Most God-fearing people in India?

Recent news based on some survey reveals that Telugu speaking people are most God-fearing people in India! I do not know when and how this census/survey was conducted. It is not an easy conclusion to arrive at because I find that many people I know across the country are very religious and God-fearing. I have an apprehension that this report is based mostly on the fact that thousands of Telugu pilgrims visit the Temple of Lord Sri Venkateshwara Swamy at Tirumala every day throughout the year and year after year. And this does not happen at any other Temple in India. However, this news is entirely correct from our family’s point of you as we are Telugu-people and God-fearing.

Other facts of the news seem very authentic and interesting as they are based on 2011 census and reported with statistics. Only 0.002 percent of Indians have declared themselves as atheists, that is only 33,304 people among a population of 1.21 billion. Interestingly, rural India has more atheists than urban areas; the figures being 22,828 and 10,476 respectively. Of the total atheists in the country, 17,597 are men and 15,707 are women. Among South Indian States, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have the lowest number of atheists. Out of 8.45 crore Telugu people, just 256 persons consider themselves atheists, 143 men and 113 women.

I do not know about atheists and their beliefs but I know that in general God-fearing people are civilized and loving people. The good news is that 97.6 percent of the world population is God-fearing.

A One Line Story that I Am Sure You Will Remember Forever.

It

was

the

happiest

day

of

my

romantic

life

as

I

gave

him

what

his

heart

deserved;

two

bullets

and

all

my

wounds

stopped

bleeding.

It was the happiest day of my romantic life as I gave him what his heart deserved; two bullets and all my wounds stopped bleeding.

Moral:
Be good to your lady friend/lady partner, she might cause you harm as in the above story, with a gun/knife or her brain!

Annaprasana.

VIDEO:

My grandson Ch. Atharv’s Annaprasana was performed two months ago on Thursday, 26th May 2016. It is one of the Hindu Samskaras like Namakarna - Naming Ceremony which was celebrated on the 11th day after his birth. Annaprasana/ Annaprasanam or Annaprashanam is a tradition/ceremony performed by us on an auspicious day when the baby is in the sixth month of its birth. Anna means rice/food and Prasana means to enter/beginning. So this is a ceremony celebrating the infant’s first intake of solid food, a transition from liquid diet of mostly milk to solid food.

Extended family, relatives and close friends are invited to this ceremony followed by a traditional lunch. The baby is blessed and fed with Paramannam – Sweet Jaggery-Rice Pudding by the grandparents, parents and the relatives. A tiny bit of the sweet is fed to the baby once by all elders using a gold ring as a spoon, as you can see in the attached pictures and video.

This ceremony is followed by a fun game where a number of symbolic objects are placed before the baby, and the family and friends have a great time cheering the little one as he makes his choice. It is believed that the object the baby picks up represents his area of interest in future. We placed before him books, stethoscope, gold jewellery, calculator, pen, money and a measuring tape.  As you can see in this video my grandson touched the calculator. This I think suggests multitude interests and occupations! And then of course he grabbed almost all the items placed in front of him!!

May GOD bless him richly.

RaGa, I recommend lots of Coffee and/or Red Bull.

_{Any individual dozing off in a Classroom or at Office or during a Meeting is simply not tolerated. Sleeping in such duty bound situations reflects that person’s boredom, disinterest and disrespect to the proceedings.   If one is caught in this situation for the first time he may be seriously reprimanded and let off.  But if this dozing behavior persists, there would be very serious consequences for the culprit. I am saying all this in the context of the Vice-President of INC, soon to become President and likely Prime Minister Candidate sleeping in Parliament more than once.}

_{Being in such a prominent position; even momentary lack of interest or alertness by him during fiery debates in parliament would project him in poor light, giving scope to much criticism. And his party flunkies explanations and excuses for his shut eyes would not help as they do not merit even a moment’s attention. Candid cameras in State Assemblies and Parliament are covering all details, some scenes very damaging to the individual and his party.}

_{RaGa will have to take great care in future to overcome this deficiency. Early to bed and a good night’s sleep should normally help him otherwise I recommend lots of Coffee and/or Red Bull.} 

About Telugu movies made to make a mockery of the struggle for Telangana State.

During six decades of struggle by people of Telangana for just rule and separate Statehood, several Telugu films were made, very critical of the demands. Many films made a mockery of the agitation by disparaging scenes and dialogues. And some movies were made exclusively to criticize the movement. These movies projected the agitators, their leaders, those killed in Police firing and those who killed themselves out of frustration due to broken promises in very poor light. They projected very violent and damaging situations if the division took place and Telangana State became a reality. And finally the movie hero, most intelligent and all powerful would crush the movement.

Such movies may have entertained all those against Telangana and made money for the movie makers but they made absolutely no impact on the agitation for separate State.

Now it is over two years since Telangana State has come into existence. No evil envisaged in the movies against Telangana has ever occurred. Time has silenced these evil creators.

People of Telangana knew beyond doubt that these movies were fallacious, and now everyone knows that. When such movies are shown on TV now they seem so stupid and make us laugh.

Enjoying the wonders of the night sky with family.

After almost a week of rain, drizzle and cloudy skies, the sun came out today and the day was warm. And the early night sky was clear with the waxing moon of ninth day and a few stars visible very brightly. And there was cool light breeze. This brought out our family to the terrace of our house to watch the stars and specially the crescent moon and its innumerable interesting craters on our Sky-Watcher. And some of us also enjoyed the wonders of the night sky through the wonderful ‘SkyView Mobile App’ which also has good music accompaniment.

Such eventful fun days are very good for family happiness and bonding.

   

Our prayer as we stand admiring the Sea.

As we stand and sit here admiring the Sea, day in and day out, our thoughts and prayers go out to the millions living on the shores beyond the horizon and the millions of lovely lives in the Sea and of course those living with us on this side of the world…లోకా సమస్తా సుఖినో భవంతు, ఓం శాంతి, శాంతి, శాంతిహి (Loka samastha sukhino bhavanthu): May everyone including animals, birds, fishes, trees, plants…all living creatures (samastha) in this world (loka) live happily and in peace.

– N. Raghu & Lalitha.