Buffoons! Crybabies! Stop criticizing massive victories of your opponents!

You have lost miserably in the recently held Kadapa and Pulivendula elections. You have lost your deposits as your opponents set national records with their victory margins. You tried every possible trick to defeat your opponents. You brought in huge number of campaigners, politicians, actors, artists and charged your opponents with all sorts of criminal, anti-social, religion and caste related misdeeds and made challenges in support of your victory. You spoke of your stature, your superiority, your seniority, your sincerity and what not and the people of these constituencies rejected you en masse!

I have followed your campaigning and the elections in Kadapa and Pulivendula with utmost interest though I have not supported or wished for the victory of any particular party. The confidence with which you spoke of your victories, I was under the impression that it would be a tough fight between the two major and a just born party. But eventually the stunning result of the just born party winning the elections with extraordinary and massive national record margins has amazed me. The rejoicing in the entire district against your elimination was unprecedented. You and your campaign have been rejected or you are more EVIL! than what you projected as evil.

After all the confidence you have exuberated in winning the elections, you are now behaving like buffoons by assigning silly reasons to your losses. Have you not foreseen and addressed these reasons in your campaign, you have, and you have lost, that is the ultimate truth. You tried your best to convince people to vote for you and they have rejected you in the best possible manner by making you lose your deposits!

Don’t speak like buffoons, stop condemning and criticizing victories, and accept the mighty verdict of the electorate. Learn to respect elections and the electorate.  

Sahasra Deepalankarana Seva, Tirumala.

In my previous post I briefly mentioned that I and my wife were at Tirumala on 9th May, our Wedding Anniversary Day. The pilgrimage to Tirumala was to have Darshan and seek Lord Sri Venkateshwaraswamy’s blessings on this significant day. We tried for the early morning, 2:00 AM Darshan through “Suprabhatam Seva” but as it was not available we booked for the evening “Sahasra Deepalankarana Seva”, sixty days in advance.

“Sahasra Deepalankarana Seva” is performed everyday in the evening at 5:30 PM at the Unjal Mandapam (meaning Swing Mandapam or Uyyala Mandapam in Telugu) which is situated to the extreme left of the Temple entrance, and to be more precise at the South Eastern corner of the Temple where the East and South Mada streets intersect. As instructed we reported for the Seva at 5:00 PM. We were gifted with an Anga vastram and Blouse piece and then made to sit before the Unjal Mandapam. The Mandapam was already decorated with flowers and the oil lamps, 1008 of them within the glass panels of the Mandapam were lit before us and kept glowing throughout the Seva. The Utsava Murti of Lord Sri Venkateshwaraswamy called Malayappa Swamy along with the idols of his consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi were brought to the venue in a richly decorated floral palanquin in a grand procession consisting of elephants and Sannai Melam. These idols are almost 700 years old. The palanquin is then suspended on to the brass chains of the Mandapam and the priests rock the Utsava Murtis to the accompaniment of Vedic hymns and Annamayya Sankirtanas. The Seva lasts for half an hour and ends with Harathi as you can see in the above videos.

Rahu; Ketu, Kaala Sarpa Dosha Nivarana Puja.

I and my wife were at Tirumala, the hill top abode of Lord Sri Venkateshwaraswamy on 9th May, our Wedding Anniversary day. We performed “Sahasra Deepalankarana Seva” in the evening and had a satisfactory Darshan of Sri Venkateshwaraswamy by being in the queue for just 55 minutes!

The next day; on 10th May, we came down from Tirumala Hills to Tirupati and visited the Temple of Sri Kapileshwara Swamy at Kapila Theertham, the recently constructed Sri Krishna Temple of ISKCON, Sri Govindaraja Swamy Temple, Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple at Alamelu Mangapuram and finally we reached Sri Kalahasti Temple by 2:00 PM, to perform “Rahu Ketu Kaala Sarpa Dosha Nivarana Puja” and have Darshan of Sri Kalahastheeswara, that is Lord Shiva. The Temple town of Kalahasti is about 40 Kms. from Tirupati.

“Rahu Ketu Kaala Sarpa Dosha Nivarana Puja” is recommended to all those having a snake like formation of planetary positions that is malefic placement of Rahu and Ketu planets in their horoscope charts. The person having Kaala Sarpa Dosha is said to have a difficult life. He may have problems in all fronts like marriage, money, profession, career, health and so on. It is believed that this Dosha is controllable and curable by offering prayers to Rahu and Ketu. This can be performed at few Temples in every city but performing it at Kalahasti is considered very auspicious and beneficial. Rahu Ketu Puja is conducted at Kalahasti throughout the day but performing it during Rahukalam makes it all the more significant and very beneficial. We do not have Kaala Sarpa Dosha in our horoscopes, but we were asked to perform it at Kalahasti for overall benefit to us and our family. On Tuesdays Rahu Kalam is from 3:00 to 4:30 P.M, so we performed it from 3:00 to 3:30 P.M.

On payment of Rs. 1000/- the Temple gave us all the items required for the Puja, that is two silver snake shaped strips representing Rahu and Ketu, two pieces of cloth of red and black color, horse gram (ulavalu), black gram (minumulu), three coconuts, flowers, betel leaves, areca nuts, vermillion and turmeric powder, a blouse piece and Anga vastram. We reached and sat at the Puja site by 2:20 P.M. We were then directed to arrange Rahu Ketu over the colored clothes and grains given by Temple and similarly the betel leaves and to break the coconuts. The Puja started soon after Rahukalam commenced at 3:00 P.M. and lasted for half an hour. Rahu and Ketu were worshipped by first mentioning the names of the family members, Gothram, Nakshatram and Rasi and then by offering flowers, vermillion and turmeric as slokas were being recited by the Brahmin and sometimes repeated by us. At the end of the Puja we were asked to pick up the silver images of Rahu and Ketu and carry them to the Temple of Sri Kalahastheeswara, have Darshan of Lord Shiva and then to drop the silver images of Rahu and Ketu in the main Hundi of the Temple, after rotating the images thrice over our heads. We then had Darshan of Sri Gnana Prasoonambika (Parvati Devi) in an adjacent Temple.

Everyday hundreds of persons perform “Rahu Ketu Kaala Sarpa Dosha Nivarana Puja” at Kalahasti.

Happy Mother’s Day!

“Mathru Devo Bhava,

Pithru Devo Bhava”.

This Sanskrit Sloka means:

Revere your mother as GOD,

Revere your father as GOD.

The above photographs are of my mother who is 91 years old and the greetings therein are for her on the occasion of Mother’s Day. The concept of celebrating Mother’s Day is new to our country and gradually it is becoming very popular. We have many festivals and celebrations in India but none to thank mother for all that she does for us. The importance of mother in anyone’s life is so great that she is equivalent to GOD – “Mathru Devo Bhava”. We naturally love and respect her everyday but do not have a specific day to celebrate and honor her; for taking care of us even at the ripe old age of 91, and thank her. Now with this Western culture of celebrating Mother’s Day coming into our lives; it has become a significant day for us too, to express our gratitude to mother and say a big THANK YOU for all that she does for us and make her as happy as possible.

“Ya Devi Sarva-Bhooteshu Mathru-Roopena SamsthitaNamastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namaha”. This Sanskrit Sloka means: Salutations to the Divine Mother, who art manifest in every being’s existence as MOTHER. I worship thee, over and over and over again.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Encounter Specialists! But Soft on Terrorists!?

On 2nd May 2011, Osama Bin Laden, the founder of Al-Qaeda, a militant organization responsible for 11th September 2001 deadly attacks (in USA) and thousands of deaths all over the world was hunted and killed by USA in the heart of Pakistan, without the knowledge of Pakistan! It is not just Laden, America silences or punishes any Country or any organization or any person who messes with them or with their friends. Sometimes it may take time but eventually America wins and the whole world rejoices at their success.

On 4th May 2011, a local rowdy of Bangalore with over 40 cases in different police stations was shot dead by local policemen. We hear of such encounter killings very often; we are very good at it and some police officers are called encounter specialists. Our Army is on a constant vigil to prevent infiltrators from entering our country from Terroristan and they are mostly successful. However when we capture terrorists, we somehow go soft on them!

On 13th December 2001 our Parliament was attacked by terrorists from Terroristan. In December 2002, our investigators caught four members of Jaish-e-Mohammed who were found responsible for the attack. They were put on trial and after a long legal procedure; all four were found guilty in 2004. One of them Mohammad Afzal Guru was sentenced to death penalty and was to be executed on 20th October 2006. He filed for clemency and his mercy petition is under consideration by the President of India and the Indian Government since all these years.

On 26th November 2008, Mumbai was attacked by terrorists from Terroristan. The acts of terror continued until 29th November, killing 164 and injuring at least 308 people a few of them foreigners. One terrorist, Azmal Kasab was captured alive and he disclosed that he and other attackers are members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, yet another militant organization. After a fair and long trial he was sentenced to death on 6th May 2010 by a trial court.  After few more months of legal procedures, on 21st February 2011, the Mumbai High Court upheld the death sentence. We will perhaps have to wait for many more years to see justice brought to the victims of Mumbai attacks as Kasab’s case may move on to the Supreme Court and then to the President of India and the Indian Government. 

On 24th December 1999, yet another militant organization, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen from Terroristan hijacked an Indian Airlines Flight 814 with 176 passengers and forced the Aircraft to land in Kandahar, Afghanistan. The hijacking lasted for seven days and ended after our Government released three militants - Maulana Masood Azhar, Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar and Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh from our prisons, flew them to Kandahar and handed them over to the hijackers.

Our handling of terrorists seems so different from the way Americans do. American action in Abbottabad has won world acclaim. The American way has not only made every American happy but every normal and right thinking person in the world. Osama Bin Laden is responsible for the death of nearly 3000 people in America alone and after that he began hiding in a country where many like him are groomed, encouraged, respected, honored, given shelter and protected. He deserved to be hunted and punished to bring justice to all those dead and their suffering families and friends and to the society in general. There may be a few hypocrites, a country like Terroristan, terrorists and their supporters who do not appreciate the American way, quoting international laws, fair trial, and civilized procedures and so on. Would these few hypocrites talk and behave in the same way if their family and friends are attacked and harmed by terrorists or mad men or mad dogs or poisonous snakes. I don’t think so.

Indian politicians think that the only enemies they have are people from other political parties. Their aim is to remain or come to power by hook or crook, terrorists and enemies of the country are not a priority. Those ruling and safeguarding the country should remember that “Justice done in time; is Justice done” at least in the case of terrorists in captivity.

Secunderabad's Glittering & Busiest Shopping Complexes are at "Patny Center".

Patny Center is a popular place in Secunderabad. It is the name of the area around the Crossroads of Kingsway and Oxford Street (now Rashtrapathi Road and Sarojini Devi Road). It got its name from a huge Car Showroom and Workshop of 1920, named PATNY. This Showroom was at the South-West corner of the Crossroads; today we have the popular Chandana Brothers Saree and Jewellery Shopping Complex here. This area of Secunderabad is popular since decades. Mahbub College, established in 1863 is at one corner of this junction. This is the School where my father, my brother and I have studied.  Other popular landmarks existing here are Secunderabad Head Post Office, Secunderabad Telephone Exchange, Taj Mahal Hotel and main branches of State Bank of India and State Bank of Hyderabad. Natraj Theater, Andhra Pradesh’s first 70mm and first Air-conditioned Theater was also at this place.

Today this area has become more popular with huge and grand Shopping Complexes like Chandana Brothers, R.S. Brothers, Kalaniketan, Kalamandir, Chennai Shopping Mall, CMR Shopping Mall, MBS Jewelers, CMR Exclusive and the just-opened South India Shopping Mall coming up here. These Malls sell Gold and Silver Jewellery, Artificial Jewellery, Silverware, Sarees of every kind from all over the country, Dress Material, Readymade Garments, Cosmetics and a variety of Fashion Accessories and Gift Articles. Any given time you will find this area crowded with the regular traffic and hundreds of enthusiastic and happy customers coming to these malls. The majority of people of Twin Cities of Secunderabad & Hyderabad would have definitely visited at least one of these Malls and everyone else would have certainly heard of Patny Center and the Malls there.

The above photos are of the popular Shopping Malls at Patny Center; by night.

About my visit to "Swaminarayan Akshardham", New Delhi.

On the day of Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s demise, 24th April - Easter Sunday, I was at New Delhi, on business. As I was having breakfast and watching TV at my Hotel – Signature Grand, I heard of Baba’s demise. The news upset me. I followed his health reports ever since he became ill on 28th March and got admitted into his super speciality hospital at Puttaparthi. His failing health was causing anxiety but I was very hopeful that he would recover. I called home to share the news and the pain it was causing me. A few family members and close relatives who know of my devotion to Sri Sathya Sai Baba called me to enquire how I was taking the sad news and to comfort me.  I kept watching various TV channels as information on Baba’s life kept pouring in. All this was causing more depression so I decided to go to a Temple and spend some time there in prayer. Then I remembered “Swaminarayan Akshardham” which I had not visited before.

I entered “Swaminarayan Akshardham” at 5 pm and I was there up to 8.20 pm. This pilgrimage; to this sacred centre of our culture, traditions, wisdom, art, heritage, history and values brought about a soothing effect. I wondered why I had not visited "Akshardham" before. The attached photographs and the video immediately below this article will give you an impression of this lovely, grand and peaceful place. And for detailed information on "Swaminarayan Akshardham" you may click on the following link:

http://www.akshardham.com/

P.S. One should not miss Yagnapurush Kund, a fascinating combination of Vedic Yagna Kund with 2,870 steps and 108 small shrines and the lovely Musical Fountain Show there at 7.45 PM depicting the deities of earth, water, fire, air and changing cycles of life from creation, sustenance through to destruction and eternal life with excellent music and commentary. Towards the end of this post, you can see particulars of Swaminarayan Akshardham Timings, various Ticket Rates for exhibitions and a Location Map. Please note that Monday is a holiday and the timings furnished below are subject to change.