SOURCE:::: http://www.glasbergen.com
Natarajan
Jan 20 2015
environment
How Mumbai Once Lived !!!….
Mumbai may pace to a frenetic beat, but the metropolis has hidden corners where life moves more leisurely.
Satish Bodas/Rediff.com visits the city’s BDD chawls where neighbours live like one big family.
If you want to see what life was like a few decades ago, I’d suggest a visit to Mumbai’s 92-year-old Bombay Development Directorate’s chawls.
Families manage in tiny rooms and neighbours, unlike what happens in much of Mumbai, are very much a part of each other’s lives. The chawls’s residents still share their joys, sorrows and festivals with each other.
BDD is a little oasis in the heart of Mumbai — where a bustling lifestyle and tall skyscrapers pause to watch a slower, more measured Time that exists in a few old stone buildings.
But the residents — mainly Hindus and Buddhists — say it is time for change. Their families have expanded and living in such tiny spaces, plagued by leakage problems, is no longer easy.
Many youngsters have moved out; the older generation waits behind, hoping that redevelopment will take place, yet not completely ready to let go of a life they are so familiar with.
In my eyes, it is one of the last bastions guarding a simple, old-fashioned way of life.
The structures of the BDD chawls were built between 1922 and 1925.
When space is short, windows provide a convenient area for storage.
Kashinath Anna Kakade, who is 95 years old, has created a special calendar.
If you tell him the date of your birth, he will tell you on which day you were born.
He makes it a point to read the newspaper regularly and enjoys drinking a glass of milk every day.
Mr Kakade has been staying here since 1948 and feels that life today is much more comfortable than it was in his youth.
“Then,” he says, “we had to go down to fetch water, but now the BMC (Brihammumbai Municipal Corporation) water comes directly to my house.”
This old ladder leads to the terrace. Only one person can use it at a time.
As you can see, the ravages of age have begun to show in this old stone structure.
The families living here rely on gas cylinders and kerosene stoves to cook their daily meals.
As you can see, water continues to be a major issue. Look at all the vessels used to store the precious liquid.
Each room is home a family and is self-contained; it includes the bathroom and the kitchen.
The toilets, of course, are communal and are located outside the house.
Each floor houses 20 families in 20 rooms.
There are six toilets on each floor — three for men and three for women.
This family on the ground floor, like many others in the chawl, uses the extra space outside their house to wash and dry their clothes.
If you look at the photograph carefully, you will see the little door (behind the lady in maroon) they have made under the window for a quick entry and exit.
Sadly, the rear areas of the BDD buildings are used as chicken coops-cum-garbage dumps.
Facing the chawls is a huge open area where children skip out to play… a rarity in Mumbai.
Most of the residents, except those who stay in buildings reserved as residential quarters for the police (known locally as Police Line Buildings), have extended their rooms to get extra space.
Take a look at this picture and you’ll know what I mean.
You don’t need to live in fancy buildings to have a gymnasium on the premises. Here’s a look at the gym at BDD chawl.
Skyscrapers, with their alluring promise of a more modern lifestyle, tower nearby.
Every floor is connected through a long passage, with houses on both sides. These passage, as you can see, become an extension of the houses.
Finally, here’s a glimpse of how the old replaces the new — the old wooden staircase of the chawl has been renovated using tiles and marble.
Satish Bodas/Rediff.com
Vyjayanthimala Bali ….Dancing @ the Age of 80 !!!
A Bollywood and Bharatanatyam legend, smt. Vijayahthimala Bali (b. 1936) at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, in Mylapore, December 2013.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyjayant…
SOURCE::: http://www.You Tube.com
Natarajan
Jan 20 2015
” 320 Pound Woman … How She will Look Like ” !!!
Amazing!
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” Dosa …. Dosa …. Dosa … “
Dosa is a fermented crepe or pancake made from rice batter and black lentils. It is a staple dish in the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. It is also popular in other parts of India, as well as other countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore.
Here are 20 dosas that everyone must try:
1. Sweet Banana Wheat Dosa
A tasty sweet treat, especially for children. Serve it with sliced bananas and warm chocolate syrup.
2. Mysore Masala Dosa
Commonly known as Masala Dosa, it is Karnataka’s speciality. The filling is prepared with soft mashed potatoes and curry leaves. It’s the first choice when you want to enjoy South Indian food.
3. Paper Dosa
Who doesn’t remember munching on this paper thin crispy dosa dipped in hot sambar and coconut chutney. As kids, it was our all-time favourite.
4. Ali Pota Dosa
Soft and spongy, the name of the dosa literally means ‘scooping into’, when translated from Tamil. It is prepared like Soft dosa, but with different proportions. Serve it with tamarind or puli chutney to bring out the acidic flavours.
5. Oats Masala Dosa
Here comes a tasty South Indian treat for the health conscious people. It is not only fiber rich, but also diabetic friendly. Top it with some chaat masala to give your taste buds a kick.
6. Neer Dosa
Neer dosa, literally means ‘water dosa‘, comes from the unique region of Dakshin Kannada. It is prepared with watery rice batter and tastes best with jaggery and coconut chutney.
7. Kovil Prasadam Dosa
It is made in a unique way and served in South Indian temples as prasadam to the Gods. The recipe for the dosa calls for ginger and sonti and it tastes best with ginger chutney.
8. Davangere Benne Dosa
The dosa traces its origins from the city of Davangere in Karnataka. Benne means butter and so, this mouthwatering dish is made with fresh homemade butter.
9. Godhambu Dosa
Craving for a dosa but don’t have much time? Try this instant wheat dosa recipe. It doesn’t need much fermentation and can be cooked in a few minutes. This simple and nutritional dosa is a perfect choice for your evening snack.
10. Rava Masala
Prepared with suji, you can make it plain or spice it up with mashed potatoes, chopped onions, curry leaves and red chillies. The thin texture of the batter gives it a netted and crispy appearance.
11. Ragi Dosa
A health-friendly dosa, it is slightly brown in colour and has a netted texture just like Rava dosa. Ragi, being very rich in calcium, is a perfect choice for vegans and vegetarians. You can enjoy it plain or with potato fillings and coconut chutney.
12. Kaal Dosa
Unlike other dosas, Kaal dosa is a bit thick and very soft. One of the famous South Indian breakfast dishes, it is served with Kara chutney.
13. Uppu Huli Dosa
A very popular dish in Mangalore and Udupi, the batter is prepared with tamarind and red chillies, giving it a reddish texture. This dosa is a combination of sweet, sour and spicy flavours.
14. Navratan Dosa
Just like it’s name, the dosa takes a royal place in the family of dosas. The dish is prepared with vegetables, fruits and nuts. It is an appetizing yet healthy treat when served hot with corianderchutney and sambar.
15. Egg Dosa
An innovative dosa, it is a doppelganger of our favourite half-fried egg. The thin and crispy layer of a plain dosa makes it taste even more heavenly and luscious.
16. Open Masala Dosa
As the name suggests, the masala is arranged on top of the dosa. It is slightly thicker than plain dosaand can be enjoyed with Sambar and tomato chutney.
17. Steamed Dosa
Also known as Set dosa, it is a very healthy dish prepared without oil. Very easy to make, Steameddosa has a very soft texture and can be enjoyed plain with coriander and tamarind chutney or with mashed potatoes prepared with chillies, curry leaves and onions.
18. Pesarattu Dosa
Prepared with Moong Dal, it is a popular breakfast dish in Andhra Pradesh and it is also known as MLA Pesarattu dosa. The moong daal makes it wholesome and filling. This crispy dosa tastes delightful with some Upama and coconut chutney.
19. Brown Rice Dosa
Full of nutrition, this dosa is the best for every weight watcher. When served with tomato and coconutchutney, this cholesterol-free dosa will not disappoint you.
20. Avocado Dosa
The filling of this dosa is made of avocado and onions. Avacados are called Benne Hannu in Kannada and the dosa is a famous dish in Bangalore hotels. You can enjoy this piping hot dosa withSambar and chutney.
SOURCE:::: http://www.scoopwhoop.com
Natarajan
Jan 19 2015
Do you have any more yummy dosas to add to this list?
” One Catches More Flies with Honey Than with Vinegar … ” !!!
It is better to build bridges than dig trenches!!
From Ancient China: ‘The sentence of a wise Judge’
A farmer in ancient China had a neighbor who was a hunter, and who owned ferocious and poorly trained hunting dogs. They jumped the fence frequently and chased the farmer’s lambs. The farmer asked his neighbor to keep his dogs in check, but this fell on deaf ears.
One day the dogs again jumped the fence and attacked and severely injured several of the lambs.
The farmer had had enough, and went to town to consult a judge who listened carefully to the story and said: “I could punish the hunter and instruct him to keep his dogs chained or lock them up. But you would lose a friend and gain an enemy. Which would you rather have, friend or foe for a neighbor?”The farmer replied that he preferred a friend.
“Alright, I will offer you a solution that keeps your lambs safe, and which will keep your a neighbor a friend.” Having heard the judge’s solution, the farmer agreed.Once at home, the farmer immediately put the judge’s suggestions to the test. He took three of his best lambs and presented them to his neighbor’s three small sons, who were beside themselves with joy and began to play with them. To protect his son’s newly acquired playthings, the hunter built a strong kennel for his dogs. Since then, the dogs never again bothered the farmer’s lambs.
Out of gratitude for the farmer’s generosity toward his sons, the hunter often shared the game he had hunted with the farmer. The farmer reciprocated by sending the hunter lamb meat and cheese he had made. Within a short time the neighbors became good friends.
A saying in old China went something like this, “One can win over and influence people the best with gestures of kindness and compassion.” A similar American saying: “One catches more flies with honey than with vinegar.”
SOURCE:::: input from a friend of mine
Natarajan
Jan 19 2015
” Hanumanthavanam “…. Sri Hanuman Temple . Ashok Nagar , Chennai….
History Of The Temple : An ardent devotee of Lord Hanuman had dreamt of building a temple for the Lord during his life time and took it on himself to achieve this. He had got a granite stone statue for the Lord made from his own savings. The statue was very beautiful, the eyes of the lord were pleasant and Lord Hanuman was majestic in look in standing posture with folded hands. The statue was measuring around twelve feet in height.
Hardship faced : Hanumathavanam HanumanThe devotee had kept the statue in open in Thanigachala Mudali Street in Tyagaraja Nagar, Chennai where he was living. He use to perform daily puja to the Lord from his own savings. He had the ambition to build a temple for the Lord and spread the greatness of the Lord to many. He was not able to mobilize enough funds for building a temple for the Lord. The place he was living was on rental, and these activities of his had put other tenants to inconvenience. He was then forced to move out of this place, and he had found a place in nearby Ashok Nagar area. He had moved the statue of the Lord also with him.
Continued efforts : He continued his efforts to raise funds for the building of the temple. He had failed on this account but he had never failed to perform daily puja to the Lord. His efforts to keep the statue in his house, gave raise to lot of inconvenience to others who were sharing the same plot. Then after twelve years of his efforts had not yielded any fruitful results in late eighties he had shifted the statue of the Lord Hanuman to one corner of the park maintained by Chennai city Corporation nearby.
Hanumanthavanam TempleManagement : Today the “Hanumanthavanam Trust” manages the affairs of the temple. Daily pujas are performed by the temple priest. The pujas can be got performed by the temple priest or devotee themselves can perform it. The devotees can bring the ‘prasadam’ and offer to the Lord and no ‘prasadam’ are cooked in the temple. This temple is called ‘suya puja koil’. In case any devotee wants any help in collection of the puja samagris the trust will help them if the required amount is deposited with them. Today vadamalai, butter alankaram are possible with the help of this group.
Functions in the temple and social activates of the association : Sri Rama Navami, Sri Hanumath Jayanthi are celebrated in a grand manner. The trust feeds deserving fifty people daily. They also help school children with free uniforms and books. There are some special classes conducted for weak students. Today there is a big hall around thirty feet by twenty feet in front of the sannadhi of the Lord Hanuman. The temple is in plot measuring thirty feet in the front and ten feet on the back. There is a small sannadhi for Lord Genesha also.
SOURCE:::: http://www.anjaneyaswami.com/ashoknagar
Natarajan
Jan 19 2015
Image of the Day… Milky Way Over Todd Lake Basin, Oregon…
Milky Way over Todd Lake Basin, Oregon
Here in the midst of our northern winter, a beautiful shot of the summer Milky Way.
Jason Brownless captured this view last August of the Todd Lake Basin in Oregon, with Mt. Bachelor – a stratovolcano, since 1958 the site of a ski lodge – and the Milky Way in the background.
SOURCE::: Deborah Byrd in http://www.earthskynews.org
Natarajan
Jan 19 2015
Message For the Day…” Purify Your Mind and Heart to Experience the Divine …”
All your actions must be aimed at purifying your minds and hearts to experience the Divine. When the heart is pure, the light of wisdom shines. The illumined heart becomes the receptacle of pure love. A person without love is a living corpse. Love is not the relationship between man and woman, or between man and other objects. It is the inherent life-force in every being. “I am the Spirit immanent in all beings (Mamaatma Sarvabhootaatma)”. The Divine Self is present in all beings and has no form. It is experienced as Love. Love is our lifebreath, our soul! Young and old alike, must cultivate steady, unchanging, and unwavering love. All of you must be filled with a sense of selfless dedication, arising from service to others (seva) in which there is no egoistic pride. Revel in giving rather than receiving.
A Serene and Simple Prayer …. Not Only by Senior Citizens … !!!!
SPECIAL PRAYER BY SENIOR CITIZENSA Simple, not-so-intelligent, but Sincere Prayer.
Release me from craving to straighten out everyone’s affairs. Keep my mind free from recital of endless details.
Give me wings to get to the point.Give me the grace, dear GOD, to listen to others as they describe their aches and pains.
Help me endure the boredom with patience and keep my lips sealed,
for my own aches and pains are increasing in number and intensity,
and the pleasure of discussing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally, I might be mistaken. Keep me reasonably sweet.
I do not wish to be a saint (Saints are so hard to live with), but a sour old person is the work of the devil.Make me thoughtful, but not moody, helpful, but not pushy, independent,
yet able to accept with graciousness favors that others wish to bestow on me.Free me of the notion that simply because I have lived a long time,
I am wiser than those who have not lived so long.I am older, but not necessarily wiser!If I do not approve of some of the changes that have taken place in recent years, give me the wisdom to keep my mouth shut.
GOD,please know that when the end comes,I would like to have a friend or two left.Source:::: Unknown…. Input from a Friend of MineNatarajanJan 19 2015
Take off with Natarajan 