Kaveeta Kaul
An inconspicuous presence, frail, bent, clad in the now legendary bordered white saree has shaken up the keepers of morality one more time since her earthly demise a decade ago. Mother Teresa’s letters lately released “Mother Teresa : Come Be My Light” speak of her anguish at feeling alone and Godless in a mind littered with doubt and faith faltering with disillusionment. (more…)
Why are you crying, a young boy asked his Mom?
“Because I’m a woman,” she told him.
“I don’t understand,” he said.
His Mom just hugged him and said,
“And you never will, but that’s O.K.”……. (more…)
…Hmmm..you guessed right.. birthday yesterday.
What is it about this day that gets you into ‘reflection mode’?
Amidst the roses and cakes ( black forest with its creamy spongy, layers) prayers offered and blessings received, the day was spent in lighthearted frolicsome banter. Perhaps to re-invent the charisma of childhood years when regular, fervent, announcements were made almost a month preceding the 4th of April, so as to circumvent, eschew any room for forgetfulness/misunderstanding.. (more…)
Kaveetaa Kaul
Oftentimes, lifes vagaries present before one a spate of experiences which as if challenge the roots of our existential paradigm. In other words we, perchance seem to encounter seemingly impossible circumstances and individuals, who yank the carpet from underneath our feet, before one can mutter bally-ho, compelling us to re fashion our mental make-up. (more…)
Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.
What we think, we become.
Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.
The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed. (more…)
Kaveeta Kaul
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Stress is the modern day equivalent of the plague in days of yore. It has swept all under its devouring shadow. The obvious difference being that while the latter was attributed to causes beyond control of the individual, the former, arose directly out of serious neglect towards factors which precipitate the onset of its often fatal ramifications.
Frankly, I was quite taken aback at the news of ‘chhote Nawab’ Saif Ali Khans mild heart attack. Firstly due to the image of the stars fitness( the snaps been chosen from among scores to prove the point) stories circulating to do with his exercise regimen. Secondly with the sequence of events. (more…)
This picture has been created by Donna Sonnenberg aka North whose blog exemplifies what a wonderful artist she is.
For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
~T.S. Eliot
Its pages blank, lets go on to writing a life which has tried to rise above small things. If a war is to be waged, it should be against ones shortcomings. Peace be made with another’s frailities.The above is more of a re-affirmation. I am no good at making resolutions. It suggests as if the previous years have been devoid of any analytical and serious thinking. I’d rather look at the potential of the past years than its flaws. And of course to add (more…)
Its time again..One of my favourite festivals Navratri or nine(nav) nights (ratri) spent in propitiation, music and dance,commenced as of yesterday. “Mother” as Goddess in the form of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, is worshipped as the primal source of energy. Colour, revelry and festivity take on a tint unparallelled with any other Indian festival .
“Durga Puja’ in Bengal , corresponds with Navratri elsewhere. Ma Durga is worshipped for nine days, and immersed on the tenth, after having, as legend goes, vanquished the demons or ‘rakshasas’. Perhaps this is meant to subtly advise us to conquer the demons of anger, jealousy, pride, greed and seek Mother Durgas help in doing so.
“Garba” or “raas” as dance forms are pre-dominantly Gujarat centric. However, now that Navratri has grown to become one of the most awaited festivals nationally, garba and raas too have joined the ranks of popular dance forms, as Bhangra.
Just how innovative were our ancestors can be gaged when analysing the origins of ‘garba’.
“A “GARBO” is an earthen pot with holes all around and “Light” within which signifies knowledge. The word Garbo seems to have originated from the word “Garbha Deep”, meaning a Light in the inner sanctum of the temple.
Lifes most memorable moments are often those spent in the company of a dear one who has imperceptibly left an indelible mark in our journey. When they are snatched away by death”s steely clasp, we are left behind to mourn and grieve, not just for their death but what died within us in ther loss.
Whilst tainting every joyous occasion with suffering in remembrance is not advisable, our sages therefore in their wisdom, appointed a certain time of the year to honour them. This period of 16 days which ended today, is known as ‘Shraadh’ or Pitrapaksh” . It is recommended that new ventures, business, or clothing not be bought during the length of Shraadha. (more…)
Hinduism is quintessentially said to be a religion of millions of Gods. (more…)
“A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds”
Sometimes a staid, boring, oft repeated phrase catches your eye as if for the first time. You sense the subtleties and suddenly its as if a ‘eureka’ kind of glee takes over. It happened today when randomly the term ’spread cheer’ appeared, out of nowhere as it (more…)
“All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.” Swami Vivekananda
To be fallible is to be human too. But if you want to feel the power in you and your potential to be what you were mean to be, all you have to do is read Swami Vivekanada.
I am a voracious reader, but have rarely been inspired as much by any other. To top it, all of his works are speeches he has delivered, which have been collected and compiled. (more…)
Chewing on it again..
“It is not the greatness of a man’s means that makes him independent so much as the smallness of his wants”William Cobbett
I experienced this, in my first tryst with truth while living at the Yoga institute, learning Yoga sutras and asanas. Apparently it was a mandatory stay prior to the year long teachers training course, prompted by the ‘love for anything Indian’ phase. Insiduously, (more…)
You have your way. I have my way. As for the rightway, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.
Friedrich Nietzsche
What strikes one immediately on reading the above quote is a feeling of peace and harmony. In the absence of ‘no right way’ the futility of losing ones peace of mind over trivialities seems pointless.
Balance is the key issue in life. Give some take some. Rigidity of stance and ideas, is detrimental not only to the individual concerned, but to his immediate environment, his family, colleagues, society and country.
Flip side.. imagine it being the mantra of the Charles Sobhrajs or modern day Hitlers.. Dynamite!!
Human mind can rationalise its actions and use even the scriptures and its interpretations to validate its compulsions, however erroneous and evil. It then transforms into fodder to egg them on to continue their barbarities, all the while feeling content and smug in the reasonability of their deeds, since ‘no way is the right way’… whew!
“Nothing is more fatal to happiness than the remembrance of happiness” Sri Aurobindo.
Have you ever pondered on the fact that we often value the people who have made the most imperceptible but immeasurable contributions to our life, only after they have left us for good? Even in our sorrow we prove to be selfish. For what we moan is not their death, but what has died within us in their death. (more…)
‘There is no one alive who is Youer than You’
So often in life, we find ourselves unadmittedly wanting to trade places with another, for reasons trivial. Before we know it we are consumed with desire, envy, and finally disease. Actually to be understood as dis-ease.
To be comfortable in ones skin, content in the bounties life has offered, secure in the knowledge that there is a plan for each one of us,happy to witness love by another and for another, euphoric at the success of others and finding in it reason to celebrate, are ways one can expand our consciousness from the immediate and mundane to levels which will transform our lives to reward us with health, happiness, vigour and compassion.
We owe it to ourselves to delve deep under the surface to discover the real person within. Life if viewed as a laboratory where experiences are only a method to arrive at the conclusion of the sum total of ourselves, will prove to be a saner option to overcome hiccups and in fact transform the same into an essential compound for the final result.
Just thoughts…
