Happy birthday akshaya!!!

Today was the lowest key birthday celebrations we had with Akshaya but it was really really nice:) spent the evening at a playground in Amk. Lots of sand swings slides spider web climbing  

Much to be grateful and thankful for

Remember rule no 5: don't take yourself so damn seriously! 

Who cares if mum puts on the light at night? Or feeds water with a spoon? Does it matter in the larger scheme of things? What matters is she loves your son ! And you! And is there for you! Please relax and let small things pass. 

Poem- inspired at acm

Devotion desire

Power adventure love

These beautiful artifacts and relics

Possessing the power to speak

Centuries on

To unknown gawking foreigners

To make us wonder

Do they represent devotion or desire ? 

Who's the greater

The represented 

Or the representor? 

Whose power and love

Are we so moved by? 

What stories can these artifacts tell us?

Who can verify these stories? 

Are we engaged in a pursuit of truth

Or adventure

As we ponder the meanings behind them

As we 'unravel' these mysteries

Which hold us in awe

Torment us, tease us

Intrigue us and mesmerize is

Hold us both to devotion and desire

Poem- inspired at acm

Devotion desire

Power adventure love

These beautiful artifacts and relics

Possessing the power to speak

Centuries on

To unknown gawking foreigners

To make us wonder

Do they represent devotion or desire ? 

Who's the greater

The represented 

Or the representor? 

Whose power and love

Are we so moved by? 

What stories can these artifacts tell us?

Who can verify these stories? 

Are we engaged in a pursuit of truth

Or adventure

As we ponder the meanings behind them

As we 'unravel' these mysteries

Which hold us in awe

Torment us, tease us

Intrigue us and mesmerize us

Hold us both to devotion and desire

Learn about the world through lit

KLiterature us truly a gateway to the world! To learn about different parts of the world read novels and plays! My world grows through lit. So here's my list: 

Countries 

Bangladesh- sona

South Africa- heart of redness, mda, and out of bounds, naidoo

Singapore- telltale , here and beyond, boom, Tay

India- midnights children, rushdie and 

White tiger, adiga

China- waiting, ha jin and the good earth, buck

Bay of Bengal- the hungry tide

Philippines, forgot! 

Sri Lanka- Ondaatje 

Japan- memoirs of a geisha but with a huge dose of salt! 

Indonesia- footsteps 

Topics

English history of kings - Gregory and mantel 

Euthanasia- whose life is it anyway

Mental illness- sharma

Conquest of incas- royal hunt of the sun

Africa- death of the kings horseman 

Survival at sea-life of pi

Papua new guinea- mister pip

Autism- curious incident of dog in the night time, Marcelo in the real world 

WWII- Anne frank's diary 

Soul searching

I think... I need to do some soul searching. Why am I so eager to go. Ack early? 

Yesterday I was miserable coz I came to the hotel late when I thought I should have got back early. 

Today I was miserable coz I came back early and felt stupid sitting in my hotel room from7.30 onwards - likely that's how I would have felt yest. I hated dinner yesterday. Today I hear j went for dinner with two others and it was fun I'm jealous. It's like I'm determined to be unhappy :( 

Even before coming to Japan I was finding out how to come back if nec. I'd been looking at ashwin longingly likd I'm missing him. Don't know what's happened to me! 

Secret of Japan's clean subway stations

There are no 'no littering, no eating ' signs and only a few dust bins  Yet there is no rubbish. 

Secret? Cultural habits! 

Firstly the Japanese generally don't eat while travelling- walking sitting in trains etc- they consider  it rude. Secondly even if they do eat, they would not fling rubbish on the floor coz that would look bad on the person .besides they consider it bad form to cause trouble for others! So- no mess! 

And in the trains - people don't rush for seats. So generally if an old person or pregnant woman gets in there usually is a place to sit. Others who don't need seats just stand. 

Such a gracious society!  

Latest on the leg

I worry I have hurt my tendon. Think I need an x ray. Want to leave on mon morning instead of tues evening. Means giving Kyoto a miss but doubt I'll enjoy it with this leg. 

Please pray that I have not done any permanent damage! 

What I can learn from the Japanese

Take pride in how things look as well as taste

Politeness 

Don't trouble others where possible

Respect people

Go out of the way to help

Tired

I'm pushing myself- body is giving signs but I am ignoring them. My right leg is hurting so bad. I keep walking. My cold is bad. I keep working. Well it's going to end right now. I give myself 3 hours of rest the next three days. Tomorrow my day starts only at 10.30 or maybe 11. It ends by 8. Sunday it starts by 7.30 ends by 6. Mon it is while day.?tues morning I'm back home. Resting on the plane 

You ask me - what would I prefer- walking alone through mountains and waterfalls in Japan or dinner with my family- I can tell you my answer! Family! I miss them more than they miss me

Day 3- not so good:(

Started the day unsure of what to wear. 

Shoes were a problem. 

Coat was a problem

Chose my suit that would go well with shoes that were perfectly comfortable yesterday- but they hurt! So limped the whole day. 

Conf opening was a bore. Wanted to go shopping for baby clothes but Janet took me to a high end place where I could hardly get anything. 

Foot hurt so bad! Kept leaving the room every few minutes to blow my Bose do I could breathe- worse than yesterday

So hiked back to hotel to soak the feet the bum- which started having cuts- long story! Decided to see doc dog the cold thought he'd give me antibiotics 

He said- you pregnant- best take no meds!! And charged me 4000 yełn for Chinese herbal meds that is safe at 6 months but Dudley for 3-4 month preggo women! No thanks paid 3500 instead! That's? 45 dollars! For nothing! Back to conf and now it's pouring. Sigh one of those  days truly!!

I like Japan

Clean place! 

Polite respectful

So we reciprocate - nodding saying thank you using two hands to give and receive 

Amazing toilets- bidets! Everywhere you can get a bum bath! 

Flying into Japan

Had a window seat- night flight and could not sleep- outside had the blessing to see the beautiful night sky above the clouds - stars ! So many- real starry starry night. Then had the honor of witnessing dawn breaking - again above the sky line. Such beauty! 

Nara park

Day 2 of Japan solo holiday:) 

K this is supposed to be a work trip but today it's still holiday mode. 

Am at Nara park now awaiting a steaming hot bowl of noodle soup with mountain veg

Very scenic place. Spacious! Green woody. 

Saw deer - have biscuits to feed them plan to do so after lunch. 

Beautiful big Buddha statue - prayed well. Bought two flutes and a couple of pretty nodding toy deers

Cash is running out really fast! 

On my way to Japan

Our airport is really quite beautiful! Crayons and drawing block paper easily available , slides for kids, shops galore! 

Feel like I'm on a bit of a break:) my traveling companion seems to prefer being alone which is ok with 

Me of course.  :) result being I almost feel like how I felt when I went to Ireland alone and then before that kanya kumari;) 

Might sleep though am tempted by movies! But I need sleep or I'll fall ill I think! 

3 am

Can't sleep. Was sleeping but ashwin cried and woke me up. Akshaya went to sleep with her father. And now I'm awake with tummy rumbling;) 

Going to Japan next week. I should be more excited. But am afraid and wary. Why? One- Simon's incessant questioning- what's the value of the conf? Second the program- not so much on lit which I love the most. Part of me is scolding myself for not having planned better for the people to go for a proper lit conf. But I am one of those people who really gleans a lot from training. 

But- I am going to present. Last conf I told myself next time I go  I will present and god has made it happen! 

I  leaving kids in good hands while I'm away. Run is here. Saro my parents his parents. Lots of support. They will bond as I did with them when saro was away. They need to be prepared for me to be with new baby a lot more too. 

Such opportunities are rare at moe- to travel for work. God is with me and my kids. Just silly things on my mind. Rather travel now than within a year of kutty baby's birth coz of breast feeding. Everything is working out. Just will miss my kids but I know they'll be ok:) 

Evaluation

Right. We are thinking about evaluation at work right and all night from

10 pm till 3 am I've been dreaming that my son wants to evaluate assessment workshops! Weird! 

Parenthood

Parenthood is one of the best teachers ever! 

Food calendar

10 sep

Breakfast- steamed soon kueh

Lunch- watermelon 2  slices , kanji Keerai Brocoli yogurt brown rice bitter gourd soup

Huge bar of chocolate

6 pm- glass of milk

1 apple

Dinner- idly chutney pachadi kanji beans kavanarisi

2 jam biscuits 

In hospital now:(

Hi Ho! 

Yest had very bad gastric pain- cum indigestion. never having had it before I could not recognize it and panicked big time. So here I am. But seriously yesterday I was in such a state- had to see doc I tell you. Just that I'm here still when I should be home with ashwin baby who is not well. 

Figured out what may have caused it- ate A hand made kolakattai- store bought 

Ashwin has fever

And I wonder is it because I broke a coconut? 

Sigh! Irrational as it seems the two times I broke the coconut myself he fell ill. 

More important now though is - why is he ill? He was fine the whole day! Sudden fever at night! No cold nothing. Good appetite. Playful. Slept ok. Didn't go out anywhere. Grr. 

Powerful prayer to saint gerard

I've been saying this prayer for 6 years now- almost everyday. And I've been saying it because I like it of course. But today, suddenly as I was saying it I picked up on the wonderful power of the words in the prayer- in particular the lines... That we may raise up children to god in this life and heirs to his kingdom in the world to come" ... It's true! Our children whom we pray for arechildrem for god- how true as I hear my akshaya speaking of the Ramayana and ashwin saying palum theli thenum ... Through my children I am getting to know more about god getting closer to god.... 

Lesson by my daughter

I'm still feeling quite troubled by what happened yesterday. Saro and I fought over a very small thing and akshaya helped us see how foolish we were being. That was good but she was also apologizing for the most basic things like she thought she was responsible for our unhappiness. That was so troubling. I feel really guilty now. Such a small child she's taking such an empathetic view of things and is feeling responsible. I can't allow that to happen again. 

I love the way Ashwin calls out to us

Ashwin calls out to us with pure joy! To hear yourself called out to like that can only bring joy to the hearer and my don does that! 

He says Aaatha! With a laugh and smoke. Same with aaya and kanna maaama! 

We are so blessed! 

Moving house?

Looks like we may be moving house soon! 

The dream: 

A big house / almost as big as our current place!

Near my parents house

Be near good schools

Accessible by train and expressway

Have a good pool

Maybe have a tennis court:) 

Have a reasonable view 

room for a maid if possible. Or if not a room for a library again which can double up as kids room and maid's sleeping area. 

Dear god

Dear god. Help me this day. This is your day - your gift to me- let me value it enjoy it and thrive in it. Thank you for this day;) 

Crazy story - crazy dream

This dream I had last night was so vivid I was sure it was real. Have to pen it down. Think it can be a great screenplay:p of course as in the case of dreams ... Some details are dubious! 

Setting: Beach holiday. Marissa Janz's double story beach apartment. Wooden structure. Four bedrooms on second floor. Toilets in middle if the room fairly near the bed! Quite open only three short walls around the cubicle. 

Ashwin akshaya my mum and some others in one room on the right. My dad is sleeping in one of the rooms on the left. I need to use the bathroom - cant use the one my kids and mum are in- all awake! Mid day see. So try the one with my dad. As I'm about to go my dad wakes up and suggest I use the other one in another room. More privacy! Ah ok. So I go. Then there's  this crazy rumbling sound. Dad and marissa end up in the third room with me. Saro is either with me or my mum. I think with mum.  I continue using the loo. We look around. There's water all around the house- not inside though! And thru the windows we see these strange looking large fish- they look like sharks but their heads are more rounded than pointed. And in addition to find they have crazy lobster like claws sticking out of their bodies. They just lazily and creepily swim past our windows. 

Dad says to marisssa - scary aren't they?-  And she says- scary? Yes quite.-  All quite surreal. I'm still on the pot trying to speed up! Then another humongous roar and whole house feels like its lurching forward. black weeds and debris float past the house. 

I'm getting very worried. I pull up my pants and want to go over to the children's room to check on them when another almighty roar hits us and sends the house rocking and debris rushes past the windows again. I'm convinced it's a tsunami except that instead of sea water rushing towards us you get the feeling water around us is rushing back to the sea. My eyes are closed. When I open them I look out in disbelief. Whole trees have been uprooted leaving only bald short stumps - you can see the trees have been viciously torn away by the force. I'm thinking. Now way can our wooden rickety hut be standing while trees are uprooted and then true enough - I look up and there's no roof above our head! Our entire two story hut has been ripped away! I'm miraculously standing on the ground - shaken but dry. A quick glance behind me shows my dad and marissa safe and a glance across shows my mum and kids safe! I run across and pick up my son, hugging him close. My mum consoles me - not to worry about all our things which are lost! 

I say of course! Sho cares about things my most precious things are all safe here- kids and family. Then we look behind us. And there's a clear ruthless path of destruction - just along the line of our  hut! All other huts are standing up fine! But our path- the path our hut was in- is a picture of utter devastation. Black treeless debris for as long as the eyes can see. 

It's called the leather back effect apparently. Water from the sea sweeps outwards Ina channel and is swept back inwards into the sea through a channel with such destructive force nothing survives. Except us! 

We walk clear of this path and on see an orange playground nearby. I ask ashwin if he wants to play while I look back at the path in fear and doubt. He and akshaya play. My mum says how nice. I'm thinking thank god I got my pants up again before the house took off! 

Weird huh? 

Can't sleep

Treated myself

Just bought two items for a hundred dollars each! A shirt and a wallet - think I'm splurging to celebrate my recent promotion and bonus! Yes!!

Leading the lit team

Being strategic
Aware of others views and perceptions to our actions
Building on our strengths
Winning over stakeholders
Aligning with school vision and communicating that to leaders

Interview sucked

I've been in interviews where I know I will get through and where I knew I sucked- this was somewhere in between. Spent a long time with me just to reject me? Not sure - they might put a 'pending' on me.

Just feel like I did not convince them enough- I could have talked about what I've done here and how I hope to continue - lit text review comm assessment ipsg poetry master class but I only talked about leading the lit team- lit text review comm - none of these are master teacher work - they are CPo work

Only thing ok is literary ways of thinking -

Didn't tell them how I want to have systemic teaching for various levels of teachers - didn't tell them how I changed things after coming here and how they would be foolish to lose me:(

Not sure I want to try again another year - feel like I've been here too Long already! Staying on means staying on for another 2.5 years in fact while now its 1.5

I would rather call it quits at the end of this year and go fund my own studies.
Come back and work with Nus as has always been my dream - work alongside patke! And Susan Ang. And Holden. And Gilbert yeoh. Given enough of my self to moe.

Ok. How I did at the interview does not define me. I will study no matter what they say or do. If they don't finance I will finance my own way. We are leaving next year.

So ... Onwards?

Sat Night we had a play date sleepover and next morning I saw the five cousins playing together- my eyes misted as I thought about how next year I'll be taking her away from these best friends and close cousins:(

Teaching shakespeare

Some great ideas

1. Whoosh
2. Read arounds - stand in a circle each read a portion separated by punctuation marks - the read again to one another
3. Holding the gaze of another across the room to form a pair then two pairs to a group.
3. All stand in a cycle repeating a significant line then look down day it and catch the others eye

Keep in mind the end eg they must be able to write an essay about a character.

Then zoom into which speech which back story Which character etc. Do a whoosh from that characters point of view for eg or whoosh the story just in that part.

Teacher knowledge very important - must know the text.

Start with the enjoyment then the way to get there- the meal first then they ask for the recipe.

Scaffold more imp than warm up- more imp is the hook - start with the fight. Warm ups should build to the story.


Does the class have what it takes
H- humanizing
A - artistic/ academic
V- vocational - can students apply what they are learning in class ?
E evaluation - feedback loop

All up in arms for lit:)

Yes yes lit is all the news these days. I hope some wonderful things come out of it- I pray

Hmm maybe nothing big will come but... Lots more awareness of lit now. That's good right

Friday work records

18 jan - fd- prep for workshop on setting questions
25jan -fd -Nie lit conference presentation
8 feb -1/2 day - work on pq- oil on 3 apr am
15 feb 1/2 day- assessment workshop by CPO oil 17 apr am
22 march- 1/2 dat Ltlt workshop meeting - oil on 27 April am
29 march good Friday!
12 April - am unit meeting on meeting with parent rep

Great books!

Just read Amadeus- wonderful play by Peter shaffer! I do believe I'm a fan - must read more of his works!

Here it's a wonderful tale of pure god given talent - jealousy- struggle for power. Thanks shaffer!!!

1. Amadeus
2. The midwich cuckoos
3. The hungry tide - I will study this for sure!

Crazy what'ssap conversations!

They are laugh out loud type of conversations!! Hilarious . Endless. No real logic sometimes.so entertaining!

Stanley fish

Fish's theory supports my hypotheses to done extent . In a subject we learn ways of seeing and thinking. I argue that these ways of seeing are valuable because they allow us to perceive the world in ways that are valuable to the country

Romantic Saro

We had our valentines day date yesterday - art jamming! And Saro my sweetheart painted our honeymoon beach! So romantic! Mine started as desaru but got modified - and I think quite cliched - but his- its beautiful!

Valentines day

My very simple card using pressed flowers.

Saro surprised me with a bouquet of beautiful roses in full bloom and a card from him Akshaya and ashwin.

Akshaya drew a house with a tree and birds and a shining sun and flowers for both Saro and me. :)

Fun poetry homework

I have to design a poster if the 18 th century with ref to lit an poetry! Blake's engraving come to mind of course as well as awesome poems like tintern abbey and more.

Also have to find 10-20 poems on words- intertextuality! Fun right!

The journey towards ethical eating blog

Nice to think that everything we cook at least we should offer first to god when we can. Vegetables and fruits.

Jan 6-27 veg -
@3 weeks veg!
Mon 28 chicken
Tue 29 veg
Wed 30 veg
Thurs 31 little bit chicken curry
Fri- 1 feb veg
Weekend - veg! Despite temptations;$ @5 days veg.
Mon- thurs -4-7 feb veg but some egg
Fri- sun!! 8-10 feb: chicken prawn -
cny weekend!
@4 day veg
Mon- wed 11-13 veg
thurs - fri 14-15 veg
Sat non veg
Sun veg
@6 days veg!
Mon - veg
Tue - chicken
Wed-sun veg
@ 6 days veg! 18-24 feb
Mon-wed veg
Thurs - non veg
Fri veg
Sat- veg
Sun non veg
@4days veg 25 feb - 3 mar
4 days veg 4-10 Mar
Mon 11 march -

Thaipusam

Saro took kavadi
Aatha and Devi took paal kudam.
I walked with them in the middle of the Night singing and praying.
It was very good. I am so happy we have these traditions at our temple

Envisioning knowledge

There is a difference between information and knowledge.

Children , learners must be engaged in deepening knowledge and creating knowledge for learning to be meaningful

They must be challenged and immersed in the discipline.

Tests should test knowledge not info regurgitation

Enough already! It's just hair!

I have to stop this! I keep looking sadly at Akshaya's pictures where her hair is especially beautiful!

It will grow back- lovelier and stronger than before! We will oil and massage her scalp and give her eggs two to three times a week

Eating humble pie

I was so angry yesterday- such anger is not good for me or anyone else around me
It was a classic case of taking myself too seriously.
Sigh. And I have to deal with the fallout from such anger- a sinking feeling within - shock at how I could express such anger :(

Please help me be calm . Always see the other point of view be slow to anger quick to love

More on Ramayana

Ok that fire testing thing- way out of line.
Permeates the Indian male (and female) psyche that men can have many wives gladly but women must not even think of other men

- more cruelly - Sita who is a goddess can walk thru fire and emerge unscathed

The mortal woman- chaste or unchaste- will burn in fire.

Fundamentally devising tests for the chastity of women and not men is biased and not fair

Granted though - Ramayana here does not factor in Sita or women at all- sita is property of Rama and the pain to Rama at having to put her thru such a test and his pain in living separated from her subsequently is the point- that a good leader has to sometimes suffer great personal cost for good of the country.

Leading with a statue of Sita - to me is the most damning for the relationship between women and men- it suggests that men cannot deal with the flesh and blood reality of a woman - the woman in flesh and blood presents a threat - constant frightening - she can be coveted by others she can herself willingly 'transgress' or be forced to transgress . Dealing with the reality of Sita is too much even for supreme lord Rama- ruling with a statue, everything runs smoothly for 11,000 years!
Women are only needed for procreation and bringing up children, which sita does in the safe obscurity of a forest under care of sages.

What do we say to this?

Thought about it some more- possible that the way sits is treated and how it comes to represent things for women is just an Accidental by product of the book. The real story there is the struggle with kingship- kings often have to make all kinda of personal sacrifices for good of the people.

Take queen Elizabeth! She gave up the chance to marry men she loved and have children in order to rule England well and what a ruler she was! If she had married she would had to give up the rein of power to the man but she truly had heart of the people . Plus she couldn't marry anyone the public rejects even if she loved him.

Let's talk about budget processes that impede productivity shall we

It is virtually impossible to handpick a good speaker for an event or training. Virtually impossible. Shall review all budget procedures and target to get quality training for less than 3 k always.

The Friday blog

So you know I'm on 3/4 load this year right. I'm going to log in my Fridays do at the end of the year I can see how I spent my off days:)

Not going to bother with the going late coming early arrangements! Those are hard to keep!

1. Jan 4 - party planning for akshu's 5th birthday party

2. Jan 11. Cycling at Pasir ris park with Saro

3. Jan 18. Grr - at work whole day prep for workshop I'm running

4. Jan 25. Attending and presenting at the Nie lit conference

5. Feb 1. Chores! Important chores. Ashwin injections at last a full 3-6 months late! And servicing of the car. Wash hair.. Give ashwin lunch and then bhajanai in the evening at Kannans place.

5.5- wed 6 feb- I came in at 10. Managed to read with Akshaya in the morning while feeding her breakfast. And read and played with ashwin for awhile and gave him his meds.

6. Fri 8 feb- prep for sat lunch and shobana concert in the evening. playtime with ash

:( 3/4 not working! Going to ask for 4/5 pray it come through!

7. Fri 15 feb. morning at work! Grocery shopping. Took akshaya for music class Fed ashwin in the evening.

Best sat ever!
- tennis in the morning
- baking with Akshaya - pizza
- playing and relaxing with both kids
- art work galore with Akshaya - she created her own poster cum book and inspired me to draw as well:)

8.

8. Ashwin was sick. :( just stayed home with him.

9. Half day at work - assessment course. Pm- shopping for gold

10. Whole day at science centre with ashwin Akshaya saro's parents and run- was a blast! Panda movie at the IMAX theater water play for kids French fries at lunch running around for ashwin! All in all a grand day!

Btw- have changed to 4/5 load!

11. While day of chores! Shopping mostly for groceries and stuff to prepare for kavitha's baby shower on sat! Plus a facial.

Reflections on the Ramayana

Ok now that the initial confusion depression and other negative feelings have abated.. I can reflect on what are the wonderful things we can learn from this epic-

1. God tests the chosen ones. To improve their mettle help them achieve their potential- trials harden the resolve

2. Within human beings lies some vicious aspects that must be continually tamed and re- routed to beneficial ways

3. Thinking about god always helps us focus on what's important and not get caught up in life's petty inequalities.

4. It is the ideal if neither sorrow nor joy can touch us too much for indeed we are temporarily here and the soul is eternal.

Great day cycling with hubby!

Hmm.. Blog entries are starting to read like Facebook status updates!

We cycled from Pasir ris park to bedok reservoir today- first time ever:) such fun though of course our legs are killing us! And saro's arm for done reason!!

Hairy matters

So. My mum in law and mum want me to shave akahaya's head bald again. It's like they take perverse pleasure in seeing her hairless. In some belief that shaving promotes hair growth. What about people who naturally have thin hair? Thick hair is beautiful only in some quarters. Not nec here.

I believe balding her is not going to increase her hair growth at all. I believe trimming followed by daily oiling will improve hair growth.

So how? Two opposite schools of thought regarding a four year old's hair. Mum vs grand mums. Husband just likes to believe in ancient ways- accepts many things unquestioningly. So - bald? Ok no problem!

That leaves me sorely outnumbered. Added to which my mind fluctuates like crazy- I should take a moment to quiet my self - think . Then ... It won't matter so much.

Surely making two old ladies happy is more important than making a 35 year old happy. It's just hair. Not that big a deal. Akshaya herself doesn't seem to mind. She will look funny only for a few months.

Stupid husband must appreciate and not take my acquiescence for granted.

Why is that important? Surely knowing That I am doing the right thing should be reward enough?

Ramayanam and it's relevance today

Ok. I'm reading ramayanam now because Akshaya is so interested in it. And I have so many thoughts and questions on it.

On the downside women are seen as property of men. They are powerful no doubt yet also fragile in some ways. They are objectified even in the ramayanam - limbs breasts thighs all described at length- rape and lust ... Women needing the protection of men.

On the interesting side- time means totally different things! They easily live for thousands of years! Gods and Demi gods and supreme gods and man - all interacting with ease- devotion prayer makes up a lot of the day-

There is terrible public rape of rhambai by ravana- after which rhambai's husband curses ravana- he can't ever touch another woman against her will - he will be destroyed. He doesn't dare take a woman against her will after that. She stopped him from tormenting other women in this particular wAy.

That scene is just so resonant today- an Indian girl recently was brutally raped and murdered in delhi and it has caused such uproar world over. Rape and molestation has been rampant in india and world over for ages. But the savagery of this incident has raised it to consciousness forcing India to publicly acknowledge its shameful attitudes to women and admit that something has to be done.

If this girl is like rhambai - her death need not be in vain. Her suffering Can stop rape - reduce it at least- her death will not be for nothing.