The world needs a nest

Every year 7th May (25th Baisakh ) is celebrated as Tagore’s birthday by many of his admirers. Some of them, who know me as an ex student of Santiniketan (Tagore’s University), kindly send some nice  videos of Tagore to me. That really inspired me to write a few unique things  about Santiniketan school, which was  established by Tagore in 1901.

He was the first non European to get the Noble Prize for literature. Much of that money  he spent  for the development of  his dream school in Santiniketan.

Much of his early life was spent at upper class British schools where he often looked out through the open window and loved to see the blue sky, flying birds,passers by and green trees. Perhaps that brought a feeling of freedom in his mind. He decided to make a school where children will learn while being free in nature .He wanted to bring a new trend of education, where children will be  taught to be self reliant and helpful to others. Also  being  ready to develop a harmonious  attitude  towards the whole world, children should   know   about the  past glory of  ancient Vedic civilisation also.

In Santiniketan, except  science classes, all other classes were taught under the shade of green trees. Children loved to acquire different knowledge   while being in nature. Season changes, birds songs and fresh air enhanced  their imagination and made them feel one with nature, and one with all. They were encouraged to participate in many other activities ( like, games, music, gardening,nature’s study, even occasional visits to nearby tribal villages with teachers. That education stands apart  from today’s schooling system.Today children are more advanced with technology, more self centred, and love  to stay secured and comfortable in the  middle of four concrete walls.Tagore emphasised  universal brotherhood, also fought against cast system (which was very strong in India  that time ) through his literature and also through his schooling system. He realised, revolutionary change can come only through right education, which he described beautifully in these few lines of his poem from Gitanjali.

“Where the mind is without fear, and the head is held high, where the world has not been broken up into fragments, by narrow domestic walls. ….where words come out from the depth of truth. …Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake“

At the  entrance  gate of the town he founded was written in Sanskrit,  "yatra viswa bhavatyaka niram"  which means “here the whole  world  comes together  as returning to a nest.”  Being attracted to Tagore's  personality, many   great people  of  the world came  there and joined hands with  Tagore to bring universal  brotherhood  in Santiniketan .

The life of time

Time is an eternal flow within which creations appear and disappear like waves upon an ocean. Yet the passing of time is mysterious in how differently it is experienced at different times of an individuals life. We all perceive time differently. Our perception differs with age, experiences,upbringing, cultural background, and also with our carry over tendencies of previous lives. As my mother often said, time flows like the current of a river. It is interesting that time is compared to the current, and life itself is the river. In other words, without time, life would be static - it is time that gives life its value and dynamism. And it is in this current upon which glides all the joys and sorrows, health and ill-health, opportunities and disappointments of every life as it is experienced in different ways. So it is essential for us to learn how to swim in this current while experiencing what it brings and where it takes us. Mastering how we experience the passage of time is all the control we can have upon it for the rest is what floats upon it. We may get some guidance about managing time, from our old scriptures like Bhagavad Gita, Upanishad or from sayings of some enlightened souls. Bhagavad Gita tells us to perform all duties of life with sincere efforts, focused mind and with skilled hand. It tells us to maintain an even attitude to fruition and non fruition of what ever we do, and should do duties without pride of doer-ship .( chapter 2/ verse 47/48) Our concept of time also changes with age. Children are more focused to the present, and not bothered about past or future.That is why they feel happy to chase butterflies, love to mimic singing birds, or get thrilled to be drenched in summer rain. Time also brings challenging moments in many childrens' life . the pressure of poverty often forces children to risk their lives in many ways. Like brave soldiers, facing the challenges of time, they sell fruits, flowers, or polish shoes on crowded city streets. I always salute them mentally, because they face the challenges of life with dignity and courage. In adulthood, unless one gets the soft cushion of ancestral property to relax upon, we all try hard to make a living for us and for our family in a honest way. Money earned with honest and sincere efforts always brings peace in life. Yogananda righty said "Do not expect to attain unalloyed peace and happiness from earthly life. No matter what your experiences are, enjoy them in an objective way as you would a movie" ( Man’s Eternal Quest )The golden truth of Upanishad says, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbaka", which means , the world is one family. Keeping this truth in mind, enlightened souls , by giving their unconditional loving service to helpless and needy, leave their foot prints behind on the sands of time forever. As we can not grasp air within our fist, we can not grasp time nor hold back the passage of it. Time is impartial. Both king and popper have twenty four hours in hand, and how one uses that time - in wisdom or waste, depends on the free choice of an individual. So it is essential for us to understand what time is - a carrier of one's attention. The right use of time is to be attentive to its passing. The rest is circumstance.

We are what and how we eat

Recently I read an interview by a famous psychiatrist that provoked me to think about the nature of today’s food habits and changing life styles. We know food has a direct impact on our body and mind. Throughout civilization (prior to the advent of refrigerators), people ate fresh food that was cooked at home. In Vedic literature (1500 BCE to 500BCE), we find that food was considered sacred, especially as there was an energetic component beyond nutrition and preparations and consumption of food were forms of worship. Their diet was vegetarian, with fresh grains, vegetables, fruits and nuts. Milk derived yogurt and ghee (clarified butter which is also free of lactose) were essential parts of diet and rich in probiotic elements. Meat consumption was restricted for special religious occasions. Bhagavad Gita refers to a healthy diet as being comprised of “Sattvik food" - the qualifers being vegetarian, fresh (cooked within 2 hours) and supportive of elevated forms of thinking and not those that would 'inflame the senses'. Food was designed to enhance longevity, spiritual strength,health, happiness and contentment.” ( chapter 17/ verse 8) In earlier days, earthen pots were used as cooking vessels which added calcium and iron to the food. Also clay, being alkaline in nature as well as ensuring slow cooking that prevented charring of food when cooked on metal pans in high heat. Many of our chronic modern ailments are now being connected to charred or burnt food, high heat cooking that often turns oils carcinogenic, a lack of probiotics naturally available in fermented foods, nutritional loss from high heat cooking etc. And of course the widespread usage of plastic and other harmful metals that are now part of our food chain. In traditional cooking, usage of spices , make a symphony of colour, taste and flavour, which is also good for health. In today's world, especially in western countries, cooking has gone from a family activity to a commercial, industrialized business that is devoid of a personal connection and is largely driven by frozen and packaged foods. India and many eastern countries have still preserved a more traditional approach to food creation and consumption, though that is changing fast. Sitting crossed legged on rugs, eating mindfully in silence and with direct connection to the hand as oppposed to a fork an knife creates primal connection to our food. This is still practiced in traditional homes throughout the East. The cancer of today is directly correlated to high sugar and salt laden fast foods, packaged, frozen, or worse - restructured (many kids don't understand the connection between what they're eating and the plant or animal that it comes from). Food has gone from a connected activity that is primal to our being to being a mindless secondary function while conducting business calls, watching television, or driving. The consumption of meat and alcohol have become universal throughout cultures and are scientifically proved to create serious ailments - both physical and mental. Ayurveda (literally translated as the science of long life), much like Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine says “ when diet is wrong, medicine is of no use, and when diet is correct, medicine is of no need “.

Everyday grace

Long back, while visiting a holy temple in Delhi, I bought a simple Rudraksha bracelet. Rudraksha is known to increase good health and spiritual qualities of the users and these trees grow only in the foot hills of Himalaya mountains.That bangle was inexpensive and the seeds were strung through an elastic thread.. One morning I was delighted to get a call from my friend who was visiting the holy city of Haridwar, and invited me to join her for a day, at her Guru’s Ashram. I loved the idea, and next morning, I got dressed and wore my Rudraksha bracelet. Her uncle and aunt picked me up, and we proceeded towards Haridwar early in the morning. We reached the holy city by noon, when my friend was waiting for us at her Guru’s Ashram, but first, decided to have a dip in the holy river Ganga. It is a popular belief that, mother Ganga flows down from Shiva’s jata (uncombed twisted knot of Shiva’s hair), and flows down through the holy city of Haridwar. So people from different countries come there to have a holy dip. We found the river was full and had a strong current. So the bathing ghats were cordoned off by iron chains, which devotees could hold to take a holy dip. Before getting into the river, I handed over my belongings to someone in the group who decided not to take a bath. But I forgot to remove the Rudraksha bracelet from my wrist. And just as I took my first dip, I realised that my precious Rudraksha bracelet slipped from my wrist, and floated away to some unknown destination of the river bed. I stayed cool, and continued to take my seven more holy dips in the river. When I finished taking my last holy dip, I felt some thing under my feet. I took it out, and to my surprise I found , it was my Rudraksha bangle. It came back to me , after being blessed by Ma Ganga , and became my most precious possession. I realised that, like that ordinary Rudraksha wrist band, any object can be transformed to become of value, if we so attribute it. And if we are to be attached to them, may it be for non-material reasons. There is grace in all things if only we can see it. Paramhansa Yogananda said, “ change your consciousness from that of a mortal to a divine being….In every atom of space, you will see the twinkle of God’s light and laughter. Behind every thought, you will feel the ocean of His wisdom,” (journey to self- realization). So following his advice,by remoulding our consciousness , we all can be new person in this New Year.

The short and sweet life of Laddoo

This is a story of our darling little kitten, “Laddoo" who came in our life for a short time to spread love, fun and joy, but was snatched away from life by a sudden attack of pneumonia. Her appearance and disappearance in our lives was quite dramatic. Few months back, one morning, when I opened the door, I found a mother cat was lying on our drive way, and was feeding her four little kittens, and the scene touched my heart. So I asked my maid to bring a big bowl full of milk to them, which they finished in no time. This routine continued several times every day, and they were happy and we were happy too. When Kittens became healthy and started playing in the garden, one day the mother cat disappeared, leaving her kittens in our hands. Respecting her trust, we took good care of them. When they became little bigger and stronger, one day, parents came and took them away to some unknown destination. I accepted their choice and not interfere in their independence and prayed for them to enjoy a happy independent life. More than a month passed by, one evening, one little kitten , hungry and famished, came back to us. We named her Laddoo. Soon she adopted our garden as her own home, started jumping around. Climbing trees and chasing hidden flies in the bushes. These were her favourite games. She respected our elderly three legged dog, Gujia, and he in turn, kept a peaceful distance. Whenever Gujia was out, she moved away and hid in a bush. Gujia was also lovingly tolerant to her naughtiness. It was fun to watch their mutual understanding. Laddoo loved to join me every day on my morning walk. Whenever I came out with my walker, she came running and walked zigzagging under my walker as I did my daily walk up and down the driveway. Though my son bought a fancy climbing platform for her to rest but she preferred to climb up on my lap, and take a quick nap. But all good things come to an end, sometimes suddenly with a harsh turn of life. With a sudden attack of pneumonia, Laddoo left us too early, leaving her sweet memories all around, she breathed her last, lying on my lap. With prayers, flowers and blessings we buried her in our garden , where our earlier dear pets are lying and protecting us still now. Like waves on the ocean, every life comes from and goes back to the universal energy, just to come back again in a new form in due time. Life energy is indestructible. This is what I believe and it brings me solace. It reminds me a few beautiful lines of Tagore. He said, “ what depart and what remain, if only I surrender them all to you , they do not erode, but in your magnetic glory lie alert. In you are countless moons and suns, not a fragment goes astray. Will not my tiny treasure then also reside at your feet “.