My Album-37: "Aravind, yet another photo!"

Yet another photo of Aravind. Nobody can deny that he has a charming, photogenic face, what?

My Album-36: "Shweta poses for me!"

This is my neighbour's daughter, Shweta. Thank you Shweta for posing!

My Album-35: "Leaves turning into Flowers!"

On my morning walk, I found this beautiful creeper which turns leaves into flowers. Is it not quite charming? Clicked by me using Vinod's Nokia N70m. Thanks to Nokia and Vinod! I am becoming a photographer. I never thought taking photographs would be this easy.

My Album-34: "A beaming Ammu with her new bicycle"

Clicked by me using Vinod's Nokia N70m. My venture into photography!

How many beautiful definitions of Yoga!

Yoga is that which unites.

Small selfish ‘I’ of man expanding into bigger selfless ‘I’ is yoga.

When mind unites with body, samskar unites with mind, buddhi unites with mind and Sankalpa unites with buddhi and produces a wonderful result for the expansion of self – that is called yoga.

Yoga is an all-round personality development at physical, mental, emotional, intellectual and spiritual levels.

Dexterity in action is yoga.

Gaining mastery over mind is yoga.

Equanimity in emotional body is yoga.

Yoga is silencing as well as expanding the mind (intellect).

Excerpts from ‘Personality Development: A Yogic View’ by Sumant Chandwadkar, ‘Yuva Bharati’ (Voice of Youth), Monthly magazine, April 2008

Letters-11: "Senior Citizens"

The extinction of the joint family system, coupled with rapid technological advancement, has alienated the senior citizen from the mainstream. The old need empathy and understanding rather than sympathy and flattery. Senior citizens, for their part, should conduct themselves in a manner that befits their age, adopting a philosophical lifestyle and being a role-model for the younger generation. – V.V.Jayaraman, Chennai

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, April 1, 2008 (Letters to the Editor)

A Thought for Today : March 16, 2008

There are two kinds of failures: those who thought and never did, and those who did and never thought - Laurence J. Peter

A Thought for Today : March 15, 2008

Even the least work done for others awakens the power within; even thinking the least good of others gradually instills into the heart the strength of a lion – Swami Vivekananda

A Thought for Today : March 14, 2008

If there is in us an unshakable determination ‘to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield’, our quest shall surely unravel a splendid bequest - Swami Siddhinathananda

A Thought for Today : March 13, 2008

If there were no problems, there would be no opportunities – Unknown

Eyecatchers-65:

“When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first thing to be bought and sold are legislators’ – P.J.Rourke

Courtesy: S.Upendran, upendrankye@gmail.com and ‘Know Your English’, The Hindu, Madurai, April 1, 2008

Health Watch-7: 'Protective Fasting'

Just 48 hours of fasting protected mice from the side effects of chemotherapy treatment which wiped out much of the cancer in their bodies, according to a study. Courtesy: ‘Newscape’, The Hindu, Madurai, April 1, 2008

Letters-10: "Laudable Initiative"

1. The initiative taken by the Darul Uloom Deoband to denounce terrorism is highly commendable (“Journey from Deoband – exacting but rewarding”, The Hindu, Madurai, March 1, 2008). As the article rightly says, “the Muslim community will need to move away from the victimhood refrain” and assert its rights in a democratic way. The engagement of clerics in this process was much needed because, if carried forward in an organized manner, it will develop into a major setback for those who spread terrorism in the name of religion. – Vipul Grover, Chandigarh

2. The Deoband declaration, though a little late, is a significant first step by the Muslim community to come to terms with reality. Had the Deoband came out openly against terror must earlier, it would have had a salutary influence. Darul Uloom Deoband is the religious fountainhead for most Sunnis of Pakistan and Bangladesh too. It has a responsibility to influence the course of events in a positive way. - Subramanyam Sridharan, Chennai

Courtesy: ‘Letters to the Editor’, The Hindu, Madurai, March 3, 2008

Eyecatchers-64: 'Yahoo site for Women'

Yahoo is launching a site, called ‘SHINE’ for women between age 25 and 54, calling it a key demographic that is under-served by current Yahoo-services. Courtesy: ‘Newscape’, The Hindu, Madurai, April 1, 2008

Health Watch-6: 'Fighting Cirrhosis of Liver'

Japanese researchers using a vitamin A-laced sac with a genetic material to prevent the production of collagen, claimed success in curing liver cirrhosis in rats.
Courtesy: ‘Newscape’, The Hindu, Madurai, April 1, 2008

A Thought for Today : March 12, 2008

Only when the spiritual outlook suffuses all fields of human endeavour, can we have real progress – Swami Siddhinathananda

A Thought for Today : March 11, 2008

If there were no problems, there would be no opportunities – Unknown

A Thought for Today : March 10, 2008

If you depend on others to make you happy, you will be endlessly disappointed – Unknown

Want to have a pleasant face?

Man makes use of a mirror to find out if his face is presentable. But his face is the index of his mind. If the mind rids itself of its fickleness, then face becomes pleasing to all - Swami Chidbhavananda

Health Watch-5: "Cockroach and Asthma"

A study carried out by Leelavati Hospital, Mumbai, states that if you see one cockroach in your kitchen, probably there are 100 others hidden somehwere! They carry 33 types of bacteria and parasites and hence are dangerous. The changes of you and your children getting asthma and other allergic disorders are more. So beware!