Priya Manoj

Food inflation in India, 2011

2011-02-28T11:02:00.000-08:00

Intensifying affluence in rural India is leading to food scarcity, which is driving up food prices says RBI Governor D Subbarao. Since rural incomes are going up, people are eating better by shifting from cereal to protein (rich diet) and it is leading to food scarcity.

Food inflation is now morphing into a structural feature and is being driven by rising food demand in a fast-growing economy plagued by a creaky food supply chain, endemic inefficiencies and poor infrastructure in the critical agricultural sector. “This year, inflation seems to be driven by demand factors, despite higher supply levels,” the Survey said. This is in contrast to the fact that in the last fiscal, inflation was mostly driven by a deficient monsoon, leading to scarcity of certain food products like pulses, cereals and sugar.

Punjab’s cultivation is an instance for the other states:

Food scarcity could be tackled effectively if half of the states in the country would touch the productivity level achieved by Punjab, the country's food bowl. Punjab's food grain yield is pegged at 4,231 kg per hectare against the national average of 1,909 kg per hectare. For stepping up farm productivity and production, it is necessary to increase investment in water management and rural infrastructure, Subbarao said. About 60 percent of the country's farm land relies on rain water for irrigation.

What can be the possible solution to tackle this problem? India cannot import food as it has to feed around 1.2 billion people. Our food prices are lower than that of world prices. The country cannot import food and sell them here unless it subsidizes. Subsidizing food on a large scale is unimaginable.

There exists a paradoxical situation of subsidizing farmers for producing food and subsidizing consumers so that that they get food at lower price. It is simply unsustainable. Focus should also be there in reducing risks due to poor monsoon.

Efficiency in agriculture can be an aid to subordinate food prices:

“Primary articles inflation has been an issue due to surging demand and supply shortage,” said K. Ramanathan, Chief Investment Officer-Single Manager Investments, and ING Investment Management India. He also stated that more focus needs to be there on mounting acreage/arable land and productivity in agriculture.

Higher claims on subsidies (food, fertilizer and oil), pressures to increase social spending in the background of several State elections and absence of one-offs like the 3G bounty (which accounted for almost 1.3 per cent of GDP in 2011) would be the challenges the finance minister has to compete with. India’s food inflation accelerated to a one-month high and services growth quickened, bolstering the case for more interest-rate increases.

Food Inflation among the world economies:

India's food inflation was the second lowest among all emerging economies in the 2010 calendar year and the country also witnessed one of the steepest declines in overall inflation, the Survey said. It said India's average food inflation in November, 2010, was 5.4 per cent, far lower than 15.8 per cent in Argentina, 9.2 per cent in Brazil and 11.7 per cent in China, as per data on 15 emerging nations from the International Labor Organization for the month. Other major emerging economies, including Argentina, Brazil, China, Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, Uruguay, Ukraine and Indonesia the Survey also blamed currency competition for creating inflationary pressure in emerging economies. Talking about the issue, it said each country's central bank is taking steps according to their own views. "This has given rise to destabilizing currency competitions and may be a factor behind the recent increase in inflation in emerging economies," the Survey said.

Food inflation keeps fluctuating from time to time in February 2011:

India's annual food inflation rose to 11.49 percent for the week ended Feb 12, according to official data released Thursday. The data showed that the food inflation has marginally increased 0.44 percentage points from 11.05 percent recorded in the previous week. The annual inflation based on wholesale prices was 8.23 percent in January, while it stood at 8.43 percent in December, 2010. Commenting on the inflation rate Prime Minister Manmohan Singh informed Lok Sabha that food inflation would come down with the overall inflation to be no more than 7 percent by March-end. 'By the end of this fiscal year, inflation will be controlled. I expect the situation to improve,' Manmohan Singh told the Lok Sabha, replying to a debate on the motion of thanks to the president's address. Meanwhile, the annual inflation for primary articles was up 15.77 percent during the week ended Feb 12, in the latest week, compared to 14.59 percent in the previous week.

Budget 2011 stands as a hope:

Pranab Mukherjee, Finance Minister however exuded confidence that the RBI's monetary policy would lead to moderation in inflation in the coming months. He also put emphasis on increasing agricultural productivity to curb food inflation. Presenting a silver line however he affirmed, last year had been a remarkable fiscal year and that the Indian economy was expected to grow steadily at 9 per cent. As per the fiscal deficit reduction road map, the deficit is to be cut to 4.8 per cent of GDP. Mukherjee said: “I see Budget 2011-12 as a transition towards more transparent and a result-oriented economic management.”

Margazhi, the month I adore....

2011-01-25T15:04:00.000-08:00

Margazhi is the month for andal. The whole month is usually engrossed with Thiruppavai, hot pongal and big kolams in embellished front of everyone’s house. The story ensuing Margazhi is that, Goddess Lakshmi incarnated as "Andal" in the earth, which is now called as holy place "Srivilliputhur”. The month starts with

Margazhi Thingal denotes Margazhi month, in Tamil "Thingal" indicates month. After a certain phase, Andal aspires to marry Lord Vishnu. So, she incited Vrata called as Margazhi Nonbu (Pavai Nonbu) during this month. She chose Margazhi because in Bhagavat Geetha Lord Krishna has reminisced that he is Margazhi among months. All the days in this month she wakes up early in the morning and sing (pasurams) songs on Lord Vishnu called as "Thiruppavai" with her friends. Finally, she got married with Lord Vishnu. Every pasuram has its own allusion and consonance in it.

Margazhi in my yesteryears:

Margazhi just passed by, such a refreshing and an affable month. The overture of the month gives me an awesome feel. After a sturdy karthigai rain comes the unruffled month. One of the exquisite things I esteem in this month is the weather and the kolams.

The day customarily instigates early in the morning with hot pongal and a big kolam, then amma reciting “kathiravan gunathisai” and all the 30 pasurams. Amma and appa used to edify and profess about andal and her pasurams everyday in this month. Andal’s love and devotion for Krishna is sung in each and every pasuram. I habitually go to the temple both in the dawn and dusk. We used to have a lot of talks about andal during this month.

Every pasuram has its own implication. On each day pongal is done for perumal excluding “karavaigal” and “koodarai vellum”. Dhadhiyonam n sweet pongal is prepared on these days correspondingly.

This was the first Margazhi in New Jersey. We celebrated and commemorated the same way our parents did. Snow was in progress by this juncture. It was exorbitantly frosty. I had unconditionally a distinctive ambiance. Me and Manoj woke up early in the morning, recited Thiruppavai and had pongal. The unmitigated house was crammed with divinity. We were here only for 10 days in Margazhi and we had to leave for India, the rest of the days in Margazhi were apportioned in Chennai. It was so congenial and amusing there. We went to a lot of temples in order to rejoice commemorate Margazhi and had a nostalgic Margazhi this time. End of Margazhi comes Thai- Sankaranthi festival. This is one of the important festivals for tamilians.

20....navarathri....09

2010-06-10T14:10:00.001-07:00

Navarathri 2009 was amazing. I celebrated it with utmost devotion and dedication. Before the golu scenario let me explain the prologue of the festival. Mylapore is the first place I love on this earth. Me, my neighbor and my mother-in-law went to the mylapore mada veedhi and got dasavatharam bommai set, kamadhenu set and materials for park decorations. My god the dolls were exorbitant, I have never got into all these. I felt multifarious, never mind we had fun.

The golu started on Monday, apparently on Saturday and Sunday I had to embellish our house with grand materials. On Saturday I cleaned the house and did felicitous decorations applicable to my house. On the auspicious Sunday I did the main golu work.

Firstly I started with a fancy work. I had cut newspapers into small pieces and rolled it to thick cylinders, pasted it on a chart and gave shades of the orange family colors on one and green family colors on the other and finally did a face over it. I pasted this at the apex of golu which meant the two faces were seeing the golu with a great startle.
Secondly I painted the ahals, I had 7 big ahals and 7 small ahals, I painted different designs, shades and gradations on it.
Thirdly I started with the park. This was the stupendous part. I had all toys and grass fields so I just laid sand all over the park area and decorated it with black stones on the borders and filled the grass fields on the four sides and enhanced it with the toys. When I started this park the hindi class banged my mind. That was a scrumptious place which resembled my golu park. Every evening I go to my hindi class, outside the class there was a park where many children play, elders go for walking etc. I wanted it like that and finally my park came out kindred to the hindi class park.
Fourthly I started with the thirupathi malai with mahesh. I did hard work, had to get the sand from 2 streets ahead, had to get stones, did some handicrafts etc.

On the Sunday night the house looked so wondrous. I felt so splendid. To beautify the golu, I decided to keep my paintings beside it.

My mom had come that day to give the navarathri seer, she was jubilant to see my handicrafts. She didn't have the heart to go, she has been always interested in all these, she appreciated my works, in fact she was wholly responsible for my involvement in the golu celebration, she encouraged me in each n everything. My parents-in-law and my hubby felt so happy to see my fascination as they are conventional they like all these celebrations.

Last but not the least I started with the main golu work, the golu stand was fitted by our workman, and then I had put two white clothes on the stand. Before I could start decorations and arrangements, the kumbham or the ceremonial jar for holy water, which is a conical vessel, is filled with fresh water. A silk cloth covers the mouth of the vessel, a coconut and mango leaves are placed on top of it. This is generally placed in the first or the third step.

“Navarathri” is a composite festival celebrated all over India, depending on the New Moon (Amavasya - dark moon night). The essence of this festival consists of fasts and worship the different aspects of “Mahalakshmi thayar” on each of the nine days. Navarathri is known as the “Festival of Nights” honoring the goddesses.

On the first step I placed my favorite srinivasar, thayar and andal with gajalakshmi on both
sides. On the back of them I placed goddess saraswati, mahalakshmi, vinayagar and gayathri.
On the second step I positioned the dasavatharam and ramar set (ramar, lakshmanar, sita and anchaneyar) with few other small dolls.
On the third step I organized the kamadhenu set, sriman narayanar, vaikundanadhaperumal set and the beautiful kids with the phone, this is such an old piece.
On the fourth step I placed the hayagrivar, the kanakadhara set, the bride and the bridegroom, raghavendrar and kutty krishnar.
On the fifth step I arranged the krishnar and gopikas around him, the gypsies set, the parrot set and bharathiyar.
I can’t tell this as the sixth step as we r supposed to keep the steps in odd numbers. So I just kept two decorative steps. On this I arranged the chettiyar and chettichi set and on the other
side, I aligned the decorative ahals.

Now the golu is ready. My mother-in-law lit the lamp in front of the golu. Manoj decorated the hall with different lights. The house appeared so splendorous.

Any festival gets its consummation only when hearts are bound together, yes I meant the people. So I started to greet them. To commence with I invited my neighbors, then my area mates and finally my friends and relatives who reside in Chennai. Everyone came with utmost pleasure and bustle and made us complacent. On all the ten days our house was brimmed with people. I also had a nice time in visiting my favorite ones home. I gifted all the people who came home.I decided to gift according to the age, so I bestowed boxes for the elders and small toys for the kidos. I had unexpected visits of my amative ones too.

Navrathri is not only famous for dolls but its also famous for the delicious"sundal". Different varieties of sundals was prepared on each day. When I recollect those days I can still feel the taste hitting my tongue. Kids had a healthy competition to win the sundals. We were amazed to see their unique talents so we distributed the sundals to them after offering(kandarulludhal) it to the god.

Ayudha Puja is an integral part of the Navaratri festival (festival of triumph) which is celebrated in India. It is also called "Astra Puja", the synonym for Ayudha Puja. In simple terms, it means “Worship of Implements”.

It is said that on Vijayadashami day Arjuna, third of the five Pandava brothers, retrieved his weapons of war from the hole in the Shami tree where he had hid it before proceeding on the forced exile. After completing his exile period of 13 years including one year of Agyatavas (living incognito) before embarking on the war path against the Kauravas he retrieved his weapons. In the Kurukshetra war that ensued, Arjuna was victorious. Pandavas returned on Vijayadashami day and since then this day gained more importance.

The tools and all implements of vocation were first cleaned. All the tools, machines, vehicles and other devices were then painted or well polished after which they were smeared with turmeric paste, sandalwood paste in form of a pottu(a big circle) and kumkum. We were transformed to a human train in the morning, my father-in-law carried the karpooram, ,manoj had the sandhanam and I took the kumkum. We went around the house to keep pottu on our valuable things. On the morning of the puja that is on the navami day, the implements were all worshiped along with the images of Saraswati. Books and musical instruments were also placed on the pedestal for worship and they were decorated with flowers. On the day of the puja, these were not to be disturbed. The day was spent in worship and contemplation. When I was a kid my brother Kannan and I used to keep all our books in the pooja so that we avoided studies the whole day.

After these nine days comes the “Dashami”, the tenth day, which has its own importance “Vijaya Dashami (the day of victory). This is the day “Lord Rama had killed Ravana” , which signifies the victory of good over evil. “Vaishnavas”generally celebrate “Vijay Dashami” with great signification. It is auspicious to start any work today. Kidos join school, music class etc. This day reminds my childhood days. I used to join carnatic music class, tuition classes etc......... lovely days, am glad that it didn't end with my childhood days, it continued this year too, I had joined embroidery class which went on very well.

The momentous festival had an exhilarated end. I had amusement on all the ten days. Enjoyed every bit of the golu to the core. Hope every year turns out to be the festival like navarathri 2009.

Note: This article starts and ends with Navarathri 2009.

An episode has come to an end

2009-10-13T23:12:00.000-07:00

I dedicate this article to my dear paati(grand mother) late. Mrs. Janaki Parthasarathy.

My days with my granny were erratic but on the whole it was really cherishing. She had a great care as well as a great consternation on me. Right from my birth I have been with her, she stayed close to my house and almost every day I go and see her. She used to call me as chellamma with a feeble tone and the way she called me delivered her true love. I was her first grand daughter and she was proud of me because I was neither mischievous nor I played pranks on anyone.

She was more than a friend to me and she was so flexible enough to accept the contemporary trend and our ideas. She was a strict disciplinarian and she portrayed herself as a tough authoritarian but after my marriage she dint even spell a word on me. She was a loyal and an unbiased person and judge things so carefully. She maintained her relationship so well among everyone that is why she is been liked by everybody even now. I wonder so many things in her, she was an uneducated person but she performed like a professional. She did things so professionally and had an affluent stroke in it.

She was an amazing homemaker. She was neither a spend thrift nor a miser. She used to do festivals and functions in an ostentatious manner with low budget. She had a rich flavor in accomplishing things and she presents her skill in any form so magnificently.

As far as I know about her history she has suffered a lot all over her life but she is not an optimistic person. She feared a lot on the contrary she was a valiant female and faced great challenges in life. She was so pious and god fearing but she never imposed her beliefs to her children or her grand children. She cheers each n every talent in a child. She was very punctual and she was a perfectionist and she expected the same from her generations. My god I had worst days in molding myself with her. She was a very good trainer.

She was a hard worker and a graceful person. I have never seen her resting in a place for more than 5 minutes. A day came where all our glee took a pause, it was the day when report came diagnosing as cancer, such a horrible day it was. It happened in the month of January, all of us were worried except her. She was least bothered about it. It was a great struggle for her. She took everything positively and co operated for all her treatments. Still she suffered every now n then. Finally on Sep 29th 2009 god saved her from this perilous disease. She permanently rested in peace.

After her death when we saw her write ups and letters for us we were flabbergasted. She has completely roofed about the unity among the family and she insisted us to pursue the same. She is still with us guiding us to the path of perfection.

I’m fortunate to be her granddaughter.

Global Warming

2009-08-04T07:36:00.000-07:00

Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its predictable continuation.

Green House effect:
It is the absorption of the heat by certain gases in the atmosphere. It is real and absolutely helps to regulate temperature of our planet. It is essential for life on Earth and is one of Earth's natural processes. It is the result of heat absorption by certain gases in the atmosphere called greenhouse gases because they effectively 'trap' heat in the lower atmosphere and re-radiation gets downward of some due to heat.

Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas, followed by carbon dioxide and other trace gases. Without a natural greenhouse effect, the temperature of the Earth would be about zero degrees F (-18°C) instead of its present 57°F (14°C). So, the concern is not with the fact that we have a greenhouse effect, but whether human activities are leading to an enhancement of the greenhouse effect.

Global surface temperatures have increased about 0.6°C (plus or minus 0.2°C) since the late-19th century, and about 0.4°F (0.2 to 0.3°C) over the past 25 years (the period with the most credible data). The warming has not been globally uniform. Some areas (including parts of the southeastern U.S.) have, in fact, cooled over the last century. The recent warmth has been greatest over North America and Eurasia between 40 and 70°N. Warming, assisted by the record El Niño (Southern Oscillation is a periodic change in the atmosphere and ocean of the tropical Pacific region. It is defined in the atmosphere by the sign of the pressure difference between Tahiti and Darwin, Australia, and in the ocean by warming or cooling of surface waters of the tropical central and eastern Pacific Ocean. El Niño is the warm phase of the oscillation and La Niña is the the cold phase. The oscillation does not have a specific period, but occurs every three to eight years. Mechanisms that cause the oscillation remain a matter of research.)of 1997-1998, has continued right up to the present, with 2001 being the second warmest year on record after 1998.

Raise in sea level:
Global means sea level has been rising at an average rate of 1 to 2 mm/year over the past 100 years, which is significantly larger than the rate averaged over the last several thousand years. Projected increase from 1990-2100 is anywhere from 0.09-0.88 meters, depending on which greenhouse gas scenario is used and many physical uncertainties in contributions to sea-level rise from a variety of frozen and unfrozen water sources.

The future?
Due to the enormous complexity of the atmosphere, the most useful tools for gauging future changes are 'climate models'. These are computer-based mathematical models which simulate, in three dimensions, the climate's behavior, its components and their interactions.

Climate models are constantly improving based on both our understanding and the increase in computer power, though by definition, a computer model is a simplification and simulation of reality, meaning that it is an approximation of the climate system. The first step in any modeled projection of climate change is to first simulate the present climate and compare it to observations. If the model is considered to do a good job at representing modern climate, then certain parameters can be changed, such as the concentration of greenhouse gases, which helps us understand how the climate would change in response. Projections of future climate change therefore depend on how well the computer climate model simulates the climate and on our understanding of how forcing functions will change in the future. The

IPCC Special Report on Emission Scenarios determines the range of future possible greenhouse gas concentrations and other forcing based on considerations such as population growth, economic growth, energy efficiency and a host of other factors. This leads a wide range of possible forcing scenarios, and consequently a wide range of possible future climates. According to the range of possible forcing scenarios, and taking into account uncertainty in climate model performance, the IPCC projects a global temperature increase of anywhere from 1.4 - 5.8°C from 1990-2100. However, this global average will integrate widely varying regional responses, such as the likelihood that land areas will warm much faster than ocean temperatures, particularly those land areas in northern high latitudes (and mostly in the cold season).

Precipitation is also expected to increase over the 21st century, particularly at northern mid-high latitudes, though the trends may be more variable in the tropics. Snow extent and sea-ice are also projected to decrease further in the northern hemisphere, and glaciers and ice-caps are expected to continue to retreat.

A small write up on karthigai deepam festival in ganesh temple

2009-08-04T07:18:00.000-07:00

24th November 2008

Chennai, Pammal

Thousands of devotees thronged the famous Ganesh Temple, one of the progeny of the goddess Amman, to witness the 'Bharani Deepam' and 'Maha Deepam' as part of Karthigai Deepam festival.

The temple has 3 apportions with Ganesh as the main god and Lord Muruga and Goddess Amman. It is located in the intramural of the Muthamizh nagar.

The festival, which was celebrated in the Tamil month of Karthigai (November-December) began on Bharani and was extolled for 3 days.

The ‘Bharani Deepam’ festival was celebrated in a simple manner with few lamps in and around the temple. The second day festival ‘Maha Deepam’ was celebrated in a majestic manner with huge crowds, bhajans and songs on the the almighty. The third day was a simple festival called as the Kuppa Karthigai, this day was dedicated to the trash. Lamp is lit near the garbage etc.

Chanting of "Kandhanukku Arohara" inclined the air as the Bharani Deepam was lit inside the temple in the morning, while the Maha Deepam was lit at top of the temple on 24th Nov.

Next to the temple, Maha Deepam was lit in a big cone made of dry coconut leaves, this is filled with large quantities of camphor and ghee. The Deepam was seen from miles ahead. This practice is known as Chokka Panai.

The Karthigai day which was synchronized with the full moon day. The deity, Muruga was taken out in a procession encompassing the temple with five deepams. The Gopuram (Temple tower) was also lit with "Ahals"(earthern oil lamps) glowed with effulgence on the stratums.

Lighting festival was celebrated in all the temples of Chennai, including Vishnu temples. Elsewhere in the area, people celebrated Karthigai Deepam by illuminating their houses with Ahals.

Handicrafts reverberates with Indian culture

2009-08-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

The diverse Indian cultures, lifestyles and traditions have lent the most vibrant and exquisite designs to the handicrafts. They come in a spellbinding variety of vibrant motifs and designs.

The beautiful artifacts that have surfaced from the Harappan and Mohenjodaro civilization sites reveal the artistic inclinations of the ancient man.

Today, the same technique and crafts perfected over centuries continue to captivate the aesthetics of the modern person.

Handicraft, also known as craft work or simply craft, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or using only simple tools. Usually the term is applied to traditional means of making goods. The individual artisan-ship of the items is a paramount criterion; such items often have cultural or religious significance. Items made by mass production or machines are not handicrafts.

Usually, what distinguishes the term handicraft from the frequently used category arts and crafts is a matter of intent: handcrafted items are intended to be used and worn, having a purpose beyond simple decoration.

Handicrafts are generally considered more traditional work, created as a necessary part of daily life, while arts and crafts implies more of a hobby pursuit and a demonstration of a creative technique. In practical terms, the categories have a great deal of overlap.

Handicrafts include assemblage - collage in three dimensions, beadwork, bone carving, collage possibly involving seeds, fabric, paper, photographs and/or found objects, cooking, embroidery, gardening, handmade, knitting, marquetry, metalwork, modelling, mosaic, needlework, pottery and ceramics, pressed flower craft -- uses real flowers and leaves, sewing, shoemaking, spinning, puppetry, stained glass, woodworking, cabinet making, chip carving and wood burning.

Making of each handicraft item involves different type of work and various level of labour.

Marquetry is the craft of covering a structural carcass with veneer forming decorative patterns, designs or pictures. The result may be furniture, decorated small objects or free-standing pictures. Marquetry differs from the more ancient craft of inlay, in which a solid body of one material is cut out to receive sections of another.

Collage (From the French, coller, to stick) is regarded as a work of visual arts made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole. This technique made its first appearance in the early 20th century as a groundbreaking novelty, however with the passing of time it's become ubiquitous.

Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with designs stitched in strands of thread or yarn using a needle. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. Machine embroidery is created by using a specialized machine that can read a computerized design to automatically create a stitched design.

Knitting is one of several ways to turn thread or yarn into cloth (compare to weaving, crochet). Similar to crochet, knitting consists of loops pulled through other loops; knitting differs from crochet in that multiple loops are "active". The active loops are held on a knitting needle until another loop can be passed through them.

Pressed flower craft consists of drying flower petals and leaves in a flower press to flatten and exclude light and moisture. The pressed items are then used for a variety of craft projects. Pressing flowers makes them appear flat, and often there is a change in color, ranging from faded colors to greater intensity of color.

Stained glass is a term that refers to both the material of coloured glass and to the art and craft of working with it. Stained glass, as an art and a craft, requires the artistic skill to conceive the design, and the engineering skills necessary to assemble the decorative piece, traditionally a window, so that it is capable of supporting its own weight and surviving the elements. While stained glass painting, beadwork, various types of collage, cooking, gardening, handmade, pressed flower craft are easy to make and any layman can do them, embroidery, knitting, marquetry, metal/wood/needle work, pottery, puppetry, bone/chip carving etc requires trained hands.
“I do a lot of glass work like emboss painting, sand painting, stain glass, fabric painting and many other hand works. All are easy to do but one needs to be efficient in free hand drawing in order to get the outline perfect”, says Prabanjani, student.

All materials for handicraft works are easily available in the market at special craft houses. Common handicraft materials include aluminium crafts, bead crafts, brass crafts, cane & bamboo crafts, ceramic crafts, coir, gems, glass, handmade paper crafts, ironmongery, ivory, jute, leather crafts, metal crafts, papier-mâché crafts, pottery, stone crafts, terracotta crafts, textile, wood crafts and wrought iron crafts.

Most houses in India are adorned with numerous handicraft works mostly done by the members of the household itself. “Though I do many hand works, I don't sell them. I do it for my pleasure and decorated my entire house with my works”, says Prabanjani.

The cultural rhythm of India reverberates in the modest dwellings of the Indian artisans for whom handicrafts are not just a vocation but also veneration.

Papier-mâché: The universal art craft

2009-08-04T06:44:00.000-07:00

Papier-mâché (French for 'chewed-up paper') is an art form made of pieces of paper, sometimes reinforced with textiles, stuck together using a wet paste (e.g. glue, starch, or wallpaper adhesive). The crafted object becomes solid when the paste dries.

Despite the French sounding name, Papier-mâché originated in China. Hundreds of years ago the Chinese made projects from it, which they hardened with layers of lacquer. It spread across the world and today you can make just about anything, using Papier-mâché.

Papier-mâché has turned out to be the present day medium in place of clay, which ensures longer duration of life, light in weight, elegance and easy portability. Sekar, a sixth generation artist of Papier-mâché clarifies, “Unlike clay models, the Papier-mâché has the added advantage of easy portability, less breakage chances and easy maintenance.” “The Papier-mâché dolls are easy to maintain and can be kept in glass case”, he says.

A form of papier-mâché had existed in China for hundreds of years until a much stronger version (including glue) was patented by Henry Clay of Birmingham England in 1702. It was a common technique for making dolls in the 19th century, before plastics became available. Piñatas are an example, as is one of the Papal Tiaras. Constructing papier-mâché is a common craft used to entertain children.

The professional technique of Papier-mâché involves inputs like paper powder, plaster of Paris, waste paper bits and pasting powder. Initially the original figures are made of clay based upon flight of imagination. Then the moulds are made with plaster of Paris, coir threads, cement and pasting materials. The mixture of paper pulp, sago flour and lime stone powder form the core parts of the body material.

To give strength wastepaper are pasted with adhesives like Fevicol covered by hard board, says Sekar. For joints iron wire is used whenever needed to ensure durability. As a matter of fact a delicate piece may be having 160 joints and these joints cannot be visible for layman's eyes, he adds. From the moulds any number of Papier-mâché dolls can be reproduced on commercial basis. Over the years these idols can be even repainted to give another lease of life.

According to Kalanidhi B Jayalakshmi, master carftswoman in Papier-mâché, however, the art form suffers set backs due to inadequate investment and glut in the market. Due to this she taps the potentials from abroad apart from local market for her art marvels, she said.

In Russia a variety of utilitarian as well as decorative objects have been fashioned from papier-mâché since the late 18th century. These items include wall plaques, trays, boxes, salt cellars, desk sets and paper knives, storage jars for tea and tobacco, album covers, beads cases, bracelets and brooches.

After the entire surface of the finished blank has been sanded smooth, several coats of black lacquer are applied to each article. It is then given to the artists for decoration. Highly complex and finely detailed miniature scenes are painted onto even the smallest black lacquered object. Russian lacquer art on papier-mâché has flourished for well over 200 years and has achieved the transition from folk art to fine art.

Papier-mâché was one of the first composite materials, and using the right techniques, it can build surprisingly strong structures. The paper of the 1800s was significantly more stretchable than modern paper, especially when damp. Papier-mâché paste is the substance, which holds the paper together. The traditional method of making Papier-mâché paste is to add water and flour in the ratio of 1:1. Some artists prefer to boil the paste, saying that it makes the consistency smoother (water to flour ratio is changed to five parts water and one part flour in this case). Other artists use a three to one or a one to one ratio of water and white glue. Still others say that starch makes a fine paste.

Presently, Papier-mâché is enjoying somewhat of a renaissance for its eco-friendly nature and is preferred to other artifacts made of resins fiberglass, latex rubber and artificial substances that are harmful to not only the craftsman, but the environment as well.

Padmapriya Manoj

Building tangible castles in sand

2009-08-04T06:26:00.000-07:00

One of the main attractions of a sandy beach, especially for children, is playing with the sand, with more possibilities than a sandbox. They make mountains, pits, canals, tunnels, bridges, sculptures, statues, building models etc to spend their time.

A sand castle is a type of sand sculpture which resembles a miniature building, often (but not always) a castle. The two basic building ingredients, sand and water are available in abundance on a sandy beach, so most sand play occurs there or in a sandpit. A variant on the sand castle is the drip castle, made by mixing extra water in with the sand, and dripping this wet sand from a fist held above. When the slurry of sand and water lands on existing sand structures, the water is rapidly wicked away, leaving the blob of sand in place. The effect is Gaudi-esque. Sand castles are typically made by children, simply for the fun of making them. However, adults sometimes engage in contests making sand sculptures, in which the goal is to create structures which don't appear to be constructed just from sand; they can become large and complex.

Almost as much fun as building beach dams is deliberately breaking them to cause a flood. If the beach is at an ocean, or at a sea connected to an ocean then there can be tides. These tides add attractive dynamics: on flood-tides the rising water enters previously dry ditches and pits, and one can try to keep areas dry by dikes, etc; on ebb-tides one can try to keep water in a canal by deepening it and lengthening it, keeping it connected to the retracting sea. If one returns the next day much erosion is apparent--in fact only large excavations at all survive one excursion of the tide, and beach dynamics soon enough smooth out the surface, erasing everything.

The sand must be fine, or the wetted grains will not stick together. Dry sand is loose, wet sand adherent, except when it is too wet. Sand used in the construction may dry or get wetter, changing the integrity of the structure; "landslides" are common.

The main tools for construction are a shovel (although using the hands only is also common) and a bucket or other container to bring water from the sea to the "construction site". Also pieces of wood etc. can be used to reinforce structures.

Although not historically proved, there is an interesting story in the Orissan myths regarding the origin of sand sculpture. Poet Balaram Das, the author of Dandi Ramayana was a great devotee of Lord Jagannath .Once during Ratha Yatra (Car Festival), he tried to climb the chariot of Lord Jagannath to offer his prayer. However he wasn't allowed by the priests of the chariot to climb it and was insulted by them. With a great frustration and humiliation he came to the beach (Mahodadhi) and carved the statues of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra on the Golden sand. Then there he started praying and worshipping these statues. His devotion was so strong and deep that the original statues vanished from the chariot and appeared at that place where Balaram Das was worshipped.

Although the above stanza has no solid historical support, it is evident that from the period of Balaram Das, the people of Puri are acquainted with the carving of sculpture on sand. The period of Balaram Das as mentioned in history was 14th century AD.

Sand sculpting has been around for many decades and has become very popular more recently with hundreds of competitions held all over the world every year. It has become quite sophisticated and can be found in the book of world records as well as in many commercial and promotional applications. Some advocates are purists using no artificial materials, no forms or colouring, no adhesive or heavy machinery.

Renowned sand sculptor Sudarsan Pattnaik, who shot to fame by winning the third Berlin International Sand Sculpture Competition at Germany last year, made a giant size sand art depicting a mother with a child and a drop of polio vaccine on the Pondicherry beach in commemoration with the National Immunization Day on May 21.

The sand art measures 20 feet and 20 feet. It took more than 36 hours to create the piece with sand and water, said the artist who hit headlines in the national and international media when he created a replica of the Taj Mahal in black sand just in front of the Taj Mahal at Agra.

Hailing from coastal town of Puri in Orissa, Sudarsan grew up on the shores playing on the sand. "As every little kid I too had the natural instinct of playing with the sand and sculpting miniature forms. But the real interest came when I started carving the faces of gods and goddesses in sand with my imagination and creativity when I was around 14 years," he said.

Sudarsan said he focused more on social themes like HIV/AIDS and polio immunisation. Armed with the artistic ability of making sand arts ranging from 50 feet and a few inches tall, Sudarsan aspired to popularise the art as a professional art form.

"I wish to involve more and more young people in sand art. I travel to various countries and host workshops to give demonstrations on this art form," he said. The artist has travelled more than 27 countries in his earnest effort to popularise the art.

The artist has now set his eyes on the ensuing Berlin International Sand Sculpture Competition at Germany. "I wish to retain title in the forthcoming international competition," he said.

It can be a very relaxing experience to create something out of sand and water, on the beach. Spending time shaping and carving the sand, slowly the sculpture appears, and for a moment seems to come alive. Sand sculptors only create half of the experience; the other half is created by the viewer.

Be it an hour or a day, alone or in a group of friends or family, sand castle play is increasingly seen as a leisure time activity for beach vacationers.

Infusing life into baked earth

2009-08-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

Human civilization everywhere in the world is linked in some way or the other with the ancient form of art called terracotta.

Terra cotta otherwise called as 'baked earth' in Italian is a waterproof ceramic. Its uses include pottery vessels, older wastewater drains, and as surface embellishment in building construction.

Terra cotta has been used throughout history for sculpture and pottery, as well as bricks and roof shingles. The legacy of terracotta is deeply associated with original Dravidian culture. The village gods like Iyyanarappan, Subdhamuni, Vazhmuni, Veerapatraswamy, Karuppannaswamy and saptakanni (seven spinsters) were all made of terracotta before the advent of mortar lime and cement. Even today larger than life size statues of terracotta can be seen in villages like Thennampakkam and Puthupattu. A hamlet called Thirumangalam near Ulundurpet remains today the virtual treasure house of ancient terracotta artifacts.

All the terracotta works are handmade with locally available resources like bamboos sticks and wooden needles. The clay sculptures are first dried (baked) in the sun after being formed. Later, they are placed in the ashes of open hearths and fired in the traditional way to harden. The fired figures can be sold either with natural colors or can be dipped in a mixture of orange powder, red oxide, Asian enamel and terracotta paint for brightness.

The earthenware is hand-molded into various figurines, images and plaques. Terracotta is molded in many states into figures inspired by local legends and iconography, and has been practiced for centuries, since the Harappan civilization.

The rural parts of India commonly display terracotta animal figures in places of worship or in the vicinity of temples. In some parts of Indian villages, the women folk create their own forms of Gods for worship and other decorative pieces for adorning their houses.

The beautiful terracotta works are ideally used for decoration. People in states of Bihar, Bengal and Gujarat prepare clay figures to propitiate their Gods and Goddesses, during festivals. Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh is the home to exquisite clay figures of animals. The potters create the basic form by throwing separate pieces on the wheel and then joining them. They are then fired and then painted brilliant colors.

In the South India, Tamil Nadu is famous for the terracotta figures of the Aiyanar Deity. Huge figures are created as standing guards at the entrances of villages protecting the insiders from evil spirits.

Today, terracotta pot and pottery, though is not used for basic needs, a designer pot, nevertheless, has retained its pride of place for exciting interior designing and decoration. Skilled pottery work still evokes a rare affinity, not known by any other form of craft.

While retaining the aura and looks of natural terracotta, skilled Indian potters apply twists and turns, cut patterns and myriad shapes on the body to produce offbeat terracotta pots. A vast range of vases, candleholders, hanging pots, wall hangings, planters and bells are also made for home decoration and special occasions. Available in variegated designs these terracotta items seem quite popular with the international buyers.

Terracotta handmade designer decorative tiles have also gained immense popularity worldwide. Each tile design depicts a particular theme that, together with other similar tiles, makes a pattern. These terracotta tiles are used for walls and ceilings and not for floors. The designs in handmade terracotta tile range from geometric to floral and Indian folk designs.

Clay potters of West Bengal, in Kolkata and its suburbs are famous for making clay and terracotta idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses like Ganapati (the Elephant God), Durga, dancing Nataraj, Shiva and Buddha. Superior terracotta craftsmanship is skillfully used for making sculpted murals.

According to Kalaimamani V K Munuswamy an accomplished craftsman, terracotta can be utilised for creation of cinema settings and master craftsman Munuswamy is already associated with the famous directors in the film industry.

Munuswamy is also being associated with Pondicherry based toy makers' co-operative societies like Pommai and Pudhumai. “I have so far trained about 300 students in Terracotta art”, he says who is very keen in promoting the art form to the oncoming generation. Two of his students were from Thailand and Indonesia. He also taught terracotta craft as resource person for 2000 craft pictures all over India. He said that a separate school for terracotta might be started to promote the ancient art form he advocated.

The craft being very old and ancient is undergoing a complete revival and experts feel, it is still evolving.

The golden art of Cholamandala

2009-08-03T19:18:00.000-07:00

Crafted with meticulous care the Tanjore pictures are unique. What sets them apart from Indian paintings in general are the embellishments made over the basic drawings with precious and semi-precious stones as well as the relief work which gives them a three dimensional effect.

Tanjore painting is an important form of classical South Indian painting native to the town of Tanjore in Tamil Nadu about 350 Km south of Chennai.

The art form dates back to the early 9th Century, a period dominated by the Chola rulers, who encouraged art and literature. The Chola empire was later was ruled by the Marathas in the 17th century. The Maratha rulers encouraged this art in Tanjore. In Mysore the art was patronized by Maharaja Mummadi Krishnarajendra Wodeyar. This form of art is unique.

The paintings are known for their elegance, rich colours, and attention to detail. No two paintings can be alike and no two artists can give the same effects on the work.

The themes for most of these paintings are Hindu Gods and Goddesses and scenes from Hindu mythology because this art of painting flourished at a time when fine-looking and striking temples were being constructed by rulers of several dynasties.

The Tanjore School of paintings dates back to the 16th century. However, there are only a few paintings that date back that far. The fact remains that most of the paintings that exist today are not even a hundred years old.

The paintings are notable for their adornment in the form of semi-precious stones, pearls, glass pieces and gold. The rich vibrant colors, dashes of gold, semi-precious stones and fine artistic work are characteristics of these paintings. They add beauty and culture to a variety of surroundings and décor. The figures in these paintings are large and the faces are round and divine. The pictures are of various sizes, ranging from huge works spanning whole walls to small miniatures no longer than 6-inch square.

In modern times, these paintings have become a much sought after souvenir during festive occasions in South India.

Gurubaran Tanjore art gallery has more than 30 dedicated artists who make tanjore paintings. These artists are well experienced and very quality conscious. We source all the raw materials directly and hence maintain excellent quality control, says Parthiban, owner of this famous shop in Mylapore, Chennai.

Subjects drawn here are different postures of Hindu gods and goddesses like Krishna, Ganesha, Lakshmi, Vishnu, Hanuman and others. We also make non religious subjects like raja, rani and animals like horse, elephant, peacock and others, he adds.

Materials used in this sector are good at eminence, borer and heat resistant plywood is used. We use 22ct gold foils and first quality colour stones, says Ramaswamy a co-worker.

Framed Stone Idols are made out of an alloy of lead and tin. Plated with gold and studded with swaroski stones, the subjects are Lord Ganesha and Lord Balaji. They are framed to adorn the walls or can be kept in acrylic boxes.

The art has undergone quite a bit of change, not in the style of the painting, but in the use of raw material for preparing the board and the use of painting material as well as the use of synthetic material in place of precious stones.

The use of pure gold foil of 22/ 24 carat continues and the life of such paintings is long if done and preserved in a correct manner.

Seven Steps to the Art of Tanjore Painting:

1. Prepare the board to make the painting

2. Sketch the figure and fixing the stones

3. Fill around the stone work with a thin mix of gum and chalk powder. Inlay and relief work around the stone setting with a thicker mix

4. Clean the work and fixing the gold foil over the stones and relief work

5. Cut the gold foil to expose the stone work

6. Paint the figures and the background

7. Check for flaws, correct and fix the glass and frame.

While each of the steps appears to be easy and simple, a lot of care is needed at every step to ensure that the final product is flawless and superb.

The power of prayer.....

2009-08-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

Praying has many different forms. Prayer may be done privately and individually, or it may be done corporately in the presence of fellow believers. Prayer is a splendid knack which has to be incorporated into our daily life in which one is in constant communication with god. The Vedic faith system has taught us the art of living, now we are lugging the little out of the copious works done on Vedas. In this lesson we are going to learn the procedure to pray.

The Vedic lifestyle:
Over its lifetime, it has incorporated all sorts of prayer systems from fire-based rituals to philosophical musings. Prayer was part and parcel of the Vedic lifestyle, and as such permeated its books. Indeed, the highest sacred texts of the Hindus, the Vedas, are a large collection of mantras (sacred hymns of Hindus) and prayer rituals extolling a single supreme force, Brahman. Hindus in India have numerous devotional movements. The Brahmin prayer is considered to be the highest in values, discipline and rituals pertaining to the human aspiration and highest truth, this is the essence of the Vedic system. Stemming from the universal Soul Brahman prayer is focused on the personal forms of God such as Shiva, Vishnu or Vishnu's avatars, Rama and Krishna.

The power of mantras:
A mantra (or mantram) is a religious or mystical syllable or poem, typically from the Sanskrit language. Their use varies according to the school and philosophy associated with the mantra. They are primarily used as spiritual conduits, words or vibrations that instill one-pointed concentration in the devotee. Mantras originated in the Vedic religion of India, later becoming an essential part of the Hindu tradition. Mantras are interpreted to be effective as sound (vibration), to the effect that great emphasis is put on correct pronunciation (resulting in an early development of a science of phonetics in India). They are intended to divert the mind from illusion and material inclinations. Chanting is the process of repeating a mantra.

The most basic mantra is Aum, which in Hinduism is known as the "pranava mantra," the source of all mantras. The philosophy behind this is the Hindu idea of nama-rupa (name-form), which supposes that all things, ideas or entities in existence, within the phenomenological cosmos, have name and form of some sort. The most basic name and form is the primordial vibration of Aum, as it is the first manifested nama-rupa of Brahman. Aum is considered to be the most fundamental and powerful mantra, and thus is prefixed and suffixed to all Hindu prayers. While some mantras may invoke individual Gods or principles, the most fundamental mantras, like 'Aum,' the 'Shanti Mantra,' the 'Gayatri Mantra' and others all ultimately focus on the One reality.

The procedure to pray:
The ideal times for chanting mantra are three times a day - at dawn, mid-day, and at dusk. These times are known as the three sandhyas (morning, mid-day and evening). The maximum benefit of chanting the mantra is said to be obtained by chanting it 108 times. However, one may chant it for 3, 9, or 18 times when pressed for time. The syllables of the mantra are said to positively affect all the chakras or energy centers in the human body hence, proper pronunciation and enunciation are very important. Hindus pray with their hands (the palms) joined together. The hand gesture is similar to the popular Indian greeting namaste. The following prayer was part and parcel of all the Vedic ceremonies and continues to be invoked even today in Hindu temples all over India and other countries around the world, and exemplifies this essence:

Asato Ma Sat Gamaya
Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya
Mrityor Ma Amritam Gamaya
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.

This means:
Lead Us from the Unreal to Real,
Lead Us from Darkness to Light,
Lead Us from Death to Immortality,
Aum (the universal sound of God)
Let There Be Peace Peace Peace.

The Gayatri mantra:
The Gayatri mantra is Hinduism's most representative prayer. Hindus recite it on a daily basis, not only contemplating its straightforward meaning, but also dwelling on and imbibing its sound, regarded to be pregnant with spiritual meaning. For this reason nearly all Hindu prayers and mantras are sung. Rishis selected the words of the Gayatri Mantra and arranged them so that they not only convey meaning but also create specific power of righteous wisdom through their utterance. The Gayatri was first recorded in the Rig Veda which was written in Sanskrit about 2500 to 3500 years ago, and by some reports, the mantra may have been chanted for many generations before that.

om bhur bhuvah svah
tat savitur varenyam
bhargo devasya dhimahi
dhiyo yo nah prachodayat

Western interpretation of mantra:
"Let us adore the supremacy of that Divine Sun, the Godhead, who illuminates all, who recreates all, from whom all proceed, to whom all must return, whom we invoke to direct our understanding aright in our progress towards his holy seat."

Hindu interpretation of mantra:
"O God, Thou art the giver of life, the remover of pain and sorrow, the bestower of happiness; O Creator of the Universe, may we receive Thy supreme sin-destroying light; may Thou guide our intellect in the right direction."

Sixth sense is vital to use the Civic sense

2009-08-01T09:15:00.000-07:00

I strongly feel that the civic sense should be flaunted with the sixth sense.This issue has been bothering me for so many years, I dont know whether there'll be any change in our society after reading this article but atleast this can be a protest to the current occurence. When the issue of cleanliness arises we tend to blame the uneducated ones, but how many of us are willing to keep the city clean, doing a gaffe deliberately is shoddier than doing it unknowingly, even though we’ve learnt about cleanliness, health and hygiene, we fail to implement the same in our milieu in order to keep it dirt free.

We follow sanitation at home but we fall short follow the same the minute we step out of our home, do we feel that our environment is a huge dustbin? We need not take a broom to clean the roads, but we can to simpler things to keep our society clean.

Many commers are found urinating on the roads and walls, how irritating it sounds regardsless of the education this act does, infact why education is needed to keep the city clean?? we can use the government toilets instead of using the roadside, instead of throwing the squanders on the road we can put in the dustbin set aside on the road, many people vomit on the road and just move away on the contrary we can get/buy a water bottle/packets and dislodge the grime, if that’s not possible we can at least put some mud on the it so that the vomited area looks spotless.

Another major issue is we should avoid spitting on the road, how unclean it looks if we spit on the road, its not hygienic also, many people walk with bare foot, the might stamp on it. Most of us treat the waste lands as dust bins by this practice the environment gets disturbed by insects and other irritants. Above all we should treat our surrounding as our home.

Roads under maintenance are not completed properly due to tis people fall and get hurt badly, this becomes a dangerous issue in rainy season and when the water logs on road and when the pit becomes unseen and sub-merged. Only when the water gets drained we are able to see the pit being opened. How risky and hazarduos is it?

There are no srtict government officials to make this act come true, they (the govt) just leave it just like that and as a result our country turns out to be a waste silo. Animals wander on the roads, the owners leave them to go around hap haxard and finally they do dirty things. Why is our city has not woken up still?

The most important reason for not maintaining our city clean is there is no strong rule that has been imposed in our country. Our regime should take this as a serious issue and operate accordingly.

Padmapriya Manoj

Benefits of Computer Glasses

2009-07-31T01:42:00.000-07:00

My brother- Kannan looks and feels better with glasses. Well, these are computer glasses. He has always wanted to wear one. Now he feels comfortable. These are not power glasses but Computer Glasses, these offer high quality types designed for men. Computer glasses allow you to see the text on the computer screen clearly while keeping your head the proper distance from the computer screen. This helps prevent blurred vision, eye strain, and headaches.

In this day and age man spends a good portion of his time staring at a big bright computer screen. He spends so much time in front of this big bright computer screen that his eyes become strained, his vision becomes blurred, his eyes get tired, and he develops headaches. This is known as Computer Vision Syndrome.

Well I realize this defect in my brother, after several research I realized Computer Glasses will work good for him. He's a workaholic and his work is fully computerized because of this he has to undergo many eye problems. Computer Glasses helped his a lot for his nature of job.

Over the past few decades, computers have begun to play an increasingly central role in the lives of many people. Some of us may use computers at work, some at school and others at home. Indeed, there are those of us who may even have a harder time recounting the periods of the day when they are not on a computer than the times when they are. Due to the numerous tasks that have been made easier and more enjoyable by computers, we now spend more and more time around them with our eyes glued to the screen.

However, along with the assistance provided by computers come some negative effects on the body. These “side effects” usually take a toll on the eyes due to the strain caused from looking at the screen for long periods and to the back and neck from the position one takes when using a computer. Luckily, there are products designed to help alleviate these physical effects of long hours on the computer. One such product is computer glasses.
Computer glasses help to treat the physical effects on the body that are caused by computer vision syndrome.

Computer vision syndrome affects people who spend multiple hours on the computer each day. The symptoms of computer vision syndrome include blurred vision, headaches, burning eyes, poor focus and other eye related problems. In addition to these eye issues, computer vision syndrome may cause neck, shoulder and back pain.

The effects on the eyes caused by computer vision syndrome are caused by the formation of fonts and characters on the screen. Computer characters are formed by very tiny dots called pixels. The formation of these characters naturally creates a strain on the eye. This pixilation, along with the glare produced by some screens causes many of the problems associated with computer vision syndrome. The problems with the neck and back occur when people experience the eye problems and adjust their position to look at the screen from a different angle. Both of these problems can be addressed by using computer glasses.

Computer glasses are designed specifically to assist the eyes in focusing at the distance that a computer screen usually is from the user. This distance is not as close as reading distance and is not as far as distance vision.

Computer glasses are designed specifically for this intermediate zone of vision and they assist the eyes in focusing on the characters, thereby alleviating many of the visual symptoms of computer vision syndrome. Since computer glasses help to prevent the eye problems associated with computer vision syndrome, they automatically help with the posture problems since both are related.

Computer glasses are highly beneficial for people who spend many hours on the computer as they can greatly reduce medical expenses that could be incurred due to computer vision syndrome and its worth getting one.

60 years of blissfull marriage........

2009-05-03T04:56:00.000-07:00

Ha, now I got the time to inhale n exhale. I was a bit jumpy about Manoj's delay and handling the function all alone but Mahesh and my mom helped themselves in the initial stages, then the finale is the really hot topic to discuss, well may 1st was the function but all our relatives came home on april 30th, we were all busy in negotiating them.

I was so happy to see our house filled with people, throwing instructions unlike the usual elders, well that's my pleasure. I got the opportunity to confabulate n confide on our people. When I gel wit the peer group I'm able to judge my augmentation and was enjoying the freedom to decipher my thoughts.

May 1st was the real scenario- heart throbbing experience. I really worked hard, I was committed to the celebration, I allotted jobs to people "hey get match box, amma take care of the room, hey pls help me in this n that...." was so happy to dominate. Finally my fil(father-in-law) tied the not on my mil(mother-in-law), it was really nice to be on stage n smiling at everybody felt so warm. My mother-in-laws shyness peeped in when she was decorated as a bride groom on the contrary my father-in-law left a glimpse as when possible.

Even though Manoj came in the midst of April his planning was mind blowing, he worked out well in giving invitations, getting clothes etc. I admired his actions and his enthusiasm in the celebration. The real devotion and dedication was seen in his eyes.

The residue of the function was cribs and complains but utmost everyone was happy about the function and they gave good regards on us. I had a pat on my shoulder but the credit goes to Manoj and my mom. We worked by day and toiled all night, we gave up mirth and glee, slogged along with to accomplish the task, finally when we won men called it luck- never mind, we had fun.

Padmapriya Manoj

My Manoj

2009-04-06T06:52:00.001-07:00

What can I say about this man, to brief him in a word he is MANOJ- Man-Of-Justice who brought the light & happiness into my life. He doesn't like to be appreciated, but no man/woman can be on this earth without appreciating him.

He is such a sweet person. He's a strict disciplinarian, a true person, good at heart, brave, soft & very smart. He's highly religious and he never looses his trust at any point of time.

Well his negative side emotions are not many but there are a few. He worries a lot, he is very emotional and the worst thing is his anger- he's not short tempered and he gets into rage only once in a blue moon but one should have great guts to face his anger.

He's a home bird and sleep is his darling as home and sleep are the rare things he meets in his life. He always has a big picture in mind of whatever he does with his heart and soul into it. I'm really proud of his efforts which took him to the United States, he waited patiently for this opportunity without getting disheartened in his hard days. Even though am happy for him but on the contrary I miss that him a lot.

We share similar preferences like, enjoying and appreciating the nature, value for the living beings, music, arts, creativity, traditions and possessiveness. Now I appreciate the person for tying the knot between us. Married life does not budge with just the couples and their happiness alone but it involves so many struggles, sacrifices and pain in it. My discovery on my married life is, for a person like manoj and with his support one can cross any extremity in life.

He is a doctor in treating my health,

He is a psychologist in counseling me,

He is a professional in assigning me jobs at home,

He is my father in analyzing & giving relevant advices to me,

He is my Son in being playful and humorous,

He is my friend to share anything & everything,

He is the best person who has sat in a great place in my heart
& finally he is everything to me.