Sunday, April 28, 2013

Is Political Padayatra! Panacea to Problems of the People?


If Padayatras,
Announcing freebies,
And subsidies,
And waiver of loans,
Is a sure Mantra!
To win peoples’ hearts,
And come to power!
And sort out peoples’ problems,
May these Padayatra experts -
The great Indian politicians,
Padayatra intellectuals,
Padayatra humanitarians,
And power mongers,
Embark on extensive Padayatras,
In Pakistan,
China,
And Sri Lanka,
Make excellent speeches,
Announce all possible sops,
And rout out misunderstandings,
And establish excellent relations.

Family - Baby Lookalikes!


Pictures so similar!
One from the past,
Other from the present,
Of a grandmother,
And her granddaughter!
‘B&W’ are of my sister; Hema,
‘Colour’; of the granddaughter, Anisha!

Friday, April 26, 2013

Enjoying Nature and Wilderness!





Enjoying Nature and Wilderness!
The mountains,
The valleys,
The caves,
Lovely blue sky for cover,
Colourful earth under,
Shrubs and trees everywhere,
Here and there a waterfall,
And a lovely pond,
And vast land all around!
ALL THIS BEAUTY JUST FOR US ALONE!
Alone here, I would be frightened,
And of course; depressed,
But with my family by my side,
It is a heavenly feeling!
-Mrs. N. Lalitha Raghu.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Guns and Bows on the Walls!

Hunters Guns are hanging on walls,
And the Bullets are resting in safes.
Their Bows are hanging on walls,
And Arrows are locked in vaults.
Because their Game is almost annihilated,
And as a result Hunting is prohibited.
Guns and Bows are now mighty Show-offs!
As in these Photographs!

Saturday, April 20, 2013

My grandniece Ch. Anisha's first visit to our house, her great-grandmother's house!


Ch. Anisha, daughter of my nephew Sridhar and Swathi, visited our house for the first time today. Beautiful baby Anisha is four months old; she was born on 17th December 2012. In the above photographs you can see her with my mother that is her great-grandmother, who is 93 years old. And in one picture you can see her with her grandmother and great-grandmother, lovely ladies of three generations!

Ch. Anisha brought lot of happiness and smiles into our life as you can see and feel from the attached pictures.

We wish her all the best in life. May God bless her richly.

Friday, April 19, 2013

HAPPY SRI RAMA NAVAMI.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELrZ-3MId0E

Happy Sri Rama Navami!

Please listen to this wonderful song “Pibare Rama Rasam” on this festival day, by clicking on the Video pic above or on the Video link below it. The song is from the award-winning movie “Padamati Sandhya Ragam” (Filmfare Best Film Award 1987 and Nandi Award for Best Story 1987). The song is written by Sri. Sadashiva Brahmendra Yogi, and is the favourite of many classical singers. And in this movie it is rendered by Sri S.P. Balasubramanyam and his sister Smt. S.P. Sailaja.

The English translation of the song is as follows:

“Drink the nectar of Rama, Oh! Connoisseur, drink the nectar of Rama. It implies absorbing the essence (rasam) of the name of Rama.

1.   It will help you to keep away from sins and sinners. And you will be blessed with many rewards and gains.

2.   It will help you to overcome fear and grief from the cycle         

of birth and death. And will gift you with the essence of all religious treatises, the Vedas and the Sciences.

3.   Rama Nama will protect all creation. It will protect the Universe. And it will purify you and everything else.

4.   The recitation of Rama Nama is pure song and music, relished by Sages in their Ashrams. And by great Sages like Shuka, Shaunaka and Kaushika.

The actors in the above video are:

Gummuluri Sastry as Adinarayana

Vijayashanthi as Sandhya

And Thomas Jane as Chris.




Thursday, April 18, 2013

Hyderabad’s Heritage Monuments and Sites.

Today, 18th April is World Heritage Day. UNESCO established 18th April as the International Day for Monuments and Sites in 1983. It aims to raise public awareness about the diversity and vulnerability of the world’s built monuments and heritage sites and the efforts required to protect and conserve them.

Hyderabad has a rich heritage. This heritage is in the form of monuments, buildings, rock formations, gardens, lakes, art, culture, traditions and festivals. On this very significant World Heritage Day I am glad to present below an exhaustive list of heritage monuments and sites in Twin Cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Among these, three are under active consideration to be included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List of 29. They are Golconda Fort, Qutub Shahi Tombs and Charminar.

PROTECTED ARCHAEOLOGICAL MONUMENTS:
1. Akkannaas Sarai, Maisaram
2. Armenian Cemetry, Uppuguda
3. Badshahi Ashurkhana
4. Charminar
5. Dabirpura Gate
6. Darga Hazrath Saidanima Saheba, Boats Club, Secunderabad
7. Darga Hazrath Syed Shah Razuddin
8. Fortification and Baradari, Malkajgiri
9. Golconda Fort
10. Gunfoundry
11. Hakim’s Tomb, Mosque & Sarai, Jubilee Hills
12. Hayat Bakshi Begum’s Mosque, Hayatnagar
13. Janwada Grave & Mosque
14. Khairati Begum’s Tomb & Mosque, Khairatabad
15. Khairat Khan’s Tomb
16. Khazana Building, Golconda
17. Kulsum Begum’s Mosque, Karwan
18. Mecca Masjid
19. Mian Mishk Masjid
20. Monsieur Raymond’s Obliesk
21. Mushirabad Mosque
22. Purani Idgah
23. Paigah Tombs
24. Patancheruvu Tombs
25. Premamati’s Mosque
26. Puranapul Gate
27. Qutub Shahi Tombs
28. Shaikpet Mosque & Sarai
29. Shamsheer Kotha
30. Taramati’s Baradari
31. Toli Masjid
32. Uppal Mosque

HERITAGE BUILDINGS:
1. Parsi Dharamshala
2. Clock Tower, Secunderabad
3. Amberpet Burj
4. Nizamia Observatory
5. Clock Tower, Sultan Bazar
6. Gate Portion, Dewan Devdi – Two gates
7. Kaman Chatta Bazar
8. a) Charkaman
    b) Machlikaman
    c) Kalikaman
    d) Sher-e-Batil-Ki-Kaman
9. Gate Portion – Shahi Jilu Khana
10. Aliabad Sarai
11. Puranapul bridge
12. Gate Portion – Devdi Akram Ali Khan
13. a) Gate Portion – Dargah Nooruddin Shah
      b) Ancient Gateway, Kukatpally
14. Osmania Arts College
15. a) Malwala Palace – Main Courtyard
      b) Secondary Courtyard & Residential quarters
16. Pavilion in Bhagawandas Garden
17. I. Prakash Building
18. Manjhli Begum Ki Haveli
19. Mushk Mahal
20. Allauddin’s Building
21. Devdi Mehdi Nawaz Jung
22. Gandhi Medical College
23. Golden Threshold
24. Ameen Manzil
25. Spanish Mosque
26. St. Mary’s Cathedral
27. St. John’s Church
28. Sitaram Bagh Temple
29. Jhamsingh Temple – Gate Portion
30. Mosque – near Jhamsingh Temple
31. St. George’s Church
32. Jama Masjid
33. Darush Shifa & Mosque
34. Air & Land Warfare Building
35. a) Chow Mahalla – main palace
      b) Other Palaces - Chow Mahalla
36. Dargah Yousufain
37. Afzal Gunj Mosque
38. Dargah Hazrath Shajauddin
39. Moghulpura Tombs
40. Dargah Syed Shah Mir Mahmood Wali
41. Qila Kohna & Mosque
42. Clock Tower & Police Station, James Street
43. Hyderabad Public School
44. Paigah Plaza (Vikhar-ul-Umra Palace)
45. Vikhar Manzil
46. Devdi Nazir Nawaz Jung (Chiran Fort Club)
47. Erram Manzil
48. King Koti Complex
      a) Hospital (old)
      b) Usman Mansion
      c) Nazri Bagh
49. Residency Complex (Women’s College, Koti)
50. Mahboob Mansion
51. Asmangarh Palace
52. Purani Haveli Complex
53. Shahi Khilwat Khana
54. Baradari of Nawab Khursheed Jah Bahadur
55. a) Falaknuma Palace – Main Palace
      b) Other Palaces
56. Devdi Iqbal-ud-Doula (Shah Gunj)
57. Victoria Memorial Orphanage
58. Bella Vista (Administrative Staff College of India)
59. Dhanrajgirji Complex
60. Nizam College
61. Osmania General Hospital
62. City College
63. Directorate of Industries
64. Princess Esin Women’s Educational Centre
65. Monty’s Hotel
66. Jubilee Hall
67. E.N.T. Hospital
68. State Central Library
69. State Archaeological Museum
70. Lady Hydri Club
71. Moazzam Jahi Market
72. Aiwan-e-Ali
73. Victoria Maternity Hospital
74. A.P. High Court
75. Government Unani Hospital, Charminar
76. Vilayath Manzil (Country Club)
77. Andhra Patrika Building
78. Homeopathic Hospital
79. Sardar Mahal
80. Nizam Club
81. Devdi Asman Jah
82. Tomb Fakhr-ul-Mulk
83. Vijay Marie Church
84. Puranmal Samadhi
85. St. Joseph’s Cathedral
86. Parsi Fire Temple
87. Mahboob Chowk Mosque
88. Azha Khana-e-Zehra
89. Maharaja Chandulal Temple
90. Kishan Bagh Temple
91. Clock Tower – Fateh Maidan
92. Clock Tower – Mahboob Chowk
93. Gate Portion – Shamraj Bahadur
94. Ritz Hotel (Hill Fort)
95. D. Lakshmaiah’s residence
96. D. Pentaiah’s residence
97. Lakshmi Paper Mart’s Building
98. Mohanlal Malani’s residence
99. Raza Ali Bunglow
100. Nanu Bhai G. Shah’s Building
101. Raja Bhagwandas Building
102. Fa̤ade РBaitul Ghous
103. Fa̤ade РHifazath Hussain
104. Goshamahal Baradari
105. Jawahar Bal Bhavan
106. Prem Chand’s residence
107. Shyam Rao Chungi’s residence
108. Dilkusha Guest House
109. College of Nursing
110. Yousuf Tekhri
111. Khusroo Manzil
112. Devdi Ranachand – Ahotichand
113. Asman Mahal
114. Baitul Ashraf
115. Devdi Bansilal
116. Devdi Imaad Jung Bahadur
117. Panj Mahalla (lingampally)
118. Parwarish Bagh
119. Adil Alam Mansion
120. Central Bank Building
121. Mini Bal Bhavan
122. Ali Manzil
123. Taj Mahal hotel (Old Block)
124. Ravi Bar
125. Hyderabad Central Building Division’s office
126. Roshan Mahal
127. Central Co-operative Training College
128. a) Mahboobia Girls High School & Junior College
        b) Madraasa-E-Aliya
129. Reddy Hostel
130. Mahal Wanaparthi
131. Baquer Bagh
132. Devdi Nawab Shamsheer Jung
133. Devdi Maharaja Kishan Pershad Bahadur
134. A. Majeed Khan’s residence
135. Old M.C.H. Office
136. Greenlands Guest House
137. Raj Bhavan Old Building

HERITAGE PRECINCTS – ROCKS:
1. Hillocks around Durgam Cheruvu Lake, Jubilee Hills
2. Rock Park, on Old Bombay Road near Dargah Hussain Shah Wali
3. “Bear’s Nose” inside Shilparamam, Madhapur
4. “Mushroom Rock” inside the University of Hyderabad Campus
5. “Cliff Rock” between Road No. 45 & 46, Jubilee Hills
6. “Monster Rock” near Film Nagar, between Road No. 70 & 71, Jubilee Hills
7. “Tortoise Rock” in Nandi Hills layout near Jubilee Hills
8. “Toadstool” next to Blue Cross, Jubilee Hills
9. “Obelisk” on Road No. 66, Jubilee Hills     

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

In celebration of 160 years of Indian Railways.


Dear Indian Railways,
You fascinate me! I am a great fan of yours!
Congratulations! On your glorious growth and 160 years of service to us.
-N. Raghu.

P.S. My affinity towards Railways is also because of the reason that my father was in the Railways for sixteen years, H.E.H. The Nizam’s State Railway and the Central Railway of Indian Railways.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Happy Ugadi! Ugadi Shubakankshalu!

Wish You A
Besh! Besh!! Shabash!!!
Vijaya Nama Samvatsaram.
-N. Raghu.
May GOD Bless You with Happiness,
Success, Prosperity and Peace,
All through the Year.
-N. Lalitha Raghu.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Caring for a nestling that fell off its nest.

The above pictures are of me; caring for a nestling (Red-vented Bulbul) that fell out of its nest at our house. Unable to put it back in the nest and to save it from stray cats that frequent our house I am taking care of it. I shall let it fly away at a safe place once I am sure it is big and strong enough to take care of itself.
The above pictures and the video below them are to show you that it is a wonderful experience to take care of needy birds and animals. You will find lot of satisfaction and happiness in saving a life. 

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Rain in summer!


Rain in summer is welcome; it is a great relief from scorching heat, it brings a lot of joy and comfort. It brings about smiles as you can see in the above picture of my wife and our granddaughter in rain. We had two heavy spells of rain and cool breeze in Hyderabad in the last three days giving us a break from a fortnight of sweltering heat, hovering around 42 degrees Celsius. With the trees and plants in our house washed by rain and similarly the road in front of our house, the environment looks very bright and everything around us seems to glisten with beauty.
Unfortunately our happy experience with rain has been somebody’s misfortune. True to the popular adage “One man’s cure is another man’s poison”, the rain has created havoc in several districts of Telangana. These unseasonal, sudden rains and strong gales in the past three days have killed six people and destroyed crops in about 20,000 hectares. Paddy, maize, sesame, sunflower, mango, vegetable and many other crops are hit beyond salvage. Food grains and cotton bales stored in the open, at market yards and elsewhere are also damaged.
In conclusion and in such a complex situation all I can say and do is sympathize with the grieving farmers and wish that summer rains if any are mild; setting a cool breeze, but not gales, storms and floods.

An appeal as Lok Sabha Elections 2024 schedule is out!

  I n the midst of Lok Sabha's grand affair, With schedules laid out, we're now aware. Excitement brews within my kin and me, To cho...