Food programs on TV

As I am neither a food addict nor a food enthusiast, food centered TV programs had never been my 'cup of tea'. But still I do like some such programs telecast in Channels such as FoxTV and TravelXP due to their 'side dishes': for instance a variety of people and places.

This afternoon I happened to view an interesting program featuring a South East Asian country. This program brought pleasant memories of the time period that I spent in Cambodia (mostly in Pnom Penh, the Capital). I remember a vast array of ready to cook vegetarian noodles made from wheat flour, rice flour, tapioca etc. available in grocery stores and supermarkets en route my residence from my office. Cooking these had also been easy and pleasant, let alone eating.

Shree Mahaa Lakshmi Fest

Yesterday was a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. It was celebrated as Shree Mahaa Varalakshmi Vratam with special worship to Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, our Divine Mother, and to Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa, our Divine Father.

Shree Vishnu, Mahaabali and Onam

Billions of years back, His Almighty Shree Mahaa Vishnu incarnated in His Vaamana Form as a young Brahmin boy, grew to his Trivikramaa Form, and blessed King Mahaabali. Mahaabali was the grandson of Prahlaadha, the greatest devotee of Shree Mahaa Vishnu. 

It is belived that King Mahaabali visits his Kindom and his citizens on this day every year. This day is celebrated as Onam in Kerala and by Malayalee people all around the globe. 

Onam greetings to all Malayaalee readers of my post and to my Malayalee friends.

Divine Discourses

As I write this post, I derive the joy of viewing 'Bhaagavath Kathaa' by Shree Abhishek  Krishna Shastriji at the holy Brindavan Kshetra in Uttar Pradesh. Added to the divine atmosphere is the presence and words of Shree Rajendradas Ji Maharaj.

Pujya shree Bhupendra Bhai Pandya

Thanks to Sanskar TV Channel for having telecast a live discourse on the Devine Sreemadh Bhagavath by Poojyashree Bhupendra Bhai Pandya this morning after a few months.

Tokyo Olympics

The news that 26 years old Mira Chanu won a Silver medal in the events that began yesterday brings pleasure. Congratulations to her, her parents, all those who encouraged her, and certainly not the least, her coach.

South African unrest

I sincerely wish that the situation in Durban and Kwa-zulu Natal improves and that normalcy is restored.

Angry South Africans' targeting Indians is obviously not justified, and as their President Cyril Ramaphosa said, such attacks are planned. As we all know, every community has good and bad people.

I remember how people of different races lived peacefully as a community, in Durban and all over the country, when I was working in the region.

Indians including those running businesses, have been making significant contribution to South African economy eversince Gandhiji's days there. Their contribution cannot be forgotten. 

Infact our fellow country folks have contributed to development of countries in which it is like tip of the iceberg. When I was working in Ethiopia in 1982-83, 'Augusta' shirts were very popular as a branded commodity. It was being manufactured by a Company founded and run by people of Indian origin.

(I know a few colleagues from our country who left teaching and opened grocery stores). 

Digital discomfort

Many of us depend on net banking for various reasons. But unfortunately if the system doesn't work well, it makes us handicapped.

Yesterday, I had paid some amount online to a grocery store. According to alert from the bank, the amount was credited into the store's account. But to my disappointment, the store informed to me that it hasn't received the amount. Hence I decided to check my account statement. 

When I tried to log in into net banking, my attempts were futile in spite of typing the correct password. As we all know, immediately after a certain number of attempts, the banks disable customer access and the account holder is mercilessly asked to contact the bank in person.

This is not the first time that such a thing has happened to me. It has been happening frequently. 

I think that there is some inefficient or indifferent rascal at the bank who handles net banking. Only if such employees are dismissed, banks will be able to function as they should. 

 

Tale of two towns

Though there are numerous entertainment TV channels today, there aren't many that offer programs featuring food, travel, people and places, all under one roof. One such channel is Epic channel. 

After a few weeks, it was interesting to view one of the channel's programs entitled "Raja, rasoi aur annya kahaniyan". (I tried to access it from the Channel's website but unfortunately it is under maintenance. Hope I can access it when it is possible, and provide a link to it). 

This program feaured two large towns in Tamilnadu. One is Thanjavur and the other, Pudukkottai. The first is famous for its people of Marathi origin. These people's ancestors came from Maharashtra a few centuries back along with their Maratta king Raja Sarfoji. These people follow Maharashtrian customs and traditions and speak what is popularly known as 'Thanjavur Marathi' (that is significantly different from that spoken in Maharashtra).  This Marathi was the mother tongue of my mother's parents and my paternal grandfather's parents. (Mother tongue of my paternal grandmother was Kannada). I and my two siblings were brought up conversing in Thanjavur Marathi and Kannada.

Pudukkottai is the headquarter town of what is popularly known as Chettinadu and is well known for its history and cuisine.

'Efficient' engineers and 'Perfect' politicians

In a previous post, I had mentioned about a Tamilnadu Government Notification to pay the electric bill. Although I did accordingly it hasn't worked. 

A few minutes back, my brother called me from the local Electricity Board office (that handles consumer electric bills) and said that he was paying for my bill and his as the EB staff were about to disconnect electric power supply to our residences. This has happened with many other consumers.

Government officials such as this Assistant Engineer should be severely punished and dismissed from service with no post dismissal monetary compensation or pension. Similarly politicians including Ministers and MLAs should be severely punished for their indifference and arrogance, and should be banned to contest in any election during their life time. They should be punished severely irrespective of their gender.