New Year 2009

Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year 2009.
May this bring happiness and joy to everyone.

Mumbai - Lonely Planet Description

Measure out: one part Hollywood; six parts traffic; a bunch of rich power-moguls; stir in half a dozen colonial relics (use big ones); pour in six heaped cups of poverty; add a smattering of swish bars and restaurants (don’t skimp on quality here for best results); equal parts of mayhem and order; as many ancient bazaars as you have lying around; a handful of Hinduism; a dash of Islam; fold in your mixture with equal parts India; throw it all in a blender on high (adding generous helpings of pollution to taste) and presto : Mumbai.

An inebriating mix of all the above and more, this mass of humanity is a frantic melange of India’s extremes. It is the country’s financial powerhouse and its vogue centre of fashion, film and after-dark frolics. Glistening skyscrapers and malls mushroom amid slums and grinding poverty, and Mumbai slowly marches towards a brave new (air-conditioned) world. But not everyone made the guest list: more than half of the population lives in slums, and religious-based social unrest tugs at the skirt of Mumbai’s financial excess.
Only once the initial shell shock of Mumbai’s chaos subsides, can one start to appreciate the city’s allure: a wealth of Art Deco and grand colonial relics; cacophonic temples; warrens of bazaars; and the odd spiritual bastion of tranquillity. In Mumbai you can dine at some of the finest restaurants in the country, and work off the appetite gyrating at ultrachic bars alongside Bollywood starlets and wannabes. With a pinch of gumption, a dash of adventure, an open wallet and a running start, there’s no excuse not to dive into the Mumbai madness head-first

Agni

Romesh Chunder Dutt (1848-1909)
Agni, or the Fire

Lighted Agni flames forth high,
Flings a radiance on the sky,
And his lustre, glorious, bright,
Mingles with the morning light.
And Visvavârâ chants her holy prayer,
Faces the east, and brings her gifts to Fire!

Lord of Eternity! Lord of skies!
Presiding Lord of sacrifice!
Agni! Whoso worships thee,
By him with thy blessings be!
Whose blazing altar sacred Agni lights, --
Affluence dwells with him and pious rites.

Agni! On the altar shine,
Flames and radiance bright be thine!
Grant us wealth with thy red flame,
Quell our foes, increase our fame!
Invest our homes with blessings from above,
And link our men and wives in bonds of love!

Agni! On the altar shine,
Flames and radiance bright be thine!
And I lift my pious hymn
To thy bright effulgent beam!
Bounteous god! Red lustre e'er be thine,
Flame on our altar, glorious and divine!

With pious hands we light thy flame,
With pious lips we chant thy name!
Invoke unto our sacrifice
The glorious bright gods of the skies!
For thou art Priest in every pious rite,
And makest gifts to gods with radiance bright!

Then let us unto Agni pray,
And he our offerings will convey!
And let us unto Agni sing,
And he the radiant gods will bring!
Priest and God! to thee we humbly pray,
Our pious offerings to the gods convey!
Notes
1] "Rig Veda, V. 28" (Dutt's note.)"Agni is the god of Fire; the Ignis of the Latins, the Ogni of the Sclavonians." -- Muir's Sanscrit Texts."All the names of the Fire and the Fire-gods were carried away by the Western Aryans; and we have Prometheus answering to Pramantha, Phoronus to Bharanyu, and the Latin Vulcanus to the Sanscrit Ulka." -- Cox's Mythology of Aryan Nations.The hymn translated below is one of peculiar interest, because it is said to have been composed by a pious lady, Visvavârâ." (Dutt's notes.)
29] "`As no sacrifice could be performed without fire, Agni, or fire, was called the invoker of the gods.' -- Civilisation in Ancient India, vol. i. p. 85." (Dutt's note.)

To India - Sarojini Naidu

To India

O YOUNG through all thy immemorial years!

Rise, Mother, rise, regenerate from thy gloom,

And, like a bride high-mated with the spheres,

Beget new glories from thine ageless womb!

The nations that in fettered darkness weep

Crave thee to lead them where great mornings break . . . .

Mother, O Mother, wherefore dost thou sleep?

Arise and answer for thy children's sake!

Thy Future calls thee with a manifold sound

To crescent honours, splendours, victories vast;

Waken, O slumbering Mother and be crowned,

Who once wert empress of the sovereign Past.

Sarojini Naidu

गायत्री मंत्र - The Gayatri -The Holiest Mantra of them all...

॥ ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः तत् सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥

The essence of the scriptures...the holiest of holys... thekey to the universe... the great purifier...the gayatri mantra.

As scientific as I am and agnostic as i truly maybe, even an atheist at times... I feel the gayati mantra is the key to the spiritual wisdom of the ancients.

It has been passed down to us through the mists of time and has been the pillar of faith and strength for millions.

"May we meditate on the glory of Him who has created the earth, the nether world and the heavens (i.e. the universe), and may He guide our intellect"

Winter Solstice - Uttarayan- उत्तरायण

Yeah It's Winter Solstice the longest night of the year. The smallest day is done and the days will only increase in length from now on... until the summer solstice that is..

Uttarayan has begun.

The Maha Mrutyunjay mantra

॥ ॐ त्रयम्बकं यजामहे सुगंधिम पुषटीवरधनम उर्वारुकमीव बंधनाम मॄर्तयोर मोक्षीय मामृतात ॥

\\*\\ konkani क्रिसमस विशेस \\*\\

ॐ
नाताळाचो शुभिच्छा ।
कोंकणीन्तु बरयता आनी तुम्मी सरवांक हांव नातालाचों सुभिच्छा दित्ता ।
देवू तुमका बरें कोरों।
आम्चीगेलांन्तुं आम्मी उल्लेयलॅरी आन॒नी बरय्लॅरी आम्मी कोंकणीक चड वाडोचाक जात्ता ।
जय हिंद ।

East Pakistan Embankments- Philatelic History

East Pakistan dissappeared into oblivion on the 16th of December 1971.

The Mukti Bahini and the Indian forces liberated Bangladesh -The Land of the Banglas.

West Pakistan and its Punjabi establishments had gone into overdrive to show that its erstwhile eastern wing was still a part of the Pakistan federation and so many stamps, first day covers and bank noted were issued in Bengali and Urdu.

Inspite of all these superficial efforts there was no warmth in the heart of the west Pakistanis for the eastern wingers.

Our west bengal was flooded with Refugees and Indira Gandhi decisively stepped in and when West Pakistan attacked us we respeonded tooth and Nail and helped the Mukti Bahini to liberate themselves to form the New state of Bangladesh.

This First day cover is therefore part of the philatelic history of a country which showed that religion alone cannot bind people.

Gandhi & Churchill- The epic rivalry that destroyed an empire and forged our age- Arthur Herman

Book Review.

Gandhi & Churchill The epic rivalry that destroyed an empire and forged our age.

Arthur Herman.

This book focuses on the alledeged extensive rivalry between Gandhiji and Churchill. I supose it should be the rivarly between Churchill and Gandhi!

Churchill was surely given the run for his money by Dear ol' Gandhiji.

Anyway the book is a nice flick through for its snippets of history and a British perspective of Gandhiji. It has great pictures of Gandhi and Churchill andother leaders of our Independence movement.

£25

Publisher : Hutchinson London

ISBN 9780091797164 (Hardback)

ISBN 9780091921323 (trade paperback)

Huchinson

Best wishes for a happy Christmas

Especially Wishing all our Christian Konkani friends and all other konkanis and everyone else a wonderful Christmas and a very happy new year.

Our father in Konkani for you....

Churchgate, Bombay, India

This is a picture of the old Church-gate. The gate facing St Thomas' church in the ex- walled city of Bombay. The walls came down in 1862 as the city was growing and most of the mainland territory was under british rule and hence the threat of attack was less.

The only part of the walls of bombay that still survive is a small part on the back side of the St George's hospital. This obscure bit of Bombay's history is sometimes hidden by a few hutments.

A tribute to the people of Bombay, Mumbaikars over the generations....

Good Morning... This is the Taj Mahal hotel.....

I heard this story on NDTV and it goes straight to the heart.

On November the 27th at 3 am when the terrorists were causing mayhem and the Taj was in flames a relative of someone in the Taj who could not get through to his relative on the mobile called the reception desk at the taj.

Inspite of all the bullets and chaos... a lady picked up and said good morning this is the Taj mahal hotel...

Wow... Hats off to the sense of duty this person has. In the midst of life threatening mayhem she continued to do her duty.

India I am proud of you.

STUPID PAKISTANIS

It might sound like a cliche that an indian like me is criticising Pakistanis but read on ...

Do these terrorists not understand that while they are out to kill the Hindus and Jews their own country has some of the worst infant mortality rate, one of the poorest literacy rates a very bad per capita income.

Where as 2.6 babies dies in every 1000 in Singapore, 69 die in Pakistan (Worse than Zimbabwe 55 and the Sudan 64!). India does 55!

The adult literacy rate in Pakistan is 49.9 percent! 50 percent of pakistanis, one in two is illiterate!!!! It is 161 st in the list of literacy. India is 145.

40 innocent Indian Muslims, and 130 other non muslim innocent people died in the November 26th attacks.

Conspiracy theories about Hindus and Jews abound in Pakistan.

The monoculture of Islam alone had left these pakistanis with no exposure to people with varying beliefs and hence those who are non muslim are ALL suspect of pogroms against Islam.

If they are so good in collecting money for terrorism, I wish they would use thier money to save those 69/1000 muslim childen who die in Pakistan. I wish they would understand their inhumanness and their sheer stupidity.

I wish ordinary Pakistanis would stop these conspiracy theories about Hindus and Jews as seens in the letters to the editors in Newspapers such as Dawn.

I wish the Pakistani establishment would stop asking for proof before acting and putting these stupid, inhuman terrorists into jail.

This is not for India but for their own self first.

I hope some miracle happens and these STUPID pakistanis get some buddhi (Sense) and use their laws to crack down on these terrorists.

If they do believe in Islam then there is a God above watching!!!!

It is the Infant mortality rate that needs to be sorted ... the terrorists should be in Jail.

Excerpt from 'Geetanjali' - Rabindra Nath Tagore

Where the mind is without fear and the head held high;

Where knowledge is free;

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;

Where words come out from the depth of truth;

Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;

Where the mind is led forward by Thee into ever-widening thought and action;

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
by Rabindranath Tagore

Aou Ben Adam- A poem I loved in School- Leigh Hunt

Abou ben Adam

Abou ben Adam (may his tribe increase!)
awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight of his room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
an angel, writing in a book of of gold.
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adam bold,
And to the Prescence in the room he said:
"What writest thou?" The vision raised its head,
And, with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord."
"And is mine one?"said Abou, "Nay, not so,"
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerily still, and said, "I pray thee, then,
Write me as one who loves his fellow men."
The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
It came again, with a great awakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blest,
And lo! Ben adam's name led all the rest.

- Leigh Hunt

Bangle sellers - Sarojini Naidu

The Bangle Sellers

Bangle sellers are we who bear
Our shining loads to the temple fair...
Who will buy these delicate, bright
Rainbow-tinted circles of light?
Lustrous tokens of radiant lives,
For happy daughters and happy wives.
Some are meet for a maiden's wrist,
Silver and blue as the mountain mist,
Some are flushed like the buds that dream
On the tranquil brow of a woodland stream,
Some are aglow wth the bloom that cleaves
To the limpid glory of new born leaves
Some are like fields of sunlit corn,
Meet for a bride on her bridal morn,
Some, like the flame of her marriage fire,
Or, rich with the hue of her heart's desire,
Tinkling, luminous, tender, and clear,
Like her bridal laughter and bridal tear.
Some are purple and gold flecked grey
For she who has journeyed through life midway,
Whose hands have cherished, whose love has blest,
And cradled fair sons on her faithful breast,
And serves her household in fruitful pride,
And worships the gods at her husband's side.
Sarojini Naidu

Urbs Primis In Indis - BOMBAY

India's First City- Mumbai

WELCOME TO BOMBAY- A 40s Leaflet

An Interesting leaflet welcoming visitors to Bombay issued by the Hospitality committee.

I think this immediately post independence. This is because one of the roads on the Bombay Map is named Mahatma Gandhi Road. All the rest including the bit on Indian money seems to be of the Raj era.

Some fantasic snippets

Avoid fraternising with low class people :) Does that mean the natives....?

Also "Do not give alms to beggars some of them are diseased"

Also the prices of Taxis, Gharries (Horse carts?), apples , tea and clothes ....

Enjoy viewing...

Blessed are the peacemakers...

Seek peace, and pursue it - Psalms 34:14

As soon as we lose the moral basis, we cease to be religious. There is no such thing as religion over-riding morality. Man, for instance, cannot be untruthful, cruel or incontinent and claim to have God on his side. - Gandhi

"By thy grace, may there be peace and goodwill among all people everywhere."- Sikh Scriptures

"Recognize all humanity as one race, one brotherhood." - Sikh scriptures

Ahimsa Paramo Dharmah- Nonviolence is the greatest Dharma(Duty/faith) - Jain Proverb.

Om dyauhu shantih antariksham shantih prithivi shantih apaha shantihoshadayah shantih vanashpatayah shantih vishvedevah shantihbrahma shantih sarvam shantih shantir eva shantih sa ma shantir edhi

Om shantih shantih shantih

There is peace in the sky, there is peace on earth. There is peace in the heavans, there is peace in this world. There is peace in the waters, there is peace on land. There is peace within the plants, animals, flowers, insects and herbs. There is peace with men, and peace with women and children. There is peace with the Gods and peace with the Goddesses. May this all-pervading peace enter into us and permeate us to the very core of our beings.

Om peace, peace, peace. - Rig Ved,Hindu Scripture.

Mumbai 26/11 ; Damn the terrorists

I cannot forgive those who have attempted to harm my city of Mumbai.

I cannot express my grief for my fellow citizens of Mumbai and for our guests, visitors to my fair city of Mumbai who have also suffered immensely.

I hope these people who have perpetrated these crimes are brought to justice. I wish they are damned from the community of humankind. I wish when they need human help they are denied this.

I also wish to give my deepest condolences to the people of Israel, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Japan, Singapore,Greece,Canada, Mexico, Malaysia,Italy, Jordan ,France, Mauritius for those who lost their lives in my Mumbai. May they be at peace.

I wish to especially wish my solidarity with the Jewish Community of India who have been targeted for perhaps the first time in the Long History of the subcontinent. This is completely against the pluralistic mosiac of my country where in every community has been a pillar for the secular republic. My hearfelt condolences .

I also wish to thank the NSG , The Indian Army, Indian Navy, the MARCOS and the other security forces who have helped us defeat this act of terror. May they be truly blessed.

To my pakistani neighbours. I think you need to see the whole picture. Drawing room chat against Hindus and India eventually becomes terrorism. We have no options but to live together. Please see to it that there is a consensus against terror. If this is not forthcoming the forces of good, the forces of living together will overcome the forces of division and evil. Satyamev Jayate.

To my fellow Indians of all hues, shades,religions,castes,languages and regions. I hope the Indian blood which runs through our veins makes us feel for each other. I hope none of our people ever give any support to these dastardly terrorists. I hope we are an Island of peace and peaceful cohabitation in a troubled area if the world. I hope we NEVER become like Pakistan. We are a secular country. India needs all its Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Jain, Sikh, Jewish, Buddhist citizens to remain as India. We cannot exclude any group or allow anyone to exclude any group. Long live our human bond.

To the politicians of India: Please wake up. Please put the country first. We have great precedence. Look at our freedom fighters. Do not make rubbish comments which are not worthy of the nation of India.

Again my thoughts are with the brilliant people of the India .

To visitors to India: Please come to my country. You are always welcome. We are passing through a difficult phase. Please Stand by us. Terrorism will win if you keep away. Indians are pluralistic and very welcoming and will go out of their way to make you feel at home and share whatever we have with you.

Long live tolerance and Long live the secualr spirit of India.

Jai Hind.

William IIII - King of England -Half Silver Rupee, India

Half Rupee 1835- Quite Rare I understand. 1st Indian Coin with a portrait of a british Monarch

Our Lady of Peace

Pictures of Shree ShantaDurga - The Indian 'Our Lady of Peace'.

Bombay Anna. Anna of- The King and I - An original History -By Susan Morgan

Just saw this book on line... About Anna, the real person who went as s governess to Siam portrayed in the movie in the King and I. Wonder of anybody has read the book and would not mind telling me a little bit about it. There was apassing reference that Anna was from Bombay in the movie but no one knows more. This book should tell us all...

Star of India - British India's Emblem. Moto :"Heaven's Light Our Guide"

The star of India was British India's emblem. It was emblazened on the Union Jack and converted into the flag of India.

It was also later used as a medallion for all the King Emperors of India.

India's Old flag was part of the Union Jack themed flags of the commonwealth countries, then parts of the Empire where the sun never set.

The Indian Tricolour replaced the Star of India and the Ancient Three Lions Ashoka Pillar replacing the Star as Modern India's emblem. Emperor Ashoka of the 4 th Century BC was a great ruler and very tolerant to all faiths. He embraced Buddhism and denounced unecessary violence. Pakistan,on the other hand, an Inheritor of Ancient Indi's Lands, became a decidedly Muslim country and their flag had the crescent and star emblem of Islam on a green background, again a colour of Islam. The white band is deemed to represent the minorities in Pakistan and unfortunately the colour is as bland as the celebration of minority religions in that aggressively Muslim country

The Tricolour at Wagah, India's Border with Pakistan

Quote from the Buddha - Gautam Buddha

" Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it. "- The Buddha

Koot - A mixed vegetable Konkani curry- Onion free- saatvik- Jain

This curry is onion and garlic free and hence can be eaten on auspicious days. This can also be eaten by jains using the relevant vegetables.

While koot is the type of curry like vindaloo or madras or dopyaza. it can be eaten with your choice of veggies,

Koot (Konkani mixed vegetable curry)

Boiled potato and raw tomato is one combination.
Cauliflower, potatoes, boiled peas, tomatoes cut into large pieces is another combination.

Masala (Grind the ingredients given below to make a paste)

Coconut (2 cups fresh) or 1 ½ cup desiccated coconut.
8 Roasted red chillies
1 Teaspoon coriander seeds – roasted
Methi (Fenugreek seeds) 1/3 teaspoon roasted
Hing (Asofoetida)- ½ teaspoon roasted.
Mustard seed- 1 pinch roasted
1 teaspoon roasted chanadaal (Chikpea- dry)
Tamarind 1 teaspoon of paste or ½ inch ball of fresh tamarind.


For the Tadka (Tempering)
Mustard seeds- pinch
Hing –Pinch
Chilli – one red.
½ teaspoon kadipatta

In a large wok/kadhai boil the potatoes and other vegetables (Except tomatoes). When cooked add the tomatoes. Boil for 1 minute.

Add the ground masala, salt and boil till you get required consistency. In a smaller wok (Kadhai) add 2 teaspoons of oil, heat- add some mustard seeds, hing, ½ teaspoon kadipatta and red chilli. Add this the tadka(Or Phann in Konkani) to the main curry and allow to simmer.

Vatana Golo ( Konkani Pea and potato dry curry)

1 cup peas
2 medium sized potatoes- cut into small cubes .

Masala (Grind coarsely)
1 fresh coconut grated. Or 1 cup of dessicated coconut soaked in warm water.
4 green chillies (Roasted in 1 teaspoon oil)
½ teaspoon pepper corns.
Pinch of turmeric powder.

Boil the peas and potatoes. Temper the peas and potatoes in a pan with 2 tablespoons of hot oil with mustard seeds sputtering and kadi patta (Karbev Pallo).
Add salt to taste and the Masala.

Boil and stir until dry. This is a dry curry. Serve with Hot dalitoy and rice and koshambir.

Ragda for Ragda Pattice.

Ragda Pattice is a savoury snack which is a favourite at the Mumbai beaches. The pattices are potato pattices while the ragda is this fantastic spicy white pea curry which coverts the pattice.
The curry is served over the pattice and this is garnished with chopped onions and coriander leaves.

Recipe for Ragda.

¼ Kg White dried Peas (Soak for 6 hours and pressure cook until soft)
One can also used tinned marrow fat peas.

Boil the peas. Add ½ Teaspoon tumeric ; 1 teaspoon Dhania (Coriander) powder ; ½ teaspoon Jeera (Cumin) powder ; 1 ½ teaspoon chilli powder and boil until the consistence is quite thick. Add about 5 teaspoons of tamarind water or 2 teaspoons of ready made tamarind paste (adjust according to the level of tartness that one wises)
Add 2 heaped teaspoons of Garam masala Powder , salt to taste and boil on slow heat till the require thick consistency is reached.

Green Peas Barfi - Sweet Pea fudge try this it will surprise you

Green Peas Burfi

This is a fantastic green pea sweet. The sweetness can be reduced if one does not like it very sweet as Indians do :)


300 gms Green Peas
¼ Kg Mava (or Condensed milk if mava is not available)
½ Kg Sugar
2 Desert Spoon of Ghee
Badam , Pista, Elaichi Powder, Silver Foil

Grind the peas to a paste with a little milk. Take the Ghee. Fry the pea paste. When half done add the mava (Or Condensed milk if mava is not available) and fry until the oil separates. Allow it to cool completely.
Take the sugar and a cup of water and heat them together to make a syrup. Add the pea mix and stir continuously till the mix leaves the side of the pan and becomes thick.

Pour in a greased tray. Decorate with the Badam and Pista and silver foil. Cut it into rectangular pieces as it cools.

Shiv Parvati.12th Century Eastern India-British Museum

This beautiful fine statue was carved in India in the 11th Century, Eastern India.

It is rare to find fine carved statues of Shiva as Shiva is traditionally represented bu just the Linga . A beautiful example of the Linga is on the Blog heading.

Here however the sculptor has personified the Lord of destruction in a traditional statue along with Parvati his consort. Parvati is the daugter of Himavan and her name literally means daughter of the Mountains whereas Himavan means snow topped....

Om Namah Shivaya...

Saraswati , Goddess of Knowledge, Jain

Saraswati the Goddess of Knowledge was worshipped by all the subcontinental people of all faiths upto the 11th century.

The above statue is a statue of the Goddess Saraswati from a Jain Temple. This is now in the British Museum.

Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge, Open our eyes ....

Buddha - Buddhism the ideal world religion....

Some simple yet profound quotes of the buddha ...

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. - Buddha

Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule. -Buddha

No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.- Buddha

Peace comes from within.Do not seek it without. - Buddha

If God is indeed the creator of all living things, then all things here should submit to His power unquestioningly. Like the vessels produced by a potter, they should remain without any individuality of their own. If that is so, how can there be an opportunity for any one to practice virtue?

If this world is indeed created by God, then there should be no sorrow or calamity or evil in this world, for all deeds, both pure and impure, must come from Him.

If it is not so, then there must be some other cause besides God which is behind Him, in which case He would not be self-existent. -Buddha

Shree Ganeshaya Namah - Obeisance to Lord Ganesha

This is a wonderful image of Lord Ganesha. The statue is in the British Museum and is made of Schist. This has been made in the 12 Century in Eastern India.

Mahisasurmardini

Hail the Goddess, the very force of the Universe

Victory to Thee

Hail the Goddess, Who destroyed the Evil Buffalo demon Mahisasur

Victory, Victory, Victory, Victory unto thee....

Air India

Air India Flight

All resting after a good spicy meal.

Very Informal and relaxing atmosphere.

Strongly recommend- I had a good time. Air India has changed for the better....

This is what the Air India wing looks like through the window.

Jet Airways is fantastic too. Strongly recommend Jet Airways (India) ...

Bon Voyage

Mumbai- The Island City

Mumbai the powerhouse of India, an Island city, looks beautiful from space.

Home to 16 million people and full of character this Island city never sleeps. It is a microcosm of India. Hindus Muslims Sikhs Parsees Buddhists Jains Atheists Christians and the non religious live here.

Mumbai is the soul of India. Let us keep her cosmopolitan. Let us accept all who live in Mumbai, the rich and the poor, the Biharis and the marathis, the Hindus and the muslims, the christians and the atheists.

Delhi is Beautiful and old, Calcutta is full of culture, Madras smells of jasmine blossoms but Bombay alone shines 24/7

Mumbai, our city of dreams.....

Shree Mahalakshmi Prasanna

Picture of Mool Murthi of Devi from Verna, Goa, taken to safety in Kerala by the Konkanis in 1565 AD

Hail MahaLakshmi Goddess of Prosperity. May you bless us all.

Prayers to Lakshmi, the Goddess of Fortune
These are Prayers to all of the qualities of the Goddess and the blessings that She gives.
The First is the Lakshmi-Stuti, from Vishnu Purana, 7.9.116-138,
The Second is the Sri Suktam.
This Stuti eulogy of Lakshmi, which was spoken by Lord Indra, is the source of all opulence. In this world, poverty never dwells among those who recite this stuti daily.
indra uvacha
namasye sarva-lokanam
jananim abja-sambhavam
Shriyam unnidra-padmaksim
vishnor vakshah-sthala-sthitam

Indra [the demigod king of heaven] said, "I offer my obeisances unto the lotus-born mother of all beings, unto Sri [the Goddess of fortune], having full-blown lotus-like eyes, and reposing in the bosom of Vishnu."
padmalayam padmakaram
padma patra-nibheksanam
vande padma-mukhim devim
padma-nabha-priyam aham

"I offer my obeisances unto the Goddess who is the abode of lotuses, who holds the lotus, whose eyes resemble the petals of a lotus, whose face is a lotus, and who is dear to the Lord who has a lotus navel."

tvam siddhis tvam svadha svaha
sudha tvam loka-pavani
sandhya ratrihi prabha bhutir
medha sraddha sarasvati

"You are siddhi, nectar, Svaha and Svadha, O purifier of the worlds. You are twilight, night, effulgence, opulence, intelligence, faith and Sarasvati."

yajna-vidya maha-vidya
guhya-vidya cha shobhane
atma-vidya cha devi tvam
vimukti-phala-dayini

"You are the knowledge of sacrifice, the worship of the universal form, and occult learning, O beauteous one. You are the knowledge of Brahman, O goddess, and the bestower of the fruit of liberation."

anvikshiki trayi varta
danda-nitis tvam eva cha
saumyasaumyair jagad rupais
tvayaitad devi puritam

"You are the science of dialectics, the three Vedas, Varta, the knowledge of chastisement. O goddess, this universe is filled with your gentle and terrifying forms."

ka tv anya tvam rte devi
sarva-yajna-mayam vapuhu
adhyaste deva-devasya
yogi cintyam gada-bhritaha

"O goddess, who except you can dwell in the person of that God of gods, who consists of all forbearance, the bearer of the mace, who is contemplated by the yogis?"

tvayi devi parityaktam
sakalam bhuvana-trayam
vinashta-prayam abhavat
tvaye danim samedhitam

"O goddess, the three worlds, having been abandoned by you, were on the verge of destruction--because of you, they have again recovered their position."

dara-putras tatha garam
suhrid-dhanya dhanadikam
bhavaty etan maha-bhage
nityam tvad-vikshanam nrinam

"O exalted one, men are endowed with wives, sons, houses, friends, grain and wealth due to your constant glance."

sharirarogyam aishvaryam
ari-paksa-ksayam sukham
devi-tvad-drishti-drishtanam
purushanam na durlabham

"O goddess, freedom from bodily ailments, riches, destruction of enemies, and happiness are not difficult to attain for persons who view your glances."

tvam mata sarva-bhutanam
deva-devo harih pita
tvayaitad vishnuma chadya
jagad vyaptam-characharam

"You are the mother of all creatures, as that God of gods, Hari, is their father. And this universe, consisting of moving and nonmoving entities, is presently permeated by you, as well as Vishnu."

ma nah kosham tatha goshtham
ma griham ma paricchadam
ma sariram kalatram cha
tyajethaha sarva-pavani

"O purifier of all, if you forsake us, neither our treasures, nor our cows, nor our houses, nor our possessions, nor our bodies, nor our wives, are secure."

ma putram ma suhrid-vargam
ma pashun ma vibhushanam
tyajetha mama devasya
vishnor vaksah-sthalalaye

"O you whose abode is the chest of Vishnu, if you forsake me, neither sons, nor friends, nor animals, nor ornaments can be mine."

sattvena satya-shaucabhyam
chatha shiladibhir gunaih
tyajante te narah sadyaha
sansyakto ye tvayamale

"O spotless one, men who are forsaken by you are also forsaken by goodness, truth, purity, good character and other virtues."

tvayavico kitah sadyaha
shiladyair akhilair gunaih
kulaishvaryaish cha muhyante
purusha nirguna api

"And those who are glanced upon by you, although devoid of any good qualities, are infatuated by all good qualities, such as good character, lineage, wealth, etc."

sa shlaghyah sa guni dhanyaha
sa kulinaha sa biddhinam
sa shurah sa cha vikranto
yas tvaya devi vikshitaha

"O goddess, he who is glanced upon by you, is praiseworthy, accomplished, fortunate, intelligent, high-born, heroic and possessed of power."

sadyo vaingunyam ayanti
shiladyah sakala gunaha
paranmukhi jaga-dhatri
yasya tvam vishnu-vallabhe

"O nurse of the universe, O beloved of Vishnu, all virtues, character, etc., immediately abandon him from whom you turn away."

na te varnayitum shakta
gunan jihvapi vedhasaha
prasida devi padmakshi
masmams tyakshih kadachana

"Even the tongue of Brahma is incapable of describing your qualities. O lotus-eyed one, be auspicious unto me. Please do not abandon me."
[Thus ends the Lakshmi-stuti]
Sri [the Goddess of Fortune] said: "I shall never turn my face from one who praises me every morning and evening with this hymn."

Konkani speakers parking only

Hey this sign is being sold on ebay from Miami Florida...

Cool N'est ce pas!!!

Wishing you all a very Happy Diwali

Happy Diwali

Wishing everyone a very happy Diwali and a prosperous new year. Let us all go from darkness unto light.

Mahalakshmi of Kolhapur

On the eve of Deepawali, I have found this fantastic picture of Shree Mahalakshmi.of Kolhapur. The revered Ambabai in all her regalia.

HAPPY DIWALI EVERYONE

Old Map of Konkan - Bellin

Here Bellin , in the latter half of the 18th century made some brilliant maps of the western Indian coast. Of course he made maps of loads of places in the world too.