Miscellaneous Facebook posts & comments in or around November and December 2021

When author of post or comment is not mentioned, it should be assumed that it is me (Ravi S. Iyer).

To save time, I am usually not providing my FB post links but only contents. I am also not hyperlinking links. So readers will have to copy-paste links from this post onto a browser link box and then browse to that link.

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Thanks to Shri Sivarama Reddy garu for his services as municipal commissioner of Puttaparthi. During this COVID pandemic, he courageously served the public of Puttaparthi. As a resident of Puttaparthi, I was able to express my thanks to him for this courageous service that he and others of Puttaparthi municipality have rendered to Puttaparthi residents, when a group of us had to meet him in context of some municipal matter, around two months back. I take this opportunity to thank him (and others of Puttaparthi municipality including municipal health services staff as well as Puttaparthi police) via this public Facebook post, for his (their) courageous services to Puttaparthi residents during COVID pandemic.

It was nice to hear Shri Narayana Reddy (former councillor) express his gratitude to Shri Sivarama Reddy for his services (in Telugu and he is the second speaker).

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3291245677758653 has shared video.

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Around 1 min. video of Kerala policemen singing Lord Ayyappa song.

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3287667758116445 has shared video.

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Pope Francis message on Christmas and "city and world" (where he prays for peace in various troubled parts of the world): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3VM00tCjEU ,  31 min. 30 secs , published by Vatican News - English today (I saw it till 26 min. 14 secs. by which time Pope Francis had left the balcony and moved inside (out of view)).

The text of Pope Francis' message: https://www.ncregister.com/cna/full-text-pope-francis-christmas-urbi-et-orbi-blessing-2021-t724qfz9

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My prayers to Lord Jesus Christ for peace and joy in the world, especially the troubled areas of the world.

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Wonderful to see this exhibition of religious harmony in Nasik, Maharashtra! Jai Sai Ram!

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3287286774821210 shared related post.

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Am watching this now: 

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Update: Saw fair bit of it (perhaps an hour or so)

Wonderful and inspiring homily by Pope Francis! The narrator of the live video (voice over) was very good. I feel blessed to have seen this. 

My prayers to Lord Jesus Christ for happiness and peace in the world!

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Further update: I thought of sharing the time stamp of two items from this around 1st hour of the program that I very much liked.

1) Lovely worship song by a boy in a language I do not understand (Latin/Italian?) from around 27:43 in the video till around 32.00. As the song is sung, in bursts the voice-over gives the English translation of the song.

2) Pope Francis homily: From around 43:44 till around 55:45.  Pope Francis speaks in what seems to be Italian to me. The voice-over provides English translation.

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3286595184890369 shares related post.

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Joy To The World (Live At The Helix In Dublin, Ireland/2013), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDmIddF7DfQ , 3 min. 17 secs.

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Go Tell It On The Mountain (feat. Melvin Crispell III & Chandler Moore) Maverick City Music | TRIBL, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1RpUV2AQ24, 6 min. 51 secs., published on 7th Dec. 2021.

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Hark the Herald (Sing Out Loud) | The Spirituals Choir (Official Music Video), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmtKlOB-0-I , 5 min. 55 secs., published on 22nd Dec. 2020.

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DOOR EK TAARA | HINDI CHRISTMAS CAROL | 4K, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmO6EGUqkFM , 4 min. 27 secs., published on 12th Dec. 2021.

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New Hindi Christmas Song 2021 | Jhoomo Naacho || Jaago Family | Alka Prasad Cover, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B41BMoXUrX4 , 4 min. 44 secs.

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NEW TAMIL CHRISTMAS SONG 2021 | KING | GG5 | HARINI |OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO | FULL HD, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbllktTs1IQ , 3 min. 57 secs., published on 19th Dec. 2021.

I did not understand most of this Tamil song (my Tamil, especially formal Tamil, is weak) but I liked it as expression of youth and youthful energy channeled into devotional music and dance.

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During Christmas time, I love to look up youtube to see new 2021 Christmas songs. They are current expressions of faith in Lord Jesus Christ expressed through music and song! I celebrate such 2021 expressions of faith in Lord Jesus Christ. Will be sharing some of these 2021 youtube songs, and perhaps some older ones too, on FB.

Here's one: Raraju Puttadoi | Joshua Shaik | Pranam Kamlakhar | Sireesha B | Latest New Telugu Christmas Songs, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYh0vxjGYBs, 7 min. 19 secs., published on 11th Nov. 2021.

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Very happy to see this inauguration of Kali temple in Dhaka by Indian President Ram Nath Kovind. Note the history of the temple having been destroyed by Pakistani forces in 1971.

Jai Maa Kali!

Watch: Pres Kovind inaugurates Dhaka's renovated Kali Mandir destroyed by Pakistan in 1971, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5eq0g5Tye4 , 4 min. 45 secs. published today by Hindustan Times.

Note that as per https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/president-kovind-inaugurates-dhakas-historic-kali-mandir-destroyed-by-pak-army-in-1971/article37975699.ece , "Hindus make up some 10 per cent of the Muslim-majority Bangladesh's 169 million population."

As an Indian Hindu, I am thankful to the current Bangladesh government for allowing this renovation of Dhaka Kali temple.

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Comment responding to a comment-question on mask wearing, from my post:  https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3281419772074577

I have chosen to lead a very reclusive life in this period where I rarely move out of my flat & building area, and so I don't know for sure how it is in PTP town. While some mask wearing rules are officially in force, I don't think they are implemented in a strict way. I don't think there are any vax. rules for shopping in PTP. Don't know about travel part.

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Inspiring speech by PM Modi (in Hindi). Around 45 mins.

My elder sister and elder brother (both born in first half of 1950s) were named in honour of Lord Vishwanath of Kashi, as, if I recall correctly, they were born after my parents had made a pilgrimage to Kashi.

Even though both my parents and their ancestors came from Tamil Nadu & Kerala (the deep south of India), the reverence that Kashi (which is in North India) had for my parents, reflected the importance of Kashi for South Indian Hindus. Also we are Saivites and so Kashi's Lord Shiva (Mahadev) is a vital divine figure (deity) for us.

Har Har Mahadev!

Aum Namah Shivaya!

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3278689222347632 shares related post.

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So much water in the ground in Bukkapatnam mandal area (near Puttaparthi) that water is gushing out of a borewell without the borewell motor being switched on!

First time I am hearing of this in and around Puttaparthi! This seems to be good news for some farmers in this area as now the water needs for the crops in coming months will most probably be met.

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3271473343069220 shares related post.

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In response to a private remark about my recent post on Chitravathi river course - https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3269359499947271, I wrote (slightly edited):

The recent Chitravathi river floods caused the biggest non-medical natural mini-calamity/mini-disaster I have experienced in Puttaparthi over past almost 2 decades since I moved to Puttaparthi in Oct. 2002. So I wanted to know more about the river course and as I was not able to access it easily in one page/location on the Internet, I thought I should write a post on it for others who want to know about it.

I should also add that I was reading Kamala Subramanian's Ramayana English translation yesterday, about Bharata pleading to Lord Rama in Chitrakoot, to get crowned as king and rule Kosala kingdom (with capital Ayodhya) as he (Lord Rama) is the rightful heir and not himself (Bharata). 

Bharata says to Rama (in this English translated version of Ramayana) "This kingdom is now like a dam which has burst its banks because of the floods caused by heavy rains. Only you can gather up the broken fragments and make it whole." The attached pic shows the sentences in the book, which are on page number 244.

When I read these sentences yesterday night, I immediately thought about how the recent Chitravathi river floods had caused immense suffering to those living in ground floor of houses/ground floor flats in what I think are northern parts (Bukkapatnam side) of Puttaparthi town, especially Sai Nagar and areas near Satyamma temple and Panchayat/municipality office. Such flooding has not been seen/experienced in Puttaparthi for decades!

That Bharata uses such a floods metaphor to convey how grievous the Kosala kingdom situation was then (due to Rama's absence and passing away of King Dasaratha), in this English translation of Ramayana, was very striking.

I wondered whether the Valmiki Ramayana Sanskrit shlokas use such terms. Note that due to lack of time, I have not been able to parallelly read Valmiki Ramayana Sanskrit shlokas - I am reading only the English translation now.

But what became clear to me was that river floods calamity that parts of India experience at times, even today, is a common experience that we share with people of Lord Rama's time! River floods was as big a calamity in Lord Rama's time, if not worse, as it is now, and this aspect of it is brought out in Bharata's words quoted above (if the English translation is a fairly accurate translation of Sanskrit Ramayana authoritative version(s))!

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3270085913207963 has the pic which I have reproduced below:

[On PC desktop, to open pic in larger resolution (if available), right-click on pic followed by open link (NOT image) in new tab/window. In new tab/window you may have to click on pic to zoom in.]

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FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3267261186823769 shares video about repair of breach in Chitravathi river checkdam in Puttaparthi.

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Anantapur district collector's visit to flood affected areas of Puttaparthi today.

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3266758010207420 shares related post.

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Very sad to see this damage done to home in Sai Nagar. I think Sai Nagar area has borne the brunt of the damage done by the recent floods in some parts of Puttaparthi. I hope the government is able to provide some financial help to those whose homes suffered damage due to these floods.

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3263211037228784 shares related post.

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As of 20th Nov. afternoon, I have been informed that water has receded from many places in Puttaparthi town that were flooded on 19th Nov., with roads in these areas now being dirty and perhaps with potholes/damage due to earlier floods, but still walkable as these roads are not flooded now.

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3262329703983584 has comments. My comments (slightly edited) are given below:

I saw the IAF chopper rescue operation videos and also an article giving the background of how some people got stranded in the river and how the IAF was requested to help out by Hon'ble CM Jagan Mohan Reddy garu.

Good to see that you took initiative for cleanup operation in your building. Of course, such work would cost some money and which money would be well spent from a health and well being perspective.

About Almatti dam crack connection to Chitravathi river flooding: I browsed for that but could not get any such links. How did you get that information? Most info. on the net says that excess rainfall resulted in rivulets emptying into Chitravathi river which swelled into a threatening/dangerous river.

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Noted your comment . Yes, you are right that all such info. is not available on the Internet, especially if it is sensitive info.

Just read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almatti_Dam which says the dam is on Krishna river. Perhaps still there may be some connection to Chitravathi river. I don't know this geography well.

Noted the challenges involved in cleanup ops. Good that you were able to overcome the challenges and get the work done.

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My building area was not affected directly. So I was not directly affected. But I was keenly following the damage and suffering caused in Puttaparthi town through Facebook coverage of the floods, and also through phone messages/conversations with some. It was very sad and disturbing for me to see the amount of suffering caused by the floods in some parts of Puttaparthi town. I am very glad to see that the floods have receded in those areas of the town. But as you have pointed out in your comment, sister Uma, cleanup and getting back to normal is taking significant effort.

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While I have not come across any articles on the matter, the impression I have got is that flooding of some parts of Puttaparthi town on Bukkapatnam side of the town, happened due to Chitravathi river rising above the banks from around the Karnatakanagapalli bridge and beyond towards Bukkapatnam. Further some say that Bukkapatnam lake (or is there a dam there too, I don't know) water was also overflowing and so the water from Chitravathi river overflow was not being drained into Bukkapatnam lake, which is what would happen usually I believe, but was spreading elsewhere including parts of Puttaparthi town.

But, as I said, I have not come across any article on this matter and the above are just my impressions based on the videos that I saw and some phone conversations I had. My impressions could very well be wrong.

I am quite sure there would be articles on this matter in Telugu local news outlets in Bukkapatnam and Puttaparthi area. It will be good if somebody shares those articles on well known Facebook channels in Puttaparthi like Ammineni Raja's Facebook channel, as then people like us will come across it.

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As per this report, flood waters have receded in a key area of Puttaparthi town, related to this flood situation, which is the Puttaparthi side of the bridge over Chitravathi river going to Karnatakanagapalli. That's good to know.

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3262276053988949 shares related post.

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Good to see Puttaparthi town leaders and their teams doing relief work to help flood affected in Puttaparthi town.

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3262264653990089 shares related post.

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Wonderful work by NDRF and police! Good to know that trapped persons were rescued. Thanks to Shri Ammineni Raja Puttaparthi , అమ్మినేని పుట్టపర్తి వార్తలు for his detailed coverage of Puttaparthi floods now.

NDRF stands for Nation Disaster Relief Force. I believe the police officer shown in the pic is Puttaparthi Circle Inspector (CI) Shri Balasubramanyam Reddy who seems to have played a leadership role in this rescue.

As far as I know, this is the first time NDRF services have been used in Puttaparthi town. I think that itself shows how serious the Puttaparthi floods situation was. [Update: As of 20th Nov. afternoon, I have been informed that water has receded from many places in Puttaparthi town that were flooded on 19th Nov., with roads in these areas now being dirty and perhaps with potholes/damage due to earlier floods, but still walkable as these roads are not flooded now.]

I have to mention that I am wondering about the stranded cows shown in the pic. I doubt if they were rescued (as priorities would be to save humans) Prayers to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba to save those cows. Jai Sai Ram! [Update on 20th Nov. afternoon: I presume water level would have significantly receded here too and the cows would have been rescued.]

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3262257793990775 shares related post.
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The tweet video is about floods earlier today in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh (not Puttaparthi and not Anantapur district): 

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3261915884024966 shares related tweet.

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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3261880470695174

https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3261879767361911

https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3261875080695713

https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3261874954029059

share posts on flooding in PTP town.

https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3261874954029059 has some comments. Given below are my comments:

I have not seen this level of flooding since I started living in Puttaparthi in end 2002 (nor had I seen it in my visits earlier). I have heard some people say that after a dam was constructed in Karnataka on Chitravathi river upstream, Chitravathi flooding reduced dramatically. Prior to that dam construction, such flooding would happen in Puttaparthi. How many years back was that? Some say 25 years, some say 30 years but I am not sure.

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Interesting to read about your past experiences of Puttaparthi and Bhagavan's predictions about Puttaparthi.

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Video shows the grim flood waters situation in an area of Puttaparthi town

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3261862804030274 shares related post.

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Great work by Puttaparthi police to help those trapped in flood waters in Sainagar area in Puttaparthi.

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3261861820697039 shares related post.

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https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3261673247382563 , https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3261561607393727 , https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3261560690727152 share posts on PTP flooding.

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Quite a thought-provoking one!🙂

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3258804397669448 shares quote of Aristotle, "He who is unable to live in society, must be either a beast or a god."

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Around a week old video: PM Modi meets Pope Francis in the Vatican City, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIMfV3jqUKo , 2 min. 40 secs, published on 30th Oct. 2021 by Narendra Modi

If you listen carefully at high volume (at least on my mini PC temporary setup with its low audio power output), you can hear at the end, Pope Francis asking PM Narendra Modi to pray for him and PM Modi says God will always give you strength or something like that. It is awesome to see this exchange on prayer. Also PM Modi invites Pope Francis to visit India and says it will be his great honour or something like that, to receive him.

Around 1 min. 13 secs. Pope Francis speaks in Hindi to PM Modi saying that 'yeh special(ly) banaya gaya hai aapke liye' meaning this has been specially made for you.

P.S. My desktop PC's main CPU box (Motherboard + CPU + RAM + SMPS housed in PC cabinet) stopped working around a week to ten days back and I am attempting to get it repaired. Meanwhile I have set up a low-cost mini PC system with mini PC (main CPU box) price being slightly less than Rs.3000, which I am using as a slow but quite functional Internet browser device with my desktop computer system's 21.5 inch Samsung LCD monitor, Microsoft keyboard and mouse. The mini PC (embedded Linux based) is also a barebones Linux standalone PC with a few standard software packages like Libre Office and VLC player. I plan to put up a post on this mini PC later on.

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3252019005014654  has some comments. My comment is given below:

Prof. Jayaprakash commented (and was OK with public sharing of this comment): "It's really heartening to see the religious head of a major religion asking the head of a nation to pray for him".

I responded (slightly edited): "Very well said, sir".

Prof. Jayaprakash had shared the above video with me on another social media platform, which triggered an exchange with him, and then this post.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCzZVVi6JU0 , around 6 mins.

[Video is about PM Modi unveiling statue of Guru Shankaracharya at Kedarnath.]

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Wonderful message in alumni group of one of the schools I studied in, in Mumbai, which is run by a Catholic missionary organization. Such messages are good for harmony between Christians and Hindus, IMHO.

FB post: https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3249648508585037 shares related post with pic whose text captions are: "1 John 1:5 God is light in him there is no darkness" followed by "Divine light of our creator shine on all this diwali".

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