Krishna .....

Arshi as Krishna taken  some 2 year's back

Yesterday was Gokulasthami day-the birthday of Lord Krishna.I made some snacks as offering to God and did prayers in the evening.Hindu's usually put kolam with small leg prints coming to the house signifying that baby Krishna is coming to our house to join in the celebrations.I made some traditional snacks like Seedai,Thathai,aval payasam,appam,vadai along with milk,butter,curd as offering for the baby God that evening.

Lord Krishna has always been a person whom I often see  as  a friend rather than the almighty God.I have seen pictures of baby Krishna when I grew up.I remember seeing the innocent face of Krishna licking butter in a picture  in my Grandpa's house.When I was young my grandpa used to narrate stories from Mahabharatha and I also used to see the story in TV.It was very famous then.I used to dream of this Krishna in my dreams and of his mischievous behaviour. In our house we had a picture of Krishna tied up in a  ural by Yasoda , the mother of Krishna as he had done some mischief.I had dreamnt of that scene for many days.I had a  dream that I was lost in a   jungle just like Lord Krishna was and Krishna came to my rescue then. I remember I was only 6-7 years then.I had read about Kuchela's  story and though that if I become poor, there is Krishna to my rescue.I didn't realize that he was God.I still remember wearing Radha costume whereas my cousin used to be Lord Krishna and we used to go to our neighbour's house and invite them for Golu.Krishna has always been a fantasy character with kids I suppose, whom the kids could relate to themselves.I was introduced to Krishna/Kannan songs in my Bharathanatiyam class with songs like "Theeratha vilayathu pillai"(a Tamil song) among others. There were so many songs for which kids used to dance.Even Kids were taught to sing simple Krishnna Bhajans.As I grew up my friendship with him continued.Whenever I hear, "Kurai ondrum illai" my heart just melts .My another favourite Krishna song is Kuzhaloothi manamellam which I sang in my college when I was doing my under graduation and I had won first prize for that song in my college's music competition.I had sung this song in my college auditorium before all the college students.How is it that the same God is able  to attract both the young and the old  at the same time.We see him  more than a   God we pray for.Arshi was born by the divine blessings of Santhana Gopala Krishnar that too on a  Gokulasthami day.I always looked at the baby Krishna and baby Muruga pictures during my pregnancy period.What else should I say more than this.I saw Arshi as Krishna that day.Does it mean Krishna is my child?Am I his mother?Whom I had seen as   childhood friend, is a  child to me now.As I am growing, I  feel more inclined to the Bhagavath Geetha quotes he has recited and the favourite of them is "Geetha saaram" , which gives us the essence of life to do our duties without any expectation.May his divine blessings always be on us.

Singapore Night Festival 2013

Hurray !!!! I finally went to Singapore Night Festival 2103 this Friday all by myself and Arshi.We started a  little bit early to make sure we cover the maximum.I am really happy to see that I had almost covered all the places I had planned for the day.If you happen to be in Singapore, this is   a  festival which cannot be ignored.Last year was my first night fest and this year they have renamed the fest as Singapore Night Festival.Though I covered only few places like National Museum of Singapore(NMS) and Singapore Art Museum(SAM), I feel they themselves kept us occupied.We didn't go inside SAM.Unlike last year,SAM's Art Garden wasn't open.Kids would have loved being there.Should have been disappointment for some kids.But apart from the night lights, there was an array of programs in NMS facade.It kept us entertained for almost 2 hours.All galleries in museums were open to public for free.So that means Free entry.Singapore Night Festival 2013 is a  free entry event.FREE  EVENT.FREE ADMISSSION TO ALL.The free entry  to museums is from 7 pm to 2 midnight.Even if you are a foreigner.So no excuses from coming to Singapore Night Festival if you stay here or have hopped on to Singapore for a few days. We went  to festive grounds by the time it wasn't dark.I took  a few snaps to compare them with the night effects, headed to NMS and then .....

The venues we covered for the Singapore Night Fesival-day 1,Friday 23 Aug:

1)National Museum of Singapore
2)Singapore Art Museum
3)SMU Green
4)The Cathay night lights installation
5)SOTA night lights.
6)A bamboo installation  near 51,Waterloo street.

1)National Museum of Singapore:

I always loved the architecture of NMS, especially the dome.

This year's night lights in NMS was very attractive.

day/night view of NMS

Last year I had spent more time in SAM and this year, it's a NMS thing.

NMS had many activities both inside and outside the museum.We were greeted by Everlast- an installation made with foil balloons. Try reading the poem yourself if you can from this photograph.

There was an interactive art installation too, for which I didn't know the name.I saw many kids playing around it and seeing their action turn into an animated sequence.Arshi tried too.

There was live music too inside NMS.

As all the galleries were open to public and we had chance to see them for free, I took Arshi to "Princely Treasures from the house of Liechtenstein".It's a  special exhibit which housed more than 90 masterpieces from the prince of Liechtenstein.Though I am not an  Artistic person, I should say, I did enjoy seeing the many oil paintings and some of the art crafts that were on display.

There was a  bamboo installation in NMS too.It's called The Algebra Of Need which was made from bamboo and rope light installations.

I think this looked similar to many light ups in India for temple festivities which are still in use there.There we used to have similar thing but for the images of God and Goddesses.

Later I took Arshi to Circus Swingapore.It's our favourite too. Circus Swingapore was at NMS Glass Atrium. Arshi had missed last year's edition.So we were sure to reach NMS early and got seats in the front row to see the stunts by kids and adults.I tried to capture some good pictures in my digi cam, but as there was too much movement , most of my photos had glare or jerk in them.But still I managed to get some decent pics.

After Swingapore was over, I rushed Arshi to her music class near by and made some 20 minutes touring the night fest all on my own and making sure, where I should take this little girl for the night.

So after Arshi was back from her music class, I rushed her to NMS Facade and there were an array of  performances for all.The night lights were very beautiful and Arshi was amused by them even as we were crossing the road.Though I had seen teh night light:Palomas I didn't take some good pictures of the Palomas as the whole area was too crowded and my digi cam can't take pictures with high resolution.Maybe next week, when I go there, I can take  a few pics by the time they light up the tree.

Vertical Extraction:-An aerial dance performance using ropes was simply amazing.The back ground was changing to music and the dancers were .....simply superb.They were just swinging in the air and dancing to the music.You see the pictures yourself.

Even Arshi enjoyed them.Even though the place was too crowded, as the performance was in the higher floor, I think most of us were able  to enjoy the whole performance without any difficulty.There was shadow act too where they played with shadows.I loved that segment too.Though I didn't understand the meaning or significance of teh show, I enjoyed them as a layman.

It was followed by Pyramid of Void.This act was supported by a crane which can be seen here.

If you look at the background, you can see the night light installation Palamas

I personally feel that looked very similar to the previous act "Vertical Extraction except that here 3 dancers were dancing around a pyramid and I felt it was too draggy.Maybe they could have had either of the 2 performances for the night fest.Maybe if the later performance would have been the only such type of Ariel performance without the Vertical extraction, it would have appealed more to the crowd.Most of the audience were looking forward for the next show which was popular of all-Redux. Many had shifted close to the stage put up in the middle.The stage again was a  high raise stage and most of the audience were able  to see the performance without any difficulty.I was lucky enough to be in front of the stage.The performance was too beautiful.

2)Singapore Art Museum:

SAM's night lights was as beautiful as last year's.I loved the night lights as they changed according to music change.The theme for this year's was "The Magic Melody".Took  a  few snaps as usual.

day/night effect

I remember, we had spent more time in this very museum last year as they an array of  activities for kids in their Art Garden.Arshi was a   guide then guiding her father throughout the museum and we even went through the main building too apart from spending some time  in SAM @ 8Q.

3)SMU Green:

Many local music bands had their performance in their very own show "HOMEMADE".I Just listened for a  while  while moving to other places.The place was mostly  filled  with many youngsters and it was full of  energy.

There were few night light installations there too.

4)The Cathay :

There was a   giant LED screen and the messages were typed and displayed on that giant screen.I just peeked through it without spending too much time on that.The dark night made the big LED screen look very cool.

5)SOTA:

Paperpalnes-many colourful  flights taking off  from a   big box.

I loved the light installation very much.But I still prefer last year's Children's dream very much.They interested the kids more.

6)Bamboo installation:

After I spotted a   bamboo installation in NMS there was one outside 51, Waterloo street too.I caught both the day and night view of the installation.I tried to understand the meaning, but couldn't decipher any message.But they did look nice and appealing.

As you come across the Singapore Night Festival, you also chance to see many street performances and there were many roving stilt walkers too.

Well that was the end of  day 1 Singapore Night Festival for myself and Arshi and we are looking forward for next week's fest too if  manage to squeeze in  some more time and catch the rest of the festival.This time around, Arshi is asking her dad to come and hopefully he will join us this weekend .

You can read about my experience in last year's night festival from this link here.

 and more information about the festival in this webpage:http://www.brasbasahbugis.sg/SNFPortal/

After going to Singapore Night Festival for 2 years in a   row, I would like to invite all parents to join in the fun too with your kids.Never mind if they are just too young.They will surely enjoy as there is something for everyone.Do a  little bit of  research, plan ahead and have a fabulous time there.I ha dcovered only a  few snippets of teh fest and there  are much more to explore than these.The festival starts right from raffles City, streches to Plaza SIngapura,Chijmes,Armenian Street,NMS,SAM  and much more.

If you love night

If you love light

If you love flight

If you love fun

If you love crowd

You'd love Singapore Night Festival!!!!!

It's time to see the night light in the dark.If you had missed this weekend, there is still a   weekend of celebrations to catch up.

Update:
I visited Singapore Night Festival 2013 for the second week too  and you can read them here.http://akilaganesan.blogspot.sg/2013/09/singapore-night-festival-2013-week-2.html

Today I spoke in radio !!!!!

Today I spoke in our local radio Oli 96.80 FM.I   answered a simple quiz over net and they called me over phone.I was conferred the title"today's ellam therihnda makkan" (one who knows everything for today).I won a  Bru packet and $50  multi -vitamin suppliment voucher which I hope won't be useful for me or any one in my family.We usually don't take health supplements as I feel there isn't any thing healthier or nutritious than our natural foods.And I don't drink coffee too.So thinking if I would use Bru in any way.neither does my hubby drink coffee.Now I feel myself  as a stupid to have entered a  contest even without knowing the prize.But what I cherish was my voice was on radio today and I got  a  chance to hear them.I was very nervous and didn't know what to speak.I somehow managed and only later did I realise that I had been talking only about Arshi and nothing else.They asked me about the questions and I answered them.Later they asked about my weekend plans.I told them that I had planned to take my kid(this time around I didn't mention  it as my daughter or Arsheitha or Arshi but only as en kuzhanthai or kid-i had used the term kid for  a   7 year old.Arshi would be upset if she hears them.She feels she is a  grown up already) to night fest and they further asked me my weekend plans.I told them that I would be taking my kid to my kid's  friend's birthday party and would like to use rest of the time for revision(hopefully my plan works-most of the time my study plan for Arshi won;t work out unless there is  any emergency-test tommorow).Later they asked me that I didn't include my hubby in any of these activities and I had been talking only about my kid.Am thinking am I gone too mummy mummy stuff .....still wondering.....I also got to listen to what I spoke.They called me over phone and my voice went live only after I had kept the phone.

My verdict:
1)my voice was little bit shaky,nervous
2)was talking about too kid  kid stuff.
3)it's funny to hear your voice in radio.I really meant it.Unless it is  pre planned one, we tend to be funny.I should thank I didn't sound that emphatic after all.

I learnt that speaking live isn't that easy.It's easy when we direct our kids to perform well in their show and tell.But now I realise, are we ourselves perfectionist?I think  I got something to think about and later act about.Till my next status or blog post, have  great time friends.

Arshi's 7 th birthday

Usually Arshi celebrates 2 birthdays-One star b'day and the other one on her date of birth.Though the DOB  b'day remains constant on 16 th Aug each year, her star b'day varies according to her star sign and this year it fell on 31 st July.We Usually make sweets in my house and she wears a new dress and later in the evening, we visit a temple and do Archanai for my girl.We took Arshi to Ramar temple.

This year Arshi's birthday (DOB)was on Varalakshmi Vritham day.So I took her to some of my friend's house where and had   a good start.I first went to kavita's house , then in the evening, went to Praveena,Sanju's house and Kamakashi's house for getting manjal kumkum.

This year I took Arshi to 313 Somerset's The Icing Room for doing DIY-Design it Yourself birthday cake.I choose a bigger 8'' cake.

The photos at the display itself made me tempting.

We were given plain icing cake with colour piping cones and decoration items along with candles.

There were convenient rolling stands to rotate the cake while decorating the cake and stools for our little ones to stand with ease. Arshi was fully occupied for a full 1 hour and some thing to decorate her colourful cake.I helped her in between to squeeze the piping bags when required and had  a chance to chit chat with my little princess.

deco in progress

Her dad joined us in between as Arshi had almost finished decorating her cake and was waiting for him to do the touch up work for her cake.

She had been asking about this cake for almost  year and she was eagerly waiting to have them .We even cut the cake in the dining area provided and I should say she enjoyed it the most and says it is her most favorite birthday celebrations so far.

The Icing Room b'day experience

 This was our ideal birthday celebration when we decided , we would like to celebrate it without a  party.Recommended to kids above 4 + years who can hold the piping bags independently. You can try for other occasions too like gifting DIY cakes for their friends, or  as a surprise gift for mother's day and so on.For smaller kids adults can help with our kids making it a  family affair.I would also recommend to cut our cake there itself as it was  a little bit mess when the  leftover cake came back home.I think it was hard to withstand the long journey from Somerset to Tampines .

You can see that the edges got smudged.

This is  a break from our routine and offers a creative artistic outing for our kids and dads too.The kids will love as they can design their own cake and later eat them .No big crowds, just the immediate family members, so our full attention for our precious kids when it is their special day.Though her DIY cake wasn't so professional, we were proud to have them done by her tiny hands.

After her B'day cake cutting moment, we rushed to her music class and later went on  to temple too to seek the blessing of the almighty.Though it was a hectic day, I hope Arshi would have enjoyed them to her fullest.

Kavita gifted Arshi with a  beautiful set of shorts and T-Shirt which she wore immediately after the pooja in Kavita's house.The pic in the top wher eshe is with Ritu.Arshi is wearing pink tee and a  blue shorts. Isn't Arshi looking lovely in that dress.I too loved the dress.Arshi was surprised when she received Popular vouchers(a book store) at Kamakshi's house.

I should also thank Lakshmi who gifted a dress for Arshi by surprising Arshi at our doorsteps.They are just too adorable.

Thanks Pragathi,Raksha and Lakshmi for your wonderful gifts.She also received a pencil case from her teacher Mrs.Wong along with a beautiful birthday card.

Though we didn't celebrate it with any party, Arshi and myself were surprised to receive so many gifts from all her well wishers.I should also thank my friends who wished her over Facebook and  over phone remembering her b'day. Thanks a lot for making her day a wonderful day.You all have made up her day.