Summer Precautions - car interioir becomes an oven!

I came to know about this information while i was browsing and thought of sharing it with all. You may be surprised to find out how high temperatures can soar within the interior of a car during a hot, sunny day.

I have posted few pictures that i got from the internet to illustrate how outside temperature remains constant at 90 degrees but we increase the length of time prolongation within a vehicle here This clearly tells us , it is important to note that the outside temperature does not have to be hot in order for a car to become an oven . Even temperatures considered mild can be fatal during an extended period of time.

Kids and hot cars safety tips :

• Simply, just don't leave kids in the car
• Always lock your car and secure the keys so that your kids can't get to them
• Warn your kids about playing in the car by themselves without adult supervision
• Install a trunk release mechanism, so that they can't get trapped in the trunk
• Get your kids out of the car first, and then worry about getting the groceries, etc., out of the car when you get home
• Make sure that child car providers and day care workers have a plan to make sure that kids aren't left in the day care providers car or van
• Extreme heat has many risks such as that of Heat Cramps, Exhaustion, and Heat Stroke.
• Please be prepared especially those with kids and pets.

Ganesh Chathurthi - 2009

Our Ganesh Chathurthi this year happened to be as simple as it could be as compared to the last year's celebration. We had been travelling a lot around the town . So coudlnt do much this time. But i am immensely satisfied with the fact that i did my own Ganesh Idol using the natural clay. Thanks to the companies that produces such a wonderful product which are so easy to play with and it really makes our life easy when compared to the real clay that we traditionally use. to make the idol. Anyways , hope u all enjoy the pictures .

How to make a simple clay Ganesh idol at home?

Since Ganesh Chathuri is nearing many of us may be planning to make an idol by ourselves but might have no idea how to start. One of my friend sent me this link ,which shows how to make a clay idol of Lord Ganesh by ourselves at home. Im sure this link will definitely give an idea for beginners like me. Have fun making eco-friendly idols at home.

Modeling Clay - Ganesh

Please Click the picture to view it bigger.

This is the one made out of natural clay:



This one is made out of mess free clay :


Every year we buy the clay ganesh idol from near by store or temple, for celeberating Vinayagar Chathuri or Ganesh Chathurthi . But since im not satisfied with the idol they make here in US, i thought of making one on my own. So i planned to buy crayola modelling clay from near by store like Walmart/Target/Kmart .


There are several different types of clay available in the market. Earth tone clay is best for making ganesh idol. Since the store i went did not have one, i bought the white color and mixed crayola paint to get the natural eart tone color .


If expense is not an issue then you can go for "no mess" or " mess-free" clay that is available , you get in different colors or you can buy just plain white and add some redish orange -crayola paint to it and knead the dough and make it into an idol. This mess free clay is an excellent option for begginers, as it would leave no mess in your hand. Very easy to clean.


Another type of clay is the natural earth clay which is also in white. So as i said before , you can just add any water or acrylic color to it ( the reddish orange or browinish orange tone - to give it a natural earth tone look. ) . Its little bit sticky but not that bad as a real clay that we buy in our country... You can always sculpt the idol and incase if it gets dry u can touch up with water and then keep going.

Also i would like to give you a small suggesstion of how to celebrate an ECO FRIENDLY Ganesh Chathurthi without harming our environment:

1. Traditionally, clay was used to make Ganesh idols. Over the years however, plaster of Paris (POP), which is lighter and cheaper, has become the favoured material to mould these idols. POP contains chemicals such as gypsum, sulphur, phosphorus, and magnesium. The dyes used to colour these idols contain mercury, cadmium, arsenic, lead, and carbon. Plastic and thermocol accessories are used to decorate these idols. Such materials are not biodegradable, hence are toxic.

Solution : Use natural clay and nontoxic paints.

2.With the immersion of these idols in the sea or inland water bodies such as lakes and streams, the chemicals in these idols dissolve in the water veru slowly, gradually releasing its harmful components. The water experiences a rise in acidity as well as traces of heavy metal. The toxic waste kills plant and animal life in the water.

Solution : Immerse the idol made of natural clay and non toxic paint in a bucket of water and sprinkle around the house and plants.

As the basic concept of immersing Ganesh idol is nothing but -what ever the world has offered to us is offered back to the world!

So i did 2 ganesha idol using mess free and the natural clay, but after i finished making the idol my 2 year old son came running towards me @ 200 MPH and made them shapeless !!! :))

Have a happy and Eco-Friendly ganesh chathurthi all of you!

Happy Krishna Jayanthi 2009

I had been meaning to post an article since a month , thats when i came back from my vacation. But someway or the other i got too busy with day to day life and kept going on with it. Also i wasnt sure what to write as my mind was totally blank. I didn't wanna post anything crappy , finally got hold of this beautiful day of Sri Krishna Jayanthi! The birth of Lord Sri KRISHNA PARAMATHMA!

I have always considered him as my dear one,cant really give a precise relationship as it would be lesser that wat i might express. I have had times which wasnt so pleasant , but i was able to go through it smoothly with the help of HIM. There has been many times when I have unknowingly hurt his feelings. But he has always brushed it aside acknowledging the fact that it was from a superficially insensitive but deeply sensitive person like me. Probably he knows that I never ever meant to hurt him .

I mostly communicate through singing songs and kirthis on Lord Krishna where i will always end up with tears of joy/sorrow/happiness all mixed up together. Thereby i will put down my burden at his lotus feet and he has never failed to take up my burden as his!On such beautiful day i present few pictures above. Happy Krishna Jayanthi you all!