Vaishno Devi

It is nice that our National Channel has been telecasting highly spiritually enriching excellent quality programs. One of these is Vaishno Devi. 

Immediately after this program, the channel telecasts Kushmandi Raamaayanam. Today's episode featured evil attendant woman Mandaraa's brain washing Kaikeyi, wife of Dasaratha Maharaaja, and the consequences. As every one knows, this is a perfect example of how an evil minded wife can ruin her husband's life however good he may be. I can quote today's examples of such women; one is the woman to whom I got married in 1982 leading to divorce in 1991 or so; the other is a woman named Sarada, to whom my beloved brother got married.

I experienced the joy of viewing the former serial this evening and how it soothed my troubled mind.

I fondly remember my beloved brother's taking my beloved mother and me to the Vaishno Devi Temple near my residence in 2004 or so. I remember a Veena recital by Gayathri Devi in the temple primises that evrning.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

My niece's birthday

Today is the birthday of Sushma, my niece (sister's daughter). She was born on 10 April 1982. My blessings and best wishes to her. (I sent birthday greetings to her yesterday itself). 

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

Divine discourse

It was joy viewing Shreemad Bhagavath Kathaa by Shri Atul Krishna Shastriji on Sanskaar TV Channel this evening. The charismatic youngster mentioned the importance of keeping close relationship with Lord Shree Krishna; he also mentioned the importance of keeping a distance in all all other relationships.

I fondly remember some thing that happened in January 1982 when I got married. My mother had arranged for a seperate accommodation for me and my newly married wife, near where my parents resided. I asked my mother why we could not stay in the same house where my parents stayed. She replied that it was better for us to stay separately and maintain a distance such that mother in law and daughter in law would be like good friends. She said that once the friendship improved, they could be accommodated in the same house where my beloved parents lived. She meant that being too close could breed contempt and that this was not good. 

I and my newly married wife stayed in the ground floor and my parents, in the first floor. We used to meet during breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

But unfortunately it so happened that I and my parents were cheated by my newly wed wife and her parents. The marriage had to end in divorce.

I also fondly remember my beloved brother who was a devotee of Lord Shree Krishna.

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

Divine discourse

This evening, Sanskar TV Channel telecast Shreemad Bhagavath Kathaa by Shree Athul Krisha Shaasthreejee. As far as I know this charismatic youngster is a newcomer on stage. His discourse seemed to sooth my troubled mind.

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

Lord Shree Raam Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. This day is celebrated as Shree Raama Navami.

I fondly remember Shree Seshacharyulu Gaaru. He was my colleague when I was working in Nalanda Vidhya Niketan, Vijayawada. He used to take me to his house in Ibrahim Putnam near Vijayawada on some Friday evenings and provide delicious dinner. He also used to take me to Shree Raamaa's Temple near his residence. He and his brother used to maintain and serve in the Temple. I remember his having taken me on a visit to Kondapalli, a small village that is well known for it's Kondapalli toys.

Jai Shree Raam🙏.

Shree Swaami Naaraayan

Whenever possible, I derive the joy of listening to Shree Swaami Naaraayan Temple's Shree Nithyaswaroopadaasjee's divine discourse. It soothes my troubled mind.

I fondly remember my flights from Vadodara to Delhi and back in 2009 on some work. I just stayed overnight in a 5 star hotel in Delhi. Before checking out from my room, as I was packing my luggage (2 small briefcases full), I observed that my dhothi was made dirty and was a bit wet. There was very clear evidence that some one misused my dhothi in my absence. This kind of nasty happenings is not uncommon even in 5 star hotels due to evil employees and customers.

I left my dhoti, pants and shirt as well as the vessels that I used to perform daily Sandhyavandhanam, in the room itself.

By the time I returned to Vadodara, it was nearly 9.30 pm. My neighbour Jagdeesh, offered to drop me from the airport to my residence in his auto. En route, he took me to Swaamy Naaraayan Temple. I derived the Joy of having had the Dharshan of Swaamy Naaraayan. It was a great night. I remember Jagdeesh with with fondness.

Jai Shree Swaamy Naaraayanjee🙏.

Bhavaani Jayanthi

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

Jai Shree Bhavaani anthargatha Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

Jai Shree Bhavaani sametha Shree Rudraa🙏.

Food online

Although I had some dosa batter ready for my dinner this evening, due to toresomness, I placed order for mini tiffin from the popular Hotel Saravana Bhavan via  Swiggy. Swiggy and the supplying restaurants charge unreasonably heavily for the service. But still, most often, the food is very substandard. My tonight's dinner was no exception.

There are households that run catering services and deliver 100% vegetarian food items to single people as well as families at very reasonable charge. These establishments have a standard of supplying four side dishes (such as saambaar, rasam, curry and koottoo) at a fixed price of Rs 100 such that it is sumptuous for two people. When a person like me, who is not a big eater, who needs no more than two side dishes, requests these establishments, they reject the request stating that it is not cost effective unless the customer buys the whole package for Rs 100.

I think that neither our State Government nor Central Government are doing anything worthwhile in this direction so that numerous senior citizens who have no other option can have some relief from these catering outlets, irresponsible restaurants and supply chains such as Swiggy.

Culinary skills

I think that single senior citizen men of my age (73 years) don't really enjoy cooking food as they would have, when younger. 

I usually order my lunch and dinner from 100% vegetarian restaurants via Swiggy. As the quality of the food stuff ordered is usually substandard, I decided to cook some food myself this morning. I had a few tomatoes and ochra  (known in our country as ladies fingers) along with essential ingredients such as vinegar, sambar powder and green pepper. Instead of the common method of boiling rice, vegetables and lentils in separate containers in the pressure cooker, I cooked a mixture of the above mentioned items using my pressure cooker, as it is easier. The cooked product looked good as in the following photograph:

But when I ate it, it never tasted like a quality sambar rice.

All that glitters is not gold.

Divine Fish Fest

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

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa 🙏.

Traditional New Year Day

In Bhaarath Varsh (India), we celebrate our New Year Day based on our own customs and traditions. In Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharaashtraa etc. people celebrate to day as traditional New Year Day. In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh this day is known as Ugaadhi.

According to Bhavishya Puraanam, it was on this day that Lord Brahma began his creation task directed by Shree Mahaa Vishnu, millions and millions of years ago.

Let us wish a happy Ugaadhi to these people.

Today also marks the beginning of Shree Raama Navaraathri that ends on Shree Raama Navami, Lord Shree Raam's birth anniversary. 

Let me share the Ugaadhi blessings delivered by Shree Satyatma Theertha Swaamiji, our Guruji, in Kannada here.

Although today is supposed to be a day of happiness, I miss my beloved brother so much that my mind refuses to perceive today as a happy day; I didn't even like to order for sweets as is commonly done on such occasions. 

I only wish that I die as early as what God has decided and that I would meet my beloved parents and brother who had been with me in my present life time, in future, after a few days, months, several years or several hundreds of years. 

Jai Shree Raam🙏.

Lumumba's Africa

In today's episode of Russia Today TV Channel's 'Lumumba's Africa', Prof Lumumba spoke about the roles played by Non-Aligned Movement that consisted of several countries. At individual country levels, he mentioned the contributions by leaders such as Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and Tanzania's Julius Nyerere in freedom struggles.

Shree Mahaa Lakshmi

Today being Friday, an auspicious day to Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, our Divine Mother, I viewed Tataplay TV Channel's 'Tata Play Darshan'. This program telecasts the Poojaas conducted at the Temple live.

The programme reminded me of how my beloved brother made appointment for me on specific days  when Dr Ms Haripriya, the Chief Eye Surgeon at Aravind Eye Clinic, conducted the cataract surgeries herself to patients. He had taken me to the Clinic that was about half an hour from our residence many times (for registraion, testing, preciew etc). Many times he had delayed his breakfast, lunch etc. for my sake. Some times, we used to take our breakfast, lunch or dinner at a well maintained Restaurant attached to the Clinic. Some times we used to take food at his favourite 'Skanda Vilas', a vegetarian restaurant near our residences.

I fondly remember my beloved brother and Dr Haripriya, a God given gift to humanity.

I miss him a lot with a heavy heart.

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

Slow train tracks and laid back lives

Today, people all over the world seem to like fast food, fast life etc. Amazingly there seem to be exceptions. Japan is well known for it's trains and train tracks. This morning NHK WORLD JAPAN TV Channel telecast a very interesting show featuring a slow train track in it's Dive in Tokyo program. One of these trains running at a speed of 20 km per hour is very nice for a relaxed laid back sight seeing experience.

During my stay abroad, weekends were holidays that were very useful in relaxing our minds and enabling us to go for enjoyable outings with friends. 

Divine discourse

This morning, my favourite Aashthaa TV Channel telecast a divine discourse on Shreemad Bhagavath Mahaa Puraan by Dr Parasharji Maharaj. He was explaining the meeting of Shri Sudaama with Lord Shree Krishna, his Gurukul classmate many years ago.

The programme reminded me of an excellent TV Serial on Shreemad Bhagavatham that used to be telecast on our National Channel; I clearly remember how Lord Shree Krishna got up from his seat and ran to the main door of his palace even without wearing his footwear, to receive his boyhood friend. 

I remember my beloved mother who kept a few jasmine flowers (from the plant in front of our cottage) in a small bowl of water so that I could offer it to Lord Shree Krishna; this was during my mother's last few years when she had become very weak. Once, after my morning Sandhyavandhanam, I said that I was tired and was going to take some rest; my mother said that we should not say that we are tired after performing Sandhyavandhanam. I think that what she meant was that we should not think that we are tired after performing any meditation, Deva Pooja etc.

I also remember my beloved brother who was a Shree Krishna devotee.

(After my brother's demise, I and my sister communicate over phone more frequently than before. Last week my sister told me that many times he had said "In my case and your case, we have family, and hence there are people to take care of us, if needed. But in Prasad's case, he has no one except you and me. Hence we should take care of him".

I experience some moisture in my eyes as I type these sentences). 

Thanks to Shree Parasharji Maharaj for bringing solace to very troubled minds like those of mine.

Lord Shree Krishna 

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

Metro Project

Residents in Chennai know that the city Corporation has been conducting programs such as mosquitoe elimination. In doing so, the workers spray a nauseating chemical resembling kerosene to drive the creatures out. I think that this is a very irresponsible move by the Health Department of Govt of Tamilnadu. Instead they should use non chemical natural alternatives in such cleaning campaigns.

Private satellite channels

Many of us depend upon private satellite TV channel providers such as Tataplay. Although these are reasonably customer friendly, these remove channels with no customer approval. According to a Tataplay announcement as shown in the following image, Aashthaa Bhajan will be removed in a few days. I hope that Tata Play includes programmes that are being telecast in this channel are included in some other existing channel.

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

Arts in Johennesburgh

Johannesburg is a beautiful city in spite of it's large population and metro related problems. Just on the outskirts of this city is Satyagraha House where Gandhiji lived. 

I remember my travels to the city and how comfortably I used to park my car at the airport and pick it up after 2 or 3 days when flying to nearby cities such as Durban.

This morning RDW TV Channel telecast an interesting documentary on Arts in the city. The show featured museums and places of art contains works by South African artists. 

Let me share this interesting show here.

My niece's birthday

Yesterday was my niece (sister's daughter) Reshma's birthday. She was born in 1993. Married to a Mechanical Engineer, she is an Electronics and Telecomm Engineer. She works in a multinational Publishing Company and has travelled to many countries from Czekoslovakia to Singapore on work. 

Sometimes, my beloved brother used to forget birthdays. I used to remind him the day before the birthdays of my close relatives. 

Like every time I remember him, this time too I miss him with heavy heart and moist eyes.

L to R: My niece and my beloved brother during the 1st birthday of my brother's grandson nearly a year ago.

My blessings to my niece and her family.

Pottery mending

If our porcelain teacup or plate is broken, most of us discard these and buy new ones. But some people strive to repair these and continue to use these. This gives a feeling of belonging. I came across an interesting documentary on such people and craftspeople who mend the broken pottery. The show ends with a display of the power of planting a tree. Let me share the amazing show. 

Prof Lumumba's Africa

In his most recent episode of Lumumba's Africa, charismatic Prof. Lumumba continued explaining the effects of colonisation of African countries. He explained the contributions of leaders such as Julius Nyerere as well as those of Russia against colonisation. I have literally seen Russian contribution in economic development of Ethiopia. Russia never colonised any African country. It is sad that today Russia and Ukraine are in war although as far as I have known, people's of both countries in general, are good. I wish that the war ends as early as possible and that peace prevails in both countries.

Sansthan Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. This day is celebrated as Holikaa Paurnimaa.

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏

Pamela Bach

Day before yesterday's death of Pamela Bach at 62 is sad news. Her fans will remember her action in TV shows such as Baywatch telecast in late 1980s. This was a period when TV Channels used to telecast shows such as Bold and the Beautiful. (These shows were very popular among educated middle and upper middle class folks like me, all over the world).

May Pamela's soul rest in peace.

Saint Raaghavendra Swaamy

This evening there was a spiritually enriching programme on Sri Sankara TV Channel. In this program entitled 'Raghavendra Bhavayami', Shri Dushyanth Sridhar, explained how evil Mantharaa brainwashed Keikeyee etc. He also mentioned about Shree Madhwaachaarya, Chief Aacharyaa of Maadhwaa community to which I belong. 

Although Shree Raghavendra Swamy shed his mortal remains and called by Shree Mahaa Vishnu, many years ago, he is believed to continue to bless Shree Mahaa Vishnu devotees; his Ashram is popularly known as Shree Raghavendra Swamy Mutt. 

The programme featured melodious religious songs by Sivasri Skandaprasad

As I have mentioned before, my brother was a devotee of Lord Shree Krishna to the extent that most of his computer related online passwords were related to Lord Shree Krishna's Names and that he donated his reasonably new (a few months old) TATA Nono car to ISKCON Chennai, nearly 15 years ago.

With heavy heart, I remember that the last time I met my beloved brother last month, a few days before he passed away, I saw a laminated  pocket sized picture of Shree Raghavendra Swamy on his bed near him.

Shree Dushyant Shreedhar 

Sivasri Skandaprasad 

Shree Raghavendra Swamy 

My beloved brother Ramesh

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

Library

From my boyhood days, I have always had a fascination for good books. During college days, I used to spend my free time in the college library. 

I fondly remember how the British Council Library and the USIS Library used to send books by mail to their members who reside in places away from Chennai. I was resident in Vellore, and I used to long for these books.

After entering the teaching profession, I used to spend my leisure times either in the School Library or in the Physics lab. 

Wherever I got posted, I used to be a regular visitor to the local library. I fondly remember the UNESCO Library, German Cultural Centre Library and the British Council Library in Addis Ababa. I remember the British Council Library in Gaborone, Southern Africa; I used to visit it to collect books and media for me as well as for the Science Department of School in which I worked; I was Audio-visual Coordinator in the Department.

In the mid 1990s, I had the pleasure of obtaining Institutional Membership of the British Council Library, Chennai, for PREPARE, an excellent NGO in which I worked. This became the first NGO to be a Member of the British Council Library, Chennai.

This afternoon NHK WORLD JAPAN TV Channel telecast an interesting documentary on libraries. Let me share it here.

Tofu: Japanese delecasy

This afternoon, NHK WORLD JAPAN TV Channel telecast an interesting documentary on Tofu, a very popular food item not only in Japan but also globally including in our country. The show featured different types of Tofu.

It is 100% vegetarian and delicious.

Tofu to Japan is what coffee is to Ethiopia, piezza is to Italy, noodles are to countries such as Thailand and Cambodia, Netherlands to cheese, Switzerland to chocolates, wine to Germany, beer to South Africa, and dosa is to India.

Girl's day in Japan

Japan celeberates it's Girl's Day today. 

Ukraine and Russia

Although I am neither an enthusiast in politics nor  a competent person in commenting on political affairs, from a socio-economic perspective, I am a keen observer of the political scenario.

In the recently held meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymir Zelanskky, it looks like the former overplayed his role. Besides, it looked like the US side dominating the dialogue. I think that there should be no place for domination in any dialogue or bilateral communication. 

It brings a ray of hope for peace in Ukraine and Russia, with today's meeting of European leaders convened by the Britsh Prime Minister. 

Let us hope that the meeting strives to achieve peace in Ukraine and Russia. 

I wish that Mr Volodymir Zelanskyy is not isolated and that he is given all support that he and his people deserve.

Rascals' birthdays

This morning at around 6 am, some guy with horrible voice unsuitable for music began singing songs alongwith an orchestral accompaniment with loud sound level. It continues, the time being 10.15 am. 

I found the cause of the above noise pollution to be the birthday of M K Stalin, 'honourable' chief minister of Tamilnadu.

I think that such arrogant displays of birthdays of bad people should be banned.

Prof Lumumba's Africa

In today's  episode, Prof. Lumumba explained quoting several examples how colonisation robs ingenious culture and traditions of people. He mentioned a few famous African writers as well. One of them was Chinua Achebe, whose books are very popular in African countries. I have never come across any school library without books by Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Gebre Medhin Tsegaye etc. in Africa.

Illegal immigrants

There are lots of debates on illegal immigration to developing countries. 

Common perception seems to be that these illegal immigrants get punished. I think that they are punished for obvious reasons.

This evening, CNA TV Channel telecast an informative documentary that looked deeper into the issue. 

It showed an illegal immigrant from Punjab. His parents are in Punjab and seem to lead a comfortable life with no sign of poverty. Father of the immigrant, a middle aged man with seemingly good health and capable of doing some work and earn money for him and his family says that if his son is deported from the US, the family will be ruined. I think that this is totally unacceptable. Besides, the State Government of Punjab seems to be striving hard to improve the economic status of it's citizens.

I think that TV and other social media give an exaggerated view of issues.

Rudra Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. This day is celebrated as Mahaa Shiva Raathree.

Lord Shiva (known also as Lord Rudraa) is a great devotee of Lord Shree Mahaa Vishnu. 

It is said that when Brahmins perform Deva Pooja (Pooja of Shaligraam Form of Shree Mahaa Vishnu), Lord Rudraa stands behind Him holding a bowl on his hand to collect the holy water that flows from Shree Mahaa Vishnu Shaaligraamam after bathing Him.

Before Lord Shree Raam set His foot on Shree Lanka in search of Seethaa Devi, he prayed to Lord Shree Rudraa at what is known as Raameshwaram.

Raameshwaram Temple:

Shree Rudra Devaa and His wife Paarvathee Devi:

Shree Mahaa Vishnu and His wife Shree Mahaa Lakshmi:

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏

K-12 Tuition Industry

It is very common for parents to send their children to tuition classes after regular school hours in countries like ours. Singapore seems to be no exception. 

This evening CNA TV Channel telecast a very interesting evidence based documentary on the tuition industry in that country. 

Although I have never given tuition classes in spite of requests from parents during several years when I was a teacher, from my own experience as a student and as school principal, effective tuition classes are benefitial provided the fact that most of our k-12 schools have large classrooms with  ineffective teaching methods due to substandard school policies and teacher development programmes.

I think that our k-12 stake holders need to learn from such documentaries and do the needful to fix the bottlenecks in the regular school systems. Let me share the link to the documentary here.

Traditional identity

As a person born and brought up in India, I always identify with our culture and traditions although this identification gets a bit diluted when people like me leave the home country and work abroad for a few years. When they return home, their identification restores to the original level.

During my stay abroad in different countries, I have observed how people are interested in preserving their culture and traditions. 

This evening I bumped in to a TV documentary featuring a young Cambodian entrepreneur who runs a snacks manufacturing unit in Phnom Penh. She uses locally available vegetables and traditional tools in her work. She visits her parents and daughter who live in a village that is 250 km away from Phnom Penh regularly. 

I have come across a few people, including colleagues, like this woman in all countries in which I worked.

Let me share the  documentary here.

Kashyap Patel

News that Kashyap Patel won the Senate nomination as  US FBI Director signifies good step by Donald Trump and his respect for our great Indian culture and traditions. In his name, the term 'Kash', an abbreviation of 'Kashyap' means that his ancestors were descendants of Kashyapa Maharishi, whose is remembered as mentioned in Sandhyavandhanam, a daily Vedic ritual.

Donald Trump's team's Tulasi Gabbard is also a well known Shree Krishna devotee.

I wish that my beloved brother were alive to hear the news about Kash Panel's confirmation as US FBI's Director. My brother was a great devotee of Lord  Shree Krishna.

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

Seethaa Jayanthi

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. This is the day on which Seethaa Devi appeared in a furrow as King Janakaa was ploughing his field as part of Vedic rituals. This day is celebrated as Seethaa Jayanthi.

Jai Shree Seethaa Devi sametha Shree Raam🙏.

All that glitters is not gold

This morning I tried to cook banana curry from the pre-sliced banana that I ordered from Big Basket. The cooked product looked nice as shown in the following image:

But when tasting, it proved somewhat otherwise, indicating that the slices should have been more softened, with a little more salt than what I had used. I hope that I get my cooking improved in my next attempt. 

In 1980s when I was working abroad, the day before I returned home for holidays, I used to phone my parents asking my mother to cook banana curry for me; she knew that it was my favorite side dish. I have never enjoyed the taste of this curry anywhere else. The best culinary expert besides my beloved mother was my maternal aunt by name 'Ahalya'. These two were the best cooks. 

Ofcourse food items cooked by mother is the best to any person.

Loneliness

NHK WORLD JAPAN TV Channel's 'Document 72 Hours' is one of my favourite programmes. This evening's episode of the programme featured regular customers in a restaurant. These people are from different walks of life with different experiences in life, but with one objective: Dining out to experience good company of fellow customers for some time, however small it may be.

Among the customers, there is an elderly man (probably of my age); he comes with his daughter regularly to dine out at the restaurant. He lost his wife a year ago. He says that he feels incredibly lonely. I understand how he feels, as I myself feel very lonely from the time my beloved brother passed away. I am unable to bear the mental pain of missing him. 

Customer at the restaurant. 

My beloved brother.

Theory of Karmaa

My beloved brother passed away last month. He was ill and suffered a lot during his last few months. My beloved mother became increasingly weak and underwent significant physical deterioration in her last few years. Both these people were very kind and good. They were also Shree Krishna devotees. 

Shree Krishnaa was an incarnation of Lord Shree Mahaa Vishnu.

We come across many good and kind people who suffer during their final weeks, months or years. I used to ask the following question to myself: "Why do good and kind people who are Lord Shree Krishna's devotees suffer physically during their last few weeks, months or years?". I think that this question arises in many of us.

A few days back, when I was listening to a divine discourse by a respected Maadhwaa spiritual leader on Utube, he mentioned that even if a person may be good, kind and a Shree Mahaa Vishnu devotee, he/she suffers due to sins committed during any of his/her previous seven births. He mentioned the very popular Karma concept.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

Divine Discourse

After several weeks, I had the joy of viewing Bhai Shree Ramesh Bhai Oza' discourse on Shreemad Bhaagavath Kathaa on Ashthaa or Sanskar TV Channel. It gave some solace to my very troubled mind caused by my beloved brother's demise recently.

Shree Krishnam Vande Jagadh Gurum🙏

Lumumba's Africa

I was viewing Prof. P.L.O.Lumumba's 'Lumumba's Africa' on RT TV Channel this morning. The episode featured Nelson Mandela and many others such as Ahmed Kathrada and FW de Klerk who fought against apartheid and paved the way for discrimination free South Africa. The documentary mentioned Mandela's ' Long Walk to Freedom', his association with Gandhiji, Martin Luther King etc. 

In a previous post I have mentioned how discriminatory practices were obvious in South Africa's K-12 Education System during apartheid.

I think that Nelson Mandela's 'Long Walk to Freedom', Gandhiji's 'My Experiments with Truth' should be made as compulsory reading materials in schools and colleges in all developing countries.

It is important to know that Nelson Mandela was against not only white domination but also black domination.

Any kind of domination in any community is bad.  

Vaasa Pooja and Maagha Snaanam

Today marks the end of Maagha Snaanam. Today is also an auspicious day in the Hindu Calender; devotees offer special worship to Shree Vedavyaasa.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

India at the AI Summit

Our Prime Minister's presence and his address at the Plenary Session of the AI Summit in Paris is a signifies the digital capability and traditionally driven desire for global welfare.

Senior citizen and self cooking

As a single senior citizen who likes to self-cook my food instead of ordering it from outside, I derive significant benefit by viewing cooking documentaries in TV Channels. As a vegetarian, I confine to vegetarian dishes. 

The fact remains that I very seldom self-cook my food items. Most often, I order my food via online food delivery options such as Zomato.

This evening, Epic TV Channel telecast a few vegetarian dishes cooked by Ranveer Brar, a well known expert. The episode featured Ms Tsering Dolma, a Tibetan origin expert as well. (I was curious in the episode as from my experience in Bhutan, I have found Tibetan people to be more fond of non-vegetarian than vegetarian dishes). This evening's episode featured dishes such as samoosas. 

When viewing the show, I was reminded of Ramesh, my beloved brother, who used to bring such vegetarian dishes for me. 

I miss him very much and I carry an enormous pain of having lost him.

Mahaa Kumbh Melaa 2025

Central Government, Uttaraakand Government, NGOs and Social Service Organisations, Hindu Religious Organisations, Corporate Houses etc. deserve our hearty congratulations on how these manage the 6 weeks long Mahaa Kumbh Melaa,   largest religious gathering in the world, at Prayaagraaj, Uttaraakand.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏. 

Shree Mahaa Vishnu Fest

Although not widely well known, today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. This day is celebrated as Simshumaara Jayanthi. This is on this day that Shree Mahaa Vishnu incarnated in his scorpion form.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏

Madhwa Navami

Today is a very auspicious day to Maadhwaa community (to which I belong). This day is celebrated as Madhwa Navami. On this day, Shree Mahaa Vishnu residing in the heart of Shree Madhwaachaarya is worshipped by Shree Hari devotees. 

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏

Prime Minister at Prayaagraaj

News that our beloved Prime Minister Shree Narendra Modi took holy dip at Prayaag Raaj is another example of how a leader of a country should be. UP Chief Minister Shree Yogi Adithyanath and Shree Narendra Modi seem to be an exemplary pair.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏

The Beatles

It's good news that The Beatles won this year's Grammy Award for best rock music performance in It's song 'Now And Then'.