Saturday

Saturday was fun for me, I accompanied my niece for a journey in sandy area , well wrapped up for sand, which is currently sweeping across all dry areas of Haryana.   Usually Sundays mean one football match after another for my son, but on this particular day festivities had definitely taken over. We went to Jindal auditorium to listen Management Funda column writer in Daily News paper bhaskar then we did   walk with meditation  my son did one set of Ramayana in the park, we became nostalgic when he did a role in Ramayana in this park when he was a kid. And then not just one but two poem reciting sessions  and two  story telling sessions! After that we required coffee and Gobi-Pakora to thaw out!

xoxo

MORNIG SUN IN OUR HOUSE

I LOVE TO LOOK AT THE REFLECTIONS THAT  MORNING SUN RAYS CREATE WITH OBJECTS IN THE HOUSE ..I LOVE TO LOOK AT ALL WHEREVER THEY MADE ME TO LOOK AT THEM FOR LONG AND TO GRAB THEM IN MY CELLPHONE CAMERA

These THREE CLAY PAINTED POTS seem to be admiring their reflections in the glazed surface of the ivory tiles on wall, I am sure they know that they are in the spotlight although the ALL THREE  pots are still trying to outshine them with their OWN  glints of light!

XOXO

No need for commentary... (Just Defined by image)

No need for   commentary...

(Just Defined by image)

Cotton prin shirts and jeans.

 White Chunni on head  - simplistic elegance.

Big sun glasses and wrap on neck  - classic elegance.

Bare feet.  The ultimate in natural elegance. 

xoxo

Remembering Delhi tour of the past year

Sometimes I could just kick myself for not carrying my camera, and yesterday noon and evening was one such time. After a long but happy day of roaming to inquire about doctorate of women studies in IGNOU – we approached the research unit which is 2 miles inside the campus , a mini bus is available for the needy persons go inside. 

The campus was so lonely, lash green monsoon shower bathed trees as the Sawan grew upon the campus, dappling it with fresh vibrant shoots, clearing the sky overhead, loosening the winds to rush across them; as the beautiful season grew ripe on the campus,

 starting at 9 am and ending at 5, with a break in the middle for lunch with my daughter at open canteen, of GOVT . We went to a friend’s (of my daughter) for dinner, and discovered she was making a Haryanvi feast for us. When we arrived , about half an hour ahead of the co-resident , she made us a cup of eucalyptus tea which we drank in the open balcony while she cooked.

The menu that unfolded over the next few hours included fried lady fingers (okra) stuffed with spices; golden-orange dal topped with fresh green cilantro; a spicy green bean dish; kheer cooked w/bananas; ground masala with peas and chilis; fresh chapatis that were cooked on a cast-iron griddle and puffed on a rack placed over a hot burner; and raspberry cardamom cake with whipped cream. I love to cook, but I really love it when friends cook for me -- it's such a beautiful gift, especially when accompanied by the warmth of good conversation and genuine friendship. I feel really lucky.

Lunch was very nice too: a long conversation about spiritual matters and writing with a close friend, and then an hour of relaxing, crowd-watching, and sketching the scene outside the window, which looks the buildings of Campus, before going back to our residence.

xoxo

While scrolling mouse on pad i clicked the folder of March this year and found a photo of my "Navratri Jyot".i could'n hold myself to post the post on MAA DURGA 

HERE IT IS.............  

 The fallowing pic is  Jyot 'diya'  of Chaitra Navratri, also known as Ram Navratri or Basanti Puja is observed in the month Chaitra. It is observed from the first to the ninth day during Shukla Paksha waxing phase of moon of the month of Chaitra (March-April this time 21 March - 28 March) according to the traditional Hindu lunar calendar. The ninth day is celebrated as Ram Navami 28 March in 2015. 
I usually place the idol of Goddess Durga along with other deities and ‘Matkaa’/’Ghat’(pot) during this period. I light the ‘Akhand Jyot’ ('diya' that burns for nine days) during this time. As per tradition, I put a pitcher or water pot, called Kalash or Ghat in Sanskrit/ Hindi   on the first day of Navaratri, at  that  auspicious moment.

‘Kalash’represents Earth and Water element.A ‘Kalash’ is believed to be a symbolic form of ‘MA Durga’ enchanting auspiciousness during ‘Navratras’.Keeping the ‘Kalash’ in the home invokes positivity everywhere. This ‘Kalash’must not be touched during the nine days.

I anybody wish to do this , take an earthen clay pitcher (‘Matkaa’), fill it with clean water and put some rose petals, one silver coin and  one penny in it; then cover it with clay pot lid and tie a ‘Raksha’ thread (‘Moli’/’Kalavaa’) around the neck of this earthen pot. Thereafter, fill rice in the clay pot lid above this ‘Matkaa’ and place a raw coconut covered in red cloth or red ‘Chunri’ at this ‘Kalash’.

'Jyoti’represents ‘Fire’, ‘Air’ and ‘Space’ elementssince lighting of the ‘Jyot’ emanates brightness in the room/house (’Space) and the fragrance (‘Fumes’) which purifies the ‘air’.

In ‘Navratras lighting of ‘Akhand Jyot’/ ‘Deep’ or an earthen lamp is an essential part of the prayer rituals (‘puja’) since the flame of the lamp and ‘jyoti’ has two significant qualities. First it banishes darkness and the secondly it is always upward/upright. The upward movement of the ‘Jyoti’ signifies the path of wisdom and the path of divinity. Flame also signifies the power of all the beings so it is also considered as form of MA Durga. Without ‘Fire Element’ or ‘Shakti’ no one can survive in this universe.It is believed that where daily ‘jyoti’ is lighted regularly especially at the time of ‘Navratras’, there can never be the darkness or evil forces at such dwellingplaces.

Preparation for ‘Akhand Jyot’:
 Mix saffron (‘Kesar’) and turmeric powder (‘Haldi’) in pure ‘Ghee’(Clarified Butter of cow milk) and use this ‘ghee’ only for the ‘Jyot’ during ‘Navratras’and while preparing ‘jyot’ always put ‘Chhoti Elaichi’ (Green Cardamom) in it and offer this to MA Durga.

Worshipping in Navratri is a way to enhance our non-physical approach and make our goddess happy to be at home fulfilling our wishes. Meditation is most authentic way to get involved with God and improve our ‘karmic’ deeds. This worship will be more successful when our offering would be done with practical aspect in proper direction. Vastu Shastra is a science which can lend you every earthly joy if its principles are followed with utmost trust.

Here is how Vastu tells you to do the puja:

1. ‘Ishaan kone’ (North-East) is considered as the directionof Gods. This is the best place to keep Goddess MA Durga’s idol in this direction.

2. If you are lighting ‘Akhand Jyot’ before the idol then keep it in the ‘Agneya kone’ (South-East).

3. Make sure you face east or north while performing the puja.

4. Make sure you clean up that area and there is no dirty clothes lying around the puja area.  

5. Never place the idol near bathroom or restroom.

6. Leave some place near the puja area to sit.
xoxo

Why?Why human mother wants to see her children smiling again ang

Why human mother wants to see her kids smiling again and again?

xoxo

My daughter's poems,Quote, cloudy days

I like to tell the truth as I see it. That's why literature is so important. We cannot possibly leave it to history as a discipline nor to sociology nor science nor economics to tell the story of our people. It's not a ladder we are climbing, it's literature we're producing, and there will always be someone to read it. .............Nikki_Giovanni

visit to Jind 

We were at Jind to visit my sister’s family. We stayed there for 3 days

All days there were welcomed us with dawned   grey, drizzling and cloudy, these days they give me a headache and makes me cranky.

girls in front of tv in Jind

Clods

I like rainy days, but not today there is only black clouds have dropped four drops for littering more than they already are and also have to go carrying umbrella in case it rains and then not fall or drop and umbrella you leave it at the first cafe you walk these days do not like anything.
But that there is no other rain drops!
I like cloudy days??

xoxo

xoxo