Family pictures on banners and posters in public space

Until a few years back, there were just three categorizes of posters/banners that were put up on the roads -
🔸Political banners and posters - political party symbols or pictures of party leaders
🔸Film banners - posters of films, film actors
🔸Advertisements - advertisements of business firms, advertisements for upcoming events like circus, fairs, shows.

These days, people have started to congratulate or to wish someone they know in public spaces.

Yesterday, while I was driving to the office, I noticed a banner put up on one of the roads that I usually take. It was a banner for an upcoming wedding. It had a photo of the bride groom and the bride with wishes from a group of friends. It was put up on the road (probably near to the area where one of them lived).

This kind of public display of important personal family events has been on the rise in the last few years. I have seen banners and posters put up by people to commemorate birthdays, weddings, child birth, death anniversaries.

It is quite ridiculous. Why would someone want to share something that is personal in public spaces. Do people really feel happy and on top of the world when they see their own picture on public display?? Jeez!! That is so awkward!

My guess is that someone started this trend and then everyone followed because they thought this was cool, they did not want to lose their prestige and wanted to show that they had the money to do it. And that is how the cycle goes on and on.

Monopoly board game - memories

When I was searching one of the popular online shopping site for something that I had wanted to buy, it showed up a few indoor board games for children in the home page.

I found "Monopoly" board game as one of the items that showed in the list. It seemed similar to the game we used to play as kids - Business.  A little more research and I found that Business (the game we played when we were kids) and Monopoly were quite similar.

I remembered an incident that happened when we were playing this game. Me and A (who was like a little brother to me) were two of the players. The rest were made up of the elders in the family (who were usually free at that time). Me and A played the game very differently.

I was always cautious in buying a house or any other property and getting a bank loan. I did not like to spend more than what I had. I saved the game money and never took risks. On the other hand, A used to take risks. He never bothered if he had no money left or had to take huge loans from others or the bank. He just bought properties left and right.

R uncle who was A's father remarked one day after watching both of us play. He told us that A was just like him and I was just like my dad (who was uncle R's friend). I did not understand what he was saying at that time.

Today, when I reflect back on what happened, I realize that he was right in his observation. I work for a firm now and just like my dad never take any financial risks. I like to save all the money I make for my future. Whereas A is a successful business man.

It seems that the way we both played that game reflected our real life personalities. 

Eternal love between Shiva and Sati/Daksha

Of all the love stories I have read or heard so far, there is only one that has stood out - the eternal love between Shiva and Sati.

This one intrigues me because this is between two completely different personalities, who come from different backgrounds, lifestyles.

Iam not even getting into religion or the fact that they are supposed to be god/goddess in the Hindu mythology. Iam just looking at them as two individuals.

Sati was a princess, she was born and brought up in a royal household that had all the luxuries in life. On the other hand, Shiva led a life of an ascetic. His abode was the Mount Kailash which was an extremely cold and rugged place. He was also presumed to live in the graveyards.

Sati was fair and beautiful. She was a princess and dressed like one. She probably wore beautiful dresses and adorned ornaments made of precious metals and stones. Shiva is always seen wearing a tiger skin and adorning a snake around his neck. His whole body is smeared in ashes, his hair matted. Rudraksha beads are the only ornaments he wears on his body.

In spite of these differences, Sati fell in love with Shiva and grew up to be his ardent devotee. She put herself through several trials, tribulations and spent many years in meditation to please him. Shiva was pleased with her devotion and love. He fell madly in love with her and married her.

Her father, Dakshak was against the marriage since Shiva was not the husband he wanted for his daughter. He lived a yogi's life and was not a suitable match for her. They still went ahead and got married.

The tale does not end there. Sati could not tolerate the insult meted out to her husband and ended her life since she could not take it anymore. And Shiva flew into a rage when he heard of her death. It is said that he destroyed everything and everyone there. He was grief stricken and carried her body on his shoulder until Vishnu cut her body into many pieces.





A definite tale of rebellious, intense and passionate love between two contrasting personalities.