23 June 2009

Belated Father's day - june 21 2009

It was father's day and I wanted to dine out with my family and specially my dad.Had gone to Windsor ITC luxury hotels(previously Windsor manor).It was lovely to watch my dad enjoying his meal.He seemed to be happy :-) and proud about me at the same time. He is a wonderful person and rough on the surface.It takes a lot to be some one like "MY DAD".


Any time we had a dilemma dad was always there.
Be it large or small he always seemed to care.
He had a quiet confidence in everything he'd do.
He wouldn't let things bother him and we could feel that too.
We'd try to do things on our own, that was how we were raised.
But dad was there in case we failed, and he never fazed.
He'd pick us up and dust us off and show us how it's done.
He made things seem so easy; even hard jobs seemed like fun.
Sometimes dad was a chef working at the barbecue
I still can smell that smoke, as he'd cook a steak or two.
Sometimes he was a chauffeur driving here and driving there.
Sometimes we drove him crazy. (I'm surprised he still has hair.)
The years have come, the years have gone, but one fact still remains
Our dad is still there for us, some things just never change.
And looking back on all those years there's just one thing to say.
We love you dad and hope you have a super Father's Day.

Posting the letter I wrote to my dad probably a week before dad's day and couldn't send it across to you on that day though i was a little late by 2 days :P.I had conflicting views whether or not i should be sharing it with every one or should I keep it between me and you alone.Then decided to share it.I wanted everyone to know what i feel for my dad.

so here goes the letter written to my dad-

My dearest pappa,

where do I begin to even scratch the surface of the impact you've had on my
life. Dad, even in the midst of my successes, my problems and my
shortcomings, you have always accepted me as I am. I am in awe of your
strength, your integrity, and your painful endurance you deal with daily,
and mostly your faith in Lord. I only ask God to keep you safe and pain-free
for many, many years. You are the biggest source of my strength, especially
during the many conversations you and I have had during pivotal points in my
life. And I pray too that with all I'm going through at this point in my
life, I hope that I can somehow, someway come close to having your strength,
your faith, your boldness and your wisdom to endure all! I am extremely
blessed to have the presence of a beautiful, wonderful, loving father!!! YOU
ARE MY HERO!!!! I can never forget the hardships you have taken to bring me
to the level I am today. I remember the time when I was ill, you carried me
on your back & took me through hospitals. How can I forget that finger of
yours through whose support I stood up and began to walk. You provided me
the comfort even if you had to toil hard. Still, when I have grown up, you
become worried even with my slightest sneeze. Well this shows itself your
immense love for me. I can only say that *I want you to be my father when
ever i am born. *
You are the best. I love you so much. I don't think that even if I searched
the world for years and years and years I would find someone that is as
caring, as thoughtful, as hardworking as you are. I love you. Happy Father's
Day Dad! *You have been a great hero in my life,the greatest strength,Dad I
know that i don't say you often enough but i love you very much. You are the
greatest dad in whole world.* I wouldn't be where i am today without
you. *Thanks
for all you have done for me I love you*.Thank you for making me laugh even
when i was sad! Thank you for being that shining light in my darkest night!
Thank You for encouraging me to weave a new dream each morning, Thank you
for always being there for me in my sad days and also, the happy ones..!
Yes, i owe all that to you,*It's so hard to find a man that can love me like
only you can!* You're my SUPERMAN, BATMAN, and SPIDER MAN. Yes Daddy, You're
my BEST MAN!

Happy Fathers' Day!

Bodhayana amavasya

The Mahabharata war was at hand. Battle lines had been drawn and sides had been taken.
The huge armies of the Kauravas and the Pandavas had gathered on opposite sides.
Duryodhana, the instigator of all the problems, was in conference with his generals, Bheeshma, Drona and Karna.
“Well, the time is at hand,” said Duryodhana. “I want to find an auspicious day for us to start so we can be sure
of victory.”Drona said, “Duryodhana, listen carefully to me.
Sahadeva, the twin brother of Nakula and son of Madri, is a fount of knowledge.
He will be able to help you best with this. If you ask him to help you right after his morning bath and prayers
he cannot refuse you.”
Duryodhana said, “Drona, you are asking me to ask my enemy to help me? Sahadeva is a Pandava.
How can I trust his word?”
Drona reassured Duryodhana and said, “Don’t worry about that. Sahadeva will not utter a lie.
You can trust his word absolutely.”
So the next morning Duryodhana arranged to meet Sahadeva right after his prayers.
“Sahadeva, I know we are enemies,” said Duryodhana. “But I have come to ask you something.
You are duty-bound to tell me the truth.”
“What is it you want?” asked Sahadeva.
“Well”, said Duryodhana, “I would like you to consult the stars and tell me the best time to start battle so that our
armies may be victorious.”
Sahadeva agreed to help him and told him the right time to start the war for the Kauravas would be the coming
amavasya which was only a week away.
Duryodhana thanked him and went away. Now, Krishna overheard the entire conversation and was outraged.
“Sahadeva!” he said. “How can you help our enemies? Why didn’t you tell him a wrong day or refuse to help him
outright?”
Sahadeva said, “Krishna, you know I have to grant whatever one asks of me after my prayers.
And I will only speak the truth.”
Shaking his head in disbelief, Krishna walked away wracking his brain for an idea to save the day.
As he entered his tent, it struck him. Rushing out, he called the Pandavas to his tent.
There he said, “Sahadeva here has gone and told Duryodhana an auspicious time for the start of war.
If we allow them that, they will definitely win. No thanks to you Sahadeva!!!”
The Pandavas were understandably upset and Arjuna asked, “Isn’t there someting you can do, Krishna, to avert this?”
Krishna smiled and said, “I have an idea but I cannot tell you because then Sahadeva will be bound by his promise
to reveal it to Duryodhana. So just follow me implicitly.”
The next morning, Krishna took the Pandavas to the riverside and asked them to pray for their
deceased father (tarpanam). Now the Pandavas were confused.
Yudhisthira said, ‘Krishna why are you asking us to perform this ceremony today? It is not amavasya
when this is usually done.”
Krishna said, “I asked you to trust me. So do as I say.”
So the Pandavas started performing all the rites that were due for their father.
As they started praying, the gods in heaven were confused and started conferring among themselves.
The most confused, of course, were Surya (the sun god) and Chandra (the moon god).
Wondering what Krishna was doing and why, they decided to come down to ask him the reason for this strange
behaviour. The two came down together and asked Krishna, “What is the meaning of this?
Why are you performing these rites when it is not yet amavasya?”
Krishna smiled and said, “No it was not amavasya till the two of you came down together over here.
And now it IS amavasya since the moon and the sun are together. The battle can start today instead!!”
Heartened by this, the Pandavas declared the war had begun and an
outmanoeuvred Duryodhana was forced into battle before it was time. With clever manipulation,
Krishna had managed to keep Sahadeva’s prediction intact and yet make the war unwinnable for the Kauravas.
And because the sun and the moon had rushed down together out of their usual cycle,
there is an extra amavasya called the bodhayana amavasya