We have so far dealt in general about USA in the last few Blogs.
Henceforth, all Fifty States of US will be taken up one by one in detail only by which we will be able to know how they differ from the States of our own Country on History, Culture, Governance, etc.
To start with, let us know about The State of Massachusetts for which Boston is the Capital where we are camping on vacation as Visitors. Just click the Link below for the Facts on this Great Historical City & the State as well!
http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cismaf/mafidx.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts
http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=mg2homepage&L=1&L0=Home&sid=massgov2
2)- US MEDIA ON OUR CULTURE
i)- Certain examples of Media exposure to our culture were highlighted in the previous Blogs.
Here is another classic example where Newyork Times, the leading newspaper of USA, has brought out an Article on Golden Temple of Amritsar focusing on its History, Architecture, Prayers & Charity Feeding on Mass scale daily for visitors irrespective of caste & creed! Just click the Link below for details.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/30/world/asia/30india.html?_r=1&ref=india
ii)- For the sake of Humour, we use to share ' Sardarji Jokes ' among ourselves time & again, 'On-line' as well as 'Off-line' ! It is however amazing to observe how serious & devoted they are towards their religion & culture wherever they live across the Globe.
Here are two more snaps on them, captured in my camera at Boston Down-town where a group of Sikhs with their families celebrated one of their religious functions sporting T-shirts displaying words- 'I am proud to be Sikh; proud to serve!'Words can be seen in the Photos. We both were on sight-seeing by chance around that area when they invited us also to take part & fed us with Drinks, Snacks & Lunch! It was very impressive to watch that even Natives could be seen enjoying such hospitality in & around us.
iii)- Here is also an unique Sardarji chanting Devotional songs on Lord Muruga at our own capital, New Delhi. Just click the Link below & enjoy.
http://www.kaumaram.com/utube/ishwinderjit.html
iv)- An evidence of Sardarji's HONESTY, LOYALTY, TOLERANCE & LOVE is given below!
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Courtesy- Our Family Friend, Sri Radhamohan.
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2008 23:05:01 +0530
From: nbalu23@gmail. com
To: vradhamohan@ hotmail.com
Subject: Sardar
We all love Sardar jokes. But do you know that Sikhs are one of the
most hard working prosperous and diversified communities in the world.
My friend told me about the following incident which I wish to share
with you. It has had a deep impact on my thinking.
During last vacation, my few friends went to Delhi. They rented a taxi
for local sight-seeing. The driver was an old Sardar and boys being
boys, these pals began cracking Sardarji jokes, just to tease the old
man. But to their surprise, the fellow remained unperturbed.
At the end of the sight-seeing, they paid the cab hire-charges. The
Sardar returned the change, but he gave each one of them one rupee
extra and said, ''Son, since morning you have been telling Sardarji
jokes. I listened to them all and let me tell you, some of them were
in bad taste. Still, I don't mind coz I know that you are young blood
and are yet to see the world. But I have one request. I am giving you
one rupee each. Give it to the first Sardar beggar that you come
across in this or any other city.'
My friend continued,* ' That one rupee coin is still with me. I
couldn't find a single Sardar begging anywhere.'
MORAL: The secret behind their universal success, is their willingness
to do any job with utmost dedication and pride. A Sardar will drive a
truck or set up a roadside garage or a dhaba, put a fruit juice stall,
take up small time carpentry,.. ........ but he will never beg.
More such events, few of them humorous, occured in my own down Memory Lane, will be shared in Blogs to follow!
3)- PARLEE FARMS.
Coming now to the Subject of this Blog, all of us aware of Tamil Folk Song- குல குலையா முந்திரிக்கா in our child-hood days!
We could see it in reality during our recent visit to this Farm. Just click the Link below for details. Now being the Season for picking Apples & buying, we had been there, tasted Sweety Apples & consumed to the extent of our Belly volume, free of cost & then brought home a bag-full of Apples @$12 only.Then started our searching recipes on NET that can be made out of it like Jam, Salad, Patchadi, Rasam, Keer, Sabji, etc.All were turned out to be tasty! One small container full of Rashberries was also picked & bought @$3 only.Just join us to the Farm thro' this Link.
ttp://parleefarms.com/
Photos numbering 90 can be seen as Slide-show below-
4)- ADVENTURE IN THE ANIMAL WORLD
We had waited patiently for hours in street gatherings during our child-hood days. to watch the fight between பாம்பு & கீறி! Why can't watch such fight now ON LINE thro' the Link below & guess who emerges as Winner at last!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/01/cobra-mongoose-fight-to-t_n_702383.html
5)- FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Life, a laughing matter
Laugh relieves boredom, eases tension and enlivens the atmosphere. Laughing at oneself is a good way to keep one’s ego in check. Yet `serious’ spiritual seekers tend to think that humour and spirituality are poles apart. This is far from the truth.
Evolved masters have a sense of humour, and they often use humour to drive home a point. Gurus like Kanchi Paramacharya, Ramana Maharshi, Swami Chinmaynanda and Swami Dayananda Saraswati sprinkled their talks liberally with humour.
Swami Chinmayananda was once scouting for a suitable venue in Chennai to hold his Geeta Gyana Yagna. Most temples, under the dominant influence of Brahmins, were reluctant to help out. Finally, one of his disciples rushed to him with the news that a Muslim was ready to make available his empty bungalow for the purpose. “But there is a problem,” said the disciple, “the house is believed to be haunted.” On hearing this, the Swami quipped: “What a wonderful opportunity! I’ve never seen a ghost in my life!”
Every morning, Ramana Maharshi would walk up the Arunachala hill. Once a stranger spotted him all alone, and wishing to have darshan, he walked faster and managed to overtake the Maharshi and stood in front of him, blocking his way. With folded palms he said “Swamiji, this is a great day for me. You have blessed me with your darshan.” The Maharshi responded: “This is really funny. What darshan you’re talking about? It is you who have come before me and given me your darshan.”
On another occasion a group of American devotees who were seated at a distance from Maharshi because of the crowd, asked him whether they could move forward so that Maharshi’s grace will be upon them. Maharshi replied that he has no objection to their moving forward but his grace was always there for everyone irrespective of proximity. The group, nonetheless, pushed forward and almost came near him. After some time the devotees requested Maharshi to place his palms on their head so that they can receive the grace in full measure. An amused Maharshi said: “next you might ask me to sign a bond and take me to court if you imagine that the grace has not worked!” The entire gathering burst into laughter.
While delivering a discourse on the Gita Swami Dayananda Saraswati narrated the following story: There were three terminally ill patients and the doctor asked them to express their last wish so that he could arrange to fulfill them. The first patient said that he would like to meet the priest and confess. The second said that he would like to meet his entire family. The doctor took care of the requests. He turned to the third patient who muttered: “I’d like to see another doctor.”
A scholar approached Kanchi Paramacharya and boasted that he was an expert on the Gita. The seer asked him if he could spare some time to hold a 10-day discourse at the local temple. The scholar assented. On the first day 50 people were came to hear him and the attendance dwindled on subsequent days. The scholar said to Paramacharya: “What sort of a town is this? No one seems to be interested in the Gita. On first day there was a crowd of 50, second day 25 and on the third day there were only two persons to listen to me!”
With a twinkle in his eye the seer remarked: “Why fret? When Krishna spoke the Gita there was only one person to listen to him!”
மீண்டும் சந்திப்போம்,
வணக்கம்!
Krishnan
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