MAA: Magnetic - Absolute - Achiever

MOTHER – A six letter word that envelops the entire universe in itself.

Haven’t we all experienced the joy of witnessing a seed bloom into a flower?

Well, that’s exactly what and how a mother feels when she sees her child, her very own creation, ripe to a grown-up, independent person! That second-by-second, minute-by-minute feeling of ecstasy, euphoria, solace, exuberance that she feels when she sees this transformation is an emotion that is beyond the bounds. Isn’t it so?

If we want to really understand the genesis of mother in her entirety, our minds will obviously flashback to the nostalgic memories that we have, culminating from the various stories and poems we have read and heard in our childhood. Since times immemorial we have heard, even narrated stories on how a mother nurtures, endures, sacrifices, supports her child unconditionally and consistently, how she plays a strict disciplinarian, the one who withholds the various choices for her child, whose demands and desires for her child can be unending!

Well, do we all agree with what has been aforesaid? (am sure the answer is unanimously in affirmation J) In fact most of us can even associate with it, having experienced motherhood on our own.

But let’s think over it. Is this all that a mother is? Isn’t she the APEX structure of surpassing magnificence; a creation who is exceedingly beyond just feelings and emotions? Is she also not a WOMAN who is multi-faceted?  

A Mother – A Woman has diverse forms. She is Draupadi, who is hard enough to face humiliation, still fight a war and win it too. She is also Saraswati, signifying that knowledge and wisdom is not gender biased. Yet she is Sita, who can stay alone, raise her children all by herself and can refuse to give agnipariksha meaninglessly. Not to forget she is Parvati, who believes that marriage doesn’t mean letting go of your identity. She is also Kali, who propagates that it is simply okay to be dark complexioned, ok to mess up with your looks sometimes, yet stand with conviction and be proud of yourself. She is THE Lakshmi, who can handle her finances well enough. She is the effervescent Ganga, who can leave her mark wherever she goes. And of course she is Adi-Shakti, who is far away from all limits and control.

So on this Mother’s day, let us all say cheers to the spirit of a Mother; who is as Divine as Durga; The ONE for whom just 108 names are not enough yet we call her MAA!

Here's a picture of my me sharing the frame with my MAA. Lucky frame :)

Winters - I hate you, like I love you

“SssssS-sSSSsss-SSSSSSSsss-sssss- uh-Uh-Ih-ih-uhh”….. does this sound familiar?

Ah! the cushy-comfy winters are here yet again! Time to experience the sudden deep chill, when your teeth chatter together relentlessly, the tip of your nose changes its color to crimson, your palms caress each other and fingers remain entwined in one another...

I am not a winter person, for I dislike the shivers n quivers that this season has to offer. Often important tasks are deferred and dormancy starts to set-in for want of snuggling into the quilts and it appears to be dark and gloomy almost everywhere I look- thanks to the fog, mornings and evenings. My own touch, it seems most of the times, can put my security to jeopardy. Life, in general becomes kind of sedentary.

 Huuh… atrocious. Isn’t it?

And then comes the utmost sorriest part…to part with the warmth and get up early on freezing mornings! Yes, the usage of two superlative degrees together is intentional to emphasize on our tormented state. BTW did you notice my generosity of indicating this as ‘OUR’ problem instead of ‘mine’? So now I am quite certain you will agree that I am not trying to pile on the agony (this comes with my winking, tongue-sticking out expressions!)

But then, just when I start attributing my in-activities and sluggishness to the winters, I get intrigued by its own mysterious charm.

Can there be anything more refreshing than watching those delicate dew-drops on the just-blossomed varieties of roses, pansies, orchids, chrysanthemums and lilys in the garden. And how about that soft tuneful sound of leaves rustling in the wind…Oooo la la!

Beauty at it's best!

Barring those moments when I am usually annoyed with winters, there are numerous reasons to be thankful to this part of the year as well.

While making drawings on those misty window panes of the car is universally considered the most productive idle-time-substitute,  that tempting sound of smoking hot tea being poured in the cups and slurping it along with aloo-pyaaz bhajiya is no less than divine…

Winter buddies!

I can place myself comfortably on a couch, reading a book, sipping a mug-full of green tea and spend hours during these pinkish-winter afternoons...

Savoring the season-special carrots and fenugreek veggies…the kick post smacking those stuffed-paranthas, topped with melted butter…the crisp ground nuts being munched all-day long...these are few more favorites, (not in the order of preference). I can jot down more such dotted-points, but it’s time for me to embrace my quilt and get cozy :-)

So here I close this chapter humming along the song from Delhi Belly…”(prefix Winters) I hate you, like I love you love you love you”

A topsy-turvey year 2014!

A very warm Hello to all the wonderful people out there!

Today marks my stint with yet another vocation – “recording my thoughts”, something that has been on my mind since long, nonetheless pending, for reasons as lame as they can get (ok so confessions start right at the beginning!)

Isn't it a universally admitted truth that the human species is always yearning for 

“A-Better-Next-Year” while bidding adieu to the current year?? Well, a question mark in the end does not always need an answer in return; this one for instance, has an implied answer :-)

THE YEAR 2014 started with a bang, indeed BETTER THAN THE BEST. And no, I am not trying to infringe Sansui’s copyright tagline here; this just perfectly elucidates my state of mind!

2014 gave me opportunities to achieve more milestones, rewarded me with enough reasons to beam and exult. A challenging career path and contentment & direction towards it, found more solace with my loved ones, earned long overdue peace, disposed off most of the unwanted baggage, cultivated the courage to let the walls down - tasks that seemed herculean to me once, were now a part of my day-to-day life…my first Big purchase, my Car…and above all kissed goodbye to my vulnerabilities and embraced a refined-more-evolved-ME.

And suddenly, a paradigm shift in the avenue.

All the ease, movements, zing was slowly turning to gray. Dip in physical well being took over mental comfort. Rigorous preparation for higher studies took an unanticipated u-turn when I could not appear for examinations. Weeks of tough grind turned futile when a much-awaited project got aborted. Uff…did I start feeling that days are just passing in a languid manner? Reasons for making merry were many more though, the not-so-welcoming events were also sufficient to give me thunderbolts!

Right now, I can’t rationalize my life’s developments…I am just standing firm on the ground, to achieve all that is left to be done, in the coming year

Before I sign out, words of Bob Silberg give a perfect ending to the new beginning

“There’s another year, fresh and clear, straight ahead Like a field of snow All across the land there’s a brand-new beginning now Just think of the things that could happen Magic can be spun And we’ll watch the stars go whizzing by as we go ’round the sun.”

Yes, 2014 was one such year.

2015 will be another great year.