Literary Digest April 2021

LITERARY DIGEST www.literarydigest.in | APRIL 2021 | VOL # 2 - ISSUE 04

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW Meet Saikrit Gulati

POETRY Hindi & Urdu from Meenaxee’s pen

FEATURE Savour the charm of Japandi

APRIL ISSUE Cover photo by: SHIREEN SIDHU

INSIDE: LIVE A HERBALICIOUS LIFE BOOK REVIEW BY SUPARNA MAGIC OF MEDITATION I’M AN EMPATH.....

MY KIND OF PAIN

The FOUNDERS SAGUNA JAIN She started her career with the ‘Times of India’ way back in 1992, but soon moved to Chandigarh, where she started teaching journalism in the Deptt of Mass Communication, Panjab University. Went on to own and manage the first event management company in the ‘city beautiful’ called Event it Right! Then she turned a consultant for events, business development & media. Fundamentals Consultancy Group, her consultancy firm in association with her new venture Intyoutive, that she is a partner in, works on three verticals - design and publish inhouse magazines, offer consultancy to start ups and organise literary workshops and events. Daily Post, one of the newspapers that she was a consultant with carried her weekly column on parenting for over five years. A mother to two boys, aged 23 and 20, Saguna is an ardent golfer and believes in the simple mantra - we all live and learn!!!

HARDEEP S. CHANDPURI He is a media professional with a keen interest in the ‘written word’ and started writing weekly columns for ‘The Tribune’, called ‘Popthrob’ and ‘Jukebox’ while still in college, which were a huge hit with the youth. He completed his Masters in Mass Communication from Panjab University, Chandigarh. After studying in Australia, USA & Canada, he moved back to India in 2001 and launched ‘Radio Buzz’ in the year 2002. He is a renowned broadcaster and trainer having hosted more than 8000 radio shows in India and abroad. He is often credited for revolutionising the radio scene in North India. A proud Limca Record Holder, for his brand ‘Academy of Broadcasting’ he is also the Founder of Ferntree Publishing, the Gen Secy of Chandigarh Literary Society and coFounder of Inkspire. He is also the Co-Founder of BalleBolly which is India’s first print magazine for the Punjabi film and music industry.

SHONA SINGH She is a Masters in Journalism from the University of Westminster, London and also a holder of a Diploma in Freelance Journalism from UK. She did her schooling from Convent of Jesus and Mary, Simla. She has had an exceptional career in media, starting out with the ‘Indian Express’ and as a golf columnist for the ‘Financial Express’, New Delhi and is currently a special golf correspondent for ‘The Tribune’. An experienced golfer and a regular contributor to ‘Golf Digest’, she also extensively covered golf in Europe for the ‘Golfing Yours’. Her passion for writing and golf also led to regular contributions while travelling on the Asian Tour. A Press Officer at the IMG run Indian Open and BILT Open, India's biggest professional golf tournaments, she used her vast experience to set up the media office of the players’ initiated Professional Golf Tour of India.

CONTENTS 04 Author Interview

06

14 My kind of pain

Meenaxee Raj’s exquisite poetry

07

15 Book Review

I’m an Empath.....

16 08 Savour the Minimalism in Japandi

10 Live a Herbalicious Life

Abir’s Photography

17 Punjabi@

21 Magic of Meditation in life

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Author Interview:

Read, read and read more books & take yourself out of these gadgets.....

SAIKRIT GULATI

S

aikrit Gulati, a student of Class seven of the prestigious St. Johns High School, Chandigarh has authored two books; Indian Monuments – A Golden Heritage which was published when he was in class fourth and the second book titled Gardens of Chandigarh which came out in 2020. The book on the gardens of Chandigarh is the first attempt of its kind which gives the readers an information about the beautiful gardens of Chandigarh.

From where did you got the idea to write a book at the age of 10 years?

Ever since I was in Kindergarten, my parents gifted me a lot of books on various occasions, which instilled in me the habit of reading. Soon my passion and love for books grew and I started interacting with various authors through email which gave birth to the idea of writing a book.

How did you conduct the research and how much time did it take for you to finish your books?

I dipped into various books and government printed literature to do the research for the two books. It took me about a year to complete each book. The book on gardens took a little longer because the blooming season for all the flowers was different and photographing them was a big challenge.

Where did you get the idea to write about Indian Monuments: A Golden Heritage and Gardens of Chandigarh?

History has been my favourite subject and I liked visiting various monuments of the past.

These monuments mesmerised me and I also liked clicking pictures of them. Once when I was glancing through those pictures, I noticed the beauty and thus the idea of writing a book on these beautiful monuments were born. As far as

gardens of Chandigarh is concerned, I think that no resident of Chandigarh can be left untouched by the beauty of its gardens. So, I was a part of the crowd hunting for a book on these gardens, but I found none. This inspired me to write a book on the beautiful gardens of Chandigarh.

What kind of support did you get from your family ?

My parents as well as my St. Johns family were full of encouragement and motivation. They whole heartedly supported me in providing with all the facilities. I feel lucky to be blessed with such parents and teachers.

How do you interpret what readers want to read?

Whenever I bought any book, usually online, I always went through the reviews. These reviews not only gave me an insight into the book, they also told what the readers want in any book.

What advice would you give to kids your age who find it difficult to even write a passage or an essay?

Read, read and read more books, take yourself out of these gadgets; adding a quote which is old adage, which is also mentioned in my book saying If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need, this saying stands more relevant today, when many children have lost an interest in book reading.

Tips you kept in mind while writing your books.

As both the books are fact-based, information had to be very authentic, moreover the book needed to be adorned with beautiful pictures, overall, the book should be loved at first sight, only then the reader will fully read or buy the book.

What all about Chandigarh will people get to know through your books?

People will get to know about the beautiful gardens of this city, like the Rose Garden, Chrysanthemum Garden etc. They will also get to know about the not-so-famous gardens like the Garden of Springs, Garden of Annuals and the mini-Rose Garden among others.

I have also mentioned the new and young gardens of the ‘city beautiful’ like the Japanese Garden and also the Palm Garden. Overall, the book will provide a concise information about the beauty of the city, which lies primarily in these gardens.

How did you take out time for writing side by side attending classes and how did you focus?

I usually worked on weekends and devoted some time on weekdays. These books really

needed an extra effort. Sometimes, I also got frightened, but ultimately, I understood that passion is always victorious.

How did you get the idea of giving the money you earned from your books to charity?

I started voluntary teaching when I was in fourth grade and I saw the plight of children in government schools, but didn't have the resources. This gave me the idea of donating all the royalty that I earned from the books for their development.

You are still in school and learning, but you still opted to teach other children. Why? I saw an advertisement of the Education Department in the newspaper calling for people to teach voluntarily in government schools, so I contacted them and soon met the Director of Higher Education.

The Director allowed me to voluntarily teach. At first, I was assigned the Government School in Sector 41, on a pilot project basis, in the next session, I was assigned to the Government Senior Secondary School, Dhanas and since then I have been teaching them through various mediums even during the lockdown.

MEENAXEE RAJ

I am an Empath and here's My Story A quick question.

What sets human race apart from other living beings?

Well, many things. But the most important of them all, in my opinion, is the beautiful trait called empathy. Psychologists define empathy as 'the ability to perceive the emotional state of another individual'. So, an empath is someone who is able to absorb other people's feelings and emotions. I don't know if I am a born empath, or was it the kind of parenting I received that I am the way I am, but empathy runs in my veins. I can feel it all: The gham and khushi ke aansu being experienced by the characters in movies, the pain and agony my friends have been through when their parents reproached them for not something they did wrong, but because of the trouble they got into due to their conniving and impish siblings.

And you won't believe this, but I can even tell what my pet dog is yelping for, with almost 100% accuracy!

With this huge reservoir of empathy, I was obviously meant to choose the career I am in right now- counseling. The beginning was all good. With my razor- sharp listening skills, I didn't miss a point in my clients' stories during sessions. I'd calm my petrified and edgy clients and they would come back to me to tell me, how relieved they were of their anxieties after meeting me.

I could put myself in my clients’ shoes effortlessly and my life was like a dream come true. I would often think to myself: With empathy as my superpower, what could possibly go wrong? I felt blessed because this world needed me. I felt like I was 'the chosen one' to help people in suffering. I fitted in this world beautifully! But, this didn't go on forever. A time came when I felt sapped and hollow. Every

counselling session felt like I was pouring out of an empty cup. I started wondering, Was my superpower leaving me? and with my depleting empathy, how long could I continue in my profession? So, I researched a little and here's what I discovered about empathy: Even though it's linked with higher values like kindness and altruism (and the absence of it could make one apathetic and deviant), some scientists have concluded that excess of it can be emotionally draining. Empathic people take on other people's hurt, guilt and shame so easily, that it can make them downright stressful- to the point of experiencing emotional burnout.

Does this mean that empathy should be discouraged? Neuroscientists Singer and Klimecky from the University of Geneva, do not suggest that at all, instead, they make a very valid explanation: “We ought to make an important distinction between empathy and its apparent synonym, 'compassion'.

If empathy is about stepping into someone's shoes, compassion is, instead, a feeling of concern for another person's suffering which is accompanied by motivation to help.” In a nutshell, it means that we can extend kindness to others, even without inserting our hypothetical selves into their situations.

It all made sense now. “Excess of everything is bad” is even true for empathy. There is a right way and a wrong way of exercising empathy and once you know how to do it the right way, you can go on helping others without having to carry their emotional baggage. You deserve some kindness, too!

Contributed by:

ADITI AHLUWALIA Psychologist and Counsellor

SAVOUR THE MINIMALISM IN

JAPANDI The newest interior design trend, that is making its presence felt all over the globe. Its minimalistic and aesthetic appeal, has made it the cynosure of all eyes in such a short time.

J

apandi is a hybrid trend in simple terms.

This trendy new look takes the modern flair of Scandinavian design and combines it with the timeless elegance of the Japanese and create a style that brings together the best of both worlds. It’s not difficult to figure out to see why these two styles have been fused. Though they come from different parts of the globe, they share similar principles. Both are perfect examples of minimalism.

They both emphasize the importance of creating function-driven spaces defined by a handful of statement pieces, rather than an over dose of décor. It’s their differences that help make this marriage especially interesting. While Japanese

spaces can get pretty much sleek, the rustic details in Nordic design add the muchneeded variance. While Scandinavian interiors have a tendency to be so neutral, they can appear a tad boring while the rich colour palette of Japanese design gives the room more warmth.

Japandi makes clever use of craftsmanship and tactile materials, such as textured wood and handmade ceramics, to add comfort and warmth. It features paredback styling, precise craft and natural materials – qualities that have long been central to the design traditions of Japan, and the Nordic countries, particularly Denmark and Sweden.

Those tipping toward the Scandi expression will likely opt for white or neutral based palette with rich accents.

Others will choose large swathes of rich colour on walls and other elements. In both cases, work with natural tones like blues, greens, plums, and browns. Black is also a favourite in Japandi styled rooms.

“

ACCESSORIZE WITH CARE The philosophies behind both nations’ design languages call for accessories that prioritize functionality over decoration.

THE KEY ELEMENTS: Think unglazed ceramic tableware, vases, NATURE IS KEY The natural warmth of wood is revered in and a few books. Lastly, combine Scandi’s both Japanese and Danish design. Work it homely comforts with the Japanese into your home with key furniture, ideally inspired interiors through contrasting cushions and throws. keeping surface treatments to a minimum. Wood panelled walls make for great features. Then introduce natural accents with statement houseplants, Contributed by: preferably in terracotta pots.

Himani Galhotra Founder

NATURAL COLORS Here is where the Japandi camp divides.

Touchstone Interiors

How can I plant in containers/pots?

Apartment dwelling is becoming popular among masses, therefore, the requirement of optimum use of the space in such homes to grow greens is most significant. You can plant your pots with herbs either by sowing seeds or through the young plants procured from nurseries. Planting by sprouting seeds is an easy step and you will feel

Lemon verbena, Chives & Borage etc., can be raised successfully from seeds in spring.

How to grow herbs well?

Selection of easy-to-grow herbs is important and growing the same in well-drained soil is more important.

Choose the herbs that you use the most. Position the containers to get the full sunlight. Most sunloving herbs are drought tolerant and require watering less frequently, than other container plants. Feeding such plants is a lot more easier, nourishing with feed once a month in growing season is sufficient. Trim your herbs regularly with scissors or secateurs to keep them producing fresh foliage through new growth.

What all can one grow in hanging baskets ?

Basil, Thyme, Marjoram, Lemon grass, Sage & Winter savory can be grown easily in hanging baskets.

elated to see the crop growing from tiny nuts to blooming plants spreading the scent all around.

How can I prepare seeds to grow?

Buy seeds of herbs of your choice from any seed store or from online shopping sites. Do check the date before ordering. Expired ones may not sprout well. Take a glass bowl, half fill it with water, add one tablespoon of ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar), stir & add the seeds you want to grow, keep it overnight and the next morning you will see the upper layer of your seeds shell softened and ready to transfer to the pots directly or alternatively you can transfer the softened seeds to one large planter by spacing 2” for each seed to germinate.

You can use cardboard egg trays, egg shells, coconut shells, disposable glasses, disposable plastic bottles or waste thermocol sheets for initial germination of your soft seeds. You can shift your seedlings to pots, grow bags or window boxes and hanging baskets of your choice.

Do write the names of the herbs on the containers you are using for germination of your seeds, it will help you to grow your stuff in attractive combinations as per the color and texture of plants. Early spring to rainy season is the best period for germination of most of the herbal seeds.

Parsley, Basil, Dill, Fennel, Lemon grass,

What can I plant in Window boxes?

Basil, Parsley, Sage, Thyme, Winter Savory, Spearmint & Chives are perfect for window boxes.

How long will my herbal plants last?

Herbs like Parsley, Coriander, Borage & Chervil are annual plants and will last for one season only.

The herbal plants that will last for several years are hardy-textured plants. Oregano, Lemon Balm, Chives, Fennel, Clove, Bay leaf, Fennel, Lovage, Rosemary, Thyme will last for many years.

Happy growing everyone…..

You can share your experiences/queries on:

merrymindlandscapes1@gmail.com

Contributed by:

SEEMA SHARMA A Masters in Ecology & Environment and Diploma holder in Landscape & Horticulture from University of Canberra, Australia. Seema has designed and executed prestigious projects like Airtel Campus Gardens, IT Park Chandigarh, Infosys, DLF Valley (Kasauli, Amravati, Hyde Park) etc and she is the founder of Merry Mind Landscapes.

This article of mine is dedicated to my fellow generations, and this time, not really meant for youngsters. I often hear most of the parents’ complaining about their wards' behaviour. Since my mission and passion in life, is to impart training to enhance leadership qualities and to inculcate moral values among youth, parents often feel that their children do not believe in dedicated hard work to achieve a goal, and are always trying to cut corners, seeking the easy option out, to realise their dreams.

We, often hear many a senior citizen, lamenting that the young generation lacks moral values and are insensitive to pains and problems of people around them.

I wonder, are these allegations genuine? If so, who all are responsible for the degradation of morality in the society?

The painful truth is that the rot eating away the roots of our culture and moral values are caused by the collective psyche of the public. To a large extent, we are responsible for this malady. From the childhood itself, our society had been conditioning us all to pray and offer gifts in various forms, to please the Almighty, for achieving their personal desires and goals, even if they dont deserve it. As a matter of fact, all religions taught us how to bribe God, as an easy way to achieve our undeserving goals.

The social psyche of India encouraged the youth too, to pray for their own selfish needs, not for the sake of humanity or other fellow beings. The society programmed the public to select leaders, not exactly as per their qualities to lead us, but for all the wrong reasons, and we chose self-serving leaders mostly, and entrusted our future and destiny to them. We often choose hard-core criminals, the uncouth and corrupt, to be our respected leaders and vote them to power to govern us.

What confusing message, we have been giving to our youngsters? And on the other hand, we expect our children to be embodiments of love and have a sense of responsibility, and should also possess impeccable noble character too. Inadvertently, our social norms encourage corruption and short cuts to achieve success, rather than slog, to attain our goals.

Then, the leaders sermon our youth about righteousness, moral values in life, honesty and value of hard work. Our children are no fools. They never questioned us, but got thoroughly confused and quickly learnt the Art of Hipocracy and became experts in living a double life; one of righteousness , and the other of managing things through the easiest, even though illegal at times.

Dear folks, let us do some self introspection and quiz ourselves - How do we clear this mist of confusion from our youths’ mind?

When these youngsters come before the Services Selection Board (SSB), the defence assessors scan through their personality and often find disillusioned, confused, and morally weak candidates. Many youngsters appear to be rudderless, self-serving and utterly insensitive to their fellow countrymen. Hence, the abysmal selection rate of officers in the Indian Armed Forces.

Folks, its time for us to reinvent the wheel.

Contributed by:

Col. Asokan Founder-Director Olive Greens Institute, Chandigarh

Sakoon Singh’s book long-listed for PFC-VoW 2021 Book Awards In the Land of the Lovers by Chandigarh based author Sakoon Singh has been long listed for the prestigious PFC-VoW 2021 Book Awards.

Valley of Words Book Awards, a robustly contested event is organised annually by the Valley of Words Foundation, Dehradun to recognise excellence in Indian writing across genres. Other authors in the category of Indian English Fiction are:

The Heart Asks Pleasure First

by Karuna Ezara Parikh Analog Virtual

by Lavanya Lakshminarayan A Bit of Everything

by Sandeep Raina The Machine is Learning

by Tanuj Solanki Name Place Animal Thing

by Daribha Lyndem Blasphemy

by Osman Haneef Sometimes Ivory Sometimes Sand

by Mahek Jangda The Wall

by Gautam Bhatia Undertow

by Jahnavi Barua

“ In the Land of the Lovers”, a novel set in Chandigarh embodies a historical sweep mediated through the perspective of a young woman artist, Nanaki who works as Professor of Textile Design in the Arts College at Chandigarh. Having lost both parents in a car accident, she has been brought up by her grandparents. The beginning of the novel, a bildungsroman, is mostly meditative, luminous prose that highlights the details of her childhood and a difficult teenage love. Nanaki traverses the trajectory from naïve idealism to disillusionment, to finding the strength to rebel against the powerful bureaucratic establishment. In the process the novel asks fundamental questions on the nature of art/who defines art/bureaucratic strings in the 'modern, class conscious' Chandigarh/ the relationship of power and art etc. Important events in the book are highlighted with the narrative devise of salacious dialogue between 'mirasis'- who discuss issues through witty repartee. This work gleans from Punjabi folklore, Gurbani, folk lore, traditional puzzles and songs. The Festival would be held in November 2021 when the final awards would be announced.

My kind of pain...

It's my kind of pain. brewed by breath, burnished in veins, faking as blood, feigning as rain, and ever the same.

It's my kind of pain.

It's the lonely trudge from sigh to sigh, a flake sundered in vain from sky, an unheard wail unleashed by eyes, too marred to maim.

It's my kind of pain.

It's the beat of a heart undone by beats, the sweep of a dream severed by sleep, a grain of sand beguiled by the sea, by a wave untamed.

It's my kind of pain.

Royals and Rebels The Rise and Fall of the Sikh Empire

Author: PRIYA ATWAL

A

s an arbitrator, the position Histor y inadvertently occupies is not particularly an enviable one, especially, while separating the exceptional from the ordinary. At the same time, as an academic discipline it cannot progress with complacency in its judgment. On reading Priya Atwal’s Royals and Rebels: The Rise and Fall of the Sikh Empire, one is drawn towards such impressions.

Showcasing a remarkably exciting period (the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries) , the book aims to engage minds interested in knowing a Punjab that was once an empire, about its people-the Sikhs amidst a ‘Rough and Ready e n v i r o n m e n t’ a n d d e s t i n y ’s favoured men, women and children who distinguished themselves with honour and service for a land they loved. A ‘new kind of conversation’ regarding the Sikh kingdom is suggested, one that refreshingly incorporates gendered and cultural outlook for examining the politics, personalities and performances.

A skillful explanation of the contextual political concepts like sardar, padshahi , gurmata, khalsa and sarkarat provides the reader with a clear and balanced perspective about the affairs of the ‘Sikh Empire’ and its key players. The novel-like-feel of the narrative juxtaposes the ‘central figure of Ranjit Singh’ with a concentric edifice of influence and intrigue raised by the likes of Raj Kaur, Sada Kaur, Kharak Singh and Mai Nakain; while exploring historic developments before and after 1849, the year that Punjab was annexed by the British East India Company.

The author’s concerted endeavour in not allowing the political history to eclipse the administrative and defense maneuvers by power hungry queens and conspiring courtesans makes this “retelling” of History of Punjab, a distinct departure from

studies done on the subject, previously. In the words of the author, “The rise and fall of the Sikh Empire was never really a self-contained or isolated affair. We cannot overlook the fact that its story is embedded in the wider world of the nineteenth century, a time when the powers and privileges of royal elites across the globe were subject to great challenge and change”.

Recognized during his lifetime, as ‘one of those masterminds which only require opportunity to change the face of the globe,’ and according to some, ‘a diminutive figure with a pockmarked face,’ Ranjit Singh in 2020 got nominated as the greatest leader in world history, ‘ a man of unassuming tastes who adorned the Koh-i-Noor on his arm!

However, according to Atwal’s Royals and Rebels, the first Maharaja of the ‘Sikh Empire’ cannot singularly be entitled to “all the glory”, because there were other dominant royal heads responsible for making Punjab, the envy of an India embroiled in the struggle for control by Europeans, Mughals and its own home grown royals.

Atwal’s intensely researched and a compellingly thought provoking work of history dismantles convention with razor sharp articulation and the simplest but most effective instrument of intellectual probe— questioning.

Abir Hiranandani, an international student in Melbourne, is an aspiring filmmaker and cinematographer.

Studying Media and Film at The University of Melbourne, Abir is passionate about visual storytelling, world travel, international student life and sport.

His ultimate aim is to be a real and relevant professional in the world of media.

Punjabi@ ਸਾਰੀ ਧਰਤੀ ਦਾ ਰਾਜ ਹਾਸਲ ਕਰਨ ਨਾਲ਼ ਜਾਂ ਸਵਰਗਾਂ ਿਵਚ ਜਾਣ ਨਾਲ਼ ਜਾਂ ਸਮੁੱਚੀ ਲੋ ਕਾਈ ਦਾ ਮਾਲਕ ਹੋਣ ਨਾਲ਼ ਚੰਗਾ ਹੈ ਿਕ ਮਨੱੁਖ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੀ ਉਸ ਧਾਰਾ ‘ਚ ਵਿਹ ਤੁ ਰੇ ਿਜਹੜੀ ਉਸਨੰੂ ਿਨਰਵਾਣ ਤੱਕ ਲੈ ਜਾਵੇਗੀ। ਧੱਮਪਦʼ ਿਕਤਾਬ ਿਵੱਚਪਰਿਮੰਦਰ ਸੋਢੀ ਜੀ

..ਤੇ ਭੁ ਲਣਾ ਸੂ ਰਬੀਰ ਦਾ ਕਰਮ ਹ,ੈ ਹਿਰੰਦਰ ਬੋਿਲਆ ਇਹ ਆਪਣੀ ਧੜ ਤ ਪੁਰਾਣਾ ਿਸਰ ਲਾਹਣ ੁ ਦੀ ਖੇਡ ਹੈ ਕਿਪਲਵਸਤੂ ਤੇ ਅਨੰਦਪੁਰ ਿਵਚ ਕੋਈ ਅੰਤਰ ਨਹੀ ਂ ਜੀਹਦੀਆਂ ਅਖਾਂ ‘ਚ ਪੰਜ ਿਛੱਟੇ ਅੰਿਮਤ ਦੇ ਪਦੇ ਹਨ ਉਹ ਭੁ ੱਲ ਜਾਂਦੈ ਜੋ ਹਣ ੁ ਤੱਕ ਵੇਿਖਆ ਹੰਦ ੁ ੈ ਭੁ ਲਣ ਤ ਪਿਹਲਾਂ ਬੁਧ ਬਣਨਾ ਪਦਾ ਹੈ ਬੁਧ ਤੇ ਬੁਧੂ ਦੋਵ ਨਾਲ ਨਾਲ ਰਿਹੰਦੇ ਹਨ.. ਲਾਲੀ ਚ- ਨਵਤੇਜ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਜੀ

RUPINDER SINGH AULAKH is a Design Engineer based in Seattle (USA).

He calls himself an ardent observer and art enthusiast.

He firmly believes that art saves us from our own negativity and acts as a mode of absorption and contentment. His passions include writing, and promoting Punjabi culture through creative photography and Punjabi calligraphy.

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viuh vter dks csp [kkrs gSa] ;k [kqnk] fQj Hkh eqLdqjkrs gSa--[kks[kys 'k[kf~l;r ds <kapksa ij] iSjgu rkj gq, tkrs gSa--[kqn dks igpkuus ls dkfQj gSa] vkSj lun xSj ls djkrs gSa--gels t~;knk tyhy gS dksbZ ge [kqnk dks Hkh [kqn cukrs gSa---

gknls iM+ksl ds edku esa xqtj x;k dksbZ] eksgYys esa foLQksV lqudj Mj x;k dksbZ Qyka ^’kgj esa Qyka bekjr <g xbZ veqd unh dh ck<+ esa ftanh cg xbZ gknls rks vc ;wa gksrs gSa tSls cSBs gks lgu esa vkSj ydfM+;ka lqyxrh jgsa pwYgs ds ngu esa Amulya Shukla says he is a free soul, who feels one with the Immensity of Nature and Elements of the Universe. Claiming, that he's both an artiste at heart and a scientist in mind. He is a Physics Post-Graduate from IIT, Roorkee and Advanced Diploma in Mass Comm. from IIMC (JNU), New Delhi. Professionally, he is a Strategic Intervention Wizard; Motivational Speaker; Leadership Coach. Amulya is the Sole Founder of "SAMBHAV" Consulting.

AMULYA SHUKLA

LIFE IS A 52-CARD DECK WITH A JOKER

M

uch has been said about life. Once Amrita Pritam said in one of her poems, it is like water in a cracked pot – Ve Mein Tidke Ghare Da Pani. One painter has described it as a painting of watercolors, which will vanish with the passage of time. While someone has said, it is like a water bubble, which too will be no more when the air in it goes out. On the other hand, life has also been compared with the two sides of a coin.

Nothing is predestined. It is only the biological process which gives birth to a humanbeing, who has developed wisdom through a process of evolution over thousands of years. Now after centuries of existence, our lovingly created planet Earth is an invaluable place to live in, but certain forces have made it a living hell.

Now humans have started comparing the purpose this life with the existence of various things around him or the objects invented by him to create a better living place. Sometimes he compares himself with other persons, who are maybe living below to his expectations and sometimes who are part of the upper crust.

In fact, he seems to get even more confused when he compares life with a deck of 52 cards replete with a joker. Is it a life of 52 days, weeks, months or years? Or one can add a joker to these days, months and years a number of times to live a purposeful life.

Whatever may be the logic in comparing life with any object on this planet earth, life is not a matter of holding good playing cards, but of playing the hand well. Holding anything is not an issue, but

using it is more important. One thing is certain, if you are going to build something in the air, it is always better to build castles, than a house of card,s which could fall down just with the slightest touch of the finger.

Life can also be seen akin to the shuffling of a deck of cards. We should go on shuffling our thoughts like the Magician who creates magic with the card deck and train ourselves to face any situation, till such time you become perfect in it.

Since the cards are also used for gambling in the clubs, that does not mean that we should put our life at risk by making any deals without caring about the pros and cons and their impact on our life. Never forget that Mark Zupan has rightly said that life is too short not to laugh at yourself and the cards you are staring at.

Frankly speaking, we should not have any regrets in life. It would be better, if we plan our life with a list of 52 best possible plans to live a happy and prosperous life and go on enjoying them one by one, as per your requirement. I assure you, there is no reason that you will not succeed.

Each person, like a card player must gracefully accept each card that life places in his hands and he in turn should decide to play the same, in order to win the game of life. Winning life by doing good deeds, helping the needy as per your capacity and ability should be the mantra.

If you play the cards correctly, finer things will come your way in the long run, but in the short run, it is anybody's guess.

Take a while This morning I will take a while To sit in my balcony Among the little plants and flowers, Among the chirping of the birds, With my steaming cup of tea, And gaze in to the world outside While looking into the world within; I will take a while To breathe easy and slow, To reflect upon the years gone by To the count of sixty two That moulded me in different ways The way I never thought would be; I will take a while To sit me down at least a while From nitty gritties of routine, From scurrying with the household things, From haste and waste of energy That made a mad hatter of me, This 'me' that got so left behind In all this pell mell of doings, The things that I could take easy; And so today I will take a while To sit with grace that God has sent To choose the what and when I do, To think or write or breathe easy, And begin anew To search the lost 'me' once again....

- Monica Aurora

Magic of

Life

meditation in

M

editation is the skill to train your conscious mind, which can also be described as the monkey-mind, to minimise your thoughts and focus on one thought. The conscious mind has the tendency to jump from one thought to another. Meditation allows you to develop the capacity to focus on one thought at a time. With practice, you will gradually learn to focus on positive thoughts and eliminate the negative thoughts from your mind.

You may also say that practising meditation will boost your inner power or the mental power to allow you to unwind your negative thoughts, habits and beliefs, and convert them to positive ones. By starting to practice meditation once or twice every day and concentrating your mind on your dream or desire, you will start visualising the desired outcome in your life. But remember, your thoughts and subsequent actions must tally. It seems like a herculean task to learn meditation, but once you become aware of its power, then with some practice, you will start enjoying it. As you inculcate meditation in your life you will start noticing the positive changes it has on you.

According to my thinking, meditation comprises of yoga, physical exercise, mental stimulation, prayer, reciting mantras, affirmation and visualisation. There is no hard and fast rule of

duration, place and time of meditation. It all depends on your convenience, skill of time management and self-discipline.

As a matter of fact, meditation is the simplest self-guided activity to create a positive conscious state of mind by regularly enhancing your original positive qualities one by one. By doing so, you will release dark clouds of your negative qualities acquired by you, for your selfinterest, which are hovering over your head and they will start vanishing one by one. Contents of religious/spiritual hymns, mantras, prayer, affirmations and positive visualisation included in meditation can create wonders to yield the positive result for you and create happiness, joy and success throughout the journey of life.

Meditation strengthens all the aspects of spiritual, physical, and mental health, and will also make you intellectually and emotionally stronger. In addition, it will also enhance your financial and social life.

Let me tell you that the magical key to create what all I have written in the above paragraphs is held within yourself. No other person has the power to open the door for you to reach this higher power. Others can only guide you to reach up to the door.

This is what our spiritual/religious gurus are doing. The magic of meditation has been developed by God Himself, by creating the subconscious mind capable of receiving and recording all the information, negative or positive, unfiltered and with a very high frequency and speed. As the subconscious mind cannot discern true from false or vice versa, it keeps recording the information as received.

God has purposely given this quality to the subconscious mind for the benefit of human beings to project the positive outcome well in advance through the process of meditation.

So, analyse your life in key aspects of physical health, mental health, finance and social health. On a piece of paper note down whatever you find scarce or deficient for attaining a happy and fulfilled life.

Next, write down the positive outcome you would like, against each of them. For example, if you are physically unwell you are to write "I am healthy". Similarly, if you are financially weak or desire to have more money you need to write "I am wealthy." In this way you can write your own positive affirmation.

Now, spare some time preferably in the morning, sit down at a suitable place, if possible, under the open sky, in a sitting pose, legs crossed, if convenient. After having made yourself comfortable, close your eyes and practice concentrating your mind to make it silent and then focus on your selected desire given in your affirmation list. Keep repeating it several times and then visualise the same coming true in your life.

Focus your mind on this activity only and don't let any negative thoughts creep in and disturb you. Follow this routine every day and repeat your affirmation. Duration and time of meditation can be adjusted per your convenience.

Main purpose of meditation is to silence your

state of mind by taking full advantage of the subconscious mind and creating a bridge between your Conscious mind and subconscious mind to create a Superconscious Mind.

Superconscious mind has tremendous power to support you to fulfil your dreams and desires by creating opportunities, events, resources and seeking help from others to guide and support you. It will help you in strengthening and building confidence and willpower to increase your risk-taking threshold. It will also guide you through intuitions and dreams during sound sleep. So, you have to be very alert to understand and avail the opportunities coming your way. There is abundance of everything in the Universe for you. Whatever you desire and ask

with true heart and mind, you will receive in abundance. Meditation has the magical power to give you much beyond your expectations. I have experienced this in my long journey of life. God blessed me with much more than I desired and deserved. I have been following the same simple process of meditation that I have tried to put across to you briefly, which has proved very successful for me in all aspects of my life.

Some segments of our society are trying to complicate the concept of meditation for their vested interests, but in my personal view, which is based on my present and past experiences, by having basic awareness and understanding of the concept of meditation, every human being

irrespective of any age limit, time constraints, location, state of health, and status in society can make full use of meditation. You can meditate sitting on the ground, in a chair, standing, lying on the ground or in bed, whatever is convenient for you based on your physical health. God desires that every human should be happy, make a family, live with their family and look after them. You don't have to wear the special-coloured robe, renounce your family and go to a mountain or a thick jungle or inside a cave to meditate to reach the higher power or get salvation.

You have the inner power to get the same results by meditating while staying with your family and living a simple life. If, every human being starts meditating daily the collective positive energy radiated and transmitted throughout this universe can create heaven on this earth. The power of meditation is much beyond any imagination. Let us not forget to include the meditation in your daily routine and make it a family ritual. I even request all our academics, educationalists and governing bodies to add yoga and simple meditation in the syllabus from Class one to the even the University level.

My sincere advice to our junior and senior students is to never neglect this aspect of education. It will not only improve your physical and mental health, but will also enhance your grasping power to learn more.

Let me reinstate by saying that whatever you learn during your childhood will stay with you throughout your life and you must keep following the philosophy of regular meditation with your true heart and soul.

How fast you can control and concentrate you mind is entirely at your own discretion. You are the controller and master of your own life.

Your meditation may not take even one minute to reach the Superconscious state or it may take hours to get to this result. Practising meditation is absolutely your own self-effort. Sitting and meditating without any aim will not yield you any result. You must meditate with some positive purpose of life and fully concentrate your mind very sincerely to achieve your desire. Please don't wait for the result, but keep performing your duties as desired by God. Sometimes you have to undergo hard tests in life as God purposely directs the route of the journey of your life for your prosperity and betterment. This fact of life you will realise in the long run. Meditation has the magic power to give you what you desire in life. So, don't feel shy to practice meditation.

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