Vaikunta Ekadashi - 2009.

Today, 28^th December ’09 is Vaikunta Ekadashi a very auspicious day for us. My eldest son Srikanth along with his friends Venugopal and Praveen Kumar passed through Vaikunta Dwaram at Tirumala and had Darshan of Lord Venkateshwaraswamy today morning at about 4:30 A.M. This is the third year in succession that my son and his friends have had the good fortune of passing through Vaikunta Dwaram and have the Lord’s Darshan. This is the only time in a year when the Vaikunta Dwaram is opened. It is kept open on Ekadashi and the next day - Dwadashi but passing through this gate on Ekadashi is of great significance. ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’ means ‘Door to Heaven’. It is believed that anyone who passes through Vaikunta Dwaram on Vaikunta Ekadashi is richly blessed and attains salvation.

My son and his friends reached Tirupati on 27^th morning and soon afterwards trekked the Seven Hills in four hours to reach Tirumala the abode of Lord Venkateshwaraswamy. This is the fifth time that my son has trekked the Seven Hills. The first time he climbed the Seven Hills was when 19 members of our family visited Tirumala. I and six others went up the Hills by Taxis along with all the luggage while twelve others including my wife and sons Srikanth and Srinath trekked. The children had a trekking competition and Srikanth reached Tirumala within 2 & ½ hours. The others followed with the last members reaching in 6 hours.

At Tirumala and every Temple of Lord Vishnu in South India, today is an auspicious day. Devotees visit temples in very large numbers and pass through the Vaikunta Dwaram at these Temples to have Darshan and seek blessings of GOD. 

New Year’s Eve Party Photos – Part XIII

The above photos are from our New Year Eve Party of 31^st Dec. 1987 and of the fancy dress competition on 1^st Jan. 1988.

On this happy occasion children took part in a Fancy dress competition. Sudhir got dressed as a Zamindar and Uma Rani as a Dental Surgeon. Udhay Bhaskar put on the fancy dress of a Birthday girl and Usha Rani of a Gollabama. Sridhar and Srikanth got dressed as Executives. And we got Srinath dressed as young-Lord Krishna. I am sure all the children in the above photographs would love to see these pictures. Some of them were so young at that time that they may not remember these events.

New Year’s Eve Party Photos – Part XII.

These photos are of the New Year Party at our house on 31/DEC/1993. We played a number of games at this party as usual and everyone participated in the party in fancy dresses. I and Lalitha got dressed as old times - westernized Mysorean Couple. My sister got dressed like a Guajarati lady. My brother and sister-in-law put on the fancy dress of a traditional Madrasi Couple. My nephews, Sudhir got dressed as a doctor, Bablu as a Villager and Sridhar as an Arabian. My nieces, Uma Rani got dressed as an Airhostess and Usha Rani as an Angel. And my sons, Srikanth got dressed as a Vegetable vendor and Srinath as an Eskimo.  

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Merry Christmas to all!

And Season’s Greetings!

And a great 2010!

These photos are of this year’s Christmas Eve (today) when Santa Claus visited us with many presents for Sudhiksha.

New Year’s Eve Party Photos – Part XI.

The photos furnished below are of the New Year Party at Srilekha on 31/DEC/2002. As you can see in the above Invitation to this party, girls and ladies were requested to attend the party in a dress of any single color with same color accessories . . . that is same color flowers, hair band, bindi, bangles and nail color. And the boys and men were asked to come in some flashy dress with shirts having two or more different gaudy colors and / or with fancy prints and messages. Everyone participated in the requested dress code. The list of games played at this party is towards the end of this presentation.   

New Year’s Eve Party Photos – Part X.

These photos are of the New Year Eve Party at Srilekha on 31^st December 1999. This was the 19^th such party at our home, Srilekha. This party was all the more special as it was not only to welcome Year-2000 but also the New Millennium.

In this year’s Fancy dress competition I and Lalitha got dressed as a Muslim couple. My brother, Dr. Lakshminarsu got dressed as a Cricket player – batsman. My nieces, Uma Rani and Usha Rani got dressed as Jesus Christ and Goddess Laxmi Devi. My nephews Dr. Sudhir and Dr. Udhay Bhaskar got dressed as a Surgeon and a Yadav. My sons, Srikanth and Srinath got dressed as Villager and an Alien. And my niece Alekhya as a Pandit.

A sample Invitation to this party, a Welcome write-up and a list of games we played that evening is included in this presentation to recollect the celebrations leading to the New Year 2000 and the New Millennium.

New Year’s Eve Party Photos – Part IX.

These photographs are of the New Year’s Eve Party at Srilekha on 31^st December 1996. At this year’s Fancy dress competition, Lalitha and I posed as Bride and Bridegroom. My brother and sister-in-law got dressed as Surgeon and Doctor. Sudheer acted like a Professor, Uma as Bandit Queen, Sridhar and Sravanti as Romeos. Usha put on the fancy dress of a Muslim girl, Srikant as a boy from Shimla and Srinath as Santa Claus.

New Year’s Eve Party Photos – Part VIII.

These photographs are of the New Year’s Eve Party at Srilekha on 31^st December 2003. As you can see in the above Party Invitation the Dress code is mentioned as - For Girls and Ladies: A sensational Fancy dress or any ethnic Bridal wear. And for Boys and Men it is mentioned as: A stunning Fancy dress and/or paint your face like a Red Indian Warrior or a Crazy Cricket fan. You can see for yourself the colorful faces and dresses.