Architecture in Barcelona

The first time I drove around the city of Barcelona, I was fascinated with the architecture in the city. While Gaudi’s influence is not always visible in modern architecture, the colors and the styles are prominent and spectacular. The risk has been taken in designing the city and in using bright colors.

Natural shapes inspired Gaudi that can be seen at Sagrada Familia basilica that has different architectural style on its four sides.

But other architects have also been brave in designing the building which are now the tourist delight.

It was amazing to see that building at corners had flat edges, thus making the street corners big enough to have terraces for communal and sociable atmosphere.

Traditional Catalan Gothic style is seen in many of the old buildings that are a feast to the eyes.

One can spend hours touring round the city, in the comfort of the car, just admiring the beauty of the architecture everywhere.

Marathon Bloggers Prompt 5- Spicy

Inviting a Brahmakumari follower for meals is very tricky. I was sitting in a restaurant when BK followers called to inform that they will be coming for tea. I decided to pick up something from the south Indian restaurant. It is difficult to decide what to pack, it should not be spicy and must not have onion and garlic.

I just ordered Vada Sambar and Idli Chutney.

My guests did not touch the Sambar (because it was spicy) and just nibbled on dry Idlis and Vadas.

How do they eat such dry and tasteless food? They said that their religion does not allow them to eat certain kind of food. It affects their behavior and disturbs them during meditation.

They believe that eating habits steers behavior of a person.

Choice of food has lot to do for people who follow some Gurus or cult. They believe what they eat interferes with their concentration during meditation, a ritual which compulsory for every follower. They follow a strict diet to calm their nerves.

Basically there are three kinds of food.

Sattvic food, which is light and easy to digest, it brings clarity and perception and has potential to unfold love and compassion in the individual. It is supposed to promote the qualities of forgiveness and austerities.

Eating spicy food is Rajasic that stimulates the senses, making the mind more agitated and susceptible to temptation. The mind becomes more rajasic, which means that it tends towards anger, hate and manipulations.

Eating Tamasic food is strictly prohibited because it is dull, heavy and depressing. Makes the person very lazy. Under this category comes dark meat, lamb, pork, beef as well as thick cheese.

I love spicy food. I will eat anything that is tasty. I am not sure if it is affecting my nature in any way. I don’t get agitated or sweat over small stuff, but then, I am not meditating during early hours in the morning, so I cannot tell whether I am Sattvic, Rajasic or Tamasic in nature.

My religion tells me to be kind and non-judgmental. 

Marathon Bloggers prompt 4- Disaster

It’s been long time, since I serviced my AC. I have called a technician several times but he doesn’t seem to care. He promise to come but he never turn up. If we don’t service our appliances regularly, they are destined to get worse.

Two week ago, my neighbor gave me a contact of another AC service guy. She said he is very reasonable, will charge only Rs150 for cleaning. I have called him several times, but cannot get through his number too.  Since few days, the fan is also troublesome; it needs a nudge with a stick to start. In this weather of warm and sticky, AC and Fan, both act funny, its disaster.

Today morning, another problem, it was fridge that suddenly stopped working. So here I was calling this fridge technician to come and solve this problem.

If the technician can repair a fridge then he can repair AC and the fan too, right?

I told him to fix all the problems.

The fridge and fan, each needs a new accessory, AC needs gas and cleaning.

Plus I am not sure if he will replace with an original accessory or something fake made in China.

China has really destroyed the market of India. We don’t seem to get any authentic stuff. Everything is the imitation. The appliances need replacement of parts too often. There is no guarantee.

Technician says that he is not making any profit. Who is making money then?

Earlier people were honest, now there is too much greed. Nobody is sincere- neither a professional doctor, engineer, lawyer nor an ordinary technician, everybody out to cheat. Whom can we trust?

I am poorer by Rs5000 without stepping out of my house. Too much inflation now, thanks to China market flooding our Indian streets. We spend money but are never sure how soon the problem will re-occur. If he has cheated me, then he will not come back to replace it, I will have a task of searching a new technician again.

Marathon Blogger Prompt 3 - Monday

Monday comes knocking on my door every week after Sunday, asking me to start the new week with new thoughts.

It’s a vegetarian day, just dhal, rice and fried potatoes will do.

Some of my friends pray to lord Shiva and go on a fast for half a day, skipping lunch. A religious lady friend takes her bath early morning and makes her trip to the temple to pour the milk on Shiva linga. Every Monday, she listens to same Shiva story, his power of endurance and strength, his temper strong enough to destroy evil, and his passion for perfection, his tanda dance.

Every woman prays for a perfect man, she seeks Shiva’s blessing for a good husband.

Many believe that Linga represents the male organ but there are many other interpretations behind the linga.

“The experience of the Shiva linga in Yogic meditation is an experience of a pillar of light, energy, peace and eternity, expanding the mind, opening the inner eye and bringing deep peace and steadiness to the heart. From it radiate waves, currents, circles and whirlpools of Shakti spreading this grace, love and wisdom to all. To concentrate our awareness in the linga is one of the best ways of meditation, calming the mind and putting us in touch with our inner Being and Witness beyond all the agitation and sorrow of the world.”

Source: http://www.vedanet.com/2012/06/the-shiva-linga-and-its-meaning/

A true devotee chants 'Satyam, Shivam Sundaram'

Marathon Blogger Prompt 2- Thirst

It’s a thirst for knowledge that makes us go to places where we wouldn’t go on our own.

Visit to any place/venue is an adventure by itself, be it at a restaurant, movie, or even at a spiritual discourse.

If you have been to a spiritual discourse, you will realize that there is nothing new that you are likely to learn. Every discourse has same message to give. The magic mantra to peace and love is to watch your thoughts.

But thoughts play a very tricky game. Have you watched your thoughts today?

Lets do one experiment.

Sit straight, cross-legged and close your eyes.

Think only of a flower. The flower is red in color. It has sweet fragrance. It has velvet touch.

Set your alarm clock for twenty minutes. You must only think of this flower and just repeat ‘This is beautiful”

Visualize the red color, feel its velvety touch, inhale the sweet smell.

In twenty minutes, did your mind wander? What else did you think?

Your thirst for knowledge will never allow your mind to rest. While repeating the words “This is beautiful” your mind might wander to many more such beautiful things, then maybe to ugly things, about the people you met on that day, the things they said to you, the number of times you got irritated and thoughts wander on and on….

Did it happen to you? The more knowledgable we are, the more distracted we are.

What do I talk about twenty minutes? Even if your mind was still for just two minutes it will be a miracle.

While reading this two-minute post, were you able to keep your thoughts on this post alone?

What else were you thinking while reading this post.??

Want to share???