Petals!

'Mallu Singh' directed by Vysakh (who is known for 'Seniors' and 'Pokkiriraja' fame) was 'housefull' and tickets were difficult to get in Ernakulam for the second show. But what interested me is that families seemed to flock to watch this colorful entertainer. The movie's mass appeal is its recipe for box office success. Kids seemed to enjoy every minute of this movie and the same goes for most families who had come to be entertained.  Set in rural Punjab, the story of  'Mallu Singh' begins well but it lacks strong characterization, and that is the one thing that it needed most!  There is no consistency to any of the characters given in this plot. All seem to run in different directions and for the same reason, the story is not as gripping as one would expect. Mallu Singh Story is Weak, Inconsistent & Lacks Substance Ani (who is played by Kunchacko Boban) goes to Punjab in search of a long lost cousin Hari (Unni Mukundan) only to ...

When I picked up Meghna Pant's One and a Half Wife , it is the title that evoked a curiosity in me more than the blurb that explains the story of a young Indian Immigrant girl whose Big American dream turns to ashes. To be honest, I’d say that there didn't seem to be a 'new-ness' to the way the blurb explained the story. In fact, if given a second chance, I’d suggest to the author to completely rewrite the blurb because it is plain dull and doesn't do justice to the subtle, exquisite nuances that underlines this deeply touching, well written story.   Talking about nuances, I like the introduction of the story beginning with a parrot who picks up cards to predict the little girl Amara’s destiny as a ‘one and a half wife.’ The description is deeply touching and will evoke interesting memories with a distinct Indianess that all of us can relate to. The author adds a dash of subtle humor too, poking fun at the silliness of some outdated beliefs that Indian parents cl...

Gold prices are sky high but if you step into any of the gold jewelry shops, you will find them as crammed as a vegetable market, if not more. People from all walks of life flock to gold jewelry shops to buy whatever little/more gold they can. The system in Kerala is such that for every occasion, gold matters. Irrespective of financial stability, social standing, religious or caste denomination or even political affiliation, Gold is a uniting factor among Keralites. It's like God. Gold Ads will chase you In fact, gold ads compete for your attention to such a point that it leaves you confused where to buy from. Some gold jewelry shops offer you cars, high technology accessories and so on if you buy X amount of gold. In other places, you are given the welcome that one accords to a King but by the time you've made your purchase, you are left a pauper.  Buy Gold Smartly, Do Cross Checking Locally Be careful to check the quality of gold that you purchase. Several highly reput...

A gift is a memory that you create for your loved one.  When you offer a rose to the love of your life, wouldn't you carefully pick the most beautiful rose that has bloomed? Or, when you gift the love of your life with chocolates, wouldn't you take great care to make sure it is perfect in taste and presentation?  So, when we gift God with flowers or fruits or any form of prasad, do we dedicate it to God with the same degree of perfection, commitment and love? Or, do we do it as a mechanical chore that needs to be quickly done. To his earliest devotees, Bhagawan Sri Sai Baba said, "When you offer something to God, it should be with purity of thought, word and deed. Your heart is the temple of God. Therefore anything that you offer God externally should reflect the same detailing, the same purity. Never offer a flower that has slipped to the floor or a wick thread that fell out. Never offer to God something that has fallen down. God needs only love. Whatever you o...

Gayatri mantra's mythological description is that it is the Mother of the Vedas and the source of infinite wisdom. We are familiar with it but do we know its spiritual significance? I'd say we don't really know. If we don't know the meaning of what we are chanting, why chant it at all?  ! [READ: Tantra and Tantric Practices: What does Tantric mean?]                                                  [Image: Radio Sai] Gayatri Mantra is 'Vedasara' Many times, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Baba has said, "The Gayatri is considered as Vedasara, 'the essence of the Vedas.'" For the same reason, Bhagawan says that the Gayatri mantra should be practised with utmost care and discipline.  The reason I wanted to share it here is because the Gayatri is extolled universally but we do not approach its practice with the discipline that is required in ...

This passage I read interested me deeply and it is from Swami Vivekananda's lecture on "The Ideal of Womanhood."  It reads as follows: "The ideal of womanhood in India is that of motherhood...Says our great law giver Manu, giving the definition of an Aryan, 'He is the Aryan who is born through prayer.' Every child who is not born through prayer is illegitimate according to the great law giver. The child must always be prayed for." I wondered, "Why? So many children are born into this world without being prayed for? What's the spiritual significance?" Swami Vivekananda explains: "A child is the manifestation of the greatest prayer between a man and wife, the prayer that is going to bring into this world another soul fraught with tremendous power to do good or evil, to make a difference or to worsen the state of the world. Therefore, parents should pray for every child before it is born." It is a good idea to let others kn...

In Cathy Kelly's novel, "Homecoming," there is a lovely quote about cooking and here it is: "There is magic in cooking. It's like prayer. All those heads bent, hearts joined together. That's why it works. It's because of people coming together." What do you say? How do you experience cooking? What does it mean to you?