- A con and a big pro!Phew. Exhausted. Shifting homes can be a tedious exercise for everyone involved. The outgoing occupant, the incoming occupant, the neighbors and even the movers and packers. Everyone just wants to get it over with, but the fact is that it takes a good couple of months of planning in advance – even then there are …
- A common mother?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 cell’s biochemical reactions. Chemical energy produced by the mitochondria is stored in a small molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Now, as nature has it, All mitochondrial information is transferred from …
- The beginning…मां निषाद प्रतिष्ठां- त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः।यत्क्रौंचम- िथुनादेकम्- अवधीः काममोहितम् || “mā niṣāda pratiṣṭhāṁ tvamagamaḥ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ yat krauñcamithunādekam avadhīḥ kāmamohitam” “You will find no rest for the long years of Eternity For you killed an unsuspecting bird in love” It is said that all Sanskrit literature originated in its form as sahitya from the time of Sage Valmiki himself. …
- Where is the news?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 Bollywood holidaying in Maldives, although I am very curious to know who takes along professional photographers to holidays and even worse, honeymoons. The rest is about couple goals, vacay goals, …
- Of shoes and naughty boys…Saw a beautiful movie a few months back, that I saw bits of again today. Of Bengaluru, my town, in the 60’s and 70’s, the place I grew up in, far removed from the bustling metropolitan jungle that it has become today. Where Indiranagar was a mini forest and Kamannahalli was a halli( village) outside …
- Of cultures and joyousness…Muditā (Pāli and Sanskrit: मुदिता) is a Sanatan concept of joy, particularly an especially sympathetic or vicarious joy—the pleasure that comes from delighting in other people’s well-being. Schadenfreude – pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune. Two words that do not have an equivalent in English. And two contrasting thoughts. One is about being happy when others are happy, having played …
- Of expectorants and kitchen grouts…Specialisations. Once seen as a must-have, specialization is now looked at with a little skepticism. Carving yourself a niche too narrow can be counter-productive, given the tendency for being a generalist and the dipping timelines for up-skilling. I too am a generalist, but I do appreciate the specialists (sometimes). Specific knowledge is always handy. And …
- A mystery yet unsolved…It was written 600 years ago. It’s 234 pages long. It’s been studied by cryptographers and codebreakers alike. And yet, we still have no idea what any of it means. This is the Voynich manuscript. The Voynich manuscript has been studied by many professional and amateur cryptographers, including American and British codebreakers from both World War I and World War II. …
- Do you really look?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 start reading… As the title suggests, and I suspect the blurb outlines, this book is about a few walks that Alexandra took around New York City. Alone, with her kid, …
- What’s gotta give…Mahashivratri. The night when you stay awake, and pray to Shiva, the ultimate Yogi. A lot of questions may arise in our minds, when we think of Shiva, and Shivratri – or the night of Shiva. For instance, why is Shiva synonymous with austerity? He is always depicted as a mendicant, as a renunciate – …
- The night that surpasses all nights…Mahashivratri. The night when you stay awake, and pray to Shiva, the ultimate Yogi. A lot of questions may arise in our minds, when we think of Shiva, and Shivratri – or the night of Shiva. For instance, why is Shiva synonymous with austerity? He is always depicted as a mendicant, as a renunciate – …
- Of the original mother…Mother Nature – We are born from nature, we live by nature, and when we are gone, we become part of nature again. It is sad that we have to practice something that is inherently natural in us. For thousands of years, we have lived in close conjunction with nature, being a part of it, like …
- On writing…Wilting flowers do not cause suffering; it is the unrealistic desire that flowers will not wilt that causes suffering. – Thich Nhat Hanh. “And how is an individual like an inscription in water? There is the case where a certain individual—when spoken to roughly, spoken to harshly, spoken to in an unpleasing way—is nevertheless congenial, companionable, …
- India…or Bharat?Bharat that is India. Or India, that is Bharat. Kiran Bedi: Did we make a mistake in converting our name from Bharat to India? Sadhguru: A serious mistake. Whenever somebody occupies a nation, the first thing they will do is change your name. This is the technology of dominance; this is the technology of enslaving. If …
- Twelve steps to a better you…The 12 steps of Suryanamaskara Pranamasana or Anjali Mudra / Prayer Pose Utthana Hasthasana / Upward Salute Padahastanasana / Hand To Feet Ashva Sanchalanasana / Equestrian Pose Phalakasana / Plank Pose Ashtanga Namaskra / Salute With Eight Limbs or Knee Chest and Chin Bhujangasana / Cobra Pose Adho Mukha Svanasana / Downward Facing Dog Ashva Sanchalanasana / Equestrian Pose Padahastanasana / Hand To Feet Utthana Hasthasana / Upward Salute Pranamasana or Anjali Mudra / Prayer Pose 1. Pranamasana/ Anjali Mudra …
- Stand straight!Today, we look at Tadasana. Tadasana, ‘mountain pose’. B.K.S. Iyengar, the renowned guru of yoga, said, “Once we can master ‘tadasana’ then all the other poses come.” In tadasana one begins the journey from the outer body… inwards. The basic standing pose tadasana awakens the practitioner to the body – the outermost sheath – the …
- Of hands and feet…Padahastasana is a variation of Uttanasana (उत्तानासन) or Standing Forward Bend.Pada (पाद, Pāda) = leg, footHasta (हस्त, Hasta) = handAsana (आसन, Āsana) = pose, posture, seatPada-Hastasana (पादहस्तासन, Pāda-Hastāsana) = feet-on-hands-posture Padahastasana or the Hand to Foot pose is part of Sūryanamaskāra or the Sun Salutation series. It appears as the 3rd pose and the 10th pose in this series.https://www.youtube.com/embed/3R7TDfhiIDk?feature=oembed How to practice …
- of bound angles…Bhadrasana is also known as Baddha Konasana. The name comes from the Sanskrit words बद्ध, Baddha meaning “bound”, कोण, Koṇa meaning “angle”,[ and आसन, Āsana meaning “posture” or “seat”. The name Baddha Konasana is relatively recent, but the pose is medieval, as the meditation seat Bhadrasana (from भद्रा Bhadra, “throne”[6]) is described in the 15th century Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Bhadrasana denoting ‘auspiciousness’ is …
- Of trees and poses…One of the most recognizable yoga asanas, Vrikshasana has been identified in Indian relics dating back to the seventh century. In ancient times, wandering sadhus would meditate in this posture for long periods of time as a practice of self-discipline. In some traditions, the pose is called Bhagirathasana, to honor a great yogi king from India who—legend …
- Of diamonds and health…The name comes from the Sanskrit words vajra, a weapon whose name means “thunderbolt” or “diamond”, and asana meaning “posture”. Vajrasana or Thunderbolt pose is considered to be the best sitting posture, for practicing breathing exercises and meditation. In India, a lot of people sit in this asana after eating their meals. This is a great posture for smooth digestion.https://www.youtube.com/embed/i2MzM2QeF20?feature=oembed …
- Of slithering snakes and healthy humans…The name comes from the Sanskrit words भुजङ्ग bhujanga, “snake” or “cobra” and आसन asana, “posture” or “seat”, from the resemblance to a cobra with its hood raised. The pose is described in the 17th century hatha yoga text Gheranda Samhita. In the 19th century Sritattvanidhi, the pose is named Sarpasana, which similarly means Serpent Pose.https://www.youtube.com/embed/PR7q_CY95ik?feature=oembed The Cobra Pose …
- Of hares and the moon…Shashankasana resembles a ‘Hare’ in its final stages and hence the name. Since it has a calming effect on the body and mind, it is also called Sashankasana, Sashanka meaning moon in Sanskrit. It is a popular posture to cure any back related troubles and when practiced regularly can be a boon to tired backs …
- Aao twist karein…Vakra means twisted, and hence Vakrasana is called the twisted pose. The Vakrasana yoga posture helps to tone the nerves around the spinal cord, strengthen our abdomen and stimulate the internal organs. This yoga asana helps reduce belly fat and lose weight – a major factor in helping diabetics control their blood sugar and lead an active …
- Of triangles and health…The triangle pose is consisted of two Sanskrit words Trikon and Asana. The meaning of trikon (त्रिकोण) is triangle while the meaning of asana is pose. Trikonasana is very important for health & wellness. It has greater significance and relevance in the domain of sound health. Extended Triangle pose yoga has the ability to bring …
- On deliberate practice in solitude…“What’s so magical about solitude? In many fields, Ericsson told me, it’s only when you’re alone that you can engage in Deliberate Practice, which he has identified as the key to exceptional achievement. When you practice deliberately, you identify the tasks or knowledge that are just out of your reach, strive to upgrade your performance, …
- Do you dare to dream?Is your dream too big? Or too small? Or do you have one at all? Do they say its not going to happen, this dream of yours Do they make fun of you? Do they tell you to aim lower, to be less reckless To think of a stable future, rather than an unknown one? …
- On reading…1) Read 10 pages to start the day. 2) A good way is to wake up, drink a glass of water, write down 3 things that you are grateful for, and read 10 pages of a book. 3) 10 pages is small enough that it’s not intimidating. Most people can finish reading 10 pages within …
- Of fasting and service…There is so much to do nowadays that I am living between Ekādashis. Days are passing very fast – I manage to keep track only of fortnights. Just realized that we are already nearly two months into the year! Anyways, Ekādashi is a reminder that one has to pause a bit, and reflect. These days, …
- Of babies and pastimes…Did you know that in the Middle Ages in England, one could swing by during lunch to watch a public execution? Or get into the nearby theatre and watch freshly dissected human bodies? Or maybe a visit to the neighbourhood mental asylum to ‘enjoy’ seeing lunatics do their thing? It seems quite ridiculous today, but …
- Of dogs and donkeys…रासभशृगालकथा The story of the donkey and the fox In a village, not so far away from here, lived a donkey named Uddhata (the arrogant one). He belonged to a washerman, and carried huge bundles of clothes every day in the mornings. His evenings were usually free, and so he used to sneak out and wander freely …
- Learning and discipline…आदौ नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः परिगम्यते । इहामुत्रफलभोगविरागस्तदनन्तरम्शमादिषट्कसम्पत्तिर्मुमुक्षुत्वमिति स्फुटम् ॥ १९ ॥ ādau nityānityavastuvivekaḥ parigamyate | ihāmutraphalabhogavirāgastadanantaramśamādiṣaṭkasampattirmumukṣutvamiti sphuṭam from Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, written by Jagadguru Adi Śaṅkarācārya First is enumerated discrimination between the Real and the unreal; next comes aversion to the enjoyment of fruits (of one’s actions) here and hereafter; (next is) the group of six attributes; and (last) is clearly the …
- Machines and consciousness…Physics describes patterns in spacetime that correspond to particles moving around. If the particle arrangements obey certain principles, they give rise to emergent phenomena that are pretty independent of the particle substrate, and have a totally different feel to them. A great example of this is information processing, in computronium. But we’ve now taken this …
- A few steps away from me…In around a couple of months from today, Keshav will join his first regular school. He has been attending nursery (or pre-nursery, whatever they call it nowadays) nearby, and it has been a delightful experience. I really wish that Building Blocks had a school to continue the wonderful work that they have been doing with …
- Deepa Jyothi…One of the Shlokas that I want to teach Rohāmrta is the Deepa Jyothi shloka. I did try hard to search for its original source, but was unsuccessful. But sometimes origins do not matter. Here is a shloka that a child can recite in the evening, after lighting a Deepa. Not a candle, but a …
- On commencing a journey of learning…सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि ।विद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा ॥ sarasvati namastubhyaṃ varade kāmarūpiṇi .vidyārambhaṃ kariṣyāmi siddhirbhavatu me sadā .. Namaskar, O Saraswati, grantor of blessings and embodiment of all wishes. Bless me as I commence my studies, and help me to be successful in the gain of knowledge. Today’s shloka is as relevant for …
- Are you a caveman?“In fact, public speaking anxiety may be primal and quintessentially human, not limited to those of us born with a high-reactive nervous system. One theory, based on the writings of the sociobiologist E. O. Wilson, holds that when our ancestors lived on the savannah, being watched intently meant only one thing: a wild animal was …
- Liking things the way they are…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 caused by laziness, aversion to complexity, unnatural learning style demands, reading small print, etc. I have been reading this book – Nudge – by Richard H Thaler and Cass R Sunstein. The crux of the …
- Henry and BubblesHad a chance meeting with an elderly gentleman today, at the Arte Market at Times Square Mall. A grandfather of many, John Felton retired 17 years back and settled in Dubai – he now writes delightful rhymes for kids packaged with beautiful illustrations. I found Keshav responding to his way of narrating stories and we …
- Mundana…One year back 🙂 Chaulam is also called Cūḍākarma (चूडाकर्म) and Cūḍākaraṇam ((चूडाकरणम्) Chudakarana). Cūḍā means tuft (of hair) that is kept on the back side of the head while the remaining part is clean shaven. In tradition it is popularly called “Śikhā”. In Sanskrit the letters “ल (la)” and “ड (ḍa)” are often interchanged. …
- The art of breathing…Nadi is a subtle energy channel in the human body – there are 72,000 Nadis in all. Shodhana means cleaning or purification, and Pranayama is a breathing technique. Nadis are subtle energy channels in the human body that can get blocked due to various reasons. The Nadi Shodhana pranayama is a breathing technique that helps …
- sniff sniff sneeze sneeze aaaachhooo!It’s that time of the year again! So the cold caught up with me, brought with it a nice sore throat and a light fever to boot. Along came downtime, missed calls and fuming clients. But a man’s sick and can’t help it now can I? The young one went to visit the Safari (part …
- Of little worms and strangled priests…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 it’s a mouthful) means ‘the habit of dropping in at mealtimes’? Of course, you know that German is full of jaw-crunching words like Wirtschaftstreuhandgesellschaft (business trust company), Bundesbahnangestelltenwitwe (a widow of a federal railway employee), and Kriegsgefangenenentschadigungsgesetz (a …
- Of hunger and hunger games…A very productive day, and a monster dinner to wrap things up! As we returned, stuffed to the brim, I recalled one of the episodes of the epic Panchatantra, which, while not completely relevant to the topic, does work in a tangent. Hope you like it:) What sin will a hungry man not commit, in …
- Mantra – the right way…Time commitment : 10 minutes thrice a week We have, so far, practiced an āsana, a form of prānāyāma, a mudra and basic meditation. Bringing this all together is mantra japa, or meditative repetition of a mantra. The mantra that I have chosen is Aum, since it is familiar (but a bit different from what you …
- You “can” do it…Watching a child grow can be the most fulfilling thing that you can ever experience. Here is what I wrote when he was 10 months old. The experience then was different than it is now. But the feeling is the same:) I see him picking up an empty can, carefully, trying to coordinate his limbs, …
- And who am I?As with most people who are well-raised, well-educated and financially secure, Dr. Tokai only thought of himself… Men without Women, Haruki Murakami Who am I? This question has been posed by everyone, to themselves, at some point in their lives. Who are you, once you are stripped of your name, your family, social status, education, …
- And the day went well…So the day started with Keshav’s birthday celebrations at school, and ended with Keshav’s birthday celebrations at home! Good food( a little too much food), cakes, sweets, savories, gifts, children creating a ruckus, adults enjoying the resulting melee…the works:) And once done, as I sit down to write this blog, I think about the days …
- And three years go by…Three years. Time flies, goes the cliche. Well, it actually does. Three years back, this day, I had no clue that someone would visit the next day. That someone was to come in on the 2nd, and all preparations had been made. But no sir, he didn’t want to wait any further. By the time …
- Giving on your janma tithi…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 hṛdi sarvasya dhiṣṭhitam || 18 || Srimad Bhagavad Gita The Self is the source of all light. The Self is beyond the darkness of matter and is unmanifested. The Self is …
- Rohaamrut’s 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 year when the celestial ingredients are the same as when you were born, your own personal set of inputs that led to the miracle that is you. We all are born …
- Akshayais…Akshayais a Sanskrit word meaning ‘unending’ or ‘indestructible’. On this day, the Pandavas received the Akshaya Patra (upon worshipping Surya deva), a vessel that never ran out of food. The day is associated with material wealth and prosperity when people buy gold and start business ventures, but that is perhaps a reflection of what we …
- Instead…Aim high, for the stars they say, But the stars are impossible, says me. Why don’t I aim to be higher, better, stronger than what I was yesterday instead? For goals are best seen closer an intimate connection to you rather than something unreal, something you know will never happen… Be ambitious they say, be …
- A cryptic life…It was written 600 years ago. It’s 234 pages long. It’s been studied by cryptographers and codebreakers alike. And yet, we still have no idea what any of it means. This is the Voynich manuscript. The Voynich manuscript has been studied by many professional and amateur cryptographers, including American and British codebreakers from both World War I and World War II. …
- One nation…one Republic!Ah, the Indian Republic Day! The tribute at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, the parades, the tableaus, the march past…the show of strength… I remember when we were kids…switching on the television early morning, watching India at its finest, on Doordarshan (the only channel available). The commentary was a damper (very boring, and it hasn’t got …
- Ancient story, modern renders:)Twitter user @mvdhav has come up with AI-generated version of the Ramayana:) Here is part 1! Ayodhya, capital of the great Kingdom of Kosala, was one of the wealthiest and most advanced civilizations in the world. King Dasharatha, ruler of the Kosala Kingdom, had everything to his name, but a son. He ruled the greatest …
- A day like no other…Yesterday was a momentous occasion – one that will be remembered as a defining moment in the history of humanity. And why is it so? Religion is a personal matter. Something that we believe in (or don’t believe in), something that gives us some of the answers that we so desperately seek – something that …
- Shri Ram aa gaye!
- A few hours more…
- The language of Nagara…रामो विग्रहवान्धर्मः साधुः सत्यपराक्रमः। rāmo vigrahavāndharmaḥ sādhuḥ satyaparākramaḥ। Honorable and truly brave – Rāma is the embodiment of Dharma!वाल्मीकिरामायणम् ३.३७.१३ (vālmīkirāmāyaṇam 3.37.13) The Ram temple in Ayodhya will be inaugurated on January 22. Chandrakant Sompura, 81, and his son Ashish, 51, have designed the complex in the Nagara style of temple architecture. The Nagara style …
- A few padas from the Valmiki Ramayana…धर्म–धर्मादर्थःप्रभवतिधर्मात्प्रभवतेसुखम्।धर्मणलभतेसर्वंधर्मप्रसारमिदंजगत्॥ धर्म से ही धन, सुख तथा सब कुछ प्राप्त होता है । इस संसार में धर्म ही सार वस्तु है । धर्मात् from righteous duty, अर्थः wealth, प्रभवति will arise, धर्मात् from righteousness, सुखम् happiness, प्रभवते will result, धर्मेण by righteous ways, सर्वम् everything, लभते is attained, इदं जगत् this world, धर्मसारम् the essence …
- The coming home of Rama…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 twice to a seeker, he doesn’t speak the same thing twice. He does it perfectly the very first time. It is said that if our culture was only based …
- Shri Ramayan Manka – Part 3चख चख कर फल शबरी लाई,प्रेम सहित खाये रघुराई |ऎसे मीठे नहीं हैं आम,पतितपावन सीताराम | |51 | | विप्र रुप धरि हनुमत आए,चरण कमल में शीश नवाये |कन्धे पर बैठाये राम,पतितपावन सीताराम | |52 | | सुग्रीव से करी मिताई,अपनी सारी कथा सुनाई |बाली पहुंचाया निज धाम,पतितपावन सीताराम | |53 | | सिंहासन सुग्रीव …
- Shri Ramayan Manka – Part 2मेरा दोष बता प्रभु दीजो,संग मुझे सेवा में लीजो |अर्द्धांगिनी मैं तुम्हारी राम,पतितपावन सीताराम | |25 | | समाचार सुनि लक्ष्मण आये,धनुष बाण संग परम सुहाये |बोले संग चलूंगा राम,पतितपावन सीताराम | |26 | | राम लखन मिथिलेश कुमारी,वन जाने की करी तैयारी |रथ में बैठ गये सुख धाम,पतितपावन सीताराम | |27 | | अवधपुरी …
- Shri Ramayan Manka – Part 1रघुपति राघव राजाराम,पतितपावन सीताराम |जय रघुनन्दन जय घनश्याम,पतितपावन सीताराम | | भीड़ पड़ी जब भक्त पुकारे,दूर करो प्रभु दु:ख हमारे |दशरथ के घर जन्मे राम,पतितपावन सीताराम | |1 | | विश्वामित्र मुनीश्वर आये,दशरथ भूप से वचन सुनाये |संग में भेजे लक्ष्मण राम,पतितपावन सीताराम | |2 | | वन में जाए ताड़का मारी,चरण छुआए अहिल्या तारी …
- Mangal bhavan amangal haari…Another personal favorite of mine, the translations do not justify even a percent of the meaning of this bhajan. Instead of trying to find the meaning, let’s close our eyes and just revel in the beauty of these sounds. Jai Shri Ram! मंगल भवन अमंगल हारीद्रवहु सुदसरथ अचर बिहारीराम सिया राम सिया राम जय जय राम – २ Prabhu Ram, you are the abode of everything good and auspicious for …
- All it takes is one…आदौ राम तपोवनादि गमनं हत्वा मृगं कांचनं । वैदेही हरणं जटायु मरणं सुग्रीव सम्भाषणं ॥ वाली निर्ग्रहणं समुद्र तरणं लंकापुरी दाहनं । पश्चात रावण कुम्बकर्ण हननं एतहि रामायणं ॥ aadau raama tapovaanadi gamanam , hathva mrugam kaanchanam vaidehi haraNam Jatayu maraNam sugreeva sambhaashaNam, vaali nirgrahaNam, samudra taraNam lanka puri daahanam pashchad raavaNa kumbakarNa hananam yetahi raamayaNam Once when Rama …
- Shri Rama Stuti…One of my favorite renditions of Sooryagayathri, “Shri Ramachandra Kripalu” or “Shri Ram Stuti” is a part of Vinaya Patrika, a devotional poem composed by Goswami Tulsidas. Listen, read the lyrics and translation below, and prepare for the grand beginning on the 22nd! Jai Shri Ram! श्री रामचन्द्र कृपालु भज मन हरण भव-भय दारुणम् ।नव-कंज-लोचन कंज-मुख …
- The beginning…The day is nearing:) As we wait for the D-day on the 22nd of January, here is a glimpse of the story that accompanies. A simplistic look at one of the defining epics of all ages… Sriman Narayana, which is another name for Vishnu, asked the Devas to take courage and shed their fears. He assured them he would …
- A short history of nearly everything!Did you know that if the Sun disappears during daytime, it would take us eight and a half minutes to realize it? We would continue to bask in it’s rays until well… “The average distance between stars out there is over 30 million million kilometres. Even at speeds approaching those of light, these are fantastically …
- Should we be thankful?“Nor is the biosphere a great preserver of species. In addition to being notoriously cruel to individuals, evolution involves continual extinctions of entire species. The average rate of extinction since the beginning of life on Earth has been about ten species per year…” “Several species closely related to ours did become extinct. Significantly, the ‘life-support …
- Who dives in Mal anyways?Am thinking of taking a long-due and well-deserved vacation. Where should I go, any ideas? Maldives possibly? is it still open? Jokes aside – but no, on a serious note – is it still open? Anyway, been a long day and work is still on. Also excited coz we are just a few days away …
- Of new malls and bad attitude…A very productive day today! Had some work to take care of early morning so was out and about till around 3 pm, then came back home and we set out to the newly opened Cityland Mall near Global Village. The mall seems to be more of a children’s park as of now, but is …
- On choices…We are but the sum total of the choices we make, so they say… We choose our friends, from the time we set foot in kindergarten through our school, college and beyond… we choose the food we eat, some we relish, some we don’t, we choose what we wear, and have our own personal style, …
- On reading…again.Ok, so a lot of people pinged me asking more specifics on how to get into the reading habit. Is it too late for me? Is it too costly, or time consuming? I cannot sit through long books, can we start with something smaller? It’s never too late to start anything. Least of all reading …
- On reading…“In my whole life, I have known no wise people – over a broad subject matter area – who didn’t read all the time – none, zero.” — CHARLIE MUNGER “Spend each day trying to be a little wiser than you were when you woke up. Day by day, and at the end of the day – if you live long …
- A few gems more…You can read Part 1 here. Read the following lines in isolation from the rest – take your time and reflect on each excerpt:) Pax perniciosa – peace that’s pernicious (has a harmful effect in a subtle way, like air pollution) because it involves turning your back to the world… John Cassian No rebirth is …
- A few gems from a search for Paradise…I just completed my first book of the year (yes I know, in two days) – a book well read penned by a man well travelled. Pico Iyer journeys across the world – Sri Lanka, Kashmir, Jerusalem, Ladakh, Japan, Iran, and Varanasi – and ponders on man’s elusive search for paradise. Is it what you …
- 2024 – here we come:)My first decision this year – is to read more actively. You already know that I read a lot – but as it goes with the overwhelming quantity of info out there – a lot of what I read, I forget, and I don’t possibly process it enough to be repositioned. Actually, reading is a …
- I love it when you…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 open your mouth so that I can feed you and then spill half of it out, back onto my palm… I love it when you try to stand by yourself, …
- On 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 of partying, Don’t worry, they will be there for you tomorrow again… So many series to watch, movies to see, It’s ok, new ones will be made again… The end …
- Baby steps towards Shashi Tharoor….Now that Wren and Martin is history, and Grammarly is in, we have slowly but surely, lost our touch with English Grammar. When you depend on software for everything, you stop thinking and just click the autocorrect isn’t it? Well, there is no Grammarly for spoken English (yet), so here are some tips and some …
- Daydream…When we were kids in the back yardPlaying astronauts and rock starsNo one told us to stop itCalled us unrealistic Then suddenly you’re eighteenGo to college for your Plan BWhat you want is too riskyLive for weekends and whiskey We all got these big ideas One day they’re replaced with fearsHow did we get here?Darlin’ …
- Closing in on the end of the year…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 weeks of the year. I used to compile my own, but nowadays I don’t have the time. I kind of like the books and movies lists, since you end up …
- Have a Merry Christmas!Christmas, in the words of Sri Krishnananda. I have taken a few bits of his lecture – parts that are relevant to you and me. Have a read:) The way spiritual is one of the ways in which man can live in the world, is what the common populace may be thinking. The way spiritual …
- Merry Christmas!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 with family, friends, loved ones and in this year, one more variant of COVID. As we stare at rising cases worldwide, it starts to get irritating. When will all this …
- What a waste of intelligence…Epishura. Now, chances are that you have not heard of this. Nor had I. Epishura inhabits Lake Baikal, the largest source of freshwater in the world. It contains 23% of the worlds’s freshwater, and is renowned for it’s pure H2O. But how does the lake remain so clean? The answer lies in a zooplankton species …
- Twelve steps to health…Today, I had a very interesting discussion on Suryanamaskara. A few of my colleagues have been trying to get this right, but were confused about the number of cycles, the time it takes and how to do it right. So here is a detailed guide:) The 12 steps of Suryanamaskara Pranamasana or Anjali Mudra / Prayer Pose Utthana Hasthasana / Upward …
- A bit of Whitney Hanson…“tell me your secret” I ask the small child within “how do you find hope?” she stoops down, picks a dandelion, and blows seeds into the wind. then she smiles and says “make a wish” it’s ok fall to pieces scream into your pillow let yourself break but this time when you are done when …
- Business and small? No!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 Industrial Revolution, a majority of the businesses, if not all, were small businesses. Traders, livestock, armorers, home smiths, potters…that sort of thing. Guilds were the next stage of evolution, where …
- On nostalgia…Nostalgia is an odd feeling. One is nostalgic at all points in life – it’s almost as if the times that we passed by were always better than the times that we are in at present. This image below was widely circulated a few months earlier – I too got nostalgic, like most others. It …
- Of intelligence that is artificial…Ok. So you know that I have been researching on Artificial Intelligence for a while now. I have also been trying out a variety of tools to rebuild our internal tech stack, and I must say – some of these products are genuinely surprising me. They are ingenious, well thought out and more importantly, they …
- The one with reviews…There are but few important events in the affairs of men brought about by their own choice… Poetry is a form that shimmers between fact and fiction, a world of suggestions that does not allow one to settle into certainties… The judgements of God are seldom so ambiguous as those of the men who say …
- Of cars and mobility…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 has yet to solve this puzzle – they have been at it from a hundred years now, and things are just getting more and more complicated. It started with gasoline-powered …
- On questions…Is there a God? Are there many Gods? Who writes our destinies? Are they even written? Or does life play out in it’s own way and then we die, never to be seen or heard of again? Do we come back? Even if we do, how would we know? What lies beyond the Universe? Science …
- Of sustainability and getting out of the way…The worldwide lockdown due to COVID-19 resulted in an unexpected benefit – cleaner air, clearer skies, and marked decreases in pollution levels. The Ganga was visibly cleaner, so were the canals of Venice. Delhi’s notorious air quality saw remarkable improvement. There were sightings of wildlife on the streets of Chandigarh, reduced vehicular traffic resulted in …
- Fall down seven and get up eight…Fall down seven and get up eight, that my friend, is the way to be. For life throws more than just a punch or two and maybe one more than you can dodge, It may hit you square in the jaw, and before you know it, you are floored. Lying there, rubbing your chin, head …
- Not so Malgudi…Malgudi days. To a late 80s- early 90s kid, it brings back sweet memories – Master Manjunath as Swaminathan, the oh-so-familiar beginning credits music, the adventures, the innocence, the sketches by R.K. Narayan…everything about this series was pure gold. And so when a restaurant called Malgudi opens up in Dubai, you would expect it to …
- Of kids and interactions…Kids interact in the most wonderful ways. I observe a lot when my son is around other kids – the dynamics of their (sometimes non) interaction says a lot about us as a species. He used to respond much faster to new infants when he was an infant himself, but now is a bit guarded …
- Let’s take over the world…My son loves dinosaurs. Until they only appear on TV that is. Anyways, I never thought that toddlers would love Dinos of all things. I mean cute cuddly animals yes, but prehistoric lizards baring their teeth and making frightening noises? NAH. Nevertheless, he has two that keep him company, and occasionally the sounds they make …
- You just won a lottery!A while back, I had an interesting conversation on my (not so frequent) visit to my hairdresser. My barber, oh sorry, ‘hairdresser’, was in a jovial mood that day. Turned out that his mom was coming for a visit, and so he had taken a leave for two weeks. Also turned out that he was …