Posts

Guruvayur Ekadasi 2026

Guruvayur Ekadasi 2026 Guruvayur Ekadasi 2026 is on November 21, 2026. Guruvayur Ekadasi Vilakkutsavam Thirty Days of Devotional Light and Spectacle There is no single specific story behind the 30-day Vilakkutsavam (lamp festival) leading up to the Guruvayur Ekadasi; instead, behind this long celebration lies a rich tradition and a history of offerings by devotees. The reasons and the backstory behind these thirty days of lamps are as follows: The 30-day lamp is an offering by devotees : As the day of Guruvayur Ekadasi approaches, the crowd of devotees at the temple increases and the celebrations become grander. Starting exactly 30 days before Ekadasi, the night-time lamp procession (Vilakkeduthu) and surrounding lamps (Chuttuvilakku) are conducted every day as an individual or collective offering (Vazhipadu). While royal families and feudal lords used to sponsor this in the past, today various individuals, ancestral families (Tharavadus), the postal department, and organizations lik...
Post a Comment
Read more

Trusteeship & Resources Management

Friends Referring to Collage of October, 2026 Part IV, where I had tagged Nirmala Sitharaman's observations about society's approach to ownership of resources to Gandhi's theory of Trusteeship, a reader asked : "Will it be possible to cite books about Gandhi's views expressed in this post?" Gandhian thoughts on the subject are accessible from a number of books and websites. A brief introduction is included at B. At C we discuss Gandhi's views on resources. M G Warrier A Speaking Tree The cosmic classroom - The Economic Times https://share.google/oGIW0EFwZdTe8vSIs Synopsis Creation is explained in the Gita as a process involving Krishn's two divine energies of Atman and maya. The Atman represents the spiritual aspect while maya encompasses the material dimension of existence. Individuals, influenced by the three gunas, seek to transcend desires and attachments for spiritual growth. Experiences in life serve as lessons aiding in the evolution of t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Book On My Table : Life's Journey

Book On My Table I found the book 'The Difficulty Of Being Good' interesting, because the author accepts the real life situation that, we need not know all answers. Today, I was reading page 302 at random. By accident 'The Difficulty Of Being Good' appears as a subtitle on this page. I really stare at assertions like ...the epic 'is the content of our collective unconscious...We must therefore grasp the great book with both hands and face it squarely. Then we shall recognise that it is our past which has prolonged itself into the present. We are it'* Briefly : Let's experience the life's journey, watching the sideshows and playing our given role to our satisfaction. M G Warrier *V S Sukthankar
Post a Comment
Read more

Difficulty Of Being Good

Friends Yesterday, I concluded my introductory note, somewhat abruptly, with the following remarks : "If we can't do anything about the evil around, can we not divert our resources and energy, attention and time towards doing good, listening good and talking góod? Why we should pay attention to doomsayers?" Till we vacated our Thiruvananthapuram house for letting out few years ago, my personal library had books like : 1 Six volumes of Mahabharata [Gita Press edition : Sanskrit Text with Hindi meaning] 2 Bhagavatam 3 Manusmriti 4 Brahma Sutras 5 Several Upanishads [8 or 10 with Shankara's Bhashyas] 6 Das Capital 7 Valmiki Ramayanam 8 Arthashastra 9 Logan's Malabar Manual 10 Monier William's Sanskrit to English and English to Sanskrit Dictionaries. 11 Shabdataravali [Malayalam] 12 Bhagavad Gita Swadhyaya by Nityachaitanyayati 13 History of RBI [3 Volumes] and many other precious books, numbering around a thousand. Now, here in Mumbai, the collection, which wa...
Post a Comment
Read more

Vijayadashami Special

Friends Swami Sukhabodhananda*, sees Vijayadashami as an occasion to remind us the need to keep Ego at arms length : Swami actually talks about "Victory Of Awareness Over Ego" Let's make a beginning. The articles at A & B are copied from an email group in which I am a member. M G Warrier *Watch Swami speaking : https://youtu.be/ZqtRr41dUzk?si=G3_fxDsNPzUnGybe Vijayadashami Special Our common aspiration - The Economic Times https://share.google/P1QXiMRfuqaNyCl9y Synopsis Vijayadashami represents the victory of goodness over evil, as seen in various cultural narratives. Ram's defeat of Ravan and Jesus Christ's resurrection reflect similar themes of righteousness triumphing over darkness. Additionally, Michael's defeat of Satan in Christian scripture parallels these tales. Different cultures emphasize the idea that arrogance and injustice ultimately lead to destruction. The stories resonate with a profound human belief in the enduring nature of hope...
Post a Comment
Read more

Vidyarambham 2026

Friends Happy Vijayadashami (Vidyarambham @C) M G Warrier Vidyarambham : Vijayadashami, 2026 A Vidyarambham Vidyarambham is a traditional Hindu initiation ceremony in South India (especially Kerala, Karnataka, and parts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh) where young children (typically ages 2 to 5) are formally introduced to the world of learning, literature, music, and the arts. Meaning and Significance Name Origin : Derived from Sanskrit words Vidya (knowledge) and Arambham (beginning). Timing : Celebrated on Vijayadashami (the final, auspicious tenth day of Navaratri), which honors Goddess Saraswati, the deity of wisdom and knowledge. Pooja Veypu : Books, musical instruments, and tools of trade are placed before Goddess Saraswati starting on Durgashtami/Mahanavami and kept undisturbed until Vijayadashami. The Ritual Process Seating : The child sits in the lap of a parent, grandparent, teacher (guru), or temple priest. Tracing on Rice or Sand : An elder holds the child'...
Post a Comment
Read more

Random Reading : Nobel for Literature 2026

Friends Yesterday, when my daughter Reshmy was at home, I pointed to the shelf in which I had dumped my recent accumulation of books and told her : "If you are interested in reading any of them, you can finish reading and return later" From half a dozen books she scanned through in next 20 minutes, picked up one for reading and asked me : "Do you really read all these books?" I didn't tell a lie. Last week, we mentioned about the announcement of this year's Nobel for literature. And briefly discussed about the work of Anne Carson. Today, we will try to know more about her. M G Warrier A Yesterday's The Hindu literaryreview carries an interesting article captioned "Reading Anne Carson" by Uma Mahadevan-Dasgupta (who is in IAS). I loved reading the write-up which will give the reader sufficient inspiration to dig out the original sources from which the quotes and anecdotes have been carefully picked up by the writer. B Famous and str...
Post a Comment
Read more