Crossing Boundaries of Superstitions

Stick to Your New Year’s Resolutions - Happy 2012

2011-12-31T11:57:00.000-08:00

Have you failed in sticking to your New Year resolutions in previous years? This New Year 2012 is a great time to review your past and plan your future goals. But for any real change, there has to be a long term commitment. The first step is deep introspection about smaller changes that will help achieve bigger goals of life.

Fitness and losing weight are two popular New Year's resolutions made by many people all over the world. Starting the day early is another popular resolution. Late risers are always annoyed with their own habit of being late to start their day. People also wish to learn better time management skills for more productivity.

To reduce excessive consumption of cigarettes, alcohol, tea, coffee, alcohol or aerated drinks are also popular. The idea behind this resolution is to give up bad habits and start the year with healthier habits.

People tend to ignore their family because of hectic work schedule and job pressure. Many make a resolution to spend more time with their family or/and dear ones. Many promise to invest some time towards a noble cause by joining a social service organization or devoting more time to their existing social or charitable activities. Educating a child or planting a tree is another popular resolution.

The three important components to sticking to your resolution are "planning", "will power" and "commitment". The reason why new year resolutions fail is lack of planned approach to stick to a resolution. If by any chance you break your rule or there are few lapses, do not get disheartened. DO NOT GIVE UP. Try finding the triggers or situations pushing you back to your old habit. For systematic approach make a note of your progress – both failures and success. Do not forget to reward yourself on your success. Join a group, program or network that can help your stay committed to your resolution. It can be hard to handle many goals at once, so focus on one at a time.

I believe in this philosophy - ‘think big, start small”. Meeting smaller goals is extremely gratifying. They can uplift your spirits. Try it out :) I wish all my readers a very Happy New Year. May God give you strength to stay committed to your goals. Best of luck and Jai Maa Durge!

Use of Technology in Cricket

2011-09-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

The use of technology has rapidly grown during the last hundred years. Cricket is no exception to the use of technology, especially, to determine the accuracy of umpiring decisions. Cricket fans keep track of interesting matches by subscribing to various sports channels, like, ESPN, NEO Sports etc. It is interesting to how the use of technology has helped cricket evolve over the years and how these channels are best utilizing it. The action replays from multiple angles, the stump vision, the statistical information bytes, the third-umpire, the wagon wheel and other visual aids, frame-by-frame replays and other technologies have improved the experience of watching the cricket match on television. They have really contributed to the popularity of cricket telecasts.

A popular infield tool available for cricket and tennis is “Hawk Eye”. This technique helps to track the path of the ball from different angles. “Hawk Eye” technology has enabled the cricketers to challenge umpires’ decisions. According to the ICC statement concerning leg-before-wicket challenges, “Hawk Eye technology could be used by the third umpire, but only for the purposes of determining the actual path of the ball up until the point that it struck the batsman and not the predictor function of the technology.” An interesting sports article by Abhilash Mudaliar on bleacherreport.com reflects how the use of technology will eliminate the biases that result not just from human error but from human nature. After all umpires are human beings and can make mistakes knowingly or unknowingly under pressure.

There are two more popular tools, Snicko and Hot Spot. Snickometer is helpful to graphically analyze sound and video, and show whether a fine noise, or snick, occurs as the ball passes the bat. Hot Spot is an infra-red imaging system used in cricket to determine whether the ball has struck the batsman’s bat or pad.

With various controversies on use of infield technology in cricket, I personally support its use. Human error can be challenged by technology that is very helpful to clear the doubts of players as well as spectators.

Jan Lokpal Bill and Anna Hazare’s Hunger Strike

2011-08-25T08:02:00.000-07:00

The word Lokpal has been derived from the Sanskrit words "loka" (people) and "pala" (protector/caretaker) meaning 'protector of people’. The Jan Lokpal Bill is an “anti corruption bill” seeking to appoint an independent body (Jan Lokpal) to investigate corruption cases at all levels. This bill targets politicians and bureaucrats giving “Jan Lokpal” the power to prosecute those found at fault without government permission. Many Indians in India as well as overseas are passionately supporting this bill and participating in efforts to get the bill passed by the Indian government.

The Lokpal Bill has been introduced in the Parliament several times in the last 50 years. We are hopeful that this time the Jan Lokpal bill will be passed because of Anna Hazare’s hunger strike and the mass support he has generated. Anna Hazare, a Gandhian rights activist, has started a fast unto death in New Delhi demanding the passing of the bill. Anna Hazare is admired by every Indian who wants to reduce growing corruption in India. Many young Indians are supporting Anna Hazare passionately and are flashing placards with the words “I am Anna, you are Anna, now the whole country is Anna.” Anna Hazare has become a generic name for the fight against corruption in India. Bollywood stars are also on streets actively supporting Anna Hazare. Shekhar Kapur said – “Arresting Anna Hazare will rouse erratic violent behavior because he would not be able to manage it from detention centre.” Read more...

Congress and some other political groups are against Anna Hazare’s hunger strike. They say that his action threatens democracy. The Prime Minister of India said “There is no magic wand that can solve the problem in one stroke."

Anna Hazare’s main protest weapon is hunger strike. An NDTV online article said: “But his weapon is potent. In 1995-96, he forced the Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra to drop two corrupt cabinet ministers. In 2003, he forced the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) state governments to set up an investigation against four ministers. In April this year, four days of fasting brought thousands of people out in support of his crusade against corruption. They also made the government realize it could not be dismissive about Anna Hazare and his mass appeal.”

We salute Anna Hazare’s efforts and pray to God to protect him and everybody supporting the Jan Lokpal Bill.

Fasting during Navratras - The 'fast' way to slim down

2011-08-08T16:24:00.000-07:00

Navratras or Navratri is a Hindu festival of nine nights dedicated to Goddess Durga (“Nav” means “nine” and “ratri” means “night”). Navratras is celebrated with devotion and purity in India and other countries, where Goddess Durga’s devotees reside. The devotees of Goddess Durga celebrate this festival by visiting temples, chanting holy mantras and offering prayers. Many devotees observe fast for nine days.

A new approach to fasting during Navratri has become popular in recent times. Hindu ladies are treating Navratri as an opportunity to lose weight. They are integrating worship with slimming program. Elders are encouraging this concept as it is doubly rewarding. Firstly, the tradition of fasting during Navratras is being continued by the new generation and secondly, girls are losing weight that is considered very important for finding right groom for them.

There are various ways to fast during Navratras. Few ladies have only fruits and milk products for nine days and others include rock salt (sendha namak) with potatoes in their food.

I encourage my readers to have a balanced healthy lifestyle. This can happen when you burn more calories than you eat. It is a wonderful concept to fast and slim during Navratras but those lost pounds (kilos) can easily come back if eating healthy food and regular exercise pattern are not included in daily life. This Navratras, pray, fast and continue the slimming program by staying fit through exercise and healthy food habits.

Sai Baba Maha-Samadhi – A New Hope for Puttaparthi

2011-08-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

The death of spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba in April 2011 shook the foundation of Puttaparthi. The prime attraction of this town was Sathya Sai Baba’s Prasanthi Nilayam ashram. This ashram was the centre of tourist attraction. Large number of devotees from all over the world visited this town for Baba’s blessings.

Sathya Sai Baba’s death drastically reduced the number of religious visitors to this town. Residents of the town who depend on tourism face a major setback and possibility to unemployment. The Maha-Samadhi of Sathya Sai Baba has brought back some hope. A white marble Samadhi was unveiled recently - it marks the place where Sai Baba was buried in the Sai Kulwant Hall at his Prashant Nilayam ashram. When he died, his body was kept on display there for three days. A stream of VIPs from cricketer Sachin Tendulkar to politician L.K Advani had offered their last respects along with thousands of devotees.

Late Sathya Sai Baba had opened three primary mandirs in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai. His organizations supported free educational institutions, hospitals and other charitable work. We can only hope that these spiritual and charitable activities continue even after his death and the mishandling of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust is stopped.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple - A temple with history, legends and treasures

2011-07-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

India is the oldest & richest civilization in the world carrying spiritual values as well as many valuable treasures from its past.

The treasure found in Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram has made it the richest temple in India. This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The treasure comprises of thousands of kilos of gold, diamonds, precious stones and silver ornaments estimated at 90,000 crore rupees. The most precious finding so far appears to be a golden statue of the Hindu god Vishnu, studded with precious gems. A golden rope, a golden bow and golden coconut shells were among the most peculiar findings, which also included many precious bangles and necklaces, emeralds and antique silvers. (source: polipundit.com)

The vaults of the temple were opened after the Supreme Court ordered the state government to take over the assets of the temple of a trust controlled by the royal family of Travancore. There are six vaults in Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, from A to F, and vault A and B are yet to be opened.

The most important question at present is how this treasure will be secured, preserved and conserved. Let’s see what the appointed division bench will decide.

Maa Sanjeebani Meditation Centre Construction Work Started in Golakhpur, Odisha

2010-09-03T07:49:00.000-07:00

Ashram Nirman

Click on "Ashram Nirman" album to view more pictures

Maa Sanjeebani Marg is motivating people to find meaningful purposes for their lives and rebuild their lost self confidence. Devotees of Maa Sanjeebani Marg have seen positive changes in their personal, professional and family lives and have attracted many followers towards this path. Together all the devotees are trying to bring this path to the next level. Maa Sanjeebani Ashram construction is the result of the trust, love and dedication of Sanjeebani Marg's followers. The name of the Ashram is "MAA SANJEEBANI MEDITATION CENTRE".

It's being built in Golakhpur village in Odisha. The photo album (above) shows the prayer ceremony performed on May 8 2010 at the Ashram site attended by Ashram members, devotees and villagers. They were happy to see the development work of the meditation centre.

This medication centre (Ashram) will provide shelter and opportunities to the underprivileged. In the initial years the meditation centre will benefit the villagers around this area. As you can see in the pictures, the villagers attended the prayer ceremony and were hopeful that the centre can transform their lives. Golakhpur village doesn’t have enough water supply, electricity, medical facilities and vocational trainings. This centre will try to fulfill the basic needs of the villagers. For the time being this will be a charitable centre run by the funds and donations of Sanjeebani Marg followers and members. In the coming years our efforts will be to convert this centre to a non-profitable organization helping larger group of people all around the world. People from any part of the world can feel free to visit and meditate in this centre.

I would like to thank and bless all the people who are directly or indirectly involved in any kind of honorable work. Let us thank God by being associated with organizations/people that help projects for the growth and development of the world.

Haiti Relief Efforts

2010-04-12T08:10:00.000-07:00

The 35 seconds terrible earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12th devastated the lives of people living there. Tens of thousands of people were dead in this catastrophic earthquake, buried beneath demolished schools, hospitals and homes. Millions of residents were homeless and without any shelter. According to Haitian Government reports that between 217,000 and 230,000 people have died, an estimated 300,000 injured, and an estimated 1,000,000 homeless.

Rescue efforts began immediately after the earthquake. But there were not sufficient medical facilities to treat the injured. From January 12th Red Cross started bringing emergency assistance to the victims. Many international agencies are helping to rebuild the lives of people living in Haiti. Your contributions can help these agencies to smoothly continue their efforts.

American Red Cross: is primarily helping with emergency food, shelter and other basic needs. The author of "Banking World and Payments" said "If you want to donate money online towards the RedCross relief efforts click on this link".

CARE : is fighting global poverty, specifically by empowering women and girls. To donate to the Haiti relief fund, go to Care.org or call 1-800-521-CARE.

American Jewish World Service: This agency supports grass-roots, community-based organizations in remote locations whose needs are not always met by larger organizations. To donate to its Haiti relief efforts, go to ajws.org/haitiearthquake/ or mail a check to 45 W. 36th St., 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018. Make checks out to American Jewish World Service, and in the memo section write "Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund."

AmeriCares: is delivering medicine, medical supplies and aid to people in crisis around the world. To donate, call 1-800-486-HELP or go to AmeriCares.org.

Love a Child: is focusing on giving aid to children and their families in Haiti. To donate, go to loveachild.com, or call 1-800-645-4868.

There are several other agencies listed in this CNN article. Your volunteer work, monetary contributions and prayers can help many victims of Haiti. Support these agencies and be a part of the Haiti relief program.

Happy New Year 2010

2009-12-30T07:26:00.000-08:00

Sanjeebani Parivar wishes all the readers a very prosperous and bright year 2010. Happy New Year!!

Hindu Villagers in Eastern Orissa Believe a Turtle as an Incarnation of Lord Jagannath

2009-11-13T13:54:00.000-08:00

Undoubtedly this turtle is unique. On the back of the turtle there is a symbol that resembles Lord Jagannath. But according to the law of India no one can keep a turtle without a legal permission from the authority. People who do not abide with this law can be jailed for a year or can be fined. Indian villagers in Eastern Orissa are defying law by not handing over the turtle to the police. According to a priest of a temple and other villagers “Lord Jagannath has visited our village in the form of a turtle. We will not allow anybody to take the turtle away.” (Reuter)

A senior wildlife government official Mr. P.K. Behera said “We have asked the villagers to hand it over as it is illegal to confine a turtle, but they are refusing”. It is very hard for the policeman to convince villagers to hand over the turtle to the authority.

The author of “online banking” said “It will be tough for the authority to take away the turtle as the poor villagers feel that they are blessed by Lord Jagannath in the form of a reptile. This is a unique turtle and should be protected from any harm. It may be hard for the turtle to survive in a bucket of water for a long time”. The author of "crime news" said “Villagers are chanting prayers and offering fruits and flowers rejoicing this event of blessing. But they have to understand that they cannot go against law. To protect and conserve God's creation is equivalent to praying to God.”

Disney will Soon Introduce Hindu Mythological Characters in Hollywood

2009-10-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

The heritage and culture of India are appreciated and studied by people in different parts of the world. Hindu mythology is the essence of Hinduism. With economic development, recognition of cultural diversity, study of Indian languages abroad, Hindu mythological characters have gained wide popularity. The growing demand for new concept, cultural amalgamation and creativity in the media industry has attracted Disney towards various characters of Hindu epics like, Ramayana and Mahabharata. These characters are renowned for their valor, power and ability to use celestial arms and armaments. One such character is Karna, the son of Kunti and Sun Lord, who was equipped with immense power and celestial arms by birth. Vimanika, an Indian comic company in Mumbai publishes comics based on Indian mythological characters in India and the United States of America. This company is soon starting circulation in the United Kingdom. It’s not official that Disney has approached Vimanika to bring these Hindu superheroes to films and televisions of Hollywood. Vimanika has plans to convert comics to online games and mobile games.

There are mixed reactions to this news. Hindu fundamentalists like Mr. Zyed feel that some kinds of variations will be required when presenting these Hindu mythological characters in Hollywood. It can hurt the sentiments of Hindus. On the other hand, liberal Hindus feel that introducing Hindu mythological characters to Hollywood is a big opportunity to recognize Indian heritage across the world. The author of “online banking” said “I feel introducing Hindu mythological characters in Disney would educate children and parents of various countries about the Indian superheroes. This will further glorify the true spirit of India and attract more tourists to India.” The author of “crime news” said “I very much look forward to learning more about the magnificent past of India through Indian Epics.”

Religion Helping to Tackle DUI & DWI Crimes in Chechnya

2009-08-19T10:11:00.000-07:00

It will be wonderful if religious leaders and communities support the law enforcement system to fight against crimes throughout the world. We can already see it in Russia. In Chechnya, Russia, the mosques in the Chechen republic will publicly announce the names of drunk drivers during the Friday prayers.

Sulban Hasimikhow, press secretary of Islamic center said "“The religious center of the region and the republic’s road police declared war on those who violate traffic laws and like to drink and sit behind the wheels after that. The people must know about those who violate laws and constitute danger to other people."

The religious leaders have joined the fight against alcoholism and DUI related offences.

Fort Lauderdale DUI lawyers said "So many people around the world die or suffer serious injuries, including, brain injuries as a result of DUI & DWI accidents. Any social or religious steps taken to reduce these crimes are commendable." The author of "Online banking and payment" said, "Sometimes the fear of social ridicule works better than the fear of being behind bars. We will know if DUI cases drop down in Chechnya." The author of "Crime news" said "We look forward to seeing the results of the initiative and its impact in Chechnya."

Happy Raksha Bandhan

2009-08-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Sanjeebani Marg wishes Happy Rakhi to all the readers. Raksha Bandhan is a festival celebrated by Indians across the world to encourage and strengthen the sacred relationship between brothers and sisters. Sisters tie "Rakhi thread" around the brothers wrist to show their love and trust.

On this special occasion of Rakhi may Maa Sanjeebani shower her blessings on every strong and pious relationship, especially the bond between brothers and sisters.

Radio-Controlled Aircrafts - Threat to Indian Security

2009-07-31T08:06:00.000-07:00

The Customs department in Mumbai, India has seized thousands of radio-controlled (RC) aircrafts imported from China, Taiwan and Korea. A radio-controlled aircraft is one that can be run without a pilot and is guided by a remote. These RC aircrafts are a big threat to the city's security. The RC aircrafts from China violate the law of amplitude that causes major threat because of the capability to intercept and jam frequency bands used by Indian securities agencies.

The Customs department has decided to destroy around 3,000 RC planes. "These aircraft may come in handy for subversive activities. We have issued orders to destroy them," said a Customs official.

The author of "Online Banking and Payment" said "RC aircrafts with frequency more than 27004 kilohertz (KHz) are considered illegal as they violate the state frequencies law limit." Product recall lawyer said "Any products that do not comply with the state safety standards or deemed dangerous by Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are recalled. If a consumer is notified about a product recall, he/she should immediately return it to the manufacturer and get a refund."

Theft Charges on Georgia Hindu Temple Priest Dropped

2009-07-29T06:02:00.001-07:00

This incident forces me to think that people taking religious consultation or religious services from priests of temples should be very clear on how much these services will cost. It is also the responsibility of the temple staff handling the accounts to let their clients know beforehand about the expense involved in performing poojas or ceremonies.

Dr. Commander Selvam whose real name is Annamalai Annamalai was declared innocent by Gwinnett County, Georgia. The theft charges against him have been dropped. He was also accused of practicing medicine without a license. Teresa Louis, 42, of Chicago contacted Annamalai for an astrological reading as she was having problems finding a right match. Louis said she agreed to pay $100 a week for a special prayer service over the phone.

Louis said she was shocked when her credit card was charged for $1,751 two weeks later. When she refused to pay the charges, she said, “the guru blatantly told me you cannot cancel.”

“He said, ‘You agreed to it,’ ” said Louis, who later filed complaints with Gwinnett police and the Better Business Bureau.

Lal Singh has a different opinion of the guru. “Every time I want to give money, they say, ‘No, no, don’t worry,’ ” Singh said. Worshippers report very different experiences.

Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter said that the state law for practicing medicine without a license provides an exception for religious healers. He also said that there was no evidence linking Annamalai to the credit card charges.

Dr. Commander Selvam said “some individuals are jealous of his success and are bent on destroying the temple.” But he had full faith that “God will support him as he had not done anything wrong.”

The author of "Online Banking and Payment" said "As all other businesses work, priests need to be upfront with money matters. This will reduce such issues.” NYC federal criminal lawyer said “To practice medicine under the banner of religion involves no license. There is no scientific research conducted to prove the efficacy of these medicines. It is driven by faith and not science.”

Burger King Used Goddess Lakshmi's Image for Branding Meat Sandwiches

2009-07-15T07:35:00.001-07:00

This is a case where the phrase “ignorance is bliss” cannot be applied :)

I was surprised to read that Burger King’s Spanish advertising company used Goddess Lakshmi’s image for selling Burger King’s meat sandwiches in Spain. I don’t consider this incident offensive but unwise. It is a good example of a lack of cultural sensitivity and religious beliefs when developing an ad for a target group. This ad was brought down after religious leaders criticized it.

The funnier aspect of this ad was its tagline. The ad featured the tagline: 'La merienda es sagrada,' meaning 'the snack is sacred'. This is not a fault of Burger King but its advertising company that failed to do proper legwork. Rajen Zyed, a Hindu religious leader said “It was highly disturbing to see goddess Lakshmi modeling for a meat sandwich. Lakshmi was meant to be worshiped in temples or home shrines and not for pushing meat sandwiches in the streets for mercantile greed of a global corporation.”

The author of “Online Banking and Payment” said “Using Hindu God and Goddess’ images in ads are totally acceptable. If Burger King was advertising for a healthy and vegetarian food item this ad could have possibility worked well.” NYC criminal defense lawyer said “Having a diverse group in ad agencies working on foreign ads helps in understanding diverse beliefs and customs. Proper market research is important before designing a campaign. It’s very hard to build a reputation and very easy to lose it.” The author of “Crime News” said “This is a good lesson for companies using religious idols and symbols to advertise their products overseas. Market survey and concept acceptability should be taken into account before the launch of such ads.”

Update on Swine Flu or H1N1 Virus

2009-06-22T09:18:00.000-07:00

Swine Flu is also known as H1N1 virus, pig flu, swine fever and swine influenza. It’s not completely wiped out from different countries but has been reported to be under control. The rapid spread of H1N1 flu made World Health Organization (WHO) raise the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6, on June 11, 2009 against influenza A (H1N1) virus.

More than 70 countries have reported to have H1N1 cases. Swine flu is common in pigs but initially was not considered as a threat to human beings. Swine influenza is common in pigs in the United States, Mexico, Canada, South America, Europe, Kenya, and eastern Asia. The origin of this new strain is unknown. However, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) reported that this virus cannot be associated only with the pigs but there are chances that it could have been transmitted from human to human. The exact source of this outbreak is still being investigated.

According to the June 19th update, the number of people infected by Swine flu all over the world is 65,736 and those who died is 267. The maximum number of cases are in the United States with 17855 victims out of which 44 have died. Mexico has 7260 cases resulting in 113 deaths. In India, 30 people are suffering from this disease with no death reported.

Friends, destroying Swine flu virus is not in our hands but we can prevent it by taking necessary precautions for our and other people’s safety. Try following these steps:

- Wash your hands many times with soap and water, especially when you are visiting public areas
- Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing
- Avoid touching your eyes and nose before washing or sanitizing your hands
- Avoid coming in close contact with sick people, especially when you know they are sick
- Anyone detected with Swine flu should not go to the school or office

The author of “Online banking and payments” said “If anyone is feeling sick, have cough, cold and/or fever try seeking medical help as soon as possible.” NYC guardianship lawyers said “We should not fear this disease but take necessary precautions.” Atlantic City wage claim lawyer said “WHO has not announced travel restrictions for controlling this disease but people traveling should be careful.”

Sanjeebani Marg wishes quick recovery to all the people suffering from Swine influenza. We pray that this flu comes to an end soon. Jai Maa Durge!

Delhi University Introducing Online Programs in its Educational System

2009-06-19T07:27:00.001-07:00

Introducing online program is a big development in Delhi University educational system. This development will be helpful for students who desire to study in a specific college and a subject of their choice. Delhi University (DU) is setting up a modern studio at its Institute of Long Learning (ILL), where lectures of popular teachers and experts of various disciplines will be recorded and placed on its portal.

ILL director A K Bakshi said ""We are getting recorded the lectures of the best of our teachers from all the colleges so that the students can learn from them on-line no matter in what college they are enrolled."

The project has been basically initiated under the 'Pan-African e-Network Project'. It was commissioned by the Ministry of External Affairs of India in February this year.

"Under the Rs 542.90 crore Pan-African project, we had been asked by the External Affairs Ministry to develop e-content, including the multimedia material for various disciplines to be provided to the African students," A K Bakshi said.

Mr. Bakshi further said “We want to develop quality lectures with high conceptual clarity. Therefore, we have asked teachers to first submit their manuscripts that would be short listed for final recording.”

Some of these lectures and tutorials will be available online from early July 2009.

Defective products lawsuit lawyers said "Enabling quality education and providing access to strong Indian faculty members from various disciplines to reach African countries is an important step. Students residing in any part of India and African countries can advance their careers by utilizing this system.” The author of "Online Banking and Payments" said "Online learning programs are very beneficial for people who are working and/or do not have the flexibility of time to attend regular class room sessions. Women, who do not have an opportunity to continue their studies because of their domestic commitments, can take advantage of these online programs. There is no age bar associated with these programs.”

Consequences of Customs Duty Evasion in India - Sheetal Mafatlal Arrested for Carrying Undisclosed Ornaments

2009-06-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

I would like to draw my readers’ attention towards the "customs duty evasion issue in India" by highlighting the recent Sheetal Mafatlal's arrest controversy. She was arrested at Mumbai airport and detained in custody for false declarations of gold and diamond jewelries she was carrying on her way back from London. The Air Intelligence Unit arrested her on "false declarations and smuggling gold ornaments" charges. Sheetal Mafatlal is the president of Mafatlal Luxury Ltd and wife of industrialist Atulya Mafatlal. It’s been said that the ornaments were worth Rs 51 lakh to Rs 80 lakh.

Advocate Sujay Kantawalla, specializing in customs cases said “In a bailable offense how can person be in custody even for a minute? I feel the magistrate was misled by the customs officials.” This is because Sheetal Mafatlal was carrying gold and diamonds whose worth was estimated less than Rs 1 crore. This does not provide a sufficient ground for custody.

Sheetal and her husband stated to be victimized by their family members because of the ongoing property litigation. Late Yogendra Mafatlal had during his life time given control of the Mafatlal companies to Atulya and had also distributed family property to Atulya and his four daughters, Kunti, Gayatri, Malvika and Aparna and their husbands. But property dispute has increased in their family by every passing year.

To reduce the revenue loss in India, stringent measures are being taken against people who evade customs duty. According to the 2007 Finance Bill, government had proposed to take strict actions against wrong declaration of the value of goods exported or any fraudulent methods used to hide goods in the customs checks.

The evasion amount however has been raised to Rs 1 crore. Initially it was possession more than Rs 1 lakh. The amount of duty being evaded should exceed Rs 30 lakh. People found guilty can be fined or punished from a year to seven years depending upon the severity of crime. Product malfunction attorneys said “I have heard that these stringent customs evasion norms in India have increased the government revenues.”

The Self Repair of Brain - Activin A Helps to Block Brain Inflammation

2009-06-03T08:18:00.000-07:00

The findings published on 'Journal Stem Cells' have illustrated the capability of nerve cells in the brain to produce an anti-inflammatory molecule that allows the brain for self repair. The victims of injuries or Parkinson's disease can receive some relief from this research.

The brain's capacity to regenerate is a very recent finding as stated on Times of India. In the early 1990s neural stem cells were found in the brains. It took few more years for scientists to find out and show that they can regenerate nerve cells in the brain.

Bryce Vissel, the neuroscientist at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research (GIMR), Australia said ""Given that we now know regeneration can occur, we want to understand what drives it and what blocks it, particularly in diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. We triggered rapid neuro-degeneration in the brains of mice, and it was immediately followed by a very rapid regenerative response. We wanted to know why this response could occur so effectively after acute neuro-degeneration."

Vissel further said "On further investigation, we found high levels of a molecule known as Activin A whenever regeneration occurred. This was especially interesting because Activin A is released from nerve cells. Clearly Activin A was playing an important part in the regenerative process, so we triggered neuro-degeneration and at the same time blocked Activin A. The difference was dramatic."

Rollover lawyers said "This gives a big hope to people who are suffering from brain injuries as a result of fatal accidents." Airbag lawsuit lawyers said "I read in an article that the main action of Activin A was to block inflammation in the brain after neuro-degeneration or injury."

Kavya Shivashankar an Indian American Girl Won the Prestigious US Bee Spelling Championship

2009-05-29T08:13:00.000-07:00

I was delighted to read about the victory of the 13 year-old Kavya Shivashankar in the 2009 Scripps Bee National spelling championship. Her father Mirle Shivashankar and mother Sandy Shivashanakar are Indian immigrants settled in the United States. Bee is the nation's largest educational promotional institution administered on a non profit basis. The purpose of the spelling competitions is to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts, and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives.

Out of the last 11 finalists only Kavya was left on the stage at the end. 8 out of the 11 contenders were Indian Americans. Kavya's winning word was "Laodicean" which means lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics. She won $40,000 cash and several other gifts.

On being asked about her interests she said she enjoys playing the violin, bicycling, swimming and learning Indian classical dance. Her role model is 1999 Bee championship's winner Nupur Lala. Kavya belongs to Olathe, Kansas and is a student at California Trail Junior High School. Her future goal is to become a neurosurgeon.

The moment Kavya won the Bee spelling competition her parents came up on the stage to give her a tight hug. “My dad really helped me,” she said. “I couldn’t have done this without him.” Mirle & Sandy said "We haven't skipped meals, we haven't lost sleep, but we've skipped a lot of social time. She turned 13 last week but was too busy planning for the bee to have a party. That would be any kind of celebration for Kavya's birthday.”

Estate planning lawyers in NYC, West Plam Beach personal injury lawyers, vehicle rollover attorney & Atlantic City workers comp settlement lawyer have congratulated Kavya for this big success. They have wished that her dream to become a neurosurgeon comes true.

Kailash Giri Brahmachari Carrying His Blind Mother on His Shoulders to Various Pilgrimages in India

2009-05-27T08:22:00.001-07:00

36 year-old Kailash Giri Brahmachari is being referred to as a modern “Shravan Kumar” in India. Shravan Kumar is a mythological character in the Hindu epic Ramayana respected by people because of his love, dedication and sacrifice for his blind parents. He carried his blind parents in a basket to visit various pilgrimages. Kailash Giri Brahmachari inspired by the character of Shravan Kumar, for about 12 years is carrying her mother to different pilgrimages. When Brahmachari was young, he met with a serious accident. His mother, 80 year-old Keerthi Devi prayed to God and pledged to visit few significant shrines if her son recovered soon. Due to poverty and poor health ,Brahmachari was unable to fulfill his mother’s wish at that time. He started the pilgrimage travel in 1996 at the age of 23.

Till now they have visited several places including Allahabad, Ayodhya, Kashi, and Chitrupur. He is planning to take his mother to temples at Srirangam, Chennai, Calcutta and Orissa, he said he would end his journey at the Kumbh Mela to be held 10 years from now in Ujjain. For food and shelter, they are dependent on charity.

People in India are deeply appreciative of Brahmachari’s efforts to make her blind mother’s dream come true. Keerthi Devi had asked Brahmachari a few times to end this religious travel but he is insistent on completing it. Brahmachari is being regarded as a saint and people are taking his blessings because of his true love for his mother.

The author of “The World of Online Banking and Payments” said “In the changing times, the least children can give to their parents are love and respect. Helping the poor and needy people to live a decent life is practicing the values given by the parents and thanking the efforts of good parenting.” The author of “Breaking Barriers” said “Sometimes our parents can take wrong decisions. The children who respect and love their parents will guide them towards the right path. Keerthi Devi trusts Brahmachari’s efforts and his love towards her. Not only children but parents should also learn to trust their children from this episode.”

Morjorie Newlin and Kelly Nelson – Ageless Bodybuilders

2009-05-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

This article is addressed to all those women who feel "age is a big limitation in achieving daunting goals.” One 86 year-old woman and other 77 year-old woman bodybuilders have shown remarkable results in building muscles and receiving numerous awards in bodybuilding competitions. They have also shown the confidence to change their life styles after the age of fifty. It is very encouraging to read about their achievements.

A great grand mother and retired nurse, Morjorie Newlin had an urge to transform her life at the age of 72. When Newlin was 72, one day she went to buy 50-pound bags of kitty litter on sale. She found it extremely difficult to carry it alone to her house. That was the time she felt she has to do something about her deteriorating health. She started weight training and there was no looking back after that. In about 13 years, in her house one room is dedicated to the certificates, plaques and awards she has won in these years. She has won 40 trophies nationally and internationally. Her personal trainer, Richard Brown said “I chuckled when I saw this little old lady walk inside the gym, I was a little leery. I was just training young athletes at the time.” On being questioned about how long she will be able to follow this bodybuilding training and routine she said “Every day is different. The next day will take care of itself.”

Kelly Nelson, a 77 year-old woman did not come from an athletic background and was new to bodybuilding. In 1980, 52 year-old Kelly started weight training as she didn't like the looks of the backs of her arms. After 6 months of weight training program she convinced her daughter Colleen, who is 30 years younger to her to join the weight training program. Colleen received many awards. In 1983, after 3 years of training Kelly competed in her first body building competition. She won that competition and never looked back. Today both mother and daughter are well acclaimed body builders and role model of people above the age of 40. They have developed a line of fitness business that is doing well. They have their own fitness videos, modeling assignments and work as fitness instructors.

The author of “The World of Online Banking and Payments” said “Few days back, I watched Kelly and Colleen’s interview and was surprised to see their dedication and hard work to stay fit. Many people who get discouraged taking challenging tasks after reaching their 50s should learn from these women.” Westchester & NYC estate planning lawyers said “We saw the mother-daughter basic fitness training videos. It was amazing.” Airbag Lawsuits lawyers said “Morjorie Newlin & Kelly Nelson have inspired many people to rekindle their spirits and lead healthy lives. They have proved to the world that age is no bar to fulfill unaccomplished dreams.”

First Face Transplant in the United States

2009-05-08T10:09:00.001-07:00

There are various accidents and tragic incidents that can cause serious facial injuries resulting into a deformed face. The skilled doctors & surgeons, advanced medical devices, proper medication and most importantly gracious donors have made it possible to do a face transplant.The first US face transplant was revealed on Tuesday May 4th ‘09. 46 year-old Connie Culp's face transplant surgery has given her a second chance to lead a normal life. Her husband Thomas shot her in her face in 2004. She was left with shattered nose, cheeks, the roof of her mouth and an eye. Her face was disfigured in this tragedy. Her husband was sentenced to 7 years of imprisonment.

The donor (name not publicized) has given a new life to Connie Culp, a mother of two children. Culp was excited to get back her nose. In an interview to the media she thanked the donor’s family “I think it’s more important that you focus on the donor family that made it, so I could have this face.”

The reconstructive surgeon who performed this operation with her team is Dr. Maria Siemionow. Dr. Siemionow replaced 80% of Culp's face with the tissues and bones of the dead donor. Surgeons used donor tissues to replace her nose, mouth, lips and chin that were severely damaged in the brutal act of violence.

Culp’s psychiatrist said that a remark by a kid kept haunting her "You said there were no real monsters mommy and there's one right there.” Culp stopped the kid and said “I’m not a monster. I’m a person who was shot,” and pulled out her driver's license to show the child how she used to look before.

The world's first face transplant took place in France three years back. This was done on Isabelle Dinoire, a woman who had been mauled by her dog. Since then two face transplant operations have been carried out - one on a Chinese farmer who was mauled by a bear while trying to protect his sheep, and the other on a French man who had become disfigured by a genetic condition.

Products liability lawyers said "Culp has received a new life. We are happy to read that in January, she was able to eat pizza, chicken and hamburgers for the first time after approximately 5 years. Initially she was able to eat and breathe only through the artificial pipes inserted in her body." Illinois trucking accidents lawyers said "The team of surgeons has done a commendable job. We hope Culp is able to feel a part of the society like before and forget about her past tragedy." Westchester estate planning lawyer said "The family of the face donor has helped in bringing back joy in Culp’s life. May God bless them.” Charlotte bankruptcy lawyers said “The psychiatrists say that at times these face transplants may result into disappointment, depression and grief towards the donor. The heavy medications can also have its side-effects. It’s important to have knowledge about the side-effects too.’

"Hanuman - Boy Warrior" Video Game Strongly Criticized by Hindu Leaders

2009-04-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

Sony, founded in 1946, launched a new video game “Hanuman – Warrior Boy” on 26th of March 2009. It is developed by an Indian developer. Powerful Hanuman, the son of wind, is a very popular Hindu deity and is presented as the hero of the video game. This is the first Indian mythological video game of PS2 available in Hindi and English. Atindriya Bose, the Country Manager of Play Station Sony Computer Entertainment said “The launch of "Hanuman - Boy warrior" has marked a very significant milestone in the Indian gaming industry and also signifies the importance we attach to the Indian market”

“Hanuman – Warrior Boy” video game has received mixed reactions from Hindus. An acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in an interview to Nevada Today (USA), said that “in the video game set-up, the player would control the destiny of Lord Hanuman while in reality the believers put the destinies of themselves in the hands of their deities.” Few more Hindus have supported Mr. Zed’s statement and said it hurts Hindu’s religious beliefs. Hindu leaders strongly criticized Sony Entertainment’s insensitivity, alleging the company to carelessly use Hanuman’s image for economic purposes, inspired solely by profit motive. These Hindu leaders have asked Sony to withdraw this video game as they cannot accept Hanuman being a character governed by a computer joystick.

With all due respect to the Hindu leaders’ reactions, I have a different opinion. Religious institutions also need funds to carry out their events successfully. The progress of a country depends upon its economics. The big picture of “Hanuman – Warrior Boy” is to bring Lord Hanuman closer to kids through computers. This can help kids deeply associate with their religious values. Time is changing and so are the mind set of people. We have online access to all the vedic rituals, pooja ceremonies and fasting books. Instead of calling priests for performing ceremonies, some people now prefer performing it online. I am just trying to show how some people have changed their religious mindset and prefer performing ceremonies online which is more convenient. We can call it convenience or changing times but these changes have helped people to stay close to their religious root. Instead of totally discarding their religious values, they are somehow trying to maintain it. Author of "Breaking Barriers", Dr. Ranu Sinha said “I personally prefer calling priests to perform religious ceremonies. But looking at the changing times it’s important to understand how the coming generations will accept religion. If religion is stringent and hard to follow, then gradually it will lose its importance.” Author of “The World of Online Banking and Payments” said “We have so many toys depicting Gods and Goddesses. I would like to name few - Kisna toy, Hanuman toy and Makhan Chor Kanahiya toy which kids like playing with. If we have no objections to kids playing with Hindu deities’ toys, then why do we have any issue with a computer game built around Hanuman. According to me God is love and not a symbol of fear or control.”

"A Better India, A Better World" - A Cute Class Two Student on the Cover of the Book

2009-04-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

Referred as an IT icon, Mr. N. R. Narayana Murthy selected a class two student for the cover image of his book. The cute kid's name is Mansi Bhatia who is representing tomorrow’s inquisitive and bold Indian generation on the cover of his book “A Better India, A Better World”. She is raising her hand to ask a question from her teacher. Mr. Murthy is one of the seven founders of Infosys, a global consulting and IT services company in India. Currently he is holding the positions of non-executive Chairman & Chief Mentor of Infosys. He is associated with various prestigious National & International advisory boards including, Harvard Business School, Wharton School, Cornell University, Stanford Graduate School of Business and few more. He has been honored the Padma Shri award and voted as the 7th most admired CEO/Chairman in the world in a global study conducted by Burson-Marsteller with the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Mr. Murthy’s book “A Better India, A Better World” is based on his lectures delivered around the world. “It is a manifesto for the youth, the architects of the future, and a compelling argument for why a better India holds the key to a better world.” Mr. Murthy’s book “A Better India, A Better World” is based on his lectures delivered around the world. “It is a manifesto for the youth- the architects of the future, and a compelling argument for why a better India holds the key to a better world.” A big event was organized to recognize Mr. Murthy’s book at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where many diplomats and eminent personalities were invited. A cute looking Mansi Bhatia shook hands with the President and sat with the President and Mr. Murthy on the stage, enjoying every moment.

West Palm Beach car accident lawyers congratulated Mr. Murthy on his book release. Charlotte Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyers said “Mr. Murthy has mentioned five essential elements for success - openness to learn, meritocracy, speed, imagination and excellence in execution.” The author of “The World of Banking and Payments” said “Mr. Murthy is a role model for many Indian entrepreneurs and people working in the IT sector.”

Portrait of President Barack Obama Made from Gumballs

2009-04-10T07:13:00.000-07:00

This is an amazing piece of art by artist Franz Spohn, who created it with the help of few school kids. Obama's gumball portrait was unveiled in Times Square, New York and crowd showed immense enthusiasm while appreciating this remarkable artistic work. The six-by-six feet portrait is made of 12,784 gumballs. It took approximately 5 hours to create this art.

Artist Franz Spohn used different color gumballs as pixels. With the help of computer he was able to map out where each gumball will fit. Many school kids volunteered for this job on January 19th at the King Center in Ravenna, Ohio. It was created on Martin Luther King’s Day. This portrait is being displayed on Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum.

Product Liability Lawyers have expressed their deep appreciation and congratulated Franz Spohn for creating such a unique Obama portrait. Author of “The World of Online Banking and Payments” said "Passionate artists come up with distinctive and imaginative ideas. They have the ability to bring life to their creation constructed from the most inert objects.”

Surgical Transformation of a Man to Obtain a Tiger Appearance

2009-03-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

Recently I was watching Ripley's Believe It or Not TV show in which Dennis Avner, the Cat Man was featured. He has been featured in TV shows like, Larry King Live, VH1s, Totally Obsessed and few more. Dennis Avner likes to be called a Stalking Cat. Many people address him "Cat".

Cat has undergone a lot of surgeries to transform his face and body to acquire a tiger's appearance. He believes he has a soul and a spirit of a tiger that inspired him to change his human look into a tiger form. This transformation has helped in the development of his tiger instincts and made him feel more like his actual self. Before he started his surgical & cosmetic transforamtion in 1980s he was working as a sonar submarine technician for the Navy. Today he lives in Guatay, a remote settlement in the hills of southern California and makes his living by working as a computer technician on weekdays. On weekends he resumes the life of a tiger.

Till date he has spent more than $200,000 in surgeries to get the physical appearance of a tiger that includes, removing all his natural teeth and replacing with artificial tiger like dentures and fangs, full-face tattoos, nose and brow implants, silicone cheek, pointing of ears, feline cleft lip and artificial whiskers implants. These surgeries involved heavy medications. In an interview he said ""I'm Huron and Lakota, I’m just taking a very old tradition, that to my knowledge is not practiced anymore."

Cat's modification artist is Steve Hayward. In the United States it is illegal for the surgeons to perform surgeries to alter a human form that may be deemed abnormal by the society.

Cat says his aim is to become a perfect cross between a cat and a human, incorporating the best aspects of both. Cat has two personal sites http://www.stalkingcat.net/ and "http://stalkingcat.livejournal.com.

Charlotte Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyers, NC said "Professor Kevin Gournay a psychiatrist and Glenn McGee with Albany medical college NY consider Cat's obsession as an unusual form of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)." SUV rollover lawyers said "50 year-old Cat Man has got many surgeries done. These surgical medications can severely damage his system as most of the heavy medications have side effects." Fleet phospho soda lawyers said “It is advisable to use drugs cautiously as it can cause many types of internal injuries.”

President Obama Will Sign a Decriminalize Homosexuality Statement

2009-03-19T08:10:00.000-07:00

ABC news spokesman reported today that the US President Obama will sign a declaration of decriminalizing the gay relationships. According to this bill gay marriages and relationships will not be discriminated by law. The ex-president of the United States George W. Bush was against this declaration and didn't sign it. State Department acting spokesman Robert Wood said ""The United States supports the UN Statement on 'Human Rights, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity,' and is pleased to join the other 66 UN member states who have declared their support of this Statement that condemns human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity wherever they occur."

Churches fear that approving this bill will promote gay marriages that are against nature. The agency has issued a similar plea to India. The Indian court is looking into this issue.

I personally do not support gay marriages but feel the basic rights to all couples are essential. Each individual has the right to enjoy the rights granted by the constitution. The major flip side is; acceptance of this statement will encourage the coming generation to select the same sex partner which can be deemed normal after few years. People's perspectives and habits play a vital role in the process of human evolution.

Atlantic City workers compensation lawyers said "Few states in the United States recognize gay marriages like, Connecticut, Vermont and Massachusetts. New York has equal law for gay but who are legally married outside of the New York state." NYC criminal defense lawyer said "Few nations that legalize gay marriages are Canada, South Africa, Spain and Netherlands.”

Brain Activities in Religious vs Non Religious People

2009-03-10T07:13:00.000-07:00

Today I read an article on "brain activities in religious vs less or non religious people". This research was conducted by a renowned psychologist Michael Inzlicht with University of Toronto, Scarborough campus. I felt like sharing the research article and its conclusions in short with my readers. The test group was University of Toronto students who were given color naming tasks. The idea of the research was to record the brain activity of religious vs non religious people when they answered a color name wrong.

In the first study 28 participants from different religions including, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and non religious were objects of test.

In the second study there were 22 participants. The participants were from diverse races and ethnic backgrounds. In the test group 33% were East Asian, 33 % South Asian, 28% Caucasian and six percent in the category of "other".

One of the findings from the research tests was quite interesting. When a religious person gave a wrong answer he/she responded "okay" as opposed to non-religious person who had anxious responses like "uh-oh-aah". The reason for anxiety was the mismatches activating the “alarm system” in the brains.

Based on the observations Professor Michael Inzlicht said "religious people or people who believe in God are less anxiously vigilant after they've made an error. They seem to be calmer. They seem to deal with it with more equanimity." He said "on the bright side, anxiety doesn't feel nice, and if religion can quell this anxiety, then this is a good thing. But at the same time, anxiety is actually quite important. We need it to let us know when things aren't going right. We need it to let us know when we've made errors, when we need to correct ourselves."

I think it is better to be less anxious and accept failures as it helps in leading a healthy life. By accepting failures I do not mean being less motivated but not getting over impulsive about uncontrolled situations & existential uncertainty. No one can lead a life without making any errors. Calm acceptance and "move on" philosophy are signs of maturity. These were small name errors for a research test in an artificial set up. Imagine the brain activity of over impulsive people in real time situations facing big time irreversible mistakes.

West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer said “these types of tests are very helpful to determine psychological behavior of people. Criminal personality traits are often studied in the psychological tests.” Atlantic City workers compensation lawyers said “Professor Michael Inzlicht has conducted many important researches on different targets to reveal different psychological patterns of diverse test groups. One of such researches was Jacob Hirsh and Michael Inzlicht's research on how people respond to uncertainty.”

Slum Dog Millionaire Receives 8 Oscar Awards and Smile Pinki Best Documentary

2009-02-24T08:35:00.000-08:00

This is an event of joy for Indians all across the world that Slum Dog received 8 out of 10 Oscar nominations. Smile Pinki received the best documentary award. The story of Slum Dog is about a young boy born and raised in a Mumbai slum. A beautifully scripted, narrated, directed and choreographed movie truly depicted the journey of a slum boy, Jamal Malik growing up facing many social and economic hardships. His hope to find his lost love encourages him to participate in a TV contest "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” Winning the contest was not easy as his slum background made the contest organizers suspicious about his knowledge on different subjects. In the police interrogation it was revealed the obstacles of his life were his educator.

Danny Boyle a British director directed the movie. Indian director Loveleen Tandan co-directed it. This movie was based on a novel of Vikas Swarup. It was delightful to see most of the Oscar nominees, much acclaimed international actors talking about Slum Dog Millionaire. When the movie won the "Best Movie" Oscar category the entire movie crew came up on the stage to receive the award. This was a moment of great honor for all the Indians.

A.R. Rahman was the biggest Oscar award winner. He won two awards, one for "best original score" and the other for "best original song" - Jai Ho with Gulzar. A.R. Rahman thanked God for giving him the opportunity to be an Oscar winner. He said "All my life I've had a choice of hate and love. I chose love and I'm here. God bless."

There have been some criticism about this movie that it has hurt India’s image internationally. Communal violence, poverty and crimes have ruined the image of India. If we focus on the theme of the movie, I do not think there should be any controversy. The theme is showing " life in the slum” and throughout the movie the main focus has been on the slum dwellers of Mumbai in some form or the other. It is important to realize that, if it is so ugly to watch in reel life, then think about people facing it in their real lives. This is an awakening call. All the problems highlighted in the movie need to be addressed and not just feel ashamed of.

"Smile Pinki" is a 39 minute documentary based on an 8 year-old Indian born cleft lip girl from India. Megan Mylan an American director directed this movie. There was a huge celebration in Mirzapur where Pinki lives with a procession, chanting "Bharat mata ki jai" (Long Live Mother India).

Fleet phospho soda attorneys said "This is a glorious moment for India to win so many Oscars. Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor, Frieda Pinto, Irrfan Khan and all the child artists have done a phenomenal job." Product liability lawyers said "Congratulations to the crew of Slum Dog for winning so many awards." Atlantic City workers compensation lawyers said "Slum Dog Millionaire is a story of hope and immense love. All the actors in the movie have done justice with the character they have played."

Ms McVerry Declares - God Shiva Blessed Her with a Child

2009-02-13T06:39:00.001-08:00

I believe in science and the theory of evolution. I think science will become more constructive and valuable when empowered by humanity and virtues. When struggling between life and death, trust and betrayal, hope and impossible; belief in the supernatural helps to revitalize the hidden strengths. Sometimes when science fail, then the immense belief in the God within helps.

The story of Ms McVerry faith in Lord Shiva was published in The Sun newspaper today. Doctors had told Ms McVerry that there were no chances for her to get pregnant because she was taking cancer drugs; she was facing an onset of arthritis and a car crash that had damaged her spine. Her spine was weak to carry a child. She had lost all hopes of getting pregnant.

The 41 year-old McVerry went to India with her partner Tony Clarke in her holidays and visited a statue of Lord Shiva. She said that her body felt energized and she became hopeful of having a child. "After I saw Shiva I was filled with a powerful feeling. I bought a metal piece model statue of Lord Shiva".

This woman from Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands who was considered infertile by doctors became pregnant. At the time of pregnancy she stopped taking cancer drugs as it could have affected her child in the womb. In December 2007 she gave birth to a 7lb 10 oz baby boy, Mitchell. She regards her son as the blessing of Lord Shiva.

Her consultant Dr Simon Bowman told The Sun: "He really is a miracle baby. But we can't prescribe visiting a fertility god on the NHS."

The author of Breaking Barriers, Dr. Ranu Sinha said “The inspiration to achieve the impossible comes from inside a person. Supernatural is within a person as a “super” power.” Charlotte chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyers said "Sometimes the power of hope gives the strength to achieve difficult targets."

Australian Open 2009 - Mahesh Bhupathi, Sania Mirza & Yuki Bhambri Make India Proud

2009-02-04T08:38:00.000-08:00

This is an occasion of great joy for India. Three Indian tennis players won two Grand Slam titles in Australian Open 2009. Mahesh Bhupathi, 33 and Sania Mirza, 22 won the mixed double tennis championship and Yuki Bhambri, 16 won the junior tennis championship.

Mahesh Bhupathi & Sania Mirza played the final match against Nathalie Dechy of France and Andy Ram of Israel. It was a splendid moment for Indian spectators to see them taking the winner's trophy. In an interview Sania Mirza said "We've been playing for I think four or five slams now. We came very close last year, as well. I think today, especially today, I think we both played really well. Honestly, I was a little surprised because it was my first final of a Grand Slam, nerves and everything. But I think we stepped it up after the first few games, and then suddenly we were on a roll." On being asked how Mahesh Bhupathi would expect a reception back home he said "Well, hopefully not too big. I'm not a big fan of receptions. I'd like to sneak out the back door at the airport tomorrow. I know for a fact the whole country's excited now. It's her first slam."

Both the veteran tennis players appreciated young Yuki Bhambri’s talent that he showed in the junior championship. Mahesh Bhupathi said that Yuki Bhambri has great potential and can bring laurels to India in the forthcoming tennis tournaments. He is the first Indian to win junior Grand Slam trophy. On being asked how he picked up tennis at such an early age he said "I have two sisters who play tennis as well. I've got courts right next to my house. I mean, you've got about ten courts there. That's how I started at a young age. Everyone in India plays sport, so that's how I really get into tennis."

Playing in extreme heat of Australia was an advantage for all the three players. They said that they are used to playing in extreme hot Indian climate and this was kind of helpful for them.

Charlotte bankruptcy lawyer has congratulated all the three Indian tennis stars and said it will be highly inspiring for more players to come. Fleet phospho soda lawyer enjoyed watching the Grand Slams. He congratulated Nadal, Serena Williams, Mahesh Bhupathi, Sania Mirza and Yuki Bhambri for winning the Grand Slam trophies. NYC criminal attorney said "Congratulations to the winners. We wish them continued success."

Second Time in History Octuplets (Eight Babies) were Born

2009-01-29T08:09:00.000-08:00

This is the second time in history when a woman gave birth to eight babies. This delivery was done on Monday January 26th in a Southern California hospital. All eight babies are in a stable condition. Two newborns were placed on ventilators and a third needed oxygen. A team of 46 doctors/nurses conducted this surgery. All the team members and the hospital staffs were very happy with the success of the delivery.

Among the eight babies, six are boys are two are girls. Doctors say that the babies are 9 weeks premature. In an interview, Dr. Karen Maples expressed her excitement by saying “My eyes were wide”. Dr. Mahindra Gupta, a neo-natologist responsible for caring the babies complimented the mother of the babies by saying "She's a very strong woman, so she probably will be able to handle all eight babies.” When the first baby came out, he was crying and kicking," Dr. Gupta said. "That eased the tension in the operating room because the first one came out healthy." The eighth baby came as a surprise to the team as they were expecting only seven. The woman has asked not to reveal her name to the media.

According to Encyclopedia Britanica, in 1967 in Mexico a woman delivered octuplets but they survived only for 14 hours. The first successful delivery was in the year 1998 in Texas where Nkem Chukwu gave birth to eight babies. Out of the eight, seven babies survived. Nkem Chukwu and Iyke Louis Udobi parents of the first octuplets congratulated the parent of the newly born octuplets. Their kids are now 10 year-old, healthy and active.

Charlotte bankruptcy lawyers said “We congratulate the mother of the octuplets for showing indispensable courage. According to the medical science having octuplets is not natural. This can happen when fertility drugs are given to a woman finding hard to conceive. The possibility for many eggs fertilizing at the same time increases due to the fertility medications.” Digoxin lawyers said “Many doctors don’t recommend mothers giving birth to eight babies as it can put mothers and their babies’ lives at risk. Because babies are premature they could face serious health risks, including breathing problems and neurological damage.”

Maa Sanjeebani Marg congratulates the doctors of Southern California hospital for conducting a successful surgery. May God bless the mother and her babies.

The Superstitions behind Marriages between Human Beings and Animals

2009-01-22T09:20:00.000-08:00

Harvest festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm in India, especially South India. This festival called Pongal gives opportunity to practice old traditions and customs. Marriage which is considered a sacred bond between the couples is being practiced as an object to strengthen religious fears. Two 7 year-old girls from Pallipudupet village in Tamil Nadu Villupuram district were married to frogs in this festival. An old woman said that it is a long old tradition being followed for years which is believed to prevent outbreak of mysterious diseases in the village. Vigneswari and Masiakanni were dressed up in bridal outfits with gold jewelry. Frogs from the temple's pond were selected as the bridegrooms. There was an elaborate marriage ceremony and the girls were tied managalsutra by the priests on behalf of the frogs. After the marriage ceremony was over the frogs were thrown back into the temple pond.

Along with considering these superstitions as outcomes of illiteracy and poverty, I relate it to the fear of the indefinite. Things that are beyond the control of human beings, force them to come up with unreasonable solutions. For preventing natural calamities they find solutions out of experimenting with the creatures of the nature. Some religious superstitions that worked long back become traditions. These traditions are then followed by coming many generations without questioning its logic.

Marrying amphibians will be deemed trivial compared to two marriages I will mention. In South Sudan capital, Juba, Africa in the year 2007, Mr. Rhodes was forced to marry his goat when found having sex with her. The goat’s name was Rose. After their “marriage”, Rose had a male kid – but “not a human one”, Mr. Rhodes told the BBC.

In another incident, Kumar a 33 year old villager in South India married a female dog (bitch) to get rid of certain curses that he felt were the cause of his illness. When he was 18 he had killed mating dogs and hung their carcasses from a tree. This incident haunted him for years and he perceived it as the cause of his illness and sufferings. After being suggested by an astrologer he married Selvi, a female dog (bitch). The Hindustan Times reported Kumar's family hosted a feast — while Selvi dined on a bun.

New York City criminal defense attorney said “The superstitions of marrying animals have no significance in the eyes of law. Animals can never give birth to a human kid.” West Palm Beach personal injury attorney said “Marrying animals is a wrong practice and people need to be educated not to become a victim to it. What can be a bigger curse than having a wife or a husband who is an animal.”

As quoted said by West Palm Beach personal injury attorney , what can be a bigger curse than marrying an animal. To come out of an indefinite curse superstitious people are entering into a definite one. Men and women dream to get perfect partners and live quality lives with them. It’s time to realize that by marrying animals we are disrespecting nature and nature’s evolution. Marriages are sacred and God help even those who marry men and women with animal instincts.

Cow Slaughter and Hindu Religion

2009-01-09T13:08:00.000-08:00

In the year 2007 there was a big protest by Hindus against killing a 13 year-old sick cow in a temple in UK. Gauri Das, leader of the Hindu Community at Bhaktivedanta Manor temple in Hertfordshire, said that the cow was given a lethal injection while worshippers were at prayer. The cow was suffering from muscle-wasting disease and doctors recommended immediate animal euthanasia to prevent further sufferings.

Today I recalled this incident while writing an article on cow slaughter. This article is not about killing a suffering cow but why cows are worshipped by Hindus. Many people say that everything in this world that has life should not be killed and cows are no exception. I say cows are an exception.

If we look into the Hindu religion, we worship most of the living and non-living elements present in the nature. We thank sun, moon, stars, water, snakes, mountains etc. for being a part of our lives. Whatever is valuable according to science in some way or the other are worshipped by Hindus so that we try not to misuse them. Some pray out of love and some out of fear. My opinion conflict with people who worship out of fear. According to Hindu epic “Mahabharata” the killing of a cow is the greatest of all crimes. All people who kill, eat and permit the slaughter of cows go to hell for as many years as there are hairs on the body of the cows (J. R. Hinnells, E. J. Sharpe, Hinduism). I think hell is nowhere but on earth.

There are various reasons to worship cows other than the fear factor of getting punished by God. Cows are a source of good heath and economic prosperity. Various products, like, curd, ghee, desserts, butter and many more products are produced from cow milk. Hindu worshippers offer milk to Lord Shiva considering it a pure product. Cow dung is considered a natural cleanser and sanctifier in rural India. In rural India houses are sanctified with cow dung and a place where there is no gas supply, cow dung is used as a alternate for gas. In the scriptures, we find the sage Vyasa saying that cows are the most efficacious cleansers of all. Cows are at the giving end just like our mothers.

Lives of cows should be saved and not sacrificed for flesh. Cows are providing us so many products helpful for the growth and development of human beings. Cow milk is getting more and more expensive because the supplies are decreasing. We are forced to compromise with various types of artificial milk because of the increasing prices. No artificial milk products can be as healthy as ones made from cow milk. Let’s conserve the valuable asset of nature and thank the cows beyond religion.

Fort Lauderdale divorce lawyer said “If animals are deemed by a veterinary surgeon to be suffering unnecessarily, they need to be euthanized to prevent further suffering. Religion needs to accommodate this law.” West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer said “Cows are considered sacred by Hindus but if they have incurable disease and all attempts to cure them have failed then, according to law can be given animal euthanasia. It is inhuman to let them suffer.”

Protests against Appointment of Priests by the Government in Nepal

2009-01-06T08:13:00.000-08:00

In Nepal the students, junior priests and many common people are retaliating on the Government's decision of appointing priests for Pashupatinath Temple dedicated to the Hindu God, Shiva. 239 year-old Hindu Monarchy was abolished in Nepal on May 28th '08 and became a republic led by Maoists.

The appointment of Bishnu Prasad Dahal as the priest of the main temple and Saligram Dhakal as the priest of Basuki temple has created a lot of anger in Hindus, particularly Indian Hindus. The long old tradition of appointing Hindu priests from South India is broken that is facing a deep resentment from Bharitya Janta Party (BJP).

Former King Gyandendra told the press that "political parties should not intervene in the religious beliefs and practices of Nepal. The good old tradition of Nepal should continue without disruption. For about 300 years, South Indian priests were being appointed as the head priest of the temple." According to the Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the issue is being made dirty by giving it a political dimension. Republicans took the decision after the Hindu priest of the main temple resigned from his post and was not ready to withdraw his resignation.

West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer said "The latest is that Supreme Court has asked the government and Pashupati Area Development Trust to stop the newly appointment priests from practicing their duties." Fort Lauderdale divorce lawyer said "The Maoists feel that whatever they are doing is for the benefit of all and they are asking people not to get swayed by the anti-campaigns."

Continuous Recitation of Ramayana for 9 Months in Lucknow, UP, India

2008-12-31T09:46:00.000-08:00

In Uttar Pradesh there is a 24 hours "Akhand Ramayana Recitation" continuously going on for nine months outside the Badhkeshwar Mahadev temple, Lucknow. It is a one year project initiated by 60 year-old Manpal Singh. In an interview with IANS he said "We have already finished reading the epic 88 times till now. As soon as we finish reading the Ramayana once, we start all over again. It was on March 9, 2008, when we started reading the Ramayana. Since then, with the support of locals, we have been reading the epic without a break."

He is receiving a lot of support form the local people and friends to chant the holy book. People from all ages, men and women, are participating in this event. Many religious believers have given donations for this cause as there are many expenses involved in conducting "Akhand Ramayana Path". Sadhus and priests from different places have come to direct & guide this event.

On being asked the reason for conducting this event, Mr. Singh said that he wanted to do some good religious work after his retirement. Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyer said "Religion has been a cause of spreading love and hatred. If practiced responsibly with a message of love and unity, it can create wonders". New York City criminal attorney said "Mr. Singh has done a good job in conducting this religious event. If the dimension of social service is added to his future religious events, it will be very helpful to people from all the religions."

I wish Mr. Singh continues his religious activities and try to integrate social service with religious activities after the completion of "Akhand Ramayana Path." India needs volunteers in religious as well as social service spheres helping to spread peace and encouraging brotherhood.

Christmas Celebrations with Hindu Snowman, Chinese Dragon and Jewish Temple

2008-12-17T09:23:00.000-08:00

Anglican clergy have made Christmas celebrations more meaningful for all the communities this year by combining different cultures in their festive decorations. They have added Hindu snowman, a Chinese dragon and a Jewish temple in their lawns. This is a contemporary way to celebrate the birth of Lord Jesus recognizing different cultures and religions. Christian & Hindu kids in few schools decorated Hindu snowman with rice, Indian spices, Indian scalves and bindi (forehead decoration).

By introducing this new dimension in Christmas celebration, Christians are creating an opportunity for their community people to understand the essence of other religions and foster brotherhood in the world. This gesture welcomes the cultural diversity overseas that is increasing due to educational & employment reasons. Reverend Jane Hedges, a canon of Westminster in an interview with U.K Telegraph said "“Christmas is an opportunity for everyone to stop and think and is a great opportunity of the different faiths to talk to one another. Wherever you’re coming from there should be something to celebrate at Christmas."

This multicultural effort is receiving criticisms from few Christians, as they feel it is undermining the Christian message.

My article on Heidi Klum Halloween outfit controversy talks about how few Hindu priests criticized the supermodel for posing Goddess Kali outfit in Halloween and described it as an offensive act. This was a narrow way of looking at it. Isn’t there a possibility that Hindus are not spreading the right message of their God and Goddess across India and overseas? Have Hindus tried to educate people what is the significance of their God and Goddess so that they are not misinterpreted by anyone. It is easy to gain quick recognition as men/women with religious values by conducting pooja with big sculptures, decorative pandals and large amount of donations but amongst these activities, somewhere the “real reason” for celebrating the festivals is lost. Festival organizers should popularize religious events with an attempt to educate people why that particular God or Goddess is worshipped on those specific days. Our subsequent steps in the future could be integrating other cultures in the poojas. I am talking about celebrating festivals beyond garments, gifts and music. According to 1991 census 82% of population in India are Hindus, 12.1% Muslims, 0.8% Buddhists, 0.4% Jains, 1.9% Sikhs, 2% are Christians, Jews and Zoroaster.

Before trying to combine other religions in our festivals & rituals, let’s first try to make our religious practices simple and informative. Without understanding and appreciating our cultural values we will not be able to do justice with other communities' cultural values. A conscious and educated religious follower will not have a conservative approach towards religion but good knowledge to help in cultural diversity and world peace.

West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer said “Today corporate world welcomes cultural diversity encouraging global talents; people enjoy different types of cuisines; then why not blend multicultural values in the religious celebrations too.” New York City liquor attorney said “I would like to acknowledge the way people are adopting multicultural values and helping in the growth and progress of the world. Now we hardly hear issues involving caste conversion controversies. Instead, people are now integrating different cultural values in the religions they are practicing.”

"Sanjeebani Marg" wishes Merry Christmas to all of you.

Three Muslim Teenager Boys Teaching the Lesson of Communal Harmony

2008-12-11T10:03:00.000-08:00

Three Muslim teenager boys in India are teaching the world a lesson of communal harmony. With the increase in terrorism and bomb blasts in India, some Hindus and Muslims are looking at each other with suspicion. In reality the terrorists have no religion and don’t belong to any caste; they only have brutal missions to accomplish. The terrorists who could never find “Allah” or “Ishwar” within themselves; could never sense proximity to “Allah” or “Ishwar” in their life times are perhaps looking for “Jannat” or “Swarag” (heaven) after death. I think this is an irony of fate.

Aleem (16), Azeem (14) & Azam (13) are definitely helping to create a “Jannat” or “Heaven” on earth. These three brothers are a silver lining in the clouds of communal distress in India. These teenage boys have participated in various competitions organized by Hindus and recited Bhagavad Gita slokas. They have won several prizes in these recitations. They are studying in ZP school in Annaram village of Thungathurthy Mandal.

Aleem, Azeem & Azam are talented Bhagavad Gita orators. Despite being a Muslim (mother tongue Urdu), they can speak Telugu language very fluently. Members of the same community cannot recite Bhagavad Gita slokas in Telugu as fluently as they can. Isn't it an amazing skill?

These boys have participated in many recitation events at divisional & state level winning many prizes. Few competitions were conducted by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

Their parents, Ahmed Hussian and Razia are proud of their kids' achievements. They said "We have no issues about our children reciting the holy text of the Hindus." They gave the credit to their Telugu teacher Krishnama Charyulu, who made additional efforts to teach students Bhagavad Gita Slokas and make them understand the importance of the theory of Karma (right action). In her class these three Muslim teenagers were smart enough to pick up fast, participate in recitation competitions and bring laurel to their school. Their parents did face resentment from their community people but they ignored them. Ahmed Hussian & Razia feel that a teacher (guru) occupies the highest position because he/she guides them to "LIVE" a meaningful life.

I hope the religious fundamentalists understand that if celebrities are not discriminated based on their castes then why the common people? We have so many “real” (not reel) heroes in front of us whom we fail to appreciate.

People who turned terrorists after being brain washed by terrorist organizations fail to understand that if it was so easy to get “Jannat” or “Swarag” by spreading terror, killing people and entering into the suicidal circumstances, then people running these organizations would have been first to receive it. Their names would have been ahead on the list of “human bomb” queue.

Charlotte bankruptcy lawyer said “Instead of giving pen or vocational skills to the kids, the terrorist organizations train them to make bombs. I have seen few kids damaging or losing their fingers making these bombs.” West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer said “I feel sorry for the kids charged with juvenile crimes. It is so easy to instigate teenager boys and girls to commit crimes. Bad people take advantage of their immaturity and immense energy. They can get carried away fast.”

Sex Change & Religion – Story of Sweetie

2008-12-04T07:42:00.000-08:00

I was going through an article on Sweetie - a transgender woman in Andhra Pradesh, India. She says that she possesses “Shiv-Shakti”. In one her interviews she said "Every week on Wednesdays and Fridays I go into a trance and people come to me for advice. It's not a choice to become a Shiva Shakti, we are chosen by God." Sweetie is a 23 year old woman. She was born a man but through a surgery became a woman. She lives with her parents.

In India during autumn there is a three-day festival where people get married to Lord Shiva at temples due to many religious beliefs. It's estimated that approximately 50,000 gays and transgender people come and enjoy their social independence. They wear saris, dress up like a woman and serve their male partners. In the 3 days autumn festival, they are what they want to be.

It is so easy for people in India to change their perceptions in the name of religion. People all over the world are independent to choose their faith and select partners of their choice. Did we ever think that transgender and same sex partner relationships that was controversial in people's eyes suddenly started appearing less controversial in the name of God and religion. Because Sweetie says “God comes in her” she is respected by people in India but all the other transgender people are continuing to fight for their rights. If one day she says “God no more comes in her”, people will lose all respect they have for her. Don’t you feel it’s a religious hypocrisy? All people are the same in the eyes of God and everyone has a “God Within”.

Transgender and same sex partners all over the world are fighting for their non-discrimination and equality rights. They do not want to be discriminated in the society or at their work places. If we look at the video below, we will realize what transgender feel about the way they want to be perceived. Transgender are facing a lot of social discrimination issues which they are fighting through various organizations. We can distinctively hear their protests in the “National Transgender Day of Remembrance.”

There are many transgender websites, chat forums and organizations in different countries. Below mentioned are few acronyms often used in transgender forums.
"TG" - Transgender
"T-Girl" - A transgendered male
TS - Transsexuals
CD - Cross dressers
TV - Transvestites
En Fem - male dressed like a woman, etc.

West Palm Beach Personal injury lawyer said "In most of the states in the United States of America same sex marriages are deemed illegal according to the constitutional law. There is a ban on gay & lesbian marriages. But few states like Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, New Mexico and few others have not put a ban on it. In states like Vermont and Massachusetts same sex marriages are considered legal.” New York City Liquor attorney said "From July 2005 in Canada, same sex marriages are legal. There are few residency requirements to file same sex marriage petition anywhere in Canada".

Ms. Wen Kunrong - A Chinese Woman with Immense Belief in Lord Krishna

2008-11-21T08:02:00.000-08:00

A 54 year old Chinese woman, Ms. Wen Kunrong, living in Kolkata is a passionate devotee of Lord Krishna. Hindus praying Lord Krishna and collecting his idols are considered as a part of their normal religious practice but a Chinese woman collecting 19,366 Krishna idols is unusual. Kunrong has 19,366 Krishna idols till date.

Kunrong runs a restaurant in Kolkata and said that she felt a deep connection with Lord Krishna when one of her Bengali friends gave her a small Krishna idol. There was a feeling of strong bond when she looked into the eyes of Lord Krishna’s idol. She can relate herself with Radha and Meera. People address her as a Chinese Gopi (consort).

In one of her interviews she said "I have collected idols from almost every corner of India, including Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mathura, Vrindaban, Mumbai, Chennai, as well as from Tibet, Nepal, China, Australia, America, Japan, Costa Rica and Spain." She further said " Every year during Janmashtami (Krishna's birth anniversary) there is an elaborate ceremony at my place,". She admits that she fantasies herself as Radha & Meera and is very possessive about Lord Krishna.

While purchasing Lord Krishna's idols, price doesn't matter to her. Her idols range from Rs.10 to Rs.100, 000. She is a single woman and can afford to buy his idols.

People have mixed opinion about her faith and devotion. I think drawing strength from an external power that motivates a person to live a happy life and encourages right actions should be appreciated. As she doesn't have a family, she has found a family in Lord Krishna whom she trusts the most. Fort Lauderdale divorce lawyers said "There can be few psychological reasons for her immense belief in Lord Krishna. One of the prime factors for this connection can be the Hindu mythological stories of Meera & Radha and how they found emotional benefit from Lord Krishna's imaginary image." West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer said "People are free to believe and practice any religion and follow any spiritual path. As long as it doesn't interfere with the peace and integrity of the society and is a personal matter - it is not an issue of concern".

Chandrayaan II Expected to Launch by the Year 2012

2008-11-17T09:46:00.000-08:00

This is a historic moment for India; the successful launch of Chandrayaan, India's first unmanned lunar spacecraft entered the lunar orbit. Look at the first image of the earth taken by Chandrayaan I. I was delighted to see it. Ultimately our prayers were heard and efforts rewarded :)

India is now working on the launch of Chandrayaan II by the year 2012. This was announced by ISRO chairman Madavan Nair in a seminar held in the southern Indian city of Chennai just after a week of Chandrayaan 1 success. Chandrayaan 1, a two year mission spacecraft will provide a detailed map of the mineral, chemical and topographical characteristics of the moon's surface. Chandrayaan II will have added features and functionalities

India's rapid progress in the fields of science and technology can help her to climb the ladder of development and revive the past glory when India was referred as a "Bird of Gold". We all pray for the success of the various developmental programs started by India. These projects will increase the employment and enhance the future prospects of our country. Various developmental projects offer us hope of a developed India. We can envision India included in the developed countries' hierarchy in the near future.

The success of Chandrayaan 1 is being recognized overseas. Westchester immigration attorney said "I would like to congratulate Chandrayaan spacecraft team whose efforts have glorified India." West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer said "I hope Chandrayaan II brings greater fame to India.”

Supermodel’s Halloween Outfit Posing Goddess Kali Creates Controversy

2008-11-04T09:09:00.000-08:00

Supermodel Heidi Klum has created a controversy by dressing up as Goddess Kali in a Halloween party on 31st October in New York. Halloween is celebrated every year on October 31st as the Celtic people believe that it is the end of summer sunshine and the beginning of winter and harvest season. Celtic people believe that on Halloween day souls of dead ancestors visit their homes. This festival is perceived as a children’s festival. Children wear scary outfits or costumes of their favorite evil characters. Kids go door to door asking for treat (candies) and threaten to trick people who do not treat them with candies :)

Every year Heidi Klum organizes Halloween party but this year turned out to be a scary “Halloween” for her. Last year she was dressed like a cat and this year for uniqueness she planned to dress up as Goddess Kali. She and her husband Seal had visited India and got exposed to the entity of Goddess Kali. Her secretary suggested her to dress up as Goddess Kali in the Halloween. Her secretary printed out various photographs of Goddess Kali from the internet. Klum’s husband was dressed up like Angulimaal, a Hindu mythological character who used to cut people’s fingers and attach it to his garland (mala). According to an interview with USMagazine.com Klum said “My husband and I were in India last year, Seal said, ‘Why don’t you do an Indian goddess? Like a scary Indian goddess?’ And I said, ‘Ok’,”

Few Hindu priests in the United States protested against Heidi Klum dressing up as Goddess Kali. They considered it making fun of Hindu religion and an offensive act. They asked for an apology from her. Nevada-based Hindu priest Rajan Zed, in a statement issued on Monday demanded the supermodel to render a public apology. “Goddess Kali is highly revered in Hinduism. She is meant to be worshipped in temples and not to be used in clubs for publicity stunts or thrown around loosely for dramatic effects,” Zed said.

On the other hand few priests and Hindus living in the United States felt Heidi Klum had not done any offensive act. They defended her by saying that it was not done with wrong intentions and needs to be considered as an innocent act. Shamita Dasgupta, A Hindu women said Heidi’s dress reminded her about the Bengali tradition in which adults and kids dress up as deities, including goddess Kali and parade around. “This shouldn’t pose a problem,” she said.

Westchester immigration attorney said “Religion is a very sensitive area and people’s opinions and sensitivity may differ”. West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer said “Hindus have mixed opinion about this issue. Few find it offensive and few don’t”.

Hindus must be accustomed to watching God and Goddess' dramatic appearances in the Indian theatre shows, Ram-Lilas and Hindi movies. Only because Heidi Klum is a German supermodel her appearance of Goddess Kali has become controversial. If she would have acted in a Hindi movie as Goddess Kali people would not have felt it as objectionable. Forget about finding it objectionable, they would have appreciated her. Media coverage with headlines “German Supermodel Casted as Goddess Kali” would have been published. Let’s make our religious beliefs transparent and consistent for everyone. If Heidi Klum’s dressing up as Goddess Kali is offensive then all theatrical performances of God & Goddess should be discouraged in India.

Rahasya Ki Khoj - Sanjeebani Marg's First Book

2008-10-27T07:11:00.000-07:00

I am honored that the followers of “Sanjeebani Marg” have provided articles for my book “Rahasya Ki Khoj”. This book is in Hindi, the National language of India. I was touched reading the genuine feelings of Sanjeebani Marg’s members. The purpose of this book is to encourage people to find (khoj) themselves in the mysteries (Rahasya) of their lives. We often deviate from the actual goals of our lives because we get confused about what we want versus what we are. I motivate people to visit religious places not to find God but get rid of negative thoughts and build self confidence. God’s blessings should not make us dependent on him but independent to think rationally and work enthusiastically. “God lends hand to honest boldness”.

This book does not talk about discovering God at several religious places but finding God within ourselves. The deepest mystery is to find God within. This is an ongoing process where truly enlightened people are expected to devote their lives in building fearless & confident surroundings. By devoting lives I do not mean leading ascetic lives but a constructive one, full of positive approach.

I sincerely thank one of the active members of Sanjeebani Marg, Mr. Tripurari to edit and publish this book. Mr. Tripurari lives in Guwahati, India. I would thank all the Sanjeebani Marg’s disciples who contributed articles for the book from which many readers can benefit. May “Maa Durga” bless all and help in finding the essence of your lives.

In New York City Amaranth Plant Grew in the Shape of Lord Ganesh

2008-10-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

Confidence in God’s presence is beyond gender, caste, age and geography. People in India think that Indians residing overseas have less connection with their religion. That is not true. One of the examples is today’s news published in New York Daily. Sam Lal, a 60 year old New York City man is convinced that the amaranth plant at his backyard is the blessings of Lord Ganesh. The amaranth plant began to resemble an elephant's head and trunk in August after growing all summer. He said he was suffering from a bone spur that disappeared when the plant grew.

Queens Botanical spokesman Tim Heimerle said that it is unusual for amaranth plant to take an elephant head shape. He had never seen it happening before. He further said that the trunk-like formation is "not a natural thing."

Sam Lal supported his belief in Lord Ganesh blessings saying that the flower grew through concrete, facing a prayer space. This was an evidence of the connection with Lord Ganesh.

This is no superstition but a belief of Sam Lal that God will cure his bone spur problem one day. His confidence in God connected with the nature and cosmic power making the "unnatural happen". God is everywhere; sometimes God takes the shapes of living objects and make worshippers feel his presence.

Westchester securities lawyer said "Have trust in you to trust God. God is within you."

People Prayed for the Success Chandrayaan, India’s First Lunar Mission

2008-10-22T07:39:00.001-07:00

Most of the God believers visit religious places for their personal reasons & self benefits. If we take a scientific approach to visiting holy places, will find that they are surrounded by people’s beliefs and hopes. The enchanting and prayers energizes these places and infuse positive energy in their surroundings. Worshippers are bound to get some boost from the aura of these places. The belief that God will listen to prayers is one of the reasons for the wish fulfillment.

I was happy to read that Kailasanathar, a moon temple in Thingalur, Tamil Nadu conducted prayers for the success of Chandrayaan, India’s first lunar mission. Since it is a moon temple it was chosen for this purpose. N. Govindarajan, an official of the temple said in an interview with Thaindian “The omens during the worship were good and we are sure the mission will be a success”. I don't perceive Govindarajan statement as a prediction but as a hope of success.

I would like to make my readers familiar of moon prayers and significance of Kailasanathar temple, Thingalur . According to Hindu mythology Chandran (moon) was very handsome. Daksha Prajapati gave all his 27 daughters to him with a hope that he would treat all of them alike. But Chandran gave attention only to Rohini, one of his 27 wives. Daksha Prajapati got angry on him and cursed him to suffer from wasting disease. Chandran prayed to Lord Shiva to reduce his pains and take away his disease. Lord Shiva blessed Chandran and removed his disease. In return Lord Shiva asked Chandran to remain in the temple in Thingalur where he was expected to give relief to those, suffering from the ill effects of moon’s adverse placement in their horoscopes and offering prayers to him.

Fortunate people think that they are responsible for creating a better world. Have we ever thought how we can better connect and help in the progress of the world? We can. Our beliefs and prayers can help in the success of many development projects. If we pray for the development of our country and world, we will start associating with the day to day progress. These development tasks will cross the boundaries of news and encourage our participation in live perspectives.

If we include world's peace and prosperity in our prayers, we would better respect the purpose of our lives. The more we pray for the world, the more we will come closer to the cosmic powers in the world. Let’s increase the scopes of our lives and thank the world by participating in its development tasks through our prayers and best wishes. This is an important step in the path of self development.

Charlotte bankruptcy attorney said “Today world is experiencing financial crisis and uncertainty. Common people are hit hard because of the rough times. We can make a difference by having optimistic approach for future endeavors.”

Living Goddess in Nepal Retire at the Age of 11

2008-10-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

Kumari ritual in Nepal is a three century old tradition followed to safeguard Kingship and country's prosperity and peace. According to this ritual a virgin girl, a female kid is selected to become the living goddess. This year Manita Shakya, a three-year-old from Nepal’s Newar community was granted the throne of new living Goddess. The living goddess is believed to be an incarnation of Goddess Kali. In olden times procedure of selection was based on a rigid process to test the candidate’s fearlessness which according to Shakya has now changed. Previously, The qualified candidate in the 'black night' (Kalratri), was taken to Taleju temple where 108 buffaloes and goats were sacrificed to the goddess Kali. The candidate was supposed to have the courage to watch this scene boldly. There were some other rigid steps along with that. Her horoscope was examined to see that it is complementary to the King.

This year kingship has been abolished in Nepal. In the selection process candidate's horoscope being examined to suit the King's interest was eliminated and Manita was selected based on the 32 auspicious signs her horoscope said she possessed. President Ram Baran Yadav, the new state President recognized this ritual and gave her audience. Traditionally, different cities in the Kathmandu Valley have separate "living goddesses." But the most powerful one lives in an ornate 15th century temple in an old part of Kathmandu for which Manita has been selected.

I do believe that people have supernatural strengths and power to bless the surroundings. Some people have greater concentration level and can do better justice with their powers. Faith in rituals do not mean accepting it unreasonably. I am questioning this ritual because I am concerned about 11-year-old Preeti Shakya, the retired living Goddess. Her term was over because she was reaching her puberty age. This is unreasonable. Not only Preeti but all the former living goddesses need justice. Taking the responsibility to pay them every month is not sufficient. Dethroning the young girls from the prestige, power and status once given because they reach the most wonderful stage of their lives, puberty, is not right. Psychological problems are attached with snatching the prestige and respect from these girls. They do not have any formal education or training that would help them to lead normal lives. For girls who prayed for peace, prosperity and happiness of Nepal living unhappy lives is a curse. Sajani Shakya, a former Kumari of Bhaktapur, Nepal was on the verge of being dethroned when she attended the release of the movie Living Goddess at Silverdocs the American Film Institute/Discovery Channel documentary festival in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. This visit was perceived as making her impure. After a lot of controversy and objections she was given back her living goddess position when she accepted to undergo a "cleansing" ceremony to purify her sins she may have committed while traveling. Being detached from the world is no sign of developing supernatural power but forcing a kid to live an unnatural life. Anything that develops with nature and is done according to the law of nature is rewarded. I appeal that government should see the psychological aspect of Kumari ritual.

Fort Lauderdale divorce attorney and Westchester securities attorney said “We need to understand the psychological disorders that can develop because of child retirement. It is like snatching their self esteem. It can turn into unforgiving character formation.”

Significance of Navratri

2008-10-01T10:27:00.000-07:00

The source of the word Navratri or Navaratri comes from Sanskrit language that means "nine nights". In these nine days & nights, nine forms of goddess Durga are worshipped. Navratri is also known as Navratras, Navratra and Navaratra. The nine forms of Goddess Durga are Shailputri, Brahamcharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Kaalratri, Maha Gauri & Siddhidatri. Goddess Durga is considered as a source of shakti (immense power).

According to Hindu rituals, Goddess Durga is worshipped in the form of nine plants. These nine plants are called Navapatrika. Navapatrika is wrapped in a red sari. This is placed on an earthen pot called Purna Ghata. This activity of placing Navapatrika on Purna Ghata is called Kalash Sthapana. In many temples, pandals and homes kalash sthaphna is done. The pot is placed before the idol of the Goddess on a yantra.

Many devotees keep fast on all the nine days. Goddess Idols are decorated beautifully at places where Navratri is celebrated. Navratri celebrations are conducted with great enthusiasm in the state of Gujarat. Garba and Dandiya dances are performed involving men & women devotees to celebrate the festival with joy. In West Bengal it is the important festival and is celebrated with enormous devotion and enthusiasm.

Dandiya Dance Video:

Garba Dance Video:

I wish all my readers a very Happy Navratri. May Goddess Durga bless you all.

This is What We are Giving God in Return

2008-09-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my friend for making me realize the true meaning of celebrating a festival and forwarding these photographs. Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated on 15th of September and I read in the news about the grand celebrations all over India, especially in Karnataka. Is celebrating Ganesh festival enough for the followers to be called true devotees? I don’t think so. If we plan to celebrate a festival, then more than organizing the function well, it is our responsibility to conclude the function neatly. Wrapping up does mean throwing away the waste but unfortunately people now consider God’s sculptures as garbage too. These photographs are an eye opener to all of us. This is the same Ganesh sculpture that people worshipped at the time of the festival and discarded ungratefully after the festival was over.

I do understand that time and place are big constraints for the festival organizers. If that is the case then why order for big God’s sculptures which cannot be managed and respectfully submerged in water. There should be alternate to big sculptures, like, framed photograph, small brass statutes etc. Do small sculptures mean less devotion? For people who think that way, it is time to redefine the true meaning of devotion. Whatever seems unmanageable should not be planned. The planning of religious festivals should be performed responsibly from the beginning till the end. This is the same Ganesh sculpture people worshipped and asked blessings from. What were given back in return for those blessings were unattended broken pieces of his sculptures. God does not ask for BIG celebrations but TRUE belief to make him happy. Let’s make God HAPPY by treating his sculptures responsibly after the festivals are over. Let’s expand the rooms of our devotion and not the size of sculptures. This is a message to all those who believe in idol worship - think practically about the size of Gods and Goddesses sculptures before buying it and immerse it properly after the festival is over.

Stop Punishing Yourself by Hating Someone

2008-07-25T11:14:00.000-07:00

Have we ever realized how exhausting it is to hate someone. I consider ‘hatred’ an energy sucker because people don’t gain any positive out of it. The reasons for enmity and people hurting our feelings can change from time to time but we fail to change our attitude. “Hating” gradually becomes a habit. There is a trigger point that arouse negative in us and that’s it. If we are storing rotten eggs in our refrigerators then each time we open it our house will be get affected by bad odor. The best is to get rid of the “BAD & ROTTEN” not only from our refrigerators but even from our minds. Try to unplug all the switches of hatred, and I am telling you it works.

We are all aware of the repercussions of hatred. Why to get hurt so many times, first by someone who knowingly or unknowingly hurt us and the rest of the times thinking about the pains caused by it. Does anyone have that much of liberty to mess with our lives, take away our peace and make our lives miserable? It is we giving this authority to people.

Take an example. The person we hate the most is unaware and unaffected by what we are thinking. He/she must be enjoying a vacation. The anger within us takes away our sleep and appetite and our enemy is enjoying delicious food and sleeping in a luxurious hotel bed. What a waste of time. Do we deserve this? I ask to forgive people not because we are doing a favor to our enemies but because we are doing a favor to ourselves. Learn to forgive people who ask for forgiveness and even those who don’t ask for it. For those who purposely try to hurt others, the best punishment is not to feel offended or hurt. It will become a suffering for a person to be respected by someone whom he/she had ill treated or tried to harm in some way. If we really want to punish our enemies for their bad deeds forgive them, if our forgiveness won’t transform them at least it will help us not making your lives miserable. Bad health, lost beauty and discontented life are the results of hatred. Cursing people and making enemies is a tedious part time job. This part time job can be called “Time to punish yourself for others’ mistakes.”

I do not mean that we should let go an offender. We should always take a legal action against people who break law but not punish ourselves for that offender’s offense. Let’s try forgiving people by first forgiving ourselves. There may be many past incidents & memories that trouble us and remind us about our mistakes. Move on and forget about whatever has happened. Friends, first forgive yourself and promise to help someone who needs proper guidance. Become a more confident person by thinking positive.

Try Again to Laugh Like an Infant

2008-07-08T10:21:00.000-07:00

Infants can laugh and cry depending on their mood and desire. They can express themselves freely through these two vocal actions. At times parents feel that their babies are crying because they are hungry, feeling sick, saw a bad dream, or got hurt. They interpret these behaviors in various ways with deep sympathy, care and love. What happens to these gestures once they start growing? Suddenly, parents start taking their kids laughter and tears very seriously. Unconditioned laughter, unreasonable tears and stubborn attitude annoy parents. They start feeling their kids are getting out of control? We have to identify the definition of the phrase out of control. Does out of control mean “out of our authority”? We are losing the authority we have over our kids?

Infants are completely dependent on parents and parents are accountable for their kids' every single step. Somehow, this dependency gives parents control over their infants' life. The sense of responsibility transforms into authority and then to possessiveness. Parents do not need to spoon feed their kids but cannot let go the fact that kids are no one biologically dependent on them. They start creating emotional spaces in their child's life; the needs of those spaces can only be filled by their support. Gradually, kids’ emotional spaces get filled by many external sources as they start handling their lives. A sense of insecurity develops in many parents and they find other ways to never let their parenting honor reduce. We often forget that the honor of parenting is in the creation (child) and not the process of creation. The same infant whose laughter was most precious to the parents, wouldn’t mind seeing them crying or distressed as a proof of their sentimental attachment.

Let's stop here and rethink about our expectations? While helping our infants grow, when our emotional greed superseded our parenting instincts should to be addressed. We cannot describe our insecurity as love. We very well understand the difference between love & the urge to feel most important. Let’s accept the fact that our kids will grow and won’t dependent on us forever. Parents' responsibilities are to guide them, love them and train them but not to govern their lives.They are not our valuable possessions but human beings with flesh and blood. Let’s not compel them to accept our parenting as a favor which they need to return. Our return is the satisfaction we derive loving them and taking care of them. If we are expecting anything more than that means, we are comparable to a stock market with an everyday expectation or fear of prices rising and falling. If we want our kids laughter to stay throughout their lives, we have to revive our infant laughter, relive our childhood the way we wanted by not committing the mistakes our parents did. It’s never to late…laugh and spread the happiness …. live and let live.

Significance of Colors in VIBGYOR

2008-07-03T07:50:00.000-07:00

There is a spiritual significance of the colors in VIBGYOR. Our minds determine our color preference and our body starts getting adjusted to them. We associate different colors with different days and Gods. Science and planetary systems determine the reasons of these associations but there is much more to it. We use most of these colors in our day to day lives. The color of Saturday is black. Religious Hindus either wear a black outfit or offer black sesame seeds in their prayers. Hindu mythology speaks about Shani, the Lord of Saturday, whose favorite color is black and get happy with the offering of mustard oil diya. Monday is the day of Lord Shiva and he likes white color. Religious people offer white flowers, preferably wear white apparels and light Ghee's (cow milk butter) diyas. Few followers offer white sesame seeds and kheer in their prayers. All seven days of the week is associated with some Gods and colors.

Meditators associate the colors in VIBGYOR with various chakras of our body. Our body constitutes of 7 chakras. Violet or white sigifies Sahasrara chakra, Indigo is for Ajna chakra, Blue is for Vishuddha Chakra, Green is for Anahata chakra, Yellow is for Manipura chakra, Orange is for Swadhisthana chakra and Red is for the Mool chakra. Meditators concentrate on different colors to energize different chakras. This helps in self healing and proper functioning of the body and mind. Chakra meditation and Reiki are examples of it.

We should be grateful for the nature's blessings. We can show our gratitude by utilizing these colors in different ways. Most of us have strong beliefs, liking and disliking. Our gratitude towards these colors can help us look at things not from the narrow opinion lenses but in a broader perspective. We preserve and value many living & non living objects with different colors because they affect our lives in some way or the other. Hindu mythology has made all the colors very important and lovable. Imagine a color in VIBGYOR missing; the definition of rainbow will change and so will the earth's evolution. We mix colors in VIBGYOR to make new ones. Associating colors with specific days and Gods have increased the value of so many things in the world. We might have color preferences, likes and dislikes but cannot dissociate a color completely from our lives. Each color is perceived with some value. Let's try to refresh, heal our body and mind with VIBGYOR colors. Let's make the colors feel that they are important by respecting their existence and not disliking any one of them. All colors will suit us by telling our mind and body to accept it. Think of a world without colors and you will start appreciating all of them. Do we enjoy watching black & white television any more? I know the answer.

Watch this video and experience each radiant color showering strength, love and humility. Invite the cosmic energy to fill our lives with the colors of happiness.

Mind Without Fear

2008-06-27T11:18:00.000-07:00

I'm always inspired by the opening phrase of Rabindra Nath Tagore's poem "Where the mind is without fear". We have so many stakes in our lives that make us feel claustrophobic. We give too much of importance to those stakes making our lives miserable. I don't say that there is something wrong about giving importance to your family, job, money, society and multiple other things. These stakes exist in your mind because your mind is capable of thinking about them. Imagine a state when you bothered about these stakes to the extent of losing your complete peace of mind or even sanity. We have to understand that there is no use fearing about the future consequences or being a slave of the past events in which we have no control. I know it's easier said than done.

Practice what I'm about to say and feel the difference. I hope not, but if at any given point of time any person from your family falls sick then instead of getting stressed out about it, try to release the stress and pain of the sickness by offering medicine with your energizing words. Very soon the person will recover and will need no medicine. If you think negative, you & the people associated with you get surrounded by an aura of negativity. Even at times of distress if you think positive, believe me miracles happen. The miracle is in your belief, deep within you. I was watching a documentary about the ways to build walking trails in the jungles by the tribal people. Tribal people used to dry strong green trees by cursing them everyday and by shouting abusive terms in front of them. Gradually the trees started drying and when they became weak, the tribal people used to cut them easily. It can be a myth but is still being practiced by many tribes in the jungles. I interpret it in this way - If curses and abusive terms can make a strong tree weak then positive encouraging words can strengthen a weak one.

Let's practice it in our day to day lives. Let’s not be graveyards of sorrows, stresses and worries but gardens of peace, happiness and prosperities. Let no stress about stakes (curse) weaken our (tree) strengths and capabilities. Let our minds be without fears.

Why Worship Sun

2008-06-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

In India people worship nature in various forms. Worship of "Water" and "Sun" are considered as a source of immense energy, power and enthusiasm. Offering water to the sun, Suryanamaskar-yoga and enchanting Surya mantras are actions of inviting energy and strength. The science behind the sun worship lies in the solar energy utilized in technological advancement and lives that would never exist without sunshine. A source of energy that helps science for new discoveries and enhancing the quality of products can certainly increase the positivity within us. We have to perceive the sun not as a source of heat but as a source of light and energy.

I encourage everybody to derive strength from the sun, if not by worshiping, at least by thanking the morning sun rays that signify, we have crossed the darkness of yesterday and something good is in store for us TODAY/EACH DAY. Make everyday productive by developing an attitude of thankfulness and a happy personality. Keep shining like the sun and generating cheerfulness in your life and in your surroundings.

Don't Fool God

2008-06-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

It is useless to fool ourselves by thinking we are following the rightful path of God. Offering prayers every morning or visiting temples and religious places make us feel that our duty towards God is done. No, it's not. By performing these activities we let the God within us know we trust him and will do the right actions. Even if we forget to enchant mantra and bring smile on a sad face will be considered more powerful than mantra. Cleansing our dirty minds, forgiving others, forgiving ourselves and spreading happiness is key to living a contented life. We all know this but it's hard to implement. Let's bring smile on a sad face, receive a thankful look from a selfless work, change a sad mood to a cheerful one with our encouraging words and get an answer to why our lives are precious. Even God wants to be surrounded with happy faces. If you see gloomy/sad faces, boost them with your energy without losing yours. Give happiness to receive it. Believe me you will be doubly rewarded.

Devotion to Goddess Durga, The Inner Strength

2008-04-30T16:19:00.000-07:00

Jai Maa Durge,

I am utilizing this platform to spread the virtue of humanity and strength of religion. Whenever we come across the word religion, our focus is on Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism etc.. This initiative is not meant to preach Hinduism but an opportunity to spread fearlessness and humanity, the foundations of all religions. There is a reason for emphasizing on “foundations of all religions” because of the significant difference between religion and caste. Faith in all religions can never direct towards terror and hatred. Consciously or subconsciously the combining of caste with religion is the root cause of trackless objectives and miseries of mankind.

I identify Goddess Durga as my source of strength. Goddess Durga can be depicted as anything positive that encourages HOPE. This hope is completely within us. Awakened people can revive their lost hopes, discard the monotonous sleep of agonies and greet meaningful lives. Reality is, I didn’t choose goddess Durga to spread the basic human values, goddess Durga empowered me with her supernatural strength to reduce the miseries of her devotees and make their lives easier and manageable. It may sound strange but goddess Durga can be described as "any one" who loves you and wants you to be peacefully happy. This "any one" can be anything with or without physical existence that makes you feel wanted and doesn’t want you to lead a Dead Life. I want you to help yourself in exploring the true potential in you by connecting to the almighty. My prayer is like a deep meditation but not a casual distracted meditation or praying lips, because you have to be serious in what you are doing everyday and enjoy it as much. If you are prepared to have trust in yourself then you are close to God. Lets' find the true meanings of our lives.

Let's make our surroundings healthy and positive. Don’t confuse me with an astrologer or a palmist who encourages predictions. This path that I am talking about is motivated by Karma (right action) that can be achieved by faith in your true strengths. Try awakening the God within you.

Sanjeeb Sahoo