The prompt of Blogchatter under their Bloghop series for the week 29th November- December 5th 2022 was "Are resolutions still valid?"
Any use of new year resolutions?
are resolutions still valid you ask?
wait a minute, what has period to do with it?
It is as valid or as invalid as it used to be!
People laugh, poke fun , have a cheshire smile on face
say, new year resolutions are meant to be broken
yet resolutions help you till such time they are broken!
true for some it's 6 to 8 months, for others just a week or month
yet how will you know your resolve, your willpower
if you haven't tested or started in the first place?
So go ahead make resolutions, monitor them
give them a chance- better still, have them at any time of year
when passion, drive seems to be at its peak
share with a friend, spouse, soulmate
who will support, cajole, reprimand
anything it takes to see you succeed!
After all, "The journey of a thousand miles
begins with one step"!
NB: 1) The quote at the end is that of the great Chinese philosopher Lao Tsu
2) This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop www.theblogchatter.com
Blogchatter under their Bloghop series gave this prompt to write on for the week November 23- 30th 2022. I pondered over the topic. Almost all of us need 'uplifting' these days. What with economic pressures caused by the pandemic, relationship issues, pressure generated by the social media to prove that "You are good enough" and the pressure to be updated or the fear of missing out (FOMO).. We all have our own ways of 'uplifting ourselves". For some it may be shopping while for others it may be going to the movies. Of course, one man's food can be another 's poison as we are all unique. Some solutions can themselves cause problems later on, like binge eating of chocolates or ice cream to beat the blues.
I asked myself "What is it that uplifts me?" The first thing that came to mind was music. I enjoy listening to songs as also singing them. The very activity guarantees a raising of my spirits. I particulary enjoy the genre of "Melodies" though it is fun to listen to various typs of music in many languages. Unlike the present crop of feature films, in the Indian movies of yore we had songs depicting various emotions in the life of the protagonists be it romance, friendship, sadness or hope. We had music having both Indian classical/semi classical and western flavour. It is to the older songs that I looked to mostly to 'uplift' me immediately.
A walk in the park or amidst nature is another sure fire way for me to change states. Movement has been known to have benefits and scientifically proven to release mood enhancing hormones. Add to it the various sights on the way and you find that you feel good already. Unlike as in a gym where you "Work out" for keeping fit, a walk doesn't seem like 'work' but a pleasant activity that brings a feeling of well being. Some people do it with a few friends to obtain the added advantages of socialization.
At one time watching movies used to 'uplift' me. These days, however one finds the plots very predictable. Most of them have a lot of violence and one would think 'normal life' is about crime and criminals all around you. This is when I discovered the Russian movies (dubbed in English) on you tube. They have a lot of dramatic moments, with rural life depicted quite often and a 'feel good ' end in most movies. They remind me of our own movies of fifties, sixties and early seventies when the heroine had meaty roles too. We also get to see older characters like a grandfater or grandmother more often. So there it is, these days I look to Russian movies to 'uplift' me.
Although only three things have been sought in the prompt, other things that uplift me include watching videos or listening to podcasts on spiritual/ New age / NDE (Near death experience) subjects as also practising EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) a tapping thechnique that involves tapping on specific meridian points on one's body.
I enjoyed writing on this week's prompt as it gave me an opportunity to share with my readers tips that work for me, we all need to have in our armour small customized things suitable to our individual needs to keep us uplifted in a world that is becoming increasingly challenging.
At one time, people embraced politics
for social work, social service
solely to serve, improve the lot
of the common masses...
Cut to today and you have career politicians
for whom, it's another way of making a living
a means to become rich and famous
as for service- What's that ? they seem to ask
Ask a politician what he's done, 10 years in power
and he evades, dodges question with remark
"opponants are a bunch of crooks!"
if you persist and ask " But sir, in what way have you served?"
pat comes reply " Remember the other fellow
is not from 'our' community!"
At one time, long long ago
people embraced politics
with a wish, a will to serve....
Bright eyes, a trace of a smile on the lips
hands on his chin sits this youngster
a future citizen of our country!
What can we do to ensure
his smile doesn't turn into a frown
to ensure that his smile gets bigger
and bigger to become a hearty laughter?
What can we do to ensure
that his future is full of possibilities
with opportunities to learn, grow
attain a safe, sound, abundant life?
As Governments are busy with other priorities
We, the citizens of today
need to come out of slumber
take initiative, to ensure a bright future
for those who can take our nation forward
the citizens of tomorrow!
NB: This poem was composed for an Exhibition on Photography Poesia organized jointly by Akashar Art" and World Pictorial Poetry & Art Forum(C). The poet was required to write on any one of the twenty photos presented by distinguished poet and cofee table book specialist Mr Sethi Kishan Chand.
It felt like another tricky # Bloghop prompt for the week . I was wondering how do I address the topic when presto I had it, the one thing I happily bought over the years...
Not being in general, a fan of second hand goods
the topic stumped me for some time...
then the bulb flashed- It's books of course!
one thing the value of which doesn't diminish
by a change of hands...
On the foot paths of Indian cities, small little shops
you can find them all- fiction, nonfiction, text books
romance, crime, management books, you name it!
Some good finds for me, were books
on self help, communication, networking
health tips, Reiki, naturopathy, magnet therapy
spirituality, HR insights, mystery, court room drama...
Apprehensions, doubts, fears of wrong choice
vanish when it's books you are buying!
After all, you know the author and buy
what you relate to, what you love!
a material worth much more than its physical value
to some, simply priceless!
NB: This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop www.theblogchatter.com .
There was excitement in the air! The Kavyakaumudi International multilingual poets group was meeting once again after a gap of six months. It was to be held over four sessions spread over two days 29th and 30 th October 2022. Ours was the first of the sessions at 2PM. Minor technical snags did not deter us from enjoying the virtual company of friends and listening to their wonderful poetry. The program commenced after the greetings of the president Dr Kumud Bala, with a melodious invocation by Ms Krishnapriya. This was followed by the address of chief guest Dr Sigma Satish from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala and Guests of honour, Ms Lucilla Trapazzo from Italy and Ms Jayashree Chari from Nanded, Maharashtra. The gist of their talk is given in the video at the bottom in which I had proposed a vote of thanks.
Ms Padmavati.S in her poem exhorted humans to get back to selflessness from the present state of selfishness. Dr ShashiRekha Reddy spoke in the voice of an earthern pot saying she, the pot is here to provide relief from the harsh heat of the sun and that she may be handled with care by the lady holding her. Mr Akash Naik's Gujarati poem was on the 'rope', the never ending cycles of life. Dr Shami Naaz 's poem was about a conversation between her and the moon that gives solace and comfort. Ganesh Chandra Bisnoi's Odia poem spoke about nature, the storehouse of beauty.
Dr Kavita Singh in her poem discussed the importance of spreading " मुट्ठी में प्रकाश" ie "a fistful of light" everywhere so that life can be a delight. Ms Hayat Afza's poem discusses the plight of a person who has lost his life partner and feels all alone (कितना अकेला हो गया हूँ मैं). Ms Sudipta Mishra in her poem gave a call to end oppressive acts and to all 'wrongs' in society. In her poem "If", Dr Manjula Asthana urged listeners to look at the brighter side of situations and not be worried about worldly appreciation.
Ms Lilla Latus from Poland batted for world peace taking the instance of boys engaged in "game of war", noting that war is embedded in their minds from childhood. Ms Rashmi Chaudary's Odia poem was on destiny. Ms Pushmaotee Subrun discussed the 'Deepavali' festival where there is triumph of "good over evil". My poem titled "On men and women" talks about both the sexes having become a lot more self absorbed in the present times. You can listen to the poem in the video. Finally, Dr Kumud Bala recited her poem "I am an earthen lamp" ( मिटटी का दिया ) which brings light and happiness to others even if going through fire and pain during the process of being made.
कारीगर का कई घंटों की मेहनत,
प्यार से, बनती है घड़ा
उसी को तोड़ सकता है
एक ही क्षण में ...
एक संस्था का निर्माण में
सालों लगता है ....
तोड़ने में, कुछ ही दिन !
तोडना, कितना आसान
और जोड़ना कितना मुश्किल!
टूटे चीज़ जोड़ने पर भी
पहले जैसा नहीं होता
बाहर से ठीक लगने पर भी
सालों लगता है
अंदर की घाव भरने ...
तो मित्रों , सावधान!
तोड़ने से बचे रहो , और हमेशा
जोड़ने में लगे रहो !
राजीव मूतेडत
The weekly prompt of Blogchatter under their Bloghop series was to write about 'your favourite piece of content' that impacted life in a big way. I have been drawn to the so called "Self improvement" books right from a young age. Perhaps, it has to do with a little book I received as a prize in an elocution competition at school titled "Success in 30 days". Its content was motivating with plenty of quotes and stories of "Successful"people from all over the world. If I remember correctly, the tips in the book included discipline, hard work and perseverance.
It was much later that I came across the book with the "Favourite piece of content" titled "The Power of the Subconscious Mind" by Dr Joseph Murphy. I was bowled over by the contents as it revealed the secret that If we learn to tap into the power of the subconscious mind, "whatever it is we want" in life will automatically be delivered by it easily and effortlessly .
It is a lot more difficult and painstaking job to convince the conscious mind to do our bidding. As for example, we know consciously that it is good for us to get up early in the morning and go for a jog of 45 to 60 minutes. We try to convince the conscious mind repeatedly to stand by us in our mission. Yet, when the alarm rings, the hand unconsciously moves to 'snooze' button and we go back to sleep for "some more time". When the same message is given to the subconscious mind (in an alpha/ meditative state), it makes it happen auto pilot .
"The law of attraction" which has gained a lot of currency in recent times operates on the same principle. The content in " The Power of the subconscious Mind" gives us information as to how we can use this power for healing (physical & mental), attracting happiness, money, good relationships, peace & harmony . The subconsious mind also comes to our aid for taking difficult decisions effectively in our best interests. I am sharing below the following para from the book which talks about "How to receive guidance from your subconscious mind".
" When you have what you term a "difficult decision" to make or when you fail to see the solution to your problem, begin at once to think constructively about it. If you are fearful and worried, you are not really thinking.True thinking if free from fear.
Here is a simple technique you can use to receive guidance on any subject. Quiet the mind and still the body.Tell the body to relax; it has to obey you. It has no volition, initiative or self conscious intelligence.Your body is an emotional disk which records your beliefs and impressions..Mobilize your attention:focus your thought on the solution to your problem. Try to solve it with your consious mind.Think how happy you would be with the perfect solution. Sense the feeling you would have if the perfect answer was yours now. Let your mind play with this mood in a relaxed way; then drop off to sleep. When you awaken and you do not have the answer, get busy about something else.Probably when you are preoccupied with something else, the answer will come into your mind, like toast pops out of a toaster."
NB: It is to be noted that we drop naturally into an alpha state twice in 24 hours- (1) at night, just before drifting into the sleep state and (2) in the early morning just before coming out from sleep to awake state. At other times we can attain this state through self hypnosis/ meditation.
The readers would have understand by now as to why the content of this book captivated and made a deep impression on me. There is so much to learn from it that one would do well to revisit the book often to derive maximum benefit. A lot of my approach to life has been molded by this "favourite content". So there it is, I have responded to the prompt - " My favourite piece of content that left a deep impression on me and my life".
This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop www.theblogchatter.com .
The weekly prompt of Blogchatter under their bloghop series was to write about a conversation with your diary. So here goes...
" Hi, How do you do? I have been trying to speak to you for the last couple of days. But you have been ignoring me."
" Well you had forgotten that I even existed. You think of me now, after so many years simply because Blogchatter has asked you to talk to me. You are what they say in Hindi "Matlabi (an opportunist) !"
" Really sorry about that, dear diary. You have always been a wonderful companion - solace in difficult times and a joy while recording and reading about the good times."
" so then, why did you ignore me for so long?"
"Look, I didn't do it intentionally and you know that. I remember I first turned to you in the year 1983 on the advice of Prof Sreenivasan, an author who said "Rajeev, keep an account of whatever happens in your daily life. You can revisit it periodically to gain insights." I followed that advice for some time and then the rumble and tumble of working in a corporate took over and there was no time to write diaries.
" Now, don't give excuses. You stopped writing around the time you got married and started a family."
" Well, ok that also added to the problem of becoming busy and not finding time to write."
" Yet, you turned to me once again years later when working for Hyundai Motor India Ltd."
" Ah, yes. I resumed writing once again when a trainer friend presented me a diary with a title on the cover that read "The Book of Happiness". She suggested recording in it all happy instances and incidents that occured everyday. It was in that phase that I was associated a lot with you. I also enjoyed recording about the official trip to US for the Hyundai Global L&D meet at the Alabama plant . I continued enaging with this avatar (version) of yours until you almost ran out of pages. Guess, we should not give a break to the activity. If you do that, lethargy sets in. "
" Would you like to share with readers some of the things you had recorded on my pages?"
" Oh sure, here is an account of a work day as HOD of Learning & Development department in Hyundai.
8/7/20011
Today I took the Law of Attraction (LOA) class for the Graduate Engineering Trainees. It was a big hit. One of the participants, Sriman came and told me during break that he earnestly believed that this input will open doors and provide solutions for the difficulties he faced in achieveing goals. I told him that I could teach him EFT (Emotional freedom technique) to remove the blocks and doubts to enable practising of LOA without hurdles. He was very enthused by the offer and said he would give up his lunch to learn it. Seeing his enthusiasm, I requested the faculty of the session before lunch on 'security' to grant him permission to leave half an hour earlier during which time I taught Sriman EFT. He was very happy and so was I.
On returning home at night , I watched the Airtel Star singer musical competition program on Vijay TV. I was happy to learn that the judges had decided not to eliminate any contestant after the "Devotional songs" round. All the kids had sung very well and deserved to be retained.
Now a page on the US visit to our Alabama plant.
6/10/2011
On the second day of the conference, we visited the factory and were taken on a tour of the plant by Mr Tim of Public relations department. An exserviceman, he was superb in his presentation with a high level of clarity and quality of language. We went through the plant on a moving vehicle and could see the employees at work. One interesting thing we noticed was that, unlike as in India there were a good number of women employees (strong & well built) working on the shop floor engaged in activities requiring physical exertion. Tim urged us to wave to the employees and call some of them by name. Many waved back at us and we cheered calling out loudly "Go Hyundai!" Later, we had a group photo with the head of the plant.
Subsequently, we went to the training center and made our presentations about the learning & development activities of our respective home units. During discussion, the concept of AI (Appreciative inquiry) and sharing of positive stories came up. I articulated my own understanding of AI in simple and clear terms.My presentation on the GHRDS implementation was well appreciated. I also gave my views on the exhibits in the 'Gallary walk' and thoroughly enjoyed the process. During the two days we spent at the Alabama plant, I learnt to say "My name is Rajeev" in Portuguese from one of the delegates.On the last day we returned from the plant straight to the 'Country club' for an elaborate, finale dinner. This time the car was driven by Nancy who shared her experiences of working for Hyundai and life in America. It was a nice, rewarding experience conversing with her.
" Look at the amount of impact I had made in your life- capturing the key moments of your life on my pages! "
" So true dear diary. I have resolved to not let go of you, from now on . I plan to make you an indespensible part of my life."
"Hey thanks. Only I hope you keep your word this time and not get lost in, as you say "the rumble and tumble of day to day life."
She smiled at him every day at
the office giving him those special glances. He liked her too, yet checked
himself from responding.
One day, he took courage,
smiled back and asked her whether she would join him for lunch at 2 PM at the
restaurant in the next building. She nodded happily.
She waited for him from 1.45PM. But even after
the clock struck 2.30 PM, there was no sign of him. He had got cold feet. We
are living in “dangerous times” he thought - too many hassles in the
proposition. After all, they belonged to different communities...
Was it a person or book that said
"Women are from Venus and
men from Mars" ? Never mind, as in spite of
differences, the sexes have managed to be together!
Even as, "familiarity breeds contempt"
the genders have managed to hold on ...
embracing the quote " familiarity breeds concern"
Yet, modern living has made both
a lot more self absorbed, more demanding
seemingly declaring " I will give you love & respect
only after you give it to me first"
the universal law though, reminds us
"If you want something, give it "
I recited the poem at the Kavyakaumudi International multilingual poets group meeting on 29th October 2022 and also proposed a vote of thanks.
The weekly prompt of Blogchatter under their Bloghop series was to write either on ( a) Basic aspects of an 'ideal' blog or (b) One personal milestone that you are proud of. I pondered over the choices and felt that the former would mean giving tips for ideal blogging. There is plenty of material already out there giving advice on the subject. I therefore thought I would write about the 'personal milestone'.
However, on pondering further I realized that an important milestone for me was completing 10 years of consistent blogging - to be alive and engaged in the activity even after so many years. I say this because when I started blogging in 2012, there were many bloggers whose work I got to read, appreciate and admire in the blogger's community, Indiblogger. Yet, today barring a few, their writing is no longer visible in the blogging world. It does no good to "start with a bang and end with a whimper". I see this post as an opportunity to simply share my journey so that readers can take away whatever they find suitable or appropriate to their situation.
I first started with a professional blog in prose titled "HRDian Speak" wherein I shared my experiences working as an HR executive in various roles and areas such as learning and development, industrial relations and corporate policy. This was soon followed by another blog (called Spontaneous Overflow) for creative writing featuring more of poetry and a little of prose ( interviews, short stories and articles). Subsequently, I started a blog for writing exclusively corporate poetry. One matter of satisfaction is that I have been writing consistently. Moving from one blog to another with varied subject matter (switching from prose to poetry and viceversa) gives me the variety and freedom from monotony.
One of the guiding thoughts for me in all these years was to write what I enjoy. I was not looking for things to write simply because it is the 'hot cake' subject of the day. It had to be on something that I believed in and my thoughts are unambiguously expressed irrespective of whether or not it is the current popular view. The material in my blog served as fodder for writing my maiden book " Straight from the Heart- Thoughts and Experiences of an HR Professional". This was followed by the book "Corporate poems- Straight & Simple" which also found ready material in my blogs. Taking part in the A2Z challenge of Blogchatter for two years provided the material for two more books- "Random Thoughts on random words" and "26 Verses and 26 prose notes on 26 lofty topics."
Consistent blogging for ten years has meant that I can bring out more books as and when I choose to do so. Having said that, I must confess that my focus has been mainly on the writing and not building a solid readership base with SEO and other digital marketing techniques. So much so, readers come and go and I have been happy if I my readers can relate to or benefit from the blog. A reader, Ankit Sharma had written to me thus and I incorporated it in the blurb of my maiden book " At one time, I did not end my day without reading Mr Rajeev's articles in his blog, searching for new topics and concepts in HR. I found him a good motivator and coach, guiding young professionals to excel in their career." To me, it has always been about the relevant people finding and benefiting from my blog rather than having a huge number, giving a thumbs up to a material they haven't cared to read.
As a blogger, my priority is to post my work in my blog. When you send your poems/writing to anthologies, there could be a delay of months between the creation and the actual publication as time is required for compilation and completing the process of publication. Therefore, I choose the few anthologies to which to contribute in a year. The USP in all my writing, be it professional prose articles or poetry, is to keep it simple. Using a lot of jargons may give an impression of the writer being a knowledgeable intellectual. I prefer though to sacrifice that for clarity and easy understanding of my readers.
Looking back, I have a sense of satifaction based not necessarily on the popular or societal criteria but my own criteria of success- After all, it is no mean matter to write consistently for a decade and have readers who can relate to what you have to say...
NB: This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop www.theblogchatter.com .
On a given day, someone or the other
is happy with you or annoyed with you
for what you did or didn't do...
Looking to others for approval
all the time, to determine your state of happiness
is so Yo Yo, - such a draining experience!
Letting the internal signals, rather than the outside
provide feedback on our contentment, well being
letting them be the guiding light, for way forward
makes life so simple, uncomplicated..
All else can be misleading
too much effort for a mirage
when love, peace of mind
was always there, inside of us
quietly waiting to be discovered...
:NB This poem has been included in the international anthology "Kaleidoscope" published by International culture center, Kolkatta.
I dream, you dream,
we all dream
yet our dreams so different
some so narrow- dreams for just
self and immediate environs
Other dreams a little wider
encompassing welfare of the village
state, nation or region
when will the dreams though
merge so as to encompass everyone
and not be in conflict with one another?
When will all dreams
of the entire world
be in harmony
when dream of one does not mean
disaster for another..?
Like when a country attacks another
for territory, establish superiority
to cause physical destruction
and loss of precious lives
dream of one fulfilled at the expense
of shattered dreams of million others!
How about a huge wholesome dream
encompassing dreams, aspirations of everyone
when, even when you dream
and do things for your benefit
it benefits other people as well
Like a realized dream of scientific invention
bringing fame to you, relief to mankind
fulfilled entrepreneur dream
providing accomplishment to you
and jobs to many
wholesome dreams, not in conflict
but complementing each other
May the humans of future, live lives
they were meant to live
may they have wholesome dreams
be happy and merge into the happiness
of all living beings...
NB: This poem has been included in the anthology "Dream poetry-Restore space" brought out by the Soul Scribers Society during the Yercaud poetry Fest.
My name is Nithin . This happened five years ago when I was twelve years old and studying in the eighth standard in the Maharishi public school in Mysore. My father works for the state electricity board. We have been living in our traditional ancestral home for generations. School students were having summer vacation at that time. I was sitting on the doorstep in front of our house reading a new adventure book written by Enid Blyton. Although most of my friends loved Harry Porter, I somehow liked the Enid Blyton books to which my father had introduced me.
Then it happened. Timmy, our desi mongrel started barking excitedly. He was scratching at a freshly dug pit. Perhaps the gardener who visits us once a week had not completed his work, when he left the prevous sunday. I kept my book aside and ran to Tim. He continued with his excitement and pulled out part of what looked like a medium sized box. Mother was busy in the kitchen, father had gone to work and sister to visit her friend. I was the only one around. I picked up the box which had already attracted my interest due to the intricate design on the top that glowed through the mud all over. As I opened the box, I was blinded by the gleaming jewels that included beautiful stones like gems, rubies, daimonds apart from gold!
It took me a while to get over the shock and surprise. I decided to put it back in the pit and cover it with some waste materials. I would need to consult father as to what to do next. I went back to my place at the door step and picked up the book again. But now, I was not able to concentrate. My mind was racing away with all kinds of thoughts. I was wondering to myself. Our ancestral house has existed for long, with years of history. Perhaps it was previously a part of the huge palace grounds of yore. I tried to imagine what the owner of this lovely jewel box looked like.
My mind soon travelled to the interiors of the palace and the chamber of a 20 year old young, delicate princess. There she was standing before the mirror trying out various combinations of her dazzling jewelry. Oh how lovely she looked! She was admiring her own beauty and lovliness in the mirror when a masked man entered the room . He had a scarf which he used to quickly cover her face from behind. It all happened in split seconds. The princess was smothered and roughly pushed on to the bed. The masked man quickly picked up the box and ran outside.
In his hurry and excitement, he seems to have stumbled attracting the attention of the guards. The guards noticed and started chasing the masked man who fled with a fluency as if he was familiar with the turf of the palace. He quickly disappeared at a curve and resurfaced at the corner of the huge garden. Perhaps, he had planned it in advance. He quickly dropped the box, covered it unnoticed and ran to the posterior side of the palace. He has run backside! Get him! Get him, Get him! my mind screamed to the guards.
"Being holidays I have been letting you sleep a little longer. But 9.30 in the morning and still sleeping!" I heard my mother's chiding voice from far away and felt the pain of the cane on my body. "Go brush your teeth. Everyone has had their breakfast and left for the day" she said.
Journeying upwards, higher and higher
even as people, buildings, bridges
become smaller and smaller
to the size of tiny toys
and I view down from the vantage point
from up above through the clear blue sky
I notice, see them all
tiny humans with puffed up egos
believing the whole world
revolves around them
that all else exist for their pleasure
Other humans plotting and planning
for success any which way
be it by spewing hate, massacring others
anyone and anything seen as a threat
oblivious to the fact that they themselves
are transient beings, destined to leave
earth when their time comes...
How interesting this view
from the vantage point high above
to see all creatures big and small
maneuvering, striving hard for survival
yet none so vile as the humans!
Despite the blessing of intellect
reasoning and intuition they sadly
are unable to recognize the oneness
the unity of the universe...
Unable humans are, to live sans conflict
unable to recognize the truth
that everything is meant to coexist
that all beings, fauna and flora
are just perfect in their own place!
NB: This poem has been included in the anthology "Dream poetry-Restore space" brought out by the Soul Scribers Society during the Yercaud poetry Fest.
"Tiny Tot in Thoughts" is a book of 25 poems written by eleven year old Sannidhi Kulkarni.The foreword of the book is written by author and academic incharge of Soundrya Central school , Bangalore Ms Sreekala.P. Vijayan and the lovely cover design is by Motivational Strips. A winner of "Grow your Buds Poerty" competition organized by Motivational Strips, Sannidhi has written on diverse subjects including those on which you may not expect a eleven year old to write.
As for example, her book starts with the poem " Do we really have independence?" and answers it saying"not everyone has independence". She, interestingly connects independence to the "confidence level" of citizens of a bright future. Sannidhi concludes "few have confidence". Similarly in her poem "Peace", she gives her own interpretation of peace. She says peace is about "having fun, enjoying things, sharing knowledge," Interesting take, yet so true isn't it? Could we have all these things in the absence of peace or when at war, as in the case of Ukraine presently? Sannidhi says peace should be the goal of your life.
She also writes on 'Trust', 'Bigotry', 'Friendship', 'Space', 'Travel in time machine', 'Choice', 'Discrimination' . Other poems reveal the simplicity and wonder of a child as in 'School', 'A pleasant morning', 'Nature', 'Dancing in the rain', 'Bad dream' 'My new dress'. Thus there is an interesting mix of poems in the book "Tiny Tot in Thoughts". You come across lofty thoughts like "Form of life may be different, but from heart we are the same...." in the poem "Discrimination" and "When the blood color is same, then why bigotry?" in the poem by the same name.
The poem titled "I am " has a picture below it with the question "Who am I". I was surprised on reading the title marvelling at a eleven year old addressing spiritual questions like "Who am I ?". It turned out that the poem was simply about her being a different person to different people- " an astronaut" to her dad, a "helpful person" to family, "shining queen" to sister. An interesting poem in itself.. That then, is the beauty of this book that touches on a wide array of topics of interest to a child as well as adult. Do not be misled by the title. She is no 'tiny tot' in terms of her observation skills and approach to life. The book is testimony to that.
We can look foward to Sannidhi blossoming into a socially concerned wonderful poet in the days to come! I wish the child poet Sannidhi Kulkarni the very best. It was a pleasure reading and reviewing her book!
Book Details
Title: Tiny Tot In Thoughts
Publisher: Evincepub Publishing
ISBN: 978-93-5446-869-8
Price: INR 140
The Blogchatter prompt for this week under their #BlogchatterBlogHop series ,"One Law you wish to implement and everyone has to follow it" sounds in a way strange. One would have thought that when something is law, "everyone has to follow it." After all it is the basic principle in law that "ignorantia juris non excusat" meaning ignorance of a law is no excuse or defence. As for example, I cannot go into one way road and say "Sorry, I was not aware of it". Yes, in principle, laws are meant to be jolly well followed!
However, I suppose the #BlogHop prompt has a point particularly with respect to a country like India. As for example, there is a legislation called the "Dowry prohibition Act 1961". From the way it is observed in the county, it would appear that no such act exists or ever existed. Neither is the groom's family ashamed to ask for dowry nor the bride's family willing to evoke the 'Dowry prevention Act' to penalize them for demanding it. The Scheduled caste and Scheduled tribe (Prevention of Atrocities Act) 1989 does not deter atrocities being commited, particularly in the rural areas of the country. All this tends to suggest that if the society is not simultaneously educated and the majority of the citizens do not become aware of the need and importance of the law, no amount of legislation would make any difference.
Against this background, I would like at the outset to place on record a word of caution. The law that "I wish to implement" is unlikely to work on the strength of arm twisting or persuasion alone. A lot of education is necessary about the advantages in terms of physical and mental well being of the citizens on the implementation of the law. So much so, the well informed citizens will not have a feeling "I have to follow it", instead they would tell themselves "I want to follow it". Put simply, the law I wish to implement stipulates that anyone stepping out from his/her residence for the day shall smile for the first fifteen minutes- a warm, sincere smile shall be directed at anyone and everyone whom the citizens come across during the fifteen minutes. This means a smile goes to the person irrespective of him/her being a friend or foe, a rich man or a beggar, an educated person or a simpleton.
It has been said that "Your smile is the most important thing you wear". You have heard the Joe Goodwin lyric "When you are smiling, the whole world smiles with you!" Further, it has been said tht it takes 43 muscles to frown while you only need 17 muscles to smile. Therefore, with less effort you have and generate happiness as against the negative experience caused by frowning that requires more effort.
This law that I am contemplating could lead to making more friends, even amongst total strangers! There would be no awkwardness; after all it is the law of the land. Smiles touch the many cells of our body in a beneficial way meaning physical and mental well being. Smiling provides a mood boost and helps our body to release cortisol and endorphins leading to lower blood pressure, enhanced endurance, reduced pain & stress, and strengthened immune system.
So then what are we waiting for? Are our leaders willing to take the challenge of educating the common man ? Are our legislators listening? Oh, I guess they will pay attention only and when the treasury and opposition benches stop seeing each other as enemies and perceive the nation as the first priority. This again could happen only after they are done with howling and shouting at each other to their heart's content in the "temples of democracy".
The distinguished You tuber Rashi Roy who has done a good deal of interviews of authors in her You tube channel interviewed me to elicit more about my E book "26 verses and 26 prose notes on 26 lofty topics" published by Blogchatter.
The Blogchatter prompt for this week under their #BlogchatterBlogHop series was to write on your favourite character. When I look back to my childhood, it is evident that after the initial "love for the comics", it was Enid Blyton books that attracted my attention. Amongst her many types of books for children, it was specifically the mystery series featuring the 'Five find outers' which was my favourite. Infact, some of her books for smaller children featuring creatures like elves, gnomes, goblins etc, came to my notice only after I had discovered the 'Five find outers'. Later I got to know of other characters like in the adventurous "Famous Five" and secretive "Secret seven" series. Yet, for me it was the five find outers who were the best!
The five find outers are Fatty, Larry, Daisy, Pit, Bets and the dog Buster. The character I loved most was that of Fatty. Now, there must have been an additional reason for my love of the leader of the five find outers, the key brain instrumental in solving many cases like the "Mystery of the disappearing cat" and "Mystery of the strange bundle." As a child I was on the plump side and tended to be a butt of jokes amongst classmates at school and remarks at home. Yet, here was Fatty, a hero who was looked up to with admiration by his entire team of find outers! His body, rather than being a handicap was an advantage when he wanted to disguise himself as a beggar or older person.
Changing into my favourite character would mean going back to the carefree days of childhood. It would also mean engaging in some exciting activities of investigation. Unlike an adventure series, the find outers are required to solve mysteries by looking for clues and using the grey matter a lot. It also involves getting into some tough, at times dangerous situations as well. This can be thrilling and exciting! We would be looking forward fondly to our summer holidays for reunion, bonding and another mystery to solve. We would also enjoy the mouth watering food that Enid Blyton described so eloquently- pies, sausages,chocolates, jam tarts, ginger beer and many more!
Slipping into the character of Fatty would give me an opportunity to play leader and develop leadership skills. It would be fun to plan, taking inputs from each member of the team including that of Bets who tends to be bypassed by others as she is the youngest. I would love to disguise myself as many interesting personalities while on an investigative journey. Yes, the character that I would love to change into if that would be possible is that of Frederick Algernon "Fatty" Trotteville! I would love to give the village policeman Mr Goon a run for his money one more time!
All of us would like an Utopian world
Mostly, our idea of an utopian world
yet, no one wants the responsibilty to make or build it.
who then will bell the cat?
what if one mans's utopia is another's dystopia?
Most people would want their Utopia
to house only people whom they like
how about, one in which different views can be heard
where we can agree to disagee without being disagreeable?
An utopia where everyone has oppotunities to live, thrive
where there is no need for anger, worry
everyone living in an attitude of gratitude, in abundance
everyone earning their bread honestly, having compassion for all
showing love and respect for every living being...
Now, wouldn't that world be a grand utopian world?
The Blogchatter prompt for the week invites us to choose between visiting the satellite, moon and the planet Mars. Being a satellite of our planet Earth, it is the moon that has been closer to us humans in many ways. It has fascinated lovers, poets and writers since time immemorial. Lovers have often compared their beloved to the lovely full moon as in the popular Hindi song "Chaudvin ka chand ho". The moon has also been a big hit with children. He is often referred to as 'uncle'. Mothers feed fuzzy children showing them the fascinating moon in the sky. In fact, we even had a popular childrens' magazine titled "Chandamama". At this time of our discussion, Man has managed to set foot on the moon. There has also been expeditions to Mars including India's own Mars orbiter mission(MOM) inserted into Martian orbit on September 24, 2014. The NASA is under presidential orders to land humans on Mars by 2033.
Today, the world is witness to private space travel. In July 2021, Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder boarded along with other humans, the first private travel operated by the manufacturing and spaceflight company Blue Origin. Such travels into space is likely to increase in the days to come. Therefore the significance of the weekly prompt of Blogchatter. Yet, even as I was contemplating on the topic, a thought came to me, "Hey, I am yet to explore the vast areas and beauty of our own blue planet." There are so many countries and geographies that I have never set foot on. Then another thought followed in quick succession. "Why, I have not even visited the length and breadth of my own beautiful country!" After all, there is so much of diverse terrains in India be it the planes, mountains , valleys and in terms of climate from the very cold icy Himalayas to the hot and sultry climate across the country.
I have not visited many places in my own home state of Kerala referred to as "God's own country". I am yet to visit the forests of Thekkady, watch the spectacular 'Trissur pooram' , tea gardens of Munnar or the boat races of Alapuzha.
From Tamilnadu, the grand temples in Trichy, Chidambaram, Madurai, Rameshwaram and many more beckon, inviting me to explore the great culture of ancient times as also the exciting hill stations like Kodaikanal, Conoor and Kuttalam (Have mentioned here only places not yet visited).
Altough Karnataka is the place of my residence for a long time, there are many beautiful places I am yet to explore like the lovely Coorg tea estates, Chickmagalur (called coffee land of the state), pristine beaches in Karwar North Karnataka, wild life at Nagarhole and Bandipur National parks .
In the state of Andhra Pradesh, I am yet to visit SriKalahasti temple, Talakona water falls, the cultural capital Rajhmundry, heritage sites of Lepakshi & Gandikota, port city of Vizag and many more lovely places.
The many unexplored places for me in the state of Maharashtra include the historically enticing Ajanta and Ellora caves, exciting hill stations like Mahabhaleshwar, Lonavala, Panchgani, Lavasa and Khandala, adventerous wildlife in the form of National parks in Tadoba, Chandoli Gugamal, Sanjay Gandhi National park (between Mumbai & Thane), Agha Khan palace & Shaniwar Wada in Pune, Raigad fort, Jaigad fort, Elephanta caves and many more.
From Gujarat, the magnificiant Jain temples atop the Shatrunjaya hills beckon. Similarly, Champaner Pavagadh Archelogical park, Sun temple Modhera, Rani ki Vav (step well of queen) in Patan, architecture brilliance of the colourful Sidhpur, Idar hill fort, Polo forest, Gir National park, Indo-Islamic architecture of Junagadh, Somnath temple, the ancient city of Dwarka and modern attractions like Statue of unity, all look invitingly and seem to say "come and explore me..."
Further up, in Rajastan, there are the grand palaces that I have never visited in the pink city of Jaipur. I haven't been to the city of lakes, Udaipur, or the Golden city of Jaisalmer with its golden dunes, ornate temples & havelis. The blue city of Jodhpur, Bikaner, the cultural paradise of magnificient architecture, Ranthambore tiger reserve, Puskar temple and Mount Abu, the only hill station of the state are all places that I am yet to visit in my beautiful, diverse country.
In Madhya Pradesh, I am yet to visit the UNESCO World heritage site of Khajuraho with its stunning carvings on temple walls, the hill top fort of Gwalior, grand palaces and intricately carved temples of Orchha, the National parks like Kanha, Pench & Bandhavgarh, the holy city Omkareshwar & Ujjain, the Buddhist monuments of Sanchi and many more.
In the state of Uttar Pradesh, I have visited the iconic monument,Taj Mahal. But there are so many other wonderful places that I have not visited like the world's oldest living city Varanasi, ancient cities of Mathura and Vrindavan on the banks of river Yamuna, the triveni sangam at Alahabad (now, Prayagraj), city of Fathepur Sikhri (predominantly made of red sand stone), other sacred cities/places like Ayodhya, Chitrakoot and Vindhyachal. I have not seen the National Chambal wild life sanctuary, Bara Imambara, Dashashwamedh ghat, Buddhist pilgrimage site of Kushinagar and many more attractive places in the state.
Similarly, I have never been to the state of Punjab meaning I have not visited the first planned city of the country Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab and Haryana, with its wide roads and clean environment, the golden temple in Amritsar, or other major cities like Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bhatinda, Pathankot, Kapurtala etc. with a lot of cultural heritage These cities are well known for their forts, Gurudwaras, temples, lakes, Zoos and parks.
In Haryana, the historical cities of Kurukshetra, Panipet, Ambala and Hisar are yet to be visited by me. The Pinjore gardens, Morni hills (only hill station in the state), monuements in Sonipat, the lakes and Raja Nahar Singh palace of Faridabad are all major attractions of the state.
There are many places in the East that I am yet to see. In Bihar, I am yet to vist the capital, the ancient city of Pataliputra (Patna) with its glorious past or the Buddhist pilgrimage site of Bodh Gaya, Nalanda the place of academic excellence in ancient times or Vaishali,the revered Hindu, Buddhist and Jain worshiping site. I have not visted Madhubani the art & cultural center famous for the renowned Madhubani paintings, Navlakha palace, Tomb of Sher Shah Suri, Jal Mandir, Mundeshwari temple and many more exciting places in Bihar.
Although I have visited the capital city of Kolkotta in Bengal, I am yet to visit many lovely and exciting places like the hill station Darjeeling, Sundarbans National Park (boasts of biggest mangrove forest in the world, home of royal Bengal tigers), Rabindranath Tagore's Shantiniketan, Terrkota temples in Bishnipur, natural beauty of Purulia/ Malda/Kurseong and many more enchanting places and pilgrimage spots.
I have never been to the state of Odisha meaning I haven't visited the capital city of Bhubaneswar, known for its architechture and grand temples. The other important places I would love to visit are the Jaggannath temple in the beach city of Puri, the sun temple at Konark (a UNESCO world heritage site), Cuttack (the cultural capital of state), the coastlines like Chandipur & Gopalpur, lush green forests & rich wild life of Sambalpur, silk city Berhampur, Tikarpada wild life sanctuary, Chilika lake and many more exotic places.
There is so much to be seen in the the north eastern states like the Kaziranga National Park & other national parks, Kamakya temple, Panimoor falls etc. in Assam, Tsomgo lake in Gangtok, Sikkim, Naga heritage village & Kohima war cemetry in Nagaland, Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh, Nohkalikal falls in Meghalaya, Lokhatak lake in Manipur, Tripura Sundari Temple and Ujjayanta palace in Tripura, Vantawng water falls & Phawngpui National park in Mizoram, the lovely waterfalls and elegant Jain temples in Jharkhand.
The hill states lure us with exotic destinations like Kullu and Simla in Himachal pradesh and Nainital & Mussorie in Utharakhand. Finally I would like to mention the place often refered to as "Paradise on Earth" that I have never visited- Jammu and the Kasmir valley. In the movies of the sixties, we have seen the striking beauty of Kashmir with beautiful lakes, gardens and Shikaras (Life boats). Dal lake, Tulip garden, Shalimar Bhag, Nigeen lake, Chashma Shahi garden are some of the many attractions of the state, amply blessed by nature.
Now to come back to our Blogchatter prompt- "Would you rather Visit Moon or Mars?". It is indeed exciting and adventerous to engage in space travel to unknown, mysterious places. However, I would first savour the beauty in my own backyard firstly my exotic and beautiful country and then our own blue planet before undertaking journey elsewhere. Would I ever go on a visit to the moon? Yes, perhaps in another lifetime. But for now, I have plenty on my plate!
The latest weekly prompt for the " Blogchatter Blog Hop" series was to write on the "favourite book of 2022". I felt it appropriate to use this opportunity to discuss my favourite book of all time and NewYork Times best seller "Dying to be Me" written by Anita Moorjani which is slated to be relaunched and released in 2022 with minor updates. In the book the author writes about her battle with cancer leading to her "Near death experience" (NDE). During the NDE, she left her body, went to the other world met her deceased father and best friend who had also succumbed to cancer. She subsequently returned to her body after being told that she still had a lot of things to do on earth and being assured that she would quickly recover if she chose to return to the life on earth.
The most valuable benefit of reading the book is that Anita has shared the wisdom, post her NDE experience as to how we could all live more fruitful and satisfying lives. We operate from a place of fear in respect of most of our decisions in life. As for example while choosing a job, we take up something not because we love that work but because we fear that we may remain unemployed. Similarly a life partner is chosen compromising on love and compatibilty as you grow older for fear of remaining unmarried for life. The important teaching is to embrace 'love' as the trigger for all one's actions instead of 'fear'. After her NDE, Anita Moorjani has been sharing her learning from the other side through her books and videos.
Another key teaching that the author picked up from the NDE was to love "one self" or in other words practice "Self love". Anita says she was a "people pleaser" all her life, always putting the interests of others before her own. This was one of the reasons she had to get cancer. She had to 'die' to realize the importance of loving and being 'herself'. As for instance, when she came to know that her best friend had cancer, she visited her at the hospital everyday and took upon herself the responsibility to take care of her. So much so , she did not find time to take care of her own needs. As and when she had to miss visiting hospital on a day or two, she felt guilty about it. Contrast this to the advice given to passengers during air travel that in an emergency to first take care of self by putting on the oxygen mask before assisting a child/ copassenger.
Anita Moorjani says all the feelings of separation in terms of rich-poor, beautiful-ugly, high - low , right-wrong are all associated with life here on earth. In the other world, being freed from time and space you have compassion for everyone. She relates her experience of having a strained relationship with her father when he was alive as she backed out of an arranged marriage he had fixed. However, when she met her father on the other side he was all loving and all the trivial misunderstandings during the life on earth did not matter to him.
To me, that was the most imporatant revealation in the book. We waste a lifetime having petty differences and hating others, Yet, it is 'love' that is the driving force of life. It has to start with 'self love' and flow to others. The book traces in detail the life and times of the author Anita Moorjani prior to her NDE and how operating from a place of fear (she feared getting cancer after her friend was diagnosed with cancer and was experimenting with all kinds of diet and life styles to avoid getting it) actually caused her to die. Today, her message is to love yourself first, to be able to love others.
It is recommended that readers check out the insightful book "Dying to be me" for a detailed account by the author for leading a happy, positive and fulfilling life.
As I sit down to write on the latest prompt of the " Blogchatter Blog Hop", I ask myself what can I write about "Grandparents' time". How do I start? Perhaps it is necessary to attend to first things first; like fixing the time line. My grand parents may have been born in the first decade of the twentieth century or thereabouts. What would be my life like had I been born in 1909 in the Kingdom of Cochin, part of present day Kerala? I would be a 13 year old (Teenager) in 1922, a 25 year old (youth) in 1934 , a 35 year (prime of youth) old in 1944 , and 45 year old in 1955 ((middle aged) and a 60 year old in 1969 (senior citizen).
As a teenager, we attended school on and off. We had to walk around 15 miles and cross some difficult terrains to reach school. On the one side we were facing the indignity of being ruled by foreigners while on the other side, the tyranny of the caste system was being faced by most people. Frequently, groups representing the freedom fighters came and pulled us out of the class rooms to go on a procession. We were arrested and let off with a warning most of the time.
Unlike the present times of nuclear families, we lived in joint families with each brother having 7 to 8 children of their own. My father had six children and I was the fourth in line. The limited resources had to feed many. Therefore, some of the young family members ran away in search of a job/ a means of living.
One of my cousins, Raghavan managed to get access to a ship that was going to the middle east. It would take days facing a lot of hardships on the way to reach the destination. Yet, he went as it was the only hope for a better life. We never heard from him again. I myself dropped out of school and was not happy doing agriculture jointly on the limited tract of a land that we owned jointly as a family.
Taking a cue from brother Raghavan, I ran away to Madras, the city of dreams in Southern part of India at that time. It was hard work during the period from 1934 to 1944. With the small amount of money that I had taken with me I had started a small tea stall in 1925. I built and grew the business brick by brick. During the period of the second world war from 1939- 1945, there was a lot of movement of army troops and Madras was an important place of transit meaning we got some good business. I had become a fairly successful entreprenuer.
In the meantime, I went back to my native (kingdom of Cochin) to marry. I brought my bride to Madras for a few years but had to take her back to her place, consequent to the commencement of the war. Madras was a vulnerable place that was more likely to be targeted during the war. Moreover, my life was hectic those days as I was focusing on attending to the many customers. I would visit Cochin now and then .
All my seven children grew up in Cochin. My wife was reluctant to return to Madras as the children who had already started their studies in Malayalam would have to start all over again from the scratch, if they switched to Tamil schools in Madras.
Although, I had my struggles during my younger days, we had more bonding between siblings in those days, We learnt to share whatever was available. In spite of harsh circumstances, suicides were few and far between as we were toughned by circumstances and could not afford to be too sensitive. Elders did not have the time or resources to pamper children. Between my elder children, before I began making money, they had to decide as to who could go for higher studies. The one who got the higher marks went to college and the others had to join me in the grind of building the business.
As I spend a lot of my life in Madras, I had exposure to Tamil cinema. I did not see any Malayalam movies as they were not released in Madras those days. In spite of my busy schedule I found time to watch the movies of singing star M.K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar with 'Haridas' being my favourite. In the later years, I lost interest in cinema as playback singing had started and could not be compared to the singing sensation of my time who sang his songs himself!
My elder son who had gone to college got a job as lecturer in Maharaja's college in Cochin. However, for most people getting a job was a problem in those days. You needed to get recommendatory letters to land a job as most companies and firms had "No Vacancy" boards before their office complex. Many of my friends' children were struggling in this regard. I remember one of them drafting an application letter for a job where the highlights were about the number of people who were depending on the 'eldest' son getting a job and how he came from a very reputable and respected family. It was not so much about the personal competency of the applicant.
When you look at the prosperity that the middle class have managed to achieve today, particularly in the sectors like IT , our life was a struggle. There was lot more uncertainty. Yet, we had better bonding between siblings, neighbours and the community at large. People would rush to help each other in times of emergency. When someone in the village succeeded, it was a matter of pride for not just the immediate family but for the entire village.
So there it is. You now know how it was to have grown up in my grandparent's time. As I see it, you win some; you lose some. Each period has its pluses and challenges. The same is true for my grandparent's time as well,
