Ides of March – 15th of March 2017

Every 15th of March referred as “The Ides of march” and once again we are having it today.

So why is it referred  as the IOM?

Once upon a time March was the first month of the Roman calendar.  The ancient Romans did not number the days of the month, instead based on 3 phases of the moon. The 3 lunar- phase- markers were named Kalends, Nones and Ides. The Ides indicated the full moon of that month, and being March the first month of the year, the first full moon was called “The Ides of March”. Romans marked the Ides of March with celebrations to welcome the new moon.

But Everything changed on 44 BC  Ides of March .

A coup was plotted against  Julius Caesar. Emperor of Rome was assassinated  on the Ides of March. History would tell you that his best mate Brutus was involved too.

Then came Shakespeare the playwright who quoted “Beware of the Ides of March” in his play  “The tragedy of  Julius Caesar” (~1599-1623). Since then the day has been scarred as bad omen.  Would you classify this as a bad omen? I will let you decide.

140 years ago (1877), the  inaugural  Test Cricket Match also  started  on an  Ides of March.

 

The religious dove for peace!

It is a lovely depiction of peace  if and if all the religions come together. the image is poached from a facebook page author- unknown.

Many faiths with one future

The Squirrels

There were five houses of religion in a small town:

The Presbyterian Church,

The Baptist Church,

The Methodist Church,

The Catholic Church

and The Jewish Synagogue.

Each church and house of prayer was overrun with pesky squirrels.
The Presbyterians called a meeting to decide what to do about the squirrels.After much prayer and consideration they determined that the squirrels were predestined to be there and they shouldn’t interfere with God’s divine will.

In The BAPTIST CHURCH the squirrels had taken up habitation in the baptistery which is a tank for administering baptism by immersion. The deacons met and decided to put a cover on the baptistery and drown the squirrels in it. The squirrels escaped somehow and there were twice as many the next week.

The Methodist Church got together and decided that they were not in a position to harm any of God’s creation.  So, they humanely trapped the Squirrels and set them free a few miles outside of town.

Three days later…,   the squirrels were back.

The Catholic Church came up with the best and most effective solution.

They baptised the squirrels and registered them as members of the church.
Now they only see them on their weddings, children’s baptism, Christmas and Easter.

The Jewish Synagogue reverted back to old tradition. They caught one squirrel and had a short service with him called circumcision and they haven’t seen a squirrel on the property since.

 

PS:

The above joke is via an e-mail

“A flower blossoms for its own joy” – Oscar Wilde

Blooming Jacaranda

 Botanists refer as Jacaranda Mimosifolia

A tree, native to Central America

Spread its roots near and far,

 And line the streets everywhere.

When summer comes

Jacaranda blooms to hide her leaves

With magnificent purple panicles

Showing off her wealth to the world,

That I am here….

Generation Gap!

 

Generation gap in hair styles (Via face book)

Death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi (Travel Story 2)

Today is the 68th death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi the Father of the Nation of India. Mahatma means the great soul (maha – athma). Gandhi was assassinated at the former Birla house in New Delhi on the 30th of January 1948. The non- violence advocate was met by his assassin Nathuram Godse a Hindu nationalist while he was walking with his grand nieces to a prayer in the garden. Gandhi was aged 79 (2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948)

Former Birla house is now known as Gandhi Smirti which serves as a museum for the great soul as he has spent his last days in that house.  Last January our family had the opportunity to visit the former Birla house and would like to share some photos on Mahatma Gandhi’s 68^th Death anniversary.

 

Tracing Gandhi’s last steps in this world

On the way to his prayers

Accompanied by his grand neices

The place of Gandhi’s martyrdom

last few minutes..

“Hey Ram”  was the last words uttered by the Great Soul.

 

 

 

Mahatma Gandhi stayed in a room at the back of the Birla’s house. It was a simple room with his only few possessions as  described in the images.

 

A view from his room to the garden

 

Worldly  remains of Gandhi

Mahatma’s bed  without sheets (currently it is covered with a sheet  and a cushion)

 

A little space where he met his visitors (Birla’s house)

Spinning wheel and a desk to use his mighty pen. Three  favourite monkeys are also  in the image ” See no evil, hear noevil speak no evil”

 

Gandhis’ walking stick and his footwear

Gandhi, a living truth by Rabindranath Tagore

 

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A song from the Movie “Love story”

Even after  45 years “Love Story ” is one of the movie stays in the mind. It is a sad romantic movie  produced in 1970 but it is etched  as an evergreen film in many minds. what an irony!!

The original  “Love story”  was a novel  written by Erich Segal and then made to a successful motion picture. I have enjoyed reading  novel many years ago.

The  love story movie also reminds me the Tamil movie “Ninaithaalae Innikum” directed by K.Balachandar in the  nineteen eighties.

Here is the song “she fills my heart”