Skip to main content

Old Pics Dug Out

In September 2010, I went to Kochi, my home town and spent some weeks there. I used that time to dig out old snaps, mostly childhood pics. As usual, I forgot to take mine from home but thankfully, I didn't forget to take my hubby's pics. I scanned many of our family pics, they are old and therefore, not very clear. However, I thought I will upload my favorite ones anyway.

Here is one of my favorite pics.
This pic is of Sanand (my hubby) and his sister Nandini. What I loved about this pic are their expressions. The sweet innocence of children cannot be hidden away because it just glows in their young faces. Loved this pic and I wanted to share it with all of you who are kind enough to spend time visiting this blog.

Comments

I could not imagine, a scanned photograph would look so nice.
@PN Subramanian - thank you sir for the warm words of encouragement.

@Vidya - thank you!

Most LOVED Posts

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...

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 also considered auspicious for lighting at home. On Fridays, it is considered auspicious to use ghee in a silver lamp. READ: Which type of Diya is good for your home What does Deepam represent? Attukal Pongala Story of Shivaji ] 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. What is the purpose of lighting a diya? Light dispels darkness. When we light a diya, we bring light into our hopes and positive energy in our personal spaces. Nothing is more beautiful than Light. At what time should we light diya today? Every morning at sunrise and every evening before...

A Book Review: Why The Immortals of Meluha by Amish turned my expectations upside down

The Immortals of Meluha by Amish: Before I talk about Amish's Shiva Trilogy 1: The Immortals of Meluha, let me give you a brief personal background about this.    [READ: Why OM is Powerful]   For latest book reviews, subscribe to  Svara's Newsletter ! The Shiva Concept Didn't Impress Inititally My grandmother, while she lived, was an avid devotee of Lord Shiva and she felt His constant presence in her life in the form of "Ernakulathappan" the Shiva deity who is worshipped in Ernakulam city. She would go and pray there every morning and evening. The joy in her eyes and the excitement in her walk- it was like a woman in deep love and yes, she loved Lord Shiva more than anything. Her devotion ran deep and she tried her best to talk me into it...but the rebellious teenager I was, I have to confess here: I was totally contemptuous of the Shiva concept.  A rebellious phase probably, I don't even know why I felt that way then. My mother is also a Shi...

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.  [READ: How To Light Deepam at Home and  Why Malayalis Light Nilavilaku ]                                                     [Image by Sachin Yadav @ Pixabay] Why Did My Lamp Suddenly Turn Off? Where there is faith, there should be no scope for fear - this is Bhagawan Krishna's message to Arjun on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.  That represents strength of Bhakti. [READ: Bhakti: Meera's Greatest Wealth] Consider another example in the tradition of Bhakti.  When Prahlada, a young lad, is targeted by his own father, he remains calm under every situation. When he is thrown into the sea, the wise lad is reminded that the sea is the abode of Shriman Narayana. [ READ: Amazing Stories of Lord Shiva ] H...

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. 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 while lighting the lamp. The most essential factor is unwavering focus and concentration when you light the lamp every eve...