Mahaswamigal's Anusham (Anuradha) Nakshatram Days in the year 2016 (IST times)

January 7, 2016 – Thursday

Time is from 7:27 AM on January 6, 2016 to 8:56 AM on January 7

February 3, 2016 – Wednesday

Time is from 4:16 PM on February 2 to 6:08 PM on February 3

March 1, 2016 – Tuesday

Time is from 12:18 AM on March 1 to 2:37 AM on March 2

March 29, 2016 – Tuesday

Time is from 7:06 AM on March 28 to 9:40 AM on March 29, 2016

April 25, 2016 – Monday

Time is from 1:07 PM on April 24 to 3:40 PM on April 25, 2016

May 22, 2016 – Sunday

Time is from 7:11 PM on May 21 to 9:34 PM on May 22

June 18, 2016 – Saturday

Time is from 1:58 AM on June 18 to 4:14 AM on June 19

July 16, 2016 – Saturday

Time is from 9:37 AM on July 15 to 11:56 AM on July 16

August 12, 2016 – Friday

Time is from 5:45 PM on August 11 to 8:17 PM on August 12, 2016

September 8, 2016 – Thursday

Time is from 1:38 AM on September 8 to 4:26 AM on September 9

October 6, 2016 – Thursday

Time is from 8:44 AM on October 5 to 11:41 AM on October 6

November 2, 2016 – Wednesday

Time is from 3:01 PM on November 1 to 5:27 PM on November 2

November 29, 2016 – Tuesday

Time is from 9:05 PM on November 28 to 11:56 PM on November 29

December 26, 2016 – Monday

Time is from 3:38 AM on December 26 to 6:27 AM on December 27, 2016

Courtesy: http://www.hindu-blog.com/

On each Anusham Day, we can recite Swamigal's 108 Names found in this link http://vandeguruparamparaam.blogspot.com/2014/02/mahaperiyava-and-pudhu-periyava.html and offer a flower after chanting each Name to His Photo or Vigraham. We can light a Lamp near His photo and at the end of the recitation we can give Milk or Coconut or Jaggery or any Fruits or any simple Prasadham made at Home as an Offering to Him!

A blessed Anusham to Everyone!

Shankara.

Kalki Artist Shri Vinu's incredible paintings!

'Voice of Kanchi Swamigal' Shri Ra Ganapathi and Sri Vinu the artist of Kalki magazine  went and had darshan of Sri Mahaperiyava.

Spoke to Shri Vinu's son in law Shri Anantharaman today. He told me that Shri Vinu had drawn Kamakshi originally on a 6 feet by 4 feet canvas and had it framed. Four people carried it to Tirupati to have the Anugraham of Swamigal, Who was camped at that time. Swamigal on seeing them coming, told the people around:

"Make way, make way, Ambal is coming!"

Then He symbolically wrote 'Om' over the picture.  He asked Shri Vinu, " Have you closed Her eyes?" Shri Vinu replied, "Yes."

Swamigal then replied, 'Yes, that is the way it should be! For She is Thapas Kamakshi!"

And then Kalki magazine published the picture of Kamakshi in their 1969 edition!

He also mentioned that Shri Vinu's drawings are seen on the covers of the first six volumes of Deivathin Kural. (Voice of God book).

These drawings of Sri Mahaperiyava, Sri Anjaneya swamy and Kamakshi Ambal  by Vinu was blessed by Sri Mahaperiyava . Now it is available for Rs 120 only ( all the three paintings) + Rs 80/ for packing and courier. Along with the three pictures they also provide a Hanuman Pooja book free of cost. 

I spoke to Shri Sivaraman  and he mentioned that Shri Vinu's family is not doing well financially and hence the request. Those interested please contact Shri C V Anantharaman, son in law of Shri Vinu, at 97913 55593.

Here are the online transfer details:

Bank Account Name: C.V. Anantharaman

Bank Account Number: 046900101011803

Bank IFSC code: CORP0000469

Bank: Corporation Bank, Tambaram Sanatorium branch

Please mention your home address where you want the drawings to be sent and send an email to Smt Kalyani at kalyani1956@yahoo.com. She is the daughter of Shri Vinu.
Their family also has a Maruti Trust and do their bit for the society like poor family's children's education, old people and the physically challenged ones.

Please, let us not judge anyone's motive and simply help without any reservations. And let us not take printouts of these pictures, but instead buy them from their family!

Now, how about those paintings! Incredible are they not! Shankara.

Thanks a ton everyone!

"Can you stay with Me for 10 days?!"

1) "Can you stay with Me for 10 days?"
=============================

"My wife and I went to Hampi to have darshan of Kanchi Swamigal who was camping there. I had His darshan at 10 am. He asked me, "For how many days are you going to stay here?”

"For three days", I replied.

He thought for a while and said, "Can you stay with Me for 10 days?"

I excused myself saying, "I have come on three days casual leave. My office will not extend it!"

The Swamigal said, “ All right you stay here for three days.”

But at 4 pm that day Swamigal told me, "In the morning when I had asked if you can to stay here for 10 days, you said you would not be able to so. Now, I want you leave for Hyderabad tonight itself!"

I was shocked to hear this from Him. Why is He asking me to leave today itself? Was something wrong with my family members back home? Such worries began to consume me.

I bid farewell to Swamigal and left, obeying Him implicitly!

I reached the railway station and cancelled my tickets which were originally for departing Hampi 3 days later. When my wife and I were talking to each other and saying we would travel in an unreserved coach, the Station Master overheard us and informed us that someone had cancelled two berths a little earlier!

He said, “If you are interested I can allot those vacant berths to you.” :)))

Oh, what to say of Swamigal's compassion for me! He had arranged two berths for us!

The next day as the train approached the suburbs of Hyderabad, we found people throwing a stones on the train. We were asked by the Travelling Ticket Examiner to pull down the wooden shutters. And stones were pelted all through the next 45 minutes until we reached Kacheguda station in Hyderabad.

When we alighted from the train we asked the locals if anything was wrong. They said that the Janata Government in Delhi had arrested Indira Gandhi at 7 pm the previous day. As Andhra Pradesh was being ruled by the Congress Party, its members were protesting!

Mrs Gandhi was arrested only at 7 pm. The Swamigal asked me to leave at 4 pm itself! And believe it or not, the trains were cancelled for the next 9 days! In the morning itself He knew that there would not be train services for 9 days and that is why He had asked us if we could stay for 10 days!

And now when I think of how my Compassionate Mother took care of me, I shudder at His mercy!"



2) "Did you not hear Swamigal call out your name?"
=======================================

"On one occasion, I went, along with my wife, to Karvetnagar in Chittoor district where the Swamigal was camping.

It was evening. He was not in the camp and I was told that He had gone to a nearby village. The people told me that I could reach the village quickly if I could go through the dried fields. Otherwise, it would take a long time, if I took a circuitous route.

As I went along the narrow bunds separating the fields, I found the Swamigal returning to Karvetnagar, walking briskly on the narrow bunds. I walked along with Him to His camp.

There is a big tank in Karvetnagar. When the Swamigal was conversing with some others, I found a foreigner standing, with folded hands, on the other side of the tank. I went to him to find out from which country he had come.

Even as I was talking to him, my wife came running and asking, “Did you not hear Him calling you, Ganesan, Ganesan...?”

Shankara, what blessings!

I immediately returned to where the Swamigal was.

He asked me, “What do you propose to have for dinner?”

I replied that we had brought chapathis with us!

Endowed with great humour, He said, “You brought some chapathis because you did not expect the Sanyasi to you food for dinner?!” :)))

When I just smiled, He said, “I know you have programmed to leave early in the morning. Don’t do so. The government has deprived the Raja of Karvetnagar of the privy purse it had promised. He is now down and out. You wait till lunch time and have food in his house. And, you give him whatever you can!”

The Walking God not only provided food for me but also some money to the former Raja of Karvetnagar.

What a compassion!


3) "Swamigal raised His hand and the car stopped that very instant!"
===================================================

Once I went to Nandigama, in Krishna district, in my car to have Darshan of Swamigal. I was told that He had gone to a nearby river for a bath. So, I drove my car towards the river. I had to go on an embankment. After I drove a short distance I saw the Swamigal returning along with some persons.

As the embankment was not wide enough to take a U-turn, I started to reverse the car. After few seconds, Swamigal on seeing this, raised His hand. And the car stopped at that very instant! I found agriculturists working in the nearby fields shouting and running towards me. I wondered what was wrong. When I looked back I saw that if the car had moved even an inch it would have fallen down the bund!

Soon, the farmers helped to push the car forward to safety! The Walking God had saved me by stopping my car.

*****

I chanced to meet the richly blessed 'The Hindu' Ganesan Mama and his Mami at my wife's cousin's 60th wedding celebrations at Hyderabad on July 29th, 2015 and boy, did I get a treasure!

Mama was the reporter of The Hindu based out of Hyderabad and had interacted with Swamigal for almost 30 years!

In the picture are Mama and Mami with my wife and myself!

"Walk chanting Vishnu Sahasranamam!", were His orders!

The day of 1978 April 16th, Thirty seven years back!
Starting as usual at three in the early morning, after having darshan at Shri Kamakshiamman temple, and then at Sureshvaracharya's sannidhi--divine abode, at Shrimatham, He started his Satara Padayatra--travel on foot, towards a gramam--village, called Kizhambi. Kanchipuram-vasis--residents of KanchIpuram, assembling in large numbers, supplicated to him in tears, not to go on yatra for bahuduram--long distance.
Periyaval was observing kashta maunam--complete, inactive silence. Without showing any signs, He continued to walk. From a place called Chinnappa Samudram, on the way to Anantapur, we stayed in a village called Katri. In this village, there is a puratana--ancient, Lakshmi Narasimha temple.
Starting from Anantapur and arriving at Sanghamesvaram, we then proceeded and stayed in a dilapidated mandapam--pavilion, in a place called Tammapuram.
The date of June 27, 1978 is one that cannot be forgotten in my life! On that auspicious day, I had the fortune of having darshan of Maha-Periyaval and Pudhu-Periyaval together. In that small mandapam in disrepair, the trikala--thrice a day, ChandramaulIshvara puja was performed in a grand manner.
From Tammapuram, through the place called Dadi-badri, we arrived at a place called Kutthi. A grand reception for Periyaval in that town. The chippantis--staff, and the town people had made elaborate facilities for our stay. Everyone was in utsaham--joy.
Then, from that place, we reached a small village named Rajapuram, at a distance of five kilometers. It was a day (13.7.78) of alpa-dvadashi: that is, dvadashi lasted only up to ten in the morning on that day. So, finishing our paranai--(Tamizh) food, before ten o' clock, we started towards a village called Timmanjcharia, thirty kilometers away. Without stopping anywhere en route, we were walking slowly. The time of night arrived. In addition, it started raining heavily! Hailstorm with thunder!
The path ahead was totally invisible! No sight of the ups and downs on the road was possible, and the legs slipped often. A good building was seen nearby. We had the yearning if Periyava would tell us, "We can stay there".
"Walk chanting Vishnu Sahasranamam!", were His orders! In other words, it was understood that we were not going to stay anywhere en route!

At that time, Panampattu Kannan and I were going in the front, dragging the cycle rickshaw. Shrikanthan mama and Shri Balu mama came behind, along with Periyava, pushing the rickshaw. Mettur Rajagopala mama came behind, on the right side of the rickshaw. Leading us was Shri Chandramauli (Chinu mama's son), signalling us through our passage with an electric torchlight.
It was eleven-thirty at night when we reached Timmanjcharia! The next morning we reached a bigger place called Gundakkal. The mukham--camp, was at Gundakkal. A day after, I had to get back to Kutthi for a task. I went looking at the road I passed through. Only then it was known that the path we walked through two days back was a pukka jungle path!
*****

author: Shri Induvasan
compiler: Shri T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
translator: Shri Saidevo
source: Maha Periyaval darisana anubhavangaL v03-p033-055
publisher: Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)

For the Satara Vijaya Yatra Swamigal had actually left Theynambakkam on April 15th, 1978 for Kanchipuram Matam and from the Matam He continued His yatra. It will be interesting to note that Swamigal retruned to Kanchi on Tamil New Year day April 14th 1984, thereby exactly completing 6 years of the Vijaya Yatra! In the above picture Periyava is seen near the Rickshaw with Devotees at Miraj in Southern Maharashtra during His Satara Vijaya Yatra.

"Come, I will show you Lord Shiva!"

Pradosham Mama and Mami

On my wedding anniversary last week I was praying to Appa as always saying, "I want only 

Your Padhuka. Nothing else like a saree or gold interests me any longer". And after I did 

the Pooja I settled down for my afternoon siesta.And my Guru Pradhosham Mama came! I 

am standing inside some temple. Mama comes to me (I have not seen him in my life) and 

says, "Vaa, unakku sivanai kattaren, Come, I will show you Lord Shiva!", and walks inside 

the Garbagraham, the innermost Sanctum Santorum.

I hesitate and ask him, "Can ladies come inside?"

He replies, "Nee vaa, naan kuttindu poren, You come, I will take you inside!"

And I cross the steps made of gold and enter the Garbagraham with him!

Inside I see an open space full of sand and Appa sitting with His Dhandam. I exclaim, "It is 

so hot, why can't someone hold an umbrella for Appa?"

Mama starts exclaiming in a loud voice, "Annamalayane, Arunachala, Mahaprabho!" And 

these are the same expressions Mama used to address Appa during their divine 

interactions in real life! Now suddenly it dawns on me it is indeed Lord Shiva I am looking at!

At this point I woke me up from the middle of my sleep.

But I had Darshan of my Guru and Appa and was dazed for a few hours. I still can't believe 

that my Guru has blessed me by coming in my dream along with our Mahaguru!

The following part happened on Sunday the March 15th. I had planned to go to Kanchi only 

on Monday. Today around 1 pm I called Rajaji mama and told him that I am planning to go 

to Kanchi on Monday March 16th. He requested me to pray for his daughter as he cannot 

travel much. I told told him that I will surely do. Within 5 minutes Mama called me again and 

said, "Shall we go to Kanchi around 2:30 pm today itself? My car and driver are free!"

I was shocked and said, "Yes I will come!"

My husband said, "If Appa is calling you now something must be in store!" I never imagined 

I will get His Padhuka then.

We arrived at Kanchi Matam at around 4:45 pm. Mama prayed for his daughter and I 

prayed for my nephew! While leaving, as always, I asked Hari mama (he is one at the 

Adhishtanam) to whisper into Appa's ears that I should get His Padhuka soon! Hari Mama 

told me, "Will you do it if I tell you to do something?"

I said Yes.

He said, "Go and meet HH Pudhu Periyava and tell Him you want Appa's Padhuka for 

doing  Pooja at home. He may or may not give, but if He gives it, bring them to me!"

Rajaji mama advised me thus: "You tell HH Pudhu Periyava that Appa has done kanya 

pooja for you when you were a little girl. And that now, you want to keep His Padhuka at 

home and pray. You must bless me!" When I entered Pudhu Periyava's darshan place and 

saw Him words failed me! Slowly I collected myself asked Him the same. He looked at me 

for a few minutes intently and then started giving Prasadam to other devotees. I was 

standing there for a few minutes. Then He called His Kaingaryam person, showed His feet 

in gesture and also a lock and key by hand gestures!

The Kaingaryam person went inside and got the Padhukas. Pudhu Periyava Swamigal kept 

it in a plate put lot of kumkum and blessed me and asked me to keep it at the Adhishtanam 

and then take it!

<Shankara. I am finding it impossible to type now!>

I started crying and by the time I came to Adhishtanam I was crying loudly! <Shankara>

Hari Mama asked, "Padhuka kedachudha? unakku kudukkama ungappa vera yarukku 

kuduppa! Did you get the Padhuka? Will your Appa ignore you ever?"

He kept it at Appa's feet, got a vastram cloth of Appa from Adhishtanam and kept the 

padhuka on it and did Ashtothram archana filling it completely with flowers! When he 

finished the Ashtothram a big bunch of flowers fell from Appa's head on to the plate! The 

devotees around exclaimed AAAAHHHH !!!!!

<Shankara. Is it possible for anyone not to cry now!>

My joy knew no bounds! Crying I carried Him around the Adhishtanam. I have never felt this 

happy in life. Rajaji Mama and Mami are such genuine and pure souls and were elated to 

witness this! I told mama that Appa has decided that He has to come to my home in a car. 

That's why He has made us plan this trip suddenly!

<Shankara>

Went to Kamakshi temple and Pradhosham mama's place too yesterday. They were also 

happy that I got Appa's Padhuka. What I had prayed there on last Anusham (last month) 

has come true! And pradhosham mama my Guru had come in my dream on Monday and 

indicated this to me !!!!! I only failed to realise this....

*****

The top picture shows His Padhukas that Chithra was blessed with, the one below shows 

the Padhukas placed at His Lotus Feet at the Adhistanam.

Even devotees like Vikku Vinayakaram Mama and his brothers and other devotees like 

violinists Ganesh and Kumaresh used to go to the feet of their Guru Pradosham Mama, if 

they wanted something from Swamigal. They never used to approach Swamigal directly. If 

Pradosham Mama blessed them, then Swamigal would surely grant their wishes. That is 

how much Pradosham Mama was in sync with Swamigal. This is what has happened 

to Chithra V Subramanian too!

I have been spellbound at His infinite grace for devotees like Pradosham Mama, Pollachi 

Jayam Patti, her son Shri Chandrashekar, Thiruvannamalai Gowrishankar Mama, Rajaji 

Mama, Mecheri Pattu Sastrigal, Ramadurai Mama, Ramanathan Chettiar Mama, Smt 

Kamala Gourishankar Mami and her husband and many, many others, countless of them, 

when He was in the Sthoola Shariram.

I was not there physically to witness His grace upon the devotees mentioned in the 

previous paragraph, but now I am blessed to have a ringside front seat to witness His 

magical grace upon His sweet child Chithra. I am more spellbound now, given that He is 

not in His Sthoola Shariram now.

One of the most happiest days of my life. Shankara.

"'Tomorrow, I am going to meet all three Shankaracharyas!"

Raja told me that once my brother (Shri L Vaidyanathan) took him to Mookambika. 

My brother used to go there regularly. My brother told him, 'Even though you do not believe 

in God, you just accompany me once!'.

Raja told me once he stepped in, something happened to him and he felt some 

vibrations. Even though he was already a composer by that time, post his visit, there was a 

big change and transition in his compositions. From then on, everything he composed 

clicked with the public and his life changed. Raja then also went to Tiruvannamalai and he 

told me that after going there, whatever questions he had, got answered. Raja became 

completely spiritual and used to go to these two places from that time onwards. Raja has 

been one of my closest friends.

Once he came to my concert and told me:

"Tomorrow, I am going to meet all three Shankaracharyas. Would you like to come?"

I went with him and that is the first time I met all three of Them together! I had once 

played for the senior Shankaracharya many years back and I was shocked when He looked 

at me and immediately recognised me!

Raja and me sat with Him in the dark with just a little candle for a lot of time and Raja 

also contributed to the building of His Gopuram (top part of the Srirangam temple).

*****

Source: Times of India

Narrated by eminent violinist Shri L Subramanian. 'Raja' is legendary music composer 

Shri Ilayaraja! The occasion was, when for the first time in the history of the 

Sri Kanchi Matam, the three Acharyas performed Vyasa puja at Kurnool in the year 1983.

Shri L Subramanian was honoured with the title 'Tantri Nada Mani' by Kanchi 

Kamakoti Peetham, Kanchipuram in 2009.

Pollachi Jayam Patti's blessed Godavari Pushkarani Snanam! It is here in 2015...

Once I was in Andhra Pradesh to have His darshan. After 2 or 3 days I told Him I wanted to go home and requested Him to give me Prasadam. He said, "Stay for one more day and leave tomorrow!" No more words from me! Paanaampettai Kannan, His Kaingaryam, also wanted to leave with me that day. He refused him too.
The next day, we got up very early and all of us started to walk with Him to the Godavari river. He walked up to the Koti Lingam temple by the banks and started to climb the steps into Godavari. We followed.

As usual, He drew a Chakra on the waters and had a dip! We also had our dips immediately!
And then He told me, "Do you know why I asked you not to leave yesterday? Today is Godavari Pushkarani Day. Kannan, you also wanted to go yesterday to do Hiranya Sraartham for your ancestors. But all of you who had snanams with Me now, all your deceased Ancestors' souls have transcended today as a result your Snanams in Holy Godavari! So it is not necessary to do any Sraarthams at all. But you may do it for your own satisfaction!"

Shankara.

After the snanams we came back to the Mutt. He completed all the Poojas by 9 am. He called me aside and said, "You wanted to go home yesterday, but if you had done so, would you have got the Bhagyam of today's snanam! That is why I did not allow you to go. Also, yesterday only Kannan would have escorted you. But today you have Natarajan (another Kaingaryam) also!!"
I was so innocent that I could not even tell Him, "When I have You, why do I need those two"!

*****

I am simply dumbfounded at Pollachi Jayam Patti's blessings. Shankara.

Godavari Pushkarani occurs once in 12 years.The pushkaram festival was last held in the year 2003. This year 2015 it is supposed to be between July 14th to July 25th, but please do check the exact dates with our Periyavas in Kanchi Matam.

Received a communication from Shri D Sivasubramanian of Kanchi Matam that Puskara Pravesham is on July 14th, 2015 at 6.26 am and ending on July 25th, 2015 until Surya asthamam on that day.

This year Pushkarams is called Maha Kumbhamela, which occurs once in 144 years. The first 12 days of Godavari pushkaram is called Aadhi pushkaram and the last 12 days of Godavari pushkaram is called Anthya pushkaram. These 24 days are very pious to devotees,as pushkaradu travels during these days. 

During Godavari pushkaram pilgrims from all over the country will have a holy dip with the belief that they would be relieved from all sins, and perform rituals to departed souls.It is believed that during pushkaram all deities and rishies take holy dip, a holy dip in Godavari which will enhance one's spritual, mental and physical abilities. 

"But all of you who had snanams with Me now, all your deceased Ancestors' souls have transcended today as a result your Snanams in Holy Godavari! So it is not necessary to do any Sraarthams at all!"

Like Swamigal has said above, please do not miss this golden opportunity to have a Dip and be blessed!

"There is a surprise awaiting you!"

Jan 31st, 2015 was easily one of the happiest days of my life.

Four days prior to that date, there was a mail from one Anila Thomas at office to the Indians Mailing list, requesting if anyone knew a good cook who can make 50 Rotis and a non-vegetarian Biryani for 40 people. She wanted the food to be delivered to her home in Foster City, which is about 30 miles away from my place.

Nothing unusual about the mail, it was a routine request. But what was not routine was, it was the first time I replied to such emails! 

Before replying to the email I called up Rachana and asked if she would be willing to make 50 Rotis for my office person. She was very happy to do it, but she excused herself saying she will not be able to drive that far to Foster City to deliver the food. It was understandable. 

Well, who is Rachana?

I replied to Anila (who, by the way, was not my acquaintance that time), saying my wife's friend Rachana Sharma is a good cook. That she was suffering in a bad marriage. That her husband had deserted her and her two children. That their divorce proceedings were afoot. That she was managing the household somehow, by cooking at other people's homes etc. And that she can make the 50 Rotis. And I wrote something which I have never done before in my life: I told Anila that I will drive to her home and deliver the food! (Anila's home was approximately 30 miles from my Apartment).

Her situation is much worse than what I had written, and I will leave it there. Rachana is originally from Madhya Pradesh. Concerned for her, my wife had even advised her to do a Suvasini Pooja; she helped and guided her to do the pooja approximately three months back! And per advice of Kanchi Swamigal, my wife suggested that Rachana recite Shiva Sahasranamam so that problems in a family are alleviated.

Moved by my email, Anila replied to me within 2 hours, saying she would love to place a bigger order with Rachana, for an appetizer, a vegetable curry and the rotis! Two days later Anila called up Rachana and altered the order, now for a much bigger one!

This time it was for:

--- Vegetable biryani - 1 full tray

--- Muttar paneer - half tray
--- Kheer - half tray
--- 60 Rotis

--- Pakoras -1 full tray

Shankara!

The above order was modestly priced by Rachana at $173 US dollars. 

Saturday January 31st had arrived. My wife and myself went to Rachana's home at 4 pm.  (Not sure how long she can call that home, as plans are in place by her husband to sell it). We carefully loaded the aromatic trays of the food in our car and started for Foster City. I have never driven so slowly in my life! As I wanted the food to be intact and not spill. It was as if a new born baby was in the car.

Reached Anila's place by 5 pm. Carefully took all the trays and placed them on the kitchen counter in her house. This was the first time I am meeting Anila. She is a Malayali Christian and she said there was a prayer meeting that evening at her place and that is why she ordered the food! 

Now here is how an act of kindness is contagious and how it spreads.

Despite being a non-vegetarian she cared enough to place a full vegetarian order with Rachana! And when I was about to leave, Anila gave me $200 US dollars, 27 more than what the order was priced at!

My wife and self  were on cloud 9, flush with happiness. True Happiness. While driving back I was telling my wife that I wanted to taste Rachana's food. And that when we plan to go to a restaurant next time, we must skip that and instead order the food from Rachana. But we will tell her that the food is for someone else, for only then she will accept the money from us.

We came to Rachana's place and handed her over the $200 dollars. "Please, 200 dollars is a lot of money for me", she said. I said, it was Anila's way of showing her kindness. She said she earns $400 to $600 per month by making food, but now she got $200 in just one day! Very rarely have I seen a more contented and happy face, that was on Rachana. And then I broke away from my plan and told Rachana that one day I wanted to taste her food. She gave me a knowing, joyful smile and said, "Go to your home and see. There is a surprise awaiting you!"

We rushed home. And on the table we saw a packet of Muttar Paneer, a packet of Biryani and a portion of Kheer. Given the context of the whole thing, they had never tasted better!

Let us live for others, without expecting anything in return. It is pure, unalloyed happiness. And kindness spreads. These are not mere empty words.

Shankara.