Vietnam

Contrary to popular belief, when two countries with different ideologies merge into one country, the process paves the way for development of the whole country including  the relatively underdeveloped component. Let me share one example: Vietnam.  

Other examples are Tanzania (formed by Tanganyika and Zanzibar), annexture of India and Sikkim, and Germany (formed by Federal Republic of Germany and German Democratic Republic).

Vietnamese share very similar culture and traditions that are followed by Cambodians.

Shree Bheeshmaa as Lord Shree Krishna's Devotee

All Vishnu devotees know that Bheeshmacharyaa was a devotee of Shree Mahaa Vishnu and Lord Shree Krishna. when Draupadi was abused by Duschaadana in Duryodhana'a court, she requested Vishnu devotees such as Dronaachaaryaa and Bheeshmaacharyaa. But still none intervened and protected Draupadi. Finally when Deaupadi realised that only Lord Shree Krishna can save her, she left holding her saree and called Him with both hands. Immediately Lord Shree Krishna saved her from abuse.

I used to think why Bheeshmaacharyaa could not stop the abuse? In a Divine Discourse, Shree Satyatma Theertha Swaamiji of Uttaradi Mutt says that it was the polluted rice provided by evil minded Duryodhanaa that prevented Bheesmacharyaa from taking any action to stop the abuse to Draupadi.  

When Bheesmacharyaa was very thirsty and asked for water, when on his death bed of arrows, Duryodhanaa brought some water. But Bheeshmaacharyaa refused to take it. Arjuna was nearby. He shot an arrow on the Earth and caused the sacred river Gangaa to flow into the mouth of Bheeshmaacharyaa. Thus Bheeshmaacharyaa got his thirst quenched.

When Dharmaraajaa felt guilty that he was the cause of deaths of the Kauravaas, Lord Shree Krishna asked Bheeshmaacharyaa to explain to Dharmaraja that he need not feel guilty and that he did the right thing that led to the destruction of Kauravaas. This is where Bheeshmaacharyaa gave the revered 'Vishnu Sahasranaamam' (meaning 'Countless Names of Shree Mahaa Vishnu).

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏

 

Lord Shree Krishna's Birth Day

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. This day is celebrated as Krishna Jayanthi. Shree Mahaa Vishnu incarnated as Lord Shree Krishna a few minutes before midnight as child of Devakee and Vasudeva in Mathura. 

He had four hands and worn ornaments during His Birth to show that He was not an ordinary infant and that He was an incarnation of Shree Mahaa Vishnu. 

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏

Difficulties and loneliness

According to Sanaathana Dharmaa Scriptures, we get difficulties due to our past or present Karma (actions).

Some times these difficulties arise very unexpectedly. Let me narrate my today's experience related to this.

Usually, after getting my clothes washed in the washing machine, I leave them inside the machine. Later, my servant maid dries them on the clothesline. 

She has the habit of keeping the broomstick near the washing machine very near the outlet tube that carries the washed away water. The tube is inserted into a slightly diametrically larger tube. Usually before switching the machine on, I ensure that the outlet tube is fit tightly. 

It looks like when my servant maid came yesterday, she shook the outlet tube by mistake though unintentionally. This morning, as usual I placed my clothes in the machine. But by the time the machine had completed it's course, there was a flood of water in the area near the machine and the kitchen. The problem is that there is no outlet of washed water anywhere in the house. (I think that this is a common problem in many modern houses and apartments). There was no way that the water could be drained out. 

I thought that when my servant maid comes, she would fix the problem. Unfortunately she phoned me saying that she wouldn't come today as she has body pain, thereby nailing down my short lived hope.

At 73, I find it difficult to use clothes to squeeze the water out. I have run all the ceiling fans and exhaust fans with the hope that the water will gradually be drained out atleast by tomorrow morning.

If I had got married to a good woman, she would have probably helped me at these times.

These are the times when I remember songs such as 'When I'm sixty four' by The Beatles .

The Beatles

International Day for Abolition of Slavery

Today is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery as designated by the United Nations Organisation. 

Interestingly, abolition of slavery in the US paved the way for recruitment of workers from India to sugar plantations in South Africa, West Indies, Pacific Islands etc. Writers such as Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe etc. and statesmen such as Abraham Lincoln and our Shree Mahatma Gandhiji etc. were very involved in anti slavery movements.

Let us pay our tributes to these people. 

Online shopping oddity

Many of us order online for our food. I am one among them. This evening I ordered for Idli and sambar via Swiggy from Murugan Idli Shop in Chennai. 

I had paid Rs 303 via Net Banking. Some one called me back after some time and said that the item can be delivered only to Sholinganallur according  their ping and that I have receive it at Sholinganallur. I explained to them that I live in Porur and have given my correct residential address with landmark. Still, the guy said that it can't be delivered to Porur. He said that the only option is to get my order cancelled. I asked him to cancel the order. He said that the order is cancelled and the amount that I paid is considered as cancellation fee. Thus, I didn't get any refund and my money (Rs 303) got wasted. This has happened once before. 

From my experience of online shopping with Big Basket, I have had a few instances when the item ordered is no more available. But in such instances, Big Basket refunds the amount immediately. 

When Big Basket can make a refund, I don't see any reason why Swiggy cannot. 

Even an idiot would know that no bank will deduct Rs 300 as charge to enable a refund. It seems that Swiggy deliberately avoids any act of proper refund. This is an example of nothing but deceipt and rowdyism in business.

I think that supply chains  such as Swiggy who amass money from customers unethically should be punished and that our Government Agencies should take strict actin to fix such problems.

Online shopping oddity

Whenever possible I mention specific instances of oddities involved in online shopping.

Yesterday, I ordered a few items via Big Basket. One item was bread as advertised in Big Basket App. When I got the item, cooked it and ate, it was not as delicious or as pure as claimed in the advertisement. I remember how Brittania Industries used to maintain quality standards even as recently as mid 1990s. But now for the past two decades, quality standards have drastically gone down in products manufactured by Brittania reminding me of the old adage that all that glitters is not gold.

I write this post and other similar posts to inform readers so that they can avoid wasting money by placing online orders for such items.

Shree Raghavendra Swamy Aaraadhanaa

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender.  It is the Aaraadhanaa day of Shree Raghavendra Swamy, one of the most revered saints in the Maadhwaa community to which I belong. 

Shree Raghavendra Swamy is considered to be a reincarnation of Lord Prahlaadhaa, a great devotee of Shree Mahaa Vishnu and son of evil demon king Hiranyakashapu. According to Scriptures, Lord Shree Mahaa Vishnu incarnated as Lord Narasimhaa and killed the evil demon king.

Saathwick cooking

As a 100% vegetarian single living senior citizen, I myself cook my food items although I do order from Brahmin catering agencies some times. Being a poor eater, I order for only two side dishes instead of the standard four items. Besides, on important days such as Ekaadashi, Amaavaasyaa etc. I cook my own food. Hence the catering agency that used to deliver food items has stopped doing so, as it does not benefit from my purchases. (There has been a new caterer but this one is non-Brahmin vegetarian. According to Scriptures, a Brahmin should eat only food items cooked by a Brahmin).

This morning's episode of 'Desi rasoi se' on National HD TV Channel featured a few saathwick snacks presented by a young lady, who looks like a Shree Krishnaa devotee, from Mathuraa, the birth place of Lord Shree Krishna.  

Following is a clip from the programme:

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

Rajiv Gandhi's birhday

Today is the 80th birth anniversary of Late Shree Rajiv Gandhi, our former Prime Minister and son of Smt. Indira Gandhi, our former Prime Minister.  Shree Rajiv Gandhi was instrumental in developing  and implementing strategies related to computers in classrooms in K-12 school systems all over the country. 

Following photo shows  Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Shree Amitabh Bachan, from Left to Right:

Crimes

Recently there was a news item about sexual abuse in a school in Tamilnadu brought out by social media including newspapers. I don't understand how school managements can allow rascals such as Sivaraman to conduct NCC camps without verifying the character and modus operandi. 

There has been another news item that CBI has sought proceedings against Raja, a DMK MP who amassed massive wealth by corrupt means when he was a minister in Central Government.

There have been many criminal cases against political rascals such as Sasikala, Kanimozhi MP, Sashi Tharoor MP etc. which got flushed under the carpet.

I think that it is high time that these criminals are tried in court and punished severely.

Hindu Fest

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

Today is also the day of Upaakarma. On this day, Brahmins replace their old sacred threads by new ones after their regular worships to Shree Mahaa Vishnu and Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, our Devine Parents. This ceremony is a kind of recharging our spiritual batteries inside us.

Jai Shree Hayagreeva Swaamy🙏.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

Shree Krishna arpanam asthu🙏.

Indonesia's Independence Day

Indonesians celeberate their country's Independence Day today.

According to Hindu Scriptures and historic evidences, from Afghanistan in West Asia to Indonesia in South East Asia, all countries were part of great Ancient India.

It is common to find names of Indonesian people, Organisations and places to be of Vedic origin. For example 'Radio Sindo Trijaya Jakarta', a FM Radio station, 'Garuda Airlines', National Airline of Indonesia, 'Megawati Sukarnoputri', a former President of Indonesia.

Similarly are 'Swarnapuri', an area near Bangkok, Thailand's Capital, 'Rattanakiri' in Cambodia etc.

Currency note with politician's image

I heard from Polimer TV Channel's Tamil news this morning that Tamilnadu Chief Minister Stalin thanked Modi Government for releasing 100 Rupees Currency Notes with a photograph of M Karunanidhi, former TN Chief Minister and father of the current CM.

According to Sanaathana Dharmaa scriptures, believing a good person as evil and evil person as good are sins.  History of DMK Governance ever since DMK came to power very clearly shows the atrocities comitted by DMK politicians including Karunanidhi against some communities such as Brahmins. This was one main reason why many Brahmin young people had to seek employment outside TN. 

When Karunanidhi was chief minister, DMK rascals had gone to a riverside where a few Brahmins were performing their religious rituals, and forcibly cut their tufts or sacred threads. It was published in all non DMK supported newspapers.

It was open secret that DMK was instrumental in allowing LTTE terrorists to plot and assassinate Shree Rajiv Gandhi, our former PM, while on a visit to Chennai in 1992 or so.

When former TN Chief Minister Jayalalitha died, Shree Narendra Modi had visited Chennai, expressed condolences and paid tributes. He also touched Sasikala's head and blessed her. It was telecast in all TV Channels. This was a time when suspicion was ripe that Sasikala was instrumental in murdering Jayalalitha, with Apollo Hopital staff pushing the reality under the carpet. 

It is 100% odd that Modi Government honours politicians such as Karunanidhi as if they were good people. It shows that though Modi led Government have done many good things for people, it has pushed nasty realities under the carpet. It shows that BJP ministers are not 100% genuine, unbiased and trust worthy.

I think that it is high time that drastic revolutionary changes are brought in such that our country and states are governed by politicians who are unbiased, good and non self centered.

Shree Mahaa Lakshmi Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. Our Divine Mother Shree Mahaa Lakshmi is offered special pooja after Her husband and our Divine Father Shree Mahaa Vishnu is offered Poojaa by devotees.

In a DD Karnataka TV Channel's program, the speaker explained Shree Mahaa Lakshmi Poojaa.

Jai Shree Mahaa Lakshmi sametha Shree Mahaa Vishnu🙏.

Shree Mahaa Vishnu Fest Ekaadashi

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender for two reasons. Today is Ekaadashi, a day on which devotees offer special worship to Shree Mahaa Vishnu. 

At a far less important level, today is the  78th anniversary  of our country's Independence Day. This is the first anniversary after the inauguration of Shree Raam Temple in Ayodhya.

Bhaarath Maathaa kee Jai.

Jai Shree Raam🙏.

Ethiopian Coffee Ritual

This morning there was an interesting program on Ethiopian coffee ritual on Travelxp TV Channel. I have experienced the ritual when I worked in Ethiopia in 1982 and 1983. Let me share the program here. As I have mentioned in a previous post, different types of coffee  such as bunna (meaning coffee), bunna wotet (coffee with milk), makkiatho (strong coffee with a small amount of milk) and Cuppichino, the Italian type, are available even in small restaurants in rural areas in the country. I still remember the aroma of their 'makkiatho' as an energy booster when working in Ethiopia. 

The Beatles concert for Bangladesh

On 1 August 1971, The Beatles performed it's  'Concert for Bangladesh' in Madison Square Greden in New York. Let me share a news report from The Beatles website here. Let me share the song here.

Kalkee Jayanthi

Today is celeberated as Kalkee  Jayanthi. It is on this day, at the end of present Kali Yugaa, that Shree Mahaa Vishnu will incarnate as Lord Kalkee. This is why this day is celebrated as Kalkee Jayanthi. Kali Yuga is the last of the 4 Yugas which consitute one Maha Yuga. This Yuga is also identified by the name Dark Age. Duration of kali yuga: 4 lakh 32 thousand human years = 4,32,000. Out of this, nearly 5000 years have passed by after the end of Dwaapara Yugaa. Hence there are still nearly 4, 27,000 to go by when Shree Mahaa Vishnu will incarnate as Lord Kalkee to destroy all evil beings.

Jai Shree Mahaa Vishnu🙏.

Singapore's National Day

Singapore celeberates it's National Day today. I think that Singapore is one of the best examples in recent history showing how people of different countries of origin can work together in developing a country.

Lord Jagannaath's Ratha Yaathraa in Japan

This morning there was a very nice TV Documentary telecast on NHK WORLD JAPAN Channel. It featured a Ratha Yaathraa of Lord Jagannaath, His brother Lord Balabhadraa and His sister Shree Shubadhraa in a town in Japan, in it's series 'Where We Call Home'. 

Jai Shree Jagannaath🙏.

Rowdy rule in Tamilnadu

As I am writing this post, it is 6.38 pm.  The weather is very cloudy with no lightning, thunder or rain.

Since this morning power supply in our area has been cut thrice. Often when there is power cut, it is only fixed after an hour or so.

I think that the atrocities by the DMK run government have increased multifold after the Vikravaandi bielection in which the DMK Party's rascal candidate won. Though they keep silent, most common folk and media know the dirty tactics that the DMK adopts to win in elections.

I think that it is high time that drastic revolutionary changes are brought in such that these political rascals and their boot licking civil servants in the government machinery are permanently replaced by honest ones, such that these rascals never get any chance to 'serve' the public. Until this happens, power should be cut in areas where abovementioned politicians, their second fiddling civil servants and arrogant disonest employees reside, so that they will experience the difficulties encountered by common folk.

It is 8.48 pm. Still power supply hasn't been restored though the weather condition remains calm. It is odd that our 'dedicated' Chief Minister and his team visit western countries to attract investment opportunities in Chennai and other parts of Tamilnadu when they cannot solve the problems that they create to common folk in the state. 

TV Documentary

This afteenoon it was interesting to watch a documentary from the TV series 'Japanology Plus' on NHK World TV Channel on the largest manufacturer of rice snacks in Japan. The Company is owned and run by a person of Indian origin. Let me share the series.

www day

Today is observed as world wide web (www) day.