Mother Meera's silent blessing opens new session of Congress

On the day designated by the United Nations as the International Day of Peace, the Second Session, Fiftieth Congress (2·L 2015-16) opened without the traditional Speaker of the House banging the gavel on the dais or the Sergeant-at-Arms blowing the Congressional Bugle (more like a vuvuzela left over from the 2010 World Cup) to summon lawmakers into the House. In keeping with the Peace Day theme, the session was declared open with a silent blessing by Mother Meera, an incarnation of the Divine Mother like Ammachi and Karunamayi. But unlike the two Ammas, Mother Meera does not hold office in Patria such as Governor-General or House Leader of the Amrita Party. She also does not sing bhajans or speak publicly, but gives darshan in total silence. So there was no Speech from the Throne to open the new session. And no Ammachi hugs either.

I don't always visit Patria. But when I do, I open a new session of Congress. Stay bhakti, my friends!

On the Second Session's order paper are more of what conservatives and US Republicans love to demonize as "tax and spend" programs. And there will likely be some attempt to prop up the Patrienish Rupee, which - like the Indian Rupee and Canadian Dollar - has been falling against the mighty US buck. But there will be no endorsement of any party or potential Prime Minister (i.e. Stephen Harper, Thomas Mulcair, Justin Trudeau, or even Elizabeth May's Green Party of one) in Canada's federal election on October 19.