The Love Sign, Taj Mahal!

One's childhood days are precious. Children love all the things they come across with immaculate mind. It is needless to say about their love towards humans - their parents, peer groups, friends and ..... the boy/girl they see or meet! Family functions, festivals unite such tender hearts at such a tender age: one such a love in an Emperor's palace was continued into adult life, then into marriage and then even after death in a tomb or monument, The Taj Mahal of Agra! This monument is seen till today as the wonderful expression of Love to be seen by the whole world - all the races of mankind and its descendants, century after century.

Taj Mahal as seen in pictures convey you nothing spectacular. Only when you see it in front of you - as you walk towards it at Agra, its architectural magnificence and hence, the magnitude of its creator's intention can be felt in your mind!
Taj Mahal, the wonder of the world was built by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan (from 1632 AD, and completed in 1653 AD) - as a sign of his love towards his dead wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Now it houses the tombs containing bodies of both these lovers. It has been built with white marble entirely! On full moon days, at night it enthralls all who see it in the shower of moonlight, and makes them feel the 'wonder' about this Wonder of the World!

The customs of the West and the East

In the month of April a religious festival is being conducted yearly in Tamil Nadu state of India. It is called 'Mariamman Panguni Pongal.' During this festival the Goddess, Sri Muthumariamman (of Aruppukottai) is worshipped with much devotion and fervor. Children too exhibit their devotion towards the Goddess: they smear their body and face in black and white spots of soot and lime. Then they go in groups to all the houses in their town reciting a song that overwhelms the occupants with devotion to the Goddess. They end the song with a request to give coins to buy materials and propitiate the Goddess at Her temple. If they are not 'treated' with the coins, they go on repeating the song refusing to move away - the 'trick' to get their 'treat'! Yes, it is akin to the 'Trick- or- Treat' played by the children in USA during the fun festival, Halloween Day!
Here in Tamil Nadu, a newly built house has always a white pumpkin painted with a face of a demon and hung in its portico - to ward off the 'evil spirits' and the 'evil eye', that too reminds the Halloween Day!
These customs still linger on, though modified in form and content, carried over from continent to continent for ages!

Tuberculosis Treatment

Here in India people are well aware of Tuberculosis and availability of curative treatment for it. They move freely and boldly everywhere knowing all about the symptoms of the disease, the places of sputum examination and the presence of treatment providers at their own villages. They even know about the medicines of 'Directly Observed Therapy, Short - Course (DOTS)'! They understand here Short -Course as a period of six months!

View: Tuberculosis Division of Government of India

The Rock Memorial and the Stone Henges

Vivekananda Rock Memorial is at Kanyakumari of India. The top of eastern parapet wall of this memorial presents some markings: Sun's yearly deviations on its sojourn overhead from East to the West from season to season have been represented by stone line carvings. With such similar lines of astronomical precision the Stone Henges might have been planned and erected by the Druids!
View and read also in:Vivekananda Rock Memorial

Kanyakumari Legend and Stone Henges

At Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of India, there is a confluence of three Seas. There a legend goes in praise of the Goddess: the crew of the ships arriving there mistook the light emanating from the nose ring of the Goddess in the temple, as that of a light-house and their ships crashed against the rocks of the shore. The Druids were also attracted by the Sun to build the Stone Henges in wise way to harness its power!

View and read in:

Kanyakumari Temple