Yoga flash cards- an interesting gift idea!

I recently received a set of `Yoga flash cards` packed in a well-designed handy-size carton which can be used at home and is extremely convenient to carry around.  Perfect for travel. These thoughtfully designed cards, featuring 20 yoga poses in each pack,  offer guidance and motivation for practicing yoga, great for all levels. The front of each card guides you in practicing one asana and on the rear of the card you get the benefits of that particular asana and some more information on how to get enhanced benefits with that asana. The set also includes a fun interactive game.

Designed by my niece, Shwetha Srinivasan, a certified yoga instructor who has collaborated with Meghna Vaidynathan, a professional graphic designer to create these beautifully designed cards.

Shwetha says, “I started my yoga journey more than 10 years ago when I  first moved to Banglore after marriage. I joined a class nearby and loved practicing yoga and the positive impact it had on me. The same yoga studio later announced its teacher training program, and I jumped at the opportunity. When I completed the program, the studio offered me a position to teach. That's how my journey as a yoga instructor began”

Shwetha met Meghana more than 8 years back. She was a graphic designer working for a company in Chennai and Shwetha was a part-time yoga instructor at a studio in Chennai. When Shwetha came up with the idea for the flashcards, Meghna readily agreed.  The flashcards are a result of their combined efforts in the last year.

The cards make a unique and thoughtful gift. Gift your loved ones a pack today!  They are also great as return gifts for birthdays, baby showers, and more.

Priced at just 450/-  they are available with Shwetha: 9840318385

A traumatic experience

 After an embarrassing experience I had a few days ago, I would like to share with you a traumatic experience I had recently. Since I was planning to drive to Coimbatore in my car driven by a call driver on 11^th March, to save time I decided to go to the petrol bunk to fill the tank the  evening before. The attender noticed that the left rear wheel tire was low on air. As I had checked the tire pressures only two days earlier, I decided to go to the nearby puncture mechanic to find out If there was any problem with that tire.

 I parked the car opposite the shop, got out, and after ensuring that there was no vehicle in sight, started crossing the narrow road towards the shop. Out of nowhere, a cycle driven by a teenager came at breakneck speed knocking me down, with the cycle falling on me and the boy thrown out a couple of feet away. I was shocked beyond words. I was invoking the names of my favourite gods and trying to understand what was happening to me. A crowd gathered, the traffic stopped, and the boy was admonished for rash driving. Some good Samaritans helped me get up and stand on my wobbling feet. Another guy picked up my spectacles and mobile found on the road. Someone got me a glass of water and another asked me to check if I felt ok with my hands and legs. I was slowly escorted to the shop where I was made to sit on a chair in the shop. After ensuring that I was alright the crowd melted away and the traffic resumed.

Since I was dazed and in no condition to drive my car home, I called my son-in-law whose house was nearby, and sought his help. He arrived soon and took charge of the situation. He decided to not only check the defective tire but also the Stepney tire, since I was  going on a long trip the next day.  The mechanic found one puncture in the tire fitted on the vehicle and three punctures in the Stepney tire. After doing the necessary repairs and paying the mechanic for his timely service, my son-in-law drove me back to my home.

Despite the nasty accident, thanks to the Divine Grace, I had no collateral damage, not even a scratch on my body. Even my worry about having some hairline fracture was dispelled the next morning when I got up and found that there were no swellings anywhere. I decided to take the trip accompanied by my younger daughter in my car driven by the call driver.

As I always do, I started thinking about the positive side of this incident. But for my son-in-law`s help in ensuring that all the problems with tires were addressed, I could have faced serious problems on the road with a defective stepney, in case one of the other tires developed problems. Everything happens for the good as my old friend told me after a nasty accident we had in Bombay 60 years ago. Om Sairam!

A memorial meeting for Prabha

 It was a small function to inaugurate the renovated office room of the Balavadi which the Mangayarkarasi Mahalir Manram ( MMM- Sastri Nagar Ladies Club) was planning to revive after a gap of five years. Since Prabha Rajan Talent Foundation(PRTF) had sponsored the renovation cost, the new dynamic President of MMM Mrs Archana Ramasundaram {IPS Retd.) converted the occasion to a memorial meeting for Prabha. It was a pleasure listening to some old members recalling their association with Prabha as a soft-spoken person who was involved in all the activities of the Manram and did any job given to her with total commitment. I remembered that it was the Manram, apart from the Inner Wheel Club of Madras South, which opened up a whole new world to Prabha. The active involvement with these two institutions helped her come out of her shell and display her hidden talents as a writer, singer, and many other fields, emerging as an independent woman with an identity of her own. I was happy that my daughter Sowmya and granddaughter Uthara were present at the meeting. At the end of the meeting, on my special request, Uthara sang a Puranadara Dasa number in her melodious voice, delighting the audience. I must thank the managing committee of the Manram, particularly Mrs. Vanaja Krishnamurthy, the Vice-President of the Manram for giving me an opportunity to be associated with the project.

An embarrassing experience

 This happened a couple of days ago. Whenever I am in Chennai, if I am having lunch at home, I send the following message on  WhatsApp to my daughter-in-law who lives on the first floor of my independent home-   `Please give me whatever you are having for lunch`. As soon as I sent the message, she came to see me to tell me what she had done.  I thought she was responding to my message. I was happy and went to have my usual pre-lunch siesta, putting my mobile on silent mode. When I woke up and switched on my mobile, I was surprised to see several missed calls from a friend`s wife. When I called her, she screamed at me ``Where are you? We have been trying to reach you for the last 30 minutes without luck. Hope you are ok? As per your message, I have only cooked a simple meal and eagerly waiting for you to join us for lunch

I retorted, `I never sent you any message. My daughter-in-law has already kept my lunch on my dining table. Besides I am tired, I am in no mood to go out.`

She promptly forwarded the message I sent her. Immediately I realized that the same message was what I had sent my daughter-in-law. When I checked my daughter-in-law`s WA page , I found my message missing and found it on my friend`s WA page. I had inadvertently sent the message to my friend instead of my daughter-in-law. I immediately called my friend, profusely apologized for the big goof up, and promised to reach their home in the next ten minutes to have lunch with them. I decided to have the lunch given by my daughter-in-law for dinner and rushed to my friend`s place, a five-minute drive from my place.

When I reached their home, they told me how they were worried that something serious had happened to me and were planning to visit me to physically find out if I needed any help.  I cringed and felt like going under the table. I once again apologized. I had a hearty meal and spent some pleasant time with the couple.

All's well that ends well.

PS: Always double-check the mobile to ensure that your messages are reaching the right person. Imagine some very personal information meant for a near and dear one reaching the wrong person! It will also help to make a correction if the prompter in the mobile used a wrong word instead of what you intended to.