Time, leisure, patience and gratitude.....

Time, leisure, patience and gratitude.....

I opened my eyes and looked out of the window. Our building is blessed with some green plumage and so it is often easy to find birds fluttering around. Softly and gently as the trees swayed in the breeze, I could spot parrots, pigeons and crows flying. Sparrows which have otherwise disappeared from Mumbai also fluttered around chirping, tweet.,tweet. One of the biggest blessings of the lockdown and stay at home these days is listening to the calls of the various birds and their sounds which include squeaks, squawks, chirps and whistles. It is also a great pleasure to see the mynahs fluffing their feathers, bobbing their heads, singing and playing hide and seek with squirrels.
My mind invariably remembered the poem , "Leisure" by W.H.Davies,
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
Honestly in our rush rush mechanical life we had no time to think beyond our routinous hectic schedules. Most of our time was also spent in raising our standards of living by buying goods to flaunt them.
Also immersed in our social networking apps we neither interacted wholeheartedly with our loved ones nor noticed the scenic beauty of our surroundings.
All of sudden we have got this opportunity to sit back and relax and regain a bit of whatever we have lost. I am particularly overjoyed with the time I am able to spend with my son.
In fact this has been the best part of the lockdown because I have uninterrupted time with him where we can chat , play carom, chant shlokas together or sing.
Yes on the one hand I am happy to be at home with my son yet on the other I feel so concerned about those who have not been able to reach their homes. The countless migrant labourers and workers who have been displaced due to the lockdown and are trying to reach home. Their travails on issues due to no transport and no food are disturbing. Their hardships without a home , food and the stress of unemployment looming large along with uncertainty in their lives must be so stressful. The government is putting in a lot of effort to manage this and I hope those people and their families will be safe and return safely to their homes. A lot of relief measures have been announced by the government which I am sure will work towards mending the economy.
In contrast we are in the safety of our homes having sufficient funds to manage the house.
We are really lucky to have a place to rest and relax and not be bothered of being homeless. Restrictions are there on our movement but they certainly are for our own good.
Years ago , when my son went to his play school he learnt a beautiful song- " Thank you God for the world so sweet , Thank you God for food we eat, Thank you God for the birds that sing, Thank you God for everything....."
It is a beautiful part of my memory more so because of the innocence, conviction and sweetness with which he used to sing it. Even now many times I sing it in my mind to express my gratitude to God for the multitude of blessings in my life. There have been many ups and down but God has been kind in showeing me with so much of happiness. My parents, siblings, school, friends, education, position, husband, son , a home, the list is endless. Today also I feel extremely grateful for this opportunity to stay at home and keep myself shielded from the demon of Corona Virus.
I find it very shocking that some people are being foolish and flouting instructions of quarantine and self-isolation. They need to know that this is for their own good.
Time is fleeting, years, months , days, hours, minutes will fly off in seconds. These twenty-one days too will pass off; already three days are over.
Paul Coelho has rightly said, "I have seen many storms in my life. Most storms have caught me by surprise, so I had to learn very quickly to look further and understand that I am not capable of controlling the weather, to exercise the art of patience and to respect the fury of nature."
I am sure before long our enemy, the Corona Virus will disappear and the obstacles to our freedom will vanish. Today all we need is patience which must not be limited to the ability to wait, but also strengthened with a positive attitude.....

Twenty-one days stay at home and Martyrs at twenty-three....

 Twenty-one days stay at home and Martyrs at twenty-three.......

Yesterday , on "Shahidi Diwas " we paid tributes to Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru who sacrificed their lives for our country. Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev were just twenty three and Rajguru was twenty four yet they walked to the gallows daringly and with a smile. At such an age most youth are on the threshold of their lives, completing education or joining a new job. In contrast the trio were great people fiercely committed and wedded to a cause. They also held on to values and principles. The three may have had an opportunity to run away after shooting at Mr.Saunders yet they chose to stay on only because they wanted to ignite the desire of the Indians to fight for freedom  by sacrificing their lives. It was a clarion call. They wer not bothered about their lives but wanted to ignite the fire of freedom.
That is why the three martyrs are revered not only in India but also in Pakistan which also celebrates Martyrs day in their memory.
Bhagat Singh was born in Lahore now a part of Pakistan in 1907. Sukhdev was born in the same year at Ludhiana and Rajguru in the previous year near Pune. They were hanged to death in Lahore by the British government for resisting and struggling against their colonial rule in the Indian subcontinent.
A lot of research has been done and documents are available reflecting that Bhagat Singh was a well read scholar. His prison diary reveals that he was inspired by the writing of authors like Karl Marx, Freidrich Engels, Bertrand Russell, Thomas Paine, Upton Sinclair, V I Lenin, William Wordsworth, Tennyson, Rabindra Nath Tagore, Bukharin, Trotsky and Swami Vivekanand among others. He was a prolific writer and at the age of seventeen he had the maturity of thought to write on Universal Brotherhood, Rarely does one find someone at that age talking about all of us being one where none is the other. However Bhagat Singh not only spoke about it but also stated that it will really be a comforting time when the world will have no strangers. He was not just a martyr , he was person with lofty ideals to unite fellow citizens.
He was also very bold when he stated, "‘We are chagrined about discrimination against Indians in foreign lands, and whine that the English do not give us equal rights in India. Given our conduct do we really have any right to complain about such matters?’' Amidst the ongoing freedom struggle and colonial oppression only an individual with great moral courage and clarity of thought could take such a stand. Bhagat Singh’s ideological commitment was reflected even in his revolutionary action when he and B.K .Dutt bombed the Assembly on 8 April 1929 against the passing of anti-people bills. The Trade Disputes and Public Safety Bills were brought by the colonial government to suppress the struggle being waged against the establishment by workers and revolutionaries. Bhagat Singh, while commenting on these bills said: There is no place for justice in British imperialism. They do not want to give even a breathing space to the slaves and instead, want to suppress them. They want to rob them and kill them. More and more oppressive laws will be passed and we need to oppose them.
While in jail he also wrote an article on ‘Why I am an Atheist’ rebutting blind faith and defending reason.
Therefore Bhagat Singh more than a raw nationalist or a right wing activist. His nationalism was deeply critical of the caste system, untouchability and communalism. Much to our discomfort all the three evils remain serious threats even now.
Of course among the three, Bhagat Singh has always been more known with even Bollywood films being made on him. The history of Rajguru and Sukhdev remain relatively less known.
Our nation was facing a crisis then, hundreds had lost their lives at Jallianwala Bagh, Lala Lajpatrai had died. The revolutionary spirit in the trio, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru had ignited them to fight against the British.
We are faced with a similar unprecedented situation today. Only that our opponent is a virus, the Corona virus causing a disease, Covid 19 which is highly contagious and capable of taking many lives. This can be prevented by isolating ourselves from other affected people. As directed by our Honble Prime Minister all that is expected from us is to be remain in isolation in our homes for 21 days and help in reducing the possibility of contagion. Our nation is not asking us for our lives but just 21 days to protect our own lives and the lives of our own kith and kin.
This too is Sarfaroshi , but of a different kind. The song sung by the martyrs sounds relevant even today.
Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamara dil me hain, Dekhna hain zor kitna baazu-e-kaatil mein hain.
They further went on to say , "Waqt Aane Pe Bata Denge Tujhe Hai Aasmaan, Hum abhi se
Kya Baatein kya hamare dil mein hain!"
Their mission was a secret and so they chose to say that they would speak when the time comes. However for us the time to act is now, we have to be aware and conscious of isolating ourselves and flattening the bulge.
"Dooriyaan Umeed Ki , Na Aaj, Humse Choot Jaaye
Milke Dekha Hai Jinhe , Woh Sapne Bhi Na Rooth Jaaye
Hausle Woh Hausle Kya , Jo Sitam Se Toot Jaaye
Hausle Woh Hausle Kya , Jo Sitam Se Toot Jaaye."
They were in their youth and had a gone a long way to go yet they went to the gallows happily and willingly. Today our nation is not asking for our lives . In fact it is working hard to protect our lives by asking us to devote and sacrifice 21 days of our life by being at home....Let us all just do that....21 days just stay at home.....

साथ साथ वायरस से दो हाथ....

साथ साथ वायरस से दो हाथ....

खाली हैं रास्ते
खाली हैं रेल
खाली हैं बसें
खाली हैं ट्रैन
खाली हैं मंदिर
मस्जिद, गिरिजा और गुरूद्वारे
खाली हैं बगीचे
खेत खलियान भी सारे
खाली से दिन
खाली सी रातें
पर भरा सा दिल
भारी सी आँखें
दृढ़ संकल्पित भी मन
चुनौती के आगे
छिड़ गई हैं युद्ध
शत्रु वायरस महाशय
योद्धा हैं हम सब
निश्चय किया हैं
आज निर्जन रहेंगे
ताकि शत्रुजी भागे
वियोग अलगाव का
शान्तिपूर्बक सहेंगे
साथ होकर भी ना हम
सभी साथ चलेंगे.....

मन विमल

In the midst of darkness....

In the midst of darkness....

Times have not been easy with the onset of the Corona virus. An air of despair coupled with fear looms large. All of us seem to be in the face of an unprecedented crisis. Not a single life has been left unaffected. Children, youth, elders, employees, employers, service providers, government or industries, the virus has entered the realms of our life and has almost brought it to a standstill. For the first time perhaps one is actually face to face with social distancing, something which as Indians we are unused too.
Caught in between the fear of being sick and the travails of maintaining a normal life in these disruptive times society has been offered a unique opportunity to pause and press reset. It is also an opportunity to take a good hard look at where we are and where we are all rushing to.
"Social distancing" has become the reason for families to really spend time with each other rather than getting drowned in a deluge of socializing.
When we are forced to buy only essentials it helps us to realise how we have cluttered our lives and homes with things which are really not needed. This has also made society realise the real worth of the people on whose shoulders the functioning of a nation rests : shopkeepers , sanitary workers, public transport operators, essential service providers, government employees including district administration, municipal corporations, police and most importantly the doctors, nurses , the medical fraternity and even the chemists.
While the heart swells with pride seeing the dedication of these people to humanity it is also shocked to see the callousness of those who have been advised medical self-isloation flouting safety norms.
It is the interest of one's own self and their loved ones and those around you that one should maintain distance and follow quarantine norms. The only way to cut this epidemic is by severing all physical contact with people, maintain good hygiene, wash hands appropriately and stay indoors if one is down with fever or infections or has cough, cold and body ache. One cannot and should take the risk of being casual nor bring upon ourselves the situation brought upon countries like China, South Korea, Japan, USA etc. Self discipline is the best solution.
Of course the fallout of the epidemic stretches beyond social parameters. It is for the first time the world is facing such a severe recession due to a virus. The economy is crumbling. Several sectors like transport and tourism, automobiles and specially oil have been hit severely. There is a cash crunch and stock market has slumped. Of course there is a rise in sale of sanitizers and health products as well as disinfectants. But surely that cannot wipe out the losses or the slow down in the economy which will take a long time to recover. We will surely have many lessons to learn.
There is so much gloom, despair and anxiety as if we are all caught under a spell of darkness. However I happened to read a quote by Christine Caine which said, “Sometimes when you’re in a dark place, you think you’ve been buried, but actually, you’ve been planted.“
Presently we certainly may be in the dark like the seed which is buried deep into the ground to bloom out like the tree.
Even Daniel Defoe in his novel , Robinson Crusoe has said that "God will often deliver us in a manner that seems, initially, to destroy us."
A lot many lives have been lost, a lot many affected yet many have recovered and are on the road to recovery.
We must therefore be encouraged by the words of Christine Caine. It may seem like we have been buried but we may actually have been planted. May be our future growth may not have been possible without the hardship that has preceded it.
Let us do our bit to face this situation and let us work towards moving out of darkness.....

पद

पद 

कुर्सी पर विराजे वो 

पद ने दी प्रतिष्ठा 

करामात मौके की  वो 

आसन दे गयी निष्ठा 

बदले बदले से हो गए वो 

अंदाज़ हो गयी विशिष्ठा 

औरों से भिन्न जैसे वो 

मति हो गयी भ्रष्टा

साहब साहिबा बन गए थे वो 

चलना बोलना बदला 

रौब झाड़ने लगे ऐसे वो 

करें गर कोई चेष्टा 

बातों मेँ कभी अंगारे 

बर्ताव मेँ कभी घमंड 

रवैये  में थोड़ा ग़ुरूर 

भूल गए जनाब 

काम लोगोंके ज़रूर 

भावों के तरंगों मेँ बह 

कभी हठी कभी दम्भ 

हर पद का वक़्त गुज़रा 

निवृत्ति पर हुए दंग 

ना पद रहा ना कुर्सी 

ना ओहदा रहा ना रूतबा 

हताश से रहते वो 

चेहरे पर थोड़ी चिंता 

याद कर सुनहरा अतीत 

मन हो जाता व्यथित 

काल असीम अनंत 

पद मात्र क्षणिक 

याद रखे इस बात को 

बलवान दृढ और प्रबल 

सार्थक बनेगा जीवन 

पद पद कुशल मंगल.... 

मन विमल

Of Holi and viruses in mind and body.....

Of Holi and viruses in mind and body.....

This Holi was different. Our building which normally reverberates in the festivities of colour decided to keep safe distance from water and colours thanks to corona virus. The only thing which remained unchanged was the breakfast and lunch followed by the boisterous game of housie. Conversations coloured our day in the absence of water and colours. However they proved to be a poor second for they were surely not as much fun as coloring friends or throwing water on them.
The children were most disappointed, specially Vishnu as this is his favourite festival but they switched over to playing cricket.
Holi of course is laced with traditions. The celebrations begin with the 'Holi ka Dahan' or the burning of Holika which is symbolic of Prahalad's victory over Hiranyakashipu and the blessings of Lord Vishnu in His Narsimha Avtaar.
There are many temples dedicated to Lord Narsimha but how many would know that a temple dedicated to Lord Narasimha exists in Multan which is now in Pakistan? Of course it is now in ruins but legend says that the temple is located at the site where Prahalada had himself constructed the original temple. It is the place where Lord Narasimha is said to have appeared out of pillar to save Prahalada from his father Hiranyakashyapu. The tradition and the festival of Holika Dahan is also believed to have started here. According to Prahalad Puraan the place came to be known as Prahaladpuri.
Interestingly there is a dargaah adjacent to the temple and it was known for its Mela or fairs. Since this place was the mool sthan or place of origin of Kashyap Rishi it was also known as Moolsthan. As the temple fell into ruins, the idol of Lord Nasrsimha has been shifted to Haridwar. However this is the folk lore of Multan's probable nomenclature.
It is said that the temple was totally destroyed in retaliation to the Babri masjid demolition in 1992 reflecting on the attitude of fanatics.
Spiritualism is way above narrow parochialism. No religion preaches hatred or animosity unfortunately a few unmindful and opportunistic individuals deepen the rife.
These feelings of animosity are worse than any corona virus and can cause much more harm to society. While pre-recorded caller tunes and several watsap messages may teach us how to prevent and avoid getting infected or affected by corona virus yet there are no ways to teach us to reach out to the parochial minds.
It is time we learnt to overcome the virus of hatred and animosity and learn to co-exist in peace. As Martin Luther King Jr has said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."
The festival of Holi in reality is an expression of love, affection and bonding in the community. It signifies the bonding of mind and souls and unison of our spirits. It may have originated with Lord Krishna at Mathura and Vridavana but has spread all over the country. These colors bring the message of love and brotherhood.. So whenever we splash colors on somebody, we are bound by brotherhood and commitment for life.
Holi makes us rise above all base feelings, reach out to people and revel in joy. It teaches us to forget our grudges, forgive even our enemies and rejoice. And as we wash off our grudges let us not forget to wash our hands, maintain hygeine and keep away the corona virus.....

Of Women's Day, Celebrations and guilt....

Of Women's Day, Celebrations and guilt......

I was born a girl. The colour of my skin irked my maternal grandmother all the more. Fortunately my parents were different. They never differentiated between me and my siblings. We were two girls and two boys. Times were difficult but our parents ensured we had the best of education and were given equal opportunities in the given circumstances. Neither did they ever object to me being outgoing, straightforward or tomboyish. Each one of us had our own personalities and we flourished with them. We were never restrained or held back. This way of life has remained with me throughout and has enabled me to learn, grow and perform.
I have always tried to excel in all the tasks allotted to me. Being a woman has been enriching though the path has been full of challenges. No doubts, for women the path to progress has always been full of struggles whether she was seeking to get educated or employed. The distinction always existed and still continues to exist in many spheres. In the field of agriculture too till this day and age too women have to face discrimination. While they perform all the back-breaking tasks it is the men who go the markets and pocket the money. What is even worse is violence and disrespect against women which still exists in society.
And above this all is the sense of guilt among working women.
Although we constantly talk about gender equality and feminism where both men and women have multiple differential roles as son or daughter, brother sister, wife or husband, father or mother, but for some reason a woman is constantly expected to be perfect and more perfectly performing all her roles with accurate precision.
In my opinion, it is the woman who in most cases experiences the feeling of guilt or is made to feel guilty in not being able to fulfill all her responsibilities perfectly. Her day starts with being a mom, a wife, a daughter, an employee, a leader; list being endless. In pursuit of trying to do justice to all her roles somewhere she is walking a very thin line where she is constantly judging herself and is also judged about the justice she gives to every role.
An average male probably escapes this sense of guilt which most women are saddled with specially in their homes. It is the women who bear the brunt of feeling guilty of not being emotionally available for her family and loved one in times of need !
What concerns me the most that I am associated with an organisation which is working towards strengthening women through livelihood opportunities where we are empowering women to walk out of their comfort zone and homes to stand tall and make a living for themselves. More than a thousand women stayed away from.their homes at Mumbai for 15 days during the recent Mahalakshmi Saras.
The Wardhinis of MSRLM spend 45 days outside their homes when they go to create self help groups in other villages. I always admire their grit and determination to stay away for such long periods.
My organisation has more than 70 percent women staff who relentlessly work and travel extensively for the welfare of the women self help groups. They must be certainly seeking support from their families to manage their homes while they are away. I am sure they all must be experiencing this sense of guilt to a large extent.
So on this women's day the foremost thought in my mind is that the roles of men and women in society may have changed yet the mindset has not. Till date it is the woman who is essentially held responsible for the welfare and well being of the child and their family.
Isn't it time to acknowledge the fact that she
is just as human as a man and needs to be treated accordingly ?
Isn't it time that she also learns to outgrow this sense of guilt and learns to treat herself with dignity ?
Honestly, our race could have perished had we not learnt to help and support each other.
We cannot exist without mutual help. Women therefore need to be more vocal in seeking help from their families, friends and society to enable them to work optimally. They also need to learn and get over this sense of guilt because they are not the sole sustainors of society. This women's day let us not forget this. As we celebrate women's day, let us acknowledge her being human as much as being woman.....