Events & Festivity

Who are You ?

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“Who Am I ?” was my first post on my blog journey dated November 23rd, 2004. Yesterday this blog completed two years.

The internet based technology is my bread and butter. Its my lone technical love ( addiction) too. It rewarded me honestly, and I too kept the blog associated with my principles of identity. Flowers

During the journey, I learnt many things from my fellow bloggers with best possible transparency. I got connected to a good circle around, some became indispensable. My posts sometimes got praised well, was tolerated many a times and few were criticized with dignity. I am proud of my global associations here, specially the network of Hindi bloggers and consistent readers.

Some other things I learnt were the typing in Hindi. But adding to sorrow, I saw disappearance of some blogs and final disappearance of a blogger too.

I learnt to come out of a shell. Since my words are expressed on public place instead of my personal diary, they are half worth unless those can reach the heart and brains of audience. The best thing I learnt here is rationality in thought. Though emotional outcomes could not be checked, its impossible almost.

FlowersOn this occasion of celebration, I do hope to add new category of humour as per my Ma’s guidance. She thinks (me too) that, now a days with a loads of work and due to lack of understanding of feelings people are already stressed. They need something to smile back. On this Sunday, I am going to buy ingredients for preparing the (0 – 100%) guaranteed humour tonic. 🙂

Obviously, the journey started with self centric posts, later moved towards people around me. Hence as a mark of respect to all around me, this special post is dedicated to my readers.

Thank you, very much, my inspirations. Something kept me intact for two years, I do wonder, who are you ?

ISKCON Bangalore – 1

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ISKCON stands for International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The society is the outcome of hard work of 12 years of his divine grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ( Photo left side), established on 11 July 1966, and spread Krishna to the west. I am a regular visitor of the temple for the reason of my own solace out of my consciousness.

ISKCON is just again a vision of globalization of Krishna consciousness, arising from a small place of West Bengal. This has turned out to be a multinational organization/ society. In west Bengal, the Gauriya Math (The Gaurango-Nitai – devotees photo -right) is the center of Krishna devotees. And ISKCON is the outgrowth of its sibling which has succeeded with its approach.

Now the good thing, I noticed there while registering for the Yoga retreat course (I shall write more once I attend it), that those great MNC guys coming for solace like me. Most people I see in the MNCs are seeking for some sort of satisfaction in their daily monotonous (strenous) life. The course may be one of such way to find the solution.

ISKCON Bangalore is just not a temple of Hindus, but a society building to spread the basic Indian cultural values all over the world for the consciousness about the Krishna avatar which is the most popular in Indians. The thing which made this organization successful is its youth power. The priests/managers are young; many joined after leaving the lucrative jobs and hone the technical/managerial/literary expertise. Their fund raising efforts are well crafted, and I do support this with active participation.

Not as a devotee of particular religion, but as a unique persona, I do feel that Religion is just not the specific way of remembering the supreme and finding or not finding the shape out of it, it’s the way we try to understand the relations between “I and around”.

26 January in Captivity

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You must have seen the flag hoisting at the offices, homes and of course Lal Kila. Today I would like to tell about the Flag hoisting inside a Jail, the feared and neglected building of our society.
In Jails there is a flag at the entry which is hoisted daily as done in our Parliament House and Rastrapati Bhawan. On 26th January and 15th August, the Jail superintendent hoists the flag there. The prisoners can’t see the proceedings but once hoisted they can see the height where the National Flag flares. Inside the Jails, there are more flags to be hoisted there. Indian Jails were mostly built in British period, with red bricks thick high walls. On this day the inside roads of the jail are coloured with various coloured lime. The prisoners seem to give red carpet welcome to the Republic Day. The cleanliness is exemplary like our corporate offices to one’s surprise. The flower gardens bloom and the flag is ready to be hoisted inside the garden or the open place for the main prison place. Every morning, the prisoners are out of their barracks until they had their meals. So at the flag hoisting time they gather at one place. Unlike movies not all jails have white dresses and caps. They wear normal dress as we do.The prisoners don’t form queues there, they surround the flag. Some of the prisoner’s are well versed with the national anthem, but most are not. Why should they be expected to be so? After all they are the part of our society which forms the majority of such people who don’t know the full national anthem. Any festival inside the jail is a matter of big rejoices. Once the flowers from the flag fall on the earth they clap big hands. Might their faces become more hopeful for a better and civilized world. Some of the prisoners are smart enough to lead the social activities there. Be sure that the national anthem will never be synchronized among them. If one side of the crowd finish the anthem and the other side will still be singing “Gahe tab jaya gatha…..” . But some prisoners, who know the partial anthem, will be humming in between. Wait for sweets, distributing sweets is not an easy thing there. The so called miscreants are always challenge taking people. It’s our society and the circumstances who could not utilize their potentials or they them selves couldn’t feel the capacities lying within them. So devoid of joys, relatives, own soil’s smell they will surely enjoy the festival sweets distribution and may some conflict arise then. So the sweet distribution is done afterwards all the hoisting are over in a disciplined manner.

Once finished the celebrations at main place inside the jail the superintendent goes to the inner women cell which is a more secured jail inside the jail. Before entering the women’s cell the guard shouts “Hosiyaar” 3 times and the officials enter there. The prisoners who are fathers can’t keep their kids with them but mothers can keep the kids with them. This is one of the situations when I tell that the gender equality will never exist in the world.
The female prisoners are more nicely dressed using their limited resources compared to their male counterparts. And they too stand near the flag. And most of them despite sweet voice don’t know the anthem. But on this day inside the forbidden four walls, with officials and a tricolor cloth flying, lime decorations in the floor, and colorful flower petals spread over the floor the women’s cell may feel the festivity. Might the festivity be the mirage of home festival front of their eyes.
And as soon as the hoisting is over, the mirage again gets captivated behind the closed the doors. Almost every prisoner in the red brick wall must be dreaming in their hopeful eyes that some day they will be able to hoist the national flag with us in the open air. The parent prisoners might be hoping that they will be able to buy a small tricolor for Rs. 1/-, for their kids, who may be running today around the schools and offices for few Bundiyas or Jelebis and celebrating 26 January today.

Billu and His Bride

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The friend got married, and our share of love and affection did not get divided. Our golden days still exists today, still I find my friends same cordial and jovial as they used to be 10 years ago.
On Friday I went to see Rajeev’s (We call him Billu) bride, at Thakurganj when they have returned after 5 days long marriage ceremony at the bride’s home. From Siliguri I had brought a bouquet of orchid flowers to present his bride. I had not seen Rajeev’s house at Thakurganj so I was enquiring about his home in his colony. It was around 8 pm in night and I found several guys chatting on the roadside in his colony. In colonies, the road standing guys, grocery shop owners, the barbers have enough information about the events in the colony. I asked that guy about Rajeev who got married. He knew Rajeev and to my surprise he also informed me that they had not returned from the bride’s home. But I was informed by Rajeev’s mother on phone to come on friday and if possible one day earlier.
I was thinking about my bouquet which I carried so carefully from Siliguri! Does it look nice to carry a bouquet in a bride less home? I was in a dilemma. Since orchid bouquet remains fresh at least one week, I decided to tell that boy, Munna to keep the bouquet in some known home for a while till I can find out the truth of bride from his home. While he was keeping it to some nearby home, the house owner too confirmed that Rajeev has not returned. Any way I proceeded to his home. I gave my identity to a person and he went inside to tell about me and then a smart guy came out from the room and hugged me so hard, it was my Rajeev. Just keeping me hugged, he asked my reason not coming in Barat and he told me that how much he missed me there. As soon I left the bondage of his arms I told him that I have to come back in just a while. My heart was pounding for my bouquet, I have kept in that home. He kept asking the reason for my sudden return, but I could not wait much time to describe him. Again when I came back with my bouquet and asked about the bride such that I can present it to the couple. But he objected on my presentation that still that day he has not given a single flower to his bride and I was going to give a big bouquet to the new bride. We were laughing. Any way he took me to the room. The bride was sitting on the floor bed with a big ghunghat. Rajeev introduced me to her. I could see her partial face only. I was requested to sit on the same bed where Rajeev’s brothers/sister in laws were sitting. So there started a series jokes and fine humours. Rajeev was still claiming his share of gift. I wonder if Rajeev needs any more gifts than he already got from the Almighty. By the time his mother came in the room and he was complaining about the useless marriage rituals went over at bride’s home. Aunt told him to be prepared for more rituals at his home too. Frustrated Rajeev almost revolted about such useless marriage customs. To make him understand aunt told us a story
“These was Big Yagya performed at the rich man’s house in olden times, the pujas were going smoothly, by the time a cat wandered near to the Yagya place. Instead of chasing the cat some one tied it to a nearby a small pole. Any person who were coming to see the big yagya saw the cat tied to a pole at the yagna place. The yagya finishes in time and people went off. Those visitors again when performed the Yagna at there houses did everything in the same way and they get a cat from anywhere and tie it near to the Yagna place. This custom was followed by the coming generations”.
So Rajeev’s maa is also following the traditions and tying the cat. We kept laughing on hearing the story. Rajeev cooled down. And the bride could not stop smiling and the ghunghat was not so down. She was easy now. Might be she thinking that she got a nice mother-in-law. She talked a little with me too. Rajeev could not resist asking me how I liked her. To reply I asked her whether she has a lot of sisters like her for us (My friends, I cared for you too ).She nodded in affirmation and her smile is worth thousands words. And in my eyes she is beautiful.
And in the next hour I was at their kitchen. My few hours spent there did not seem the shift of phase for Rajeev. He is still the same “Billu” for us.
Our all the best wishes for the couple and may their married life have ever lasting blossom.

Today for me

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I am always happy today. On this day my New Year starts because I travel with the mother earth around the Sun again. The God has provided me another opportunity to spend more time with my co-passengers. I thank the God for feeling myself fortunate and His kind vision on me. On this day my Maa was the happiest person on earth like any other mother on earth. She might have seen the possibilities of her greatest hopes coming true. Her queries to the God were answered today. Today my father might have thought he got another support with him. Today I had seen my father carrying my first red small bicycle to my surprise. I am obliged to my elders for their blessings and my friends and well wishers for the journey I have completed till now.
May some good souls who are fortunate as me for this day, even if they have departed to the final destination, give their blessings such that I can meet them proudly.

Small – Big Groups and Happy New Year

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New Year will be celebrated tomorrow. There will be big parties where thousands gallons of wine will be served, tons of chickens will be fried and sweets will be distributed. And sure there are at least 70,000 families effected with Psunami still in shock without any New Year wishes. There are also supporters who will not celebrate New Year in parties and they will send the money for the relief work that was intended to spend on New Year celebrations. But the irony is that these people form the small group compared to the former group of celebrators.
For me there are three new years one 1st January, other 23rd January and one more 1st of Biasakh (first month of Indian Calendar). For that reason too 1st January is not very much important to me. Like others I too make wishes and exchange greetings to follow the convention. But doing parties never attracted me. By this way I belong to the small group. For the coming first January I am determined to arise awareness among the people for collecting funds for the relief of Psunami affected and donate it to PM relief fund. This is apart from our contribution of one day’s salary towards the fund. As today when my friends heard my decision to celebrate the New Year this way they appreciated it. In contrast there are also people around me collecting money for the party and the wine to be purchased for tonight and tomorrow. My effort to convince them almost became ridicule and they form the majority of society.
There are people, who agree to help according to their capability when I reach them. Based upon this I see there are two groups again in form of the donors and the receivers. The donors have the basic helping attitude and they form the large group and the receivers have the motivation to convince them to donate and they form the small group. Going door to door and making people aware of these I belong to the small group and I like to in this group, which is respected after wards they have done the job.
This small group will also celebrate the New Year; there will be food of social service, wine of sweat and making arrangement for the basic livelihood of at least one person, who have missed everything except the soul.
Wish A Happy New Year to big and small groups in the world and may next year bring good benedictions to all of us.

Makar Sankranti Specials

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Recently I read the blog of Jaya which is a very good cuisine made up of poetry and other food ingredients. I felt responsibility to extend the food blog chain a bit.There comes the opportunity of enjoying Lai’s on the eve of Makar Sankranti which falls on 14th January in North Indian communities. Everyhing is good here except the situation, when someone is guest and served with Big lai on this eve.
That day if one goes to any home home here, there the guest is served with at least two Lai’s in a plate along with other items. Mostly a combination of Moodhee or Chura’s lai with a Til's . It’s easy to eat the til’s lai .But the situation becomes awkward when one is bound to eat the Moodhee or Chura lai sitting in front of many people .There are exclusive two ways to eat them. Either you break it in pieces with your hands or try to bite the part of whole stuff wide opening your mouth  . If one takes first option to break, the lai will break making a cracking sound and to spread some of it’s parts down the plate. For many it becomes difficult to eat the big Lai while talking. And if one takes the second option one can feel some parts of the lai sticking near to mouth. There is no solution available to this problem. No one either serves broken lai or no one likes to get broken lai  . In the next generation I will suggest to prepare miniature lai. If some like to feel the festival more, better go to some village on this eve and have Lai made of roasted rice. It’s so hard to crack that, it’s a real test of Dabur’s Lal Duntmunjan’s effectiveness. While at home one can take lai with the milk which makes it more tasty. Anyway I like lai very much, it becomes a daily ready made breakfast for at least 10 days even after Maker Sankranti. Our Navodaya days are the proof of it when many of the students will get a poly bag full of Lai from their home.
Pirikiya, the all time favorite, is a fast food in a sense of readymade food and it’s preparation is lengthy one. The preparation of inside mixture of Suji, Sugar ,Coconut , Spices , Ghee needs experienced hands and rolling it into a nicely designed maida bread packs is an artistic work. I don’t know to prepare it. Occasionally to please my Mom I can make nice Laddoos of Coconut ( We call this laddoos as “Narkeler Naru”).

There are some excellent cuisines in Bengali community adding to the existing ones and one of them is Pithe / Patisepte. It’s nicely rolled bread (Like bread but not bread) with sweet coconut preparation kept inside. Then it is fried in ghee for a while. It’s soaked in concentrated milk. Allow it to cool. Once cooled completely it becomes ready to serve ……… . 🙂