a space in time

My cousin S is to arrive from Delhi today. She, her parents, her dodappa dodamma, atte mave, and my husband and I, have been looking forward to this event as we all havent met for a long time.
so yesterday went like this...

• S says she will come by Meru taxi on her own,...,
• No no.. let us go and receive her.
• Go by the airport bus and come back together in meru taxi?
• Call the RR taxi and keep it for the entire day...
• Mani, you make lunch, we will stop by your house on the way back.
• Thumba elaborate lunch maad beda...simple aagi anna saaru maadu
• OK, I'll cook dinner, u relax with your daughter, and come to our house for dinner.
• S likes idlis. I will make idlis. you make the rest of the dinner.
• I want to bring sweets from adyar anand bhavan what would she like?

Everyone got up early....her mom, for she was too excited. she herself, as she had to reach the airport in time...in the Delhi fog, Mani as she had to cook the special lunch, and some of us...just because...

Devaru vara kottaru, pujari vara kodbekalla?
Kingfisher had the last laugh.
The flight was delayed from 8.15AM to 10 AM to 1.15 PM. Now they tell us the expected time of arrival is 3.45PM!!
Suddenly...our mind is blank. Excited chatter changes to tired silence. its like....what shall we fill this sudden space in time now?

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what u doing today
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vaikunta ekadasi

Yesterday was Vaikunta ekadasi. The number of devotees thronging to temples on this day has been increasing every year. Drive round the city on this day and you will find long lines that flow on to the streets. In a temple in Padmanabhanagar we found the line had extended across two streets.
Some temples like the Devagiri in Banashankari have erected barricades to channel the people in an orderly manner.

Every temple prepares prasad, pongal, puliogare or laddu, that it distributes free of cost to all devotes who come for darshan. For most young this is the purpose of the entire experience.
Women in silks, with jasmine strings in their hair, escort the elderly and the young at home to this darshan.

On this day a special doorway is decorated with flower garlands. It is thrown open with chanting of mantras and shlokas at an auspicious moment.
This is the Vaikunta dwara.
it represents the gate to heaven.

The presiding deity, Lord Venkateshwara is also in finery. the idol is decorated with flowers, leaves, jewellery and silk clothes. the devoted are atleast for a moment lost in trance...in the beauty of the lord. believe me the sight can be mesmerising.
Devotees wait for hours in the line to get a darshan of the lord and then pass through the specially created vaikunta dwara. The devotees believe that passing through this doorway will ensure an easy entrance into heaven when the need arises. (but of course...no one is in a hurry to test this!!)


It is amazing how the entire city of Bangalore seems to be converging to some temple near by. Faith moves mountains...and rivers of people.

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This time vaikunta ekadasi falls on Friday Dec 17th. that also happens to be Last day of Muharram.

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#reverb10 - Appreciate

Appreciate. What's the one thing you have come to appreciate most in


the past year? How do you express gratitude for it?
 
We came to this city two years ago with apprehension and hope. Apprehension because we are not that young anymore and starting afresh in a new city can be a challenge.
Hope, as we came here to fulfill a long dream.
 
It was barely 10 minutes after we moved in and my neighbours walked in with a loaded tray of tea and biscuits.
It was hot and we had to have an AC. the shop assisstant came over at 9 in the night to fix it for us.
A young advocate offered to help us out by lending his car and assisstant.
Some women invited us over for a chat so that we feel comfortable.
A cab driver went out of his way to take us to a place we knew little about, located the address and offered to wait to take us back as it was getting dark and late.
The officials at the Bank sent people home to help us fill forms and complete formalities.
I signed into a social networking site and loads of precious students bbecame my friends.
I am living my days as a teacher again with renewed vigour!
We have received so much love and affection.

 

I think people are essentially good. Selfishness is an acquired habit. We like to help. We enjoy being useful. I am grateful that I have met so many people who are role models as wonderful human beings.

What is your complaint?

Aaaah it feels so nice again to be able to complain about
the metro woes
the potholes on the roads
the oneways
the hugging the auto bar for dear life as he veers round a bus
the autos that run faster than even thought!
the many many social events that we 'need' to attend
hospitable hosts who kill you with love and over feeding
relatives who have done or not done something
the over expressive kannada film songs
the crowd in hotels on weekends


aaah its good to have things to complain about.

If you are in India you will know Nitish Kumar and Bihar.
there was this line in the papers
that in bihar, where there were no roads, now there are potholes.

So when people complain about potholes...it implies there are roads
when u complain about a bad boss...it implies u have a nice job
when u complain about the erratic driving on roads...it implies u drive and move in your own vehicle


what u complain about...tells a lot about u.
doesn't it?

#reverb10 - Action.

Prompt: Action. When it comes to aspirations, its not about ideas. It's


about making ideas happen. What's your next step?

I have a dream book that I have written. My aspiration is to see it published.
So practically the next step is to contact publishers
and get the book moving.
but here i am on vacation in a different city.
still
i must act on my aspiration.
so i will talk to publishers.
thats my reverberation for the next year.

#reverb10 - Body integration

#reverb10

Prompt: Body integration. This year, when did you feel the most integrated


with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn't mind and body, but

simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present?
 
In the beginning of this year I began to blog seriously.
I started using water colours to add variety to my blog.
I have taken up brushes and paints again after a long long gap.
Wet paint, the smell of wet colour, white pages filling up, and my thoughts coming alive on paper. that really makes me feel complete.
Yes painting does that to me...though I am not really a trained artist I dabble and find my joy there.

#reverb10 - 11 things

11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn't need in 2011? How


will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things

change your life? _
 
We spend a lot of time thinking of what we do not want. I was just like that too. I would go hot under the collar thinking of all those things that made me angry, upset, embarassed, tired or helpless.
 
Then I had a kind of remaking of my insides.
 
I read SECRET by Rhonda Byrne and it so changed my outlook that now I consciously focus on what I want to see and do not like to think of what I do not want to see.
this habit I have imbibed after a lot of dedicated thinking and hard work.
So
Sorry
I cannot write about this topic.

#Reverb10 - Wisdom.

Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how
did it play out?

You know how it is with children growing, career dreams maturing, social life brimming…………I had my days full.

Well to tell the truth
Actually my days were full and a half!

We moved to Delhi in 2009 and again it was hectic, what with trying to make new friends, getting to know the city and trying to find our place here.
I decided to actually go slow in 2010. The decision made was to connect with ME.

So for that I decided to blog
To write the 750 words every day
To paint
And to read
I also connected with my lovely student world through social networking.

Ma’am do you remember me…?
Ma’am do you remember that time when we….?
Ma’am see this photograph of our class farewell……..



It has been a difficult decision to adhere to
I had to turn down many very fascinating jobs
But in the end
I think I am happy with my Wise Decision.

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I connect with ME

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Adopt a Habit

Last week my daughter told me.........
It was plant week at office. Lots of plants in plastic covers are brought into office. You can pick one and take it home. She has brought home a hibiscus plant. Now she has put it carefully into a special pot.

She will water it everyday. Shift it so it can get sunlight, Delhi is pretty cold in winter.....Spray it with pesticide....remove yellow leaves.....turn the hardened soil...
whew
That is literally taking on a new commitment.
But what if I am not ready to really commit myself for life? With the little bottle necks I am passing through some one who loves me told me.... calm your mind. Meditate. Read the Ashtotras every day. Pray for an hour.
Welllllllll...
I am not that much into ritualistic religion
So doing that would essentially change me?
But I am not ready to really change life attitudes
We hang on to what we are.........dont we?

Then I tell myself
What if I am only trying it out for some time?
What if I am not really changing my life attitude......only Adopting a habit........and if I like it.....I can make it into a lifetime commitment

That makes me open to try out new ideas


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So I have adopted this habit.........I chant the Vinayaka Ashtotra everyday. Will tell you if it made a difference to me....

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Something new

Hi
I am going to try something new and I need all your encouragement.

I am signing up for what is called ..........  #Reverb 10.

But this is more of a challenge as I will actually be on vacation in Bangalore!
So do look in
and egg me on
and tell me the blog is good
or tell me it stinks

I have missed the first 10 days of Reverb 10.
So 20 days
of writing on what
someone else asks me to
and keeping the blog what it always has been

a rambling talk over cushions..

tough for me

But.....Yes I can

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so help me ganesha ... to adopt this habit

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Motto of Life - II

Did you locate the guiding light? In blog post Motto of Life? Did you?
???


When we become aware of our life motto the decision making process is that much easier. Let’s say you take a decision.

• If that decision agrees with your basic motto in life you are peaceful and can concentrate on the action required. Things move fast. Events are smooth.

• But if that decision is contrary to your basic motto you become restless and stressed out. The actions carried out become that much more difficult. You hesitate. You are slow to act. You keep wondering if you are on the right path.

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When you identify the motto of people around you, does it become easier to understand why they do what they do?


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I have lots of hats........multicoloured ones

Am I talking through one of them hats?


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I do that sometimes....
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Motto of Life

In all the twists and turns of life there is a guiding force at the center. This guiding force is the motto of our life.

This basic motto defines us. It distinguishes us from others.

This is who we are.

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Can you locate the guiding light at the centre?


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