Soooo many acquaintances message me that they find my blog entries mesmerizing, they can see a reflection of themselves, their own life, in an entry. Sometimes, people have reached out to me, just to tell me that I voiced what they are going through. O yes, this is the reason I write! I am not one to 'shut up & put up'. Seeing others shut up & put up, really bugs me & tugs at my heart. Writing is my way of venting it out. So I write whenever I am too sad or too happy, extreme emotions need a release!
Sometimes people are so lonely, they fear being judged, they fear a social backbite. I wish people were more open & honest, then they would know how much suffering there is around us, how much love there is around us.. Then you don't feel lonely in this soup of life and find the energy to go on! That energy comes from within ourselves, sometimes we borrow some from our friends ;)
So ladies who love my blog- o ya, so far, it has only been ladies reaching out- I hope you feel a bit better knowing that everyone has their share of issues in life. That's why we are here on earth. If we were perfect, we would have been in heaven having attained salvation/moksha!
I hope this also explains why I write what I write. Please don't assume (some of you did) that I have these issues in my personal life. If I did, most probably I would have been busy hiding them & not daring to discuss & face them. :) No actually, I would have been busy facebooking about such issues openly because I don't know how to shut up!
Like I say, my biggest weakness & strength are: my intolerance for hypocrisy & my loud mouth.
I call a spade a spade, I am honest, I am straightforward. It may appear rude sometimes and I apologize, but at least you will get some honest advice and real friendship which is precious!

On Krishna meeting Krishnamachari garu

21st May 2014

Krishnamaachari garu is the head priest at the Kalyana Venkateshwara temple in Nairobi. This year, the temple marked it's 12th anniversary.

Krishnamaachari garu is the head priest of the Balaji temple and has been involved with it right from its inception. All these years, my parents have consulted him on every religious aspect of our life. He has performed so many homams, poojas, satyanarayan kathas, religious ceremonies for us from when we were in college, homams for didi's health, my well being, the list is endless.

All these years, right from the inception of the temple, he has read out our names every evening in sakalpam for archana.
He knows our family in & out as far as any important occasions are concerned- after all, he is the one who sets the dates! He set my pasupudampatam muhurat, he gave me a bright pink sari for my pellikooturu ceremony as prasadam from Venkateshwara swami. He set my donga chalimidi muhurat, he set my shrimantam muhurat. He was there for Sumukh's mundan.
Same for my sister- he advised on her pasupu dampatam muhurat, her donga chalimidi/shrimantam muhurats, ayush homam for Nandan.
He knows our complete religious profile & sometimes is the first one to know of any upcoming event, since he is consulted for the dates. It is not an understatement to refer to him as our family doctor when it comes to religious/cultural affairs :)
After I got married in 2008, he has been reading out Krishna's name too in every sankalpam, along with Shanker's after didi got married.
He garlanded Sumukh with Venkateshwara swami's garland as prasadam to mark Sumukh's first visit to the temple. And also gave me a hanuman pendant that I placed under his pillow.
Krishna meeting Krishnamaachari garu was a momentous occasion for me!
During Krishna's one week in Nairobi, I wanted to mark Sumukh's first birthday with an Ayush homam performed by Krishnamaachari garu, but this could not happen as Krishnamaachari garu had been extremely busy organizing the upcoming Mahakalashabhishekam & Pushayagam marking twelve years of the temple in Nairobi. But we were blessed to witness the first three days of Mahakalashabhishekam ceremonies.
After our regular darshan, as we were waiting on the temple steps & chatting, Krishnamaachari garu passed by. Papa stopped him for a second and introduced Krishna to him in these words:

Ayya, eena: Bharadwaja gotrotbhavasya, Chivukula Krishna Murthy naama dheyasya'.

(Sir, he is the one:  goes by Bharadwaja gotram, named Chivukula Krishna Murthy)

Krishnamaachari garu's eyes clouded over in emotion, he just hugged Krishna and said to me, 'Amma, YOU should have introduced him to me proudly, why were you silent earlier?'...

It was an emotional happy moment for us too, Krishnamaachari garu has helped us seek blessings from God almost every day for the last 12 years. My parents love going to the temple at the drop of a hat, it is their favourite haunt.
I can only imagine how Krishnamaachari garu must have felt, finally seeing Krishna stand in front of him, after having read his name out in every sankalpam for the last six years, after having set all the muhurats & done all the prayers for Krishna from the moment of his marriage engagement, to the birth of his child.
I felt really happy seeing Krishnamaachari garu's good feelings for us reflected in the tears that welled up in his eyes.

Krishnamaachari garu prays for countless devotees, for our well being day in & day out. Due to his long association with the temple, he knows all the gotrams & family surnames & first names of all long standing devotees by heart. He is absolutely methodical in conduction of ceremonies. When I think of the temple, I think of the amazing dedicated head priest. After all, the temple has grown by leaps & bounds thanks to his know-how in religious ceremonies/mantrams/stotrams.
I am not as learned & well read as him, but in my heart, I pray that for one who does so much for so many devotees, God bless him & his family always. I hope all devotees in Nairobi are blessed to continue enjoying Krishnamaachari garu's services.
Sumukh loves Krishnamachari gaaru and calls him "Poojagaru" very fondly as he can't pronounce poojarigaru.

On toddler conversations

7th November 2014

So today, Sumukh is finally conversing entire sentences, multiple sentences with me.
This morning, he slapped his palm onto his chest and told me, 'Neynu Sumukh Chivukula' (Sumukh Titkula).
This afternoon, he said, 'Mummy, Raspberry tinTa'. As he was eating raspberries from a bowl, I was busy chopping a papaya.
Suddenly he looked up at me, 'Mineeta! Raspberry tinu, yummy!'.

The last two days, I have noticed him feeding the huge panda, 'Panda, pappu maam tinu', and doing mummmummmumm with his mouth, his fingers at panda's mouth.
Yesterday he was telling me that some object kept on the kitchen counter will fall on his head & ammmo, ayyyayyyayyo, it will hurt, cry, pain etc.
I love these conversations!
He actually helps me now. If I misplace something and ask me, he directs me to it. Sumukh, where did I leave your socks? And Sumukh leads me, 'Roomal' and takes me to the bedroom or wherever it is kept...

Sumukh understands being vegetarian and sees hippopotamus in clinical settings!

25th September 2017

Sumukh has started school (MonthII/Upper KG, called Reception) on 12th September 2017. He started his full days (until 3pm) today.
This afternoon he told me that other children in his class are going to have 'a meet with animals' which Miss.V told him he is not allowed.
I thought it must be a farm animals meet like the one they had last year. So I said, no chinna of course you are allowed to have a meet with animals, why did Miss.V say you can't?
So then Sumukh said, 'No mummy, papa told me, we don't eat meat, we don't eat animals. But some other children in my class have meat, with animals'.
Then I got the point, he was talking of 'meat- with animals' which he is not allowed!
Wow, my baby boy is becoming a big boy, very aware of his surrounding & his boundaries.
God bless our children and a blessed parenting to everyone!

Another nugget from recently, September 11th at the doctor's clinic:

Sumukh to me in the doctor's waiting room- 'Mommy, look, the hippopotamus is here!'
Me- What Chinna? 
Sumukh- 'Mommy, look the hippopotamus that drew my blood'
Me- O my goodness chinna, you mean a phlebotomist, not hippopotamus... 
Ten minutes later- 'mommy, look, that nurse, the hippopotamus'...

: ) : ) : )

This boy amuses me to no end!