Break dance as Sport

Australian teenager Jeff Dunn will represent his country in a Break Dance competition according to a TV News Report. It seems to be the first recognition of break dance as sport.

I remember how the Break Dance Team of Cochin Refineries School won the first or second place in an Inter-school Break Dance Competition in 1984 (or 1985). Somehow I was asked to organise the team probably because I was considered to be good in Western Soft rock Music. I clearly remember the informal 'Zodiac' chequed cotton shirt and Denim Jeans pants that I wore for the occassion. I think that my students liked my physics teaching as well as my occassional soft rock songs (usually, originally sung by The Beatles).

Let me share The Beatles performing one of their popular songs titled 'Rain'.

National Brothers Day

Today is celeberated as National Brothers Day. Those of us who have a brother know the value of the brother. A brother is a God's Gift. 

Let me share Mark Knopfler's song 'Brothers in arms'.

Divine Fests

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. Special worship to Sage Vedavyaasaa is performed on this day. Today is anniversary of Shree Mahaa Vishnu's Avataar as Divine Turtle.

Chembai Music Fest

It was joy viewing a southern Indian classical music programme that included "Goverdana Giri dhaaraa...", a song about Lord Shree Krishna, rendered by a musician on KERALA DD TV Channel as shown in the following photo:

This program was originally telecast last year during Chembai Music Festival founded by Shree K J Yesudas as tribute to his classical music guru Shree Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar. I have mentioned about Shree K J Yesudas in a few previous posts.

Jai Shree Krishnaa.

Vedavyaasa and Lord Narasimhaa Fests

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. It is celeberated as Vedavyaasa Jayanthi and Narasimha Jayanthi.

Sage Vedavyaasaa and Lord Narasimhaa are worshipped  as incarnations of Shree Mahaa Vishnu. 

Today, Shree Satyaatma Theertha Swaamiji, Chief of Uttaradi Mutt (a Maadhwaa Community Organization to which I belong) performed special Poojaa to Lord Narasimhaa Swamiji; let me share the Utube version of the Poojaa here.

Song to my friend

My good friend Jose has left for his home in Kerala for summer vacation from his work as Professor in a University in Telengana. He and I were colleagues in a Government School in Bhutan many years ago. I wish him enjoyable vacation with his family. I dedicate this song to him.

Eurovision Song Contest

As many western pop music enthusiasts would know, it has been more than 50 years since Eurovision Song Contest began. Winners have included Nemo from Switzerland  (the most recent). Previous winners included ABBA, Cliff Richard  etc. 

(I remember how I enjoyed singing songs by The Beatles, Cliff Richard, ABBA etc. during my younger days, years ago).

Like in most media platforms, I think that there is a reduction of quality in Eurovision songs also, over the years.

The Beatles revisited

All over the world, numerous people of my age (72 years) remember The Beatles and their songs even after more than 50 years since they sang their last song 'Let It Be'. It is nice that the song has been re-recorded according to the Band's official website. Let me share the song here.

Following photo shows The Beatles with their Guru Mahesh Yogi, during their visit to India in 1960s:

It was not uncommon among young and middle aged men to have 'Beatles' hair style, like the one that I used to have as shown in the following photo taken in 1984:

I am 5th from left alongwith my local friends in Bhutan. I was teaching in a Bhutan Government School during those years.

Let me sign off from this post by sharing another version of Let It Be.

Jane Birkin

Ordinary folks like me leave their native countries and work abroad for a few years. As you may agree, these people do it to get settled in a better manner than in their native countries. Some return home after a few years. Among these, there are a few who like to contribute something in return to the country in which they settle down; Jane Birkin was one such person. 

Parashuraama Jayanthi

Today is an auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. It is the birth anniversary of Lord Parashuraam.

My mother's death anniversary

According to Sanaathana Dharmaa almanac, today is my beloved mother's death anniversary. As usual, I and my beloved brother performed the shradhdhaa (death anniversary ritual) for our mother at a local Aashram.

World Donkey Day

Today is World Donkey Day. I remember my childhood days in villages where dobhees used to come to people's houses to pick dirty clothes, get them washed in a nearby lake or river, dry them there and return them after a week, usually on Sundays. I have seen them using donkeys to carry the load without causing much difficulty to these animals. Later in 1982 when I worked in Ethiopia I have seen donkeys being used to carry small loads. In towns such as Debre Berhan, taxis were not as frequent as in Addis Ababa. Hence the best mode of transport used to be donkey carts. I fondly remember donkey cart rides whenever I visited Debre Berhan.  

In 1990, when I was working in a Government High School in Southern Africa, a donkey somehow entered our teachers' quarters. My colleague Mrs Meera Chandra tied it to our gate for a few minutes.

Following photo shows me, my car, my shortwave receiver and the local local donkey that was caught by Meera, inside our residential compound outside our residences in front of the main gate, in Southern Africa, in 1990.

Teacher Appreciation Day in USA

People in USA observe today as National Teacher Appreciation Day Best wishes to all teachers in the US on this day.

Summer heat

Most of us are experiencing the repercussions of human caused global warming due to factors such as deforestation, carbon emission etc. today at a phenomenal level. According to a WION TV Channel's news report, this month's heat is the highest since 1940 at a global level. Obviously in India, the summer heat has been record high. 

At a personal level, I had always liked to reside in a naturally well ventilated accommodation. When not possible, I use fans at low speed. I never like to use airconditioner. 

But unfortunately, this year's summer temperature has forced me to use AC. I think that this is an unwarranted side effect of vehicular traffic and deforestation in the city.

I think that the Government should take strict measures to curb deforestation and abnormal carbon emission in wrongly maintained vehicles.  

Madonna's Concert

People of my age, at early '70s, may not be as interested in many of their hobbies as they were, years ago. But still I think that they retain a part of their interests. One such interests that I continue is western soft rock music. 

In this context, media reports about the free music concert by Madonna, (the 65 years old singer who became famous in 1984) held at Rio in Brazil a few hours ago, takes us back to the 80s, when she was popular not only for her melodious voice and music but also her good looks. It is amazing that she looks as young as she used to look in those years. 

Her songs will be remembered by her fans for years to come.

Shree Mahaa Vishnu's Avataars

Let me share an easily understandable article on Shree Mahaa Vishnu's Avataars written by a well qualified Pundit here.

President as Vishnu devotee

This evening's 7 pm News in Hindi on DD Uttar Pradesh TV Channel showed a religious function in Lord Shree Raam's Temple in Ayodhyaa; it showed the President of our great country worshipping Lord Shree Raam.  It is a good sign showing how important it is for country's leaders to set an example as Vishnu devotees.

Let me share the Utube version of the function here.

Education NGO

It was pleasure viewing a development documentary in NHK WORLD JAPAN TV Channel's Front Runners this afternoon.

Professionals with multinational experience in Education NGOs know the level of commitment and hard work in Education volunteers in transforming the lives of street children and make these children and their parents happy.

I have experienced this myself when working in PREPARE, a Chennai based NGO in late 1990s and later in the Ministry of Education in Cambodia in 2008 and 2009.

I visualise an Education NGO with the following Mission Statement: Smile in children, parents and teachers, as God's Gift.