Our Summer Saga 2026

This summer felt like a collection of moments I'll always carry with me.

On one day, I spent time with younger son at BM Birla Planetarium Korattur -looking up at the stars, sharing wonder, curiosity, and quiet excitement.

On another day, I walked into a temple with my Elder son-peaceful, grounding, filled with silence and a different kind of connection.

And then came a day for all of us-together at the beach. Laughter, waves, sandy feet, and the simple joy of being side by side.

3 days, 3 different experiences.

One day for the stars, one day rooted in stillness, and one full of carefree day of togetherness.

Me And My Elder son 

Visited ISCKON temple and enjoyed the ambience there. He enjoyed his favourite place. Also his favourite butter milk and pot kulfi. We also did shopping there as usual we bought different variety of incense sticks for pooja and some other needed stuffs and back home in the afternoon. 

Isckon day light look

Pot kulfi

Shopping place at isckon

 Me and my Younger son 

Visited Planetarium in chennai we have seen in other places but this is our first visit in chennai. It was an unplanned trip as we came for a work near Guindy during waiting time we planned to visit here. Really we enjoyed this place and learnt new things below are some pics of our visit. As of today we could see lot of upgrades happened which engaged us in every minute we spent there.

WE three visited to Chennai Marina beach after 8 years, we travelled by bus to explore more. We tasted hot grilled corn and bajji enjoying sunset.In return we visited Kabaleeshwar temple mylapore and saw panguni festival decoration, later we did shopping at giri and got few stuffs and returned back home

                                    Marina beech

 

Kannagi statue

Sunset view

Mylapore temple 

Really it was a memorable summer for us 

Roots and Reflections Our Garden Journal 2026

 Red Guava variety from our garden it tasted yummy.

How beautifully is this weaver birds nest and so much of hardwork behind it. It flies so many times and collect needed material and build a strong and safe home before it lays it's egg.

This is kodi avarakkai (broad beans) grown in our garden we harvested more and distributed to our neighbours.

This is the 3rd vazhai thaar we kept one seepu for us and distributed to neighbours

Our home grown vazhaithandu mor kuttu

Our backyard where we kept yellow bahunia and ixora idly poo pink and curry leaves 

Below is the picture of seeds e collected from from home grown avaraikkai

Few more pics 

It took me ages to master the skill of making garland using december flowers and finally did it

Where Two Wheels met Courage💪

Ten years back I started learning to drive two wheeler.

I learnt through a driving school instructor. She used to pick me from my home and teach me for an hour and drop me back to my home.

I never knew I would be able to ride myself until I tried initially I learnt to drive straight by putting both legs down' later days I learnt to drive in circles and rounding a park which has right and left turns. But I didn't have confidence had a on road fear what if someone missed to hold break and hit me from back, I had this fear as I met with an accident when I was driving cycle to my college and thankfully nothing major but that fear made me lot. 

But somehow learned to drive and later got our new bike. Even for test drive I couldn't drive just saw if my legs are reachable. I used to practice inside my apartment for turns I used to practice early morning and night when kids don't play. Then I finally got confidence. 

On day of driving test I started earlier, i used to avoid bridge road as I was less confident, so I take a long route to avoid that, the road to test location was on outer ring road that way I came across a three hump speed breaker that was very first time am riding like that so I was afraid somehow managed and went to test location. 

The real panic started from there, everyone was practicing to put eight by keeping two bricks with some distance

 I had no idea how the test would be, some how by seeing my tensed face a boy helped me by telling not to panic by seeing others akka you can actually take a big eight not this closer only thing is you should not put your legs down just do it as per your comfort like that. 

Somehow I passed my test and after test same boy accompanied me and gave confidence to ride over the bridge Nothing to fear somehow I gained confidence and ride over bridge first time , I was really thankful to that boy I never met him again but he supported me in most needed time.

I could never forget the day I picked my son back from his school after his sports day. That was my first night drive on my two wheeler, that too on a rainy day. From then on, my journey still continued…

The rain didn’t just fall that evening,it poured, as if the sky had been waiting all day to let go. The roads were unfamiliar in the dark, the streetlights flickering through sheets of water, and every passing vehicle felt like a test of my courage. My son sat quietly behind me, his tiny hands holding onto me-not tightly, not fearfully, but with a kind of trust that said, “You’ll get us home.”

And that trust changed everything.

Until that day, I had always hesitated,waiting for the right time, the right conditions, someone to accompany me, or simply a reason strong enough to push me forward. But that night, I didn’t have the luxury to wait. I had to move, to decide, to face the rain and the road.

The rain didn’t seem like an obstacle and night no longer meant uncertainty. Instead, they became reminders of what I was capable of ,how one moment, one responsibility, one small hand resting on my shoulder could change everything.

My journey still continues… but now, I ride not with fear, but with strength I discovered on that rainy night.

Sriman Narayaneeyam - ஸ்ரீமந் நாராயணீயம்-My Learning Journey _Part -4

Having completed 50 dasakams so far I dedicate this post to my Guru Mami Smt. Seethalakshmi for her valuable time and patience in making our journey easier to learn and recite.

She appreciates us if we recite correctly, if we make a mistake she asks us to repeat verse until we reach perfection. She knows right away if we’re actually listening or not.

I really enjoyed listening to the substories of Dhruva,prahlada ,lives of rama and krishna, one can feel like every thing happening infront of our eyes.

I am really thankful and grateful to learn from such a caring and dedicated guru.

Today I reflected on my journey of learning **Narayaneeyam**. I realize that simply learning the verses is not enough. True practice requires spending quality time in reciting them regularly and repeating them many times.

Rama’s life shows that struggles are a part of life for everyone. The important thing is to face problems with patience, courage, and righteousness. From Rama’s life we learn to follow dharma and stay strong during difficult times. 🙏

In the beginning, when I had learned only a few *dasakams*, it was easy to practice and revise them daily. But now that I have completed learning **50 dasakams**, I understand that I need to dedicate more time to proper recitation and revision. Without regular practice, it becomes difficult to maintain the flow and memory of the earlier verses.

This stage of learning reminds me that devotion and discipline go together. Reciting slowly, with attention and sincerity, helps me connect more deeply with the meaning and beauty of the verses. I feel grateful for the progress so far, and I remind myself to be patient and consistent in continuing this sacred practice.

Going forward, I want to set aside dedicated time each day to revise and chant the dasakams I have learned, so that the learning remains strong and meaningful. 🙏📖✨

 🙏Hare Krishna  🙏