PART ONE: To correspond with Fidel Castro’s 90 birthday the program

discussed aspects of Cuban life, for example how the elderly are so highly

valued in their society and how they have preserved their environment

intact, including the forests. The question arose as to how the new liaison

with the US might change these and other facets of Cuban life.

The program spoke of the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki

and Hiroshima and asked whether the people of Japan are due a belated

apology from the US. The program continued with the Enviro series

‘Wildlife Gardening’ and referred to an excellent article on the subject in

the Sunday Mirror 14 th . August.

Leonard Cohen, well known singer songwriter has been in the news recently

with a last goodbye to his soul mate to whom he had dedicated two songs,

‘So Long Marianne’ and ‘Bird on the Wire’.

PART TWO: In the second half of the program John described his visit to

India for his son’s wedding to Vasu Sellamutu in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, South

East India. The inhabitants of the area and the first language are Tamil. The

religion is Hindu and the wedding was conducted as a Hindu ceremony. The

Chennai area is popular for a variety of artists. It was a three day wedding

with processions, temple visit, hand painting, chanting and music. In

addition to the joy of meeting Vasu’s family John described his visit to the

international Peace centre Auroville and the former French city of

Pondicherry as also most memorable. Most famously associated with both

places are Sri Aurobindo and ‘the Mother’ (Mirra Alfassa) who worked

together there, developing new dimensions of human consciousness and

writing extensively on the subject underpinned by Yoga and meditation

experience.

Presenter: John Haughton

Panellists: Joseph Dunne and Hannah Fitzpatrick.