Janus - no, not the James Bond one...

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 Indian 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. It’s 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.

2012 was a mixed year for me. Some ups and some downs especially on the health front. No wonder it is said that health is wealth; hopefully I look forward to this year for lots of wealth at least on the health front. Work last year has been so-so and I need to borrow the name of a dosa dish from Welcome Hotel, Purasiwalkam to describe it adequately – “special sadha”. I did manage to knock off a couple of things in my bucket list so that is a start. Some friends & relatives passed away I pray that they are in a better place. So many new families started last year and several angels were born, nowadays meeting friends socially is like stepping into a crèche.  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 can’t recount them all. I am constantly being told, you have aged, is it possible to get younger I wonder. And grey is a colour of hair. I am grateful that I still have a crown of hair.

So much has been accomplished but so much yet to do.I look forward to a year that is peaceful & happy and I pledge to be the change I want to see.

Best wishes all!!!