The Boat

Here is another lovable story from Vladimir Suteyeev- The Boat. Ekalavya Publications has reprinted this  book in Hindi. The Flip book is available on the web. Click on the link given below to read the book.  You will surely enjoy it. This story emphasises team work and cooperation to fight the odds.

Rediscovering the stories we read in our childhood for our children brings great joy, I discovered. 

http://www.eklavya.in/index.php/flip-books-2/book/20-nav-chalee/4-picture-story-books?tmpl=component

Childhood Memories

I stumbled upon the wonderful and witty world of Vladimir Suteyev yesterday on the Internet. It took me back to my childhood days. He was an amazing storyteller, and his picture books were an essential part of our childhood. I loved going through these pictures books as a four- five year old. These pictures are from a story called Uneven Wheels.

Five friends try to make wheels for a wagon but end up with different sized wheels which are useless for the wagon. But their hard work and efforts are not wasted as each one comes up with an inventive use for his wheel. Beautiful  illustrations bring out the theme of waste not, want not.

The cock uses the wheel for a watermill, the hedgehog makes a pushcart, the fly makes a spinning wheel...

What fun they all end up having!
Akshay would have loved it.

FoodWorld

Here are some pictures I would have loved to share with Akshay...veggie market and veggie cave... the creator of this art is a genius

12 Today

Akshay would have been twelve today. He would have grown taller and lankier, and would have been experiencing all the joys and challenges of a pre-teen.

I would have loved to give this adorable pen drive to him on his birthday. A Chinese company has made this special USB stick to mark the Chinese year of the snake. Looks more like a tubby teddy, though, but its cute nevertheless.
Today, Akshay's mum is doing what he would have wanted her to do - taking an aol course. Plan to give food in an orphanage today. This blog is a year old now. I feel happy after spending some time on the blog and hope the readers also feel the same. Miss you Akshay and we know you miss us too!

The Night of Awakening

Yesterday was Shivaratri - the great night of awakening for Lord Shiva who drank poison to save the world from death. There is a beautiful rendering of Adi Shakaracharya's Niravan Shatakam by Nandita Iyer. Used to listen to this soon after Akshay left us. It used to feel like a soothing balm on the intense pain. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2et8dAo344

The story behind this sloka is this. Eight year old Shankara was wandering in the Himalayas in search of a Guru. When asked by a sage who he was, he said I am a Soul and went on to describe the attributes of the soul. His introduction in these six stanzas captures the essence of the Vedanta.

Listen to Mritasanjeevani Stotram and Chandrashekara Ashtakam both alleviate pain and suffering and give solace to the heart and soul.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWLQzJ92ZY4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTzhYWceIxk

Birth and Rebirth

Today is Nanaji's 12th death anniversary. Akshay has not seen him. He was born 23 days after Nanaji passed away. Nanima used to say that he will be reborn in Bahrain - she believed that truly. In fact, from the time he was born Akshay filled the void left behind by Nanaji - we were all so focussed on him.
Today all three of them are not with us in physical form. But their energy forms are with us, in spirit, in thoughts, day and night.

Captain Cool

Here's Akshay holding an Iguana and a snake during his holiday in Malaysia.

Notice how matter-of-fact he looks, as if he was holding a box of chocolates! Akshay has recounted this in his travel diary and mentioned it in passing - as if it was a matter of routine! Captain Cool!

That green iguana looks scary doesn't it, with its spiky back and striped tail. But I believe it is an animal with a calm nature and it's a herbivore and grows to about 5 feet in length.. The bright colours are only to scare away any potential  predator. It makes a very demanding pet and needs the right amount of light and heat. I sure hope that was snake a friendly one. Incidentally 2013 is the Year of the Snake according to the Chinese calender.