Month: August 2021

Of celebrations and the mundane

So the festivities came to an end today. Well, at least for now. Ganesh Chaturthi is in September, Durga Puja in October, and Diwali in November. The festive season is on! The odd thing about festivals is that the very next day feels very mundane, very ordinary. After the running around and preparations and celebrations…it …

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जय श्री कृष्ण!

Krishna, Kishan, Madhav, Banke Bihari, Gopala, Kanhaiya, Ranchhod, Parthasarathy, Ishvara…the many names and the many facets of the personality of the most loved God in the Hindu pantheon – Sri Krishna. The Madhurāshtakam of Sri Vallabhacharya sounds like a bit excessive at first glance. The lyrics have too much sweetness in them, it is literally …

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When does God appear?

या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी |यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि सा निशा पश्यतो मुने: || 69|| yā niśhā sarva-bhūtānāṁ tasyāṁ jāgarti sanyamīyasyāṁ jāgrati bhūtāni sā niśhā paśhyato muneḥ What all beings consider as day is the night of ignorance for the wise, and what all creatures see as night is the day for the introspective yogi. …

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Of queens and trips…

Trips…short or long…have some commonalities. There is the booking, and then the planning, and then the packing, and then the journey. You then have the “to-do” list, the free breakfast (which you do complete justice to), the good food overall (hopefully), the mandatory long bath (not your water after all) and then the wrapping up, …

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Of names and good company

Had a meeting today where I discussed a structure with a potential client. We got talking and they asked me about the name of my consultancy – 10 Leaves. Why 10? Why Leaves? They also came to know the name of my son, and liked the fact that it is a unique name, with a …

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Of staycations and work…

What do bromance, shopaholic, brunch and romcom have in common? They are all portmanteaus! At the risk of sounding like a certain Tharoor, portmanteaus are obtained by combining two words to make a new one that describes the combination. You may have heard quite a few portmanteaus, but the latest I heard is staycation. No, …

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Of Humanoids and Blocks of chains

The past week has seen a flurry of activity. I have been on the phones constantly, speaking with clients on various topics in Fintech – crypto, blockchain, robotics, A.I, big data… I go to YouTube and see an ad for a revolutionary Made-In-India Ola electric scooter – with a 7-inch display, operating system and “moods” …

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रक्षाबन्धनवर्णनम् – Rakshabandhanvarnanam – the history of Rakshabandhan

Contrary to popular belief, Rakshabandhan did not originate during Mughal times. According to the Bhaviṣya Purāṇa, Shri Krishna, in a long narration to Yudhiṣṭhira, speaks about रक्षाबन्धन and it’s significance. This chapter is called रक्षाबन्धनवर्णनम्. Krishna says  “Listen to me carefully as I describe the ceremony  of Baliraksha.” “In the days of yore, there was a …

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