Old objects help revisit the memories of good old days.
Taking a stroll to your good old days is an interesting journey to rediscover, reorganise and redirect.
A Childhood Memory of Good Old Days.
Yesterday, while lying in the bed for brief nap in hot summer afternoon of global North, I drifted to the good old days memories of my childhood. Those days, at around 6.15 p.m., we used to finish our evening play in our uncle’s campus, who was our next door neighbour.
His sprawling campus had a beautiful garden with various beds of flowers and in between them were straight to semi circular pathways. Here we played some sort of self improvised games like picking earthen lumps from flower beds and throwing them at our opponents who were taking position behind the shrubs on opposite side. It felt like a thrill when someone got hit with these earthen lumps which were not hurtful either.
In the finishing moments of our game, Gulab Chacha (our neighbour) signaled at us to have the evening snacks together. He was a man of taste and substance. The snacks sometime included roasted corn with sprinkles of salt, pepper and lemon. At other times it used to be omelette shreds mixed in to fried flattened rice flakes. Those flavour and aroma of delicious snacks at uncle’s house still linger in our hearts.
This good old memory of childhood days triggered in me a gush of impulse. At once I headed to market for buying eggs and flattened rice flakes. While leaving, I asked my wife about my plan to prepare this age old snacks for the evening, which she agreed.
That evening I relished not only food stuff but also the taste of good old days and forgotten times! The energy and the excitement that filled in me, diluted all the monotonicity looming over me. A feel of rejuvenation cheered me to the deep.
At Intervals, Do Take a Stroll to the Memories of Old Days.
There are many interesting things buried in our old memories which we must revisit and try to relive.
Remember the days when you, your siblings, and your friends were minor, and, your parents, uncles and aunts were in their youth. Recreation of the pleasant memories of these good old days opens before you a new vista through which you can look at, of what mental construct you were in those days, and, what you are now. It gives you a pause to introspect many things at many levels. Out of these, you have to filter the happy moments out for you.
This rediscovery of your past, provides you opportunity to recognise your positive attributes like your strength, courage, leadership qualities, planning abilities, flexibility and spontaneity which were present in your personality since your childhood days.
Your these natural instincts which have gathered dust over the years and lie in the oblivion, need to be retrieved and acted upon.
Many Different Ways to Revisit Old Days.
Maintaining good relation with members of society and family is always beneficial. While interacting with people who in some way or the other have touched your life, do not forget to mention those happy proud moments to which they were also a witness. They certainly will endorse some of your attributes which had impressed them someway or the other and till this moment you were not paying attention to them.
If you love writing diary on daily basis, just go through it. It will certainly help you correct your ways and help underline your those inner attributes that had brought some or the other glorious moment in past.
When I passed my class ten, I grew very much nostalgic about my cloths that I wore during school years, at home or school. I washed and ironed shirts of my childhood and adolescent years and kept them in a bag. How could I forget them? They were part of me all these years. When I see at print of these cloths, a series of old memories begin to unfold – some good, some bad, some funny, some sad. Some reminded me even of the season and the weather when I had worn them. Who knows, someday they will help me immensely by reminding how fast I could run in my those shorts during school days !
We have in our campus, an out house where we keep our old and waste articles. Though all households these days may not have this luxury, but in villages they have it. You may find here broken handles of an old umbrella, old photo frame, old kerosene lamp, old jerrycan, decorative old perfume bottle, old door locks, old gramophone along with its discs and many more. Walking through them feels me like sent in old times. It is a magic. A glimpse of my old school tiffin box unleashed before me the love and flavour my mom used to put in it, for me.
Flipping through an old album trigger many old memories. They help join dots and recreate a forgotten life segment.
And Don’t Forget To….
Our life is so beautiful. It looks even more beautiful when we grow past its stages. Complexities and stress of present life never lets us realise its beauty. But memories of good old days illuminate the forgotten beauty of life.
Hence never forget to preserve an article or stuff that relates to your past. After all these objects and articles of old days will tell you and remind you about your distant past, will pat on your back, caress your cheeks and pamper your hairs with affection.
Staying positive amidst criticism is an important life skill.
It has been in my habit for quite long time, to paste in my diary those paper cuttings of newspapers or magazines which bear some interesting lessons of life in the form of short story , poem or commentary.
Today while flipping through one such diary, I got stumbled at a page where I found a reference of a piece of conversation which took place between Swami Vivekananda and his Guru Ramkrishna Paramhansa.
Vivekananda: “Why life today has become complex?”
Paramhansa: “Stop analysing life. This is making it complex. Just live it.”
This infused in me an air of thought – why do we always keep sieving for any possible fault on our part, which may not have resulted deliberately? Why do we care so religiously about what others will say or what if people disapprove my certain step or action? This continuous introspection almost questioned me, “why shouldn’t we develop ourselves in to a thick skinned person rather than allowing us to remain thin skinned one?”
Who Is Thin Skinned?
A thin skinned person can’t deal with the thought of being target of criticism. He runs around trying to convince every one what he really meant. He looses his cool in his pursuit to have every one think of him in good light. But this is not possible all the time. This is detrimental to anyone’s progress in life and is considered a negative character trait.
Such persons are touchy, sensitive and tender hearted.
Who Is Thick Skinned?
If we say that someone is thick skinned, then it means that such person doesn’t get easily upset by by criticism or unpleasantness. Such persons are mentally tough and unsusceptible. They shield (or have learnt to shield) themselves against any onslaught of criticism, offensive gestures or ill behaviour towards them. Their ability to move towards their goal is not numbed by any criticism or mud slinging at them. They hear their criticism and simply brush it off. Mental toughness of thick skinned people is very high, which makes them firm on their path of success and living.
The basic tenet is to build an attitude in a person that doesn’t allow every little criticism affect them. Though some persons have inborn trait of mental toughness , others have to develop it over time.
Need To Reorient Our Thought Process.
We can reorient our thought process to build a thick skin attitude by cautioning ourselves against, and training ourselves for the followings:
“Worrying about things beyond our control is pretty good formula for illness.” So we should get rid of this habit as soon as possible.
Don’t take criticism or rejection personally. Actually every criticism or rejection is an opportunity to learn from. Ratan Tata said it beautifully, ” Take the stones people throw at you and use them to build a monument.”
Every misstep brings you closer to the perfect step. And if people don’t understand this about you, why let them bring you down.
Learn to be patient. Don’t be impulsive or react to a situation without giving yourself time to cool off.
Feel yourself important if critics criticize you. That means you matter for them somehow. You have to learn by falling, and lead by trying.
Never feel like satisfying everyone is essential. Shed this burden immediately. Hear the voice of your hopes, desires, and dreams.
Engaging yourself every moment in preventing you from doing mistake is not right mindset. This will disconnect your life from adventure of new journey.
Finally..
Albert Einstein, once wrote,” Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds. Just do your work as humanly you can do it. The rest will take care of itself.”
Understanding happiness is an important life skill. Science and Psychology of happiness is very much centered around the realisation of self contentment, self fulfilment and self satisfaction.
Unlike sensory pleasure; which is momentary, happiness dwells in you so long as it is nourished by factors that support it and nurture it.
Happiness May Come in Many Different Ways.
Happiness is very abstract thing. Understanding happiness is a subjective experience. Happiness can be found in many different ways. It may be sometimes a gift, sometimes a choice and sometimes a creation.
When your job, your decisions, your actions result in self satisfaction, self fulfilment and self contentment, you experience happiness.
When your relationship with your friends and loved ones, are good and smooth you feel happiness.
Also, when you with your hard work smooth away the hardship of life, you win and create happiness.
And, of course, when your efforts bring smile on the faces of distressed persons; and when you create and promote greenery on the face of earth, you create happiness.
Having Happiness and Experiencing Happiness Are Two Different Things.
Barring a few exceptions, there are elements of happiness in some form or the other, in everyone’s life. They are there, but we don’t pay attention to them.
My housemaid is a village woman. Her sources of income include farm labour, paid domestic help at households and share cropping – a quite subsistence economy.
I always noticed her inartificial, spontaneous giggles and laughter, while she is in conversations with my wife, in the kitchen. ”How happy she appears,” I am amazed. Despite being economically more better off than her; I hardly remember when did I have this kind of spontaneous laughter. She is storehouse of happiness, while I feel deficit of it.
I tried to analyse this situation. And, I ended up with conclusion that my mental bottlenecks and bags of worries had taken hold of me; not letting me recognise my positive side, where I am rich.
High expectation, social comparison, stress and pressure completely blind us to see the elements of happiness available in our life.
For example, culture of consumerism and individualism in western societies, has led them to a situation where people have insatiable hunger for material possession and status achievements. This lack of contentment with what they own, has led them to a situation where they are shrouded with sense of emptiness and dissatisfaction.
Similarly, social comparison with people who show off their richness; leads to feeling of inadequacy, envy and low self esteem.
Fast paced and competitive nature of many developed societies world wide has created a crisis of achieving balance between work, family, social life and personal well being.
Thus in between various cogs of expectation and competition, our tiny happiness is getting crumbled. We are unable to see the elements of happiness lying around us.
Happiness and Its Absence – A Reality of Life.
Life is not like a steady straight path. It curves both ways, what we call positive and negative phases.
To the people with deeper level of awakening, these ups and downs together compose a complete cycle called life. They realise that happiness and sadness can not be divorced from each other. They together form a aggregate, called life.
When the sources of happiness are to your side, you feel relaxed and comforted. The thought of loosing them gives you worries, anxiety and stress.
So What If Happiness Is Transient?
You, sure, would have realised that some of your happiness in life are also accompanied with elements like self satisfaction, fulfilment and contentment. These elements are fundamentals of enduring happiness.
Self satisfaction, self fulfilment and self contentment when generated through hard work are imperishable. They become a secondary source of happiness which is going to stay with you forever.
These attributes are born only when your deeds and actions are true, pure and justified and have approval of your inner conscience.
Even in bad times this feel of self satisfaction, self fulfilment and self contentment will bring calm, peace and smile on your face. You are a ever happy person.
Go For Activities That Bring You Joy of Satisfaction.
Realising that our life holds value and purpose, we must try to pursue such activities in our day to day life that holds value for us. These may include:
Helping your mother meet her old siblings, or take her to her parents place. Recently I had been to my maternal grand parents’ village, to attend a marriage ceremony. The groom was in the third generation of my mother side. My mom couldn’t have gone there for some reasons. While returning from there, they, as a return gift, gave me cloths for my mother. For my mother, these cloths now hold an emotional value, coming from a place where she was born and brought up, reminding her own roots. And for me, my this visit brings me immense satisfaction, when I notice happiness in my mother’s nostalgic eyes for these clothes.
Volunteering in cleaning up the park or religious place in your neighborhood.
Volunteering at dog shelter.
Helping a troubled person earn his/her living.
Buying local produce from artisans.
Visiting new places that add to your experiences and values.
Listening the folk songs around you and trace the elements of your Village culture under its veneer.
List is almost endless. But you can sure mark and tune yourself with such activities that resonate with you and make you feel happy and satisfied.
I, in my house, have marked certain windows, certain corners, certain sitting places, where I love to sit in different hours of the day, with my thoughts. Accompanied with a pen and fresh sheet of paper, and along with a cup of lemon tea, I spend my quality time in these places. Yes, the time that I spend here has a qualitative value. I love to sink and swim with my thoughts, feelings and ideas, that are often triggered in me by the panoramic views of nature through these windows and the corners.
It may be the grand summer view of the orange-red flowers of some Gulmohar tree ( Royal Poinciana ) from your drawing room window, or the view of a big crowned coconut tree with its shining leaves from your balcony, or the distant view of green paddy fields from your terrace, or the like ,which beacons and inspires you everyday to make you hear the ‘inner you” , “the real you.” They increase receptivity and permeability of your brain for the absorption of your inner voice.
you must have experienced that the the disorder created in you by the stress(e.g. work pressure, responsibilities, relationships etc. ) gradually tends to get back to normal, when you sit near to your colourful rose beds, or sit on the floor near the earthen pot of jasmine creeper which climbs up with support of our balcony pillar.
In villages , you must have noticed, that away from the main house, many households have construction of an open, raised bamboo platform with only thatched roof like hood over it. Such places also provide suitable rendezvous for enjoying a thoughtful session with self.
Take A Stroll Inside You.
All these activities and interaction with nature, saturate your heart and soul with indescribable bliss and fulfilment. It helps secrete good hormones inside you and brings rejuvenation to a “physical you”, “intellectual you” and “spiritual you”.
A purposeless life without any work is totally undesirable situation ,which attracts many psychological, physical and social issues. Tasks, assignments, responsibilities and duties, though, are essential part of life. However amidst all these, we must reserve some time for ourselves. A time, when we can meet with ourselves and get absorbed in that moment fully to hear our inner voice. A time, when we can review our activities against our desirable goals in life, and the planning needed for this.
The Inner Voice.
Just five minutes a day for self introspection and observation will give your day, a good start. You will become more relaxed, you will feel more centered and you may even find that answers to some puzzling situation have surfaced. Most successful persons have this practice everyday for themselves. This is worth emulating.
Such sessions will further help figure out your core competence and that what are you most passionate about? This will further indicate you about what are the changed priorities for achieving your goals and fulfilling your dreams.
And finally, hearing your inner voice will help you acknowledge the blessings of your elders, express gratitude to the persons associated, and ofcourse, become thankful to the Almighty!
“Ideas are beginning of all fortunes”, said Napoleon Hill. Ideas are born when an individual is full of and blessed with positivity and receptivity.
J.K. Rowling conceived the idea of Harry Potter while becoming delayed on a train travelling from Manchester to London King’s Cross in 1990. Idea flashed in her mind, and she, then and there started giving words to her thoughts. Her flight of imagination pushed her in action and she kept writing incessantly. She continued to develop this idea and over the next five years she penned down the seven books of this series. Her first book (Harry Potter And the Philosopher’s Stone) was published in 1997 and became a best seller worldwide.
Chief Minister of a state in north India had his flagship program ” Chief Minister Cycle scheme for Girls,2010, Bihar”, which brought great qualitative change in the lives of school going girls by wielding them with sense of security and self dependence. The program was a big success and brought laurels to the then Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The idea of this program, he mentions, got at a Patna district administration function, where he had to distribute cycles to the children of deprived classes. He explains how he had seen the delightful beaming face of the child, while receiving the key. This hit him deeply and idea of this program started taking roots in his soul and mind.
Yes, idea is the nuclei around which edifice of plan of action develops. Once when asked by an interviewer, if she had been lucky?, J.K. Rowling replied, “ideas coming across my mind was perhaps a matter of luck.”
So, where lie the ideas?
Ideas form or synthesize in humans, when the zeal and determination to address an issue flares up. Humour, courage, enterprise, objectivity, honesty, prodigious industry, and skills ( physical or intellectual) are key attributes of humans. These attributes are present in varying proportion in each individual. And the matrix of these attributes decides the kind and type of idea generating inside a person.
If we remain awakened and receptive to our surrounding and, happenings in day to day life, and if we remain alive to our needs and available opportunities, there must come a point of intersection where an idea of possible success may germinate in you.
Yes, adversities may rain ideas!
Adversity introduces a man to himself. It may not make a man rich but ofcourse, it makes him wise by suggesting ideas that suit him. Adversities bring forth such ideas that drives an individual to do things that create history.
Dashrath Manjhi (of Mountain Man fame), of Gaya district in Bihar (India), slit a hill in to two, and created a passage (110 meter long,9.1 meter wide and 7.7meter deep!) in between, manually, only with the help of hammer and chisel. The idea happened to him when he lost his wife due to not getting timely treatment because the nearest town with a doctor was 55 km away. By carving out path through the hill, he had made his village accessible to the town by reducing the distance to 15km. The impossible was done!
Numerous such examples abound history when discrimination, exploitation, handicaps triggered ideas, which when acted upon passionately, yielded results.
Ideas are not slave to anyone!
Also, ideas are not private property or slave to any one. Same idea may occur to other person’s mind as well. So if you don’t act on them, some other person may translate that on the ground. It has been said truly, “Good ideas are common – what is uncommon are people who will work hard enough to bring them about.”
Why today I feel inclined to write about ‘a sip of tea’ is something that is yet unknown to me. But I certainly feel that writing about it, in itself, would be a journey for this quest.
A Sip of Lemon Tea.
Refreshing Lemon Tea.
Many a times, when it feels monotonous with prolonged work schedule or while going through a deep contemplation over a topic, or even while leisurely walking through my roof top garden, the urge to take a sip of lemon tea sets in me. Though I take milk tea when sitting together with family members, specially with mother; but when alone, I prefer lemon tea.
I still remember the days of year’2004 in Delhi, when one evening I heard the announcement of a radio jockey on a FM radio channel; who was saying, “Hello Delhi, I have just had this refreshing cup of Lemon tea, and that the evening sky is all set to pour, here is this number for you to make your evening even more moist and romantic. Enjoy”. And plays a rain song.
Thus it is quite common to see persons finding satisfaction and calm in having tea. Lemon tea for me is not just a beverage. To me it is microcosm of something enormous. This feel in me for lemon tea, emanates from my subconscious, which is very much permeable to the beauty and blessings of nature.
Presence of lemon juice in lemon tea reminds me of lemon in aggregate. Its refreshingly tangy smell is so captivating. Also it enhances the flavour and adds aroma to many dishes and drinks. Transparent orange coloured lemon tea when served in white porcelain cups or in transparent sparkling glass tumblers; looks so heavenly and super enticing!
Tea Farms And Their History.
Tea gardens of Darjeeling.
The dried tea leaves which is the main base of any tea come from tea shrubs, now grown on tea farms. Farming of tree at mass level dates back to colonial era. It was outcome of convergence of nature, human labour, technology and capital.
In the early 1820s, the British East India Company began large scale production of tea in Assam(India),of a tree variety traditionally brewed by the Singpho tribe. In 1837 the first English tea garden was established at Chabua in Upper Assam. Darjeeling tea is another famous variety of tea.
Mountain slopes of warm humid tropical climate have luxurious growth of tea shrubs. Vast stretches of well pruned tea gardens, with small processing unit in a corner, beautiful sinuous roads in between, and group of women dexterously picking tea leaves…it is a completely different world! Leaves from this surreal world, would certainly have the magic that you feel in every sip from your tea cup.
Tea is brewed by pouring boiling water over the dried tea leaves and letting them soaked for couple of minutes. The tea is then strained, sweetened if desired, and served. Many brands produce herbal tea bags for such infusion.
Tea Ceremonies in Japan.
Medicinal benefits apart, ancient societies of Japan have found meditational values in tea making. They observe a ceremony called “Chanoyu” meaning “way of tea”.
Though it is a more sophisticated ritual, the important thing is that when the tea is served, you allow time to still, putting daily worries, criticisms and complaints out of your mind. And the participants should appreciate that the time they will spend drinking tea, is extraordinary and will never happen again.
Tea Culture In India and South Asia.
Tea stalls in India.
In India, and also in neighbouring countries, tea is served as welcome drink along with snacks. A combination of additives are added in tea to make it special in a desired way. Such combination of additives may be like – with lemon, with milk, with milk and cardamom, with milk and ginger, with clove, and the list may go on.
A good deal of aesthetics is involved in deciding the silhouette and colour of the teacups and teapots. However in many teashops in India, it is served in crude unglazed baked clay teacups locally called “kulhads”. When tea is served in these “kulhads”, aroma of earth also gets infused in it giving it a distinct flavour. This tea is very much popular in India.
When the tea seller gracefully pours the tea into clay teacups from a height, the creamy froth gets accumulated at the top. And this gives a head start and sets the mood upbeat to relish your tea.
Rediscover Yourself With Sip of Tea.
“Ichigo Ichie” by H. Garcia and E. Miralles
While reading this book named “Ichigo Ichie” by H. Garcia and E. Miralles, my eyes are tucked on a line which says, “It is a great idea to have regular tea with yourself.”
Of course, while taking sip of tea, it feels like having an opportunity to have a date with ourselves, keeping the distractions of worries, criticisms, complaints, competitions out of the mind, and there is only you, your time and your cup of tea!
And this meditative session with sips of tea may throw open the basketful of tiny pleasures, you have never noticed.
This very common saying, like you, I have also come across many times.
Friends and people around you act like mirrors for you. In their eyes you can see what kind of image you are flashing for yourself. What do they think of you.
Friends relative and people around me during my early adulthood had impression about me that I am less open, less talkative, reticent person. As the years rolled by, that impression about me changed for positive due to my conscious effort. But the question worth rethink, remains. “Are we result of what do we think?” You may not believe but the answer is yes, most of the times.
So if you are less gregarious or reticent, then that may be the result of your following thought processes which have turned unknowingly in to your nature and behavior –
You might be underestimating yourself.
You might be suffering from inferiority complex.
Intense feeling of inadequacy and insecurity.
Respect yourself.
To make your social life better, it is important to appreciate yourself and attach importance to yourself. Repose trust in the fact that you have many such valuable things which you can share with this world. It is you only who has to understand what you are. And you don’t need to prove it before some other person.
Learn To Appreciate Yourself.
Every morning when you wake up in the bed, think about those things and incidents which bring peace and pleasure to you. Then set the schedule for the day’s work you have to take. Right from morning walk, Yoga schedule, morning prayer to taking care of sticking to meal hours, remembering important phone calls to make, and like.
Feel the pleasure and satisfaction of accomplishing your work and meeting the deadlines. Do pat your back yourself in appreciation of any hard work done by you, and celebrate it irrespective of size of scale. Physically a celebration may look big or small, but its effect on your mental world is same. Even a grand size party may not stretch your smile beyond the two ears!
Just feel the satisfaction you have created for yourself by paying the children’s school fees on time, by payment of energy bills on time, by payment of premiums of various insurance policies on time, and allocating finance for some major building repair work to be taken in future. Just feel how organised you have become in your life. And all this has been made possible by you only! Just Chill ! You are marvelous!
Be With People Who Think Positive.
Surround yourself with people of positive attitude. These people will never let you feel low even when in times of bad results. Some people are very enthusiastic and their confidence is just contagious. Look for such people and strive to connect with these people.
Cultivate Good Communication Skill.
It is through the use of proper words, said with right tone, and that too well timed, that you can find place in listener’s heart soul and mind. This practice will help lift your confidence and improve your image in society. Reading good motivational books and biographies of renowned persons helps in a big way.
Increase Your Level Of Socialisation.
You should start interacting with people with full warmth. Taking part in social activities brings such opportunities in plenty. Do your best in owning and shouldering the social responsibilities. This will help you create more hands and contacts for you.
Increased social activities will help you feel more strong, more vocal, more resourceful and you will feel brimming with confidence.
Agree?
Then dream for good, and good things will pour in!
The Diwali or Deepawali, literally means row of (earthen) lamps. It is hallmark festival of Hindu culture in India. It signifies victory of light over darkness, good over evil.
This darkness has many levels : philosophical, spiritual, personal, social, national, global. Messages of Diwali, since eternity, have been proved successful in protecting and rescuing mankind from unfathomable darkness of life and society of all times.
Diwali Rangoli.
Calender for Diwali 2023.
Diwali is a mega festival of Indian subcontinent, which goes for five days. Each day has special religious importance. Let us see what are important dates this year in 2023.
10th October: Dhanteras
11th October: Narak Chaturdashi
12th October: Diwali
14October: Govardhan Puja
15th October: Bhaiduj
The festival begins with Dhanteras. It is believed that buying jewellery on on this day is auspicious. On this day we also celebrate Jayanti ( birthday) of Dhanwantari, the God of Ayurveda.
On Narak chaturdashi day, families light 14 earthen lamps to ward off the evil.
On third day, which is Amawasya day of krishna paksh of Kartik month, Diwali is celebrated. Goddess Laxmi ( Hindu Goddess of prosperity ), is worshipped on this day. On this day 21 earthen lamps are lit.
On 4th day of this festive season Govardhan puja is observed to honour the Lord Krishna, who in mythical tales, had saved people of Vrindavan from torrential rains by lifting Govardhan hill on His finger.
The celebration draws to completion with observing Bhaiduj festival which is related to brothers and sisters.
The Diwali Day.
The chief event which attracts much attention is Laxmi puja( worship of Goddess Laxmi). Laxmi is Goddess of prosperity, and consort of Lord Vishnu (The protector and sustainer God). Thus people look towards Goddess Laxmi for her blessings to get rid of misery of their lives and to fulfil their desire to live a prosperous life. May Diwali 2023 bring a lot of fortunes and opportunities for economic progress of the world.
Goddess Laxmi and her 8 benevolent forms (Ashta Laxmi )
Laxmi And Ganesh.
As Prosperity is seen in many forms, so Goddess Laxmi too has following 8 different forms to bestow specific wealth on her devotees.
Aadya Laxmi: Symbolic of her primordial existence.
Dhana Laxmi: Related to monetary prosperity.
Dhanya Laxmi: Related to food grains prosperity.
Gaj Laxmi: Related to animal wealth (elephants) and royalty.
Santaan Laxmi: Related to blessings of progeny.
Dhairya Laxmi: Related to wielding the characteristics of bravery and courage.
Vijaya Laxmi: Related to blessings of victory.
Vidya Laxmi: Related to blessings of knowledge and wisdom.
On Diwali day, Goddess Laxmi is believed to visit her devotees along with Sri Ganesha ( The remover of obstacles to the fulfilment of desires), Her spouse Lord Vishnu, Her clan ( Kali, Parvati, Saraswati ), followed by planets and constellations.
Of Her four hands, one displays Abhay Mudra ( Fingers held upward with palm facing outward), which is gesture of fearlessness. Another hand is in Varda Mudra ( fingers pointed downwards and palm facing outward ) which is a gesture of offering boons. Lotus in another hand symbolises enlightenment and righteousness. Flag in another hand suggests surrender to the divine.
In order to strengthen the prosperity, the devotee needs to get the blessings of Lord Ganesh ( God of wisdom and remover of obstacles) and Goddess Saraswati (Goddess of Knowledge). The meaning implicit here is that without support of knowledge and wisdom, prosperity can not be well founded and long lasting.
Money earned from corrupt and unethical practice has been termed Alaxmi ( i.e. Non Laxmi) in Sanatan Hindu culture. And this Alaxmi brings devastation to its owners.
We hope Diwali 2023, will bring a lot of blessings from Goddess Laxmi to Her devotees. We also expect from the devotees of Diwali 2023 to internalise the eternal meanings and messages of Diwali.
Celebrations (Diwali 2023).
People celebrate Diwali with grandeur and enthusiasm. People plan in much advance for the budget and scale of their celebration, which essentially includes cleaning and painting of house. Along with cleaning, decluttering of waste and garbage heaped over the year is also essential part. Letting the garbage lying in any corner of house amounts to hamper the positive energy of the place.
On Dhanteras day markets flourish and perform robust as there is bumper sales due to huge purchasing of cloths, jewellery, utensils, vehicles, sweets, dry fruits and gifts. People with great love buy earthen lamps and traditional gift items. Family members wear traditional attires on Diwali day. Ladies of houses make lovely Rangolis and decorate the doors with traditional art. Children bubble with joy and have a lot of fun and learn and participate in many domestic tasks. People greet each other, exchange gifts and sweets and burst crackers. Atmosphere becomes fully charged with passion and enthusiasm. Life after Diwali, needs resetting our food habits back to normal in a healthy way.
Diwali not only illuminates houses but hearts as well.
Diwali 2023: Messages and Lessons.
Legacy of darkness of social inequalities, economic disparity and incidence of poverty among vulnerable groups prevails as ever. Darkness of year 2023 is even more horrible due to many regional conflicts, aggression and war around the globe. Russia Ukraine war and Attack on Israel by Hamas are great concern to humanity. Wealth created by terror and cruelty can not be stable. War is never a solution. Territorial integrity must be respected. May enlightenment prevail to the world as a whole..
The whole world may be a better place to live when we believe in love and inclusiveness. There should be radiance of Diwali in our head and hearts. Also, we should not close our eyes to bad intentions intriguing against our nations.
This Diwali, while collecting waste plastic used over the year at home, I got hurt to realise how this waste plastic has turned our sacred rivers in to “Highways of Plastic Flows.” It also dawned upon me that by reducing our needs we can reduce our share of “Carbon Foot Print.”
We must internalise the lesson of social cohesion imparted by this great festival. We must promote the products made by local artisans. By doing so we can support a business, and a family. This is a great unifying festival which reminds us that it is the row of lamps (Deepawali) that is worth celebrating , and not leaving any Diya (earthen lamp) in isolation.
Om Maha Lakshmyaye Namah. Happy Diwali All Of You.
Is this the time to become eco conscious in our day to day life? I remember the time when I was preparing for competitive examinations during the late 90s. Talks about adoption of Kyoto Protocol in 1997, were a sensation in academia and geo politics. Fatal long term impacts of climatic change were being widely covered in media. But the question of becoming eco conscious in day to day life immediately, hadn’t become a subject of common parlance that time.
Time races. It is now year 2023. I am also now fathering a son who studies in class ten. And eco consciousness as an issue, is very much in, in our lives now.
The cautions, apprehensions and the threats related to the vulnerability of climate, have walked out of the documents, and now stand real and formidable.
Story of Buying A Pen, With Eco Conscious Bargain.
With mobile phone tucked between my neck and shoulder, I was desperately looking for a pen from shelf to shelf, study tables, drawers, and every other place in my home, because someone on the other side of phone, was waiting to dictate me something.
It was a coincidence that my own pen had run out of its ink a day before, and of course my son was in his school with his pen. Very obviously, there had to be some spare pen in the house but this also was not in place.
I was surprised to see that with passage of time scores of exhausted pens had gathered in our house. And it felt so irritating.
And this had happened because of the exhaustion of the refills. The whole undegradable plastic body of pen goes useless, if its refill gets empty. This is simply because buying a refill for a ball pen, has almost the same cost as buying a new ball pen!
This objectionable model of business has earned a ridiculous nomenclature – “Use And Throw.” But no one bothers about where to throw?
Are this Earth and its atmosphere meant for absorbing our ever mounting undegradable garbage?
In the evening, again, I and my son went to market to buy new ball pens.
My son had kept few of the old spent ball pens with him in the anticipation of finding suitable refills for them. But to our utter dismay, the shopkeeper expressed inability to cater to our demand and we again had to buy the new ones.
We tried our best of bargain, and ended up with buying those ball pens which claimed to write a longer length. At least this will reduce the numbers of discarded undegradable plastic pen bodies.
Though my son has liking of pens that have fancy look and attractive colours , he made a compromise in greater interest of our environment, and made choice for those mentioned above.
Thus being eco conscious by sacrificing our fondness for environment degrading products and pursuits; and promoting ecofriendly lifestyle has become urgent for survival of this planet and mankind.
What Does It mean To Become Eco Conscious?
Becoming eco conscious or ecologically conscious involve the following:
Consciousness For Taking Notice About The Way of Manufacturing.
We must consider whether some ecologically unsound processes or practices are involved at any stage of manufacturing a product, which we are going to support and buy. We should stay away from any such product with proven bad impacts on ecology.
However if such a product is indispensable then, we should make least use of it, as far possible.
Note that, high energy consuming, or, high water consuming products, badly impact our environment.
Support Local Produce.
Local produces reach you with least or no shipment costs. This means least or no fossil fuel has been used in their transportation to the consumers and have less carbon footprint.
Preferring local fruits over the transported ones is one such example. Apart from their high freshness and nourishment index, they are ecofriendly as well. They don’t involve harmful preservatives, insecticides, and in many cases, use of undegradable packaging materials.
Think Twice Before Throwing Any Waste Material, Directly In To The Environment.
Before discarding or throwing any waste material in the environment, think carefully about its biodegradability.
Biodegradable waste can easily get absorbed in the environment and become part of natural cycle. But unbiodegradable wastes are not.
Hence non biodegradable materials shouldn’t be disposed off directly on open earth surface, rivers, streams, ponds, beaches, sewage, forests, or in your neighborhood. It chokes the liveliness of our planet.
Packaging materials, plastic bags and containers, if not brought in to reuse by recycling, and thrown carelessly in to the environment; they block our ecosystem like bad cholesterol blocks our arteries.
Make it a aim, to segregate your garbage and then follow the proper norms of their disposal.
We can organise seminars, speech competition for children to make them a eco conscious citizen.
Consider The Act of Polluting As Sin.
We need to grow sensible and eco conscious towards nature. We will have to visualize our nature as a person, who like a mother, nurtures us. And that this is a sheer sin on our part, to her, if we abuse her by injecting pollutants in to her body.
We will have to take notice how in our daily life we are poisoning the nature:
We use plastic tooth brushes, plastic bottles, plastic containers, which when worn, are often thrown in the environment.
Continuously changing trends in fashion often captivates our mind. Powerful advertisements seduce us in to becoming a consumerist society, which exploits resources at a much faster rate. As a result, a typical fashion conscious person may gather 10 to 12 pair of shoes, belts and spectacles along with huge number of cloths and variety of perfumes. Most of these articles have polluting effect on nature and environment. People buy them, use them and dispose them at sheer disadvantage to the environment.
Ignorant and ill informed farmers also contribute to the environment degradation by irrational use of chemical fertilisers and excessive irrigation.
If we become emotionally committed towards well being of nature and environment; we may develop ethical attitude towards disposal of manufactured goods.
Make An Assessment of Your Contribution In Damaging The Environment.
This we can do if we resolve to become a eco conscious person.
We can easily assess our own contribution in degrading the environment by taking stock of the garbage that our kitchen, our wardrobe, our bathrooms, our study and our garage produce.
Also we should analyse how much unnecessary articles we have shopped only to satisfy our urge to show off in our social circle.
Steps To Become Eco Conscious.
Efforts however small; if adopted by every member of society, may bring enormous change and can alter the already grave situation of environment crisis.
Steps that can help in generating the attitude of eco consciousness in us, may include:
Learning the art of simple living.
Eco Conscious shopping.
Use of cash, instead of card, may arrest the desire of extravagant spending.
Being Vocal For Local, i.e. buying local produce.
Assuring judicious consumption of resources.
Adopting the culture of second hand buying and reconditioning(furniture, books).
Promote composting of waste food.
Promoting the use of jute or cotton carry bags.
Promoting the use of traditional home made cosmetics, which are far better in performance as well as in nourishing properties.
Growing vegetables on our own.
Use of clean and green energy.
Practice of Yoga and meditation, which makes us prudent and genuine.
Autumn season in India is synonymous with “Hemant Ritu.” The presence of Autumn season in India remains for almost two months- September and October. It is a period of transition from rainy season to the winter.
In this season hot and humid weather of rainy season starts disappearing (Retreat of Monsoon), temperature slides down, and trees and forests change their look in a way – special to this part of world.
It is greatly exhilarating to write about the Autumn season in India and how it descended around me this year – in my garden, in the countryside and in my heart.
Those First, Night Blooming Jasmine Flowers of Autumn.
Cleanliness has its own aura.
Just a few days back in early September I had hired a labourer to clean my garden and give it a facelift. The garden had turned shabby due to haphazard growth of weeds and opportunist shrubs during the last spell of rains.
This monsoon we had a deficit rainfall but still there was no deficit of unwanted growths in our garden. It took whole of the day to make it clean but still pruning of rose shrubs remained incomplete. This I will have to do myself in the coming weekend.
unpruned rose shrubs.
Anyway the garden is now clean and weedless. Next morning I couldn’t resist to have a walk inside it to enjoy its trimmed look and charm, to feel the earth, air and the freshness of this micro ecological unit!
The weed free garden looked so inviting from a distance. I had just only opened the small gate of its fence to enter it, that I spotted new guests in the garden. My goodness! White tiny beautiful Harsingar flowers(Night Blooming Jasmines)!
Then suddenly my eyes caught view of morning sun beam piercing through the foliage above and kissing the garden bed at slant angles.
All climatological indicators were echoing, ” Here comes the Autumn….Here comes the Autumn.” I welcomed these flowers and the new season by taking their pictures in my mobile phone camera and with an heart that was brimming with joy and excitement.
First Night Blooming Jasmine Flowers of Autumn.
I came running inside my house to announce it to the family members that first Harsingar flowers (Night Blooming Jasmines) have blossomed in our garden!
Night Blooming Jasmine with Its Lovely Orange Stalk.
Everyone was in the awe of noticing the season’s first arrival of these cute white Jasmines which looked so beautiful with their orange hued stalk. The sweet fragrance of these nascent flowers was diffusing into the characteristic morning chill of the Autumn.
Autumn has elements of all Seasons.
A famous Japanese proverb says, “A woman’s feelings and the autumn weather are as fickle as each other.”
Yes, to some extent I also feel likewise about autumn the way it expresses itself in my vicinity or, in my geographical region. Sometimes it is really hot during parts of the day, but mornings and nights have a kind of chill which gives wintry feel and thrill.
This is the season when retreat of monsoon is underway. Scattered big white clouds against deep blue sky, look as if giant sized white ships were navigating a deep blue ocean.
Autumn Season In India.
And when the sun rays get trapped in these clouds, they cast an aura of diffused light under which all the trees and greenery around us just look pristine and heavenly. The variation in shades of daylight is just amazing and can leave anyone spellbound.
Chill of mid-autumn is very instrumental in stimulating many biological functions in seeds, plants and trees. Continuously receding temperature and chill of the night, assign distinct smell and flavour to the fruits and vegetables.
When autumn advances further with time, petals of roses grow in size and thickness, and feel more velvety when you touch them.
A Morning of The Autumn In The Outskirts.
Our township is situated in the flood plains of river Kosi which emanates from near the Mount Everest in Himalayas.
One morning, in this autumn, we planned to have a trip to the outskirts, which we often do, to spend our time solitarily in the lap of nature. But our plan for this trip extended a bit further towards the river embankment of river Kosi.
Himalayan rivers, often during autumn return back to their original bed limits and vacate the flood plains to be reclaimed again by the farmers. Farmers have robust food crops and vegetables on them.
Swampy tracts of these regions are dotted with numerous shallow waterbodies in which flourishes the magnificent aquatic life.
The most prized thing here, in this autumn morning, was the spectacular view of colony of blooming Lotuses with their long stalks and beautiful petals. The pristine beauty of lotus instantly captivated me. Its aura of purity and grace was spreading all over.
Lotus flowers have their last blooming in Autumn.
For them(the Lotuses), this is the last blooming of the year. Because with the onset of winter, they will die, and their seeds will lie dormant in the mud below, to wake up again to life in the April, next year!
The famous Hindu festival Durga Puja takes place in autumn. Night Blooming Jasmines and Lotuses both are favourite and dear to the Goddess. Both these flowers are offered to Goddess Durga with great reverence. And both these flowers have special connection with Autumn – the eternal connection of arrival and of departure!… And also the connection with Goddess Durga!
Is there anything between the lines, for you there, reading this post ?
Autumn Season Signifies the Eternity of Transition!
I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Autumn season, which created in me a deeper sense to understand the beautiful emotions that a phase of transition (like Autumn) can create.
Transition of seasons, transition of daylight, transition of food, flavour and aroma, transition of dress and fashion, transition of colours, transition of age and understanding – all these makes a person thrilled about the next and forthcoming; and at the same time, makes him or her nostalgic about the previous and passing.
It happens to many of us that knowingly or unknowingly, we begin to under prioritize ourselves. We start giving preference to the needs of others , and begin to put our own needs at second place. And when we consistently do this over time, we suffer and so do they, who need us.
So in broader context, it is necessary to remind ourselves that this existence of’ ‘myself’, also needs to be pampered, valued and cared.
A person may become valuable to others, if only, he takes care of himself in entirety. Taking care in entirety, means being assertive about one’s likes and dislikes, one’s health and fitness, one’s career, one’s hobby, one’s passion etc.
Being too much conscious about what others think of you , will gradually reduce you in a second version of real, original you. And this is totally undesirable situation.
Be Yourself And Respect Your Traits.
Every person is a unique combination of its personal traits.
Someone is physically more capable and likes to enjoy field job. Some other is a bookworm and likes to spend hours in reading books. Some other has leadership qualities and is interested in social work.
Any person may become successful in his profession, only when demands of his profession are in tune with his inherent traits.
And again for that matter, as a parent, you should be watchful to observe whether you have handed out your child a recipe for which he is not the right cook? Parents shouldn’t pressurise their children to exactly replicate some other person. This will crush their individuality. Rather parents should recognise the inherent talent in their children, and suggest them how their inherent talent can be best employed in choosing their career.
Be yourself means Assert Your Individuality.
How can you expect a ring to remain stable like a cube? Nor can you expect a cube to roll like a ring. Both have special and beautiful geometry. And non can replace another in terms of features and utility.
That means, you can shine brightest when you work as “true you.” R.W.Emerson has rightly said, “to be yourself in world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
Learn The Art of Saying ‘No’.
‘Always at your care’ type life produces a sulked, suppressed and shrunk personality. Just learn the art of saying ‘No’ in life and take care for your personal dreams and hopes. Adopt ‘positive selfishness’ to have time and moments exclusive to you.
To Err Is Human.
Putting all your energy in not letting any mistake happen – is not feasible. By doing so you disconnect yourself from the adventures of new ways and routes.
Learn from your mistake and move ahead. Never feel upset in case of some material loss. Just keep your head high, keep your chin up and keep smiling.
You are a human being. Never try to act ‘Mr. Right’ all the time. This will dangerously desiccate the sap of your internal inspirations. Remember, our development is essentially attached with acceptance of our assets as well as our drawbacks.
Hence, be yourself, appreciate yourself , respect yourself!
In the annals of human history, stories of unwavering spirit stand tall. Resurrection of Americans from catastrophic 9/11 attack on America in year 2001, is one such chronicle.
World Trade Centre, New York, before 9/11attack. Credit: istockphoto-155598273-612×612-1.jpg
This attack on USA by Al qayda terrorists, which killed 2,997 people, changed the world.
Of course it reduced the World Trade Centre, the symbol of financial might of America, into dust and debris, it couldn’t melt the steel resolve of people of America to emerge, rebuild and stand up again.
What Was 9/11 Attack On America?
On September 11, 2001, the two jetliners were hijacked by the terrorists and were made to slam in to the towers of World Trade Centre at New York.
Another aircraft was also hijacked by the terrorists and was crashed into the Pentagon, the official location of US defense establishment.
One more aircraft that was also hijacked with same ugly motive, but the passengers onboard averted it by trying to regain control of this airplane, which ultimately ended into plane crash in a field outside pennsylvania.
Actual War Goes Within.
Recovering from a setback is an inbuilt thing of nature. Man falls and stands up. sun gets eclipsed but shines again. Shadow of hopelessness and helplessness gives way to rays of motivation and strength.
Actual war goes within. If you feel defeated, you become defeated, and the vice versa.
One has to muster strength by collecting and spinning together the fibers of positivity and then weave them in to strong moral fabric. This was going on in America in the days that followed this incident.
Former presidents Ford, Carter, Bush, and Clinton joined president George W. Bush at the National Cathedral at Washington D.C. for the national day of prayer and remembrance on 14 September, 2001.
Later in the day President Bush rallied the rescue workers at ground zero. The workers, cheered and chanted in unison, responding to president’s impromptu speech delivered standing atop a crumpled fire truck.
Acknowledging the sounds of rescue workers doing their duty around, the president said, “I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear soon.”
First Symbolic Befitting Reply to This Cowardice Attack.
President of America encouraged Americans to go back to work, and to challenge the terrorism by resuming their lives.
The message went home when in next month New York city’s Yankee Stadium became full with 55,820 baseball fans enjoying the match. President Bush took to the mound and threw the first pitch. It was a reply. it was a subtle and precise strike on terror by the blast of courage, spirit and enthusiasm.
America was mustering the internal strength of mind and courage, assuring the departed souls that their fellow citizens are not timid and subdued. They will fight back and will punish for sure, those ” who did it and those who harbour it (terrorism).”
Citizens Supported And Motivated Each Other.
In bad times motivations, however small , do wonder.
Children of School designed cards to encourage their nation. One depicted Statue of Liberty taking hose pipe in hand with its other end dipped in sea. And it pours water on the smouldering World Trade Centre Building.
Badge of a port authority police officer who was martyred in this attack was discovered from debris. President Bush held this badge in his hand and said in joint session of congress, “It is a police shield of a man named George Howard, Who died at W.T.C. trying to save others. ….This is my reminder of lives that ended and a task that doesn’t end.”
Media also didn’t let American prestige down by denying to cover the visuals of devastation, their country was in to.
This is how a subtle pledge was taken by citizens of America to give a logical conclusion to an war that was declared on them.
Pulses of Literary World.
Many poetry of introspection and hopefulness came pouring out of literary world. Poet, journalist, activist Kevin Powell writes:
“From remains of this madness, I detect a heartbeat called life. From remains of this madness, I smell an aroma called love. From remains of this madness, I embrace a body called humanity. From remains of this madness, I construct a dream called hope.
…………………………………………………………..Then resurrect a world, Where a new born rose will jut through the broken concrete.”
Finally,
Political, military and technical resources apart, it is the spirit will and mandate of the people, that fuels the victory.
I, though very late, have come to realise, in its true sense, that visiting new places have definite impact on mind and body. And when the destination is a Sanskrit language university of a formerly princely state of British India; the thrill, the vibes and the lessons permeating through, are extraordinary. yes, I am talking about my visit to Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University, at Darbhanga in state of Bihar in India.
Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University , Entrance Gate.
An Unplanned Visit To Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga University Campus.
Actually the visit to Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga University Campus was not a planned one.
My mother was returning from Delhi, and her flight was scheduled to land at Darbhanga airport at 1.00 p.m. on 16th August,2023. And since we are not native of Darbhanga and live some 150km away eastward, I with my 15 year old son set out for Darbhanga in our SUV vehicle. We reached Darbhanga some one hour before, to receive my mother.
No sooner had I messaged on our family WhatsApp group about our arrival at Darbhanga, than rang my phone. It was my younger brother from Delhi, accompanying my mother. He informed me that flight was yet to takeoff from Delhi due to some technical snag developed in its air conditioning system. And, that, it had been sorted out lately, and the aircraft was ready to fly.
Oh God ! That meant we had to spend some two hours in Darbhanga and that too when the weather was oppressively hot and the Sun was scorching on this day of August month.
Then suddenly the idea sparked in mind to visit this Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga University Campus and spend our time in a productive way. My son who is about to finish his school years, this year, and had never seen any university before , became very much interested in visiting and seeing a university for the first time!
Entering The Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga University Campus: Entering A Different Era!
Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University Building.
My son’s excitement further added value to my plan, which proved an eye opener to me also. We entered the campus and a different world of past was unfolding before us with all its testimonies that were so vivid and beckoning.
We became breathlessly busy with our mobile phone cameras in capturing the scenic views lying all over.
But the handmade baked soft red bricks, magnificent pillars, staircases, gorgeous doors and windows of the university building, said in volumes about the antiquity and royalty of those times. Arrangement of beautiful gardens, open spaces and big lakes appeared to be complementing this marvelous architectural landscape. And all these were suggesting to take a dip in their glorious past, in their history, that was the Estate of Darbhanga, popularly known as Raj Darbhanga, the royal, the incredible!
Depiction of architectural Details of Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University Building. Depiction of architectural Details of Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University Building.Beautiful marvel carvings, truly world class!
Darbhanga Kings, And Their Love For Education, Architecture, Culture And Philanthropy.
A toiling research from various sources about brief history of Darbhanga Raj, reveals that it was founded by Mahamahopadhyay Mahesh Thakur, who received the Darbhanga Raj from Akbar in early 16th century.
During British time it encompassed 6,200 sq. km. area incorporating 4,495 villages within 18 circles of Bihar and Bengal. It was the biggest zamindari in India. With its 7,500 employees, it was the best managed estate in India till the end of colonial era.
Darbhanga earned the name of cultural capital. The Maharajas(kings) of Darbhanga were great patron of education art, culture and architecture. They expended extravagantly in development of education and infrastructure.
They contributed heavily by donating palatial buildings (Often named Darbhanga House) and also in cash, to the universities like Banaras Hindu University, Aligarh Muslim University, Patna University, and Calcutta University. Sketches of design of Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University ( Originally Lakshmi Vilas Palace) were published in the illustrated newspapers of London during late1930s. The famous Nargona Palace (known for its grandeur and earthquake resistant design) has been donated to Mithila University.
My eyes went dilated with surprise when I came to know that all major cities of colonial India like New Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai, Shimla, Darjeeling, Patna and Ranchi had royal properties (Darbhanga Houses, Darbhanga Mansions, Navlakha palaces) of this Estate.
The kings of Darbhanga donated land to the Tirhut Rail Company to start Railways in the Estate. They gifted three air planes to air force during second world war. Besides the estate had its own private aircrafts.
They also built two museums at Darbhanga. European Library of Mithila University, and Official Library of Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University are said to be the rich source for study of Epic, Philosophy, Vyakaran, Dharma Shastras and Metaphysics.
Those Great Kings of Darbhanga!
I sometime get baffled, when I think why now with all technical advancement and funding and with all democratic attributes of modern state, our system is not as efficient as it used to be earlier. Quality and performance of public works in many parts of India often gets compromised due to rampant corruption at lower level and incompetent leadership at the top. Raj Darbhanga and works of its kings may show you the path.
These kings were great visionary and worked ruthlessly for betterment of their subjects and estate within the constraints of colonial setup. They had will power so they became successful in their endeavor.
Many titles like Maharajadhiraj, Sir, Bahadur, Knight Commander of Indian Imperialism, Knight Grand Commander of Indian Imperialism were showered upon them by the British establishment.
Raja Lakshmeshwar Singh: Tenure 1860-1898.
Maharaja Lakshmishwar Singh, Estate of Darbhanga. Tenure: 1860-1898.
He is recognised as one of the greatest noble and philanthropist of his time. He had devoted himself to the public works. He adopted progressive and liberal approach of statesmanship. He was one of the founding members of Indian National Congress.
As a tribute to him, his statue was installed at Dalhousie Square in Calcutta in 1904. The statue had been sculpted by the eminent British sculptor E.O. Ford.
Maharajadhiraj Sir Rameshwar Singh Bahadur: Tenure 1898-1929.
He was a great scholar. Like his predecessor, he was also educated by English tutor. He had been appointed to the Indian civil service in1878.
He was also the president of All India Landholder’s Association, president of Bharat Dharm Mahamandal, Trustee of Victoria Memorial, Calcutta, president of Hindu University Society, and member of Indian Police Commission in 1902-03. He was awarded Kaiser-i-Hind medal in 1900.
Sir Kameshwar Singh: Tenure1929-1947.
Maharajadhiraj Sir Kameshwar Singh, Darbhanga Estate, Tenure: 1929-1947.
Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University is in his name.
His period of tenure was a transition era in the Indian subcontinent when colonial rule was going to give way to the nationalist government. A lot of constitutional reforms were being introduced and tried to explore the shape and future of an independent India.
Maharaja Sir Kameshwar Singh was president of British India Association which was the first political body of the nation of India.
At the young age of 23, he was invited to attend the Round table Conferences in London which discussed constitutional future of British India.
He remained member of Council of State(1933-46), member of Constituent Assembly(1947-50). After independence he remained member of Rajya Sabha during 1952-58 and later in 1960 till his death in 1962.
Returning Back From Campus of Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University With a lot of Lessons.
No doubt, Darbhanga Kings were great visionary, having vast experience of their time, and were the men of great virtue. Present day leadership should imbibe the leadership and administrative qualities of these great kings of Darbhanga, and should emulate the passion and devotion of these kings for the betterment of their subjects.
Now it was time to return back and move to airport. But even at that moment some concrete plaque posts attracted our attention with the time tested sentences from sanskrit literature engraved on them.
One such plaque read, “Kim Kim Na Sadhyati Kalplatev Vidya.” It means, “What can’t knowledge achieve like a wish-giving tree.”
plaque bearing Sanskrit verses in Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University Campus.
Actually this is only a part of the full stanza of Sanskrit verse. It would not be out of context to know the full meaning of this hymn about Vidya( Learning). It goes like this:
“It delights and removes depression like a wife; It brings wealth and spreads fame in all directions; What can’t knowledge achieve, like a wish-giving tree.”
Another plaque read, ” Satyam Param Dhimahi.” It says, “I meditate on Him (The Supreme Lord) for He is the absolute truth.”
plaque bearing Sanskrit verses in Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University Campus.
There were so many Plaque posts emitting the truth of life and wishes of welfare and talks of wisdom. Another plaques wishes the Language of Sanskrit to emerge victorious ( “Sanskritam Vijayate.”).
plaque bearing Sanskrit verses in Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University Campus.
This another was also amazing. It read, ” Shraddhawan Labhate Gyanam.” This can be translated as, “One Who Is Devoted Attains Knowledge.”
plaque bearing Sanskrit verses in Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University Campus.
Another plaque read, ” Vidvan Sarvatra Pujyate.” It means to say, ” The learned are worshipped everywhere.”
plaque bearing Sanskrit verses in Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University Campus.
Finally, after receiving mother from airport, we were on our return journey back to home with great appreciation in our hearts for Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University, Estate of Darbhanga and their magnificent kings!….. Salute!
I always find in nature a great companion, guide and advisor. What lessons this summer, I got from nature is something that might interest you as well.
Subtle Side of Nature.
The first crude feel of nature is its physical existence. And then comes the feel of myriads of lessons it spreads out. The sensitive and receptive minds amaze at it, praise it and experience the bliss associated with it.
To me, watching nature is like roaming in a world which is so subtle yet so sensible, so enormous yet so approachable, so complex yet so simple. For me it is like Godliness expressed, translated and explained.
Lessons of Summer in a Sunny Morning.
morning sun beam carpeting the floor
Early July, year 2023. Dry summer was slowly giving way to the onset of monsoons over South Asia. I rose late in the morning, this day, when morning sunbeam had carpeted the floor of the hall, in which, opens the door of my bedroom.
In otherwise moderate to cool summer night temperatures in the Terai regions of eastern North Indian plains; nights this summer had been oppressively hot.
Most of the families in general, in these regions are still not used to of using air conditioners. Thus a proper sleep is possible in later part of night. Even myself also is not too much in habit of using AC to parry the heat of the summer.
Anyway I was late to awake this morning and was somewhere filled with the guilt of not rising at the first chirp of birds.
These birds were racing and stirring the morning calm with their lovely playful bustle. From my residence at the first floor, I rushed to open the main entrance door at the ground, because it were only few minutes to go when our housemaid would come.
Soon a Bulbul(bird), flied past my head and lost in to the canopy of our only mango tree in the garden.
With sudden spurt of curiosity, I followed and tracked its course and finally spotted the bird with straw in its beak, busy in weaving its incomplete nest at some safe location in the branches.
I was completely bewildered at so many things which started darting in my mind at this sight. To me this tiny avian appeared no less than an aeronautics specialist. Their survey for a base tree branch to construct a nest, might have a lot of calculations and assessments related to aerodynamic stability and protection from their natural enemies. A lot of considerations regarding protection from intense sunrays, blow of local prevailing winds and rains would certainly have factored in their decision making.
Thought of their skillful work for architecture and design of nest, and identification and procurement of suitable raw material for it, pushed me to another level astonishment.
And along with this all, the lessons of this summer that percolated in me was to remain attentive to our priorities and work hard to achieve them.
Tiny Birds Were Like Bubbles of Lessons This Summer.
Tiny birds swinging on white cable in summer morning.
Tiny birds at large are very fascinating. They are like tiny bubbles full of amazements and many pleasing attributes. They look so cute and brim with energy. They are specially lovely to watch in morning time, when they are far too busy in their own world.
My balcony on first floor finds a nice aerial view of our neighbour’s campus below. The campus is not well maintained. Rather it wears a deserted look, due to owner’s negligence, who is a Nepali citizen but owns property in India as well for the reasons not known to me.
Anyway, above the green yard of my neighbour’s campus ran a contrasting white thick electric cable, which supplied electricity to the household from the electric pole.
On one fine morning I caught view of few seasonal newcomers. Big Kadamb tree, laden with its golden fruits, and growth of some other wild shrubs in the immediate surrounding might have attracted them for their temporary stay in my neighborhood.
Kadamb tree with golden fruits this summer.
Pale green in colour, with extended sharp beaks; these tiny birds created a great view, when they sat on the smooth white electric cable. The cable swung like a hammock every time they flied off or alighted on it. These distorted cuboidal shaped birds in their pale green robe and sturdy black beak in the panoramic morning environment, appeared feast to the eyes.
The more awesome was their flight. They took flight in vertical concave shape for their first half, and then with a blink of eye; a swift vertical concave return to the cable in their later half.
It took me some time to discover that they were targeting the insects that were flying above and around. Their takeoff and comeback had left the cable swinging in a rhythm and the birds sitting on them were like riding on a hammock.
This view of birds, set in me also, the waves of untold pleasure and exhilaration. Nature is full of myriads of tiny pleasure. we must have appropriate discerning senses to feel and enjoy them!
That Unfortunate Butterfly: A Bitter Experience This Summer.
Drive to outskirts.
But I would like to mention one such incident which I still detest. Our new SUV(vehicle) had some issue related to tyre air pressure. I and my 14 year old son, on a cloudy morning, took a drive towards garage and after getting the issue resolved, we thought to get the fuel tank filled as well.
As the weather was incredibly pleasant, we deliberately chose to visit the fuel station, which was located on the outskirts. Within few minutes we were on the outer road of the township.
The smooth black coal tar road was flanked on both sides by the lush green vegetation. The cool breeze and the seductive view of blue Himalayan mountains on our right were further adding to our joy. My son like me, is also nature connoisseur and is very much comfortable with intricacies of photography techniques available over mobile phones. So he was totally absorbed in taking pictures of changing frames of sceneries outside.
Then suddenly happened the unexpected. Birds catch insects is a common phenomena ,we observe. But what we saw now, jerked us. A big brown sturdy bird with long tail, came out of the blue in front of our racing vehicle, and swooped at a gorgeous emerald butterfly that was on its flight across the road, dancing in the air with its shapely royal wings. The hunter bird clenched it in its beak and vanished in to the canopy of trees.
With my foot on accelerator, and hands on the steering, I felt like left behind in time at this scene. I stared in my son’s face, who was also awestruck and was staring at me with shock and surprise written all across his innocent face. Time had fallen still for us, and the vehicle…kept racing towards its destination.
Villages are not always synonymous with poverty and inconvenience. They are rich and interesting in many ways. Just take a pause, stare at them and listen to the loudness of their serenity.
Village Life
Harmony with Nature.
Life in villages seems to be in no hurry. It takes its time and lives to its full. It remains in conformity with nature and environment.
Village life sets your body clock to resonate with the planetary schedules. Simplicity here, transcends into cosmological scale, where you find village people invariably stuck to ‘Early to Bed, Early to Rise’ kind of routine.
A farmer in steppes of East Europe has to rise at the crack of dawn to bring his cattle, poultry birds out of shelter. They have to feed and milk their animals at right time and have to move to their fields with their tools.
Similarly a farmer in Gangetic plains of India retires to bed around 8 P.M. and wakes up next morning well before sunrise. He has to clean the mangers of his cattle, put their feed in, and mop the cattle shed. Fresh cow dungs have to be removed to some other assigned place, where these either have to be converted in to cow dung cakes or have to be stored for getting them decomposed in to manures. Dried cow dungs cake are emergency cooking fuel for farmers, especially during rainy season.
Fishing villages in coastal areas have their day and nights guided by many factors related to oceanic environment. They need to know the dynamics of home water. They need to know the behaviour of fish they are targeting. They need to love being outside and love the nature.
Shepherds in mountains graze their herds for a few hours in the morning, then resting through the high heat of the noon, and then grazing for the few hours in the evening.
Thus every activity in village, is in absolute conjunction with the diurnal and nocturnal attributes of the environment. Man, birds, cattle, ants, insects, flowers, dew, all are time bound in their activity.
In cities man has interfered too much with nature. Children of metro cities have no experience how dark starry nights look like. Or, how calm and soothing it feels while lying on the roofs under moonlight and staring at the moon. Glow of bulbs and neon signs have disturbed the darkness regime of night sky and this has also confused the birds whose biological responses are sensitive to sky light.
Villages Are the Places, Where Life Values Were Born and Established.
Village Life
Based on local resources, geography and climate, people of villages have their different occupations. Weavers, shepherds, farmers, artisans all complement each other by their specialized services. These village based occupations have inspired many quotes which depict the values and essence of life.
Quotes related to Farmers:
“When tillage begins, other arts follow.”
“A farmer is a magician, who produces money from the mud.”
“Those too lazy to plough in right season, will have no food at the harvest.”
Quotes related to milkman:
“If not milked regularly, cow looses its milk.”
“I hear the rattle of milkman on the stair. Sure that is music,”
“Democracy means that if doorbells ring in the early morning, it is likely to be milkman.”
Quotes related to fisherman:
“Many men go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.”
Quotes related to weaver:
“A good life is like weaving. Energy is created in tension. The struggle, the pull and the tug are everything.”
Quotes related to artisans:
“Every man is artisan of his own future.”
“There is something deeply satisfying in shaping something with your own hands.”
“Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of the feeling the artist has experienced.”
Quotes related to pottery:
“Expectations are like fine pottery. The harder you held them, the more likely they were to crack.”
“Time is clay; make something.”
“Clay is molded to make a vessel, but the utility of the vessel lies in the space where there is nothing.”
At villages, You Realise The Mother Son Relation Between Earth and Man.
Village Life
Spend a few days in a village, and realisation will dawn upon you that earth plays a role of mother for man. Earth provides cradle for the growth and development of man and civilization. German thinker E.C. Semple explains this relationship in beautiful words, “Man is product of earth’s surface… earth has mothered him, fed him, set him tasks, directed his thoughts, confronted him with difficulties that have strengthened his body and sharpened his wits.”
Thus villages are places where environment with all its odds and opportunities becomes very much visible and discernible. You can analyse here that the particular course of action taken by the man is in accordance with the hints whispered by the mother earth in to his ears!
Villages Tell You How Giving Away Is a Bliss.
Village Life
Village life is full of examples of cooperative, collective and sharing approach. Pleasure of giving away is many fold higher than the pleasure of owning.
Trees bear fruits, but they are available to all. cow’s udder is full of milk, but cow itself doesn’t consume it. Fields have food grains, but these are meant for feeding millions of people. Clouds carry water which is utilised by the earth. Village people grow with many such examples present in nature. And knowingly or unknowingly all these lessons get registered in their subconscious.
Gary Bebout of Knox county ( Ohio, USA ), describes the unwritten etiquette of the county when he says, “if someone is sick, the neighbours get together and do their crops for them.”
Village people of India, often share their first round of produce especially fruits, vegetables and even the cow milk ( after new calf is born ), with their neighbours.
Urban culture especially in developing countries, has lost its respect for nature. Modern man has blindly exploited the natural resources beyond their capacity to regenerate.
Village people not only try to live in harmony with nature, but they respect the nature. They feel the pain of mother earth. They leave their lands fallow to recuperate its fertility. They allocate lands for pastures. They use their forests and water resources within sustainable limits. Similarly a concerned fisherman attaches importance to selective harvesting, i.e. keeping only what they can eat, and release some of the better fish for future generation of fish and people.
The famous Hindi novelist Munshi Premchand writes, “Indian peasant is too nature fearing. He perceives failure of rains, occurrence of flood and droughts as punishment for any of his wrong doings.” Such ethical values in village life encourage them to adopt sustainable living approach.
It Is Villages, Where Festivals Were Born and Nurtured.
Popular festivals of any country have their origin in agricultural activities in villages and rural setting.
If you categorize at more deeper level, the festivals in India like Lohri, Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Vasant Panchami, Holi, Baisakhi these all are predominantly related to celebration of onset of particular agricultural season, advent of new crops and its successful harvesting etc.
Similarly, in Portugal, they have year round cultural activity and festivals which often revolve around food. These are festivals of bread, olive oil, garlic, cheese and wine. On these occasions groups perform traditional dance and songs. St. John festival at Porto, dates back to 14th century. This most popular food festival is observed to honour the Sun God and to celebrate the year’s good harvest.
So, when the nature showers foodgrains in the fields of farmers, or bring huge catches to the nets of fisherman at particular time of year, or when cheese and wine reach their perfect flavour and aroma, it is time to celebrate. The harvest brings immense pleasure and contentment to the hearts of the family members of these farmers, planters, fishermen, and dairy owners. They feel rewarded , blessed and exalted.
Celebrations at villages are not driven by the lust or luxury, but are driven by the exhilaration of hard work and diligence. Children here, also learn the lessons and traditions of their parental occupation. They realise that real happiness emanates from the harmony between man and nature. And it endures.
Village Life Keeps You Inspiring and Learning.
French thinker Elisee Reclus, had a sharp eye on deplorable aspect of materialistic culture of urban life. He, in extreme cases, viewed cities, “where all grace and poetry have disappeared from landscape, imagination dies out, the mind is impoverished, and a spirit of routine and servility takes possession of the soul.”
Village life on the other hand, is for many reasons preferable to the life of cities. Village life pushes you for many physical works. You need to learn taking care of your animals, your trees, your water bodies and land. Eventually you find many ideas, you never knew!
You will work with soil, will hear the melody of swaying plants, will hear the rustle of leaves, will understand the season’s role in raising crops. And eventually, you will begin to clearly understand the metamorphosis of all this work culture in to folk songs, festivals, tradition and culture of that region.
Villages Teach You Social Cohesion.
In village life you must have to respect and accept the culture of social cohesion. Here there is no place for lifestyle related diseases like loneliness, depression, blood pressure, sugar etc. Everyone is your family. You know every person in village. If you fall sick, every person in village will talk and ask about your health. Guest to a family becomes guest of entire village. This is very much true and noticeable in oriental world, which I belong to.
In villages of India, you will find a large verandah in the front portion of house which has enough sitting space for eight to ten people. This place is used for relaxing or for spending the leisure hours with neighbours and other people. A range of topics are discussed here related to day to day life, agriculture, market, politics, or references from some epic. Many old persons interact here with children by telling them stories in the early hours of night. This reminds of a sharp contrast with cities where they have a king size bathroom, symbolising privacy and preference for personal life, where as village people have king size verandahs symbolising importance of community life.
Finally…
In villages, you can not remain aloof. And this adds many dimensions to your personality. Here you learn creating, protecting, preserving, foreseeing, caring, sharing, intermingling. Village life is very practical and direct. Here only, you can catch the true glimpse of a region’s culture, unfiltered and in raw.
At more depth of thought, we can find that being happy is an attitude not a situation.
And what is an attitude? Your attitude is created by your own thoughts and of course, you choose your thoughts, on your own.
So, what do you say? Wouldn’t it be a right thing to grab the right attitude and, take notice of countless bliss bubbles floating around? It is just a matter of preparing yourself to set your mind towards identifying the tiny little happiness scattered all around you.
While preparing this article, I have just come across an article published in local newspaper, which talks about a sculptor named Sila Santosh, from the state of Kerala – the southern most Indian state, full of natural bounty, rich biodiversity, and is abode to many medicinal and cosmetic herbs.
Sila Santosh finds happiness in sculpture. He has transformed his this happiness source as his career, which further multiplies his happiness.
In the township of Adoor ( Nearly 200 km away from Thiruananthapuram, the state capital), he has built an unique house which fills the visitor with bliss and comfort, the moment he steps in. Spread in 200 sq.ft. , this house is made out of mud which is treated with fibres and extracts of 65 types of local herbs diffusing mixed and distinct aroma in the air inside. Apart from its cool and ecofriendly properties, this house for its creator is the house of his happiness which he identified, visualized and translated on the ground.
Thus you have to trace and search your happiness on your own. There is no readymade prescription for it, but it is not so difficult either. Just sit with a pen and paper, prepare your list of those little things which you love to do comfortably and feel the bliss internally while doing this.
The list that appears is amazing. You can not believe, you have a whole lot of things to make you happy and feel energized. Depending upon the mental construct, one may get interested in gardening, birds watching, night sky watching, photography, cleaning, creating some useful articles out of broken tiles, waste timber pieces, broken earthen wares, pebbles etc. People make gift items out of rags, dried flower petals, dried leaves and stems of local vegetation and experience the contentment of being a creator.
Further, writing the experiences related to relationships, travel, and your observations of culture of some alien land and society, unfolds many new doors of learning and opportunity, you will not believe, you have discovered all this while writing. Amazing things come up if the work in hand is happiness driven.
Making a roof top garden of your choice, sipping lemon tea or some energy drink by the side of your big flower pot and tuning in your favorite number will make your mood upbeat. Myriads of such small happiness, bubble around you. Collect them to suit your mood and time.
Personally me, I like to stare at the nature’s richness around my place. Watching my works in garden, watching the arrival of butterflies and birds to my plants, staring at and taking snaps of garden during suitable day light is great pleasure for me. Sowing seeds, sprinkling water on seed bed, and then on one fine morning, watching the small sprouts peeping through the soil to the vast universe unfolding before them, is the experience which words can not describe.
I stare to my fill at the interlocked canopies of tall trees around my house. Canopy of lofty coconut trees in my neighbor’s garden also adds to the panorama of my little garden. Mists of winter or cloudy weather of rainy season adds further to my pleasure of spending time in the garden. only I can know the volumes nature speaks to me here!
Life is made up of countless small pleasures and small accomplishments. Satisfaction of creating happy moments in family, the contentment of helping a needy person, promoting and buying the goods from your local artisan etc. are all the opportunities that credit substantially to your ” happiness balance”. Happiness may look small to some, but you have to feel it in a big way in your thoughts. These small happiness moments if relished frequently, increase the level of a feel good hormone called Dopamine in your blood. It is no less a magic of nature that enhances the longevity of man.
So why crying for big pleasures – getting rich, getting promotion, buying a house, etc. which come too infrequently, unlike the tiny pleasures which are always near you!
This time Monsoon season near me has been disloyal and erratic to us. It reminds me the loyal and trustworthy messenger cloud of mini epic (Khand Kavya) Meghdootam, a celebrated work of Kalidasa. This feel triggers in me a story which is about nature, literature and intricacies of human life. And, of course, these are the elements which are desperately sought after here at this site – https://thelifespeaks.com.
Meghdootam : A Brief Introduction
Meghdootam (literally, The Cloud Messenger) is a classical Sanskrit poem written by the legendary Indian poet Kalidasa around the 4th or 5th century B.C.
The central theme of Meghdootam is “Viraha” or love in separation. The story revolves around a celestial being, a Yaksha, who has been exiled from his heavenly abode for neglecting his duties, thanks to his overwhelming love and longing for his spouse.
As he languishes alone in Central India, his heart aches for his beloved far away in the Himalayan city of Alaka.
In a moment of poetic inspiration, he (Yaksha) spots a monsoon cloud drifting northward and pleads with it to carry a message to his wife. what follows is an extraordinary journey – not only of geography but of emotion – as the Yaksha describes the route the cloud must take and the feelings his message must convey.
Kalidasa uses his literary genius to explore universal themes like – pain of separation from loved ones and power of nature to carry emotion and memories of past. In this literary journey, Kalidasa also describes beautifully the richness of Indian landscape and culture!
For western readers, Meghdootam might be compared to the pastoral poetry of Greeks or the odes of Romantic poets like Shelley and Keats – where nature becomes vehicle for deep human emotions.
Monsoon This Year In My Place.
The terai belt of eastern Bihar (a North Indian State in Northern Planes of India)) where I live, is experiencing meagre rainfall which is insufficient to support our paddy cultivation. Though paddy is a water thirsty crop; it is a staple food for dense population residing in this part. Rice is so much in their life that the geographers have tagged these regions with the name “paddy culture region”. Even many folklores have been composed which are sung by the women peasants while planting the paddy saplings in the puddles of paddy farms in ankle deep water. And, the rice is considered auspicious in many day to day Hindu rituals, festivals and wedding ceremonies.
This season,vigurous clouds and characteristic monsoon winds made their way aloft, but turn their eyes blind to us and didn’t precipitate. People and farmers, even animals and birds, wait every hour day and night for a good start of rains but we find no sign of it to the farthest. And our heart nostalgically goes like this –
Monsoon Rains then…
“Oh rain, you tempestuous flirt! Once you came on chariots of thunder, drenched our parched tongues with elixir, gave farmers a reason to hum tuneless songs and buffaloes a reason to wallow with flair.
But not this year.”
News was that S W Monsoon would reach Bihar a full week ahead of schedule. And we had mountains of excitement for this. That it would break the monotony of summer months and relieve us from merciless hot temperatures which are unprecedented to this region, gave us goosebumps. Whenever even the lightest breeze would blow and make the leaves break in to conversation, we were all ears if there is any talk of rains ?
But by June’28, only 57.3mm rainfall was registered as against expectation of 140 mm rainfall. Scorching sun dried up all the hopes of farmers and they finally resorted to planting their paddy saplings by exploiting the ground water with the help of costly electrical and fossil fuel based water pumps.
Agriculture without monsoon is costly affair.
Meteorologically, there are so many factors behind a good rainfall during monsoon, such as – favourable SW Monsoon winds activity, proper setting of Monsoon Trough above the Northern Plains and favourable positioning of Sub Tropical Westerly Jetstream (STJ) and Tropical Easterly Jetstream (TEJ) to strengthen the low pressure belt over Northern Plains.
But O dear Monsoon! when we have emotional connect with you, we don’t count any scientific explanation or reason for your obvious absence from our land and sky.
We urge you to remember, that empathetic cloud entity – the famous Cloud Messenger (or, Meghdootam in ancient Sanskrit language) of Kalidasa. Just remember the emotional connect it had, with humans, with us!
Do our fields not weep as Yaksha’s eyes? Isn’t our thirst for your waters – a question of our existence ? Our farmers too are exiled in their own ways – from prosperity, from certainty, from the mercy of your drops. But you ignore us.
When you carried Yaksha’s sorrow to his spouse, you were a hero. But today you appear like a drifting ghost, denying us of your waters, and reducing our farms to dust.
But somewhere inside us, breathes a hope that you will not make any further delay. You are not like this. You will prove all these allegations wrong and will precipitate and dance in our lands, ponds, and on our roofs. You will rain like a true and meaningful rain.
Celebrations, When Rain Will Come…
And you know what ? We will celebrate your arrival with our unique local and traditional cuisine and delicacies like Litti Chokha, Daal Pudi – Kheer with mango slices, Fritters and condiments followed by hot cups of tea, and music and folksongs. These folksongs may carry a spouse’s longing to be in company with her beloved who is outstation for earning livelihood, or, may carry thanksgiving words to Rain God for his mercy on farms and prayer for bumper growth of his crops.
Forests, which have gone silent like a school after a summer break, will soon turn in to an wild opera with chorus of birds and insects to welcome your arrival.
During rains, frogs too will come out to organize and celebrate their music fest with their antiphonal chants.
The Instagram poets, roof top dancers, the Chai (Tea) philosophers will soon come to life as your arrival vanishes the monotonicity of summer. Moist whispers under shared umbrella with cup of hot coffee in hands, will dot the parks and roadside eateries. Your downpour will lure poets and writers to push their pens again and ink their new creativity. And children…? They are eagerly awaiting your arrival with their paper boats to float them in street waters and have a lots of fun !
So, Let’s Pray…
Kadamb tree in full blossom, welcome Monsoon.
So let us pray, if only for traditions shake, to Lord Indra, Zews, El- Nino, Jet streams, to bring the thunder and rains to our lands; and of course on the lighter note, to bring back the humble umbrella’s weekly relevance.
In the mini epic Meghdootam, the “Yaksha” urges you –
“The Kadamba Tree is in blossom and welcomes you, O Cloud; you need not fear any obstruction along your path”.
We on the same line, with our blossomed Kadamba tree and Chameli (Jasmine) flowers in our surrounding, keenly await for your staccato splutter on roofs and your life inspiring rains to our lands and farms !
We are in July now. In South Asia and particularly in India, it is Monsoon season (rainy season). Magic touch of Monsoon has rejuvenated the greenery all around. This time, Mango Tree in my garden, weaves a nature story for us!
In this part of year, a mango tree goes for a brief rest. And the visible reason is that it is post harvest time for it. It has remained continuously on toe, since post winter days, in producing nascent raw mangoes, and then nurture them to develop into ripe juicy full grown mangoes, enduring many seasonal changes and challenges.
From Equator to Sub Tropics in this season, Mango reigns. Under its skin, hides the sweetest pulp of this planet. And aroma ? Believe me, it is a bliss to the soul.
Mango Tree: A Nature Story
It has been almost 10 days, when we got all our mangoes plucked with the help of a domestic help. Our campus is an public area which remains crowded on week days by the bank customers. So we chose Sunday for this task of plucking mangoes.
A day before, the person in charge of plucking the mangoes, checked for his tool which was to be employed for plucking exercise. It was nearly a five foot long light wooden stick, whose far end was improvised to hang a plastic carry bag, with its mouth wide open. A hook like arrangement was made just above this mouth of the carry bag.
This person was supposed to guide the dangling mangoes in the hook and give a pull to get mango plucked and fall in the open mouthed carry bag. All this exercise seemed to us a very sophisticated and skillful.
Next day, at due time, this person to whom this task of plucking mangoes was assigned, appeared with wide smile on his face. He looked at us with a feel of having himself in driver’s seat. We all showed unquestioned faith in his prowess!
He, with a short jump, clung his soles to the stem of the tree, and, gave a upward thrust to the rest of his body, and his hands swiftly clutched at the desired branches. We were amazed to see how swiftly his legs and hands were working in a symphony!
Using the strength of his arms and shoulder muscles, he pulled his lower body up. His legs now took support at intended place and made him stand on one of the branches.
Now, we handed the tool in his hand. Now he could pluck all the mangoes in his proximity. When the bag was full, he lowered the stick to us and we emptied all the mangoes on a old discarded bedsheet which was laid on the ground under mango tree.
We soon covered this whole treasure, lying on the ground, with another long bedsheet so that not any stranger could see them with tempting gaze. We believed that such a stare at mangoes could mysteriously obstruct our end objective of relishing them. Though we had this tradition that nature produce if produced in plenty, should be shared with our near and dear ones, – still, we thought like that. It was also a pious customary in our society of sharing the nature produce like fruits with deprived ones and those who couldn’t afford to buy them from market.
Mango Tree: A Nature Story
Anyway, we took the entire collection inside the house and felt the pleasure of having them finally. We admired the size, weight, color, its sweet smell by fondly taking them in our hands. Vibe in hour home was like welcoming a much awaited guest.
Mango Tree: A Nature Story
We reserved first few of them for offering to God. Then, the person who had plucked them all, was given his share liberally. This again put a big smile on his sweat drenched face. For children at home, it was a celebration. Specially, for my sisters’ children who came here to spend their summer vacation. Eating mangoes of this tree, had figured prominently in their wish list and will perhaps indelibly remain in their memory life long!
Mango Tree: A Nature Story
Amidst these all fun and celebration, I felt thankful to our beloved Mango Tree, which filled our hearts with joy, and added to our memory, another layer of its love, taste, smell and a great learning of benevolence to us. My heartfelt words to it goes like this –
Mango Tree: A Nature Story
“O dearest Mango Tree,
Beneath your shade, we laughed, gathered and remembered what simple blessings truly mean. This season, you nourished us – not just with your fruit but with memories, we will carry forward and with the teaching of benevolence, we will practice.
The nature that surrounds my house, though, has a lot of things to offer, but birds catch my attention most often. They often weave a good nature story for me.
However, birds are just one of those many things in nature that captivates me. An strange allure of observing the changing hues of one’s surrounding on hourly, daily and seasonal basis is no less tempting. And, it is also very compelling to observe the radiance of shades of colors changing over the leaves right from dawn to dusk, and, right from nascence to their fall. And, so is the act of observing the appearance of earth, mud, tree skins, water bodies, and more higher – faces of clouds, and depth of night sky! These all are tiny little wonderlands of my interest, I love to just get lost in, one by one … bit by bit.
A Nature StoryA Nature Story
Giving words to these feelings completely isolates an author from toxicity and tangles of man made world. It is for him an exercise of great internal churning and experiencing the abstract heaven, permeating all through. And thus an unique creation oozes out that may overwhelm its discriminating readers.
A large part of my house has been rented out to a bank and an insurance office. For their better internet access and communication links, they have erected a huge tower carrying small aperture antenna. This triangle shaped tower has hundreds of metal rungs from base to top. In front of it, on the other side of road, lies a coniferous Araucaria tree of remarkable height in our neighbor’s garden.
Nature Story
In the transition hours of afternoon and evening when Sun has just begun to loose its intensity, activities of birds begin to grow. Like they are in hurry to wind up their day’s work and get back to their living places.
We at this time, are also in our roof top garden cum courtyard, concluding our day’s domestic works like – taking care of flower pots, weeding out grasses from them, watering them, and sometimes restoring grains and other kitchen stuffs kept here for airing and drying in the Sun, back to their place. And, of course, specially in Summers, plucking Mint leaves to prepare sweetened cold Mint drink for the evening, adds to the task. We also relish mangoes and associated beverages here, with a thanksgiving gesture in our eyes, to our garden Mango tree, which is quite visible from here.
Yes, during this time, when summer Sun is reluctantly rolling back its shine, birds start racing in the sky above. Sometimes their fleet zoom past us in spectacular formation inspiring an awe in us!
These hovering birds take a brief stay at the rungs of this huge tower which glows mild in the setting Sun’s golden shine. Birds spend their time here, before vanishing in to the branches of that tall coniferous Araucaria tree in our neighbor’s garden and other trees and bamboo forests around ! Me and my family members love to watch these birds every evening from our roof with snacks and beverages served on table.
Nature Story
Watching these birds sitting on tower rungs we say, “they are sitting on the benches of their aerial park, enjoying the the sunset and soon they will leave for their flats (nests) in their apartments”. Apartments ? Didn’t you wonder at this word ? I tell you why. Actually this Araucaria tree and other trees in surrounding look like their apartments.
The festival called “Makar Sankranti”, is actually a celebration of an important celestial event. It also heralds the arrival of new season in Northern Hemisphere.
People, belonging to Sanatan Hindu culture ( residing mainly in Indian Subcontinent and South East Asia) celebrate this celestial phenomena as festival.
Extent
India, is called land of festivals. Festivals connect different lingual and regional communities of a geographical area, like the wefts connect and tie the warp yarns in a fabric. Festivals act as important cohesive force for any nation, to strengthen the feeling of “we”, the feeling of solidarity among its citizens.
Known by different names – Magh Bihu (Assam), Lohri (Punjab), Maagh Saaji ( Himachal P.), Sakraat (Haryana), Pongal( Tamilnadu), Uttarayan(Gujarat and U.P.), Khichari(Bihar and U.P.), Maghe Sankranti (Nepal), Songkarn(Thailand), Mohan Songkarn(Combodia), – it is observed almost through out the Indian Subcontinent and S.E. Asia.
Time
Makar Sankranti marks the first day of Sun’s transit from saggitarius to Capricorn. Due to addition of one day in leap year, it is observed on 15 January, and on 14 January in all other years.
Makar Sankranti Underlines The Progress Made In Astronomy And Mathematics By Ancient Indian Scholars.
This festival appeals me a lot, because I often get surprised when I think how since the time immemorial the ancestors of Indian people knew with precision about the apparent shift in Sun’s position with respect to Earth, and various other complexities of celestial phenomena.
These people had no modern equipment, no supercomputers, no artificial satellites and no telecommunication system. Neither they had any transoceanic and intercontinental connectivity to get to experience the seasonal variation between Northern and Southern Hemisphere of our Globe.
Therefore, I, at this day feel proud and astonished about ancestors of Indian people’s supreme observation capability and their superhuman deductive capabilities. Were they really Super Human beings? What do you say?
The work done by ancient Indian scholars such as Varah Mihir, Brahmagupta, Aryabhatta, Bhaskaracharya and others substantially helped the development of astronomy, mathematical geography, and cartography. Classical Indian astronomers were conscious of Latitudes (Akshansa) and Longitudes ( Deshantara) in determination of a point or place on earth surface.
Transition of Sun on the day of Makar Sankranti Festival.
Recognition Of Vitality Of Nature.
Ancient scholars of India knew that vitality of nature is essential for the existence of life on this planet. To conserve the trees, shrubs, forests and rivers they gave them a sacred status. This is the essence of Sanatan Hindu Culture where conservation of nature is deeply embedded at religious level. Festival of Makar Sankranti is the symbol of this thought process.
On the Makar Sankranti day people take dip in holy rivers and offer sacred water of these rivers to Sun as thanks giving ceremony. Because the apparent movement of Sun with respect to inclined Earth, causes advent of spring season in northern hemisphere. This triggers increased photosynthesis, growth of new leaves on trees, and start of new cropping season. Increased agricultural activity gives employment and production of food grains.
Fun And Food.
On the other hand, this festival is also associated with variety of food and fun.
People decorate their gates and floors with Rangolis. Children and youth are crazy for flying the kites.
Laddoos made of Sesame and jaggery are eaten on this day. jaggery and sesame have good warm effect on body during winter. Dahi Chuda ( curd and flattened rice) is also eaten with jaggery, during day time with ‘cokha’ ( mashed roasted brinjals, mixed with chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies and onions) on side.
In dinner, people eat ‘khichri’ along with Chokha , pickles and Papad. Khichri is made by cooking rice with plenty of moong lentils. It has soupy consistency. Moong lentil , again is a superfood that naturally detoxifies our whole system. Khichari is a kind of comfort food , loved by a large population of South Asia. It is easy to cook and is a wholesome food, full of nutritional value. It is also first food for new born babies.
Makar Sankranti also brings an opportunity to the youths of new generation to get to know what are their traditional cuisine and dishes, which their ancestors cooked and consumed.
Conclusion
Really, this festival of Makar Sankranti is like recreating the past and rediscovering the proud moments for Indians and the world !
As this year draws nearer to its end, don’t you feel it pertinent to have look on the footprints and the trail you left behind!
This trail is of your thoughts, emotions and deeds. This trail is the reminiscent of your lived life during this one year, which was at times celebrated, at times regretted, at times learnt, at times misjudged, at times surprised, at times confused, at times full of strength, at times helpless!
Obviously, the year end is an apt moment to go for self mirroring and objective introspection of self. Introspection is a personal mental activity which should be exercised cautiously. Introspection must not be overdone, so as to leave you stressed and depressed. Dwelling longer on dark and negative issues is certainly a thing to be avoided in this process. Your process of introspection must be guided by the will to trace the positive leads of life so as to grow and develop them.
Enlist Your Activities During This Passing Year.
The preliminary thing you should do is to grab a pen and a piece of paper sheet and pen down the major events and incidents in your life this year. While doing this you can take help of your personal diary, calendar notes, and messages and chats from your cell phone inbox. Image gallery also can be checked month wise to construct sequencing of events in mind in image form. Now you can see your life of previous one year through various angles such as – your responsibilities, family and society, your career, your strengths and weaknesses.
Your Responsibilities.
“The price of greatness is responsibilities”. (Winston Churchill.) Proper discharge of our responsibilities brings a sense of happiness and fulfillment. It also brings new opportunities for you in life. However while taking care of your responsibilities in life, you must also take a review if you are overburdened with responsibilities, which in part should actually be shared by your other family members and juniors.
Family And Society.
“Family is not important thing. It is every thing”. (Desmond Tutu) It is God’s gift to you. And the bond that links your real family is not merely of your blood, but of respect and joy in each others life. Watch at the year end if you have lived up to this parameter. Remember, ego kills relationships, while forgiveness wins it. You must learn this fact. Also, at the year end you should make list of people whom you need to meet and get introduced. It is the aura of good friend circle which protects and escorts you through the adversities in life.
Career.
At the year end time you must take a review about the sustainability of your career. You live in an era of hyper competition. It is important to check if there is any specific skill you need to develop, and if answer is yes, then plan for it. May be there is no immediate visible crisis before you right now, but still, you have to think what better you could be doing for betterment of your professional life. You should solicit help of your friends and those with knowledge of these things about planning for next step in your career. The only way to do great work is to love what you do. So if you are among those who haven’t find it yet, keep looking for it.
Knowing Your Strengths.
Imagine you may be doing something which your social circle loves but you don’t realise it as important. If you get feedback about your skills and qualities, that have created good impression and results, you may build more upon it and be able to replicate it in other fields of life as well. So this year end, do acknowledge your strengths.
Ask Yourself Questions Related To Your Perception About Life.
1. Do I take things for granted? 2.Do I allow things that are out of my control, trouble me? 3.Do I believe in coming out of my comfort zone? 4.Do I fear for the things that don’t exist? 5.Do I continuously hold on things that should immediately be expelled out of mind?
Ask Yourself The Questions Related To Taking Actions.
1. Do I choose my friends wisely? 2. Do I use my time wisely? 3. Am I routined and disciplined enough to take care of my physical fitness? 4. Have I allocated time for spiritual enrichment? 5. Am I putting enough effort in my relationship?
Hopefully, these questions will help you recalibrate your life and help you welcome the New Year with all preparedness and enthusiasm.
Till my 40s, say it good or bad, but I was a person who had no complain from his status quo type life. God had given me an apparently firm family support, where I had a comfortable life despite my failure in achieving my career goals. Gradually, I grew used to and adjusted to this kind of sustenance. I was satisfied in my cocooned comfort zone and had almost turned a blind eye towards any aggressive kind of pursuit for ambitious life. The reason being my thought that any such pursuit would demand to sacrifice my canopy of comfort and would force me to step out of my comfort zone. In my comfort zone, I had a fixed routine life with familiar faces around, no risks, sense of apparently assured security and a predictable environment. So ‘how to step out of your comfort zone’ type thought never came my way until very late.
But my these presumptions about this complex life proved so baseless. Days passed and on one certain day I felt like caught in an unwanted situation. Everyone and everything around me was evolving and changing with time except me. And, this felt very suffocating. I came to realisation that staying with in comfort zone had plateaued my growth. Actually, this kind of living, as was in my case, gradually brings before you a situation where you feel to have lost the very meaning and purpose of life.
Flowing water passes through different environment and landscapes. Its unrelenting flow through different terrains adds to it numerous minerals and other goodness of plant and animal kingdom. Numerous other streams join it in its course and enrich it further by pouring in it the specific natural elements, unique to specific terrains they have passed through in their short journey. Thus flowing water is ever evolving , fresh and full of variety.
Now take the case of stagnant water. It becomes stale and stinking with passage of time. No regular addition and dissolution of diverse minerals and air, makes it bereft of its liveliness and energy. A man in his secluded comfort zone is like this stagnant water. No enterprise to add to his experience. No interaction with positive people to inspire and encourage him!
What Does It Take To Step Out Of Comfort Zone?
Every person has his limit of boundary of comfort zone. When we with our entrepreneurial efforts push this limit further beyond, a whole new set of strange elements comes our way.
In order to stand and achieve a progress in this new and somewhat strange field, we have to accustom ourselves with the new elements that are part of it, and have to align with them both physically and mentally. Gradually we become adjusted and recalibrated with these new elements, which in turn, become new normal for us.
A progressive forward looking person always tries to spearhead into new potential areas of opportunities and adds new strips to his comfort zone. These opportunities may not necessarily be always economic but almost every aspect of human life that brings contentment and satisfaction.
During this process, a range of hidden human capabilities emerge and grow making a person more galvanized and capable. We must recognise the fact that, “the best things in life are often waiting for you at the exit ramp of your comfort zone.” (Karen Salmanson)
Work Plan For Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone.
Identifying the stumbling blocks that come in the way of moving out of comfort zone, is the first issue to address. These stumbling blocks are such dots which when joined, show you clearly the actual boundary of your comfort level and comfort zone.
One can better identify these stumbling blocks when he sees his life through various perspective of health, food habits, intellectual engagements, relationships. professional life, social life etc., where he needs to broaden his comfort zone boundary. For example:
Health related issues : Issues of early rising, finding time for basic exercises, finding time to get proper amount of sun, timely intake of meal.
Issues of intellectual and spiritual quest : Issues of allocating time for prayers, expressing gratitude to nature and God for their blessings, contemplation over meaning and purpose of life.
Environment related duties : Issues of allocating time to recognise the various small but precious contribution we can make to heal the scars of mother nature.
Relationship related issues : Are you aware about what is stopping you from detoxicating your soured relationship ? Or, are you aware that your relationships need a regular dose of healing treatments like – messaging, talking, meeting, appreciating and caring.
Profession related issues : I have a staff hired for operating a generator set from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in my commercial premises. Though he is quite honest gentleman but a bit slow in disposal of his duties. He often becomes late by 5-10 minutes in reaching his work place. If only he could work upon this area of his performance and tried to step out of his comfort zone, he would prove a nice generator operator for me! One should write down the weak areas of his or her performance, arrange them in order of priority and address them.
Social life related issues : Everyone has to live in society. It must be our endeavour to socialise with people and do our contribution towards its betterment. You can identify your expandable limits to embark into new areas of social work and social curtsey and social intermingling.
Benefits of Expanding the Comfort Zone Limit.
Expansion beyond our comfort zone limit involves manageable risks and valuable rewards.
Self Improvement : Expansion of comfort zone is not a sudden process. It comes with patience and practice. It is more of a mental training and exercise. In the process we learn and master the art of critical thinking, self actualisation, and improvisation skills.
Increased Resilience and Adaptation : It is quite possible that we may not get success in our pursuit to go beyond our comfort zone the way we want to. But we gradually learn from our failures. We reassess the situation and reorganise ourselves in more better way to tackle the challenge and get control over it. Gradually, we mow down the difficulties and also adapt ourselves and accept new normal for us.
Broadened Viewpoint : While struggling with difficulties and accepting new challenges we begin to get better understanding of the new culture, environment and geography. All this contribute in broadening our viewpoint.
Summary of Final Plan To Step Out of Comfort Zone.
(1) First choose the area in which you want to expand your comfort zone limit.
(2)Make a list of different level and scale of difficulties.
(3) Set small achievable targets to accomplish in time bound manner.
(4)Assess your achievements on which you have to capitalise for further advancement.
(5) Share your experience with friends, family and other people and get motivation from them and draw comparison.
(6)After accomplishment of your task, take a bird’s eye view of your accomplishment and feel the thrill of success. You should buy a treat for yourself and relish it. Or, you can give some prize or gift to yourself.
(7)Accept the new behavioural changes and adapt them as new normal for you.
