WISH YOU ALL, MY DEAR FRIENDS, AND YOUR WONDERFUL FAMILIES A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A FANTASTIC NEW YEAR.

I ATTENTDED A WEDDING

I ATTENDED THE WEDDING OF MY NIECE, JULIE, MY BROTHER'S DAUGHTER, AT THE CHURCH OF DIVINE MERCY . HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS FOR YOUR VISUAL PLEASURE. BEST WISHES.

THE GUESTS ARE BEING WELCOMED WITH TRADITIONAL MUSIC.

THE BRIDE AND GROOM WAITING AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHURCH OF DIVINE MERCY. ]WITH RELATIVES.

THE MAIN CELEBRANT OF THE HOLY MASS BLESSING THE COUPLE AND WELCOMING THEM INTO THE CHURCH.

THE COUPLE WALKING INSIDE THE CHURCH

YOU CAN SEE ME STANDING INSIDE THE CHURCH

THE BRIDE TAKING THE MARITAL WOWS.

THE GROOM TYING THE TRADITIONAL THALI- THREE KNOTS.

THE MASS WAS JOINTLY CELEBRATED BY FIVE PRIESTS.

FIVE COLORS

I WAS ASKED BY MY FRIENDS P.N.SUBRAMANIAN FROM MALHAR AND MITR FRIEND FROM MY TRAVELOGUE TO MAKE OUT A POST WITH FIVE COLORS SUCH AS RED,GREEN,BLUE,YELLOW AND WHITE. I HOPE YOU WILL LIKE THESE PHOTOS. BEST WISHES. YOU CAN ALSO VISIT THEM BY CLICKING ON THEIR NAMES.

THE COLOR WHITE = THESE ARE WHITE FLOWERS SOLD ON THE ROAD SIDE AND USED TO MAKE GARLANDS.

THE COLOR BLUE - THE BLUE BACK WATER WITH KOCHI TOWN IN THE BACKGROUND.

THE COLOR YELLOW = THE MAN'S FACE IS PAINTED YELLOW AND HE IS GOING TO TAKE PART IN ATHAM PROCESSION.

 THE COLOR GREEN = THESE ARE GREEN CHILLIES FOUND IN AN EXHIBITION STALL WHERE THEY ARE USED TO MAKE FRIED SNACKS.

THE COLOR RED = THIS IS A LIGHT ABOVE JESUS'S PHOTO IN MY HOUSE.

LET US COUNT OUR BLESSINGS

LET US COUNT OUR BLESSINGS, LIFE COULD HAVE BEEN VERY TOUGH. HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS TO REMIND US HOW COMFORTABLE WE ARE WITH MANY BLESSINGS. THESE PEOPLE HAVE TO STRUGGLE TO EARN A LIVING UNDER THE MOST DIFFICULT CONDITIONS.THEY HAVE VERY LITTLE COMFORTS,NO JOB SECURITY AND HEALTH CARE FACILITIES.BEST WISHES.

SUMMER DELIGHTS- BOURGAINVILLAE

You will find them in many places in summer with their bright beautiful colors waving cheerily at you. They light up the surroundings which is otherwise dull and dry. You just can’t miss them and they have a way of making you feel light and happy. Here are some photos for your visual pleasure. Have a nice day.

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SUMMER DELIGHTS PART TWO

TO ENJOY DELICIOUSLY SWEET JACK FRUIT

TO PICK PEBBLES ON THE SEA SHORE

TO WATCH THE DARK BLUE WATER OF THE BACK WATER

TO DRINK TENDER COCONUT WATER WHEN THE SUN IS WARM

TO WATCH A SUNSET IN THE EVENING
TO BE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS ON THE SEA SHORE.

SUMMER DELIGHTS - FLOWERS

SUMMER IS HERE WITH ALL ITS BEAUTY AND CHARM. NO DOUBT IT GETS VERY WARM SOMETIMES BUT THERE IS BEAUTY LYING ALL AROUND. HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS OF FLOWERS TAKEN BY ME DURING MY USUAL WALKS FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE.ENJOY.

A THOUGHT PROVOKING COMMENT BY JI

This is a thought provoking comment written by JI from REFLECTING BY THE SHORE in my previous post FLAWS IN DEMOCRACY - PART TWO. I am sure you have your own thoughts on the subject which I hope you will willingly share with me. JI is a wonderful writer from UK and I am sure you will be interested in becoming his friend. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VISIT HIM.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

If you think democracy is flawed in India then the same is probably true elsewhere. In the UK, what we are increasingly seeing is an elective dictatorship. The big decisions are actually made by a small group of people including the prime minister, his closest aides and some top civil servants. There is in fact very little democracy at the heart of government. These people are more influenced by economic and geostrategic considerations than actually trying to make the lives of their citizens better. That's why, for example, everything is being privatised including the roads. The gap between the rich and poor is getting wider and wider by the day. It's actually laughable when Western politicians say they are intervening in other countries because they want to bring democracy there. Democracy is simply a fig leaf for regime change. Western politicians actually fear democracy - real democracy. That's why they have engineered so many coups in various countries in the past. Real democracy works for the interests of the people, not for big multinational companies. I still think democracy is "the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." It has to work for the people, rather than for corrupt and unaccountable elites.

FLAWS IN DEMOCRACY - PART TWO

Here is the ruling political party which has failed to keep many of its election promises holding a road side meeting to tell the public that the Mullaperiar dam is going to burst destroying large  areas of property and killing thousands of people. They instigated many agitations all over the state through their party workers creating a fear psychosis among the public at large. Finally, the supreme court had to intervene and appoint an expert committee to study the safety of the dam. The committee after a detailed study reported that the dam is very safe and it will not burst under any circumstances. Slowly the agitations died down. In democracy most often political parties divert peoples attention by diverting their attention to irrelevant things and create panic so that they can cover up the failures.

People are throwing their house hold waste on the road side because the municipality is not providing facilities for collection from houses and making arrangements to dispose them. These birds which are normally seen on the waterfront find it easier to find their food here without much effort. Neither the public nor the municipality is held responsible for the proper disposal of waster. The court has ordered that any one found disposing their waste will be punished by a fine and imprisonment. But who bothers in democracy. At the time of municipal elections those contesting elections come to each house and promise that they will do many good things but once they are elected they become municipal members and chairman and the people who voted for them will become public. In democracy elected members are not accountable for not keeping their election promises.

This is a mobile book stall operated by a government department to increase the sales of books and reading habits of people. Many such buses are operating in Kerala. The only problem is that no one visits this book stall and buys books. This is a pet project of a minister who has ventured to spend huge amount of tax payers money. Neither he nor the department is responsible for wasting public money. Democracy allows minters and government departments to spend large amount of tax payers money in useless projects and they are not at all responsible.

DANCE IN A TEMPLE FESTIVAL

THERE WAS A FIVE DAY FESTIVAL IN A NEARBY TEMPLE AND ONE DAY THERE WAS A DANCE PROGRAM. I WATCHED A FEW DANCES. YOUNG GIRLS PERFORMED BHARATHA NATYAM,MOHINI ATTAM, GUJARTHI DANCE, DANDYA DANCE,GYPSY DANCE AND CENEMATIC DANCES. THEY ELECTRIFIED THE AUDIENCE WITH COLOR,SKILL,STYLE AND ENERGY. HERE ARE SOME SNAP SHOTS FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE.