Shameful display of racism

The news that Mahatma Gandhiji's statue in London got vandalised displays obvious anti-Indian feelings.

Any sane person knows that racism is shameful. Having worked in India, my native country and six countries, I have found people to be gentle except on two occassions.

When I was working as a Physics Teacher in a Government Senior Secondary School in Southern Africa, I had a colleague named Jo McCormack. She was from Yorkshire, UK, and was Agriculture Teacher in the school. She was well known for her nasty remarks on how Indians pronounced English words 'badly'. At one point of time, I had to let her know that we Indians don't pronounce 'bus'  with the 'u' sound as in 'bush' or 'book' or prounounce 'lunch' with the 'u' sound as in 'bush'. After this, she stopped her nonsensical habit. By God's Grace, I was considered to be excellent in both spoken and written English. 

On another occassion, I was at the customs clearance  at the end of a flight from Johannesburg,  at Chennai International airport. The customs officer entertained a Tamizh guy who spoke with American accent, standing behind me at the queue, thereby ignoring me. I told him that what he did was wrong. He didn't accept what I said. Our conversation was in Tamil. Immediately I changed my language and began speaking to him in standard British English. Now the customs officer apologised and looked attended to me.

Saraswathi Pooja

Today is an auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. Devotees perform Saraswathi Pooja on this day.

Devotees offer special worship to Shree Saraswathi, Shree Brahma, her husband, and most importantly, Shree Mahaa Vishnu seated in her heart.

Krishnam Vande Jagad Gurum🙏.

Google's birth anniversary

Today is celeberated as Google's birth anniversary. It is an undeniable fact that Google made our lives very easy in many ways such as online payment, as search agent for authentic information, thereby replacing libraries, with hardcopy books and magazines, and so on. 

Best wishes to Google, Sundar Pichai, it's CEO and all it's employees the world over.

Sundar Pichai with his parents.

Sundar Pichai with his wife who was his college mate at IIT.

Following image shows Sundar Pichai with Shree Narendra Modi, our beloved Prime Minister:

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

Community service abroad

Usually when people leave their own countries and work abroad, they contribute their level best in the economic development of the host country.

Yesterday I happened to view a very interesting documentary featuring a middle aged Agricultural Scientist from Bangladesh working with local farmers in Japan by applying innovative methods that benefit the communities immensely. Let me share the documentary here.

Tea ceremony

In India, almost all our households use coffee or tea to drink daily. Most of us drink tea. That's all.

In countries such as Bhutan, China, Japan, Tibet and Cambodia, drinking tea is considered as a ritual based on local culture traditions. 

Let me share a Tea drinking ceremony that is practised even today in Japan.

Oasis in my online shopping desert

Day before yesterday I placed order for ready to cook chapaathees through Big Basket. The item came in a nice pack. It needed just a few minutes of heating it on a tawaa. The quality of the product is very good. This experiemce is an oasis in my online shopping desert. Thanks to the manufacturer of the product. 

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

Award to Mohanlal

News that Malayalam movie actor Mohanlal received the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award is a fitting recognition of his work all these years. Best wishes to him.

Raam Kathaa discourse

For the past few days, Aashtha TV Channel has been telecasting Raam Kathaa discourse by Shree Morari Bapujee Maharaaj from Uttar Pradesh. It was joy to see great spiritual speakers such as Shree Rajendradasji Maharaaj, Gita Manishiji Maharaaj etc. at the discourse venue.

This afternoon, it was joy to see Shree Ankushji Maharaaj at the discouse venue.

Shree Morari Bapujee's discourses always end with chanting of the sacred Purusha Sooktham. 

I think that spiritual programs give great relief to very lonely and troubled minds like that of mine.

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

Swiggy and Shero Home

Let me share an unpleasant experience that I had this afternoon so that readers can be careful when making online orders from restaurants.

Shero Home Food  usually delivers good quality food in nicely packed plastic containers. Hence I frequently order for Shero food items.

This afternoon I placed an order for their thotakura pappu (Amaranth leaves gravy) costing Rs 178. The total amount that I had to pay was Rs 284. (As I mentioned in my previous post/s, Swiggy charges nearly double the cost of any food item for door delivery).

After receiving the food item, when I opened the pack, I was taken aback to find a strand of human hair in it. Hence I had to throw it in the dust bin.

All that glitters is not gold.

Tax reforms

Recent Tax Reforms by the BJP led Government seems to be a significant step to ease the consumer. It's one more feather on BJP's hat.

Thanks to Modiji and his team.

Nine nights fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. It marks the beginning of Nava raathri (meaning nine nights) Festival.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

My beloved brother's demise

It was exactly eight months ago, on 20 January this year, that my beloved brother passed away. I remember him fondly with heavy heart. I wish that his soul is on it's way to the Lotus Feet of Lord Shree Krishna. 

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

Shree Mahaa Vishnu

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender to worship Shree Mahaa Vishnu for two important reasons: Lord Shree Mahaa Vishnu is the presiding God on Wednesdays; today is Ekaadashi, special day to worship Him.

It was highly spiritually enriching viewing a Bhagavath Geethaa documentary on Tata Play's Bhakthi Sangeeth. Let me share a screenshot of the programme as follows:

Sarvam Krishna Mayam🙏.

Our beloved Prime Minister's birth anniversary

Today is the birth anniversary of Shree Narendra Modi, our beloved Prime Minister. I wish that Shree Hari blesses him with long life, happiness and prosperity.

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

My beloved mother's birthday

According to the Western  calender, today is the birth anniversary of my beloved mother; she was born on 17 September 1927. 

JaiShree Krishnaa🙏.

Ethiopia's Hydel Dam

Ethiopia is wrongly perceived as a poor and very underdeveloped country. People who have worked or lived there know that this perception is exaggerated. This country has many lakes and rivers including the famous Nile. I have seen my Ethiopian colleagues being proud of their natural reserves, heritage, traditions and their 'Injera' when I was teaching at a Government Senior Secondary School in the country. 

The news that the country has inagurated the largest hydroelectric dam is a matter of pride to all Ethiopians. 

I nostalgically remember my stay in Addis Ababa with it's nunerous restaurants serving injera and six different types of coffee. 

Let me share an interesting news report that shows how Ethiopians' dream of many years has resulted in their proud reality here.

(I taught Physics in a Government Senior Secondary School in Ethiopia in 1982-83).

Changing times

We all experience the inevitable changes that are brought in with changing technology. This evening cna TV Channel telecast an interesting documentary on this interesting aspect. I was particularly drawn to the 'camera' segment of the documentary. 

Like many youngsters from middle class background, I had developed a liking for photography, a hobby that I inherited from my beloved father. I nostalgically remember the different cameras that I had used in different times as camera technology kept changing. Let me share images of the cameras that I had used.

There was an excellent Tamizh language children's magazine known as 'Kannan' (image of an edition of which is shown below) which was very popular among children during my boyhood years. 

This magazine was a treasure house of good information to kids. It used to bring articles on how to take pictures using a camera and how to develop films. The magazine also published articles on how to build cardboard houses, how to make a slide projector, how to assemble a portable 3 Band Radio etc.

Besides 'Kannan', there were a few other very popular childrens/youth magazines in Southern India where my parents resided.  Chandamama was one such children's magazine. (After retirement from active career, I joined Chandamama as creative writer for a few months). 

Among the English language youth magazines, Junior Statesman was very popular all over the country. I nostalgically remember it's debut edition of February 1967 with The Beatles as it's front cover page.

There were also newspapers and magazines that carried sections for children. One such  was Illustrated Weekly of India. Aunty Wendy's 'Young Folks League' was a popular column in the magazine.

Christian Organisations used to publish their own youth magazines. Don Bosco School, Mumbai used to publish 'Youngsters'; Chennai based Salesian Institute of Graphic Arts used to publish 'Friends'. Younsters carried 'Nuts to crack Competition' (in which I had bagged some gifts). I remember having written an article entitled Hippies, hypocricy and happiness' in November 1969 edition of Friends.

Those were golden years.

My beloved father's birth anniversary

Today is my beloved father's birth anniversary according to the Western Calender. He was born on 13 September 1923.

Jai Shree Krishnaa🙏.

Ancestral worship

Days from past Monday until coming 21st or so are considered to be very auspicious in the Hindu Calender. During this period known as Pithru Paksha, Hindu men perform rituals of ancestral worship to their parents and other ancestors who are no more and who lived in the previous three generations. They also offer worship to their relatives, guru/s and friends who are no more.

I also performed the ritual this morning. As I had to keep the cooked rice and a sweet dish known as 'paayasam' ready before the priest arrived at my residence, I got up at 3.10 am, performed the daily ritual of Sandhyavandhanam and Sreeman Naaraayanaa Ashtaakshara Mahaa Manthram, and then performed the ritual as directed by the priest.

I reside in a rented one BHK house. As I would have mentioned in my previous posts, the house owner is a highly qualified Engineer and so is his wife. He retired from his career and spends his time in more spirutual deeds; his wife is a home maker. They have a son in London and a married daughter in Canada. Both my landlord and his wife are adorably kind and simple. Their children are, too.

I  wish that Shree Mahaa Vishnu blesses my landlord, his wife and children with long life, good health, happiness and prosperity. 

Hari Sarvoththamaa🙏.

Vaayu Jeevoththamaa🙏.

Lunar eclipse

Last night was significant due to Lunar eclipse from astronomical perspective. It was highly significant from Hindu Scriptural perspective. Lasting for nearly three and a half hours, it was a time when Hindu men perform ancestral worship. Although I couldn't perform it as perfectly as instructed by our Uttaradi Mutt, I performed it as far as possible.

Let me share a news report on the eclipse and some information on it's spiritual significance.

Sarvam Krishna mayam🙏.

Shree Mahaa Vishnu Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. Devotees perform Anantha Vratham on this day.

Shree Mahaa Lakshmi sametha Shree Anantha Padmanaabhaa🙏.

Trend setting TV documentaries

Today I had the pleasure of viewing two trend setting TV documentaries. The first one featured a village in Albania where the villagers live in a very eco friendly manner with traditional methods of transport, grinding food items in the kitchen etc. It is amazing to see how they help each other. Let me share the documentary here.

The other one is a documentary featuring a young Japanese gentleman who decided to work with rural communities in Benin (West Africa) soon after graduating with a degree from a prestigious University. Let me share the documentary here. 

Negligent rascals

It is 8.06 pm now. Half an hour ago, as I was viewing a spiritual program on Sanskar TV Channel, the power went of. As I have mentioned in my previous posts, this is a frequent happening in our area.

Rascal politicians, Government employees and workers who exhibit gross negligence shamelessly deserve severe punishment. 

Unfortunately our Police and Judiciary Systems are not 100% perfect as shown by the freedom of speech and movement given to proven criminals such as DMK's Dayanidhi Maaran etc., Sashi Tharoor, Congree MP from Tiruvananthapuram, Sasikala Natarajan (involved in Ms Jayalalitha's murder) etc. 

Hence I wish that such people die and that  their souls stay in hell ('Naraka Loka' in Hinduism) permanently. 

It is 8 32 pm now. Still there is no indication of power supply.

Teacher's Day and my beloved father's death anniversary

Today is a very important day in our country (India). This day is celeberated as Teacher's Day.

Today marks the death anniversary of my beloved father according to the English calender. 

I wish that the souls of my beloved parents are at the Lotus Feet of Lord Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa in Vaikuntaa and that my beloved brother's soul is on it's way to Vaikuntaa.

Krishnam Vande Jagad Gurum🙏.

Onam Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in Kerala. Malayalee people all over the world celeberate today as Onam. Best wishes to my Malayaalee friends. 

Krishnam Vande Jagad Gurum🙏.

The Beatles

There was a power cut this morning too in our area. Hence as my TV was not usable, I was fiddling around my mobile internet and bumped into one of the first softrock songs when I was in my teens. Let me share the song here. I think that this song topped the popcharts list in the UK for several months according to a BBC WORLD SERVICE RADIO's weekly radio program that used to be broadcast from 4 to 4.30 pm IST on Sundays. I don't remember the program's name.

Shree Vaamana Jayanthi

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender.  This day is celeberated as Shree Vaamana Jayanthi.

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

Shree Hari Fest

Today is a very auspicious day in the Hindu Calender.  Being Wednesday and Ekaadashi, devotees offer special worship to Shree Mahaa Vishnu on this day. Today's Ekaadashi is of special significance as Shree Mahaa Vishnu lying on the divine snake turns his body today.

This day is also important as Aaraadhanaa of Shree Sathyesha Theertha Swaamiji  is celeberated. 

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.

Divine discourse

It was great joy listening to a discourse by respected Shree Chinna Jeeyar Swaamiji as guest speaker in Bhaagavath Kathaa discourse by respected Shree Indreshji Maharaj at Hyderabad, Telengaanaa, on Sanskar TV Channel this evening.

I remember Swaamiji's advice on how to concentrate during meditations provided the fact that many people,including me, find it difficult to concentrate with our wandering minds. He said that if our minds go to irrelevant places during meditation we should imagine Lord Shree Krishna in that place.

I remember hearing the above advice as my beloved mother was viewing Swaamiji's discourse on TV in the Hall. I was in my room at that time. This was many years ago.

My beloved parents:

Shree Chinna Jeeyar  Swaamiji:

Jai Shree Lakshmi Naaraayanaa🙏.