Maa!

She was the best friend I had in my childhood! I called her Maa because my dad called her Maa too and so did my other brothers and sisters. She was my Grandmother.
Simple and very uncomplicated. I and Vicky Bhai (my cousin brother) were her favorite kids in the home.
Those days are memories painted with gold truly.
I and Maa use to go to temple early in the morning.I remember she taught me simple household chores with great love and care.
When I was in fourth standard I with my parents shifted to a new house and Maa was staying with Taiji and Tauji.
While going to school I would travel in a rickshaw and pass the old house and Maa would sit in the balcony early morning every day just to wave at me and Alok in the rickshaw. And then everyday after I school would go and meet her and we would eat samosa’s together. Both of us use to simply love it.
Maa had really pampered me like all the grandparents do.
When I was in eighth standard Maa left us all.That was the first death I had ever seen.By that age I knew no one comes back but I could not believe it that she’s no more!
I remember I kept staring at the dead body for a long time and then papa just took me in the other room.I was hoping she gets up!
For some years I really missed her and she would come in my dreams too.I would be so happy, overwhelmed to see her in my dreams. As if I met her in my real life too.And what was amazing she would talk to me,guide me in whatever was happening in my life. It was unbelievable. Sometimes the dreams look like a greater reality than reality itself.
But as some years passed I don’t see her now in my dreams anymore.
At times I really wish that if she was with us today I could have done so much more for her and be with her.
But she had suffered a lot in her last days and was very ill. So may be god had a better home for her without any pains.
She loved mangoes.Even today at times I think of her while having a mango and in her last days she could not eat mango because of her illness.When I think of this I really feel sad about it.
I still Miss her!!

Gori hain toh Soni hain!

That’s the ideology of beautiful in Indian scenario .I met a group of people from different countries and understood how differently beauty is defined everywhere in the world.
And its more to do with the mental setup of what you think is beautiful; you find it beautiful; good looking and not other way round.
During the British Rule Indians were made to feel inferior to the whites and its then that they developed this concept that white is good and superior. And sadly till date this is the notion for many Indian minds that, “Gori hain toh Soni hain.”
Thanks to Actors like Bipasha Basu and Nandita Das who are seemingly changing the concept of Fair is Beautiful.
So this is to people who think fair is beautiful there’s much more to beauty people, with your eyes you just need to open your minds too and then you might discover that;
BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL TOO!

Seven Days of Silence!

Heard from a friend about this course of Vipassana and had decided will do it for sure.
The code of discipline when read was scary but I thought it’s doable and was pretty excited about the course.
Reached there with full enthusiasm and charged up. We were given individual rooms and were expected to live in total isolation No mobile phones, No internet connection, total cut off with the outside world.
I wanted some peace of mind and sit and stare at life!
Thought it would be a perfect place and indeed it was but then towards the end I missed my mother terribly.
The meditation done over there takes you deep within and you start realizing the truth beneath the surface level and that was the most beautiful feeling. Something just clicks inside you and you suddenly start getting answers for the questions asked from such a long time. Yes, it happens only with the mediation. To believe it you have to EXPEREINCE it.
My biggest achievement of the course was I stayed with a lizard for two days.I am so horrified of Lizards…!!Now, that’s a real achievement!
And I also spotted a snake in the garden! Shit…!! I was scared to death!!
On the seventh day, I could just not resist being away from my family and I realized how often we take our dear ones so much for granted. I knew in return its only my parents missing me the most. I was missing fighting with my brother and was missing playing with my nephew. Only three more days were left in the course but at that moment all I wanted was to talk to my mom! How silly could I be!
I had loved the course so far but three more days I could not stay!
I convinced myself that sometime later I will complete ten days and left from there on the seventh day!
So seven days of Silence and a lifetime remembrance.