no title

It's a pretty chilly night. We walk down amidst a crowd of orange clad devotees to the shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Shivajinagar.
The path is filled with vendors selling food, mostly 'dil pasand', spices, second hand clothes and toys which exude exciting colourful lights.
It's a fair of its own kind.

Holding a pair of candles planted in a roll of red roses, I walked along the path, with an aura of prayer and faith encompassing me. Putting
my faith in the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I begin to pray for the things I feel I should receive....a good job, a good salary, a
little of this and some more of that and it goes on and on and then .... a sight grips me !

I see a boy of about 10 years, holding in the warmth of his arms, his sister of about 5 years. Their clothes, hair, hands and eyelashes were caked with dirt. Beside them was a little steel saucer, in which was placed a bun and a 1 rupee coin. They sat along the path, nodding off to sleep. No cold, no hunger and no noisy crowd could ever disturb them. It was a sight that could well up anybody's eyes with tears.

Here I was praying for my 'wants' with my parents checking on me every 5 mins to make sure my little sister and me weren't lost in the crowd, and here were these two little impeccable souls who, unmindful of their poverty, found comfort in the warmth of the other. I saw no sign of their parents....I saw no sign of any guardian or caretaker and yet, they slept in peace.

I had nothing to give them.... I couldn't pray anymore.

I looked into the sky filled with lights from the church and the only two words that crossed my mind were "Bless them".

I've heard and read alot about people being inspired about 'deeper meaning of life' and letting go of their wants, whilst coming across experiences that have chisled out a heart of humanity from a heart of greed. It wouldn't make sense unless you'd personally feel the blow of 'the hammer'.

Some of us do alot to make the world a better place....and some of us may find ourselves in the position that I was in.

I couldn't do much that day, except pray. They say that when prayers go up, blessings come down.

I'm grateful and thankful to God for all those who've helped make a difference in the lives of such under privileged children, and for those of us who want to do so much, but do not find ourselves in a position to do so, don't worry.

Your thoughts of wanting to do something for them will churn out a blessing.

Just don't stop the thought.

art attack

Birthday and a Bridge !

inspirations

"Look unto me, not that your cross may shorten,

But because I carry away all your burden"

just a thought

It's good that people don't think like you....It makes 'you' unique !

no title

I forgive,
I move on,

I am happy,

Now I am a promise fulfilled.

I read these lines written, with a black pen, atop a glass slab used to laminate a wooden table at my friend's place.

I woke up today to a cock-a-doodle-doo and the sunshine warming my feet and suddenly this question hit my mind !

If someone were to ask me what good have you learnt from life till date...what would I say ?

I thought ....and I smiled and I said to myself "It's gotta be love".

One of the greatest things that love teaches you to do is to let go and most importantly, to forgive. I may sound like one of those daily philosophers tryin hard to make his point about love and the wonders it can do. Well yeah it can do a lot of wonders...but I don't intend to sound like those enlightened few who've attained salvation in the course of finding beauty and truth .

No.

I'm just a commoner...an ordinary person, trying to make through everyday with what I've been blessed with - a hint of unconventionality.

So I write this, cause I want to share.

I feel like a little rag picker kid who just found a clean empty note book in a pile of garbage and he just wants to give it to a friend who loves to draw, so that he can now draw in a clean book.

I've read alot of quotes about love and forgiveness and moving on and letting go.

Yes, they've been very touching and inspirational.

But 'these' few lines...only these few lines made me understand how worthy forgiveness can make one feel.

Well I agree that it's not the easiest to do...But it's not the hardest thing to do either !

Find something that you genuinely love .... it could your little sister who can make a good meal for all your friends when they drop in, your friends who just have nothing else but ounces of love for you and accept all the bull shit you give them, the way you respect your collection of books, the toy at your window that spins when the wind blows, the wind chime tingling tenderly and reminding you of twinkling stars, the neem tree just outside your window that keeps your room feeling fresh, floors that shine because you've cleaned them, walking on red oxide floors, folding your pants and dipping your legs in a stream whilst disobeying your mom, walking away to explore hither and thither with your 256MB camera phone without paying heed to the ghosts of the afternoon that abide by the lotus lake, the sky and its intriguing hues, knowing that there's a canvas awaiting to serve its purpose, the thought of peacock blues and silvery pea greens and milky whites, the walls of your room painted with earthy creamy coffee chocolate browns, the thought of weird food combinations like mango duet and chicku, a song called way back into love, the little kitty cat which you want to call pussy but you can't cause it sounds odd, the thought of feeling sedated and intoxicated while thinking of that someone special, dreaming of being a good dancer someday...

The world is filled with so much of beauty !

"Run away as fast as u can...as far as u can, without turning back,"they say.

The only thing I did was to keep loving ...this is what taught me that once you begin this act of finding things to love and start linking them up....you can never stop yourself from getting involved in this chain.

You just find no time to be miserabe or hurt anymore...who'd wanna waste those precious moments sulking in the dark corner of one's room while one can take a walk in the drizzle or savour the taste of hot maggi noodles on a rainy day !

No..don't be a hypocrite and wear a fake expression like everything's alright.

Feel the pain. It could be Intense...well, it will be intense.

Don't just leave it to time...do something about it.

But don't run away. Go for it. Conquer it !

Then one morning instead of waking up with a heavy heart and swollen eyes and wet pillow covers...You'll wake up to the cock-a-doodle-doo and the sun warming your toes !

Blasphemy #6

"Why aren't you writing Puttsi ?"
"If tomorrow anyone asks me where I'm working and I say Puttsi...They will not give me girl to marry"

must try

If you are returning home on a hot afternoon and you have to take a BMTC...don't worry .

Find a nice shady seat near the window to get maximum air......especially because you want the wind to play with your hair and take away all your tensions and give you some freshness .

Take out your cell put on the radio....and whilst passing a scenic place .....like a bridge over a lake at K.R.Puram ....make sure you tune into hindi retro numbers....most probably on 101.3 .

You'd actually be caught by coincidence ......cause your favourite number would be playing then !

Retro numbers are good and classic....

If you've ever forgotten how beautiful and meaningful they are ,then this is 'the moment' when you're gonna be listening to every word of that song and savouring it like some rare delicacy !

The melody will take a tour of all your senses ,releasing every ache and most importantly reviving your 'naughty' nature and your bent shoulder !

You'll find yourself involved.....take my word !

It will fill your heart with a whole lot of peace and memories to relive .

You can't help ,but just give in and smile from your heart .

Well it happened to me....and yes ....it was "The Moment" !

Try the Kishore Kumar and Lata combo .....They'll leave you young and full of romance!

just a thought

"They say this and that .

But I don't want to limit your being to my mind !

I don't want to conceptualize...

I don't want to draw a boundary.....

Go free ! "

MUST TRY

Fresh Strawberry Milkshake and Chesse Grilled Sandwich at Casio ,Jeevan Bhimanagar ,Indiranagar

.Made out of luscious juicy strawberries and chilled .....with a string of chocolate designed to garnish your shake and filled in a long narrow glass which is so holdable(..u don't want to let go) .The rim of the glass has a slice of "reddened" strawberry that burts in your mouth, giving you a trailor of what to expect from the milkshake .

The Cheese Grilled sadnwich ,served hot and topped with a hint of butter ,has generous melted cheese that fills your mouth with every bite .The best part are those few bites that emerge tangy becasue of the chat powder sprinked in just the right amount . Innovative I'd say !

Fresh Strawberry Milkshake : Rs.20
Cheese Grilled Sandwich : Rs.25

inspirations

I go to my terrace ,singing a song to the stars .
Thinking....pondering....wondering....wishing....assuming....planning....step by step I climb....stomping my feet to the rhythm in my mind !
I'm pleased with myself....I'm too good at this beat thing !
I can sing to the beat of my stomping feet or my snapping finger or the ticking clock .....and most importantly to the beat of my own "lupp-dupp"(that's the sound of heart beating...for those who didn't care to read it in your biology books !)

"So I can be a singer : I know my voice...I know my parts....I can choose the right songs that compliment my voice.....I close my eyes and let myself sing from within ,at church . People give me a thumb's up when I let my vocal cords do the music .They like it .
I'll be doing what I want everyday of my life !"

But it doesn't sound like the thing I need .

............................................................................................

I look through my album....it's got colours beautifully merged ,one into the other ,on cardboard sheets.....I love glancing through my paintings .
It gives me sense of pride that I have been "chosen" to be gifted with a good sense of colour .
I can mix and splash and add and deepen and intensify .
I'm impressed .

"Imagine this room you can walk into everyday and see reflections of yourself in every handmade work of yours....how you felt whilst working on this splash of green and blue....or that merge of orange and yellow !
It's glorious....
Someday I'll share it with the world .
I'll have exhibitions.
People will simply adore me .I'll sell some .They will buy .
I'll be doing what I want everyday of my life !"

Errr.....I know I need inspiration to come along if I need to paint .
That happens very rarely .
Hence every painting of mine is precious .It has a part of me !
How can I give a part of me to every Tom,Dick and Harry .....worse still ,for a price ?
I'm priceless .
I can give it only to those who consider me the same .
This is out of question !

...................................................................................................

I am adventurous .I love to run.....seriously !
Maybe I'm a bit too healthy to be able to move fast ....but still, I can move .
I love greenery....I love fresh air....I love to breathe and gather the freshness in me .
I love sunrises n sunsets ,streams and unprotected bridges , cliffs and it's edges ,forts and their histories ........

"Photographer then...you've taken few lovely pics .People have acknowledged
it's worth .
Ummm.....Mountaineer ?....You can climb and explore .
Go on undiscovered expeditions .
But.....What about a writer or a poet.......you're not bad....people have appreciated your thoughts .
I'll be doing what I want everyday of my life ! "

Will I..............?!!!!????(that means confusion !)

.................................................................................................

There's an alert bell that suddenly rings......
It's my conscience again...
I've not been paying much heed to it !
I knew the "alert" bell was due sometime......
It's been bugging me with thoughts like :

"You're confused ."
"Take care of this moment and the next moment will be taken care of "
"There's only one way : Forward"
"There's a deeper essence into finding your passion "
"Be the one to lead"
"You as an individual....represent the entire universe .Yes you do....!
You are not just the subset . But the totality of it .
There is a universe called 'you'........
Why the heck would you want to live as just the subset of it .
Singing, painting ,photography ,reading ,writing ,trekking ,drama ,intellect.....whatever it maybe ,is the universe you represent .
It is you ,in whole .
Passion is this 'black hole' into which your entire universe needs to be sucked into .
Passion is that 'one' thing where your wholeness is brought into focus ,to be tested ,to be tried ,to bear .

Once this is understood you live.....
You stop existing .....you begin to live .

You can go deeper trying to find the intricacies of life or just understand that all there is to it is ' living a simple ,yet meaningful life '

That's all.....

Being great neither means ruling the world nor retiring as a sage atop the mystifying himalayas .
You can climb the ladder and keep going higher and higher .
But one day you'd stop and then look down and call 'Hello is anybody watching me.....I'm lonely ....and it's getting cold '.......and there would be no reply....!
And it will hit your being really hard that no one cares cause you never did .
And you'd fall......and what a bad fall that would be !

Go higher if you must.....
But you need to know when it becomes too high and dangerous .

After all we remember legends : People who went beyond,not higher !

The only mantra they followed : Live a simple and meaningful life .
They chose the less travelled path .
They believed .
They let their universe take them through.....

And when you've done that you can jolly well wake up every morning and say :

'I am doing what I want......... everyday of my life !' "


-source : a conscience named johnblack

inspirations

Faith sees the invisible,
believes the incredible
and receives the impossible!


source : mail titled "Why go to church"

just a thought

Sometimes I wonder what Buddha's wife, Yashodhara, would've gone through after she woke up from her sleep only to find her beloved gone....
She's the inspiration to these next few lines....

She cared for him,
Like a sage for his soul,
And now that he was gone,
Whom would she cajole?
She felt incomplete,
No more whole,
Yet, disheartened wasn't she,
Though he had left her,
To find his life's goal,
She understood...
This was how it was meant to be,
She had played well,
Her role.

Woman you are nature in itself !