Life Light Legacy

  Pandit Jasraj in concert As I listened to Pandit Jasraj singing Madhmaad Sarang composition - "Rasikani Radha palana jhoole", lot of old memories got rekindled and I'm sharing some of it. Typically it is college days when people pick up addictions. I don't want to name the addictions but you know what I mean. And it is typically friends/peers who initiate one into it. When I was studying engineering in IIT Varanasi, I was initiated into an addiction by Anant Sharma bhaiyya, an M.Tech student. What did he initiate me into? Hindustani Classical music. Specifically Pandit Jasraj. And boy what an addiction (love) it is that it has not left me till date. Can I thank Anant bhaiyya enough for this? Those days we used to search music shops for any available cassette of Panditji and buy it. I can't count the afternoons and nights spent listening to Panditji's cassettes in the hostel room. Many a times it would bring tears in the eye and I could f...

You can listen, you can care You are gentle, you are fair You gimme space, you lemme share You are so special, you are rare I'm at peace, becz you're there Lifeline of this planet, I'm aware You can be silent, you can dare You can let go, you can flare You do the needful, without fanfare You can grow easily, so can you pare Beauty who you are, grace what you wear You're the best, there's nothing to compare Not to be messed with, O'men beware If you do, you will regret, I swear Be it known, may or may not so appear Nonetheless she is mother nature's heir PS. Originally published on March 8, 2018 on Facebook.

While reading the biographies of spiritual stalwarts, one phrase I have come across often is "He looked upon all women as his mother." The sense in which the phrase is used is that the person didn't harbor lust for women. The idea of looking upon a woman as a mother is as vast and deep as an ocean and today, on my mother's birthday, I write what it is to see a woman as a mother (my perspective). 1) With mother I can be myself. With others I may need to be a certain (prescribed) way but not with mother. In front of mother I can be who I am. 2) I don't need to hide my weakness and fears from mother. If there is one place I can express my weakness and fears without being judged and feel reassured, it is with mother. 3) If there is one person who has my well being and happiness on top of her mind always, it is mother. 4) She "gets" my deepest aspirations and feelings, sometimes even without having to say a word. 5) To her I can ask any...

  One can live life at the level of thoughts One can live life at the level of feelings One can live life at the level of life Third one being the most natural and fulfilling Flowers and plants don't think, don't feel - only live Animals think and feel occasionally - mostly live Humans think and feel most of the time - live occasionally The tragedy of human life is What was a possibility and potential Thinking and feeling - became a prison Robbing the freedom of living PS. Originally published on January 17, 2018 on Facebook.

Your color is captivating Your fragrance is elevating Your touch is liberating In you I feel life Your delicateness is your power In your presence I surrender You are the beauty of life expressed In you I feel life You are eternally silent For you what remains to be said No word spoken, still deeply connected In you I feel life I can hold life in my hands as you I can gift life to someone as you I can surround myself with life as you In you I feel life PS. Originally published on December 24, 2017 on Facebook

  Kasaar Devi Temple, Almora, Uttarakhand When parents take their children to temples, the mindset that is inculcated is usually one of the following: 1. The Big Boss mindset - God is presented as some Big Boss who is all powerful, ready to get angry and punish the inhabitants of this world. So one must be fearful in front of the Big Boss and also treat God as big and oneself as small. In this mindset, the prime purpose of the temple visit becomes appeasing BB with ones conduct. 2. The Business mindset - God is presented as business-man or woman who is sitting there to strike deals. Offer a coconut and ask for a job or some such exchange. In this mindset, the prime purpose of the temple visit is to strike a one-sided deal which makes no business sense. Is there any other mindset one can go to a temple with? Yes and that is the mobile-charger mindset. In this approach, one views temples as power centers and oneself as mobile phones which needs charging from ti...

Neem Karoli Baba Ashram, Uttrakhand In our drive up to Almora from Kathgodam, on 26th September, I saw two pictures on the dashboard of the cab we hired. One was of Paramhansa Yogananda and another was of the smiling saint, Neem Karoli baba. It is said that Steve Jobs had visited Neem Karoli baba's ashram when he visited India in search of the ultimate truth. When I enquired our cab driver about the ashram, he suggested that I visit the ashram on our return journey from Almora. I was not sure if our schedule can accommodate it, but I wanted to visit the place if possible. Today, 30th September, during our return journey from Almora we found ourselves on a road our hosts had asked us to avoid because it was accident prone. But by the time we realized it , it was too late to change the route. I thought the driver chose the route to save him a longer (but safer) drive. A little later, I heard Akila ask the driver if we would cross Kainchi Mandir via this route an...

  Vriddha Jageshwar Temple, Almora, Uttarakhand   Last two days have been overwhelming. So much natural beauty to soak in. The human nature in me asked why can I not be here forever? Why do I need to go back to the hustle bustle of a city life where everyone seems to be running non-stop to reach nowhere? Will I be more happy with a simple existence on the hills than a mechanical life in a fast moving city? The temple priest of Vriddha Jageshwar Mandir started a conversation with me after the puja and when he got to know where I'm from and what I do he asked if I can find jobs for kids from the mountains in the city. I told him there are opportunities for everyone. This small interchange made me reflect. For me happiness means the beauty and peace of the hills. For him happiness means the opportunities in the city. And both of us are right. The hard truth is that what you get easily is taken for granted and loses its charm. The key then is to be happy and make...

If I were to summarize my understanding of what each person is seeking, it boils down to - intensity of experience. Every person is seeking intensity of experience. What varies is how they get to it. For some it is relationships, for some it is money/power/position, for some it is pursuing an interest, for some it is coding, for some it is cooking, for some it is serving others, for some it is demanding from others, for some it is religion/spirituality, for some it is substance abuse, for some it is kindness, for some it is terrorism, for some it is sharing, for some it is snatching and the list goes on. Seeking intensity of experience is very fundamental to human life and existence. And acknowledging this allows us: 1. To see the unifying principle in all the diversity. 2. To explore alternative and sometimes better ways of getting the intensity we seek. 3. Help others in whatever way we can to experience what they are seeking. PS. Originally published on September 24,...

  Almora, Uttarakhand In the warmth of the sun, I feel embraced In the coolness of mountains, I feel kissed and the wetness of lips Getting drenched in the rains, I feel the intimacy of touch Sitting next to a river, I feel I'm in my mother's lap I see a tree, I feel the life flowing in it I see a flower, I feel stunned by its colours I see the moon, I feel enchanted In front of the sea, I feel silenced by its vastness and depth O Beloved Nature! How many ways you have to make me go on my knees I certainly feel lucky that I got the attention of thee. PS. Originally published on September 24, 2017 on Facebook.

  Sangam, Badami, Karnataka There is a peculiar phenomenon which happens to me. Occasionally, I remember with utmost clarity some experiences which may have happened long back in the past as if it happened just now. It is like something getting pulled out of the archive and replayed right now right here in front of my eyes. During this replay, my attention goes to what I was experiencing and thinking when the incident happened. After the screening is over, it becomes an interesting exercise to analyze the past experiences and thoughts in light of the knowledge of how things actually unfolded over the years. Sounds abstract and abstruse? No worries. It will be all clear with examples. 1. I "judged" other students in school and college as good/bad students. After decades, I see all of them doing well in life and I'm proud of them. Takeaway: Life has a plan for everyone and makes things happen in its own way and at its own pace. Point in time judgements h...

Hampi temple elephant Few years back when I was working for another company, we had an architect from San Jose visiting our India center for a project. After the regular project discussions, we used to engage in general chat on topics of mutual interest. On the eve of his return to US, I thought of gifting him something and chose a cute Ganesha idol. When I handed him the gift, he was visibly touched and told that he had heard the story of how Ganesha got the elephant head. Wanting to share with him something more, I narrated a story which goes like this... Once sage Narada got a mango which was to be had in full (without dividing) and Shiva had to decide who between his two sons Ganesha and Karthikeya will have it. Shiva called both Ganesha and Karthikeya and declared that who amongst the two will make three rounds of the world and return first to the starting point, will get the mango. As soon as he heard this, Karthikeya jumped on to his vehicle (a peacock) and ...

Manikarnika ghat, Varanasi Note: Some of the contents of the post below may be unsettling for some people. Reader discretion is advised. When I was studying engineering in IIT Varanasi, I would sometimes go to Manikarnika ghat or Harishchandra ghat (Hindu cremation ghats) and spend some time there. I would sit in a corner and watch corpses burn, how the ‘doms’ (burning assistants) managed the process, the near and dear ones of the deceased, the Ganga river flowing by, fully present to the moment yet not attached to anything. Normally one w o uld associate deep sadness and fear with a place of cremation. But that was totally not what I experienced there. I could feel deep peace and presence while sitting there. I could feel sublime beauty, tenderness and aliveness there. I could feel LIFE in the setting of death! The experience was real, unmistakable and effortless. In this post I explore what could be the reason(s) behind this queer phenomenon. *) In the Sanskrit texts one ...

  Recently couple of world-renowned, respected and successful celebrities took their life. For someone who doesn’t know what they were going through, it will be impossible to understand why they did it. It is not anybody’s business (especially mine) to make judgements on their life and death. I won’t do that. But the untoward incidents have got me thinking and somewhat disturbed. The best way of catharsis I know is writing. Hence this post. I’m not writing this as a preaching for someone else. I’m writing this to feel better. Is there an y thing more precious than life? I think no. The thing about taking one’s life is that it leaves no options after that. By logic then it should be last resort. If one really has to end, there are alternatives to consider and try out before going to the point of no return. Like what? 1. End falsehood — By telling a truth I have been hiding all this while or acknowledging a lie I have been telling. 2. End pride — By requesting for hel...

  Andamans The opposite of gratitude is taking for granted. Either one is expressing gratitude or is taking for granted. There is no middle ground. Why be grateful? Because of an underlying spiritual principle which operates like a field of magnetism. Being grateful sustains the grace which is flowing into one's life and allows more grace to flow. Taking for granted does the opposite. It blocks grace from flowing in and dries up what is there. It is that simple. One more analogy to nail the distinction. Being grateful is like being a fertile soil on which plants and trees can grow to give fruits, vegetable and flowers. Taking for granted is being like a cemented floor or rock. So the thing to remember that being in a state of gratitude vs grantedness is a stance one is taking for future to unfold. How to express gratitude? There are levels of expressing gratitude and the deepest and most intimate one I have learned is the one proposed by Dr. M...

  Image source: Google search The story of the goose which laid golden eggs is well known. The moral of the story laid out is "Think before you act." The farmer who cut open the goose thought that he will get all eggs in one go. So he did think (efficiency/results) before acting. What did he miss? Here is another look at what one can learn from the story. For the farmer: 1. Learn / understand how the egg is happening. There is an ongoing process which is giving rise to the egg. The process takes time (a day) to complete. 2. Assuming that the eggs are already there and the goose is releasing one in a day is non-validated hypothesis. 3. The way to scale (out) is getting more such goose. 4. Is the imagined outcome (all eggs) worth the risk of loosing the guaranteed outcome (daily egg)? For the goose: 1. Know there are farmers who will try to cut you open even if you are delivering the daily egg. 2. Leaving your life and well being to t...

  Image credit: Google search Many years ago when I was leaving a company, a colleague advised me to not share any of the problems I faced (during my tenure) in the exit interview. His intention was good. I heeded his advice but did wonder that unless you authentically share your experiences (good, bad and ugly) how will others know and do something about it? I have thought about this (a lot) over the years and here is what I would advise. 1. If something is bothering you enough to think about quitting, you need to talk about it. And you need to talk about it well in advance (before quitting) to give others a genuine opportunity to correct things. IMO not talking about it in advance is immoral (lacks integrity). You need to believe in the inherent goodness and sincerity of others (till proven otherwise). Assuming that others know what's bothering you or that they wouldn't care anyways even if you tell them is not correct. 2. If you have done the above, given it suff...

  Image credit: Google search It's a lovely Sunday morning and Alia (an infant) is soundly sleeping on the bed. Her dad Ajay is happily humming a song of his favorite composer and shaving in the bathroom. Alia's mom Vijaya is busy making coffee for the couple. The next moment Ajay sees in the mirror that Alia is awake and has climbed over the safety pillow to the edge of the bed. One more step and you know what. Ajay's brain impulsively tells him that there is no way he can make it to the the bed but his wife in the kitchen probably can. He yells at the top of  voice: " VIJAYAA RUNN AND HOLD THE BABYYYY NOWWWWWWW..... " Should Vijaya feel bad/irritated that Ajay yelled at her ? If we analyze the communication that happened, there are 3 elements to it: Content: Ajay yelled at his wife asking her to do something immediately Context: Baby was about to fall Intent: Save the baby somehow Communication is not merely about content. It is also abou...

  A beautiful long drive A fun and fulfilling short weekend getaway to Shimoga  Travel doesn’t feel the same anymore. I find it hard to generate the enthusiasm to plan it with all the uncertainty in the current times. Yet still, one needs to break the monotony every once in a while. Seeing the long weekend coming up, we decided to head out for a road trip to Shimoga. We have visited Shimoga twice before. This time was different and perhaps the best short holiday we have had in a long time. Road trip We took the Kunigal –Tiptur- Arsikere route while heading to Shimoga from Bangalore and came back via Tumkur. The roads are good and scenic both ways. The former has a more countryside vibe to it and would be my first choice. It is a good 7 hour drive [ with a short break enroute]. The good thing about a road trip is having the opportunity to visit a few places on the way. We visited Adichunchanagiri, a lovely hilltop temple, on our way. Adichunchanagiri Temple Cave templ...

  There’s someone wanting to tell you For my sake, you don’t have to walk a mile If you want to gift me something Give me the gift of your smile There’s someone wanting to tell you Without any reason or rhyme If you want to gift me something Give me the gift of your time There’s someone wanting to tell you I have been and will be doing things for you If you want to gift me something Give me the gift of saying Thank You! There’s someone wanting to tell you Though I do things for the sake of innovation If you want to gift me something I could do with a few words of appreciation There’s someone wanting to tell you With tears in the eyes glistening If you want to gift me something Give me the gift of your listening There’s someone wanting to tell you I need your help, not as big as deliverance If you want to gift me something Give me the gift of your guidance We may not have spoken for a while For there was no reason to rejoice You could still call me right away...

  For starters it’s an oxymoron . Logic implies that one can empower that which does not have power or is weak. Indian thought tradition refers to women as Shakti which literally means power or strength. Goddess Durga worshipped by Hindus symbolizes strength and energy. If a woman is power and strength by definition, how can anyone empower her? A woman is a source of power. A woman is a giver and not a taker. This is reality I have experienced. in my mother, grandmother, teachers at school, friends, wife, daughter, colleagues and so many other great women. I owe my life and existence to the strength and care they provide(d). THEY empower me . What it is not? Some say that women’s empowerment is giving them equal opportunities in education, employment and other fields. Let’s take a step back. If equal opportunities weren’t there to begin with, that is a flaw in the existing system or culture. All this while unfairness was meted out to women and now there is an at...