Scam

Crisp!

Oh! how we miss our crispy groundnuts, spiced mangoes...

DR. V. PREMALA PRIYADHARSHINI

Food, undoubtedly, remains a major pleasure for many people. Besides easing hunger, food also serves as a signature of our identity. What we cook and eat reflects our culture, geographic area, our heritage and, of course, the religion and the community we represent. Good food is our passport to good health. Eating out has become a way of living for many of us due to globalisation and change in the working ethos, and also for women who have broken the shackles of the kitchen and are office executives. Ready-to-eat foods and ready-to-serve snacks find their place in almost every home, big or small and rich or poor. Even festivals and traditional ceremonies are not an exemption nowadays. I still remember my mother preparing the favourite sweets and savouries for us and our neighbours treating us a day prior to Deepavali, New Year or Krishna Jayanti. Every festival was a treat to the food lovers. But today we have readymade packs for Krishna Jayanti or Deepavali. Who knows, very shortly we may have readymade customised packages for Pongal and Mattu Pongal!!

Aspiring to become supermoms and to produce super kids, we have forgotten the golden days of our childhood and now we shamelessly deny our beloved young ones the joy of cooking, sharing and enjoying eating.

I am sure that every one of us will agree with me that if we rewind our memory to our schooldays, vow, what fun we had savouring a variety of small eats during the interval and lunchbreak. The vendors outside the school did brisk business selling mouth-watering eatables — mangoes, crispy groundnuts, sizzling gooseberries, soft and tasty sweet potatoes and, of course, the rice flakes ball and spicy sundal.

What a balanced meal even for a break! Groundnuts and sundal were a good source of protein, sweet potato gave us carbohydrate, gooseberries and garden fresh guava supplied Vitamin C and parched rice balls with jaggery were a rich natural source of iron.

Girls' geometry box contained pieces of gooseberry, tamarind, etc, besides pens and pencils. Relatives would visit us with home-made murukku and adirasam. Every evening, while returning home our minds would be musing on the hot delicious snacks awaiting us. What a variety of mouth-watering taste and goodness — are we giving this pleasure to our children now?

We take more pride than pleasure nowadays in giving our kids calorie-dense confectioneries and ready-to-eat snacks loaded with unwanted preservatives and chemicals. The quality and quantum of nutrients in these eatables are a matter of debate. These serve as the mother and cradle for the onset of childhood obesity, anaemia, dental caries, eating disorders, malnutrition and repeated infection in the G.I. tracts.

I know I would sound amusing if I ask every school to have vendors outside their premises, or dictate terms and conditions to my friends and relatives to come up with home-made preparations for their kids. Even if all these things happen, our children are not going to relish it for the simple reason we have not trained their taste buds for these delicacies right from childhood.

A small fantasy of the future foods for our children:

Introduce a wide spectrum of simple, healthy, fresh food.

A choice of the seasonal food (vegetables and fruits) in our day-to-day cooking will be ideal as it is not only healthy but also cheap.

A strong NO to commercial and ready-to-eat foods as they pose the risk of many non-communicable diseases.

Practise healthy food habits in front of your children. Do not restrict their food habits, let them get exposed to different flavours and taste but guide and teach them on healthy food and healthy eating.

Talk to them (no lectures please) on the benefits of fresh fruit, fruit juices, salads and homemade snacks, give them safe food and also all the goodness of minerals, vitamins and fibre that protect them from disease.

Guru Poornima

Arsha Vidya Satsanga Celebrates Gurupoornima

By Vivek Shankar Natarajan,   July 16, 2011

HOUSTON: One of the most exalted sages in the Vedic tradition is the sage Veda Vyasa. His birthday is celebrated as Guru Poornima. It is a very auspicious day to offer one’s salutations to Guru Parampara (lineage). It also heralds a seasonal change from the sunny summer to rainy season. Orthodox saints observe Chaturmasya, a disciplinary practice of staying at one place for a period of four months. This period is used for contemplation on the vedic texts and conducting classes.  The citizens of the place deem it a honor to host such saints at their place.  In keeping with such a noble practice, the Arsha Vidya Satsanga celebrated the Guru Poornima in Sugarland, TX.

Arsha Vidya Satsanga (AVS) is a non-profit organization born of the inspiration derived from the teachings of His Holiness Swami Dayananda Saraswati of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, one of the foremost visionaries and humanitarians of our time.  The mission of the Arsha Vidya Satsanga is to re-establish the cultural self-identity, and reinstate agency (the capacity of a people to define their world) for Hindus. Ongoing programs of AVS include: Study of Bhagavad Gita including one exclusively for women, Vedic Heritage Classes and Puja for Children,  Vedic Chanting, Puja on selected religious occasions, Meditation & Yoga classes, and Beginner and Intermediate Level Sanskrit classes and Camps and Seva Projects for Bhutanese citizens.  Young students of AVS have gone on to win prizes at Hindu community events, at the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) next-gen essay contests two years in a row, HMEC conference and performed seva projects in India.  Recently, they organized a successful series of talks by Swami Pratyagbodhananda Saraswati of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam.

The day began in the wee hours in the most devoted family of the town just as it must have centuries ago.  One can imagine Hema Chandrasekhar cleaning the kitchen and puja areas chanting prayers, plucking tulasi leaves, making prasad and awaiting the guests.  About 60 devotees joined the puja with flowers, garlands, bilva leaves and prasad.  The formal puja included a ritual prayer to the Guru parampara (Dakshinamurthy – “Shiva, the first teacher”, Sri. Veda Vyasa, Sri Adi Shankaracharya, and the entire Guru lineage). The rituals included the ritual bathing of Shiva Lingam in scented water and milk and archana (offering flowers to the recitation of 108 names of God or Ashtottaram).  The  assembly of devotees chanted Dakshinamurthy Ashtottaram, Veda Vyasa Ashtottaram, and Shankaracharya Ashtottaram. Then, there was the ceremonial Arathi – waving of lamp. The atmosphere reverberated with the deep, resonant, sonorous chants of the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas by men and boys in training.

Then the entire assembly broke into group chanting of Stotras and Bhajans.

Then, the audience was blessed with a live telephonic address by Poojya Swami Dayananda Saraswati from Coimbatore. He was very happy to hear about the celebrations and spoke about the importance of the institution of Guru in Sanathana Dharma/ Hinduism.  The 80th year celebrations for Poojya Swamiji are on currently.

Dr. Subramanian Swamy, visiting Professor of Economics at Harvard and former Union Minister of Law, was kind enough to attend the function. He spoke about the greatness of Indian culture and the need to decolonize the Hindu mind. He reminded us of great sages and visionaries like Vishwamitra and Valmiki and freedom fighters like Shivaji, Kattabomman, Rana Pratap, Rani of Jhansi, Rani Chennamma, and Gandhi ji and reminded us that Hindus should likewise join hands in times of threats.  He saluted Swamiji for bringing more than 200 prominent Hindu acharyas under the banner of Acharya Sabha and attributed several successful court cases such as the stay of Rama Sethu constrution to the foresight of Swamiji.  Dr.Swamy also inaugurated the new web-site for AVS – www.avshouston.org . The function ended with prasada bhojanam.

Arsha Vidya Satsanga plans more such events in the future and seeks support from the community. For, that will mean that our glorious Vedic heritage will be linked to our future in a more secure manner.

For more information, contact Vivek Shankar Natarajan at  817-917-3727 or email nvivekshankar@gmail.com 

Short URL: http://www.indoamerican-news.com/?p=3200

Karnan

‘Karnan' set to come back, digitally dazzling

Fans of actor Sivaji Ganesan have reason to cheer. Following the recent screening of ‘Gauravam', which had admirers flock to the theatre, a digitally enhanced version of the actor's super hit ‘Karnan' is getting ready for release later this year.

Santhi Chockalingam and her husband G. Chockalingam of Divya Films, who have taken the initiative, are die-hard fans of the actor, and particularly of this film. “We are trying our best to revive the film, using additional digital inputs in visual and sound effects,” Ms. Chockalingam says.

‘Karnan', directed by B.R. Panthulu in 1964, is considered a classic for many reasons, including the stunning performances of Siivaji as Karnan and N.T. Rama Rao as Lord Krishna, the powerful battlefield sequences and the music score and songs by the inimitable Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy duo with Kannadasan's striking lyrics.

“We have procured the rights from Raj TV and are considering different options for the special effects. We even approached MSV sir to see if we can have the music score played again so that the sound is enhanced considerably,” Mr. Chockalingam says.

The couple, who have earlier re-released some of MGR's hits, chose ‘Karnan' because of the emphasis it places on friendship and loyalty. Actor-director Cheran and actor-playwright Y. Gee. Mahendra, who are ardent Sivaji Ganesan fans, have assured their support to the project, she said.

Laughter - A free medicine and a relaxant

It is medicine, it is free, and anyone can produce it anywhere at any time. What is it? Laughter.

All you need for your brain to send a signal to the body to laugh is to hear a good joke, be tickled, have nice people around you or experience a funny situation. “Then the reward system is switched on,” is how Michaela Schaeffner of the European Professional Association for Laughter Yoga and Humour Training describes the impulse to laugh that triggers a chain reaction.

An entire cocktail of happiness hormones flows through the body.

Serotonin, dopamine and the “cuddle chemical” oxytocin, which plays a role in breastfeeding and sex, are thought to be released. The body goes into relaxation mode, Schaeffner said. Deep abdominal breathing ensues, pain tolerance can increase and blood pressure can drop.

Laughter’s effects on the body are largely hypothetical because clinical studies of them have been few. The influence of feel—good endorphins, for example, is unproven.

“They’re so ephemeral that you’d have to amuse test persons with a cannula stuck in a vein and simultaneously measure the concentration of these neurotransmitters. That’s tricky,” remarked Carsten Niemitz, a human biologist at the Free University of Berlin. Not much is known about the processes that take place in the brain, either, since the body movements during laughter make magnetic resonance imaging impossible.

Laughter is akin to strenuous manual labour. More than 100 muscles are involved, “ranging from the face, neck and respiratory muscles to the intercostal muscles” that run between the ribs, Niemitz noted.

Forty muscles control facial expressions alone. The more intense the laughter is, the more muscles are moved from head to toe - the more the person is “convulsed with laughter,” as the saying goes.

Someone who says that his or her “stomach hurts from laughing so hard” is describing the sore diaphragm that follows a good belly laugh. “Stop making me laugh! I hurt all over already,” is a plea when laughing becomes a full body workout. “Doubling up with laughter,” like a forward bend in yoga, trains the muscles between the breastbone and pubic bone.

A kind of “internal massage,” laughter can alleviate physical complaints. The deep breathing during laughter facilitates expectoration in cases of colds and bronchitis. Smokers can benefit, too, from the removal of excess residual air in the lungs, according to Barbara Wild, professor of psychiatry at Tuebingen University in Germany.

The pain threshold also rises, said Wild, citing Swiss researchers who found that test persons who genuinely smiled and laughed a lot while watching a Mr Bean film were able to hold their hands in ice water longer afterwards than test persons who had been less amused.

“Cheerful people cope with illnesses better,” Niemitz said.

Hospitals that employ clowns administer the psychological medicine of laughter, which touches people’s hearts and tells them, “Things aren’t so bad.” The goal, said Eckhart von Hirschhausen, a German comedian who studied medicine and has founded a club called Humour Helps Healing, is to “get people in an unpleasant situation involved in something positive.” Laughter, he said, “is foremost a social signal that lowers aggression, binds people into groups and alleviates stress.” It relieves both social and physical tension, he added, so “we physically loosen up when be laugh out loud.” Laughter is a protective mechanism against mental illnesses, von Hirschhausen pointed out, and laughter therapy is used for depression as well as aggression.

“In laughter yoga, people learn exercises that, among other things, convert typical attitudes of anger into relaxed behaviour,” Schaeffner said. Someone who regularly slams doors, for example, learns to set the anti—stress mechanism into motion as soon as he or she grasps the door handle. This may inhibit the production of adrenalin, which normally puts the body in a state of alarm.

People can clearly distinguish between hearty and derisive laughter. Laughing with the eyes closed for a fraction of a second and then looking past the other person comes across as likeable, Niemitz and his team found. “The other person doesn’t feel stared at and threatened,” he said. Giving vent to one’s amusement within a half—second is seen as sincere. Someone who takes longer produces “fake laughter” and forfeits sympathy.

Trmple Treasures

There’s a complete record of temple treasures

Dr R Nagaswamy

The offerings of gold and gems to Padmanabhaswamy, valued in billions, are not anonymous. Records of the gifts have been properly documented for centuries. Padmanabhaswamy temple archives contain several hundred bundles of palm leaf manuscripts called “churunai”, each bundle containing one lakh manuscripts of documents detailing the day-to-day administration and events of the temple. These documents are in Malayalam, Tamil, and Koleluttu scripts. It is estimated that there are 3,000 bundles of records, meaning that the total number of palm leaf documents would be about 30 crore! Unfortunately, these have not yet been deciphered and published. The few that have been published so far show systematic recording and documentation of gifts to the temple which would give enough information to fix the date, even the type of donors, of this huge wealth in the temple treasury.

In early 15th century (1425 AD), the then King Vira Ravi Varma constructed a record room in the temple compound. Another record (1486 AD) says that two categories of accountants were appointed—one, Karana-kanakkan, an accountant or caretaker for legal documents; the other, Pandara-kanakkan for maintaining accounts of valuables and jewels. The duty of the Pandara-kanakkan was to write and preserve day-to-day accounts of the temple and also maintain correct account of the temple treasury and the revenue collection. It was all very strictly done.

It is now known that in 1931 there was an effort to open the vaults of the main cells in the temple. They could not be opened; the attempt was abandoned. But a few other rooms were opened, and inventories prepared. Therefore, the present wealth consisting of treasures, jewels, gold image, coins, vessels and the rest belong to an earlier period. There is yet another record of 1874, which registers and seems to suggest that a great number of gifts were pouring into the temple through pilgrims like Sankaracharya, who offered kanikkai (offering). The record also says the Hindu representatives of Mohammed Ali Nawab of Arcot and the British government, besides the rulers of Kashi, Nepal, Vijayanagaram, Kashmir, Mysore, Gwalior, Cochin, Kozhikodu, Pudukkottai and others had paid homage to Lord Padmanabha during that period. It shows that the donors representing all of India have visited the temple, a unique record of national integration. It is likely that the treasures now being inventoried were presented mostly between 1700 and 1900. One of the great personalities who gifted enormous wealth was the illustrious Rani of Travancore, Gowri Lakshmi Bai, early in the 19th century. In addition to these offerings, it is seen that the revenue realised from the temple land and other possessions, meant for meeting the expenses of the temple services, were also turned into valuables and kept in the treasury.

It is clear that the rulers of Travancore protecting the Padmanabhaswamy temple have taken adequate measures almost from the 12th century onwards to safeguard and administer the wealth of the temple. This is what has preserved the Lord’s wealth. It is not unlikely that documents about the wealth after 1900 are also available in some of these churunai bundles. Significantly, nowhere is there any mention or suggestion that the king’s treasures could have been kept in the temple for safety as has been surmised. According to 11th century Chola inscriptions, which ought to be the Agama tradition applicable to all Agama temples, it is not permissible to bring an outsider’s property inside the temple.

The foremost need, therefore, is to put a batch of youngsters under competent directorship and get these manuscripts digitised and transcribed in modern characters. This temple, which follows Vedic tradition, had a great Rig Vedic school that existed for over 500 years but was closed down about 40 years ago, when the temple lands were taken away under the land reform programme. This remarkable school had preserved the Vedic tradition from 15th century and had produced two of Kerala’s two tallest and outstanding scholars, namely, Narayanan Nambudri, who wrote Tantrasamuccaya, a book on architecture, and Narayana Bhattathiri who wrote Narayaneeyam, a book on Lord Guruvayurappan. Bhattathiri ’s work bears the testimony to the ethos of Kerala’s devotion and Nambudiri’s is the basic text of Kerala’s architecture. There must be only 15 survivors from the last batch of students, all above 70.

What should be done now to bring this tradition back alive? A small amount of money can revive a great devotional tradition, the principal drive that promoted such gifts of wealth, and, more important, preserved it with the highest integrity and honesty.

The writer is former director, Tamil Nadu Department of Archaeology

A kingdom and a temple

Interview with Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma.

Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma, 89, is the seniormost member of Travancore's erstwhile royal family, yet simple and unassuming in his manner. He met A. Srivathsan, Deputy Editor of The Hindu on July 17 at the Pattom Palace in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram and answered questions regarding the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple — which is in the news in the context of valuable finds in its underground vaults in recent weeks — and his family's association with it. For reasons to do with the ongoing legal proceedings, he expressed his inability to answer any questions relating to the opening of the temple vaults. Excerpts from the interview:


The Travancore royal family took a different approach to ruling its territories and managing the properties of the State. The king served as Padmanabha Dasa — [who] ruled on behalf of god and swore allegiance only to god. In 1949, Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Rama Varma came close to refusing the post of Rajpramukh because he could not “give oath to the Indian government.” What led the Travancore kings to take to the idea ofdasa? In what way is this concept different from the modern idea of trusteeship?

There are two things to the idea of Padmanabha Dasa. One is the A to Z of the concept, which is new, and the other is the corollary, which is ancient. Let me explain the A to Z first. There was a king in England called Henry VIII. He had two passions: one, he wanted to change his wife, get a second one; and two, he wanted to impose a new faith. He asked his Cardinal to find a way to achieve this. When his Cardinal suggested that he start a new faith, the Church of England, the king asked how and why people would listen to him. The Cardinal had a simple answer. He advised him to add one more to his catalogue of names: Defender of the Faith. And then, if anyone goes against it, ‘your defence will be to go offensive,' he advised. That is Defender of the Faith, but we [the Travancore kings] are attendants of faith. That is a dasa.

The corollary of this concept is in the story of Bharata in the Ramayana. When Bharata refused to rule Ayodhya by himself, he took Rama's sandals, placed it on the throne, wore the robe of an ascetic and ruled on his brother's behalf. The god is the master.

When you are trustee, chairman, benefactor or president, your personality is still there. In this [dasa] nothing is there, you are nobody. You carry on your duty.

Anizhom Thirunal Marthanda Varma was the first maharaja to usher in this concept of Padmanabha Dasa in the 18th century. What historical reasons led him to this principle?

His actions were not political but dharmic. How did Fleming discover penicillin? The idea was always there, but hidden. He only discovered it. The dasa concept was always there. It came to him [Anizhom Thirunal] as the conductor.

Was ruling the kingdom as a dasa one of the main reasons for the safety and stability of Travancore and the temple? Did it in any way change the attitude of other rulers towards Travancore?

History is there to prove it. It [ruling as a dasa] was driving that. Unfortunately the concept of dasa was not copied by other rulers. You may find it in Puri where the king sweeps the street with the silver broomstick before the car festival, or in Mewar where the king goes to the Eklangi temple as a Maharana, but enters the shrine as a servant. But nothing is as total as this.

Kalkulam, which was renamed as Padmanabhapuram by Anizhom Thirunal, was the capital before the capital was moved to Trivandrum. The Tiruvattar temple near Padmanabhapuram is ichnographically and architecturally similar to the Padmanabhaswamy temple. Is there any relation between the two temples?

Both are Padmanabhas and are equally venerated. However, there are some differences between the two temples. In Trivandrum, the reclining Vishnu is inyoga nidra and at Tiruvattar, the eyes are fully awake. His feet is on the right side here and there at Tiruvattar it is to the left. Here there is a Shiva icon below the arm of Vishnu but it is not this way there. Though the main deity in Tiruvattar is known as Adikesava [Adi meaning ancient], Trivandrum is also ancient. There is a bond between the two temples, but there are no temple traditions as of now that recall the shifting from Padmanabhapuram.

Raja Ravi Varma, another member of the Travancore royal family and renowned painter, spent an important part of his lifetime in Trivandrum. While he painted many gods and even printed them as oleographs, he never painted Padmanabha or the temple. How can we understand this conspicuous absence?

Certain things have to come from inside. It [painting] cannot be visualising norms. He probably felt Padmanabhaswamy was beyond his brush. Ravi Varma did a great service by not painting Padmanabha.

Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Rama Varma, your elder brother, was the last ruler of Travancore. He is compared to Anizhom Thirunal in terms of devotion to the temple. You must have been a boy when his investiture ceremony took place. Can you recall your visits to the temple with him?

All of us were ardent devotees. My brother was elder to me by 10 years. I could not have gone with him to the temple.

His visits were his personal audience with the god as the king. But I have been going to the temple since I was eight years old and have attended various festivals along with family members.

Since 1991, after the demise of your elder brother, you've been going to the temple in his place. The respect and affection the people have for you and your family must be unchanged and quite visible.

Even before, they had affection. Even now, when everything is ex-, ex-… I'm still wanted in public functions. I do about 200 [functions] a year, [although] I'm nobody. No different from other people. They like, and I go.

The Travancore State and the Padmanabhaswamy temple witnessed momentous changes during Maharaja Chithira Thirunal's time. In 1936, the Padmanabhaswamy temple was the first in India to proclaim temple entry for all, which made Gandhiji describe Chithira Thirunal as a ‘Modern Ashoka.' In 1949 the princely states were abolished and the temple administration changed. In 1971, the privy purse was abolished and grants given to erstwhile rulers were stopped. But Chithira Thirunal still managed to support the temple from his private funds. Can you tell us how he faced these changes?

That is [change] part of life, otherwise we'll not be here. Even as a boy he understood it. In 1924, Mahatma Gandhi came [to Trivandrum] and at that time he was too young to rule. My aunt, his mother's elder sister, was the Regent. Gandhiji came and met her. ‘Is this the Maharani?' he enquired. He looked at her simple dress and asked: Where are the golden saris? Where are the jewels? He then asked her: ‘Is it not very unfair that around the temple in Vaikom, a dog, a cat, a cow, can walk, but a man cannot?' She said, yes. ‘Then why don't you do something about it?' he quizzed. ‘I am a Regent and only carrying on the administration till he grows up. Why don't you ask him [Chithira Thirunal]?' she urged. Gandhiji then asked him: ‘When you become the person in charge, will you allow everyone to enter temples?' As a young boy he said, ‘yes.' He took over in 1931 and granted temple entry in 1936. The remarkable thing was that there was no resistance [from the people who were associated with temple administration].

Did Chithira Thirunal want the administration of the temple to keep up with the times?

It [traditions] began somewhere and goes on as it changes. What has not changed is the [human] body.

Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi has mentioned in her book on the Padmanabhaswamy temple that for the first time, in the 1960s, a deva prasnam (astrological consultation) was conducted when Chithira Thirunal had to decide whether the temple could be electrified? Do you remember the moment?

Astrologers and tantris were consulted. Whenever you change a tradition, there is a problem. The government then said that we cannot burn coconut oil since it is for man. What can we do, they were in power. So we had to go for electrification. But it was done in the outside prakara or sivelippura, but not inside. The cheruchuttu, the inner enclosure, was not electrified. People also took to it since it made their job easier.

Can you tell us something more about the legends of the snake and protection of treasures? Have you heard about them from your family?

There are two kinds of snakes. One is naga, and it stays. The other is sarpa, which goes. It is misunderstood as a creature. They are messengers. I'll tell you an incident. We have a beautiful naga temple near Kuthira Malika [a palace near the Padmanabhaswamy temple]. I go there every ashlesham [ayilyam] day. On one of those days, people forgot to light the lamp in the main shrine. That night, a serpent came here [to his palace]. I knew something was wrong. Serpents aresatya (true) creatures. It's more prevalent in Kerala.

SDS Talk

Trusting Nature

Why don't we trust nature? It can very well be our doctor

Tulsi for cold, dhurva for longevity, bilwa for cleansing, vallarai for memory power, curry leaves for indigestion and good hair growth and a host of other herbs are the saviours from tiny ailments in villages.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. A garlic clove a day chases asthma away. A carrot a day keeps the ophthalmologist away . . . a dentist away and cancer away. Deep breathing exercises 20 minutes a day can keep most diseases away. A few yogasanas a day can keep most diseases away.

These are some of the sayings that we don't trust. Everyone one of us has some health ailment or the other. Some have severe headaches, others develop breathing problems, yet others get serious problems such as heart or lung ailments. But have you ever taken an apple or carrot a day as you must have learnt by heart in your primary school?

We don't trust nature. Most of us do not drink rainwater. Rainwater may be slightly contaminated with dust and other chemicals on the first day and from the roof that may be coated with chemicals, but one can harvest it directly from the skies. Keep a clean tub right in the open on the terrace. This can be done the second day of heavy rain. The first day, the water from the skies can wash away dust and other particles in the atmosphere. Then it can be double-filtered and stored in huge drums. This water can be filtered again for drinking.

One must experience the taste of rainwater. It is heavenly. An Australian study has confirmed that rainwater is very much safe for drinking and other household purposes and does not cause any illness. Most people have installed a rainwater harvesting system but use this water for bathing and washing and rarely for drinking.

Children love the rains. They love snapping those bubbles and having a bath. But today you find a lot of elders shooing them away from having fun in the rain all because they think they will catch a cold. Don't you get a cold even when you don't bath in rain? Your hair shines so well after a bath in rain/rainwater.

Working late or watching movies most of us have lost the habit of waking up early and doing some form of exercise. Schools back in the 1960s had morning prayer and some exercises in the open sunlight for about half-an-hour. Although yogasanas and breathing techniques have gained importance (more in the West), we turn to them for style, or when we have some ailment that refuses to budge with our popping pills.

Ancient texts kept at the Saraswathi Mahal library in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, about breathing exercises have this to say. Practising a certain type of deep breathing while studying (alternate right and left nostril breathing) can improve memory power and help you retain whatever you are studying. This text says that breathing should be practised on an empty stomach pretty early in the morning (studying early in the morning some time before sunrise). The text says that this way, you cannot forget whatever you have read. This is because the oxygen that enters your body clears congestion in the brain and enables it to retain whatever you have read with concentration in memory.

Deep breathing exercises practised just for about 10-20 minutes a day can improve eyesight, cure constipation, ward off most diseases. A person practising Asanas rarely gets any degenerative disease. It is advisable to learn these breathing exercises and yogasanas from a practitioner as there are rules about doing the same and they can cause harm if done in haste or on a heavy stomach or when ill.

While you can get rid of most skin problems by taking a sun-bath, we have the habit of seeing the sun when we travel to our workplace and on weekends after a late breakfast. Suryanamaskars have become a religious sign or practised to help us rid ourselves of paunches.

We use polyester garments and rarely expose ourselves to cool air or sunlight. The fresh air can give you a cold or fever. We get the idea that standing in cool air can give us a cold whereas overeating and eating junk foods or drinking colas cannot.

A lot many people are scared of tasting seasonal fruits. Mangoes are a ‘no' ‘no' for fear of our sugar levels rising or our getting diabetes. Whoever said fruits will usher in diabetes, and not a sedentary lifestyle and wrong eating habits? Bananas no, potatoes no, carrots no. There are a lot of self-analysed ‘Nos.'

Tulsi for cold, dhurva for longevity, bilwa for cleansing, vallarai for memory power, curry leaves for indigestion and good hair growth and a host of other herbs are the saviours from minor ailments in villages. People living in cities cannot even identify common herbs, much less use them to benefit. Looks like we don't trust nature.

World's only Sanskrit daily turns 42

Mysore, July 7 (IANS)
Even as English and modern Indian language newspapers continue to flourish in the country, Sudharma, which claims to be the only Sanskrit newspaper in the world, is struggling hard to survive as it enters its 42nd year next week.
"That's because no state or central body comes forward to assist us in any way and the response from various organisations in the private sector is indifferent," K.V. Sampath Kumar, editor of the Mysore-based daily that has over 2,000 subscribers, told IANS.
But then why publish a paper in a "dead language" at all?
The editor's wife, Jayalakshmi, who is well versed in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, English and of course Sanskrit, reacts sharply: "Who says Sanskrit is dead? Every morning, people recite shlokas, conduct pujas...all ceremonies including marriages, childbirth to death, are in Sanskrit. India is united by Sanskrit, which is the mother language sustaining so many languages in the country. It's growing and now even IT professionals are saying it is useful."
Sampath Kumar said his father Pandit Varadaraja Iyengar started the paper July 15, 1970. "When he was dying in 1990, he made me promise I would continue the mission, come what may. So this daily is now a dream mission continuing with the same passion and commitment, and I will continue till my death."
Priced at Re.1, the paper mostly contains articles on Vedas, yoga, religion and also politics and culture, among others.
The husband-wife pair are the paper's contributors and publishers rolled into one.
"Credit for starting Sanskrit radio bulletins on Akashvani goes to my father, who successfully persuaded the then information and broadcasting minister I.K. Gujral," Sampath Kumar said.
According to him, Mysore is the Sanskrit capital of India, with a fairly good strength of scholars. A large number of yoga enthusiasts also come to learn Sanskrit here. Interest in ayurveda and alternative medicines has also led to an increase in the demand for Sanskrit learning centres.
In India, Sanskrit was considered the 'language of the gods'.
Despite the contribution Sanskrit has made to Indian philosophical and literary traditions, vested interests have spread the impression that the language is dead, inaccessible and of negligible relevance to daily life, Kumar said.
Initially printed manually, Sudharma now has a modern computerised printing facility. An e-paper too is available online, making its reach international.
"We have lots of subscribers among the minorities also. Most academies and language centres are our subscribers. Each morning, the two-page tabloid-sized sheet is folded and posted to more than 2,000 subscribers. Every year, a special number is brought out during Dussehra celebrations to mobilise funds to support the mission," Kumar said.
Lamenting the lack of official patronage, he said: "Being in Sanskrit, Sudharma never had sufficient revenue from advertisements. Despite the ample lip service and words of encouragement, no concrete help comes our way. But the constraints have never deterred us and we will continue to keep alive this glorious tradition."
The modest office in Agrahara has been visited by ministers, governors, Shankaracharyas, and other dignitaries. "Words of encouragement and felicitation has come profusely from prime ministers and presidents over the years," Kumar said.
He showed this IANS correspondent his vast collection of messages from politicians, scholars, intellectuals and business leaders, including late president Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, social reformer Jagjivan Ram, L.K. Advani, Arjun Singh and others. The common strain was that Sanskrit was a unique unifying force and a treasure to be preserved.
As part of its 42nd birthday celebrations, Sudharma is organising an all-India Sanskrit Book Exhibition. A photo exhibition is also planned, apart from a felicitation of Sanskrit scholars.
But will Sudharma be able to preserve the pristine glory of Sanskrit, or be overwhelmed by modernity?
Many university students this IANS correspondent talked to in Mysore had not heard of the paper. Just a few paces from the newspaper office, a chemist blinked in incomprehension when told about Sudharma.
The signs may be ominous, but perhaps the paper, like the language it is published in, may be able to survive the test of time.

Water, the natural drink, right?

Water – the natural drink, right?
Many people have grown dependent on bottled water over the past decade.  In the past few years, environmentalists started to get media coverage to describe how this habit is impacting our planet, which resulted in people limiting their purchase of these products.  Manufacturers countered by designing new products to regain some of that market.  Does your tap water have vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants or slenderizing properties? No, probably not, but some manufacturers claim that their beverages do.  The following information is designed to help separate fact from fiction.
Vitamin-infused water The majority of these beverages claim to boost your energy, relax you or improve your immunity.  No clinical studies exist to show benefits to any degree of certainty in regard to vitamin intake and immunity, unless a person is severely malnourished.  Likewise, no solid evidence is available that shows any vitamins help to either increase your energy or calm you down when you are feeling frazzled. The water products that claim to increase energy often contain high levels of caffeine, with some products actually supplying more of the stimulant than the most popular soft drinks. Some manufacturers of fortified waters include Guarana, an Amazon plant that contains a good amount of caffeine, in their formulations. Still other waters boast a whole array of added vitamins. Some vitamins are good, but more are even better, right? No. Any water-soluble vitamins are passed into your urine, if your intake is more than what you need.  That is a waste of money, but not particularly dangerous to you.  However, fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K) are stored in your body, and you can possibly have an “overdose” with some negative health effects, if you consume more than you need.  Luckily, vitamins break down over time; so, you are probably not getting as much as the label states that you are. Water with added fiber The kind of fiber found in this water product is not the insoluble form that keeps you regular.  It is a soluble form, which may or may not help to keep you feeling full longer. Water for expectant mothers Does mixing extra calcium and folic acid into bottled water protect expectant mothers and their babies?  All nutritional professionals agree that whole food is always the best choice.  What about advertisements that state how important hydration is for expectant mothers?  Well, it is important, but most pregnant women do not require much or any more fluid than a non-pregnant woman.  The standard prenatal vitamin and a healthy, balanced diet provide all the nutrition one needs. Water for athletes These products usually contain sodium, potassium, amino acids, and / or some herbs.  Unless you are sweating excessively for long periods of time, you are unlikely to need extra sodium and potassium from a beverage.  In fact, the excess sodium could possibly add to your risk of high blood pressure.  Individuals with certain cardiac conditions or on certain medications need to avoid a high-potassium diet.  Taurine, an amino acid long touted for improving physical performance and strength, is not proven to actually work.  Ginseng, an herb that is touted as improving athletic agility, has also gone unproven. The bottom line Many fortified or “enhanced” waters contain sugar, sometimes as much as a soft drink, and the extra calories that go with it.  In many cases, you could get the same amount of vitamins or other added nutrients, with less sugar and fewer calories, in the form of a whole food.  Even in the case of low-calorie enhanced waters flavored with artificial sweeteners, whole food would provide more fiber and other phytochemicals and antioxidants that are important to your health.  Save money, the environment and your health by choosing fruits, vegetables, and foods containing whole grains and lean protein over a bottle of clear liquid with a handful of questionable add-ins.

The magic gooseberry!

Great cartoon indeed!

Keeping cool