniversary

According to the Western Calender, yesterday was the death anniversary of Gandhiji.

Madhwa navami

Today is an auspicious day in the Hindu Calendar. This day is celebrated as Madhwa Navami. Shree Sathyaathma Theertha Swaamiji, Chief Saint of Utaaradi Mutt (to which I belong) sheds light on Shree Madhwaachaarya in this Utube video.

Ratha sapthami

Today is an auspicious day in the Hindu Calendar. This day is celebrated as Ratha sapthami. Vishnu devotees offer their humble special worship to Shree Hari on this day as a mark of respect to Him.

Amazing handicraft

Although pottery has lost its popularity due to technological changes in the past few decades, it is nice that this handicraft hasn't completely gone.

Just like most people of my age who were brought up in rural areas of India, I had the pleasure of seeing dedicated men and women making pots from clay.

This evening, it was pleasure viewing 'Off the Grid' episode featuring potmaking in rural Assam and presented by Alexandra Puthwaite on Travelxp TV Channel. 

This program was unique to me in one sense. I have seen craftspeople making pots using wooden or mud wheels that are kept rotating, over which the clay is placed and worked on. In  this program, the craftswoman used a small wooden base on which she placed the clay and moulded it into a fine pot without rotating the base much. 

Amazing handicrafts.

Animal outsmart

As a normal human being, I don't like lizards and other animals and insects moving around in my residence, especially in my Pooja shelf, kitchen and bed room.

As many people of my age, I like to keep my residence clean and tidy. Even when I place used utensils in the kitchen sink, I always keep them closed as shown below, so as to prevent lizards etc.

Besides, I also use lizard and insect repellents to keep these animals and insects at bay.

But in spite of all these, these animals some times seem to outsmart me.

Monsoon rains in Cambodia

Although I fondly remember my pleasant experiences when I was working in Cambodia nearly 15 years back, I do remember hard times too. I still remember the days that I and my colleagues had to spend during the rainy season for nearly 10 days consisting of continuous rains with no sunshine at all in the country's Kampung Cham province; I remember how I longed to return to Phnom Penh, where the climate was sunny and relatively far conducive. 

Food scene in Phnom Penh

As I mentioned in my earlier posts there are a few TV Channels which remain to be my favourites; one of them  being Singapore based 'Channel New Asia'. Some time back, as I was fiddling the channel's website, I came across a program shot in Phnom Penh, where I lived and worked. 

The program reminded me of the enormous difficulties that I had encounteres as a strict vegetarian. 

Posted in Phnom Penh, and residing in the city most of the time, I never had any problem, thanks to my moderately furnished accommodation with facilities such as gas stove, washing machine etc. 

Fresh vegetables, fruits and grocery items like vegetarian noodles (of many types) were easily available in Super Markets such as Sorya (derived from the Indian term Sooryaa), Pencil etc. in the city. There were also grocery shops run by individual Indians and Bangla Deshis.

Whenever I was tired to cook, there were many Indian and Nepali restaurants from where I could order 100% vegetarian food items. 

Whenever I had to travel to provinces and stay for a few days on work, I used carry food items neatly packed by customer friendly staff such as Arjun and Ramadas.

George Bernard Shaw, Irish author and Nobel Prize winner, was a wrll known strict vegetarian.

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Tamil poet's day

Yesterday was celebrated as Thiruvalluvar day in Tamilnadu and other places where Tamil speaking communities live.

Makara Sankraanthi Fest

Today is an auspicious day in the Hindu Calendar. This day is celebrated by worshipping Shree Mahaa Vishnu who is seated in the Sun's core and Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, His Devine Consort. It is known as Makara Sankraanthi in Telengana, AP and Karnataka, and by different names in different parts of the country as mentioned here.

It is also known as farmer's fest, as the day reminds the farmer of Shree Hari's Grace, in providing every thing that is necessary for cultivating rice, a staple food item of most Indians living in the country and abroad.

It was pleasure viewing an interesting program on Australia TV this evening. Dilip and Mark have admirable self confidence.