I am confused as a Hindu (Facebook post by Ms. Deepika Govind)

A very interesting post, which I thought must be shared on my blog. I am a Hindu too (not the religious and serious type) and am trying to come to terms with what Hinduism really is. I strongly believe that HINDUISM is a WAY OF LIFE and not a religion like ISLAM or CHRISTIANITY where followers are being forced to adopt and practice, failing which they are pushed outside of their community and condemned.

I too had my schooling in a Christian School and have many friends who are Christians and Muslims, I do feel alienated / odd at times especially when they refuse to participate in my functions, even when they are not needed to perform anything, except attend as a visitor. Anyways may be they are scared or narrow minded… I am now used to this and have a matured mind-set and outlook.

Please do take time to read the below post...

A post on Face book by Deepika Govind  on 1 November

I am confused as a Hindu who wants to stay secular and each day this confusion increases……

Yes I am born as a Hindu in India ,went to a Christian school ….celebrated Diwali at home but Christmas in school with equal fervor .Visit to a cathedral or hearing bible verses never instilled any fear that my religion is at stake …because as a Hindu I am supposed to be secular and accept all religions. In India its fashionable to be a secular Hindu….

But I really wonder aloud today, what would have been the reaction in media and our so called intellectuals if a school run by a Hindu trust or organization had opened a school amongst Christianity dominated area and had sung verses from Gita or Mahabharata!!! All hell would have broken loose for sure .

14 years of education in a Christian run school did not make me a Christian ..i am still a Hindu but I have one more reason in my life to be happy when its Christmas …

As a Hindu if I can handle 33 crores of gods and deity, I can definitely handle few more gods and still be a Hindu…I don’t fear.. I am a Hindu …I imbibe.. I don’t run away…. but what am I supposed to do when I see my Muslim and Christian friends refusing Prasad /or rejecting getting a tilak done on their forehead… how many of Muslims and Christians have visited.. Vaishno Devi or Tirupati…

Now …just ask how many Hindus have visited Ajmer Sharif or Deva Shareef or Swarna Mandir or Cathedral. Is so called secularism has to be only a Hindu’s responsibility!

If India has to be secular then state should not interfere with religion… but then why should my tax money has to go for Haj subsidy.. Is that not a special favour to one religion? This is my question …but as a Hindu am still confused….if just one haj subsidy allows my Muslim brothers and sister to be happy then am happy to still let them do it. I would love to hear stories of their trip…. I am happy to say “Eid Mubarak”…I don’t fear because I am Hindu.

Why my so called intellectuals never blamed successive governments for allowing such communalism… why they never returned their awards….

Why St. Stefen’s in Delhi is allowed to give preference only to Christian candidates while hiring…… They exist on a piece of land which belongs to INDIA and not to Hindus, Christians or Muslims … then preference to anybody on the basis of religion is communalism and not secularism.

Why authors and scientists and people like Dibakar Banerjee never protested against St Stefens ?

Currently am residing in a country which claims with pride that we are a Christian nation and the world media doesn’t target it at all .Britain easily refuses permission to create a mosque higher than St.Pauls cathedral…A mosque which will be built by their own citizens living and working in this country ,,,but BBC doesn’t run a documentary on the plight of muslims being tortured and not given equal rights in Britain !! They don’t get a lecture from Obama to embrace secularism as yet !!

However ,in India I still don’t support demolishing a mosque which was built by an Invader !!A nation with 80% of its populations as Hindus has taken more than 60 years to built a temple for their deity.As a Hindu I would still support a temple and a mosque together there …..rather than just a temple …I don’t boast my religion …..and I Don’t believe that I am the best…I believe that all are equal for I am a Hindu.

If my son has to marry a Christian girl tomorrow..I will not ask the girl to convert…I have no such concept ..but my son will have to convert to christianity just to marry the girl of her dreams ….is that not communalism which is openly being practiced by minorities in India ….!! If inter-cast marriages are supported then why not inter-religion ……let there be true secularism in India …..and not this blurred version of secularism, created by pseudo –intellectuals !! 

I have no award to be given back …no talent to make a documentary or debate the issue on a TV channel. But my belief that God is one and all religions should be respected gets shaken every day in my Mind….As a Hindu …am I being taught to stay oppressed in India ? Is that secularism??

I am a woman ,a Hindu woman ,who wants to teach her son to respect all religions …and want to tell him that if you light a candle in a church, bow your head in a Mosque , do seva in a Gurudwara…. You will not cease to be Hindu …….for you are a Hindu and always will be a Hindu .You will never learn to fear .

Yes I am…… confused …..but I still don’t fear for I am a Hindu .I will not eat Beef but will not support a ban on it !! but please don’t mock my religious feeling by doing a Beef –Party just to mock me !! at least that much I can expect .

If you want to return your award then return it and say that you ‘ll accept it back only when beef –ban is removed ,haj subsidy is stopped ,polygamy among muslims to be declared illegal,no special reservations for any minority in their institutions ....,triple Talaq to be stopped and not compulsion of change of religion in inter –religion marriages !!

(Ps. I have not taken the authors permission for posting it here, please excuse…)

Sampoorna Jana Gana Mana!

Sampoorna Jana-Gana-Mana!

Music Arrangement - Sukhada Bhave

Singers - Bhakti Athavle, Anuradha Gangal-Kelkar, Sudhanshu Gharpure, Nikhil Nijasure

Jana Gana Mana is the national anthem of India. Written in highly Sanskritised Bengali, it is the first of five stanzas of a Brahmo hymn composed and scored by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. It was first sung in Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress on 27 December 1911. "Jana Gana Mana" was officially adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the Indian national anthem on 24 January 1950. 27 December 2011 marked the completion of 100 years of Jana Gana Mana since it was sung for the first time. The original poem written by Rabindranath Tagore was translated into Hindi by Abid Ali. The original Hindi version of the song Jana Gana Mana, translated by Ali and based on the poem by Tagore, was a little different. It was "Subh Sukh Chain Ki Barkha Barse, Bharat Bhaag Hai Jaaga....". An earlier poem by Tagore was later selected as the national anthem of Bangladesh. A formal rendition of the national anthem takes fifty-two seconds. A shortened version consisting of the first and last lines is also staged occasionally. Tagore wrote down the English translation of the song and along with Margaret Cousins, set down the notation at Madanapalle in Andhra Pradesh, which is followed only when the song is sung in the original slow rendition style of singing. However, when the National Anthem version of the song is sung, it is often performed in the orchestral/choral adaptation made by the English composer Herbert Murrill at the behest of Nehru.

Jana Gana Mana Full Anthem Lyrics

Stanza 1 (National Anthem of India)

Jana Gana Mana Adhinaayak Jaya Hey,

Bhaarat Bhaagya Vidhaataa

Panjaab Sindhu Gujarat Maraatha,

Draavid Utkal Banga

Vindhya Himaachal Yamuna Ganga, 

Uchchhal Jaladhi Taranga

Tav Shubh Naamey Jaagey, 

Tav Shubh Aashish Maange

Gaahey Tav Jayagaathaa

Jana Gana Mangal Daayak, 

Jaya Hey Bhaarat Bhaagya Vidhaataa

Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey,

Jaya Jaya Jaya, Jaya Hey

Stanza 2 (National Anthem of India)

Ohoroha Toba Aahbaana Prachaarita,

Suni Tab Udaar Vaani

Hindu Bauddh Shikha Jain,

Parasik Musolman Christaani

Purab Pashchim Aashey,

Tab Singhaasana Paashey

Premohaara Hawye Gaanthaa

Jana Gana Oikya Vidhaayak Jaya Hey,

Bhaarat Bhaagya Vidhaataa

Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey,

Jaya Jaya Jaya, Jaya Hey

Stanza 3 (National Anthem of India)

Potona Abhbhudaya Bandhura Pantha,

Yug Yug Dhaabit Yaatri

Hey Chir Saarathi, 

Tab Ratha Chakrey Mukharit Patha Din Raatri

Daarun Viplab Maajhey,

Tab Shankh dhwani Bajey

Sankat Dukh Trata

Jana Gana Path Parichaayak,

Jaya Hey Bhaarat Bhaagya Vidhaataa

Jayo Hey, Jayo Hey, Jayo Hey,

Jayo Jayo Jayo, Jayo Hey

Stanza 4 (National Anthem of India)

Ghor Timir Ghan Nibiro,

Nishithey Peedit Murchhit Deshey

Jagrat Chhil Tab Abichal Mangal,

Nato Nayan Animeshey

Duswapney Aatankey,

Raksha Kariey Ankey

Snehamayi Tumi Mata

Jana Gana Duhkh Trayak,

Jaya Hey Bharat Bhagya Vidhaataa

Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey,

Jaya Jaya Jaya, Jaya Hey

Stanza 5 (National Anthem of India)

Raatri Prabhatil Udil Ravichhabi, 

Purb Uday Giri Bhaaley

Gaahey Vihangam Punya Sumiran, 

Nav Jeevan Rash Dhaley

Tab Karunaarun Raage,

Nidrit Bhaarat Jagey

Tab Charane Nat Maatha

Jaya Jaya JayA Hey, Jaya Rajeshwar,

Bhaarat Bhaagya Vidhaataa

Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey, Jaya Hey,

Jaya Jaya Jaya, Jaya Hey

Read more: http://www.lyricsmint.com/2011/08/jana-gana-mana-full-indian-anthem.html#ixzz3irMt11lN

Motivation and Habit are co-related

Easy said than done...   but this is what differentiates between a winner and looser.

Winners are Motivated and keep themselves motivated always is their habit....  

Purpose/mission in ones living and ONE just has to be persistent to find it!!!

Once there was a man who did not make it to university. His mother got him married. After the marriage, he worked as a teacher in a primary school. Due to the lack of experience, he was squashed by the students in less than a week.

When he returned home, his wife dried his tears. She comforted him with these words. 'You should not be too sad about it. Probably there is a more suitable job waiting for you out there.'

Later on, he found another job and before long he was fired due to his slowness. This time, the wife commented. 'There are always people who are skillful and non skillful. Some have experience from their years of work. As for you, you were in school all this while. So, how could you acquire these needed skills?'

He went for a number of jobs but never stayed long in those jobs. Each time, he would return home with a dejected spirit. His wife would always comfort him and never once was she disappointed or resentful.

He was in his thirties when he acquired a flair in languages. He became a counselor in a school for the deaf and mute. Later on, he opened a school for the disabled. A few years later, he set up chain stores in different cities and provinces selling apparatus and equipment for the disabled. He became a multi-millionaire.

One day he asked his wife. 'When I was looking bleakly at my own future, what's the reason that you had so much faith in me?'

His wife gave him a very simple reply. She said, 

'When a piece of land is not suitable for planting wheat, we could try planting beans. If the beans are not growing well, we could try planting fruits or gourds. If the vegetation is not economical, we can instead scatter buckwheat seeds. These seeds will one day bloom into flowers. On this land itself, there will be one seed that will germinate and grow.'

After listening to his wife's explanation, he cried. His wife's faith, love, patience, and persistence is likened to the one seed in the land. This is the seed that persists and creates the miracle on this piece of land.

"In this world, there's no person who is useless. It is just that they have not positioned themselves firmly in the right place"

God does not create useless creatures. There is ALWAYS some purpose/mission. You just have to persist and find it!!!

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I can see myself in this story and there are many others out there who will feel the same.  The ultimate goal and vision should always be in mind and one should always be on the lookout for the opportunity that could make your life meaningful and fruitful...

A precious gift!

Such a beautiful gift any person can get. ma daughter Urvi appreciating her mother for being there for her to get 1st price for Group Song and 2nd prize for English speech. Nice gesture from a 6 year old...  This is a treasure...

This is the real life!

There was a man with four wives. He loved his fourth wife the most and took a great care of her and gave her the best. He also loved his third wife and always wanted to show her off to his friends. However, he was always had a fear that she might runaway with some other man. He loved his second wife too. Whenever he faced some problems, he always turned to his second wife and she would always help him out. He did not love his first wife though she loved him deeply, was very loyal to him and took great care of him. One day the man fell very ill and knew that he is going to die soon.

He told himself, "I have four wives with me. I will take one of them along with me when I die to keep company in my death."

Thus, he asked the fourth wife to die along with him and keep company. "No way!" she replied and walked away without another word.

He asked his third wife. She said "Life is so good over here. I'm going to remarry when you die".

He then asked his second wife. She said "I'm Sorry. I can't help you this time around. At the most I can only accompany you till your grave."

By now his heart sank and turned cold.

Then a voice called out: "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." the man looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the man said, "I should have taken much better care of you while I could have!"

Actually, we all have four wives in our lives.

a. The fourth wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when w die.

b. The third wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they go to others.

c. The second wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

d. The first wife is our soul, neglected in our pursuit of material wealth and pleasure. It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. 

Food for Thought - The importance of thanking GOD!

The importance of thanking GOD for all the things he has given us (positive) and not for the things we desire he gives.  In simple words "learn to say Thank you" for anything that comes your way, surely this habit will make you a better person

Read this blog:  Food For Thought - Ramblings From A Hungry Mind

Flipkart and AmazonIndia...

Well I was asked by DEALS AND READS (on Twitter: @dealsandreads)

Hi Arun. We cover shopping reviews. Have you observed any difference between Amazon and Flipkart? We would love to know :)

I wanted to share my experience of online purchase and this question made me not delay the exercise further.

I have been using #flipkart for about a 18 months now and have been their die-hard fan for buying books, toys and gifts, however this changed with #AmazonIndia coming to the market. (I never liked #junglee.com )

Well this time around I was in a mood to buy some books and when looking online on these two portals realized that the prices were same as with the delivery lead time.

However maximum purchase was done on AmazonIndia for a simple reason "no extra charges for deliveries", where as Flipkart was charging me Rs. 40 per book. (it would have costed me Rs. 300 extra over the books cost price) which was ridiculous, unless flipkart has too much business that they do not care.

Now the best deceitful part on #flipkart anything bought through their mobile app comes with free delivery (this is cheating, to say the least). This is not justifiable and is a compulsion on prospective buyers to use the app forcefully. I don't like this part and to get over this I bought 3 more books from AmazonIndia.

I must accept that the mobile app of flipkart is easy navigate through but I found making payments via debit card was a concern and it failed (not a problem via laptop/desktop tho), so here in this case I had to choose cash on delivery instead and had to request my friend to pay and receive on my behalf. 

As for the choice i found that AmazonIndia has more books and the recommendations are more better in comparison and relevant to they type of books I have browsed.

Will I continue to used Flipkart, "YES", but now I have another platform to compare the offers and choose what suits me better. its that simple. BUT IF FLIPKART DOES NOT DO ANYTHING TO THE DELIVERY CHARGES POLICY, .............?????

New books...

I have ordered through #FlipKart and #AmazonIndia the below books and now waiting for my friend to bring them from India to UAE.

This happens in every family!

Your actions are responsible for your state...

My new blog... (I can do it...)

Yes, the above statement is very true. I am heavy with BMI at 33 and weight 101.8kgs when I started. Now it is almost 10 days through with my efforts to loose weight and gain some shape.

My blog:  http://mylife-newradiance.blogspot.ae/

and I believe in the below too...

Disturbed...

"One Idiot" An IDFC Foundation Initiative

An eye opening video about an so called "IDIOT" to a common man. The video presents "MONEY" in the most simplest ways possible. Very inspiring!

This 30 minutes will change the way you look at money and how to make MONEY work for you...!

Also, take time to check:

Website:     http://oneidiot.in/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/oneidiotthemovie
Youtube:     http://www.youtube.com/user/OneIdiotTheMovie?feature=watch

Please do give it a thought and it is never too late to start thinking about Financial Planning and how to make money work for you rather than the other way.

I am yet to start, but will surely do!

Shiva Trilogy by Amish Tripathy

Anyone who loves reading fictions, ought to admit that our Mythology has enough resource in it that is yet unexplored. I am not a voracious reader of book and I do not have a pattern to what I read. I pick book that can kindle my interest.

I got to know about the Shiva Trilogy from many and also the many reviews about the two installments “Immortals of Meluha” and “The Secret of Nagas”.

 “Immortals of Meluha”. It’s the first book of the Shiva Trilogy by Amish Tripathy.

The book is written in simple English and is very easy to understand. I soon realised that my apprehension about the handling of such mythical characters and the events to follow in the story was pleasant and the transition and connection from mythology to fiction to history was flawless. All the characters became more and more humane and myths started becoming historical facts. Shiva ceased to be the God we worship but is a tribal hed then to that of a hero, a warrior, a lover, a husband, a father, a respected leader and in the end to the Shiva that we are familiar with...

In “Immortals of Meluha”, the progression of a tribal head to a leader was so captivating, that I was unable to put the book down even for a while. It was unstoppable.

Not to give you some idea about the plot, the story happens to a major part in the near perfect empire of Meluha. This empire was created many centuries earlier by one of the greatest emperor Lord Ram and the subsequent rulers and people are terms as “Suryavanshi’s”. The primary river of the empire is the revered Saraswati and this river is very essential to their existence. This empire is faced with incessant terrorist attacks from the east, the land of the Chandravanshis (Ayodhya) who have joined forces with the Nagas (a cursed race with physical deformities).

Daksha is the king of Meluha and he sends his messengers to Tibet and far of land to invite tribes to migrate and live in Meluha. One of the invited tribes from Tibet is the Gunas, whose chief Shiva is a brave warrior and protector. Shiva accepts the proposal and moves to Meluha with his people. On their very first night, the Gunas wake up amid high fever and sweating. Ayurvati, the Chief of Medicine of the Meluhans, carries on the healing process. However, Ayurvati finds out that Shiva is the only one devoid of these symptoms and that his throat has turned blue. The Meluhans announce Shiva as the Neelkanth, their fabled savior.

The story then moves on little romantic note when Shive meets Sati and his attraction soon turns to respect, attraction, love and marriage. Sati refuses Shiva’s initial attempts and she is believes that she is cursed due to past lifes sins and she is untouchable under Meluhan laws. Sati is more worried about protecting Meluha from the terrorist attacks on its main research facility at Mount Mandar that killed.

Shiva announces himself Neelkanth and leads the Meluhan army against the Chandravanshis of Swadeep. With the Meluhan general Parvateshwar, he leads and encourages the army calling each of them as Mahadev – “Har Ek Mahadev – Har Har Mahadev”. The battle is won – but at Ayodhya – the capital of defeated Swadeep, Shiva finds Sati, now his wife getting attacked by a Naga!

The Second book, “Secret of Nagas” starts exactly from where “Immortals of Meluha” ended – with the attack on Sati by a fierce Naga. How they found reclusive residents of land beyond Ganga in the east – the Branga, and eventually met the Nagas of south the feared Dandak forest.

This book further etches out the character’s humane side, as Shiva explores to differentiate Good from Evil. It compares the near perfect lives of Meluhas against the chaotic lifestyle of Chandravanshis. How regimen of Meluha helps them to keep order while killing innovation and creativity, the very two aspects that marks the success of chaotic Chandravanshi way of life. Shiva’s journey slowly brings out the characters of his son Kartikeya and Sati’s estranged sister Kali and son Ganesh. It keeps you wondering how author’s treatment of characters explains so many myths of our Gods and Goddesses, and makes them so much believable. True to the captivating narrative with one surprise after another in the First book, the second one was no lesser. This book recreated the same effect at the end of “Immortal’s of Meluha”. Taking on the Third book “The Oath of the Vayuptra’s was uncontrollable and the eagerness to continue was immense.

The third and the final book in the Shiva Trilogy “The Oath of the Vayuputra’s” has just over 500 pages. To me this book does not get the same rating at the previous two books. I was extremely disappointed with the way the story unfolds in this book... the protagonist, Shiva who was supposed to demonstrate traits which will help him become a God from being a mere mortal, has been reduced to someone who has just got plain lucky from start. The real hero of this book is Sati, she steals the show with her valor, compassion, and for being the women-women. I was unable to read the book in full and it was just dragging and the events lacked suspense and speed. The fact at the end of the book, Shiva still remains nothing but a mortal being who was very lucky and blessed and exactly was what I had expected!!

After all, thanks to the Shiva trilogy, Shiva is now a living companion, an almost flesh and blood character whom I can reach out and touch!

Whatever said, a very big thanks to Amish for his errforts to make Shiva so dear to people.

Lifebuoy Advert...

A very touching advert from Lifebuoy, giving a message about infant deaths in India due to unhygienic living conditions. 

This Awareness & message should reached to one and all, especially among children.

The Handwriting on the Wall

The Handwriting on the Wall, very well illustrated here.

from:   Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson

Change Happens

They Keep Moving The Cheese

Anticipate Change

Get Ready For The Cheese To Move

Monitor Change

Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old

Adapt To Change Quickly

The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner You Can Enjoy New Cheese

Change

Move With The Cheese

Enjoy Change!

Savor The Adventure And Enjoy The Taste Of New Cheese!

Be Ready To Change Quickly And Enjoy It Again

They Keep Moving The Cheese.

In case the above writing on the wall has interested you, then you could also download a copy from

http://www.magnacad.com/printables/whomovedmycheese.pdf

Osho says. . .

"Nature has no Goals..Trees, Flowers, Birds , Animals have no Goals. The moment you set Goals for yourself, you are disconnected from Nature. Goals are source of all stress and strain."

Daughters...

A couple made a deal the night of their Marriage to NOT open the door of their room to anybody who comes knocking in the morning for any reason! 

In the morning the parents of the husband came and knocked on the door, the husband and the wife were looking at each other and as they agreed before, they didn't open the door. 

After a while the parents of the bride came knocking at the door to check on them, the couple were looking at each other, then the bride dropped a tear and started crying she said: “I cannot keep them knocking and not open the door, I miss them already” The husband didn't say anything and he let her open the door for her parents. 

Years and years passed and the couple had 5 children, the first ones were boys and the 5th was a little girl, when she was born the father was extremely happy that Almighty blessed him with her, and he threw a Huge Party for her in Grand style, people were so amazed with his joy and his happiness that they asked him, why are you so happy with her more than you were before with her older brothers? He answered simply: “She is the one who will open the door for me”

Baby girls are the comfort of the eyes of their father! They hold the key to their mothers hearts! Daughters are really unique. They care for their parents even after they are married. Its rightly said, “A son is a son till he gets a Wife, a daughter is a daughter the rest of her Life! Dedicated to all daughters and daughter in laws.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

I am blessed with the best Sister-In-Laws and my sweet lil princess daughter "Urvi". They are a set of fine ladies and to this list I will also add my ever loving and compassionate Mother and Wife...      These women are so special and I am glad to be a part of them.

Parenting quote...

"You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth... Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness; For even as He loves the arrow that flies,  so He loves also the bow that is stable."  -- Kahlil Gibran