Service above self

  A born leader

setting a fine example

of service above self

what better than

taking up 111 projectst

to commommorate

the 111 years of

rotary existence

bringing together

members from

around the globe,

to serve the needy

striving to bring

smiles on faces

of the less fortunate

god's work done

on earth

by our own Eclub President,

Rtn Jayanthi. and team

spritely and full of life,

for her, there is no uneasiness even when

wearing a crown

her smile the mirror

of her soul

engulfing all

with a passion for serving the needy.

A Herculean task accomplished

through sheer will power

blessings galore

encouraging to serve more.

May there be more such humane beings

lighting up paths

to provide and nurture

the less priveledged

blessings bestowed from above and below.

An encounter with a lizadr

 Anothe haarrowing experience.

This was in Delhi. I was frying papad when I chanced to see a big greyish black lizard on the window net.

I panicked and tried chasing it with splashes of water. The poor lizard darted here and there on the net warding of the jet spray.

Then not able to take it any longer, to my fright leapt straight at me. Luckily I dodged and it landed on the kitchen platform and scuttled away.

Good heavens. did not fall into the Kadai. Would have been a gruesome scene.

Another lizard incident

Believe it or not.

Once in Chennai after waking up in the morning, as usual I opened my hair to tie it into a neat coil.

The moment I opened my hair, a small lizard jumped out. It was having a cozy sleep inside my hair. Fortunately, it was not a big one.

Gale Gama

 An Uncanny Experience

Fact or fiction, readers have to decide.

I am a staunch devotee of Edapally Ganapathy, a temple in Edapally in Cochin, Kerala.

Venu used to quip- I think Edapally Gnapathy has left its place and settled here.

This Ganapathy is believed to restore lost objects inside homes and they are truly restorned exactly from the place searched.

But this Ganapathy will not waste time in going out to search for lost items outside.

One has to keep 11 rupees in prayer and offer it to Ganpathy when they visit the temple the next time when object is restored.. Surely, Ganapathy will not mind any Ganapathy temple.

Seeing my frenzied behavior, one day my son said in Hindi, Ek din soond nikhlegha aur marega (one day a trunk will appear and hit you).

It was my wish to visit Kalahasthi.

As providence willed, Venu, Pravin and I left for Hyderabad by road to leave Pravin at his new workplace.

Venu said on the way we will be crossing Kalahasthi.

I was thrilled.

We reached Kalahasthi and saw a baby elephany blessing devotees going inside. Venu and Pravin too received their blessings.

I went and in great devotion bowed my head only to get a heavy whack on my head. My hair clip came off, the hair opened out and I found myself feeling dizzy.

I looked at my son, he simply asked me whether I paid any money to the elephant. I answered in the neagative. He said that it was the punishment for not paying any money.

It was indeed fortunate that it was not an adult elephant, but a calf.

Grandson's pranks

 Today's incident.

Was fast asleep when I was woken up by the screeching sound of the door opening.

Nona walked in and snuggled up to me. Told him to go back to sleep as there was no school or online class.

He pulled my blanked and coverd himself and was soon fast asleep.

I remembered some work in the kitchen and went to complete it.

On coming back found Nona sleeping on the side of the bed and no space for me and my blanket too covering him. Tried sleeping but felt cold, so put off the fan. I tried pushing him a little bit to create space for me to lie down but was unsuccessful. Lay down on whatever space was there hoping against hope not to topple down. Had just caught up some sleep when I was jostled by Nona's scream. I jumped in fright and literally fell off my bed.

But the little fellow was fast asleep unaware of anything.

When he was asked why he screamed, he said he was dreaming of spiders and some crawling on him. I told him his dream made me fall off the bed and he went on laughing imagining that scene.

 Remembering 2007 30th August the eve of my son's wedding at Guruvayoor Shri Krishna Temple.

The pre wedding reception went off grandly.

Late into the night, I found as if my voice had deserted me. I could not utter a single word. To top it all ,a torrential rain started. My heart skipped a beat. I prayed ardently to God to make the sun shine before the wedding was conducted.

A Delhi neighbor chanced to call late nigh saying he was in Guruvatoor and where he should come in Guruvayoor. I panicked as I was not able to speak at all.

I managed to tell Venu's name. Don't know whether he understood.

The friend with whom I was sharing my room had told me we could go to the temple at dawn the next morning.

Seeing the rains, she said if it rained in this way it would be difficult to go.

So I thought of relaxing and getting up a little way early.

At the break of dawn, I heard my friend bathing.

I was finding it difficult to wake up so early and have a bath but geared myself up and went to have a bath after she came out.

The water was very cold. There was no geyser and one had to wait for a staff to bring hot water.

I managed to bathe in the cold water also forgetting my sore throat.

We proceeded to the temple. To my delight, it was only drizzling.

As the wedding procession set towards the temple, the Sun God was shining in all His glory. I was really happy to see my friend from Delhi at the wedding.

Surprisingly, having the cold bath with a really bad throat did not seem to have aggrevated the situation.

Indeed God's small mercies to an ardent prayer and positive thinking..

Reminiscences

 My Reminiscences

It was January Eve, of 1978 when my doctor got me positive news about my pregnancy. Venu had a New Year Eve party with colleagues and took me along. He was congratulated for going to be a father and all cheered for master Venugopal.
My due date was set for August 8.
Since master venugopal was refusing to come even when it was 11 August, the doctor treating me told me to get admitted on Monday 14th if no pains experienced to undergo a C- section.
On 12 th Saturday at 11.30 pm. I started my birth pangs. When it got severe,I went to my parent's room. My father who always felt I was a weak child was very anxious for me and looked really worried.
The pains went on till morning.
Venu came with his mother. Seeing me the first thing she said- Anu you have to be strong. You have to undergo more severe pains. I was shocked and asked her whether there were more severe pains than this. She simply smiled and consoled me.
Venu had already told me giving birth was a small affair as his mother had delivered 6 children.
At 8 am, a taxi was called. I was to have my baby at the famed Woodland's Nursing home in Kolkatta.
I was made comfortable in a room where a nurse taught me some breathing excercises whenever I experienced pain.
My mother sat with me and later it was venu's mother who sat with me throughout consoling me.
At 4.30 pm I felt something burst inside me.
I was immediately.wheeled into the labor room. Saw Venu and my father waving at me.
From the time I was wheeled into the labor room till 6.30 I was only asked to exert. Then doctor found baby's head was too big.
Next moment found the nurse with what looked like a pair of huge scissors being used to get baby out. It was 6.47 pm.
The sight of the joyous bundle with head full of curly hair, and a curly lock on its forehead made me forget my trauma.
It was placed on my chest and I saw it looking with half opened eyes at the light shining in the room.
I experienced being patched up inside out till my second trauma came to an end at 10. 30 pm. My mom at the first glance at me said in Malayalam- God's grace ,it's a boy. Venu had always wanted a daughter.
What we got is God's gift.

An Inspiring lesson

 

In an episode in Mahabharatha, Duryodhana misbehaves with the daughter of a tribal king. The king and his men wait for a chance to capture the evil Duryodhana. He is captured and sentenced to death. He is tied to a pillar and given three days to atone for his sin. But being arrogant he refuses to relent.
Pandavas being in exile hears about it. They are happy saying Duryodhana is facing his karma for all his wicked deeds. Yudhishtra, who always stood for dharma, rebukes his brothers saying that Duryodhana is their brother and needs help. The four Pandavas are aghast at their brother's decision and says they will not accompany him to save Duryodhana..
Yudhishthira takes his bow and arrow and proceeds to the exit. As he proceeds he says- If Duryodha is killed, how will the humiliation of Draupadi.be avenged? What will happen to Bheema's vow? If we don't save him now, we will be going against dharma. The brothers understand, pick up their bows and arrows to be with their brother in his task.
If all of us thought like Yudhishtara not with our hearts but with our reason, our hearts full of vengeance, corrupted minds and negative thinking can be overcome.