Into a Different Era...

This is what i used to do after school hours when I was a little girl.
Build castles out of mud
Ride my cycle on the colony road
Play cricket
Climb trees
Play 'Hide and Seek'
Climb sun shades, water tanks
Visit the colony park and swing and slide
Play ‘Pandi’
Play ‘Running and Catching’
Play ‘Cut the Cake’
Play ‘Kallaanga’
Play ‘ Trade’, Chess, Carom, Shuttle, Tennikoid
Play ‘Countries’
Read Phantom comics, Mandrake and Lothar
Skate on the colony road
Try to clumsily water the plants
Run barefoot across the platform and climb compound walls

What do today’s children do after school hours? I see most of them carrying loads of books, running from one tuition class to another, crib about tonnes of home work being given, mug up pages after pages for the examination and most of all, sit in front of the computer!!!!

I am glad I was born in an era when life’s pleasures were simple, where we could find joy sans technology.

In touch with the Divine...

It was a beautiful June, Saturday evening. People were out on the roads to celebrate the week-end. Vehicles soared to holiday destinations. The weather turned pleasant as though it was waiting for this week-end to arrive.
I, along with my family visited the Anjaneya temple at Peelamedu. I was going to that temple after quite a long time and this time it was after a puja that was performed at home. It was around 6:00 pm and the sky was turning orange with a tinge of pink.
Lord Anjaneya was dressed in “Raja Alangaaram’ (like a King). The green stone from his necklace stood out and indeed seemed to vibrate with radiance. He looked every bit royal but still retained that look of innocence on his face. The crowd at the temple were rejoicing the occasion and relishing the puja that was done meticulously with grace. It was indeed a pleasure to sit down with everyone and keep looking at the flowers being decorated, aarathi being shown, and mantras being chanted.
The pujari asked all of us to pray for world peace and chantings started.
Lord Rama and Goddess Seetha were offered respects and then Lord Anjaneya. It was a treat to the eyes to watch the rituals being conducted with precision and devotion.
This is indeed one of the pleasures of life – to sit in a temple, listen to bhajans, the aroma of vibhuthi and tulsi lingering in the air, prasadam being distributed, the mind at ease with no qualms and worries.
The most beautiful sight was when the pujari started throwing flowers in the air that presented all of us with a sight of flowers raining on the Lord.

It was bliss!

Dancing My Way...

I was reading my friend's blog yesterday wherein she had mentioned that writers are able to look at various perspectives of life. I agree with her and would like to state the same about dance. Here, I talk about classical dance. Dance gives expression to life. It enables one to connect to the world around. When a dancer emotes, he/she is able to feel the emotions. It could as simple as relishing the sight of a beauitful flower. Picturise a dancer doing the same thing. You would note that dance brings out each and every aspect of this situation, there exists a range of emotions starting from looking at the flower, being astonished at its beauty and then glancing blissfully at it. In ordinary life, would we realise that we actually go through these feelings? I guess they just happen in a matter of seconds that we hardly realise this.
Dance brings discipline to life. Classical dance requires a good amount of rigour and practice to get flexible and in shape and to get the right postures. A dancer requires the right combination of these to carry off well what he/she expresses. And most of all, it brings grace. I have seen that it is easy for classical dancers to grasp other forms of dance easily. When I mention other forms here, my exposure has been limited to folk, western dance form. Probably, it is beacause of the flexibility that has been built in.
I would like to write more on this subject- something I am passionate about..probably sometime later on.

Are We Balanced?

Today is 06/06/06. Let me write something to make a mark on this day.
Ever since I started working, I have seen loads of people who sink into work that they forget what their family means to them. The number of hours they spend after work hours trying to complete more work just leads to reduction in time spent with family. Why does one work? To earn and lead a comfortable life!! With whom? With loved ones!! But what's the use of earning so much when one cannot be at home, talk about routine life, spend time with family? What is the point in slogging so hard at work when all you do the whole day is wake up, rush to work and return late in the night only to hit the bed and wake up the next morning and rush to work again?
We need to stop in our tracks and look at the world around. Let us take a look at people who need us, who are with us. Let us realize that each day brings with it, lovely moments to cherish and opportunities to grow. One must maintain a work-life balance.
I certainly do not agree when people say that one must stretch and work for longer hours during the early years of one's career in order to lead a good life later on. Who knows how long one is going to live? Rather, I believe that a lot of learning should take place during the early years to be a thorough professional later on. For this, one need not stretch at work. Passion to learn and enthusiasm to exhibit this would do. Not stretching at work does not mean shirking work. unfortunately, that's what people think!
I wish people resolve and realize that the quality of life lies in quality time spent with people whom you love, doing what you love, creating small, constructive differences rather than slogging and accumulating a huge bank balance!