Stuff

Welcome to Om Murugasramam -- some pretty exotic-looking swamis at an ashram in Chennai (I haven't heard of it, just stumbled upon it and thought the photographs were interesting). It also links to a number of other websites about worship of the Tamil god Murugan.

Seen in a hospital elevator -- a list of suggested rules for visitors, provided by the Zandu Pharmaceutical Company:

Go with a happy spirit and in clean clothes.
Don't go with your friends and others just to pass your time.
It is not decent to visit the patient unless you are closely related or are friendly with the patient.
Talk to him on the subjects of his liking.
Do not pretend you know more than the doctors and nurses.
If you get some special facilities because of your acquaintance with the doctor, don't make it public - have regard for the feelings and sentiments of other patients.

I was going through some old New Yorkers, eating lunch, and I read Sherman Alexie's What You Pawn I Will Redeem from the April 21 and 28, 2003 issue. As I came to the end of it I burst into tears, without warning, in the middle of a mouthful of grilled cheese sandwich. What writing! So plain, and yet the effect of it just builds and you don't know what's hit you. I do a deep pranam to such writing.