My experience of the Vedic Wisdom.

I grew up in Kirkee, near Pune in Maharashtra, India – the land of ancient Vedic tradition. It is a part of the world that worships the five elements and hundreds of deities bearing different names. 

As a kid, I have seen many poor communities that lived happily and harmoniously without any luxuries. Such communities included people from different backgrounds, earning their living through inherited skills like in carpentry, weaving, pottery, metal work and so on. Once a week, a washerman picked up laundry from our home and returned it the following week washed, ironed and neatly folded. There were 'Tongawalas' who earned livelihood by driving a horse cart. There was an elderly Muslim gentleman who rode over 20 miles every day on his bicycle to deliver newspapers and magazines. A barber came home occasionally to give us a haircut. A carpenter made us a cricket bat and benches from waste wood for a song! The grocer gave us credit, fully trusting us. A fruit vendor on his bicycle sold us fruits. There were numerous small tradesmen who made a honest living selling all kinds of wares  and services door-to-door. There were travelling salesman who used to sell salt, cloth, bangles, aluminium utensils, cheap toys, ice cream etc. A kalaivala used to amuse the kids by setting up a shop on the ground.

Each of them was very happy pursuing his profession and we loved them for their dedication to work. In general, workers had pride in their workmanship and most importantly were contented. Being happy was primary. Earning money was secondary.

The primary school I studied at had no electric gadgets like fans, television or telephones. People believed in nature as the Almighty that provides resources for living. It was considered a sin to sell water or spit into it. I have witnessed people greeting each other by chanting the Lord’s name “Ram Ram.” Disputes in villages were often amicably settled in a ‘panchayat’ – a small court headed by the village chieftain – without any paperwork.

Social practices too had a code of behavior. It was considered a duty for sons to take care of old parents. Divorce was almost unheard of. At home, parents encouraged kids to wake up before sunrise and offer prayers. Every morning and evening, oil lamps must be lit at home. People believed (many still do) that some plants and trees like Tulasi, Neem, Bilva, Peepal, were divine. Even a blade of grass is a divine fit for offering to Lord Ganesha.

For most of us, life was simple, smooth and fun. Such was the great Wisdom of Vedic Tradition!

The Art of Aging

 Am I getting older? No. I am just chronologically gifted! in fact, I feel proud to be a member of the octogenarian club.

What is the Art of Aging? Art refers to a certain skill. So, the Art of Aging means the skill to age gracefully and face reality.

Most people fear old age. Whether you like it or not, aging happens since the day you were born. You need to accept growing old; it is inevitable. 

It is a part of life. If you are 80+ like me, think you are among the lucky ones to survive past 80.

You have entered a new phase of learning. Regardless of how you have lived in the past, you will gain new perspectives about life.

No doubt, you will face new challenges, both physically and mentally.A lot of weird stuff may be happening to your body. Lifting weights, running or climbing the stairs aren't exactly things to do after 80. Your food menu may change - not by choice but more by necessity. You may tend to forget many things like your glasses, keys and names. People around you may start treating lightly of what you say-some may become indifferent. 

You have more time to pursue things that make you happy. There are many things that can engage you positively with least disturbance to others. Enjoy the beauty of nature around you- see the wonderful colors of leaves and flowers, listen to the birds chirping, admire the beauty and innocense of little children, grow small plants and get excited when you harvest a produce -there are so many such nice pastimes for you. 

If you are a religious person, you can perform a puja at home or read some shlokas. If you are good in expressing yourself, write articles of interest.

Choose your attitude - Be always positive in your thinking and talking. Try and enjoy the food you eat even if it is not your favourite. Gauge how people feel when they are with you. Do they feel comfortable? Laugh with them, inspire them, encourage them and bless them for a wonderful life. Avoid arguments.

In Mahabharata, there is an interesting epiosde called "Yaksha Prashna." In this episode, Yama Dharmaraja in the form of an Yaksha asks many questions to Yudhisthira, the eldest of Pandavas. I recall two of the questions and answers that seem most relevant to seniors:

Question: What is the most surprising thing in this world?

Answer: The most surprising thing is, though all humans know they are mortal, everybody goes about their life as if they are going to live forever.

Question: What is the greatest happiness?

Answer: Contentment

Remember these wonderful responses by the wise Yudishtra.

In short, the Art of Aging is to find your own ways to enter the most exciting and perhaps the final phase of life!

Remembering My Mother

Twentyfive years ago, my beloved mother breathed her last on the last day of the year 1996. She was the most important person in shaping me. I remember her often and would like to write about her in this blog.

My mother was born in the year 1916 at Soolamangalam, a small village near Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. She was named Gomathy in remembrance of her family's 'Kuladeivam' (family deity at Sankarankoil). Her father Sankaran and grandfather Swaminathan were rich Mirasdars (agricultural landlords) who lived in the village for generations. Because of a family feud, Sankaran lost much of his property and died young leaving his widow and eight children in the care of his father. 

In those days, people got married at young age. My mother got married when she was barely fourteen. My father had just entered college then. They lived together for a short time when misfortune struck again. Most unexpectedly, my paternal grandfather who was a practising doctor passed away. The burden of the family fell on my father's shoulder. It took some years of separation and distress for my parents. My mother was unfazed with all the struggles she had to endure. 

I was born soon after my father got a government job at cordite factory in Nilgiris. My family then moved to Kirkee, a suburb of Pune, where my father worked  at the High Explosives factory until his retirement. Much of memory revolves around my childhood days in Pune.

My mother was an exceedingly talented person. She was a good home maker. Her self-taught talents included cooking, stitching, crochet, embroidery, rangoli, home medicines and more. She made the most productive use of time. Best of all, she was a born leader and organizer. She leveraged her qualities to launch a women's association called Vanitha Vilas Ladies Club. Her objective was to engage the ladies in learning many skills to become more useful to their families and the community. Using a rented a bicycle, she taught the ladies to ride it. She borrowed a sewing machine and helped the members sew simple clothes at home. The picture shows a group of ladies and kids in the early stages of the club. She encouraged the ladies to participate sports like ring tennis and shuttlecock. Assembling the kids around, she organized cultural events that included drama and dancing. I recall that she took us on a field trip to the Paisa Fund Glass Factory in Talegaon. We all had loads of fun! 

One of her great qualities was to be clear and honest in conversations. Friends liked her and sought her advice. She had the gift to patch up broken relationships. Among many things I learnt from her, the most important are courage, honesty and integrity. 

I cannot describe her fully. To say in just one line, she was a wonderful human being. On this last day of the year, I fondly remember her and pay my humble tributes to her. She was a great and rare mother. Indeed, I am proud of her. I really love you, Amma! 

Ministers and Manners

 This blog is an interesting story that my father had told me. It is set in the years 1932-33. My father had just graduated in Chemistry from Annamalai University. He desperately wanted a job. It was very difficult to get a job those days. Madras (now Chennai) was the Mecca for job seekers as there were many companies. So, my father set out to seek his fortunes in Madras. Instead of mailing his CV, he went door-to-door visiting many companies. In one of the foreign companies dealing with chemicals, the English manager was kind enough to grant him an interview. On seeing my father, the first question he asked was, "Are you a buyer or seller?" My father replied, "Neither I am just a job-seeker." 'Ok. I see" said the boss, "Tell me what you can do for me?" My father reeled out his academic credentials. The English boss was unimpressed. He pointed to the books on a nearby shelf and said, " Youngman, whatever you told me now is all within my arms reach. So, why should I hire you? Can you develop a chemical formulation and sell it?" End of interview. No job.

 Totally disappointed and frustrated, my father looked at the newspapers. He chanced to read an ad. from the Indian Express seeking reporters. He applied and got the job. Added to the salary was a bonus in offering tuitions to the big boss Ramnath Goenka's young son. So, my father started his first job as a journalist.

The Editor Kasa Subbarao asked my father to interview Mr. P.T. Rajan (grandfather of present DMK minister P.T. Rajan) who was then a minister in the Justice Party Government. The Justice Party was the ideological predecessor of the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK). Smartly dressed, my father visited the office of Mr. P.T. Rajan. An attendant ushered him into a waiting room and went to inform the minister about his seeking an interview. My father waited patiently. After a long wait, the minister came out. Brushing past my father without even a glance, he shouted at the attendant, "Hey, you come here, haven't I told you not to let any dog from Indian Express to enter this premises?" My father got the hint and walked out quietly.

 Back at the Indian Express office, my father gave a tearful report of the humiliating incident to the editor. The Editor was a smart man. He calmed down my father and said, "Don't worry. Such insults are quite common in a journalistic career. But you know, the pen is mightier than the sword. Watch me, I will teach the minister a lesson." 

The next day, the Indian Express carried an editorial titled, "Ministers and Manners" lashing out at the minister's way of treating a media representative.

How to Live Happily?

People have been searching for an answer to this eternal question since times immemorial. Who does not want to be happy? Every day, we are being bombarded with a variety of messages from writers, politicians, priests, journalists, advertisers, film makers and others promising happiness. Do they really work? 

During my younger days, I dreamt of leading a very happy life. In pursuit of my goal, I read many self-improvement books that provided tips on how to lead a happy life. Most of these books were written by Americans, with catchy titles to attract ambitious people like me. The first book I bought was titled, "How to Win Friends and Influence People?" This book, written by Dale Carnegie, is reportedly been purchased more than thirty million times. I was greatly inspired by this book and was almost sure it will lead me to the path of success in my career and life, and then on to eternal happiness. The book was good, but it did not work for me as expected. I was worried that happiness was elusive but did not give up hope. So, I bought a second book by the same author. It was on "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living?" This book promised to grab worry by the horns and wrestle it to the ground, thus paving the way to happiness. Alas, this book too did not help me much as I was married then and worried about finding a decent flat to start living with my young wife in the city of Bombay. 

Being a firm believer in the power of optimism, I did not easily give up. I read more books, sought the advice of my seniors, saw inspiring movies, heard lectures on Bhagavad Gita- anything that held the potential to make me happy. The net result was confusion, a sense of fear and insecurity about the future. Many questions arose in my mind - like how Americans are wealthy and happy while India with all the holy religious leaders continued to struggle in poverty and unhappiness.  

It took me long time to realize what went wrong. I was trying to mimick the life of some successful people banking upon false values like fashionable life, material possessions, social reputation, and so on. I thought Americans are very happy as portrayed in the TV commercials, particularly the ones promoting drugs. The truth is many of them are really worried and depressed. One has to merely see the TV news on the number of shootings and violence that take place everyday. 

Interestingly, many poor Indians seem to be really happy for no reason to be happy. Just see the most beautiful smiles of poor children in India. Their parents struggle to make a living and yet are supremely happy. So, clearly money, materials and fame do not make one really happy. As my father used to say, "You can buy the most expensive bed in the world; it still does not guarantee you sound peaceful sleep."

So, how to live happily? You know that happiness is a state of mind. It does not come in 'fit all' forms. Every person is born different. So, happiness is also different to each one. To a child, even a cheap toy can bring happiness. One has to find happines by looking within. You cannot be happy by looking at others and comparing. Do some "Atma Vicharam" (Self-introspection) and discover your own inherent strengths and leverage them for activities that make you happy. Enjoy simple things in life like playing with a child and listening to music. Take a walk looking at birds, animals, plants and flowers. 

In short, make a change and start living a life based on your honest feelings. You will slowly find peace within yourself. After all, you are the one responsible for your happiness, and you alone can discover it!

Japan - The Land of the Rising Sun

Last week, I visited Japan after a lapse of 36 years. I enjoyed pleasant nostalgic memories of my earlier trips including my orientation in Japanese language, the long technical training at Mitsubishi Electric in Kobe and later at the Japanese management training program. I found Japan has not changed much - it still remains an unique country that combines tradition and modernity.

The Japanese Emperor is revered and lives in a grand Imperial Palace. The palace has many gardens and I had the time and opportunity to visit the Eastern Gardens of the Imperial Palace. Like you see some places in India, the palace has a moat around it. (see picture alongside).

The Royalty and the people of Japan love nature. You can witness this love of nature exhibited in many forms - like in art, colorful paintings, roof gardens, sculpture and others. Ikebana - the art of flower arrangement is an example. The Japanese have maintained a continuity of traditions along with amazing transformations of the country through technology.

The Vedas proclaim "Aham Brahmāsmi (I am the Universe). Each one us is a part of the Almighty. Like the dew on each blade of grass shines like a gem reflecting the Sun, each of us have the sparkling Jeevatma in us. So, it is in Japan - the land of the rising Sun.

Buddhism, an offshoot of Hinduism, originated in India and later spread to Japan. Vedas too got transmitted to Japan by the sea route from South India and Southeast Asia. In fact, a year ago, a delegation of 150 Vedic priests conducted a grand yagya at Mount Fuji in Japan to cleanse the environmental problems faced by Japan. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A--V8NV4eyc).

There is some similarity between Sanskrit (Samskrutam to be correct) and Japanese languages. I noticed it in some words - like we say  "homa" in Sanskrit to describe the Vedic ritual fire; in Japanese they call it "goma." The priest is called "achari" in Japanese - similar to "Acharya" (teacher) in Sanskrit.

I derive great inspiration from Japan and can go on and on with many more observations. This is just to share my immediate thoughts soon after I returned to India from Japan.

If you have any comments, please feel free to write to me. Dhanyavaadah!

The Power of Fire

Today, through the courtesy of abc News, I watched the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in London. The Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, the presiding bishop of the American Episcopal Church, delivered an amazing sermon that included the following references to the revoloutionary power of fire:

"French Jesuit Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was arguably one of the great minds, one of the great spirits of the 20th century. A Jesuit, Roman Catholic priest, scientist, a scholar, a mystic. In some of his writings, he said from his scientific background as well as his theological one. In some of his writings, he said as others have, that the discovery or invention or harnessing of fire was one of the great scientific and technological discoveries in all of human history. Fire to a great extent made human civilization possible. Fire made it possible to cook food and to provide sanitary ways of eating which reduced the spread of disease in its time. Fire made it possible to heat warm environments and thereby made human migration around the world a possibility, even into colder climates. Fire made it possible, there was no Bronze Age without fire, no Iron Age without fire, no industrial revolution without fire. The advances of science and technology are greatly dependent on the human ability and capacity to take fire and use it for human good.

Anybody get here in a car today? An automobile? Nod your heads if you did, I’m guessing, I know there were some carriages. But those of us who came in cars, the controlled harnessed fire made that possible. I know that the Bible says, and I believe it, that Jesus walked on the water, but I have to tell you I didn’t walk across the Atlantic Ocean to get here. Controlled fire in that plane got me here. Fire makes it possible for us to text and tweet and email and Instagram and Facebook and socially be dysfunctional with each other. Fire makes all of that possible and de Chardin said that fire was one of the greatest discoveries in all of human history. And he then went on to say that if humanity every harnesses the energy of fire again, if humanity ever captures the energy of love, it will be the second time in history that we have discovered fire."

Let me draw a parallel with the beliefs in Hinduism. For Hindus, Fire is considered as most sacred. Called Agni in Sanskrit, fire is central to all vedic rituals. In the Rig Veda, Agni is the first of the cosmic gods to be invoked; The very first sloka (verse) of Rig Veda reads:

अग्निमीळे पुरोहितं यज्ञस्य देवमृत्विजम् ।
होतारं रत्नधातमम् ॥१॥
Agnimeele purohitam yagyasya devamrtvijam |
hotaaram ratnadhaatamam ||1||

Roughly translated, Agni meele means “I praise Agni.” Purohitam yagyasya means “the priest of the sacrifice.” Devam means divine and rtvijam is the priest who officiates at the sacrifice. Hotaram refers to the priest who invokes -the Invoker. Ratnadha means “the one who bestows the jewel of ecstasy or the inner physical, mental and spiritual wealth, the nectar"; tamam is the superlative of Ratnadha. So, in short, the first verse in the Rig Veda dedicated to fire god Agni means:

“O Agni, I praise Thee,
O priest, O divine minister
Who officiates at the divine Sacrifice,
Who is also the invoker, the Summoner,
Who most bestows the divine wealth upon us.”

About two hundred verses in the Rig Veda extol the virtues of Agni. We embody Agni, the flame of aspiration, in our hearts. All forms of fire are associated with Agni including the sun, lightning, sacrificial fire, domestic fires, and the digestive fire (jaataraagni) which is within all living beings. Fire is considered a witness in Hindu ceremonies such as marriages. Fire is used to cremate the dead in the Antima Sanskar - the final rites. Fire is an unique element as it cannot be polluted. To keep the fire burning at home, we light oil lamps.

The Persians too built fire temples on their mountaintops and echoed similar thoughts in their most ancient scripture, the Zend Avesta: “We worship the Fire, the son of God, the holy lord of the ritual order. And we worship all the Fires and the mountain that holds the light. And we worship every holy celestial spirit and every holy earthly spirit."

Bishop Michael Curry's sermon highlighted the power of fire. It matches well with the basic teachings of Hinduism. To quote Rig Veda again,

"O Agni! Master Strength! O Leader! You gather around all the peoples of the world and bind them together. You burn bright in the high seat of Revelation. You bring us all the Riches."

May the Power of Fire continue to serve us as a source of constant inspiration and enlightenment!

From Electrical Engineering to Enlightenment

As a child, I had always wanted to be an electrical engineer. I loved the discipline and all the thrills that came with it. The first electrical device that I made out of scarp materials was a simple electric doorbell for my home. The first ring on it was so sweet and divine! I wrote 'PRESS' beneath the pushbutton so that no visitor can miss it!

The next project was a crystal radio set. It was assembled out of assorted materials including my mom’s favorite rolling pin that served as the core cylinder for the radio frequency tuner. My father got me a pair of headphones salvaged from an army depot. When I first heard the broadcast from the local Pune radio station, I jumped with joy. I felt proud to have achieved something great - like having won the nobel prize!

Eventually, my childhood dream took shape into reality. I graduated in electrical engineering from the then famous century-old College of Engineering in Pune. I was blessed to learn from the best of Gurus. Who can ever forget the teaching of Prof. Virkar who was the head of electrical engineering department? 

My passion pursued into working for one of the largest electrical companies in India. Over the years, I was pushed up in the managerial ladder and one day I found myself completely out of electrical engineering. But then, my heart yearned for something that could sustain my curiosity into the unknown power – like electricity that you don’t see but it does wonders!

When I took a walk this morning, I heard the noise of geese from the sky. It was a flock of geese flying in beautiful symmetry like you see the air planes flying in formation at air shows. How wonderful is this creation!

I believe in the existence of a great unseen creator, and I think He is very intelligent.  The complexity and beauty of His creations are just amazing. I like to probe into the unknown and share the excitement with other interested humans. In the process, I too have a great opportunity to get enlightened.

So, in recent years, I have taken to the study of some of the most ancient scriptures handed down to us by our ancestors through centuries.

I enjoy my work – it is as glamorous and exciting as the study of electrical engineering! I hope it lights up some lives around the world.

The Miracle of Manjakudi

Swami Dayanand Saraswathi

Ever heard of Manjakudi? Well, it is a small village located on the banks of the river Cauveri in Tiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu near the city of Kumbakonam in South India. Thanks to my dear friend Dr. Sureshwara, my wife and I had an opportunity to visit this village - the birthplace of the well-known Indian monk Sri Dayanand Saraswathi. Our visit was facilitated by Sri Rajagopal, a disciple of Dayanand Saraswathi, a senior manager of Wipro, and a wonderful human being! It was very nice of him to conduct us through the facilities in Manjakudi village. 

Manjakudi is one of the few villages in India where excellent educational facilities are now made available from kindergarten to graduate programs. Built and administered by Swami Dayananda Education Trust (SDET), Manjakudi has spacious primary and high schools, a college that offers undergraduate and graduate programs in arts and sciences, a Veda Paatashaala where all the four Vedas are taught in Gurukulam style, a large auditorium, vast playgrounds and a library.  

Wipro's BPO at Manjakudi

A Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) center of Wipro Technologies is functioning from an independent air-conditioned building. Launched in 2011, Wipro's Manjakudi Development Centre is a successful result of its tie up with SDET.  

Other notable facilities in Manjakudi include a Goshaala (cow shed)  with local and cross-breed cows that yield about 100 litres of organic milk every day, a vermi-composting project that converts organic waste into compost, and a large herbal garden growing medicinal plants.

Higher Educational Facilities

SDET not only provides quality education but also creates employment opportunities to the rural folks in Manjakudi itself to minimize their migration to cities. This way, the rural economy seems to have improved significantly with a large floating population streaming in everyday from neighbouring cities. Some of the city folks have migrated to this village – like the security guard I met who had moved from Bangalore after living there for over 20 years. 

Manjakudi is indeed a miracle! It is a clear demonstration of transforming a sleepy village into a busy hub of educational and economic activities. Swami Dayananda Saraswathi’s dream is now a reality. Manjakudi is indeed a superb model worth replicating in some of India’s other villages. 

We left Manjakudi with our hearts filled with abundant joy and our bellies filled with sumptuous South Indian vegetarian meals served on banana leaf!

On Doing Nothing

With my six-year old hyperactive grandson away from home, I felt I had nothing to do. He always kept himself and me engaged. Not having anything to do made him get 'bored' and so, the flame of activity has to be always lighted. Without him, I suddenly found a strange dullness creeping into me.

Contrary to what many people may think, doing nothing is not easy. You need to experience it. As a child, the worst punishment I ever suffered was to sit silently facing a wall! The American version of it is called 'time out'- a punishment to a misbehaving kid in which the child is temporarily forced to remain silent in a single spot. The anguish of forcing someone to be seated silent and do nothing seems far worse than any physical punishment.

I pondered over 'doing nothing.' In doing so, I recalled Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi's two famous words "Shumma Iru." It literally means 'Be Still' or 'Keep Quiet.' Silence is said to be the Highest teaching of Bhagavan. 'Shumma Iru' is the state of absolute stillness, without deeds, words, and even thoughts. In other words, Do Nothing! Perhaps, a blank slate is the best place to begin something new or feel afresh. It is believed that in this state of stillness, one can experience a feeling of bliss in the mind in its pure state.

The great Sufi poet Rumi wrote, "Only let the moving waters calm down, and the sun and moon will be reflected on the surface of your being.

Most of us are used to having our minds occupied all the time. We seldom take any time to pause, to reflect over things, or even to just think. To many, life seems to be a nonstop sequence of activities.

Are there any benefits of 'doing nothing'?  Many saints and philosophers have attested to the benefits of doing nothing but engage oneself with self-introspection. By doing so, you have a chance to grow spiritually, discover your own strengths and weaknesses, and decide upon what you really want to do.

So, after all, doing nothing is not that bad. May be you should try spending sometime doing nothing!

Give your mind a break by observing "Shumma Iru." Enjoy your own 'Do Nothing' vacation!

Code of Conduct

During my recent trip to Kumbakonam in South India, my wife and I took the opportunity of visiting many rural areas around. It was one of the most satisfying vacations that we ever had.

Picture of a Poster

In this trip, my objective was not merely to visit the temples but to learn more about the lifestyle of people in the villages. What’s most interesting is to observe how the rural people make a living and how happy they are given the poverty in their lives. In pursuit of my mission, I went trekking on the narrow Mangudi-Konakkarai road close to the banks of Cauvery river. The rough clumsy road had clutters of huts lined on either side surrounded by dense trees almost like a rain forest. The journey provided me opportunities to meet with many rural folks. They seemed very happy, merrily engaged in weaving, picking flowers, drying coconuts and doing such mundane jobs. None complained about life. Some of the kids playing around were wearing only their beautiful smiles. A lady was carrying several cut stems of banana trees. I bought from her four pieces and gave her Rs.20. She declined the Rs 20 note and said 'Please give me Rs.10 only. It is more than enough and I do not want more.' Her words left me stunned. It reflected a code of conduct and supreme contentment. How exactly she had inherited such a code of conduct and contentment? 

The clue came from a poster that I saw on the walls of one of the huts (see picture). It was an announcement of the 1341st birthday of a king called the third suvaramara muthraiyer. The local people said that they belonged to a community called 'Muthraiyar' and were followers of the great tradition set by a King Mutharaja, a renowned chieftain who lived sometime in 5th or 6th century A.D. This king himself was believed to be a descendant of Kannappa Nayanar, a great devotee of Lord Shiva, who offered his own eyes to replace the bleeding eyes on the Shivalingam (see right corner of picture). The code of conduct set by this king included honesty, truth, and service to others. I was told that the community living there was very peaceful, contented and the incidence of thefts or other crimes was negligible.

Think about it! How different are our urban attitudes, and how indifferent are the most educated people?

Having a personal code of conduct is a powerful source of contentment to help you respond to challenging life situations. Judging by Western or Urban standards, the poor rural folks I saw near Kumbakonam had really no reasons to be happy. Yet they were supremely happy and lived on their own terms! Is there a lesson for us to learn from them?

Lights and Cheers!

Come December - the merry-making season starts. It is a wonderful season of lights and cheers. 

We ushered in the season with the Karthigai Deepam - the most significant festival of lights celebrated in our home with delicious eats like Appam and Pori Urundai (a sweet ball made with puffed rice and jaggery). Traditionally, we have always used oil lamps for Karthigai Deepam - not electric lights. The functioning of oil lamp has a spiritual significance. The wick in the lamp symbolizes our ego and the oil denotes what is responsible for the ego to thrive. The flame resembling the spiritual knowledge has the capacity to diminish our ego.

Travelling through the streets of Columbus, Ohio, I caught this colorful picture from my car.

My five-year old grandson assembled the Christmas tree and clapped when the lights were switched on.

I love the holiday season - especially the colorful decorations of lights spreading cheers all around! As I drive on the Lake Cook road, I am delighted to see beautifully decorated trees with strings of lights wrapped around them. There are homes decorated with colored lights that blink on and off. Some are strobing lights that move gracefully across the home.  

One of Chicago's biggest and brightest holiday traditions is the Lights Festival parade. This year, it was the 25th Anniversary of this wonderful festival. The Lights Festival officially kick off the celebrations of the winter holidays and usher in the shopping season. Snow or no snow, people brave the cold to venture out and enjoy the lights.

Life shines where there is light. Let us usher in the New Year with bright lights spreading cheers all around us.

Happy New Year to all!

On Growing Old

Last week, my entire family got together in Chicago to celebrate two birthdays. One was my birthday and the other was that of my grandson Vivek who merrily turned five. 

As usual, the birthday celebrations included a "Burra Khana" (derived from बड़ा खाना in Hindi meaning a fabulous feast!). It was followed by a visit to the Balaji Temple in Aurora. At the temple, someone admired me and paid compliments - surprisingly for my grey hair and old age! I wish I were really worthy of that compliment. 

A few days later, after a Harikatha program at the Lemont temple, a couple whom I knew well came up to me and said I served as a source of inspiration for them. What did I do to deserve it except losing more hair on my head and growing some wrinkles over my body? I pondered.

To some, growing old is a real burden. But then, growing old is mandatory for everyone. The option is how you deal with it. Everyone, at every age, have their own share of problems in living. Those lacking the means for happy living within themselves will find any age to be hard. And, what are those means? To me, they seem pretty simple - like being true to your self, pursuing goals in tune with your inherent strengths, respecting nature, leading a simple life, being cheerful and contented. 

Once I asked my octogenarian father how he would like to live if he were given a new lease of life. Without batting an eyelid, he replied, "Exactly the same way as I have lived." His response reflected the high degree of contentment he had in life, despite all the hardships he faced all through his life. In his career span of over thirty years, he was never late at work even once! He ate simple vegetarian food at regular times, always active but never went to a gym or popped pills. 

An example in contrast- One of my friends wanted his teenage son to pursue a rewarding career. So, he took his son for an aptitude test. The test revealed that his son had no ambition whatsoever and was ideally suited for retirement! 

These days, many people seem to be obsessed with exercising, consuming various juice and protein concoctions, following strict diets, doing yoga, and popping vitamins and supplements, all in a valiant effort to lead a happy and prolonged life. I am not sure how much of these really help in overcoming old age. Old age is unavoidable. 

As a proverb goes, everyone is the age of their heart. Age is a simple question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.

Let me quote a nice poem by H.W. Longfellow:

Age is opportunity no less,

Than youth itself, though in another dress,

And as the evening twilight fades away,

The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.

Enjoy life, even if you are old!

Maharajapuram Mitra Mandal (3M)

There are different factors that inspire people to do something for their "Maatru Bhoomi." For me, it was a deep burning desire to trace some people of my ancestral village and unite them to perform activities that benefit the local rural communities. Neither me nor my father have ever lived in our ancestral village of Maharajapuram - a tiny hamlet near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. So, finding people who hail from this village was like finding a needle in a hay stack! I tried googling Maharajapuram. It produced about 2,57,000 results in 0.61 seconds with prominence to the great singer Maharajapuram Santhanam who prefixed the village name to his own but apparently contributed very little to the village. I could not find any useful people contacts through google. So, what should I do further in pursuit of my desire? 

I thought hard. In the first place, what attracted me to my ancestral village? It was the small, beautiful ancient village temple of Vishnu Durga that I happened to visit for the first time some 30 years ago - thanks to the trustee of the temple Sri Ramachandra Iyer who kindly hosted me at his home in the adjacent village of Baskararajapuram. 

During my extensive travels, I discovered that people in India's villages are often united by the village temples. Temple festivals pull thousands, sometimes millions of people together. I witnessed it in the most recent Kumbabhishekam of a temple in Baskararajapuram. Besides being most colorful, such festivals provide livelihood to hundreds of local people who are skilled in various services. One way of helping the local communities is to perform some actvities connected with the temple. I felt there could be some people of Maharajapuram lineage who might still be interested in the village temple, if not in the village itself. 

My hunch proved right!  Through my network of contacts including the family members of Ramachandra Iyer, I found at least four people with Maharajapuram lineage seriously interested in renovating and maintaining the Vishnu Durga temple. In fact, one of them whom I had not met before was so good that he invited me to visit Mumbai and stay at his home. Another was my long-time friend and colleague from Greaves Cotton in Mumbai whom I met by chance after 40 years at the temple! Last week, we all met together in Mumbai and formed the "Maharajapuram Mitra Mandal"- an association of Maharajapuram friends - to work on our objectives. We decided to undertake the renovation of the temple and also planned to conduct a 'Laksharchanai,' a major temple event, in July 2016. Such activities are sure to provide jobs for local workers and further their livelihood. My fond hope is that we will discover more people of this village and the 3M group will grow to help a tiny part of rural India economically and spiritually too! Stay tuned to the group activities on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/509065412615138/?ref=bookmarks

There is a popular saying "Service To Humanity Is Service To God." To me, it appears that Service to God translates itself as Service to Humanity! Jai Durga Maatha Di!

Pilgrimage to Kauai in Hawaii – 2

Let me give you a quick background to this temple.

Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001), affectionately known as Gurudeva, founded the Kauai Hindu Monastery in 1970 to foster solidarity of Hindus around the globe. He created this sacred place for meditation, worship and training of monks. His successor is Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami.

There are two traditional Saivite Hindu temples located on the monastery's 363 acres, Kadavul Temple and the San Marga Iraivan Temple, a rare, all-granite Chola-style temple, under construction.

Pujas are performed everyday in the 'Kadavul' temple. It was built in the year 1973. Visitors are welcome from 9 am to noon every day.

What's special about this temple? The most amazing thing about this temple is the way it is so nicely managed by a group of talented monks. To mention a few of the impressive features in this temple:

• Many temples perform Nithya pujas 4 times a day - Morning, Noon, Evening and Night - and close the temple in the night. In the Kadavul temple, the monks perform three-hour vigils 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in its sacred precincts since inception. This practice is going on for decades at this temple and it is very rare to find such a temple! It reflects the high dedication the monks have on worshipping Lord Shiva.

• The monks, numbering over 20, perform a variety of tasks. Well-versed in some of the ancient Hindu scriptures, they follow a highly spiritual life, perform the nithya pujas by taking turns, and work on growing rare plants, photography, web design, IT services, write/edit articles, gather flowers, prepare for the puja, decorate the deities, cook, manage the kitchen, and tend the cows and animals!  Isn't that great for a Hindu monastery in the Western World?

On the very first day of our visit, Paramacharya asked Saravananathaswamy to show us around. With a cheerful smile, young Saravananathaswamy escorted us on a conducted tour of this sprawling sanctuary.

The Wonder of Nature

With Saravananathaswamy, we walked for some distance enjoying the splendid view of Mount Waialeale and the water falls of the Wailua River flowing into a large pond down below in a valley.

Iraivan temple in the making

Swamy then took us in a go-cart to the Iraivan temple under construction about a km away. On either side of the narrow pathway, we saw exotic trees and plants (including 'Paan' - Vettilai) with plenty of bright colorful flowers.

With Saravananathaswami and a visitor

Iraivan temple entrance

The Iraivan temple was inspired by a vision of Sathguru Shivaya Subramanyswami.  It is a 3.2 million pound Shiva temple sculpted in Bangaluru by master craftsman in 3000 plus blocks of granite. The crafted components are then shipped to Kauai where the assembly is taking place. It is a rare temple in the Western World with many "green" features including the use of fly ash concrete. Work is expected to be completed by 2017. 

At the temple, there are no arrangements for food for visitors. However, since it was getting late for us, Saravananathaswamy graciously brought for us two packets of lunch that was cooked for the monks. It included some rice and two subjis. It was like "Amrutam" to us!

Ardhra Abhishekam to Lord Nataraja

On Sunday, October 4th, we witnessed the Ardhra Abhishekam to Lord Nataraja's idol. With Sri Rudram chanting, tall Yoginathaswamy stood on a ladder and performed a full scale abhishekam with milk, honey, coconut water, sandal paste, vibhuti etc. After the abhishekam, people (including us) sang some bhajans while alankaram was being done. Flower archana and arati followed. We had the most satisfying darshan of the beautifully decorated Nataraja and the illuminated Spatikalingam in front. It was like getting immersed in complete Sivaness!

Ganesha

The Shivalingam is flanked by the Sannidhis of Lord Ganesha and Lord Karthikeya.

The photos of Ganesha and Murugan that you see here are those of the idols installed on either side of the entrance to the sanctum.

Murugan

Rudra Homam

Every Tuesday at 6 AM, the monks gather together at the temple to perform Rudra Homam and listen to a short speech by Sathguru Bodinatha Veylanswamy. We were specially invited for this event. We felt really blessed and seized the opportunity. The homa kuntam was right in the center of the sanctum. We could see all the assembled monks under one roof, some of them reciting Rudram with perfect intonation - a rare sight indeed! After a short interval, one of the monks performed abhishekam to Lord Karthikeya.

Rudraksha Trees

There is a forest of Rudraksha trees about 2 kms away from the temple. Besides hundreds of Rudraksha beads, we saw Rudraksha flowers on the trees.

Rudraksha Flowers

Food

Most times, we cooked simple meals in the hotel room that had a microwave, a refrigerator and some utencils too. There is only one Indian restaurant in Kauai. It is named "Shivalik!" We had a vegetarian 'Thaali' lunch at this place - good food at reasonable prices!

What others to see in Kauai?

The beaches are lovely, there is the deep Waimea Canyon called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, Enchanting Napali Coast, stunning green valleys and Mother Nature at Her best! The whole island is about 32 miles in diameter!

Farewell

Before departing, we had the good fortune to personally meet Paramacharya Sadasivanatha Swami and Sannyasin Brahmanathaswami. We talked for a while on my favorite subject - water and environment. Brahmanathaswami talked to us a little about the beautiful bhajan songs in Tamil and English. We were enlightened!

We bid farewell with a heavy heart. But then, we had the fondest blessings from the Sathguru, Paramacharya and the other monks who represent Lord Shiva- Can we ask for more?

Paramacharya's parting words to us were, "We loved being with you both and know it will not be the last time..."   Indeed a great inspiration from a great Guru!

Om Namah Shivaya!!

Pilgrimage to Kauai in Hawaii –1

With over 750 miles of shoreline, over 400 beaches and an excellent tropical weather, Hawaii is a tourist’s paradise. Most people visit Hawaii to play water sports like surfing, snorkeling, swimming, or just relax and enjoy a restful vacation away from the crazy business world. But then, my Dharmapatni Vidya and I are not like most people. We seem to be cast in a different mould. We enjoy Mother Nature's every little creation including the young green blades of grass that grow on our lawn. We love anything that charges our spiritual batteries - like performing a simple Puja, reciting slokas, visiting temples or just singing Bhajans, no matter others like it or not. So, how did we land in far-off Hawaii, the exotic destination for merry makers? Well, it's what I call the divine hand at work. 

It all started in August 2015 with an e-mail from my son-in-law Suresh to someone at the Kauai Hindu monastery suggesting me as a good candidate for doing some Sanskrit translation work. This was a totally unexpected compliment to my untested skills. Pat came the response from Paramacharya Sadasivanatha Swami of the Kauai temple giving me a short Sanskrit-to-English translation work. I really enjoyed doing the work. The Paramacharya liked my work and graciously commented, "This is exactly what we had hoped for!”

Suddenly, my brain recalled the nice words of DGP Ravindran of Chennai who had visited this temple decades ago. He said that this temple demonstrated how well a band of dedicated white American monks could build and manage a Hindu temple perfectly adhering to the Agama Sastras. A deep desire sprang in me to visit this temple. When I wrote to the Paramacharya expressing my desire, he responded promptly suggesting October 4 as a good day for a visit because the Ardhra Abhishekam to Lord Shiva was to take place on that day. Thus, Vidya and I took off on October 2 and landed late night at Lihue airport in Kauai.

The next day, we drove to the Kauai temple about 6 miles from the hotel. The entire route was scenic with the road (Highway 580) winding up like a snake on a lush green mountain. It's a single lane road with varying speed limits of 25 and 35 mph. I could see the clouds hovering over the mountains and the blue sea on my left.

Paramacharya Sadasivanatha Palaniswami

When I entered the temple parking lot, it was a surprise to see Paramacharya Sadasivanatha Swamiji right there sitting on a go cart smilingly holding up his hands in Namasthe fashion. Vidya and I were visibly moved by his welcoming us right at the entrance. We offered him our humbale salutations. Paramacharya guided us to the temple and said Saravananathaswami will take us to Sathguru Bodhinatha Veylan Swamigal after the Puja.

We climbed up to the shrine about 100 yards passing up a huge Nandi. The sanctum hall is small, carpeted up to the steps leading to the inner sanctum where there is a beautiful lighted spatika lingam in the front and a large panchaloha Nataraja idol about 10-12 ft high behind on a pedestal. There was a small homakuntam and a shivalingam before the Nataraja.

The Puja started with Nadaswaram music, followed by abhishekam, alankaram, and archanai. We sang some Bhajans. After the Puja, the priest Sannyasin Yoginathaswamy gave us a spoonful of sweet abhishekam milk and puja teertham, flowers, vibhuti and finally a little kumkum. Saravananathaswami came around 10:40 and took us to have a private darshan with the Sathguru. After the darshan, we met Sadasivanatha Swamiji who showed us around the work place where all the publishing and website work gets done by a group of dedicated monks. This place is heavenly with a splendid open view of a deep valley with water falls and exotic green foliage. (... to be continued)

Pain, Prescriptions and Prayers

Exactly a month ago, I had one of my God-given eye lenses scooped out, fortunately by a surgeon, while I was still under sedation. The surgeon did a good job and filled the evacuated space with a fine man-made lens. As expected, the eye could not tolerate the intrusion of a foreigner and protested with pain. However, the least expected was the strong protest by some other nerves in sympathy with the aggrieved eye. The net result was that my body suffered acute pain and distress the like of which I have never experienced before in my entire life. 

Specialist consultations and prescriptions followed to mitigate the pain. It seemed to me that the side effects of these prescriptions were more powerful than the main desired effect. They caused more pain, more discomfort and considerable embarrassment. They hardly helped to make me comfortable.

The question that I asked myself - How do I get over this pain and distress? The easiest way seemed to be just keep praying. At best, the prayers could bring me some relief without any money or side effects, and at worst, could be just a worthless waste. As a kid, I have seen the pain caused by a scorpion sting miraculously softened by an elderly person chanting mantras and caressing the affected part. I also remembered that the famous Carnatic musician Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar regained his lost voice by praying to Lord Guruvayurappan.  Instead of following the advice of the medical specialists, I took the risk of moving away and chose my own path - the path of prayers.

I wondered what exactly is meant by the word "prayer." Browsing the internet, I learnt the word “prayer” comes from the Latin precarius, which means "obtained by begging, to entreat." In praying, we believe that there is a power greater than ourselves that can help us. It is the act of raising hopes and minds to a higher unseen power.

How does one pray? There are different ways - some silently as in meditation, some spoken like chanting mantras, some in a group setting or lighting candles, but each with a specific thought in the mind.  For many, prayer is a part of a larger religious practice. I chose to pray silently in my mind chanting repeatedly some of the mantras that I am familiar with. I did it hundreds of times earnestly pleading for relief.

And relief did come mysteriously! Divine grace led me to an unknown general physician whose diagnosis of the cause of my pain was precise.  

The experience that followed in the next few days was fascinating. With new medication, the pain gradually melted away. Continued prayers brought me the much-wanted solace. The rapid healing that took place reinforce my faith in that unknown, unseen higher power - you may call it by whatever name you like.  

One need not search/visit a temple to pray. The temple is within you. Ancient scriptures support the concept of the Almighty within you, making it very easy to pray, anywhere, anytime. Some excerpts from the scriptures:

​एको ​वशी सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा एकं रूपं बहुधा यः करोति l 

तमात्मस्तं येनुपश्यन्ति धीरास्थेषां सुखं शाश्वतं नेतरेषाम् ll           
                                                                                                                            - (कटोपनिषद 5/12)

The one Supreme ruler, the universal soul within all beings, is the one who makes one form manifold. Eternal happiness belongs to those wise men, who perceive Him within themselves, and not to others. (Kathopanishad 5/12)

As Jesus made unambiguously clear, "The kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21).

Welcome to Spring!

Ah! At last, spring has officially started. Mercifully, after a severe winter, God's colorful Canvas is changing. After months, the giant mounds of snow that I see all around are slowly melting away. The lawn is getting cleansed with lovely snow drops. The sun is shining beautifully and the temperature hovers in the pleasant upper fifties. No drug has such a soothening effect as a sunny spring day.

I see a new lustre in the leaves of the potted plants kept inside the home for the past few months. It seems they anticipated this day. The banana trees have grown fresh light green conical shoots. My most cherished miniature lemon tree has already borne flower buds. It is time to take a trip around, smell the fresh air, see the season's early arrivals in the stores, the flowers, pots, seeds et al.  You cannot feel the spring's magic on you by watching the TV or playing on the Android. One needs to step out, take time to wander around and watch the transforming landscape.

At this time, I recall the following Sanskrit poem learnt at school:

Kakah krishnah pikah krishnah
Ko bhedo pika kakayoho?
Vasanta samaye praptey
Kakah kakah pikah pikaha

The crow is black, and the cuckoo is also black
What, then, is the difference between a crow and a cuckoo?
When spring arrives, the crow is a crow, and the cuckoo is a cuckoo.

(refering to the sweet sound of the cuckoo in spring)

Last spring, a sparrow couple built a nest in our porch over a lamp shade. As they made a mess of the place, I removed the the first nest they built. Undaunted, they came again and started rebuilding. This time, I did not disturb them. Instead, I watched with great pleasure the way they built a cosy home and later raise a family of three young ones.

I am waiting for April to enjoy the spring in full bloom. As William Shakespeare said, "April hath put a spirit of youth in everything."

Welcome to Spring!

The Sleeping Saint of Sajjangad

On a recent trip to the city of Satara in Maharashtra, I grabbed an opportunity to visit nearby Sajjangad (meaning "Fort of Good People"). It is a picturesque hilltop fort where the great saint Samarth Ramdas lived and attained Samadhi. 

Samarth Ramdas was a 17th century saint and the spiritual Guru of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Samarth Ramdas was a great devotee of Lord Ram and Hanuman. 

The Entrance to Sajjangad Fort

Believed to be born on Ramnavami day in the year 1608 CE to Suryaji Pant and Ranubai, in the Jamb village of Aurangabad District, Ramdas' birth name was Narayan Suryaji Thosar. Because of his deep devotion to Lord Ram right from his childhood, he seems to have acquired the name of Ramdas (Servant of Ram). I am not sure how he got the prefix Samartha that means "capable or proficient." 

Ramdas firmly believed that Lord Ram and Hanuman provided good examples of courage in adversity. He established numerous temples of Hanuman in various towns and villages of Maharashtra. Walking up the hill to the top of the fort, I observed at least 11 orange-colored Hanuman idols installed on the side rocks.

The story of Samartha Ramdas Swami is most inspiring. He was not a mere saint who indulged in blind Bhakti. He synthesized material and spiritual life by stressing on dedication to work, shrewdness, and above all faith in Ram and Hanuman. He is most remembered for his Advaita Vedanta spiritual text called Dāsbodh (दासबोध) in Marathi language that provides spiritual advice on how to lead one’s life.

Realizing the crucial need for self-governance among the people, Samarth Ramdas raised an organization of highly devoted workers for the upliftment of society. He taught the youth on how to unite and fight the enemy. Inspired by the great social work done by Ramdas, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj took ‘Guru Upadesh’ from him at a place called Chaphal sometime in August 1649. 

In 1676, Samarth Ramdas moved from Chaphal to Sajjangad. Within the Sajjangad fort, Ramdas installed exquisite Panchaloha idols of Shri Ram, Laxman, Sita and Maruti specially made and brought from Thanjavur (under Maratta rule at that time). I was fortunate to see these idols nicely decorated and worshipped by hundreds of visitors.

According to historical information, Ramdas spent the latter part of his life in Sajjangad. He lived the life of a selfless saint and used to constantly chant the the 13 syllable mantra of Lord Ram – “Shri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram”. Before taking the simple sathvic lunch (offered free to all devotees), this mantra was recited by all in chorus. There was joy pervading all around while reciting this short and sweet Rama Mantra. 

The Samadhi of Samarth Ramdas

The story goes that after fasting for 5 days in front of the Rama, Laxman, Sita and Hanuman idols, Samarth Ramdas peacefully breathed his last in Sajjangad on Magh Vadya Navami, 22nd January 1682.  

One of the most powerful gurus in Indian history, Samarth Ramdas Swami now rests as an eternal Sleeping Saint of Sajjangad continuing to inspire millions of people around the globe.