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Doubting Krishna - Is He The All in All?
Article of the Month - May 2010
by Nitin Kumar
Viewed 71688 times since 15th May, 2010
Shiva, Indra, Brahma and the Earth in Form of a Cow Pray to Narayana, Requesting Him to Relieve the Earth's Burden
Once upon a time, as now, mother earth was overburdened with the weight of millions of arrogant kings. Assuming the form of a cow, her face overflowing with tears, she approached Brahma, the god of creation for protection. Realizing her piteous condition, Brahma, accompanied by the earth and all the other gods, went to the ocean of milk, the abode of the Supreme Lord Narayana. There, Brahma venerated the Lord by chanting the Purusha Sukta from the Rigveda.
Birth of Shri Krishna
While he was thus contemplating, Brahma heard a voice in the sky: "God already knows the affliction of the earth. He will manifest Himself as Krishna and reduce the burden of the earth." (Shrimad Bhagavatam 10.1.22)
Krishna Teasing Gopis
Hence, saving the earth from the clutches of evil kings was the part motive for Krishna's birth. Another primary reason was to give blissful joy to the simple cowherds of Vrindavan, their women, and cows. In Vrindavan, Krishna behaved much as a normal child of His age would do. He teased the gopis, respected His elders and also picnicked with His friends.
Tender Lotus-Hands Become Heated Iron Rods or Krishna as Keshava
Between all this, He saved them from various calamities that befell them and in the process provided glimpses of His divinity.
Aghasura
During one such episode, Krishna killed a demon named Aghasura (agha: sin; and asura: demon). This villain had taken the form of a huge serpent and had lain on the ground with his mouth wide open. The children of Vrindavana thought it to be a cave and playfully entered it.
No sooner had Krishna also walked in following His friends, than the serpent closed his mouth. Caught inside, Krishna expanded Himself within the throat of the demon. Soon, the demon was choking and struggling for breath. His prana, restricted within the body, finally burst out through his skull (brahmarandhra), and a bright and strange light illuminating the directions emerged from him, and waited in the sky. As soon as Krishna came out of the serpent's body, the light merged into Him. Now, this is the kind of end only high-class yogis achieve. The Taittriya Upanishad describes this:
'The nerve called Sushumna passes upwards from the heart to the mid-region between the two palates and also through that flesh that hangs like a breast between these two palates. From there it stretches up to the crown of the head where the roots of the hair divide. Those whose prana pass out through this Sushumna nerve, breaking open the skull in the middle, dividing it into two regions, they attain to the Supreme God Brahman.'(1.6.1)
Thus did the compassionate Lord grant the demon Aghasura Moksha, exactly as He does to high-class yogis.
Aghasura was a sworn enemy of the gods. Seeing his annihilation at the hands of Krishna, all of them came out of heaven and danced with joy and delight. Hearing the commotion, Brahma Ji too came out his abode. Brahma, the lord of creation, was shocked to see that Aghasura had been liberated. He thought out: "How can a demon be given the same liberation which is reserved only for the highest yogis? Our Vedas and Puranas have no provision for the liberation of sin. Sin can be liberated only by the Supreme Lord Narayana, who is beyond all duality, and therefore doesn't come under the jurisdiction of rituals and scriptures." Brahma Ji then thought of observing Lord Krishna more closely and came to Vrindavana.
In the meanwhile, Krishna had all but finished with the Aghasura episode and was now picnicking merrily with His friends. The Shrimad Bhagavatam gives a vivid picture of this outdoor lunch:
'The cowherds were seated on the ground and Krishna was at the center. They opened the lunch boxes they had brought from home. All the boys had their faces towards Krishna, who was at the center of the concentric circles. Due to their intense love for Him, all the cowherds boys wanted to face Krishna. He fulfilled their desire by making His face and limbs appear in all the directions at once; i.e. every boy thought that He was face-to-face with Krishna. Thus they were all eating their food and also constantly tasting the bliss of seeing Krishna face to face. Krishna looked like the whorl of a lotus flower and the boys surrounding Him appeared to be its petals.' (Shrimad Bhagavatam 10.13.8)
This is in keeping with the description of Krishna given in the Bhagavad Gita:
'He has hands and feet in all directions. He has eyes, heads, mouths and ears everywhere.' (13.14)
While thus enjoying with His friends, Krishna was Himself picturesque enough to be meditated upon. His flute was pushed within the belt of His silken cloth on the right side, and His bugle and cane were tucked under His left armpit. He was holding a soft morsel of rice mixed with curd and various pickles, which could be seen through His petal-like fingers.
Radha Krishna - The Lotus Lovers
Meditating upon this lila of the Lord, sages complain to Him: "You play in the dusty courtyards of these cowherds but are shy of coming to the yagyas (Vedic sacrifices) of pure Brahmins? When the cows moo and burp, You talk to them, but You do not care to speak the mantras of the Vedas. Leaving aside all shame, You walk behind these rustic gopis, but feel shy to come before saints and sages? Oh Lord, now we understand. You are not bound by any laws which govern us. You submit only to love. It is only by love that you are attained."
Lord Brahma, The Creator of the universe
Brahma is the master of intellect. That is why he is shown with a beard, which signifies his experience in worldly matters and wisdom. His four heads represent the four Vedas.
Hence anything which seems even slightly contrary to the scriptures disturbs him to no end. Here he could see the five year old Krishna, merrily playing with his friends. What was more disturbing to him was the fact that Krishna was engaging in informal engagements with His friends, even as much as eating their leftover, or offering them his own, without any consideration for the rules of purity prescribed in the scriptures. Thus arose in Brahma's mind a doubt: "Is this little one truly the Supreme Lord? Or is He just an imposter displaying His yogic powers?"
Brahma's doubt is not surprising. Throughout the Shrimad Bhagavatam we find male members of Krishna's inner circle doubting His divinity. After the great war of Mahabharata, Yudhishtra was inconsolable. When Krishna tried to pacify Him, it was of no avail. However, he was consoled when his great-grandfather Bhishma preached to him. Similarly with Arjuna, who in the Bhagavad Gita doubts: "O' Krishna, the sun was born before you. How is it possible for you to have imparted knowledge to the sun?" (4.4).
It is only the women who due to their immense faith, having surrendered themselves completely to Krishna, could see Him as He truly was. Krishna's aunt Kunti, while venerating Him, did not shy away from recognizing that even though His delightful and playful childish antics could confuse some into not recognizing His divinity, His Supreme and Absolute divinity remained undiminished. She says:
"Angry at your mischief, mother Yashoda took out a rope to bind you. It bewilders me that even though fear itself fears you; you stood in front of your mother like an ordinary child with your head down. Your face was displaying fear, and tears blackened with the kohl in your eyes were rolling down your cheeks." (1.8.31)
The women-folk never had any doubt. What did the women of Hastinapur do when they saw Krishna leaving their city? Desiring to lay their eyes on Him, they climbed on to the ceilings of the buildings, and viewing their beloved Krishna with bashful loving smiles, showered flowers on Him saying:
"Krishna is the Primal Man, who is One without a second. He is the Supreme God. Lucky is Vrindavana, which He has blessed with His childlike activities. Blessed are the ladies who taste the sweet nectar of His lips, the mere memories of which made the young gopis of Vrindavana faint with ecstasy." (Shrimad Bhagavatam 1.10.16, 21, 26, 28)
Throughout we find women easily accepting Krishna as the Supreme Lord because of their faith. Men, because of their 'thinking nature' relying too much on logic and calculation, are often seen holding ambivalent views on Krishna. We have seen above Kunti eulogizing Krishna when He was about to leave their city. What did her son Yudhishtra do when Krishna finally left the city? He asked a large army to accompany Krishna for protection on the way. The Upanishads clearly say that it because of the fear of the Supreme Lord that the sun rises and sets on time. It is because of His fear that fire heats and it is due to His fear that the wind blows. (Katha Upanishad 2.3.3). To this Supreme Ruler of the world did Yudhishtra offer his protection!
The same Krishna who plays joyful childish pranks with His friends is the Supreme God ruling the universe. The great Shankaracharya says in his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita:
'Those who think that Krishna is not the Supreme God are fools." (4.4)
Hence it is not surprising that Brahma, gifted with the most efficient brain in the cosmos, began to harbor doubts regarding the divinity of Krishna. He decided to do what one should never do; he decided to test God.
As the cowherd boys, their minds absorbed in Krishna, were enjoying the feast, their calves ventured far off in the search of greener pastures. When the boys saw that the calves had gone out of sight, they were fearful for their safety. Seeing them worried and looking up to Him for help, Krishna said: "Friends don't worry. I will go and get the calves back. You continue with your meals." Thus with His uneaten morsel of rice and yogurt within His fingers, Krishna set out to search for the lost calves.
That was the start of troubles. We see this phenomenon explained throughout the life of Krishna. Trouble comes whenever we shift our attention away from Krishna. Putana too lifted up Krishna when mother Yashoda began to look at her (Putana) rather than the Lord. In another episode when mother Yashoda got engrossed with her household chores a hurricane came and carried away Krishna. The same thing happened here. Where had the calves gone? Brahma Ji had kidnapped them. When Krishna went to look for the calves, Brahma promptly took away Krishna's cowherd friends also to his abode, and held all of them there in suspended animation (yoga nidra).
When Krishna realized that neither the calves nor His friends were to be found, He understood what had happened: "So this is Brahma's doing. He wants to see my lila." But which lila should Krishna show Brahma Ji? There is no use displaying one's mathematical skills in front of a grammarian. It is proper to display one's skills in the field of the other's specialty. What is Brahma's special talent? He is skilled at creating the world. However, here we must remember that Brahma doesn't create the five basic elements making up the material world. These five elements are the sky (akasha), air, fire, water and earth. When Brahma sets out to create the physical world, he not only has at his disposal these five elements provided by God, but also the residue of the karma performed by the beings during their previous births. His job is to merely assemble the parts to create bodies based on the previous karma.
However, Krishna's ability is wonderful He is the Ultimate Source of everything. The Brahma Sutras clearly establish that just as the making of a pot requires an efficient cause (the potter) and a material cause (the clay); in the case of the manifested world, the Supreme Lord is both the efficient and material cause. So in order to display His lila, Krishna decided to create a new world of His own. Without any matter to mould or foundation to build upon, without any pen, canvas or color He created a picture. He created out of Himself as many boys and calves as Brahma had stolen. Each of these had different facial features, bodies, clothes and ornaments. Each had different tastes, activities and behavior. Krishna became all that had been stolen by Brahma in all its diversity. Indeed, as the Bhagavad Gita says: 'Everything is Krishna (Vasudev sarvam 7.19)'.
The Chandogya Upanishad says: 'He becomes one, He becomes two, two, three, five, seven, eleven, He becomes manifold.' (7.26.2) This episode in the life of Krishna is an awesome illustration of the Vedic fact that 'everything is a form of Krishna' So did the Lord create, merely by deciding to do so.
Cow - Hinduism's Most Sacred Animal Licks Off the Dirt from Her Calf
The residents of Vrindavan meanwhile had no knowledge of what had happened. When this group of calves and cowherds, which were not different from Krishna, reached back, the mothers of the boys heard the sweet melodies of flute and rushed out to embrace their respective children. Overflowing with maternal affection, milk oozed out of their breasts, and they immediately set out to feed them this milk. Similarly the cows, their udders overflowing with milk, licked their calves with their tongues and fed them their milk.
This practice continued for one year. The cows' affections for their calves and the gopis affection for their children increased day by day. Earlier on, before this episode had taken place, the cows and women had greater affection for Krishna than they had for their own offspring. Now however, they harbored for their children the same amount of affection they had for Krishna.
One day, as Krishna and Balarama were tending to the calves, they saw some cows grazing at the top of Govardhana hill. Suddenly on sighting the calves, the cows began to run towards them. They leaped downhill so swiftly that it seemed that front and rear legs had been joined together. Overflowing with affection the cows approached the calves with their udders so full of milk that they were almost touching the ground. Now what was surprising was that the calves these cows so lovingly wanted to feed their milk were not their own offspring. Even then they felt towards them the same affection they had for their own. What's more, many of them had outgrown the age for their mother's milk and were now content eating grass. Yet, the cows generously, and out of immense affection, granted them their own milk; and the calves too eagerly began to suck milk from their udders. Here is another lofty Upanishad philosophy rendered into earthly terms by the Shrimad Bhagavatam. The Brihadaranayaka Upanishad puts it as follows:
'A husband is not loved because of love for him. A wife is not loved because of love for her. A son is not loved because of love for the son. Everything in this world which we love is not for the sake of that thing, but rather because they are pleasurable to our own self, which is what we love most in this world' (2.4.5); and Krishna is none other than our very own self. Thus it is not at all surprising that the gopis and cows of Vrindavana felt this surge of supreme emotion towards their children, who as Krishna the Supreme Soul were none other than their own selves.
After one year was over, Brahma thought of going back to Vrindavan and checking out what had happened all this while. There he was astonished to see all the cowherds and calves playing with Krishna as if nothing had happened. Brahma began to think: "All the boys and calves taken away by me are still sleeping under the spell of magical powers in my palace. Who then are these playing with Krishna?"
Four-armed Standing Vishnu
No sooner had he started meditating thus than he saw each of the cowherds and calves transformed into exact Vishnu figures, each with four arms, holding a conch, discus, mace and lotus.
He saw that each figure was wearing a garland of Tulsi leaves, and several other Brahmas like him, and all the other creatures in the world, were singing, dancing and venerating these Vishnu forms. Brahma realized that the transformation of the cowherds and calves to these Vishnu forms was not the result of the mystic powers of some yogi, but were actually the Supreme Lord Himself. Brahma was dazzled by this spiritual effulgence of the Lord and closed his eyes. Seeing the helplessness of Brahma, the compassionate Lord then removed the curtain of His Maya, and Brahma, on opening his eyes, saw spread before him the divine land of Vrindavana.
Thus even though Krishna is the Highest Deity, He played the part of a child born in a 'low' family of cowherds. Even though He is the One and Only One, He has many friends. Though He is endless, even then He wanders here and there. He is Knowledge Incarnate, even then He searches around for His friends and calves. And lo! Brahma saw that same old Krishna he had left behind one year back, holding a morsel of food in His hands, searching around for His friends! Ecstatic beyond words, Brahma jumped down from his royal chariot and rolled in the dust of Vrindavana, touching each of his four Vedic crowns one by one at Krishna's feet. He then prostrated before Krishna like a stick lying horizontal on the ground and said:
Shri Krishna Stuti by Lord Brahma (from Shrimad Bhagavata Purana)
"Lord, I don't know whether God is Nirguna (formless) or Saguna (with form). What I do know is that my all-in-all is in front me with a handful of curd and rice in His hands, and a flute tucked into His waistband. Except the blue-colored son of the cowherd Nanda, I know nothing about the Supreme God. O'Lord I desire only your grace. Fulfil my wish, make me some trifle object in Vrindavan."
Krishna: "Why become a trifling here? Let me make you a Brahma again."
Brahma: No Sir. I don't wish to be Brahma again and commit the same mistake. Make me anything in Vrindavana over which will fall the dust of the feet of its residents. Blessed are these inhabitants of Vrindavan. While elaborate Vedic Sacrifices have failed to satisfy you since the dawn of creation, it is with relish that you drink the milk of the gopis and their cows; and they in the process taste transcendental bliss. You, who are here to destroy the evil demons plaguing this earth, are venerable even for the sun and the moon. My wish is keep saluting your glory throughout my life."
During the time Brahma was offering this hymn of praise, and even after it, Krishna did not utter a single word to him. Finally Brahma circumambulated Krishna three times, and went back to his abode. The silence of the Lord speaks louder than His words. When Indra had tried to bother Krishna by bringing torrential rains to Vrindavan, Krishna had to lift Mount Govardhana to save the village. When Indra realized his mistake and sang a hymn in praise of Krishna, Krishna blessed him with good wishes. This was because that even though inadvertently, Indra had brought Krishna together with all his loved ones under the single umbrella of Govardhana. In the case of Brahma though, Krishna had to bear separation from His beloved friends and calves for one whole year. How could the Supreme Lord, who loves His devotes even more than He loves Himself, bear this? Thus His silence in spite of Brahma's highly eloquent hymn of praise.
When the young gopis and cows of Vrindavan used to see mother Yashoda feeding Krishna her breast, or when the older women saw Him dancing and playing pranks in her courtyard, they too wanted to the taste the bliss of this kind of direct engagement with Krishna that Yashoda was being blessed with. Krishna, the fulfiller of all wishes of His devotees, then set out to display this lila, which not only revealed the supreme Upanishadic truths in a vivid manner, but also ensured that all in Vrindavan got a taste of the transcendental bliss which till now had only been mother Yashoda's exclusive privilege.
References and Further Reading:
Chinmayananda, Swami. The Holy Geeta: Mumbai, 2002.
Dogre, Shri Ramachandra Keshav. Shrimad Bhagavat Rahasya (Collection of Discourses): Delhi.
Gupta Som Raj. Upanisads with the Commentary of Sankaracarya, Five Volumes. Delhi.
Jacob, G.A. A Concordance to the Principal Upanisads and Bhagavadgita. Delhi, 1999.
Prabhupad, A.C. Bhaktivedanta. Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead: Mumbai, 1999.
Saraswati, Acharya Bhagavatananda. Shrimad Bhagavat Parijat: Varanasi, 2002.
Saraswati, Swami Akhandananda. Bhagawatamrit (The Elixir of the Bhagwat). Mumbai, 2005.
Saraswati, Swami Akhandananda. Bhagavata Darshan (Collection of Discourses in Two Volumes): Mumbai, 2003.
Saraswati, Swami Akhandananda (tr). Shrimad Bhagavata Purana (2 Volumes): Gorakhpur, 2004.
Swami, Shridhar. Commentary on the Shrimad Bhagavatam: Delhi, 2003.
G. P. Bhatt & J. L. Shastri (tr). The Bhagavata Purana (5 Volumes (Annotated)).Delhi, 2002.
Tejomayananda, Swami. Shrimad Bhagavata Pravachan (Discourses on The Shrimad Bhagavata Purana): Mumbai, 2006
Thakura, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Sarartha Darsini (Commentary on the Tenth Canto of the Bhagavata
Goyandka, Shri Harikrishnadas. Translation of Shankracharya's Commentary of the Bhagavad Gita (Hindi): Gorakhpur, 2006.
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Well said...Historys of 5ooo year back will be unbeleivale stories now & not to mention if it's more than 5000 years...sometimes I'm really speachless of this supreme culture or mother of all culture. At least now the sicence is looking forward & accepting that the indus culture did exist more than 10,000 year back with some facinating evidence of Lord krisna of "Dwarakai".History is our knowledge & it's our duty to look back for a pefect life now with no mistakes of the past. Keep up the good work. Thanking you from my bottom of the heart....Raj
by raj on 4th Jun 2012
Great article and appreciate the trouble n time u have put into giving this knowledge.
To Maria Camara,
Relaay a great comment that you have written.Dont worry I read it more than once.
Life if we can sit and think about it is so shot but what we do dont appreciate it.
We tend to hurt others by saying n doing things that no one deserves.
No religion teaches humans to be bad y can\'t we accept our friends.neighbours(even our enemies) believes and respect it. We r not going to be leaving forever.
Lord Jesus, Lord Krishna or Allah is not going to punish anyone for supporting or understanding other peoples believes. GOD will not punish we punish ourselves by creating war n misunderstandings.
Let us all put our hands together to make the world a better place to live if not for us but more importantly for our children.
Dont worry MAria GOD will keep an eye over your daughter and believe me your daughter will b back with you soon n you can enjoy your conversations n share your thoughts with her.
GOD BLESS ALL OF U
by Kumar Raju on 24th May 2011
We always keep forgetting the fact that Sri Krishna is the greatest devotee of Lord Shiva ... he was infact initiated into the Pashupatha sect.. and also pleased Lord shiva in the form of Narayana Maharshi at badrinath to incarnate as Sri krishna... Mahabharata clearly narates it....
by karthik on 7th Nov 2010
Readers may be interested to know that Baruklinting is the Javanese version of Aghasura.
by Ian Ison on 13th Jul 2010
In response to Jon......u have no place in this forum. for all that you have written you r another of those hare brained ill informed, conceited missonaries. U can follow whosoever u want but dont question other beliefs. U have no right to do that. Just as Jeseu changed your life, Krishna has influenced me and I have felt him in so many ways in my life. The Bhagavad Gita is the mother of all scriptures and is the Ultimate truth. Whatever else exists is just another manifestation. Krishna is the ONLY way. Now go back to your wretched way of living and dont bother us.
by Santosh on 11th Jul 2010
How can you believe something so silly? I mean really. Buddha did nothing but sit around all day and "meditate." Jesus from young age spent all day in the temple spending time with his father and growing in his spirit. And rama and whoever else are made up people. And these are made up tales. Who knew if those people even existed? You can't be sure at ALL. I know Jesus lived. And I am a living testimony that he is real. I have felt him move in my life and he has changed me. Jesus is the ONE and ONLY way.
by Jon on 6th Jul 2010
Since I first came across the voluptuary tales of Krishna, I have come to suspect him of representing the two-faced deity - showing us the benign whilst masking the malevolent. At one stage I thought of him as the blue-black leech god (the ruby-mawed aide to the Ayurvedic healer) - and Venkateshwara as his serpent face - the sin-eater. As the all-in-all, Krishna is both in the sinful serpent and its destroyer-liberator. Thank you for this helpful analysis.
by Ian Ison on 11th Jun 2010
Loving Sairam respected Sir, As we taste nectar there won't be any satisfaction how much we go on drinking!It is much more in the case of reading about Lord Sri Krishna.Loving Sairam & the best regards.
M.Seshadri Reddy
by Mannem Seshadri Reddy on 29th May 2010
Namaste dear Sirs!
At least now I know why you have a - how do we say this - veneration???? for the cow!!!! I'm not joking or making fun....
Who am I to give any opinion about Krishna???
Some years ago I read a book written by Schure' - that book I lend it to a friend and never saw it again - it was in French and is called "LES GRANDS INICIÉS" - or maybe "The Great Beginners". They were 5:
PLATO?
BUDDHA - I think... and the last
One of the most interesting books I ever read about religions!!!
The conclusion I take or make.... there's an inter-relating thing.... something...the ideas and ideals, the words...the thoughts....with more or less flourishment...adapted to the Time and Place.
When Brahma heard a voice in the sky: " God already knows the affliction of the earth. He will manifest Himself as Krishna, and reduce the burden of the world".
In the Christian religion.... that's exactly what they say about Jesus. The same thing.
Jesus, as late studies show, spent many years in India and Tibet, but mostly India. Now, did He learn your religion???? Did He sacrificed Himself to reduce the burden of the world????
I don't have enough studies (or none) about religions, a read a lot.... but WHAT IS WHAT??????
I believe in a Superior Force, whatever name you give IT or HIM or HER.... I believe in reincarnation....I believe in positive energies, I believe positive energies (negative exist too) can move mountains, if only we knew how to use them.
RAMA, KRISHNA, BUDDHA and JESUS KNEW. Were they all Sons of the same God???? I believe so.
But then...THESE are my beliefs, and most probably I'll make you laugh with my ideas...but I felt like writing them. I don't have anyone around to talk about these things, except my daughter....and she is out of Portugal. We speak on the phone, she comes here...I go there....and there's not much time left for deep conversations!!!!! That's Life.
I'm not going to bother you anymore. I don't even know if you are going to read this.
My warmest regards,
by Maria Camara on 19th May 2010
This is a beautiful article. Thanks!
by Dawn Pisturino on 19th May 2010
Thank you for this beautiful article. I always look forward to reading your articles. It's wonderful that you are sharing profound spiritual understanding and inspiration to so many as part of your service.
by Koriander on 17th May 2010
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"Her epithet in the Devi-Mahatmya is Mahalakshmi. She is the wrathful four-armed goddess of battlefield represented holding in them various weapons…. A form of Lakshmi seated over a lotus laid over a golden seat and a pair of white elephants…. Except in some classical forms in Lakshmi-Narayana imagery Lakshmi is ordinarily two-armed…. Incarnation theory is the crux of Vaishnavism. Vishnu incarnates alone but Lakshmi also incarnates in simultaneity…. Though very rare some enthused artists have conceived on Ardhanarishvara line also Vishnu's Ardhanarishvara images."
Auspicious Symbols in Indian tradition
"She has always believed that this would redeem her of her distress….A coconut, otherwise an ordinary dried fruit or the source of edible, or at the most, beauty oil, has always been revered as an auspicious object effecting good and well-being and the food that gods most loved….The tree in the Buddhist tradition was later identified as Bodhi-tree, seated under which Buddha had attained Enlightenment….Body gestures and symptoms, signs, indications among others must have been the early man's tools of communicating oneself and knowing and understanding the world around….Kirttimukha was initially conceived as a mystical mask….Lion does not figure in the wide range of animal toys or figurines excavated from Indus sites."
The Light That Enlightened Millions (The life of Buddha in the popular mind)
"This middle path lies in between extreme asceticism on one side, and extreme indulgence on the other…. When standing under a Ashok tree, tired and exhausted, she raised her right hand for seeking support of a branch of the tree…. The unique balance that defined his entire life was pre-determined in this duality….One day, in the palace garden he frightened his attendants…. He ate less and less till his diet reduced to a sesame seed, and himself, to a mere skeleton…. Seven days after the attainment of enlightenment gods sent food for breaking his fast…. However, he postponed his 'nirvana' for three months till he visited the places he had reminiscences of."
Ananda: Understanding the True Nature of Happiness
"We assume that our happiness is the result of an interaction with external objects…. Suppose that an individual is deprived of sleep and food and pleasurable objects for a long time and then all of them are simultaneously offered to him…. Actually, seeking the answer to this question is the most significant pursuit in life…. The veil comes up again and the duality returns…. In this background, we can now analyse the nature of dukha (grief)."
Analyzing the Eternal Dimensions of Dharma Through Itihasa (History)
"Here is a fragment from one of the most poignant episodes of Indian history…. This piece of history is from the Mahabharata…. She was dying with shame but inside, like a true kshatrani (woman of the warrior race), she was burning with anger…. I have heard that women who follow dharma were never brought before a public court….Greed is the destroyer of dharma. I do not desire a third boon…. Draupadi was as forgiving as mother earth herself…. Just then Arjuna saw his dear friend Bhagawan Krishna approaching him…. "Leave him, leave him. He is a brahmin and worthy of our worship. Their mother should not cry, like I have at the death of my children."
Durga Puja - Worshipping the Wife of Shiva, Daughter of Bengal
"Durga Puja is more than the periodically observed navratra in the subcontinent..The akaal bodhon Durga Puja has evolved into great socio-cultural significance in the Eastern Delta region, and is the lifeblood of Bengalis everywhere...On dashami the next day, one could sense the pall that descends upon the delta...Ma Durga's time in Her girlhood home draws to a close. Now is the final throes of festive exuberance."
Iconography of Vaishnava Images: Vishnu
"There is Rama, the son of Ayodhya's king Dasharatha in his human birth, and there is Rama's divinity, his divine aura that overwhelms the Tulasi's entire Ramacharit-manas, one manifest - with attributes, and the other, unmanifest - without attributes. With main emphasis on his majesty in South Indian tradition this crown is taller than usual. His 'khadgasana' images are usually in three modes; one with his right foot moved forward represents him in a commander's disposition ready to rush for protecting a devotee in crisis or redeem him from some calamity. Harihara, a form in which he shares with Shiva half of the body. Basically a bird Garuda is seen for ages as Vishnu's ardent devotee, a learned human being and an auspicious presence, and in iconographic tradition often conceived with a man's face, anatomy, ornaments and ensemble. The Puranas are replete with tales of Garuda's divine exploits."
Shiva and Vishnu: A Unique Aspect of Their Worship
"Actually, the one who worships Bhagwan Vishnu should get rich and the one who worships Shiva should become an avadhuta like Him…. Then he works hard again to acquire wealth. I render all his efforts futile…. However, Bhagawan Vishnu is not like that, it takes longer to please Him…. As a consequence, they later harassed the great God Himself…. On the seventh day, he bathed in the holy waters of Kedarnath and began to cut his head with an axe to offer into the fire…. The boy bowed respectfully before the demon and asked…. No one who commits sin against a great person can be safe and happy in this world."
An Example of Living Vedanta: The Story of King Rantideva
"The Bhagavad Gita, while describing the qualities of a wise person says…. This verse is vividly illustrated in the story of king Rantideva occurring in the Srimad Bhagavatam…. He did not believe in hoarding, was above all attachments and was highly patient…. They were all trembling due to starvation and thirst….bowed to the dogs and their owner…. What I want is only this: That I be able to go and live in the hearts of all beings and undergo sufferings on their behalf, so that they may become free from all miseries."


After my post on Five Spice Banana Cream, I received many emails asking for more satisfying and nourishing desserts, that are quick and easy to make. I love making sorbet with frozen fruit; it is so tasty and easy. The weather has started to been getting warm up here in the Bay Area, which reminded me how nice it is to have a frozen treat on a hot day. Sorbet can be made with a variety of flavor combinations, but my all time favorite is Strawberry Balsamic Sorbet. You already know that I love Strawberry Balsamic Jam and here is a great way to save those summer strawberries that don't make it into jam—freeze them! Best of all about this recipe, it is only three ingredients!
Make sure to use good quality, pure Balsamic vinegar (read the label!), as most commercial Balsamic is made with red wine vinegar or concentrated grape juice mixed with strong vinegar, and then laced with caramel and sugar–not what nature intended! Balsamic vinegar has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties and contains the powerful antioxidant polyphenols. Polyphenols fights free radicals, boosts the immune system and protects the body against heart disease. Balsamic vinegar also contains a metabolism-boosting enzyme called pepsin and is chock full of minerals. Taste-wise, it really boosts the fabulous strawberry flavor making this an incredibly satisfying sorbet. I use maple syrup in this sorbet as a sweetener, due to its numerous health benefits and its ability to blend smoothly.
I haven't yet to try the strawberry-balsamic combination but that sounds really good. I just bought a whole bunch of strawberries, so this is perfect!
Woah, I guess you could try this with most frozen fruit. I can't believe it is that easy. Why buy sorbet in the store? I am excited to come up with different combinations–maybe something with mango?
I love your simple yet spectacular desserts! Strawberries, balsamic vinegar and a natural sweetener are a combination that I've learned to love (I've had fresh strawberries with honey and ground black pepper). Delicious!
That sorbet has such an appealing color, it screams summer and fun! I am glad you made it and reminded me that I need to do more of these!
So it is getting warmer in the Bay area? I used to go to San Fransisco a lot and I love the area, it is heaven to me. Nearly.
this looks so good – I basically am up for anything cold and icy now that spring is here. i have to check out my balsamic vinegar ingredients..I think I buy a pretty good one but I have to check now! thanks for bringing that to my attention!
I would love to make this gorgeous sorbet!
This looks so delicious! We're just starting to get strawberries at the farmer's market, so I'll have to give it a try. I've never made strawberry sorbet with balsamic vinegar before!
I love this recipe as it doesn't contain any white sugar and combines two of my favorite flavors! I am printing this one out!
The strawberry balsamic combo is spectacular and I'm totally into making sorbets these days so I will go make this asap!
This is really refreshing for the summer here. The color is vibrant and so alive.
Simple and superb. Also great with a sprinkling of black pepper. Tomorrow, I'm actually posting a strawberry sorbet recipe!!!!!!!
Oh man, this is truly seducing! Balsamic sounds good too!
wow! I'm drooling -that looks amazing!
What an interesting–and unusual–combination of ingredients. I'm with Simply Life, though, and drooling to beat the band!
Strawberries are my absolute favorite thing in the universe! And I totally took a look at my balsamic vinegar label after I read this 🙂 Mine is the bad kind…time to go shopping!


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Senior Technical Manager
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What you'll be doing?
The Design and Technical teams are involved in all aspects of housing design and innovation, this team is also responsible for researching the best materials, at the best cost.
In terms of design, there's the sheer variety of our sites, many of them using existing buildings, and all of them with unique problems to solve. Then there's the question of new materials and our drive for sustainability and value, all in the face of ever changing building and environmental legislation.
Most of the people in this team have an architectural or engineering background, and for all, we offer the opportunity to gain expertise in design and project management in a thought-provoking setting.
Reporting to the Technical Director, to support them in ensuring that the Technical team are fully resourced and well-directed, with clear guide lines to their own job responsibilities, and are provided with full support in achieving these, in terms of communication, training and development, and the organisation of the department's workload.
You will be expected to:
Assess potential developments and production of detailed technical reports, including site visits with the appropriate members of the management team to ensure the best cost engineered solution is produced for the land (or vice versa)
Effectively manage the Team on a daily basis (Internal and External) to ensure the provision of required level of services in a pro-active and professional manner to enable other departments to fulfil their role
Lead, motivate, communicate with, develop, appraise and performance manage staff to ensure staff are fully motivated to achieve best performance to meet the company's needs
Co-ordinate production information to a written programme to ensure company targets are met for a controlled and cost effective finish to the sites
Ensure provision of drawings to site on a weekly basis & as appropriate
Establish and enforce quality and standards in schemes, and maintain the good image of the company
Ensure that schemes are designed to BDW standards to suit building, marketing and economic considerations, as well as be competitive in design terms: the schemes are produced within a time limit to suit programme deadlines (Building and Marketing) and must take into account many external factors e.g. Local Authority Planning and Highways, Drainage undertakers, Drainage Boards, Service companies, Local Committees, Action Groups and Resident issues as required
Production of engineering site feasibilities as instructed by the land department, with liaison with heads of department & outside authorities and agencies to ensure complies with the required standards and business needs
Establish good working relationships with Site staff and Department Heads to ensure schemes are constructed as intended and to encourage feedback for inclusion in future schemes to avoid wastage and improve the engineered solutions
Comply with responsibilities as defined in the Group's Health, Safety & Environment Policy and ensure compliance with the same throughout the team.
Implement new ideas and methods and continue to seek ways of both improving contribution to the organisation's goals and enhancing the reputation of the company
Develop good working relationships with Local Authorities and ensure knowledge of the peculiarities of the Local Authorities, and knowledge of the many techniques applicable to the Housing Industry to ensure easy approvals and fast, marketable, economic house building
What you'll need?
To be successful in the role, we are looking for:
High potential with ability to succeed Technical Director within 12-18 months
An excellent team motivator with the drive and tenacity to achieve the goals of the business
Excellent communicator, with high detail orientation
Extensive experience of working within established development methodologies
Ability to prioritise tasks to meet changing business needs
Demonstrable effective experience of working for a major company in a similar role or at the level of Design/Technical/Commercial Manager
Knowledge and understanding of the major functions within the remit of Technical services and how they impact on site acquisition and development
Individual who is qualified as an Engineer or a Quantity Surveyor - HNC in Engineering, RIBA qualified or NVQ Level 5 in a relevant subject
Knowledge and aptitude to identify those issues which impact on land value or development costs and to make the correct 'allowances
Our Company and Benefits
We've been nationally recognised as a 5 star housebuilder ten years in a row for supplying high-quality homes for all generations. That's more than any other major housebuilder. It's because we combine the brightest minds, the latest technology, and a genuine commitment to putting customers first. We want the best people in the industry to help us shape the future of building. We have tailored opportunities for apprentices, graduates, experienced professionals and ex-Armed Forces personnel to come and help us stay one step ahead, and build the homes that Britain needs.
We are building an organisation where anyone with drive and talent can pursue the career they want. We are building a culture where anyone, regardless of gender, race,sexuality, disability, background or any other characteristic, can progress and be proud to work for us.
Aspart of working for Barratt Developments PLC and specifically for this role we offer:
Competitive Bonus Scheme
Family Cover Private Medical Insurance
Company Car or Cash Allowance
Annual Health Assessment
25 days' holiday (increase by 1 day for every 3 years' continuous service up to 28 days)
Choice of Flexible Benefits
Enhanced Family Friendly Policies
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4 bed. 6 rooms. 309 sqmt.
This exclusive development consists of two semi-detached villas of type V4 + 1, both built in a private lot. Built in a contemporary style and maximum detail in the finishes, garden and private pool.


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Q: How to use Graph API to get events in my city? try to use search?q=Odessa&type=event but get answer like
{
  "data": [
  ]
}
is this the correct response? And finally, how to get events in my city? Plans to create a web page with a calendar so that you can see the events in the city for a specific day. Graph API allows you to get the time, address, and cover of the event, which is very convenient in my case. Or maybe there are other ways to complete the task?
screenshot

A: There is no way to get events by city. You can only get places by location, and events for those places. But that would be separate calls.
With batch request, those calls can be combined:
https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/making-multiple-requests/#operations
Be aware that it would only be faster with batch requests, but it will count as the same amount of API calls for limits.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


For once, I've found an Irish film that doesn't have a completely depressing ending.
Ned (Fionn O'Shea) is tormented by the guys at his all-boys boarding school because (1) he hates rugby and (2) he's gay. When Conor (Nicholas Galitzine), the school's new rugby star, gets roomed with Ned, both will face their own tests.
The definition of "being a man" and how one is perceived in society is questioned throughout the film. And it's done so with care despite the tensions of the boys at school.
While I enjoyed both O'Shea and Galitzine's performances, I was a bit dismayed that their characters didn't have more of a love story, which is what you're lead to believe will happen throughout.


Welcome to the Township of Knowlton, Wisconsin's web site. The Township is located in Central Wisconsin just south of the Mosinee/Wausau area in Marathon County.
The Knowlton Town Government exists to provide basic services aimed at protecting the public safety, health, growth and economic security of our Township in a positive, affordable and cost-effective manner.
The Township of Knowlton, Wisconsin.
This web site is not the Official Publisher of Record for the Township of Knowlton, Wisconsin. The official documents are on file at the Town of Knowlton's Municipal Building. This site is for informational use only. To see the official documents or receive notarized copies please contact the Town Clerk.


You deserve a comfortable, supportive cushion that fits — and most importantly— that lasts. At PRM, our skin protection and positioning cushions do that and more. Contoured-Fit™ cushions are designed to match the ergonomic shape of individuals and are available in moderate and aggressive positioning. Two foam firmnesses in the base foam load the safer surfaces with the visco-elastic liner foam contacting the high risk areas of the pelvis.
Each cushion comes with a Dartex zipper cover, incontinence barrier, visco-elastic liner and the pressure relief option of your choice.
Cushion width and depth available starting at 12 inches.
A Dartex zipper cover is standard, however Spacer Mesh or reverse Dartex may be selected. Additional removable covers may be ordered in either zipper or slip on styles.
Visco-Elastic Foam (Sun-mate™) will provide pressure equalization with virtually no maintenance. Meets criteria for medicare code E2607/E2608.
The Synergel™ option provides pressure equalization as well as some shear reduction through use of a Synergel™ pad located under the high-risk areas of the pelvis. Meets criteria for Medicare code E2607/E2608.
Air pressure relief option features a Star™ Air insert which will provide pressure equalization through use of an adjustable air bladder. The combination of base foam and air provides stability with excellent pressure relief. Meets criteria for Medicare code E2624/E2625.


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Home > Journals > Journal of Literary & Cultural Disability Studies > Volume 5 (2011), Issue 3 > Plural Singularities: The Disability Community in Life-Writing Texts
Journal of Literary & Cultural Disability Studies
Plural Singularities: The Disability Community in Life-Writing Texts
Torrell, Margaret Rose
Journal of Literary & Cultural Disability Studies (2011), 5, (3), 321–337.
I thought you would find this interesting: Journal of Literary & Cultural Disability Studies, Volume 5, Issue 3 Plural Singularities: The Disability Community in Life-Writing Texts Torrell, Margaret Rose Editors: David Bolt Journal of Literary & Cultural Disability Studies (2011), 5, (3), 321–337.
https://doi.org/10.3828/jlcds.2011.25
The article explores the potential for the singular voice of the life-writing text to create an emancipatory disability group identity by featuring stories of disabled people and groups. While disabled others have been studied in the past for how they relate to the autobiographical subject, their depiction is itself a form of disability representation that can contribute to the positive construction of the disability community and amplify the autobiographer's call to action by corroborating her experiences, thereby giving her voice greater social and political significance. Disability communities are identified in texts by Mary Grimley Mason, Eli Clare, and Nancy Mairs and are shown to be central to Simi Linton's My Body Politic. Linton's narrative of her entrance into the disability community functions as a metanarrative about autobiography that challenges notions about the singular, isolated voice often associated with the genre. The multifaceted and vibrant disability communities featured in Linton's and other disability autobiographies reinforce the efficacy of disability life writing as a tool to shape social and political ideologies about the body and identity.
Asch, Adrienne, and Michelle Fine. "Nurturance, Sexuality, and Women with Disabilities: The Example of Women and Literature." The Disability Studies Reader. Ed. Lennard J. Davis. New York: Routledge, 1997. 241–59. Print. Google Scholar
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Davis, Lennard J. Enforcing Normalcy: Disability, Deafness, and the Body. London: Verso, 1997. Print. Google Scholar
Ehrenreich, Barbara. Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy. New York: Holt, 2007. Print. Google Scholar
Finger, Anne. "Writing Disabled Lives: Beyond the Singular." PMLA 120.2 (2004): 610–15. Print. Google Scholar
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Garland-Thomson, Rosemarie. "Integrating Disability, Transforming Feminist Theory." Gendering Disability. Ed. Bonnie G. Smith and Beth Hutchison. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 2004. 73–106. Print. Google Scholar
Garland-Thomson, Rosemarie. "Shape Structures Story: Fresh and Feisty Stories about Disability." Narrative 15.1 (2007): 113–23. Modern Language Association. Web. 5 Dec. 2009. Google Scholar
Grimley Mason, Mary. Life Prints: A Memoir of Healing and Discovery. New York: Feminist P, 2000. Print. Google Scholar
Linton, Simi. Claiming Disability: Knowledge and Identity. New York: New York UP, 1998. Print. Google Scholar
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Lionnet, Françoise. "The Politics and Aesthetics of Métissage." (1989). Women, Autobiography, Theory: A Reader. Ed. Sidonie Smith and Julia Watson. Madison: U of Wisconsin P, 1998. 325–36. Print. Google Scholar
Mairs, Nancy. Waist High in the World: A Life among the Non-Disabled. Boston: Beacon, 1996. Print. Google Scholar
Miner, Madonne. "'Making Up Stories as We Go Along': Men, Women, and Narratives of Disability." The Body and Physical Difference: Discourses of Disability. Ed. David T. Mitchell and Sharon L. Snyder. Ann Arbor: U of Michigan P, 1997. 283–96. Print. Google Scholar
Mintz, Susannah B. Unruly Bodies: Life Writing by Women with Disabilities. Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina P, 2007. Print. Google Scholar
Mitchell, David T. "Body Solitaire: The Singular Subject of Disability Autobiography." American Quarterly 52.2 (2000): 311–15. Project Muse. Web. 15 Dec. 2009. Google Scholar
Mitchell, David T., and Sharon L. Snyder. "Introduction." The Body and Physical Difference: Discourses of Disability. Ed. David T. Mitchell and Sharon L. Snyder. Ann Arbor: U of Michigan P, 2000. 1–34. Print. Google Scholar
O'Toole, Corbett Joan. "The Sexist Inheritance of the Disability Movement." Gendering Disability. Ed. Bonnie G. Smith and Beth Hutchison. New Jersey: Rutgers UP, 2004. 294– 300. Print. Google Scholar
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Stanford Friedman, Susan. "Women's Autobiographical Selves: Theory and Practice." (1988). Women, Autobiography, Theory: A Reader. Ed. Sidonie Smith and Julia Watson. Madison: University of Wisconsin P, 1998. 72–83. Print. Google Scholar
Sweet Wong, Hertha D. "First-Person Plural: Subjectivity and Community in Native American Women's Autobiography." (1996). Women, Autobiography, Theory: A Reader. Ed. Sidonie Smith and Julia Watson. Madison: University of Wisconsin P, 1998. 168–82. Print. Google Scholar


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Boulder Business
Home's two-story wooden entry built without using nails, screws
Builder used joinery, centuries-old technique
Doug McPherson
Boulder- As soon as guests enter Johanna and Bernie Back's home in Pine Brook Hills tucked in the foothills northwest of downtown Boulder, they stop in their tracks – struck by the spectacular three-sided panoramic views beyond wooden beams and huge plates of glass of the towerlike entrance.
But on closer inspection of this two-story entry, they don't see a single nail or screw in the architecture. That's because there are none.
That might sound a little scary, especially given the blustery winds that sweep over the Boulder foothills. But not to the Bachs.
"When we learned that they weren't using nails, it didn't really send up any red flags," says Bernie Back. "I knew it would be structurally sound.Turns out the Bachs were right not to be concerned. The no-nails approach has a rich history. In fact, carpenters have been using the technique – called joinery – for centuries.
I know it was used as early as 200 A.D.," says Ed Shure, owner of Timmerhus, the Boulder-based log and timber construction company that build Bach's entry.
Experts say the technique used to join pieces of wood together evolved significantly between the 12th and 15th centuries in response to both the technical problem of making strong joints that would resist wood movement and customer demands. Now Shure is seeing a rebirth of interest in joinery in the Boulder Valley. "It disappeared when the sawmill came but saw a revival in New England in the 1970's and in the last five or ten years it's become more popular in Boulder," Shure says, "It really provides a palpable difference from the other less-crafted work."
The Bach's home design, including its lofty and distinguished entry, came from the mind of Gettliffe Architecture's Dominique Gettliffe, an architect in Boulder who is from France and studied architecture there. But it was Japan and its wood joinery craftsmanship that inflamed Gettliffe to create the Bach's home.
"I was inspired by Japanese woodworking, the geometry and the minimalism," Gettliffe says. "And yes, the entry is very sturdy with nice crafting and detail. It's very clean and crisp woodwork."
Gettliffe, who started his practice in 1984, says he approaches architecture with the "master builder" approach, which has been practiced fro hundreds of years in France. It's an integrated approach where the architect's expertise and management skills cover all facets of building from design through construction.
And he encourages clients to build site-specific, ecologically sound structures using renewable wood sources and reclaimed salvage materials whenever possible. The wood used in the Bach's entry is Douglas fir – remnants of a forest fire in southern Oregon.
Shure, along with two other employees at Timmerhus, spent 1,500 hours with taht wood building the Bach's entry.
The frame design process is driven by structural as well as aesthetic and program requirements. Beam geometry is exported from the 3-D frame drawing into software that predicts resultant forces and stresses. That data is then used to refine timber layout, size members and detail connections.
The result in this case was a 10-foot-by-10-foot, 20-foot high entry – built entirely offsite and then hoisted it into place with a massive crane.
Gettliffe says having the structure lifted into place was perhaps "the most thrilling moment" of the construction process for him and those who participated.
But he also pays credit to the home's natural surrounding; the entry was designed specifically with nature in mind. "For this project, perhaps teh most central theme is the connection to nature," Gettliffe says. "Every level of the home opens to either a walk-out deck, patio, bridge, or stairs leading to the natural settings which surrounds the home."
But before guests get to those decks, patios and the rest of the thouse, Johanna says they often linger in the entry tower.
In our old house, people would come, take off their coat, then walk farther into the house and then start commenting what they saw," she says. "Now they don't make it two steps without talking about the entry and the views. We're very happy with it."
Gettliffe often relies on his French background in his approach to architecture. "The French are somewhat less work-oriented than Americans; the French tend to prioritize quality of life issues," Gettliffe says. "My clients are people who want the architectural design of the spaces in which they live and work to contribute to their daily enjoyment of life."
Gettliffe adds that architecture can enhance people's lives by calming and simplifying life. "It does that through the clarity and simplicity of the design," he says. "It can also energize, promote optimism through the use of natural light and spaces and forms that lift rather than oppress."
He says architecture can even facilitate relationships with spaces that "balance the needs for privacy and comfortable interaction with others."
That's something that the Bachs believe. "We like to entertain and having a home that accommodates that is important to us. Our guests seem to like the house very much."


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How Oxford delivered considerable financial benefits across its portfolio as a result of its commitment to greener buildings, sustainability and LEED.
Eight technology trends that could impact CRE
Fibre-optic internet shifts real estate industry
Inside CBRE's latest workplace transformation
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has offered a window into its renewal needs backlog by releasing facilities data for each of its school buildings.
Pest prevention for pools and other amenities
Using technology for safe building evacuations
Plumbing & Pipe Systems
How TD Bank HQ achieved WELL certification
Lab facility demos energy-saving 'earth tubes'
New emergency BOMA Alert program
A race against energy consumption
Eight technology trends have recently been flagged in a new global report, spanning various regions and industries, including real estate.
Five ways Bill 106 will facilitate e-governance
Victoria's tech sector: from trendy to sustainable
Tarion review consultations kick off in Toronto
Inquiry puts spotlight on procurement practices
Pension funds primed for real estate investment
Restoration efforts key in Fort McMurray
Restoration companies are helping to rebuild communities
by Jim Mandeville
The May wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alberta, left Canadians across the nation in awe of nature's power and capacity for destruction. Now that the smoke has cleared over Fort McMurray, residents and businesses must confront their newest challenge: rebuilding their once-flourishing communities, while trying to find some semblance of normalcy in a post-catastrophe situation.
Large-scale restoration companies have been at the forefront of efforts to restore and rebuild Fort McMurray after the wildfires. Restoration companies have lent their resources and expertise to the first response process; provided first-hand perspectives from inside the fire danger zone, and have worked to restore critical commercial infrastructure in time for residential re-entry. Restoration companies have emerged as essential factors in the process of easing residents and businesses into resettlement, and in beginning the long-term restoration process.
Restoration Companies and First Response
As first responders headed to Fort McMurray to fight the growing wildfires, noxious smoke caused air quality levels to rise to dangerous levels. Responding to the need for critical air quality restoration, restoration companies deployed personnel and essential resources – such as air scrubbers (negative air machines) – to the area. Restoration experts worked around the clock to manage air quality in the areas where first responders were active, and in areas where temporary accommodations for emergency personnel were located. Ensuring that first responders were able to operate effectively and safely was the first priority for restoration companies operating in Fort McMurray during those crucial first weeks.
New Technology in the Disaster Zone
It goes without saying that the people and resources played an essential role in the response and recovery process in Fort McMurray. However, a third, often-overlooked, element which contributed to restoration in the area was technology.
Technology played an unprecedented role in the restoration and first response process in Fort McMurray. Access to mobile technology and strong telecommunications infrastructure in Fort McMurray ensured a seamless two-way flow of communication between restoration professionals and their residential and commercial clients. The Fort McMurray damage Map app, launched by the Government of Alberta, allowed evacuated residents to view satellite images of affected communities, helping them assess damage and mentally prepare for their return. For commercial building managers, CCTV's and wi-fi-controlled building management systems enabled remote monitoring and control of building operations from a safe distance. This allowed building managers to assess and quickly act to change the operations of their facilities, resulting in a reduction of damage to their facilities.
The use of technology in Fort McMurray was pivotal in keeping the public aware and in control, even as the wildfires spread. This was a marked improvement from the Slave Lake wildfires in 2011, when even a strong cellphone signal was considered a luxury.
Critical Infrastructure Restoration
In the aftermath of the fires, restoration companies turned their attention towards restoration of critical commercial infrastructure such as hospitals, grocery stores and banks to lay the groundwork for resident re-entry. Working in tandem with commercial property managers, restoration companies helped to restore basic services in Fort McMurray in time for the government of Alberta's proposed June 1st re-entry date. The work isn't over just yet – many of the worst-affected Fort McMurray communities have yet to be deemed livable or safe for re-entry. Restoration companies continue to operate in and around Fort McMurray, helping to rebuild communities one brick at a time.
Through timely mobilization to the Fort McMurray area, and use of new technologies, restoration companies have proven themselves indispensible to the rebuilding of Fort McMurray. They also played a key role in on-the-ground communications, providing a firsthand perspective of what to expect upon re-entry, and how to sufficiently prepare. Restoration efforts in Fort McMurray are a testament to cooperative strength between first responders, government bodies, restoration professionals and insurers. As efforts continue, we can be certain that restoration companies will help lead the charge in bringing Fort McMurray back to its former self.
Jim Mandeville is the senior project manager – large loss North America at FirstOnSite Restoration. Jim has been on the ground in Fort McMurray since May 8, 2016, leading FirstOnSite's efforts in commercial and residential restoration in the area. He was previously a part of restoration projects during the Slave Lake wildfires in 2011, Alberta floods in 2013 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
Fort McMurray,
Jim Mandeville,
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