Damodara Tulasi Divine Wedding

Yesterday was a very auspicious day in the Sanaathana Dharma Calender. According to ancient Scriptures, this was the day on which Daamodaraa (a roopaa of Shree Krishnaa, an Avataar of Shree Mahaa Vishnu) married Tulasi (a roopaa of Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, wife of Shree Mahaa Vishnu). This day is known as Uththaana Dwaadashi or Uthwaana Dwaadashi)

Today being Ekaadashi, one of the most auspicious days to worship Shree Mahaa Vishnu and His wife Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, I liked to spend atleast some time viewing to Divine Discourses on TV. 

I had the joy of viewing two speakers on Amritha Channel's 'Sandhyaa Deepam'. The first speaker described what Shree Raamaa said to His brother Lakshmanaa on His first sight of Hamumaan, the greatest devotee of Shree Raamaa. The second speaker described Sudaamaa's meeting with Lord Shree Krishna.

(Although I can understand Malayaalam very well, my spoken Malayalam is very moderate and written Malayaam is nil. Hence I am unable to remember the names of the two speakers as displayed on the TV screen. However it is my pleasure to include their photoes in this blog).

Divine Discourse

Formally retired senior citizens in our country either continue working or like to take rest after serving for a few decades. I belong to the latter category.

I have always liked the company of good books or any media with good content than people (with a few exceptions when people are compatible).  Nowadays I like viewing good programmes on TV rather than working on my PC or fiddling on my mobile.

This morning, it was great pleasure viewing Shree Bhai Shree's Divine Discourse on Shreemad Bhagavath Kathaa (Divine Story of Shree Hari) on Ashtha, one of my favourite TV Channels. In the discourse when he sang "May nahi markand khaayaa.." (a popular song about Lord Shree Krishna), I was reminded of Shree Anup Jalota, one of my favourite Bhajan singers popularly known as 'Bhajan Samraat'. My memory took me to 1989 when I first heard Anup Jalota in a friend's house in Southern Africa.

de Klerk's demise

South Africa has lost one of its neutral statesmen in the recent demise of Mr FW de Klerk, former President of South Africa. Alongwith Mr Nelson Mandela he was instrumental in eradicating the country's apartheid stand that lasted for several decades. Mr de Klerk and Mr Mandela received the Nobel Prize for Peace.

Tigray in turmoil

The recent news that Tigray Liberation Force is moving towards the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. I hope that the ongoing efforts of the UNO and several countries to bring peace in the region on a permanent basis succeed.

Bali Pratipat

Yesterday was an auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. This day is known as Bali Pratipat.

ABBA's re-entry to music

Recent news that the Swedish popmusic band ABBA is teamed up after 40 years to come back in it's digital form is interesting. I was one of their numerous fans in the late '70s when they were most popular. It was sad that they split in 1982 (much like how The Beatles split in 1970 with their 'Let it be'). Who can forget their songs and related movies such as 'Mama Mia? (I remember the sunny day in 2009 in a restaurant in Phnom Penh, where I was viewing this movie on wide screen, with a colleague from Holland). 

Festival of lights

Today is a very auspicious day to Hindus all over the world. This was the day on which Lord Shree Krishnaa (an incarnation of Shree Mahaa Vishnu, our Supreme God) killed Narakaasura, a demon, during Dwaapara Yuga, more than 5000 years back. 

This day is also considered to be the day on which Lord Shree Raam (an incarnation of Shree Mahaa Vishnu) killed the demon king Raavanaa, who abducted Seetha Devi (an incarnation of Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, wife of Shree Mahaa Vishnu and Divine Mother of all of us) during Trethaa Yuga, billions of years ago.

This day is celeberated as Deepaavali (meaning line of lights) every year. I have described about this Festival of lights in my earlier posts.

Puneeth Rajkumar's demise

It is sad that Puneeth Rajkumar, the Kannada actor and son of popular veteran Kannada movie actor Mr Rajkumar passed away at a young age. I haven't seen any of Puneeth Rajkumar's movies. But the fact that he was the son of Mr Rajkumar is evidence enough to show that the young actor was talented.

Deepaavali: Festival of lights

As Deepavali is just a few days away, my memory takes me back to my younger days. 

In those days, my father used to buy crackers  two months earlier and my mother used to distribute them to us. Thereafter, I, Jyothi (my sister) and Ramesh (my brother) used to exchane them according to our likes and dislikes (for example as I was afraid of handling large crackers, I used to exchange them for light crackers with my brother who was fond of large ones. He was far more daring than my father. Mr. Padmanabha Rao, a professional cook and a nice gentleman used to make sweet items such as Jangri etc. a few days before the festival. My mother used to make items like kai murukku (for which she used to have  bronze or brass implements, taken away by Jyothi later). All the eatables were offered to Shree Hari and Shree Mahaa Lakshmi before our consumption and distribution to our neighbours, friends, well-wishers and the needy people. 

Apart from these, Ramesh used to do additional shoppings for crackers (for all the three of us). During the Fest, my father used to be active in firecrackers like us children whereas my mother used to be busy in the kitchen cooking special items.

These were all not unique in our house; these were part of all good households.

As Mary Hopkin sang in her famous song, "Those were the days...".