When comes such another?

“President with a difference” said Sri Sri in his tribute to Dr.Kalam.

Was reminiscing the moments with him at the grand finale of AOL Silver Jubilee Celebrations in 2006.   An extraordinary turnout of people from across the world was electrified by Dr.Kalam’s address.

Knowing his passion for Tirukkural, my thanksgiving address contained reference to a popular couplet “Vellathanaythu Malar neetam Mandartham Ullathanayatu Uyarvu” - The height of the water in a pond determines the height to which a lily would grow; likewise it is the height of one’s thoughts that determines the heights to which one can aspire for!

It was time for the President to leave. As he was stepping out across the magnificent stage secured on both flanks, he suddenly stopped to greet and ask: “Those lines were apt and touched my heart. Which college did you go to?”  I replied “Ji interestingly I am an alumnus of St.Josephs, Tiruchy,  a decade and a half behind you!”  He   beamed his trademark smile and parted with an invite to meet him sometime at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Several posts posthumously confirm that he never failed to strike such endearing chords of love and humility with people.

When comes such another?

Guru Purnima Utsav at Udaipur and Thaen Amudham Satsang at Srivilliputtur

Chaitanya Bharathi

16-19 July 2015

Bountiful rains when sessions were indoors, soothing sunshine during breaks, thought- provoking sessions of Yoga Vasistha, sacred chants and deep meditative moments marked the 4-day retreat helping the large assembly of meditators to truly experience blissful moments of chaitanya.

Beatitude at Belandur:

11th July 2015

The assembly was mystically absorbed with the proceedings of the entire evening. Excellent team work by teachers and seva angels that could be seen in the smooth passage of the special re-connect. Stunning display of rangoli art by by Pragya, Manisha, Manju, Shweta, Manjula, Sumati,Trupti and Namita greeted all guests. It is called Kolam in southern parts and represents beauty, creativity, geometry and grandeur. It is indeed a spiritual rendition from one’s heart and a time tested path to acquire patience, endurance, imagination, determination, creativity, concentration and confidence.

Ten kms away from Belandur, the Whitefield team is all set to host The Art of Silence retreat 16 – 19 July.

A soiree with a difference:

4th July 2015

When the talented vocalist at the chamber music announced his next musical offering would be the Mysore Anthem, the invited audience was up on their feet in tribute. The celebrated anthem has very interesting origin. There was a time when the princely State of Mysore was taken under British rule on pretext of maladministration. But after much deliberation, the state was restored to HH Maharaja Chamaraja Wodeyar by the "Rendition of 1881". To commemorate the occasion, HH asked Basavappa Shastry, the court poet of Mysore durbar, to compose the state anthem.