Gordon Ramsay Net Worth 2011

Gordon Ramsay

Net Worth $94 million

Gordon Ramsay is a Chef, well known to television, and owner of a range of high-end restaurants, and Officer of the Order of the British Empire, with a net worth of $94 million, salary per episode of $225,000 and is said to earn $7.5 million from his media and restaurant empire. Gordon Ramsay has earned his net worth by owning several high end restaurants and by starring and producing a range of reality TV shows. He served as a Commis Chef at the Roxburgh House Hotel, at the Wickham Arms, (where he ran the restaurant and took care of dining room), and at Harveys in London, as well as several other restaurants in between. Ramsay’s experience in the restaurant business and the culinary arts helped him to expand his horizons and begin the opening of his several restuarants around the world.

In 1998 he opened his first restaurant, Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road, in Chelsea. Gordon Ramsay was the first Scotsman to win three Michelin stars, which is awarded for outstanding quality and exceptional cuisine. Only three other Chefs have been awarded and kept the three Michelin Stars. Ramsay is also the winner of three Catey Awards, (as newcomer of the year, 1995) and (Chef of the Year, 2000). Ramsay also is in a partnership with father-in-law, Chris Hutcheson, in Gordon Ramsay Holdings Limited, which purchased three English Pubs and converted them into restaurant/bar establishments. He was also a culinary consultant for Singapore Airlines and several catering organizations. He is estimated to earn between

Simon Helberg Net Worth 2011

Simon Helberg

Net Worth $4 million dollars

Simon Helberg was born in Los Angeles, California and has an estimated net worth of $4 million dollars. He originally intended to focus on karate and earned his black belt when he was 10, but shifted his focus to theater in high school. He subsequently attended The Tisch School of the Arts, and was a student at The Atlantic Theater School. He began his professional career with minor and guest starring roles on television and on film, in such projects as Popular, Cursed, Son of the Beach, Undeclared, Van Wilder, and Old School.

He first began to gain notice when he appeared as a regular on the 2002-2003 season of MAD tv. He then began to appear in more high profile projects, including Less Than Perfect, Reno 911!, Joey, Good Night and Good Luck, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, Evan Almighty, and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. He became a household name when he was cast as Howard Wolowitz in the hit sitcom, The Big Bang Theory in 2007.

Navratri Wishes

Navaratri is a grand celebration to commemorate the Goddess of Power- Maa Durga. It is held twice in India, once in the month of Chaitra (March- April) as Chitra Navratra and the other in Ashwin (September – October) as Shardey Navratra according to the Hindu calendar. Both of these Navratri Poojas are taken in high spirits in the country. The festival is celebrated with immense zeal and devotion for nine days. Durga is worshipped in nine different forms for nine these days. On this auspicious occasion, people exchange gifts, sweets and good wishes amongst each other. If you are also looking for some wonderful Navratri wishes for your near and dear ones this is the right place to look for. Explore various Navratra good wishes given below.
Navaratri Best Wishes
Lakshmi ka Hath ho,Saraswati ka Sath ho,Ganesh ka niwas ho,
aur maa durga ke
ashirwad se Aapke jeevan mai prakash hi prakash ho….
‘HAPPY NAVRATRI’
PYAR KA TARANA UPHAR HO, KHUSHIYO KA NAZRANA BESHUMAR HO,
NA RAHE KOI GAM KA
EHSAS; AISA Navratra UTSAV IS saal ho…
HAPPY NAVRATRA!
Maa Durge,
Maa Ambe,
Maa Jagdambe,
Maa Bhawani,
Maa Sheetla,
Maa Vaishnao,
Maa Chandi,
Mata Rani meri aur apki manokamna puri karey..
JAI MATA DI.
This Navratri, may you be blessed with good fortune as long as Ganeshji’s trunk, wealth and prosperity as big as his stomach, happiness as sweet as his ladoos and may your trouble be as small as his mouse. Happy Navratri!
Long live the tradition of Hindu culture and as the generations have passed by Hindu culture is getting stronger and stronger lets keep it up. Best Wishes for Navratri
“Maa ki jyoti se prem milta hai, sabke dilo ko marm milta hai, jo bhi jata hai MAA ke dwar , kuch na kuch jarur milta hai. ” SHUBH NAVRATRI.
Long live the tradition of hindu culture and as the generations have passed by hindu culture is getting stronger and stronger lets keep it up.
Best Wishes for Navratri!
May This Navratri be as bright as ever.
May this Navratri bring joy, health and wealth to you.
May the festival of lights brighten up you and your near and dear ones lives. Continue Reading…
Fortunate is the one who has learned to Admire, but not to envy. Good Wishes for a joyous Navratri and a Happy New Year with a plenty of Peace and Prosperity.
May this festival be the harbinger of joy and prosperity. As the holy occasion of Navratri is here and the atmosphere is filled with the spirit of mirth and love, here’s hoping this festival will be great for you!
Maa Durga Se Vinti Hai Ki Apke Jeevan Main Sukh, Samradhe, Dhan, Yas ,Pardhan Kare. Happy Navratra!
May your life be filled with happiness on this pious festival of Navratri,
Happy Navratri!
This Navratri light the lamp of happiness, prosperity and knowledge, Happy
Navratri!
May the festival of Navratri bring joy and prosperity in your life, Happy
Navratri!
Bajre ki roti,
aam ka achar,
suraj ki kirne, khushiyo ki bahar, chanda ki chandni, apano ka pyar,
mubarak ho aapko
'NAVRATRI' ka tyohar…
Khushian ho overflow, masti kabhi na ho low, apnonka surur chaya rahe, Dil
me bhari maya rahe, shohrat ki ho bauchhar, aisa aaye aapke liye dandia ka
tyohar!
Today is first NAVRATRA. May GOD DURGA give prosperous to you and to your
Family. May her blessings be always with you. JAI MATA DI!
May Maa Durga empower u & ur family with her Nine Swaroopa of Name, Fame,
Health, Wealth, Happiness, Humanity, Education, Bhakti and Shakti. HAPPY NAVRATRAS!

Navratri Mantra

The nine-days of Navratri festival are dedicated to the Almighty. The devotees of Ma Durga would perform special pujas to invoke the deity and pray for peace, prosperity and happiness. Fasting and singing bhajans are the two highlights of the festival. While the way of celebrating the occasion might be different in different regions of the country, but the thought among all remains the same - to praise the Lord and seek her blessings. Goddess Durga temples are flocked by devotees, where they offer prayers, perform aarti and chant mantras. Talking about Navratri mantra, it is chanted during the puja by the devotees, to protect themselves from evil. In the following lines, we have given Navratri mantra.
Mantras For Navaratri
Ya devi sarva bhutesu, shanti rupena sansitha
Ya devi sarva bhutesu, shakti rupena sansthita
Ya devi sarva bhutesu, matra rupena sansthita
Namastasyai, namastasyai, namastasyai, namo namaha!
Sarva mangala maangalye shive sarvaartha saadhike
Sharanye trayambake Gauri
Narayani namosthute
Namoh devyai mahadevyai shivayai satatam namah
Namah prakrutyai bhadraayai niyataah pranataahsma taam
Annapoorne sadapoorne shankarah praanavallabhe
Njana vairaagya sidhyardham bhikshaam dehi cha parvati

Navratri Gifts

Navaratri celebrations are held twice in India. The first Navaratri falls in the month of Chaitra, the first month of the Hindu calendar i.e. March- April according to the Gregorian calendar and the second in the month of Ashwani i.e. September – October according to the Gregorian calendar. Both of these Poojas are celebrated with immense zeal and devotion throughout the country. The celebrations on both the occasion goes on for nine days in which Durga is worshipped in various forms like Uma, Gauri, Parvati, Jagatmata, Kali, Chandi, Bhairavi, Ambika etc. the last four days of the celebrations are full of zeast and gusto. People on this occasion also exchange gifts, sweets and greetings amongst each other. If you are also looking for some Navratri gift ideas, this is the right place to look for.
Navratri Gift Ideas
Here are few exclusive gift ideas for the occasion of Navratri…
Idol of Maa Durga
What better can you think of gifting a devotee of Mata Rani other than her mesmerizing idol? Gifting a beautiful moderately sized idol of Maa Durga is one of the best gifts to present someone on the occasion of Navratri. This will become a permanent feature of the devotee'd Pooja room.
Silver Coin
Gifting a silver coin engraved with Maa Durga's image is considered auspicious. So, you can also present a silver coin to your dear one on the Navratri festival. It is generally moderately priced but is considered a wonderful keepsake.
Calendars
A calendar or poster of Mata Rani is also an economic yet wonderful gift for any of her devotees. You can also get a beautiful image of her beautifully framed if you want to make your gift look presentable. It is the easiest available yet nice gift that would be cherished on the occasion of Navratri.
Dry Fruit Box
Dry Fruit is the best option for presenting anyone on any kind of occasion. As most of the devotees of Maa Durga observe fast on this occasion, they preferably consume dry fruits, milk and fruits. So, it would prove to be a very useful gift on the occasion of Navrarti.
Spiritual Tour
If you are planning to gift your elderly parent a surprising and wonderful Navrarta gift, can you think anything better than a tour to Vaishno Devi? Now with availability of so many tour operators, the task has become so easy. All you need to do is simply call a tour operator for arranging packages for this season and your gift for lifetime is ready.

Navratri Festival dates, Durga Navratri 2011, Importance Of Chaitra Navratri

Navratri dates in the year 2011 are coming closer. Navratri, one of the most colorful festival of India celebrated with much enthusiasm and devotion.
This year in 2011 A.D. The start date of Navratri festival is 28th September 2011, Wednesday and this Hindu festival dedicated to the Mother divine continues for 9 nights, the last date is 6th October 2011.
See Navratri Songs for collection of songs, mp3, videos and lyrics related to this festival of India.
Navratri Festival

Every year during the lunar month of Ashwin or Kartik (September-October), Hindus observe ten days of ceremonies, rituals, fasts and feasts in honor of the supreme mother goddess. It begins with the fast of “Navaratri”, and ends with the festivities of “Dusshera” and “Vijayadashami.”

Goddess Durga

This festival is devoted solely to the Mother Goddess — known variously as Durga, Bhavani, Amba, Chandika, Gauri, Parvati, Mahishasuramardini — and her other manifestations. The name “Durga” means “inaccessible”, and she is the personification of the active side of the divine “shakti” energy of Lord Shiva. In fact, she represents the furious powers of all the male gods, and is the ferocious protector of the righteous, and destroyer of the evil. Durga is usually portrayed as riding a lion, and carrying weapons in her many arms.

A Universal Festival

All Hindus celebrate this festival at the same time in different ways in different parts of India as well as around the world.

In the northern part of the country, the first nine days of this festival, called Navaratri, is commonly observed as a time for rigorous fast, followed by celebrations on the tenth day. In western India, throughout the nine days, both men and women participate in a special kind of dance around an object of worship. In the south, Dusshera or the tenth day is celebrated with a lot of fanfare. In the east, people go crazy over Durga Puja, from the seventh till the tenth day of this annual festival.

Although, the universal nature of the festival is often found to transcend regional influences and local culture, the Garba Dance of Gujarat, Ramlila of Varanasi, Dusshera of Mysore, and Durga Puja of Bengal need special mention.

Durga Puja

In eastern India, especially in Bengal, the Durga Puja is the principal festival during Navaratri. It is celebrated with gaiety and devotion through public ceremonies of “Sarbojanin Puja” or community worship. Huge decorative temporary structures called “pandals” are constructed to house these grand prayer services, followed by mass feeding, and cultural functions. The earthen icons of Goddess Durga, accompanied by those of Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha

and Kartikya, are taken out on the tenth day in a triumphal procession to the nearby river, where they are ceremonially immersed. Bengali ladies give an emotion-charged send-off to Durga amidst ululations and drumbeats. This marks the end of the goddess’ brief visit to the earth. As Durga leaves for Mount Kailash, the abode of her husband Shiva, it’s time for “Bijoya” or Vijayadashami, when people visit each other’s homes, hug each other and exchange sweets.

The Garba & Dandia Dance

People in western India, especially in Gujarat, spend the nine nights of Navaratri (nava = nine;ratri = night) in song, dance and merriment. Garba is a graceful form of dance, wherein women dressed in exquisitely embroidered choli, ghagraand bandhani dupattas, dance gracefully in circles around a pot containing a lamp. The word “Garba” or “Garbha” means “womb”, and in this context the lamp in the pot, symbolically represent life within a womb. Besides the Garba is the “Dandia” dance, in which men and women participate in pairs with small, decorated bamboo sticks called dandias in their hands. At the end of these dandias are tied tiny bells called ghungroos that make a jingling sound when the sticks hit one another. The dance has a complex rhythm. The dancers begin with a slow tempo, and go into frenzied movements, in such a manner that each person in a circle not only performs a solo dance with his own sticks, but also strikes his partner’s dandias in style!

Dusshera & Ramlila

Dusshera, as the name suggests occurs on the “tenth” day following the Navratri. It is a festival to celebrate the triumph of good over evil, and marks the defeat and death of the demon king Ravana in the epic Ramayana. Huge effigies of Ravana are burnt amidst the bangs and booms of firecrackers.

In northern India, especially in Varanasi, Dusshera overlaps with “Ramlila” or “Rama Drama” – traditional plays in which scenes from the epic saga of the mythical Rama-Ravana strife are enacted by professional troupes.

The Dusshera celebration of Mysore in southern India is a veritable extravaganza! Chamundi, a form of Durga, is the family deity of the Maharaja of Mysore. It’s a wonderful scene to watch the grand procession of elephants, horses and courtiers wending a circuitous way to the hilltop temple of Goddess Chamundi!

First Day - The first day is dedicated to the Goddess Durga is called Shailputri, the daughter of the Himalayas. She is a form of Shakti, the companion of Lord Shiva.
Second Day - The second day is dedicated to the Goddess Durga is known as 'Brahmacharini'. The name is derivative of the word 'Brahma', which  means 'Tapa' or penace. She is also a form of Mata Shakti.
Third Day - The third day is dedicated to the goddess Chandraghanta, the symbolic representation of beauty and bravery.
Fourth Day - The fourth day is dedicated to the goddess Kushmandas, the creator of the entire Universe.
Fifth Day - The fifth day is dedicated to the Goddess Skand Mata, the mother of the chief warrior of the Gods army the Skanda.
Sixth Day - The sixth day is dedicated to the goddess Katyayani with three eyes and four hands.
Seventh Day - The seventh day is dedicated to the Goddess 'Kalratri', meant to make the devotees fearless.
Eighth Day - The eight day is dedicated to the Mata Rani or 'Maha Gauri', represents calmness and exhibits wisdom.
Ninth Day - The ninth day is dedicated to Durga also referred as Siddhidatri. It is believed that she has all the eight siddhis and is worshipped  by all the Rishis and Yogis.

Diana Nyad sets out for second attempt to swim adventure from Cuba to Florida

Last month, Diana Nyad set out to prove to all that there’s still plenty of fun and adventure to be had after 60 – by swimming all the way from Cuba to Florida. She didn’t make it on her first run, but that’s not going to stop her from trying again.

Nyad set off from earlier today on what is planned to be a roughly 60-hour journey to Florida. Early on into her swim, Nyad had to brave schools of jellyfish, but she’s not going to let a little thing like that stop her from breaking the 3-decade-old distance record.

“I’m prepared and even saying that though, how many times do you get to do something of this big an adventure? You know, how many times do you get to feel this alive? This awake and alive?” said Nyad.

Her previous attempt came to a halt after she suffered a crippling asthma attack nearly 29 hours into the journey, but she insists she’s prepared this time around.

“I feel in better shape at 62 than I was at 28, which is the first time I tried this, 28 years old – I’m not as fast as I was then and I’m a little fatter, uh, but that’s ok,” she said.

You can keep up on Nyad’s adventures through her Twitter account here.

GATE 2012 Exam Syllabus

The following categories of candidates are eligible to appear for GATE.

• Bachelor's degree holders in Engineering/Technology/Architecture/Pharmacy and those who are in the final Year of such programmes.

• Master's degree holders in any branch of science/mathematics/statistics or Equivalent and those who are in the final year of such programmes. However, if the degree is in Master of Computer applications, the candidate should have had course in mathematics at the Bachelor's or Master's level.

• Candidate in the second or Higher year of (post B.Sc) four year integrated Master's degree programme in Engineering/Technology or in the third or higher year of the 4-year integrated Master's degree/Dual degree programme in Engineering/Technology.

• Candidates with qualifications obtained through Examination conducted by professional societies recognised by UPSC/AICTE as equivalent to B.E/B.Tech.

GATE 2011 Examination Details :

• The Examination is a single paper of 3 hrs duration and of 150 marks. There will be 30 questions of 1 mark and 60 questions of 2 marks.

• A candidate is expected to answer the paper appropriate to the discipline of his/her qualifying degree. However, the candidate is free to choose any of the papers as his/her admission plan.
• You have to choose te subject and study as per the syllabus mentioned in the GATE brochure.

Champions League T20 2011 Schedule, Champions league t20 2011 live streaming

The Champions League Twenty20 is an international Twenty20 format cricket tournament between club teams from India, Australia, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and West Indies.

Champions League T20 2011 Tournament Format:

In 2009, the Champions League Twenty20 teams were split into four groups of three each, with two Champions League Twenty20 teams from each group proceeding to a league stage. The eight Champions League Twenty20 were split into two leagues from which the semi-finalists were identified. The 2010 event had the ten Champions League Twenty20 teams split into two groups of five each, with the top two from each group contesting the semi-finals. The 2011 main draw will feature the same format for Champions League T20 2011.

Champions League T20 2011 Teams:

Cape Cobras
Chevrolet Warriors
South Australian Redbacks
New South Wales Blues
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Chennai Super Kings
Mumbai Indians
Three teams from Qualifiers

Champions League T20 2011 Match Schedule:

Mon Sep 19
Qualifying Pool A – Ruhuna v Trinidad & Tobago
Qualifying Pool B – Auckland v Kolkata Knight Riders

Tue Sep 20
Qualifying Pool A – Leicestershire v Trinidad & Tobago
Qualifying Pool B – Auckland v Somerset

Wed Sep 21
Qualifying Pool A – Leicestershire v Ruhuna
Qualifying Pool B – Kolkata Knight Riders v Somerset

Fri Sep 23
Group B – Royal Challengers Bangalore v Warriors
Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

Sat Sep 24
Group A – Cape Cobras v New South Wales
Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

Group A – Chennai Super Kings v Mumbai Indians
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

Sun Sep 25
Group B – Warriors v South Australia
Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Group B – TBC v TBC
Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Mon Sep 26
Group A – Mumbai Indians v TBC
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

Tue Sep 27
Group B – TBC v South Australia
Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Wed Sep 28
Group A – New South Wales v TBC
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

Group A – Chennai Super Kings v Cape Cobras
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

Thu Sep 29
Group B – TBC v Royal Challengers Bangalore
Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Fri Sep 30
Group A – Mumbai Indians v Cape Cobras
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

Sat Oct 1
Group B – South Australia v TBC
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

Group B – TBC v Warriors
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

Sun Oct 2
Group A – Mumbai Indians v New South Wales
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

Group A – Chennai Super Kings v TBC
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

Mon Oct 3
Group B – Royal Challengers Bangalore v TBC
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

Tue Oct 4
Group A – Cape Cobras v TBC
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

Chennai Super Kings v New South Wales
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

Wed Oct 5
Group B – Warriors v TBC
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

Wed Oct 5
Group B – Royal Challengers Bangalore v South Australia
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

Fri Oct 7
1st Semi-Final – TBC v TBC (1st Group B v 2nd Group A)
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

Sat Oct 8
2nd Semi-Final – TBC v TBC (1st Group A v 2nd Group B)
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

Sun Oct 9
20:00 IST    Final – TBC v TBC
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

Watch Champions League T20 2011 Video clips. Here is a link of the official site where you can watch match updates and important video clips freely.

Navratri SMS, Navratri Quotes, Pooja, Navratri Poems

Navaratri Text Messages, SMS
Lakshmi ka hath ho
Saraswati ka sath ho
Ganesh ka niwas ho
Aur maa durga ke aashirwad se
Aapke jeevan mai prakash hi prakash ho!
‘Happy Navratri’
Pyar ka tarana uphar ho
Khushiyo ka nazrana beshumar ho
Na rahe koi gam ka ehsas
Aisa navratra utsav is saal ho!
Happy Navratra!
Jai Maa Durge!
Jai Maa Ambe!
Jai Maa Jagdambe!
Jai Maa Bhawani!
Jai Maa Sheetla!
Jai Maa Vaishno!
Jai Maa Chandi!
Mata Rani meri aur apki manokamna puri karey
Jai Mata di!
This Navratri, may you be blessed with good fortune as long as Ganeshji’s trunk, wealth and prosperity as big as his stomach, happiness as sweet as his ladoos and may your trouble be as small as his mouse.
Happy Navratri
Fortunate is the one who has learned to admire, but not to envy.
Good Wishes for a joyous Navratri, with plenty of Peace and Prosperity!
Maa ki jyoti se prem milta hai
Sabke dilo ko marm milta hai
Jo bhi jata hai maa ke dwar
Kuch na kuch jarur milta hai.
Shubh Navratri
May this Navratri be as bright as ever.
May this Navratri bring joy, health and wealth to you.
May the festival of lights brighten up you and your near and dear ones lives.
May the festival of lights be the harbinger of joy and prosperity. As the holy occasion of Navratri is here and the atmosphere is filled with the spirit of mirth and love, here’s hoping this festival
Aapi shako to aapni dosti magu chu,
dil thi dil no sahkar magu chu,
fikar na karo dosti per jaan lutavi dais,
rokdo vyavhar che kya, udhar mangu chu…
Happy navratri!
Maa durga se vinti hai ki apke jeevan main sukh,samradhe, dhan,yas ,Pardhan kare. Happy Navratra
May your life be filled with happiness on this pious festival of Navratri,
Happy Navratri!
Ramji ki mahima
Sita maa ka dhairya
Lakshmana ji ka tej aur
Bharat ji ka tyaag
hum sabko jeevan ki seekh deta rahey.
Happy Chaitra Navratri.
Maa durga humein sarvshreshtha banne ka
Saahas-ichha-dhairya pradan kare.
Unki aseem kripa hum par bani rahe!
Apko aur apke parivar ko
Navratri ki shubhkamnaye
May maa durga empower you and your family
With her nine swaroopa of name, fame,
Health, wealth, happiness, humanity,
Education, bhakti & shakti.
Happy Navratri!

Popular Navratri Quotes
During Navaratri, Goddess Durga is invoked first to remove impurities from the mind. The Goddess Lakshmi is invoked to cultivate the noble values and qualities. Finally, Saraswati is invoked for gaining the highest knowledge of the Self. This is the significance of the three sets of three nights when all these three are gained subjectively, and then there will be Vijayadasami, the day of true victory. – Swami Tejomayananda of Chinmaya Mission
Navaratri is celebrated in various parts of India in different styles. But the one basic aim of this celebration is to propitiate Shakti, the Goddess in Her aspect as Power, to bestow upon man all wealth, auspiciousness, prosperity, knowledge (both sacred and secular), and all other potent powers. Whatever be the particular or special request that everyone may put before the Goddess, whatever boon may be asked of Her, the one thing behind all these is propitiation, worship and linking oneself with Her. There is no other aim. This is being effected consciously or unconsciously. Everyone is blessed with Her loving mercy and is protected by Her. – Swami Sivananda
Man, the imperfect, the bound, the sorrowful, has a thousand enemies within. He is riddled with negative thoughts fears, yearnings. These are selfishness, jealousy, meanness, prejudice and hatred – just to mention but a few. The Sadhak must get rid of these lawless villains within. With Mother Durga’s kripa, these destructive masters are to be annihilated. Invoke the Mother Terrible to help us annihilate within ourselves all negative forces; all weaknesses, - all littleness. – Swami Chinmayananda

Popular Navratri Poems
Poetry
The temple priest has rung his bell.
A cloud of smoke from candles and lamps
Haloes the Goddess, glowing bright
This beat of drums both maddens and dulls.
The incense burns: so heady the musk,
Our senses flounder in the flood.
This endless chant of sacred words
Soon drugs our lips and stuns our minds.
The Goddess, always staring down:
Her painted pupils cut through smoke
And read the secret thoughts we think.
We somehow feel this within our hearts.
To Mother, we know, we bow and pray –
Her form not just this image of clay.
Navratri
Nine nights for goddess Durga
Full of dance and songs
People worship her image
With flowers and prayers long.
May the Goddess bless us
With precious gifts to mankind
People praise her image
Full of beauty divine!

Navaratri Puja Vidhi
Certain items are required to perform the Navratri pooja. These may include the idol or picture of Goddess Durga, Durga Sapthashati book, water in Kalash (pitcher), fresh washed mango leaves, one coconut, roli (red color for tilak), moli (red sacred thread), chawal (rice), paan (betel leaves), supari (beetle nuts), cloves, cardamom, kumkum (vermilion) and gulal. You will also need few incense sticks, a deep and matchstick. The flowers used for Navratri puja may include rose, lotus and red hibiscus. Stalks of Bilwa (bael) leaves are also used for the puja. You may offer fresh pomegranate and sweets such as laddoo and peda, as prasad. You will require a Panchpatra containing spoon and water, bael leaves. Take a mat as well, to sit.
In order to perform the puja, take bath in the morning and wear laundered clothes. Then, fill the kalash with water and place mango leaves on its mouth. Place a coconut inside the kalash. Now, tie moli on the neck of the pitcher. Place the idol or picture of Ma Durga at your puja room and then worship the deity with roli, rice, flowers, balepatra, kumkum and gulal. Thereafter, you may add burning coal to a clay pot and pour ghee (clarified butter) over it. Offer a small piece of the sweetmeat to the fire. Keep adding ghee to the fire at regular intervals. Make sure that you maintain the light throughout your puja. Once the puja is over, fold your hands and encircle the flame for three times. Light the incense sticks and deep and perform the aarti. You may sing arti song while doing the aarti. You may chant Durga Saptashati or Devi Kavach or ask a pundit to do it, to conclude the puja.

58th National Film Awards Ceremony Stills, Winners List

The 58th National Film Awards presentation ceremony held on Sep 9 at New Delhi. Indian President Pratibha Patil given all award winners. Director K Balachander for Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Tamil Actor Dhanush for Best Actor Award (Aadukalam), Director Seenu Ramasamy for Best Tamil Film Award(Thenmerkku Paruvakkatru), Saranya Ponvannan for Best Actress Award (Thenmerkku Paruvakkatru). Malayalam Actor Salim Kumar receives Best Actor Award (Adaminte Makan Abu), Singer Rekha Bhardwaj for Best Playback Singer Award (female) Ishqiya (Hindi).

The awards were distributed by the President of India, Pratibha Patil in a function held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. on September 9.

Veteran Tamil filmmaker K. Balachander, was the cynosure of all eyes as he came to accept the prestigiousDadasaheb Phalke Award for his outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema.

Actor Dhanush and Salim Kumar were awarded with Best Actor award (
Rajat Kamal and Rs 50,000) for Aadukalam (Tamil) and Adaminte Makan Abu (Malayalam) respectively.

Dhanush got this award for the raw, nuanced portrayal of a cocky young man who learns lessons about life the hard way.

BEST ACTRESS:

Saranya Ponvannan for Thenmerkku Paruvakkatru (Tamil) and Mitalee Jagtap Varadkar for Baboo Band Baaja (Marathi) (Rajat Kamal and Rs 50,000)

Saranya Ponvannan was awarded for her acting as a fiercely combative single mother who shields her son to the point of sacrifice.

List of Winners:

BEST DIRECTION:

Vetrimaran for Aadukalam (Tamil)
Swarna Kamal and Rs 2,50,000
For a gritty tale of love, jealousy and betrayal in the midst of bloodsport and violence, in the manner of realistic cinema.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

J Thambi Ramaiah for Mynaa (Tamil)
Rajat Kamal and Rs 50,000
For a heart-warming performance as a policeman who discovers his humanity in the process of capturing an escaped fugitive.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Sukumari for Namma Gramam
Rajat Kamal and Rs 50,000
For a sensitive portrayal of an aged widow who challenges orthodoxy when restrictions are placed upon her widowed granddaughter.

BEST SCREENPLAY:

(Original): Vetrimaran for Aadukalam (Tamil)
Rajat Kamal and Rs 50,000
For its kaleidoscopic variety that uses realism, tradition and contemporaneity, soaked in local flavour on an infinite canvas.

BEST EDITING:

TE Kishore for Aadukalam (Tamil)
Rajat Kamal and Rs 50,000
For the subliminal impact created by the use of montage so as to bring to the fore thematic concerns of the narrative in a holistic manner.

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN:

Sabu Cyril for Enthiran (Tamil)
Rajat Kamal Rs 50,000
For the style and finesse realised in the creation of a set design that is coherent with the futuristic visual style of the narrative.

BEST LYRICS:

Vairamuthu for Thenmerkku Paruvakkatru (Tamil)
Rajat Kamal and Rs 50,000
For giving a meaningful expression to the narrative through contextual amplification of the emotion.

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS:

V Srinivas M Mohan for Enthiran (Tamil)
Rajat Kamal and Rs 50,000
For bringing of age a spectrum of visual special effects in Indian cinema and creating a space for the practitioners of this art form on the global map.

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY:

Dinesh Kumar for Aadukalam (Tamil)
Rajat Kamal and Rs 50,000
For the native charm and innovative design in the art of choreography that creates an effervescent energy in the spectator.

BEST TAMIL FILM:

Thenmerkku Paruvakkatru
Director: Seenu Ramasamy
Rajat Kamal and Rs 1,00,000
Each For an emotive articulation of the combative spirit of a mother for whom her son’s happiness is paramount.

SPECIAL MENTION:

Aadukalam (Tamil)
VIS Jayaraman
Certificate only
With a face carved out of teak and leather, the patriarch of a cock-fighting clan stands like a colossus, even when he feels his power and authority ebbing through his fingers.

Osama bin laden, 9 11, Biden Describes Bomb Threat as Security Is Increased

I'm going to turn the TV off on September 11th. And close all the web browser tabs I have open on news sites.

This isn't to belittle the events of ten years ago, or to show disrespect for the victims and their bereaved: rather, it's to avoid the narcissistic and indecent media feeding frenzy that battens onto popular sentiment and attempts to jerk every tear from the emotional aftermath of tragedy, the better to milk the advertising revenue stream.

If the media really wanted to mark the occasion respectfully, they'd do so by holding a minutes' silence at 8:46am EST this Sunday.

Vice President Joseph R. Biden said that counterterrorism officials were investigating a “credible” but uncorroborated threat of a car-bomb attack in New York City or Washington, timed to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Mr. Biden said he and President Obama had been briefed on Thursday about a report on the threat. “There are specifics — in that sense it was credible,” Mr. Biden said on Friday on the ABC News program “Good Morning America,” “but there’s no certitude.”

“We don’t have the smoking gun,” he said, “but we do have talk about using a car bomb.”

Mr. Biden’s comments on the morning news programs followed a statement from a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday night that called the threat “specific, credible, but unconfirmed.” On Friday morning, there was an increased police presence in downtown Manhattan, with all but one in-bound lane of the Brooklyn Bridge closed as officers checked some trucks and vans.

Another official said American intelligence agencies were urgently pursuing leads overseas in an effort to gauge the seriousness of the threat.

“It’s in the early stages, and a lot of vetting is being done in other places,” the official said.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York and the city’s police commissioner, Raymond W. Kelly, said at a news conference on Thursday night that the police would set up vehicle checkpoints around the city, increase bag checks on the subway and keep a closer eye on bridges and tunnels.

The mayor noted that the threat information had not been corroborated and warned against an overreaction. “The best thing we can do to fight terror is to not let it intimidate us,” Mr. Bloomberg said, adding that he planned to take the subway in the morning as usual.

A White House official said on Thursday evening that while the government has already stepped up its vigilance in advance of the anniversary, “the president directed the counterterrorism community to redouble its efforts in response to this credible but unconfirmed information."

The report of the threat came after several quiet weeks in which officials said they were scanning intelligence with extra vigilance before the anniversary, but had found nothing credible.

Mr. Chandler noted that in a notebook of Osama bin Laden seized after he was killed, the leader of Al Qaeda speculated about mounting an attack 10 years after 9/11 or on another symbolic date.

“As we always do before important dates like the anniversary of 9/11, we will undoubtedly get more reporting in the coming days,” Mr. Chandler said. “Sometimes this reporting is credible and warrants intense focus, other times it lacks credibility and is highly unlikely to be reflective of real plots under way.

But he said officials take all threat reports seriously. “We continue to ask the American people to remain vigilant as we head into the weekend,” he said.

One law enforcement official said the initial intelligence report said that at least three suspects in a reported plot, one of them an American citizen, left Afghanistan and entered the United States by air last month. Intelligence agencies have not confirmed the report or identified those involved, the official said.

The official, who like others would speak of the investigation only on the condition of anonymity, said there was no connection to rental trucks reported missing in Kansas City, Mo. The trucks have been recovered and are not believed linked to the threat.

Rugby world cup 2011, Rugby world cup 2011 dates,

4 years. That's how long gamers have been waiting since the last rugby union game, Rugby 08, graced gaming platforms. So when the same developer, HB Studios, announced last year that they had a new rugby game in development (formerly Rugby 2012), and that it would be the official game of the Rugby World Cup 2011, we couldn't have been more excited. Finally, rugby in HD.

And for the most part, HB Studios has delivered just that. They've taken their tried and tested game engine from Rugby 08 and given it an HD makeover. Sounds great, right? Perhaps at first, but it won't take long for those less than welcoming quirks from Rugby 08 to rear their ugly heads in Rugby World Cup 2011, and that's when you realise that this isn't the giant leap in the world of rugby games that we'd all hoped for, but rather a short hop into the HD era for a 4 year old game.

Starting up the game, you're greeted with a simple but neat menu styled with the Rugby World Cup colors and logo, with the famous World in Union song playing in the background; there's no mistaking it, this is a Rugby World Cup game. And it reflects in the modes available. Gone are the Tri-nations and Super 14 (SuperRugby) tournaments from Rugby 08, all you're left with now is five basic modes: Full Tournament mode; an International Test mode (basically quick match); Warm-up Tour (match up against several teams in either the northern or southern hemisphere); Place-kick Shootout, which does what it says on the box (and is as exciting as it sounds); and an obligatory Xbox LIVE multiplayer mode.

Jumping into your first game, things don't look that much better. Literally. While the graphics in Rugby World Cup 2011 can be said to be 'high-definition', one must remember that HD graphics have been around for a long time now in gaming, and RWC 2011 barely passes the mark. The worst of it being the players themselves.

The publisher behind RWC 2011, 505 Games, made a lot of noise about the exclusive licenses they bagged for the game, which included South Africa, England, France, Ireland and many more. What that basically means is that - in most cases - the developer can use real names and likenesses for international players, giving the game an authentic feel. That would be great, if the player models in RWC 2011 didn't look so dated, and in many cases, barely resemble their real-life counterparts. Sure, the skin and hair color is more or less the same, with a similar sized and shaped face, but when it comes to actual facial features, you'll have a hard time differentiating between your John Smit's and Juan Smith's. At least you'll hear the commentators using the right names though. Well, as long as you're not playing against or with two of the top sides in the world: Australia or New Zealand. Yup, 505 Games may have secured a decent line-up of international team licenses, but they failed to get the license for the hosts of the Rugby World Cup 2011. You can somewhat alleviate the problem by using the new Team Editor to edit stats and names, but you're still going to have players that don't look like their real-life counterparts, and the commentators won't react any differently.

Talking about the commentary, the offering in RWC 2011 is certainly an improvement over the old. Not by a hang of a lot, mind you, but with a selection of commentary teams, including UK's Stuart Barnes and Miles Harrison and ANZ pairing of Greg Clark and Sean Fitzpatrick, HB Studios has helped ease the pain of listening to the same two blokes for hours on end - a problem which affects every sports game out there. There are still incorrect calls and the combination of Greg Clark and Sean Fitzpatrick can become rather dreary at times, but it's at least a step in the right direction.

Gameplay wise, there are a few tweaks and features added here and there, but the majority of it can be traced back to Rugby 08. Expect the same animations (and the same niggles that come with it), the same "sheep herding" when a player breaks with the ball, the same "random" line outs (i.e. you have no real control over who wins the ball or not) - the list goes on. But it's not all bad news, because carrying over a lot of mechanics from Rugby 08 means that Rugby World Cup 2011 also has the same entertaining, arcade gameplay.

Regardless of HB Studios' intentions, RWC 2011 still has an arcade feel to it, but a few additions and tweaks do help deliver a more natural flow to the game. These include the ability to chip-kick, side-steppings and hand-offs, a re-worked rucking mechanic - basically a mini-game where you hit 'A' to bind players and try win possession without giving away a penalty for being too aggressive - along with quick ball from a player on the ground and the return of set-plays such as Dummy Switch, Miss (skip a player) and Pocket (for drop kicks), as well as offensive/defensive tactics. The difficulty levels also feel more balanced, with Easy giving newcomers a chance to jump in and score a few tries, while Medium and Hard both offer up a good challenge.

Of course, the AI can only offer up so much resistance (without resorting to some dubious tactics), and that's when the multiplayer mode comes into play. Gamers can jump into either a local multiplayer match with up to 4-players, or 1v1 over Xbox LIVE, and while the multiplayer mode is very barebone and could do with some streamlining, it does add some much need longevity to proceedings

Miss Universe 2011 Contestants Photos, Stills

2011 Miss Universe Contestants Photos - The contest will be held on September 12 and the contestants are presently in Sao Paulo.

Tamil movie Actress Gandhimathi passes away

Actress Gandhimathi passed away. Tamil movie Gandhimathi who has worked in more than 300 films passed away today.
Gandhimathi passed away in her residence at Vadapalani. Gandhimathi has done movies like Karakattakaran, Manikkam, Walter Vetrivel, Chinna Thambi Periya Thambi, Agal Vilaku, Porter Ponnusami.
Gandhimathi had died at the age of 65.