Rain

The all drenching monsoon rain is a refreshing spectacle, especially for those who spend their day talking numbers within the high walls of the concrete jungle. The unexpectedness of the first rains brings out the joyfulness of nature, enriching all that lives with the drizzle, however mighty or not so. Yesterday’s incessant rain in the evening (in Trivandrum), brought out the tangential realities of life.

The farmer who considers the rain his lifeline, the slum dweller who views rain with a tint of doubt, as to the comfort of his shanty home, the school boy who wants to wet his shoes and splash the puddle, the corporate executive who looks at the beauty of the rain from his high rise office suite, the homeless man on the street who searches for a cosy shelter, the traffic police man who dusts his old Police issue raincoat, the auto rickshaw driver who cautiously threads to city roads and the weather man who predicts with uncertain certainty the extend of the rain.

One common fact, very different realities, but life goes on..

Glutton ? Me .. ?

A month ago, I set out on the GM diet journey, a road less travelled by the likes of me, who love a full three or maybe four meals a day. At the back of my mind I always knew I was eating more than what I needed to sustain my earthly body, but I did not expect this much.
The revelation was too much that, I was forced to think how much of the food I take is just quench my taste buds !
Among the hundreds of thousands who live without one full meal a day in my own country and millions of others around the globe, I though I should be ashamed to gorge on food like a pig !
Well... here is a reckoner to me and to all like me...
"Put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony" - Proverbs 23:2
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Picture Copyright http://www.daviddeen.com/ - Thank you, David.

Mr. Fix it

Lately, I've been watching too much TV, and Agent Seely and Dr Brennen from the Sitcom Bones have proved interesting to me!

Last night, Agent Seely made an observation "It's me who fix things ; it makes me feel one with the universe."

It made me think loud; and yes even I feel its my prerogative to fix things being the man of the house; Where were wired this way by the maker,with an obsession to fix things; and a bloated, pride filled head once we fix things ?

I've owned a small tool kit from as long as I can remember; and honestly, among my friends I was the most mechanically/technically impaired when it came to fixing things? Even so, I did a lot of 'fixing' around the house, for my mom, for my sister, but I don't remember ever being asked by my Dad to 'fix'. Well, maybe, he did not need my help. Well, in any case, I've been taught a lot of 'fixing' by him, like how to change a broken roof tile, or remove a broken nail and hammer in a new one, de-husk a coconut,or do small repairs on the cycle or bike.

And ironically enough we bought a new kitchen rack at home yesterday; I fitted the whole thing and the "satisfaction" I got out of it made me think, maybe we men were wired by our Maker to work/mend/repair or fix.

Agent Seely, maybe you are right? It does make us feel fulfilling a purpose!

Time is ticking away

'Time and tide waits for no man..' so the adage goes. Every second passes by never to come back to us again. Time does not look back, it always looks to the future. Time travel and fixing the past are stuff of legend...but reality looks at us starkly with sarcasm in it's eyes; telling us wryly every second you let go is a lost resource.

I've been living the lazy life of a typical bachelor for a few weeks now, keeping me on he couch in front of the TV the long hours after work. It was during one of the really lazy hours that I chanced upon the Autobiography of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The man who brought the nation we all know as the defender of Justice to look into her own hypocrytic double standards. He achieved so much in so less time. It was God's way of telling me, fatigue can tire my weak body not my soul, and I should do much more than what I'm doing now.

I'm reminded of this verse as if its adressed to me :
"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:" - Proverbs 6:6

Happiness

I met these kids in Hyd during a traffic Jam and I couldnt help myself but smile, when I saw the happiness on their faces..... for a moment I thought;What does these Children have to be happy ???? good food ? rich parents ? good toys to play with ? good cosy homes ? hot dinners ?

I leave you all to ponder with one little thought..

God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. - C S Lewis

Who am I ??

Well.... the other day I was standing in Queue at my office canteen, and I saw this boy serving tea. He was about my age, my height.. a lil more fairer thn me, and spoke my mother tounge , and so he was from my state.

And it made me think... what did I do more to get this white collared job and what did he not do, not to get it, absolutly NOTHING....... 

Is it my merit that I was born into an educated family? Is it my merit that my parents had enough money to pay for my college? Is it my merit that the job market was good when I passed out and I got a job ? Is it my merit that my state had good educational institutions?

The answer is always NO

"I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly." Psalm 22:10

That was my cry when I got out of my canteen !!

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You're

Casting Crowns

Grandma's note....

This is what my grandma wrote to me for my 23rd bday; I just want to post this again ! 

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My dear Renji mon,
Wish you a very very happy and blessed birthday.May our Lord shower all His abundant blessings upon you,throughout this year and the years to come.Keep your eyes on the Lord. He never takes His eyes off you.When we keep our eyes on Christ, obstacles become opportunities.To know ,to love and to live for God is the desire of a renewed sanctified soul.Pray well. He stands best who kneels most.Prayer is a child's helpless cry to the father's attentive ear. All who are born of God should develop a likeness to their father. Live like a flower by spreading fragrance.
May our loving and living Lord bless you physically & spiritually. Praying for you fervently.
Yours affectionately,
Amma

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she is in ICU now and going thru a difficult time.. do remember her in prayers.

--- Update

She just passed away .....

Arthaśāstra or so it seems !

Recently, the US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte was quoted saying this : “there are no permanent enemies,”. Does that also mean there are no permanent friends ?

Reading that in the newspaper I was reminded of Kautilya's (Chanakya) satement centuries ago "There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth." 

In a time when we as a nation are taking about the Nuclear Agreement (123 Agreement). Can we trust someone who says there are no permanent enemies/ friends ? Our leadership need to choose their friends carefully or we might cease to exist a soverign state !

PS : I have no idea what the Nuclear deal is all about :) !!! The pros and cons are for our policy makers to debate and decide !

#****#

എന്‍റെ ആദ്യത്തെ മലയാളം പോസ്റ്റ്.
സഹോദരി സഹോദരന്മാരെ, നിങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് നമസ്കാരം. മലയാള സാഹിത്യ സംസ്കരിക ലോകത്തെ ഞാന്‍ ഞെട്ടിക്കാന്‍ പോകുന്നു.
നന്ദി !

Jewel in the Crown

Well....that's what I would like to call Delhi.... the capital of my country. 'twas my first visit Feb 19- 24 to Delhi, and definitely not my last ! So what did Delhi have to offer ?

This first picture is that of Qutab Minar . The minar complex is in Mehrauli South Delhi. Completed by several genarations of Sultans who ruled India. This stands as a testament to Indo- Islamic Architecture. The entire complex stands on what used to be Jain Temples. Jain figurines can still be seen

on certain stones on the minaret. Intricate carvings in Arabic make the minaret exotic and beautiful to look at. Allaudin another sul

tan, who ruled India wanted to make another minar that surpassed the glory of Quatab Minar. Unfortunately he died when the minar was being constucted and the work stopped. The complex also has a metalurgical marvel - The Ashoka Pillar. Built during the reign of the greatest king of the Mauryan Dynasty. Till date nobody has been able to find what this is made of . Delhi has a number of Forts, the Old Fort and the Red Fort are of prime importance and are seen as a symbol of the strength of the Mughal empire. The forts were used by different armies, the Indian Army continues to occupy a part of the forts, while the rest are open to visitors. The Fort was occupied by Sikhs, the British after the first war of Indian Independence and later by the Indian Army. In 1947, Pandit Jawaharlal Nerhru hoisted the Indian National flag over Red Fort on 15th August delcaring indepedence from the British.

The fort was built by Emperor Shah Jahan, and was the capital of the 7th Muslim city on Delhi soil. This is from where Emperor Shah Jahan used to give his public audiences. The fort also had Shah Jehan's Palace as well has palaces for his favourite wives.

Well.. there is a lot more in store.. will post em in the coming days !