Swaminarayan

In a few previous posts, I  have mentioned about Swaminarayan places of worship with headquarters in Gujarat. I had always thought that 'Swaminarayan' meant an incarnation or manifestation of Shree Mahaa Vishnu. 

Day before yesterday I was lisrening to a divine discourse by one of the elders in our Madhwaa Community. He was mentioning about ISKCON, Swaminarayan faith etc. 

This aroused my curiosity and yesterday I visited Swamynarayan website; I found that the name implied a sage and not any incarnation or manifestation of Lord Shree Mahaa Vishnu. 

I think that Swamynarayan places of worship should be treated somewhat like Mutts and not as Temples, although these places of worship seem to be involved in worship of a devotee of Shree Mahaa Vishnu.

National Education Day

Today is celeberated as National Education Day in India, our country.

Krishnam Vande Jagad Gurum🙏

Media mischief

It is a well known fact that news reports by media are not always neutral and factual. Recent news from the BBC adds weight to the scepticism. (As I am typing now, power supply is cut in our area in Chennai; God knows when it will be restored. As I have written in my earlier posts, power cuts are very common and frequent here).

People of my age (at 74) would know how much trust worthy BBC Radio and TV were many years ago. 

I remember the authenticity of BBC World Service Radio Reports during the mid 1960s when I was a teenager and when the news readers began their news by saying "This is London...".

Inside our own country, readers would know how the reliability levels got reduced in popular newspapers such as  THE HINDU. These media became mouth pieces of political parties in power.

Post-Internet, every one knows how unreliable can social media be (including those involved in dissemination of News).

As I have mentioned in my previous posts, technology in evil hands is dangerous, whether it is in our classrooms or social media and News Networks.

Cooking ordeal

Due to low quality online ordered food, I myself cooked some rice and cabbage gravy this morning for lunch. The gravy seemed to be okay as shown in the following photograph:

It was not delicious. But still I ate it as I didn't want to waste my money spent on raw materials such as cabbage, lentils, rice etc. and LPG. I realise that not every one can be an effecient cook.

For the past few years, I realise the importance of not wasting money.

Online shopping oddity

Last night I placed an order for 2 pooris with potato masala from Bakya Restaurant, Valasaravakkam, here in Chennai, via Swiggy. It cost Rs 100 according to Swiggy list. As usual, I had to pay extra for delivery. I paid Rs 174 via Google Pay. 

When my beloved brother was alive, I have eaten at the restaurant and found the quality of Pooris to be good. 

But this time, when I tried to eat the pooris, it looked like rotis; potato masala had very bad taste. Hence I rated the product as '1' on their 5 point scale.

I think that senior citizens married to caring wives are very fortunate. 

NYC Mayor

It seems like a welcome gesture in Zorab Zamdani's win as New York City mayor. It's a pround moment for numerous Indians as well as Africans.

I hope that his pledges such as free bus services in NY, free childcare upto 5 years of age, etc. are fulfilled.

Best wishes to him.

Shree Mahaa Vishnu Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. Today is Wednesday and Shree Mahaa Vishnu Himself is the Presiding Deity of Wednesdays.

Today is Kaarthik Pournima. Devotees perform Shree Vedavyaasa poojaa.

Today is also celebrated as Gowri Poornima.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

Online oddity

A few days ago, I placed  an order for plum fruits from Swiggy Instamart listing. Although the material was delivered in '10 minutes', the fruits were rotten. According to Instamart, the fruits were imported from South Africa. An image of the fruits was displayed as shown below in the Swiggy Instamart online portal:

I am never particularly keen in buying imported items. Unfortunately there was no other plum fruit advertisement in the list. I tried to provide link to the material as listed in Instamart app, but in vain.

I regret that I wasted my money on rotten fruits.

All that glitters is not gold. 

Culture Crossroads

NHK WORLD JAPAN TV telecast an interesting documentary on an Cultural Integration between Indian community and local residents. The documentary included a few grocery stores that sell Indian food items uncluding herbs, masala powders etc. I nostalgically remember Aman restaurant (owned by a group of people from Bihar and Nepal) and a grocery store owned by Bangladesh man (married to a local woman); these two were in Phnom Penh, where I was resident. I remember how their products made my cooking easier and 'Indian'. 

Shree Mahaa Vishnu Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. In some places such as Tamilnadu, Bengaluru etc., this day is celeberated as Uththaana Ekaadashi. In some other places, it was celebrated yesterday.

In our Uttharaadhi Mutt, respected Shree Satyatma Theertha Swaamiji, Chief saint of the Mutt will perform Thulasi Vivaaham this evening in addition to his daily Moola Raama Poojaa.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.