Monday, April 30, 2012

Picture of the day-360: Lord Arumugam on his Peacock

This statue of Lord Arumugam on his Peacock 
is from Sri Kailasanathar Temple, Kanchipuram. 
Photo by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

My Photo Album-118: Maha with Sukumar

Photo taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

A Thought for Today-496:

Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world -Lucille Ball

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Picture of the day-359:

Beautiful carvings! From inside the corridor of the Kailasanathar temple, Kanchipuram, which was built by the Pallavas in the 8th century and is the oldest temple of Kanchipuram.  It is supposed to have inspired Raja Raja Chozha to build the Thanjai Brihadeeswarar Temple.


For more details:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanchi_Kailasanathar_Temple


Photo by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera (edited in Picasa).


Grateful thanks to Wikipedia and Picasa.

My Photo Album-117: Aravind with Maha

Cute!  
Photo by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera (edited in Picasa).

Grateful thanks to Picasa.

A Thought for Today-494:

Seek the lofty by reading, hearing and seeing great work at some moment every day - Thornton Wilder

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Self-Improvement-97: How to Find Your Passion



Grateful thanks to Sir Ken Robinson, YouTube and FoodForTheGeneration.

Picture of the day-358:

Photo taken from car on our way to Pondicherry.

My Photo Album-116: Our friend, Senthil

Our friend, Senthil, seated at Pillayarpatti Sri Karpagavinayagar Temple entrance.  
Photo taken by Suri  with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera. 

A Thought for Today-493:

The more difficulties one has to encounter, within and without, the more significant and the higher in inspiration his life will be. - Horace Bushnell

Monday, April 23, 2012

Picture of the day-357:

Sri Kailasanathar temple entrance, Kanchipuram.  
Photo taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

My Photo Album-115: Suri with his wife on the occasion of his sashtiabthapoorthi

Photo taken by Aravind with Suri's Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera on November 14, 2009.

A Thought for Today-492:

The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot - Michael Althsuler

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Picture of the day-356: Sri Kailasanathar Temple, Kanchipuram

Photo taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

My Photo Album-114: Maha near the Computer Table

Photo taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

A Thought for Today-491:

The world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel - Horace Walpole

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Picture of the day-355: Sri Ekambareswarar Temple

Photo taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

My Photo Album-113:

Photo is not all right; it is slightly blurred. Still I cannot bring myself to delete.  It has a charm of its own.  

A Thought for Today-490:

Start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible - St. Francis of Assisi

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Picture of the day-354: Sri Kamakshi Amman Temple Tower, Kanchipuram



Photo taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

My Photo Album-112: Maha likes Price Tags!

Give a Maha a toy or for that matter.  If it has a price tag, she will look at it first and then start playing with it, ignoring the toy. Obvioulsy, she likes price tags!

A Thought for Today-489:

There are three constants in life….change, choice, and principles - Stephen Covey

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Picture of the day-353:

Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram.
Photo taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

My Photo Album-111: Maha is all smiles!

Photo taken by Suri at Senthil's residence 
with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

A Thought for Today-488:

You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one - Thoreau

Monday, April 16, 2012

Interesting Videos-12: Maha learns to Walk!



Maha learns to walk! Oh! What a joy it is to be free and roam about!! Maha is thoroughly enjoying her walk and gleefully expressing her happiness.

All the best Maha!

Grateful thanks to Priya and YouTube.

My Journal-6:

Due to health and other problems, I have not been able to keep my journal up to date.  My reading has also declined.  I have a lot of backlog to cover.  Probably concentration and willpower also have declined.  But I have not given up.  I am still fighting.  I am recording here a few passages from my reading which impressed me and which I thought should find a place in my journal.
===================

"... Both countries (Pakistan and India) know the dollars are not aid, but charity.  And now, it is a bribe to let the CIA and private military contractors operate on Pakistan soil....

... most of Pakistan's ministers, MPs and judges don't pay taxes.  On an average, a Pakistani MP is worth $9,00,000.  The assets of its richest MP, Mahboobullah Jan of the ruling PPP, is worth $37 million, according to Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency.  Nawaz Sharif paid no income tax last year.  The International Centre for Asset Recovery of the Basel Institute on Governance, Switzerland, states Zardari and Benazir looted $1.5 billion from the national exchequer.... $200 billion of Pakistan's black money is stashed away in Swiss banks...

...This is the Pakistan the US views as key to stability in the subcontinent.  The butchers of 26/11 are roaming free in Pakistan, though many of Kasab's victims were Americans.... Unlike India, Pakistan is a parasite without pride.  The trouble is, parasites are known to destroy the host after sucking it dry."

- From "Pragmatic Parasite" by Ravi Shankar in The New Sunday Express (Madurai) of April 15, 2012.

===================
"... An Israeli company, already under CBI probe, won a Rs.10,000-crore contract in 2009 by bribing an Indian middleman who, too, had fallen foul of the law and had fled India.  Obviously, Indian blacklisting is a joke to operators functioning from the shadows. When bribes determine things, preparedness becomes secondary....

...

Think of the irony.  We have a Prime Minister who is Mr.Clean.  We have a Defence Minister who is Mr.Clean.  We have an Army Chief who, despite the age controversy, is Mr.Clean.  This confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati should have given us a rare historical opportunity to cleanse the system and be truly prepared for any challenge.  Instead, the weaknesses of the politicians and the cunningness of the bureaucrats have combined to rob the country of a singular opportunity..."

- From "What did We gain by washing the Army's Dirty Linen in Public? We Lost Much" by TJS George in The New Sunday Express (Madurai) of April 15, 2012.

===============================
"...By definition, the political leadership is required to take risks and deliver.  The UPA has fine-tuned shifting of accountability and shirking of responsibility into a fine art.  Whether it is the state of defence preparedness or the state of the economy, the regime has no answers.  Governments are mandated to plan progress and resolve crises...."

- From "Who is afraid of the Economic Slowdown?  Not the UPA!" by Shankar Aiyar in The New Sunday Express of April 15, 2012.
===============================
"...The reality is that the good, the bad and the ugly exist in all fields, including the media.  The important thing is the system should be strong enough to ensure that the good prevails over the bad and the ugly!..."

- From "Leaked Letter Row is a Reality Check for Media" by Arun Nehru in The New Sunday Express of April 15, 2012.
====================
"....It is a tragedy that political leaders are now taking democratic mandate as an unconditional licence to silence their critics and promote cronyism in their political outfits.  They expect others to either fall in line or fall by the wayside.  They will use any pretence in the dirty tricks department to destroy, defame and derail those who question their wily wisdom and baneful brilliance...."

- From "The Arrogance of a Few Leaders Threatens the Democracy of All" by Prabhu Chawla in The New Sunday Express of April 15, 2012.
===========
"...In the UK, there is a "three strikes" rule that allows your entire family to be cut off from the Internet if anyone who lives in your house is accused of copyright infringement three times."

- From "The United Kingdom of Surveillance" - "Centrepiece" in The New Sunday Express of April 15, 2012.
===============
Grateful thanks to Mr.Ravi Shankar, Mr.TJS George, Mr.Shankar Aiyar, Mr.Arun Nehru, Mr.Prabhu Chawla and The New Sunday Express.

Picture of the day-352:

Ariyakudi Temple.  
Photo by taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

Picture of the day-352:

Ariyakudi Temple.  
Photo by taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

My Photo Album-110: Maha being garlanded!

Maha is being garlanded by her uncle on the occasion of her ayush homam.  
Photo taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

A Thought for Today-487:

We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have - Frederick Keonig

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Picture of the day-351:

Green is my favourite color: pleasing, soothing, calming etc etc.  This picture was taken by me from running train (Chennai-Guruvayur Express) with my Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.  It made me happy on a hot day.

My Photo Album-109: Ammu and Aravind at Pillayarpatti

Photo taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS Digital camera.

A Thought for Today-486:

The ability to convert ideas to things is the secret to outward success - Henry Ward Beecher

Interesting Videos-11: Maha watching TV!



Maha is an avid TV watcher. If any of her favourite songs are played, then she becomes all attention and nothing can distract her. Here she is watching her favourite Tamil film song, "Ennamo Yaedho" from the film, "Ko"

My Photo Album-108:

Visu and Nellai during the Ayush Homam of Maha at Chennai.  Photo taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

A Thought for Today-485:

One ripple creates another. When enough ripples intersect, you have a revolution - Scott Dinsmore

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Picture of the day-349:

Kundhukal Beach, Rameswaram.
Photo taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

My Photo Album-107:

My maternal uncle, Mr.M.Paramasivam(Parama Mama), holding my daughter, Priya, in his lap and standing by his side is JK, my friend's son.  The photo is nealry 30 years old and has faded.  It was taken by me using a Kodak beginners camera.  The venue is my then residence at Kandanur.  The photo got mislaid and I found it unpectedly recently.  The uncle is no more.  This is the only photo I have of him.  So I thought I should preserve it in my blog.  My daughter is married and now she has a daughter of her own and JK is in Saudi and is still in touch with me.

A Thought for Today-484:

No life can be successful without self-discipline – Mother (Pondy)

Monday, April 09, 2012

Picture of the day-348:

Swami Vivekananda Memorial at Kundhukal Beach, Rameswaram.  This beautiful memorial on the beach has a small exhibition, a meditation hall and a small bookshop.  Behind the building, the sea is very close and is just fenced.  I inferred that the memorial is built and maintained by Sri Ramakrishna Tapovanam, Tirupparaiththurai, near Trichy. 

For those who do not know the background:  This is where Swami Vivekananda landed after his  first visit to America via Sri Lanka.  The Maharaja of Ramnad was there on the beach to receive the swamiji.  When the boat reached the shore, the Maharaja knelt down and requested the swamiji to place his foot on his shoulder and get down.  Though the swamiji refused to do it, and landed straight onto the soil, the place has been called "kundhukal" (kneeling position) from then onwards.

The only problem is the road leading to the memorial is so full of ups and downs that we developed body pain.

Photo taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

A Thought for Today-483:

So many new ideas are at first strange and horrible, though ultimately valuable that a very heavy responsibility rests upon those who would prevent their dissemination - John Haldane

Self-Improvement-96: A Must See Motivational Video! Created by 13 y/o




This video was made by a 13-year old. It has been seen by 3,175,523 persons!


Grateful thanks to "motivationalvideo0" and YouTube.

Thursday, April 05, 2012

Picture of the day-347:

Photo taken by Somas at Kundhukal Beach, Rameswaram, 
with his Nokia Mobile X2-00.

My Photo Album-105: Maha with Vinod

Maha walking with Vinod at Priya's backyard.
Photo taken by Priya with her Samsung Galaxy Mobile.

A Thought for Today-482:

As we cultivate peace and happiness in ourselves, we also nourish peace and happiness in those we love -Thich Nhat Hanh

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Picture of the day-348:

A corridor of Sri Ramanatha Swami Temple, Rameswaram.  Photo taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.

My Photo Album-104:

Maha with her grandpa at Thiruvalluvar Nagar Beach, Chennai. 
Photo taken by Priya with her Samsung Galaxy Mobile.

A Thought for Today-481:

Our lives improve only when we take chances - and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves - Walter Anderson

Sunday, April 01, 2012

My Photo Album-103:

Maha is in a dancing mood.  Photo taken by Suri with his Canon Powershot A590 IS digital camera.  Venue: Saravana Bhavan, Kanchipuram.

A Thought for Today-491:

I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority - E. B. White