Living is an Art-1

                There is definitely a need to explain the difference between Living and Surviving . Lot many of us do Survive but, people who Live are very few. On one of the weekends, I had an opportunity to know How to Live. I have many times heard about Art of Living Ashram, which is located in the outskirts of Bangalore. It is an amazing construction. In fact, a decade ago, for many people including me, the Name Ravi Shankar meant the Famous Sitar Maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar. The founder of Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was introduced to the world as a leading humanist. People call him as 'Guruji'.

 

                Firstly I thought, what would these people teach me how to Live? Don't I know? Am I not living since two decades? Until few days ago, I had an opinion that I don't need to go for all the marketing techniques they play. Later, I observed some change in behavior of some persons, who attended some programs or had done some basic course. Then I felt There might be something good in that. Then I realized that I was not Living, but just Surviving in the society. In addition to that when you ask those people they calmly respond, "It is a wonderful experience, You have to know it yourself, we can't say it in words!". Even in the internet I didn't find much information on what they teach in Ashram. Professionally, though I am diligent and well prepared for whatever the discussions or  seminars I have, I didn't have any idea about what they teach? what they preach? With lot many unanswered questions, I reached Ashram late evening on Friday.

                Registration Process at help desk was quickly done. I was already tired of travelling from Chennai to Bangalore. It was around 10 'O' Clock in the night, I began to walk slowly towards my allotted accommodation with a backpack and a cabin baggage. Ambience was so pleasant with greenery, cool breeze and quiet atmosphere, that fatigue was not known at all.

                 I was walking through, I could see a building on the right. Colorful lights adorned that building. It is called Visalakshi Mantapam as per the map given at the help desk. The accommodation allotted reminded me of Osmania University Hostels. I was back into my Olden and Golden days of Engineering. The room was triple shared and furnished with beds, rugs and an attached bathroom. All seemed to be very comfortable and looked fine. Might be due to new location or I being Insomniac, even though I was tired, I was unable to sleep. Those drizzles, cool breezes, Gibbous Moon and sparkling stars Welcomed me with honor.

To be Continued..

Bite !!!

        Most of us are familiar with mosquito bites. If you had the opportunity to travel abroad, you might have heard about bed bug bites. If you had the experience with bed bugs, you would agree that they are even more dreadful than the mosquito bites. In this post, a more powerful, subtle, prejudice-directed, untraceable bite is explored. The dictionary says it is

backbite (v): To speak spitefully or slanderously about (another).

        As you noticed, it is a verb. That means anyone of us can actually backbite our fellow colleague or friends or even relatives. The tendency is with everyone. Since everyone is imperfect, we make mistakes. When they are pointed out, exclusively associated to a person, spoken about in a repetitive manner, laughed about, the result is an irreversible damage to a person’s reputation. If we look at it honestly, we have to agree that, if we have a practice of backbiting, we are displaying multiple personality. We behave in a certain way in front of a person, and we behave in another way behind that person. We see that mosquitoes or bed bugs are not partial, they bite us whether we are awake or sleeping irrespective of skin color or racial background. But a backbiter is highly unpredictable, because he/she bites behind the back.

What is the solution?

Well !! We cannot avoid others from biting behind our back, but we can try not to backbite ourselves. We might be able to atleast reduce the frequency. Best thing to have respect for everyone, irrespective of whether they are older or younger, north or south, white or Black. I don't know how to earn respect, but I'm sure

If we respect others, then others will respect you.

After all we are all humans!

Children's Day

When I was Child,

Once choosing the colour of a sketch pen was a tough task.

Occupying the window seat in the school bus was called obsession.

Getting a toffee as a birthday treat from a friend made our day.

Being the first one to finish copying from the blackboard was the ultimate moment of pride.

Hiding the answers from a bench partner during exams was not called selfishness.

When homework was the only torture & finished it soon, 

so could get some extra time to play.

Early to bed, early to rise,

was life's mantra, but how we loved sleeping late and having some extra TV time!

Owning a cycle was owning BMW.

To look good was only to wear our fav dress frocks for girls n half pants for boys.

We didn't need FB or a phone to keep in touch!

We thought all elders are ideal, when Daddy was the only hero and Mom was the only Best friend.

So what they say is right. 

"Everybody dies twice. Once when their childhood ends."

\m/ Happy Children's Day \m/