Thoughts provoked

Treat for the eyes:) The cold winter morning air of beautiful morning of almost every January 26th begins with a patriotic feeling. Still snuggled in quilts, holding hot coffee mugs, I generally love that holiday esp if it falls on a weekday :) Republic day! The national capital is always buzz with this and that, and is the centre of attraction esp on the National Holidays (oh! I do not even want to mention the "poly-tick-all" or poly-tickle reasons :D ) Some of my non-Indian friends ask me about the capped gun at India gate :), and I tell them about the eternal flame - called the Amar Jawan Jyoti-which is basically the All-India War Memorial - burning there to commemorate the indomitable courage of our Armed Forces personnel who have made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the motherland. The capped Hero is none other than the Amar Jawan, or the immortal soldier , and is symbolised by a reversed rifle topped by a helmet. Ah! so, the all colourful republic day parad

Upper part of interior colonnade and vault

Ganesha, Ganpati, lambodar, ekdanta, etc, etc or Lalbaghcha raja ... dagdubhai seth.... (d richest Ganpati in mumbai...or maybe of India) Dagdubhai Seth Ganpati Oh! the cutest n adorable Elephant God is known by sooo many names all over India, & esp in Maharashtra n other konkani parts of over India on the fourth day of bhadrapad (or bhadon). Ganesh Chaturthi - [thats tomorrow - Sep3, 2008] is celebrated as Ganpati ji's birthday. Seeing the moon is strictly prohibited on Ganesh Chaturthi . Here's the story Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees on this day. The festival lasts 10 days, and ends with Lord Ganpati ji's visarjan on Anant Chaturdashi. The awesome elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati, is widely worshipped as the supreme god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. I wish I knew a bit of marathi and could actually understand whats sung in these fav-since childhood artis of Ganpatiji :) Ja

A  repost from my post about the visit to this AWESOME temple which has found its place in the  Guinness book    for being the largest Hindu Temple in the world. There is just One Word - AWESOME! Date of visit : Jan 1, 2006 Location : Delhi - Noida border [AWESOME! The pics here are from the net as they did not allow cams n mobs inside. I'd upload a pic or two wid me too] Ok ! so it was decided all of a sudden..... Its new year....and we decided [like always]..... that we'd go out on the foggy morning.... mom kept it a surprise... I was a bit upset....thinking ....that it should not be one of the old places we've already visited.... but got ready...... and quietly followed her..... We drove around the place.... and I was listening to my favourite music..... mom was saying something ... but I was lost in thoughts [ shawie mom..... I know what you said...its just that at that time I was a bit lost somewhere]. I guess it was E-id today...... and I was surp