26,27 and 28 : Birthdays and Silver Jubilee 

I was born on 26th August,Friday,Dwadasi, Shulka paksh, month of Shravan, 0425 hours at Fatehpur,UP, Samvat 1996 corresponding to Gregorian calendare's 26th August 1939, 82 years back. Venita organised a get together. Only Barun and Bina  could come at lunch. In the evening Babloo,Neha and Akshat came. Akshat cut the cake. Pilku,Ruchi,Abhishree and Amolikaa had sent a beautiful Bouquet of flowers. Pravesh too sent flowers and some gifts.Friends and relations rang up and wished happy birthday. Venita distributed sweets and gave cash to guards and helps. A photo taken on the occasion :

On 27th we celebrated Silku's birthday. He was born today 51 years back. It was Thursday, Dwadasi, Krinapaksh , Bhadrapad, 08.07 pm at Jorhat, Assam , in Samvat 2027,corresponding to Gregorian Calendar's 27 August 1970.........We visited ISCON temple at Dwarka to pray for him and Pilku/Ruchi who got married on this day 25 years back in 1966. We celebrated their Silver jubilee occasion and Silku's birthday with Puja in the morning at home and later at ISCON temple. When Venita distributed sweets,cash to all helps and guards/ others on the day, a guard said ,'Madam you have already given us sweets and money yesterday.' She replied, 'Yesterday we gave for Saheb's birthday.Today it is for the birthday of our second son and anniversary of our first son.' Guard said,'We are getting sweets and money a couple of times every month besides on all festivals.'...... Venita looked quite happy........We had lunch with Mrs Prasad at Taj Vivant,Dwarka. She had come and joined us in prayers earlier at ISCON. We spent over four hours with her. Venita had met her on arrival at Dwarka quite a few days back. It was my first meeting after her bereavement. We propose to invite her to our place to spend one full day. We will then talk about Dr Prasad and our memories of him.
Quotable Quotes :"To see things in the seed, that is genius."Lao Tzu

 21, 22(Sunday),23,24 and 25th

We celebrated Rakshabandhan festival on 22nd. Shanno sent a beautiful Rakhi through Amazon. After puja Venita tied rakhi (sent by Shanno) on my hand and i tied one (Also sent by Shanno) on her hand........In the evening we had Sunday chat over WhatsApp for about an hour. Pilku/Ruchi/Babloo/Neha/Akshat joined in besides Venita and me. Abhishree and Amolikaa had gone out. Silku and his family could not join. We always miss them........We discussed Covid, new rules of quarantine and children's education. Ladies talked about new recipes.......Family will celebrate my birthday tomorrow (26th).

Quotable Quotes:"I don't think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains."Anne Frank

 20th

Alaynah's birthday was celebrated with her Nani/Nana/Mausi and cousins yesterday in Switzerland. This is how she looked on her birthday:

Quotable Quotes :"I am prepared for the worst, but hope for the best."Benjamin Disraeli

 19th : 

Alaynah was born today 

Alaynah was born today at Gurgaon, Haryana, 11 years back. According to Indian calendar, it was Navmi, Shuklapaksh, Shravan, Vikram Samvat 2067,11 am, Thursday, corresponding to  Gregorian calender's 19.08.2010 . We blessed her for long, happy and healthy life . Called her thrice .Could talk now at about 5'30 pm(IST). Like last year, she is Switzerland this year too.I gave her new name last year on this day. I called her Venus. She accepted it with objection. It is pleasure to talk to her. Venita did Puja and distributed sweets to all..... This year is special. Her Nani,Nana,Mausi and cousins are there to join her in birthday celebration.

Quotable Quotes :"I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck."Emma Goldman

 12 to 18th : On the eve of Alaynah’s birthday

We will celebrate Alaynah's birthday tomorrow (19th August). On the eve, i remember her sitting on her bent legs at the age of two/three years on the ground. It is considered as a digestive yogic posture. It is recommended asana for all of us after food. Two to three minutes are good enough. Whatever gift was given to her she would clutch it to her chest and acknowledge with an innocent giggle. She would come crawling, hold my leg and gesture to take her up in arms....Then I saw video showing her jumping into the Geneva lake from the springboards fearlessly. Finally i remember how  she explained meaning of various shades and contours of colours in her painting,given to me as gift before leaving for Switzerland. 

I am observing Ekadashi fast today."Ekadashi fast not only cleans your soul but also makes your body detoxified and the body metabolism good. Worshipers of Lord Vishnu are aware of the fast ." Google

Quotable Quotes:"The most I can do for my friend is simply be his friend."Henry David Thoreau

 6,7,8,9,10 and 11th

On Sunday the 8th August we had chat over WhatsApp for about one hour and 15 minutes. Pilku/ Ruchi/Babloo/Neha/Akshat/ Abhishree joined in. We discussed relaxation of quarantine requirement on arrival in London. I told about 'feel good' factor in life due to secretion of certain  hormones and usefulness of coconut oil massaging of scalp in the morning. Feel good response hormones are : 1. ENDORPHINS. You get it from exercise .2.DOPAMINE. You get in on accomplishment of many small and big tasks.3.SEROTONIN. You get when  you act in a way that benefits others.4. OXYCONTIN. When we become close to other human beings,hugging each may be such a phenomena. May try these and watch the results.

Quotable Quotes :"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does."William James

 4 and 5th

Three Gems of Daughters-in-law

I have written in one of my blogs earlier that we should not expect our daughter-in-law to behave like daughters. They should rather behave like daughter-in-law only.They should be graceful,kind and forgiving. Their in-laws should also have the same qualities.Now let us see how our daughters-in-laws measure up in the yardstick.

1. Ruchi 

In March 1997 i had been invited to deliver a lecture on Civil Defence at the Military college Pune. I asked Ruchi to join me there over dinner in the Army Mess. She came there from her work place in the afternoon. I joined her after lecture. I told her to take rest as we were likely to have a long evening. But she won't. I told in slightly high pitch to take rest. She obeyed and went to her bedroom. Later in the evening, i called her to get ready for the dinner. For quite some time there was no response. I become curious. After knocking the door, i went inside her room and found she was nowhere. I became anxious. I searched for her and found that she had hidden herself inside the bed cover cleverly. She came out laughing. I was greatly relieved. I told her to get ready quickly. She was graceful,kind and forgiving in her reactions.

2. Ritanbara

On an occasion,i had invited some friends for lunch at IIC. Of the three, Rinabara was the only daughter-in-law who could join in hosting the get-together. All our sons were present. Guests  were impressed with her pleasant manners and conversation. They congratulated us for her loving conduct and illustrious sons too. She was graceful and kind  in her behavior.

3. Neha

She is our youngest daughter-in-law. Soft spoken,courteous,well informed and extremely helpful to us and all. Takes initiative in all family matters. One day she and Babloo quarreled over a petty matter. On request by me she reconciled. Babloo and she were then staying with us at Vikaspuri. A graceful,kind and forgiving person.. 

We are lucky to be gifted with three Gems of daughters-in-law.

Quotable Quotes :"When ambition ends, happiness begins."Thomas Merton

 1,2 and 3rd August

We had chat for about one hour and 15 minutes over Whats-app on Sunday the 1st August. Pilku/Ruchi/Babloo/Neha/Akshat participated. Abhishree was busy watching gymnastics in Tokyo Olympics on TV. She is fond of gymnastics and practices them. Amolikaa had gone out with her friends. Pilku explained the British policy of opening life which had been locked down for long. As major part of the population is vaccinated with both the doses,they could live now a normal way as they lived in pre-Covid days. Schools and markets are open. Putting on masks is not compulsory..... Veniita,Ruchi and Neha talked for quite some time towards the end of the chat.

Quotable Quotes :"A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows."Francis of Assisi