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Showing posts from October, 2014

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Newasa - Encountering an unique form of Vishnu, and Sant Jnaneshwar

The year was 1290 . A crowd had gathered around a clearing, where broken down pillars marked the presence of an ancient temple, now long gone. A young boy, just 14 years old, leaned against one of those pillars, deep in thought. Then, he began speaking, and the crowd fell silent, listening to his every word. He spoke without any notes, translating the Bhagavat Gita, from Sanskrit, which only the pundits knew, to the language everyone in the village knew and spoke – a variety of Prakrit which developed into the Marathi language. Even as he spoke, one of the men in the audience realized how momentous this event was, and how important this composition would be. He began writing down the words the young boy spoke, and this composition was named by its author and composer, the Bhavartha Deepika – the enlightening meaning (of the Bhagavat Gita). Now, the ancient, holy text, was no longer restricted to the pundits, but accessible to all, understood easily by them, composed as it was, in their

Happy Diwali!

Deepavali greetings to everyone!  We are celebrating the festival with family down south, visiting relatives and bursting crackers,and this photo is a collage created with photos I clicked of samhith bursting fire crackers. All the photos have been clicked with the Sony Xperia Z3 compact , and I have created the collage and posted this from the phone too :-) Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for more updates.

A new trip... With a new phone!

I am relaxing in an easy chair, watching the rains lash and the waves crash against the shore. Yes, I am on another trip, this time to South India,  and as I type this, at Tarangambadi or Tranquebar. I am staying at the Neemrana property, Bungalow on the beach, and have with me for company,  Samhith of course, and the newest member of my gadget family - a Sony Xperia Z3 !

White Browed Fantail Flycatcher

This is one of the birds I usually spot from my window, but this particular one I saw at Hindu Cemetery at Banganga. I love seeing the bird spreads out its feathers, and shows us why it is called the White Browed Fantail Flycatcher ! This is a test post. I am trying to publish posts from my tab, so i can post on the go. Please bear with me, and let me know your feedback on the appearance of these posts so i can improve.

Little Green Heron

Walking around the Club Mahindra Cherai Beach Resort, I noticed a flash of feathers as a bird rose out of the water and flew to a tree. Curious, I waited till the bird returned, and I realized that it wasn’t wading in the water as I had thought, but stood at the edge of the water, on the boundary wall….

Navaratri Day 10: Winding up

Dusshera or Vijayadasami - either way, the tenth day of Navaratri is one of celebration. This year, I have been less than enthusiastic about the festival, but surrounded as I am by the celebration in all its many hues, I have still managed to post (almost) every day! Wondering how to wind up my posts, I came across this sight, which inspired me to write....

Navaratri Day 9 : Ramleela

Navaratri might be about the goddess, and her victory over the demon. However, the festival is also about another war - that between Rama and Ravana. Ramleela is just as important a part of our Navaratri celebration, so here is a peep into the Ramleela at Chembur...

Navaratri Day 8: A Golu which tells us a story

Finally catching up with my Navaratri posts, here is the celebration at Fine Arts, Chembur. The Bommai Kolu is just as grand as ever, the 15 steps towering over everyone!

Navaratri Day 7: The Golu we were waiting for!

Every year at Navaratri , apart from keeping a Bommai Golu at home myself, the one thing I look forward to, is the Golu kept by Mr. P.E.P. Swamy, of Garodia Nagar. His incredible attention to detail makes his arrangement stand out, and we await the chance to visit him and see what he has put up every year! This year, he has depicted a typical railway station....

Navaratri Day 6: Dashavatar Set from Chennapatna

Navaratri for me, is all about the Golu. Many of you must have been wondering why I still haven't posted any photos of Golus. The reason, rather prosaically is that I can't celebrate the festival this year, and, unfortunately, neither can many of our relatives, and friends. That, plus some unexpected events have kept me from visiting and posting about Golus so far. Meanwhile, I am sharing with you today, one of the items on my wishlist for next year's Golu.... I saw this beautifully carved wooden set of the  Dashavtar at Chennapatna. The small town is known for its wooden toys, and whenever I am in the vicinity, I can't help stopping, even if just for a look!! Of course, I always end up buying something... I did buy some toys for Samhith and a few gifts for friends, but I restrained my temptation to buy this beautiful set! Maybe another time!