Solar Transit of Alpha Orionis or Aridra

It has been raining incessantly in Trichur. Not heavy rains. Those who yearned for heavy rains are disappointed. This is Thiruvathira Njattuvela in full cry. Heavy rains can destroy crops and houses. Crores of loss will be reported if heavy rains take over. But then drizzles are good, as it is good for groundwater recharge, No surface runoff ! Ideal climate is always sunny days and rainy nights !

Waste Recycling

This is how the Trichur Corporation is solving the problem of waste. Two tubes are given for less than 100 INR. The real cost is 893 INR.  90% is subsidy. 75% given by Shuchithva Mission and 15% by Corporation.

The householder gets two tubes for less than 100. He can put waste in one tube and close it with a lid. After one week when the tube becomes full with waste, he can fill the other tube. ( On top of that waste, buttermilk, cowdung, curd can be put ). Meanwhile the first tube will be full of fertiser and that fertiliser can be used as manure for farms ! Tubes have 8 inch diameter and 1.3 meter length. Initially tubes will be given to 20 K homes.

Distribution of tubes have begun. Not a great engineering idea, but maybe it will suffice !

About Monsoon Express

The famous Thiruvathira Njattuvela or the Sun's transit of Alpha Oriionis began today. There was a heavy downpour at 0700 AM for half an hour and then there is a sunny interlude now. Now it is sunshine , but at any moment the sky can go dark. Thiru muriyathe peythu nirayunna thiruvathira. It will rain ambrosia in Aridra !

Rains galore in the month of Gemini in Kerala

The rains have been continuing for two days and now there is a break. It rained almost for 48 hours. Unlike last year's Makiryam Njattuvela, there were no fierce rains. In some places in Kerala, the rains took on the Dance of Destruction, destroying some homes and wells. The dams must have got enough water. Kerala was under the threat of power cut.

Despite its demerits, Rain is a beauty Goddess, evoking memories of wet experiences. She generates beauty and is responsible for the green landscaping effectuated by Nature. She gives grace to this tiny province and is the manifestation of Grace !

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Vizhinjam - The proposed ICTT Terminal

A 5500 cr Port is proposed. Vizhinjam is a Deep Sea Port. It is on the Asia - Europe route. There is a natural depth of 18 metres here. This Port will be able to accomodate ships with displacements about 300, 000 tonnes. Other ports are hard pressed to accomodate ships of even 200,000 tonnes ! A 5 metre dredging can mean that Vizhinjam can accomodate the biggest ship in the world, with a displacement of more than 564 K tonnes !

The Vizhinjam Port can handle supertakers and the biggest container mother ships with ease.  This Port is closer to the international shipping line than any other Indian port, which makes it all the more economical for ships to call here. This opens up avenues for refueling or bunkering of ships as well as ship repair. On the crude transshipment front, a transshipment facility with a storage complex and docking piers will reduce the turn around time for ships. Crude is India's biggest import and Vizhinjam lies very close to the Persian Gulf - Far East shipping lanes used by most supertankers.

VALLARPADAM, the Lovely Island

Vallarpadam is one of the two main islands of Kochi, the other being Willingdon Island. It is situated next to Bolgatty Island on the West and linked to the mainland by the Goshree Bridges. It is about 3.5 km in length in the north south direction and hosts a population of 10 K people. It is about one km away from the mainland.

Vallarpadam and the proximate island New Vypin holds tremendous development potential. because of its nearness to the international east west trade route between Asia and Europe. It is situated in the 200 km long Vembanad Lake, known as the Lake of Kochi.

Vallarpadam is connected via Rail with the Edappally Railway Station with a 4620 m long Rail Bridge. This rail connectivity is for transporting containers from the ICTT.

These are some of the photos of the ICTT at Vallarpadam

Vallarpadam is flanked on the east by Bolgatty Island.

and on the West by Vypin Island.

These are two beauteous islands  on the Kochi Lake, the Wembanad Lake. Tourists find these islands heavenly. Experience it for yourself !

How to make Dal Vada !

How to make Dal Vada

Grind the dal in a mixie ( not too much). Add sliced onions and chillies. Also curry leaves. Make it into balls. Flatten the balls and put it it boiling oil and lo ! you have Parippu Vada !

Roasted Peanuts !

Put peanuts in a glass bowl. Add red chilli powder, some oil and salt. Heat in the microwave oven for 3 minutes and roasted peanuts are ready !

A Prelude to Makiryam Njattuvela !

Tomorrow Makiryam Njattuvela starts. Now it is raining heavily in Guruvayur ! The sky was brimming with pessimistic prophecies and now the rains are coming.

Last year's Makiryam Njattuvela wrought havoc. For 36 hours it rained non stop and we had a darkened atmosphere. It devastated rural Kerala !

Tomorrow I am off to Thirunavaya for my Mother's Sraddham. Hope rains will not hit Thirunavaya tomorrow.

Rohini Njattuvela Strikes !

There were not much rains yesterday, but I awoke at 0300 AM to see the lights go off. The reason was obvious. It was raining. It rained for half an hour. This is characteristic of the solar transit of Rohini 4 or the fourth quarter of Alpha Tauri or Aldebaran. Makiryam Njattuvela begins on 7th and rains are expected to intensify.


On 21st, Thiruvathira Njattuvela will take over and there will be many sunny interludes to accompany the intermittent downpours. Thank God it is raining every month in God's own country !

Astro Meteorology is right again !

Astro Meteorology's prediction that rains will start from Rohini Njattuvela ( Solar Transit of Aldebaran ) cam true, as it rained well at night in Trichur. Now the sky is overcast and rains can come at any time in Kerala. The South West Monsoon hit the Andamans on 20th and is expected to reach Kerala on 29th. We will have torrential rains !

The Seven Types of Ignorance !

Man is 'blessed' with seven types of ignorance. 



Cosmic Ignorance 

Ignorant we are about the origin, purpose and becoming of our existence in this Cosmos.

Absolute Ignorance

The Absolute is the source of all being and becoming. and we are ignorant of the Absolute.

Egotistic Ignorance

Egotistic Ignorance is that we are ignorant of the spaceless timeless and immortal self. We have only a short life.

Temporal Ignorance

We are ignorant of our eternal becoming in time; that is the fourth temporal ignorance.

Psychological Ignorance

This prevents us from knowing who we really are.

Constitutional Ignorance

We are also ignorant of the true constitution of our becoming..

Practical Ignorance

Because of greed and fear, we commit many a blunder and this is our Practical Ignorance.


We have to transcend this sevenfold Ignorance and rise to Integral Knowledge, which is needed for Enlightenment.

Thou held up the world !

Thou held up the world 
As the Giant Tortoise
The great Mandara Mountain
Gigantic, it rested on Thy back !

O Thou with immense hair !
Who assumed the form, Kurma
The Tortoise massive
Hail O Lord of the Universe !


Kṣitiḥ iha vipulatare
Tiṣṭhati; tava pṛṣṭhe
Dharaṇi-dhāraṇa
Kiṇa-cakra gariṣṭhe
Keśava dhṛta Kurma-śarīra
Jaya jagadīśa hare...
Zen and Tibetan Handicraft Masterpieces

Zen and Tibetan singing bowls are famous.  Such magnificent  handicraft
masterpieces characterise Nepal an Tibet.  The Himalayan Expanse, famous as
the "Root of the World", is famous for its mysticism  and  instruments of
Meditation and Relaxation ! singing bowl you tubeWe at   3rd  provide some of the finest
handicrafts from the Roof Top of the World. Known to have  profound
religious significance for both Hinduism and Buddhism, these places are
considered sacred by many.  We feature many fair trade items from Asia
including Malas, Clear Quartz Singing Bowls, Tibetan Prayer Flags, Tibetan
Herbal Incense, Ceramic Singing Bowls, Tingsha Meditation Chimes, Gongs,
Bells and Dorjes, Natural Handmade Soap, Mala Prayer Beads,Crystal Singing
Bowls, Himalayan Salt Lamps, Spouting Bowls, Hand Carved Wood Masks,
Himalayan Singing Bowls,  Tibetan Singing Bowls, Yoga and Meditation
Supplies, Himalayan Salt Lamps, Brass and Bronze Statues, Japanese Singing
Bowls and many other unique handicrafts at wholesale prices.

Karthika Njattuvela, the Solar Transit of the Pleiades strikes !

The Indian Astro Calender was proved right, as when Karthika Njattuvela began on 10th, it heralded the rains. It started raining at 0700 PM yesterday and rained continously for 12 hours ! I couldnt even work on FB, because of the heavy thunder and lightning. I stopped working on FB at 0900 PM.

Our Astro Calender says that it will start raining from 10th May and rains will intensify after 29th, when the Solar Transit of 15th degree of Taurus or Edavam takes place.

While this is Astro Meteorology's perspective, Meteorlogy will say that rains are due to depressions in the Indian Ocean or the Bay of Bengal, giving it some fancy names such as La Nina or El Nino !

Here is a photo of paddy fields inundated by yesterday's rains !

Thou art Ethics Personified !

Vitarasi dikṣuraṇe
Dik-pati kamanīyam
Daśa-mukha mauli-balim ramaṇīyam 
Keśava dhṛta-rāma-śarīra 
jaya jagadīśa hare...




O Thou who vanquished Ravana,
Thou distributed Ravana's remains
To the deities of directions ten,
As desired by all of them
O Thou who came as Lord Rama
O Thou with glorious hair
Hail to Thee, O Great One !

O Thou Protector of Intellectual Class !

In Thy incarnation as Parasurama
Sins were taken away from earth
From the rivers of blood of the warrior tribes
Giving relief to people good 
From the fire of existence material
O Thou with mighty hair !
Who accepted the form
Of warrior sage, Parasurama
Protector of the class intellectual
Salutations to the Lord of the Universe !


Kṣatriya-rudhira-maye
jagat apagatapāpam
snapayasi payasi
śamita bhava-tāpam
Keśava dhṛta- bhṛgupati-rūpa
jaya jagadīśa hare...

One yearn for rains !

It is a very hot day today and one yearns for the rains. The South West Monsoon will begin on 29th May, but before that rains are expected to appear after May 10th, when the Solar transit of the Pleiades or Karthika Njattuvela begins.


May there be plenty of rains and may be land become fertile, Kale Varshe thu parjanya prithvee sasya shalini !

Best definitions of Heaven and Hell !

The best definitions of Heaven and Hell were provided by a Malayalam poet.

What is Heaven ?
Is the Fulfillment of all desires
What is Hell ?
A soul in torment and agony.

Nakam ennal naragraha poorna siddhi than darshanam
Narakamo poriyunna orathmavin Roopam !

Union of Individual with the Universal !

Jayadeva's Song of the Lord, Geetha Govinda, is a great poem on Bhakthi Yoga Laya. 

Radha and Krishna symbolise the Lover Beloved Relationship between the Individual Soul and the Universal Soul, the Kamukee Kamuka Bhava of Jivatma and Paramatma . The Union between both the Individual and the Universal is symbolised by Radha Kalyanam.

With Thy massive steps
Thou deceived King Bali
O Dwarf Wonderful !
From the nails of Thy Lotus Feet
Water ( Ganges ) emanated
O Redeemer of all
O Mighty One of hair fine
Hail to Thee, O Great One !

Chalayasi vikramaṇe
Balim adbhuta-vāmana
Pada-nakha nīra-janita
Jana-pāvana
Keśava dhṛta-vāmana-rūpa
Jaya jagadīśa hare !

Thou art Kindness Personified !

Thou in Thy incarnation as Buddha
Decried the cruelties against animals
As priests were sacrificing goats
Saying they were ordained !

O Thou with immense hair
Who entered this world as Lord Buddha
To deliver men from Ignorance
All salutations to Thee !


Nindasi yajña vidheḥ
Ahaha śruti jātam
Sadayahṛdaya darśita paśu ghātam
Keśava dhṛta Buddha-śarīra
Jaya jagadīśa hare...

- Jayadeva