Nedumudi Venu and Malayalam movies

As I was browsing through my mobile net after dinner this evening, I came across an old news item that the popular Malayalam actor Nedumudi Venu passed away. I don't know as to how I missed the sad news. As a very talented actor, he will be remembered for years to come.

 

I fondly rembember my two years residence in Kochi in 1984 and 1985 when I was teaching in Cochin Refineries School. That was the time when I could learn conversational Malayalam, thanks to the Malayalam cinema and my colleagues including the very simple Smt Sreedevi Rajan (HOD Malayalm), daughter of the Kathakali celebrity Late Shree Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair.

..

Divine Discourse

Aashtha TV Channel is a well respected channel known for its Sanaathana Dhramaa programs and divine discourses by learned Gurus. Their program this morning consisted of Shree Sanjeev Krishna Takur Ji's discourse on Shreemad Bhaagavatham (Divine History of Lord Shree Krishna).

BBC Travel Show

Being a BBC World Service Radio and then BBC World TV fan since my teenage years, I have had the pleasure of hearing/viewing numerous programmes of interest to me. 'The Travel Show' is one such.

As regular BBC World TV viewers would have observed, for the past few years, the program has shifted to telecasting programs with emphasis any one area in each episode. This evening, It was on dancing in different countries including India, my home country. It was as usual, interesting.

By the way, recently I had the pleasure of visiting (online) an art gallery in Ethiopia, for blind people; thanks to BBC World TV and 'The Travel Show' team in bringing about such shows. 

Ekaadashi

Today being Ekaadashi is a very auspicious day to Vaishnawites, devotees of Shree Mahaa Vishnu.

Desmond Tutu

Mr Desmond Tutu died today. Aa an anti-apartheid activist, he will be remembered for his efforts to end decades long apartheid regime in South Africa. 

Divine Discourse

It was joy viewing Shree Bhupendra Bhai Pandyaji's divine discourse on Sanskar TV Channel this evening. He explained the need to discover the divided nature in us. For instance a person should know whether he is a husband or a man, a wife or a woman, man or a human being, a human being or a jeevaatma and so on. I think that he meant that this discovery should lead towards knowing the Paramaatmaa which is different from the jeevaatmaa (Dwaithaa philosophy) as propounded by Madhwaachaarya, the spiritual Guru of the community in which I belong.

Modiji at Kaashi Vishwanath temple

A few days back there was a function at Shree Kaashi Vishwanaath Temple in Vaaranaasi, Uttar Pradesh. As leader of our countryfolk, our Prime Minister Shree Narendra Modiji participated in the function by performing sankalp under the guidance of the temple priest. A nice gesture that had never been displayed by any Prime Minister we have had before Modiji became our PM.

Dhanur maasa

Today is an auspicious day in the Hindu Calender. Dhanur maasa begins today. Special worship is offered to our Divine Mother Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, the wife of Shree Mahaa Vishnu, our Divine Father, daily for a month from today onwards. 

As I write this post, it is joy viewing a divine discourse on Shreemad Bhaagavath Katha by Shree Indradevji Saraswathi Maharaj, from Brindaavan, Uttar Pradesh, on Sanskar TV Channel.

Krishna Manthra and George Harrison

In my previous posts I have mentioned about The Beatles, the best ever western softrock music group. 

In the 1960s, during their tour to our country, the members of the group got immensely interested in Hindu philosophy and Indian classical music. George Harrison became involved in Krishna Manthra and Paul McCartney became a disciple of  sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar. Let me share a bit of George's experience in this post.

Hanumad vratam

According to our Maadhwa almanac, Hanumad vratam is observed today. Special worship is done to Hanumaanjee, the greatest devotee of Lord Shree Raam, an incarnation of Shree Mahaa Vishnu. 

The following image is from the toys made in a village known as Kondapalli, near Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India; it shows Hanumaanjee worshipping Lord Shree Raam and His wife Seethaa Devi.

Following is the image of a set of toys made at Kondapalli. It shows the ten main incarnations of Shree Mahaa Vishnu.