Monday, August 27, 2018

A BEST RAKHI GIFT!!!





Raksha Bandhan is a festival of Emotions like love and the sacred bonding between brothers and sisters. I love this festival because the celebration of this festival is all about paying veneration to sentiments and the feelings attached between siblings. Another reason, the one that is most unique about this festival for which I love it most is its “simplicity”…I mean no hard core rules are needed to be observed in this festival.
 And the most exciting reason that every sister look forward to this festival is the “GIFT”….. As a part of tradition, a brother presents his sister exciting gifts and promises to guide and protect her throughout the life. I must say a gift plays a prominent role and denotes gestures of love and affection. 
I’m really lucky as I have four brothers…..three elders and one younger (it’s a different thing that the younger one also behaves as an elder brother). It really feels like a princess when there’re four brothers to protect you. In my upbringing years I was often envied by some of my friends. Especially at the time of Raksha Bandan as they used to say” Tina…tera to achha hai. You’re going to get FOUR gifts...Ahwah!”
But they didn’t know in fact nobody knew, at my  home the scenario was completely different

There were never FOUR gifts. In fact after tying the Rakhis to the wrists of four brothers, my eldest brother used to actually give the GIFT and other three would say “it’s the gift on behalf of all of us”. I used to wander why can’t they follow “each one, gift one” where all of them can afford to buy one. But still I was happy as GIFT being the reason of it.

However after my marriage I never had any opportunity to tie Rakhi as I could never present at home in this occasion. All what I do is, I send Rakhi – through speed post or courier - and just pray God that it should reach in time. Now I understand the “Happiness of “tying” the Rakhi” on the wrists of my brothers. I never think of Rakhi Gift these days though my brothers never stop gifting me. 
Few years back a small thing happened that totally changed my perception of a “Rakhi Gift”. During a talk with my eldest brother over phone once he shared an incident. He told how he generally manages to tie my Rakhi” once it is delivered at their place.
On the day of Rakhi Poornima he often he looks for a sister like person and asks them to tie the Rakhi on his wrist. But one particular year he couldn’t find any one and took the Rakhi in his pocket and went to his site, a construction site (he is a construction professional…Civil Engineer). In his site - an under construction bridge - there were many women workers work on daily wages. That day he saw a small girl – around 8-9 years, the daughter of a woman worker - taking care of small baby. He stopped there and asked the girl to tie the Rakhi and then gave her The GIFT….

The mother of the girl noticed that and came rushing as she felt might be something wrong the girl might have done. She was afraid of BADA BABU (My brother used to be addressed by all the workers that name) and started apologizing on behalf the girl. My brother calm down her and made her understand about the real fact. After that I don’t know what he did but while narrating this incident, at last he said to me “It was really heart touching to see that girl SMILING and …..” then he said nothing.

But sometime silence says everything. Isn’t it? I knew after seeing that HEART TOUCHING SMILE on the face of that girl my brother must have prayed to ALMIGHTY to bless that SAME BLISSFUL SMILE on my face and I could see the other three brothers saying, “The same SMILE on behalf of all of us”.

Now a day whenever I visit to the Rakhi stalls I love to see the different Rakhis. I feel them as a bunch of smiles looking at me and saying me that every brother anywhere in the world always wants to see A SMILE on his sister’s face for which he can go to any extent. Every Rakhi is made to bring SMILE, LOVE and Bond.  Nothing can be a more than a GIFT OF SMILE because this is the BEST GIFT!!!!


Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Let the Freedom Sing The Choirs Of Illuminated Destiny!!


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MY PHOTO STORY ON TODAY"S MUMBAI MIRROR, STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO 

Let the Freedom Sing The Choirs Of Illuminated Destiny!!
As I passed by unmindful,
Lost In my Own Thought World
This toddler broke into it
With is adorable laughter

Shaken to the reality from my trance
I paused and watched its impeccable innocence
Half naked, as it offered the passersby
With its little hand, Independence Day badges
With a mixed bags of feelings, hurt a bit and delighted too
As a part of me moved by its charm, twinkling eyes & heavenly mirth
One side of my heart sang a melancholy song of grim reality
While the other side rippled, with the show of its 
tiny pearly whites

Dear Freedom, if you are not just a Myth
If You Really Bring Light
If You Really Illuminate Destinies
My hearty urge is...
Sing the Choirs of Brightened Lives, This Time
Keeping intact the innocence smiles
On The Faces of Those who are yet to overcome darkness
But Dare to face them, head on with  nerve!















This Toddler trace-passed my heart  with its impeccable innocence...No words to describe The Feel. Yah!! Lets Ponder over the grim reality which must be having a sweet reality lost somewhere.....
Happy Independence Day To All!!  

Saturday, August 11, 2018

Chita Lagi Amavashya – An Auspicious Day Adorning Lord Jagannath with A Golden Mark On His Forehead!!


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Chita Lagi Amavashya – An Auspicious Day Adorning Lord Jagannath with A Golden Mark On His Forehead!!

Odisha is state of profound traditional cultures and rich heritages. In Odia we have a saying “Bara masare tera parab” which literally means in 12 months of a Calendar there are at least 13 major festivals. It actually means that Odias observe many festivals apart from major festivals like Holi, Dasserah, Diwali etc. Another thing is in Odisha many festivals are associated with Lord Jagannath whose divine abode is Neelachal Dham i’e. Puri Jagannath Temple. Chitalagi Amavasya or Chitou Amavasya  which falls on the new-moon day of the shravana is one of such festivals dedicated to the Lord Jagannath.
Actually Lord Jagannath is not only the presiding deity of Odisha but also the LIVING GOD of it. His every activity, small or large, is celebrated as a festival in Odisha.  
Today is Chitalagi (Chitau)  Amavasya observed in the Shraban or Shravan month in Orissa. It is associated with the Jagannath worship in this eastern state of India. On the Chitalagi Amavasya day, a special ritual is performed at Puri Jagannath Temple. The forehead of the Lord  Jagannath along with his elder brother Balabhadra and younger sister Goddess Subhadra is adorned with a Golden Mark known as Chitta.
As I have already stated that every activity of lords celebrated as a festival, this is also an activity of the lords.  During Rath Yatra,  when the Lords travel on the Raths (Chariot) on public roads  for nine days of visit to Gundicha temple (Their AUNT’S place) the golden semblance on the forehead of Lords are taken out. Then again the Golden Mark is decked to the forehead of the Lords on this auspicious day of Chita Lagi Amavashya.

No Odia festival goes by without a dish or delicacy exclusively associated with it.  How come this Chitta Lagi Amavashya be an exception!! A special delicacy known as Chitau Pitha is offered as prasada/bhoga for the Deities at SriMandir this day. 
It is also prepared on the day at almost all households and homes. It’s a simple delicacy made out of a batter of soaked rice and coconut and served with toppings of caramelized grated coconut, jaggery or just grated coconut. But it symbolizes a great culture of Odisha. And trust me it tastes great too. 
In rural areas this is more or less observed as an agricultural festival. On this occasion the farmers worship the paddy-fields. After a purifying bath in the morning they go to their respective paddy-fields with Chittau Pitha (Pan Cakes made out of the batter of Soaked rice and grated coconut), flowers, milk etc and pray the fields to yield a good crop.

However it is an important festival in Puri Jagannath Temple.  ‘Chita’ or decorating Lord Jagannath’s forehead with a golden mark is the main ritual of this Amabasya in Puri Jagannath Temple. Chitou Pitha’, a special rice recipe, is offered to Lord Jagannath on this day.

On the other hand Chitalagi Amavasya is observed as Hariyali Amavasya in North India, Chukkala Amavasya in Andhra Pradesh, Gatari Amavas in Maharashtra, Bhimana Amavasyaor Diwasi Gauri Puja in Karnataka.


Wednesday, August 8, 2018

The Unspoken pain!!

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If you can hear the whimper  
Of these suddenly amputated trees
Or the sobs of the cut and separated
Branches that are lying under it
I’m sure you can never cut any relationship, abruptly
That might tear and split the hearts
That remains clueless in the other end

Hurt, broken and ruined, unfortunately!!

ONLY HUMANS CAN HAVE INHUMAN ATTRIBUTES...AT TIMES!!


I know, its a compulsion to cut the wild branches of trees that are grown in and around the human dwelling places given to the risk that the branches can be life threatening at times especially in rainy season when sudden wind and storm is rather expected, but from the point of a TREE,  its one of the most unfair things that's done to it. 
Moreover they are cut suddenly. Isn't in life when we are cut of from some relationships, no matter they are needed or not, we get hurt terribly especially when we are clueless about it?? 
Just Wondered !!! 


















Wednesday, August 1, 2018

LIFE HAS ITS OWN NATURAL WARMTH

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LIFE HAS ITS OWN NATURAL WARMTH
I thought Life is about chasing your dreams
And having mine, I took the trip and tread ahead
On my way I met up wonderful people
But Alas!! I left them at the back instead                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
The sky was filled with melodies of laughter
And the path was adorned with beautiful things
But I choose to ignore and focus on journey instead
In search for SUCCESS – My cherished dream

The journey was long & with companions few
I stepped at the top, thinking of a splendour sight
Alas! It wasn’t at all the land I had in my view
As it seemed to be the land of torn wind chimes

Bewildered, I stood amidst the barren land
Surrounded by leafless trees and flowerless meadows
Suddenly heard I a mysterious voice from back
 “Why Stupid Girl, Why are you Here?”

For SUCCESS – I knew the answer
But I couldn’t utter it…why I wonder
It seemed as if I Chased an illusion
And lost my natural innocence and laughter
The journey had happiness and sorrow
But I chose not to live them in right measure
I felt, reaching destination would be the first
Then I can live and treasure

I was wrong
Since Life is about living the moments
As success or achievement are not the ends
We must walk together and run slow
To Live, Love and Laugh
As Life has its Natural Charm & warmth.