The Song of India...

The Song of India

“What song shall I sing of you Mother?” I asked

Shall I sing

Of the Himalayas with their snow-born Peaks

Of the three seas that wash your Palm?

Shall I sing

“Of your clear dawn with pure gold streaks?”

Said the mother Imperturable calm:

Sing of the beggar and Leper

That swam my streets.

Sing of the filth and the dirt

That foul my sylvan retreats:

“What song shall I sing of you Mother?” I asked

Shall I sing

Of your rock cut temples, epics in stone,

Of your children that died to call you their own

Of the seers and prophets that hewed that straight path

For the man that pilgrims alone?”

Said the Mother in indignant words

That beat into my ears like gong,

That flew about me, a pitiful thing.

Like great white birds:

Sing of the millions that tail

Sing of the wrinkled face

Indexing ignorance.

Sing of the helpless child

Born in a bleak, dark home.

Nervous I yet would ask,

Deeming it my task:

What song shall I sing of you, my mother?

What song?

Shall I sing of the dam and the lake?

Of steel mills , the shipbuilding yard?

Of the men that work hard.

To technologies, to put you on the page

Of the Atomic Age?

Said the Mother: of these you may sing.

But sing also of the strikes, early and late.

Of iron men that come in their wake.

O class- war and its correlate.’

Querulous, I said:

Is there no song that I can sing of you,

Heart whole , alloyed?

A song bathed in the stainless blue

Unvapouring in the void?”

At that the mother rose, draped in the blue sky.

Milk-white oceans heaved round her.Their waves.

Were the entrancing and enthroning light.

On which she sat and wrote the book of the Morrow

Her forehead opened like earth’s destiny

Yielding the sun God cancelling all sorrow.

It was clear dawn like a nightmare fled the inght

An the sun-beam was as the hand that saves.

Author: Vinayaka Krishna Gokak

The Poem was written by Vinayaka Krishna Gokak in the form of a dialogue between Mother India and the Poet. In this Poem The Poet wants to present glorious picture of the past and also wishes to paint India’s natural beauty .

As Indians we can rightly be proud of our country’s natural beauty, Its Rich cultural heritage, its ancient wisdom, Its glorious freedom struggle and its industrial progress. As the same time we should not ignore the numerous ills affecting our motherland Like Poverty disease, environmental degradation, ignorance, illiteracy, unemployment, caste, and class conflicts and a hundred forms of exploitation. We should try to eradicate them as far as Possible.

As poet said Our mother India has to write the book of our destiny, cancelling all our sorrow. Tomorrow should be clear dawn..Our nightmare should fled in the night. We have to write our bright future…

Sujalaam ….Sufalaam ….Malayaja Sheetalaam …. Dream for bright future….

Let us pledge for commitment to our constitution ….

Let us Pledge to fight against terrorism ….

Let us pledge to fight against communal ism….

Unity in diversity …… and towards continual progress

Striving always for peace ….

Vande Mataram! ! Jai Hind!!!

Happy Republic Day!

This Is Life!

Life, what is the life? That many of us complain about it. That many of us refuse to take better care of our lives? Life, what is the life? Is it a gift? Or it just happens by coincidence? Life is good and life is bad. Sometimes With all the up and downs. What can I say to you? Life is like that, there are so many things I Life comes and then goes on, for how long, nobody knows! Meanwhile life grows on you till something comes and shows!

Life is what you make of it can't break it or take it back, You wish you can change time, You wish for many things, How we want to change it, life is good even though we have a problems and issues but we willing to change, willing to give up everything in life just get things straight, just mistakes and learn to deal with it and get over it. Whatever comes is truth. The ways we're suppose to live. There is not something you are supposed to do. There is not something that you should do. There is only that which you are inspired to do. And how do you get inspired except by the contrast...It is the life

Meanwhile life grows on you till something comes and shows! Solve your problems, change your life, and be glad! Through all the ups, all the downs, some will be there, some can't be found. If they won't care as they should, so be it. When they decide to leave, what have you got? You build it up, and then it breaks away. This is life in the way that I wish to see it. This is life in the way I see it today. Days come and go, true hearts stay close. Without happiness, love is an imitation at most. You haven't stayed close, it's hard to love you, and this is life in a way that is sadly true. We have to go on and accept it.

Love gives meaning to our lives – as do friendship, or art or faith in God. These are factors of true happiness, of inner peace, of feelings of harmony, allowing meaning to our existence.But there is the other side. There is the cruelty of life, the pain, the evil, not to talk of death. They are the hidden tigers, ambushed and ready to attack the imprudent, In between these pendulums - the positive, the one that gives happiness and meaning, and the negative - that our lives are lived.

Some times This will be life and the way that I feel.

When there is no relatives, no friends, and No one to love, care, When life is on the dead end, When world is not a paradise, When our confidence dies, we have to tell ourselves...we have to Go on, THIS IS LIFE!
When things don't go right, When there is no ray of light, And it’s too hard to survive,we have to Go on, THIS IS LIFE!
When there is competition to face, When we are lagging behind in the race,
When we have lost faith in God, When we are betrayed by a fraud, we have to Go on, THIS IS LIFE!
When others don't respect you, When you're not amongst the admirable few,
When for a question, you can't find a solution, When we are in confusion, we have to Go on, THIS IS LIFE!

Some times Challanges makes LIFE interesting; Overcoming them is What makes LIFE meaningful.

You Never know how And When The Existence Will Start Using You For Its Purpose THIS IS LIFE!
You Never Know how And When You Will Be Filled With Abundance And You Will Start raining,Quenching The Thirst of Many- THIS IS LIFE!
You Never Know how And When You Will Be Full Of Fruits And Shade And Travelers Will Take Shelter And Food From You- THIS IS LIFE!
You Never Know how And When You Will Be Full With Love And Light, And You Will Start Spreading, The Fragrance of Beauty To Everyone THIS IS LIFE!
You Never Know, How And When The Death Will Come And Make You Deathless and Life Will Start Flowing Out Of You; THIS IS LIFE!(This para I have read in some book)

You Never Know How & When....Really ! THIS IS LIFE. Let us try to optimize joy in our lives by focusing on the here and now. Our domain is the present. We have only one chance to live the happy life of a unique human being and NOBODY gets a second chance!! There is a new tomorrow and life still has meaning. We have to Go On.....This is life!

Thai Pongal

Pongal is an important festival in India, infact, it is the thanksgiving festival of India. Celebrated primarily in the Southern part of the country, Pongal is a festival when people worships the Sun God, and prays for his gifts of bounty. Pongal signals the end of the traditional farming season, giving farmers a break from their monotonous routine. Farmers also perform puja to some crops, signaling the end of the traditional farming season. Inspite of immense urbanization, the traditions and customs attached to the harvest festival of Pongal has not diminished. The festival of Pongal captures the quintessence of south Indian culture in all its entirety and traditional practices and customs continue to hold their own even today.

Pongal is an ancient festival of people in South India particularly Tamils. The history of the festival can be traced back to the Sangam Age i.e. 200 B.C. To 300 A.D. Although, Pongal originated as a Dravidian Harvest festival and has a mention in Sanskrit Puranas, historians identify the festival with the Thai Un and Thai Niradal which are believed to have been celebrated during the Sangam Age.

The celebrations of Sangam Era led to today's Pongal celebrations. As part of the festivities, maidens of the Sangam era observed 'Pavai Nonbu' at the time of Thai Niradal which was a major festival during the reign of the Pallavas (4th to 8th Century AD). It was observed during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December-January). During this festival young girls prayed for rain and prosperity of the country. Throughout the month, they avoided milk and milk products. They would not oil their hair and refrained from using harsh words while speaking. Women used to bath early in the morning. They worshiped the idol of Goddess Katyayani, which would be carved out of wet sand. They ended their penance on the first day of the month of Thai (January-February). This penance was to bring abundant rains to flourish the paddy. These traditions and customs of ancient times gave rise to Pongal celebrations.

Andal's Tiruppavai and Manickavachakar's Tiruvembavai vividly describe the festival of Thai Niradal and the ritual of observing Pavai Nonbu. According to an inscription found in the Veeraraghava temple at Tiruvallur, the Chola King Kiluttunga used to gift lands to the temple specially for the Pongal celebrations. According to Hindu mythology, this is when the day of the gods begins, after a six-month long night. The festival is spread over three days and is the most important and most fervently-celebrated harvest festival of South India. A special puja is performed on the first day of Pongal before the cutting of the paddy. Farmers worship the sun and the earth by anointing their ploughs and sickles with sandal wood paste. It is with these consecrated tools that the newly-harvested rice is cut.

Pongal is the only festival of Hindu that follows a solar calendar and is celebrated on the fourteenth of January every year. Pongal has astronomical significance: it marks the beginning of Uttarayana, the Sun's movement northward for a six month period. In Hinduism, Uttarayana is considered auspicious, as opposed to Dakshinaayana, or the southern movement of the sun. All important events are scheduled during this period. Makara Sankranthi refers to the event of the Sun entering the zodiac sign of Makara or Capricorn.

In fact, four festivals are celebrated in Tamil Nadu for four consecutive days in that week. 'Bogi' is celebrated on January 13, 'Pongal' on Jan 14, 'Maattuppongal' on Jan 15, and 'Thiruvalluvar Day' on Jan 16.The festival is celebrated for four days.

On, the first day, Bhogi, the old clothes and materials are thrown away and fired, marking the beginning of a new life. The second day, the Pongal day, is celebrated by boiling fresh milk early in the morning and allowing it to boil over the vessel - a tradition that is the literal translation for Pongal (in Tamil). People also prepare savories and sweets, visit each other's homes, and exchange greetings.

The second day, the Pongal day, is celebrated by boiling fresh milk early in the morning and allowing it to boil over the vessel - a tradition that is the literal translation for Pongal (in Tamil). People also prepare savories and sweets, visit each other's homes, and exchange greetings. Pongal literally means, "boiling over". The Tamil harvest festival is celebrated with decorated cows, processions and decorative Rangoli. Pongal is a sweet porridge made from newly harvested rice and eaten by all, even the animals. Each day of this festival has a special significance, however, it is celebrated more grandly in the villages, while the city folk mainly celebrate on the second day only.

The third day, Mattu Pongal, is meant to offer thanks to the cows and buffaloes, as they are used to plough the lands. as 'Mattu Pongal' is dedicated to the cattle as cowherds and shepherds pay thanks to their cows and bulls, paint their horns and cover them with shining metal caps. They are fed 'Pongal' and tinkling bells are tied around their neck. Cattle races are conducted and in the game called 'Manji Virattu' groups of young men chase running bulls. Bull fights called 'Jallikattu' are also arranged at some places where young men have to take the money bags tied to the horns of ferocious bulls single-handedly and without the use of armsIn Home this day is celebrated as Kanu Pongal when girls feed colored balls of cooked rice to the birds and crows and pray for their brothers' happiness and that they always remember them

The fourth day is termed as Kaanum Pongal. On this day, people travel to see other family members. On this day, the younger members of the family pay homage to the elders, and the elders thank them by giving token money. Another thing many do is leave food out on banana leaves for birds to take. Many South Indian people will take the first bit of rice cooked in any given day and set it outside for the crows to take.

Thai Pongal is an occasion for family re-unions and get-together. Old enmities, personal animosities and rivalries are forgotten. Estrangements are healed and reconciliation effected. Indeed, Thai Pongal is a festival of freedom, peace, unity and compassion crystallized in the last hymn on unity .Thus, love and peace are the central theme of Thai Pongal.

(Ref through books & net)

Quote Of The Day...

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered Forgive them anyway

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone may destroy overnight; Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is all between you and God;

It was never between you and them anyway.

- -Mother Theresa-