Life just got pure cleaner and healthier

The Corona virus has cleaned up lives and environment 

The bright side of the corona Chinese Virus also referred to as CoVID2019 has been the cleansing in the environment and human lives.

The five elements which constitute what human life is made of - viz The earth, Water. Fire , Air and Space /ether have all been impacted deeply .

The earth as a whole has seen its damage by human beings careless over this life time.The lockdown has done good for the water and earth by having the rivers and the water sources round the  world over purified and cleansed totally. 

Jamuna and Ganges have suddenly been purified and serene flow in key locations will be a big attraction once the lockdown is over. 

The sky has turned Blue and clear with low pollution. The purity in the air is also amazing as purity levels have gone up in Delhi and big cities that had huge pollution issues. They have specially transformed from a dangerously polluted space to one of pure air Fresh to breathe ana feel.

The forest fires would also be in check in places across Australia. Fire has also been kind to human beings 

The lockdown has kept over few million  two wheelers , thousands of cars and auto rixas silent .

Millions of litres of fuel for all the vehicles and the airplanes have been saved and created few billion dollar savings in imports for India . The combined impact is less fuel usage silent roads have impacted noise pollution  and made life so quiet and silent in many cities .

The lockdown has silenced minds with stay at home conditions . 

Lockdown has also slowed down a million minds of bankers and investment specialists .

Lots of money has gone down the drain on valuation of shares and stocks debt funds and mutual fund NaVs over a short period of time. Market capitalisation has taken a serious hit.

The key learning for human beings from nature is to slow down ,calm down and silence the ever hyper active souls.

The calming effect can reduce weights of human beings now getting  used to eat on time and eat healthy diet and ignore all junk food.

Once the lockdown is done I am sure the following business will not be be back or will lose  its sheen permanently.

The beauty business  will be impacted 

Salons, parlours, therapy units, chiropractor  units  and massage parlours will not take working  in full swing for Safety and security to personal health and wellness. 

Pedicure and intimate salon work will suffer.

The oldest profession may not see new customers just for fear of infections.

 Intimate therapies of touch and massage will be shunned for some time.

Blood donations will be an issue for some more time. 

Exchange of body fluids. kisses and intimate practices will be cautiously viewed for quite some time to come.

Nature has shaken up lots of singles and the carefree. 

 

Nature has also warned about good food and proper care of  what you eat and what you drink . No more street side food for the souls interest in living clean healthy lives .

Spurt in liquor sales may be apparent once shops open. The cautious ones will avoid liquor , drugs , junk  food and stale ,sour , raw foods. 

Virus has taught  many to go for freshly cooked hot food and ready home made vegetables and cereals like rice ,wheat and millets.

Many have avoided raw red meat to take care of their own health. 

Clean air, clean , warm water clean environment, clean homes, quick collection of wet and dry garbage have become the norm in all cities .

Human beings have been shaken to protect their kin from the invisible virus and remain alive .

Social distancing will be a healthy practise and a matter of life and death for those who revere life and society health.

Managing the breath body and mind (BBM management ) will gain huge favour of millions . Meditation and breath programs have gained favour among millions . This will keep immunity high in humans and keep the virus far .

This all around awareness of cleanliness health , good food , rest and meditation will save many human beings 

The huge change in social norms will help take care of own health , society’s health and keeping environment, rivers mountains, clean and will save many lives .

Change is already on us now there is no time to postpone our happiness and life .

The all important breath,  body and mind needs management today, not tomorrow.

The value of NOW is important right on your face and now.

Accept the change l, keep the present moment as valuable, stop regretting the past and live for now and  today.  

Let life be a continuous flow of joy celebration, smiles and laughter.

Let the  virus be a thing of the past and let us recognise this change and smile through life l.

Silence, stillness,safety ,cooling down , slowing down will be the new normal not rushing through life blindly. 

More among us will stop and wait ti admire the air quality ,the clean water around and ensure more have enough to share ,care and live  life happily llfe.

Muralidharan R Nair 

Lockdown -day 35 

28:04/2020

Bangalore 

Interpersonal relations , distancing and new normal

Lots of human interpersonal relations will get transformed if this lockdown ends . Personal space definition is now on meter distance from both men and women. It used to be elbow room or arm’s length.The new normal will be three arms length or a meter.

For those who, any way, wanted distancing this period would have strengthened their belief in being strong all alone. Men who keep women far or vice versa. This group will find the new normal good.

For those who had enough of distancing may find joy in joint projects and falling or rising in love again in life. Few are yearning for closing distances and find a friend to be close closer .

Age and experience would play a big part in ensuring personal hygiene  and distancing likes and dislikes. Washing hands every hour may be categorized as normal behaviour . In face the new normal washing hands will be 20 seconds and in a give style . So also a flu may need quarantine for the person at home -many will move to two bedrooms apartments to keep one room if necessary to be made a quarantine room. 

Distancing was necessary for many who have lived under a roof and never closed distances. Now may be it would bring more intimacy  for those who never experienced it in the past.

For those with no love in their lives and who loved the spirit of staying alone and may be chose live in relations with no liabilities link the partners defined as DINK - double income and no kids. The followers of this life will now enjoy distancing .They are the happiest today for their distancing style is now the best safe style 

With period of time when no more deaths will be occurring by planned corporate hospitalisation and safe and costly style of dying in ICUs and on ventilators.

The most disturbing news that  trickled through this hours of dark mess is that all Ventilator users have only died earlier. The death rate on the ventilators is declared as 100 percent ( is it on USA please search ) 

Corporate hospitals, focused on more income will attract the rich  famous to their imminent death by offering the  ventilator to those who show bank balances. Families may safely accept that death is the imminent result of accepting ventilators.

New medical insurance premiums will be in place. Hospitals will have to find new diseases as regular issues of admission and death have vanished in these thirty odd days 

Life is about to change for ever and death will also be in new style

Muralidharan. R Nair

murali04@gmail.com

Day 31 of the lockdown. 

24:04:20 Bangalore 

What can you do alone ?

What can you do alone ?

I had read a prediction  that restrictions will be placed on movements and you may find one in such a situation where you will not  be allowed to get out of the house. 

This I had not thought would mean lockdown.

I had also not thought wars can be fought by invisible virus and deaths by no proven methods.

Now I have a list of things I can do alone sitting or moving in the four walls of the rooms we have. 

Luckily we have five bed rooms and bathrooms also one balcony and a terrace 

All of them are open to move walk and stretch, view sunrise or sunset and bask in bright sunlight or get wet under the  sudden showers ,view the lightning and listen to rolling thunder . I have clicked photographs of the full moon and lightning. 

Another set of actions I can enjoy are 

Painting ,singing ,sketching, drawing dancing alone and many more activities. 

Playing chess ,carroms or trying the sudoku from some old newspapers as I have not yet learnt online sudoku. 

Taking e-learning courses provided by  ESCIL and other sources. 

Watching  Amazon prime , Airtel xStream, ZEE5, Netflix some of them free .

I have friends who have shared  PDFs with hundred of links to old Hindi full length movies, link to MEGA movies on cloud. 

Won’t give you details of other sites streaming  free stuff that you may opt to view all alone. 

FB watches every post of mine and in a moment I get reminder that the song I have in the background of a post violates the rules of posting and community.  You delete or you will be banned /blocked.

Instagram posting is also Interesting to use with videos and post on IGTV

I tweet and take care not to touch CoronaVirus posts or comment on any posts.

The risk of being a Hindu is very high for some groups any level of bluff post or insults are taken care by twitter a sick company that wishes to even design narratives of politics? religion and beliefs in India through our sold media . 

I am sure to exit from twitter soon and I know none of us will die.

Pinterest gives me knowledge in one card sized post  through links that lead me to oceans of knowledge. 

I am working on my digital marketing and SEO learning skills though elearning.

I have even applied for an intern at this age of a rich six decades of life of joy happiness peace and abundance.

Reviewing life I have posted a blog a day for 18 days of lockdown. 

Have made a few good friends who like my style of writing.

Writing,singing ,dancing ,meditating, doing yoga and personal activities makes me sane and keeps me sane.

In this lockdown realized human beings can live alone and love being focused on the self .

Eat well ,meditate well,  sleep well ,rest well has been my focus all these days. 

Silence in family drama is another secret to peace around.

Focusing on self, body , likes has also increased my patience

One big take away from learning the art of living has been Infinite patience and  ability to deal with issues silently. 

So be happy ,be silent and at  peace.

Looking forward to the extension that the government has planned .

I am looking forward to an online pan  India surya namaskar from your home for 20 minutes planned by the PM. 

Another thought has been PM asking me to fast at least 6-8 hours to pledge food for the poor in kind or a donation to PMCares Or the art of living  The art of living  has so far fed over 45.21 million food packets to over a million beneficiaries 

Stay inspired blessed to be at peace for the rest of your life 

Muralidharan R Nair 

murali04@gmail.com

Bangalore 

Day 9 of lockdown.

Video calling Apps in lockdown era -a non technical view

The zoom challenge and other video calling apps 

Suddenly in this lockdown many groups are having group programs online 

May it be music, dance, singing and even Terrace based RSS shakha proceedings 

The top user must be the Art of living Guru Sri Sri RaviShankar ji. The meditations at 12:00 noon and 19:30 hrs India  time meditations  have attracted close to 1.2 million viewers users from over 140 countries. The meditations are live on FB Twitter YouTube and some days on Zoom.

I remember bridge across nations music events for the end of hunger in the times of Rajiv Gandhi.

I saw zoom music events by various groups of singers abroad and in India.

In India it was named Sangeet Sethu or music bridge lead by Akshay kumar as a MC and Asha Bhosle as a lead singer.

I saw one of the Coldplay singers on zoom with a synchronised music event online with about 10 musicians ,drummers pianists and vocalists.

Smule has been popular with Satsangs with singers joining from other countries .

I made a quick review of video calling web based apps on desktop and downloadable apps in smart phones 

(I am not a techie or a cyber specialist )

Zoom stands out as most popular and easy to install use and pay for a max of 100 users with a limit of 40 minutes. The apps can be used both on desktop and smartphones and is downloadable.

There is some noise over its security breaches and with corona virus making groups work more on zoom the cyber experts have found it dangerous if the bugs are not dealt with on time.

Facebook has its own messenger with a max 50 members is more inclined to a call based text usable app that can be downloaded.

Skype with a limit of 50’users also allows calls chats and text. The Microsoft team is an enhanced version of Skype for large business users and teams usage at work.

 Google duo and hangouts (now dead) are other calling platforms that allows (duo) upto a max of 8. 

Google hangout was phased out and had facility to connect about 50 plus users across nations. It’s usage was as good as the zoom of today however it was not so steady . Features in zoom seem to be overlapping. 

Google Duo is not as popular as zoom and Skype.

FaceTime from the Apple stable also allows chats and texting does not allow more than 32 users in a video call.

Discord is a gaming apps that also allows multiple users again limited from 10-50 users. This is more a gaming apps 

Discord allows all platforms like iOS Android Windows Mac and web usage 

So also Skype facebook messenger 

Facebook messenger call and video is not permitted in closed countries like UAE more because of social policing.

Twitter live and facebook live also have popular users. The periscope is robust in the twitter stable and can handle large volumes of users 

There appears to be no restriction on number of users on FB live ,however restrictions on age , authority to view can be set along with country or area viewers.

YouTube live and insta live are costly and there appears to be less restrictions as to number of users and viewers 

Both these are very popular and easy to use. Split screen up and down is  a instalive feature. 

Lark is a new video calling apps and some others are raising their heads in view of the lockdown that is prevalent across nations.

The clear winner appears to be zoom inspite of security concerns that are possible to be plugged. FB live and YouTube and insta are close second jointly 

Zoom - On the smartphones some significant features available on laptops or desktops are missing . The gallery view and the screen shares are easy on laptops desktops.

Enjoy this lockdown times on zoom music or talks and meditations

Enjoy creativity that has reached new limits . I saw a town in Kerala use zoom across the home terraces with social distancing among groups of max 4 go live with shakha proceedings and singing national songs and prayers. The leader could also deliver inspiring  talks and meditations from the terraces.  The geographical limitation was set to distances that carried sound of the teams and speakers (loud)

Post CoVID we are sure to have new media apps  for video calling that  could be easy to use and reach larger global audiences for streaming chatting texting 

One point all need to know that Data usage has been huge and costs are also high. Airtel and Voda -idea and Reliance users may see new excessively crossing  Fair usage bills next two months. Reliance has not been a good platform to use for the large audiences.

Let creativity shine in this lockdown for the online delivery partners and new ones jumping in to use their large data storage capabilities.

I had read OLA may  be the largest store house of data or individuals’ travel, food habits , travel stoppages  at motels hotels and eateries all documented well. Couple I know have reached courts with evidence of ola travels of  the husband to pin him down to adultery based on locations visited and travels made frequently at odd hours .

Let us use these resources judiciously and carefully keeping an eye on the bills 

Happy lockdown days 

Muralidharan R  Nair 

Day 28 of lockdown 

21 April 2020 

   

I just won a game on Radio FM104

Games and actions during lockdown. I just won! 

Fever 104 FM radio wanted me to complete the statement 

I derive strength from .... and 

I had this posted on Instagram 

@sriramsulia RJ on Fever 104 

This is what I wrote 

I derive strength from practises of the following 

Start morning with meditation with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on TV channel 779 DD India on Dishtv 

6:00-6:20 am max 

6:30- 8:00 am -Do yoga pranayam and sudarshan Kriya in 45 minutes 

8:30 breakfast -Light nutritious breakfast  with the family  

9:00 am is time for Ramayan on DD channel once upon a time On TV meant DD

Follow a regimen of ayurveda immunity boosters Of @SriSriTattva products  - before breakfast - 

1- Amruth one or two tablets 

2- shakti drops 5 drops in 200 ml Luke warm or room temp 

And after  breakfast 

2- one tablet amla 

3- And one tablet  turmeric plus that has pepper added for absorption 

This with meditation at 12:00 and 19:30 all the lockdown days with Sri Sri  Ravi Shankar online and few questions on dealing with life and anxiety 

Following this for 21 days without a break has given the family positivity and strength ,mental,  spiritual , emotion and physical 

Rest in time, sleep for at  least seven hours. Rest well, eat well and be safe at Home with the family

In two days time I had a call from sriram Sulia from Fever 104 

Asking me how do I spend the day during the lockdown 

I just rattled the routine the good routine of 44 meditations in 22 days had kept me and the family happy,0 sane and focused on keeping the mind positive the recording was to be live in the evening-

I had won one resonate Amazon UPS with stand by power of 4 hours 

It will be delivered at my door step once the couriers get an opportunity to deliver non essentials 

Thank my stars I have  never won  any such award or prize in the recent past and I wondered how a short note on my lockdown regime would catch the attention of the RJ and get me a prize. He also promised that we will meet once the lockdown is done 

My best positive thoughts don’t let me think  if the lockdown will end before 15 th June this year 

I pray for early opening of life for the Happy well settled and for the migrant daily wage earner.

I will share the other  games I came across during this lockdown 

Muralidharan R Nair Bangalore 

Day 27  of the lockdown 

20:04:2020 

Lockdown diary - day 22 Food and yoga

Lockdown diaries 

The period indoors has given time to contemplate on quite a few aspects of life 

Most important item of concern being dealing with proper diet and food rest and yoga for keeping myself sane, fit ,happy, positive and smiling through the time. 

Three weeks are over and I am happy to have safely moved through this period with little hassles.

The family has bonded truly in planning and executing the preparation and serving of breakfast lunch and dinner.

Two members of the family follow the two meal routine of one between 9 am and 10 am and second meal between 5:30 pm to 6:00 Pm daily.This is also referred to as intermittent fasting 

We the seniors in the group of four in the family have followed the three meal routine. 

The breakfast is usually between 8:45 and 9:15 am 

We take sooji or rava upma with some bits of veg beans carrots and coriander leaves with curry leaves . Sooji is substituted with Poha or beaten rice and rice. Rice is served with lemon and sauted with some bits of peanuts dal and potatoes in tiny steamed bits. 

Fruit bits of watermelon musk melon apples ,papayas and bananas (robusta and nendran) . One  day we enjoyed  the pazham pori the Kerala hit dish dipping the ripe nendran cut banana in coconut oil with dal rice mix paste. 

Dinner is light with red rice kanji or white rice kanji ,plain rice with dal or sambar with ocra. Rotis are added some days with ocra Sabji or carrots with potatoes. 

The daily health meal with a good dose or meditation Sadhana comprising yoga meditation and sudarshan Kriya of the art of living added positivity to life daily .

Two meditations with a mix of some online music or talk of keeping one happy and anxiety free has made our family life stress free  and happy .

It has also kept the family free from the fears of sickness .

The big basket has contributed to our vegetable supplies with regular slots for contact less deliveries. New site clickoncare delivered sanitizer and gloves in two days on the door. Sri Sri Tattva also supplied toiletries toothpaste and grains at the door step . Their delivery was also good.

All in all the lockdown 1.0 appeared to have ended soon when the family celebrated the solar new year vishu and my daughter’s birthday all celebrated with good food and Amul ice cream cake of value. The cake had layers of strawberry chocolate and ice cream topping of super taste . The cake was eve cheat part of the diet in this three weeks.

Happy looking forward to the completion of the next lockdown2.0 with our area declared as red zone . So stricter watch on any movement by the police. 

Bless the doctors and nurses with kind policemen who have worked to keep Karnataka in the better managed list of states . 

Pray for happier days 

Muralidharan R Nair  Bangalore 

Day-1 of lockdown 2.0 or 22 nd day 

15:04:2020 

Benefits of Meditations with a Guru

Meditation and peace 

All the days of lockdown the best gift available to the family has been the guided meditations by Sri Sri Ravishankar ji everyday at 1200 noon and 19:30 Indian time open globally.

Usually over 140 countries and about a million to now two millions join the meditations.

It’s a whiff of fresh air from the lockdown incarceration like situation.

Many of us look liked caged animals inside the zoos.

Vendors luckily come and leave our goods and materials outside the doors. 

Advantages of meditation have been many 

• Mainly I find peace infinite peace 
• Chanting OM is getting in touch with deep love and amazing peace and silence.
• Rest during the meditation has been simply like floating in the infinite skies 
• OM soaks energy of abundant love and peace in each cell of the body.
• For a change am aware I am not just a body or breath and mind . I am a soul of infinite possibilities and made of love ,pure love.

With 18 days of lockdown  we  having completed 36 meditations . 

• I feel I am getting the joy peace joy of silence and amazing rest and sleep each night and some time in the middle of noon for an hour or two 
• Family interactions have softened with meditations.
• Lunch and dinner are taken after meditation a good option to digest and find amazing taste in the food also 
• All in all meditation has given the family infinite peace love joy and happiness 

The best of the meditations have been the one on satyam shivam and sundaram

• Top learning for me is silence peace and love are very valuable for life and when you have an amazing Guru who is willing to guide the family through this period with patience and infinite cool nature is a gift of the divine. And if the divine himself is available for two sittings  daily what more do I need to pray for 

Thanks to Sri Sri for the 36 mediations so far and tomorrow DD also will telecast meditation at 6 am day begin 

It’s a privilege to be celebrating and smiling through the lockdown.   

Muralidharan R Nair

Day 18 of lockdown. 

11-03-2020 Bangalore  

Life Learning from the lockdown so far

Lockdown learning for life 

I am happy to learn from this lockdown 

1- Life  is mine and is precious.  Family is the ultimate place to be with. Value your time with family and find ways to execute common likes be it watching TV or Amazon  prime . Find time to meditate together. This lockdown has brought the family together for meditating twice under Sri Sri’s guidance. There has been a new camaraderie because of the pre meditation talk and post meditation tips 

2- The  future is surely for home based job and reporting to office two or three days in a week This will reduce transportation mess and jams on roads 

3- Banking will see new changes in round the clock banking on ATM all functions from deposits withdrawals loans will be dispensed at the ATM 

4- I have learnt to plan a day and a good blog post for each day. Write a blog a day target allowed me plan the topic and get it done for posting online on the blog and on FB Twitter and post links on WhatsApp asking friends to comment 

5- Learning cooking minimum items that can give me confidence to love and live  life if needed to stay alone any time 
 

6- With newspapers not available the best thing that has happened is that the ICICI bank site and choices of newspapers is given I can read online news I had the habit of reading a hard copy as sudoku I love to solve to give my mind some gymnastic 

7- Learning online eLearning courses of ESCIL has  added confidence in digital marketing and SEO FB ads and other social media options 

8- Businesses will change for ever employees will be trusted to work from home and deliver on a fixed time and online negotiations will be the in thing 

9- Family meeting and social gatherings will be more online video and recently a couple got married online video 

10- I am sure Human relations will see changes in dealing with customers More online solutions will require special skills of negotiations as well as trust between employees and the bosses managers 

11- Travel will be reduced to and from offices and to off site places . 

12- Technology will see a sea change due to requirement of services of Zoom and Skype for transacting daily work 

13- Data will become precious and necessity for both sides of the users of online dealings Data cost will have to stabilise to reduce expenditure on dealings 

14- Offices will require heavy high speed broad band for regular video and audio links to staff residences and to other off site locations inside the country and outside the country 

15-Interpersonal skills will require to be upgraded to deal with online video and audio 

16-Face to face talks and online dealings will make office more silent as key board skills will be required at a new level of efficiency 

17-Co working spaces and high speed data transfers will make offices ready with all requirements of laptops computers, faxes and Weber ready rooms.

Summarising the learning form the lockdown is to be independent and self reliant at any place be it with family or a separate location 

Yoga meditation and pranayam and practicing the learnings from the courses at art of living have become non negotiable requirements for living life daily

More offices  will see need for de stressing programs to enhance health of the staff 

I am sure the lockdown has taught to make best use of time and also take care of personal food health sleep and skills for life 

Muralidharan R. Nair
murali04@gmail.com
Bangalore  

Lighting the lamp of hope and clearing ignorance

The PM of the country wanted the people of India as a nation to stand up in their balconies and windows with a lit lamp, lit candle, mobilephone torchlight at 9pm for 9 minutes on 5thApril.

Families came out on their balconies of independent houses ,flats and close to their homes with candle light , teacup lights and mobile torch lights to support the call.

Lighting of lamp is a ritual in any inauguration of an event or a seminar and other Indian programs. 

The lighting iof the lamp is a symbol of lighting up the occasion and having an intonation to the goddess of learning in colleges and learning institutions .

Gods and goddesses , idols and photos also have lamps kept and lit at sunset and dawn during which families worship the goddesses /god and sing songs or anthems .

Lighting the lamp is similar to the gun shot for the starting of  a race.

Light also is to clear ignorance of human beings and people on some topics 

This event symbolised that  light to clear ignorance related to the CoVID19 occurrence it’s dangers and safety guidelines. 

Families lit the candles and stood on the balconies and happily clicked pics and selfies 

9:09 pm local area had  clapping by the participants happily symbolising the agreement and obeying the suggestion of the PM

Some over enthusiastic groups had crackers to mark the end of the holding of lamps though the usual anti Hindu  groups found it like violation of Diwali SC guidelines

There was national awareness about the subject 

Some mischief mongers in the liberal presstitutes gang spread rumours of switching off lights in homes before lighting the lamps would result in grid breakdowns The stupid spam spread by the crooked press ignored the fact that every day people switched off lights and no local grids or state grids were put off to cause any damages.

All said and done the PM commands with his appeal and grace the support of the nation.

Many liberal press  specialists in insulting any Indian initiatives found the event funny and stupid.

Some accused this method as tantric superstitions after the nation had rang bells cymbals and conches as one united group at 5 pm on 22 nd March during the janata curfew  

The bells were rung to thank the humble seva warriors in the profession of doctors nurses and other law enforcement for their selfless service to the nation and who worked for the sick and affected 

Crazy to give such imaginary reasons for opposition 

Happy my family that participated with lights switched off at 9 Pm and sketched on by 9:11 pm

Thanks to the PM for switching on the minds of the nation and lighting up the nation with an intension to increase confidence and a sense of participation for the safety of its citizens 

Let happy days dawn soon

Muralidharan R. Nair 

Day 14 of lockdown. 07:04:20

Men cooking for the family as a challenge

Lockdown and men cooking for the household 

Sri Sri RaviShankar ji the other day in satsang said hey one day let the women announce a strike and 

let men take a challenge to cook for the family.

I too participated in the challenge and as a family we undertook last week, first day of the week.

We had to plan the event for we needed  guidance form the Head Chef ,my wife. 

The two daughters also joined me and offered to cook along with me for the date decided.

You may wonder why. My wife hardly allows any one to enter the kitchen to support.

On a lighter vein it was her own territory and we had to get visas issued to travel and work in her country /territory 

We planned cooking seriously . One daughter took over the breakfast on the way. Second cooked rice and sambar. Sambar went with the crisp dosas for breakfast and also for the lunch with rice.

I was told making sambar is easy. I took on the preparation of dinner with Rotis or Indian wheat flat bread (chapaties ) For the accompaniment o took on Ocra made well sautéd with herbs and some spice. 

Cutting vegetables is an interesting chore . Storing the cut vegetables for the day was done a day before. I cut the ocra into small coin size and cucumber in bits for the raita -with curds 

Dinner had good comments from the senior daighter she felt it was made with lots “love from dad” that made her more hungry 

The challenge gave me some insights . 

Standing in front of the gas stove without a fan over head is a challenge. Washing the vessels is easy if it’s done instantly and no spoons thrown in to the sink. With a liquid soap  container near the sink spoons plates and other vessels is easy if some on the spot after breakfast lunch and dinner 

My wife could not resist taking over the night washing of vessels & I had to insist she enjoy her kitchen holiday 

Some days I plan to take on making chapaties and serving on some days of the week. 

Working as a team can reduce the pressure in the kitchen 

Laying the table images spoons pickles and other accompaniments on the table is one chore.

Washing the vessels and clearing the sink is also a chore Of high importance.

Thanks to sri sri the challenge opened up new options in family cooperation 

However the next day it  was  back to “I do the stuff here my way “ 

Thanks Sri Sri for OpenIng up the support system for the mother who cooks 

And thanks to the mother for giving us an opportunity to work in her country.

Muralidharan R Nair 

Day 13 14 of lockdown 

Bangalore murali04@gmail.com 

Challenge for dealing with women on strike

Cooking for the family in the lockdown 

Sri Sri has given a project to cook on Monday. Let the men cook and women supervise. If the man is the regular cook, then women will cook  This project is for the 6th April 2020 

I am busy preparing   for the Monday #womenonstrike challenge 

Some vegetables I have cut , like ocra or Bhindi and cucumbers. Got finally a good peeler that works in flexible angles. 

I will be making chapaties and sabji (ocra).Cut fine cucumber also ready for the event 

Younger daughter will prepare crispy dosa for breakfast and I will prepare the Chutney  

Senior daughter will prepare lunch as she has expertise in sautéd veggies and pulao 

My turn is to prepare early dinner (we have usually by 18:30 or even earlier ) 

I am fine with rotis, Phulkas made in Gujarati  style 

I learnt way back in my sixth standard preparing chapati dough and rolling it for daddy to prepare when mother was confined for the birth of my second bro 10 years younger to me.

Wonder would you all like see the quality of cut vegetables ?

I am looking forward to the great cooking challenge and hope my wife blesses the family for a day of total rest from the kitchen. 

In a lighter vein one may ask why three cooks, my wife would never allow any one to enter her territory or country should I say. We have applied for visas for the day to enter her territory and cook inside the kitchen 

Of course cleaning the kitchen, washing vessels and the gas stove are three areas of challenge 

Washing vessels and clothes on my own I learnt when I used to stay at the ashram for short projects of rural development. Staying  in ashram taught me austerity and the value of money. Many days have lived  without a penny in my pockets.

Now I am happy I experienced over whelming abundance for eight years stay in the Middle East. The story will be told in another write up soon 

Muralidharan R Nair 

For days 11,12 of the lock down 

5th April day of lighting a lamp for spreading the light of health safety and joy for all