Swami Vivekananda (January 12, 1863 - July 4, 1902)

Big bright saffron turban… yes, the first thing that comes to our mind when we think of Swami Vivekananda is this. From when did Vivekananda start wearing the turban, and why? I just wanted to share this small piece of information, on this great monk who is believed to have walked like an "Incarnation of God". The turban that Vivekananda used to wear is believed to be suggested by Maharaja of Khetri. But some historians and researchers view that Vivekananda visited the Swamithope Pathi during his visit to Kanyakumari in December 1892 and believe that he was impressed by the principles behind rituals of this monistic faith, such as wearing a head gear during worship in temple, worshipping in front of mirror etc., and started wearing a turban from then on. Some say that Vivekananda received some spiritual instructions from the disciples of Ayya Vaikundar. It is also said by many that while he was a child, he was impressed by the turban of the horse cab driver, who used to ferry his father on his daily work. Subsequently when he renounced the world and took to sanyasa, he started using one himself.

On his birthday today lets experience one of the most famous and influential spiritual leaders of Vedanta, who is regarded by millions as the Messenger of God, through his preachings. This is what the greats had to say about Vivekananda:

Rabindranath Tagore - If you want to know India, study Vivekananda. In him everything is positive and nothing negative

Mahatma Gandhi - Swami Vivekananda's writings need no introduction from anybody. They make their own irresistible appeal.

Some of the sayings of Vivekananda:

As different streams having different sources all mingle their waters in the sea, so different tendencies various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to God.

Our duty is to encourage every one in his struggle to live up to his own highest idea, and strive at the same time to make the ideal as near as possible to the Truth.

All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.

Avalanche of Thoughts

It is said ‘thinking will get us to the foot of the mountain, but faith will make us climb the mountain.’ So let us act out of faith. Doing so will bring vitality to one’s actions. But faith in God is not enough, one should have faith in oneself too. Role of experience in our lives There are three levels of knowing - gross, subtle and subtlest. Gross knowing is verbal knowing, subtle knowing is seeing the meaning of the word and subtlest knowing is experiential knowing. There are things which can be understood only by experience. For example, God is the ultimate experience and it is inexpressible. If you look at a flower from your mind, you see its chemistry; if you were to look at it from your heart, you see the poetry; and if you look at it from your being, you become one with the flower. To experience an experience is an art. We don’t experience an experience; we are always interpreting an experience. When one is lost in interpretation, then one looks at something through one’s thought process, ie through mental words. Words are the expression of one’s likes and dislikes. Our interpretations are very autobiographical and hence we don’t see or experience what is, we experience our old and known self. To live wisely means to create a space in one’s mind, which is capable of seeing and not just interpreting. Then one is vailable for an experience.

How can a miserable mind understand the right path? By just stopping to be miserable. Learn to wonder, learn to marvel, learn to see life without a thought. Thought is an expression of memory - memory of the past. And when you see something with thought, you see something with memory... and that is past. So you see the present with the past. In effect you don’t really see. When you are unhappy, the unhappy thought will relate to all the files of your unhappy memories of the past and the past unhappiness, like an avalanche will cascade into the present. Just drop being miserable. Then you will not fight with your mind and you will flow with what is.

- Swami Sukhabodhananda for "Times Wellness", TOI Jan 9, 2007

Wishing you a joyous and a prosperous new year 2007!!!

travelling???!!

gearing up for some travel?? Searching newpapers, net, travel magazines to make a perfect vacation?? Here are some of the great travel sites offering you travel advice, maps, travel guides, hotel reviews and FAQs giving you information, culture and the history of the country or place you wish to visit.

Round the globe - Lonely Planet

India Travel - India Travel Guide, India Tourism, Make my Trip

Karnataka Travel - Karnataka Tourism, Dream Routes

Last but never the least… for all who are set for that perfect get-away, there are a few things that you got to know...and which have to be addressed with caution. Here are some of the “before you go” tips....(if u can call it).

· Make an arrangement with a neighbor, friend or relative to check your home periodically.
· If a friend or neighbor cannot collect your mail, make arrangements for it to be held at the Post Office.
· Arrange for lawn care or snow removal. Ignoring these areas will make your house stand out in the neighborhood and announce to everyone that you are gone.
· Arrange for someone to start your car during very cold or very hot weather.
· Check your insurance for expiration dates and coverage for your automobile, home and the valuables that you’ll take with you, as well as those you’ll leave at home.
· Put your valuables and jewelry in a safety deposit box. If you don’t have, or can’t get access to a safety deposit box, you still want to hinder a hurried burglar by hiding valuable items in your house.
· Notify the local police and security system company to immediately consider any alarms as real. Leave with them the names of anyone responsible to watch over your house.
· Move houseplants away from direct sunlight, water thoroughly and wrap pots with plastic. Most plants can then live without further watering for two weeks.
· Empty the refrigerator of items that might spoil.
· Cancel or hold your newspaper delivery.
· You might want to turn your refrigerator to its lowest setting.
· Turn your air conditioner up in summer. You want to reduce your bills, but you may have to keep the house from getting too hot to protect your pets and electronics.
· Turn your heat down or off in spring or fall. Be sure to leave the house warm enough in the winter. You may want to reduce your bills, but you may need to keep the house from getting too cold to protect your pets and water pipes.
· Leave shades or drapes as you normally do.
· Lock all doors and windows including basement & garage.
· Unplug electronic items, such as, your computer to protect them if you have a storm while you’re gone.

And.... ensure that your driver is a Leo!!! :))) All the best, plan your trip and have a memorable time with family and frends

Bush signs the Indo-US nuclear deal

Excerpt from NDTV.

The halls of the White House, decked with boughs of holly, rang through with the sounds of celebration as President George W Bush signed the Indo-US nuke deal. The passage of the crucial deal in the US Congress comes just before the Christmas holidays. "Today, I have the honour of signing a bill that will strengthen the partnership between the world's two largest democracies. The relationship between the United States and India has never been more vital. And this bill will help us meet the energy and security challenges of the 21st century," said Bush.

Click Here for more...

"Team Spirit did the trick."

This is what Graeme Smith, captian of South African cricket team, had to say after thrashing India 4-0 in the ODI series in South Africa.

How important is this team spirit… is team spirit the only success factor.. did the Indian team loose the series because they lacked it? Can you point the fingers at lack of motivation and self confidence in the team players? What does team sprit do to the team.. and to the individuals??? How important it is to keep self and the team motivated all the time? Well certainly, the Indian team's body language said it all. They lacked confidence, which was evident in their shot selections and the way they moved their feet when they faced the charging South African pacers Mkhaya Ntini, Andre Nel, Shaun Pollock on the field. It was soo much obvious watching on tv that the India cricket team is punctured in the mind.

Thinking positive, being strong, driving out the fears, working more than their potential is not just sports player’s recipe for success, but also for individuals in every walk of life. It has to come from within and all it takes is to look inside. This enlightened mind, this self realization brings strength to a person who has the urge to taste success. Be it your project team or your football team, be it in movie making, be it in an army defending the entire nation.. or be it your own small lovely family… everywhere… being positive and motivated just helps!!! You got to keep up the spirits at any cost :)

India @ crossroads with the world

India shud not accept any changes in the Indo-Us Nuclear deal. Crazy or what…? Its a gimmick that the US is playing... twisting India’s arm on the nuclear deal saying get some changes in the deal and get this bill completed this year, else processing will start all over again by the newly elected Congress. Read this… US advocates want the changes in the Nuclear deal.. I say.. what was Bush & Co. doing when they had come down to India to sign the historic deal?????? India should say… “No changes" or "Hell with it!!!”

You will see this happng..... USA is bound to play with India in its bid for UNSC membership.

Doing my bit to sell the helmet rule…

Helmets best way to prevent fatal head injuries

Little Women

Its becoming a habit now… to stay awake late night watching tv. thanks to all the Saas-Bahu soaps, I get to touch the remote only after 11pm. Anyway, over the last few days there hav been quite good movies.. (real classic ones) on Hallmark and SonyPix. Only yesterday I saw one of “7 movies i want to watch again”. “Little Women” , a classic novel written by Louisa May Alcott(November 29, 1832 – March 6, 1888), an American Novelist and Transcendentalist. This literary work has been made into a full length movie by several movie makers in 1933, 1949, 1978, and 1994, but the most impressive one has been by Gillian Amrstrong in 1994 which has been nominated for several awards including Oscars. And this particular version of the movie was aired on SonyPix yesterday night (Nov 8th, 2006) as a part of the the “Perfect 10” movie lists.

Little Women is a story which Louisa May Alcott wrote while living in Orchard House, located in Concord, Massachusetts, United States in 1868. It is based on Alcott's own experiences as a child and the lives and loves of the four sisters (Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy) of the March family growing up during the American Civil War. As these young girls mature as women, they learn the ways of life in dealing with the hardships that come with poverty in a closely knitted circle of family and frends. Alcott, as one of the girls (Jo or Josephine March, who is the main character of the movie/novel) accounts the journey, the sisters and the March family take, making friends, loves and acquaintances. For me, after reading the novel and seeing the movie again (first time i watched this was almost an year and half back when I was in Norway, this was before i read the novel).. its like being a part of the entire story all over again. Each character has its own uniqueness and so very neatly etched by Alcott. Every delicate little thing that novel says about each of the character.. the movie has tried to capture all of it so beautifully.. in its own subtle ways. The spirit n the nature of each character is put on screen so elegantly that this tops my all time favorite movies to watch. In any novel u get a chance to get introduced to the character by a brief intro about him/her at the beginning or wherever in between.. n Gillian Amrstrong directing the movie has so beautifully got the sequences in place, so that the character exhibits his/her true nature/quality… and one learns more about that character as the movie progresses. Meg’s greed, Jo's anger, Beth's shyness, Amy's selfishness, Laurie’s love for Jo, the playful times of the family even amidst all the harsh times (due to poverty and illness),… the times during the American Civil War… the Christmas celebrations,…. all of it is so gracefully portrayed. For the person watching the movie.. reading these minute details on-screen.., n watching them in the character' s eyes n expressions is a classic experience, truly magical!! Wish I cud record the entire movie :) … mayb I wil try n get the movie on the net or something. As I said this movie was shown as a part “Perfect 10” movie list… I certainly, for surely give it a 10 out of 10. I woudnt wish to tell you the plot or the story of these lovely Little Women, you must see and experience it for yourself. Don’t miss this movie if you get a chance to watch. I wud say, watch the movie… then read the novel and then watch it again. Believe me u wil cherish it forever. You will feel n enjoy the movie a lot more than u had during the fist time. You will never miss all those tiny little things which will keep you craving for more.

Interesting snippets

Im the paper boy with some “news” u don get to read everyday… :)

Well, well.. :p
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Clinton on a "speaking" tour