Enjoy the Paintings
Published on 30/09/2022
Comments 41

Mother, Man and the Queen: A Short Photographic Tribute to September

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Old Sanskritam Shloka : Rtusandhishu vyadhayoh jayante that means
Diseases arise at the junctions of the seasons.

In India the monsoon is retreating and the cool season is beginning; in the temperate zone summer is shifting into autumn. These external shifts induce similar shifts within us, and if we are not properly prepared our bodies will not be able to adequately adapt, which can lead to internal disharmony.


Ancient Indians remarkably created rituals around some specific moon cycles that even today completely, scientifically sit with the seasonal change like the on-going nine nights, Navaratri.

World is one family, as we are taught here in India; is an extension of worshipping the mother nature, and how? In Simple words, mostly abstaining from high calorie food, meat, wheat based products that in one way help start calming our bodies for such seasonal junctures via our daily routines, or dinacharya.

In addition to the limited eating habits, it is a great time to sit for long hours of dhyana or meditation. In early days when activities happened amongst nature or outside home, this time was taken out by most people as a period of self-observation with observing the change in all elements around us. After rains, insects and all kind of diseases would come trying to take over the environment and our bodies hence a ritual of attending to the body was must each night before sleep. Like using rose water drops for the eyes, any local oil- mustard or even one drop of Desi Cow Ghee/ in the nose, cleansing of the mouth, tongue and teeth, and simple oil massage of the skin), Navaratri is a fine time to enlist the Mother Goddess in this endeavour, that is our inner feminine nature.

As you exhale during your early morning breathing, expel all imperfections, mental disturbances, unhealthy proclivities, undigested experiences and all other forms of ‘dark energy’ with your out-going breath, with you incoming-breath welcome light, vitality, affection and enthusiasm bringing it within for rejuvenating each cell. Offer all your imperfections to the Universal Mother, and accept from Her in return Her vital, loving, maternal energy.

: ँ :

September also brings with it completion of my yearly cycle here on mother Earth. One year wiser or is it? And to tell you, its been a blessing. Nothing else. Pure and humbly. With a family like you to share my few tid-bits. It has been an exciting, loving, caring and sharing, a home which has let me practice and experiment with my writing. And above all one that has made me travel to those places that I might never be able to wander. Even though I ll still try.

You, this world has been my nectar to say the least, and some jewels, sunshine that entered my life here, strangely and unbelievablly some which have come together to be co-life travellers.

Some images of the day, I decided to celebrate it with children at school. Joanna’s cake made it till here.
It is unthankable. But please accept my Love.


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Lastly, my heartfelt tribute to an era that left us, this world in September. The Queen. We Indians have known her closely and well. But to my own surprise, I had no idea that she was such an important part of people’s lives. A pillar that everybody had quietly looked up to all their lives. Such outpouring of love on streets, social media, I really was not expecting it. And it was around this time I came across something so special that showed me a side of her which could be anybody’s, and how much she valued small things, it is called life.

Shared by a man named Andy, he writes and I quote:

“My father worked in the Buckingham Palace mail room for a short while in the 1970s. It was a period when letter bombs were being sent to prominent figures in the UK by the IRA and it was his job to inspect the queen’s mail for any potential explosive devices. The man he worked with, a fellow ammunition technician, himself was a stamp collector. And He couldn’t believe his luck. He, out of hundreds of people was offered a job where envelopes, with exotic stamps stuck on them, were coming in from all over the world. The man would inspect the mail and then promptly tear off the stamp for his own collection. He even brought an exotic box to keep the stamps safe and well. Little did he know about the queen. It must be the fourth or the fifth day when a note quietly made its way down from the queen. ‘Please do not remove my stamps.’


Rest in Power Queen Elizabeth the II.



: ँ :

Thank you.

If today is the first time you have arrived on The Road to Nara, you are heartily welcome ~ Namaste

Like this post? Please Sign up to subscribe to email alerts and you’ll never miss a post.

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I will take this opportunity to introduce you to About me and importantly;

As a co-traveller, my Ten Learnings from several years on the road, before you coarse on your own Road to Nara.

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Also, You will be happy to know about My Little School Project. If you wish to come over for a visit someday that you must, you will be heartily welcomed here

If you would like to contribute to my travels, you can please do so here

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If you have anything to share, or feel like saying a hello, feel free to write to me at narayankaudinya@gmail.com

To visit other long-term photographic works, please visit here.

To follow my walks through the rural Indian Subcontinent, find me at 
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

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Hi, I am Narayan Kaudinya. And i welcome you on this journey, the Road to Nara ! I am an Ethnographer and a practicing Indologist. I did my masters in History and further learnt Sanskrit, Yoga and Nerve-therapy. At 24, pushing most academic sounding, office sitting works away, i felt compelled to know and understand the world and my country, Bharat/India. I travelled, and as it happened i took up teaching in Kashmir and further up in the remote villages of Baltistan in the foothills of Karakoram Ranges. For around three years and many states later there came a time when i felt that it was only while teaching i learnt how to laugh, to see, feel, breathe, love and cry -with children, and mostly resource-less parents in the harshest-freezing border conditions. I write, and work as a documentary photographer and Filmmaker, with numerous published, exhibited and some awarded stories. In my travels and life i have let nature lead me, the divine mother, and as a Yogin, my resolve here is to share my experiences and thoughts as honestly, and through them to blossom in everyone the power and possibility in pursuing your breath, that you seek your true nature with courage and curiosity. Here, on this road i will share my spirit, my love for nature, the elements of life that are us. And in doing so, i'll be happy to see you along.

41 Comments

  1. Yetismith says

    Best wishes to you for completing another earthly cycle! I think there is much wisdom in the teachings you write about. So nice to see pictures of your children. And I like the story about the Queen. How many hundreds of thousands little stories there must be of Her Majesty. In her quiet way she touched so many!

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    • Narayan Kaudinya says

      Thank you so much Caro. Yes, i was thinking about it. She lived for a century, almost and how many things she carried with herself in her death. So many stories there must, it was just this that came to me.

      Thanks for the wishes again Caro.

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  2. C.A. Post says

    Though you know we disagree on our views of God and mother nature, your advice regarding purifying oneself, eating habits and meditation are mostly very wise. I especially appreciate your respect for one the greatest world leaders of the last and this century, Queen Elizabeth. There are very few who were cut from the same cloth. She will be missed by millions.
    ❤️& 🙏, c.a.

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    • Narayan Kaudinya says

      Dear C.a yes I know of course, and I am happily open to always receive your wisdom because for I partially agree with you 🙂

      Yes, my deep respects to the Queen. She was marvellous in how she lived and lead a life of respect and decorum. Not even near to easy.

      Thanks c.a

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  4. Martha Kennedy says

    I love the story about the man in the queen’s mailroom. I wish you a very happy next rotation around the sun. 🙏🏻💚

    For me September always arrives with relief — I feel relief. It’s like the pressure of earth’s fecundity here in this arid agricultural region in this alpine valley is over and my world finally feels it can rest. Many of my favorite animals return from the north, even the domestic cattle come down from the mountains. I always feel that all the animals — elk, deer, geese, cranes, and domestic farm animals have returned home, maybe because I returned to Colorado to stay in September after living in California for 30 years. Today I saw spots where some elk had bedded down for the night.

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    • Narayan Kaudinya says

      Martha, thank you. Yes I loved the story too. And thank you for the wishes.

      Woo, see your life is like someone living in the forest looking around with eyes wide open for other bros and sis of the forest 🙂 After 30 years Martha that is incredible feeling, to even be able to leave and then return. I can just wish you so much more happiness. And because universe is so much giving, I wish you always receive well and more.

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      • Martha Kennedy says

        That’s me exactly; walking around looking for brothers and sisters and anticipating their return, telling them in my inadequate language that I am glad to see them and love them very much.

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        • Narayan Kaudinya says

          ha ha 🙂 and you what they know that feeling. I am sure at certain times they might have even come closer to you, home, mainly for food or may be just as curious visitors?

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          • Martha Kennedy says

            I was a little afraid of that a few years ago when a small herd of deer decided I was their friend. I had to tell them I wasn’t because, you know, I really am. 🙂

            Liked by 1 person

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  5. gabychops says

    This unusual combination of 3 diverse parts in Narayan’s post shows the skill he moves from one topic to the next without losing the overall perspective.
    The magnificent portrait of Navaratri almost jumps off the page. The advice on
    abstaining from high-calorie foods is sound and crucial to follow for all of us as recent research shows that the foods Narayan describes are harmful not only to our waistlines but also to our brains, mainly because being full of salt, sugar, and fat is low in fiber and essential vitamins which leads to chronic inflammation throughout the body, including the brain. This in turn seems to lead to the rewiring of neural circuits, triggering depression or anxiety.

    The advice on a daily cleaning routine while based on ancient beliefs is not as medically sound; it is vital to clean your teeth, tongue, and mouth and I would add to rinse your mouth with salted water, without swallowing it after every meal, will prevent seeing a dentist for a long time if ever!
    The idea of putting drops of collyrium in your eyes is not only unnecessary but might be harmful as eyes are designed to clean themselves, the same goes for putting drops of oil in your ears and nose, presumably to soften the ear wax.
    This is dangerous and anything smaller than your elbow should never be put in your ears. Oil into your nose? Better saved for cooking only, less stained pillows!

    The part devoted to Narayan’s school is fascinating and moving, especially looking at the children surrounding their so much loved teacher! The garden created at the school is quite astonishing in its diversity of plants, and their perfect combination of colors. Narayan’s generous act of sharing his birthday cake with his children and other teachers proves what an extraordinary school this is and that any child lucky to be thought there is already halfway to a successful life.

    Narayan’s tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is the final part of this magnificent post, and it would be no surprise, except that Narayan managed to write something new that is amusing and a wonderful finishing note to his tribute to this memorable September.
    “Rest in Power Elizabeth II” is a clever twist on Rest In Peace but the worldwide love elevated Her memories into a new position.
    This post is outstanding and not only leaves us smiling but waiting for more of Narayan’s writing.

    Joanna

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    • Narayan Kaudinya says

      Thanks so much dear Joanna. Your words always motivate me.

      Also i addressed your concern about using Rose water(for eye cleaning specifically) in the eyes as I put it almost daily, and oil or even Desi ghee in nose is one of the best practices there can be for a super flexible brain and memory- and experience here is not just my own or my father but innumerable Indians who have been doing it ever since.

      I am happy that you liked the story of my tribute to the Queen.

      I thank you from my heart.

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  6. gc1963 says

    The seasonal change and adapting to it is a very good message. I do the practice of self control on these nine days in my own way. I really wish to see your school and meet you someday. God bless. Stay healthy, safe and pure of thoughts forever.

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  8. Michael Graeme says

    Indeed, a very happy Birthday, Narayan. A wonderful post, full of wisdom and affection.

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. KK says

    I liked how you covered autumn, necessary precautions during this changing season, Navaratri and finally a beautiful tribute to the Queen. Old practices may not appear convincing to modern people, but those are time-tested ones. Stamp story was new to me. Thanks for sharing, Narayan ji, and a very happy belated birthday 🎉

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  15. Diti Sen says

    A wonderful post, Narayan. Having grown up in this milieu of timeless wisdom ,science and deep faith in the Eternal, i identified completely with everything that you’ve said.
    We also seem to share a birthday month.😊Wishing you many more wise and blessed turns around the sun here on Mother Earth. The photos were very welcome and your tribute to the Queen was so illustrative of her life. I remember seeing her in1961 when she and Prince Phillip had visited Calcutta, as it was called then. She symbolized many humane qualities we now miss in our lives and was representative of stability and dignity. RIP.

    Liked by 1 person

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  16. Lakshmi Bhat says

    We wish you a very happy Birthday and all the best for the coming years. Thank you for sharing the incident of stamps and the Queen 😊. And the beautiful photos. Our best wishes to all the children.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  17. Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.com says

    My delayed best wishes on your Earthly Solar return! Happy Birthday! You include so much in your posts, and so sweet is your wisdom! Blessings to you Narayan! 🙂 The Queen’s passing sent a large ripple in the world. I hadn’t realized the extend and breadth of her impact, either.

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