Moments so Far ...

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We used to fear standard 10th as it was associated with board exam and people said CBSE was a difficult board. When I read the title of this post I run down memory lane and can still sense the palpable sensation going down my spine as I rushed to the school's notice board. To my utter disbelief and contrary to my expectations I had passed.  We had grown in a system which encouraged you to expect failure vehemontly and once you defied that you would glower in success and betrayal of your expectations.  These days you dont have to rushed to school you simply go to CBSE website  to know your status or you could also simply dial into IVRS or simply send SMS.  Dont worry its just one of the exam in life? No matter whoatsoever the results life will give you plenty more opportunities to blossom. How was your state of mind as waited in eagerness post your Xth standard summers to know if you passed or you know the unspoken word?

I found a one rupee coin while taking a scoop of rice. I could not track back how it materialized in the rice. Is the desire of money so strong that rice is getting converted to coins. Have you desired sometihng so strongly that it materialized in unusual places? Thankfully for me it was the first and last coin in rice so far and I strongly feel that I should not shift the locale of my desire to stomach otherwise every breath will be a tinkering coins breeze. Have you had the experience of finding what you were looking for in most unconventional places? For example mobile phone on wash basin, keys in washing machine.

It is a downpour tonight. I went there with open arms, my mouth wide open to drink and savor every drop that was coming from the sky. Euphoria embraces you as you release yourself to the mercy of raindrops. They are soft and melt on touching you and slowly seep within and cool you. The clouds are very noisy tonight and every evening they have been thundering for a while. In India this is how we welcome monsoons. These are called as pre-monsoon showers and they sketch beautifully and continuously in the dark gray sky with their powerful lightning strokes. There is no such thing as post-monsoon shower as it hardly rains before the next pre-monsoon in India. Bangalore is different. This May the rains have been audacious and the winds have been been blasting through and through. The raindrops simply play along the directions of wind, merging, breaking before getting absorbed in the soil. I can see the beautiful lightning strokes from the corner of my eyes. It is in these moments you become...

It’s already 11 AM as I sit in front of laptop. Morning went with Ashtavakra and he really put me in place. I was contemplating and half asleep when a call interrupted and brought me out of Ashtavakra’s profound world and into the demeaning reality. It’s not always necessary to do work that you like to do. Freedom should be from bondage of work but work is essential for self as well as to carry on the responsibilities of a householder. There was work to be done for the toys story. I decided to pray heavens and wash few sins and another call interrupted and somebody was worried about money. From where the money would come, I gave my standard assurances and rushed back to God before he decided to go elsewhere. The feverishness of money, familiarity and going back to comfort zone is highly tempting. Next stop was kitchen sink. I had apparently cleaned few plates a few days back and I had to take break in between as I had accumulated a lot over the last week. Some had to be revisited today...

The toys of channapatna are made of locally available wood and vegetable dyes. The artists have passed on skills since generations and with every new generation there are fewer left to continue the tradition. Some of the designs listed in the following clippings Let me know which ones you like and if there is any customized design that you are looking for then you are welcome to suggest the same. Also please suggest ways in which reach of the same can be increased for better sustainability of the craft and its artisans. Buy local toys, encourage local artisans and allow the local art and crafts to flourish and blossom again.

The eyes were filled with tear, only the drops did not trickle down and she was removing and putting back her spectacles frequently. She was an old lady who was on first floor and came down quickly to meet us because we said we were from Art of Living. We were there simply to inform her of a Basic course due next week. She was talking on the phone with her daughter and dropped the call and came to us. Her friends in the neighborhood had called her urgently two years ago when few volunteers might have come to their house. Her husband was not there and she was living alone in the house. She talked about Madhu, a visually challenged person from Kanpur who was managing a school for visually challenged in HSR layout called as Madhu Smriti (I Guess). A discussion on Kabir leads to the person who started Navadarshanam. He opens his outlet in Buoyancy in front of Ganesh temple between 4 to 6 PM every second Saturday. She had a beautiful house with lots of plants and bamboo shoots brought from ...

The traffic cop me casually and started commenting in kannada. I said I didn't know the language. Then the traffic cop took me to his officer and he offered me Bangalore traffic flag for Rs 100. I said I did nott want to buy it then he said you have to pay because you have jumped the signal. I said the signal was green when I crossed but he said that you will have to go to court if you don't pay. He asked for my license but my brother said don't give otherwise he will keep it. My brother suggested to simply pay the fine and move. I did that and the poor traffic cop struggled to type on his blackberry and gave a printout. So guys, even if you are in car in streets of Bangalore, these days be careful of Karnataka/Bangalore state traffic police black color flag for 100 rupees. BTW the commander name was Mr. Vittala BYSE and did not take the name of his gang of looters. Later I came back home and called up the ACP, Traffic police Bangalore telling him of the issue but I am no...