Henceforth every month there would be a new post coming up....⌛⏳
Sunday, September 2, 2018
Friday, November 10, 2017
Peace: Happy GuruPurab!
As a young man on my maiden visit to Amristar in Oct 1997, I had no expectations when I walked into the Golden temple . I did not know anything about Sikhism. I was tourist , exploring a new place. Just curious to know what it is to be inside the Golden Temple!
I Deposited my footwear in an unusually orderly locker , the people seemed to be working in cohesion & with a pure sense of service. I washed my feet in the surprisingly clean and cold water and entered into the temple .
Lo&Behold! I was in for one of the best spiritual experiences of my life !
As soon as I entered I was immersed in a surrealistic experience of serenity, strength and profound sense of peace !
It was crowded ,yet I had all the space I needed !
I could not understand the language of the prayer , but I understood the meaning of the prayer !
I could not understand the rituals but I was worshiping my God earnestly!
The feeling of being one with the Universe was mind blowing !
The grandeur of the place did not make me feel small but made me swell with pride ! I could feel the awe inspiring strength of character that is characteristic of the Sikh culture . The cleanliness and orderliness of the place is a study for many other religious places . Above all , the calmness was all consuming !
I am happy that I visited the Golden temple. And I am proud to be born in a country which has given birth to Sikh religion.
I strongly recommend everyone to visit the Golden temple at Amritsar atleast once . You will never forget that experience !
I did not & even now after almost 20years, I have goosebumps recollecting the divine experience that was!!
Happy Gurpurab !
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Associations...
Beautiful explanation by the famous Indian Scholar & thinker of yesteryears -Sri Vinoba Bhave, explaining the MEANING of "Association".
He said QUOTE...
" The rain drop from the sky,if it is caught in hands is pure enough for drinking.
If it falls in the gutter,its value drops so much that it cant be used for washing the feet.
if it falls on hot surface,it perishes.
if it falls on lotus leaf,it shines like a pearl
& finally,
if it falls on oyster,it becomes a pearl.
The drop is the same,but its existence & worth depends on with whom it associates"
UNQUOTE.
Drawing parallels to life, our lineage & birth cant be decided by us...But we can decide on our associates.
At times,we stumble upon angels/devils with no reason & for seasons...but d rain drops in us should realise the lessons of associates & form linkages accordingly as we trudge through life's journey....
Lesson for life!! Till again when life teaches yet another lesson......
He said QUOTE...
" The rain drop from the sky,if it is caught in hands is pure enough for drinking.
If it falls in the gutter,its value drops so much that it cant be used for washing the feet.
if it falls on hot surface,it perishes.
if it falls on lotus leaf,it shines like a pearl
& finally,
if it falls on oyster,it becomes a pearl.
The drop is the same,but its existence & worth depends on with whom it associates"
UNQUOTE.
Drawing parallels to life, our lineage & birth cant be decided by us...But we can decide on our associates.
At times,we stumble upon angels/devils with no reason & for seasons...but d rain drops in us should realise the lessons of associates & form linkages accordingly as we trudge through life's journey....
Lesson for life!! Till again when life teaches yet another lesson......
Life & Death!
My 2 pence...in solitude:
Life is a Question -Nobody can answer it!
Death is an Answer-nobody can Question it!!
So enjoy the Question till you get the Answer...!!!
p.s: Too heavy,but this is my latest finding as I wake up 2 d dawn of weekend here in Bahrain...in solitude!
Life is a Question -Nobody can answer it!
Death is an Answer-nobody can Question it!!
So enjoy the Question till you get the Answer...!!!
p.s: Too heavy,but this is my latest finding as I wake up 2 d dawn of weekend here in Bahrain...in solitude!
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Nepal-Memories.Lesson for life..
In loving memory of Nepal ..
It is a difficult proposition to tear yourself away from tragedy and begin to lead matters that conduct our lives normally. We are often placed in such, in the course of our existence, at times once or at most twice, but for some, several times ; perhaps each occasion graver than the other. Would there be a sense of guilt within if we were to begin living normal, or would there be a sense of ‘time to get out of it and lead normal’ ! A question or a situation that has often troubled many and me in particular. We seek to be given the isolation and respite, when we grieve. Yet we also seek the strength from within and without, to bring continuity for the morrow. Which one is correct is unknown. Perhaps it is better that it is.
The grave tragedy in Nepal, continues to haunt our minds, hearts and thoughts.
Nepal, was a dream, a geographical location in the early years of growing up. A foreign land, but one that displayed several universal qualities with India. It was next door, much like the next door neighbour in our living residential conditions, and there was an emotional connect with the region.The Himalayas added their lure to my young mind going through the various photographs in different magazines .
I visited Nepal in 2002. It was for my honeymoon. We flew Royal Nepal Airlines direct from Bangalore to Kathmandu, the Capital of Nepaon March 6'2002 on a sparsley occupied flight.
It was my wife Kavitha's first experience on a plane, and of course our very first visit to a foreign country-together,that too on our honeymoon. The excitement generated was beyond compare. I was in some very superior space during those times, my worth and value among my friends reaching its peak.
It was drizzling as we landed & lo,the sight at arrival in the Tribhuvan airport was bliss..
The hotel pick-up car was waiting for us & as we drove to our hotel Ambassador, could marvel at the neat clean roads a major observation considering the jampacked roads of India.
The Royal family had been devottes of Sri Sathya Sai Baba & hence was pleasantly excited watching the huge cut-outs of SriSatya Sai Baba along the mainroads of Kathmandu leading up to the Hotel Ambassador.
Kathmandu, in 2002 was in the process of development. It was bare and scarce and basic. The air was fresh & climate pristine.The wind was cool & sun not very warm. The Himalayas all around made the hilly terrain a welcome change with abundance of greenery everywhere.
The landing strip at the airport was still a mud and earth track. And I still remember being told that the only metalled road in Kathmandu then, was the road from the Indian Embassy to the Royal Palace, then of King Mahendra his heir, and after, to that tragic incident in the Palace when the heir to King Mahendra, who was the ruler, and his entire family being shot and killed by his own son.
For a change we felt rich outside of India. 1 INR=1.6 Nepali Ruapiyya. Indian currency could be easily traded at any roadside shops/malls.
Three aspects of that Nepal visit remain still in memory - the wow cakes/pasteries that me & wife gorged ourselves with, the wow scenery & the ever smiling/humble people all around. Courtesy & a sense of service was visible. The winding roads & the various Hindu temples were a sight to behold..
I remember that great big open space, a large maidan in the centre of the city, Tundi Khel. And the only Nepalese that I learnt then which has remained with me since : Kankdo kayo ! Kausto lago ? Ramro lago ramro lago !!
( Did you eat the cucumber ! how was it ? it was good, it was good )
The other delicacy was MOW MOW..a podak kinda dish filled with either chicken or beef.
Understand that old time memories remain fresher as we age, than what transpired a few days ago !!
Coincidentally and quite ironically, it was during this trip that I took a strong aversion to cow slaughter !! I remember being told by our guide that 108 cows are annually slaughtered in front of the kanya/princess as a ritual during Dasara. Hair stood on end as we were led into corridor where the Kanya would sit & witness the mass slaughter. The place still had stains of blood all around & caused a majour thought within me....is it right to kill poor animals in the name of religion? If so Hindus were supposed to consider cows as sacred?! Was Nepal really a Hindu kingdom?
The Durbar Square was an experience of a life time.So many wonderful temples of unique Gods & Goddesses.Remember praying at the temple of Brahma for a wonderful child as what most couples do at that temple. Had so many pictures clicked at this world heritage site having spent almost our entire day there.Vivid are memories of having had a coffee on a terrace top restaurant over looking the reddish Durbar Square.....Now only memories & thoughts left of those wonderful buildings ...
We returned back to Bangalore on 10th March'2002 with such wonderful memories of days well spent amidst nature. Nepal in contrast also looked developed and gushing with its modernity, yet still preserving its history, tradition and culture. The love of the people, their hospitality, the frenzy with which they gave audience to us, and of course their love for our Hindi films !
It has been heart breaking to witness now, those very exquisite archeological wonders, in the surrounding of which we clicked so many photographs , reduced to rubble by the recent tragedy. Painful and filled with sadness !
I wish and pray that as life moves on, Nepal and its brave people shall recover from this unfortunate event and bring their lives back to normalcy as soon as possible. My prayers are of course with them, but so is my concern for support. I have made contribution. No single contribution can ever be enough. It has to be a collective effort. Each drop counts.
The sacred Pashupati Nath temple, in Kathmandu, has been saved through some divine force. It is a unique phenomena. The temple itself has a great history and we had visited it on the river banks . Vivildy remember having to remove belts or any leather articles /accessories to visit the holy temple.Witnessing these wonders of divinity, one cannot put aside some of natures grace towards them.
All now left behind are happy memories from a land amidst the hills where we started our life together as husband & wife..with only photographs now as memoirs to show our child Jyeshta .
One wish remains unfullfilled,as one day wanted to show my child where we had been on our honeymoon & take her to all the lovely places we had visited.....Now only can be shown in photographs.
Divinity ... Nature ... Fate .... Belief ...
What ??
Lesson for life..enjoy what you are blessed with...for you never know...if you can replay time/place/people...so make the most at that moment .....because only HE knows best...when things might change...
Pray God blesses the people of Nepal cope with the devastation of earthquake & recover soon,back to normalcy.
Prayers with offering of support.....
It is a difficult proposition to tear yourself away from tragedy and begin to lead matters that conduct our lives normally. We are often placed in such, in the course of our existence, at times once or at most twice, but for some, several times ; perhaps each occasion graver than the other. Would there be a sense of guilt within if we were to begin living normal, or would there be a sense of ‘time to get out of it and lead normal’ ! A question or a situation that has often troubled many and me in particular. We seek to be given the isolation and respite, when we grieve. Yet we also seek the strength from within and without, to bring continuity for the morrow. Which one is correct is unknown. Perhaps it is better that it is.
The grave tragedy in Nepal, continues to haunt our minds, hearts and thoughts.
Nepal, was a dream, a geographical location in the early years of growing up. A foreign land, but one that displayed several universal qualities with India. It was next door, much like the next door neighbour in our living residential conditions, and there was an emotional connect with the region.The Himalayas added their lure to my young mind going through the various photographs in different magazines .
I visited Nepal in 2002. It was for my honeymoon. We flew Royal Nepal Airlines direct from Bangalore to Kathmandu, the Capital of Nepaon March 6'2002 on a sparsley occupied flight.
It was my wife Kavitha's first experience on a plane, and of course our very first visit to a foreign country-together,that too on our honeymoon. The excitement generated was beyond compare. I was in some very superior space during those times, my worth and value among my friends reaching its peak.
It was drizzling as we landed & lo,the sight at arrival in the Tribhuvan airport was bliss..
The hotel pick-up car was waiting for us & as we drove to our hotel Ambassador, could marvel at the neat clean roads a major observation considering the jampacked roads of India.
The Royal family had been devottes of Sri Sathya Sai Baba & hence was pleasantly excited watching the huge cut-outs of SriSatya Sai Baba along the mainroads of Kathmandu leading up to the Hotel Ambassador.
Kathmandu, in 2002 was in the process of development. It was bare and scarce and basic. The air was fresh & climate pristine.The wind was cool & sun not very warm. The Himalayas all around made the hilly terrain a welcome change with abundance of greenery everywhere.
The landing strip at the airport was still a mud and earth track. And I still remember being told that the only metalled road in Kathmandu then, was the road from the Indian Embassy to the Royal Palace, then of King Mahendra his heir, and after, to that tragic incident in the Palace when the heir to King Mahendra, who was the ruler, and his entire family being shot and killed by his own son.
For a change we felt rich outside of India. 1 INR=1.6 Nepali Ruapiyya. Indian currency could be easily traded at any roadside shops/malls.
Three aspects of that Nepal visit remain still in memory - the wow cakes/pasteries that me & wife gorged ourselves with, the wow scenery & the ever smiling/humble people all around. Courtesy & a sense of service was visible. The winding roads & the various Hindu temples were a sight to behold..
I remember that great big open space, a large maidan in the centre of the city, Tundi Khel. And the only Nepalese that I learnt then which has remained with me since : Kankdo kayo ! Kausto lago ? Ramro lago ramro lago !!
( Did you eat the cucumber ! how was it ? it was good, it was good )
The other delicacy was MOW MOW..a podak kinda dish filled with either chicken or beef.
Understand that old time memories remain fresher as we age, than what transpired a few days ago !!
Coincidentally and quite ironically, it was during this trip that I took a strong aversion to cow slaughter !! I remember being told by our guide that 108 cows are annually slaughtered in front of the kanya/princess as a ritual during Dasara. Hair stood on end as we were led into corridor where the Kanya would sit & witness the mass slaughter. The place still had stains of blood all around & caused a majour thought within me....is it right to kill poor animals in the name of religion? If so Hindus were supposed to consider cows as sacred?! Was Nepal really a Hindu kingdom?
The Durbar Square was an experience of a life time.So many wonderful temples of unique Gods & Goddesses.Remember praying at the temple of Brahma for a wonderful child as what most couples do at that temple. Had so many pictures clicked at this world heritage site having spent almost our entire day there.Vivid are memories of having had a coffee on a terrace top restaurant over looking the reddish Durbar Square.....Now only memories & thoughts left of those wonderful buildings ...
We returned back to Bangalore on 10th March'2002 with such wonderful memories of days well spent amidst nature. Nepal in contrast also looked developed and gushing with its modernity, yet still preserving its history, tradition and culture. The love of the people, their hospitality, the frenzy with which they gave audience to us, and of course their love for our Hindi films !
It has been heart breaking to witness now, those very exquisite archeological wonders, in the surrounding of which we clicked so many photographs , reduced to rubble by the recent tragedy. Painful and filled with sadness !
I wish and pray that as life moves on, Nepal and its brave people shall recover from this unfortunate event and bring their lives back to normalcy as soon as possible. My prayers are of course with them, but so is my concern for support. I have made contribution. No single contribution can ever be enough. It has to be a collective effort. Each drop counts.
The sacred Pashupati Nath temple, in Kathmandu, has been saved through some divine force. It is a unique phenomena. The temple itself has a great history and we had visited it on the river banks . Vivildy remember having to remove belts or any leather articles /accessories to visit the holy temple.Witnessing these wonders of divinity, one cannot put aside some of natures grace towards them.
All now left behind are happy memories from a land amidst the hills where we started our life together as husband & wife..with only photographs now as memoirs to show our child Jyeshta .
One wish remains unfullfilled,as one day wanted to show my child where we had been on our honeymoon & take her to all the lovely places we had visited.....Now only can be shown in photographs.
Divinity ... Nature ... Fate .... Belief ...
What ??
Lesson for life..enjoy what you are blessed with...for you never know...if you can replay time/place/people...so make the most at that moment .....because only HE knows best...when things might change...
Pray God blesses the people of Nepal cope with the devastation of earthquake & recover soon,back to normalcy.
Prayers with offering of support.....
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Realization.....!
It is not easy to let go! We all believe that we are the reason & the cause of all that we do & experience! Partially true! It does seem that way!
All creatures existing then should experience only good because all are born the same! Does it happen so? All infants born to humanity are physically the same,but their lives & path are variant.
When we experience anything good ,we feel we deserve it! When we experience anything negative-we ask why me? Amidst these all is an underlying truth!
We love, we loose, we achieve -amidst all these is also an holy truth! Truth that we do not accept! Truth that reveals that we are just an puppet.
Some super power rules our lives. We do not accept it! We fight it! We ignore it! But there is no denying the fact that each of us are DESTINED! Destiny is the what brings us into contact with the people , place ,thing that we do come across through every phase of our journey called life.
Everything ,every person comes into our lives for a reason-a lesson or a blessing! Each amidst our own journey of self discovery & materialistic quench.
Even writing this blog has been predestined as I had no thought or idea to do so.It is an impulse that has made me do this. Someday some one might read it,at their predestined time or it could well be the destiny of this blog that no one reads it....
There is a hard self realization today that has dawned on me today ,though the same has been reflected in thought & words periodically through the different phases of life. Realization that DESTINY is what we should understand &respect. No Ego in accepting that what we are & where we are is all part of a bigger drama & we are mere puppets.We are made to think,talk,enact what we assume to be done by us-but in reality is a miniscule role we are enacting as per the directions of some unseen, unrecognized super power.....though we do feel it fleetingly through our experiences..
Let us all realize this & pray that our roles etch out good for others associated with us ,so that like in any movie/drama-we could all feel good about the good samaritan , if not the hero/heroine of the play we are all part of....
This realisation is also flux..would continue to evolve...through times,places,people & experiences...Till then...dwelling more to seek deeper truths & quench the QUEST-Quest for..who we are? why are we here? What are we here for?? & Where do we go..what for ......
But an iota of realization gets etched deeper.Everything is HIS blessing!!
It is not easy to let go! We all believe that we are the reason & the cause of all that we do & experience! Partially true! It does seem that way!
All creatures existing then should experience only good because all are born the same! Does it happen so? All infants born to humanity are physically the same,but their lives & path are variant.
When we experience anything good ,we feel we deserve it! When we experience anything negative-we ask why me? Amidst these all is an underlying truth!
We love, we loose, we achieve -amidst all these is also an holy truth! Truth that we do not accept! Truth that reveals that we are just an puppet.
Some super power rules our lives. We do not accept it! We fight it! We ignore it! But there is no denying the fact that each of us are DESTINED! Destiny is the what brings us into contact with the people , place ,thing that we do come across through every phase of our journey called life.
Everything ,every person comes into our lives for a reason-a lesson or a blessing! Each amidst our own journey of self discovery & materialistic quench.
Even writing this blog has been predestined as I had no thought or idea to do so.It is an impulse that has made me do this. Someday some one might read it,at their predestined time or it could well be the destiny of this blog that no one reads it....
There is a hard self realization today that has dawned on me today ,though the same has been reflected in thought & words periodically through the different phases of life. Realization that DESTINY is what we should understand &respect. No Ego in accepting that what we are & where we are is all part of a bigger drama & we are mere puppets.We are made to think,talk,enact what we assume to be done by us-but in reality is a miniscule role we are enacting as per the directions of some unseen, unrecognized super power.....though we do feel it fleetingly through our experiences..
Let us all realize this & pray that our roles etch out good for others associated with us ,so that like in any movie/drama-we could all feel good about the good samaritan , if not the hero/heroine of the play we are all part of....
This realisation is also flux..would continue to evolve...through times,places,people & experiences...Till then...dwelling more to seek deeper truths & quench the QUEST-Quest for..who we are? why are we here? What are we here for?? & Where do we go..what for ......
But an iota of realization gets etched deeper.Everything is HIS blessing!!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Life is like a mirror.Smile at it & it will smile back at you."
A smile...dedicated to 2013.
As the Chinese proverb goes-"The shortest distance between two people is a smile.".How true?! In our daily lives-private or professsional, a friendly expression often says more than a thousand words.It opens doors & overcomes obstacles.But what is important is that it is understood throughout the whole world.
A smile shows openness, understanding & empathy. Even total strangers look approachable & familiar when then smile,which makes it easy for us to smile back. Afterall , everybody knows that cheerfulness works both ways.Or, as another saying goes:'Life is like a mirror.Smile at it & it will smile back at you."
When we observe a child,all he/she does is follow his/her heart without worries or concerns & with a beautiful smile direct from the heart.
As we enter the new year 2013, let us pause & remember to dedicate this year to a SMILE!
Pray & wish your smile reflects into your everyday life . Let us lift people who are down & enchant the lives around .
Smilingly yours
Sudhir;)
As the Chinese proverb goes-"The shortest distance between two people is a smile.".How true?! In our daily lives-private or professsional, a friendly expression often says more than a thousand words.It opens doors & overcomes obstacles.But what is important is that it is understood throughout the whole world.
A smile shows openness, understanding & empathy. Even total strangers look approachable & familiar when then smile,which makes it easy for us to smile back. Afterall , everybody knows that cheerfulness works both ways.Or, as another saying goes:'Life is like a mirror.Smile at it & it will smile back at you."
When we observe a child,all he/she does is follow his/her heart without worries or concerns & with a beautiful smile direct from the heart.
As we enter the new year 2013, let us pause & remember to dedicate this year to a SMILE!
Pray & wish your smile reflects into your everyday life . Let us lift people who are down & enchant the lives around .
Smilingly yours
Sudhir;)
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