😲😲Surprise Birthday Wish to my little daughter 👧

It was the beautiful month of July 2002—my daughter’s birthday season. In our home, her birthday was not just a day; it was a festival. Preparations began a week in advance: three new pairs of clothes, carefully picked toys, packs of chocolates  ready for school, and her favorite sweets being lovingly made at home. Well dressed up in her new outfit, birthday girl would be taken to a nearby photo studio. A family lunch and dinner were planned at home, and the evening cake -cutting was always the grand finale.

But among all the delightful moments, one special surprise stood out—something that brought with it pure excitement, thrill, and an unforgettable spark of joy to my little one.

 

While she knew about most of the celebrations—after all, she would peek and giggle and try to guess what was being cooked or wrapped—there was one surprise I had kept a secret, that tucked in my heart.

The night before her birthday, after dinner, I made her into bed by 9:30 p.m., as usual. Once she was fast asleep, I got to work. Opposite her bed stood a cupboard. I took a large chart paper and wrote a bold, cheerful “Happy Birthday ….. (her name)” on it. But that was not all. I delicately decorated and embedded each letter with real, red roses . The result was stunning—even to me, it looked like something magical.

I tiptoed and pasted the chart right on the cupboard door. My heart  fluttered with anticipation, imagining her reaction the next morning.

 

Morning arrived. At around 6:30 a.m., she slowly opened her little eyes . I was standing by her bed. As her gaze met the cupboard, her eyes widened in wonder. A moment of stillness—and then a joyful delight .

 

She leaped from the bed, eyes sparkling and hair bouncing as she hopped around the room in sheer excitement. The thrill in her voice, the brightness in her face—those were the moments that stay imprinted in my memory forever .

 

Later, dressed in one of her new outfits, she proudly carried chocolates to school to share with her teachers and friends. The rest of the day unfolded with laughter , food,  and celebration —capped off by the evening cake cutting surrounded by her friends from the apartment, then dinner with loving family.

 

But what remained most special was the morning surprise— the colors, and the look in her eyes when she saw her birthday wish with the roses on the chart. That was the true gift .

 

--Devi BS

 

🌧🌧Washed Away in Flood, Yet Saved 🙏🙏

 

Whenever there are incessant rains 🌧🌧️ and floods, I recollect a horrifying moment from my childhood, and the God’s Saviours 🙏.

 

I was studying in 6th Standard in a Govt school at Kalyankhani Town, Adilabad Dist, A.P.  I was living with my second eldest brother (who worked in Andhra Bank), my mother, and my elder sister. My school was at Mandamarri, a village, 2 km away, and every day me and my sister used to walk along the riverside road to reach it.

 

One rainy July morning, unaware of the danger, we set out as usual.  The river beside the road had flooded so badly that even the road had disappeared under water. Initially we felt hesitant to move forward. We wanted to go back. But to our bad luck, we decided “Let’s try.”

 

 Holding hands, we stepped a little ahead. Suddenly, a huge whirlpool  pulled us in and threw us onto the riverbank. Somehow, we grabbed onto thick grass, trembling as the furious river raged behind us.

 

Just then, as if God Himself had appeared , we saw an old lady  with deep wrinkles shading her eyes, half-bent, holding her stick with right hand. She appeared as if she was searching for us. She called out to a middle-aged man  passing by on a cycle. He rushed over, held our hands tightly, and pulled us both onto the slippery mud road.

 

Our school bags, books, and shoes  were all washed away, but our lives were saved. When we looked around to thank them—neither the old lady nor the man was anywhere to be seen.

 

After an hour, completely drenched in our uniforms , we reached home and narrated the terrifying incident. To this day, I believe they were God-sent saviours , who appeared only to save us.

 

Even now, every time I hear of floods or heavy rains , that memory flashes back vividly—the day we were nearly washed away.

 

--Devi BS

  

A Divine Climb to Tirumala🙏

This August end, I had the blessed opportunity to walk from Tirupati to Tirumala, called Srivari Mettlu--climbing all 2,388 sacred steps, about 3.1 kms.The height of the Tirumala Hills is  approximately 3,200 feet (980 meters) above sea level. The journey was not just physical—it was deeply spiritual. With every step, I placed a bottu (Govinda Naamam) made of Kumkum and Turmeric mixed with water, as an offering and softly chanted the holy “Govinda Naamalu” and Lord Sri Venkateswara Stotra along with reciting few devotional lines. The climb of nearly 3,200 feet should have exhausted me, but instead, I felt light, energized, and carried by an unseen strength. I’m not exaggerating in pride, rather would like to reveal how spirituality and divinity takes you to the greater heights!!

 

What amazed me most was how, despite walking steadily for nearly five to six hours, I experienced no strain, no fatigue, no pain. It felt as though the Lord Himself was carrying me along, each step becoming an act of devotion rather than effort. It’s not only me, but I could also see many devotees’ elderly, children who climbed along the steps to Tirumala. No doubt, my family too is a great strength to accompany.

 

This experience reminded me of my daily practice back home listening for an hour or so to spiritual discourses on Lord Sri Venkateswara by Brahmasri Chaganti Koteswara Rao garu. Those discourses have been shaping my thoughts, filling me with devotion, and perhaps preparing me silently for this divine yatra. On the steps of Tirumala, I realized how the words I hear every day were living through me—each mantra, each story of the Lord turning into strength under my feet.

 

The next evening, I was further blessed with a blissful darshan of Lord Sri Venkateswara at Tirumala. While waiting in compartment 21 for nearly two hours in the evening, something unexpected and divine happened—the Tirumala volunteers brought huge containers of Kadambam—a special prasadam right where I was standing. To my joy, I was given the chance to distribute prasadam to fellow devotees. In that sacred moment, I felt the Lord had allowed me to serve Him directly by serving His devotees.

 

As I reached the sanctum and had darshan, I didn’t just feel like I had climbed a hill—I felt lifted into a higher space of peace, devotion, and divine energy. Truly, it was not my body’s strength but  Lord Sri Venkateswara’s grace that carried me and allowed me to experience both seva and darshan in the most blissful way.

 

Friends, visiting a temple nearby or at holy places of worship is never an easy thing in one’s life. It’s said that it’s not that we intend to visit the God to have darshan, rather it’s God’s blessing to have darshan of Himself that we are allowed to have. Every act of seeing God and reaching Him is really a divine experience!!

 

Stay blessed, dear ones.

 

--Devi BS

🛡️ Self-Defence by My Little Daughter

Back in 1998, I was working in an international organization that had a wonderful child care center 🏠 for employees’ kids — full-time care till 3 years of age, and during school holidays up to 12 years.

Every day, my little daughter and I traveled in the company bus 🚌, and I dropped her off at the center, where about 8–10 children played together. The place was like a mini paradise — cradles in one room, a toy/play room full of games 🧸, a mini garden 🌸, a playground with a slide and see-saw 🎠, even bath tubs — everything was neat, hygienic, and cheerful.

My daughter loved playing there with her friends. But almost every evening, when I picked her up, she’d complain in her tiny voice:

👉 “Amma, Ashwin is beating me!”

This became her daily report card 😅. I noticed that the ayas (caretakers) and the Head were very responsible, and my daughter was otherwise happy and well taken care of. But still, this Ashwin matter was troubling me.

At first, I thought of discussing it with my colleague (Ashwin’s mother) — but then worried it might strain our cordial work relationship. 🤔

So one day, when my daughter once again opened her “complaint cell” 📢, I casually told her:

💬 “Why don’t you do the same to him?”

Oh. My. God. 😲

The very next evening, when I went to pick her up, the Head and ayas came running towards me, half laughing, half panicking:

“Your daughter was on mission revenge the whole day — running after Ashwin like a mini action hero!” 🎬💥😂

I couldn’t stop laughing, but quickly put on a straight face before my colleague arrived, pretending as if nothing had happened. 😇

And that’s how my little one learned self-defence — in her own mischievous way! Even today, whenever I recall that moment, it never fails to make me laugh and share the story with friends 🤭💖.

--Devi BS