goggly

' Muslim celebrate Hare Rama '. A statement that is as explosive as US pastor announcing the burning of Quaran. Akshta proclaimed this while informing us about her school today organizing a talk on ' Hare Rama '. What three and half year old Akshta could not decipher was the difference between ' Hari Raya' and ' Hare Rama' !

Time has come to rewrite alphabet learning textbooks for small kids . M for Mac, K for KFC , C for Coke , P for Pizza Hut and Power Rangers, D for Diaper, B for Blackberry , I for i Phone . Thanks to visible brand merchandising, Akshta has learnt alphabets well before any textbook would put into use. Add to that the tool of ' You Tube' with karaoke tagline , the learning is at rapid pace with entertainment . i phone is the hallmark of GUI. Even a child of two and half years can effortlessly use it. In Singapore , there is more crowd at mobile phone service operator's customer service center than could be at bus depot or airport. With the availability of I phone at all three service providers, it's a minimum an hour's wait to get anything done. Singapore must be one of the top countries with smart phones users per million population. Poor Nokia , it's relegated in the league of Samsung and LG. Just couple of years ago, Nokia was one of the top 10 gl...

Ground to Top Park to Green Street 1 to Street 4 We move on ....

Akshta at National Museum, Singapore during singapore arts festival .

जन्मदिनमिदम् अयि प्रियसखि । ( Janmadinamidam ayi priya sakhe ) शान्तनो तु ते सर्वदा मुदम् ॥ ( Santanotu te sarvada mudum ) प्रार्थयामहे भव शतायुषि । ( Prarthayamahe bhava satayusi ) ईश्वरः सदा त्वां च रक्षतु ॥ ( Isvarah sada tvam ca raksatu ) पुण्य कर्मणा किर्तिमर्जय । ( Punya karmana kirtimarjaya ) जीवनं तव भवतु सार्थकम् ( Jivanam tava bhavata sarthakam ) Dear Akshta , Wish you a very happy birthday! O dear sister! May this birthday bring auspiciousness and joy to you forever. Indeed, we all pray for your long life. May the Lord always protect you. By noble deeds, may you attain fame and may your life be fulfilled! With Love, Sanjana didi , Gautam dada Kaka , Kaki & Leela Aaji ******** I found this greeting pretty cute. Thanks Gautam & Sanjana . While understanding the meaning of the words , I chanced upon the website of Chinmaya Mission Dallas/Fort Worth. Gautam and Sanjana's association with Chinmaya Mission must have reconnected them to b...

For Akshta, she was Dadi, her house next door was Dadi and everything in that house was Dadi. Last week, Dadi left Akshta as sudden as she came into her life . But during that short span of few months, Dadi instilled a definite impression of her deep unflinching devotion to the God and the spirituality. Dadi must be pleased that Akshta took to the chanting of "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" as naturally as she did for Dadi's specially made sweet dishes .

Do we meet people by chance or is it preordained destiny? I am not sure but I would tend to agree with later. Else, how would we be all set to celebrate Akshta's b'day at ISKON temple in Singapore. It was Sunday evening at Orchard road in Singapore. We were sitting on a bench facing Metro - a departmental store that hangs reproductions of Maunet, Van Gogh in corridor leading to its toilet. Orchard Place was buzzing with travelers and tourists. Shoppers and sellers both frenzied by weekend transactions. Neon lights of elite brands reflecting on tiled footpath. And amidst all that - three bright youngsters - in saffron robe playing Hare Rama Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. It didn’t take long for Akshta to start clapping her tiny palms,and tapping her feet to the chant. Most people around were amused by her trance except perhaps a young teenagers next to our bench who were in their own trance of hugging and kissing. I am sure, seeing a toddler engrossed in their chant, m...

Three countries, Four cities, from temp of high 40's and heat to mid 20's with lots of rain, Akshta seem to have taken tumultuous hectic journey in her side. But not without some anxious moments in Mumbai and Abu Dhabi by rushing to doctor. Her new look without her disheveled flowing hair - her very own trademark of first six months- may have delighted her Srilakan hair stylist at Safeer Mall, but I was sad to reconcile to her new image. She must have felt as helpless as Samson in her new avatar.