tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85587994639569121492024-03-14T00:38:42.060+05:30Time,Time..I have all the time --House Beautiful:Our HouseRama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.comBlogger234125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-14135999321234581562018-08-02T00:35:00.000+05:302018-08-02T00:37:14.348+05:30Organ Donation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /><br />August is marked as the “Organ Donor Month”. <br /><br /><br />Organs that can be donated are: Kidney, Eye, Lungs, Heart, Liver, Pancreas, Cornea, Small Intestine, Skin tissues, Bone tissues, Heart valves and Veins. Wow! to think so many parts of ourselves can be used after we leave this world. Since we cannot take them with us, why not donate them, so that others can benefit from them : “Don’t take your organs to heaven with you. Heaven knows we need them here.” <br /><br /><br />Anyone can register as a donor: young, old, large or small, ill or healthy. We are never too old to donate; there is always a chance that we can donate an organ or tissue, whatever our age. <br /><br /><br />Our recycling goals must not end by just recycling old things, clothes, or some junk like coke cans etc., instead we must seriously think of recycling our organs after our death. None of us are perfect human beings, but we sure can become perfect by willing our organs to be used to save many lives.<br /><br /><br />Here is a nice poem to inspire us:<br /><br /><br /><br />To Remember Me Robert Noel Test (1926-1994)<br /><br /><br />To Remember Me<br /><br /><br />At a certain moment a doctor will determine that my brain has ceased to function and that, for all intents and purposes, my life has stopped.<br /><br /><br />When that happens, do not attempt to instill artificial life into my body by the use of a machine. And don't call this my "deathbed." Call it my "bed of life," and let my body be taken from it to help others lead fuller lives.<br /><br /><br />Give my sight to a man who has never seen a sunrise, a baby's face or love in the eyes of a woman.<br /><br /><br />Give my heart to a person whose own heart has caused nothing but endless days of pain.<br /><br /><br />Give my blood to the teenager who has been pulled from the wreckage of his car, so that he might live to see his grandchildren play.<br /><br /><br />Give my kidneys to one who depends on a machine to exist from week to week.<br /><br /><br />Take my bones, every muscle, every fiber and nerve in my body and find a way to make a crippled child walk.<br /><br /><br />Explore every corner of my brain. Take my cells, if necessary, and let them grow so that someday a speechless boy will shout at the crack of a bat and a deaf girl will hear the sound of rain against her windows.<br /><br /><br />Burn what is left of me and scatter the ashes to the winds to help the flowers grow.<br /><br /><br />If you must bury something, let it be my faults, my weaknesses and all my prejudice against my fellow man.<br /><br /><br />Give my sins to the devil. Give my soul to God. If, by chance, you wish to remember me, do it with a kind deed or word to someone who needs you. If you do all I have asked, I will live forever.<br /><br /></div>
Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-19308777562718596852018-02-10T00:02:00.003+05:302018-02-10T13:36:41.244+05:30To my Dear Sister.... and her Husband Narayan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Radha Narayan: my lovely sister and her husband Narayan</b><br />
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<b>Good Morning to you!</b><br />
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<b><br />Today, years ago (45 years) you met Narayan, a very handsome man, who literally swept you off your feet and married you. You had a very adventurous life with him, however, he also taught you so many things, so that you could be independent, and self reliant. </b></div>
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<b> Imagine you were not used to going anywhere without him, while you were in Delhi and<br />Madras. You would have never even imagined the life, that was waiting for you, in the US.<br />Before you could even blink your eyelids, he made you learn car driving, banking and so many things which you were first very reluctant to learn, but being pushed by him you had to do all those things, which worked out well for you. For not only you learnt all<br />those things, they also came in handy, later in your life. You had to take care of so many things, you had so many responsibilities, you had to be Narayan's Chauffeur. Although he could no longer drive, he was constantly there beside you guiding you, making you feel very confident.</b></div>
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<b>You too, helped him in his various business ventures, learning from him all the time.</b></div>
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<b>We could never believe, that you were almost the 'Man' of the family there in the US.</b></div>
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<b>You went with dreams in your eyes to the US, only to find challenges thrown your way at every step. You had a good Day Care Center there, you were a very good hostess, you helped young people , who had come to do their higher studies, by offering them free stay in your house. You were a good mother, a good care giver, a good loving wife, and you led your life with a big smile always on your face.</b></div>
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<b>How thankful you must have been to Narayan, for leading you gently, yet firmly by his hand and </b><b>encouraging you to do all those things and many others too.</b></div>
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<b><br />You turned to be the smartest in our family. We are<br />all so proud of your efforts in doing things which initially you<br />never liked. You took life as it came by, changing to suit the<br />circumstances, and facing the challenges that life threw randomly at you.<br /><br />Everyday you must be thinking of all the good and bad times you spent<br />with him happily, and this day must be all the more special to you,<br />for this day would always remind you of the beautiful lotus that you<br />have bloomed into, having the independence to lead life as you<br />want without having to be dependent on anyone.<br /><br /> Both, you and Narayan are the perfect example of the saying,"If life gives you a<br />lemon, make lemonade out of it" Both of you never gave up dreaming, and leading life with dignity. Many people would have packed their bags and come back to India, but you both stood firmly and lived beautifully, always inspiring people to do the same.</b><br />
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<b>It is indeed sad to lose someone who was so close to you, a friend, a guide , a mentor, and a loving husband. But as he said, "someone has to leave first, and it is not always in our hands, but to be prepared is always in our hands". Although today he is no longer present, beside you, yet, you have the feeling that he is still watching you and guiding you, protecting you.</b><br />
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<b> Narayan dancing at his daughter's wedding </b></div>
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<b>See everything went off well with you even after he left, your eye<br />surgeries went off well, and also the knee surgeries went off well<br />without any hassle, and you have reached your road to recovery.</b><br />
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Radha with her son and her grand children, she looks too young to be a grand mother<br />
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<b>Her two loving Grand kids</b></div>
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<b><br />I am sure there are many things to be happy, and to look at life from<br />a new perspective.<br /><br />Be always happy, cheerful and blessed!<br />Love you both so much,<br />Rama<br /><br />I am sure these are the words you would like to convey to Narayan, as<br />he looks at you with love and affection:</b><br />
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-74684492094465503892018-02-03T21:21:00.000+05:302018-02-03T23:24:46.334+05:30Here comes the sun And I say It's alright.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><br /><br />We went for a short break to Yelagiri, a hill station on Tamil Nadu.<br /><br />There is not much to see there, and our resort was near the quite famous Vel Murugan Temple.<br /><br />So we went there to have a look at the temple, in the early morning hours.The temple is quite beautiful situated on top of a hill with beautiful views all around.<br /><br />There was a statue resembling Gatothgacha at the entrance, and I wanted to take a picture in front of him, and I was excitedly pointing the spot to my husband, when this candid picture was shot, without my knowledge.</b><br />
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<b>And look, a whole group of people are enjoying it from behind me!<br /><br />It is indeed a crazy picture of mine, a perfect proof of how candid pictures are shot without the person being aware of it. It is funny, at the same time natural, for otherwise the person would be posing with a artificial smile.<br /><br />Here it is : Looks like I am singing a line from the famous song, "Here comes the Sun and I say it's all right"......</b><br />
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<b><br /> Yeh, here's comes the sun!<br /><br /> Here comes the sun, doo doo doo doo Here comes the sun, and I say It's alright. </b><br />
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<b>Little darling </b><b>It's been a long, cold, lonely winter Little darling It seems like years since it's been here. </b><br />
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<b>Here comes the sun Here comes the sun And I say It's alright.</b><br />
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<b> Little darling The smile's returning to the faces Little darling It seems like years since it's been here. </b><br />
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<b>Here comes the sun Here comes the sun And I say it's alright. Sun, sun, sun, here it comes x4 </b><br />
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<b>Little darling I see the ice is slowly melting Little darling It seems like years since it's been clear. </b><br />
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<b>Here comes the sun. Here comes the sun. It's alright. </b><br />
<b>Here comes the sun. Here comes the sun. It's alright.</b><br />
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<b>And finally my picture with the Gatothgacha (look alike) statue!!</b></div>
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-58681990577195246772017-12-05T16:23:00.001+05:302017-12-05T16:25:28.079+05:30Chocolate and Coffee Banana Loaf/ Cake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I found this recipe in a Vegan Site. The lady has simple recipes explained and she also has videos of most of the recipes in her site.<br />
I am slowly turning into a Vegan though I am still not 100% Vegan, for it takes time. However as much as possible I cook only Vegan food.<br />
Here are the pictures of my recent cake, I only added some Walnuts and some instant coffee to the recipe, as I like the crunchy taste of Walnuts, which are also very good for brain health.<br />
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Just out of the Oven<br />
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For the recipe go to:<a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mrishtanna.com%2F2017%2F&h=ATNWXv-jBcd0URzgdT9UrXlLSa19vDsv8wLIMpKg86R3XZ099KOf7HLQVZYZCUS6yF3mfC3KagA6chN4ANjl7GGmsp03Tva1JrsdENNM7a1NToL1ij98qLm2qhKmMk-pJ-eRIJmnOEejpdW1D3dMBiuSSpAzJPmwBKFyDVF8J2afw4GlhUpCzEywW0sUsTYsnx2CILrEAFLHiJLxMCFzSusJcTj2D65jQcjjJRawR1YvFszGRsHjp6Sp4sQP5gB8wun5IKy2U3ua" href="http://www.mrishtanna.com/2017/" rel="noopener nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">http://www.mrishtanna.com/2017/</a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">…/chocolate-banana-loaf-cake/</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">Enjoy the cake with Hot Coffee or</span></div>
Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-41258754420230079002017-05-30T18:45:00.000+05:302019-06-30T23:32:56.928+05:30Halwa Poori and what not.......<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Pooris come with many yummy combinations. In some states in India it is served with Geela/ rasdar Potato bahji with tomatoes and peas in, some places they serve it with semi dry potato bahji like in West Bengal or they are even crazy about potato Posto and Allo dhum and they serve poories or luchies, as t is known in Bengal, with these combinations. Below is the picture of Allo Posto a poppy seed paste slightly dry gravy curry of Bengal<br />
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Come to Maharashtra, you would find people loving it with different kinds of Srikands, mango, cardamom, saffron, pista you name it you have it. (No pictures)<br />
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Come down south, in states like Karnataka, you would find it being served with Pallaya, a kind of mild kurma kind of concoction, and also it would come with some green mint or coriander chutney as extras. (I don't have pictures of the Karnataka style Poori Bhaji)<br />
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Further down, when you come to Tamil Nadu, you would find the best Poori Masala, the aroma wafting through the packet (if you plan to pack it) which is made of Banana leaves, oofh, you won't even have the patience to wait to get home to gobble it down, it is that yummy!<br />
The masala is nothing but the potato masala filling of Masala Dosa, if you ask me which is best combination, I would give Poori Masala of TN the number 1 position.<br />
Our very own Poori Masala of TN<br />
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Okay , now there is another version also, which Halwa Poori, which is usually made in North Indian for some Pooja, and this is given as a prasad to young girls. This combo too is quite yummy.<br />
It is not just poori and halwa it is also comes along with some yummy dry channa baaji.<br />
I read this somewhere in FB, "Nani ke ghar jayenge! Halwa poori khayenge!! Mote hoke aayenge!!!", and immediately I was reminded of the days long ago, when I was young, our North Indian neighbors used to call me for their special pooja and serve me and my other friends this as prasad.<br />
Sadly, now neither do I have any Nannies (grandmas) alive, nor can I afford to be more moti, but since I had to relive those moments from the past, I decided to make this combo today.<br />
Of course, past is past one cannot recreate it however much we try, but still......no harm in trying to recreate as much as possible.<br />
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The Punjabi's also love the combo of Kadhu Wala Poori, (yellow pumpkin) here is the picture:<br />
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And their favorite is also Channa with Poori:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTM_hpdsdIibiWvqrXHLdaARJond0911926e_Kugj1NMXOXU8jHbjNCYbcjKtVHd9NiWU2zQkmpzxGlnFQLea8j-gc1yQmSXj-V2H-TrDGyhuTYyNchAzr79kGM5If6nMnGWCk_X6_QIc/s1600/12401873_10208553461938339_3331002888679330260_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTM_hpdsdIibiWvqrXHLdaARJond0911926e_Kugj1NMXOXU8jHbjNCYbcjKtVHd9NiWU2zQkmpzxGlnFQLea8j-gc1yQmSXj-V2H-TrDGyhuTYyNchAzr79kGM5If6nMnGWCk_X6_QIc/s320/12401873_10208553461938339_3331002888679330260_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
BTW all these dishes were made by me sometime or other.</div>
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Seeing all these pictures I am sure many of you are feeling really crazy with hunger, my choice as stated above is Poori Masala anytime, what is your choice?<br />
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-10046901125674677982017-05-13T19:45:00.003+05:302017-05-13T19:49:25.048+05:30Mother's Day Special!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today, again, I am left with only memories of my mother. It has been almost 24 years since my mother passed away. Last year in December, I lost my father too at the ripe age of 94. Two lovely people, who loved us unconditionally. If you have been following my blogs I am sure you must have read many stories and anecdotes, about my mother and my father. I don't want to repeat myself again. Memories are always there, but during such special days, they come out as if some dam has been broken, and they just tumble out relentlessly.<br />
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Keeping my thoughts to myself, I just share this with all of you<br />
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My mother wore this beautiful saree for my wedding. It was actually a nine yard saree. She always loved green and red combination, she even had a beautiful green and red Mysore silk saree too. After she passed away, each of us took a few sarees of hers. I took this saree as I knew she loved it very much. It had worn out in some places so I made it into a 6 yards saree.<br />
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How I wish there was a clear picture of this saree worn by her during my wedding.</div>
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Whenever I wear it, I feel as if I am enveloped with her extraordinary love for life, and her zest of enjoying every bit of life. She didn't have great desires, only small ones, and little things were enough to make her feel very happy and blessed. Despite going through many ups and downs in her life she was never grumpy, for her cheerful nature and her beautiful smile never left her.</div>
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Mother's Day Special!!</div>
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-49103376605053067902017-05-07T23:40:00.000+05:302017-05-07T23:48:26.740+05:30Some Good Hindi, and Tamil Short Films<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />Recently while I was watching some cookery shows in Youtube, I happened to accidently come across, some really interesting Short stories filmed with some known as well as some unknown actors, with good directors, with the duration of each film being from 8 mins. to 15 to 30 mins.<br />
Some were from well known authors too. I have become totally hooked to these short, very profound movies.<br />
I really missed the old Hindi serials which were aired in DD years ago. In those days they didn't have such crazy Saas Bahu serials with every character being very wicked and scheming, with everybody wearing designer blouses and sarees with heavy costume jewellery etc.<br />
The stories used to be very simple and with lot of food for thought, we would be led to ponder over the story in depth for a long time. Mostly they were stories written by famous Hindi novelists. The actors were dressed in a simple manner, and they also acted very well. Some short stories of Tolstoy and other Russian authors too were made into short films. They were so good, intellectually stimulating.<br />
Then came the invasion of our television, with serials made by the likes of people like Ekta Kapoor, and others followed her style : they were called Soap Operas likes the ones that had people hooked to them all over America. I too was a big fan of Bold and The Beautiful and Santa Barbara.The B&B is still running and Santa Barbara ended years ago. They had stopped airing B&B, and though one can still watch it in the net, it has become very boring, with the actors becoming quite old, and their children continuing in the same path.<br />
My TV watching has been cut down to just some travel, cookery, and some repeats of comedy serials like, Friends, Seinfeld, and Frasier. Somehow I never get tired of watching these comedies, and now they have stopped Frasier, and Seinfeld, really sad. <br />
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Coming back to the present, I was thrilled to see some sensible type of films that didn't all of your time: it was such a relief!<br />
I am posting some links to two short film which I am sure you all would really love watch: they are short Hindi movie, but you can watch also many Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali, Telugu movies too, most of them come with sub-titles in English. All of them are award winning short movies.<br />
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Here are the links for you:<a href="https://youtu.be/ZmVPCnxN-1A">https://youtu.be/ZmVPCnxN-1A</a><br />
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<a href="https://youtu.be/N1R6Fyf5V6M">https://youtu.be/N1R6Fyf5V6M</a><br />
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Everyday, I watch a few of them in all languages, and I am very happy to share them with all of you.<br />
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-67489519300684589322017-04-15T22:08:00.000+05:302017-04-15T22:08:39.808+05:30Message In A Bottle: a beautiful movie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />I happened to see this movie once again when it was today on TV.<br />
It is such a feel good movie, although the ending was really sad and very moving.<br />
It is a very simple story : A woman finds a bottle washed ashore with a message in it and it interests her so much, that she decides to find the man, and finds him too.<br />
She goes to the place where he lives and finds out that he is ship builder who had lost his wife under very tragic circumstances. He loves his wife, who is no more so much that,he cannot think of moving on in his life. He is stuck with her memories.<br />
When this lady from Chicago comes to meet him, there is mutual spark between them, and they both fall in love with each other. However, when taking a decision, he backs to because his love for his wife pulls him away.<br />
The lady from Chicago goes away, for she could understand his feelings for his dead wife.<br />
Few months later, he decides to tear himself from the past, and sails into the future with lots of hope and love. He sails in his new boat to windy Chicago to start a new life with his new love, but unfortunately, he dies saving somebody from drowning.<br />
The actors Kevin Costner, Robin Wright, and Paul Newman, did their job brilliantly. What I like about these English movies is that there is no high pitched drama, one can feel each of the character's emotion fully. One can feel it as if one is actually going through the pain, the love, the helplessness, the dilemma. It was really a very touching movie.<br />
Most stories written by Nicholas Sparks, have such sad endings, at least the ones I have seen.<br />
The Notebook, Nights In Rodanthe, and many others written by him are really heart wrenching<br />
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Sometimes it is so difficult to let go the past, some people do get over their past and move on to new happiness, but there are those for whom it is simply not possible.<br />
I have an aunt (actually she is my husband's aunt), who lost her husband after being married to him for 44 years. They had 3 children and were very happy together. My uncle had lots of health issues as he grew older, but still he asked her to lead her life the way she always did, and never bugged her to stay constantly looking after him. He told her that it is enough for one person to be sick, it is necessary for both of them to be sick. He was a wonderful person.<br />
One day he died, and our aunt felt totally alone with no one to share her thoughts with. Two years passed by, when one day she met a man who was a retired Naval Commodore, and a widower. They met through common friends regarding some transactions. Slowly they started communicating with each other more often, till one day he proposed and really shocked her.<br />
He also had two married daughters with children, and he was also lonely without his wife, whom he had lost when he was very young. With some persuasion, my aunt finally said yes to him, not without lot of hiccups from her children and some narrow minded relatives.<br />
To make a long story short , she did marry him, and found love again in her life, and he too found happiness after many years of living alone.<br />
Our aunt was a trend setter. She was 67 years old when she got married again, to a man of the same age.<br />
They are happily married and it is going to be almost 8 years now. The children also came around and everybody is happy, that two good people had found love again.<br />
How many people can find true love twice in their lives : these people found it and surely, we all feel so happy for them.<br />
And I am sure their respective spouses too feel happy watching the loves of their lives happy again.<br />
In this new year (for many it is new year now in India), let us let go of the past, every aspect of it, and open our arms to new happiness and new life with new meaning.<br />
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-51628336677232572782017-04-14T00:14:00.000+05:302017-04-15T22:31:53.048+05:30Cravings for things that could not be had......<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Few days back I was having some roasted cashew nuts, and my mind immediately travelled back to the days when having such roasted nuts was unthinkable. I want to take you all with me down the memory lane.<br />
I was very young, maybe around 5/6 years old<br />
Those days we used to go to theaters to watch some movies, once in a while. My sisters and my brother and myself, we used to be very happy and excited with such outings. Now during Interval, it was normal for most people to indulge in buying some potato chips, ice cream, samosas, cool drinks like coke, fanta etc from the vendors who would come along with their wares tempting everybody.<br />
At those times , it was natural for us too to expect our parents to buy us at least one or two things. But alas, my parents could not afford to waste hard earned money on such junk food, and my mother would pinch me if I made a scene there. She would say, she would make chips at home and we can all have as much as we wanted.<br />
However, the aroma of samosas, potato chips wafting from almost everywhere, used to be too unbearable, and suddenly I being the youngest in the family would feel very, very hungry. I would wish I was born in a family where people can freely buy whatever they wanted without any restrictions. When I used to look at other kids enjoying their pop corns, colas and what not, I really used to envy them. The fun of watching a movie munching something constantly, somehow was never possible.<br />
Then there would times like lunch time in school, where rich kids would have servants coming with their lunch, with napkins spread out, their plates laid out and feeding them hot food, and these kids would be given cold homemade juice from the flask, and I would have to just eat by myself from the tiffin box some curd rice and drink ordinary water from the school tap in the hot weather. I used to wonder whether I would ever be able to have the life the other rich kids had.<br />
Then there was another time I remember, my mom had taken me shopping with some of her friends in Guwahati, I don't exactly remember the name of the Bazaar, it must have been Fancy Bazaar.<br />
We entered a shop selling ready made garments, my mom and her friends started looking at various dresses/ shirts, discussing between themselves, about the high rates that were mentioned on each item.<br />
I was alone looking, at the various colorful frocks attractively displayed inside the showcases, some pinned on the shop's wall, when a beautiful frock caught my attention. It had brown and mustard print all over it, and it was a kind of low hip kind of frock, that was in fashion those days.<br />
I immediately, pulled my mom and showed her that frock and asked her to buy it for me. My mom also liked the frock very much, and she asked the shopkeeper the price for the frock. When she heard the price she was shocked, for it was too much, she tried her best bargaining skills to get him to lower the price a little, but he would not budge, so my mom had to leave the shop without buying that beautiful frock for me.<br />
I was so sad, I can still remember,crying uncontrollably all the way to our home, nothing my mom said could pacify me.<br />
Now when I think back, I feel bad for the way I felt at that time. My parents gave us everything without any hesitation, but still being very young, I suppose I felt, that they didn't do enough or were not in a position to satisfy every wish of ours.<br />
As I grew older, I could fully understand, how difficult it was for them and really appreciated them, for all they had done which was within their means.<br />
Now, years later, I can buy as many potato wafers, ice creams, as many bottles of Fanta, Coke and roasted cashew nuts etc.but the experience of having them inside a cinema hall has somehow been lost. Although, now too, we can do that, but somehow it does not feel the same.<br />
I am sure many of you would be able to relate my random and very silly experiences<br />
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-22767283776469281442017-04-04T22:45:00.001+05:302017-04-15T22:09:50.563+05:30“I believe the world is incomprehensibly beautiful — an endless prospect of magic and wonder.” — Ansel Adams<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It has been ages since I blogged. Various events kept me busy for sometime, and later, I became a bit lethargic, and at some point I even thought I would never start blogging at all.<br />
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However, today, I felt I could at least start by posting some pictures taken by me from our balcony: for I have to start somewhere isn't it?<br />
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As I saw the beautiful sunset from our balcony, I saw other interesting things to photograph too, like that lone crow sitting on top of our water tank deep in thought, the beautiful pink and white bougainvillea, bursting with joy, the purple/ blue Jacaranda looking so beautiful, swaying in the mild evening breeze, the beautiful tall tree hiding the setting sun, the clouds slowly moving towards the sun waiting for it say goodnight to this part of the world, a single bird flying to back to its nest........<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10212928118222012&set=ms.c.eJxFyMERACAIA8GOHHIExP4b8%7E_W4z1UgDiMNEGLpDdsNzj9ZZez6Y7vpngv64g4r.bps.a.10212928110901829.1073742169.1362316517&type=3"></a><br />
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Nature at its best!!</div>
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-87797898636307396592016-06-20T15:36:00.001+05:302016-06-20T15:37:44.581+05:30Travails of an Environmental Engineer: THE WISE MEN OF THE TAC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://travailsofanenvironmentalengineer.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-wise-men-of-tac.html?spref=bl">Travails of an Environmental Engineer: THE WISE MEN OF THE TAC</a>: 66. THE WISE MEN OF THE TAC THE PLUMBING CONSULTANT Every new project that comes up in Karnataka, be it a Manufactory, a Residenti...</div>
Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-39904096381093731602016-05-15T08:39:00.001+05:302016-05-15T08:39:27.597+05:30Time,Time..I have all the time --: Travelling Back In Time : A re- post<a href="http://rama-ananth.blogspot.com/2013/09/today-it-is-t-for-travelling-back-in.html?spref=bl">Time,Time..I have all the time --: Travelling Back In Time : A re- post</a>: During my younger days, (eons ago, I must admit) I had the great good fortune of traveling and living in several distant parts of India, th...Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-19737928800100742422016-05-14T23:10:00.000+05:302019-07-10T20:40:34.640+05:30'T' for: Travelling Back In Time<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b> Travelling Back In Time</b><br />
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<b>During my younger days, I had the good fortune of travelling and living in most places in India, thanks to my father who was in the Army. </b><br />
<b>My travelling days started with my father being posted from Mumbai to Lucknow, <i> </i>I was barely a year old at that time. We lived in a place called Halwasiya Market, Hazrathganj. I remember, we had a roomy apartment in the 3rd floor. The rooms were built like compartments in a train, first was the kitchen, then a hall, and then two bedrooms, and last the bathroom. All the rooms opened to a long fairly large grilled veranda, and the view was the same on the other side too. We were a family of 6, my parents, my two elder sisters and one brother, I was the youngest. We also had lots pups and kittens roaming around the house for my father loved to bring stray pups and kittens. You can read about their adventures here:<br /><br /> http://rama-ananth.blogspot.com/2010/09/tragic-leaps.html</b><br />
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<b>As grew up, I was put in a nearby convent school called "The Cathedral". My school days very pretty boring, always dreading the arrival of my class teacher, Miss Williams, whom my mother and myself nick named as Miss Pulliams, (Pulli means Tiger in Tamil) for she would pounce on us the minute, she saw us and start complaining to my poor mother how hopeless I was in my studies. </b><br />
<b>My mother would come everyday around 12 pm with my lunch of Rasam mixed with rice and some vegetable curry. She would feed me, and I would make such a fuss saying everything was so hot with lots of chilies, and she used to somehow cajole me into finishing every bit saying it was not hot at all, as she had put lots ghee/ clarified butter, and that it was very tasty. if that didn't work she would say to eat fast as she could see Miss Pulliams coming our way.</b><br />
<b>I can never forget the aroma of my mother's rasam, it used to be really tasty, for I can still taste in my imagination, and when at times I get the same taste coming from the rasam I make, I am absolutely thrilled.</b><br />
<b>Coming back to my story, after lunch, I would not want to go to the student's washroom, as it always had a nasty stink like all school washrooms. So we would quietly sneak into the staff wash room and finish washing quickly before we were caught.</b><br />
<b>After school again, my mother would come to take me home, and as soon as we entered our building, which used to be full of shops on the ground floor, I would start pestering her to buy me a small Cadburys chocolate, before we started to climb the stairs leading to our flat. Everyday, the same scene repeated itself. </b><br />
<b>In the evening my 2nd sister used to go to learn Bharatnatyam dance, and I also wanted to learn, so also went along with her. But after a few classes I refused to go, for I used to dance very badly and the dance teacher used to hit me with the stick every time I made a mistake. It was horrible.</b><br />
<b>During the evenings my father would take me out with him, for he wanted my mother to be free, while she cooked for the night without my constant irritation. But I used to be afraid of my dad for he used to be quite strict. Somehow he would persuade me, saying he would buy me ice cream and take me to his friend's place where I can play with his kids.</b><br />
<b>He would take me to the nearby Mayfair theater, which used to have a very good ice cream parlor, and buy me a big plate of ice cream. Oh God, how I used to love eating ice creams there, for on a big slab of ice cream there would always be 2 artistically placed wafer biscuits, and I still can't say whether I liked the wafer biscuits more or the ice cream more.</b><br />
<b>Then one day he took me to a photo studio, and the photographer was a Sardarji, (a Sikh) he was known to my father, and would often tell my father that I was so cute, (for I looked a lot like the famous child artist/ actor Daisy Irani), that he would like to take a photograph of me, So one day he took me to his studio dressed in a lovely orange color pant and a printed shirt, with a colorful umbrella, for it was supposed to be color photograph.</b><br />
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<b>The good Sardarji kept on asking me gently to smile, but I would not smile, for his tall, hefty figure with beard and moustache, and turban really frightened me, I could barely stand still leave alone smile. Anyway he somehow made me stand on a bench with my colorful umbrella and took the photograph which came out quite well, and for many years this framed picture of mine was there in our house, till one fine day it just vanished, never to be found. I somehow suspect, it was taken by my second sister, and it must be with her in Boston where she lives. I just have a copy of it a: small black and white passport size picture.</b><br />
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<b>I must tell about my school play, where you would be shocked that only role that was given to me was to sit like a shrub of flowers. No Little Red Riding Wood dialogue for me, not even the bad wolf role, I was told to bring some flowered saree, which was wrapped round me , and I had to sit still and be a part of the jungle shrubs. So much for my acting talent, and my looking like the child star, Daisy Irani...</b><br />
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<b>I must say, I had lots and lots of the yummy cold drink called "Milk Badam" (Cold Almond Milk), the taste of which still lingers in my tongue, however, I am yet to taste a drink, that can bring back the same magic. I also loved drinking ice cold Coca Colas and Fantas, from glass bottles. Somehow it doesn't taste the same these days. In fact, I stopped drinking drink these long back.</b><br />
<b>Oh, the good old days will they ever come back?</b><br />
<b>Well this all I can remember of my stay in Lucknow.</b><br />
<b>From there we had to move to Assam, can you imagine travelling all the way from Lucknow to Guwahati, by train, it is a very, very, long journey, with so many states to pass through, and so many trains to change.... well some other time I would blog about it.</b><br />
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<b> Did you enjoy the travel back in time with me?</b><br />
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-62591901587137067262016-05-07T22:30:00.000+05:302016-05-07T22:30:06.833+05:30My Mother And Me: A Few Thoughts on Mother's day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After a long time, I feel drawn to write something about my mother. It is not that I think of her only on this day, in fact I always keep thinking of her.<br />
I thought I would share with you some random thoughts about my relationship with my mother.<br />
I remember, when I was very young, I must have just joined school, and my mother used to take me to the school which was just next door, a convent school called "The Cathedral" in Lucknow. You might wonder, how I can remember things that happened while I was so young, I just don't know, but I can remember all those things very clearly even at this age.<br />
As I started school, I soon realized I was pretty dumb, and a very slow learner, I just couldn't understand anything that was taught in the class. I was weak in everything. every time, my mother came to pick me up, the class teacher would complain to her about my inability to stay focused in the class. It would really upset my mother very much, though she would try her best in the house to make me understand. Sometimes she would get so frustrated that when I missed some number while counting, she would poke the tip of the pencil on my fingers making me understand how to count correctly. My father was known to be more strict, so seeking his help was out of question. My mother was always very patient, but somehow with a child who cannot understand the basics, she was bound to be irritated. I have no complaints against her, it is just so funny when I think about it now, for her poking my fingers with the pencil point used to hurt me so much, that it would bring tears to my eyes, and I would wish that I could be smart as the other kids of my class.<br />
So, everyday since, the class teacher would have something or other to complain about me, my mother started to avoid getting caught by her. The class teacher's name was Miss Williams, and both of us changed her name into Pulliams (Pulli means tiger in Tamil, and just for rhyming purpose we used to call her Pulliams).<br />
My mother would bring lunch to the school, and we would play hide and seek with Miss Pulliams.<br />
I was a real problem child, in other ways too, troubling my mother, making a big fuss about eating too. Poor thing she would bring tasty Rasam rice with a very tasty potato curry, but would have me making a fuss about it being very hot and spicy, she would cajole me into eating saying she has put lots ghee, and the potatoes were roasted very well and had no chilli powder in them, and if everything else failed she would threaten me, saying she could see Miss Pulliams coming our way, and that would be enough for me to swallow everything in one go.<br />
Then , there was the problem of using the School toilet meant for students which would always be stinking, and I would not like to go there at any cost. So my mother had to smuggle me somehow to the staff bathroom, without being caught by any of the staff. So much trouble my mother had to go through for such a worth less child.<br />
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Then came the tantrums while going back home. We used to live in a flat on the third floor, and I<br />
would create a big drama saying that I cannot climb so many steps, unless she bought me a slab of Cadbury's chocolate (it used to be the thin slab) from the shop that was just next to the staircase.<br />
I don't think I would have done all these for my own children.<br />
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I used to get whooping cough a lot during that time, especially during the night, and my poor mother would be awake trying to comfort me all through the night, and on top of it I had the habit of sleeping with my fingers holding one of her ears tightly.<br />
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As we grew up, we always confided everything to our mother, for she would keep everything from our strict father. She did so many things for us without complaining, whereas, we were so engrossed with our own lives, we never thought of asking her what she wanted, or what we could do for her to make her life a little more bearable.<br />
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Mothers stand for unconditional love, they don't remember the troubles they had gone through to make our lives comfortable, they are happy if we are happy.<br />
Can we say for ourselves,whether we have been good mothers, I doubt so.<br />
They did not have the facilities we have these days, yet they were so patient and tried to be the best mothers. Today, we have all the facilities, yet when it come to dealing with our children in a matured way, we find ourselves failing.<br />
Today we tend to be more self centered, not that every mother is like that, but most of us tend to be like that only.<br />
I salute all the mothers who understand their children and do their very best to not only be good mothers but also be good friends with their children!!<br />
Happy Mother's Day!<br />
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-89357292724185318302016-04-10T23:24:00.001+05:302019-07-14T00:25:40.717+05:30The Good Old Days<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Now a days, very often I think about the kind of life we had when we were very young. We never bothered about anything, we ate when we felt hungry, we were always playing something or other with friends / cousins, we were either cycling madly under the hot sun, without getting heat stroke, never slept in the afternoons, read books like Enid Blyton, Amar Chithra Katha, Phantom and so on.<br />
Life was pretty carefree, with no worries, no tension. How simple life was then.<br />
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In the whole lane maybe about 1 or 2 houses may have had a fridge, and maybe only one house might have had an AC and a car. We would be awestruck when we saw such houses which had one or more of these luxury items. However, people in those days were very informal and friendly, they would give us ice cubes, sometimes home made ice creams, drop us along with their kids to school in their car. In the afternoons, all the mothers would finish their work and meet and learn something new from each other, like cross stitching, embroidery, knitting, making papads together: they had ample time to do all this despite not having any domestic help in the house.<br />
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Never, have we ever imagined that a time would come when we would not be able to live in houses without attached Bathrooms. For in those days wherever we lived whether it was a house or a flat there used to be only 1 bathroom for the use of the entire family. Strangely, we never had any problems sharing the one single bathroom.<br />
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There was no television, our only source of entertainment was a Radio or a Transistor. We never had surprise tests, or too many home works, no coaching classes after school, no tension for getting into the college of our choice etc.<br />
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We never felt tired walking miles to our schools, or walking anywhere. The mode of transport was mainly Rickshaws and Buses, and in some places we could use the Tongas. To even have a scooter was a big thing in those days. When we had summer holidays we would be asked by our friends to come and stay with them in their houses, and we would have so much fun, if they lived in a colony where they had such facilities like a big swimming pool and lots of common area to play cricket, gilli dhanda, etc. Then all the parents would plan a big picnic, where the men would take upon themselves to do the cooking and give the ladies their much needed time to chitchat and generally be relaxed.<br />
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There was never a need to phone someone before we visited them, for we were always welcome. Plus who had phone those days. Everything was shared with everybody.<br />
I remember, the winters when all of us would pull out the charpais and sit under the warm sun, eating oranges, playing Ludo, and Antaskhari and so on.<br />
We would go to theatre to watch some good movies, eat Samosas, Wafers, Ice creams and drink Coke, Fanta or Goldspot, have a good time.<br />
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I remember during my college days too after our college got over, we would just go to our friends place or they would come to our place and we would be chatting, going out together doing window shopping, eating Muri, Churmur, Bhel Puri, Golgappa, drinking countless numbers of Chai. We were all so slim despite eating everything without any restriction. I think it was because of our walking everywhere, we never felt the need to spend time exercising. We never even heard or spoke about diet or dieting, and exercising. We were so healthy.<br />
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With the advent of TV, which not everyone could afford those days, we found people who had TV inviting us to come and watch TV in their homes, where they themselves would have a whole lot of family members and on top of that, we would also be there watching some old Hindi movie with them. The only Channel was Doordarshan. Strangely the practice those days was to watch TV with all the lights off, in total darkness.<br />
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How slowly, yet steadily things have changed, and how we have changed accordingly. Now we cannot do with just 1 bathroom, 1 bedroom, 1 TV, 1 Car, 1 Phone. Now we have to call up if we are thinking of visiting somebody, and expect the same from them too. We don't like to share anything with anybody. Today, we are more eager to do the home work/ projects given by the school for our children to do. We want them to go for this and that coaching classes, we don't even let our tiny tots enjoy their holidays for we want to them to attend some Art class, learn Karate, learn music/ dance or do something. We don't want them to just be themselves and just let them enjoy their holidays the way they want to. We want to control every phase of their lives, what they should study, where they should work etc.<br />
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We don't eat together, as each one has their own time, and their own way of eating. We don't like entertaining guests, we just feel obliged to do so, for we have our own routine to which we have got used to, and we don't have that kind of time.<br />
I am not saying all of us are like this, but most of us are generally like this, even though we might not really want to be like this.<br />
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Times have changed and I feel we have also changed, and change is always good. Fifteen years back even I used to walk everywhere, because the roads were good, it was not so hot and dusty, but now a days it is impossible to walk, what with the heat, dust, and the bad roads with no foot paths, and the heavy traffic where you find two wheelers riding on whatever little bit of the foot path that is left, not caring for the pedestrians: we are all literally living in hell!<br />
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Good old days are just memories, meant to be cherished for what they were, one should not expect the present to be just like the past.<br />
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-20535975346731260872016-03-24T13:04:00.001+05:302016-03-24T13:04:13.651+05:30Beat the Heat: have a Piña colada<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><br /><br />Piña colada<br />Cocktail<br />The piña colada is a cocktail made with rum, coconut cream or coconut milk, and pineapple juice, usually served either blended or shaken with ice. It may be garnished with either a pineapple wedge, a maraschino cherry, or slices of coconut .<br />(Wikipedia)<br /><br />Main alcohol: White Rum<br />Ingredients: 3 oz (3 parts) Pineapple juice, 1 oz (one part) White rum, 1 oz (one part) Coconut cream<br /><br />Preparation: Mix with crushed ice until smooth. Pour into chilled glass, garnish and serve.<br />Served: Blended with ice (frozen style)<br />Standard garnish: Maraschino cherry, Coconut slices, Pineapple slices.<br />Made with freshly made Pineapple Juice, fresh Pineapple wedges<br /><br />Place: Lush Green & Cool Surroundings of our house<br /><br /><br /><br /></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNR0t1gbKhH7aABZgG3V00F3Jnym_aOjd1rQRD4xioBmAp3QJtrv66y4z0E5WeUceetxo_JHxGQu4Lp4S7c6mkUm7NCm25c-UV8oP1_t_srdyRe-9GfNQxzS7vvU-Pn6seTAFNVqt2-78/s1600/DSC_0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNR0t1gbKhH7aABZgG3V00F3Jnym_aOjd1rQRD4xioBmAp3QJtrv66y4z0E5WeUceetxo_JHxGQu4Lp4S7c6mkUm7NCm25c-UV8oP1_t_srdyRe-9GfNQxzS7vvU-Pn6seTAFNVqt2-78/s320/DSC_0003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-70590713625262343972016-02-27T23:49:00.000+05:302016-02-27T23:49:51.863+05:30Sorga Vasal- Doors of Heaven<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<img alt="Dad, even a fleeting memory of your loving smile is enough to light up my darkest days. I love you. Dad quotes" src="http://fathersdayquotes2016.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/quote5-1-300x300.png" /><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br />It has been months since I wrote anything. And I have not even been visiting other bloggers.<br />Somehow, I could not do both these things, and I have no excuse, other than being very lazy.<br />Maybe, it was a writer's block, I don't know. I am sure we all go through this phase sometime or other in our lives.<br /><br />On December 26th 2015, my father was finally released from this world. He passed away without much struggle.<br /><br />Before he passed away, he had his wish fulfilled: that is visiting his home town Srirangam for the Vaikuntha Ekadasi, which is very auspicious for all Tamil Brahmins. He has been visiting his home town ever year for this festival. My brother made arrangements to take him by Taxi and also stay in his ancestral home there. My father was very happy, and was extremely talkative with all his near and dear ones who came to visit him. He could not place any of them very clearly, but he was vaguely aware of some of the events in their lives and was happily recounting them. He stayed in Srirangam for about 5 days, and kept telling to my brother, that he would die within a week or so.<br /><br />When the day came for them to leave for Madras, he became very adamant and would not leave his house, holding on tightly to the railing of the staircase. With great difficulty, my brother had to carry him to the waiting taxi to go back home.<br /><br />When he arrived in Madras, there too he created a big drama saying he will not climb up to the house holding with iron grip the gate of the house. However, he was finally carried upstairs. Dealing with Dementia patient can be very, very tough, and we must give full marks to my brother and his wife for bearing everything .<br /><br />21st December 2015 was Vaikuntha Ekadasi and my father was there in Srirangam by 18th December. They were there till the 23rd December.<br />The significance of Vaikuntha Ekadasi:</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are 24 Ekadasis observed by Hindus during the year. Of these Vaikunda Ekadasi celebrated in the Tamil month Margazhi (Dec-Jan) is considered very auspicious. On this day people accompany the Lord to the doors of Heaven (SorgaVasal, Sorgam - Heaven/Vasal - Doors). In all temples the Sorgavasal will remain opened on this day. People remain awake the previous night and go to the temple early in the morning to enter the Sorgavasal. People take up fasting on this day for all their wishes to come true. It is believed that one who worships Lord Vishnu on this day will reach Vaikunta (Heaven). This festival is of great significance at all Balaji Temples especially at Tirupati and also at Srirangam.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> We all feel so happy that the wish of our father finally got fulfilled, even though he did not die there, still he had the good fortune of being there at that auspicious moment, and just as he had predicted he left this world within a week. I believe only very good people are taken away by God in this manner.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">My chithi (my mother's younger sister), too had a very dramatic and good death many years ago on this Ekadasi day. She was absolutely normal on that day and had gone with her daughter in law to visit the famous Parthasarthy temple in Triplicane Madras, and after darshan, she suddenly felt very uneasy, and just dropped dead right there (silent heart attack).</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Back to our father. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the 26th morning he seemed very normal, had his morning tea, and since he doesn't take breakfast, he was about to have his lunch as usual at around 10 am. However on that day he told my brother that he was not hungry, but my brother persuaded him to at least have some curd rice. While my brother went to bring it to him, he suddenly heard my father wheezing very violently. He was shocked for our father never had any kind of wheezing problems, he suddenly was not able to breathe properly also. My brother immediately took him to a big hospital which is just 2 minutes from our house, and there the doctors tried giving him Oxygen, but our father was in no position to take it also. They tried their level best, but he kept on struggling to breathe and finally had an heart attack and died there within minutes.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">To think it was the same hospital, where our father had taken our mother to get her treated for her chronic knee pain, and had to see her get a massive heart attack without any warning.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our father's death although was sad, we still feel, he was finally free, which is what people of his age (94 years) yearn for. And also in his condition, death was welcome.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">He would always say in his dementia affected state, that he could see people coming and eating after his death, the house is full of relatives and friends, the priests doing the puja for his safe passage from this earth and so on... that amma (our mother) is waiting for him.....</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">We are sure that wherever he is, he is safe and peaceful with his creator: he has passed through the "Sorga Vasal".</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Your life has ended, but your legacy of wisdom, integrity and courage will go on forever. We miss you Appa.<br /> </span></b> </div>
Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-16444746146767874212015-11-10T21:17:00.000+05:302015-11-10T21:17:45.759+05:30Happy Deepawali!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /><b><br />Deepawali is usually celebrated early in the morning all over Tamil Nadu.<br />Getting up early in the morning, before sunrise having the traditional oil bath, wearing new clothes, lighting up lamps all over the house, bursting of crackers, and eating all the homemade / store bought sweets and savories, wishing all friends and relatives, and generally having a good time....<br />However, with time we have changed, and now it is mostly celebrated in a very simple way. In fact no bursting of crackers too, for more and more people are realising the harmful effects of bursting crackers.<br /><br />But have people really changed for the better, no, not everyone, in fact, there are still many people who still buy the most dangerous, poison filled crackers, which after bursting leaves poisonous smoke which gives rise to allergies, asthma, and all kinds of breathing problem. Not only that, those who keep buying crackers don't realise the amount of stress and hardship it causes to elderly, sick people, the dogs and other animals. <br /><br />They are also encouraging illegal child labour, for more and more children would be lured to work for some money and giving up their education and suffer, sitting in dark dingy rooms rolling out dangerous crackers, breathing poison every second they spend their time there. Many become victims of unexpected accidents, because of badly maintained/ managed conditions</b><br /><b>Have we really become immune to such atrocities, why do we do such things?<br /><br />Not only do people burst crackers during festivals , they also burst them if their favorite team wins some stupid match.<br /><br /> Deepawali is a festival of light, it is meant to enlighten people, not to bring darkness in this world. Can't we think of people who have lost their eyesight due to crackers, is this what Deepawali teaches us?<br /><br />Why can't we just light some lamps and be done with it?<br /><br />Why do we have to lean on rituals and traditions, which no longer make any sense to any body?<br /><br />Why do we eat heavy sweets and fat filled savouries and allow ourselves to fall sick?<br /><br />Do we have answers for these questions?</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<b><br /><br />Can we resolve to do away with rituals which do not match with the times we are living in?<br /><br />Let us follow the traditions that do not harm anybody.<br /><br />Instead of bursting crackers, let us buy some useful things for the needy. <br /><br />Let us not pollute the already polluted world.<br /><br />Let there be real light in this world: Happy Deepawali !</b></div>
Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com13Bengaluru, Karnataka, India12.9715987 77.59456269999998312.4764182 76.949115699999979 13.4667792 78.240009699999987tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-141170084961985442015-09-05T22:00:00.000+05:302015-09-05T22:56:48.150+05:30Happy Krishna Jayanthi !!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today is the Birthday of Lord Krishna, and it is celebrated all over India. People start preparing sweets and savories, which are supposed to be loved by Lord Krishna, buying fruits and flowers, putting Rangoli all over the house welcoming the Lord into their homes.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our Hindu religion has so many Gods and Goddesses, that every other day is some God's birthday. Indian are always in celebrating mood, perhaps by doing so , they are able to forget their everyday tensions.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lord Krishna has always been portrayed as being in deep blue color. There is some significance for being so, if you are interested you can google it and find for yourself. As usual, I was totally unaware of that, for I only vaguely knew that very soon there is going to be celebration of Lord Ganesha's Birthday. Anyway I went about my work, and didn't give much thought to it.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then our maid came, I thought okay she might like to celebrate Krishna's Birthday, so I told her her to put some typical rangoli which is put on His birthday. As children living wth our parents we used to enjoy putting these kind of Rangoli, and eating all the things made for Krishna's Birthday. We would wait impatiently for the evening to come, for his Birthday is celebrated only in the evenings. Once the Puja is done we would all gobble all the goodies prepared by our mom.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Those were the days when one blindly believed whatever everybody believed, for we were too young to think. As we grew older, and wiser, we started seeing no meaning in all these endless celebration of Birthdays of various Gods and Goddesses. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Coming back to the present, I taught my maid how to make some simple rangoli and this is what she did. It looks very simple yet very good. Here is a short story of Krishna's arrival at our home:</span></b><br />
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<b>Krishna enters our house with his tiny feet, tup, tup tup... enters our kitchen where we have a little Puja space.</b></div>
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He is thrilled to see himself surrounded by the Gopikas, all waiting to welcome him. He starts to swing merrily playing his flute.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Cow YAWNS........</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">All of a sudden Krishna's nostrils are hit by an unusual aroma, his nose starts tickling, he stops playing his flute, and jumps up to see some yummy Chinese food right under his nose...</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Fried Rice, Sweet and Sour vegetables and Cauliflower Manchurian<br /><br />He says to himself, "am I in the wrong house", when he heard the woman of the house say,"no, no, everything is fine, we thought you might like a change and made Chinese for you".<br /><br />Krishna was absolutely thrilled, and shouting, "Holy Cow! (waking up the startled cow) thank you, for I am really tired of eating the same Seedais, Pohas, Murukkus etc., in every house, I visit..."<br /><br />After polishing every bit of the offering, he smiled cheekily and said " Gods too need a change"<br /><br />Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita, “If you offer Me with love a leaf, flower, fruit or water, I will accept it. But please, please don't offer me the same things again and again. Have mercy!, he pleaded"<br /><br />So offer whatever you can—it’s your love and devotion that matters! </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">So here I am, feeling happy to have made both Mary and the ever Blue Krishna happy in my own small way.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Did you like my story of Lord Krishna?</span></b></div>
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-34433402375744616412015-08-28T15:43:00.000+05:302015-08-28T15:59:53.732+05:30Let the Blessings Of Goddess Sri Varalakshmi Flow Abundantly To Everyone!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">(I had bought this beautiful mask of Sri Varalakshmi from Malleswarm (Bangalore) where one can get beautiful varieties of this Goddess decorated in the most beautiful way one can imagine.)</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today all over South India, many Hindus would be praying to the Goddess Sri Varamahalakshmi, for good health, prosperity and happiness in the family.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Before we didn't have this mask so Mary was using the same Goddess made in dark wood, which has been with us for many years. I had bought it in Thirupati. So this year, she decorated both the goddesses and did the puja.)</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">We are not religious and we don't celebrate any of the festivals. However, for the last 14 years or so we have a maid who likes to celebrate both Hindu and Christian festivals.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Her name is Mary, and she is very sincere and devoted and loves to pray to both Hindu and Christian Gods. She is married to a Hindu, and her husband never objects to her visiting Churches. She seems to know all the rituals associated with the Hindu pujas.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">She would herself bring flowers etc. during any festival season, light the lamps, draw beautiful Rangolis all over our house. We never objected to any of this as we felt she was happy. So from Diwali, Navaratri, pongal and so on she would celebrate each and every festival in her own simple and quiet way. She somehow likes us and our house so much, that she almost thinks of us as her extended family and the house as her "Big House ".</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> We are really lucky to have her working for us, and we too treat her as one among us.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mary would get so excited when some festival comes, like Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">She also knows, that although we don't really believe in doing all these things, yet she also knows that we will not object to her doing it in our house. </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZhE63mRlGu_vz3-jhoBHGX5jWdsW9tv2Wif9U0mLQMyll19SskJmu84ljAZliy4pL_yimqNEdhQQKN3INfPWWuil0vIAzebPb-HAKFPj6aTS9CSl-0Kl2TizoTJ6t-JJ87c7Xb2Gd1c/s1600/DSC_0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZhE63mRlGu_vz3-jhoBHGX5jWdsW9tv2Wif9U0mLQMyll19SskJmu84ljAZliy4pL_yimqNEdhQQKN3INfPWWuil0vIAzebPb-HAKFPj6aTS9CSl-0Kl2TizoTJ6t-JJ87c7Xb2Gd1c/s320/DSC_0003.JPG" width="320" /></span></b></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am sure whatever, she is always blessed by all the various Gods of both Hindu and Christian faith.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Come Christmas, she would buy Christmas cake and some Kala kal and bring it for us. She has to go to church every friday after her work here. She would also wear the orange saree and go for the Novino near her house.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">She doesn't live with us and has her own home and family.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mary is very efficient in all the work she does, and the beauty is she does it with love and commitment, wthout anything being said by us.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">So today I show you her handiwork in our house:</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (Can you see two dolls dressed as as a newly wedded couple? </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">I also bought this pair of newly wedded wooden dolls, in Malleswaram ( these dolls ar made in dark wood, and they are very special, they are called Marai Patcthi Bomais. I also kept them here for they signify happy married life, and basicallly women pray for that during this Varalakshmi Puja.)</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our two doggies were also very excited and they were supervising everything done by Mary, wagging their tails, and very sweetly got their bindis put on their foreheadand happily ate one small Banana each as Prasad..</span></b></div>
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<b>Bumbilli </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmd7zE8IIw1LI42JgdStmfIPgF8GM1Z0NrOGknKsJqMaiqDDD_t71YOPfGu8aWnR6CprNNGTQmWznAJTGRmm8XBQ_3aP94L4jmlaNA7L1jF7IahpxyUPsBBQld2L_IPmCXB7wuEC5VSw/s1600/DSC_0009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmd7zE8IIw1LI42JgdStmfIPgF8GM1Z0NrOGknKsJqMaiqDDD_t71YOPfGu8aWnR6CprNNGTQmWznAJTGRmm8XBQ_3aP94L4jmlaNA7L1jF7IahpxyUPsBBQld2L_IPmCXB7wuEC5VSw/s320/DSC_0009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Loki</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let The Blessings of Varalakshmi Flow Abundantly To All!!! </span></b> </div>
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-40686863626392767102015-08-25T16:36:00.000+05:302015-08-25T17:28:37.277+05:30The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>As I switched on the TV to a movie channel, I saw the movie Marley and Me being shown there. I have seen this movie many times and never get tired of watching again again. it is the same with another beautiful dog movie called Hatchiko.</b><br />
<b>Both these movies start with usual antics of a puppy, and then goes on to document each and every stage of their growing up, their naughty behaviour, there unconditional love for the owners, who sometimes get totally frustrated with their respective dog. In both the movies it is the women who get very irritated with the unmanageable traits of curious, and destructive traits of the dog</b><br />
<b>As I watched these movies again and again, I relived my days with our two dogs that came into our lives and did all the things that drove me to the brink of despair.</b><br />
<b>I would often yell at the, dog/ puppy and then within seconds, would find my heart melting when she looked at me innocently with her lovely eyes, saying,"mommy what did I do wrong", jumping as soon a she saw me melting, lickng my face happpily, and pissing on my lap with excitement.</b><br />
<b>I would feel so bad, I would hug her cuddle her and, everything would be fine till something terrible happens again.</b><br />
<b>At some point we realise that bringing up a pup is not so easy, it is just like bringing up a baby. For it will act like a baby, and for the puppy you are everything rolled into into one: a mother she/ or he can trust, a friend with whom she/ he can roll and play, and a person who can be quite strict sometimes, but who will also forgive and love him/her all over again.</b><br />
<b>Like with kids, mommy is the strict one and Papa is the one who is more lenient.</b><br />
<b>Do they love one more than the other, the answer is definitely no, for a puppy/dog, love flows unconditionally to both the care givers. </b><br />
<b>When any of them fall sick both mom and dad are worried, more the moms than the dads. All the pampering would be done by the moms.</b><br />
<b>As they grow older, we come to realise they have become very matured and well behaved. It is always a pleasure to have dogs at home. You can pour out all sorrows to them, and they would listen to you patiently, licking you, comforting you, without understanding a word. When you are happy and share some good news with them also they are very excited and happy for you, wagging their tales endlessly to show how happy they are for you.</b><br />
<b>Such is the love of a dog for their care giver. They trust you with all their heart, they live with you without any fear, they know that you are there for them when they need you.That is why when they sleep they sleep happily with no worry in this world.</b><br />
<b>Even with street dogs, they don't have any expectation from you, they are happy to have anything you give them to eat, and would be sitting outside your gate gaurding your house. Such is the loyalty of dogs.</b><br />
<b>How I wish we could be like them.</b><br />
<b>I clearly remember how each of our previous dogs died, how they struggled silently without a moan. How they patiently visited the doctor's clinic in almost a dazed state, till they were hospitalised and were released dead. Somehow as soon as they are admitted to the hospital, they give up and they rarely come back home alive.</b><br />
<b>Mostly hospitals means bad omen for them, for they are not meant for the hospitals, they are meant to stay home with the people whom they love the most.</b><br />
<b> Everytime a dog dies a hefty part of our heart dies with them, and can never be forgotten. We may foget our near and dear ones after they leave this world , but never our dogs, for they are always with us forever.</b><br />
<b>When we see Hatchiko and Marley die, they don't look like some dogs acting their part, they touch us in some very deep way.</b><br />
<b>Have you ever wondered how each dog at that particular stage acts its part so brilliantly, when actually they are different dogs of the same breed?</b><br />
<b>The first three pictures are of our first labrador : Cookie.</b><br />
<b>Unfortunately we don't have many pictures of her. She only lived for about 3 and half years.</b><br />
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<b>These are pictures of the other dog: Toffee. Toffee lived with us for about 7 years, before she died of cancer.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCHD_lDhHCJ1Auy0AujRXV1kDxkqnFooBirbbzkqqHNk9LAVsMPLySgv1Y4g2A5Q8F6PXSS4GbtgOTlcPE41pNAqz43T5mmIvpbKcL8JdMZiwYXtswFEf1bN3t3YHU0soTB_c4F-wGpI/s1600/6975853549_71121378ef_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><strike><b><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCHD_lDhHCJ1Auy0AujRXV1kDxkqnFooBirbbzkqqHNk9LAVsMPLySgv1Y4g2A5Q8F6PXSS4GbtgOTlcPE41pNAqz43T5mmIvpbKcL8JdMZiwYXtswFEf1bN3t3YHU0soTB_c4F-wGpI/s320/6975853549_71121378ef_b.jpg" width="320" /></b></strike></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUutWJWiv4IQflf5RcQ_rxsvZi6i-tgQAtrGmZTBofT3U0jV4Qx-NPIoHDgxwjEBxaVvH_OSKuz9x64mSuPbKw1LjPbZhFkpUMcjwzFQsod0qCsIFFy-VBqZT0ZuLtE4jP9T3SCV9LdoY/s1600/6728_1191201544503_1362316517_30544836_3048605_n%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strike><b><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUutWJWiv4IQflf5RcQ_rxsvZi6i-tgQAtrGmZTBofT3U0jV4Qx-NPIoHDgxwjEBxaVvH_OSKuz9x64mSuPbKw1LjPbZhFkpUMcjwzFQsod0qCsIFFy-VBqZT0ZuLtE4jP9T3SCV9LdoY/s320/6728_1191201544503_1362316517_30544836_3048605_n%25284%2529.jpg" width="320" /></b></strike></a></div>
<b> Toffee when she was a cute pup</b><br />
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<b>Now we have two Labs. and they are Bumbilli and Loki:</b><br />
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<b>Bumbilli is the fair and lovely one, and Loki is dark and handsome one.</b></div>
Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-14206484598876448442015-06-02T17:55:00.003+05:302016-06-02T08:24:00.056+05:30 Beautiful Sunset At The Grand Canyon: Some Photographs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> This photo was taken in the afternoon, and it has come out quite well!<br /><br />I have often heard that Landscape photography is a rather "slow" type of photography.<br />However it is strange this kind of photography contradicts itself, for it also means better hurry up and also wait.<br />For example when we set out to take a large panorama like the Grand Canyon, we know that the subject is not going anywhere, and we have all the time in the world to set up our camera, after finding the right angles and position ourselves and simply wait patiently. Our subject does not change here, but the light conditions change constantly throwing up beautiful hues of colors, and we have to hurry to catch them in our camera.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> So this is the so called,"Contradiction", where we also have to wait patiently and also hurry up simultaneously all at that very precise moment. <br />It can be fun doing this, especially in a place like Grand Canyon that too during sunrise and sunset.<br />We should not let our mind waver, seeing other people placed in other points and try to change positions often, that would totally ruin the whole purpose. Grand Canyon would look beautiful from any point it is so vast and beautiful and we can never go wrong, if we know what we are doing.<br /><br /><br />We must know that taking pictures in mid afternoon is a bad choice for light is going to be too harsh, and everything would look flat and lifeless, especially in a place like Grand Canyon. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">These pictures were taken in the afternoon</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Though we did take pictures of it in the afternoon too, for we were not sure whether we would come back to take pictures during the sunset. The pictures were OK, nothing great. The perfect time for such landscape photography, as we all know is only sunrise and sunset, as the atmosphere is cooler at this time, and it also brings a hue of colors playing around. Anything like the ocean, the mountains and the canyons, and other similar landscapes looks absolutely stunning in these times. The play of different colors changing every second is by itself very fascinating to observe.</span></b></div>
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<b>Dark clouds all of sudden: it even drizzled a bit and then there was sun</b><br />
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<b>Click on the pictures to enlarge</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Taking a photograph with the Rainbow behind is a bad idea, but I wanted it like that only, so both the rainbow and myself have not come out well.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">All the pictures have been taken by my husband. He used to be a very good photographer once upon a time, however, after getting married to me, and my constant nagging to take photographs of me all the time has made him lose interest in photography. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now a days I keep practicing taking pictures with the Nikon digital camera, (bought by him for me) I even take 'selfies'with that big camera. What to do when husband refuses, wife has to do it by herself only!<br /><br />And also remember to carry your Tripod with you to get the best pictures. Now while travelling to many places it might be a little cumbersome to carry one, like we didn't carry it with us during our trip to the US, we just did the best we could without it. However, if your aim is to capture something in a professional way, and you would be travelling for that purpose only then, I am sure you would not leave without your Tripod.<br /><br /><br />Okay, photography is huge subject, and needs constant practice, everybody from professionals to amateurs click hundreds of pictures, and then select just a few good ones. Like everything it has some rules to be followed, but don't let rules stop you from taking a picture, which might turn out to be a masterpiece. With the coming of digital cameras it is no longer a big deal to take as many pictures as we want, and to keep on deleting the bad ones. Persistence is the name of the game.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Happy Clicking!!!</span></b></div>
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-7962890325053339412015-05-27T10:45:00.000+05:302015-05-27T10:52:59.580+05:30Shape Aerobics Fitness Center<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Shape Aerobics Fitness Center, Whitefield, Bangalore India.<br /><br />A simple yet effective program that improves flexibility, mobility, posture, sleep, digestion, and overall health. From the first time itself, you'll see and feel the difference!<br />It is a combination of easy, yet effective cardiovascular routines interlaced with weights, and resistance work: a combination that ups your stamina and gets your body moving.<br />A few of my regular students who were game for posing for photographs, (others are still sleeping in their homes).<br /><br />Being very hot these days in Bangalore, we thought it would be fun doing the body conditioning exercises on the lawn, and the driveway, therby enjoying the pleasant early morning breeze.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">They look so happy!</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Concentration: the key to body conditioning exercises<br /><br />The last 3 pictures are with my former students, who are now scattered in various places, not to be seen or heard. However, they too were very good students.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy Line Dancing Pose</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Boxing their way to fitness!!</span></b></span></b><br />
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I just love my aerobics classes. I am very passionate about exercising, and it doesn't bother me even when I have no student to teach also, for nothing can stop me from exercising. I have been doing it for more than 20 years.</span></b></div>
Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-71097599699673310542015-05-15T09:44:00.001+05:302015-05-15T16:37:12.638+05:3094 Years Old: Happy Birthday Dear Father!!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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On this special day (15th May), I want to share a story about my dad......<br />
This part is a re- post.</div>
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A wedding in the family— I am excited for I hear my dad is coming to attend it. He is staying with me for a whole week— I can't believe it!<br />
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This was some 6 years back When he had come to attend the wedding<br />
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The minute he enters the house he starts chatting with us non- stop….. for there are so many things to ask , so many things to share etc. etc. He is a real store – house of knowledge …. we have to just ask him something, and he would give a detailed explanation, amazing us with his intelligence, sharp memory, and great sense of humour. He would go back to his younger days and relate all the stories of how he met and married my mother.<br />
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Those days marriage was not a matter of choice …. it involved marrying for various reasons. Marrying within the family was considered to be best option for everybody. For example if your father’s sister had 5 or 6 daughters to be married it is the duty of the father to bring home at least one of his sister’s daughter as his daughter- in- law, this way he was helping in reducing the burden from his sister’s shoulders. Similarly an uncle could marry his own niece.</div>
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This was the custom followed for ages all over south, though now it is not so much in vogue, but still some people follow it . As long as it is not direct blood relation everything is okay. One can’t even think of such things these days.<br />
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Well my father married his mother’s brother’s daughter, (which is my mother). According to him he was given the choice of marrying any 1 of the 2 daughters, who were suitable for his age. But he was in a dilemma, for both were good looking, and it was up to him to choose. So he changed the names of the girls in their horoscopes and also changed his name in his horoscope, (because everybody knew everybody, the astrologer would not even bother to match horoscopes when it is in the family), so my father cheated a little and made him match the horoscope saying it was for a friend. Of the two only one matched, which happened to be my mother’s horoscope, and thus the choice was made. Another distant cousin married the elder daughter, in fact both my father and his cousin married the respective girls on the same day to save money. That was the way things were done in those days , one had to keep everything in the mind.<br />
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But, although my parents remained happily married for 49 years, they were the sort of couple who could never see eye to eye on any issue, and since my father had the dominating streak, what he said only prevailed. My mother although loved him deeply, she hated this attitude. He had jokingly revealed to her, how he made the choice of marrying her, and whenever my mother happened to meet that astrologer, she would tell him that she felt like tying him to pole and give him 100 whip lashes.<br />
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My parents life was full of ups and downs. Whenever my parents did get along, my mother would ask my father, to tell her the truth ….. that he married her because he fell for her , and he would always tell her it was not love. Now he is all alone, and he feels bad that he never told her how much he loved her. He said he could have told her that at least once, but he was too proud to admit that to her.<br />
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But I am sure she must have guessed it long time ago, but simply wanted to know right from the horse’s mouth. Now he feels her loss so much, that he would keep going back to the days when they were really happy, and he says they were made for each other despite their differences, that the universe works in mysterious ways, though he thought at that time he could choose between the 2 sisters, and tried to hoodwink the astrologer, he must have known deep in his heart that it was my mother he always wanted to marry.<br />
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This, coming from my father, now when my mother is no longer here to feel happy to hear it, was really moving. However this is not the first time I am hearing him say this, for I have heard this story many times from him, but only after my mother passed away, which was almost 19 years ago.<br />
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Well, this is just one interesting story about my father and mother, there are many, many more, but it would take volumes to write about each every interesting facets of their turbulent lives together.<br />
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Accidents and my father are made for each other, but he would never let such incidents bother him. He would pick himself up from the scene of accident, and bleeding all over, he would be back home in the same moped. Being a Pharmacy graduate he would know what medicines to apply and within 2/3 days he would be back to normal with not even a single mark or scar to show how badly he was hurt.<br />
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Even recently about 15 days back he was hit by somebody while he was travelling in his moped, left there to deal with it all by himself, and as usual he was back on his feet and came home riding the moped with lot of pain everywhere in his body, saying as usual his time is not all right: that he must have troubled the fellow who hit him and went off, in some previous birth, and that it is all part of the game.......<br />
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Surprisingly not a single person has ever helped him during such accidents. Somehow God has given him the strength to pull himself up and keep moving without looking back.<br />
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Now about the present:<br />
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For the last 1 year or so he has been suffering from Dementia, and recently he went out on his own and got lost.<br />
Last year he was a victim of a hit and run case. While he was waiting on his Moped for the signal to change in mount Road in Chennai, an impatient, fellow riding a motor cycle, hit my father and went away leaving my father badly injured and bleeding right in the middle of the busiest road in the city.<br />
People around him came to his help and he was admitted to the general hospital there. Although he was wearing his helmet, he was badly injured, and some part of his brain had been affected, and soon he slipped into Dementia.<br />
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In his confused state of mind he thought he was going to Srirangam and caught a bus from somewhere for that from his house in Beasnt Nagar. He promised that he would not go far and insisted he be left alone to take his morning walk by himself. However, knowing his condition, my brother left about 10 minutes later to keep a watch on him from a safe distance, but unfortunately my father was nowhere to be seen. Worried, my brother searched all the usual places he would generally visit and found him nowhere.<br />
His story was put in News papers, along with his photos, but we did not get any response for quite sometime. Another photo was put again in a Tamil News paper and this time there was a response from a person from Kundrathur, somewhere close to Chengalpeth.<br />
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Ali a 42 year old scrap merchant found him in a very bad condition lying near the road in front of the Mosque. Ali felt sorry for him, called a few friends, and they all cleaned up our father, took him home and changed his dirty Veshti, got him into a clean lungi, bought some hot idlies and fed him. He was very weak, couldn't remember his name, only thing he kept repeating was "Srirangam". Since he is also deaf he could not understand what these good people were asking him.<br />
Ali felt he needed medical treatment and immediately admitted him in the general hospital there.<br />
The next day, he saw our father's picture in the Tamil News Paper, and immediately contacted my brother, saying, his father was in the general hospital there. Ali, we only know him by his name, for that good man didn't even want to meet my brother, he just gave him the ward number, and told him to take his father home. Such good people are rarely found in this world. I think our father was lucky to have found such good person, who went out of the way to help him.<br />
It made us wonder: how many of us would go out of the way and help somebody lying like a beggar on the road, we would not even give such people a second thought.<br />
The help rendered by Ali would always make us remember him in our prayers, and also make us more conscious of people lying around in some helpless state like our father. Our father must have been roaming in that condition for days before he was found. We thank God for sending Ali like an angel to save our father.<br />
In the hospital too he was well looked after not only by the doctors and nurses, but people coming to visit other patients in that ward too were very good to him, sharing their food with him.<br />
My father, when he saw my brother was so relieved, he started crying uncontrollably, like a child, for he has become a child.<br />
This man, our Father, who is so educated, so intelligent, has been reduced to this state: no one should ever get Dementia, it is the worst condition a person can suffer.<br />
He is back home safe and healthy, and he has been told very strictly, that he cannot leave the house alone.<br />
We thank our brother and his wife too, for taking very good care of him.<br />
<img alt="imggallery" src="http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/NasData/Publications/TheTimesOfIndia/Chennai/2015/03/25/Photographs/001/25_03_2015_001_055_009.jpg" /><br />
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I can only say that, I am proud to have had such a loving and patient mother, and I am equally proud to have a such a wonderful father, who, may have been very proud at one time and still is, but is definitely a man with very good heart and a great smile and a positive attitude towards life.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmZiI3nzQ3rVc_Wh3YzAGMbUa_hrAravMmYR46fZjCTvBr6pHDKJkO63ywqhpIsR6l9ZHUyHFBG2o0JJk35bnaTLEaehoqeUaMbHZPpJshe3_EAvZEwNnPYEOOh8dRboQQeHtjCxsaD4T/s1600/n1362316517_30461688_5314432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmZiI3nzQ3rVc_Wh3YzAGMbUa_hrAravMmYR46fZjCTvBr6pHDKJkO63ywqhpIsR6l9ZHUyHFBG2o0JJk35bnaTLEaehoqeUaMbHZPpJshe3_EAvZEwNnPYEOOh8dRboQQeHtjCxsaD4T/s320/n1362316517_30461688_5314432.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Taken just 5 years back, during our daughter's wedding. My dad looks so fit and smart.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"></span>Happy Birthday Day Dear Appa!<br />
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8558799463956912149.post-45994033237280138572015-05-10T10:26:00.002+05:302019-05-11T19:39:46.615+05:30Mother's Day Magic!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhar5L0AXcGOYhXFRv7LwNScxHs2tmAEC1UbtaWAaHGfvjtbUE7YJ5iEQJIbsfk190LzjJH8L0ZOWji7MFabCCUMY3DJHEuU4ZRtZd3zJxUF8be2Yonx471ToNH2DWECNK1Knhfkc_Dvhg/s1600/West+End+Pictures,+Bangalore+1034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhar5L0AXcGOYhXFRv7LwNScxHs2tmAEC1UbtaWAaHGfvjtbUE7YJ5iEQJIbsfk190LzjJH8L0ZOWji7MFabCCUMY3DJHEuU4ZRtZd3zJxUF8be2Yonx471ToNH2DWECNK1Knhfkc_Dvhg/s320/West+End+Pictures,+Bangalore+1034.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Thoughts and images of my mother keep popping up in my mind every day in one way or other, and I am sure we all share this experience about people whom we love or loved very much. Many a time I have imaginary conversations with my mother, my father and other people whom I really love as though they were right there in front of me.<br /><br />Being bombarded by the print media, electronic media, social media by the myriad advertisements about Mother's day, I feel sad as nowadays I don't have much to write about my mother. It is not that there is really nothing to write, but still I could not think of writing / sharing anything about her here in my blogs. It has been 3 years to the day since I last wrote about her on Mother's day.<br /><br />I was cooking as usual, making Rasam (a watery soup like dish), and some potato curry to go along with it. The aroma of tamarind, the rasam powder, the tomatoes along with curry leaves boiling started wafting throughout the house, which is not unusual. But today the aroma was a little different and special : it was the same aroma that I used to get whenever my mother made Rasam in our home !<br /><br />I have been making Rasams for so many years, and it would always taste good. But only on rare occasions did I manage to replicate the aroma brought out by my mother's magical Rasam. At that moment, I would get so excited and shout out to the whole family that " today the Rasam smells just like Patti's (grandma's) Rasam and also tastes just like hers". I would dramatise it so much, that my children in the innocence of the very young would really believe that they were indeed tasting the best Rasam made especially for them by their grandma.</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQu-dQql4qGJmHZvDkE4z6DBjDORd3uQBEKe6cfQMU5LII9bVddsFs6UM4KrzCIJCW0KW2aW4Cl3jHxEh0b7eZGGZ1IeG6wFUWnTU7PlBa1WDSFVPa4EsiceKM0BRmDCDP0ICBpkdyvJM/s1600/1294491_10202821935493760_1314664495_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQu-dQql4qGJmHZvDkE4z6DBjDORd3uQBEKe6cfQMU5LII9bVddsFs6UM4KrzCIJCW0KW2aW4Cl3jHxEh0b7eZGGZ1IeG6wFUWnTU7PlBa1WDSFVPa4EsiceKM0BRmDCDP0ICBpkdyvJM/s320/1294491_10202821935493760_1314664495_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br />My mother would also invariably make an accompaniment for her heavenly Rasam - boiled potatoes coated with thinly sliced, finely chopped onions fried together so that the potatoes get a coat of the brown, self caramelised onions.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lWQ04fmq_StNrdEObmVmqIXXhfYrAr4xQYfga6OeYK40e4RTBDjBSz9bJQkEQB2XkJ2b4I_u6fynEcnsmezx7UCbHD17x7oU8LcAB9j0tUFaVSm-Jf7YjR9ZdvruWjUMGb4VvQVgT0s/s1600/DSC_0002-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lWQ04fmq_StNrdEObmVmqIXXhfYrAr4xQYfga6OeYK40e4RTBDjBSz9bJQkEQB2XkJ2b4I_u6fynEcnsmezx7UCbHD17x7oU8LcAB9j0tUFaVSm-Jf7YjR9ZdvruWjUMGb4VvQVgT0s/s320/DSC_0002-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br />With no deliberate intent and by sheer coincidence, I made this type of Potato curry and Rasam today on Mother's day! And not just that : today my mother seemed to be by my side throughout, guiding me, tutoring me to create the utterly heavenly, delicious tasting Rasam and Potato curry.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />"Magic exists. Who can doubt it, when there are rainbows and wild flowers, the music of winds and the silence of the stars?<br />Anyone who has loved has been touched by magic.<br />It is such a simple yet an extraordinary part of the lives we live".</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IrFxIjHXUrQq9bXxcxx95122ANPVfFOuSLre1aU-tBzJNteXIq1q_LQMUChED4UEUuEyKAc1reJWG0vqBad-fE3rqCQVwqKkwwmUArBWeK3uUXgoCZ7MppGjLIdksJdg4G-q1IVqzX8/s1600/Picture+606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IrFxIjHXUrQq9bXxcxx95122ANPVfFOuSLre1aU-tBzJNteXIq1q_LQMUChED4UEUuEyKAc1reJWG0vqBad-fE3rqCQVwqKkwwmUArBWeK3uUXgoCZ7MppGjLIdksJdg4G-q1IVqzX8/s320/Picture+606.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />I find no words in my dictionary to describe the aroma or the taste of the Rasam and potato curry that my mother (my mother's soul) and I made today.</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3s5YhLeYaIYJHZXer35NfLAsZAKFBvbV9ImN8IAVjfbzSGz-jnRu-VDeXN6MS7FBA8-FMRKOMi1VyY4kiDNNvlHq3sKAGq3FS89inbh84JHWRtHHacZhhxFKpW8f6BJ9tRpM9IWWE8Q/s1600/DSC_0003-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3s5YhLeYaIYJHZXer35NfLAsZAKFBvbV9ImN8IAVjfbzSGz-jnRu-VDeXN6MS7FBA8-FMRKOMi1VyY4kiDNNvlHq3sKAGq3FS89inbh84JHWRtHHacZhhxFKpW8f6BJ9tRpM9IWWE8Q/s320/DSC_0003-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Thank you Amma, for being with me even when you are no longer here in this world : a magic that only mothers can accomplish!</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let there be some magic in your day too!<br /><br />Happy Mother's Day Everyone!</span></b><br />
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Rama Ananthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00962222316822524699noreply@blogger.com18