Skip to main content

The Sept 2009 Award Fest


Lots of love and prayers to Baba, for being the most powerful presence of love and goodness in my life, right from the time I was a kid till now. Of course, He drives me mad by forcing me to be good, making me a people-person who cares for others to the point of exhaustion and lots more cranky stuff that secrets between God and devotee are made of. I'm sure none of you want to go there! It's dynamite, literally. Still, thanks so much, Baba, I love you more and more. 

Nothing in my writing life is complete if I don't thank Sanand, the tall, dark and handsome guy who swept me away into a world of love, rains and poetry, his dark eyes and melting smile turning my life into magic and now as we grow older and wiser together, we cherish and savor every moment we have together, touch wood. 



Heart felt thanks to Shilpa Garg, for bestowing me with this One Lovely Blog Award. It's such a wonderful feeling when some one you hardly know sends you this expression of love and consideration because of the 'blog bonds' that are growing as strong as blood bonds. Isnt it really amazing? What makes this gesture a powerful, almost God like medium is that it is love, goodness and learning that gets passed around, inspiring more and more people to strive for better and meaningful things on the blogosphere. Thanks, Shilpa, I truly appreciate this gesture.

More than anything, sharing your happy moments is therapeutic, it's the start of a more meaningful bonding and a perfect opportunity recognize other talented and highly creative individuals. Which is why, I am going to follow the Award Rules. 


The Award Rules

You can accept the award and post it on your blog together with the name of the person who gave it to you with his/her blog link.

The next thing to do is to pass the award to other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Don't forget to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award:Abhilash, Aparna, Eshwari and Uma.




Lots more winners for this Award and they are:

Amy

Congrats all of you! This Award, I hope, will inspire you to introduce new thoughts, ideas and lots of interesting information in the coming days. It could be a moment stolen out of your day, a hair raising review of a book, school, or culinary experience you've had, it could be just anything under the sun as long as it's you who's writing it.



Comments

Congratulations on your lovely post and, of course, your award.
Catherine said…
Thank you for the award. It is so nice to find out about who is reading your blog.
NR said…
Congrats for the award.
Nice blog!!
Shilpa Garg said…
Cool! That's a wonderful post!!
Yeah, you are right, 'blog bonds' are growing strong!!

And hearty congratulations for your award!! :)
Uma said…
Hey, thanks! Its a nice feeling to be awarded... :-)
Abhilash Pillai said…
Swapna thanks for the awards... I am pleased to read that you like my posts. I appreciate your comments and would try to write good posts in future.
Shri said…
Congrats on the awards..
It's great to connect and strengthen our blog bonds. Thank you all for the warm wishes.
chitra said…
Congrats Swapna. Awards are just pouring in. Good for you.
apu said…
Hi Swapna, Thanks so much for the award. Glad you enjoy my blog. Keep writing yourself!
Thanks a ton, Chitra and Apu. Keep writing please.

Most LOVED Posts

Best time to light diya

Want to know when is the best time to light diya or deepam at home? In most Hindu homes, 'deepam' or 'diya' is lit at least twice - once in the morning and then in the evening. For both times, brass is considered to be auspicious for lighting deepam or lamp at home. Clay diyas are auspicious for lighting at home. On Fridays, it is considered auspicious to use ghee in a silver lamp. When Should I Start Lighting Diyas? The symbolic shift begins from darkess to light. Therefore, in the evenings, light diya before sunset to usher in divine blessings into your home. Is it ok to light diyas at night? Yes, you can light diyas at night. How to light diya in front of house? Clean the area in the front of your home, decorate with a hand drawn rangoli or traditional kolam or swastik using rice powder or any organic materials. This is symbolic of inviting Goddess Mahalakshmi to enter your home. Then, place the diya on the right side of your entrance and make sure the lamp is fille...

Why chant Ramayana during the month of Karkidakam

For Keralites across the world who follow the Malayalam calendar, today marks the beginning of the month of Karkidakam. This month, which, decades ago, was known and slightly feared for its torrential rains and negative impact on the health, wealth and well being of Kerala's rural community. [Read: Power of Hanuman's Bhakti ] Why chant Ramayana during Karkidakam To ward off the negative energy unleashed by Nature and its possible  repercussions  on one's family's overall well being, the wise elders introduced the timeless tradition of every family reading the Ramayana as an oral, spiritual tradition. Thus, it goes without saying that for Keralites who embrace these traditions, the act of reading the Ramayana is as much a spiritual cleansing as it is a kind of tradition they can pass on to bond with their loved family members, particularly children. [READ: Why Malayalis Light The Nilavilakku] In the Ramayana, there is no 'preaching of principles' but yo...

Does something bad happen if the diya goes off?

Is it bad if a diya goes off? This is a frequently asked question among people who light the evening lamp or diya regularly in their puja room. Cultivating the attitude 'Everything is Divine Prasad', which embodies Prasada Bhakti , is a good way to minimise negative thoughts with regard to one's way of worship.  When we light the lamp in our homes, imagine you are sending out divine love to the world.  When you burn the incense stick, imagine you are burning away all negative karma within each family member and offering it before your Ishta Devata. [READ: How To Light Deepam at Home and  Why Malayalis Light Nilavilaku ]                                                     [Image by Sachin Yadav @ Pixabay] What Happens When A Diya Goes Off? Many consider it as a 'bad omen'. For a devotee who worships Ishta Devata, everything represents Divine Gra...

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences.  [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste.  You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this  new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being bor...

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? How to properly light a diya? Should diya face god or us? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. The lamp or the diya always faced the deity or Ishta Devata. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. [ Let's Connect on Facebook ] As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hygiene while lighting the lamp. Wear clean clothes whi...