January Ahoy!

Janus is the Roman god of gates and doors (ianua), beginnings and endings, and hence represented with a double-faced head, each looking in opposite directions. He was worshipped at the beginning of the harvest time, planting, marriage, birth, and other types of beginnings, especially the beginnings of important events in a person's life. Janus also represents the transition between primitive life and civilization, between the countryside and the city, peace and war, and the growing-up of young people. Janus was represented with two faces, originally one face was bearded while the other was not (probably a symbol of the sun and the moon). Later both faces were bearded. In his right hand he holds a key. The double-faced head appears on many Roman coins, the likes of what you are seeing in the picture above.


Hey people after that long prologue let me first wish you a belated but nevertheless very very happy new year. May the good Lord bless you and your loved ones with His choicest blessings throughout the new year.

So why Janus? Well this is the month of January named after Janus as given above. Now what is special about Janus, nothing actually if you compare him with the many multilimbed multiheaded Gods that abound in the Hindu pantheon. He will pale in insignificance any time. But what strikes you about Janus is the fact that he is portrayed with two heads one looking behind and one looking ahead. Its that time of the year when many of us take stock of the year that ended, make new plans and resolutions for the year ahead just like Janus.

2006 was a remarkable year for me. Let me just go down nostalgia lane in no particular chronological order or relevance. A new job towards the latter part of the year was one of the big events. The year also will be remembered for a few relationships that ended on sad notes. Of course I also did the ground work for the beginning of a life time relationship this year. I have grown bigger, so huge that I have outgrown my wardrobe. A few accidents to my 2nd love, (my poor darling) has left her badly bruised, battered and a little shapeless. (No funny ideas people, I’m talking about my Wagon R). Lots of friction at home and major challenges were met and several hurdles crossed before my wedding was finalised. Wedddings of many close friends came and went. A big Christmas concert with the John Millns Chorale and my choir singing for Christmas night service are cherished memories. Meeting old friends at the most unexpected places and loosing other friends for the most unbelievable reasons made this an interesting year. Of course 365 days have passed and most of the days were incident filled so I cant recount them all. But I have grown and matured a little more or shall I say have grown a little older.

2007 is awaited for the biggest event in this phase of my life, I’m getting married so one part of my life is over. But in the end is the new beginning where I becomes WE and ME becomes US. It is a new journey filled with huge challenges, duties, responsibilities and loads of joy. This is the start …..

The woods of my youth are lovely, dark and deep,
But I (We) have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I (We) sleep,
And miles to go before I (We) sleep.

Sincere apologies to Robert Frost.