The Sweetness of Change
You will certainly know better things and worse things than those you already know, but that does not matter. What matters most is change, movement, dynamism, energy.
Only what is dead does not change – and you are alive.
Author: Narayan Kaudinya
Are you Blinking ?
It happens only while blinking. Sages and meditators who have closed there eyes for the longest time in there lifetimes, know when to blink. How much later to blink, because blinking comes with a count. And whosoever blinks is certain, to die. And that is how gods were differentiated from humans. because gods do not blink. In our lives, we live through a series of decisions that we make daily, weekly, monthly: but those decisions that subconsciously occur, the quiet ones which get shared with no one. The ones which come with horse power velocity leading us to our destinies are the which cry in silence. Because the only way you will ever awaken is through silence, not through analyzation of facts, not by sorting out good and bad, but through simple silence. By focusing towards the light in the dark, and to particularly stand in that invisible line trying to reveal ones true potential by letting every thought be, by surrendering to all the possibilities, Possibilities. By just showing up day after day after …
Towards Peace
Peace might not mean getting everyone else to do what you want them to do. Instead, it may involve understanding that people don’t always want what we want and don’t often believe in what we believe. Everyone has their own narrative and is struggling with their own fears. We can begin there. Most of the time, people want to be seen, understood and appreciated. And if we can offer someone dignity with respect, we give them a gift that is difficult to find. In these dire times when people are forced to push every other, further away, Share, Give; each day, some way. As there lies that one eternal way, to Peace.
Happy Birthday Incredible India
Your place is not only on the map but also in the heart Freedom and power brings responsibility. That responsibility rests upon each one of us. Before the birth of freedom we endured all the pain of labour, even divided with heavy hearts; that echoing memory of division. Some of those pains continue even now. Nevertheless the past is over and it is the future that must be directed. The future is not one of ease or resting but of incessant striving so that we might fulfil the pledges we have so often taken and the one we shall take today, one more time. The service of India, of Bharat means the service of the millions who suffer. It means not only ending poverty but ignorance, unawareness, diseases and above all, inequality of opportunities, understanding the importance of this ancient land, this oldest active and growing civilization. And so we have to labour and to work and work hard to give reality to our dreams. Those dreams are for India, but they are also for …
Man’s Search for Meaning
When I returned to Ishbar that night, Shiban seemed speechless. But Dr Kaul looked at him with satisfaction giving an expression like “then he has seen.” And soon the moment came to explain to him what he had seen. We sat around fire, while waiting for the food to arrive. Open your ears, said Dr Kaul and he began speaking like reciting an over practised hymn. “The men in the east, he said, are trees; those in the south are flocks of animals; those in the west are wild plants. Last, those in the north like ourselves, who cried out while they ate other men, were the waters. When the collective sound of chewing filled the air, he started explaining about eating. The act of eating is a violence that causes what is living, in its many forms, to disappear. Whether grass, plants, trees, animals, or human beings, the process is the same. There is always a fire that devours and a substance that is devoured. This violence, bringing misery and torment, will one day …
Bateshwar Temples from the eyes of the legendary Archaeologist KK Muhammad: A Photo Essay and FILM
My earliest memory of meeting KK Muhammad was in his white room, filled with books to the brim, touching the tall old roof of the Red Fort Complex, his newly ancient home. Astounded, I asked him if he would ever finish reading all these books! Smiling, he said, “Narayan an age comes when you don’t keep books to read them, they read me daily instead. I only use them for references”. Somehow I carried this memory for long, and since then had no guilt for keeping as many books myself, thinking either way of someday reading or at least being read by them. I also remember him today as he came out to be one of the most important person who was behind the archaeological excavations at Ayodhya, that according to him clearly indicated the presence of a temple below the mosque. Father of one of my filmmaker friend, with whom i was fortunate to work together in the making of this film, that became a tribute, a testimony for his commendable and courageous work …
The Paradox
Who is observing the observer? Are you in front of the camera or behind it ? Or are you it ? Do you realize the change Changing? We walked up to the oldest virgin man. The sevak of shiva sitting on a hill, under a bright summer sun. His skin had earned blocks of pentagon, shaped into numerous lines criss-crossing his whole body. Once wrinkles turned into scales, crafted like on a snake’s skin. For a moment when he stood, I moved and touched that skin. But it felt nothing like it instead it was soft as wool. We walked seven steps together and then he sat in the shadow, near few men who had come from the nearby village, singing. He was humorous. He looked at Maharaj ji and told him that you look older than me! abhi bhi dum lagate ho? Do you still smoke Chillum? And started laughing at his own prank. But when he did, i could see through his mouth till his almost neck, bereft of any bone. wide, narrow, dry and …
Growing together at 500 : A Return Gift
Big hello, To each one of you, fellow bloggers. It’s not even two complete months since i am writing continuously on ROAD TO NARA; and to see, to touch this milestone of having 500 close knit friends, comes as the most fulfilling feeling. Probably one of the happiest decisions i made to make it all public in these serious Covid Times. Each and every day has been overwhelming with the amount of comments, likes, stories that you expressed and poured out your love on the blog, through various questions, views, queries, praises, some beautiful surprises in mails that i have got and few friends that i have found on this journey. I am not only thankful but owe this day to you all. Knowing that it is only a start. And that the family should only grow. Few friends here suggested that ROAD TO NARA must have a Facebook presence outside of WordPress dedicated to the blog. So, here i thought of a declaration. Whomsoever reads this, you are heartily welcome to join on this …
The Lovers Of Aurangabad
Where are the lovers? The ones who roamed and flew kisses at each passing nightingale; that one who promised me the movies and photographs on the Valentines. I haven’t seen none and I don’t think one would come, instead i called him last night, in my sleep. His year began with a cold shower last valentines morning, of course it was February, of course it was cold. For many years he dismissed the day of love by saying saint valentines’s mother was a pagan and did not believe in Christ herself, rather was in love with a tree outside her home. So he, my boyfriend decided to love a tree that stood outside their home. You know trees have gender right! Also because his mother would rebel of even thinking about going outside, once she was walking on a street, and just when she reached at the centre of a four way crossing, she yelled out loud saying I detest this urban theatre, Every one is a clone of the other. Look a likes, inside …
Sunshine Blogger Award – I : Q and A
Well, this happened, my first award, and I thank dear KrishnaPriya, for forwarding this space and allowing me to take all my time. As many people know that it has only been very little time that i am here but this community, her people, the communication, appreciation and lifting everyone up is overwhelming here. So we are all shining like sun together, this is for all of us. Bur first of all, I request everyone to visit Krishnapriya’s quaint blog, the one who nominated me here – Krishnapriya. She has studied Sanskrit and writes about all the little happiness’s that life presents us. THE SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD IS GIVEN TO THE BLOGGERS WHO INSPIRE POSITIVENESS AND CREATIVITY IN THE BLOGGING COMMUNITY. I am happy to accept my first blogger award in exchange for the questions she designed for me to answer. Here we go – Which is your favorite book/movie? One of the two I would say; my all time favourite book has been Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse How are you spending your leisure time? Well, …
A Magical Walk to Bijli Mahadev and Mystical Manali Stories
Lets start from where we ended. For twenty-seven nights, I was the only one living in a wooden balcony that hung facing the jungle on a whole mountain. The red moon that I saw on the forehead of a mother in the village down, i saw a similar one on my lover. But her eyes were set against the only window the first night. Pink walls. She told me she wants to scream. Now! I said. She smiled. Fire. She kept looking in my eyes and started screaming. I closed my mouth. And opened my eyes. It was winters. It was cold. And you know when it is winters and when it is cold how heavy the rains hit. It confuses the heart. It was sunny next day. Pluto arrived. Nara, let’s go meet the man who sneezes forty times. He does that once daily. We left our two limping dogs behind. It was a beautiful walk. We reached. We sat outside Daulat Ram’s home in his garden on uncomfortable plastic chairs. An old brown …
The Great Indian HitchHike to Remember
I could well be passing my worst night. I had missed my fastest express to home, and was barely left with enough money to buy tickets again. Evening was around, I decided to reach the highway and do what i had never done. I started asking passing by truck drivers for a lift. As time passed and no one stopped, uneasiness was creeping in. I hadn’t done anything like it before. But I kept telling myself that if nobody stops I will rest at a temple or the next dhaba i may find. After a considerable time suddenly a big truck passed and seemingly started slowing down. It must have stopped 100 meters ahead. I ran. It looked strange at first sight for such a big thing stopping, for me!! It was a sixteen-wheeler trolley. Empty. I got in. There was only one small, frail person, the driver sitting. He was lanky, and looked too young to be driving anything like this. Also he looked grim, bit sad and may be in shock. Apart from …
Singing the uhuru burn
The case of chasing sun a fat girl wedded to life singing the uhuru burn what will remain of this world continuity and creativity in uncle hassan’s sleep losing his spirits walking away from his favorite tree her signs his silence her future poetry a journey to the stone country on top of a bus with an x zorastree on a kiss less day Taiwan’s highway Terminal eating Imagining an Adivasi cinema Translated museums is bad hand writing freedom? Freedom from brain First the god will die and soon men. Love, like living is commerce and commerce is time and time in the case of the chasing sun that fat girl who wedded to life kept singing the uhuru burn
The Essence of Food in the times
How can we describe food? What sun is to plants, food is to humans. Food is as much sun. The only visible god. The energy. Prana Shakti. What you eat will determine the longevity of your strength not just of your body, but also of your senses. Not just five, but all ten of them. And very slowly as you will with full awareness practise eating, it will start determining the strength of ones spirit. Because anything that we consume becomes our spirit. The most beautiful things in life work and are found in silence. So should working of our stomach be. It is the home where Shakti resides. Feed her respectfully. And to tell you that is how Yog arrived in me it wasn’t that i started doing asanas, no. It arrived through food. It took only the alignment of understanding the body from within. That is how I imagine the first and the foundation of becoming a yogi starts, by understanding ones relation with food. To cut the story short I will not tell you to …
A Traveller’s Lessons from two decades on the ँ Road
Few years ago while swimming in the river Tungbhadra in Sringeri, I met an Indian data Scientist who had left his job in the US to work on the Indian River systems. As we spoke while floating in the river conversing about culture and civilization, it that time when i realized something very commonplace, and the impression of its true meaning changed something in me right there
They who saw the hyms
It was evening. I was taking off my clothes looking at the river tungabhadra. I was imagining the moment my body will touch her water. My feet, my thigh, my abdomen started had started forgiving heat when he started telling me about the origin of the oldest living civilisation, India.
Remember, coming December
Years from now, after this event is long over, what should we remember about it? A week from now, when the crisis hits, what should we remember about this meeting? Tomorrow, when the day gets busy again, what would you like me to remember about the discussion we just had? Begin with the end in mind.
Better than perfect ?
Draw a perfect circle. Use a compass or a plotter. Now, zoom in. If you zoom in close enough, you’ll discover that it’s not a perfect circle at all. In fact, anything we create, at close enough magnification, isn’t perfect. It’s foolish to wait until you’ve made something that’s perfect, because you never will. The alternative is to continue to move toward your imaginary ideal, shipping as you iterate. Getter better is the path to better.
Homeland
He woke up four inches below the snow like bed. But the day ahead was going to be as treacherous. He felt excited because travelling to rural India gave a smile to his face. Indian villages to a good extent still practice their civilisational old traditions. The air is different, the land for miles is green. But leaving Delhi behind is a lengthy affair. Their is an infrastructure push. Hundreds and thousands of trees that once gave beauty, breath and shade have now given way to expressway and highways and along with it empty, always being constructed high rise buildings. Slowly we start going past it. And we start seeing cow dung cakes kept for sun drying for kilometres. For centuries cow dung cakes known as “upla” in Hindi are used for cooking, cleaning homes and for homa- the fire worship. It’s smoke is known to purify the environment killing small insects and creatures. Many years ago someone said to Nara about India, when he was roaming in the river valleys of Kedar, that India …
LAST FLIGHT OF AN OWL
She kept looking towards the sky while floating in the water kept for cows. Her death seemed such that at one time I felt she chose it. But do birds more so when one is a predator choose their own death? When Maharaj ji arrived, he first closed his eyes. May be she needed someone to close her eyes before it could be plucked out by hungry ones. May be he earned this burial. To only put a stop to this cycle. May his body rests and the spirit awakens. Aum Shanti In Photos 1
The Pride of the Capital Parade
Sometimes guilt pushes for better results. Thus Chatter woke up dot at four in the brahm mahurat. Even though he left home at five. We were able reach Rajpath in the darkness of the dawn. It was no less than grand theatre going on there. Never was Delhi be heard and felt from the pride and the energy with which they marched past. With the bands of each regiment leading the way. The drums, the beats, the smell of the sweating young, the valour in the air. The discipline, the clacking of the iron bar beneath their marching boots to the tar ground woke us all up. The mist, the vapours coming out of mouths while a woman officer commanding against the street lamps of Rajpath takes you close to India’a colonial cold faced armies. The practise and improvisation that has gone in the making of them. Oneness in the motion. The pride. It felt like they were owning the day. It felt like they made it our day. Whole, united. It was a day …
Protected: Ways of Seeing, as in 2020
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
One two one and an Empty stomach
DAY 3 I got up little late. I didn’t know the reason exactly but I was lazing around for more than required. One thing that is changing me from inside is getting up and going for the bath. Its one of the most beautiful, mood changing, act changing thing that I have been constantly doing. One thing that still has to be attained is getting up at one time. Its mostly early but its irregular. I went out for the walk. I ran in between. I had to meet Swastika and Dhruv. Making sure that they get on board. Noon arrived faster than anticipated. I met swastika at Khan. It was calming meeting her. She shared a lot and opened like a flower in monsoon. She confirmed she is in but talked soon spoke mostly her experiences. Did not ask anything of the film but of things of elsewhere. Even though she gave me a beautiful image with the children. There is an unknown risk with her but it also feels that she is the …
Times of many Possibilities
DAY 2 Story is evolving. I am letting it settle however she wants to. But I am trying to show Chatterjee what he must. The landscape of Delhi. Her birds. And her changing color. It seems we will be able to ride on to something that I myself never saw in Delhi. I do not know what form it is going to take. That it will reveal itself, and settle in the form it takes. My only work is to bring together the best of people that I know and then let it happen, however, in their small, beautiful, pure means. Cold is settling. The sky cleared after many days of toxicity. And from yesterday it felt picnic in Delhi. We met in the evening and went towards the border of U.P meeting Delhi and observed birds going back in thousands. There were so many and within next one month it is going to be very exciting to make a small film around them in the film itself. I need to spend some time by …
New Beginnings
DAY 1 Yesterday father retired from his services after serving the government for thirty five years. He had organized a party which came out to be as good as if its someone’s wedding. For me It has not only been a teaching but it has been overwhelmingly inspiring to experience his intensity. And in later years how to start preparing your mind and executing various aspects of it efficiently. As efficiency is directly proportional to mind. The speed and clarity with which we could see his effortless involvement in all matters life showed his evolution. The last ten years had been the hardest of all, as he said during his speech. Travelling for over 50 kilometers in the early hours across Delhi is not cool by any standards; more so when you live only to teach. One’s mind has to be preserved of such log and ardous travels to take care of the biggest government school of delhi with a whopping numbers of students studying, approx.. 2300. Yet whatever came his way, he transformed it …
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