Skip to main content

Featured Post

The Vaishnodevi Experience 2023

My first trip to Vaishnodevi was unimpressive. Climbing was hard, and it only served to highlight how badly out of shape I was, while my in-laws managed to cope so much better. Further, I hadn’t quite realized that the cave experience wouldn’t be the same as I had imagined, since the original cave was only opened at certain times a year, and that we only entered a newly created tunnel, one far easier to access, and hence more manageable with the crowds that thronged the mountain shrine. The resulting experience at the shrine, for barely a fraction of a second, hardly compared to what I had expected / imagined / heard about. So, for me, Vaishnodevi was like any other temple, nothing to write home about, something that was reflected (though not explicitly mentioned) in the blog post I wrote then.
3 comments

Celebrating Pongal with books


Any festival is a reason to celebrate, and Pongal happens to be one of the important ones. Here is the kolam welcoming you to our home....





This year, the festival   has brought along an unexpected deluge of books, and what better way to celebrate than read!!  It all began with a temple visit which got so delayed that the temple closed! With nothing better to do, we ended up at a book store, and ended up coming home with a bagful of books for Samhith!!



With so many books for him, could I be far behind? Here are mine.... two different genres, two completely different kinds of books, but I am eager to read both!



The first book Bala Saraswati, is part of Blogadda's book review program, and I need to read it soon so that I can review it. The second, The Reluctant Detective, is the first novel of Blogger Kiran Manral, whom I met during the Lavasa Women's Rally. I am eager to read it, for this is the first time I am getting to read a book by a  person I actually know!!!

So now you know what I am going to be doing for the next few days, so if you don't see any posts here, please excuse me, for my nose will be buried deep inside one of these books!

Meanwhile, wish you all a Happy Pongal!!!

Labels:

Comments

  1. Aabha MidhaJanuary 15, 2012 at 10:12 AM

    Hi Anu, wishing you a Happy PONGAL. The welcoming Kolam is lovely..... so traditional.  I didn't know Kiran Manral had published a novel.  I have read both her blogs... 36 and counting and Karmic Kids where she blogs about her son.  wud luv to read her book.. thanks for sharing this info.

    Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
  2. PN SubramanianJanuary 15, 2012 at 11:03 AM

    Happy Pongal and happy readings.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anu ShankarJanuary 15, 2012 at 11:28 AM

    Thanks Aabha! Kiran has been promoting her book mostly on fb, and its available online too...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anu ShankarJanuary 15, 2012 at 11:28 AM

    Thanks PNS!

    ReplyDelete
  5. SowmyaJanuary 15, 2012 at 1:22 PM

    Super!! Happy Pongal to your family!! Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Indrani GhJanuary 15, 2012 at 7:54 PM

    A very Happy Pongal to you too!

    ReplyDelete
  7. ViyomaJanuary 15, 2012 at 9:10 PM

    So how do i start...from your Kolam i can make out..you are a Tamilian. And yet what fully agree..what better way to celebrate than read..we do this at our place during New Year.
    Happy Pongal to you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Santosh bsJanuary 15, 2012 at 9:58 PM

    happy pongal, happy reading and happy posting so that readers like us can be happy :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. ZephyrJanuary 16, 2012 at 5:09 AM

    Happy Pongal to you and your family,  Anu! Happy reading! btw., I don't see my book! Is it among the 'read' list and hence doesn't feature in the collection? :))

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anu ShankarJanuary 16, 2012 at 8:30 AM

    THanks sowmya!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anu ShankarJanuary 16, 2012 at 8:30 AM

    Thanks Indrani!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anu ShankarJanuary 16, 2012 at 8:31 AM

    Yes, Viyoma, I am a tamilian, and we do celebrate the festival the traditional way.. the only thing is, for me, no celebration is complete without books :D

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anu ShankarJanuary 16, 2012 at 8:31 AM

    Thanks Santosh!! hope this year i can keep my readers happy!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anu ShankarJanuary 16, 2012 at 8:32 AM

    Thanks Zephyr!!! and ur book is not there because its being devoured!!! as of now by me.... but am planning to carry it to sringeri so he can read it in the train to and fro!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Capt T.RajkumarJanuary 16, 2012 at 6:27 PM

    Vanakkam--Pongal Greetings
     Excellent post glad -to see Arts &Culture spreading with Books at Pongal ;
    am telling  my friends too..
    Kind rgds &best wishes
    Capt.TR (Retd)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hindi SmsFebruary 3, 2012 at 3:42 PM

    happy pongal to all friends and families..

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks so much for stopping by. Please leave a comment for me so that I will know you have been here....

Popular posts from this blog

Gokarna Part II – The Five Lingams

We continued our Gokarna trip by visiting four other Shiva temples in the vicinity, all connected to the same story of Gokarna. The story of Gokarna mentions the Mahabaleshwara Lingam as the one brought from Kailas by Ravana, and kept at this place on the ground by Ganesha. (See my earlier post- Gokarna – Pilgrimage and Pleasure). However, the story does not end here. It is believed that, in his anger, Ravana flung aside the materials which covered the lingam- the casket, its lid, the string around the lingam, and the cloth covering it. All these items became lingams as soon as they touched the ground. These four lingams, along with the main Mahabaleshwara lingam are collectively called the ‘ Panchalingams’ . These are: Mahabaleshwara – the main lingam Sajjeshwar – the casket carrying the lingam. This temple is about 35 Kms from Karwar, and is a 2 hour drive from Gokarna. Dhareshwar – the string covering the lingam. This temple is on NH17, about 45 Kms south of Gokarna. Gunavanteshw
8 comments
Read more

The Havelis of Bikaner - A Photo Post

The lanes are narrow , twisting and turning amidst buildings old and new. Crumbling old structures with intricate workmanship stand side by side with art deco buildings, and more modern constructions, which follow no particular style. Autos, bicycles, motorcycles and vans rush past, blowing their horns as loudly as possible, while cows saunter past peacefully, completely unaffected by the noise. In the midst of all this chaos, children play by the side, and women go about their chores, as we explore these by-lanes of Bikaner, and its beautiful Havelis. Facade of one of the Rampuria Havelis
9 comments
Read more

The Power of 8 - The Ashta Dikpalas and Ashta Vasus at Khajuraho

The four cardinal directions form the axis on which a temple is built, and are thus the basis of temple architecture. Leading from them are the eight directions, which are believed to be guarded by the eight guardians, or Ashta Dikpalas . In the temples of Khajuraho, great care has been taken by the sculptors to carve the Ashta Dikpalas on the walls, both inside and outside. They not only guard the temple, but also look over us as we circumambulate the shrine, protecting us by their presence. They are augmented by the Ashta Vasus , celestial beings which represent natural phenomena. Together, they enhance the idea of the temple as cosmos, enfolding within it, all the aspects of nature, both, on earth, as well in space.
4 comments
Read more