Aquarium My Latest Hobby

Aquarium has been been my childhood fantasy. But only recently had the opportunity to have one for myself at home . The drive to have an aquarium at home was so much that i pestered ma mom day in and day out to get one. Finally i succeeded in getting one on November 2007. In the beginning i got a fish pot with two gold fishes. I named them Mickey & Minnie. Once i brought them home everyone liked the two so much that ma mom soon got me a fish tank with roof. Once the home became bigger the members in the family expanded too. We got two more black sharks. They are big & swift. I named them Blackie and Lucky. Lucky was named so because he has only one eyes, but survives still as the fittest of all. Unfortunately since the climate changed to rainy season, mickey and minnie died one after the other. I was so upset . Then sooner lucky died too and this time i was literally about to cry. Finally went to an aquarium keeper and he told that gold fishes die even if there is a slight climatic change. slowly i came out of the gloomy sadness and got two other lion head gold. This lion head gold is supposed to be stronger than gold fishes in withstanding climatic changes. Its been three months they are home and now all the three fishes including lucky are doing great. At this juncture there is one of ma friends who is the greatest reason behind my successful aquarium story . Its none other than Siddu . Because any problem for ma fishes i immediately call siddu and he immediately attends to it because once upon a time siddu had a big aquarium himself. Now he has given up the aquarium hobby however he helps me a lot in maintaining this aquarium. Now Aquarium has become my biggest hobby that i even set up themes in the fish tanks every time i change the water. Tips for maintaining an aquarium will follow shortly.

Chennai Sangamam was truly awesome

When our age old tamil traditions and art forms are feared to perish in some more days, CHENNAI SANGAMAM a cultural festival which was arranged this year from january 10 th - 17th 2008, seemed a glorious renaissance to OUR TRADITIONAL ART AND CULTURE. Various parks in the city had been chosen to host various dance and music forms of ancient Tamil Nadu. Oyillattam, Mayilaatam,Paraiyattam, Poi kal Kuthirai attam, Thamizh uzhavar paatu, villu paatu, Kavadi Attam were all some of the itenary on this cultural fest. Of all what has to be given the major applause is the thought to host these cultural festivals not in big halls or costly hotels instead in Parks in which every common man can afford to witness the true Tamil Nadu Cultural Forms. Madam Kanimozhi , The coordinator and her brilliant team need a true salute for their brave attempt to revive our golden cultural forms and of all for the idea to give it to the common man without posing any fares on him. Food from big star hotels along with the traditional recipes of Kovai, Madurai, Thanjai, Chettinad and the like were also present at the Festival.
On 15 th Jan 2008 i had been to Chennai Sangamam held at Nungambakkam in the Independance Day Park. Devar attam, Mayil attam, karaga attam, kavadi attam were a few dance programs to mention. The channai sangamam was simultaneously held in various parks every day . The crowd i witnessed in the park that day SURELY DID INSTILL THE HOPE THAT OUR TRADITION AND CULTURE is still loved by our people. And the only thing which has given this positive hope is the crux of this entire fest - CULTURE TAKEN TO PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT FORM WITH THE RIGHT MOTIVE AT A FEASIBLE COST FOR THE COMMON MAN WITH NO STATUS DIFFERENCE WILL YIELD SUCCESS.

If you get an opportunity next year do visit Chennai Sangamam without fail. It requires true appreciation.

Stray Dogs a Threat to Public?

Dogs are faithful animals...most opted pets...great companions....all this and more but only as far as they are nurtured at homes with care and love by their masters.When it comes to the matter of stray dogs..they are left unattended,uncared-for and untended! This fact did not strike me big until i had made a short visit to the park nearby my house. There are almost five stray dogs there...each and every dog in a pathetic condition and almost two affected adversely by rabies. Once i was back home i browsed through the net to find out more about these stray dogs their existence and their influence on human life. I found that there are many stray dogs in bad conditions and SHOCKING THERE ARE EVEN MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN WORSE CONDITIONS BECAUSE OF STRAY DOGS.
Cases report that there have even been unrelenting human death because of stray dog bites...On a mercy basis it is a good deed that Ms. Menaka Gandhi fought that stray dogs should not be captured by corporation. But with due respect, what is she having to answer the affected people who pose a sensible question that PEOPLE WHO RAISE THEIR VOICES AGAINST THE CORPORATION NOT TO CAPTURE STRAY DOGS, WHY CANT THEY ALSO TAKE SOME EFFORTS OR MEASURES TO SHIFT THESE DOGS TO A SAFE PLACE FOR THEM AND ALSO SAVE HUMAN FROM THEIR FEROCIOUS ATTACKS? unfortunately those people who fought for the well being of the stray dogs have nothing to answer the families of the affected. So stray dogs should be in the safe place and human affected ? is this the implication? High time people fight for the well being of us human too...

This post is just meant to share my views about this silent slayer issue and NO INTENTIONS TO COMMENT ABOUT HAVING DOG AS A PET, IN FACT THIS POST IS ONLY ABOUT STRAY DOGS and no offence to any pet lovers.
P.S. Am a pet lover myself and truly feel that these stray dogs should be taken care of such that they live and let us live too...

WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY DEEPAM!!!

BUT DO YOU ALL KNOW WHY WE CELEBRATE DEEPAM???

Hmmm well the answer for some of you might be yes and for some it might be a no….well we live in a country rich with culture and heritage and as a matter of fact we have a lot of festivals that we celebrate…some festivals are celebrated country wide while a few native to some states…but whatever be the nativity of the festival it is important people know why a festival is celebrated and what is its background…after all without reviving the pristine picture of the past it is not possible for us to weave a glorious future! And so here you go…a deep insight to our very own deepam festival!!!!

v Karthigai is essentially a festival of lamps. The lighted lamp is considered an auspicious symbol. It is believed to ward off evil forces and usher in prosperity and joy. While the lighted lamp is important for all Hindu rituals and festivals, it is indispensable for Karthigai.

v Not many of us are aware that it is one of the oldest festivals celebrated in the State, perhaps even before people began celebrating Diwali and Navarathri.

v The Karthigai Deepam festival is celebrated in the Tamil Month of Karthigai (November - December). It begins on Uttradam day with flag hoisting and goes on the nine days. In the early hours of the tenth day Bharani Deepam in five agantams will be lit in Arunachaleswarar's Sannithi. In the evening, the Pancha Murthis will be brought to the Katchi Mandapam. At dusk (Pradosham) the Karthigai day synchronizing with the full moon day, the deity, Ardhanareeswarar is taken out to this place with the five deepams, which are put in a big receptacle near the flug-stuff. At the same time the beacon light on the hill is lit. The huge concourses of devotees from all parts of our country in a million voices raise a cry simultaneously "Annamalaiyarukku Arohara”.

v The Agananuru clearly states that Karthigai is celebrated on the full moon day (pournami) of the Tamil month of Karthigai. It was one of the most important festivals (peruvizha) of the ancient times.

v It is also considered as the extension of the Diwali festival. In some houses, they double the number of lamps every day from the day of Diwali and this way, they end up with a number of lamps on the day of Karthigai Deepam.

HISTORY WEAVES BACK TO SAY WHY CELEBRATE DEEPAM
There is a reason why every festival is celebrated there is a reason for the deepam festival too…
Lord Shiva asked Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu to find out the exact location of his head and his feet. Since Lord Shiva took a gigantic form, they were not able to find out anywhere. Then Lord Shiva took the form of a jyothi on the hill of Thiruvannamali. Therefore, this festival is also known as Annamalai Deepam.

Lord Muruga took the form of six babies in a lake called "Saravana Poigai". On this day, all his six forms were united by Parvathi (his mother) and this way, he had six faces. Special poojas are performed to Lord Muruga on this auspicious day.

PROCEDURAL RITUALS ON THIS DAY

Sasthram (age old specification for ritual procedures) say that on this auspicious day all the lamps are first to be lit in the pooja and after the deepa aarti the lamps be moved to different places in the house.

A STORY

There is an interesting story explaining the link between Karthigai and lamps. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma began to quarrel as to who was the more powerful of the two. While they were fighting, Lord Shiva appeared before them in the form of a huge pillar of fire. Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma gave up quarrelling and decided to find the top and the bottom of the pillar. Accordingly, Brahma assumed the form of a swan and moved upwards. Vishnu transformed himself into a boar and started digging deep into the earth. But even after searching for several years, neither of the two was able to find the ends the pillar. Finally, they realized that the pillar was none other than Lord Shiva. Soon afterwards, Lord Shiva appeared as a hill (Arunachala Hill) at Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. Indeed, the very names Thiruvannamalai and Arunachala translate as `holy fire hill.' The Sivalingam in the temple here is the agnilingam. The tiny lamps lit during the Karthigai festival (Karthigai Deepam) are believed to be the miniature replicas of the Agni lingam.

SPECIAL RECIPES ON KARTHIGAI DEEPAM

Pori urundai, Appam and vadai are the special menu on this day. I provide here with the recipe for Pori urundai. But trust me it was got from trustable sources or probably all your mothers might already have an idea about these…So go ahead try out the recipe and relish Pori urundai on this auspicious day…

Pori Urundai (Puffed Rice Balls)

Puffed Rice - 3 cupsPowered Jaggery - 1 cup
Heat up 1/4 cup water in a heavy bottomed vessel and dissolve the jaggery in it completely. As it starts to thicken, remove from the heat fire and add the puffed rice. Mix uniformly and while still warm, form firm lemon sized balls. If the mixture becomes cool and you are unable to form balls out of it, heat it up for a couple of minutes over a low flame and stir to mix well. Then try forming the balls.

So why waiting it’s a really simple item…go ahead try making it this deepam and surprising everyone at home and celebrate happily…
Hope the information provided was of use to all of you and all those who know more about the festival do post in your information too… after all Information is wealth.

WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS KARTHIGAI DEEPAM!!!

WISH YOU A HAPPY DEEPAM FESTIVAL!!!!!

BUT DO YOU ALL KNOW WHY WE CELEBRATE DEEPAM???
Hmmm well the answer for some of you might be yes and for some it might be a no….well we live in a country rich with culture and heritage and as a matter of fact we have a lot of festivals that we celebrate…some festivals are celebrated country wide while a few native to some states…but whatever be the nativity of the festival it is important people know why a festival is celebrated and what is its background…after all without reviving the pristine picture of the past it is not possible for us to weave a glorious future! And so here you go…a deep insight to our very own deepam festival!!!!
v Karthigai is essentially a festival of lamps. The lighted lamp is considered an auspicious symbol. It is believed to ward off evil forces and usher in prosperity and joy. While the lighted lamp is important for all Hindu rituals and festivals, it is indispensable for Karthigai.
v Not many of us are aware that it is one of the oldest festivals celebrated in the State, perhaps even before people began celebrating Diwali and Navarathri.
v The Karthigai Deepam festival is celebrated in the Tamil Month of Karthigai (November - December). It begins on Uttradam day with flag hoisting and goes on the nine days. In the early hours of the tenth day Bharani Deepam in five agantams will be lit in Arunachaleswarar's Sannithi. In the evening, the Pancha Murthis will be brought to the Katchi Mandapam. At dusk (Pradosham) the Karthigai day synchronizing with the full moon day, the deity, Ardhanareeswarar is taken out to this place with the five deepams, which are put in a big receptacle near the flug-stuff. At the same time the beacon light on the hill is lit. The huge concourses of devotees from all parts of our country in a million voices raise a cry simultaneously "Annamalaiyarukku Arohara”.
v The Agananuru clearly states that Karthigai is celebrated on the full moon day (pournami) of the Tamil month of Karthigai. It was one of the most important festivals (peruvizha) of the ancient times.
v It is also considered as the extension of the Diwali festival. In some houses, they double the number of lamps every day from the day of Diwali and this way, they end up with a number of lamps on the day of Karthigai Deepam.

HISTORY WEAVES BACK TO SAY WHY CELEBRATE DEEPAM
There is a reason why every festival is celebrated there is a reason for the deepam festival too…
Lord Shiva asked Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu to find out the exact location of his head and his feet. Since Lord Shiva took a gigantic form, they were not able to find out anywhere. Then Lord Shiva took the form of a jyothi on the hill of Thiruvannamali. Therefore, this festival is also known as Annamalai Deepam.

Lord Muruga took the form of six babies in a lake called "Saravana Poigai". On this day, all his six forms were united by Parvathi (his mother) and this way, he had six faces. Special poojas are performed to Lord Muruga on this auspicious day.
PROCEDURAL RITUALS ON THIS DAY
Sasthram (age old specification for ritual procedures) say that on this auspicious day all the lamps are first to be lit in the pooja and after the deepa aarti the lamps be moved to different places in the house.
A STORY
There is an interesting story explaining the link between Karthigai and lamps. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma began to quarrel as to who was the more powerful of the two. While they were fighting, Lord Shiva appeared before them in the form of a huge pillar of fire. Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma gave up quarrelling and decided to find the top and the bottom of the pillar. Accordingly, Brahma assumed the form of a swan and moved upwards. Vishnu transformed himself into a boar and started digging deep into the earth. But even after searching for several years, neither of the two was able to find the ends the pillar. Finally, they realized that the pillar was none other than Lord Shiva. Soon afterwards, Lord Shiva appeared as a hill (Arunachala Hill) at Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. Indeed, the very names Thiruvannamalai and Arunachala translate as `holy fire hill.' The Sivalingam in the temple here is the agnilingam. The tiny lamps lit during the Karthigai festival (Karthigai Deepam) are believed to be the miniature replicas of the Agni lingam.
SPECIAL RECIPES ON KARTHIGAI DEEPAM
Pori urundai, Appam and vadai are the special menu on this day. I provide here with the recipe for Pori urundai. But trust me it was got from trustable sources or probably all your mothers might already have an idea about these…So go ahead try out the recipe and relish Pori urundai on this auspicious day…
Pori Urundai (Puffed Rice Balls)
Puffed Rice - 3 cupsPowered Jaggery - 1 cup
Heat up 1/4 cup water in a heavy bottomed vessel and dissolve the jaggery in it completely. As it starts to thicken, remove from the heat fire and add the puffed rice. Mix uniformly and while still warm, form firm lemon sized balls. If the mixture becomes cool and you are unable to form balls out of it, heat it up for a couple of minutes over a low flame and stir to mix well. Then try forming the balls.
So why waiting it’s a really simple item…go ahead try making it this deepam and surprising everyone at home and celebrate happily…
Hope the information provided was of use to all of you and all those who know more about the festival do post in your information too… after all Information is wealth.

WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS KARTHIGAI DEEPAM!!!

Finally here I come with a post!

A big hi to all ma blogger friends…its really long I have written a post in ma blog…the reason for this delay is not any interesting story , it was because I had to upgrade my system which often Mahesh referred to as VACCUM TUBES….hurrah but now I have a got a brand new system which is no longer synonymous with any vaccum tubes but a system on par the days trend…thanks to ma brother who was here not only for his holiday but to help me discard the old system and get a new one…Well in this very long gap I had taken from writing posts, there have a been a lot of ma sweet buddies who constantly kept insisting on me writing a post….they started off with notifying me about writing the next post..Then as days passed by they did all the following

· Asking

· Insisting

· waiting

· Reminding

· Demanding

Hmmm L but nothing worked until now…But here I am finally with a post and this post is dedicated whole heartedly to Mahesh , vijay Krishna, sid and of course samba who constantly kept reminding me that I am a blogger which means I have to keep posting…but things have come around and here I am all set penning this post…So many sweet things happened in this gap I took…we celebrated samba, ragav, vijay, sid &bhabi b’days which was all whole a lot of fun…in between I even heard one very interesting story from sid which I would like to write now..

Sid’s PANI PURI profess and its aftermath ;)

Apart from being passionate about gaming, having interest for gardening and aquariums, of course being a computer freak not even minding to sit hours winnowing his processor for it to work …he has one more very big passion in his life EATING PANI PURI’s… sources say he has spent most of his evenings at the pani puri shop having a good nice chat with the pani puri wala and of course relishing his khatta meeta pani puris….Looks like sid sometimes relishes the pani puri so much that his bill finally shoots up in the air but sid still feels he had not tasted much pani puris….So days….months and years passed by and sid still continues to relish pani puri in the same shop…how ever behind this years long sid’s love story for his pani puri there is a small tragedy underlying ;)…The pani puri wala is the person who gives a twist for the screen play….the pani puri wala who started off with his career with a small pani puri shop in the early days is now a proud owner of a big house very nearby to sid’ s home in the very famous west mambalam area ….in fact sid was even invited for the house warming ceremony because the pani puri wala owes very big gratitude to sid for having contributed the most in his customers to help him build a house …one fine day our sid found a bright light glowing upon his head and he realized that the success of his pani puri wala was half credited to him…that’s when sid felt baffled as to how this was possible and calculated roughly as to how much he would have spent on pani puri’s…Shocking they touched many thousands and beyond….when sid was totally speechless I went to his house incidentally to give a book…that’s when he shared all this story with me…sid’s temperament that day made me think that sid would not turn up to that pani puri shop anymore….but what a twist our dear buddy sid still continues to visit the same shop..and this time has not stopped with it but has also started recommending his friends to also relish pani puri’s at the same shop!!! Sources say that this new MORE PLANNED AND WELL ORGANIZED effort for the same issue is to help the pani puri wala become a millionaire shortly….apart from sid’s ambition to become successful in life and to constantly keep him updated with the latest x-box versions am sure sid is doing this pani puri service with a “welfare of the pani puri wala” attitude…kudos sid ;)…hope you soon contribute as much as possible to your pani puri wala to make him realize his dreams….;-)

With best wishes from all ya buddies..

Now as good guys what all of ya do is give good moral to the story above….t might help the pani puri wala or sid himself …

Moral??

And will keep posting from now on—sure thing!! :)

A Place of ultimate Divinity.....

Hi friends this is my second post ....and this comes to speak to you all of a place where you can witness ultimate divinity.....it's the mahalingapuram temple next to kodambakkam bridge..its a aiyappan and guruvayurappan temple...the calm ambience, the profound vibes will make the devotees feel in oneness with aiyyan....situated in a calm residential avenue this temple is typically the terminus of ardent aiyappa devotees....... when you step inside the temple first you ll catch the glimpse of guruvayurappan....as calm and poised he is... the stature will be like GOD IN FRONT OF YOU WAITING TO PAY HEED TO ALL WHAT YOU VE GOT TO SHARE WITH HIM....lord aiyappan will be as majestic as always decorated in a typical kerala style with ghee dheepams surrounding all over the edifice..
Hmmm...now the most interesting part of this fantabulous temple...all days in the week evening at around 6.30 pm they play the keralite music CHENDAMELAM...this is the exclusive highlight of this marvellous worship place....From 6.30 pm this musical extravaganza extends to about forty five minutes....and my...its the ultimate...you ll feel HEAVEN ON EARTH...trust me proven fact devotees feel vibration for minutes even after the musical offering gets over....the feel is ultimate infact PRICELESS....after the chendamela the temple is closed for about a few minutes and eighteen brightly glowing lamps are carried around the aiyappan sannidhi after which the devotees are offered the holy ARTI....
SEPTEMBER-MARCH the ultimate time to enjoy the ambience of this temple....with all samis around the temple will seem the destiny of purity ,clarity and eternity....as far i ve spoken to the temple authorities and regular sami's it seems there has been a positive attitude improvement witnessed everytime they visit this place.....and my personal experience i ll say it's jus soul stirring and i love paying a visit to that temple...
so friends why waiting for...for all true believers of a super power this place is sure to gift you a feel of god's presence around...and for a few who believe there is no super power atleast make a visit to this and feel the vibes conquering your mind and soul..
and a brief intro of my next post it will be cookery special....
see ya ..take care..keep smiling!!!!!!!!!!!!