YEAR-END CORONA MUSINGS

 

Year 2020 is drawing to a close, with the Corona pandemic showing no signs of abating.  On the other hand, new mutations of the virus  have surfaced creating a fresh wave of a scare.

While the emergence of the virus was correctly foretold by American author Sylvia Browne, who claimed to possess psychic powers, her rider that it would "suddenly vanish as quickly as it arrived" has proved totally false.  Now it is anybody's guess when this deadly scourge will disapper from the earth.  It should be sooner than later with various vaccines hitting the scene. I remain optimistic.

THE COMIC SIDE OF THE CORONA

(By Subbaram Danda)

  

If there is one thing that has mercilessly rocked the world causing unprecedented misery all around, it is Covid 19.  At the same time, it has also set humour writers on a hyperactive mode, resulting in creation of jokes on a hitherto unknown scale. Here are some unusual ones that will certainly tickle your ribs. 

At the beginning of 2020, an astrologer predicted: "Right through the year positivity will engulf the entire world.  Every nook and corner will witness its impact."

At the end of the year a critic commented: " Very true. Corona positive cases exploded on an unprecedented scale every day everywhere."

 

In view of the prolonged lockdown that confined people indoors, television channels have been airing old hits, particularly epics like Mahabharat, to  keep them engaged. Incidents from these TV shows were invariably recalled when people made phone calls to their near and dear ones.

One morning Surya phoned his friend Krishna, whom he had not called for several days. "Hi Krish, how are you? How is everybody at home?"

"Hi Surya, what shall I say? It is Mahabharat every day here. Clashes followed by clashes. How is life at your end?"

"It is great, Krish.  I have been scrupulosly following what Gita says.  I should admit without any hesitation that my life has been really blissful."

"That is fantastic. I never knew you are such an ardent follower of our religious texts.  Hats off to you."

"Oh! Nothing like that," the friend continued. "Hope you remember Gita is my wife's name."

He was standing in a queue to enter a supermarket to purchase groceries.  Suddenly a bulky woman in the front let out a loud fart.

He got upset.  Before he could say anything, she turned back and said, "If you have heard it, then you have not maintained the requisite distance from me in these Corona times.  And if the smell has hit your nostrils, you have not worn your face mask correctly.  You are at fault, not me.  Don't stare at me."

He became speechless.

It was a big fat Indan wedding, despite the Corona.  It was celebrated imaginatively without flouting any norm.  Invitations were sent out through courier to all near and dear ones.  It read, "Kausalya and Mahesh invite you to the webcast of the Wedding Muhurtham of their daughter Swathi with Karthik on Saturday, December 12, 2020 between 09:00  and 10:30 a.m. Kindly watch the wedding ceremony at www.weddingcast.com/swathi-karthik."

A close reading confirmed that it was not an invitation to be present at the ceremony but only to watch it online.  Thoughtfully, the actual place of the wedding was not mentioned in the invitation.

What was attractive was the last sentence in the invitation. "We request you to honour us by accepting the 'kalyana saappadu' (wedding feast), which will be delivered to your home on the Muhurtham day around 11:00 a.m."

To say the least, the feast was fabulous.  There were as many as 20 savoury items and half a dozen sweets neatly packed in casseroles and shoved into orange baskets.  Banana leaves were not forgotten.  There was a gift as well.

 

The humorous depictions have scaled new heights of imagination.  There are many.  They have flooded the social media.  Sample the following that amusingly look at the concepts of 'Work from Home, Masking and Social Distancing.'

 

 

 

Let us pray for disappearance of the scourge from this planet at the earliest. Sure, that will also give rise to humorous outbreaks !

December 28, 2020.

 

BHUMI PUJA FOR RAM MANDIR

As vedic chants reverberated in a large profusely flower-bedecked temporary hall, Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed Bhumi Puja on Wednesday for a magnificent temple for deity Ram at his birth place in Ayodhya. The Prime Minister sat on the floor in front of a rectangular pit containing some of the “bricks” received for the ceremony and a few other religious articles.  The priests and a few prominent persons sat around the pit.  The leisurely puja culminated at 12-44 p.m., exactly at the auspicious moment set by the astrologers for the purpose.

The profusely flower-bedecked hall for Bhumi Puja

Earlier, after arriving from Delhi the Prime Minister straight proceeded, accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, to the ancient Hanuman Garhi temple in the city and offered prayers as per the traditional practice.  He then went to the provisional temple of Ram Lalla, the infant Ram, and prayed there after prostrating.  In that premises he also planted a Parijat sapling (the night jasmine).

After the Bhoomi Puja, Modi addressed an invited gathering.  He made an assurance that a grand temple will be built for Ram Lalla, who had been living in the temporary pavilion for years.  “Ram is a thread that strings together various entities and ensures India’s unity in diversity.  The temple will fulfill the longstanding desire of the people,” he said.

The Prime Minister unveiled a plaque to commemorate the ground-breaking ceremony and also released a special postal stamp to mark the occasion.

Crores of people and devotees all over the world watched the entire programme live on television sets or other electronic devices .  The entire city of Ayodhya wore a festive look. 

A COMPILATION OF PHOTOS

(By Subbaram Danda)

Hanuman Garhi temple

Modi praying at Hanuman Garhi temple

The provisional shrine of Ram Lalla, infant Ram

Modi offering prayers at Ram Lalla shrine

The Prime Minister planting a Parijata sapling

Modi performing Bhumi Puja sitting in front of a pit

The Prime Minister addressing a select gathering of invitees

The invitees

August 06, 2020

RAM MANDIR: A CURTAIN RAISER

The stage is all set for a historic spiritual event on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 – bhoomi puja at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh for a magnificent temple for Hindu deity Ram gloriously celebrated in the Indian epic Ramayana. Ram is an avatar of Vishnu and Ayodhya on the banks of the Sarayu river is his birth place. The occasion will be grand but serene in view of the prevailing Corona pandemic.

MARVELLOUS MANDIR FOR RAM

(By Subbaram Danda)

When completed in the next few years, the temple will be a spectacular edifice of its kind in the world. According to present indications, it will be a three storeyed ornate structure with an octagonal garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum). It will stand 161 feet tall, 268 feet long and 140 feet wide with 5 domes and 318 pillars. Another sparkling feature is that there will be 24 marble doors. Around the main building there will be several smaller shrines for various other deities. A wide pathway will take devotees to the temple. 

A model of the proposed Ram temple

On completion, the temple will be the third most marvellous Hindu shrine in the world. The first one, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, was built in the 12th century dedicated to Vishnu. It was later converted into a Buddhist place of worship. The second one is the architecturally splendorous Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, also dedicated to Vishnu.

At the ground breaking ceremony, a 40-kg silver brick will be laid at the site of the sanctum along with several smaller ones of the same precious metal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, vedic scholars and priests.

Ayodhya is full of heritage buildings. The most visited place is Hanuman Garhi temple. From a distance it looks like a small fort. It can be reached by climbing 76 steps. Hanuman appears in an unusual style in this temple. Young Hanuman is sitting on the lap of his mother Anjani. While scholars date the shrine as belonging to the 10th century, local traditions take it to more ancient times. There is also Dasarath Mahal, said to be the place, where Ram’s father Dasarath stayed. Kanak Bhavan is a temple dedicated to Sita, Ram and his three brothers. Looming over the city is Rajdwar temple with its soaring shikara. It is one of the town’s most distinctive structures with a huge circular mandap.

Towers of the Hanuman Garhi temple

Dasarath Mahal

Kanak Bhawan

For the bhoomi puja, soil from many holy places and water from several sacred rivers have been collected. Special mention should be made of the collection of the ash offered during Bhasmaarthi at the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. According to scriptures, Ram during his stay in forests had visited Ujjain and offered prayers for Mahakaleshwar. Hanuman had also visited Ujjain and collected water from the Kshipra river there for an Ashwamedha yaga performed by Ram. Other places from where soil has been collected include Kamakhya temple in Assam, Ramanathaswami temple in Tamil Nadu, Chardham shrines, Gurudwaras and Jain temples.

Holy water has been procured from the Triveni sangamam of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswathi at Prayagraj, Tala Kaveri, Agni teertham at Rameshwaram, the confluence of the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea and almost all Indian rivers.

Ram Janma bhoomi, where Ram was born in Ayodhya, has been a place of legal dispute for long. Originally there was a temple at the site and the Mughal King Babar constructed a mosque there razing it down. In 1850s the dispute surfaced in a violent form and in 1992 demolition of the Babri masjid was attempted. This led to further legislative and legal wrangles. Finally in 2019 on the orders of the Supreme Court the disputed land was handed over to a Hindu trust and an alternative site given to Muslims. Thus, the way was cleared for the setting up of a long-cherished temple for deity Ram.

Leading up to the great ground-breaking ceremony, preparations have been going on to deck up Ayodhya. Buildings on all main roads have been painted yellow. Scenes from Ramayana have been portrayed on walls at vantage points. Colourful lights in the night have turned the city into a magic land. The banks of the Sarayu river have received a make-over.

Bird's eye view of a section of Ayodhya

Sarayu river has a make-over

Buildings on leading roads have been painted yellow

Bihar’s Sitamarshi, birth place of Ram’s consort, has been tastefully decked up for the occasion. The town will hoist 2,100 saffron flags and the people will burst into bhajans and keertans to mark the occasion.

Façade lights have been installed at the numerous temples in Ayodhya.  Appeals have gone out to people all over the country and abroad to light diyas on August 4 and 5.

Several schemes have been announced to beautify the city on a permanent basis. A 16-kilometre stretch of a bypass road leading to Ayodhya will be spruced up with water fountains, Hanuman statues at intervals and gardens.

Ayodhya has become the cynosure of all eyes. No doubt, once the Ram temple comes up with all its splendour it would become the new wonder of the world.

August 04, 2020

CORONA Foretold ?

Has the outbreak of the dreaded Coronavirus been predicted?  Yes, I am inclined to believe. In general, I don’t accept prophetic claims, but this case is different.  I happened to see an article in the popular Bangalore-based English daily “Deccan Herald” on the subject some days ago.  Out of curiosity I did some research myself.  I was astonished to find some solid evidence to prove that the onslaught of the virus was indeed foretold as many as 12 years ago.

PROPHETIC VISIONS

(By Subbaram Danda)

Sylvia Browne, who is no more, was an American author, who claimed to possess psychic powers.  Several of her books were on “New York Times” best seller lists.  She was a regular participant in television and radio programmes, especially the famous Larry King shows.

In her book “End of Days” first published in 2008 she predicted on page 312, “In around 2020 a severe pneumonia-like illness will spread throughout the globe, attacking the lungs and the bronchial tubes and resisting all known treatments.  Almost more baffling than the illness itself will be the fact that it will suddenly vanish as quickly as it arrived, attack again ten years later, and then disappear completely.”

What made me to accept it as a real premonition?

First and foremost, the year 2020 was specifically mentioned.  The scourge was pin-pointed as pneumonia-like.  Its sweep across the globe was correctly highlighted. More importantly, the illness was precisely characterized as resisting all known treatments. The current Coronavirus contagion fits neatly into this description. So, it was not a shot in the dark. 

What remains to be seen is the revelation that it would suddenly vanish as quickly as it arrived and would attack again ten years later.

Sylvia Browne

Born on October 19, 1936 in Kansas City, Missouri, United States, Sylvia was a controversial person. Though she was very popular till her death, many of her predictions were off the mark.  This earned her several critics. In a Larry King show, she was asked to predict how long she would live.  Her answer was 88 years.  But she died when she was 77 – on November 20, 2013.

“End of Days” did not foretell where from the disease would emerge.  There is another book that carries a reference to Wuhan. We all know that it is this Chinese city that has been the epicentre of the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak. The book titled "The Eyes of Darkness" by American novelist Dean Koontz was published as many as 40 years ago.  I have gone through its e-version and it is fascinating.

The main story of the book revolves around a woman Tina, who goes searching for her young son Danny, who was believed killed in an accident but was only missing.  In her search she traverses several curious places and learns about bizarre developments.

One passage on page 353 kindles our interest.  It says, “….a Chinese scientist named Li Chen defected to the United States, carrying a diskette record of China’s most important and dangerous new biological weapon in a decade.  They call this stuff Wuhan 400 because it was developed at their RDNA labs outside the city of Wuhan and it was the four hundredth viable strain of man-made micro-organism created at that research center…”

The 1981 book was purely a work of fiction.  Why it is relevant today is that it has a reference to Wuhan.

When people talk of predictions, the name of Nostradamus, the 16^th century French prophet, will always crop up.  Has he made any prediction about the Coronavirus?

Nostradamus

Some people believe that he did predict its outbreak.  The following lines attributed to Nostradamus are cited in arguments supporting the prediction. 

 “The sloping park, great calamity,

Through the Lands of the West and Lombardy."

According to one interpretation, the sloping park refers to a garden in Wuhan. It is this Chinese city from where the virus emerged and swept through the west and other countries. What is significant is the specific mention of Lombardy, a region in northern Italy.  Its capital Milan is a global hub of fashion and finance. Interestingly, it is this Lombardy that stands worst-affected in the current Coronavirus calamity in tragically devastated Italy.  

Have there been any Indian predictions?

The popular Tamil daily “Dinamani” carried an article on January 28, 2020, where it quoted a paragraph from a Tamil almanac, which said, “Lethal creatures will create enormous hardship to the people.  One new virus ailment will emerge from the western direction.”  (Oru pudhiya virus noy merku dhikkil irundhu urpattiyagum.)  Though the almanac correctly talked about the emergence of a new virus, its direction of arrival was not correct. 

When will this virus vanish?

An Indian astrologer, whose views are making rounds on WhatsApp, has this to say:  The Karaka (perpetrator) of viruses is Rahu.  He is currently placed in the toxic star Arudra.  Only when he moves to the nectar star Mrigasira, this virus can be expected to completely go out of the world.   Between May 12 and 15, Rahu moves to Mrigasira.  Till then chanting Vishnu Sahasranamam and following medical advice will mitigate the hardship of the people.  

If one searches deeper, more predictions will surface.  Each is different in its own way.  Only test of time will prove which is correct.

March 22, 2020

NAMASTE, Corona !

The Coronavirus, which causes the dreadful disease Covid-19, is undoubtedly the century's worst ever disaster perpetrator in the world.  Having originated from Wuhan in China, it has so far spread to over 100 other countries, infecting more than a lakh of people and killing a few thousands of them.  Scientists all over the globe have been tirelessly working to find a reliable cure for it but they remain clueless.  If there is one virus that is wrecking the world, it is Corona.  

Ironically, in this gruesome scenario, the virus has proved to be a source of swirling inspiration for a large group of humour writers, cartoonists and photographers. Their creative works make us laugh away our blues and blow away our fears.  All the wings of the social media are full of them. Sample the following.

THE COMIC SIDE OF THE CORONA

(Compiled by Subbaram Danda)

In lighter vein

An Indian was trying to tease a Chinese citizen about the quality of their products.

Indian:  My China-made cell phone’s battery gets drained out quickly.  My China-imported pocket radio does not pick up the most popular FM station. Even my Chinese torch light does not work. 

Chinese:  Ha, ha, ha.  Don’t be too sarcastic.  Look at the latest offering from China Covid -19. You will now be able to see its real potency.  It will last and last and last!

A safety tip for girls:  Are you pestered by stalkers and mischief making boys? Whether you know karate or not, this will certainly help you to fend them off.  Go close to them as if you don't know their intentions and cough a few times.  Then utter the words, “Oh God, save me from Corona virus.” They will run away.

Have you seen a cleverer leave letter sent through email than the following and the official reaction to it?

Dear HR, I am suddenly down with Corona virus.  I shall be grateful, if you can kindly grant me leave for one month.

It received a quick response.  Dear sick employee, very sorry to learn about your ailment.   We know how contagious it is.  We appreciate your social responsibility.  We are asking all the employees to ‘work from home’ with immediate effect.  About your health, we are equally worried.  We have informed the health authorities and they would be at your doorstep any moment to get you hospitalized and quarantine your other family members.  Take care.  Wish you speedy recovery.  

Work from home

As Covid-19 spread relentlessly across the globe, many organizations, particularly IT companies, decided to ask their employees to work from home. For many techies it was a boon. But in the case of others, it proved a bane.  This paradoxical scenario was beautifully picturised by two WhatsApp enthusiasts. Look at the photos below.

Options

Wearing a face mask helps people keep the virus away, according to medical experts. But some women feel that a mask will tarnish their beautiful appearance and image.  To address this concern a resourceful designer has come up with an elegant mask.  It serves as an ornament and at the same time as a helpful mask.  Take a look here.  

Some women are fetish.  They don’t mind wearing the mask but its colour should match with the hue of their attire.   In the cartoon below, a woman asks a man at the sales counter of a pharmacy whether he can give her a mask that goes well with the colour of her sari.  See the amazement and bewilderment on the face of the man. 

There are women, who do not like wearing paper masks.  But they would like to cover their face in the most natural way.  Here is how they can do it.  

Do you know?

Corona means crown in Latin.  It usually means a bright circle around and close to a luminous body such as the sun or the moon, caused by diffraction of light.

Corona is a well-known brand in the beer world.  Mexico has been exporting it to several countries, especially the United States.  It has become the favourite brew of a large section of American drinkers.  

There is a Corona sari sold online by Amazon.in.  It has been available for long.  Corona ear-rings are keenly sought in the market by fashion-conscious teens.  But these Corona branded products have nothing to do with the virus. 

 Namaste, Corona !

The dreaded Corona virus has brought unexpected honours for great Indian traditions.  As hand-shakes and hugs became a taboo to check the relentless spread of the virus, world celebrities quickly adopted the Indian style of greeting people with folded hands – Namaste.

Openly appreciating India for its contribution of ‘Namaste,’ President Trump of the United States recently greeted visiting Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar with folded hands.  He acknowledged, “India is ahead of the curve.” 

The British royalty also gave up hand shaking and accepted the ‘Namaste’ way of greeting.  In the photo, Prince Charles, eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, is seen greeting people with a Namaste at the yearly “Prince’s Trust Awards” at the London Palladium.  

There is a list of other VIPs also adopting this.  As a wise man commented, after Yoga Indian Namaste is sweeping the world.  However, ironically the recognition for the latter came tied with the spread of the frightful virus! 

Seriously, Corona virus is no laughing matter.  It is terrible.  Follow the advice of medical experts and protect yourself.  As our Prime minister Narendra Modi said, "Say no to panic, say yes to precautions."

March 13, 2020

AIR FORCE ONE AND THE BEAST

The security features of the sleek-looking blue and white aircraft that flew President Donald Trump and First lady Melania of the United States of America to India on their first state visit in February 2020 are awesome and mind-boggling at the same time. Not lagging behind in its capabilities is the shimmering black limousine, in which they travelled in the country.  In fact, both are formidable fortresses in their own right. 

THE BIRD AND THE BEAST

(By Subbaram Danda)

The aircraft specially designed with astounding features for US presidential travel is known as Air Force One.  Emblazoned with the words “United States of America,” the US flag and the Seal of the President of the United States, it is conspicuous wherever it flies.   In fact, Air Force One is the radio call sign of the aircraft whenever the president flies.

Air Force One has unlimited flying range and can carry the president wherever he needs to travel.  An outstanding capability is that it can be refueled midair like certain types of military planes.  Thus it can keep the president in air indefinitely, if there is an unsafe situation on the ground.  

It is out and out a military aircraft but with swanky interiors and neat exteriors.  Its body has armour plating and is also made of other tough stuff. It can withstand an air attack.  It is fitted with electronic counter measures to jam enemy radar.  It can also eject flares to throw heat-seeking missiles off course.  Its avionics and other systems can counter electromagnetic pulses of a nuclear explosion. It can also serve as a de-facto bunker in case of a nuclear attack.  

Inside, the floor space extends over 4,000 square feet in three levels. The extensive suite for the President has a large office, a conference hall and rest rooms. It has living spaces for those who accompany the President, including senior advisors, secret service officers, travelling media and other guests.

It has a medical suite that can function as an operating theatre.  A doctor is permanently available on board. The plane’s two food preparation galleys can feed about 100 persons at any time.

Manufactured by Boeing, it has a top speed of 600 miles per hour and can reach a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet, which is far above the cruising level of a commercial airplane.  It has 85 onboard telephones, a collection of two-way radios and computer connections.

There are two planes designated for presidential travel under the radio call sign Air Force One. The one for Vice-President’s use is called Air Force Two.

“It is beautiful – a great plane, terrific.” This is how President Trump described Air Force One after his first travel in it some years ago. 

The Beast

The shimmering black limousine that President Trump used in India carries the nickname the Beast, as it has been designed to function in rough and tough conditions like a rugged animal.  A unique Cadillac, it is the most technologically advanced, safest and exclusive car in the world.  It has a twin version that always travels in the president’s motorcade.

The body of the Beast is covered in military grade armour, which can survive a bomb attack.  The doors are 8-inch thick and can protect the occupants in case of a chemical attack.  The windows are built with five layers of glass and polycarbonate.  

Its bus-size tyres are puncture-resistant with steel rims.  This helps the car run under all circumstances.  The fuel tank is filled with special foam that prevents an explosion during any crash.  It has tear-gas and smoke-screen dispensers.  It has its own oxygen supply.

In the rear row of the Beast the President is seated.  The car can accommodate upto four more passengers.  There is a glass partition between the President and the others.  Only the President has access to a switch to lower the partition.  The President’s seat at the rear has a satellite phone with a direct line to the Vice President and the Pentagon. The car also carries blood units of the president’s type in case blood transfusion becomes necessary.

The Beast is maintained by the Secret Service and its chauffeur is specially trained by the service.  The driver is capable of coping with the most demanding conditions, including escape and evasion tactics.  Interestingly, the Beast can make a 180 degree turn.

During President Trump’s India visit, the car flew the American flag on the right side and the Indian flag on the left.  In the cavalcade two Beasts could be seen moving at a short distance from each other.

“It is not just a car.  It is a beautifully made tank,” an observer has commented.

February 26, 2020