*Celebrating many faces of a festival in different Indian Styles: Makar Sankranti, Pongal and Lohari*

As a Punjabi by birth I celebrate today as Lohari or lodi.With Bhangra as a dance, check out this video :

Pongal: I celebrate this fastival with my in laws family.It is known as festival of harvest.This video is really nice depiction.

Makar Sankranti:Celebrated in many states of India.
I am sharing the kite flying video.It is the most fun thing i remember.Look at the fun video.

Lets not forget about the sweets and yummy treats during these festivals.
Kajji Kaayalu
Ariselu
Bandaru Ladoo
Sweet pongal
and other such yummy treats.

Wishing everyone joy and success on this special day!

Edit: Just read my very good bloggy friend Yaya’s Blog

She and her hubby have been selected to be parents of sweet baby boy

Alex, who is 3 years old!!

I am so very thrilled for them!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Shraddha

*Exploring cultures to understand and celebrate their festivals plus customs is my hobby.In this poem, i am writing about my experience of making Ginger Bread House with my preemie twins, this Christmas Season*

Our ginger bread house is reflection
of who we are
Not pretty at all
Yet we have given it a five star.

Made by girls who are yet not four
Made by mom whose house Santa didn’t visit before
But he came last year
he will have comfortable visit this year too
there will be cookies
and some milk too

Our ginger bread house is ready
these girls worked very hard
it might not look pretty to others
but it is perfect for us
the pride is reflected in their eyes
Tongues can’t stop licking the roof
do you need any more proof?

it brings this joy in me
memories to cherish
filled with love and glee
I am as happy as one can be..

Merry Christmas to all!

Happy Holidays to all!

Enjoy!!!

I remember mentioning that i get lot of spam before.
What i did not mention was that many, almost all actually, always had word ‘prada’ or other such brand names on it!
But for past 2-3 days i am getting spam with word like ‘xanax’ on it!

I think that should be my hint to get a little light hearted here.

Ok so April posted here a very yummy photo the other day.
It was actually a deeply philosophical, spiritual post which i did not get! So i add a little bit comedy there! Check out the comment section!

And for the regular readers..yes! April and I are still friends.
We fought, she stopped blogging here.
But she was kind enough to forgive me and we are friends again! yay!!
And if you are wondering what we faught for…well! i kinda got spooked out about this whole shadowplay thing and went ballistic over her for planning to do a post about it here.
Well! i have learnt my lesson, she has forgiven me inspite of feeling emotionally abused by me.
Thank you God for second chances!

Ok so this is for you April!
This is a very old Bollywood song.
Sorry bollywood geeks, i realize the dance, fashion and looks must be old
BUT look at the dude!
Ok he took our praise( whistles, claps, hooting) too seriously and has yet not (even in his 40s) worn clothes back i hear!
But we still love his first time of taking the shirt off for a song!

He did not know it was a junction
He was happy as can be
Marriage Anniversary day before
Prayer plan was all he could see
But God had other plans
That go beyond you and me..

He went alone
mom had headache
she rested at home
he prayed
and then he fainted
woke up
called mom
choking sensation he had
he talked to mom
and fainted again
never to wake up again
my dad died in a temple

we are sad as can be
but it is a good place for junction
just after the last prayer
just one day after showering mom with gifts
just one day after talking to me

Every one says it was most graceful death
but sorrow is all we feel
We just wish that junction
had not come so soon
i don’t know how will we ever heal

shraddha

The temple where my daddy died is Ramakrishna Math.My dad died on feb 9 this year.

This is for one single impression prompt – Junction

I just came after attending my twin daughter’s Christmas Holiday Party in preschool.

They sang some wonderful songs and ideally i would be blogging about it.May be after few days?

Currently mood is still melancholic.

So here is my favorite song since long time.

Here are the lyrics.Bold is english translation

Toota Toota Ek Parinda Aise Toota – An angel was so badly broken

Ke Phir Jud Naa Paaya – That he could not be healed

Loota Loota Kisne Usko Aise Loota – Somebody stole (the wings) from the angel

Ke Phir Ud Naa Paaya – Till he was unable to fly

O O O O Toota Toota Ek Parinda Aise Toota
Ke Phir Jud Naa Paaya
Loota Loota Kisne Usko Aise Loota
Ke Phir Ud Naa Paaya

Girta Hua Woh Asma Se – he fell from the sky

Aakar Gira Zameen Par – Onto the earth

Khwabon Mein Phir Bhi Badal Hi The – Yet in his dreams there were still only clouds

Woh Kehta Raha Magar – And he kept saying

Ke Allah Ke Bande Hasde Allah Ke Bande – that the people of God smile

Allah Ke Bande Hasde Jo Bhi Ho Kal Phir Aayega – The people of God smile.. whatever happens, there will always be another day

Allah Ke Bande Hasde Allah Ke Bande
Allah Ke Bande Hasde Jo Bhi Ho Kal Phir Aayega

Kho Ke Aapne Par Hi To Usne Tha Ud Naa Sikha – Only after losing his wings did he learn to fly

Kho Ke Aapne Par Hi To O O O
Kho Ke Aapne Par Hi To Usne Tha Ud Naa Sikha

Gham Ko Aapne Saath Mein Lele Dard Bhi Tere Kaam Aayega -Take your sorrow with you, for the pain will be of use to you

Allah Ke Bande Hasde Allah Ke Bande
Allah Ke Bande Hasde Jo Bhi Ho Kal Phir Aayega
Allah Ke Bande Hasde Allah Ke Bande
Allah Ke Bande Hasde Jo Bhi Ho Kal Phir Aayega
Aa Aa Aaa

Tukde Tuke Ho Gaya Tha Har Sapna Jab Woh Toota – He broke into pieces when every dream of his broke

Tukde Tuke Ho Gaya Tha Aa Aaa Aa
Tukde Tuke Ho Gaya Tha Har Sapna Jab Woh Toota]

Bhikre Tukdon Mein Allah Ki Marzi Ka Manzar Paayega – It is only in the scattered pieces of your dreams that you will find the meaning of God’s Will.

Allah Ke Bande Hasde Allah Ke Bande
Allah Ke Bande Hasde Jo Bhi Ho Kal Phir Aayega
Allah Ke Bande Hasde Allah Ke Bande
Allah Ke Bande Hasde Jo Bhi Ho Kal Phir Aayega

Allah Ke Bande Hasde Allah Ke Bande
Allah Ke Bande Hasde Jo Bhi Ho Kal Phir Aayega
Allah Ke Bande Hasde Allah Ke Bande
Allah Ke Bande Hasde Jo Bhi Ho Kal Phir Aayega
Allah Ke Bande Hasde Allah Ke Bande

A mother lost her child
this anger is all i feel
i wish it was just sympathy
but suspicion rages through my veins
I am consumed with this hate
God please grant me with will to feel
let me feel for this woman
not suspect
not yell to investigate
this mother lost her child
but anger is all i feel

i can not believe it was an accident
her errors are all i see
i am so consumed with anger
my mother’s birthday i forgot
i just can’t get over it
this consuming anger is all i feel

Photo by J F Sebastian at Flickr

I was supposed to do this blog yesterday but did not.They say not to react on impulse especially when you are angry.
So i slept on it and am writing today.
Is that ok?
I hope no one can accuse me of writing on impulse.
What i will be called is ‘hater’ , ‘mean’ or even perhaps a ‘cyber bully’.
I will be told i am spreading malicious gossip.
So be it.

This blog is in memory of a sweet little boy who died two days ago.May his soul rest in peace.
May his family and all those who did him right find peace.

This boy died practically in front of our eyes on twitter.
Yes, you heard me right.

Till 5.22 PM his mommy was tweeting about roosters and fog.At 5.23 PM 911 call was made that he fell in the pool.At 5.38 PM paramedics arrived.
What would have happened for this hour 5.22 PM to 6.12 PM?

I am assuming…
Sweet boy removed from pool.
Paramedics Resuscitating the boy.
Ambulance taking him to hospital.
Boy being declared dead or on ventilator..

So while doing this could mommy have felt alone and in need of reaching out?
Yes!
Whom would she call?
Hubby, relatives, close friends.?

Instead mommy tweeted about the fall and asked for prayers from her 5000+ followers at 6.12 PM.

It led to a mixed reaction.Most who really knew her( through blogging conferences and all) went all out to support her but there were some who did not react so well.
-verification was asked to know if such thing really happened( remember balloon dad…do you blame them?)
-mommy was criticized for tweeting while the boy was either dying or just dead.
-mommy was suspected of neglect.

Ok

So lets get this straight…

-A sweet two year old boy died
-Death needs to be investigated?
-Who put it all over the twitter?
-Mommy and her buddies…
-People who did not know mommy wanted verification and were not kind to her…

-What is more important at this time?

-Child’s death?
-Or grieving mommy who is being questioned for having tweeted from early in the morning (8Am or so after every few minutes including when the tragedy happened?

Is it too wrong to ask if she was distracted?
Why has she deleted those tweets and pics now?instead of just making her account private?Why try to destroy the evidence this way?
Why is she being posed as martyr of cyber bullying instead of being investigated for neglect?

When a Tiger Woods does not get breath analyzer test, everyone starts saying its because of who he is , that special treatment happened.
Now is this mom blogger who is popular and has right kind of connections with some veteran mom bloggers getting special treatment?
There is already an article up by some social media experts saying her reaction was ok!
Really?
I am no expert or even very popular blogger but i am a mom, i tweet, i also do have a network of online friends but this does not sound right to me.
Voices like mine are being told to shut down and are being strongly criticized.

The first few voices were crass i agree but everyone on twitter can not have same reaction! what was she expecting?
Did the child wander of when mommy was taking another picture to be uploaded on twitter?
At the moment when she tweeted for prayers? What was the state of child?

I realize posting this blog is almost like suicide but i really want people to know that every mommy blogger is not supporting her.
No mother should have to loose a child.
No child should die like this.
At the same time, cases like this have to be investigated and also work as wake up call for mom’s and dad’s like us who are online a lot.It is time we reevaluate our priorities before another tragedy strikes.

A miracle that happened
It lit that vessel
For eight days , not one
To celebrate the miracle
Menorah is now a tradition

Hanukkah is to light our hearts
Take the darkness away
Inner light that we all have
Shines brighter with our faith
As one lights another
Positive vibration reverberates
Peace and joy accentuates
So precious and great

Randomness of dreidel’s spin
num, gimmel, hey or shin
Keep on playing
Till your kupah is filled

Cooked with oil
Latkes and Sufganiyot
Liked by all
Bonding for families
Young or Old
Story of miracle
Children are told
Gelt is sought after
Money or chocolate
You decide
Blessings from Rebbe
Brings joy and pride

Has this hindu got it right?
Exploring cultures with all my might
Do let me know
What i missed
What i did not get right

Indian blogosphere is buzzing about Avant Garde Bloggies Awards 2009.

I am kinda sold to the idea…

Here are my nominations of my Indian bloggy friends:

Best Blog Design

Leo @Figments of Imagination

Best Short Story Post

Saraswathan @ My musings for Adrian’s Wish

Best Personal Post

Marina for Prayer of a child

Lost World for Shamshabad

Best Movie Review Post

Aniruddha for Inglorious Basterds

Best Visual Post (Photos, Cartoons, etc.)

Swaram for Musical Friday. I wish i can attend some evening like that too!

Neha for Happy Birthday Mom .It is also the sweetest post of the year.

UmaS for Karthigai Deepam

Tan for Girl in Rain

Prats for Death of Star

Vidya for Fate of Martyr

Best Music Review Post

Shruthi for Rahman Unseen

Most Humorous Post

Saraswathan for What they say and what it means

Best Public Interest Post

Sukhmandir for Unhappy Halloween

Most Responsive Blogger

Dhiren @ My attempt to Write

Most Networking Blogger

Me who else? @ The Self Love Project

Best How- to Post

Prerna for How to deal with toddler tantrums

*Most important aspect of my self love project are my preemie twin daughters.Born at 32 weeks and 7 days. Loving them and striving to be better for them is my motivation.This poem is for my daughters and all other preemies who struggle so much to do something as natural as survive*

These little warriors
Sweet preemies we have
Some win
Some lose
Some wage war all life
Brave little souls
Much loved
Much wanted
Lets not forget
Lets never seize
Let it be known
Work is in need
All must know
Its not mother’s fault
It can happen to anyone
To me
To you
To your loved one
Prevention is important
So is research
Sometimes it works
Sometimes not
But let us not stop
Let us always try
Hoping each new born
Comes out with a cry.

This poem was written for Sunday Scribblings Prompt – Brave