10 years ago, today ...Amma

 

Her smile etched in creases, her memory, serenades;

Her warmth still whispers, her demeanour, rustles;

Amma we still hear her gentle waft like  
morning dew;

Await in us she lies, Await she rests in our hearts.

1937 - 2005   

Deepavali Valthugal ...

   To all Hindu readers ...

no matter where you're or reside ...

Here's wishing you

HAPPY DEEPAVALI

Lantern Festival

"Pesta TangLung" [ Lantern Festival ] was in town over the weekend. But what came with it was not lanterns but everything Not-a-Festival. The pictures will tell you...
 

  More pictures here  < -----

 

St Anne - 2015

more pics here  < -----

Chariot Procession - Bukit Mertajam

Chariot procession forty-eight days after consecration.

From the Editor of BM's Consecration Souvenir Book - an excerpt

Hinduism has no definite date of birth for and even in future whether it could be clearly found is not quite possible, given the fact this discipline is found in existence even in the earliest analysed period of the modern history. In this very big period, this matured religion has contributed a lot to the humanity and developments. It is worth to stress the scientific approach towards things, the proof of which lie through all its scriptures very rich in knowledge covering a large panorama, be it astronomy, mathematics, alchemy, medical and personal growth. The inventions and discoveries by the Hindu sages who also formulated the number system are innumerous which one finds scattered all throughout the scripture. But it is quite shocking that the later generations, forgot and ignored many of these marvels. Knowing our history is as important as knowing our parents. Fail to do so is the main reason why we forgot the scientific truth behind Hinduism. At olden days, many of our valuable scriptures (olaicodi) and books on scientific inventions were burnt in the name of prayers. It is very sad to say our ancestors’ inventions are claimed and patented by others as their own. Those inventions were written in our Vedas 15 000 years ago whereas the modern scientist revealed the same discoveries just 200 years ago. Many of us are not aware of these truths as the syllabuses in school do not cover our ancestors’ inventions.  

We need thousands of baby steps before a giant leap. This book write up serves as a stepping stone to make the readers to understand the importance and valuable speciality of Hinduism from scientific standpoint. Moving forward, younger generations should be taught that our culture and prayers  (i.e. hanging mango leaves, applying turmeric powder, deities abhishegam, etc) have a huge scientific truth. Only then the later generations will appreciate more the essence of Hinduism. If we teach the younger generations on how were our ancestors lived, they will have the self confidence that Hinduism is the father of all scientific innovations and we were leading the world at ancient times.

Having said that, a sense of huge responsibility fell on my shoulders as an editor to provide a more comprehensive study of the temple and Hinduism in general, that was initially intended, thus resulting in more detail study being conducted with intense writing. We hope readers of this book will find it informative and interesting since the write up covers an array of activities carried out at temple activity as well as about Hinduism from scientific standpoint. Hard work does not necessary guarantee success but no success is possible without hard work.  Spur hard work for almost 2 years makes this write up a reality.

Dr. Lokesh Anand Vijakumaran Pillai

B.Eng(USM), M.Eng(USM), PhD (University Malaya)

…and yes, I sure found it interesting and informative in a comical way.

++ HOW DID THIS EDITOR GET HIS MASTERS, LET ALONE A DOCTORATE?

 

BM Hindhu Temple Grand Consecration

Excerpt from souvenir book <----

122 year-old Bukit Mertajam Mariamman Temple - consecreation

The Grand Consecration (Kumbhabishegam) of Bukit Mertajam Mariamman Temple is on May 1, 2015 - morning. The temple had taken a grand face lift to commemorate its grand consecration.

This temple was established 122 years ago. The pictures below are the few surviving photographs of the earliest establishment of the temple.

More pictures here < ----

In remembrance - a quarter of a century ...Brother

Twenty-five years ago he left the world. 
Bidding goodbye to his never attained desires; 
Neither knowing life's carefree lifestyles nor its pleasures;

A quarter century of dotting memories,
Tho' his presence, diminished, 
He lingers in our hearts still. 

1968 - 1990

ISIS - women to the 'rescue'

In the name of Jihad, women are 'flocking',  running away secretly from their families to join ISIS. These girls (in pics below) have just done that.  The only difference is - they WILL only come back, if ever they want to in body bags.

Now, doesn't the phrase "the world will be a better place without them" seem RIGHT?
 

Supposedly the first Brit girl to join ISIS

 

Courtesy of Dailymail.

MH370 - strangely ...

It only gets weirder.

Just after a year MH370 had gone missing, supposedly a towelette from a Malaysian Aircraft (MAS) was found washed ashore on a beach in Western Australia.


I mean after a little more than 365 days? Huh!!

MH370 still lost or ... !

It's been a year MH370 disappeared from our radar. Presumably, it 'landed' into the Indian Ocean or even at the southern tip of planet Earth - the Antarctic as some claim. There had also been many other theories of its disappearance - shot down, hijacked, crashed into the South China Sea, abducted by aliens. One rumour went on to say they 'docked' with ISS (International Space Station). 

A Thai tour guide told me - MH370 is on its way to Mars.  ooppsss!

Are they still searching? I don't know.  Have those who lost their loved ones moved on? Don't know. Have they been compensated? No idea. But what is known is this ...MH370, passengers and crew are still missing or lost and none have any clue. 

What's more intriguing is this  - a commercial airline plane still lost and none have any clue where it is. Truly saddening. If all the space-age gadgets and instruments, all the state-of-the-art tech stuff still can't do the job...then how do we find the doomed aircraft?

Prasad and I

2015 Thaipusam at the Waterfalls - Penang.

More pictures here <-----

Chiangmai, Thailand.

'Winter' in Chiangmai

Sunrise.

A chill dawn

a carefree 'farang'

Reflections as night falls.

More pictures here  <-----

Superheroes, what do they do

........  on New Year's Day?

Mr. Bat

Spidey

Wonder woman

Mr. Kent.

HAPPY NEW YEAR