Showing posts with label Drama Koothu Madhupaakam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Drama Koothu Madhupaakam. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
बाजरा | ಸಜ್ಜೆ | கம்பு | Pearl Millet
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| Kambu vellam urundai |
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| to enrich kambu urundai |
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| Kambu urundai yet another weekend |
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| Kambu roti, seppan kilangu roast, karuvepu ilai chutney, chow chow kootu, maanga thokku |
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| Kambu Murukku |
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Sindhoora Mambalam - Koti Surya Sama Prabha
In the evenings, the mango tree branch would hold strong, as i would play in the swings.
Sindhoora! what golden red orange hue
Dawn or dusk sun can't next to you
Alphonsa, Malgova, Mallika
None like you Sindhoora
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| The most delicious sindhoora in the world |
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| Mini mango spared by squirrels |
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| Tree ripened fragrant sindhooras in all shapes that fell down |
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| Moong mudakathaan ie indravalli dosa with coconut chutney |
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| Moong and Mudakathan ie indravalli keerai |
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| Moong modakathaan keerai with Sindhoora |
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| Kollu ie horsegram and modakathaan ie indraalli |
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| Only horsegram and Modakathaan keerai idli ( no udid dal) with Pepper coconut chutney with Sindhoora |
Since Sindhoora, drops on its own from the tree, the core is over ripened. Ambrosial sindhooras
Many weeks ago, wanted to make pista kesar kheer at akka's place.
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| Sambhar, Manathakali keerai, avaraka, Mango thokku with pista kesar kheer |
Some other random day with mor kolambu, vaazhai poo vadai and vaazhai mor kootu
This was again at akka's home, mooli parantha with kesar pista kheer
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| Jowar ie sollam dosa with corriander chutney and paanagam |
Saturday, February 13, 2016
Whitish meals
Guruji's posts made me change my whole food eating habits. Long ago, all of a sudden he said, don't eat tomatoes, and i was breaking my head why did he say that. Now it makes sense. So this is for my guruji, without red coloured ingredients, only whitish food. Suraika is also ruled out. Will cut that out in subsequent versions.
Vaazhai poo and Vaazhai thandu more kootu
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| Paneer in cashew, til, coconut pepper-cumin gravy, flavoured with black salt, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg with ajwain poori |
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| Vaazhai poo for mor kootu |
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| Salem's malai nellika |
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| velrika |
Top: L-R Vaazhai poo more kootu, Vaazhai thandu more kootu, nellika thayir pacchadi, kosambari
Bottom:L-R Curd, rice, poosanika kootu, Jawarisi/Saabudaana pal payasamVaazhai poo and Vaazhai thandu more kootu
- Remove stigma, finely chop plantain flowers, transfer to buttermilk, so that it doesn't darken
- Boil in slow flowers in slow flame with salt as per need
- Once soft and cooked, add coconut paste
- Do tadka with mustard seeds, curry leaves
Nellika thayir pacchadi
- Boil nellika, once soft mash it (mixie or wooden matthu kattai)
- Add curd, coconut paste
- Add fried mustard seeds and curry leaves
Cucumbar kosambari
They serve this way in Raghavendra swamy mutt, Karnataka homes. In Thanjavur side, it is typically cucumber curd salad. Finally decided to make kosambari instead of curd salad.
- Finely chop cucumber
- Add soaked yellow moong dal and scraped coconut
- Add fried mustard seeds and curry leaves, add salt before serving
Poosanikai Kootu
- Boil finely chopped poosanikai in little water till soft and tender
- Add coconut cumin seed paste
- Add fried mustard seeds and curry leaves
Jawarisi pal payasam
- Soak sabudana/jawarisi and boil till soft in milk
- Add jaggery, ellaichi to boiled sabudaana and cashew, almonds, raisins fried in ghee
Today mom did all the cooking and hence watery payasam. Wanted to make coconut pepper chutney, butter jeera rice, coconut rice, white pulao, khas-khas payasam, left it, since mom was cooking.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Krishnashtami
Akka's home by 3.33
Started off at 3 pm itself, much against the wishes of my team mates, so that i could hit bed by 10 pm at akka's home. Mom was to meet me at akka's place. Lady pickpockets stole mom's purse on the way and mom's reasoning was she travelled on her birth nakshatra (same as lord Krishna) on ashtami. Salem's 3.33 reached in 3 hours 23 minutes. It was another bus trip from Salem. This time, i again travelled further thankfully only 20 minutes before returning. Didn't bother to check yatra panchAng or travel timings. It was pouring heavily and we got thoroughly drenched by the time we reached home. Akka had got castor oil for cleansing tummy before fasting.
River water was full and it was wonderful to stand neck deep in waters and take dips praying. Cauvery current was manageable. Seeing me take 108 dips, the kids nearby started taking 108 dips as well. There was a police van near the river to combat caste based clashes during festivities. Curfew was imposed in the village, but thankfully all went well. Made a sarvato bhadra mandala kolam copying from laptop much to the amusement of neighbours who commented on missing little krishna's feet.
Akka wanted to spare the oil hence she made neivedya kolukattais on wood fire instead of gas stove. End of the day, it was akka's home. Didn't want her to strain making murukku and seedai, so let her do whatever she wanted to offer.
After a midnight prayer to rohini moon and krishna, we hit the bare floor with the cocks mercilessly waking up us early morning with their crowing ruckus. Mom joined me for another final trip to river with dips in swift flowing water and we returned home to find buttermilk with amla and ginger to break fast. Had done EFT on friday itself so that i could break fast on sunday. Helped akka with making agathi keerai chappatis and gorged in previous day evening's kolukattais. Akka made idlis for the family, since with the festivities, agastya keerai was not allowed for the family.
On Sunday, just ate the whole day till tummy burst. Sundaika was surprisingly not at all bitter.
Started off at 3 pm itself, much against the wishes of my team mates, so that i could hit bed by 10 pm at akka's home. Mom was to meet me at akka's place. Lady pickpockets stole mom's purse on the way and mom's reasoning was she travelled on her birth nakshatra (same as lord Krishna) on ashtami. Salem's 3.33 reached in 3 hours 23 minutes. It was another bus trip from Salem. This time, i again travelled further thankfully only 20 minutes before returning. Didn't bother to check yatra panchAng or travel timings. It was pouring heavily and we got thoroughly drenched by the time we reached home. Akka had got castor oil for cleansing tummy before fasting.
River water was full and it was wonderful to stand neck deep in waters and take dips praying. Cauvery current was manageable. Seeing me take 108 dips, the kids nearby started taking 108 dips as well. There was a police van near the river to combat caste based clashes during festivities. Curfew was imposed in the village, but thankfully all went well. Made a sarvato bhadra mandala kolam copying from laptop much to the amusement of neighbours who commented on missing little krishna's feet.
Akka wanted to spare the oil hence she made neivedya kolukattais on wood fire instead of gas stove. End of the day, it was akka's home. Didn't want her to strain making murukku and seedai, so let her do whatever she wanted to offer.
After a midnight prayer to rohini moon and krishna, we hit the bare floor with the cocks mercilessly waking up us early morning with their crowing ruckus. Mom joined me for another final trip to river with dips in swift flowing water and we returned home to find buttermilk with amla and ginger to break fast. Had done EFT on friday itself so that i could break fast on sunday. Helped akka with making agathi keerai chappatis and gorged in previous day evening's kolukattais. Akka made idlis for the family, since with the festivities, agastya keerai was not allowed for the family.
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| Sundaika |
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| Kollukattais, agathi keerai chappathi, sundaika moong dal, pal kolukattais |
Monday, August 17, 2015
Madurai by Seshadri express
My compartment had babies, toddlers and kids of all ages. Reminded me of Kempty falls, where hundreds of kids were present in one place. The breast feeding mom travelling by herself, announced that she had to get down at Thirunelvezhi. Was wondering how come she is wearing black. Early morning, when she was apologizing sorry papa to the crying baby and alighting, it didn't register my sleepy mind.
Hawkers shouting alwa alwa made me wonder, what is this place before Madurai that sells halwa just like in Thirunelveli. Was lying in side upper and wondering why on earth a guy was watching so many snaps of women's hair and backside. When he realized am watching, he quickly switched on the goddess wall paper. I woke up around 6:23 am and decided to get down thinking anyway destination is sometime past 7 am and the whole compartment is empty, let me come down. The first station name i saw was Valliyur and the train stopped at a place between two hills and windmills. On the way i saw clouds sitting on the mountains. Was just gazing at the windmills and a young couple sitting on the platform with their baby.
At last around 7 am decided to ask the guy in the compartment as to when Madurai will come. He said, we had crossed it long before. Was surprised and quickly alighted and asked the uncle on the platform and i got the same answer. Realized busstop was the other side, so had to get down the other side, cross the track and climb up to platform.
There was a Nagercoil lady who said Nagercoil was hardly 15 minutes away in train and she described how different it was from Virudhunagar where she was born. She said who ever came from Virudhunagar to Aralvaimozhi caught wheezing and how people here took bath in rivers instead of closed bathrooms. She was visiting her mom leaving her husband alone because Aralvaimozhi acclimatized husband could not survive Virudhunagar's scorching heat. She kept on stating urangAdhe and asked the ladies next to me to tell me the stop. Got a ticket in Coimbatore express which was arriving in a while and reached brother's new place close to 2 pm instead of 3-4 am. In a way good, bro had to work even on independence day and am glad he did not have to get up so early. Bro's new place was a fine structure, new building and we could see Thiruparankundram hillock from his terrace. Mom came around 9 am on Sunday and we finally left my brother peacefully around 6:30 pm. Mom in one place, sister in another, brother in another and me in another. God only knows if we could ever spend a festival together.
Hawkers shouting alwa alwa made me wonder, what is this place before Madurai that sells halwa just like in Thirunelveli. Was lying in side upper and wondering why on earth a guy was watching so many snaps of women's hair and backside. When he realized am watching, he quickly switched on the goddess wall paper. I woke up around 6:23 am and decided to get down thinking anyway destination is sometime past 7 am and the whole compartment is empty, let me come down. The first station name i saw was Valliyur and the train stopped at a place between two hills and windmills. On the way i saw clouds sitting on the mountains. Was just gazing at the windmills and a young couple sitting on the platform with their baby.
At last around 7 am decided to ask the guy in the compartment as to when Madurai will come. He said, we had crossed it long before. Was surprised and quickly alighted and asked the uncle on the platform and i got the same answer. Realized busstop was the other side, so had to get down the other side, cross the track and climb up to platform.
There was a Nagercoil lady who said Nagercoil was hardly 15 minutes away in train and she described how different it was from Virudhunagar where she was born. She said who ever came from Virudhunagar to Aralvaimozhi caught wheezing and how people here took bath in rivers instead of closed bathrooms. She was visiting her mom leaving her husband alone because Aralvaimozhi acclimatized husband could not survive Virudhunagar's scorching heat. She kept on stating urangAdhe and asked the ladies next to me to tell me the stop. Got a ticket in Coimbatore express which was arriving in a while and reached brother's new place close to 2 pm instead of 3-4 am. In a way good, bro had to work even on independence day and am glad he did not have to get up so early. Bro's new place was a fine structure, new building and we could see Thiruparankundram hillock from his terrace. Mom came around 9 am on Sunday and we finally left my brother peacefully around 6:30 pm. Mom in one place, sister in another, brother in another and me in another. God only knows if we could ever spend a festival together.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Saying and Doing Gap
Never had there been a case of waiting for Shukla shasti for months, to go to Kottakal in 2010 or 11. Thanks to my kanya being populated with heavy weights, and a wonderful absorption system, AVS Doc said, have fruits for dinner that too before 7 pm. Even before that, used to have mostly fruits for dinner. That was a time, when reasonably good food was available, for a reasonable duration. Now that food availability timings are shorter, quality is gone, am at Maslow’s base level hierarchy yet again. Cycles of life, wheels of destiny, ups and down. Will come out of this.
Yesterday was at sugarcane juice counter and next to me was a guy munching red coloured fried masala groundnuts. Was tempted so much, thank god, didn’t grab his groundnuts. So went to minus one department store, ate 150 gms of fried groundnuts, doing work in parallel, that tummy hurt a lot all night and morning. To top it all, had rotis, rice, khadi in spite of feeling full. Even roomies, when they offer me fried peanuts warn me, that I won’t be able to eat. Still greedily, would take a handful and return what was offered, after munching just one with tears in my eyes and running nose.
Yesterday night, made a sankalpa to stick to original decision and yesteryear's practice of eating only fruits for dinner. Guruji ordered - take Chitrak. Amazing this tiny little white flowered wildly growing stuff. Have been reading about its properties and dangerous side effects since morning. Come rainy reason, it would be growing wildly all over. God!!! Please help me get back to good old days of having fruits for dinner, let me not get tempted with food, that too food.
If we do something continuously for 21 days, it becomes a habit.
July 26th
Finally managed a 12 day phala kriccha vrat - lost 4 kgs in 12 days but starting on dwAdashi, gained 3 kgs in 2 days. ChaturmAs has just started and the first month itself has been a great teacher. Being a foodie, would sulk, if there was no sabji, that too cooked to my specifiications. Now have survived close to a month without vegetables, 12 days without rice. Now a simple curd rice, a simple dal rice is ambrosia. Next month, no curd, after that no milk products, last month no dicotyledons. It is been a huge learning experience.
panchAng says - ee masadalli eka bhukta, nakta vrat. No amount of fasting for figure can make me quit food. But with God's grace, in his name, everything is possible at last.
Yesterday was at sugarcane juice counter and next to me was a guy munching red coloured fried masala groundnuts. Was tempted so much, thank god, didn’t grab his groundnuts. So went to minus one department store, ate 150 gms of fried groundnuts, doing work in parallel, that tummy hurt a lot all night and morning. To top it all, had rotis, rice, khadi in spite of feeling full. Even roomies, when they offer me fried peanuts warn me, that I won’t be able to eat. Still greedily, would take a handful and return what was offered, after munching just one with tears in my eyes and running nose.
Yesterday night, made a sankalpa to stick to original decision and yesteryear's practice of eating only fruits for dinner. Guruji ordered - take Chitrak. Amazing this tiny little white flowered wildly growing stuff. Have been reading about its properties and dangerous side effects since morning. Come rainy reason, it would be growing wildly all over. God!!! Please help me get back to good old days of having fruits for dinner, let me not get tempted with food, that too food.
If we do something continuously for 21 days, it becomes a habit.
July 26th
Finally managed a 12 day phala kriccha vrat - lost 4 kgs in 12 days but starting on dwAdashi, gained 3 kgs in 2 days. ChaturmAs has just started and the first month itself has been a great teacher. Being a foodie, would sulk, if there was no sabji, that too cooked to my specifiications. Now have survived close to a month without vegetables, 12 days without rice. Now a simple curd rice, a simple dal rice is ambrosia. Next month, no curd, after that no milk products, last month no dicotyledons. It is been a huge learning experience.
panchAng says - ee masadalli eka bhukta, nakta vrat. No amount of fasting for figure can make me quit food. But with God's grace, in his name, everything is possible at last.
Friday, May 16, 2014
Rudrappa P Uppina anna – the epitome of Asteya
Stolen and returned (yet again)
Thursday Morning May 8, 2014 8:45 am
Just moments before stepping out, after the final pradakshina, realized that I had been robbed of everything – purse, mobile, valuables, everything with the laptop bag, that too in Shri Raghavendra Swamy mutt in Jayanagar 5th block. Absolutely penny-less, even to go to police station to lodge complaint, as mandated when official laptop is stolen, had to borrow Rs. 100 from the seva counter guy. Had been at mutt from 7:25 am, did pradakshinas for dwadash gurus without laptop bag, it was safe till then.
Saturday Noon May 10, 2014 – Raghavendra Swamy’s Krupa
Was checking the contents of my soiled laptop in RPU anna’s home in RT nagar. RPU anna’s driver Santosh, had found it, in a dark obscure place in Malleshwaram, where he had gone for urinating. After Adiga’s White Tiger, Santosh changed my perception of drivers. 3 gm Au ring, cash in purse around 270+ (thief spared one 2 rupee coin this time), including my debit card, Cadbury’s fruit and nut chocolate, mobile given by a Pentecost pastor anna, mouse went missing; rest of silver ware (tumbler, spoon and chandan mixing tiny bowl), laptop Latitude 6420, datacard, 32 GB pendrive, medical bills, seva receipts, everything else was safe. What else can I say other than Raghavendra Swamy’s grace , RPU anna’s honesty and his persistent efforts in reaching out when the thief had activated unconditional forwarding in my mobile, which I could deactivate only after 80 hours.
Last April 2013, my laptop and mobile was very much with me, lost only the laptop bag, yet, I sat crying from morning till noon in front of Raghavendra swamy’s photo and it came back, this time laptop also went, and it was not 1gm Au, 3gm Au, yet was non chalant. Of course, was angry on and off, teary eyed on and off, on having to ask others for money with the world’s worst bank ICICI’s delay in debit card replacement.
Back to Thursday After theft - Jayanagar Police Station Saga
The traffic police guided me to JP nagar police station, while seva counter guy said Jayanagar police station. Auto refused to come to Jayanagar police station. So walked to JP nagar police station to realize, Jayanagar was the right one.
At jayanagar police station, one police lady asked me thrice, about my chrome yellow sari, if that was part of my office uniform, I replied her no twice, that it was my mother’s sari. And another police guy enacted, I should have carried my laptop bag tucked under my arms and did my pradakshina. Imagine carrying the rock heavy Latitude 6420 like that. But there are folks who do panchAng namaskars for every step with heavy laptops while I need hands free while praying.
Current was not there, no zerox. So had to write the letter twice, for police records. Had to repeat what I had lost to every guy (10+) in uniform who asked me. Kept trying my mother’s number which was the only number I remembered and mom had kept phone at home and had gone to office.
3 police guys including a lady police in sari came in police jeep to mutt, where the police were given prasad, coconut, flowers and archak got panchamrutha in small cups in the managers room where we were sitting. Told them, no, already had a tumbler full and the guy said one is not supposed to refuse prasad. So had a second tiny cup of panchamrutha. Police lady said, that she prayed to Raghavendra swamy that I should get the things back. Police didn't file FIR
Office Episode
With the seva counter guy’s money, took a bus and reached office, mailed first to office folks on not being available on mobile. Blocked card and placed request for new card which is yet to come after 9 days. Jai Ho ICICI! Receptionist guided me to legal department and legal guy asked with the greatest sarcasm, “so, how did you manage to lose?” Managers were supportive. By 7:30 pm, after a heated exchange, got a duplicate sim card, which was registered on some Ibrahim’s name as per their records!!! And Vodafone folks have called me so many times for renewing some service or other. Only on Sunday could manage to deactivate automatic call forwarding that the thief had set up.
Friday May 9, Ecospace
Reached the venue for the event, was taking notes furiously in the absence of android recorder and audacity in my laptop and event manager asked me to contact my manager who gave me the number of two people to call - security guy and RPU anna’s number. To cut the long story short, RPU anna resisted selling the laptop, he called up the office security using the number in the id card and security sent mail to all concerned. RPU anna has two cute daughters studying in 1st and 3rd.
Back to Saturday Ekadashi saga
Absolutely pennyless and having exhausted all borrowed money in auto and 1 day AC bus pass, my pushya colleague who escorted me to RPU anna’s home got 2 kgs banganapallis, insisting that bachelors won’t eat fruits. RPU anna said his greatest satisfaction was on having returned things to the rightful owner. Funny life. If it was me, i would not have touched any laptop bag that was not mine, so the question of taking so much trouble to ensure it returns the rightful owner, would not have arisen. Home work for this weekend: to analyze patterns in April 4th or 5th, 2013 and (again got it back on Saturday April 6th, 2013) and Au bracelet that slipped on December 26, 2011 and this year May 8, back on May 10.
May 25 Ekadashi Again
A fortnight later, RPU anna messaged me twice and called me once. I didn't answer his call or text back. Asked my guruji, will that be considered as lack of gratitude. Guruji said no and I left it at that. God bless RPU anna, his two kids, wife and everyone at home. Still waiting for ICICI debit card.
Thursday Morning May 8, 2014 8:45 am
Just moments before stepping out, after the final pradakshina, realized that I had been robbed of everything – purse, mobile, valuables, everything with the laptop bag, that too in Shri Raghavendra Swamy mutt in Jayanagar 5th block. Absolutely penny-less, even to go to police station to lodge complaint, as mandated when official laptop is stolen, had to borrow Rs. 100 from the seva counter guy. Had been at mutt from 7:25 am, did pradakshinas for dwadash gurus without laptop bag, it was safe till then.
Saturday Noon May 10, 2014 – Raghavendra Swamy’s Krupa
Was checking the contents of my soiled laptop in RPU anna’s home in RT nagar. RPU anna’s driver Santosh, had found it, in a dark obscure place in Malleshwaram, where he had gone for urinating. After Adiga’s White Tiger, Santosh changed my perception of drivers. 3 gm Au ring, cash in purse around 270+ (thief spared one 2 rupee coin this time), including my debit card, Cadbury’s fruit and nut chocolate, mobile given by a Pentecost pastor anna, mouse went missing; rest of silver ware (tumbler, spoon and chandan mixing tiny bowl), laptop Latitude 6420, datacard, 32 GB pendrive, medical bills, seva receipts, everything else was safe. What else can I say other than Raghavendra Swamy’s grace , RPU anna’s honesty and his persistent efforts in reaching out when the thief had activated unconditional forwarding in my mobile, which I could deactivate only after 80 hours.
Last April 2013, my laptop and mobile was very much with me, lost only the laptop bag, yet, I sat crying from morning till noon in front of Raghavendra swamy’s photo and it came back, this time laptop also went, and it was not 1gm Au, 3gm Au, yet was non chalant. Of course, was angry on and off, teary eyed on and off, on having to ask others for money with the world’s worst bank ICICI’s delay in debit card replacement.
Back to Thursday After theft - Jayanagar Police Station Saga
The traffic police guided me to JP nagar police station, while seva counter guy said Jayanagar police station. Auto refused to come to Jayanagar police station. So walked to JP nagar police station to realize, Jayanagar was the right one.
At jayanagar police station, one police lady asked me thrice, about my chrome yellow sari, if that was part of my office uniform, I replied her no twice, that it was my mother’s sari. And another police guy enacted, I should have carried my laptop bag tucked under my arms and did my pradakshina. Imagine carrying the rock heavy Latitude 6420 like that. But there are folks who do panchAng namaskars for every step with heavy laptops while I need hands free while praying.
Current was not there, no zerox. So had to write the letter twice, for police records. Had to repeat what I had lost to every guy (10+) in uniform who asked me. Kept trying my mother’s number which was the only number I remembered and mom had kept phone at home and had gone to office.
3 police guys including a lady police in sari came in police jeep to mutt, where the police were given prasad, coconut, flowers and archak got panchamrutha in small cups in the managers room where we were sitting. Told them, no, already had a tumbler full and the guy said one is not supposed to refuse prasad. So had a second tiny cup of panchamrutha. Police lady said, that she prayed to Raghavendra swamy that I should get the things back. Police didn't file FIR
Office Episode
With the seva counter guy’s money, took a bus and reached office, mailed first to office folks on not being available on mobile. Blocked card and placed request for new card which is yet to come after 9 days. Jai Ho ICICI! Receptionist guided me to legal department and legal guy asked with the greatest sarcasm, “so, how did you manage to lose?” Managers were supportive. By 7:30 pm, after a heated exchange, got a duplicate sim card, which was registered on some Ibrahim’s name as per their records!!! And Vodafone folks have called me so many times for renewing some service or other. Only on Sunday could manage to deactivate automatic call forwarding that the thief had set up.
Friday May 9, Ecospace
Reached the venue for the event, was taking notes furiously in the absence of android recorder and audacity in my laptop and event manager asked me to contact my manager who gave me the number of two people to call - security guy and RPU anna’s number. To cut the long story short, RPU anna resisted selling the laptop, he called up the office security using the number in the id card and security sent mail to all concerned. RPU anna has two cute daughters studying in 1st and 3rd.
Back to Saturday Ekadashi saga
Absolutely pennyless and having exhausted all borrowed money in auto and 1 day AC bus pass, my pushya colleague who escorted me to RPU anna’s home got 2 kgs banganapallis, insisting that bachelors won’t eat fruits. RPU anna said his greatest satisfaction was on having returned things to the rightful owner. Funny life. If it was me, i would not have touched any laptop bag that was not mine, so the question of taking so much trouble to ensure it returns the rightful owner, would not have arisen. Home work for this weekend: to analyze patterns in April 4th or 5th, 2013 and (again got it back on Saturday April 6th, 2013) and Au bracelet that slipped on December 26, 2011 and this year May 8, back on May 10.
May 25 Ekadashi Again
A fortnight later, RPU anna messaged me twice and called me once. I didn't answer his call or text back. Asked my guruji, will that be considered as lack of gratitude. Guruji said no and I left it at that. God bless RPU anna, his two kids, wife and everyone at home. Still waiting for ICICI debit card.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Pleasant Surprise
Am on cloud 9.
Books that came on their own, books that are still close to my heart:
- There was March 1st distant relative who gave me first colourful glossy Lori Reid book on “The Art of Hand reading” when folks thought I had leukemia after 12th std and this came to me on BHEL hospital bed
- There was a Feb 15th guy, who gave me a guru shisya samvada – which built my basics in astrology in 2000.
- After 2000, 14 years later my Dec 9 yoga colleague presented me Vedic Mathematics by Bharati Krsn tirthaji.
Just when I was struggling with astrology calculations, simple ephemeris q, to find the year based on sat-ju placement – eod astrology is applied math, was presented with this amazing book. Though was certified in Vedic math in 2010 by e-gurukul, could not apply it beyond competitive exams. I could remember only what I taught to kids, what I didn’t teach, I conveniently forgot. Need to teach to learn actually.
One gets Bhadra mahapurush yoga only due to guru’s blessings for teaching freely what was learnt.
We have a saying that knowledge in books and money lent to others, in times of need, it is neither your knowledge nor your money. So stopped buying books. I just read voraciously in book shops and move on without buying a book and carrying and adding on to excessive luggage. I share a 80*80 with 3 other girls and lesser luggage, more space to breath and sleep.
Funny, mana prasannatah, utsaah, everything restored now. Of late, had been hurting myself, my right hand index knuckle got slit, deeply nicked my left hand apollo finger tip, that made it keying difficult, this morning, bled my inner lower lip in the left side by accidentally banging on wall, long before my left thigh just below hip. All pains vanished with this gift. Funny!
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Kai kaal Mulaitha Rojapoos
Never felt baby pink so close to my heart. 7:30-8:00 am was sun basking for my twin nieces and it was a wonder holding them. 1 month premature, 50 gms plus or minus 2.5 kgs, amazing kids. One kuvaaa sound, everyone was at the cradle. Could not sleep even for 1 hour at a stretch. My sister’s SIL was watching the drips and she was awake till 4 am. Everyone is taking turns to sleep. LSCS means lower segment C-section. Meconium is black as coal tar. Got practical lessons on holding new borns.
Di-zygotic twins
The bigger one had sis’ O+ve and smaller one had big BIL’s B+ve. When I saw those bundled treasures, just melted.
All that is still embedded in my inner eye are the two babies, their soft kuvaas. You just touch them once or hold them reassuringly and they get back to sleeping peacefully, doing all those enticing antics in their sleep. Their images are still brimming in my eyes. Anything for them.
Sis was the largest baby. She is slowly learning to sit, to take few steps, go to the loo on her own. Will be months before she gets ok. The pain in her eyes, would get tears to everyone’s eyes. Everyone was quite disappointed that both were girls. The third girl in the family (including BIL’s sister’s daughter), that BIL has to take care of, 5 if one were to included his sister and my sister.
Doctors’ Dilemma
My sister was concerned, if the skin was fully formed. My BIL was concerned that bilirubin should be ok after the 9th feeding, since twins had a high likelihood of developing jaundice. He had already done all the tests with reports sent to Hongkong for genetic anomalies in 1st trimester itself. So they were doing these post-partum tests as a complement it seems. Funny, to have knowledge of all the complications that could come up.
When Your Super Senior Comes for rounds
Most visiting friends were her batch mate doctors practicing nearby in SRM and the like. So yesterday, when yet another doctor said in her peter English, sorry K, we cannot have more than 1-2 visitors at time, only then, I learnt that my nieces were one month premature.
Then sis started relating story of how a hi-fi batch my BIL’s batch was. The doctor was ss’ super senior and BIL’s senior. BIL’s batch had SRMC Uddayar’s grandson studying. It also had Governor Reddy’s grand-daughter and lots of NRIs. So when BIL scored a goal against the grandsons team in football. For the next round, he and others playing well, were asked to play without shoes and socks. Only during university level football matches, they became friends. Ok leave side stories.
God’s amazing way of inculcating responsibility. Child is indeed the father of the man.
Di-zygotic twins
The bigger one had sis’ O+ve and smaller one had big BIL’s B+ve. When I saw those bundled treasures, just melted.
All that is still embedded in my inner eye are the two babies, their soft kuvaas. You just touch them once or hold them reassuringly and they get back to sleeping peacefully, doing all those enticing antics in their sleep. Their images are still brimming in my eyes. Anything for them.
Sis was the largest baby. She is slowly learning to sit, to take few steps, go to the loo on her own. Will be months before she gets ok. The pain in her eyes, would get tears to everyone’s eyes. Everyone was quite disappointed that both were girls. The third girl in the family (including BIL’s sister’s daughter), that BIL has to take care of, 5 if one were to included his sister and my sister.
Doctors’ Dilemma
My sister was concerned, if the skin was fully formed. My BIL was concerned that bilirubin should be ok after the 9th feeding, since twins had a high likelihood of developing jaundice. He had already done all the tests with reports sent to Hongkong for genetic anomalies in 1st trimester itself. So they were doing these post-partum tests as a complement it seems. Funny, to have knowledge of all the complications that could come up.
When Your Super Senior Comes for rounds
Most visiting friends were her batch mate doctors practicing nearby in SRM and the like. So yesterday, when yet another doctor said in her peter English, sorry K, we cannot have more than 1-2 visitors at time, only then, I learnt that my nieces were one month premature.
Then sis started relating story of how a hi-fi batch my BIL’s batch was. The doctor was ss’ super senior and BIL’s senior. BIL’s batch had SRMC Uddayar’s grandson studying. It also had Governor Reddy’s grand-daughter and lots of NRIs. So when BIL scored a goal against the grandsons team in football. For the next round, he and others playing well, were asked to play without shoes and socks. Only during university level football matches, they became friends. Ok leave side stories.
God’s amazing way of inculcating responsibility. Child is indeed the father of the man.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Great escape from a biting three year old
Hamsa Mahapurusha Yoga
Of all my nephews and nieces, this July 15th nephew is my favourite. A strong sun, moon Am going to ignore his married life in future. D60 shows it all. Other aspects, am sure, he will become somebody big. He is god's gift, the first great grandson of my grandfather, in an unbreakable male chain. He has my favourite hamsa mahapurusha yoga, like most babies born in 2010 have.
He made us laugh all the while. Many a times, i caught myself gazing at him. Wonder, how guru being a GK is going to impact hamsa mahapurusha yoga. Like the midnight's children, i wish these 2010, 2014 June 4 borns could grow up soon. Wonder, what they would become.
Action replay
After a late lunch, i was working on the laptop, sprawled on the sofa, when the 3 year old wanted to play with the digicam and laptop. In an effort to save the digicam and the dongle, that was precariously hooked to one end of laptop, i bit my nephew's arm, very lightly and he was wearing a full handed tiny blazer. My mom, her elder sister were there, my bro was there, yet no one took my nephew away from the dongle which was flashing blue lights.
Not to be outdone, he came back to bite me and at last, after many shrieks from my end, my brother and aunt came to my rescue and lifted my nephew tussling to bite me. All my work was stopped now. Thank god, at last, my brother distracted my nephew with a recording of his recitation of A for apple, B for bat sing song. He soon gave up biting and went to sleep. It is a privilege to be with him even for just one day.
He repeated, everything, we said. Amazing, this young age, any language of the world can be mastered. Anything could be learnt and imprinted for life. Wish i could get back my childhood. Either i should be less than 5 or greater than 60 years old. :-)
Of all my nephews and nieces, this July 15th nephew is my favourite. A strong sun, moon Am going to ignore his married life in future. D60 shows it all. Other aspects, am sure, he will become somebody big. He is god's gift, the first great grandson of my grandfather, in an unbreakable male chain. He has my favourite hamsa mahapurusha yoga, like most babies born in 2010 have.
He made us laugh all the while. Many a times, i caught myself gazing at him. Wonder, how guru being a GK is going to impact hamsa mahapurusha yoga. Like the midnight's children, i wish these 2010, 2014 June 4 borns could grow up soon. Wonder, what they would become.
Action replay
After a late lunch, i was working on the laptop, sprawled on the sofa, when the 3 year old wanted to play with the digicam and laptop. In an effort to save the digicam and the dongle, that was precariously hooked to one end of laptop, i bit my nephew's arm, very lightly and he was wearing a full handed tiny blazer. My mom, her elder sister were there, my bro was there, yet no one took my nephew away from the dongle which was flashing blue lights.
Not to be outdone, he came back to bite me and at last, after many shrieks from my end, my brother and aunt came to my rescue and lifted my nephew tussling to bite me. All my work was stopped now. Thank god, at last, my brother distracted my nephew with a recording of his recitation of A for apple, B for bat sing song. He soon gave up biting and went to sleep. It is a privilege to be with him even for just one day.
He repeated, everything, we said. Amazing, this young age, any language of the world can be mastered. Anything could be learnt and imprinted for life. Wish i could get back my childhood. Either i should be less than 5 or greater than 60 years old. :-)
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Basics - blender maintenance
It is the time of the life, when when 7.5 years lead one to revisit areas of ignorance, to relive, experience the world mirroring thoughts, words and deeds of ignorance.
So discovered prolonged sleep deprivation, am revisiting the fundamentals of life - roti, kapda, makan. So talking about food, am wondering, how to sustain conscious eating. If food is not tasty, i can't eat and so mind is not satisfied. If the food is tasty, i can't eat some more, since stomach can only hold so much and again mind is not satisfied. So being satiated is more in the mind, than in the food. Am not able to sustain, conscious mindful eating, something like they tell in these meditation classes, or a ratatouille.
One's natural tendencies always take over. 21 days of practice is what i need now. Periyamma used to be amazing, she would eat just the right amount, no matter, how delicious the food was. Mom was ulta, she would over stuff, so that food does not get wasted. Chithi was another extreme, who would skip eating to spare her waist line.
If my stomach were a blender, i should ensure, that i should not run it to brim for long hours without rest.
Mindful eating!!!!
From The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad commentary by Swami Krishnananda:
Bhrigu in Taittriya Upanishad says mind passes through stages of Anna, Prāṇa, Manas, Vijñāna, Ānanda.
9th Brahmana. The great Vaisvanara present in our own selves performs a unique function in our own bodies as the fire that digests food. It produces a beautiful, mellow, rumbling sound like that of an ocean wave inside us (heard through practicing Shambavi mudra)
Sāmana, seated in the navel is the subtlest form of vital force. It digests food, and it is the cause of the heat that you feel inside the body.
Our life is sustained by the food that we consume, and food in turn is maintained in its original freshness by the energy that pervades it.
Vi, iti; annaṁ vai vi; anne hīmāni sarvāṇi bhῡtāni viṣṭānī: ‘Everything is rooted in the material form and the food that is consumed, because of the fact that they are rooted in the material form.’
When the mind withdraws itself into the heart, it does not require any other external food to
maintain itself
Naadi in the heart, through which the mind moves in dream, are called Hitās. In this condition of the location of the mind in the nerves of the Hitās inside the heart in the dreaming state, there is no need for any physical food. You enjoy ethereal food in the state of dream, and you are as happy in dream as you are in waking, though you have nothing physical to contact.
The Prāṇas are not only inside our bodies. They are powers which operate throughout the universe. And so, the vital Prāṇa that is sustaining the whole world, all creation, becomes part and parcel of one’s being, and sustenance comes from all sides when the ego subsides temporarily. This is what happens when we enter into sleep. It is because of the fact that we dissolve our personality, practically, in sleep and stand open to the reception of energies and powers from outside, that we get up refreshed from sleep, even without dinner, without lunch, without breakfast.Without any kind of
nourishing element in sleep, we get up as if we have eaten well. Tired people wake up with a freshness of personality. From where has this freshness come? You have not taken any tonic, any medicine or any foodstuff during sleep. You have only closed your eyes and forgotten yourself. The mere fact of the forgetfulness of yourself has become the source of sustenance and energy to your being.
The forgetfulness of personality is the secret of success.
The body, for instance, which is constituted of the essence of food, is resolvable into the earth element because the substance of food is the substance of the earth.
The Creator fixed for himself the three kinds of food, namely, the mind, the speech and the vital force.
The food that we eat is not necessarily the physical food that is consumed through the mouth, but any kind of intake of the personality through any of the sense-organs by which one is maintained.
There are seven kinds of food which God has created for the satisfaction of the individuals. The ordinary food that we eat every day is one kind of food. The milk that comes out from the breast of the mother is another kind of food, natural to children, whether they are human or otherwise. The
sacrifices offered to the gods or the divinities called Darsha and Purnamasa, the offerings that we make to gods, especially during the new moon and the full moon occasions, are two other kinds of food that sustains the gods. threefold food which is psychological in nature, called in the Upaniṣhadic language as speech, mind and Prāṇa.
Aham annam annam adantam admi, says the Taittirīya Upaniṣhad: ‘I am the food, and I am the eater of food. I, who am food, eat the eater of food.’
From Taittriya Upanishad
Chap II The Pranamaya kosha
From food all creatures are born: by food, when born, they grow. Because it is eaten by beings and because it eats beings, therefore it is called food.”
Chapter VII—The Importance of Food (I)
Let him (the knower of Brahman) never condemn food; that is the vow. (It was my professor who first introduced me to annam na nindyath. It is kind of difficult to digest that one wrong word, can cause a permanent parting with the professor)
To guests, he should say: "The food has been prepared for you." If this food is given first, food comes to the giver first. If this food is given in the middle, food comes to the giver in the middle. If this food is given last, food comes to the giver last.
"I am the first—born of the true, prior to the gods and the navel of Immortality. He who gives me away, he alone preserves me. He who eats food—I, as food, eat him.
So discovered prolonged sleep deprivation, am revisiting the fundamentals of life - roti, kapda, makan. So talking about food, am wondering, how to sustain conscious eating. If food is not tasty, i can't eat and so mind is not satisfied. If the food is tasty, i can't eat some more, since stomach can only hold so much and again mind is not satisfied. So being satiated is more in the mind, than in the food. Am not able to sustain, conscious mindful eating, something like they tell in these meditation classes, or a ratatouille.
One's natural tendencies always take over. 21 days of practice is what i need now. Periyamma used to be amazing, she would eat just the right amount, no matter, how delicious the food was. Mom was ulta, she would over stuff, so that food does not get wasted. Chithi was another extreme, who would skip eating to spare her waist line.
If my stomach were a blender, i should ensure, that i should not run it to brim for long hours without rest.
Mindful eating!!!!
From The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad commentary by Swami Krishnananda:
Bhrigu in Taittriya Upanishad says mind passes through stages of Anna, Prāṇa, Manas, Vijñāna, Ānanda.
9th Brahmana. The great Vaisvanara present in our own selves performs a unique function in our own bodies as the fire that digests food. It produces a beautiful, mellow, rumbling sound like that of an ocean wave inside us (heard through practicing Shambavi mudra)
Sāmana, seated in the navel is the subtlest form of vital force. It digests food, and it is the cause of the heat that you feel inside the body.
Our life is sustained by the food that we consume, and food in turn is maintained in its original freshness by the energy that pervades it.
Vi, iti; annaṁ vai vi; anne hīmāni sarvāṇi bhῡtāni viṣṭānī: ‘Everything is rooted in the material form and the food that is consumed, because of the fact that they are rooted in the material form.’
When the mind withdraws itself into the heart, it does not require any other external food to
maintain itself
Naadi in the heart, through which the mind moves in dream, are called Hitās. In this condition of the location of the mind in the nerves of the Hitās inside the heart in the dreaming state, there is no need for any physical food. You enjoy ethereal food in the state of dream, and you are as happy in dream as you are in waking, though you have nothing physical to contact.
The Prāṇas are not only inside our bodies. They are powers which operate throughout the universe. And so, the vital Prāṇa that is sustaining the whole world, all creation, becomes part and parcel of one’s being, and sustenance comes from all sides when the ego subsides temporarily. This is what happens when we enter into sleep. It is because of the fact that we dissolve our personality, practically, in sleep and stand open to the reception of energies and powers from outside, that we get up refreshed from sleep, even without dinner, without lunch, without breakfast.Without any kind of
nourishing element in sleep, we get up as if we have eaten well. Tired people wake up with a freshness of personality. From where has this freshness come? You have not taken any tonic, any medicine or any foodstuff during sleep. You have only closed your eyes and forgotten yourself. The mere fact of the forgetfulness of yourself has become the source of sustenance and energy to your being.
The forgetfulness of personality is the secret of success.
The body, for instance, which is constituted of the essence of food, is resolvable into the earth element because the substance of food is the substance of the earth.
The Creator fixed for himself the three kinds of food, namely, the mind, the speech and the vital force.
The food that we eat is not necessarily the physical food that is consumed through the mouth, but any kind of intake of the personality through any of the sense-organs by which one is maintained.
There are seven kinds of food which God has created for the satisfaction of the individuals. The ordinary food that we eat every day is one kind of food. The milk that comes out from the breast of the mother is another kind of food, natural to children, whether they are human or otherwise. The
sacrifices offered to the gods or the divinities called Darsha and Purnamasa, the offerings that we make to gods, especially during the new moon and the full moon occasions, are two other kinds of food that sustains the gods. threefold food which is psychological in nature, called in the Upaniṣhadic language as speech, mind and Prāṇa.
Aham annam annam adantam admi, says the Taittirīya Upaniṣhad: ‘I am the food, and I am the eater of food. I, who am food, eat the eater of food.’
From Taittriya Upanishad
Chap II The Pranamaya kosha
From food all creatures are born: by food, when born, they grow. Because it is eaten by beings and because it eats beings, therefore it is called food.”
Chapter VII—The Importance of Food (I)
Let him (the knower of Brahman) never condemn food; that is the vow. (It was my professor who first introduced me to annam na nindyath. It is kind of difficult to digest that one wrong word, can cause a permanent parting with the professor)
To guests, he should say: "The food has been prepared for you." If this food is given first, food comes to the giver first. If this food is given in the middle, food comes to the giver in the middle. If this food is given last, food comes to the giver last.
"I am the first—born of the true, prior to the gods and the navel of Immortality. He who gives me away, he alone preserves me. He who eats food—I, as food, eat him.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Stolen and Returned
Laptop Bag Contents
Things that got stolen: I had made this list to give to the police station.
1. Laptop bag and inside it was:
2. Pocket Bhagawad Gita (had spent years translating each word in many shlokas/ had done sandhi viched, made notes topic wise) – can’t stay without BG in the mornings
3. Tata docomo data card
4. Office id and access card (replacement would cost 500)
5. Purse with 340+ rupees in cash
a. ICICI debit card – balance Rs.1513.55
b. PAN card
c. B school alumni card
d. B school student ID
e. Lifestyle Inner circle card
f. MORE card
g. Auchan card
h. Star Bazaar card
6. Makeup pouch
a. Raaga bracelet like watch – 3750 Rs
b. Hyderabadi pearl earrings – Rs. 650
c. 4 one gram gold bangles – Rs. 1000+ (in 2004)
d. Fa deodorant
e. Bindi, Hairpins, Safety pins, Hairbands, ponds powder dabba
f. Lakme Eyeliner, Mascara, Eyebrow pencil, eyetex, kumkum
7. Things that I forgot in my bag/purse (next day morning when I found it outside the door)
a. Mouse
b. Headset
c. Yoga track pants
d. Aqua blue earrings
e. Visiting cards of young at heart friends, Id card of Anna Institute, Ramana maharishi photo, BMTC monthly pass, JustBooks Membership card
Retrospection
I was searching for theft in astrology, I was expecting 6th house, while 8th house came up. And I got mired by dwadamsha details. My mind went back to thiruvannamalai girivalam Dec 1-2, 2009, when a thief had stolen my purse with all id proofs, mobile and I had to borrow 500 from a Swiss law student. In my first thiruvannamalai full moon trip, I had kept my purse on kitchen stove and only when I had to buy bus tickets, I remembered, alighted somewhere, took an auto back home and went to cmbt after a long round trip. In one of the trips, when mom still didn’t know how to operate mobile, I was separated from mom in the crowd and I roamed all night, going between police station and temples without even a single paise in my hands. One constable lent me 100 rs that full moon day, one flower seller lent me 1Rs, so I could call my mom. Since phone was in silent mode, mom didn’t even answer the phone. We finally met only the next day morning. An autodriver in lungi stole my digital camera during inner path girivalam in 2011. And even now I feel nauseated seeing guys in lungis. Somehow am always penniless during thiruvannamalai full moon trips.
I was analyzing the chara dasa (maha, antar, pratyantar, shuksma) dasha of Dec 2, 2009 night and yesterday early morning and found commonalities.
Since I need the laptop for listening to my yoga teacher’s mp3 instructions and mobile for keeping timer for kapalabati, only my laptop bag and its contents were stolen and not the actual laptop and mobile which were supposed to be inside it. I get up at 5:30 am in the morning and watching the rising sun is something that really energizes me and makes me feel like a child again. I need lots of open space, with abundant ventilation, natural light. I brush my teeth outside on the terrace, facing north east, since my teacher wrote so. 5:40 am was when I opened the main door and went to terrace to brush my teeth and do my asans, keeping all doors open with lights on, in the pre- dawn darkness.
Discovery of Theft
Around 10:30 am when I wanted to recharge my mobile, I realized that laptop bag with my purse was missing. I searched all over, went 5 floors down, told the warden, they came up, searched all over, I got hysterical with the pg caretaker for not giving us keys (even if he had given keys, I would not have locked early morning, while doing surya namaskars), I shed tears, sat staring at the jyoti in front of god (Krishna, Raghavendra Swami, Rama) for 1 hr. I was angry that I could not stop my tears, I was wondering, if I lost my temper and cool for my laptop bag contents, did I possess them or those things possessed me? I was glad I had transferred all money to mom on Friday, except what I needed for this month’s expenses. My point to agni bhagawan in jyoti was, if it was mine, let it come back. I called up my brother to get my account number and called up icicibank and blocked the debit card.
Primarily since, my room is in 5th floor terrace with no lift, I sat staring at jyoti till lunch came at 12:45pm. One pg mate Anbu Lakshmi, held my hands and asked me not to cry or get angry and I felt so ashamed that someone had to tell me this. I kept telling others during lunch and dinner that that I must have stolen something in my previous life. My moochies purse had a marked price of Rs 450, but i felt a dead skin didn't deserve anything more than Rs. 200 and i had replaced the Rs 450 sticker with a Rs 200 sticker in a supermarket and bought it. It was too large to enter my jeans pocket and i was angry with that as well, in addition to overpricing. To compensate, i spent the exact balance amount on 2 school boys on road. I frankly don't understand, looking back now.
Lost and Found
I had a disturbed sleep. I woke up around midnight and again at 2 am to put the quilt on the bare cot. It is cold only post 3 am in the night. I don’t like mattresses that others have slept on (also due to bed bugs) and prefer bare cot with a bare thin mattress that I can easily wash and dry for my back. I listen to BG explanation all night on laptop, when I sleep alone, so that I don’t think about unwanted things when am awake alone at night. Swami Sarveshananda was talking about desire clutching knowledge and how brilliance destroys a person who wants to be recognized for his knowledge, for being there, doing that and how a fall due to buddhi nasham was the worst fall.
This morning, I again woke up at 5:30 am, but instead of opening the door in the darkness, I sat to write down the punishments mentioned in garuda purana for stealing various things in an A4 sheet and translation of 1st verse of Isavasya upanisad and pasted it on the main door. I could remember the punishments only for stealing Au, books, money, food and poison. When I finished pasting 2 sheets on main door and bedroom door, sun was already up in its pinkish orange red glory. I brushed my teeth in full daylight in a hurry and was wondering, from where all blood was coming as I massaged my tongue. I came back to room to get the chair for kriya that I found the laptop bag outside the door. I felt so thankful to sun god, that my eyes moistened. I saw the guy in the adjacent buildinng, who returned my bag in blue lungi from the stairs, i saw only his legs from the top.
The fact that it came back – minus the Rs 340 cash (the thief didn’t even spare the Rs 2 coins inside the purse), rest everything, except my raga watch and one bangle, made me believe in divine force above. I was too excited to do suryanamaskars, I first called up my brother and told him. I called my mom next and sun was already uncomfortably hot at 6:30 am. Still, I did my asanas with heartfelt thanks. After bathing, I offered my head (remembering coconut), all knowledge to God. Everything is god’s gift. Sarvam ShriKrishnarpanmastu.
Things that got stolen: I had made this list to give to the police station.
1. Laptop bag and inside it was:
2. Pocket Bhagawad Gita (had spent years translating each word in many shlokas/ had done sandhi viched, made notes topic wise) – can’t stay without BG in the mornings
3. Tata docomo data card
4. Office id and access card (replacement would cost 500)
5. Purse with 340+ rupees in cash
a. ICICI debit card – balance Rs.1513.55
b. PAN card
c. B school alumni card
d. B school student ID
e. Lifestyle Inner circle card
f. MORE card
g. Auchan card
h. Star Bazaar card
6. Makeup pouch
a. Raaga bracelet like watch – 3750 Rs
b. Hyderabadi pearl earrings – Rs. 650
c. 4 one gram gold bangles – Rs. 1000+ (in 2004)
d. Fa deodorant
e. Bindi, Hairpins, Safety pins, Hairbands, ponds powder dabba
f. Lakme Eyeliner, Mascara, Eyebrow pencil, eyetex, kumkum
7. Things that I forgot in my bag/purse (next day morning when I found it outside the door)
a. Mouse
b. Headset
c. Yoga track pants
d. Aqua blue earrings
e. Visiting cards of young at heart friends, Id card of Anna Institute, Ramana maharishi photo, BMTC monthly pass, JustBooks Membership card
Retrospection
I was searching for theft in astrology, I was expecting 6th house, while 8th house came up. And I got mired by dwadamsha details. My mind went back to thiruvannamalai girivalam Dec 1-2, 2009, when a thief had stolen my purse with all id proofs, mobile and I had to borrow 500 from a Swiss law student. In my first thiruvannamalai full moon trip, I had kept my purse on kitchen stove and only when I had to buy bus tickets, I remembered, alighted somewhere, took an auto back home and went to cmbt after a long round trip. In one of the trips, when mom still didn’t know how to operate mobile, I was separated from mom in the crowd and I roamed all night, going between police station and temples without even a single paise in my hands. One constable lent me 100 rs that full moon day, one flower seller lent me 1Rs, so I could call my mom. Since phone was in silent mode, mom didn’t even answer the phone. We finally met only the next day morning. An autodriver in lungi stole my digital camera during inner path girivalam in 2011. And even now I feel nauseated seeing guys in lungis. Somehow am always penniless during thiruvannamalai full moon trips.
I was analyzing the chara dasa (maha, antar, pratyantar, shuksma) dasha of Dec 2, 2009 night and yesterday early morning and found commonalities.
Since I need the laptop for listening to my yoga teacher’s mp3 instructions and mobile for keeping timer for kapalabati, only my laptop bag and its contents were stolen and not the actual laptop and mobile which were supposed to be inside it. I get up at 5:30 am in the morning and watching the rising sun is something that really energizes me and makes me feel like a child again. I need lots of open space, with abundant ventilation, natural light. I brush my teeth outside on the terrace, facing north east, since my teacher wrote so. 5:40 am was when I opened the main door and went to terrace to brush my teeth and do my asans, keeping all doors open with lights on, in the pre- dawn darkness.
Discovery of Theft
Around 10:30 am when I wanted to recharge my mobile, I realized that laptop bag with my purse was missing. I searched all over, went 5 floors down, told the warden, they came up, searched all over, I got hysterical with the pg caretaker for not giving us keys (even if he had given keys, I would not have locked early morning, while doing surya namaskars), I shed tears, sat staring at the jyoti in front of god (Krishna, Raghavendra Swami, Rama) for 1 hr. I was angry that I could not stop my tears, I was wondering, if I lost my temper and cool for my laptop bag contents, did I possess them or those things possessed me? I was glad I had transferred all money to mom on Friday, except what I needed for this month’s expenses. My point to agni bhagawan in jyoti was, if it was mine, let it come back. I called up my brother to get my account number and called up icicibank and blocked the debit card.
Primarily since, my room is in 5th floor terrace with no lift, I sat staring at jyoti till lunch came at 12:45pm. One pg mate Anbu Lakshmi, held my hands and asked me not to cry or get angry and I felt so ashamed that someone had to tell me this. I kept telling others during lunch and dinner that that I must have stolen something in my previous life. My moochies purse had a marked price of Rs 450, but i felt a dead skin didn't deserve anything more than Rs. 200 and i had replaced the Rs 450 sticker with a Rs 200 sticker in a supermarket and bought it. It was too large to enter my jeans pocket and i was angry with that as well, in addition to overpricing. To compensate, i spent the exact balance amount on 2 school boys on road. I frankly don't understand, looking back now.
Lost and Found
I had a disturbed sleep. I woke up around midnight and again at 2 am to put the quilt on the bare cot. It is cold only post 3 am in the night. I don’t like mattresses that others have slept on (also due to bed bugs) and prefer bare cot with a bare thin mattress that I can easily wash and dry for my back. I listen to BG explanation all night on laptop, when I sleep alone, so that I don’t think about unwanted things when am awake alone at night. Swami Sarveshananda was talking about desire clutching knowledge and how brilliance destroys a person who wants to be recognized for his knowledge, for being there, doing that and how a fall due to buddhi nasham was the worst fall.
This morning, I again woke up at 5:30 am, but instead of opening the door in the darkness, I sat to write down the punishments mentioned in garuda purana for stealing various things in an A4 sheet and translation of 1st verse of Isavasya upanisad and pasted it on the main door. I could remember the punishments only for stealing Au, books, money, food and poison. When I finished pasting 2 sheets on main door and bedroom door, sun was already up in its pinkish orange red glory. I brushed my teeth in full daylight in a hurry and was wondering, from where all blood was coming as I massaged my tongue. I came back to room to get the chair for kriya that I found the laptop bag outside the door. I felt so thankful to sun god, that my eyes moistened. I saw the guy in the adjacent buildinng, who returned my bag in blue lungi from the stairs, i saw only his legs from the top.
The fact that it came back – minus the Rs 340 cash (the thief didn’t even spare the Rs 2 coins inside the purse), rest everything, except my raga watch and one bangle, made me believe in divine force above. I was too excited to do suryanamaskars, I first called up my brother and told him. I called my mom next and sun was already uncomfortably hot at 6:30 am. Still, I did my asanas with heartfelt thanks. After bathing, I offered my head (remembering coconut), all knowledge to God. Everything is god’s gift. Sarvam ShriKrishnarpanmastu.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Peerkangai Thugayal
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| Torai Peerkangai Ridgegourd |
Health benefits of Koshataki
spiceflair
logayurveda
English School Teacher
My 11th and 12th standard english school teacher was LG, an Anglo Indian, a bachelor. One of his favourite movies was Kadhalikka neramillai. I loved his classes. He was the one who taught me how to pronounce V and W properly. I had changed schools after 10th and sir had taught his old students grammar just after 10th standard. However, for just two of us (new joinees) he stayed a bit longer after the classes got over and taught us english grammar. He was full of wise quotes.
One of the things, that i remember, he described, was answering the question - How is life? And different interpretations of the "so-so" response of say a tailor (sew-sew), a farmer (sow-sow) etc.
He used to say, how earlier, for a wedding, all that you had was a simple brinjal sambar and how ambrosiac it was, how the sambar's mouth-watering smell, would linger around the whole street. Now we have so many varieties, but gone is the taste, definitely gone is the health with pesticides, gone is the satisfied mind, gone with the wind. Incidentally, whenever, i find myself mentalizing too much, Scarlett O Hara's I will think about it tomorrow is what keeps me going. If not Hara, our 2nd chapter of BG. Thinking about variety, made me recollect the economic times spiritual columnist article on cooking blogs - where the author talks about Japanese tea ceremony - simple ritual which goes on for hours - partaking food as offering to God.
Once after a Kerala school trip, (when i still didn't know to read tamil alphabet written on buses), LG sir, sacrificed his sleep to help me board the bus at market.
Early Morning Gandhi Market
So at market I was, this morning. Anyway, once Mayiladuthurai Express reaches Trichy junction anywhere from 3:30-4:30 am in the morning, i would have to wait for at least 30 minutes for the first bus. So, i decided to go to Gandhi market to buy vegetables for home, along with local vegetable vendors.
Market pricing based on supply and demand is so amazing. Just two weeks before, around 4 am; i could buy a mega bunch of spear mint and corriander for Rs.10 each, this time, a even larger bunch was half the last price, at Rs. 5 each. Two weeks ago, all vegetables cost Rs.10 each. Only carrot cost me 20 Rs a kg. This week, carrots were priced the same rate, but all other common vegetables - broad country beans (avarakai), ridge gourd, bitter gourd, beet, everything was 15-25. So last time, i had a half of gunny sack of 6 kgs of vegetables + additional 2 green bunches for Rs.90, this time, it cost around 200, for 9 kg of vegetables + 2 green bunches.
Market Pricing Dynamics
Even funnier is the fact that this simple market pricing, like our 2G notional loss of 1.86 lakh crore, got a black mark on a government servant's ACR. The allegation against him was that, over many years, he pocketed lakhs by inflating vegetable prices meant for the mess, since he accounted for it uniformly, instead of considering daily market rates.
Thinking about allegations, I always used to wonder, mangal shani or rahu-shani combination (rule breaker-rule enforcer) like now in Thula. Christopher Reeves and Judy Garland with Mangal Shani dristi (movement vs. resistance). I asked an April 13, whose second born son had Mangal and Shani in his 12th house of thula, as to what he thought, if a person could make and break rules. The father said, such a person would be god. God or whatever, intriguing combination indeed.
Even more funny is the concept of 12th house. I read that it is likely that a person with venus in the 12th house was a female in the past life. I was thinking about gender, like idea's ad - couple accidentally swapping phone, what if the wife was born as the husband and vice versa. Does it take so much to understand each other? Especially, since in both my case and my sister's case, the 12th from guru (1st husband) is venus. My BIL has 12th venus in cancer, so every time, i would almost call him mother, for he cares for, cooks excellently for the whole joint family and feeds everyone around him effortlessly, that too from his childhood. There is nothing feminine physically about him. So my sis is married to a cancerian lady and i would be marrying a virgo lady who have become guys in this life. In my case, husband's 2nd house is my 12th house. I can't enjoy his wealth or his wealth is hoarded through my losses.
Vegetables and Ex - Neighbours
Back to ridge gourd. One of the harmless vegetables, sources say. Thugayal was too good, crunchy, a tad sweet, simply delicious. I had prepared a banana leaf feast of avarakkai sambar, my favourite kothavaranga paruppu usili, toasted bikaneri papad, fresh carrot juliennes, pudhina chutney, peerkangai thugayal, inji maanga thokku, yellow moong dal kheer laced with ghee with lots of ellaichi cashew and raisins. Since it was saturday, i had originally planned pavakkai pitlai. After my ex-neighbour barged in, i decided to make avarakkai sambar.
Yesterday night, i was watching Special 26. Nothing like having opposite door neighbour for a lover. There was this case of Aslesha girl who married her opposite door neighbour, another bongo mesha girl who married her March 9th neighbour. It was the same with my second cousin as well. In all cases, they were childhood pals, in all cases, first born was a son. In my case, am surrounded with immature kids who brandish their arms with self-inflicted knife scars. Home is a perennial conflict zone, from where i clamor to escape. I can't even open my windows and ask my mom to lock the front door to get some time to study peacefully. I can't even fart peacefully at home, for neither the locks nor the fence is any barrier to prying eyes of my younger brother's junior set neighbour, (his elder sister is my close friend). He finds no shame in jumping over fences, or entering through back door, taking my snaps in my nighty. Had a mini fight snatching the camera phone. Had prepared extra food for him also, but after mom served payasam, carrot juliennes, kothavaranga paruppu usili on the banana leaf, he refused to eat stating, if mom had prepared food he would have had food, but he would not eat my preparation. Am extremely wary of accepting free gifts or anything for free from guys. So our initial agreement was that, if he ate lunch at home, i would accept his free ride till railway station on sunday evening. I added extra rice, only after he stated, he didn't want to miss my cooking. After mom left for work, he again sneaked in through back door, eating just the kheer stating, now that he had kheer, i should come in his cab to station. Whatever, this once-in-a-blue-moon-weekend-drama too would pass. Need to do a pranic cut-cut to all ties with these juvenile delinquents.
Yellow Pumpkin Mystery
Thinking about ridge gourd - harmless vegetable. I was surprised to learn that that yellow pumpkin ought to be avoided during menstruation. All that i remembered that anything yellow and orange was rich in vitamin A, good for skin, eyes. So i used to gorge in carrots, papayas, mangoes, pumpkins whenever i got a chance. While papapya clearly eases cramps during menstruation, am yet to understand, why yellow pumpkin ought to be avoided those days.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
World without Money
This morning, I found I had exactly Rs 40 in my purse. My card didn’t work in ATM and I spent the last 40 on my afternoon meals. So I was without a penny in my purse. And I missed my 9 pm cab and I didn’t want to wait till 10 pm for the next cab. With hunger gnawing, I wouldn’t have been able to work as well. Sonyworld signal and office hardly takes 10-15 minutes in cab. I decided to walk braving myself against pollution, Bangalore stench and stalkers, unmindful of the heavy laptop.
I was thinking whether to walk with Krishna on my mind or talk to my sister. I decided to talk to my sister when I walked on platform and think Krishna when I walked on road. I told my sister about impending Rahu Shani yuti in December, rahu surya yuti leading to Jefferson-Hemings affair and power tariff scenario - coal blocks misallocation - SEB losses discoms, politics from this mornings Economic Times, to explain 14 hour power cuts in Sriperumbudur.
After 25 minutes, 2 policemen flagged me down, asking me to board an auto instead of walking near Ejipura signal. I told them, my purse was empty. I could have easily got a lift, but today I was no mood to take lift. I could have borrowed, but a ruchaka ought not to borrow said lal kitab. Besides, I wanted to exhaust myself physically, so that I could have a dreamless sleep at least once. My friend had been a victim of stray ricocheted bullet which got embedded deep inside her butt, at Ejipura signal. Since both of us had kalasarpa thing, I was quite apprehensive about walking around army area.
After some time, I saw her rather him. She was quite dark and wore a dark purple sari with silver border, quite dandy with cheap zari work. She kept on removing her sari, exposing her bony cleavage showing her posterior to the speeding vehicles. She was so malnourished. My annanagar experience with eunuchs made me consider walking on road risking being hit by speeding vehicles, rather walking in close proximity to an eunuch. There, a bunch of 4-5 eunuchs, again very very poor, skinny, dressed in rags, demanded money. Thanks to metro construction, which made the road to hostel one way from rountana, I had to walk. That time, I had a 100 in my purse but I didn’t want to give away the last and only note when the eunuchs demanded. I turned back and started walking the reverse direction to escape the eunuchs. One kept her hand on my head. She said, I don’t have to change direction and she put her hands on my back and pushed me. I felt so nauseated with their touch that I skipped my dinner and was sleepless in blind fury. There is a kural 1059 which is so similar to Sartre on generousity. And there is kural which describes the agony of saying no to a beggar.
Perhaps, Bangalore, road side call eunuchs are demure ones unlike Chennai eunuchs. She moved aside to the extreme edge of the platform near the thicket and so I didn’t have to step down on the road. I passed her with fervent Krishna Krishna on my lips. A little beyond an auto was parked and the same two police men were waiting. I was reassured to see the police men near the auto. Besides I had reached Ejipura signal and my only demon left to fight was stinking sewage near Oasis Mall. I reached PG, had 2 rotis with kabuli channa and drank my ellaichi flavoured jaggery milk in silver tumbler.
Suddenly, my heart went out to the lady in purple sari. Destitute, starving, skinny. Forced to do what not to fill her stomach. During a Mangalore trip, I saw a policeman mercilessly lathi charging a woman in Majestic and then I realized she was a call girl. There are these ethereal transgender dancers, exotic escorts and entertainers and there are these deprived eunuchs. My interaction with a sociology student Ashwini, made me understand the world of eunuchs from a bio technological perspective. Her project also involved studying eunuchs genetically using blood samples tested in Sri Ramachandra hospital. Ashwini never used euphemisms and her blatant graphic descriptions of customs of eunuchs made me cry that night. It is very rare that eunuchs become accomplished bharatnatyam dancers or materially successful. For the majority, it is a life time of identity crisis. Self has no gender.
If I were ever without money, considering how profligate Librans typically are, in my old age, I would do a jain sallekhana, rather than being dependent on mortal beings for material comforts. I can reflect and just meditate to death. But to starve by choice is quite different from being forced to starve. God bless this universe with love, peace and happiness, especially my eunuch brothers and sisters. Sarvam Shrikrishnarpanamastu
I was thinking whether to walk with Krishna on my mind or talk to my sister. I decided to talk to my sister when I walked on platform and think Krishna when I walked on road. I told my sister about impending Rahu Shani yuti in December, rahu surya yuti leading to Jefferson-Hemings affair and power tariff scenario - coal blocks misallocation - SEB losses discoms, politics from this mornings Economic Times, to explain 14 hour power cuts in Sriperumbudur.
After 25 minutes, 2 policemen flagged me down, asking me to board an auto instead of walking near Ejipura signal. I told them, my purse was empty. I could have easily got a lift, but today I was no mood to take lift. I could have borrowed, but a ruchaka ought not to borrow said lal kitab. Besides, I wanted to exhaust myself physically, so that I could have a dreamless sleep at least once. My friend had been a victim of stray ricocheted bullet which got embedded deep inside her butt, at Ejipura signal. Since both of us had kalasarpa thing, I was quite apprehensive about walking around army area.
After some time, I saw her rather him. She was quite dark and wore a dark purple sari with silver border, quite dandy with cheap zari work. She kept on removing her sari, exposing her bony cleavage showing her posterior to the speeding vehicles. She was so malnourished. My annanagar experience with eunuchs made me consider walking on road risking being hit by speeding vehicles, rather walking in close proximity to an eunuch. There, a bunch of 4-5 eunuchs, again very very poor, skinny, dressed in rags, demanded money. Thanks to metro construction, which made the road to hostel one way from rountana, I had to walk. That time, I had a 100 in my purse but I didn’t want to give away the last and only note when the eunuchs demanded. I turned back and started walking the reverse direction to escape the eunuchs. One kept her hand on my head. She said, I don’t have to change direction and she put her hands on my back and pushed me. I felt so nauseated with their touch that I skipped my dinner and was sleepless in blind fury. There is a kural 1059 which is so similar to Sartre on generousity. And there is kural which describes the agony of saying no to a beggar.
Perhaps, Bangalore, road side call eunuchs are demure ones unlike Chennai eunuchs. She moved aside to the extreme edge of the platform near the thicket and so I didn’t have to step down on the road. I passed her with fervent Krishna Krishna on my lips. A little beyond an auto was parked and the same two police men were waiting. I was reassured to see the police men near the auto. Besides I had reached Ejipura signal and my only demon left to fight was stinking sewage near Oasis Mall. I reached PG, had 2 rotis with kabuli channa and drank my ellaichi flavoured jaggery milk in silver tumbler.
Suddenly, my heart went out to the lady in purple sari. Destitute, starving, skinny. Forced to do what not to fill her stomach. During a Mangalore trip, I saw a policeman mercilessly lathi charging a woman in Majestic and then I realized she was a call girl. There are these ethereal transgender dancers, exotic escorts and entertainers and there are these deprived eunuchs. My interaction with a sociology student Ashwini, made me understand the world of eunuchs from a bio technological perspective. Her project also involved studying eunuchs genetically using blood samples tested in Sri Ramachandra hospital. Ashwini never used euphemisms and her blatant graphic descriptions of customs of eunuchs made me cry that night. It is very rare that eunuchs become accomplished bharatnatyam dancers or materially successful. For the majority, it is a life time of identity crisis. Self has no gender.
If I were ever without money, considering how profligate Librans typically are, in my old age, I would do a jain sallekhana, rather than being dependent on mortal beings for material comforts. I can reflect and just meditate to death. But to starve by choice is quite different from being forced to starve. God bless this universe with love, peace and happiness, especially my eunuch brothers and sisters. Sarvam Shrikrishnarpanamastu
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Agathi Keerai - Sesbania grandiflora - Agasthi and Bitter gourd
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| Bittergourd, Tomatoes, Carrot Beans, Pumpkin |
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| Prathamai |
Menu:
Ambrosial green moong dal with crushed jaggery
Agathi keerai coconut chutney
Split moong dal khichadi/mand
Wholesome pumpkin poriyal (kootu would be too much for 2)
Pavakai kolambu (sauted in ghee; coconut paste; and it was no longer bitter)
Crunchy carrot beans poriyal
Fresh Curd
I used liberal doses of omam, ginger, zeera in khichadi and kolambu for my cold. Only now, I realized my sis's digicam is still with me and hence this blog. I was chopping vegetables, listening to melodious songs from Mega TV. Typically, i place the lappie on the thavalai listening to audio lectures as I chop and cook. Last time I placed the lappie near the cooker; cooker went off with a loud bang; thank god, the lid didn't blow up and my lappie was saved. These days, am addicted to a series of sixteen lectures of 1.5 hours each from VIHE. I sleep listening to lectures, i wake up listening to lectures. Amazing ayurvedic information in amusing brijvasi's english. He said 20 lectures, but only 16 are available in vihe site. Agreed, i have to listen to same 1.5 hours lecture, thrice at times, since am doing other things as well. Ayurvedic quest intensified, after finding that my batchmate was an ayurvedic doctor. She runs away saying, i ask too many questions, when i pick up some fruit etc to eat, wondering about timing and combination and effects. Need to find a mp3 player that has decent speakers, that i can use 16+ hours a day at a stretch, while cooking and bathing.
Last year, there were so many mangoes (which our neighbour said, was much less compared to the previous year's yield). This time, hardly 1-2 ripe ones falls for my dinner every day. Unripe ones fall off now and almost everyday, it is inji maanga thokku. And most of them are squirrel bitten or god knows what bitten. But lemons grow in decent numbers. So it is lemon juice all the time.
Only yes'day i learnt about amavasya agathi keerai connection. I wanted to taste some agathi keerai, so I kept aside some keerai for today and was shocked on how bitter the chutney was, when tasted separately. But it went well with khichadi and there was no bitterness when eaten together.
P.S. I used to happily peel carrots. Only recently i learnt that its nutrients are present just beneath the skin and hence, carrots should only be washed. On the other hand, am wondering, what i might end up eating along with the peel.
6 months later
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| BitterGourd, Tomatoes, Ginger |
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| Bittergourd with Jaggery and Ellaichi, Soft yet crunchy ghee rotis |
This time, it was Swami Sarveshananda's Katha Upanisad, that am listening to for months, while cooking went on in the background. Those who are beyond all this hoopla over food and specific taste likings, have their subtle intellect in control over their wandering mind. Realized the importance of rituals only now - training the intellect to take its rightful place over this beautiful mind.
A year later
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| Pavakkai pitlai, Murungai keerai, Pal Arisi payasam |
Monday, July 25, 2011
Effects of lover-spouse on vegetarianism
Yesterday, our whole family was shocked to the core. My sister apparently ate a slice of pomfret after 2 decades of vegetarianism (ok, she ate eggs once in a while). She said, her in-laws and husband were not comfortable seeing her have only rasamsadham, while they devoured all other creatures. So my bil specially cooked and prepared the slice and made her eat it seems. Incidentally, my bil is a thiruvathirai. My sister’s mil called my mom to announce her accomplishment.
The first instance I learnt, in engg college, was a Christian mrigasirisham (also sun Gemini) girl making her vegetarian boyfriend (scorpio – revathi) eat non-veg, because, she did not want to give up eating non veg. They are now married for many years.
Another instance in PG institute, was another mrigasirisham girl (again also sun Gemini) as well, who married a vegetarian cancerian thayirsadham. The guy has opted to remain vegetarian and the girl continues to be a non-veg freak. Separate cooking apparently.
My Gemini uncle is a vegetarian and my Aquarian aunt is a non-veg. She gave up eating non-veg for the sake of my uncle and adopted stringent vegetarian kitchen madis.
And people still insist that non-veg diet is healthier. No amount of explanation of decreasing energy flow or increasing accumulation of toxins up in the food chain would be of any use to non-veg eaters. Taste buds enslave folks to be blind and impervious to the bloodshed and merciless killing in a butcher shop. Why is that partners want the better half to prove their love by insisting on changing vegetarian/non-veg preferences? Ok, why bring in the cooking pot in love. All’s well, as long as couples are happy and loving.
P.S. Am trying to find a value for money course on ayurvedic cooking. AOL offers one, but am not quite sure, if it also explains the planetary effects on dhaanya in addition to health, nutrition, spiritual and emotional effects of food and cooking.
The first instance I learnt, in engg college, was a Christian mrigasirisham (also sun Gemini) girl making her vegetarian boyfriend (scorpio – revathi) eat non-veg, because, she did not want to give up eating non veg. They are now married for many years.
Another instance in PG institute, was another mrigasirisham girl (again also sun Gemini) as well, who married a vegetarian cancerian thayirsadham. The guy has opted to remain vegetarian and the girl continues to be a non-veg freak. Separate cooking apparently.
My Gemini uncle is a vegetarian and my Aquarian aunt is a non-veg. She gave up eating non-veg for the sake of my uncle and adopted stringent vegetarian kitchen madis.
And people still insist that non-veg diet is healthier. No amount of explanation of decreasing energy flow or increasing accumulation of toxins up in the food chain would be of any use to non-veg eaters. Taste buds enslave folks to be blind and impervious to the bloodshed and merciless killing in a butcher shop. Why is that partners want the better half to prove their love by insisting on changing vegetarian/non-veg preferences? Ok, why bring in the cooking pot in love. All’s well, as long as couples are happy and loving.
P.S. Am trying to find a value for money course on ayurvedic cooking. AOL offers one, but am not quite sure, if it also explains the planetary effects on dhaanya in addition to health, nutrition, spiritual and emotional effects of food and cooking.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
I am the master of my Fate: I am the captain of my Soul
This morning, I happened to read about Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, how he lanced his boil unflinchingly, how he unified the country and I remembered having read how he continued cross questioning a witness, even after having received the news of his wife’s death. To give up the presidency for Nehru, to give up his pass and ticket to study in England for his elder brother, spoke volumes about the strength of his character.
Of course, one should not watch TV during meals, and with the kind of news being broadcasted, one would not be able to eat even a morsel of food. And while surfing, I found Invictus was being telecast yet again. I knew I would not be able to see the whole movie, so I did a wiki and found the source of the oft heard lines: “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.“ As I read the full poem, I was wondering WHY? And then it dawned.
When I was in CMC there was a 10th standard boy Arun, my dad’s colleague’s only son who had a tumour in his right shoulder which necessitated whole arm amputation. We painfully learnt that he died few months later. William Ernest Henley, Kahlil Gibran, many polio afflicted people, amputees have such high levels of infectious energy and enthusiasm despite all odds. Am thankful to God, my limbs are not amputated. I admire these folks for the kind of resilience, courage and fighting attitude. I have been inspired by many young men with one leg, with half hands. But most young girls and old ladies with amputated limbs, simply lose heart, starve to death and die, except one Revathy Menon I read about in RD.
Coming to fighting and throwing a challenge, 3 years ago, I was fascinated to see the youtube video that my MSP (Managing Software Project) professor showed in class. So many virile sturdy men, with intimidating gestures, giving a war cry in unison was simply awesome. I eagerly devoured the haka performance the All Blacks gave in the movie Invictus. To the give the best, to put the best foot first under all circumstances!
Of course, one should not watch TV during meals, and with the kind of news being broadcasted, one would not be able to eat even a morsel of food. And while surfing, I found Invictus was being telecast yet again. I knew I would not be able to see the whole movie, so I did a wiki and found the source of the oft heard lines: “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.“ As I read the full poem, I was wondering WHY? And then it dawned.
When I was in CMC there was a 10th standard boy Arun, my dad’s colleague’s only son who had a tumour in his right shoulder which necessitated whole arm amputation. We painfully learnt that he died few months later. William Ernest Henley, Kahlil Gibran, many polio afflicted people, amputees have such high levels of infectious energy and enthusiasm despite all odds. Am thankful to God, my limbs are not amputated. I admire these folks for the kind of resilience, courage and fighting attitude. I have been inspired by many young men with one leg, with half hands. But most young girls and old ladies with amputated limbs, simply lose heart, starve to death and die, except one Revathy Menon I read about in RD.
Invictus
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
I am wondering about many saying that without God’s wish, not even an atom moves. Stoicism, fatalism as compared to fighting back. There are times to fight back, and there are times, when it is better to accept and let go. The question is of discrimination and discernment.Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
Coming to fighting and throwing a challenge, 3 years ago, I was fascinated to see the youtube video that my MSP (Managing Software Project) professor showed in class. So many virile sturdy men, with intimidating gestures, giving a war cry in unison was simply awesome. I eagerly devoured the haka performance the All Blacks gave in the movie Invictus. To the give the best, to put the best foot first under all circumstances!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Backdoor Policy
Our quarters is just near the only hotel and busstand in our locality. These days, since exams are just a week away, I ask mom to lock me inside, so that I don’t have to answer snooping people, annoying neighbourhood kids, school kids. My neighbour kid who is 7 years younger than me, once pointed his index finger on my face and said that am his research subject. These vagrant lads, do nothing other than idle away their time sitting on compound walls, getting drunk at some party where other friends spend, teasing small school kids on roads.
So my wonderful neighbour, picks up the ripe orange red mangoes that fall in our backyard and under the pretext of handing over the mangoes would keep on calling Hello- Hellos outside the window. Have to learn diplomacy. As usual, I never open the backdoor, or go near the window when the front door is locked from outside. Now our tenant amma who is childless came and she was calling out papa-papa for a long time. I thought, the neighborhood kid was playing jokes by changing voice and didn’t open the backdoor. After 5 minutes, she called me by my pet name and so I went near window and saw it was she and opened the backdoor. Initially I was actually annoyed that my study schedule was interrupted. But she was a kind lady.
Atithi Devo Bhava
I was wondering what to offer a diabetic guest, since all that was there were Cadburys bars in freezer and super ripe mangoes. I thought 2 slices of mangoes should not increase the blood sugar too much and cut the mangoes for her and made a protein mix drink with vanilla flavour. Only after she left, I remembered the Hide n Seek biscuits in the jar.
After usual ladies talk, she said, it was time to leave and said that would give the curry leaves that she had plucked from our house through the window. She went on to explain that, some items, should not be brought in through backdoor. Curry leaves are equal to sons and hence they should be brought in only via main door. She got the MilkBikis biscuits through backdoor though. (Another priest while doing yagna said, that arasa maram twigs are equivalent to sons, and hence should not be used for cooking, but could be burnt during homams it seems.)
She went on to say what her paati thaatha (grandparents) had told her. If one enters home by the rear door, they have to leave the same way. If a person comes via rear door and exits through main door, then veetu lakshmi (wealth) would go away the same way it seems.
It was amusing listening to the kind of billion rules that are imposed on us. Don’t do this, don’t do that, without any rational explanation. I can’t sport my hair free for instance.
Another one, like you are not supposed to pare nails on Saturday. What will happen? Lori Reid says, health will be affected. Astrojyoti does not give any explanations; just don’t pare nails on Saturday and Monday PERIOD.
Could not help remembering the words in one of Amartya Sen’s “The Idea of Justice” which said something similar to –“ Your judgement may be right, but the explanation for reaching that conclusion might not be flawless”. So yes, being a true Indian, there must be some science behind this as well and so I will follow our tenant amma’s words of bringing curry leaves only through front door.
So my wonderful neighbour, picks up the ripe orange red mangoes that fall in our backyard and under the pretext of handing over the mangoes would keep on calling Hello- Hellos outside the window. Have to learn diplomacy. As usual, I never open the backdoor, or go near the window when the front door is locked from outside. Now our tenant amma who is childless came and she was calling out papa-papa for a long time. I thought, the neighborhood kid was playing jokes by changing voice and didn’t open the backdoor. After 5 minutes, she called me by my pet name and so I went near window and saw it was she and opened the backdoor. Initially I was actually annoyed that my study schedule was interrupted. But she was a kind lady.
Atithi Devo Bhava
I was wondering what to offer a diabetic guest, since all that was there were Cadburys bars in freezer and super ripe mangoes. I thought 2 slices of mangoes should not increase the blood sugar too much and cut the mangoes for her and made a protein mix drink with vanilla flavour. Only after she left, I remembered the Hide n Seek biscuits in the jar.
After usual ladies talk, she said, it was time to leave and said that would give the curry leaves that she had plucked from our house through the window. She went on to explain that, some items, should not be brought in through backdoor. Curry leaves are equal to sons and hence they should be brought in only via main door. She got the MilkBikis biscuits through backdoor though. (Another priest while doing yagna said, that arasa maram twigs are equivalent to sons, and hence should not be used for cooking, but could be burnt during homams it seems.)
She went on to say what her paati thaatha (grandparents) had told her. If one enters home by the rear door, they have to leave the same way. If a person comes via rear door and exits through main door, then veetu lakshmi (wealth) would go away the same way it seems.
It was amusing listening to the kind of billion rules that are imposed on us. Don’t do this, don’t do that, without any rational explanation. I can’t sport my hair free for instance.
Another one, like you are not supposed to pare nails on Saturday. What will happen? Lori Reid says, health will be affected. Astrojyoti does not give any explanations; just don’t pare nails on Saturday and Monday PERIOD.
Could not help remembering the words in one of Amartya Sen’s “The Idea of Justice” which said something similar to –“ Your judgement may be right, but the explanation for reaching that conclusion might not be flawless”. So yes, being a true Indian, there must be some science behind this as well and so I will follow our tenant amma’s words of bringing curry leaves only through front door.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Last Weekend - Agathaaivu
Vethathri Maharshi’s local chapter had sent mail a fortnight earlier. Yet, I managed to conveniently forget the first day of the classes and attended only the second day, forgoing the course fee (100/-) and certificate as well. I thought, why bother about certificate, it is the learning that counts, even if it is for 1 day. So from 9 to 4:30 I sat through the session.
Last year, when they taught us Suya sankalpa (Blessing yourself – for good health, adequate longitivity, enough wealth, fame, and true wisdom; this in addition to blessing others) I used to wonder, is this not a selfish prayer? I also happened to listen to my Libran neighbour, who remarked, that I was always seeking remedies, instead of accepting them and going forward. It suddenly made me wonder between accepting vs. giving in to life’s challenges and where to draw the line.
Yes’day’s classes gave me further clarity on having desires, setting goals. Other thoughts I had earlier were not to have desires, to surrender and that god would take care of things – take life as it comes. Yet another conflict was goal setting - working towards goal vs. Karmanye vadhikarasthe
Another struggle is to control anger. I usually take a shortcut – a mud path to reach hospital for physiotherapy. Just as I neared the playground, I found an old guy dressed in bright red t-shirt and beige pants urinating on the hospital compound wall. I could not help blast him mentally and realized my mistake only after I swore. My thoughts quickly went to 3-idiots and then I was thinking, if it was implemented, what would happen during rains? Anger – how to control it?
My Schoolmate’s Parents
In the session, I met a dignified old couple. The lady had a serene face, she must have been pretty beautiful when she was young, tall, lean, never stooping, a kind of assertion for independence and self-reliance. She wore her sari in a kind of carefree finesse. Her husband was kind of bald with receding white cottony hair; he sat on ground with difficulty, refusing a chair for his comfort. Parents who had centered their life around their children and not letting the pangs of an empty nest maul their face, once their kids went away. My prof once remarked to me as to how her only daughter had so much work for her whole family – ma’m, her husband and her in-laws. Grand mom packed her tiffinbox and snacks, grand dad assisted in project work and running errands, and ma’m had to be there to mentally support her during exams all night if needed, dad in picking dropping from school. Now that the child had gone to college and joined hostel, her in-laws don’t know what to do without their granddaughter, everyone felt so empty.
I kept looking at the couple once in a while during the class, for I was sitting on the last bench by the wall. Mom brought me lunch to the school where the sessions were being held and apparently mom knew this couple. They spoke about office and other things. The session got over on dot and I returned home to find sacks and buckets of green mangoes. Mom had apparently arranged to collect the mangoes through samy.
Later in the evening, at home over a cup of horlicks, mom said, the couple’s son went to China and had married a Chinese girl. The only guy who had done in that in our small locality was my school mate, a Republic day NCC cadet, who met his Chinese girlfriend in London. It seems they had a small reception here after their marriage. Now the parents are left all alone back in India, while their son is globetrotting.
I was thinking about my old mom and all old people. If it was like “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, what would happen? Why is that most people prefer baby that is not crying, and abandon their old parents and old ones? If parents lose all memories, it would be tasking, if old people kept on nursing old grudges and never forgave, even then it would be painful. All I can do now is pray for mom’s health and happiness.
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