Indispire# On a lonely island without internet

A day into a lonely island

Where no one is around,

A morning bath in radiance of sunlight,

Where no one just shadow is to be found;

Waking up lazily

Wearing makeup of a smile,

Absorbed in nothing,

Just the inner light for a while;

Playing with the shadows,

And reminiscing the good old days,

In the company of endless waves;

No cell phone,

 No camera for photo- shoots,

And no laptop which intrudes;

A silent time on a lonely island,

No voices on the exterior,

Just some attention to the interior;

Listening to the music in the air that flows,

Grasses dancing in the rhythm that bestows;

Birds are a company for now,

Seeing their attempts at fly,

Makes me feel childlike somehow;

Flowers shedding

 The night robe of dew drops,

Dressing beautifully

In the brilliant shades of sun kissed cloths;

Butterflies teasing the flowers

And soaking in their colors,

I notice their small world,

And their mischievous maneuvers;

At the innocence of nature I peer,

And feel enchanted and cheer;

Reminding myself,

The smallest pleasures in the world

Come for free,

And are not dear;

Lying under the shadow of trees,

To enjoy the breeze;

Wondering at the language of nature,

I put down my pen on paper;

Walking, sitting and lying down,

Counting the waves,

And not bogged down by the rains;

Following the clouds

Pondering over the secrets they shroud;

To be alone on this island,

Bestows on my soul the gift of bliss and solace,

That’s so hard to find in the mainland…….

experience about A 7 days experiment to stay away from all modern gadgets and apps like mobile, laptop-computers, internet, social networking, E-games and how you spent that time? with family? traveled? meditated, anything you experienced.

Indi-Happy Hours #Ghar wali Diwali

It’s the fourth Diwali that my whole family is still not together during Diwali. Though I am home this time my siblings are not. Diwali always reminds me of my sister; the times when we were still kids. My sister has always been the responsible girl of the house that I have never been. She was no less than a little angel of the home! I must say her excitement was infectious! She used to so excited and enthusiastic about every small- small thing. She loved shopping and she still does! Cleaning home, Picking Flowers to making garlands, Making Rangoli, Lighting diyas and candles; she would just take care of everything. The little supervisor of the home! Cooking is one of her natural talents. Mother, her and father would all get into the kitchen and prepare delicious food. I was told to help in minor ways, which too I would mess up. Sometimes I irritated everyone by doing the silliest things wrong, but sis was a darling angel taking care of everyone and everything. 

This is her second diwali after marriage. I just wish the festival of lights brings her all the more good luck and fortune! May she and her family be blessed with all the happiness of the world! May Goddess luxmi bless her with health, wealth and prosperity!

P.S: This post is for Indi- Happy Hours #gharwalidiwali

Indi-Happy Hours# Mother's Care

The lives of parents revolve around their kids. Right from the day these kids are born to the day parents are still alive. Their little-little troubles become reasons of worry for parents. The kids’ falling sick is no less than a calamity for parents. Seeing their kid sick; their world suddenly just comes down to one single thing and that is the well being and recuperation of their sick kid.

Though I am quite old to be called a kid, but for parents their children are always the same I guess. My health concerns my parents even more given my weight and all!! (Smirk). Though I am old enough to be working but people can still mistake me as a school girl! May be that’s one of the reasons I get a lot of attention even in case of minor ailments like cold and cough, fever, indigestion etc.

I catch cold real soon. Changing weather, A little exposure to cold winds and I get done with it. The worst part it stays for real long once it catches me. I find it the most irritating thing. The uncontrollable flow, a lot of soiled handkerchiefs, all of this is just so irritating. Medicines are not much help. They help in controlling the flow but the irritation persists. The headache comes complimentary with cold.

Even with minor cold, my mother becomes so attentive. She will prepare hot tea with tulsi leaves and ginger almost umpteen times a day. She will give me Ginger bits to keep in mouth in case I have cough too. Another favorite pick of my mother is Vicks. She applies it on my nose and throat before sleeping and covers me properly. She will keep on telling me to eat well. It’s like mother working on the assignment of making my cold fly away! She gets irritated and concerned at the same time when I keep on sneezing; one, two, three and sometimes ten or fifteen at a stretch!

The hot gram soup is another thing which is a must have to get rid of the running nose.

Chyawanprash is yet another favorite with my mother. Though on routine days also she keeps on telling to have a teaspoonful with milk, but when I have cold and cough she will herself give me teaspoonfuls twice a day. Actually I like the taste of it but me being me I am too lazy and won’t have it till somebody just puts it into my mouth. Chyawanprash contains a lot of herbs like amla, ashwagandha and giloy etc. It also serves as an anti oxidant. It strengthens our immune system and helps fight infections like cough and cold. Even going by taste It’s a must have for almost everyone as it fulfills all mothers’ standards.

Then yet another thing my mother makes me do if cold is real bad is to give steam. At night before sleeping a hot relaxing steam and afterwards a nice sleep. Though I have the habit of sleeping late generally but when I am sick my mother would make me sleep early and make me have proper rest.

I don’t think medicines can work as much wonders as mothers’ care does! No doubt parents are just angels. They bear with their kids even if they are spoiled brats. Thank god for them and their care!

Finally wish everyone great health and happiness.

P.S:  This post is written for Indi blogger - “Indi-Happy Hours campaign” 

Know about health benefits and various variants of CHYAWANPRASH at https://www.liveveda.com/daburchyawanprash/

Indispire# Can Writing bring about a change?

Writers are a part of this world and yet they have a world of their own. Writers have the power of their pen. With this power a writer can go any place, put on any face and travel with any pace. The words indeed are a writer’s first love. To write gives him a power to create, to transform, to understand and to promulgate.

They use the word escapists for them and call them loners sometimes. But I wonder isn’t it a luxury to be an escapist, to be able to live in a world which is a writer’s own creation. A writer wields his power through words; he sets the rules, while he writes he lives the life of each of his characters, he experiences many types of life in one lifetime by means of his writing.

Using the tool of writing he can venture into the unknown territories of soul. It’s a way to experiment with the abstract, to get to the bottom of the reality, to know the truth of the self and the world.

In a way the writers are dogmatists. And in a way they are the problem solvers.

The impact of writing on society is long known. The writings in the form of teachings of our religious texts have given us a way of life that we are still following. The classics like Aristotle, Plato, Marx, and Socrates are still read and pondered over. They have dealt with each aspect of a man’s life and how it should be. These writing have drawn the intricate and complex details of man’s life and its relationship with the surroundings.

 The contemporary writings keep on affecting our thought process and our perceptions, be it in the form of an editorial, a magazine article, a fiction, an inspirational book or even a casual read. The writing has been defining and redefining our ways of life, what serves our society best, what is acceptable and correct. It has been doing that ever since. It has been there as a guiding force with each and every evolution that our world witnesses.

The writings always have a grip on us and they make a lasting impact on our thought process either consciously or subconsciously. A person reading self help books or inspirational quotes does so because it’s the conformity of a writer he looks forward to. A person reading editorials and news is subjected to the writer’s perspective, his opinions though his own are in a way shaped by what has been written. A person reading a book on moral science may not follow it completely but his awareness has grown, he has got the sense of what is morally acceptable though following it is his own choice and writing has done it for him, the writing has made him aware. A person reading a lot of fictions will become capable of understanding life through many perspectives. A person reading the real life accounts of varied cultures knows life in its various colors and becomes sympathetic and loving towards all, it triggers modesty and broad-mindedness in him.

The writings definitely have a grip on our thoughts and the world changes as our thoughts change. The writings give us a chance to learn and relearn for the better. And while we learn and subsequently follow the change is initiated though may be of a small order. But that is enough to make a start.

Is there power in writing? Can writers bring social change & change the world? #Writing

Indispire# Educated or literate ?

Education I believe is that light which illuminates the darkness of ignorance and brings forth the glory of knowledge.

The real objective of education is to impart knowledge and awareness to a person, to make a person sensitive and aware of himself, his surroundings, to impart him the moral values, to make him responsible towards himself as well as the society. It’s the development of mind and soul of a person.

The question is -Is today’s education system taking care of each and every aspect.

The literacy rate is surely going up.  The no. of degrees issued per year are also increasing. No. of schools  and colleges increasing every year.  But does being literate automatically makes us educated as well?If it would have been the case I suppose with increasing literacy rates and more and more graduates and post graduates , we should rather see a fall in crime rate which is ever increasing. While the literacy rate increased from 64.83% to 74.04% from 2001 to 2011, the child sex ratio dipped to 914 from 927.

Everyday we can see so many headlines of rapes, murders, terrorist activities, khap panchayats, love jihad. The pity is that well educated people or rather quite literate people are also getting involved.

It is a well known fact that almost everywhere in India people still object to inter caste marriages and that happens in affluent, highly qualified , well to do families as well.

Our country witnesses so many cases of female feticides. The women are not safe even in the company of educated or rather literate. Young chaps – some of them just take pride in eve teasing. Those may well have degrees but education is lacking in them.

Terrorists - isn’t it surprising that so many of them are highly qualified. Many of them hold engineering degrees. They earned the degrees but could never learn the real meaning of education.

The youth – isn’t it discomforting to see that many of our children have started smoking and drinking as early as in the high school. While everyone is all out for higher grades and higher percentages, they are just being deprived of the real education.

One may well keep on collecting degrees but real education is different from just being literate. It’s the development of one’s conscience- the sense of right and wrong. It’s about being sensitive towards oneself and others. It’s about developing a way of life which is based on compassion, mutual respect, and moral values.

Collection of degrees might well be literacy but education is about expanding the horizon of ones mind.

Education is not merely Stacking of Degrees but also Dressing up of one's Mind and Soul.What is Your Definition Of an Educated Person.And what is your opinion about Educated Illiterates.#Education

Indispire# The answer is WE

KHUD KO TUTE HUE AINE MEIN AGAR DEKHA JAE

TO TUTA HUA AKS HI NAZAR AEGA

PAR AINE KI PARIBHASHA HI AGAR BADAL JAE

TO SHAYAD TOOTE HUE AKS MEIN HI

INSAN APNA SAHI CHEHRA SAMJHANE LAG JAE!

The mirror today is the society and the images shown by it are WE, the people.

The mirror is distorted and we are seeing and accepting the contorted versions of ourselves.

I would deliberately use WE here because the word WE encompasses all. Each and every individual.

The distortion has been a gradual process. And today when we stand in front of this contorted mirror with a mind preoccupied with several hundred questions perhaps, it just mocks at us, backfires us with satirical questions.

It plays its game and talks to us , “Oh! how you ought to be more rich! Remember Rohan! Your school friend! He just bought a new BMW! You are still sticking to your old Alto! Oh poor you! You should spend the money you are saving for the NGO for yourself!”

“Hey! You saw Ishita’s dress in the party yesterday! She was just looking Gorgeous! Must be worth a few thousands! Why not get a costlier one for yourself for the next get together!”

“Helo dere! Don’t you think you should shift to a newer , bigger house! The one with bigger windows and a better view! You will just need to do some extra time! I am sure you will not die working  for 20 hours a day! Will you!”

This mirror is a constant reminder of how we ought to be More rich! More young! More good looking! More luxurious! More lavish. More of everything!

Bank balance, Good looks, sex appeal, luxury, lust – these are the things that are at the helm of the society today. Ruling everyone’s mind!

The morals, values like honesty and discipline, the purity of heart and soul, the desire to do something for others, the inner beauty, the beauty of thoughts and simplicity- these things have taken a back seat.

The Society as a collective whole pushes us in to this vicious circle of MORE!. And WE not able to resist give in and get lost in this vicious circle which seems to have no end. The rat race follows. The desires keep on multiplying. There is no end!

But the question is – Does the responsibility of this contorted image lies on an individual alone or the society as a whole? It’s the mirror that needs to be replaced to see the right image! If the society as a whole takes the responsibility the individuals will be taken care of. Yes, the individual is the unit and needs to be addressed first. But one individual is not the answer.

The answer lies in the masses. The answer lies in the value system. To change the philosophy and definition of a good life which has slowly and gradually taken this contorted shape as we see it all around today, One individual is not enough. We need each and every individual. We need “WE”.

My answer is yes. Yes for a society based on deeper values of good will and purity of heart, of honesty, integrity and discipline. What is your answer? Can we get the solidarity of a WE?

Can “WE” pledge to play our part honestly and sincerely to get a Mirror which is distortion free?

Why is the world so focused on physical assets- bank-balance, material-possessions, external beauty/body/cleavage...? What's the value of good thoughts, clear heart, inner beauty & values like honesty, discipline etc. today? What is important to you?#TreasuredAssets