I know I shoudn’t be quibbling over differences in light of the tsunami disaster (after all, Mother Nature didn’t discriminate, She spared no one – regardless of caste, color, age, or faith). But let’s not get blind-sighted, let’s put aside the tsunami, and take a look at something independently. I’d like to bring up the [...]
Something I hear often from Indians that makes them hesitate about contributing (or contributing as much as they would like to) is in trusting an organization and their efficiency. Out of my experience I can recommend one, which I contribute to annually. Click on Amma.Org – Tsunami Relief. The ashram/monastic life is pretty rigorous and [...]
Unicode Fonts If you find funny looking text on this blog then you probably don’t have unicode Tamil fonts (well not to mention if you don’t know Tamil, it might be funny looking anyway). All tamil text here is in unicode.After trying out different browsers and fonts, I found the best combination (i.e. clean Tamil [...]
Since I get this all the time… people asking what my name means since it’s not your typical Indian name, here it is. The name, Pari (पारि, பாரி) comes from Pari Vallal, the legendary 9CE Tamil Chola king (and later turned sage and philanthropist). In Tamil Nadu the story of Pari has been a long [...]
In Hindu cosmology asserts that the current universe is one of many and that time extends into the endless future and the endless past in cosmic cycles. For example a cycle of 4 Yugas (great ages/eras, consisting of Krta, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali Yuga, lasting 1.728, 1.296, 0.864, 0.432 million years respectively) is called a [...]
I visit India about once a year, and this time I came across this orphanage just 2 km from my home in Madurai. Decided to support it. I think if people take up at least one local cause to support it may be more effective than sending donations to organizations. I think it makes a [...]
As soon as a dung beetle has finished rolling a ball of dung it flees – the trajectory is in a straight line on moonlit nights, but erratic when cloudy sky. “To test whether the light of the moon was guiding the insects, the scientists placed a polarizing filter over ball-rolling beetles, which altered the [...]
Photograph of Dr. Abdul Kalam with Mata Amritanandamayi. What is it that these two have in common that makes them great? In word: humanism. They are both humanists. It is reflected by the compassion and thoughtfulness in every thought and action as leaders (Abdul Kalam as President of India, and Mata Amritanandamayi as the spiritual [...]
Dr. Kalam made this statement impromptu on noticing the extensive use of Microsoft Windows at an IT institute in Pune, while on a walk-through there. “The most unfortunate thing is that India still seems to believe in proprietary solutions. Further spread of IT which is influencing the daily life of individuals would have a devastating [...]
Preface I believe in astrology to certain a extent, i.e. only to the degree to which it is accurate today – which is to say, not much. I do believe there was a scientific basis for it, but that it is beyond our reach today, to the extent it can no longer be called a [...]