The five pledges…
पाँच प्रण – Five pledges. 1. A developed Bharat. 2. Complete removal of the colonized mindset 3. Pride in our culture and civilisation 4. Ek…
Your daily dose of Yog
India – a miracle of commonality…
Bharata, or India, is not short of a miracle in itself. While Bharatvarsha has existed for thousands of years, it has seldom functioned as a…
Of independence and spirituality…
Two important days coming up. The 75th day of our independence on the 15th, and Sri Krishna Janmashtami on the 19th. Two events that shaped…
Yugas – the chronicles of time…
The following article by David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) is adapted from Astrology of the Seers, by David Frawley Who knows now and who can declare the…
Of rakhis and copycats…
Two movies released today. One spoke about bonds and relationships, the other is a copy of an American movie. One is a simple story about…
रक्षाबन्धनवर्णनम् – true rakshabandhan
Rākhī derives from the Sanskrit rakṣikā, a join: rakṣā protection. Raksha Bandhan is observed on the last day of the Hindu lunar calendar month of…
Of staples and scarcity…
From the past few months, there has been increased talk on food scarcity. Apparently, a very few countries in the world account for a majority…
22 and counting!
A few months back, I had written about our haul at the Olympics. Today, as the Commonwealth Games come to a close, we wrapped up…
Music Teacher
Today’s post is very short. It’s about a movie on Netflix that most of you may have missed seeing on Netflix – and it’s called…
A little something for back pain…
Most of us deal with back pain at some point in our lives. Causes of back pain are varied from chronic nerve pain, to menstrual…
Of belief in the impossible…
Another of my co-workers amazed me today. Our workplace is quite different from most. We work like a startup, even though we are well-established in…
Of information and learning…
पण्डितो अनन्तपारं किल शब्द-शास्त्रं स्वल्पं तथायुर् बहवश् च विघ्नाः ।सारं ततो ग्राह्यम् अपास्य फल्गु हंसैर् यथा क्षीरम् इवाम्बुध्यात् ॥ ६ ॥ anantapāraṃ kila śabda-śāstraṃ svalpaṃ…
Of jobs and responsibilities…
My admin assistant gave birth on Monday, the first of this month. And today she pinged me, since she wanted to complete some work that…
Of Nancy and Pelosi…
So more tensions now. Nancy Pelosi, for a brief moment in time, rode in arguably the most tracked plane in history, as she touched down…
Of tomatoes and twenty varieties…
It’s amusing when you go to a hypermarket in Dubai nowadays. When I was growing up, there was an apple, a banana, an orange, an…
Of Rishis and Sunaks…
A few months back I had written about the brain drain – where Indian Americans make huge inroads managing the world’s biggest companies, where they…
Just how much is enough?
How much can one learn in a lifetime? More importantly, how much should one learn in a lifetime? Is it worth learning so much when…
Become a doctor in err…20 days!
Of late, a lot of “Doctors” have been appearing on my LinkedIn timeline. Complete with convocation photos, a detailed thank you note and the “humbleness”…
Globali…never mind…
Globalization works…until of course, it doesn’t. The world is now one family, said everyone, until the pandemic hit. And then, in an instant, everyone was…
Da Da to Pa Pa…
Today, as Rohāmrta was saying papapapapa, I recalled the day he started to say da-da-da-da. At that time, I thought he would be reciting rhymes…
Of people who care…
I got a lovely message today. They may have felt my pain, my suffering…my hard work and that I didn’t any rest from so many…
Zzzzzzzz…..
Sleep tracking. Yes, been reading a lot about it lately. My sleep patterns have been disturbed, mostly due to a disruption of my exercise schedule.…
Of GDP and EMI and everything in between…
The 1972 book Limits to Growth, which predicted our civilisation would probably collapse some time this century, has been criticised as doomsday fantasy since it…
A year back…
A year back today, Rohāmrta had his Anna Prāshana. The first time when he was fed solid food, an important milestone in his life. I…
Of Fish and Philosophy…
A few years ago, a book called Fish! Philosophy made a err…splash in the world of workplace motivation. On a visit to Seattle in 1997, John Christensen,…
Of one stomach and two heads…
भारुण्डपक्षिकथा The story of Bhārunda, the bird Near the ocean, not so far away from here, lived a bird named Bhārunda. He had one stomach,…
Are we within the story…or is the story within us…
kya pata hum mein hai kahani, yah hai, kahani mein hum…pum parara rum… Is the story within us, or are we within the story… We…
You know the world isn’t functioning properly…
You know the world isn’t functioning properly when one has loyalty points at a clinic, and when the pharmacy has a discount sale on most…
Do you know who defeated the mighty Arjuna?
Arjuna was the most prominent warrior in the Mahabharata. The best archer in the world, with the avatar of Sri Vishnu as a guide, and…
Of kids and entertainment…
Ok, so Rohāmrta has not gone out for 4 days, since he was sick. He is fine now, but cannot say the same about his…
A few thoughts on strategy…
I read somewhere that strategy is not planning ahead. Strategy is adapting to change. The faster one adapts to change, the better the strategy. And…
Of kids and hearts…
Rohāmrta is a bit under the weather since yesterday. The normal blocked nose, a bit of cough and fever. But enough to trigger an emergency…
Of Tenali and dolls…
The great emperor Kṛṣṇadevarāya (Krishnadevaraya) had a lot of wise ministers in his court. The wisest of them was Tenali Ramakrishna. One day, a merchant came to…
Wishing you a very happy Guru Purnima!
We may remember Teachers Day as the day when we decorated the blackboard (or green board, as was in our case), and wished our teachers…
Guru, where are you?
Tomorrow is Guru Purnima. Oddly enough, not many people know it is. We do know Teachers Day, although it falls on an arbitrarily selected date,…
Creativity and gujjus…
Gujjus are known for a lot of things – but they are a bit missing in the creative field. I mean, when compared to their…
Pandharpur Wari!
The very fact that you are alive and breathing, is a cause to celebrate, isn’t it? The mesmerising moments captured at Pandharpur Wari, the annual pilgrimage to…
And am back to the mantra of all mantras…
ॐ भूर् भुवः सुवः ।तत्स॑वि॒तुर्वरेण्यंभर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑धीमहि ।धियो॒ यो नः प्रचो॒दया॑त् ॥ om bhūr bhuvaḥ suvaḥtatsaviturvareṇyaṃbhargo devasyadhīmahidhiyo yo naḥ prachodayāt – Rigveda 3.62.10 गायत्री छन्दसामहम् – among…
A little before you sleep…
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु निद्रारूपेण संस्थिता ।नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमोनमः ।। Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu Nidra Roopen Samsithaha INamastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah II O Devi,…
He who sees me in everything…
ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् |ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना || 24|| brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma havir brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutambrahmaiva tena gantavyaṁ brahma-karma-samādhinā For those who are completely…
The acquisition of knowledge, begins with a single prayer…
सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि ।विद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा ॥ sarasvati namastubhyaṃ varade kāmarūpiṇi .vidyārambhaṃ kariṣyāmi siddhirbhavatu me sadā .. Namaskar, O Saraswati, grantor of…
Of light and illumination…
In continuation of the series of shlokas that I have been compiling in order to teach Rohāmrta, here is the Deepa Jyothi shloka. I did…
A prayer to start a good day…
I am doing some research on teaching kids a few basics. What better than to start from one’s own culture? Here is a Sloka that…
A routine to start all routines…
I am doing some research on teaching kids a few basics. What better than to start from one’s own culture? Here is a Sloka that…
On writing…
Is writing a skill, or an art? Does it come naturally to people, or is it cultivated? In either case, how do you go about…
A bit about me…
I’m Rohit I’ve learnt a few things on my journey, that I like to share. I don’t claim to know everything, but whatever little I…
Of tangled lives and simple truths…
It’s not often that you come across a person who is all heart. As children, we all are. And then we grow up. It starts…
What is your daydream?
What is your daydream? Heard this well-written song on America’s Got Talent today – Daydream by Lily Meola. A simple song, but strikes the heart.…
Of speaking in public and then to Ted…
I haven’t given a Ted Talk as yet, but then, Ted was never around. Public speaking is not easy. There are many who speak in…
Skills skills skills!
Was just having a conversation on education and skills. The current system of education is quite new. For a large part of our existence, we…
Of writing and routines…
Yesterday’s post brought in a lot of reactions. Thankfully all were positive. Some asked about my writing, others suggested that I make a book. Well,…
A heartfelt note…
As I pen this note, I put a lot in perspective. About me, about the business, about what we do, and who we are. About…
A bit of Vetala…
When I finished my meditation in the morning, I realized that the pearl necklace was still with me. I am not a man of the…
The first sign of intelligence…
अनारम्भो हि कार्याणां प्रथमं बुद्धि-लक्षणम् ।आरब्धस्यान्त-गमनं द्वितीयं बुद्धि-लक्षणम् ॥ १२७ ॥ anārambho hi kāryāṇāṃ prathamaṃ buddhi-lakṣaṇam |ārabdhasyānta-gamanaṃ dvitīyaṃ buddhi-lakṣaṇam || 127 || The first sign of intelligence…
And more yog…
After yesterday’s article, a lot of people got in touch asking for more…Why reinvent the wheel? Here is the three part series in one mega…
COVID and more despair…
I started writing regularly when the lockdown commenced in March 2020. It is June 2022 now, and there has been a resurge of cases. A…
Of fathers and days…
At first, there was a birthday. Then came Valentines Day. Then Mothers Day. Now Fathers Day. Don’t know if there is a sisters day or…
A bit of satire in Samskritam…
किं वाससा इत्यत्र विचारणीयंवासः प्रधानं खलु योग्यतायै ।पीताम्बरं वीक्ष्य ददौ स्वकन्यांदिगम्बरं वीक्ष्य विषं समुद्रः ॥ kiM vAsasA ityatra vichAraNIyaMvAsaH pradhAnaM khalu yogyatAyai |pItAmbaraM vIkShya dadau…
Revisiting the five tantras…
महाजनस्य सम्पर्कः कस्य नोन्नति-कारकः ।पद्म-पत्र-स्थितं तोयं धत्ते मुक्ता-फल-श्रियम् ॥ ६० ॥ mahājanasya samparkaḥ kasya nonnati-kārakaḥ |padma-patra-sthitaṃ toyaṃ dhatte muktā-phala-śriyam || 60 || Who does not shine in…
On learning and knowledge…
अणुभ्यश्च महद्भ्यश्च शास्त्रेभ्यः कुशलो नरः।सर्वतः सारमादद्यात् पुष्पेभ्य इव षट्पदः।। Skilled people learn from every source, be it big or small, much like honey bees, who…
Short, and sweet:)
रोहते सायकैर् विद्धं छिन्नं रोहति चासिना ।वचो दुरुक्तं बीभत्सं न प्ररोहति वाक्-क्षतम् ॥ १११ ॥ rohate sāyakair viddhaṃ chinnaṃ rohati cāsinā |vaco duruktaṃ bībhatsaṃ na prarohati…
A bit stressful, this…
Stress is not inborn nor is it inherited it does not even exist in nature except in your own mind… Yes that same monkey mind…
On determination…
Is determination good for you? Yes and no. Depends on your type of determination, says Sri Krishna. धृत्या यया धारयते मन:प्राणेन्द्रियक्रिया: |योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्या धृति: सा पार्थ…
On commitment…
लक्ष्मीश्चन्द्रादपेयाद्वा हिमवान्वा हिमं त्यजेत्।अतीयात्सागरो वेलां न प्रतिज्ञामहं पितुः।।2.112.18।। lakṣmīścandrādapeyādvā himavānvā himaṃ tyajet।atīyātsāgaro velāṃ na pratijñāmahaṃ pituḥ॥ The Moon might lose its splendour, snow might abandon…
A moment to thank the ones on the front…
When I wrote this two years back, frontline workers were the topic of discussion. We may have never had an opportunity to realize their contribution…
Meditation – your first step
Meditation is quite a mystery for many. How do we meditate? How does it help? What are supposed to see or think about when we…
Working from home
This is what I had written a couple of years back… We all crave to spend more time with our loved ones, don’t we? Working…
Mend your relationship with nature…
Times like this are a wake-up call for many, for the collective. Everything cannot, and should not be about more work, and more profit, and…
Take it slow-er…
Take it slow(er) The past decade has been one of growth. Very good growth. Most of us think that everything has to keep going in…
Here we go again…
Prologue In early 2020, I had penned down some thoughts of mine that went on to become “Love in the times of Corona”. I would…
A history of the Gita…
The “Bhagavad Gita”: A Biography by Richard H. Davis There have been many translations of the Bhagavad Gita, which is perhaps the most famous of all Indian…
On Looking and walking…
On Looking: Eleven walks…came highly recommended. I haven’t read Alexandra Horowitz before, and the reviews on Goodreads were not the most encouraging. Nevertheless, I did…
Savitri and Satyavan…
सन्तो हि सत्येन नयन्ति सूर्यं ।सन्तो भूमिं तपसा धारयन्ति ॥सन्तो गतिर्भूतभव्यस्य राजन् ।सतां मध्येनावसीदन्ति सन्तः ॥ By the Truth the saints lead the sun; by…
Of food and language…
एकः स्वादु न भुञ्जीत एकश् चार्थान् न चिन्तयेत् ।एको न गच्छेद् अध्वानं नैकः सुप्तेषु जागृयात् ॥ ९५ ॥ ekaḥ svādu na bhuñjīta ekaś cārthān na…
Vikshepa Shakti..
Vikshepa shakti. The mind has a tendency to be restless – to constantly keep thinking of hundreds of things at once. Even when you sit…
Go watch it!
Well, I saw a movie after a long time. Ever since the birth of Rohāmrta, we haven’t really got the opportunity to step out to…
Of knowledge and flukes…
घुणाक्षर न्याय (Gunākshara Nyāya) – The maxim of the letters made by the wood worm, Ghuna. This worm bores holes in wood and in books which sometimes assume…
Do you intend to buy a car?
Have you noticed the changes in how we move around? The next generation is not big on ownership – be it houses or cars. They…
Of elevating your senses…
“As brains get larger and more complex, what goes on inside the brain gets further removed from what is happening in the environment. To see…
A name is a name, or not?
नाम्यते अभिधीयते अर्थोऽनेन इति नाम – that whose meaning encompasses the characteristics of a person, is a name. Here is something that I came across,…
Of coronas and monkeys…
COVID wanes, Monkeypox appears… For those with COVID fatigue (which is most of us), a new headache looms. 80 confirmed cases in 12 countries, and…
Doing what you enjoy, and enjoying what to do…
How important is it to enjoy what you do? It sounds like a cliche, but it is true. When you “have to do something”, you…
Of cutting edges and secrets…
Today spoke with a prospective client who is loking at deploying a ‘cutting-edge’ solution. Or so she thinks. And I know no better, since she…
Of legacies and great grandfathers…
So what is the one thing that you leave behind? Money? Nah, that would get spent, and fast. Photos and videos? – Hard disk wipe,…
On vak shakti…
Had a short discussion on vāk shakti today. There have been a lot of things said about good speech, but the first phrase that comes…
Of Air and Suvidhas…
Went to the airport to drop off my parents. Since it was their first time flying out of Dubai, I accompanied them to the checkin…
Of tables and debates…
Came across a post that I had made earlier. On debates – mostly the kinds that take place around the dinner table. Where everyone tries…
Of family visits and bittersweet moments…
Had family visit me over the past few days. Good time spent, but now it’s time to leave. Visits are often bittersweet isn’t it? The…
Are you at your very best?
We underestimate our own capabilities. And by we, I mean everyone. Without exception. I have seen this in various fields – be it martial arts, studies…
The art of doing nothing…
Ok, everyone has their lazy days. I mean everyone – even the productivity pundits have days when they just don’t feel like doing much. If…
A better way to spend your time…
Remote working, work from home, not going to a physical office… Largely absent or implemented in very few pockets, Work from Home became a common…
Of rewards and families…
I think I had written about this before, but it has gotten worse now. The clinic that me (and my family) go to, has initiated…
Of meditation and closing one’s eyes…
The west has sold meditation in a very superficial manner. Sit in this way, close your eyes and witness. And maybe an ‘Om’ or a…
Of Sat, Sang and Satsang…
सत्संगत्वे निस्संगत्वं, निस्संगत्वे निर्मोहत्वं। निर्मोहत्वे निश्चलतत्त्वं, निश्चलतत्त्वे जीवन्मुक्तिः ॥९॥ Satsaṅgatve nissaṅgatvaṃ, niḥsaṅgatve nīrmohatvam nirmohatve niścalitatvam, niścalitatve jīvanmuktiḥ from Bhaja Gōvindam, written by Jagadguru Adi Śaṅkarācārya Through good company…
Afraid of the unknown…
Status-quo bias – The tendency for people to stay committed to current situations, for fear of changing to the unknown. Status quo bias is also…
Of performance pressures…
We underestimate our own capabilities. And by we, I mean everyone. Without exception. I have seen this in various fields – be it martial arts, studies…
Of evil and perspective…
There is no good and evil, only perspectives. Mahishasura is probably the first (and only one) name that comes to mind when one speaks of…
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam…
अयंनिजःपरोवेतिगणनालघु-चेतसाम्।उदार चरितानांतु वसुधैवकुटुम्बकम्॥ ayaṃ nijaḥ paro veti gaṇanā laghu-cetasām |udāra-caritānāṃ tu vasudhaiva kuṭumbakam || 37 || This is mine, and that is yours – such thinking is…
The primordial sound…
அகர முதல எழுத்தெல்லாம் ஆதிபகவன் முதற்றே உலகு. Akara Mudhala Ezhuththellaam AadhiPakavan Mudhatre Ulaku (1) The alphabet begins with the “A” sound, so does the Universe begin…
Let’s pray!
Eid is celebrated across the Gulf today. And so we decided that it’s time to pay a visit to the divine. We have a temple…
as you think…
तस्मात् यत् पुरुषः सनसाअभिगच्छति। तत् वाचा वदति। तत् कर्मणा करोति। यत् मनसः रेतः प्रथमं आतीत्। तद् कामः अग्रे समवर्तताधि। तत् एषाअभि अनूक्ता । Whatever one…
If not you…
If I am not for myself…who will be? If I am for myself alone…who am I? If not now…when? And if not you…who? Four phrases…
Is the black belt a culmination?
A black belt in Karate is an achievement…a big achievement. Its a culmination of years of blood and sweat, of hard toil, of pain and…
The more we get, the more we want…
भोगा न भुक्ता वयमेव भुक्ताः, तपो न तप्तं वयमेव तप्ताः । कालो न यातो वयमेव याताः तृष्णा न जीर्णा वयमेव जीर्णाः ॥ bhogā na bhuktā vayameva…
What do we take with us?
नामुत्र हि सहायार्थं पिता माता च तिष्ठतः । न पुत्रदारं न ज्ञातिर्धर्मस्तिष्ठति केवलः ॥ २३९ ॥ nāmutra hi sahāyārthaṃ pitā mātā ca tiṣṭhataḥ | na putradāraṃ na jñātirdharmastiṣṭhati…
Of earth days and earth hours…
ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् । तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ॥ īśāvāsyamidaṃ sarvaṃ yatkiñca jagatyāṃ jagat | tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasyasviddhanam || Īśopaniṣad…
A clue to the nature of your mind…
सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत |श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्ध: स एव स: || sattvānurūpā sarvasya śhraddhā bhavati bhārataśhraddhā-mayo ‘yaṁ puruṣho yo yach-chhraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ…
Of success and being the best…
यशोधिगन्तुं सुखलिप्सया वा मनुष्यसंख्यामतिवर्तितुं वा | निरुत्सकानामभियोगभाजां समुत्सुके वाङ्कमुपैति सिद्धिः || yashodhigantum sukhalipsayā vā manuśyasamkhyāmativartitum vā nirutsakānāmabhiyogabhājām samutsuke vānkmupaiti siddhih Kavya Prakasha Success itself is keen to…
The right desire…
सर्वं परवशं दुःखं सर्वमात्मवशं सुखम् ।एतद् विद्यात् समासेन लक्षणं सुखदुःखयोः ॥ sarvaṃ paravaśaṃ duḥkhaṃ sarvamātmavaśaṃ sukham |etad vidyāt samāsena lakṣaṇaṃ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ || Manusmriti 4.160 All that is…
No better time than now…
यदपि स्यादसमये यातो वनमसाविति ।अकालो नास्ति धर्मस्य जीविते चञ्चले सति ॥ yadapi syādasamaye yāto vanamasāviti |akālo nāsti dharmasya jīvite cañcale sati|| Buddhacarita 6.21, by Aśvaghoṣa Though…
of expectations and rewards…
उदेति सविता ताम्रस्ताम्र एवास्तमेतिच। सम्पतौ च विपत्तौ च महतामेकरूपता॥ udeti savitā tāmras tāmra evāstameti ca | saṃpattau ca vipattau ca mahatāmekarūpatā || Kavya Prakash 7.245…
Of language and potential…
अमन्त्रमक्षरं नास्ति नास्ति मूलमनौषधम् ।अयोग्यः पुरुषो नास्ति योजकस्तत्र दुर्लभः ॥ amantramakṣaraṃ nāsti nāsti mūlamanauṣadham ।ayogyaḥ puruṣo nāsti yojakastatra durlabhaḥ ॥ Samayocitapadyamālikā There is not a syllable…
Leading by example…
Work, work and more work. Work is good. But when it is Ramadan, it gets tough, given the reduced timings. Am thankful that my team…
Of mirrors and identities…
आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन | सुखं वा यदि वा दु:खं स योगी परमो मत: || ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṁ paśhyati yo ’rjuna sukhaṁ vā yadi…
So, who defeated the mighty Arjuna?
Arjuna was the most prominent warrior in the Mahabharata. The best archer in the world, with the avatar of Sri Vishnu as a guide, and…
Of knowledge and intelligence…
विद्या ददाति विनयं विनयाद्याति पात्रताम् । पात्रत्वाद्धनमाप्नोति धनाद्धर्मं ततः सुखम् ॥ vidyā dadāti vinayam, vinayādyāti pātratām | pātratvāddhanamāpnoti, dhanāddharmam tatah sukham || Hitopadeśa Knowledge makes…
Flower samjhe kya? Fire hu main…
Main jhukega nahi! Sher ko pakadne ke liye shikari chahiye… I hate violence…but violence likes me! Three movies have changed the game. Actually four. The…
Of drops and drops and oceans…
क्षणशः कणशश्चैव विद्यामर्थं च साधयेत् |क्षणत्यागे कुतो विद्या कणत्यागे कुतो धनम् || kṣaṇaśaḥ kaṇaśaḥ ca eva vidyām arthaṃ ca sādhayet । kṣaṇa-tyāge kutaḥ vidyā kaṇa-tyāge kutaḥ dhanam ॥…
Fifty years and counting…
50 years. That’s how long my parents have been married to each other. We sometimes cannot wrap our heads around such numbers. You know, when…
Food for thought…
Today is Ekādashi – the 11th day of a fortnight in a lunar month, as per the Hindu calendar. Since there are two fortnights, Ekādashi…
Of treasures that measure eight…
The Germans call it milchreis, the Spaniards call it arroz con leche, Malaysians pulut hitam and the Greeks call it rizogalo…any guesses? How about ‘eight treasures’? or Shola-e-zard ? Still no?…
Like the seeker, is his truth…
Why do we pray? Today, on the occasion of Ram Navami, I booked a new temple for my house. I was running out of space…
रामो द्विर्नाभिभाषते…
द्विः शरं नाभिसन्धत्ते द्विः स्थापयति नाश्रितान् ।द्विर्ददाति न चार्थिभ्यो, रामो द्विर्नाभिभाषते ॥ Rāma doesn’t aim twice, he doesn’t give refuge twice, Rāma does not give…
Of weekends and rest…
Today’s the weekend. Or what we have been calling (largely) Saturday and Sunday from the past 90-odd years. A gift from the factory-based economy. A…
When is a good time to start?
So when is a good time to start? I spoke about Tithis in my past two posts. It is said that certain tithis are not…
Of 31 and 30, and 28 as well…
Yesterday I had written about how to read a Panchāngam, or Hindu calendar. Today, we look at a few more interesting concepts. While we normally…
How to read a Hindu calendar…
Reading a Hindu calendar can be complex, especially for beginners. So here is a quick guide, just for you! Start with a Panchāngam – Drink…
Of tubes and you…
A deviation today, from the usual Navratri talk. I have been watching various “village cooking” channels over the past few months. First, there was one…
When fasting is starvation…
Fasting without feeding your spirituality is starvation. All it does is make you feel hungry the whole day and crave for food, when you should…
It’s not just a cat who loves the number nine…
Number nine (9) is the most intriguing digit of all the numbers. It is an absolute number which when multiplied by any number always reproduces…
The dawn of a new age…
Friday, April 1, 2022 Sunrise: 06:15 AMSunset: 06:39 PM Tithi: Amavasya upto 10:23 AMNakshatra: Uttara Bhadrapada upto 09:10 AMYoga: Brahma upto 08:07 AMKarana: Nagava upto 10:23 AMKarana: Kinstughna upto 10:21 PMPaksha: Krishna Paksha Weekday: ShukrawaraAmanta Month: PhalgunaPurnimanta Month: ChaitraMoonsign: MeenaSunsign: Meena Shaka Samvat: 1943 PlavaVikram Samvat: 2079 RakshasaGujarati Samvat: 2078 Pramadi Twice in a year, followers of Sanatana…
Of Sharmajis and namkeens
I started watching Sharmaji Namkeen today. Rishi Kapoor’s last movie, one that he couldn’t complete, and so Paresh Rawal stepped in to make what should…
Of fruits and attachments…
Is attachment good? By attachment, I mean attachment to anything – people, joys, pleasures, money, materialism, even attachment to spirituality… Well, the rest you may…
Mine is bigger than yours…
Something that happened today reminded of something that I had written around a couple of years back. Reproduced here below. A few years back, I…
Of slappy awards…
Ok. The slap. By the way, for a star that has made quite a few action movies, when it came to it, he wasn’t able…
Of prunes and ragi…
A few days back I spoke of OTT, mobile and in general – screen addiction. Today, I speak about food addiction. Specifically, bad food addiction.…
Of EMIs and debts that we forget…
Who isn’t familiar with the concept of EMI? This craze has driven us to over-consume and under-save, and it is only getting worse with ‘solutions’…
Three steps forward, stepping back two…
அகழ்வாரைத் தாங்கும் நிலம்போலத் தம்மைஇகழ்வார்ப் பொறுத்தல் தலை. Akazhvaaraith Thaangum Nilampolath ThammaiIkazhvaarp Poruththal Thalai (151) To bear with those who revile us, just as the earth bears…
Of OTT and zombie land…
OTT…how the world changes! When the history of cinema will be written in the future, there will be two distinct parts – before OTT and…
Of Gods and preferences…
Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here. And if you want to immerse yourself in the song, without a care in the world as…
Of correct meanings and right ones…
Yesterday, I wrote about Sojugada Soon Mallige, a soulful folk song that was beautifully sung by Ananya Bhat. As I reflected on the inner meaning…
I offer you flowers, and then some more…
Today, as I was driving, the OST of Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana (Kannada movie) was playing in the car when Sojugada started. A different rendition,…
Of buses and wheels…
The wheels on the bus go round and roundRound and roundRound and roundThe wheels on the bus go round and roundAll through the town If…
Of strangled priests and widows of railway employees…
Did you know that strozzapreti (a type of pasta) means ‘strangled priests’, or that vermicelli means ‘little worms’? Or that the Scottish word sgiomlaireachd (yes…
Of Holi changes…
I’m watching an intriguing new series on Apple TV – it’s called Severance. Set in a fictional company called Lumon Industries, the workers of Severance have…
Isn’t life a celebration?
Festivals are beautiful. They are fun, filled with joy, food and enjoyment. We celebrate, because life should be a celebration, with a bit of work…
Random thoughts on films…
Why do we watch films? Some of us watch to get entertained, others to get informed. Some watch to pass time, others to spend time…
Shyam piya mori…
Holi is usually called the “festival of colors”. But can you celebrate Holi, without these colors? As part of the countdown to Holi, a few…
Color me red…
श्याम पिया मोरी रंग दे चुनरिया । ऐसी रंग दे, के रंग नहीं छुटे ।धोभिया धोये चाहे सारी उमरिया ॥ लाल ना रंगाऊं मैं, हरी…
Discipline and consistency…
It’s been around two years since I started writing everyday. I know for sure it crossed the two year mark this month, but when? That…
Follow your heart…with a bit of brain alongside…
I took an interview today. During the course of the interview, I came to learn that the candidate’s passion was yoga, and she wanted to…
Of the not-so-small businesses
A small business is anything but small. What it lacks in size, it makes up in impact. If you think of it, prior to the…
Of cycles and bulldozers…and booze.
Tomorrow is the day that will determine India’s future for the next thirty years. Good, bad or ugly – all depends on tomorrow’s result. Twenty-four…
I’m dying to get this to you…
You know that your food kills you. Some slower than the others. The very process of eating and digestion takes us closer to the end,…
Or rights and wrongs and everything in between…
What is free speech? Is speech free, as long as you say what I think is right? Should the “bad” be allowed to speak at…
Of aims and dilemmas…
चलने ही चलने में कितना जीवन, हाय, बिता डाला!‘दूर अभी है’, पर, कहता है हर पथ बतलानेवाला,हिम्मत है न बढूँ आगे को साहस है न…
The sun shines in Malayalam…
Ok. My apologies. No Bachchan today. Try Venjaramoodu instead. For those unfamiliar with this tongue-twister of a name, you should see more Malayalam cinema. Suraj…
Of taverns and wine…
भावुकता अंगूर लता से खींच कल्पना की हाला,कवि साकी बनकर आया है भरकर कविता का प्याला,कभी न कण-भर खाली होगा लाख पिएँ, दो लाख पिएँ!पाठकगण…
Of googlies and magic…
If there was one bowler who I found enigmatic, it was Shane Warne. That first ball of the Ashes…he changed the way the world looked…
Of bullets and Shanaya…
How does one remain sane nowadays? With a war raging on one side and Shanaya Kapoor’s imminent launch in a Karan Johar wrapper? I wonder…
Of keyboards and wars…
Today’s war is not fought in the battlefield. It is fought in people’s minds. The downside of easy access to information is the promulgation of…
Om Namah Shivaya!
From the past few years, one cannot think of Mahashivratri, without thinking of Sadguru and Isha. The Mahashivratri event has now become the must-see event…
Don’t give up anything this Shivratri…
A lot of questions may arise in our minds, when we think of Shiva, and Shivratri – or the night of Shiva.
Of mitochondria and kill switches…
Do you know about Mitochondrial Eve? If you recall (or don’t) from biology class, mitochondria generate most of the chemical energy needed to power the…
Somethings to remember…
It’s good to be reminded of somethings sometimes. So today, as you wake up to birds chirping outside, and as you step into the washroom…
Of new mothers and sacrifices…
I had a couple of interviews earlier today. Both were women who had married and given up their jobs to take care of their kids.…
Of productivity and Putin…
Today was not a very productive day. When I say productive, I mean that kind – the LinkedIn motivator kind. I wake up at 4.30…
Is learning ever wasted?
Is learning ever wasted? Someone asked me this question the other day. She wanted to go for a course – short-term, around 2 weeks, and…
Of Malayalam and today…
Today is like Malayalam. That sentence did make sense, if you know what a palindrome is. 22-02-2022 is today’s date and reads the same forwards…
Of visionaries…
How does one write “visionary” in one’s own title on LinkedIn? Imagine going to a networking event and extending your hand out to someone who…
Of abilities and attitudes…
What matters more? The ability to learn, or the attitude towards learning? Some might argue that we don’t have the ability to learn anything and…
Of veggies and treadmills
Can you guess the most eaten vegetable in the United States? Well, I can safely say that whatever you guessed, was wrong. The answer, and…
My baby speaks to me!
Babies cry. Sometimes little, sometimes a lot. Sometimes when we least expect them to. And sometimes when we least want them to. As parents, we…
Of Zen stories and Kancho…
Zen stories. They bring back fond memories. Of times I spent with my master – sometimes in larger groups, other times just with the uchideshis…
Of stories and proofs…
A few days back, someone told me that they had received credible information (via WhatsApp), that Sita had not actually travelled to Lanka. The story…
Of jacks and trades…
A hectic day today. I had calls with three new clients, all of who are investment advisors, and target the retail segment. In English, you…
Of teeth inlays and baby outlays…
I was at the dentist today. It’s so bad nowadays, so bad that I qualified for the clinic’s in-house rewards program. No I am serious.…
Food, and more food…
Food. Yesterday – none of it. Today – too much of it. Yesterday was Ekādashi, and as usual, I fasted the whole day and night,…
Of breaths and molecules…
“In breathing, as in everything in life, the numbers are staggering—indeed fantastical. Every time you breathe, you exhale some 25 sextillion (that’s 2.5 x 1022) molecules…
Time and tide…
We love our watches, don’t we? Yes, their significance in actual timekeeping may have lessened, given the number of digital devices we have on us,…
On choices…
And we are in election mode again. Unless the “one nation one election” proposal is implemented, this election process will continue throughout the year, year-on-year,…
The art of coping…
ONE ART The art of losing isn’t hard to master;so many things seem filled with the intentto be lost that their loss is no disaster.…
Of destiny and perfection…
“It’s better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else’s life with perfection.” You may have read this quote…
Ships that sail, and you who changes…
If the ship on which Theseus sailed has been so heavily repaired and nearly every part replaced, is it still the same ship — and,…
Of simplicity, talent and ideology…
Simplicity, talent and ideology all captured in one frame. From morning, I have read a lot of op-eds, each trying to outdo the other in…
Vashishtadvaitam of Ramanujacharya
Rāmānujācharya was one of the most important exponents of the Sri Vasihnavism Sampradaya within Sanatana Dharma. He was also the proponent of the Viśiṣṭādvaita school…
Bolt, buckle and dust the child…
Ok. What’s common between bolt, buckle, clip, consult, left, dust, screen and Rohāmrta? They are all contronyms. That is, they can, depending on context, have…
Gaana.com during Khaana.com
What’s common between Aankh maare from Simbaa, Genda Phool from Baadshah, Aila Re from Suryavanshi, Rowdy Baby from Maari 2 and Naatu Naatu from RRR?…
Of storming brains and meliorat…
“Let’s brainstorm over lunch.” Today this usually means meeting up and thinking of ways to solve a problem – creativity, ideas, that sort of thing.…
One year down the line…
Today is Rohāmrta’s first English birthday. One year back – he arrived in this world, a bit earlier than anticipated. Was scheduled to come on…
Of budgets and taxes…
A lot of talk about money today. India’s budget is to be announced tomorrow. Personally, the only thing the middle class used to look for…
Of NPCs and players extraordinaire…
Today was a day of play. The first concerned an NPC, and the second – a slammer of Grands. If I am not making any…
North East West South…
Open any new site today. The ratio is roughly 30/70. That is, 30% of actual news, and 70% clickbait and tabloid-type articles. Top clickbaits include…
I’m not done yet…
Not me, that’s Kapil Sharma’s new show on Netflix. Was good (mostly), and ended with a beautiful English song, but what got me thinking is……
Thich Nhat Hanh
It’s funny how much our surroundings influence our emotions. Our joys and sorrows, likes and dislikes are colored by our environment so much that often…
Why make a business…again.
After yesterday’s article, some people messaged me…some agreed, some disagreed. But the consensus was that it sounds good in theory, but how does one go…
Why make a business?
What is the objective of a business? To make profit, you may say. Of course. No successful business runs at a loss. But how much…
A launch, and then some…
A big launch today. We made forays into the unknown, a very different field that few, if any, of my kind have ventured into. Most…
Of birthdays and celebrations…
Someone makes a wonderful dish. It is right up there with the best you’ve ever tasted, and you can’t have enough of it. “Give me…
Did you know?
Did you know that photons of light have no color, sound waves have no sound, olfactory molecules have no odors, and food molecules have no…
Just do it…no not Nike…
The issue is not that you are not capable of doing it…the issue is that I know you are capable but you don’t. A phrase…
Of hard work and perspectives…
120 calls. 10 hours a day. 6 days a week. 3,000 dirhams. Stressful work, with irate people at the other end of the telephone. No…
Of legacy and planning and sounding rich…
Have you heard of “legacy planning?” Chances are that you have. Or maybe “estate planning” or something similar…back in the days, it used to be…
Squeezing in more per day…
I get asked often, about how I manage to squeeze in so much in a day. Yoga, handling 5-6 business streams, operations, client calls, karate,…
Let’s go shopping!
I just bought dumbbells over Amazon – delivered in a day. I then looked at my order history, and was pretty amazed at the amount…
What do you really see?
We all have been through the biology class back in school when they taught us how we “see”. We have in fact drawn the two…
How much do you cost again?
What costs US$ 168 to build? The human body, by some accounts. Actually, an episode in Nova, a science show on PBS, came up with…
Makara Sankrānti…
The earth is tilted on it’s axis, and this is what gives rise to the seasons. This is the reason why we do not receive…
About that story…
Ok, a lot of you messaged me yesterday. The general consensus was that blockchain and crypto are no more a mystery to them anymore. Yes,…
Let me tell you a story…
Let me tell you a story. One day, a couple I know was having lunch with their friends who had come visiting after a long…
A world without work…
Imagine a world without work. No seriously. Imagine a world where you do not have to work, where tech or AI or robotics or whatever…
Another class of superhero…
Yesterday I wrote about superheroes, both aspiring and reel. I forgot to mention a third category- the real. Yes they do exist. Not the silly…
Of superheroes and SUPERHEROES…
I read this interesting article by Avivah Wittenberg-Cox in the Harvard Business Review. Titled “In praise of extreme moderation”, it speaks of the trend of…
The good ol’ days…
Don’t we see nostalgic posts of this kind every other day? On Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and oddly enough, even on LinkedIn. The kind which romanticizes…
What’s going to happen?
Short answer – I don’t know. For that matter, neither do you. If we did, then a) the world would stop being fun and b)…
Day 5 – Of noise and silence…
There is so much noise in life nowadays… NOISE: any random fluctuations of data that hinders perception of a signal. That is the engineering version…
Day 4 – What you think..
Firstly, I don’t know how long this “Day (number) will go on. So if I stop this system midway, do overlook it:) Have you noticed…
Day 3 – who is in control?
Love it when it rains in Dubai. A rarity, each moment is savored to one’s satisfaction. Until of course, it continues and does not stop.…
Day 2 – A call with the master
A lot of work done today. I had set a target for the launch of a service and am staying on track. Also visited the…
Day 1 – good!
My first decision of the year – quit Facebook. While I was already not active on it for a few months now, I felt it…
Life is a box of chocolates…but prepare:)
Life is a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get… Forrest Gump “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans…
Party pooper alert!
Tomorrow is the last day of the calendar year. Another year flies by, without us really knowing what happened. Mostly Corona I guess. And now…
Of excuses and perseverance…
It’s late, you are tired, been working all day, Don’t worry, tomorrow you will be fresh again… You missed going out with friends, a bit…
The curse of plenty…
LIfe was much simpler in the late 80s/early 90s. A lot less choices to make. If you wanted ice cream, there was vanilla, strawberry or…
End of the year staples…
Top 10 books, top 10 movies, top 10 sayings, to 10 learnings.. A lot of top 10s float around on the web, in the dying…
I also love it when…
I also love it when you wake up in the middle of the night, sitting straight sleepy and crying, so that I can rock you…
I love it when…
I love it when you hold my hand with your tiny fingers and then grip it tightly and fall asleep… I love it when you…
Anything to be merry about?
It’s that time of the year when people start to wind down, commencing with Christmas and ending in the New Year. A time to spend…
Nurseries online??
Had a team meeting today, and among other things, came to know that the son of one of my colleagues has been attending nursery…online. Pray…
“Can” you do it?
I see him picking up an empty can, carefully, trying to coordinate his limbs, adjusting his grip, pausing, slipping, until he gets it upright, and…
An ode to the love of a child…
As he crawls slowly towards you, and then faster, Don’t you crawl towards him too? As he tries to stand, fumbles and reaches out to…
One man’s meat is another man’s paneer?
Ever since I turned vegetarian, somehow it is assumed that paneer is the pinnacle of my ordering power at any Indian restaurant. “Oh, you don’t…
A day of pain…
To desecrate is shameful, but is lynching justified? What God or greater power can condone such behavior? Is faith driven by what signifies the greater…
What drives you?
When you are young, the thrill of ambition drives you when you grow older, the thrill of passion drives you and when yet older, the…
Meta Universe
Meta – denoting something of a higher or second-order kind. There has been a lot of talk about the metaverse lately. The word “metaverse” is…
Gita Jayanti…
अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जना: पर्युपासते ।तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ॥ २२ ॥ ananyāś cintayanto māṁye janāḥ paryupāsateteṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁyoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham But those who always worship…
The return of history?
We have seen a lot of activity in restorations post 2019. First was the Ram Mandir, and now the Kashi Vishvanath corridor. Mathura is next,…
The death of service
It’s uncanny that I have such encounters when reading a book on the subject. As some of you may be aware, I am reading about…
Of analogies and principles…
eBay is a shark in the ocean We are a crocodile in the Yangtze River. If we fight in the ocean, we will lose. But…
Of perambulators and strollers…
It isn’t often that I come across a word that I am unfamiliar with. Today – chanced upon “perambulator”. Or pram as we know it.…
A few random thoughts…or are they?
As I was driving down from a client’s place late this evening, a few thoughts crossed my mind. Yesterday, I had read about Apple’s AR…
Time that runs away…
Time that runs away! Ricardo Gondim I counted my years and found that I will have less time to live from now on than I have…
4.5 – that’s the new number
Every once in a while, there comes across a piece of news that has deeper implications than what most people realize. Today’s announcement by the…
Learning is a superpower
The importance of the ability to learn is understated. And the importance of the ability to learn continuously is grossly understated. Gone are the days…
What’s with babies and empty boxes?
Best laid plans sometimes come to naught. And with babies, this is even more pronounced. As parents, we want to provide the kid with the…
Moments…just for you…
As I lie back and watch the blue sky Clouds, shapes, a bit of sun peeping from around the corner… A beautiful sight, a moment…
Of showing mirrors and seeing them…
Another blast from the past. I was reading a blogpost that I had written around the time that a BBC documentary on the horrific Nirbhaya…
50 years and counting…
Its 2021, and by now, many countries have celebrated their golden jubilees, and more. The United Arab Emirates celebrates it’s 50th tomorrow, but there is…
Of brains and drains…
Welcome to the club Parag! …so say Satya Nadella of Microsoft Corp, Shantanu Narayen of Adobe Inc, Arvind Krishna of International Business Machines Corp., Sundar…
Red pill…anyone?
I had written this blogpost in 2015. About detoxing from the digital medium. Its nearing the end of 2021. The disease still has not gone.…
Of MuNuXi and PiRhoSigma…
I know the subject of today’s post sounded like Greek and Latin, because, well, it is Greek. Part of the Greek alphabet to be precise.…
Oh…how times change…
Oh how times change, The new has become old, and the old has become new tailors are now bespoke, and shaves done with single blades,…
Rathnan Prapancha
I saw this movie on Amazon Prime today. Rathnan Prapancha (or Rathna’s world) is a Kannada movie, starring Dhananjaya, and directed by Rohit Padaki. I…
The Red Sari
Every once in a while, I stumble upon reviews of books that I had written back in the day. This is one of my favorites…
The Silurian hypothesis
I read an interesting article today. It had a central thought – what if we aren’t the first advanced civilization on Earth? Before you go…
Sometimes…
Sometimes I wonder if the world could be a better place, where people say what they mean and mean what they say… Sometimes I wonder…
Of my way and your way…
There are many paths to where you want to go, I’m on my way there too, so that you know… I walk the thorny bushes,…
On watching…
Watching a seedling grow, Is an exercise in patience, determination and grit… It may seem natural, but no It takes a lot of work and…
A step back…
A step back is not failure… Just like a step forward is not victory… Every once in a while, you may retreat momentarily Maybe just…
On looking…
On Looking: Eleven walks…came highly recommended. I haven’t read Alexandra Horowitz before, and the reviews on Goodreads were not the most encouraging. Nevertheless, I did…
I come from an India…
I come from an India, Where we worship anything that breathes…and also anything that doesn’t. I come from an India, Where the earth we walk…
Every once in a while…
न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं न मन्त्रो न तीर्थं न वेदा न यज्ञाः । अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। About a year back, I had written about the Nirvana Śhatakam. Today, I stumbled upon another poem, which isn’t anywhere in…
Of Gardens and Discovery…
We did a lot of rounds today. My friend is looking for a house to shift into, and so we grabbed a list from Nakheel…
To block, or not to block…
Am on the topic of blockchain, since I have been reading extensively about it. As I was getting ready to write today, I chanced upon…
Of orange mittai and prized possessions…
Came across something today. Those from the 90s and before will surely recognize this. Called “orange mittai”, these sugar candies were (and still are) the…
Of underdogs and dogecoins…
Two pieces of news have been making me think. One – the T20 Cricket World Cup that is close to conclusion. When it started, India…
Of 1 kid, then two…
So my friend landed today, with his 20-month old in tow. I watched carefully as she met my son for the first time – engaging…
When the new phase of life begins…
If you look closely, our lives play out in phases. There is a noticeable beginning and an end to these phases, and we generally know…
The circle of life…
I just had another tooth filled in – a bit of pain… My son is teething, and while we wait for his first teeth to…
Of birthdays and wishes…
Birthdays are all about wishes. And you get a lot of them. Ever since the explosion of email, one even gets wishes from the bank,…
Of Sankara and Vikram…
Two headlines caught my attention post Diwali. They are not related to each other by any stretch of imagination, but I found them to be…
Of Meenashis and Sundareshwars…
OTT has exposed Bollywood, and how! People spent the first half Covid discovering the beauty (and superiority) of regional cinema, from Malayalam to Telugu and…
Of Deepavali and symbolism…
Deepawali is known as the Festival of lights. Arguably the most well-known festival from India, Deepawali (or Diwali) is celebrated around the world, even in the…
Happy Deepavali!
ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दु:खयोनय एव ते |आद्यन्तवन्त: कौन्तेय न तेषु रमते बुध: || 22|| ye hi sansparśha-jā bhogā duḥkha-yonaya eva teādyantavantaḥ kaunteya na teṣhu…
धनत्रयोदशी – Dhanatrayodashi
Did you know that today is celebrated as the National Ayurveda Day? Mostly not. We have come to associate this day with buying gold or…
The possibilities on your janma tithi…2
ज्योतिषाम् अपि तज् ज्योतिस् तमसः परम् उच्यते । ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञान-गम्यं हृदि सर्वस्य धिष्ठितम् ॥ १८ ॥ jyotiṣām api taj jyotis tamasaḥ param ucyate |jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ jñāna-gamyaṃ…
The possibilities on your janma tithi…
दीप्यते दीपयति वा स्वं परं चेति that which is light and enlightens others is known as Deepa… Tomorrow is my janma tithi, that time of…
The Diwali week begins tomorrow…
Right. The biggest festival of them all is upon us. Deepavali (as I like to call it) signifies much more than what most of us…
Of cine smiles and tears…
Cinema is entertainment like no other. It makes us live out our dreams, and in some cases, helps us see reality. Today was a day…
Of bails and shades…
It finally happened, so now we can all go back to our daily lives. For 20-odd days, every news headline read the same. Now that…
Of bored meetings…
Oops, that was meant to read – Board Meetings. Meetings of the Board of Directors. By the way, why is it called the “Board’? Here…
Of Gold and salt…
Well, I learnt a bit about both this week. First – about gold. That it’s lure still attracts, but in ways that I didn’t quite…
Of Tithis and New Years…
The lunar calendar can be confusing, or invigorating, depending on which side of the fence you are on. If you are on the boring side,…
Of 20s and moons…
Ok, I watched a match after a long time, and India lost. Terribly. India-Pakistan matches used to be evenly balanced – our batting vs their…
Of crustaceans and You Tubers…
Two bits of information caught my attention today. One was about Epishura, and the second was about Li Ziqi. Now, chances are that you have…
Add the Gāyatri to your daily life…
ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय।तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय।मृत्योर्मामृतं गमय ॥ ॐ शान्ति शान्ति शान्तिः ॥ बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद् 1.3.28। asato mā sadgamaya, tamaso mā jyotirgamaya, mṛtyormāmṛtaṃ gamaya We have…
Just do it!
A break from the Gāyatri series today. Not in practice, just the blog. A few things caught my attention today. One – how difficult (or…
Theory is good, but…
That is why this great mantra dhīyo yo naḥ pracodayāt prays not for these ephemeral constituents of our imagined glory in this world. It asks for our…
Chhandas forms the base…
“The body has its own natural obligation to get subjected to the process of the movement of time, and thus has to one day or…
Savitr, and the Gāyatri chhandas…
Did you try the task that I put across yesterday? I did. Woke up, had a bath, performed basic yog and prānāyāma and then sat…
A sound by any other tālā will not sound as sweet…
तत्स॑वि॒तुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑धीमहि । धियो॒ यो नः प्रचो॒दया॑त् ॥ tatsaviturvareṇyaṃ bhargo devasyadhīmahi dhiyo yo naḥ prachodayāt We all know the above as being the Gāyatri…
Gāyantam trayati gāyatrī
गायन्तं त्रायते यस्मात् गायत्री प्रोच्यते बुधै: That which protects the person who recites it with full consciousness… The Gāyatri mantra is one of the most…
Navrātri – Day 9
श्रियं दिशतु वः शंभोः श्यामः कण्ठो मनोभुवा ।अङ्कस्थपार्वतीदृष्टिपाशैरिव विवेष्टितः ॥ १ ॥ śriyaṃ diśatu vaḥ śaṃbhoḥ śyāmaḥ kaṇṭho manobhuvā |aṅkasthapārvatīdṛṣṭipāśairiva viveṣṭitaḥ || 1 || May Śiva, Neelakantha,…
Navrātri – Day 8
The penultimate day. Yesterday’s Nirjala Vrata was easier than today’s fast. Once you have a fruit, the body realizes that it the option is still…
Navrātri – Day 7
ॐ जयन्ती, मङ्गला, काली, भद्रकाली, कपालिनी। दुर्गा, शिवा, क्षमा, धात्री, स्वाहा, स्वधा नमोऽस्तु ते॥ एष सचन्दन गन्ध पुष्प बिल्व पत्राञ्जली ॐ ह्रीं दुर्गायै नमः॥ ওঁ জয়ন্তি, মঙ্গলা,…
Navrātri – Day 6
Six down, three to go. But these are the top three. There is the Mahā Ashtami – culminating in the Sandhi puja, then the Mahā…
Navrātri – Day 5
Someone asked me today – you follow Bengali rituals, Punjabi rituals, processes from the South of India…where are you from exactly? As predicted, today may…
Navrātri – Day 4
Tamas has been taken care of. Rajas is next. These four days, I haven’t had tea or coffee. Most of us find caffeine to be…
Navrātri – Day 3
Have come one-third the way, two-thirds remain. Navrātri is also an important occasion because of the opportunity to socialize. People visit each other’s houses, exchange…
Navrātri – Day 2
The second day is also easy. You still have the passion, the energy to go through the vrata. You will feel a slight change towards…
Navrātri – Day 1
The first day is also the easiest. Some people think otherwise, but in my experience, the first day is the easiest to get by. You…
The significance of nine…
सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके ।शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ sarvamaṅgalamāṅgalye śive sarvārthasādhike .śaraṇye tryambake gauri nārāyaṇi namo’stu te .. The number nine holds special…
Of memories and lineages…
Tomorrow is Bhadrapada Amavasya, a day when one remembers one’s ancestors and performs pujas for them. The following day is the start of Navrātri. Why…
Of fasting and variety…
It’s that time of the year again. Navratri, Durga Puja and Dussehra…celebrations and pujas, fasting and overeating. Those nine days have it all… Last Navrātri…
Of vacay goals and dazed sons…
You cannot have your cake and eat it too. Of late, news websites have been carrying less of news and more of advertorials and snippets…
Of Fathers and nations…
Today is the second of October. Usually celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti. The “Father of the Nation” is omnipresent across the political spectrum. Statues adorn the…
Of seekers and believers…
“In the Middle Ages people believed that the earth was flat, for which they had at least the evidence of their senses: we believe it…
Let’s watch ambitions soar…
I had written earlier about my personal experience in Dubai, and how we all stand together to welcome the world to visit us, to know…
Of hulking and sulking…
And so the Congress has done it again. Just when they were cruising in Punjab, with the elections not too far away, they got themselves…
Addicts, but what is the solution?
After yesterday’s post, a lof of you got back to me asking for solutions. Yes, we are addicted, but how do we change this? Well,…
Addicts…all of us!
Aren’t we? IOS 15 has a new feature called “focus”. For those minutes and hours that we need to spend on one thing, without any…
How do we intend to get around?
Mobility is a bit broken, isn’t it? I mean, it shouldn’t take so much to ferry people from point A to point B. Yet, mankind…
Bruce Lee and his letters…
Any mention of Bruce Lee brings to mind a thin, reed-like but chiseled physique, a cat-like cry and a kick faster than the eye can…
Of quizzes and sandstorms…
There are some days that pass without much consequence, but still end up being spent well… It started with us receiving the news that a…
Of kanyas and daans…
Ok, the Alia ad has set a lot of tongues wagging. One side applauds, denouncing “regressive” practices and questioning why women are demeaned and equated…
This is our time…welcome to Expo 2020
In India, we have a concept of Janmabhoomi, and Karmabhoomi. Janmabhoomi is where one is born, where you are a citizen of, the passport you…
Of Fintech and money management
Money is simple – it is a promise. Made by the Central Bank of the country, to honor it when presented, and to assign a…
Of loans and favors…
What does a relationship of fifteen years mean to you? Trust, loyalty and respect? If you are a bank, apparently none of the above. In…
श्री गणेश चतुर्थी – Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi (Vināyaka Chaturthī) or Vinayaka Chavithi (Vināyaka Chavithī) is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Ganesha. It falls…
Of speech and perspectives
So my son has started to say da-da da-da. Although I would love to believe that he actually prefers me to everyone else, that sadly…
Of prime ministers and Prime Ministers
Ok, a lot of you knew this post was coming, isn’t it? Well, I don’t have to take you through the journey of the man…
Of visitors and festivals
Time does fly past – it seems like just the other day in 2020 when we entered lockdowns, and now we are nearly the end…
Of creating and cleverness…
When I was growing up in India, there were only two qualifications that mattered – MBBS and B.E. In English – doctors and engineers. Parents…
Of apples and wearables…
Here it is! Another Apple event, and another set of iPhones, iPads and AirPods to wow our senses and empty our bank balances. I love…
Of cars and journeys – the sequel
A couple of days back, I had spoken about my hunt for a car. Well, it seems that I have found one and will soon…
Leaderless consensus…possible?
The world is structured in one way. Technology is now trying to make it change. Our society, our financial system, work, play, interests…all have traditional…
Of cars and journeys…
So I am on the lookout for a new (actually used) car. I had sold my earlier car just before COVID hit us, and I…
Ganapati Atharvashirsha
श्री गणेशाय नमः! Shri Ganesha is among the most popular deities in the Hindu Pantheon. He is worshipped in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bali,…
Of square pegs in round holes…
Am helping a client out with interviews for a CEO position at their startup. Resumes! And LinkedIn! You sometimes miss the days of cover letters…
Of new ventures and old scores…
Starting a new venture is like a relationship – you don’t really know what you are getting into unless you take the plunge. And so…
Of teachers, and teachers…
A famous line from Casino Royale – there are dinner jackets and there are DINNER JACKETS – this, is the latter… In the same vein,…
Of knowledge and illusions…
Knowledge is an illusion. No, this isn’t some catchline – it really is an illusion. We all think of ourselves as rational beings, able to…
Of hobbies and recreation
Did you know that the etymology of the word “hobby” is “hobby”, which meant a small horse? The word then went on to become “hobby…
Of confidence and persistence
I took an interview today. It was for a junior position at my consultancy, and so I was looking for a certain basic skillset, presentability…
Of becoming owners and running companies
One of my clients just got licensed in the DIFC. They are three professionals, who got together to launch an investment advisory business. Their first…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Of pools and staying relevant
So here I am, in sunny Fujairah, a two hours drive from Dubai. A slightly different world than what I have come to be used…
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…
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…
It doesn’t have to be crazy at work!
Just finished an interesting book by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. Actually two. One is the title of this blog. The other is called…
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 –…
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…
OTT and the cinema experience
I recall there was a huge outcry when Kamal Hassan had announced his plans to release Vishwaroopam simultaneously on OTT and in theaters. This was…
Of masks and freedom…
I saw a lot of faces staring at me as I walked into the DIFC today. Not quite as delusional to think that this was…
Ekādashi – fasting as a service
Today is Ekādashi – the 11th day of a fortnight in a lunar month, as per the Hindu calendar. Since there are two fortnights, Ekādashi…
Of ideas and disruption…
Every quarter, I sit through a few presentations of people who want to change the world. A very few of them, if any, end up…
All in a day’s work…
Just a couple of days back, I had written on cricket and patience, and my friend Neelakantan’s relaxed weekend watching the ball being tossed around…
Of independence and responsibility…
Ṛṇatraya literally means ‘three debts’. The idea of ṛṇatraya (pronounced as rina-traya), the three debts under which every human being is born, has been referred…
Of discipline and dedication
I am a martial artist, and so two traits that come naturally to me are discipline and dedication. Almost like second nature. I guess thirty…
Of cricket and patience
I remember growing up on a healthy dose of India-Pakistan cricket encounters and five-day test matches that mostly ended in a draw. The one-dayers were…
ਮੈਂ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਨਾਲ ਵਾਅਦਾ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ ਕਿ ਮੈਂ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਿੱਖਾਂਗਾ
You didn’t understand the title right? It’s in Punjabi. Even if you are a Punjabi, and it is your mother tongue, there is a high…
Of nursery rhymes and happy babies…
Nursery rhymes are an odd bit. Children enjoy them, non-stop, on loop. Adults however, have a “U-shaped” relationship with them. We start by enjoying them…
Of art and creativity…
Does acrylic painting on small rocks denote a creative mind? An interesting debate come up this evening. What constitutes art? When does someone transcend from…
The Vetāla series…
25 stories. 162 posts. Over 7 months. This was the Vetāla series, from the original Sanskrit version. When I started the series around December of…
The finale…
Read the previous part here… “Oh mighty king! The sovereignty of the Vidyādharas,which was desired by the evil ShāntiShila, is now yours, once your life…
Of spears and medals…
YES! Need I say more? Subedar Neeraj Chopra threw a spear in Tokyo, and struck our hearts back home. For once, cricket took a backseat,…
The king is triumphant…
Read the previous part here… “To think that you would take up this task at such a desolate place, in the dead of the night!”…
The conclusion…
Read the previous part here… “So, when he asks you to perform the ashtānga-namaskarā, you should reply – “I don’t know this method. Please demonstrate…
Of phone calls and messaging…
The grass is always greener on the other side isn’t it? For those of us, like me, who grew up in an era where it…
What is my duty in life?
I chanced upon an article that I wrote earlier, about swadharma. I spoke with an investment banker today, one who has been struggling for a…
Of innovation and learning
I come from a time when one had to sit with a DTP (Desk Top Publishing) specialist to layout a magazine. Or even a simple…
Of good news and new beginnings…
So, right on the hells on my post last night, comes the delightful news of PV Sindhu becoming the first Indian Olympian to win two…
Of sportsmen and spirits…
It’s the Olympics once again. And it’s us once again, clamouring for more than just 1 or 2 medals, and cheering every match in the…
The twist…
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, about the children who were born in the course of time to the mother and…
Will King Vikram reply?
Read the previous part here… “My mind is tortured at the thought of your feet, that deserve to walk on flowers, walking on thorns instead.…
Of convincing and relenting…
Read the previous part here… “Father, don’t speak this way. A man’s house is empty, without a wife. Have you not heard what Mūladeva said?…
Of wives and promises…
Read the previous part here… This village was the abode of thieves, people who robbed even their own neighbors of life and property…there was not…
गुरु पूर्णिमा – Guru Purnima
On today’s occasion of Guru Purnima, I bow down to all my Gurus, and present before you the various interpretations of the word Guru, it’s…
Anna Prāshana – an introduction to a new world
Samskāras are often seen as ritualistic and archaic. For most people, such practices do not fit into a modern lifestyle. Our minds have been conditioned…
Of cross-connections…
Read the previous part here… “At first he cried because he was sad that he had to abandon his body, one that had grown with…
Of being agile and Kanban…
The Emirates is closed for six days. A long weekend, that is actually a full week of holidays. And so I decided to use this…
Crying, and dancing…
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, why did the sanyāsi first weep before entering the young man’s body? And then why…
He is alive, but…
Read the previous part here… “You are the fool, not me, you old idiot! I am no longer your shishyā, and you are no longer…
The guru and the shishya fight…
Read the previous part here… When Devasoma became sixteen years of age, that boy, who had captivated everyone’s hearts with his knowledge, modesty and good…
The sanyasi who first wept, and then danced…
Read the previous part here… “The fourth however, saw that the result was a body of a lion. He knew the dangers of making that…
Of growth, returns and peace of mind…
I came across an interesting piece of information yesterday, and a conversation that I had with a client today brought that piece into mental focus.…
Of parents and responsibilities…
I am a new parent, and so I am experiencing everything for the first time. A lot of questions that I had, are now being…
Laze around, it helps!
Ok, everyone has their lazy days. I mean everyone – even the productivity pundits have days when they just don’t feel like doing much. If…
Of inherent potential, and recognizing it…
We underestimate our own capabilities. And by we, I mean everyone. Without exception. I have seen this in various fields – be it martial arts,…
Of professionalism and indemnities…
It’s been a rough week. Business has been good, but it is the other stuff that kindof got to me. The first was a business…
Don’t showoff…
Read the previous part here… “So tell me, o King, who among the four was guilty of bringing the lion to life? Who made the…
The worst mistake of all…
Read the previous part here… “And when the flesh of any animal has been included on a piece of bone, I can produce the skin…
Of magic and skill…
Read the previous part here… “If fate does not want it, you cannot even die by your own wishes.” “I now intend to visit a…
If fate does not want it…
Read the previous part here… When they finally reached Yajñasthala, they came to know that their maternal grandfather had long died. Their uncles gave them…