• Bharat Our Country,  Life

    Joyful way to see the world

    There are two ways to see the world. Either through the eyes of a cynic or through the eyes of a lover. Love is the rose-tinted glasses that makes everything more bearable. Love makes you accept things more thoroughly, embracing the good and the bad. You never say you love someone twenty-two percent. Usually, when people say they love someone they are overwhelmingly loving and positive. It is usually a complete acceptance of the person with their flaws. When such is the case, we should accept life and things that get presented with a fault-tolerant view. An embracing, loving, grateful pair of eyes makes you feel joyful. Cynical thoughts are…

  • Life

    Teacher’s day – Offering gratitude

    People celebrate too many occasions, sometimes “insignificant” or “meaningless,” that we glance at a particular day and not even pause to think about its relevance. Many times, we forget why a particular day is celebrated. It is just another day, except it is not. My daughter made a presentation for teacher’s day today and she also did a dance performance in honour of her teachers. Her sincerity and love for her teachers reminded me about my teachers and how much I must remain indebted to them, and offer gratitude, at least in my heart. We often take teachers’ work as something done in exchange for a salary and demand customer…

  • Chanting,  Music,  My Interests,  Saraswati Veena

    Why Music is free therapy

    Music is one of those things that bring people joy. Usually people listen to the song, and delve a little deeper into their moods. When you are happy, you listen to happy, fast beat songs. When you feel sad or miserable, there are thousands of popular sad songs that go with the theme in your mind. Break ups are manageable because of songs. Love becomes more festive and exciting when you listen to love songs that match the mood or characteristic of your current situation with your partner. So, it is no wonder that people listen to these kinds of songs, and a vast majority of people function as normal…

  • My Interests,  Politics,  Society

    Silencing dissent

    What is it about certain high-class, educated people in India who silence the voices of people who hold different views than theirs? When it comes to politics, specific communities and sections of people feel uncomfortable discussing the truth and facing reality. This is the sad situation of older people who want to be politically correct at all times. With social media like twitter/X, politics has taken a different route. Trolls like to keep engagement active by making memes of every kind of situation. What is unhealthy is when people start attacking others in a personal way or commenting on one’s appearance or conditions beyond their control. However, censorship is not…

  • Spirituality

    “Why Hold on?” – A Poem by Sri Laxmi

    Yesterday was Buddha Pournima (Buddha’s appearance day). We don’t celebrate His birthday by doing anything special, as we are not Buddhists. But by chance, I went for a walk yesterday on my terrace. A glance at the moon revealed the true nature of reality. It was a full moon, and indeed, it was Buddha’s birthday. Buddha’s teachings are not just for Buddhists. It is for people of all religions and walks of life. To see reality, as it is. To sharpen one’s perception, the Buddha’s teachings and practices are like a great medication that cures one’s deceptive ideas about life and reality. A surgeon’s scalpel pierces, but it does its…

  • Spirituality,  Temples

    Going to Narasimhar temple (Pilgrimage) in my dream

    Yesterday I woke up with a wonderful dream experience of visiting a Narasimhar temple that was on a mountain. I kept chanting “Vrittothpulla Vishalaksham” (Mantraraja Pada Stotram) and climbing up this difficult mountain to see a silver Narasimhar. It felt exhilarating to experience a 3D pilgrimage in my dreams. Upon waking up, I was confused, and I called my parents to ask about the meaning of this experience. My mother asked me if I had been thinking a lot about Narasimhar, and, to be honest, at that point, I was still thinking very much about Krishna. I am still kind of immersed in the Vrindavan visit that we did two…

  • Music,  My Interests,  Poetry

    “Blissful Journey” – by Sri Laxmi

    I touched you gently, ever so,Reminiscing our first encounter, oh,Caressed you softly, longing gaze,Dreams wove tales through endless days. Imagined all with fervent desire,You, strong, vibrant, set my heart on fire,Difficulties at the start, we’d find our way,With prayers, I touched you, night and day. Experimented, slowly, then with haste,Years it took to bind our fates,Learned your secrets, your every sign,What makes you happy, our joys entwined. Now within my veins, you freely flow,I in you, our love’s eternal glow,Together we create waves of delight,Blissful union, my Veena, through day and night. — Sri Laxmi —