The Year That Was

2007 has been a memorable year for me.

I got to visit several new places, most of them of religious importance.
Changed jobs, met many new people.
Attended my dear friends' weddings.
Started writing this blog this September. This is my 53rd post. 70 something if I count the drafts.

It's said, growing old is inevitable but growing up is optional!
Inevitably, I have grown older.....

Me At One Of The Wonders Of The World!!

Jai Jogannath!

I had a great time during the Christmas weekend. We went to Bhuvaneshwar(the temple city), Puri and Konark. One needs a whole week to see some of the popular places in Orissa but we had only 3 days and they were mostly devoted to see Lord Jagannath (or 'Jogannath' as it's pronounced in that part of our country).

We went on an OTDC (Orissa Tourism) package tour for 1 day to Puri and Konark. The worst part of Puri are the 'Pandas' or brahmins who are a greedy, unscrupulous lot. There's no government control at the temple and only money speaks. The temple was pretty crowded. The panda for our group gave us a brief history of the temple and would say loudly 'Jai Jogannath'!!! First timers would be lost without such guides or pandas. It's not very pilgrim-friendly. There are not many signboards that tell what's what.

There was a panda who was giving 'thirtha' and most of the time, counting money. While waiting for my turn in the queue for darshan, I watched him demand money from most everyone who stretched their arms for 'thirtha' to him.
One such guy gave some coins to him which was apparently less than what this greedy guy expected that he actually went back and threw it over his shoulder, in protest!!!! He would grab some guys by their shoulder if they didn't deposit money at his table!!!

Inside the main temple, it's better not to get distracted by more such rogues and simply concentrate on the magnificent, wooden idols of Krishna, Subhadra and Balabhadra. They are really beautiful and captivating. The Balabhadra idol is white in colour and to our left. To our right, is the Lord of Universe, Jagannath's idol in black. It has big black eyes and a beautiful smile. In the middle is their little sister Subhadra's idol. It is smaller than the other two. All 3 idols were beautifully decorated. They are placed on the 'ratna peetha'. Supposedly there are 10,80,000 saligramas (black stones found in the Gandaki river, Nepal), underneath the 'ratna peetha'.

The ornate work on the outside of the temple, especially the shikara or gopura is worth seeing. It's truly beautiful.

We collected our prasad and boarded the bus to proceed to Konark. The Sun temple is beautiful, although no puja was ever done there due to a tragedy that took place soon after it was constructed. There are 24 'chakras' that were actually used as sun-dial to tell time.

On the second day we went on a tour around the city of Bhuvaneshwar. There are so many temples here!!! Then there are the caves called Udaygiri and Khandgiri. We also went to the 'Shanti Stupa' at Dhauli. This is the place where Ashoka developed dispassion after the Kalinga war and embraced Buddhism. I remember reading about this in school.

Overall, it was a great experience.

Ananda Villa

Yesterday I came across a house that was named 'Vijaya Villa'. In kannada those words mean there is no victory although the word 'villa' in english means 'residence'(Brit).

I remember my father telling me about usage of such words, for eg: a house that's named 'Ananda Villa' - which also means 'there's no joy'!!
We had named our house in Chennai, 'Ananda', but no villa...

I heard that a famous kannada actor's house is called 'Summane'. This has reference to the song by Purandaradasaru that says, 'Allide namma mane, illibande summane'...Very thoughtful!

My cousin said there is a bungalow in Dharwad that's called 'Eka Bilva'. Offering of a bilva leaf pleases Lord Shiva.

The most popular name for a house must be 'Anugraha'. Someone I know calls his house 'Santrupti'. That's very wise.

I think I will call my home 'Sukha-Samruddhi'

Memorable Quotes

"People say motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing. That's why it's recommended daily." - Zig Ziglar

"Never settle on being average, because being average means you are the best of the worst and worst of the best." - From a bulletin board at Anoka-Hennepin Vocational-Technical College, Brooklyn Park, Minn.

"I do not fear success or failure, because in success I learn control, and in failure I learn to try again." - Sylvia Brown, author

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit on it." - Pat Koppman

"Every day will only be as productive as you allow it to be; don't let the hurdles of life ruin your race to success!"

"What we do on some great occasion will depend on what we already are; and what we are will be the result of previous years of self-discipline" - H.P. Liddon

He who makes no mistakes has never made anything." - Joseph Heller

"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little." - Edmund Burke

Ups And Downs

I came across an interesting article in the newspaper about this game:
Long before Snakes and Ladders was invented, India had a similar board game called Vaikuntapaali or Paramapada Sopanam (the ladder to salvation). The game has an unwritten message — that life is full of ups (ladders) and downs (snakes), pleasure and pain. And that every human being has to go through success and failure, youth and old age and finally die only to be born again.
In this game every time a snake swallows a player he reaches the tail, which is death. He replays and goes up a ladder — this is life again. The play also has a moral — life is temporary just like happiness and sorrow. It passes away, therefore concentrate on the permanent — that is on God who lives in your own soul. The game board has132 squares arranged in a serial order from the bottom on your left. There are different pictures on each block. They denote a living creature — animals, birds and men and they stand as a symbol. For example, the picture of a rishi (hermit) in block No 30 stands for nishta (concentration). Some squares have human qualities like Ego (Square No. 75), infatuation (Moham No. 97). Once the victor reaches the 132nd square (the last), the right number has to fall to "reach God." Until he does so, he would be limping from one dwarapalak to another. Once he gets the right number to reach the Virat swaroopa, he wins the game!

Parents Day '92

This is a card my brother and I made for Parents Day (1st Aug 1992) and presented it to our parents. I made the sketch (it's a vase with flowers in it) with colour pastels on black sand paper and stuck it on a 'chart paper'. Then searched for a quotation about parents. I chose, 'The joys of parents are secret. So are their griefs and sorrows' by Francis Bacon. I still don't get the meaning of it but wrote it nevertheless. 'Parents are special' 'Happy Father's and Mother's Day!' Signed, Sreedevi and Sameera.
I must thank my teacher (I don't remember who it was). She told the class that 1st Aug was Parents Day and all of you give your parents a gift. Most importantly thank them for everything.

Way Of Life

I read an article recently in the papers about how children these days know about Halloween and other Western superstitions (yes, they have them too!) but know little about our own culture. I am not being a culture-vulture here but I am wondering why our people turn to a westernised way of life.

There are many great things about our 'traditional Indian' way of life, the kinds of food we eat, the clothes we wear, the languages we speak, the practices we follow in our daily life and dare I say our samskara, samskruti and sampradaya.

Why are some of the few who do follow our 'Hindu' customs feel ashamed to say so? Why is it a matter of pride in giving them up or being ignorant of them.

I am reminded of the E-Mail forward about Lord Macualay's address in the British Parliament.

I agree today's fast-paced life doesn't allow us to live like the previous generation did. The least we can do is learn the good from them and try not to ridicule the traditions.

A Trip Of Many Firsts

Dulhe Ko Ghode Pe Kyun Bittaya Jatha Hai?
Usse akhri mauka diya jaatha hai bhag jaane ko!! ha ha ha

I came back last night after a nice trip to Agra. The reason for the visit was my best friend's wedding.

It was the first time I got to see a north Indian wedding. My first trip to the North. So, naturally first visit to the Taj and other monuments that I had only seen in the pictures. I remember making an album of Indian art and architecture during 10th standard, with pictures of Moghul monuments among others. I finally got to see them.

Above all, this trip also marked my first time in an aeroplane (Yay!!!!!!!!!) I returned to Bangalore by a Jetlite flight (#SC 322) from New Delhi. I must say it was very exciting and nice to be in the airport and in the air!!!!!

Im waiting for the pictures taken on a friend's camera. My camera let me down at the wrong times especially when we were at the Taj :(

The baraat arrived at the wedding hall with the dulha on a ghoda and guys dancing in the front. Later the ladies accompanying them also danced. It was very nice to see them dance with joy!!

The bride looked beautiful in a very expensive lehenga/choli and lots of make up. The couple are very much in love and looked very good together. Apparently in the north, they have a ceremony that goes on late in the night.

There was the ritual of Saath-phere and finally, the Bidaai when the bride is sent to her new home. After that we returned to our hotel rooms and prepared to return home.

Death - The Great Leveller

Death has been called the great leveller.

'When the game is over, the king and the pawn go into the same box', is very apt. It also brings about what is called 'Smashana vairagya' i.e. the feeling of dispassion when we see our loved ones die. We realise that everything is temporary and our perspective changes. But this lasts only for about 13 days after which we forget about it and return to our (sub)normal ways.

In the Mahabharata, the Yaksha King asks Yudhishtira what is the greatest wonder in the world. Yudhishtira replies that everyday we see people die, yet we live as if we are going to be here forever. This verily is the greatest wonder.

In the context of death, life finds true meaning. In Bhagavata, King Parikshitha learns of the curse that he will die within 7 days from a snake bite. Immediately he gives up his throne, summons the wise Sage Shukacharya and asks him, 'What is the most important thing that every dying person should know/do?' The king asked this question on behalf of every mortal as each of us is dying, only we don't know when.

The sage replies that the highest good that we can do during a human birth is Bhakti to the Lord. What follows in his sermon is the beautiful story of Krishna called Bhagavata.

Purandaradasaru has extolled, 'Maanava Janma dodaddu. Idannu haani madalibedi huchappagolira'. 'Human life is very precious, don't waste it'

Serving Lord Krishna is the best way to live.