Bringing up children now and then (years back)

This morning in his discourse, an ISKCON Mumbai aacharya mentioned as to how important it is for mothers to train children to respect their fathers. Yes indeed, it used to be like this when we were young.

It was around 2 PM on a hot day in March 1971. When I returned home from college after writing my 1st day's exam related to my B Sc Degree, I realised that I had dropped my hall-ticket unknowingly either in the bus or at the bus stops.  My father got very angry because I was careless and asked me to search for the hall-ticket and said that I could have my lunch only after I brought back my hall-ticket though my mother requested for a less stringent punishment. I couldn't disobey my father's order. I searched at the bus-stops, but in vain. Due to exhaustion I couldn't prepare for my next day's exam as well as I had expected.  But still it was important that my father's order had to be obeyed.

My parents, like many parents in my generation, were strict when it came to children's behaviour. Like many good mothers of those days, my mother too  had always tried to convince us that our father was right and that we needed to respect our father and obey him.

Raghavendra Swami's punya dina

Today is an auspicious day for Hindu people in general and people like me who follow Maadhwaa traditions in particular. This day is celebrated as Raaghavendra Swaami's 'punya dina'.

Hayagreeva Jayanthi

Today is an auspicious day in the Hindu calender. This day is celebrated as Hayagreeva Jayanti.  Lord Hayagreeva, an avataar of Shri Mahaa Vishnu is worshipped today.

Independence day

As we celebrate our 70th independence day, our country seems to forge forward. But still, we have a long way to go.

When we were of school going age, independence day used to be celebrated meaningfully with a lot of good fun. But today, our children and youngsters have no time for obvious reasons rightly or wrongly.

I and my mother reside in one of the 150 or so apartments situated on one of the main roads in the city. We reside in 3rd block and my brother and his family reside in the next block. Though I am not a very pushy guy like my brother or my dad, I do try to keep cordial relations with people around me. Though I have always tried to keep a low profile in public functions, I could not succeed in refusing our Apartment Owners Association office bearers' request to hoist the national flag and deliver a speech this morning . 

As I mentioned in my brief 5 minutes speech after hoisting our national flag, our youngsters have important roles to play in eradicating evils and contributing to multidimensional development at different  levels.

I think that  problems of corruption, environmental pollution and  poverty should be solved effectively.

A few years  back I was employed as Curriculum  Specialist by  a Delhi based k-12 Assessment Company with offices in the US. I worked for nearly 4 months but was paid only a month's salary. I had lodged complaint to Delhi police as well as Tamilnadu Government Police  Department's Cyber Cell. Still there is no response from them. While the situation is so inert at the Government level, profile of the rogue founder of the fraudulent Company is still active displaying that he is a product of Colombia University, New York.

I think that we need drastic changes in how Government Agencies handle law and order at least from now on, 70 years since independence.

Shree Mahaa Lakshmi Vratham and Krishnaa Mahaa Pushkarani Fest

Today is auspicious to Hindu people for two reasons. This day is observed as Shree Mahaa Lakshmi Vratham. Today is also the beginning of Krishnaa river Mahaa Pushkarani festival lasting up to 21 August.

Sreejith's birthday

Today is the birthday of my friend Sreejith about whom I have mentioned in my earlier posts. He is a nice young gentleman.

My best wishes for a very happy birthday to him.   

Birthday wishes to Dr L Subramaniam

Best wishes for a happy birthday to violin maestro Dr L Subramaniam

Guru Pournimaa: Teachers' Day in the Hindu Calender

Today is observed as Guru Pournimaa by Hindu people all over the world. Sage Veda Vyaasaa, an incarnation of Lord Naaraayanaa Himself presented the Divine Epic Mahaa Bhaarathaa that contains the Divine Words of Wisdom from Lord Krishna. Not content with what he wrote in Mahaa Bhaarathaa, the sage wrote Shreemadh Bhaagavatham at the request of Deva Rishi Naaradaa.   

Events on this day take Hindu people one step closer to spiritual goal from the `teacher - student' perspective. 

Prime Minister's tour to Africa

While there is no doubt that our Prime Minister's 4 nation tour of Africa recently would strengthen ties in areas such as trade and  investments further, it would be nice if it paves the way for closer cooperation in school education systems in general and teaching of Indian languages in African schools and African languages in Indian schools.

Jagannaath Fest

Today is a very auspicious day to Vaishnavites. Idols of  Lord Jagannaath, Bala Raam and their sister Shubadra are seated in chariots and pulled along by devotees as part of 15 days of festivities organized by Puri based Shree Jagannaath Temple. The fest, like other such fests, is humbly revered as spiritually enlightening.