In this season of Thanksgiving - in USA

[Raji Ram]

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Dear Prasad Sir,

In the harvest festivals like Pongal and Onam are to thank the Almighty for bestowing food in abundance and to celebrate the

happiness with family and friends. Bhogi is to get rid of old stuff and many families give away used clothes to the poor instead of

burning them in fire. In Tamil Nadu we celebrate 'mAttup pongal' as a thanksgiving to the bulls and cows which help us, humans.

Let me not forget 'kanup pongal' of Tambrams when we feed the crows and pray for the good health of the brothers.

BTW Onam has religious significance because it is connected with Mahabali. :thumb:

Onam Festival falls during the Malayalam month of Chingam (Aug - Sep) and marks the commemoration of Vamanaavatara of

Vishnu and the subsequent homecoming of mythical King Mahabali

Source of quote: Onam - Wikipedia

 

[Raji Ram]

thanksgiving time - not a good time to be born a turkey in the usa or canada

Even if we are born, we should learn to

Picture courtesy: Run, You Turkey

 

[renuka]

Do we really need a day for any sort of Thanksgiving and then the rest of the year be a pest to the world?

This is the reason why I am not fond of any celebration of the religious/spiritual kind cos it does not really teach us to be good all year round but just for one day everyone gets high and intoxicated with spirituality and the very next day everyone is back to being themselves.

I feel there is no need for any outward festive display for gratitude be it Onam,Ponggal,Thanksgiving etc.

If you ask me if I owe as sense of gratitude in the real sense to anyone..my answer is NO!

Not that I am ungrateful but just that the fact remains existence itself is an interdependent life cycle..each living entity depends on each other in some way or the other in a transaction manner.


So I feel as long we show respect to each other..it should suffice.

One more thing I would like to highlight that is we Indians tend to lack the Thank You culture.

As a child whenever I used to say "Thank you" to my parents I still remember my mother saying that 'Thank you" is not used for close and dear ones.

But I beg to differ here..I say "Thank you" all the time to anyone and everyone including near and dear ones..cos that shows a sense of appreciation and acknowledgement for a favor done and this word also makes sure we do not take anyone for granted or be taken for granted.

"Thank you" is also a gentle reminder that one needs to earn that word by the right actions.

 

[renuka]

Dear Prasad Sir,

In the harvest festivals like Pongal and Onam are to thank the Almighty for bestowing food in abundance and to celebrate the

happiness with family and friends. Bhogi is to get rid of old stuff and many families give away used clothes to the poor instead of

burning them in fire. In Tamil Nadu we celebrate 'mAttup pongal' as a thanksgiving to the bulls and cows which help us, humans.

Let me not forget 'kanup pongal' of Tambrams when we feed the crows and pray for the good health of the brothers.

BTW Onam has religious significance because it is connected with Mahabali. :thumb:



Source of quote: Onam - Wikipedia

Dear RR ji,

Some of the Indian festivals are gender biased..always praying for the well being of some male...either husband or brothers.

How come no festival praying for benefit of females/transvestites etc??

 

[Raji Ram]

Do we really need a day for any sort of Thanksgiving and then the rest of the year be a pest to the world? .......

Dear Renu,

We need such festivals; otherwise life will be dull with the monotonous usual routine 24X7X365.25!!

Festivals are to buy new dresses for our family, eat goodies, greet one another and be merry! ( I won't say 'gay' :lol: )

You may argue that we can buy new dress on any day. But it won't be fun! If you look at the enthusiasm with which

people buy new stuff on festivals, you can understand the need of festivals, especially to children!

As a child whenever I used to say "Thank you" to my parents I still remember my mother saying that 'Thank you" is not used for close and dear ones.

Many of the elders say this because it will look too artificial to say 'Thank you' repeatedly! A friendly nod / loving smile will suffice!

BTW, celebrating a festival for thanksgiving does not imply that you should be thankless on other days of the year!

 

[renuka]

Dear Renu,

We need such festivals; otherwise life will be dull with the monotonous usual routine 24X7X365.25!!

Festivals are to buy new dresses for our family, eat goodies, greet one another and be merry! ( I won't say 'gay' :lol: )

You may argue that we can buy new dress on any day. But it won't be fun! If you look at the enthusiasm with which

people buy new stuff on festivals, you can understand the need of festivals, especially to children!

Many of the elders say this because it will look too artificial to say 'Thank you' repeatedly! A friendly nod / loving smile will suffice!

BTW, celebrating a festival for thanksgiving does not imply that you should be thankless on other days of the year!

Dear RR ji,

I buy new dresses almost every 2 weeks for myself.

I do not like shopping during festivals cos of the mad rush of festival frenzy people.

I also do not like to shop during sales cos even though price is less..crowd is too much..I cant stand crowds and one had to wait so long for the Fitting room/Trial room to fall vacant!

When it comes to my son just say for Diwali I shop for him a good 1 month before Diwali cos he cant stand crowds either.

Its nice to shop when less people are around.

 

[Raji Ram]

..... 1. Some of the Indian festivals are gender biased..always praying for the well being of some male...either husband or brothers.

2. How come no festival praying for benefit of females/transvestites etc??

Dear Renu,

1. Obvious reason is that our society is male chauvinistic! But we can argue that the males will be happy ONLY if their

better halves are healthy!

2. Transvestites have one huge get together and celebration at Koothandavar Temple.

Excerpt from India's Largest Hindu Celebration Of The Transgender Community

"Every spring, thousands of hijras (as male-to-female transgender people are known in India), eunuchs and cross-dressers

from all over India and neighboring countries flock to the southern Indian village of Koovagam, for Hindu festival celebrating

transgender people.The two day festival at Koothandavar Temple is held in honor of the Hindu deity Aravan (also known as

Iravan), who is believed to be the patron god of transgender communities."

 

[Raji Ram]

....... I buy new dresses almost every 2 weeks for myself.......

Wow Renu! :thumb:

How long do you use a new dress? And when do you give them away?

 

[Raji Ram]

It is said that a leading singer buys lots of silk sarees for her tour to the U S of A, use it once and sell it as seconds!

Such an idea because some mAmis keep track of the sarees worn by that singer!

P.S: I wonder how to stitch a blouse for the 'seconds' sale saree because almost all the sarees have blouses attached!

 

[renuka]

Wow Renu! :thumb:

How long do you use a new dress? And when do you give them away?

Dear RR ji,

I keep dresses for a long long time.

I still have some clothes which I wore 15 years ago!

I do not give away old clothes to the poor.

I only buy new clothes for the poor if I want to do charity cos I dont view giving away old clothes as charity.

So when my clothes get worn out I place them in the recycle area meant for clothes.

Some companies recycle old clothes.

 

[Nara]

Dear Sangom, another Thanksgiving tradition in the U.S.

Black Friday Marred By Violence In Several States

 

[sangom]

Dear Sangom, another Thanksgiving tradition in the U.S.

Black Friday Marred By Violence In Several States

I find that there is so much lawlessness in purchasing. They are just like Indians only!

 

[prasad1]

I find that there is so much lawlessness in purchasing. They are just like Indians only!

Is that a compliment or a put down?

There is corruption in every country, there is corruption in India too, what does it say?

Is it a revelation? LOL

 

[prasad1]

Dear Sangom, another Thanksgiving tradition in the U.S.

Black Friday Marred By Violence In Several States

Here's a question for you. What is the percentage of violence to the number of people involved? Is the percentage any higher than any other day? Where there are more people interacting, there will be more people having a dispute. It's only natural.

fishermen

 

[Raji Ram]

.........another Thanksgiving tradition in the U.S. Black Friday Marred By Violence In Several States

Oh! America!!
I pray Sing Chennai does not follow THIS during 'Adi thaLLupadi' and 'New year sale'!! :fear:

 

[prasad1]

Oh! America!!
I pray Sing Chennai does not follow THIS during 'Adi thaLLupadi' and 'New year sale'!! :fear:

This happens every day in Sarvana store in T. Nagar. and that is only at the entrance and elevators. Inside is worse.

 

[Raji Ram]

This happens every day in Sarvana store in T. Nagar. and that is only at the entrance and elevators. Inside is worse.

I have heard of verbal fights only and not any shooting or stabbing, Sir!!

My timing in Saravana stores is between 9 am and 9.30 am, when one of the helper girls follow me to carry my purchase! :thumb: