| I can’t get my head around how far away the inhabitants of these islands live from civilization! They are hundreds, if not thousands, of miles from the nearest continental land mass – it’s truly astonishing to think they’re even inhabited at all. Would you dare to visit somewhere so remote? These are 9 of the world’s most remote inhabited islands: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Saint Helena
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22 Times in 2015 That Indians made India Proud……….
“…And when all the wars are over, a butterfly will still be beautiful,” wrote Ruskin Bond.
As we approach the end of 2015, it is quite natural to look back and search for the kind of beauty he was talking about – the beauty amidst chaos that helped us throughout the year and also gave hope for the next one. No matter the dark times and the harsh memories, everybody seeks that hope to wake up with each day. And on several occasions this year, India helped us believe in that hope, and in happiness, humanity and pride.
Many times this year, different people and incidents made Indians proud of being a part of this country. Here are the 22 best ones:
1. When a Cab Driver Created a Rooftop Garden on His Taxi:
Mr. Dhananjay Chakraborty, a taxi driver in Kolkata, has a garden on the roof of his cab, and many potted plants in the trunk. He calls his car the green chariot, and it is a great way of promoting the message of green living while driving around the city.
2. When This 11-Year-Old Became the World’s First Visually Impaired News Anchor:
T Sriramanujam, a visually impaired student of Class 5, fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming a TV news anchor. He read his first live news bulletin for 22 minutes with the help of Braille.
3. When Farmers in Rural Maharashtra decided to Become Tech-Savvy and Created a Brilliant WhatsApp Group:
On a WhatsApp group named ‘Baliraja’, over 400 farmers from various villages in Maharashtra are seeking and sharing agriculture advice, connecting with experts in various fields and learning new practices. The group simply rocks!
4. When an Inspiring Ragpicker Spoke at an International Conference
Photo: YouTube
Suman More, a 50-year-old waste picker from Pune, runs a 9,000 member organization named Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat, and has been giving a new identity to ragpickers. This year, she spoke before more than 2,000 experts from across the world at a conference organized by the International Labour Organisation in Geneva.
5. And When This Guy Quit His Job to Fight for Our Right to Drive Without Borders:
Waseem Memon and his group of over 25,000 people are fighting for our right to use our cars all across the country, challenging the existing laws regarding registration. He started the Drive Without Borders campaign to protest against the injustice meted out by road transport officials of various states while checking non-state vehicles.
6. When a Sarpanch in Haryana brought girls into the spotlight with his ‘Selfie with Daughter’ Contest:
Parents across India proudly took pictures with their daughters and sent them to Sunil Jaglan, the sarpanch of Bibipur village in Haryana, who started a WhatsApp contest named ‘Selfie with Daughter’. He received more than 500 entries in just a few days.
7. When this Muslim girl won the Bhagwad Gita Championship and Donated the Prize Money for the Education of Girls
Source: Facebook
Maryam Siddiqui won a Bhagwad Gita competition and was felicitated by many political figures across the country. She politely returned all the money received in the form of rewards, with a note that the money should be utilised for a scheme or something related to providing better education for girls.
8. And Many Beautiful Stories of Communal Harmony Kept our Hopes Alive:
The Muslim man who performed the last rights of his Hindu friend, the Hindus who opened up a Ganesha pandalfor Muslims to celebrate Eid, and the Hindu man who wrote Prophet Muhammad’s biography in Marwari – all helped break the shackles of narrow religious confines.
9. Then Came This Man Who Filled 1100 Potholes with His Pension Money:
Gangadhara Tilak Katnam, a 67-year-old retired Railway employee, quit his job to single-handedly fill up potholes in Hyderabad. He used his pension money to fill over 1,125 potholes in two and half years.
10. And This 13-Year-Old Went to an Orphanage for a Special Purpose:
Nikhiya Shamsher started a project named Bags, Books and Blessings. She collected around 2,500 books, about 150 bags, water bottles, a lot of stationery, and more from the students in her school, and donated all of it to an orphanage in Bangalore. She stood out as an inspiration for many students of her age.
11. When an Engineer Transformed a Railway Station and Amazed Everyone:
Gaurang Damani, an electrical engineer, adopted the King’s Circle railway station in Mumbai and transformed it into a very beautiful and clean place in just four months. Find more about his work here.
12. And ISRO Went on Creating History:
13. When a 17-Year-Old Built a Bridge to Help Slum Kids Reach School:
When Eshan Balbale saw that students in Sathe Nagar had to walk through a 1.5 km long, filthy, sewage-filled stretch to reach school every day, he made a 4-feet-wide and 100-feet-long bamboo bridge for them in just eight days.
14. And Twitterati Helped This Man Who Lost His Source of Income:
65-year-old Kishan Kumar lost his typewriter when a police official kicked it in his attempt to evict footpath dwellers and vendors. When Indians on Twitter came to know about this incident, they simply made sure that he got his typewriter back.
15. When a Cop Jumped off a 20-Feet-High Bridge to Save a Man:
A 24-year-old policeman, Manoj Barahate, did not think of his own life before diving off a 20-feet high bridge to save the life of a man who had jumped into the water during Kumbh Mela. Had it not been for this quick-thinking brave cop, the man would have lost his life.
16. When Karnataka Government Honoured a Transgender:
Of the 60 people who were honoured with the prestigious Karnataka Rajyotsava Award this year, one is a transgender – Akkai Padmashali – who has been fighting for the rights and acceptance of her community for years. This was the first time that a transgender won this award.
17. And This Woman Showed the Way by Inviting Her Maid’s Family Home for Dinner on Diwali:
“It looks like this is the beginning of a beautiful new tradition in our family, which I hope we will only enhance as time goes on. It touched and opened my heart in many ways,” wrote her daughter.
18. When Indian Railways Showed That It Can Deliver – More than Once
All of these tweets were answered, and help reached the passengers in almost no time.
19. And Children Showed That They Can Change the World, Whenever They Want
20. When Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium Became the World’s First Solar-Powered Cricket Venue
21. And When These Army Men Gave Their Lives So We Can Sleep Safely in our Homes
22. Finally, When Chennai Showed That All Our Differences Mean Nothing When We’re Fighting Back Disaster
We are all Indians at the end of the day. And we stand by each other.
Source…….www.the betterindia.com
Natarajan
Bring that inland letter!
Thanks to Sri Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian for sharing this experience.
Sri Mahaswamigal of Kanchi Mutt has glorified the presiding deity Lord Veleeswara of West Peruvemba, Palakkad as “Vilichal Vilikelkkum Deivam”. VPSRIM trust has organized a Veda Padasala close to the Veleeswaram Temple in West Peruvemba, Palakkad, a few years back under the divine instruction of Kanchi Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekharendra Swamigal. The main patron of this organization is our cousin Sri. P.K. Ganesha Vadhyar (Mumbai Ganesha Vadhyar). He has taken great efforts to build this institution. He is an ardent devotee of Kanchi Mahaswamigal.
Fortunately, we had the opportunity to serve Sri Ganesha Vadhyar and his wife during their visit to U.A.E. During this period, he shared us a few intense moments he had with Kanchi Mahaswamigal. Those were the most anticipated and treasured moments of our life. While we were having lunch, he shared most of his experiences with…
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அம்பாளிடம் மனம் ஈடுபட என்ன வழி?
Thanks Smt Saraswathi Thyagarajan mami for this article – I personally interviewed Dr Radhakrishna sastrigal in Srirangam and remember this incident narrated by him.
I know I have already shared this one. But I have no problem in sharing this incident even 100 times. This is all we do. Please refer to the “Bhaavam” article I posted earlier. Those devotees, do not go outside of their upasaana dheivam to complain. Most of us go and ask 100 different people to help us with our upasaana – except the deity itself. These are the incidents that we need to learn and practice. These devotees’ experiences teach us all great lessons.
என் தந்தை சிமிழி ப்ரம்ம ஸ்ரீவெங்கடராம சாஸ்திரி ஸ்ரீமடத்தின் அபிமானத்துக்கு மிக்க உகந்தவர்.எனது பால்யத்திலேயே அவர் மறைந்தார். பகவத் சங்கல்பத்தில் இரு சன்னியாசிகள் மூலம் தேவி உபாசனை கிட்டியது. பல ஆண்டுகள் உபாஸித்த பிறகும் ,உபாஸனையில் உடலும் வாக்கும் ஈடுபடும் அளவுக்கு மனதும் ஈடுபடவில்லையோ என ஒரு தாபம்! சாந்தி கிடைக்கவில்லை என்ற எண்ணம் வலுத்தது.
பெரியவாளிடம் சென்றேன். என் மனக் குறைய அவரிடம் கொட்டினேன்.
”பூஜையில் வாக்கும் செயலும் ஈடுபடும்…
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Periyava Kural : Margazhi Mahathuvam – Part 1
Jaya Jaya Shankara Hara Hara Shankara – Thanks to Maha Periyava Puranam for this timely post. Happy Margazhi to all. Ram Ram.
We should not give up this ancient practice of bathing in the early morning and singing the praise of God. Girls in a locality can join together and go round one or two streets everyday singing the Tiruppaavai or the Tiruvembaavai. They can at least cover about ten houses each day. This practice is intended to rouse the latent spiritual powers in each individual. By reviving this practice, we can derive the blessings of God, for our benefit and for the benefit of society as a whole. – Sri Maha Periyava
With Margazhi Maasam (Dhanur Maasam) dawning tomorrow morning, let us listen to what Periyava says about Margazhi and the Mahathuvam of this sacred month.
பிபிசி வானிலை முன்னெச்சரிக்கையால் ‘பீதி’யும் தமிழ் வலைப் பதிவரின் ஆறுதல் விளக்கமும் – தி இந்து
‘தமிழ்நாடு வெதர்மேன்’ என்ற பிரபல தமிழ் வானிலைப் பதிவர், பிபிசி கணிப்புகளின் தற்காலிகத் தன்மையை வெளிப்படுத்தி பதிவிட்டுள்ளார்.
Source: பிபிசி வானிலை முன்னெச்சரிக்கையால் ‘பீதி’யும் தமிழ் வலைப் பதிவரின் ஆறுதல் விளக்கமும் – தி இந்து
Kanchi Sri Madam Helping Chennai!
Jaya Jaya Shankara Hara Hara Shankara,
Saw the following message, pictures in FB and wanted to share with you all. Let us all do our bit during this tumultuous times! Ram Ram
Our Sri Matam staff in Kanchi went to Madras today December 4th to distribute relief material to the needy people how are affected by the torrential rains. Thanks a ton Shri Vanjari Sankar for the lovely pictures.
Periyava Mahimai – October Newsletter
This posting has been tremendously delayed due to so much of work etc. My apologies. Here is the October release.
(1) I have read about the first incident in some Tamil magazines etc but did not know that this was an experience of Professor Sundararaman mama. The last line of what Periyava said is quite amazing – a mahan, doing an introspective of what His avataram and expressing it is unique!
(2) Second incident – classic example of how Periyava has immensely blessed those who have done enormous kainkaryam not just to Him but also to the Matam is known through this incident. Who would get such baghyam?
A request – can someone post sanskrit,Tamil & English version of Shiva Mahima Stotram so that we can all read this on Monday?
Hara Hara Sankara Jaya Jaya Sankara!
Periyava Golden Quotes-50
தேகம், மனம், சாஸ்திரம், க்ஷேத்திரம், தீர்த்தம் முதலிய பல சௌகரியங்கள் இந்த உலகத்தில் தான் நமக்குக் கிடைக்கும். நாம் வாக்கினாலும், மனத்தினால், கை கால் முதிலியவற்றாலும் பாபம் செய்து கொண்டே இருக்கிறோம். அந்தப் பாவங்களையெல்லாம், வாக்கையும், மனசையும் அவையவங்களையும் கொண்டே புண்ணியம் செய்து கரைத்திட வேண்டும். – ஜகத்குரு ஸ்ரீசந்திரசேகரேந்திர சரஸ்வதி ஸ்வாமிகளின் அருள் மொழிகள்
Only in this world we get facilities such as Body, Mind, Shastras, Kshetrams (Pilgrimages), Sacred Rivers, etc. We keep accumulating many sins with our speech, mind, arms, and legs. Those sins has to be destroyed with the same speech, mind, and other body instruments. – Sri Kanchi Maha Periyava
ஒங்களுக்கு ஸௌகர்யப்படுமா?
Thanks to Sri Gowrishankar for the article.
1964-ல் சோழவரத்தில் இருந்த மீனாக்ஷிஸுந்தரமையர், ஒரு பள்ளி ஆசிரியர்; பெரியவாளிடம் அபார பக்தி. ஆனால், வேலைப்பளு காரணமாக பெரியவாளை தர்ஶனம் பண்ண போகமுடியவில்லையே என்று ரொம்ப ஏங்கிக் கொண்டிருந்தார்.
அன்று காரடையார் நோன்பு. அந்த முறை, பங்குனி மாஸம் ராத்ரி பிறந்ததால், நோன்பையும் ராத்ரி பண்ணிவிட்டு ரொம்ப நேரம் கழித்து அவர் மனைவி தூங்கப் போனாள்.
அவளுக்கு அற்புதமான ஒரு கனவு!
எந்த ஒரு அவதாரத்தால் காஷாயத்துக்குப் பெருமையோ, அந்த மஹா பெரியவா அந்த அம்மா முன்னால் நிற்கிறார்! அவருடைய பாதங்களில் விழந்து நமஸ்கரிக்கிறாள். பெரியவாளின் தெய்வீக குரல் ஒலிக்கிறது…..
“வாழ்க்கைல எந்தக் கஷ்டத்தையும் பகவானோட நாமஸங்கீர்த்தனம் போக்கிடும். கவலைப்படாதே! நா……ஒன்னோட ஆத்துல பூஜை பண்ணுவேன்”…
ஸந்தோஷத்தில் திடுக்கென்று எழுந்தால், கனவுதான் என்று உணர்ந்தாலும், மனஸ் ரொம்ப நிறைந்து இருந்தது. அடிக்கடி அந்தக் கனவை எண்ணி எண்ணி தம்பதிகள் மகிழ்வார்கள்.
“ஆனாலும், எனக்கு ரொம்ப பேராசைதான்!… மஹா பெரியவா நம்மாத்துல பூஜை பண்ணணும்-ன்னு எப்டி ஆசைப்பட்ருக்கேன்!..”
மனைவி சொன்னாள்.
1965 நவம்பர் மாஸம் ஏதோ ஒரு ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை. மத்யான்னம் அவர்கள் வீட்டு வாஸலில் ஒரு கார் வந்து நின்றது. அதிலிருந்து பூணூல், ஶிகை வைத்துக்கொண்டு பஞ்சகச்சம் கட்டிக் கொண்டு ஒரு பெரியவர் இறங்கினார்.
“மீனாக்ஷிஸுந்தரமையர்….??…….”
“ஆமா….நாந்தான்…..மீனாக்ஷிஸுந்தரம்…. வாங்கோ! நீங்க யாருன்னு தெரியலியே!.”
“நா….ஸ்ரீமடம் முகாம்லேர்ந்து வரேன்..பெரியவா திருப்பதிலேர்ந்து மெட்ராஸ் வந்துண்டிருக்கார்…ஒரொரு 15 மைலுக்கு…
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