Dr M S Swaminathan

I think that our country has lost one of it's top agricultural scientists in Dr M S Swaminathan's demise. He served the world at large and our own country as an accomplished agricultural scientist.  

I remember my brief meeting with him when I was sent by PREPARE, a Chennai based NGO, to participate in a function organised by M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, in mid 1990s, when a set of videos developed by Mrs Mina Swaminathan, Mr Swaminathan's wife and an eminent educationist, was launched. These videos contained evidence based case studies of issues related to the school bag burden of school kids.  These were telecast over Chennai National TV Channel. I was the first participant to arrive at the venue. As I sat in the Conference Hall, Dr Swaminathan and his wife came to the hall and greeted me. They also inquired about the welfare of Dr Jacob D Raj, Founder CEO of PREPARE, and his wife Dr Daisy Dharmaraj. This NGO served in Childcare and Education, Health and a few other areas of human development in Chennai, Telengana and Odisha. It provided opportunities to well qualified and dedicated professionals to work in a corruption free environment.

Following image shows me, Dr Daisy Dharmaraj, the chief guest and Dr Jacob D Raj, from left to right, at a function organised by PREPARE:

Shree Mahaa Vishnu

Today being Ekaadashi, is a very auspicious day to some Maadhwaa communities. Though Ekadashi was yesterday, according to the Almanac published by Uttaradi Mutt (to which I belong), in some areas such as Chennai (where I reside), Ekaadashi is observed today. As I have mentioned in my earlier posts, it is a very auspicious day, and Vaishnavite including Maadhwaa devotees offer special worship to Shree Mahaa Vishnu and His wife Shree Mahaa Lakshmi. They also fast on this day. 

This evening I had the joy of listening to a divine discourse in this Utube video. It was of particular interest to me. The speaker Shree Satyavijayacharya hails from a village known as Satyavijaya Nagaram, near a town known as Arni near Vellore, in Tamilnadu. This village was large with a significant community of Brahmins many decades ago. My maternal grandmother hailed from this place. There was a Maadhwaa saint known as Satyavijaya Theertharu who is said to have attained Brindaavan in this place.

When I remember my maternal grandmother, I fondly remember her Krishna Bhakthi; she used to sing Krishna songs from the time she finished bathing until she began cooking or so. We used to visit her during some holidays. (My grandmother's brother known as 'Vaasu maama' among my mother and her siblings, was Principal of a Sanskrit College in Mysuru).

Shree Mahaa Vishnu Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. This day is celebrated as Vaamana Jayanthi.

Ghazals in movies

This evening as I was browsing my TV Channels, I bumped across DD National Channel telecasting it's 'Chitrahaar' featuring songs from Hindi movies. There was a song from the popular movie 'Umraao John' that was released in 1980s (if I remember it well). 

The movie included very versatile actors such as Nazirudeen Shaw, ever beautiful Rekha etc. As far as I experienced, all songs in the movie were very melodious. The songs in the ghazal type of music from this movie were my favourites for many years.

I first listenined to this song in 1990 when viewing TV in the house of Mr Agarwal, a fellow teacher working in Southern Africa.

That was a time period when I was addicted to western soft rock followed by ghazals, like most youngsters.

Malayaalam movie

Until two or three decades ago, Malayaalam movies were good, with low profile romance and violence. But recent ones in general, are not so. 

This morning I bumped in one such movie 'Peruchazhi'. I was interested in the movie expecting to see how Malayaalees live in the US. The actors were versatile and popular, including Mohanlal and Mukesh.

But I was put off after a few minutes as somehow I thought that it was not worth viewing it.

(In this movie, Mohanlal gets into romantic relationship with a single woman who brings up a boy; she is half his age).

Divine Discourse

It was joy listening to Shree Satpal Ji Maharaj's Divine Discourse this evening, after many days, on Aashthaa TV Channel.  He is somewhat unique in giving scientific analogies in his discourses. 

Ganesh Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. This day is celebrated as Ganesh Chathurthi. Devotees worship Lord Ganesha and Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa, who resides in the heart of Lord Ganeshaa.

Today is also an important day to me and my siblings. This day is the death anniversary of my beloved father. As in every year, I and my brother performed death anniversary ritual according to Maadhwaa Scriptures.

Shree Mahaa Vishnu:

Shree Ganesh:

My beloved parents:

Shree Mahaa Vishnu's Incarnations

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. It was on this day that Shree Mahaa Vishnu incarnated as Lord Varaahaa and Lord Dhanvanthari.

Today is also the birth anniversary of Lord Balaraam, elder brother of Lord Shree Krishna.

Devotees offer special worship to Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, Lord Varaahaa, Lord Dhanvanthari and Lord Balaraam. The Divine Snake that serves as bed of Shree Mahaa Vishnu in Vaikunta Lokaa manifested as Shree Lakshmanaa, younger brother of Lord Shree Raam and later as Lord Balaraam.

Skewed Governance

This afternoon I experienced a common problem that most of us come across: unwarranted telemarketing phone calls. This is a nuisance to people in general, and particularly so to senior citizens like me who like to be free from phone calls as much as possible. I used to block such calls, but found that this costs memory space in my phone.

Though BJP has been doing well in Governance, it has not been satisfactory. As I mentioned in a previous post, cost of living has drastically increased in the past few years. Any well qualified statistian or economist would agree that it deviates from the norm.

I think that the Government should change it's order of priorities and work for the welfare of common folk instead of basking in ancient glories of our country and in trying to race against financially rich countries in space research etc. and thereby wasting taxpayer's money.

I certainly don't think that exploring the moon's surface is of any benefit to common folk and the poor. Any good Government should basically work for the welfare of all citizens across barriers like how it was in Raam Raaj. Actions speak better than words.

Tribute to teachers

Teachers are respected in all communities the world over though the degree varies amongst them.

This morning I had the pleasure of viewing an interesting programme on my favourite CNA TV Channel. 

The programme reminded me of my years as teacher and how my students liked me.

I fondly remember my students' tributes to me as shown in the following images:

Singapore's new President

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam's swearing in as President of Singapore would bring in improvement in all areas of development in Singapore and it's relationship with other countries.

Observes know that the country already has a stable economy.

Mr Thurman's swearing in ceremony itself is a good example of multicultutural living in harmony and how, as the charismatic PM Lee put it, a person from a minority community can rise to the top most position in Singapore.

Ofcourse, former President  Mrs Halimah Yacob too was from a minority community, and served her country well.

Divine Discourse

As I am typing this post, I derive the joy of listening to Shreemad Bhagavath Katha by Shree Kirit Bhaijee Maharaaj on Sanskar TV Channel. 

Sree Krishnaa Fest

Yesterday was a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. It was the birth anniversary of Lord Shree Krishna, an Avataar of Shree Mahaa Vishnu. It was celeberated as Gokulaashtami. 

Devotees fast on that day, perform Pooja to Lord Shree Krishna, Devaki, Vasudeva etc. after moon rise. They offer Arghyam to Lord Shree Krishna and to the Moon.

They complete the pooja ritual by reciting the appropriate manthra and end their fasting after 7.38 pm IST tonight.

Teacher's Day

In our country (Bhaarath), today is celeberated as Teacher's Day

Channel News Asia

As I have mentioned many times, CNA continues to be one of my favourite TV Channels. Programs such as this are interesting as these feature aspects of culture and traditions of people such  as the charismatic Ms Rosemarie, and many others from different countries, whose ancestors came to settle down in Singapore many years ago. 

Vivek Ramaswamy

People in the US have been getting themselves prepared for their Presidential Election. 

As I was browsing through the Net, I came across a news item on Vivek Ramaswamy, one of the candidates. 

There are two reasons why I am particularly interested in his profile. He is very young (just 38 years old) and comes from a Brahmin parentage of Indian origin (Palakkaad in Kerala). 

He seems to have very progressive ideas with a significant socialistic tinge. (He has been very candid in his remarks about how the US Police/Judiciary handles Donald Trump's case. I too think that many allegations against him are politically motivated. His observation of Kamala Harris seems to be very true. I read somewhere that he is not in favour of controlling carbon-di-oxide emissions. I don't agree with him on this issue. I wish that he changes his attitude on this issue).

Presidential election in Singapore

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam of Indian origin has been elected as 9th President of Singapore with a large 70.4% votes in his favour according to a reliable news report. Congratulations to him. Previously there had been people such as Mr  Devan Nair and Mr Nathan, who headed Singapore.

Shree Raaghavendra Swamy Aaraadhanaa

Today is the 2nd day of 3 days of festivities that mark the Aaraadhanaa of Shree Raaghavendra Swaameejee. He was one of the most revered saints in the Maadhwaa Brahmin community.