ISRO showcased the four Bharatiya astronauts who will be part of India’s Gaganyaan in near future.
Remember India has lost over 2500 scientists and researchers who chose to live and work in the country rather than migrate to America, in the last six to seven decades. They met with mysterious deaths. If we succeed as a nation despite these sabotages, it is a marvel.
Its premature to delve into the subject at this stage. Let us catch up when things heat up. Winding up the post with best wishes to the four astronauts. Jai Hind!
As a wildlife enthusiast and an elephant lover, I can’t put into words what the idea of Vantara means to those like me. To anyone who hits upon my blog by chance, I have this request: please go through my write-ups on environment. I have a lot of points for your consideration. I also take this opportunity to thank India’s greatest wildlife photographers who are rendering a yeoman service, some of who I am following on social media. Apart from following the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) which aids research projects, I am also keeping tabs on those like Bird Count India, Season Watch and Tree Walk. My contribution is merely my interest and spreading the message. I try to raise awareness and thanks to me, many have become aware of the plight of the temple elephants.
Meanwhile Vantara is like dream come true. To me, it is the great India give back to Mother Earth for the toll we take on Her with our environmental degradation and mindless pollution denting the o zone layer. The nonprofit initiative as announced by Anant Ambani of the Reliance group, Vantara, is a wildlife rescue and rehab center which already houses myriad species of rescued wildlife from entertainment industry, abuse etc., for instance. The center will focus on research and wellbeing of rescued animals both domestic and wild in a safe haven of sanctuary spread over a 3000 acres in Gujarat, close to their oil refinery in Jam Nagar. State of art animal healthcare is on offer. Details are yet to emerge. First of all my hearty congratulations to the young man who has moved away from tradition venturing into something for the benefit of the soul. Can’t be exactly profit motivated, but cash registers must start ringing once the center is fully operational including the tourist zone and the wildlife institute. A project unprecedented in Indian history of this magnitude, Vantara is a small compensation still for the unlimited damage we are inflicting upon nature day in and day out. Not a Reliance person, NEVER SHOP AT RELIANCE RETAIL for groceries or clothing or whatever as a matter of principle. Never acquired a Reliance phone. For me Reliance always meant ‘unreliable.’ Their foray into the retail sector especially left me with distaste. So Vantara comes as a big surprise. The younger generation are far more responsible. I see a lot of youngsters say these days that they want to stay single and don’t want to become parents and add more burden by way of couple of more human beings to the planet earth.
At the same time, what if this is any preempting move by the Reliance who may have a hidden agenda for acquiring the protected forest areas of India for their ventures now that they are armed with the newly amended Forest conservation (amendment) Act , 2024. At best, it could be an afforestation plan ahead in schedule, of a conserved land acquisition. Me, forever the skeptic! Sick of politics and the wary me would never put total trust on politicians and business men. Both these people have no scruples. They will sell their soul without batting their eyelids. They are No.1 manipulators and every single move of theirs has to have a motive. Only time can prove who really is this Anant Ambani.
So with the zoological park set to open soon, you can expect ticketing; or is it free for visitors Mr. Anant Ambani? Soon you can have game lodges for VVIPs, the Kenyan style. Exotic holiday for India’s elite and rich is in the making where elephants can walk in to the resort in search of water. Yet as the wildlife are treated on rescue in nature’s setting, for the moment let us go with the young tycoon.
As far as rehab of wildlife is concerned, and especially when it comes to the elephants, all you may need can be experienced mahouts with a little tech knowhow. The traditional methods of conservation of wildlife were what that have preserved our forest wealth for centuries. The 2022 Oscar winner ‘The elephant whisperers’ shot in the Nilgiris is about the rehabilitation of orphaned young elephant calves. India’s tribes are seasoned when it comes to sharing spaces with wildlife. No ultra modern laboratory in the world can replace our traditional nature conservationists. So why the needless sophistication. Our expertise must be honing our own inherited strengths and pluses. If you put your faith in India’s wise, you will be able to take better care of our wildlife. Remember Yoga, Meditation and Ayurveda have not international.
A lot can be done without it all being a pompous and mega show. Anant Ambani can also refer to NCF and try sponsoring their projects. This is what conservation is all about. It takes much more than the grandeur; it takes real physical efforts to be monitoring wildlife 24 hours, compiling data and matching, and following up with conservation methods with locals in an effort to protect the endangered species. This is not to undermine Ambani’s efforts to bring in a change in our landscape. But India has dedicated wildlife conservationists doing a stupendous job without making waves about it for decades. It will be worth it even if you stop the likes of Salman Khan and Saif Ali Khan from poaching our blue bucks.
If you have to feel insecure if your god is done as caricature or objectified, then your faith is that shaky! My heart goes out to the Pakistan woman who wore an Arabic print kurta and got mobbed. The print was mistaken for Quranic verses. Ultimately a female cop rescued her and took her to safety. These Pakistani fools must know that calligraphy is a wonderful art and finds massive expression in the arab muslim world where performing arts, especially for women, get discouraged. Visual art therefore acquires a significant prominence and has assumed multi dimensions. So calligraphy is a very popular art form in the middle east. As a resident of west Asia for over 15 years now, I have come to love this extremely exquisite work or art which is kind of expression like none other. Many calligraphy works I could get to see were from war torn nations. Although I could not pick up the language, I could get the intensity. Knowing the language could have helped because I am told they are sometimes sarcastic expressions, sometime hopeless words, sometime optimistic opinion. Where expression of any other form is negated, the artistes make use of this unique form of art to give vent to their pent up emotions. The original and authentic muslims, the arabs, are keeping quiet. Its the converted Pakistani muslims with a severe inferiority complex and NO IDENTITY to call their own, who are barking at the mountain. And no other language or script is more suited or a natural when it comes to calligraphy as the Arabic. I have also had exposure to Tamil calligraphy and Hindi calligraphy but our alphabets are complicated and not all scrawls and dots and lines like the middle eastern language. Well, Tamil alphabets to me look like jelebis 😀 (I mean from the calligraphy point of view!)
me wearing a silk dupatta with the face of my mother goddess!
I do have Buddha print saris and kurtis and even Krishna print saris! I love wearing Hindu gods on me! I have my Shakthi in a dupatta that I love draping around me. Why we even have Modi saris in India! Wrap your prime minister around you hahaha!
Popular images of Hindu gods that get printed in clothes and bags include Ganesh, Krishna and Mother Goddess Lakshmi/Saraswathi/Parvathi. Of course when I wear them, I am reverential and don’t take them lightly. Mostly I wear them to temples. Buddha is casual wear! Madhubani and Kalamkari handblock prints are especially devoted to creating Hindu deities on our garments that we relish with delight! Hindu gods are around us everywhere! On cars, on carpets, on grocery bags, on calendars… So far only Harpic and Stayfree are left out! But then we have our Christian evangelists selling Jesus door to door like Harpic and Whisper so probably Hindu gods are exempt from marketing of sanitary napkins and toilet wash! That is entirely the department of Christ!
Of course a friend told me about a woman from Chennai who was stranded in Colombo airport in Sri Lanka for wearing a Buddha kurta. Official religion of the island nation is Buddhism. This woman was not even traveling to Lanka. She was merely switching flights in Colombo to fly back to Chennai when she was picked up for questioning, with her phone whisked. She had no idea what was happening until someone in the airport told her it was all about her clothes. Someone influential from India transiting the airport intervened and the woman was allowed to fly with a warning. But it is atrocious that an Indian citizen must be stopped for wearing what she pleases while transiting an airport. Now we understand that the Sinhalese are so envious that they want to pick up some trouble or other with Indian citizens. But this highlighted to me the importance of safe travels in foreign countries. Wear neutral clothes that won’t garner attention.
What is blasphemy really. If an image, a caricature, a verse can turn the masses bloody violent, it means their faith is on very shaky grounds that it needs to be strictly controlled with fear factor. There is absolutely no free will here. No logic. A day may dawn when the frivolous strappings will have to give away finally. One day, the cartoon will arrive. One day the jokes will be made. One day images will come out. One day a film will be made. Remember, it shall take only one single brave move to open the floodgate. Then there won’t be a stopping at all the avalanche that has to follow! What shall happen then to your faith? Hindu Dharma is not here for over a 10000 years as the one and only UNBROKEN and continuous civilization in the world, without going through these tamashas for centuries. Nothing ever rattled us. My Sanatana is not as fragile as the middle eastern cults and my gods don’t become what others deem them to be or portray them to be. My faith is UNSHAKEN. I AND A BILLION HINDUS BELIEVE IN IDOL WORSHIP. Nothing you write about us or draw about our gods can ever have an adverse impact on our solid belief in our faith. Call us idolators, fine. Call us pagans fine. WEar the Ganesha chappal and have a Krishna toilet seat, fine. All that shall not make Ganesha and Krishna what they are NOT. I also understood why the Americans make a doormat of Ma Kali and pillow cases of Ganesha. They do the same with their national flags as well. Their approach to faith is entirely different. Their perspective on religion is COOL! I have come to appreciate and love that kind of zest in people.
How can someone be intimidated the way this Pakistan woman was for whatever she was wearing. The stupid fools who almost threatened her life in fact had had not a clue! Looks like the kurta was made in Saudi! What a joke! The woman should not have apologized. When you surrender for no fault of yours, you make them worse. You are succumbing to idiots and sycophants. Even the cops justifying and clarifying that the verses were not from the holy book sounded sickening to my ears.
Extremely relieved after the release of the eight Indian navy personnel from Qatar prison. I don’t want to go into the politics. I know my prime minister Shri Narendra Modi ji can move mountains, if he has to. Plus, India has enjoyed such a warm and trustworthy partnership/friendship with all the middle eastern nations so far. This one-off incident was like a thorn in the flesh that finally got removed. Strangely it is during the times of the Hindu nationalist party BJP that friendship and business deals with the OPEC nations got consolidated for India! UAE recently invited dignitaries from 42 nations to the first magnificent Hindu temple coming up in Abu Dhabi. The personal rapport shared by our prime minister with the world leaders and also with the support of Shri Ajit Doval and external affairs minister Shri Jaishankar, India shares excellent diplomatic relations with countries around the world. Resident of Qatar for over 15 years now. Its home away from home for us where we feel secure, wanted, respected and celebrated. Indians are prized possessions. Assets for gulf countries. Sheikhs are aware that without the Indian labour/engineers/medicos/teachers and schools and art and craft, their economies can come to a grand standstill. Most expats also spend a good percentage of the dirhams or riyals right in the host countries. Qatar changed my perceptions on Islam frankly. I respect their muted and understated success story. They are never splashy. There is a lot to learn from Qatar. I liked the way they handled the tensions with Saudi taking all the beating until things normalized. Small almost island country but with very sensible leadership with a vision of great future. Qatar helped us and millions lift up our standard of living. India for her part will always be a quiet but strong and dependable companion. I again admire the diplomatic tightrope that Modi government walked when things were not going right for Qatar and Saudi/Kuwait/UAE. India never antagonized the Saudi block but also was there for Qatar at the same time. Both nations are equally important to me. May god bless both countries! God bless UAE for giving Hindu expats our temples. UAE ensured that Shiva and Raam will always be there for them from here on.
Awesome ! How did they even produce a Hindustani fusion magic like this! From the album ‘Shakti’ produced by Zakir Hussain. Vocalist: Shankar Mahadevan. A veritable treat to our senses. ‘This moment’ is making Bharat proud!
Strangely added a new word to my vocab ‘pre-poll rigging’ from foreign media. Although the terminology is new to me, the process is not, for it is more prevalent in India, the world’s largest democracy over any other nation on earth.
The Kamal Hasan party ‘ MNM’ (Makkal Needhi Maiam) in Tamil Nadu is a case in point. Floated by the actor right before last Lok sabha/Assembly elections, the very purpose of the party was to divide votes and see to that ADMK supported by BJP would not return to power in the state. Where the funds poured in for the party remained a big question mark. It was alleged that Kamal converted to Christianity so church was funding him to take on BJP. Secondly there was a theory that he was fielded by the Dravidian lobbies to split the vote bank. ADMK lost the assembly precisely thanks to Kamal’s new political party that shot up like a mushroom from the previous evening’s downpour. The party that went ballistic from day 1 of its formation, was very short lived in reality. It is almost dissolved now. When DMK emerged as the majority party to form the state government, the party bigwigs resigned one by one. Soon nobody remained in the party and the curtains came down. Last heard from the party quarters: A BIG SNORE. That MNM is dysfunctional goes without saying. With pockets full, probably the instruments of pre-poll rigging were singing and hopping their way to the Swiss bank, who knows. Mission accomplished. ADMK did well on vote count even if they lost their key constituencies. The swing in the voting pattern was because of the MNM. However marginal, the swing votes decided the poll outcome.
Now that the general elections are around the corner, another popular Tamil actor is now in the fray. Leading superstar Vijay has announced his new political party and it will be interesting to wait and watch what happens to his party once the polls are over. MNM served its purpose: of splitting the vote bank and helping DMK form the state government and at the same time ousting the ADMK from the state assembly. This is a classical illustration of how pre-poll rigging works.
However it takes much more than all these petty gimmicks to work out anything of this kind at the center. Indian elections are a mammoth exercise that have no parallels in world history. India is 1.33 billion strong with about a million adult franchises eligible to cast votes. Lok sabha or the general elections are normally held over a month’s time in seven phases every five year, for security reasons. No more paper ballots (since last 20-25 years). We have the EVM or the electronic voting machine that has an added real time vote slip for cross-check if need be. Normally the matching is done before the results are announced. VVPAT (as the paper count is called) compatibility with the electronic vote tally ensures that there is no rigging or error in EVM functioning. Any mismatch may invite a re-election or re-casting of the electronic ballots. Rigging may not be altogether ruled out because, at the end of the day, electronics are electronics. EVMs also can fail at times despite cautions. There are always backups in such events. But then it may help us to remember that the congress govt too won with the EVM machines to form the government at the center. Moreover we can guess the popularity wave from the mood of the nation. However, always expect the losers to cry over suspected foul play! When congress won, BJP alleged EVM tampering and when BJP won, congress alleged EVM manipulation! That is what politics may be all about!
Cheating in Indian elections is getting increasingly difficult if not altogether impossible. Establishing the ID by itself is a documented process that must have been carried over months before (for a first time voter). You cannot vote in Indian elections with your ID alone which is the Aadhar card. You need the Voter ID which can be procured only if you have the Aadhar ID. You cannot exercise your right to cast your electronic ballot with any of your allowable Indian IDs if you do not have the voter ID on you.The voter ID app is permissible these days on your mobile. Your mobiles are screened/frisked before you enter a polling booth. The Indian election commission app is one of the best to have on your phone when it is time to cast your vote. Double checks ensure that securing a voter ID by itself is not without establishing proofs and laying trails all over. Aadhar records your bio-metrics and residence proof. Aadhar is the basic standard Indian ID. You won’t even be cremated without your Aadhar proof! Without the Aadhar and two more supporting IDs like the driving licence (DL), passport, PAN (Income tax permanent ID linked to your Aadhar ID and bank account) card etc., you cannot procure a voter ID. (In India, whether you are income tax assessee or not, you must hold PAN card. You cannot even open a fixed deposit or trade in stocks or register a property/sell or buy jewelry without the PAN. PAN records your financial activity.) Each ID is also interdependent. So unless you are a citizen of India having lived here as a resident, no way you can establish this chain of proofs that are inter-linked even to your registered mobile and primary bank account!
Yet the Bangladeshi are here illegally in large numbers to cast anti-Hindu and pro-muslim votes which makes CAA absolutely relevant. Bangladeshis with their sizeable illegal votes have already changed the destiny of Malaysia. CAA helps weeding out the illegal votes from immigrants who are supplied with fake IDs by vested interests. The immigrant votes can become influential in deciding the fates of nations.
EVMs do a fantastic job. In fact entire India polls can be done away with in a single day with the latest and updated versions of EVMs. The phasing is for security reasons. Now no more massive election rallies from months prior. No use of loudspeakers. No relentless canvassing. It is February and is there even a whisper about the elections in April? You have to walk on your own two legs the last half kilometer or so to the polling booth and cannot be dropped close to the booth. aStill, voting now is much more smooth. One wrong move and you could be handcuffed. Nothing is allowed to disturb the electoral process to facilitate seamless transfer of power. In this one agenda, our political parties stand united when it comes to holding free and fair elections. Nation comes first.The general elections always remind me why India is still ticking in spite of so much chaos. The discipline and the meticulous EVM procedures make the impossible possible.
The NOTA button in the EVM: This option can be exercised if you do not want to vote for any candidate. It ensures that your vote is not going waste. The sum-up of NOTA in every constituency and in the entire nation reflects the dissatisfaction of the Indian electorate. The mammoth Indian elections will be soon underway. Normally, not to disturb the schools and universities, elections are held in April-May months. Dates are yet to be announced for the upcoming Lok sabha elections.
BJP changed the way the voters can be reached. Social media started playing a significant role when it came to urban votes. Rural franchises are not be left behind. They are far more politically savvy than you may imagine. Even farmers and artisans from remotest Indian villages can now use smart phones and check their LPG subsidy credit in their bank accounts. They have free health insurance, other sops etc., that are banked in by the government. They matter-of-factly use the PayTM app to go cashless. They all have QR codes now! The qr code may be printed right on the coconut tree in a village where the poor villager may be selling you the fresh tender coconut from the coconut tree under which you may have parked! Pretty cool that is! Subzi vendor has the qr code printed on the onion sack! India is way too digital than most advanced western nations! To that extent our rural population can be tech savvy these days! I don’t think any gimmick can work effectively when it comes to influencing the Indian voter. Unless you perform, you perish. Even Modi haters want him because Modi is good for business. At the end of the day, we all want our country to prosper. We want inclusive growth. We want respectability in the world stage. We want a bold,strong leader who we can count on.
So rigging in Indian elections may be past history done away with paper ballot era that ended over a quarter century ago for us. But there can be no ruling out the pre-poll rigging, preparing the grounds for favourable results. My home state Tamil Nadu is a kiladi in playing that kind of manipulation game. It brings a smile to my face: that Modi is kiladi ke kiladi!!! Yaarkitta! Tamil Nadu BJP state chief Shri Annamalai is going great guns. It will take more than pre-poll rigging to diminish his growing popularity and the party’s increasing clout in the state. BJP will improve its vote bank no doubt. The party will make impressive inroads all across Tamil Nadu which is already ringing alarm bells in some quarters. So the Vijay arrival. It may take a while for the central party to form a government in Tamil Nadu, but I can foresee it happening someday in near future. No pre-poll rigging can stop us forever from achieving our long term goals. The General Janata is way too smart and intelligent. Never underestimate the power of the common man. After emergency Indira Gandhi lost from Chikmagalur and congress was routed. The Indian masses aspire for growth. Their vote is for propellers of growth and prosperity.
Thought I would make a list of temples where I have had bhojan prasad at:
Of course first and foremost is Tirumala = Tirupathi. I am sure most would have had the bhojana prasad at this hill temple. I have had at least three times but that was all before the 1990s. Remember their paruppu podi with hot ghee poured into rice even now!
Lunched at Shri Sharadambal temple, Sringeri twice: once in VIP hall in 2019 and for a second time this j an 2024 with general janata. Frankly I don’t like to eat at VIP.
Bhagawathi temple, Chottanikkara, Kerala: best by far served with aravana payasam (kheer) jan 2023
In the same temple when my cousin got married in 2004 had a fantastic feast that was served by the groom’s family. not temple.
Thirunageshwaram : the one and only temple in Tamil nadu where I have had a full lunch meal in 2019
Mookambika temple, Kollur,, jan 2024, VIP seating. dinner.
Sri Krishna temple, Udipi, jan 2024. dinner
Maha Kali temple, Ambalpadi, Mangalore ,, jan 2024. the lunch was very elaborate. Learnt the word saru for rasam!
Anna Poorna temple, Horanadu, Karnataka, jan 2024 : had dinner and breakfast
Annapoorna temple bhojana at Kashi Annapoorna Visalakshi temple, Varanasi, Dec 2024
Shankara mutt, Kanchipuram, october 2023 . very nice lunch.
Lunch at an Ashram that I don’t want to mention at Rishikesh. Healthiest food served with sweet meant for sadhus/yogis. Very sumptuous. Prepared by yogis themselves.
During our residence in Malaysia 1997-2001, lunched at every temple we visited. KL temple that I don’t remember and Murugan temple at Maran were the rare ones. Always had dinner at temples in Terengganu without which the temple visits were not considered complete.
In Kumbakonam, the hot venpongal prasad at the time of temple opening is unforgettable. Got a chance to have this breakfast prasad at Garbarakshambika temple at Thirukarugavur and at Thirumancheri temple. Lots more prasads from Perumal temples as well. But this list is about the full meal bhojan prasad.
Temple bhojan is very simple fare. Satwik naturally. An added kheer would be treated as luxury. In Chottanikkara alone, they made you wash the plates and tumblers in stainless steel and made us say the prayer to Hindu goddess of food and abundance Mother Annapoorna. In some temples the bhojana prasad was served in banana leaves. In some, the bhojan was served in stainless steel plates to devotees seated in rows and rows. At a time I am sure at least 500 ate in a batch. Food served in temples is not mere bhojan: it is prasad from the deity Herself/Himself. I feel most blessed to have had the bhojan prasad from this many temples. IN all other states except mine I notice that the general janata who have the bhojan prasad in temples come from mixed backgrounds where the rich and the poor eat together forgetting their social status. Whereas in Tamil nadu, only the poorest eat the temple bhojan. Quality of food served is also poorest. One more thing I want to underscore: i did not know about VIP seating and I really hated myself for eating at shiny stainless steel tables while the general janata were seated in the floor. Someone got me the bhojan token. I also noticed that the brahman bhojan is separate dining at Sri Krishna temple, Udipi. This discrimination is awful. Such a difference in the abode of god in this 21st century is unthinkable. Then there is no point in serving Annadhanam at all. VIP seating is bad enough but it is mostly for visiting dignitaries for security reasons or for those who cannot sit on the floor to eat, like very senior citizens. If you know someone at the temple, you can get a VIP token that can get you a table, that is all. For Udipi mutts I have this to say: hopefully you can find brahman bhojan dining in Vaikuntam with your caste card. But remember to flash it first at the gate. Otherwise Udipi is a great place. Been here thrice in my life. This last time, at the ratri puja, was seated before sri Krishna for over 3-4 hours. Singing straight to His face bhajans will remain etched in my memory for ever. Imagine my spirit souring right after the puja/darshans when the word brahman bhojan fell in my ears. Udipi is all about Kanakadasa. When you practise discriminations, the very purpose and logic of the Udipi temple is lost, is it not.
I would like everyone to try to simple temple bhojan prasad. Thousands of devotees have the prasad every single day and night even if its not a full, elaborate menu. We consider this as prasad fed by the gods themselves. It is also equally important to contribute generously towards Annadhana. Annadhana or the bhojan prasad schemes run on public Hundi funds only. We can also make direct/online contributions for Annadhana. Those visiting any Annapoorna temple must never forget to give donations for rice for Annadhana.
vijiravindran's 