A dash of white, a
secret prize,
Hidden well from searching eyes.
Beneath a leaf of emerald green,
The shyest flower was barely seen.
Atharv and Avyaansh began their quest,
To find the bloom at its hidden best.
Though the garden path was long and wide,
They found where the lovely flower hides.
It brought a smile to every face,
Tucked away in its leafy space.
A tiny treasure, soft and bright,
Turning their hunt into pure delight.
VIDEO:
We are grateful for
your wishes and share our joy with love…
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
On this day of gentle remembrance,
When love first found
its voice in us,
We stand again,
Not at the beginning,
But further along the
path we chose together.
Beneath one quiet umbrella,
Tilted just a little
more toward you,
Is a promise unspoken
yet always kept,
That your comfort is
my care,
Your smile, my
shelter from every storm.
The rain may fall in restless rhythms,
Sometimes soft,
sometimes fierce,
Yet we walk on,
Hand in hand, step by
step,
Trusting not the
weather,
But each other.
Around us, the world bursts into colour,
Golden hopes, crimson
courage,
Green whispers of
renewal,
And skies that clear
when we least expect.
We shall see them
all,
Through tears and
laughter alike.
If shadows lengthen,
We shall be each
other’s light.
If roads grow
uncertain,
We shall be each
other’s way.
And if storms gather
unannounced,
We shall not turn
back,
For we have learned,
That love is not the
absence of rain,
But the strength to
walk through it together.
From dawn’s tender glow,
Into the fullness of
day,
We move forward,
With faith as our
compass,
Hope as our horizon,
And care as our
quiet, constant guide.
May our steps never falter in doubt,
Nor our hearts in
trust.
May we always find
warmth,
In the nearness of
one another.
And may every season
we pass through,
Leave us richer in
love,
Than the one before.
For in all weathers,
In all colours of
life,
We are,
And shall always be,
Together.
Cooking
is often described as an art, but occasionally, it transforms into something
more, something poetic. This colorful salad I prepared recently was exactly
that, because of the several ingredients I used. It became a composition of
flavours, colours, textures, and aromas that came together like a well-written
verse on a plate.
What made
this salad truly special was the way it was enjoyed, relished leisurely in bits
and pieces, each mouthful offering a different blend and a new experience. It
wasn’t just food; it was an exploration of flavours, a joyful culinary journey
shared and savoured.
The base
was a medley of fresh vegetables - Garlic, Green Chilies, Onions, Carrots,
Zucchini (green and yellow), Peppers (green, red, and yellow), Cherry Tomatoes,
Mushrooms, and Long Green Sprouts. Stir-fried lightly with a touch of Cajun
Spice and blended with the richness of creamy and tangy Chipotle Southwest Dressing,
this vegetable ensemble was set aside for those who preferred a purely
vegetarian delight.
For the
non-vegetarians, the same vibrant base was elevated further with chunks of Chicken
Cheese–Chilli Sausages, Pulled Smoked Chicken, Bacon Bits, and an extra drizzle
of Chipotle Dressing. The result was a dish that carried both the freshness of
the garden and the depth of smoky, savory indulgence.
On the
side, crisp Iceberg Lettuce offered a cooling counterpoint, a refreshing bite
that balanced the warmth of spices and the richness of meats.
This was
truly a feast for the eyes, enjoyed and relished leisurely in bits and pieces,
with each mouthful offering a different combination of tastes.
On the auspicious occasion of Buddha
Purnima, may peace, wisdom, and kindness illuminate every step we and our
nations take. 🌸
Happy Buddha Purnima! 🌸
This video, woven from over a hundred
photographs of our visits to the sacred shrines of Gautama Buddha, is a humble
offering to his timeless teachings. Each image is a reminder of compassion,
mindfulness, and harmony, guiding us to walk gently and live wisely.
VIDEO:
(My wife’s post on Facebook)
Serene in tradition, radiant in wander,
From temple silk to garden bloom,
From saree to sunhat, I carry smiles,
A spirit woven in tranquillity and joy,
Two sides of me, one timeless soul. 🙂
- N. Lalitha Raghu
Today,
around noon, I captured a moment of pure wonder: sunlight streaming through our
trees, scattering into countless twinkling rays that looked like stars woven
into a canopy. Though the summer sun blazed fiercely above, beneath the trees,
there was shade, coolness, and a gentle breeze that turned the space into a
sanctuary where I could carry out the morning walk I had missed today.
A VIDEO:
Nature has its own way of balancing extremes, brilliance above, serenity below, reminding us that beauty often hides in contrasts.
In the heart of bustling Vijayawada,
amid the sacred shadows of Goddess Sri Kanaka Durga, at the Temple's guest
house, stands a colossal banyan tree that commands awe and reverence. As you
might be aware, banyan trees are cultural icons in India, symbolizing
immortality, longevity, and divinity. The banyan tree is also known as Kalpavriksha,
meaning: wish-fulfilling tree. This ancient giant, with its towering canopy and
massive, gnarled trunk wrapped in sacred threads and vermilion, defies the
urban sprawl surrounding it.
Locals revere this banyan tree as a
timeless landmark, its roots plunging deep into the earth like the temple's
spiritual legacy on Indrakeeladri hill. Adorned at the base with vibrant idols
of deities, Goddess Kanaka Durga, Shiva, Ganesha, Hanuman, Naga Devatha, and
others, on a sturdy concrete platform with adorned steps, it serves as a
mini-shrine where devotees offer prayers and flowers. The tree's sprawling
branches shelter the guest house courtyard, parked cars, and passersby,
creating a green oasis against the concrete buildings.
What fascinated me most was not just
its size, but its survival. There is no visible water source nearby, no open
soil in the conventional sense. Enclosed within cement and urban structure, one
wonders, how does it sustain itself? Perhaps its roots run deeper than we can
see, reaching hidden veins of moisture beneath the city. Or perhaps, like many
sacred things, its existence defies simple explanation.
Standing beside it with my wife, we
felt a sense of calm that is rare in urban spaces. The sunlight filtering
through the leaves felt like divine blessings from the nearby Kanaka Durga
Temple. It was not just a photo opportunity; it was a moment of quiet
reflection. The tree seemed to whisper stories of the past, of countless
pilgrims who must have stood in the same spot, looked up at the same branches,
and felt the same sense of wonder.
This banyan not only endures but
inspires, a testament to resilience amid city life. It reminds us that some
wonders root deeper than steel and stone, guarding the divine in plain sight.
A dash of white, a secret prize, Hidden well from searching eyes. Beneath a leaf of emerald green, The shyest flower was barely seen. A...
