| Date: | 2009-11-02 21:02 |
| Subject: | Air Meera |
| Security: | Public |
Meera just loves to be tossed in the air (of course, never leaving my hands). She is all giggles and never wants me to stop.
One more of Meera!
|
Each evening when we take Meera for a walk, we stop by the Poornima Juice Center on Colaba Causeway, for their freshly squeezed ganna ras (sugarcane juice) - see video. At 8 rupees (16 cents, US) a glass, it is a steal! Meera greedily gulps the ganna ras too! As a baby, this was the first juice we gave her.
Enjoy the Video!
|
| Date: | 2009-10-19 00:27 |
| Subject: | Diwali 2009 |
| Security: | Public |
On this festive occasion of Deepavali,
May the Gods grace you and your loved ones
with
Peace, Good Health and Success!
Happy Deepavali!
Meera, M & A
Happy Diwali!
|
When in Mumbai, we attended a puja at my aunt's place in Jogeshwari. There we enjoyed a delicious south india lunch, served on banana leaves. Freshly made, warm puran polis, dribbled with home-made tuup (clarified butter), was one of many desserts. The catering crew were making it in the back. Enjoy the video!
See Video and More!
|
A global partnership for children, including the WHO and UNICEF, report that annually, 4 million babies die within the first 30 days of birth. Why are 4 million babies dying? The common causes are infection, birth asphyxia and premature (including low birth weight) births. Premature and low-weight babies are particularly susceptible to hypothermia and need to be kept warm..
Read More!
|
Give me a random number between 1 – 10. That’s it!
In this poll, pick the first number you think of. Takes 2 seconds. Do it!
This is part of a small study to see if there is an inherent bias in the selection of numbers. Ideally, with a large number of respondents, we should see that all numbers are equally represented. Is that what the data shows? Find out for your self.
Take the poll here!
|
No, he was not trying to hijack the BEST bus in Mumbai; he was terrified about the nasty virus causing swine flu!
But that makeshift mask in a crowded bus surely got me panicky. Should I be around Mumbai using public transportation, where the buses and trains are stuffed tighter than, ... than, ... mumbaikars in buses and trains? And when I had Meera with me?
Many more pics from Swine Flu Panic in Mumbai!
|
| Date: | 2009-09-27 15:40 |
| Subject: | Meera Tai |
| Security: | Public |
Ganesh Chaturthi (or Ganapati Chovati as we Konkanis call it) is THE celebration in our extended family home in Mumbai.
During the five days of Ganapati, all pujas are performed as prescribed in the Puranas, including recitations from the Vedas. After a busy five days, the murthy is consigned to the seas (visarjan), leaving us all melancholy. Even Meera was puzzled that beautiful "Ganapati Bappa" was missing. He'll be back next year, Meera! And so will we all.
See an earlier post for a brief background on Ganapati.
The murthy is brought home, the day before. In this first pic, Ganapati has only been kept in place. During the first puja, the murthy is dressed with flowers and with the recitation of chants, sanctified with the divine presence.
Many more pics from Seva Mandal and Wadala Ganapati!
|
NB. Just catching up on synching my WordPress and LJ Journals!
When the shadow of swine flu touched Mumbai, we dashed off to Goa and Kumta, and returned just in time for the Ganesh Chaturthi Utsav.
Over the next few days, our extended family home transformed itself into a festive temple. Resident cooks arrived and made traditional Konkani sweets and snacks (chivda, mando, shankar paLLan, masala shaenga, chuklee, etc). Siblings and cousins descended on our home. Professional flower stringers decorated our main hall in elaborate arrangements of plump marigolds. Humongous pots and pans, giant oil lamps and other puja accompaniments were retrieved from storage and polished to a high gleam.
The day before, jackfruit leaves were washed and pinned to make the pocket KhoTo idli. Torans of mango leaves decorated our doors, and officially, Ganesh Chaturthi was underway. While the women folk strung their favorite 'garlands' and traded gossip, we boys went to Nana Chowk to pick up our Ganesh murthys - we keep two in our extended family.
As we waited to collect our murthy, I toured the warehouse and took pics of murthys inside. Here is a sample of Ganapati figurines at: Shubhada Kala Mandir, 311 Javji Dadaji Marg, Nana Chowk, Mumbai 400 007; Ph: 91-22-2385 48 96
A popular innovation incorporated silk in Ganapati's attire; very well done!
Many more pics!
|
NB. Just catching up on synching my WordPress and LJ Journals!
(Don't miss Meera video at end!)
Every evening we take Meera around Colaba Causeway, Gateway of India or Marine Drive. She loves going out, but is surprisingly very quiet. She is observant and looks with laser focus at people, dogs, cats or horses, or cars and buses. Meera doesn't just look at people, she studies them, as if memorizing their features. Many of our relatives get uncomfortable at this scrutiny, by one so little. Of course she never forgets the folks she loves.
One more pic and Meera Video Yaay!
|
Here's the Abs Express Class Video at our health club (Clubs at Charles River Park, Boston, MA). Its a quick 15 min class, once a week. But what a workout! Fast and tough! Give it a try and see if you can keep up with Certified Trainer, Pete 'Rock' Reynolds.
And Pete will entertain you during the entire routine. For this recording I pleaded with Pete to keep his comments PG, and he did! And he's the go-to guy, anytime you need a quick workout tip! Thank you, Pete!
for Video!
|
For city bred siblings, summering at our grand parents home in Bhatkal was essential nirvana. In the orchard, we tied strings to dragon flies and watched them fly. We foraged for bird eggs in old trees. With a sling shot, we brought down mangoes - not because our aim was any good, but because the trees were laden with fruit. Listening to abbu (grandpa) in his pharmacy store, we learnt a smattering of Kannada and many more swear words. On dark nights without power, gazillion fireflies flickering on mud walls, guided us home.
There was one place we knew never to touch: In the jagli (entrance hallway), was a bare wooden writing table with a single drawer. There, grandma kept her "writing-book," black framed reading glasses and a ball point pen.
A lot more and four more pics!
|
From Park Street outbound to Alewife, the Red-Line T comes above ground at the Charles / MGH station, goes across the Longfellow Bridge and then dips back in the tunnel at MIT. A short snippet of the Boston Skyline taken from the Red-Line as it speeds over the Charles river. The trip between stations takes less than a minute, but a superb view everyday! On beautiful days, countless sailboats bob on the Charles River.
Enjoy the best of Boston!
See Video!
|
For a friend's wedding I recently traveled to Chicago. Since that's where I did my doctoral work, we have many friends there and love the city. I have previously posted on the architectural wonders of Chicago, the Balaji Temple and have run the Chicago Marathon!
On this visit, I additionally got darshan at the exquisitely maintained Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago! Was surprised at their calendar of activities including Yoga, Meditation, Gita Recitation, Discourses and Sunday School. And importantly a cafeteria serving dosas, idli sambar, yogurt rice and else. Reason enough to go!
Two more pics!
|
|
|
|
|
|
