Great leaders

Today is the death anniversary of Smt. Indira Gandhi and birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhai Patel, two great leaders.

Sarvam Krishna Mayam🙏.

Maadhwaa Saints

Today is a very auspicious day to Maadhwaa Brahmin community. This day is the anniversary of the day on which Shree Satyaveera Thirtha and Shree Vijayadaasaru attained the Lotus Feet of Shree Mahaa Vishnu.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

Shree Naaraayana Guru

Our country is a great land that has received many incarnations of Shree Mahaa Vishnu. 

It has produced several spiritual/social leaders in different parts of the country. 

Kerala produced spiritual/social leaders such as Shree Shankaraachaarya, Shree Naaraayana Guru, and Maathaa Amrutaananda Mayee.

Today DD Malayalam TV Channel telecast a special program marking the centenary celeberation of Shree Naaraayana Guru's Samaadhi in Kerala in which dignitaries such as Smt. Droupadi Marmu, our country's President took part. 

I have personally seen how Shree Naaraayana Guru's contributions used to be mentioned in school text books in Kerala.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

Shree Amit Shaw jee's birhday

Today is Shree Amit Shaw jee's birth anniversary. Best wishes to him.

Vaalmeeki Raamaayan

Chennai has been rainy for the past few days amidst relatively cold weather conditions due to human abuse of our trees and forests. However, I think that good TV programs bring in some warmth to us. I think that our Hindu spiritual programs such as discourses top the list of such programs. 

This afternoon, in his discourse on 'Vaalmeeki Raamaayan' on Sanskar TV Channel, respected Shree Bhupendrabhai Pandyaajee Maharaaj shed light on King Dasaratha's plan to formally handover his kingdom to Lord Shree Raam, his eldest son.

According to Sage Vaalmeeki, Dasarathaa knew very well that Lord Bharatha, Shree Raam's younger brother, was very good. But still he liked Shree Raam's Coronation to be done before Bharathaa returns to Ayodhyaa from his in-law's house. King Dasaratha thought that Lord Bharatha's state of mind can change any time and possibly disturb the coronation. I think that we all know how our own minds are inconsistent in our thoughts. 

With his highly charismatic style and occassional excellent English language skill, Shree Pandyaa gives unusual but obvious and significant insights in Vaalmeeki Raamaayan. 

It is well known that it was not the mind set of Lord Bharathaa that changed; it was Kaikeyi's (Lord Bharathaa's mother) mind set that got spoilt due to evil advice by Mantharaa thereby leading to unpleasant events and finally, Lord Shree Raam's killing of the evil demon king Raavana, thereby winning of evil by good.  

 

Jai Shree Seethaa Raam🙏.

Remembering my beloved brother

With heavy heart, I remember my beloved brother who passed away exactly nine months ago.

I wish that his soul is on it's way to the Lotus Feet of Lord Shree Krishna and serve at His Lotus Feet of Shree Mahaa Vishnu, alongwith souls of my beloved parents, in Vaikunthaa, eternally.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

Festival of lamps

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. This day is celeberated as Deepavali. As Satyatma Theertharu, our respected Guru mentioned in his recent Deepaavali Sandesha, it is a joyous occassion when devotees light lamp/s in front of Lord Shree Mahaa Vishnu and His wife Shree Mahaa Lakshmi. 

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏

Divine Discourses

It was joy listening to two divine discourses, one each by respected Chinmayanand Bapujee Maharaj on Shreemad Bhagavath Kathaa and by respected Bhpendra Pandyaji Maharaj on Aashtha and Sanskar TV Channels respectively this afternoon. 

They explained Sudaamaa's meeting with Lord Shree Krishna and Lord Shree Raam's journey to forests and Mithila on Sage Vishvaamithraa's request to King Dasaratha.

Shree Pandyaji gave an insight into the basic aspect of what led to Lord Raam's accompanying Sage Vishvaamithraa. He said that Sages Vasishtaa and Vishvaamithraa could foresee that if Lord Raam and Lord Lakshman would not travel with sage Vishvaamithraa, demons would continue spoiling numerous sages' Yagnas, and how the demon king Raavana would attack the sages and every thing in Ayodhyaa and Mithila as well as the whole area between them. 

It was Shree Mahaa Vishnu's plan that enabled Lord Raam and Lord Lakshman's travel with sage Vishvaamithraa. It was a kind of internship to the brothers. Their plan ended in Lord Shree Raam's killing of Raavana and all the good things that followed. 

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏

International Day of Rural Women

Today is celeberated as International Day of Rural Women all over the world. 

In rural households usually men go to work in their fields etc. whereas women help in housekeeping. They also take care of their family including their inlaws as part of joint families though unfortunately this system has become history in many countries including India, my home country.

It's good that NGOs and Shree Narendra Modi's Government are helping rural women in many ways.

Sarvam Krishna Mayam🙏.

River Gangaa Fest

Today is an important day in the Hindu Calender. This day is known as Gangaashtami and is related to the sacred river Gangaa. Devotees worship the sacred river that has been flowing after washing the feet of Lord Shree Mahaa Vishnu. The river has been carried on His head by Lord Rudraa and is worshipped by Lord Brahmaa.

Sarvam Krishna Mayam🙏.

World Post Day

According to a notification by Department of Communications, Government of India, 6 to 10 October is celeberated as National Postal Week. Yesterday was World Postal Day. Yesterday was World Post Day. 

Let us remember those golden years with friendly postmen/women and community friendly post offices with simple and effective schemes such as Post Office Savings Bank.

Divine discourse

As I write this post, I derive the joy of viewing Shreemad Bhagavath Kathaa by respected Shree Rajendradas Devacharya Ji Maharaj at the revered Ayodhyaa, Uttar Pradesh. 

Jai Shree Seethaa Raam🙏.

Mango chutney

From my experience of online shopping of food from local vegetarian restaurants, I found Shero Home Food as a good option except when I found human hair in their gravy last week. Yesterday when I tried to order some food item from them via Zamoto, I found that they have begun cooking non-vegetarian dishes also, though it is disabled in my account. Now I have decided to stop any food item from them as there is every possibility that they would be using the same utensils to cook both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items. 

Today I liked to cook a simple side using raw mango. I tried to use it to make something like chutney. It came out well as shown in the following image:

It was not as delicious as I expected it to be, but it was palatable. 

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

World Noodles Day

Yesterday was celebrated by people in many countries as World Noodles Day. 

I didn't know about noodles like almost all people of my age, until leaving my home to work abroad.

When I worked in African countries, I had myself experienced cooking noodles and relishing them. Noodles are fast and easy to cook; these are also portable. I remember how I used to cook ready made noodles and keep it in the fridge, reheat it the next morning and take it for lunch during my lunch time at school.

Vegetarian Noodles have always been delicious and user friendly to me. In fact my dinner menu tonight was noodles. Thanks to noodles and my friendly fork.

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

TV to textbooks: A brief insight

I have been viewing Makkal TV Channel for many years since it's beginning. I think that it is one of the best channels for edutainment. 

This afternoon I had the pleasure of viewing one science program in which an entrepreneur explains how to make a simple home made electric generator using very easily available household materials. This program is telecast in episodes with the title "Soo".

Following image is a screenshot of one of the episodes:

This program reminds me of 'UNESCO Sourcebook for Science Teaching' published several years ago by UNESCO; it used to serve as an excellent source of information. I think that NCERT publishef the local exitions of the book. Cenrral and State Governments took efforts to distribue this book  in all Government  Schools. 

I remember how I and my students were benefited from the book's contents. 

UK based English Language Book Society ((ELBS) used to publish low cost editions of University Level textbooks in different subjects; these were easily available in India. 

Delhi based S Chand Publishing used to publish excellent textbooks at the BSc Degree Course level; I have used their 'Textbook of Optics' by Shree Brijlal and Shree Subhramanyam, among others. These books helped our understanding of textbook concepts easily.

In those days, there was only one problem: there was no teacher development magazines until Orient Longmans began publishing 'Teacher Plus'. Recently Teacher Plus replaced it's print version by online version. I personally feel that print version should not have been stopped.

I tried to share Makkal TV's programme in this post, but in vain. I think that MAKKAL TV has banned this option to prevent misuse by evil people.

Divine Mother Fest

Today is an important day in the Hindu Calender. Devotees perform Kojaagratha Vratham and offer special worship to Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, our Devine Mother, and Indraa on this day.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

Divine discourse

It was spiritually enriching in viewing Shree Laxmandasji Maharaaj's Shree Ashtalakshmi Kathaa on Aashthaa TV Channel this evening. He is so overwhelmed by devotion that teardrops flow down from his eyes (a dazzling display of devotion); this happens in many devotees who listen to his discourse.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

Actress's Birth Anniversary

Today is the 50th birth anniversary of 'Titanic' fame Kate Winslet.

Best wishes to her.

International Teachers' Day

Today is celeberated as International Teachers' Day. 

I nostalgically remember my career including teaching. Following image shows me giving a demo at a teacher development workshop in Kerala as part of my work at Macmillan India Limited in the year 2000 or so:

Krishnam Vande Jagad Gurum (Krishnaa is the World's Teacher)🙏

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏

RSS

Today, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is celebrating it's centenary. I wish that Lord Shree Mahaa Vishnu blesses RSS and all it's workers with good health and prosperity to continue their lofty work.

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

Swaami Naaraayan Temple

It was highly spiritually enriching to view the inaguration of Shree Swaami Naaraayan Temple in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, via Aashthaa TV Channel this evening.

I nostalgically remember my brief visit to the local Swaami Naaraayan Temple in Vadodara, Gujarat, when I was working in an Elearning Materials Publishing Company in the city many years ago. It was a great experience. 

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏

Birthdays of leaders

According to the Western Calender, today is the birth anniversary of Gandhiji and Shree Lal Bahadur Shastriji, two great sons of Maa Bharath Varsh (Mother India).

Sarvam Krishna Mayam🙏.

Success of good over evil

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. This day is celeberated as Vijaya Dashami.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏

Death sentence to criminal politicians

Yesterday there was a TV news report that a former Chinese Cabinet Minister is sentenced to death for bribery. This morning there is a news report that Joseph Kabila, former President of Congo is sentenced to death for his crimes against humanity.

Since the early 1960s, politicians belonging to DMK Party in Tamilnadu have been harassing numerous Brahmin communities and induviduals. People of my age (74) know how Brahmin boys and girls with First Class Degrees with top ranks were denied Government  employment just because they belonged to Brahmin communities.

I think that these racist DMK rascal politicians should have been handled by Courts of Law and sentenced to death. But unfortunately it never happened.  

Hindu Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. Devotees perform Aayudha Poojaa on this day.

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.