VAIKUNDA EKADASI AT SRIRANGAM

 

 

 

 

Very few people are fortunate to have darsan of Lord Venkatesa and within a week Lord Ranganatha especially on Vaikunda Ekadasi day –Utsavar with Rathnangi and Moolavar with Muthangi and I am one such person who had this this year. It was a thrilling experience.

Out of the Hundred and Eight Divyadesas SRIRANGAM known as BHOOLOGA VAIKUNDAM, PERIA KOYIL is considered as holy of the holiest.

Throughout the year Festivals are conducted. Of all the festivals the Adyayana Utsavam conducted during Margazhi month ( Dec-Jan ) is of special importance to the devotees.

During this festival days Srirangam will be a huge Kalyana Mandapam and all these days are Marriage days for Lord Ranganathan. This festival is divided into three parts namely Pagal Pathu, Rappathu and Iyalpa. The festival will start with THIRUNEDUNTHANADAVAM on Amavsya day before the commencement of Pagal Pathu.

The beauty of Namperumal during these days-with different different alamgarams adorned with various jewels and head gears can only be seen than described-even if you have thousand eyes-they are not enough.

During Pagal Pathu Perumal will be in Arjuna Mandapam with Alwars and Acharyas-present in archa form. The first 2000 verses of Nalayiram Divya Prabhandam will be recited during pagal pathu by Arayers with abhinayana- a very rare sight-can be seen only in Srirangam,.

Thiruvaimozhi will be recited in front of Namperumal at Thirumamani Mandapam-thousand pillar mandapam during Rappathu.

The 10th day festival is Nachiyar Thirukolam when Namperumal changed himself as Nachiyar or Mohini. In appearence he will look like Ranga Nachiyar

 

On the Vaikunda Ekadasi Day Nampurumal will be adorned with Rathnangi ( With emerald, rubi, diamond and other precvious stones with Pandiyan kondai and would cross the Paramapatha Vasal at an auspicious time to the accompaniment of vedic recitation.

Devotees will have dharsan for the full day of Namperumal at Thirumamani mandapam inside the 1000-pillar mandapam on this day.

On the 8th day Vedupari Utsavam will be celebrated. On that day Namperumal would be seated atop a golden Horse and give dharsan to Thirumangai Mannan and make him as Alwar ( who has stolen Lord’s wealth )

On the 10th day of Rappathu, Nammazhwar Mokasham is of great significance and it marks the culmination of Adyayana Utsavam. On this day Sathumurai will be held on account of Namalwar reaching Vaikundam.

Daily lakhs and lakhs of devotees will visit the temple from all parts of India and there will be annadhanam in many places for devotees.

MY E-MAIL WITH LOVE

JAPANESE INDOOR BEACH- A MARVEL

NY Ice Festival
These pictures are from the Lake Placid, NY Ice Festival. I can't believe people do these for hobbies, or even for a full time job!
,

WITH BEST COMPLIMENTS AND MY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR GREETINGS

R.JAGANNATHAN AND FAMILY

MY E-MAIL WITH LOVE-Interesting Facts.

Interesting Facts. Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

The world's youngest parents were 8 and 9 and lived in China in 1910. Our eyes remain the same size from birth onward, but our noses and ears never stop growing.

You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching TV. A person will die from total lack of sleep sooner than from starvation. Death will occur about 10 days without sleep, while starvation takes a few weeks.

Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying. The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows. When the moon is directly overhead, you weigh slightly less.

Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, never telephoned his wife or mother because they were both deaf.

A psychology student in New York rented out her spare room to a carpenter in order to nag him constantly and study his reactions. After weeks of needling, he snapped and beat her repeatedly with an axe leaving her mentally retarded.

"I am." is the shortest complete sentence in the English language. Colgate faced big obstacle marketing toothpaste in Spanish speaking countries because Colgate translates into the command "go hang yourself."

The smallest unit of time is the yoctosecond. Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different. "Bookkeeper" is the only word in English language with three consecutive double letters.

Right handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left handed people do. The sentence "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every letter in the english language.

If the population of China walked past you in single line, the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction.

China has more English speakers than the United States. Every human spent about half an hour as a single cell.
Each square inch of human skin consists of twenty feet of blood vessels.

An average person uses the bathroom 6 times per day. Babies are born with 300 bones, but by adulthood we have only 206 in our bodies. Beards are the fastest growing hairs on the human body. If the average man never trimmed his beard, it would grow to nearly 30 feet long in his lifetime.

According to Genesis 1:20-22, the chicken came before the egg. The longest place name still in use is: Taumatawhakatangihangaoauauotameteaturipukakpikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu
- a New Zealand hill.

If you leave Tokyo by plane at 7:00am, you will arrive in Honolulu at approximately 4:30pm the previous day.

Scientists in Australia's Parkes Observatory thought they had positive proof of alien life, when they began picking up radio-waves from space.
However, after investigation, the radio emissions were traced to a microwave in the building.

Strange-but-true The average four year-old child asks over four hundred questions a day. The average person presses the snooze button on their alarm clock three times each morning.

The three wealthiest families in the world have more assets than the combined wealth of the fourty-eight poorest nations.

The first owner of the Marlboro cigarette Company died of lung cancer

MY E-MAIL WITH LOVE-

How We View Our Fathers

4 years: My daddy can do anything.

7 years: My dad knows a lot, a whole lot.

8 years: My father doesn't quite know everything.

12 years: Oh well, naturally Father doesn't know everything.

14 years: Father? Hopelessly old-fashioned.

21 years: Oh, that man is out-of-date. What did you expect

25 years: He knows a little bit about it but not much.

30 years: Must find out what Dad thinks about it.

35 years: A little patience, let's get Dad''s meaning first.

40 years: What would Dad have thought about it?

50 years: My Dad knew literally everything.

60 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more.

I'll always be there for You!

It's a fascinating story that comes out of the 1989 earthquake which almost flattened Armenia. This deadly tremor killed over 30,000 people in less than four minutes. In the midst of all the confusion of the earthquake, a father rushed to his son's school. When he arrived there he discovered the building was flat as a pancake.
Standing there looking at what was left of the school, the father remembered a promise he made to his son, "No matter what, I'll always be there for you!"

Tears began to fill his eyes. It looked like a hopeless situation, but he could not take his mind off his promise. Remembering that his son's classroom was in the back
right corner of the building, the father rushed there and started digging through the rubble. As he was digging other grieving parents arrived, clutching their hearts, saying: "My son! "My daughter!"

They tried to pull him off of what was left of the school saying: "It's too late!" "They're dead!" "You can't help!" "Go home!" Even a police officer and a fire fighter told him he should go home. To everyone who tried to stop him he said, "Are you going to help me now?" They did not answer him and he continued digging for his son stone by stone. He needed to know for himself: "Is my boy alive or is he dead?"

This man dug for eight hours and then twelve and then twenty-four and then thirty-six. Finally in the thirty-eighth hour, as he pulled back a boulder,he heard his son's voice. He screamed his son's name, "ARMAND!" and a voice answered him, "Dad?" It's me, Dad!"Then the boy added these priceless words, "I told the other kids not to worry. I told 'em that if you were alive, you'd save me and when you saved me, they'd be saved. You promised that, Dad. 'No matter what,' you said, 'I'll always be there for you!' And here you are Dad. You kept your promise!"

GOD WILL ANSWER OUR CALL IF WE PRAY SINCERELY AND WORK HARD

R.Jagannathan.

ABOUT RESERVATION IN INDIA & VOTE BANK

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.




Dear doctors and medical students all across India, My sympathies are with you.

You are fighting a lost battle because no government in India bothers to listen as long as they get votes from those "down-trodden".

We educated people make a huge fuss over this issue but will not stand in queue to vote on the voting date.

It is these down trodden folks who are paid by the politicians, and also get bogus voters' identity cards easily. The ladies get shawls, sarees and bedsheets while the men get booze and some hard cash.

Have you ever wondered why your name is not on the voters' list in your area while all illiterate folks with no address find theirs'?

Simple answer - their votes count. Literate people like us spend our time on TV channels discussing the fate of such issues but ultimately get a holiday on voting day and spend time relaxing.

These politicians and their bureaucrats are cunning enough to see that you and me do not vote.

This is as similar to Jessica Lal and other murder cases where everyone knows the killers but there is no proof. "No one has killed them and yet they are dead"!!!!

Has any politician been ever punished for ill-gotten wealth? Don't pay ur income tax and the taxman will only hound u even though u need to pay only Rs. 100 as tax.

This issue is as similar to "minorities" vote. According to these politicians, minority means only one religion in India. And some maniacs from that religion cause havoc across our country and these politicians are happy as the population comes down for a while.

So, the only way you can extract your pound of flesh is by charging them with hefty sums when these politicians and bureaucrats when they come to you for health checkup.

Slowly but painfully they will realize and leave the place to a fresh lot of educated young brigade who will be elected and will be sympathetic to us. By the way, long time back, my father's boss happened to be a 'down trodden' and was a IIT graduate in the 60s.He had four children - two got into premier medical colleges and the other two into IIT. They later got plush jobs in the US (in the 80s) and are now US citizens.

The poor rickshaw puller who used to take me to school in the 80s could not afford to
send his children to school. So, you see, quota is only for the few who get all the benefits and this trickle down the generations of those few families.

Genuine poor and needy get only cash and booze and lots of promises during elections.
All government jobs have been hijacked by these few 'down trodden' whose only aim is
to harass us when we go to the govt. offices for any work to be done. They are hell bent to mental-torture us for the "injustice" meted out to their forefathers
before independance.

R.Jagannathan.

From MY E-Mail WITH LOVE

Water: Amazing Secrets For Health And Wellness

Water: Amazing Secrets For Health And Wellness

My e-mail With Love


Cure # 1: Water prevents and cures heartburn.

Heartburn is a signal of water shortage in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract. It is a major thirst signal of the human body. The use of antacids or tablet medications in the treatment of this pain does not correct dehydration, and the body continues to suffer as a result of its water shortage. Tragedy: Not recognizing heartburn as a sign of dehydration and treating it with antacids and pill medications will, in time, produce inflammation of the stomach, duodenum, hiatal hernia, ulceration, and eventually cancers in the gastrointestinal tract, including the liver and pancreas.

Cure # 2: Water prevents and cures arthritis.

Rheumatoid Joint Pain - Arthritis - is a signal of water shortage in the painful joint. It can affect the young as well as the old. The use of pain-killers does
not cure the problem, but exposes the person to further damage from pain medications. Intake of water and small amounts of salt will cure this problem.

Cure # 3: Water prevents and cures back pain.

Low Back Pain and Ankylosing Arthritis of the Spine are signs of water shortage in the spinal column and discs - the water cushions that support the weight of the body. These conditions should be treated with increased water intake - not a commercial treatment, but a very effective one. Tragedy: Not recognizing arthritis and low back pain as signs of dehydration in the joint cavities and treating them with pain-killers, manipulation, acupuncture, and eventually surgery will, in time, produce osteoarthritis when the cartilage cells in the joints have eventually all died. It will produce deformity of the spine. It will produce crippling deformities of the limbs. Pain medications have their own life-threatening complications.

Cure # 4: Water prevents and cures angina.

Heart Pain - Angina - is a sign of water shortage in the heart/lung axis. It should be treated with increased water intake until the patient is free of pain and independent of medications. Medical supervision is prudent. However, increased water
intake is angina's cure.

Cure # 5: Water prevents and cures migraines.

Migraine Headache is a sign of water need by the brain and the eyes. It will totally clear up by preventing dehydration from establishing in the body. This particular type of dehydration might eventually cause inflammation of the back of the eye and possibly loss of eye sight.

Cure #6: Water prevents and cures colitis.

Colitis Pain is a signal of water shortage in the large gut. It is associated with constipation because the large intestine constricts to squeeze the last drop of water from the excrement - thus the lack of water lubrication. Tragedy: Not recognizing colitis pain as a sign of dehydration will cause persistent constipation. Later in life, it will cause fecal impacting: it can cause diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, polyps, and appreciably increases the possibility of developing cancers of the
colon and rectum.

Cure # 7: Water and salt prevents and cure asthma.

Asthma, which also affects 12,000,000 children and kills several thousand of them every year, is a complication of dehydration in the body. It is caused by the drought management programs of the body. Free passage of air is obstructed so that water does not leave the body in the form of vapor - the winter steam. Increased water intake will prevent asthma attacks. Asthmatics need also to take more salt to break the mucus plugs in the lugs which obstruct the free flow of air in and out of the air sacs. Tragedy: Not recognizing asthma as the indicator of dehydration in the body of a growing child not only will sentence many thousands of children to die every
year, but will permit irreversible genetic damage to establish in the remaining 12,000,000 asthmatic children.

Cure # 8: Water prevents and cures high blood pressure.

Hypertension is a state of adaptation of the body to a generalized drought, when there is not enough water to fill all the blood vessels which diffuse water into
vital cells. As part of the mechanism of reverse osmosis, when water from the serum is filtered and injected into important cells through minute holes in their membranes, extra pressure is needed for the "injection process." Just as we inject I.V. "water" in hospitals, so the body injects water into tens of trillions of cells all at the same time. Water and some salt intake will bring blood pressure back to
normal! Tragedy: Not recognizing hypertension as one of the major indicators of dehydration in the human body, and treating it with diuretics that further dehydrate the body will, in time, cause blockage by cholesterol of the heart arteries and the arteries that go to the brain. It will cause heart attacks, small and/or massive strokes that paralyze. It will eventually cause kidney diseases. It will cause brain damage and neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease.

Cure # 9: Water prevents and cures early-adult-onset diabetes.

Adult-Onset Diabetes is another adaptive state to severe dehydration of the human body. To have adequate water in circulation and for the brain's priority water needs, the release of insulin is inhibited to prevent insulin from pushing water into all body cells. In diabetes only some cells get survival rations of water. Water and some salt will reverse adult-onset diabetes in its early stages. Tragedy: Not recognizing adult-onset diabetes as a complication of dehydration will, in time, cause massive damage to the blood vessels all over the body. It will cause eventual loss of the toes, feet and legs from gangrene. It will cause eye damage, even blindness.

Cure # 10: Water lowers blood cholesterol.

High Cholesterol levels are an indicator of early drought management by the body. Cholesterol is a clay-like material that is poured in the gaps of some cell membranes to safeguard them from losing their vital water content to the osmotic ally more powerful blood circulating in their vicinity. Cholesterol, apart from being used to manufacture nerve cell membranes and hormones, is also used as a "shield" against water taxation of other vital cells that would normally exchange water through their cell membranes.

Cure # 11: Water Cures Depression, Loss of Libido,

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy. These conditions are caused by prolonged chronic dehydration. They will clear up once the body becomes well and regularly hydrated. In these conditions, exercising one's muscles should be part of the treatment programmed.

R.Jagannathan

MY E-MAIL WITH LOVE-

A Story on how to manage your career & your expectations by R.Gopalakrishnan

1. Seek out grassroots level experience.

I studied Physics and Engineering at University. A few months before graduation, I appeared for an HLL interview for Computer Traineeship.When asked whether I would consider Marketing instead of Computers, I responded negatively: an engineer to visit grocery shops to sell Dalda or Lifebuoy. Gosh, no way.

After I joined the Company and a couple of comfortable weeks in the swanky Head Office, I was given a train ticket to go to Nasik.

Would I please meet Mr. Kelkar to whom I would be attached for the next two months?

He would teach me to work as a salesman in his territory, which included staying in Kopargaon And Pimpalgaon among other small towns. I was most upset. In a town called Ozhar, I was moving around from shop to shop with a bullock cart full of products and a salesman's folder in my hand. Imagine my embarrassment when An IIT friend appeared in front of me in Ozhar, believe it or not! And exclaimed, "Gopal, I thought you joined as a Management Trainee in Computers".

After this leveling experience, I was less embarrassed to work as a Dispatch Clerk in
the Company Depot and an Invoice Clerk in the Accounts Department. Several years later, I realized the value of such grassroots level experience. It is fantastic.

I would advise young people to seek out nail- dirtying, collar-soiling, shoewearing tasks. That is how you learn about organizations, about the true nature of work, and the dignity of the many, many tasks that go into building great enterprises.

2. Deserve before you desire At one stage, I was appointed as the Brand Manager for Lifebuoy and Pears soap, the company's most popular-priced and most premium soaps. And what was Brand Manager?

"A mini-businessman, responsible for the production, sales and profits of the brand, accountable For its long-term growth, etc., etc."

I had read those statements, I believed them and here I was, at 27, "in charge of everything". But very soon, I found I could not move a pin without checking with my seniors.

One evening, after turning the Facit machine handle through various calculations, I sat in front of the Marketing Director. I expressed my frustration and gently asked whether I could not be given total charge.

He smiled benignly and said, "The perception and reality are both right. You will get total charge when you know more about the brand than anyone else in this company about its formulation, the raw materials, the production costs, the consumer's perception, the distribution and so on."

"How long do you think that in years", I replied, "and I don't expect to be the Lifebuoy and Pears Brand Manager for so long"!

And then suddenly, the lesson was clear. I desired total control, long before I deserved it. This happens to us all the time - in terms of responsibilities, in terms of postings and promotions, it happens all the time that there is a gap between our perception of what we deserve and the reality of what we get. It helps to deserve before we desire.

3. Play to win but win with fairness Life is competitive and of course, you play to win. But think about the balance. Will you do  anything, to win? Perhaps not. Think deeply about how and where you draw the line.

Each person draws it differently, and in doing so, it helps to think about values.
Winning without values provides dubious fulfillment. The leaders who have  ontributed
the most are the ones with a set of universal values? Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther
King for example. Napoleon inspired a ragged, mutinous and half-starved army to fight and seize power.

This brought him name and fame for twenty years. But all the while, he was driven forward by a selfish and evil ambition, and not in pursuit of a great ideal. He finally fell because of his selfish ambition. I am fond of referring to the Pierre de Coubertin Fair Play Trophy. It was instituted in 1964 by the founder of the  modern Olympic Games and here are two examples of winners. A Hungarian tennis player who pleaded with the umpire to give his opponent sums a cramp.

A British kayak team who were trailing the Danish kayak team. They then stopped to
help the Danish team whose boat was  tuck. The Danes went on to beat the British by one second in a three hour event! What wonderful examples of sportsmanship! Play to Win, but with Fairness.

4 Enjoy whatever you do Sir Thomas Lipton is credited with the statement: "There is no greater fun than hard work". You usually excel in fields, which you truly enjoy. Ask any person what it is that interferes with his enjoyment of existence. He will say, "The struggle for life". What he probably means is the struggle for success.

Unless a person has learnt what to do with success after getting it, the very  achievement of it must lead him to unhappiness. Aristotle wrote, "Humans seek happiness as an end in itself, not as a means to something else".

But if you think about it, we should not work for happiness. We should work as happy
people. In organizational life, people get busy doing something to be happy. The more you try to be happy, the more  unhappiness you can get. Your work and career is all about you’re reaching your full potential. Working at one's full potential, whether it is the office boy or the Chairman, leads to enjoyment and fulfillment.
A last point about enjoyment.

Keep a sense of humor about yourself. Too many people are in danger of taking themselves far too seriously. As General Joe Stilwell is reported to have said, "Keep smiling. The higher the monkey climbs, the more you can see of his backside".

5 Be Passionate about your health Of course, as you get older, you would have a slight paunch, graying of hair or loss of it and so on. But it is in the first 5 - 7 years after the working career begins that the greatestneglect of youthful health occurs.

Sportsmen stop playing sports, non drinkers drink alcohol, light smokers smoke more, active people sit on chairs, and starving inmates of hostels eat rich food in good hotelsand so on. These are the years to watch. Do not, I repeat do not, convince yourself that you are too busy, or that you do not have access to facilities, or worst of all, that you do this to relieve the stresses of a professional career.

A professional career is indeed very stressful. There is only one person who can help youand to feel good each morning -and that is yourself. God has given us as good a health asHe has, a bit liked a credit balance in his bank.Grow it, maintain it, but do not allow its value destruction. The penalty is very high in later years.

6 Direction is more important than distance
Every golfer tries to drive the ball to a very long distance. In the process, all sorts of mistakes occur because the game involves the masterly co-ordination of several movements simultaneously.

The golf coach always advises that direction is more important than distance. So it is with life. Despite ones best attempts, there will be ups and downs. It is relationships and friendships that enable a person to navigate the choppy waters that
the ship of life will encounter.

When I was young, there was a memorable film by Frank Capra, starring James Stewart and Dona Reed, and named its A WONDERFUL LIFE. It is about a man who is about to commit suicide because he thinks he is a failure. An angel is sent to rescue him. The bottom line of the film is that "No Man is a Failure Who Has Friends".

Conclusion

My generation will never be twenty again, but when you are older, you can and should be different from my generation. Ours is a great and wonderful country, and realizing her true potential in the global arena depends ever so much on the quality and persistence of our young people. Good luck in your journey, my young friends, and God be with you and our beloved

 

R.Jagannathan.

MY E-MAIL WITH LOVE

Narayana Murthy's views on staying late in the office.

 

It's half past 8 in the office but the lights are still on...PCs still running, coffee machines still buzzing...and who's at work?

Most of them??? Take a closer look...All or most specimens are 20-something male species of the human race...Look closer...
again all or most of them are  bachelors...and why are they sitting late? Working hard?

No way!!! Any guesses??? Let's ask one of them..

Here's what he says..."What's there 2 do after going home... here we get to surf, AC,
phone, food, coffee... that’s why I am working late...

Importantly no bossssssss!!!!!!!!!!!This is the scene in most research centers and software companies and other off-shore
offices.

Bachelors "time-passing" during late hours in the office just bcoz they say they've nothing else to do...Now what are
the consequences... read on..

."Working"(for the record only) late hours soon becomes part of the institute or company culture. With bosses more than eager to provide support to those "working" late in the form of taxi vouchers, food vouchers and of course good feedback,(oh, he's a hard worker... goes home only to change..!!).They aren't helping things too... To hell with bosses who don't understand the difference between "sitting" late  and "working" late!!!

Very soon, the boss starts expecting all employees to put in extra working hours. So, My dear Bachelors let me tell you, life
changes when u get married and start having a family...

office is no longer a priority, family is... and that's when the problem starts... becoz u start having commitments at home too. For your boss, the earlier "hardworking" guy suddenly seems to become an "early leaver" even if u leaves an hour after regular time... after doing the same amount of work.

People leaving on time after doing their tasks for the day are labeled as work-shirkers... Girls who thankfully always (its changing nowadays... though) leave on time are labeled as "not up to it".

All the while, the bachelors pat their own backs and carry on "working" not realizing that they r spoiling the work culture at their own place and never realize that they would have to regret at one point of time. *So what's the moral of the story??

* * Very clear, LEAVE ON TIME!!! * Never put in extra time " *unless really needed *" * don’t stay back un-necessarily and spoil your company work culture which will in turn cause  inconvenience to you and your
colleagues.

There are hundred other things to do in the evening... Learn music...Learn a foreign language...try a sport... TT,  cricket.........importantly Get a girl friend or gal friend, take him/her around town...* and for heaven's sake net cafe rates have dropped to an all-time low (plus, no fire-walls) and try cooking for a change.

Take a tip from the Smirnoff ad:
*"Life's calling, where are you??"* Please pass on this message to all those colleagues and please do it before leaving

R.Jagannathan.

WE ARE A DEMOCRATIC NATION

An MP-SALARY Monthly Salary : Rs. 12,000
  .( Now it has been increased to more than double )
Expense for Constituency per month :Rs.10,000 ( now more )

Office expenditure per month : Rs.14,000
Traveling concession (Rs. 8 per km) : Rs.48,000 (For a visit to Delhi & return: 6000 km)

Daily BATA during parliament meets : Rs.500
Charge for 1 class (A/C) in train : Free (For any number of times) (All over India )

Charge for Business Class in flights : Free for 40 trips / year (With wife or P.A.)

Rent for MP hostel at Delhi: FREE

Electricity costs at home: Free up to 50,000 units Local phone call charge: Free up to 1, 70,000 calls. TOTAL expense for a MP per year : Rs. 32,00,000 TOTAL expense for 5 years : Rs. 1,60,00,000 For 534 MPs, the expense for 5 years : Rs. 8,54,40,00,000 (nearly 855 cores)

And they are elected by THE PEOPLE OF INDIA , by the largest democratic process in the world, not intruded into the parliament on their own or by any qualification.

This is how all our tax money is been swallowed and price hike on our regular Commodities.......Think of the great democracy we have.............
  

PHILOSOPHY OF STOCK MARKET

Once upon a time in a village a man appeared who announced to the villagers that he would buy monkeys for Rs. 10. The villagers seeing that there were many monkeys went out in the forest and started catching them. The man bought thousands at 10 and as supply started to diminish and villagers started to stop their effort he announced that now he would buy at 20 rupees.

This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching moneys again. Soon the supply diminished even further and people started going back to their farms. The offer rate increased to 25 and the supply of monkeys became so that it was an effort to even see a monkey let alone catch it.

The man now announced that he would buy monkeys at 50! However, since he had to go to the city on some business his assistant would now buy on behalf of the man. In the absence of the man, the assistant told the villagers "Look at all these monkeys in the big cage that the man has collected. I will sell them to you at Rs 35 and when the man comes back you can sell it to him for Rs 50."

The villagers queued up with all their saving to buy the monkeys.

FIVE THUMB RULES FOR HEART CARE-DR. DEVI SHETTY

What are the five thumb rules for a layman to take care of his heart?

Dr Devi Shetty:

1. Diet - Less of carbohydrate, more of protein, less oil. 2. Exercise - Half an hour's walk at least five days a week; avoids lifts and avoid sitting for a longtime three. Quit smoking

4. Control weight 5. Control blood pressure and sugar

Is eating non-veg food (fish) good for the heart?

Dr Devi Shetty: No, It is still a grave shock to hear that some apparently healthy person gets a cardiac arrest.

How do we understand it in perspective?

Dr Devi Shetty: This is called silent attack; that is why we recommend everyone past the age of 30 to undergo routine health checkups.

Are heart diseases hereditary?

Dr Devi Shetty: Yes

What are the ways in which the heart is stressed? What practices do you suggest to de-stress?

Dr Devi Shetty: Change your attitude towards life. Do not look for perfection in everything in life.

Is walking better than jogging or is more intensive exercise required to keep a healthy heart?

Dr Devi Shetty: Walking is better than jogging since jogging leads to early fatigue and injury to joints you have done so much for the poor and needy.

What has inspired you to do so?

Dr Devi Shetty: Mother Theresa, who was my patient.

Can people with low blood pressure suffer heart diseases?

Dr Devi Shetty: Extremely rare

Does cholesterol accumulates right from an early age (I am currently only 22) or do you have to worry about it only after you are above 30 years of age?

Dr Devi Shetty: Cholesterol accumulates from childhood.

How do irregular eating habits affect the heart?

Dr Devi Shetty: You tend to eat junk food when the habits are irregular and your body's enzyme release for digestion gets confused.

How can I control cholesterol content without using medicines?

Dr Devi Shetty: Control diet, walk and eat walnut. Can yoga prevent heart ailments?

Dr Devi Shetty: Yoga helps.

Which is the best and worst food for the heart?

Dr Devi Shetty: Best food is fruits worst are oil.

Which oil is better - gingili, groundnut, sunflower, saffola, olive?

Dr Devi Shetty: All oils are bad; the so-called best oil company has the largest marketing budget.

What is the routine checkup one should go through? Is there any specific test?

Dr Devi Shetty: Routine blood test to ensure sugar, cholesterol is ok. Check BP, Treadmill test after an echo.

How different was it in treating Noor Fatima, the little kid from Pakistan?

Dr Devi Shetty: It was extremely difficult, Because of the media attention. As far as the medical treatment is concerned, she is like any other child with a complex heart problem.

What are the first aid steps to be taken on a heart attack?

Dr Devi Shetty: Help the person into a sleeping position, put an aspirin tablet under the tongue with a sorbitrate tablet if available, and rush him to a coronary care unit since the maximum casualty takes place within the first hour.

How do you differentiate between pain caused by a heart attack and that caused due to gastric trouble?

Dr Devi Shetty: Extremely difficult without ECG.

What is the main cause of a steep increase in heart problems amongst youngsters? I see people of about 30-40 yrs of age having heart attacks and serious heart problems.

Dr Devi Shetty: Increased awareness has increased incidents. Also, sedentary lifestyles, smoking, junk food, lack of exercise in a country where people are genetically three times more vulnerable for heart attacks than Europeans and Americans.

Is it possible for a person to have BP outside the normal range of 120/80 and yet be perfectly healthy?

Dr Devi Shetty: Yes.

Marriages within close relatives can lead to heart problems for the child. Is it true?

Dr Devi Shetty: Yes, co-sanguinity leads to congenital abnormalities and you may not have a software engineer as a child Many of us have an irregular daily routine and

many a times we have to stay late nights in office.

Does this affect our heart? What precautions would you recommend?

Dr Devi Shetty: When you are young, nature protects you against all these irregularities.

However, as you grow older, respect the biological clock.

Will taking anti-hypertensive drugs cause some other complications (short / long term)?

Dr Devi Shetty: Yes, most drugs have some side effects. However, modern anti-hypertensive drugs are extremely safe.

Will consuming more coffee/tea lead to heart attacks?

Dr Devi Shetty: No.

Are asthma patients more prone to heart disease?

Dr Devi Shetty: No.

How would you define junk food?

Dr Devi Shetty: Fried food like Kentucky, McDonalds, samosas, and even masala dosas.

You mentioned that Indians are three times more vulnerable. What is the reason for this, as Europeans and Americans also eat a lot of junk food?

Dr Devi Shetty: Every race is vulnerable to some disease and unfortunately, Indians are vulnerable for the most expensive disease.

Does consuming bananas help reduce hypertension?

Dr Devi Shetty: No.

Can a person help himself during a heart attack (Because we see a lot of forwarded emails on this)?

Dr Devi Shetty: Yes. Lie down comfortably and put an aspirin tablet of any description under the tongue and ask someone to take you to the nearest coronary care unit without any delay and do not wait for the ambulance since most of the time, the ambulance does not turn up.

Do, in any way, low white blood cells and low hemoglobin count lead to heart problems?

Dr Devi Shetty: No. But it is ideal to have normal hemoglobin level to increase your exercise capacity.

Sometimes, due to the hectic schedule we are not able to exercise. So, does walking while doing daily chores at home or climbing the stairs in the house, work as a substitute for exercise?

Dr Devi Shetty: Certainly. Avoid sitting continuously for more than half an hour and even the act of getting out of the chair and going to another chair and sitting helps a lot.

Is there a relation between heart problems and blood sugar?

Dr Devi Shetty: Yes. A strong relationship since diabetics is more vulnerable to heart attacks than non-diabetics.

What are the things one needs to take care of after a heart operation?

Dr Devi Shetty: Diet, exercise, drugs on time.Control cholesterol, BP, weight.

Are people working on night shifts more vulnerable to heart disease when compared to day shift workers?

Dr Devi Shetty: No.

What are the modern anti-hypertensive drugs?

Dr Devi Shetty: There are hundreds of drugs and your doctor will chose the right combination for your problem, but my suggestion is to avoid the drugs and go for natural ways of controlling blood pressure by walk, diet to reduceweight and changing attitudes towards lifestyles.

Does dispirin or similar headache pills increase the risk of heart attacks?

Dr Devi Shetty: No.

Why is the rate of heart attacks more in men than in women?

Dr Devi Shetty: Nature protects women till the age of 45.

How can one keep the heart in a good condition?

Dr Devi Shetty: Eat a healthy diet, avoid junk food, exercise everyday, do not smoke and, go for a health checkup if you are past the age of 30 for at least once in two yrs

Dr Devi Shetty is a well-known cardiologist in India and his hospital has saved hundreds of heart patients. This blog thanks him sincerely for the advices given above.

R.Jagannathan.

CRUSHING TABLETS-MEDICAL

1. Crushing Tablets For Easy Swallowing
NEW DELHI: Crushing tablets can make them easier to swallow but it can have a serious, even potentially fatal, effect on your health.

According to experts, over 80% of people have a habit of crushing tablets to help patients, especially children and the elderly, take their medicines.However, doctors say the trend is alarming and dangerous. Not only does crushing pills alter the effect of the drug, it can also affect the way the drug
is released or absorbed, possibly causing serious side effects.

Several pills have special protective coating that ensures the drug does not touch the inner walls of the stomach but directly passes into the intestine after being swallowed. Crushing these pills heightens chances of gastric injury leading to bleeding from the intestine.

Experts also warn that some medicines, including the anti-diabetic drug Metformin, are meant for sustained release, spread over 24 hours. Crushing them would result in limiting their long-lasting action, putting the patient at risk.

Drug expert Dr C M Gulati said, "A tablet isn't just made of the drug. It contains both binding agents and other chemicals. The drug is also not uniformly spread across the tablet. Therefore a patient would rarely know whether both halves have equal amount of the drug."

Dr Gulati said most patients who crush the tablet mix it with juice or milk. This could result in interaction between the drug and liquid. Drugs that aren't scored (lined from the centre), should not be crushed under any circumstance, he said, and added, "It's a misconception that breaking a tablet into two lowers its strength."

It is estimated that 60% of older people have trouble swallowing pills. As a result, some of them, or their care-givers, crush the pills. That's why an estimated 75 million prescriptions a year are associated with adverse drug reactions.

UN LUCKY SWIMMING GUEST

INTERNET WITH LOVE-1

It all started when I visited States in 2005. Few of my Colleagues were also in States at that time. We decided to keep in touch with each other through e-mail service. Since Broad Band was available we used to spend an hour or so surfing the Net.

Initially I wanted to know more about my Textile sites and plenty of sites were available on this subject. I passed on few interesting things to my email club friends. In exchange they also passed on much information.

After returning to India we continued to keep in touch with each other. Soon my mail box swelled and plenty of useful information in all fields –very rare ones were at my possession.

I thought of sharing these things to wider circles. Since they contain graphics in color– to print all these things will be very costly. For instance the beauty of Indoor Beach built in Japan is some thing fascinating. To catch all such beauties, I decided to bring out in CD form. Wealth of information is available in the succeeding pages. Some of Health Tips will be very useful to lead healthy life. Some can instill sense of confidence and build new social order.

R.JAGANNATHAN.
.

 

Life is a game.

Life is a game.
Play it, to win a name ...
Even if you lose, it’s a gain
TRY next time ...
You take the pain
to win again.

 

Blood Group Did You Know?

Blood type and Rh      .How many people have it?
O         =  + 40 %
O         = - 7 %
A          =+ 34 %
A          =- 6 %
B          =+ 8 %
B          =- 1 %
AB       =  + 3 %
A B      =- 1 %

Does Your Blood Type Reveal Your Personality?

According to a Japanese institute that does research on blood types, there are certain personality traits that seem to match up with certain blood types. How do  you rate?

TyPE O-  You want to be a leader, and when you see something you want, you keep striving until you achieve your goal. You are a trend-setter, loyal, passionate, and self-confident. Your weaknesses include vanity and jealously and a tendency to be too competitive.

TYPE A

-You like harmony, peace and organization. You work well with others, and are sensitive, patient and affectionate. Among your weaknesses are stubbornness and an inability to relax.

TYPE B

-

You're a rugged individualist, who's straightforward and likes to do  things your own way. Creative and flexible, you adapt easily to any situation. But your insistence on being independent can sometimes go too far and become a weakness.

TYPE AB

-

Cool and controlled, you're generally well liked and always put people at ease. You're a natural entertainer who's tactful and fair. But you're standoffish, blunt, and have difficulty making decisions.

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION NOW:

You Can Receive
If Your Type Is O- O+ B- B+ A- A+ AB- AB+
AB+ YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
AB- YES YES YES YES
A+ YES YES YES YES
A- YES YES
B+ YES YES YES YES
B- YES YES
O+ YES YES
O- YES
Please pass this on to everybody you know. We never know when an  emergency will knock our life. It's about SAVING a Life. keep smiling....always .....sk
There is a site  http://www.indianblooddonors.com/ where in you can search for a particular blood group. You will get hundreds of donor
Addresses within your city.

 

R.Jagannathan.

106-DIVYA DESAMS. 13-KURUSHETHRA

Our virtual pilgrimage tour continues to the North Indian States and we move on to Kurushethra.

HISTORY OF KURUKSHETRA

Kurukshetra is probably the most famous religious site in India and one of the most ancient places of pilgrimage in the world. The name of Kurukshetra derives from a tribe, Kuru. By the evidence of its name and its archaeological remains there can be no doubts that Kurukshetra was occupied by the Aryans. The city is said to be as old as the Rigveda, and was also called Saryanvat.

According to Mahabharat the land between the Saraswati and Drishdvati was called Kurukshetra, which covered an area of five yojanas in radius. The territory between Tarantuka and Arantuka and between Machkruka  and Ramhrada is called Kurukshetra, Samant Panchaka and the Northern Vedi of Brahma.

Kurukshetra derives its religious sanctity from more than one source. Its religious importance has been described as the land of righteousness in Rigveda, Sathpath Brahaman, Jabali Upnishad, Puranas, Bhagwat Gita, Mahabharat and other religious books.

Kurukshetra has been delcared as the land of Dharma or righteousness in the very first shloka of Srimadbhagwad Gita and it is quite evident that the name Kurukshetra was prevelent even before the great war of Mahabharat. It was after the name of King Kuru, the ancestor of Kauravas and Pandavas this place was called Kurukshetra.

 

LOCATION

Kurukshetra town lies in the North Eastern part of Haryana State and is about 160 Kilometers North of Delhi, 39 Kilometers North of Karnal and 40 Kilometers South of Ambala. It is at distance of about 6 kilometer from Pipli an important road junction on the National Highway No.1 popularly called the Grand Trunk Road.

  Kurukshetra Railway Station, also called the Kurukshetra Junction is located on main Delhi-Ambala Railway line. There are two bus stands in Kurukshetra and one is at Pipli which is on the National Highway and easily accessible for the visitors coming from every corner of world.

HISTORY

Mythologically, the name Kurukshetra applied to a circuit of about 80 miles (128 kms.) which includes a large number of holy places, temples and tanks, connected with the ancient Indian traditions and the Mahabharata war. It covers a wide area with the present Panipat and north-west corner of the Jind district in the south and eastern part of the Patiala district in the west, and the Saraswati and Yamuna rivers at its northern and eastern boundaries respectively.

According to Manu, the tract between the old sacred rivers Saraswati and Drishadvati in Kurukshetra was known as Brahmavarta.

In the very first verse of the Bhagvad Gita,a Kurukshetra is described as Dharmakshetra, the field of righteousness. It is also known as Brajhmakshetra, the field of Brahma, the Creator. Nardak is another name for Kurukshetra, probably derived form nirdukh, without sorrow.

Many geographical names and personalities connected with Kurukshetra occur in the earliest Sanskrit literature and around this region were enacted the opening scenes of the drama of Indian history. Most of the Vedic literature was composed here and most of the social, religious and political traditions of this country arose in this region. It is therefore regarded as the cradle of Indian civilisation and culture.

Kurukshetra shot into prominence as the battle field of Mahabharta and as the birth place of the holy Gita. The great 18-day battle of Mahabharta was fought here in the ancient past between Kauravas and Pandavas for upholding the cause of dharma. It was a war between good and evil, in which the Pandavas were victorious.

Bhagvad Gita, the Song Celestial, is the divine message which lord Krishna delivered to Arjuna on the eve of the Great War when he saw the latter wavering from his duty. It epitomises all that is the best and noblest in the Hindu philosophy of life.

http://wapedia.mobi/

kurukshetra.nic.in/.../history.htm

R.Jagannathan.

106-DIVYA DESAMS-13. DWARAKA

We are covering Krishna Janma Bhoomi in our virtual tour.

Dwarka, meaning ‘Door to Moksha (Salvation)’ is a popular city of Gujarat. It was established by Lord Krishna with his elder brother Balram. The city is also known as Golden City. It was built by divine architect Vishwakarma in two days. The city is said to have been made up of diamonds and crystal, with palaces made of gold, emeralds and other precious stones.

It was the abode of Lord Krishna for nearly a 100 years. After Lord Krishna's death, the city is believed to have been submerged in the sea.

The celebration of Janmashtami in the main Dwarkadhish temple is very famous in India. Devotees from all over India throng the city of Dwarka during Janamashtami.

The celebration on Janmashtami follows the daily routine or‘Nitya Kram’ of Lord Krishna. Rituals are performed by Aboti brahmins, who are special brahmins performing these rituals for the past many centuries now.
Janmashtami Pooja

The festival day begins with mangla arti performed in the morning. Mangla arti is always performed at 7 in the morning. Beginning with 'Banta Bhog' (of milk and milk products) offered to Lord Krishna, followed by cleansing of his face with water, brushing of the idol's teeth. Then the first darshan of the day is allowed to the devotees.

Abhishek or bath of Lord Krishna
Lord Krishna is given the holy bath between 8 - 10 am and devotees are given a chance to see the abhishek which happens only twice a year. The bath is given right after the mangla arti with Panchamrit (mixture of gangajal, ghee, honey, curd and sugar).
Adorning Lord Krishna (Shringar)

After the bath, Lord Krishna is adorned with clothes and ornaments. Lord is made to wear Pitamber, a yellow coloured cloth. Ornaments consists of Chandanmala, Vyjantimala ( garland) and Suparimala (Made of Betel nut). Makeup on the face of Shri Dwarkadhish is done and he is also adorned with shankh (Conch), Discus (Chakra).

Darshan and Shringarbhog
After the adornment of Shri Krishna, the curtains are removed and devoteed are allowed to do the darshans of the Lord. This is Followed by offering of Shringar Bhog (Sweets) to the Lord. During this time, the curtains are drawn again and the devotees are not allowed to see the Lord. The Shringarbhog is prepared in the temple premises.

Shayan bhog and Shayan arti
After the evening arti, Lord is offered sweets again, devotees are not allowed the darshans of the Lord during this time. Then it is time for Dwarkadhish to sleep.

This happens around 9:00 pm. It is around 10:30 pm that darshans are opened again for the devotees during the Janmashtami celebrations.

Janmashtami Celebrations
Lord Dwarkadhish is adorned with lot of Gold jewellery and other precious stones such as Diamonds and Topaz. This happens around 11:00 pm. Utsav Bhog is offered to Lord around 11:30 pm. Devotees are not allowed to see the process of Utsav Bhog though they wait eagerly for their beloved Lord in the temple premises and sing bhajans. The devotees welcome the Lord at 12 midnight with immense enthusiasm and joy.

After nearly two hour celebrations, the temple closes at 2:00 am after the mahabhog offerings to Lord Krishna. Bal Gopal idol is kept in a cradle in the temple premises for the darshan of the general public. Thus the janmashtami celebrations finally come to an end in Dwarkadhish temple.

Janmashtami, the birthday of Shri Krishna, is celebrated with great splendour. Rows of lights are lit everywhere, kirtans and bhajans are sung, sermons are delivered and Krishna is worshipped in his infant form.

Thousands of people go to Dwarka to visit the temple and participate in the fair. After visiting the main temple, devotees go to Shankhoddhar Beyt. There are some other important temples, both old and new.

Among these is the temple of Shank-Narayan, dedicated to the Matsyavatar, the incarnation of Vishnu as a fish. This was constructed over 200 years ago.

Krishna Janambhoomi is one of the most visited tourist destination in India. The place has been named so because it is considered to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna.

Dwarka city is located in the Jamnagar district of Gujarat. It is one of the most ancient cities in India and houses the famous Dwarkadhish temple, which is one of the biggest Hindu pilgrimage places in India. The city was also called Swarna Dwarka (golden Dwarka) because of its prosperity.

It even finds reference in the great Hindu epic of Mahabharata. After Shri Krishna killed his maternal uncle Kamsa, his father-in-law was enraged. In order to take revenge of his son-in-law, he attacked Mathura 17 times, along with his friend Kalayavan.

To save the people from the threat of the war, he decided to shift his capital from Mathura to Dwarka, which was basically a piece of a land reclaimed from the sea. The city was designed and constructed by the celestial architect Vishwakarma. It was a planned city and served as the capital city of the Lord till His holy presence on the earth.

After he died, the Yaduvansh (Krishna's clan) declined. It is said that the original city built by the Lord submerged in the sea after he departed from the world. Later, one of the grandsons of the Lord constructed the Dwarkadhish Temple.

Dwarkadhish Temple is also known as the Jagad Mandir and it is made from limestone and sand. The spire of the temple is about 170 feet high. The flag on the top of the shrine is the symbol of the majesty of the Lord and is changed three times in a day. Dwarkadhish Temple has five storeys and stands on 60 pillars.

It has a unique construction and did not even budge at the time of Tsunami or Earthquake. The temple mainly has two doors, with the entrance door being called the Swarga Dwara and the exit door the Moksha Dwara.

Dwarkadhish Temple is adorned with rich carvings and is an architectural gem. It welcomes the poor and the rich alike. The temple is one of the important Moksh Dhams of India. One can have the splendid view of River Gomati from the temple, as it flows nearby. Apart from Lord Krishna, there are a number of deities present in the Dwarkadhish Temple.

The temple holds the same significance for Hindus like Mecca for Muslims. It is thronged by thousands of pilgrims each year, who come here in quest of the eternal peace.

www.bharatonline.com/gujarat/.../dwarkadhish-temple.html

On the eve of the great battle of Kurukshetra, Lord Krishna set out from Dwarka to the site of the battle, to instruct Arjuna, the Pandava, and these instructions form the text of the Bhagavad Gita. Famous for his divine compassion, Krishna was devoted to those whom he loved. When Sudama, the humble friend of his childhood, visited him  at Dwarka, he was received like a royal prince by Lord Krishna and his queen, the beautiful Rukmini. There are many other legends connected with Dwarka. It is said that when the Lord finally abandoned his body, the city slipped into the sea and its waves closed over it for ever.

Today's Dwarka, like its ancient counterpart, stand poised on the edge of the Kutchh peninsula, facing the Arabian sea. In times gone by, it was a seaport from where goods were borne to the Mediterranean world. The city was also the gateway to western India. It is clear that Dwarka was a populour town with buildings constructed of stone and brick, even before the Christian era. Its archaeological remains point to a level of prosperity unusual at that time. Throughout the centuries, Dwarka has been visited by many persons whose names illuminate the pages of history. Among these were :

Adi Shankaracharya (c 780 to 820 AD), Ramanuja (12th century A.D), the great mystic Narsinh Mehta, Mira, the devout princess from Chitor, and the great saints Kabir and Nanak.

Dwarka is an important city for Hindu Pilgrimage. This was the kingdom of Lord Krishna. The entire city was revealed by marine excavations. The city of Dwarka, renowned in myth and legend, was once the capital of Lord Krishna's empire. He is believed to have settled there after leaving Mathura, thousands of years ago. The site is undoubtedly ancient but its association with Lord Krishna gives it a sanctity which draws millions of pilgrims. It is one of India's seven oldest towns or sapta puris, where he reigned for decades as leader of a growing clan. On the eve of the great battle of Kurukshetra, Lord Krishna set out from Dwarka to the site of the battle, to instruct Arjuna, the Pandava, and these instructions form the text of the Bhagavad Gita. Famous for his divine compassion, Krishna was devoted to those whom he loved. When Sudama, the humble friend of his childhood, visited him hesitantly at Dwarka, he was received like a royal prince by Lord Krishna and his queen, the beautiful Rukmini. There are many other legends connected with Dwarka. It is said that when the Lord finally abandoned his body, the city slipped into the sea and its waves closed over it for ever. Today's Dwarka, like its ancient counterpart, stand poised on the edge of the Kutchh peninsula, facing the Arabian sea. In times gone by, it was a seaport from where goods were borne to the Mediterranean world. The city was also the gateway to western India. It is clear that Dwarka was a populour town with buildings constructed of stone and brick, even before the Christian era. Its archaeological remains point to a level of prosperity unusual at that time. Throughout the centuries, Dwarka has been visited by many persons whose names illuminate the pages of history. Among these were Adi Shankaracharya (c 780 to 820 AD), Ramanuja (12th century A.D), the great mystic Narsinh Mehta, Mira, the devout princess from Chitor, and the great saints Kabir and Nanak. Places to Visit Jagat Mandir Dwarka is famous for the temple of Dwarkadhish, the ` Lord of Dwarka' also known as Jagat Mandir or temple of the world. It is sup- posed to have been constructed over 1400 years ago, although many claim that it is even older. It houses the image of Lord Krishna and is the beacon which draws pilgrims from all over India and abroad. Magnificently built on traditional lines, the temple has five floors and is profusely carved from base to pinnacle. The festival of Lord Krishna's birth is celebrated there every year in the auspicious month of Shravan with great splendour and amidst great rejoicing. Navratri and other festivals celebrated there during the year recall special events in the Lord's life. It is during these festivals, redolent as they are with mystic fervor and joy, that the true significance of Dwarka can be understood. The Sharada Peetha This is one of the four Maths established by Jagat-guru Shankaracharya, all of which survive to this day. The Math runs an educational society, an arts college and a Sanskrit Academy, which prepares scholars for doctorates in Sanskrit and Indology. Bet Dwarka Also known as Bet Shankhoddar, Bet Dwarka is only 5 kms from Okha Junction in sea and Okha is 30 kms from Dwarka. It is said to be the place where Lord Krishna lived with his family when the ruled at Dwarka. It is also the place where Vishnu slew the demon Shankhasura. Visitors make it a point to visit the Krishna temple at this site which holds much of interest to be seen and experienced. Nageswar Mahadev The Puranas mention 12 Jyotirlingas or columns of light representing Lord Shiva, who manifested himself in that form in different parts of India. This shiva shrine near Dwarka is one of these and is there- fore accorded great respect.  How to get there ? Air Jamnagar is the nearest airport and is about 150 kms away. Visitors can travel to Dwarka from Jamnagar either by road, rail or bus. Rail Dwarka lies on the metre gauge railway line that runs from Viramgam to Okha. By rail, Dwarka is 378 kms from Ahmedabad, 217 kms from Rajkot and 137 kms from Jamnagar. Road An excellent State highway links Dwarka. State Transport Buses ply to Dwarka from various places.

www.krishnajanmashtami.com/dwarkadhish-temple-gujarat.h

R.Jagannathan.

106- DIVYA DESAMS-KRISHNA JANMA BHOOMI- MATHURA-12

We are in the midst of vertual pilgrimage tour of Vaishnava Divya desams and had the glimpse of Temples devoted to Ram.

In the next lap of our tour we will have dharsan of Lord Krishna- Krishna Janma Bhoomi.

MATHURA:

Mathura, the birth city of Bhagwan Krishna is situated on the banks of river Yamuna and is approximately 145 kms from the capital city Delhi. The town is renowned for being host to the most revered temple of Shri Krishna-the famous Krishna Janma Bhoomi Mandir. The temple is the place where lord is said to have been born thousands of years ago. Along with neighboring towns Govardhan, Nandgaon and Vrindavan, the area is a major pilgrimage site for Hindus.

According to historians, the prison cell,popularly known as 'Garbha Griha', in the temple premise is the exact place where lord Krishna was born. The stone walled cell is reminiscent of the cruelty of King Kamsa. Many statues and sculptures of the bygone era were found on excavating the site. The prison cell was gradually turned into the present beautiful temple.

Vadamathurai, Vrindavan and Govardhan comprise- Krishna Janma Bhoomi. The legends says: Rama called his brither Sathrugnan to conquer the demonic Asuran-Lavanasuran and as per the order he killed the King and built this MATHURA.

Later this place exchanged to YADHAVA Dynasty and ruled by Vasudevar.

Janmashtami, one of the most popular festivals of Hindus celebrates the birth of their beloved God, Sri Krishna. Detailed story of Janmashtami or Lord Krishna's birth has been narrated in Puranas. The entire story of Krishna Leela is enacted as drama every year during the Janmashtami celebrations here.

Janmashtami in Vrindavan

Vrindavan is quite a famous place for pilgrimage in North India. Just about 15 kms from Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, it houses nearly 5000 temples both ancient as well as modern. The holy town of Vrindavan is where Lord Krishna spent his formative years.

Rasleelas and staging of various plays
It is said that the city of Vrindavan starts celebrating Janmashtami 7-10 days before the actual date of the festival. This is done by staging various plays and rasleelas at different places in the city. Professional artistes enact various episode of Lord krishna's life. These plays are a huge drawers of devotees.

Celebrations at main Temples in Vrindavan
Although there are around 5000 temples in Vrindavan but the main temples are Banke Bihari Temple, Rangnathji Temple, Shri krishna Balram Temple, Radharaman Temple, ISCKON Temple etc.

These temples have an itenarary for the entire day, with timings fixed for various ceremonies and poojas all day long. Darshans are open for devotees even during Abhishek (holy bath) of lord Krishna.
Celebrations at Madhuban during Janamashtami

According to legend in Vrindavan, Madhuban is the exact place where Lord Krishna is said to have performed rasleelas with his beloved Gopis more than 5000 years ago. A famous folklore associated with the place is that Lord Krishna till date ascends to perform rasleela with the gopis. Anyone venturing into the place during night either dies or becomes insane. Thus no localite ventures into Madhuban during night.

The place becomes alive during Janmashtami with rasleelas being performed in the premises during the daytime. Fasting by devotees Fasting is another ritual followed by all the devotees religiously every year. Devotees observe all day long last and break it at midnight after the arrival of Lord Krishna.

It is believed by devotees that fasts act as an offering that humans can make to the Lord and bring them closer to him. Devotees cook various dishes of milk and milk products to mark the occasion. This is so because Lord Krishna was quite fond of milk and butter. Popular dishes include Kheer, Pedha, Shrikhand and Singhare ki poori.

The temple where the Alwars did the mangalasasanam of the perumal is not in existence now and the idols now found are said to be installed in the later date.

Moolavar:
The Moolavar of this Gokulam sthalam is Navamohana Krishna. Moolavar is standing posture (Nindra thirukkolam) facing east direction. Prathyaksham for Nandagopar.

Thaayar:
Sri Rukmani & Sri Sathyabama are the two Naachiyaars giving divine grace to this kshetram.

Mangalasasanam:

Periyalwar - 10 Paasurams

Andal - 5 Paasurams

Thirumangai Alwar - 7 Paasurams.

Pushkarani:
Yamuna river.

Vimaanam:
Hema Kooda Vimaanam.

www.trsiyengar.com/id265.shtml -

 

Gokul, at a distance of about 12 km from Mathura, is what is referred to  as the Tiruvaaippaadi Divya Desam. The first verse of Tiruppaavai speaks of 'Seer malgum Aaippaadi'

www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/df072.html

Location: Gokul near Mathura
(Vada Naadu)
Vishnu: Navamohana Krishnan
Taayaar: Rukmini, Satyabhama
Theertham:Yamuna
Paasuram :Perialwar, Andal, Tirumangai
Vimaanam:Hemakoota Vimanam
Travel Base:Mathura, Agra, Delhi

 

 

 

106- DIVYA DESAMS-11. NAIMISARANYAM

We are on virtual tour of North India- particularly where the great epic Ramayana took place. After our holy bath at Triveni Sangamam we have reached the place Naimisaranyam.

Naimisaranyam can be reached by:

Located at the junction of the roads from Sitapur and Khairabad, 20 miles from Sitapur and 24 miles from the Sandila railway station. 45 miles north of Lucknow in Uttarpradesh. Naimisaranya is also known as "Nimsar" or "Nimkhar" and is located on the left bank of the river Gomati.

Here Lord as Devaraja give dharsan to pilgrims in the form of entire forest.

The legend says that Rishis approached Brahma to suggest a place where they can peacefully do Tapas to reach Narayana.

Brahma took the Grass ( Tharpa) and made it in the form of a wheel and said that he will roll the same on the earth and the place at which it stops –is the best place for doing the tapas.

It stopped at this place and hence it is called Naimisaranyam.

It is very sacred place because great mahans have done penance and Rama has set his foot here.

Legends also say when Gayasuran was killed he was cut into three pieces- one piece was thrown at Gaya, one at Naimisaranyam and the last at Badrinath. Any one does pindadhanam at these places, his ancestors will be relieved from birth for 21 generations.

The Sthala viruksha:  The entire forest itself is Sthala Vruksha.

The Pushkarani of this sthalam are Gomukhi Nadhi and Chakkara theertham. On the shore of Chakkara theertham.

There are separate sannadhis for Chakarathalwar, Vinayakar, Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Seetha. On the way to Gomukhi Nadhi, a separate temple called as "Vyasa Ghat"  can be seen.

Near to this place we can see the temple for Sukha Brahmam in the form of Bronze statue.

There is a small hill on which we can see the Hanuman Temple where Hanuman carries Lord Rama and Lakhmana on his shoulders.

There are good places to stay overnight here: Ahobila Mutt, Vanamamalai Jeer Mutt etc.

Thee is a Brindavan for Ahobila Mutt Jeer who reached Acharyan Thiruvadi here while on pilgrimage tour. They maintain the Balaji Mandir here.

The Pushkarani of this sthalam are Gomukhi Nadhi and Chakkara theertham. On the shore of Chakkara theertham,  we can see many small temples for Vinayaka, Rama ..

Mangalasasanam: Thirumangai Alwar.

Edited By: R.Jagannathan.

106 DIVYA DESAMS-TRIVENI SANGAMAM- 10

After our sacred bath at Varanasi we move on to Triveni Sangamam where Ganga, yamuna and invisible Saraswathi mingle together.

According to Hindu Dhrama- those who take the bath at the junction of these three rivers- their souls are  liberated from the bondage of repeated life cycles.

About the Triveni Sangam
The Triveni Sangam in Allahabad is a confluence of three rivers, the Gange, Yami\una and Saraswati. Of these three, river Saraswati is invisible and is said to be flowing beneath the earth. It meets the other two rivers from the base. The point of confluence is a sacred place for the Hindus, as it is of high religious importance to the Hindus. A bath here is said to wash all the sins and free human from the cycle of birth. The site of Sangam is a treat to the eyes. One can see the muddy and pale yellow water of Ganges merging with green water of Yamuna. The Ganges is only 4 ft deep, while Yamuna is 40 ft deep near the point of nexus. The river Yamuna ends at this point and Ganges continues after this till it meets sea at Bay of Bengal.

 

Prayag is one of the ancient pilgrimage centers of India, and it represents the confluence of the rivers Yamuna and Ganga, near (in) the city of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh.  Prayag   is revered in the hymns of the Rig Veda. Tradition regards the region between the Ganga and the Yamuna as the most fertile region on earth. Prayag is referred to as Triveni Sangamam - where it is believed that the subterranian river Saraswati also meets the Ganga along with the Yamuna. Legend has it that at the time of the great deluge which submerges the earth at the end of each a eon, Prayag remains intact and that Vishnu resides here as a Yoga Murthy, on a banyan leaf in the form of a child. Vishnu is referred to as Veni Mahadeva, and Shiva is believed to be personified here as the immortal banyan tree or the Akshaya Vata Vriksham. (Alongside this tree is a shrine to Shiva). Prayag is also associated with the legend of the celestial nectar of immortality -  Amritam. A variation of the legend has it that Jupiter, the guru of the Devas, picked up the pot of the celestial nectar as it emerged from the milky ocean and made off with it, to prevent the demons from having access to it. The enraged demons chased him. In the course of the chase, the pot Kumbha overflowed, and the nectar fell into four different places on earth, corresponding to Prayag, Nasik, Ujjain and Haridwar. Offerings are made to the souls of the departed by visiting pilgrims here, as in Benares and in Gaya. Bathing at the confluence of the three rivers - Triveni Sangam is considered special in the Hindu month of Magha - when the sun resides in Capricorn - especially on Makara Sankranti, Ratha Saptami, the full moon and new moon day. Prayag is the seat of Kumbha Mela celebrations once in twelve years when the planet Jupiter resides in the zodiac sign of Taurus. Kumbha Mela is celebrated at Nasik, Ujjain and Haridwar. when Jupiter resides in the signs of Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius.

The River Ganga has a long history of reverence in India and is worshipped by Hindus as an embodiment of the transcendental personality, Ganga Ma. The total length of the river is about 2,510 km (1,557 miles). Along with the Yamuna River, it forms a large and fertile basin known as the Gangetic plains, stretching across north India and Bangladesh, supporting one of the highest densities of human population in the world. Indeed, about one in every 12 people on earth (8.5% of world population) live in its catchments area. Due to this incredible concentration of population, pollution and the destruction of habitats is a matter of serious concern. The area features prominently in today's global warming discussions, as a rise in sea level could have a devastating effect on this massive population.

Ganga in Vedas
The Ganga is mentioned in the Rig-Ved, the earliest of Hindu scriptures, in the Nadistuti (Rig Veda 10.75), which lists the rivers from east to west. In RV 6.45.31, the word Ganga is also mentioned, but it is not clear if the reference is to the river.
RV 3.58.6 says that "your ancient home, your auspicious friendship, O Heroes, your wealth is on the banks of the Jahnavi (JahnAvyAm)". This verse could possibly refer to the Ganga. [1] In RV 1.116.18-19, the Jahnavi and the Gangetic dolphin occur in two adjacent verses. [2] [3]
During the early Indo-Aryan Ages, the Indus and the Saraswati were the major rivers, not the Ganga. But the later three Vedas seem to give much more importance to the Ganga, as shown by its numerous references.
According to the Puranas, Goddess Ganga used to exist only on the heavenly planets. Then prince Bhagirath worshipped Ganga, imploring her to descend on earth. This is why Ganga is also known as Bhagirathi. In the Mahabharat also this story is mentioned. In fact, Ganga is a major character in the Mahabharat, as she is the mother of Bhisma. The devout in India believe life is incomplete without bathing in the Mother Ganga at least once in their lifetime.

The Ganga in Hinduism
Varanasi is closely associated with Ganges. The town has many temples along the banks of the Ganges. Hindu belief holds that bathing in the river on certain occasions causes the alleviation of karmic burden and helps attain salvation. Many people believe that this will come from bathing in Ganga at any time. People travel from distant places to immerse the ashes of their kin in the waters of the Ganga; this immersion also is believed to help the deceased living entity gain liberation.
Many sacred places lie along the banks of the river Ganga, including Haridwar and Kashi. Perhaps the most important sacred city on the banks of the river Ganga is Varanasi or Banaras, which has hundreds of temples along the banks of the Ganga that are often flooded during the rains. This city is an important place of worship as well as a cremation ground.
After making the pilgrimage to Kashi, people carry from the Ganges sacred water that is sealed in copper pots. It is believed that drinking water from the Ganga with one's last breath will liberate the soul. In most Hindu families, a vial of water from the Ganga is kept in every house. This is done because it is auspicious to have water of the Holy Ganga in the house, and also if someone is dying, that person will be able to drink its water.
Many believe that the water from the Ganga can cleanse a person's soul of all past sins, and that it can also cure the sick. The ancient scriptures mention that the water of Mother Ganges carries the blessings of the Lord's feet. Hence the Ganges is also known as Visnupadi [Emanating from the Lotus feet of Supreme Lord Sri Visnu].
Some of the most important Hindu festivals and religious congregations are celebrated on the banks of the river Ganga, such as the Kumbh mela or the Kumbh fair and the chhat puja. In this brief series, we will explore the history of the Melas.
Kumbh Mela is the largest religious gathering on Earth for Hindu peoples. Around 70 million Hindus from around the world participated in the most recent Kumbh Mela at the Holy city of Prayaga (also known as Allahabad).

Geography
The Gangotri Glacier in the Uttaranchal Himalayas is the origin of the Bhagirathi river, which joins the Alaknanda river at Devaprayag, also in the Uttaranchal Himalayas, to form the Ganga. The river then flows through the Himalayan valleys and emerges into the north Indian plain at the town of Haridwar. This section sees extensive Whitewater rafting and kayaking from September to March.
From the Ganges river delta, Bangladesh and India, the Ganga then flows across the broad plains of north India, (called the Gangetic Plains), and forms the major river basin of that vast region. Its tributaries include the Kosi, the Gomti, the Sone, and above all the Yamuna. The Yamuna River - a major river in its own right, and nearly as endowed with the sanctity of Religious tradition and legend as the Ganga, is in fact a tributary of the Ganga; their confluence marks the site of the pilgrim town of Prayag, now known as Allahabad. Not only sites of vast religious significance, they are also home to the most populous industrial cities of northern India, including Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi and Patna.
Early morning on the Ganges at the city of Varanasi, swollen by the waters of a wide basin that draws from watersheds as diverse as the Himalayas and the Aravallis, the Ganga forms a formidable current in the stretch between Allahabad and Malda, and thereafter, a large delta. Near the town of Malda in West Bengal, it undergoes its first attrition with the branching away of the Hoogly, its first distributary. The city of Kolkata (Calcutta) stands on the banks of the Hoogly. The main stream of the river, known as the Padma River, then enters Bangladesh. Here, it unites with the Jamuna branch of the even larger Brahmaputra River. The combined stream then joins with the Meghna River before flowing out to sea. In the flat plains of Bangladesh, the Ganges splits almost immediately into a dense network of distributaries, all of which finally empty into the Bay of Bengal.
The region encompassing the delta near the Bay of Bengal coast is known as The Sundarbans (Beautiful Forests) - a region of thick mangrove forests, and one of the major habitats of the Royal Bengal Tiger. Two species of dolphin can be found in the Ganges, the Ganges River Dolphin and the Irrawaddy Dolphin. The Ganges is also notable in that it contains a rare species of freshwater shark, Glyphis genetics, about which little is known.

Yamuna
The Triveni Sangam, or the intersection of the Yamuna River and Ganges River, is a particularly sacred site. The Yamuna (sometimes called Jamuna) is a major river of northern India, with a total length of around 1370 km. It is the largest tributary of the Ganga. Its source is at Yamunotri in the Uttaranchal Himalaya, which is north of Haridwar in the Himalayan Mountains. It flows through the states of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh before merging with the Ganges at Allahabad. The cities of Delhi, Mathura and Agra lie on its banks. The major tributaries of this river are the Tons, Chambal, Betwa, Sindh and Ken; with the Tons being the largest. The Yamuna was called Ioames by the ancient Greeks, and Jomanes by the Romans.
There is some evidence indicating Yamuna was a tributary of the Ghaghra river in the ancient past. It changed its course to east following a tectonic event in north India and became a tributary of the Ganges instead.
The personification of the river, known as Yami, is the sister of the Yamaraja, the god of death, and the daughter of Surya, the Sun god. The river Yamuna is also closely tied to Sri Krsna's Vrindavan pastimes.
The area of the Yamuna is also home to the Asian Elephant. West of the Yamuna there are no elephants to be found over 900 km of the western Himalayas and their foothills. The forests of the lower Yamuna offers ideal corridors for elephant movement. The principal forests to be found here are of Sal, Khair (Acacia), and Sissoo (Rosewood) trees, and the Chir Pine forests of the Shivalik Hills.

Sarasvati
The Sarasvati River is an ancient river that is mentioned in sastra as one of the chief Rigvedic rivers. The Nadistuti hymn in the Rigveda mentions the Sarasvati between the Yamuna in the east and the Sutlej in the west, and later texts like the Mahabharat mention that the Sarasvati dried up in a desert.
The name is descended from Proto-Indo-Iranian saras-vnt-i, meaning "she with many pools" (Sanskrit saras- "pool, body of water"), cognate to Avestan Harahvaiti, the name of the Helmand River, and Old Persian Harachuwati, in Achaemenid times the name of the Arghandab River, chief tributary of the Helmand.

Most scholars agree that at least some of the references to the Sarasvati in the Rigveda refer to the Ghaggar-Hakra River, while the Helmand is often quoted as the locus of the early Rigvedic river. Whether such a transfer of the name has taken place, either from the Helmand to the Ghaggar-Hakra, or conversely from the Ghaggar-Hakra to the Helmand, is a matter of dispute.

There is also a small present-day Sarasvati River (Sarsuti) that joins the Ghaggar river.
The goddess Sarasvati was originally known as the divine personification of this river, and later she developed an identity and meaning independent from the river.

www.indiadivine.org/articles/...Triveni-Sangam/Page1.html -

www.mustseeindia.com/Allahabad-Triveni-Sangam/..

 

Edited by R.Jagannathan.