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by a Thinker, Sailor, Blogger, Irreverent Guy from Madras

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A Doodle for APJ Abdul Kalam

Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdin Abdul Kalam, the 11th President of India collapsed and died, while addressing the students at IIM Shillong, Meghalaya on 27 July 2015.  An innovating Scientist, one of his technology spinoffs Kalam-Raju Stent collapsed foreign coronary-stent market in India.  Before he became the “People’s President”, Abdul Kalam was known as India’s ‘Missile Man’. 

From a boy who sold newspapers to help out his family, to the Project Director of the first indigenous satellite launch – Rohini by Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-3), to develop a quiver of missiles including Prithvi and Agni – the China Killer, and a large hand in Pokhran II, when the Buddha Smiled for the 2nd time – Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam did a yeoman service to the nation.

He was an extraordinary man - a Muslim steeped in Hindu culture, a scientist who could play the rudra-veena, a practising Muslim who performed namaz and yet listened to Carnatic devotional music.

There are at least 30 books written by APJ Abdul Kalam that I know.  The most famous of them are the Wings of Fire and India 2020.  Goodreads has a fine list and review of them here.

Google may or may not release a Doodle for his Birth Centenary.  Even if they do, it is another 17 years away.  So here is a Moodle instead of a Google Doodle in homage to APJ Abdul Kalam (1931-2015).

abdul-kalam-1931-2015-doodle
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Implications of Gurdaspur Terror Attack

Live Status on #Gurdaspur #TerrorAttack tagged by www.madmadrasi.net
Read more at the link http://j.mp/1fyD0UJ
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Terrorist attack in Gurdaspur

Is Gurdaspur #TerrorAttack related to #Khalistan tagged by www.madmadrasi.net
Read more at the link http://j.mp/1gYwuaJ
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IPL spot fixer Sreesanth is innocent


Read more at the link http://j.mp/1TZ1m9m
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Captain Jack Sparrow rishaw puller in Delhi


Read more at the link http://j.mp/1Imosmq
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Aadi Dakshinaayana Tharpanam in Tamil, English and Sanskrit

The Dhakshinayana Punayakalam  (தக்ஷிணாயன) or the transition of the movement of the Sun from the Northern to Southern Hemisphere is believed to occur on the onset of the Tamil month of Aadi (ஆடி).  In truth, because of the tilt in Earth’s axis, the Sun appears to to transit the sky north of the celestial equator during part of the year – Uththarayana (உத்தராணாயன)and south of the celestial equator the other part of the year – Dhakshinayana (தக்ஷிணாயன) .

They are respectively the Mesha Ravi occurring in January around Pongal, and the Kataka Ravi occurring in July.  In 2015, the Kataka Ravi or the Dhakshinayana punyakalam starts on 17th July 2015.  The Sankalpam for the birth of the month of Aadi or the Dakshninayana punya kalam is given in Tamil, English (IAST), and in Devanagri script.  The Tharpanam itself is to be performed before 10:50 IST on Friday, 17 July 2015.

Sankalpam in Tamil:

… மன்மத-நாம-ஸம்வத்ஸரே, உத்தராயணே,  க்ரீஷ்ம-ருதௌ, மிதுன-மாஸே, சுக்ல-பக்ஷே, பிரதமாயாம் (till 08:23 IST ) / த்விதீயாயாம் (from  08:23 IST) -புண்யதிதௌ, ப்ருகு-வாஸர-யுக்த்தாயாம், புஷ்ய -நக்ஷத்ர-யுக்த்தாயாம், ஸ்ரீவிஷ்ணு -யோக, விஷ்ணு-கரண ஏவங்குண விஷேஷன விஷிஷ்டாயாம், அஸ்யாம், பிரதமாயாம் (till 08:23 IST ) / த்விதீயாயாம் (from  08:23 IST) -புண்யதிதௌ, … (ப்ராசீநாவீதி - பூணூல் இடம்) ... .... ... தக்ஷிணாயன சம்க்ஞக, கர்கடக ரவி ஸங்க்ரமண புண்யகாலே, கர்கடக ரவி ஸங்க்ரமண ஸ்ரார்த்தம், தில தர்ப்பண ரூபேண அத்ய கரிஷ்யே |

 

Sankalpam in English script (IAST):

manmatha nāma saṁvatsare, utatarāyāṇe, grīṣma-ṛtau, mithuna-māse, śukla-pakṣe, prathamāyām (till 08:23 IST) / dvitīyāyām (from 08:23 IST)   -puṇyatithau, brugu-vāsara yuktāyāṁ, puṣya-nakṣatra yuktāyāṁ, śri-viśṇu-yoga, śri-viśṇu-karaṇa, evaṁguṇa-viśeṣaṇa-viśiṣṭāyāṁ, asyāṁ,prathamāyām (till 08:23 IST) / dvitīyāyām (from 08:23 IST)-puṇyatithau, … (prācīnāvītī) … … …  dakṣiṇāyana samñjaka karkaṭaka ravi saṅgramaṇa puṇyakāle, karkaṭaka ravi saṅgramaṇa śrārdhdhaṁ, thila tarppaṇa rūpeṇa adhya kariṣye |

 

Sankalpam in Devanagari script:

… मन्मथ नाम संवत्सरे, उततरायाणे, ग्रीष्म-ऋतौ, मिथुन-मासे, शुक्ल-पक्षे, प्रथमायाम्  (till  08:23 IST) / द्वितीयायाम् (from 08:23 IST)-पुण्यतिथौ, ब्रुगु-वासर युक्तायां, पुष्य-नक्षत्र युक्तायां, श्रि-विश्णु-योग, श्रि-विश्णु-करण, एवंगुण-विशेषण-विशिष्टायां, अस्यां, प्रथमायाम्  (till  08:23 IST) / द्वितीयायाम् (from 08:23 IST)-पुण्यतिथौ,… (प्राचीनावीती) ... ... ... दक्षिणायन सम्ञ्जक, कर्कटक रवि सङ्ग्रमण पुण्यकाले, कर्कटक रवि सङ्ग्रमण श्रार्ध्धं, थिल तर्प्पण रूपेण अध्य करिष्ये |

uthrayan-dakshnayan

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Aani Amavasya 2015 Tharpana Sankalpam in Tamil, English, Sanskrit

In this year, Aani Amavasya occurs on Wednesday, 15 July 2015.  This Amavasya is a Sarva Amavasya (ஸர்வ-அமாவாசை), which means there is no separate Bhodanaya Amavasya occurring in the Tamil month of Aani, or July 2015.

For everyone, here is the Aani Amavasya 2015 Tharpana Sankalpam in Tamil, English (IAST) and Sanskrit/Devanagri scripts.

Note:  Due to the differences between the Tamil Hindu Sidereal Calendar (and to an an extent Malayalam Calendar), vis-a-vis the Hindu Solar Calendar used by other people, this Sankalpam is useful / meant for only Tamil people.  Essentially, the month, which in Tamil Calendar usually starts on/near a New Moon day, will differ.

in Tamil script:
… மன்மத-நாம-ஸம்வத்ஸரே, உத்தராயணே,  க்ரீஷ்ம-ருதௌ, மிதுன-மாஸே, க்ருஷ்ண-பக்ஷே, சதுற்தஷ்யாம் (till 07:29 IST ) / அமாவாஸ்யாயாம் (from  07:29 IST) -புண்யதிதௌ, ஸௌம்ய -வாஸர-யுக்த்தாயாம், ஆர்த்ரா-நக்ஷத்ர-யுக்த்தாயாம், வியாகாத-யோக, ஷகுனி (till  07:29 IST ) / சதுஷ்பாத் (from  07:29 IST ) -கரண ஏவங்குண விஷேஷன விஷிஷ்டாயாம், அஸ்யாம், சதுற்தஷ்யாம் (till 07:29 IST ) / அமாவாஸ்யாயாம் (from  07:29 IST)-புண்யதிதௌ … (ப்ராசீநாவீதி - பூணூல் இடம்) ...

in Devanagari script:
… मन्मथ नाम संवत्सरे, उततरायाणे, ग्रीष्म-ऋतौ, मिथुन-मासे, क्रुष्ण-पक्षे, चतुर्दश्यां (till  07:29 IST) अमावास्यायां (from 07:29 IST)-पुण्यतिथौ, सौम्य -वासर युक्तायां, आर्द्रा-नक्षत्र युक्तायां, श्रि-विश्णु-योग, श्रि-विश्णु-करण, एवंगुण-विशेषण-विशिष्टायां, अस्यां, चतुर्दश्यां (till  07:29 IST) अमावास्यायां (from 07:29 IST) पुण्यतिथौ … (प्राचीनावीती) ...

in English (IAST)
… manmatha nāma saṁvatsare, utatarāyāṇe, grīṣma-ṛtau, mithuna-māse, kruṣṇa-pakṣe, caturdaśyāṁ  (till  07:29 IST)   amāvāsyāyāṁ  (from 07:29 IST) –puṇyatithau, saumya -vāsara yuktāyāṁ, ārdrā-nakṣatra yuktāyāṁ, śri-viśṇu-yoga, śri-viśṇu-karaṇa, evaṁguṇa-viśeṣaṇa-viśiṣṭāyāṁ, asyāṁ, caturdaśyāṁ  (till  07:29 IST)   amāvāsyāyāṁ  (from 07:29 IST)-puṇyatithau, … (prācīnāvītī) … 



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Can the BJP win the Bihar Assembly Elections 2015

Bihar 2015 would be an interesting election to watch - because the Nitish Kumar-Lalu Prasad Yadav-Congress while formidable on paper, does not appear to be so formidable in reality.  OTOH, Modi's image is in tatters.  The biggest plus of BJP in 2014 - a scam free government, is a joke now.

I have a feeling (just like my correct prediction that Jitan Ram Manjhi would resign without facing the Assembly) that it is neck and neck election fight in Bihar. And whichever party has the stamina, the will, and the hunger to win, will do so.

With that criteria, I would place my money (not that I am a betting man) on the BJP.  They have all the 3, especially a very strong urge to dislodge Nitish Kumar and occupy CM's chair.

Nitish Kumar is actually on shaky ground, after resigning for poor show in 2014 General Elections, and then throwing a tantrum at Jitan Ram Manjhi – his own anointed successor.  Moreover he has to constantly watch over his back at Lalu Prasad Yadav.  The wily Lalu is playing a very shrewd waiting game, as he feels his bread is buttered on both sides.

If Nitish Kumar wins, Lalu can take his pound of flesh by once again tasting power in a coalition government.  If Nitish loses, and does a ‘moral-responsibility-for-loss’ drama once again, à la 2014, Lalu will strike, and once he gets in, Lalu is no Manjhi to topple with ease.

As for the Congress, the party seems to have lost its will to fight.  It seems to have adopted the US political strategy of not fighting in losing states, but concentrating on marginal or swing states.  It happened in Gujarat Assembly elections and in TN during Gen. Elections.  The Congress have simply given up the fight in those states.

More horribly, they have started to believe the US political strategy in its entirety.  The Congress believes there are states dyed eternally 'Blue' and 'Red' like in the USA.  They forget that in India, there are no more 'with you forever' states, either for the Congress, the BJP, or even the Communists (even the 7 sisters of North East are churning).  This wrong assumption of a strong Blue state or orientation makes the Congress blunder their winning chances due to overconfidence - it happened in Punjab Assembly elections.

The political reality in India is that you fight everywhere, with full vigour, even where your party seems to be weak.  In India such a show of presence acts as a catalyst, and creates a 'wave'.  It happened with Narendra Modi in General Elections.  Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are two politicians who have thoroughly understood this point, and hence their relentless membership drive, radio talk shows, digital dramas, et al.

Thus, I feel the BJP has a slight edge going into election day in Bihar.

(image courtesy newsmobile.in)

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PM Modi need not answer on 'silly issues'


Read more at the link http://j.mp/1NKQec7
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Has PM Narendra Modi lost the plot

A popular legend is that when Rome burned in 64 CE, its Emperor Nero was playing a fiddle.  Almost 2000 years later, people question whether the self-styled Hero of Hindustan, the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is fiddling with Selfie when India is churning.

The legend of the decadent Nero playing a fiddle is totally untrue.  The simple reason is the instrument ‘fiddle’ was not invented almost a 1000 years after his death.  But no such defence can cover the current PM Narendra Modi.  For one, the proclivity of the high and mighty (and even of some not so mighty) are regularly archived for posterity in the digital age.

Thus, every media savvy person in India is well aware that the PM Narendra Modi wore a totally obnoxious pinstripe suit with his own name embroidered 10,000 times or more when President Obama visited India.  Even people who are not so media savvy are aware by now about the alleged (and in some cases, shamelessly admitted) scams involving:
  • two senior ministers of his own cabinet – Sushma Swaraj, Smiriti Irani;
  • two senior Chief Ministers of his own BJP party – Shivraj Chauhan, Vasudhara Raje; and,
  • two ministers in Maharashtra of his own party – Pankaja Munde, Vinod Tawde.
Though the first of the scandals broke almost 2 weeks back, and the last one became known only yesterday, there has not been a peep or a tweet from the Prime Minister Modi or his office. 

Yet, a couple of days ago, the same Narendra Modi created an internet rage, by asking people to post their picture with their daughter with the Twitter hashtag #SelfieWithDaughter.  Though the intention behind the campaign had good intentions – to highlight the importance of girl child – the potential for abuse of those images has been conveniently overlooked.

Today, the PM is all set to launch his next pet project – Digital India – by inaugurating a video conference with / between two village panchayats near Indore, Madhya Pradesh.  Incidentally it is the same state wherein the ruling BJP is embroiled in a massive admission and recruitment scam (Vyapam Scam), and where around 33 persons, accused of involvement in the scam, mostly aged between 25 to 40 have died under suspicious circumstances.

All the while, the national opposition has questioned the absolute silence maintained by the PM on the questions raised.  On the one hand, it is true that we should not expect a PM to reply to every question raised to him, as he has better things to do.

But Four or Five scandals, a couple of which read like a Mitch Rapp novel full of intrigue, back-scratching, and high level conspiracies, does need clarifications from the man, who self-styled himself as the Hero of Hindustan.  Else history will document him as a vainglorious meddler who tweeted about selfies while his home was churning.




(original cartoon by Chris Riddell of Gordon Brown of 22/03/2009 modified for Modi and animated GIF by yours truly)
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