When he talks everyone listens — magic of Sri Sri Ravi Sanker

Art and Culture

I am yet to meet a saint who is as knowledgeable as Sri Sri Ravi Sanker and who with his simplicity in his mannerisms and talks speak about the truth that  stares in our eyes, but is rejected by our minds or maybe we deliberately reject it because following the path of truth is pretty cumbersome and lonely. Sometimes on the path of truth you have to stand alone (without any human support, but certainly not without HIS support) and fight the demons like alcoholism, addictions, anger, and jealousy among other things.

Ravi Sanker (Art of Living Fame) is one spiritual saint who delivers truth in a simple language that is understood by one and all. He doesn’t beat around the bush and is not scared to call spade a spade. When he speaks people listen and try to follow his advice like a gospel truth because it is indeed…

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Blogging takes a back seat for a while

Numerous reasons — some personal and some professional, as to why blogging takes a back seat for a while. Currently trying to fulfill certain freelancing commitments before I bounce back with loads of posts. I wish I knew how to schedule a post here so that whenever I am busy with something — there is something to be written about through my blog.

In all these commitments I am neglecting my Art and Culture blog and I am feeling really guilty about it.

Book Review: The Guardian Angels

By the look and feel of the book and by the blurb of the book, it did seem cliche love story between the protagonists, however, after reading few pages, it turn out that it is a love story alright but with a difference.

Author Rohit Gore has successfully narrated a story where the bond between a man and a woman is as strong as a bond between two friends of same sex. They both are soul mates and the book is a refreshing change from run of the mill love stories we read and see these days.

Good Job Rohit. The book was really unputdownable in simple words.

This is just a sample review — the detail review will follow soon.

<p style="text-align: left;">The book was received as part of Reviewers Programme on <strong><a href="http://thetalespensieve.com/reviewers-sign-up/">The Tales Pensieve</a></strong>.<strong></strong></p>

Some Random Musings

Tags

random thoughts, Ultimate Blog Challenge

I was just wondering why all the interesting thoughts that would make some excellent posts visit me when I am most incapable of recording them on paper? Yes most incapable – well you see I can’t keep a pen and paper in the washroom now, Can I? Perhaps I can! But then if the washroom is shared one with almost the entire family then keeping a pen and paper becomes difficult. Why you may ask?

For starters, in-laws won’t understand my pressing need to put a pen and paper in the washroom. They will be like what will you do with a pen and paper in the washroom? You are going for a bath and not writing something so please finish the task and come out and then do whatever writing you want to do. Ah! If only you understood my need to have a pen and paper in the washroom so that I may record the chasing thoughts in my brain that play – Catch me if you can – with me in the washroom.

Sitting in a bathtub I imagine all the topics I can and will write on and when I come out the slate is clean maybe not as clean there are some hazy ideas that are left behind, which get cleaned when I get involved in the household work. (boohoo). So this time round I thought why not take a pen and paper with me and record all the thoughts in it and then later on I can develop on them. But then before I could enter the washroom MIL entered and out she came with what is THIS doing HERE? S I am fed up with your things cropping up at unexpected places. Well lady why did you enter the washroom before your turn. Serves you right! The mean streak in me struck its head.

Anyway, so here I was again playing catch n catch with my thoughts while they mocked me, taunted and teased with their presence at the most inconvenient time. So here’s wishing to my success that one day I will capture them and make them my slave.

This post is a part of Ultimate Blog Challenge Day 14

Breast Cancer awareness Day

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Breast cancer facts, Ultimate Blog Challenge

Hi Friends,

During the initial days of my challenge I had done a post on October being the month for  both Breast Cancer awareness and Domestic Violence awareness.  And today I will talk about  couple of scary facts related to Breast Cancer.

It’s a scary fact: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Latinas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You may like to read more about it on this link http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/facts-breast-cancer-awareness-month-article-1.1484085#ixzz2heO4MG9k

While 88% of Hispanic women say they know how to perform a breast self-examination, less than half (45%) do it on a monthly basis, according to a survey released this month by Procter & Gamble’s Latina-focused Orgullosa programme.

You may like to read more about it here:http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/facts-breast-cancer-awareness-month-article-1.1484085#ixzz2heORh1zP

Detecting the early-on can significantly boost your chances for successful treatment, and since October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month, it’s a good time to remember that there are preventative steps that women can take.

Hispanic women are less likely than their non-Hispanic white peers to get breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Interesting and this one needs more research.

Check out this link for more information: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/facts-breast-cancer-awareness-month-article-1.1484085#ixzz2hePBKsyi

This post is a part of Ultimate Blog Challenge Day 13

Still trying to Catch up

Tags

Ultimate Blog Challenge

Hello Friends,

We are almost halfway through the challenge and I am still lagging behind by at least three posts.  How are all of you faring? Let’s share through this post all the challenges each one of us is facing and how we are overcoming it.

Hoping to hear some responses from fellow bloggers on this.

This post is a part of Ultimate Blog Challenge Day 13.

 

 

Navratras and its symbols

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Akhand Jyot, Navratra, UBC

With Navratras almost coming to an end and Dussehra just round the corner, there is no point in writing about various facets of Navratra. However, this is something that really needs a mention during these nine days of fasting, feasting and fun.

Like I said, it is too late to write on Navratras, I am writing on ‘Akhand Jyot’ that is lighted on the first day of the Navrata and thus ensured that it keeps burning continuously for the coming nine days. I will be writing about its significance in detail in the next post.

In addition, the next post will also feature the preparations behind the festival of Dussehra or Vijyadashmi. Watch out for this space.

This post is a part of Ultimate Blog Challenge Day 12.

Bollywood legend was born today

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Amitabh Bachchan, Birthday

Oops! It seems that October is turning out to be month of either birthdays or social causes that are pretty close to my heart. Keeping the tradition of wishing Happy Birthday through my posts to my family and celebrities here’s another one in the list.

Bollywood’s one and only living legend – Amitabh Bachchan or should say the Amitabh Bachchan was born on October 11 to a renowned Hindi poet father Harivansh Rai Bachchan and a social activist mother Teji Bachchan. He has a younger brother Ajitabh Bachchan.

Amitabh Bachchan fondly known as Big B in the industry had faced lots of crisis in his filmy career. It is believed that he was written off by his critiques because of his gawky height and his deep baritone voice. Interestingly, it his deep baritone voice that producers want today for narrating strong messages. I became his fan when I was in fourth standard and saw his movie Don. After watching Don, I requested my dad to show all his earlier movies and that’s how we saw Mr Natwarlal, which was a good light-hearted movie.

Over the years, I saw almost all his movies (though not in theatres). My all time favourite movies of Big B include – Amar Akbar Anthony, Don (I didn’t like the SRK version of the movie. Apologies Farhan Akhtar, the original is a masterpiece) Sholay, Shehanshah, Sharabi among many others.

Today, as he is advancing in his age, he still has that magnetism, which pulls audience to him. His promotion of Gujarat Tourism is priceless. And today through this blog I would like to wish you a very Happy Birthday Sir!

This post is a part of Ultimate Blog Challenge Day 11.

Happy Birthday Shastriji

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Lal Bhadur Shastri, UBC

It is really amazing that we forget the most hardworking national hero – Lal Bhadur Shastri and only remember the Father of the Nation – Mahatma Gandhi on every October 2. However, this year I decided to write something about the forgotten hero – Lal Bhadur Shastri. I know, I know! Most of you will comment that he is not forgotten, just overshadowed by the Father of the Nation. So be it – the overshadowed national hero Lal Bhadur Shastri.

Lal Bhadur Shastri was born on October 2, 1904 in Mughalsarai, United Provinces, British Raj, which is now in Uttar Pradesh, India. In 1920s Lal Bahadur Shastri joined the Indian independence movement and became a loyal follower, first of Gandhi, and then of Jawaharlal Nehru.

Post independence Shastriji joined the Nehru government and became one of Prime Minister Nehru’s principal lieutenants, first as Railways Minister (1951–56), and then in a variety of other functions, including Home Minister. Shastri was chosen as Nehru’s successor owing to his adherence to Nehruvian socialism after Nehru’s daughter Indira Gandhi turned down Congress President K. Kamaraj’s offer of premiership.

Shastriji as Prime Minister continued Nehru’s policies of non-alignment and socialism. He became a national hero following the victory in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965. His slogan of “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” (“Hail the soldier, Hail the farmer”) became very popular during the war and is remembered even today. The war was formally ended in the Tashkent Agreement of January 10, 1966 and on January 11, 1966 he left for his heavenly abode.

Hence today when the entire nation celebrates Gandhi Jayanti, here’s wishing you happy birthday Shastriji. May your soul rest in peace wherever you are.

 P.S. This blog post was meant for day 2 and Day 2 it will remain in UBC.

Happy Birthay Brother

The tenth day of October is the day I was blessed with a brother who is now a renowned personality in US as RJ Sahil. And today here’s a special post to wish him a very Happy wala budday.

…In his various moods

 

Sahil meaning ‘Kinara’ in Hindi was a bundle of joy for his parents, grandparents (maternal and paternal) and his uncles and aunts (maternal and paternal). And with his arrival our gang of four brothers and sisters (two each) was completed. Not knowing at that time that the games that we will be playing in those days will become fond memories of today, binding us with a love so strong that transcends time and distance.

Hence started the fun of waiting for summer vacations, when all of us would be visiting Agra bua and her family and all four of us (mom, dad, brother and myself).

Interestingly, the adults in the family thought that both the As (brother A and sister A) had similar personalities, whereas me and Sahil had similar personalities. And the kind of games we chose also reflected that. Though most of the times, we played outdoor games like Army-Army (coming from an Army background we did have that influence on us) where the war is on and we have to climb obstacles to get our Army post free from the clutches of enemy Army.

We also enacted family dramas like chunni-chunni ( we created our own games and titled them with the first thing that came to our minds). This one inspired from the Pak TV being aired in Amritsar during those days (don’t know if it is still on) but the drama was sort of entertainment for the entire family and we sisters started identifying each other by the names we chose for the drama. So whenever we want to travel to our childhood we use those names and we are drifted to the time when life was nothing but a game.

Today each of us is successful in our own terms and I am really proud of them, however Sahil is the one who has become a celebrity in his own right. He is the RJ of the only Bollywood Internet Radio station in the US — Mera Sangeet and judging by the comments on his FB page quite popular with his female fans. And since today is his birthday here’s wishing you loads of success and happiness. Happy Birthday Brother. Love you