saDhGURU JaGGi VasUDeV Man, MYstiC & VisionaRY

“How deeply you touch another life is how rich your life is ... the greatest thing that you can do in life is to live to your peak and to set an example that there is a way to live beyond all limitations ... this life for me is an endeavour to help people experience and express their ultimate nature ... it is … also … an endeavour to help people experience and express their divinity … .” – Sadhguru

Sadhguru – sant, sadhu, seer, mystic, visionary – much has been written, said and broadcast about this selfrealized Indian yogi, who apropos is also a prolific writer and teacher, waxing eloquent on myriad topics and themes. There exists a whole treasure trove of information on him in the public domain, from features and profiles to his discourses and writings, from media interviews and conthe special consultative status it enjoys with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Sadhguru was born in Mysore, Karnataka, on Tuesday the 3rd September 1957 to Susheela and Dr. Vasudev, an ophthalmologist with the Indian Railways. Jagadish, the youngest of four siblings, or Jaggi as has come to be known, evolved a deep interest in the workings of nature at a very young then, teaching him a set of simple yogasanas that Jaggi religiously maintained and practised … “without a single day's break, this simple yoga that was taught to me kept happening, leading to a much deeper experience later.”

Schooling over, Jaggi Vasudev went to Mysore University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English Literature. This was the time he developed a fascination for

versations to talks given at various world fora – he certainly is no stranger to many of us. Founder of Isha, a group of globe-spanning non-for-profit organisations that offer yoga and wellness programmes to people from across the world, Sadhguru is based out of Coimbatore, India; while maintaining a presence in the United States and Great Britain, Lebanon and Singapore, Canada, Malaysia, Uganda, China, Nepal and Australia. His Foundation's deep involvement in serious social and community development activities has won it much acclaim, like age. Snake-catching and truancy came naturally to him during his school days, even as he forayed frequently into the woods and jungle nearby, with sojourns sometimes lasting up to three days at a time. And in youth, his blunt clarity in life earned him the unenviable job of unofficial counsellor to problem-prone mates. But it was a chance encounter with Malladihalli Sri Raghavendra Swamiji when Jaggi was all of 12 years, as it turns out later, the watershed event that changed his life making him what he is today. The Swamiji takes Jaggi under his wing motorcycles, and indulged in its logical corollary – travelling places on one. Chamundi Hill for him and his friends was an oft frequented haunt, where they rendezvoused and took off on long nocturnal drives. Jaggi Vasudev has apropos travelled extensively to many nooks and corners of our country astride his motorcycle in his lifetime. This new-found passion and wanderlust egged him on “to earn some quick money,” and just ride off somewhere at every whim. His attempts to put this plan into action saw him taking up a whole bunch of profitable busi-

nesses soon after graduation – a poultry farm, a brickworks and a construction business are well worth mention here.

The year was 1982 and Jaggi had just turned 25. One fine September day, something in him drove him to ride up Chamundi Hill ... and there he sat alone still as the rock he was perched on, when all of a sudden, an overwhelming spiritual experience assailed him. Sadhguru tells us about it: “Till that moment in my life I always thought this is me and that's somebody else and something else. But for the first time I did not know which is me and which is not me. Suddenly, what was me was just all over the place. The very rock on which I was sitting, the air that I breathe, the very atmosphere around me, I had just exploded into everything. That sounds like utter insanity. This, I thought it lasted for ten to fifteen minutes but when I came back to my normal consciousness, it was about four-and-a-halfhours I was sitting there, fully conscious, eyes open, but time had just flipped.”

Six weeks passed before Jaggi simply left his businesses to a friend and took off on a motorcycle on a soul-searching expedition, travelling wherever his fancy took him … virtually leading the life of a nomad, in an attempt to grasp that elusive trigger which had led to his mystical experience. A year of travel and meditation passed by before Jaggi came to a conclusion – he would teach yoga to share his inner experience with others. His first class happened in 1983 at Mysore, with just seven participants. Over time, he took his yoga classes all across Karnataka and to Hyderabad, travelling from class to class on his ever-present and ubiquitous motorcycle, living off the rental proceeds of his poultry farm, and refusing to take any payment for the classes – any collections that came from participants he would donate to a local charity on the last day of class. Jaggi Vasudev had taken the first step to become Sadhguru, as he is affectionately known today to his followers and well-wishers.

What transpired from then on till now is a rather amply well-documented story – on how the first ashram in the Velliangiri foothills came about to the gradual expansion of Isha to become a world-girdling organisation with millions of followers, volunteers and devotees who have pledged their lifetimes to full-time work with the various Isha endeavours ... the Dhyanalingam, the Linga Bhairavi temple, the Adi-Yogi Aalayam – its all very much there in the public domain, which spares us the need to delve into it. After all, google’s your friend, just go ahead and google it! We, instead, shall tentatively explore and glean a few subjective aspects aspects of Sadhguru from that ocean of material available about him in media archives – some of them insightful and some simply anecdotal – to better understand the man, the mystic, the visionary and seer – and attempt getting a bit more closer to him through the effort…

The Sadhguru, at the very first sight, while he surely defies any stereotype of godmen or spiritual gurus, comes across as a man who loves all good things in life. “Oh, you are still using that Apple 4,” he quips to a journalist using it to record the tête-à-tête. This by the way is the real Jaggi Vasudev – modern day tech-savvy yogi and mystic who takes pleasure riding sports bikes, plays golf and, of course, is at home with modern gadgets. “If your idea of a guru is from a calendar, who has candy-floss beard and a constipated look on his face, then definitely I am not that. If someone has to be a guru he has to be contemporary, otherwise what sense will he make to modern day people,” he questions. And narrating how he reacts to people who often ask why he drives his own car or flies a helicopter when yogis in ancient times just used to walk, he says: “I tell them that in those days everyone used to walk, not merely the yogis !”

Sadhguru, who is known to hold radical views on a whole range of issues, is however quite vocally disapproving and anxious about every aspect of our lives getting blatantly commercial. “For me, health, education and spirituality should never be com-

mercialised. Unfortunately, the first two have already succumbed to commercialisation, and now it’s slowly creeping into the spiritual sphere as well.”

Passionate about sports, Sadhguru is of the view that sport is a path to spirituality as well. This conviction of his has found ample expression in the path his foundation adopted decades ago, when they promoted an annual sports-focused event called ‘Gramotsavam’ in the Coimbatore district of Tamilnadu. “It all started some 24 years ago when we set up a yoga centre near Coimbatore. We thought we would teach yoga in the surrounding villages. On the first day, about 150 people came and after the programme, we served them meals. Next day, only 70 people turned up. When I asked the reason, I was told that many people have reservations about eating with certain caste members. I realised the 1,000-year-old caste practice was not going to go away in a day. So, instead of the afternoon meal, I made them play together. No scripture, after all, says you should not play together.”

In due course, his experiments with sport have only strengthened his convictions – sport was indeed a powerful medium that overrides caste and religion barriers to bring people of all ilks together. “I observed this is America, where till the late 1960s many whites hated the blacks, but loved to have Magic Johnson’s photo in their bedrooms,” recalls Sadhguru. By the same logic the Isha promoted Gramotsavam reveals yet another another spin-off – it has in a sense become a liberating activity for village women, who according to the mystic have never played a game since they were eight or nine years of age. “Today, even a 73-year-old grandmother walks onto the throwball court to the applause of thousands of spectators. This is indeed liberation ... .”

As far as mystics go, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev has consistently defied every preconceived notion you might hold about spiritual leaders. He admits to being as comfortable walking barefoot in the Himalayas to riding a BMW motorcycle on the highways or skimming hilltops in a helicopter. So it's really not all that unusual to see him spend lunch hour playing a game of frisbee with Isha volunteers, or writing a poem on the nature of money ... in the handmade paper journal he always carries around with him. His schedule is often an eclectic mix – ranging from addressing a gathering at the World Economic Forum in Davos to conducting an ‘Inner Engineering’ yoga programme in London. Recollecting the resentment of some people the first time he was invited to speak at the World Economic Forum, Sadhguru says, “I met a few people who questioned what a mystic was doing there. I told them that whether you make computers or software, the most essential business is human well being, and that's my business too.”

Closely attuned as he is to the business world, he is much critical of CSR efforts by corporates. “CSR has become a guilt-washing process. Instead, why can't companies structure their businesses such that it benefits the world and its people?” he asks. His logic is rather simple – Instead of letting your money lie idle in a bank account, why not use it to set up a new business with lower profit margins, but offering more widespread services? If you are good at it, your venture will expand and grow with more people benefiting from it, and it might just do away with the need for charity. “Nobody likes receiving a dole – it's not in the human dignity to do so. People may accept it because they are desperate, but nobody is happy to be at the receiving end of charity” he says. “Once you nourish a plant, you don't have to worry about what it will create because it will blossom all over the place, whether you like it or not,” is his view.

Well, much much more can be written about Sadhguru and his extraordinary approach to living and dying. I am in fact actually very tempted indeed to pen a piece that will take off from Sadhguru’s views on ‘the art of dying,’ but I will reserve it for some other time. That said and done, it is not my intention to write a hagiography, but instead point to the truism that the life Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev has led reads like a well-structured life-manual for good living. And yes, Sadhguru ... he is a strange man — a very strange man indeed — but ... he's for real.

Suchindran Chakravarthi

The writer is a technocrat who dabbles in Journalism print & Broadcast photography & creative visual arts.

SADHGURU'S VISION FOR INDIA

It is indeed providence we need to thank for this column by Sadhguru enriching our magazine, which actually happens to be the culmination of a chance encounter between two patients in a Kovai (Coimbatore) hospital … our senior editor and the Swami at Isha responsible for English publications. So here we are – a column penned by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev – self-realised yogi, modern mystic and prolific author, the man behind the Isha Foundation. What does India need in the next 10-15 years ? Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev puts forth and shares his vision for India.

Idon’t want to impose my vision on everyone. All I am saying is, every human being is aspiring to live well, and whichever way they are aspiring, that should happen to them. They don’t have to live the way I think they should live. But definitely our aspirations should not be crafted on western models because they are not sustainable. Western countries are managing it because their populations are in a certain way. The land to population ratios in United States and in our country are a completely different game. For example, today the average right on the threshold, and if we handle the situation smartly, we can be a tremendous power because we are a population of 1.3 billion. A population of 1.3 billion with the necessary intellect, is as good as anything can be. If we handle ourselves right, we can be a tremendous power.

“Power does not mean, 'Will we have the biggest army in the world ?' Power means if they want to live well, everyone looks at you for guidance. This culture has always had this power. People always looked east when they thought of living well. So this is not empty talk. This was

EVERy INDIVIDUAl, wHAtEVER SpHERE OF lIFE HE IS IN, wHAtEVER RESpONSIbIlIty HE HOlDS, wHAtEVER INFlUENcE HE HAS, HAS tO StAND Up AND mAkE tHAt HAppEN IN HIS AREA

amount of water that is available for one Indian citizen is only 25% of what we had in 1947. They say by 2050, it will be 15%. So our ideas of well-being have to change. We cannot dream to create our vision or build a nation just like some other country. We have to adjust our vision as it is needed for us, as it will work for us.

“Today, India is on the threshold of an economic upsurge. Various things that we did not even dream were possible for a larger segment of the population could be possible in the next few years – if we handle things right. Large segments of the population could benefit hugely. We are there but the culture has fallen. One must understand, this happens to all cultures. There will be peaks and there will be downtrends. If we as a generation have any sense, we have to pull it up. It does not happen free of cost, everyone has to work for it.

“Every individual, whatever sphere of life he is in, whatever responsibility he holds, whatever influence he has, has to stand up and make that happen in his area. Just the governments cannot do this, some other leader cannot do it. Every human being has to do it.

“A vision for India is not about what I think or what you think. What people need is what needs to happen. Right now, what people need is at least reasonably decent levels of living. So the most important thing is nourishment, which must happen. Today, sixty percent of the Indian population is considered malnourished – even the reasonably well-to-do – because their skeletal systems are not growing to full size. If your body does not grow to full size, your brain will also not grow fully. We are producing an underdeveloped humanity, which is a very great risk for the future. If you have 1.3 billion people, healthy, active, focused and trained for something, you can make a miracle out of it. But if you have 1.3 billion people unhealthy, undernourished, uneducated, unfocused and uninspired, you have a major disaster on your hands.

“Are we going to turn this population – which is the youngest population on the planet in terms of nations – into a possibility, or are we going to turn this into a disaster? We are going to determine that in the next ten to fifteen years’ time. And every human being who breathes on this land has to participate in making this happen in whichever way he can do it. That is my vision: to draw as many people as possible to actively participate in this, in whichever way possible.

“Because if this time passes, it may be too late.

“If you sit on the threshold for too long, you will be run over by someone else.”

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v. Ÿæß‡æ ·¤ÚUÙð âð Ï×´ü ·¤æ ™ææÙ ãôÌæ ãñ, mðá ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñ, ™ææÙ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ×æØæ ·¤è ¥æâçQ¤ âð ×éçQ¤ ãôÌè ãñ. By means of hearing one understands dharma, malignity vanishes, knowledge is acquired, and liberation from material bondage is gained. w. ÂçÿæØô´ ×ð´ ·¤õßæ Ùè¿ ãñ, Âàæé¥ô´ ×ð´ ·¤éžææ Ùè¿ ãñ, Áô ÌÂSßè Âæ ·¤ÚUÌæ ãñ ßô çƒæÙõÙæ ãñ, Üðç·¤Ù Áô ÎêâÚUô´ ·¤è çÙ´Îæ ·¤ÚUÌæ ãñ ßã âÕâð ÕÇ¸æ ¿æ´ÇæÜ ãñ. Among birds the crow is vile; among beasts the dog; the ascetic whose sins is abominable, but he who blasphemes others is the worst chandala. x. ÚUæ¹ âð çƒæâÙð ÂÚU ÂèÌÜ ¿×·¤Ìæ ãñ, ÌæÕæ §×Üè âð âæȤ ãôÌæ ãñ, ¥õÚUÌð´ ÂýÎÚU âð àæéh ãôÌè ãñ, ÙÎè ÕãÌè ÚUãð Ìô âæȤ ÚUãÌè ãñ. Ashes to polish Brass; tamarind to clean copper; for a woman her menses; and a river its flow. y. ÚUæÁæ, Õýæ±×‡æ ¥õÚU ÌÂSßè Øô»è ÁÕ ÎêâÚUð Îðàæ ÁæÌð ãñ´, Ìô ¥æÎÚU ÂæÌð ãñ´, Üðç·¤Ù ¥õÚUÌ ØçÎ ÖÅU·¤ ÁæÌè ãñ Ìô ÕÕæüÎ ãô ÁæÌè ãñ. The king, the brahmana, and the ascetic yogi who go abroad are respected; but the woman who wanders is utterly ruined. z. ÏÙßæÙ ÃØçQ¤ ·Ô¤ ·¤§ü çטæ ãôÌð ãñ´, ·¤§ü âÕ‹Ïè Öè ãôÌð ãñ´, ÏÙßæÙ ·¤ô ãè ¥æÎ×è ·¤ãæ ÁæÌæ ãñ ¥õÚU ÂñâðßæÜô´ ·¤ô ãè ´çÇÌ ·¤ã ·¤ÚU ÙßæÁæ ÁæÌæ ãñ. The wealthy will have friends around them, and relatives too. Only the rich fellow is called a man, and only the affluent are respected as pandits. {. âßü àæçQ¤×æÙ ·¤è §‘Àæ âð ãè Õéçh ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÌè ãñ, ßãUè´ ·¤×ô´ü ·¤ô çÙØ´ç˜æÌ ·¤ÚUÌæ ãñ, ©âè ·¤è §‘Àæ âð ¥æâ Âæâ ×ð´ ×ÎÎ ·¤ÚUÙð ßæÜð ¥æ ÁæÌð ãñ´. As is the desire of Providence, so functions one's intellect; one's activities are also controlled by Providence; and by the will of Providence one is surrounded by helpers. |. ·¤æÜ âÖè Áèßô´ ·¤ô çÙÂé‡æÌæ ÂýÎæÙ ·¤ÚUÌæ ãñ, âÖè

Áèßô´ ·¤æ â´ãæÚU Öè ·¤ÚUÌæ ãñ, Áæ»Ìæ ÚUãÌæ ãñ ÁÕ âÕ âô ÁæÌð ãñ´U, ·¤æÜ ·¤ô ·¤ô§ü ÁèÌ Ùãè´ â·¤Ìæ. Time perfects all living beings as well as kills them; it alone is awake when all others are asleep. Time is insurmountable. }. Áô Á‹× âð ¥´Ïæ ãñ ßô Îð¹ Ùãè´ â·¤Ìæ, ©âè ÌÚUã Áô ßæâÙæ ·Ô¤ ¥ÏèÙ ãñ ßô Öè Îð¹ Ùãè´ â·¤Ìè, ¥ã´·¤æÚUè ÃØçQ¤ ·¤ô ·¤Öè °ðâæ Ùãè´ Ü»Ìæ ·¤è ßã ·¤éÀ ÕéÚUæ ·¤ÚU ÚUãæ ãñ ¥õÚU Áô Âñâð ·Ô¤ ÂèÀð ÂǸð ãñ´ ©Ù·¤ô ©Ù·Ô¤ ·¤×ô´ü ×ð´ ·¤ô§ü Âæ çιæ§ü Ùãè´ ÎðÌæ. Those born blind cannot see; likewise blind are those who are in the grip of lust. Proud men have no perception of evil; and those bent on acquiring riches see no sin in their actions. ~. Áèßæˆ×æ ¥ÂÙð ·¤×ü ·Ô¤ ×æ»ü âð ÁæÌæ ãñ ¥õÚU Áô Öè ÖÜð-ÕéÚUð ÂçÚU‡ææ× ·¤×ô´ü ·Ô¤ ¥æÌð ãñ´U ©‹ãð´ Öô»Ìæ ãñ, ¥ÂÙð ãè ·¤×ôü âð ßã â´âæÚU ×ð´ Õæ´ÏÌæ ãñ ¥õÚU ¥ÂÙð ãè ·¤×ô´ü âð Õ´ÏÙô âð ÀêÅUÌæ ãñ. The spirit soul goes through its own course of karma and it itself suffers the good and bad results accrued thereby. By its own actions it entangles itself in samsara, and by its own efforts it extricates itself. v®. ÚUæÁæ ·¤ô ©â·Ô¤ Ùæ»çÚU·¤ô´ ·Ô¤ Âæ ܻÌð ãñ´, ÚUæÁæ ·Ô¤ Øãæ¡ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð ßæÜð ÂéÁæÚUè ·¤ô ÚUæÁæ ·Ô¤ Âæ ܻÌð ãñ´, ÂçÌ ·¤ô Â%è ·Ô¤ Âæ ܻÌð ãñ´, »éL¤ ·¤ô ©â·Ô¤ çàæcØô´ ·Ô¤ Âæ ܻÌð ãñ´. The king is obliged to accept the sins of his subjects; the purohit suffers for those of the king; a husband suffers for those of his wife; and the guru suffers

for those of his pupils. vv. ¥ÂÙð ãè ƒæÚU ×ð´ ÃØçQ¤ ·Ô¤ Øð àæ˜æé ãô â·¤Ìð ãñ´U- ©â·¤æ Õæ ØçÎ ßã ãÚUÎ× ·¤Áü ×ð´ ÇêÕæ ÚUãÌæ ãñ, ©â·¤è ×æ¡ ØçÎ ßã ÎêâÚUð ÂéL¤á âð â´» ·¤ÚUÌè ãñ, âé‹ÎÚU Â%è ¥æñÚU ßã ÜǸ·¤æ çÁâÙð çàæÿææ Âýæ# Ùãè´ ·¤è. A father who is a chronic debtor, an adulterous mother, a beautiful wife, and an unlearned son are all enemies (in one's own home). vw. °·¤ ÜæÜ¿è ¥æÎ×è ·¤ô ßSÌé Öð´ÅU Îð ·¤ÚU â´ÌéC ·¤ÚUð´, °·¤ ·¤ÆôÚU ¥æÎ×è ·¤ô ãæÍ ÁôǸ·¤ÚU â´ÌéC ·¤ÚUð´, °·¤ ×ê¹ü ·¤ô â×æÙ Îð·¤ÚU â´ÌéC ·¤ÚUð´, °·¤ çßmæÙ÷ ¥æÎ×è ·¤ô â¿ ÕôÜ·¤ÚU â´ÌéC ·¤ÚUð´. Conciliate a covetous man by means of a gift, an obstinate man with folded hands in salutation, a fool by hunouring him, and a learned man by truthful words. vx. °·¤ Õð·¤æÚU ÚUæ’Ø ·¤æ ÚUæÁæ ãôÙð âð Øã ÕðãÌÚU ãñ ·¤è ÃØçQ¤ ç·¤âè ÚUæ’Ø ·¤æ ÚUæÁæ Ùæ ãô, °·¤ ÂæÂè ·¤æ çטæ ãôÙð âð ÕðãÌÚU ãñ ·¤è çÕÙæ ç×˜æ ·¤æ ãô, °·¤ ×ê¹ü ·¤æ »éL¤ ãôÙð âð ÕðãÌÚU ãñ ·¤è çÕÙæ çàæcØ ßæÜæ ãô, °·¤ Â%è ãôÙð âð ÕðãÌÚU ãñ ·¤è çÕÙæ Â%è ßæÜæ ãô. °·¤ Õð·¤æÚU ÚUæ’Ø ×ð´ Üô» âé¹è ·ñ¤âð ãUæð´? °·¤ ÂæÂè âð ç·¤âè àææç‹Ì ·¤è Âýæç# ·ñ¤âð ãô? °·¤ ÕéÚUè Â%è ·Ô¤ âæÍ ƒæÚU ×ð´ ·¤õÙâæ âé¹ Âýæ# ãô â·¤Ìæ ãñ, °·¤ ÙæÜæØ·¤ çàæcØ ·¤è çàæÿææ Îð·¤ÚU ·ñ¤âð ·¤èçÌü Âýæ# ãô. It is better to be without a kingdom than to rule over a petty one; better to be without a friend than to befriend a rascal; better to be without a disciple than to have a stupid one; and better to be without a wife than to have a bad one.

How can people be made happy in a petty kingdom? What peace can we expect from a rascal friend? What happiness can we have at home in the company of a bad wife? How can renown be gained by instructing an unworthy disciple?

vy. àæðÚU âð °·¤ ÕæÌ âè¹ð´, Õ»éÜð âð °·¤, ×é»ðü âð ¿æÚU, ·¤õßð âð Âæ´¿, ·¤éžæð âð Àã, ¥õÚU »Ïð âð ÌèÙ. Learn one thing from a lion; one from a crane; four from a cock; five from a crow; six from a dog; and three from an ass. vz. àæðÚU âð Øã ÕçɸØæ ÕæÌ âè¹ð´ ·¤è ¥æ Áô Öè ·¤ÚUÙæ ¿æãÌð ãô °·¤çÎÜè âð ¥õÚU ÁÕÚUÎSÌ ÂýØæâ âð ·¤ÚÔ´U. The one excellent lesson to learn from a lion is that whatever a man intends doing should be done by him with a whole-hearted and strenuous effort. v{. Õéçh×æÙ ÃØçQ¤ ¥ÂÙè §ç‹ÎýØô´ ·¤ô Õ»éÜð ·¤è ÌÚUã ßàæ ×ð´ ·¤ÚUÌð ãé° ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ·¤ô Á»ã, â×Ø ¥õÚU Øô‚ØÌæ ·¤æ ÂêÚUæ ŠØæÙ ÚU¹Ìð ãé° Âê‡æü ·¤ÚUð. The wise man should restrain his senses like the crane and accomplish his purpose with due knowledge of his place, time and ability. v|. ×é»ðü âð ¿æÚU ÕæÌð âè¹ð´... âãè â×Ø ÂÚU ©UÆð´U, ÙèÇÚU ÕÙð´ ¥õÚU ÜǸð´, â´Âçžæ ·¤æ çÚUàÌðÎæÚUô´ âð ©ç¿Ì ÕÅUßæÚUæ ·¤ÚÔ´U, ¥ÂÙð ·¤C âð ¥ÂÙæ ÚUôÁ»æÚU Âýæ# ·¤ÚÔ´U. To wake at the proper time; to take a bold stand and fight; to make a fair division (of property) among relations; and to earn one's own bread by personal exertion are the four excellent things to be learned from a cock. v}. ·¤õßð âð Øð Âæ´¿ ÕæÌð âè¹ð´... ¥ÂÙè Â%è ·Ô¤ âæÍ °·¤æ´Ì ×ð´ Âý‡æØ ·¤ÚÔ´U, ÙèÇÚUÌæ, ©ÂØô»è ßSÌé¥æð´ ·¤æ â´¿Ø ·¤ÚÔ´U, âÖè ¥ôÚU ÎëçCU ƒæé×æØð´, ÎéâÚUæð´

ÂÚU ¥æâæÙè âð çßEæâ Ùæ ·¤ÚÔ´U.

Union in privacy (with one's wife); boldness; storing away useful items; watchfulness; and not easily trusting others; these five things are to be learned from a crow. v~. ·¤éžæð âð Øð ÕæÌð´ âè¹ð´... ÕãéÌ Öê¹ ãô ÂÚU ¹æÙð ·¤ô ·¤éÀ Ùæ ç×Üð Øæ ·¤× ç×Üð Ìô Öè â´Ìôá ·¤ÚÔ´U, »ãUÚUè Ùè´Î ×ð´ ãUæð´ Ìô Öè ÿæ‡æ ×ð´ ©Æ Áæ°´, ¥ÂÙð Sßæ×è ·Ô¤ ÂýçÌ Õðçã¿·¤ §×æÙÎæÚUè ÚU¹ð´, ÙèÇÚUÌæ. Contentment with little or nothing to eat although one may have a great appetite; to awaken instantly although one may be in a deep slumber; unflinching devotion to the master; and bravery; these six qualities should be learned from the dog. w®. »Ïð âð Øð ÌèÙ ÕæÌð´ âè¹ð´- âÎèü-»×èü ·¤è ç¿´Ìæ Ùæ ·¤ÚÔ´U, ¥ÂÙæ ÕôÛææ ÉôÙæ Ùæ ÀôǸð´, âÎæ â´ÌéC ÚUãð´U. Although an ass is tired, he continues to carry his burden; he is unmindful of cold and heat; and he is always contented; these three things should be learned from the ass. Áô ÃØçQ¤ §Ù Õèâ »é‡æô´ ÂÚU ¥×Ü ·¤ÚUð»æ ßã Áô Öè ·¤ÚUð»æ âÈ¤Ü ãô»æ. He who practices these twenty virtues shall become invincible in all his undertakings.

Source: www.hindisathityadarpan.com

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER WITH LESLE LEWIS LIVE

Lesle Lewis has done it yet again by re-inventing Bollywood in his own unique & inimitable style. This time, the Tap Resto Bar at Saki Naka resonated with the sound of his music, with over a 1000 youth singing along at Lesle's Live Performance, which showcased contemporary & nostalgic Bollywood hits with a plethora of high energy international background scores ranging from rock, salsa, jazz, pop & EDM – numbers with ageless appeal to one and all. From Dum Maaro Dum, Roop Tera Mastana, Yaaron Dosti, Pari Hoon Main, Jaanam Samjha Karo and a Sa Ni Dha Pa, to today's fare and much more. SALMAN LAUNCHES AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SANIA MIRZA

Sania Mirza is a name synonymous with the sport she excels in – Tennis. Salman the Khan recently released the tennis star’s autobiography in Mumbai. 'ACE AGAINST ODDS' is the story of this iconic Indian player who overcame incredible odds to get to the top of her sport. Sania writes with candour of the hardships along the way, of the physical and emotional trauma caused by injuries and medical procedures, of the friends and partners who became her mainstay along with her family, about the pressures of constant public scrutiny and last, but not least, the politics and heartbreaks that inevitably accompany success. Salman Khan said “Sania has been an inspiration to a lot of young girls today. It’s her undying spirit with which she keeps going is what makes her special.” The book 'ACE AGAINST ODDS' is published by HarperCollins India.

INDIA'S ROHIT KHANDELWAL IS MR WORLD 2016

A young man from Hyderabad – Rohit Khandelwal – has created history, he is the first Indian to wrest the coveted title of Mr World 2016 from Asia. He puts 46 participants from across the world behind him in the race for Mr. World, bringing immeasurable honour to India. The event was judged by a reputed panel of judges comprising experts from various countries. After several rounds of sub-contests, including Mr World Talent, Mr World Sports Event and Mobstar People's Choice Awards, he was adjudged Mr World 2016 at a grand ceremony held on July 19 at Southport Theatre, Floral Hall, The Promenade, Southport (UK). He has also won the Mr World Multimedia Award at the event and a cash prize of US$ 50,000. Winning the pageant was important to him as no one else from the country has brought the title home so far. Rohit says: “My parents had tears in their eyes and said that I've made them proud. I gave my best in every round. For instance, I performed to Malhari (from Bajirao Mastani) in the talent round. Though it was a short act, I actually learnt sword fighting for it. In those 10 days that I spent with my co-contestants, I made a lot of friends. They liked my attitude and voted for me. The fact that I've been actively involved in causes and have conducted workshops gave me an edge over others. NRI Achievers Mumbai Bureau

VARUN DHAWAN A STAR ON HIS OWN STEAM

The affable actor who has come to in his own right up the ladder of success after his humble debut with Karan Johar’s THE STUDENT OF THE YEAR and proved his mettle in films like MAIN TERA HERO, HUMPTY SHARMA KI DULHANIYA, BADLAPUR, ABCD 2 and DILWALE tells NRI Achievers that though he finds the process of acting very boring, he finds it is very much worth it.

l What is your latest film Dishoom

about ?

The action adventure film is based on just a one line. What happens when India's top batsman goes missing in the Middle East and two cops from either side of the Arabian Sea set out for a 36hour man hunt for him. l What is your role in the film ?

Play Junaid Ansari, a rooky cop, who is on the trail of the cricketer. To prepare for my part in the film, I had to undergo three months of strenuous physical training. l What is Akshaye Khanna doing in

the film, which is a sort of comeback for him as an actor ?

Akshaye Khanna, who was last seen in GALI GALI CHOR HAI is all set to make a comeback with DISHOOM as the main antagonist. His role will be that of a flamboyant smart-talking villain, who rattles off one wisecrack after another. Though Akshaye has previously played villainous roles, in this film he will be garbed in a flashy, slightly over the-top wardrobe, as an Afghan man.

l Whose idea was it to cast Akshaye

Khanna in Dishoom ?

It takes a lot of courage for a director to take a decision to cast an actor who is unwilling to take up roles in films. It was my brother and director Rohit’s idea to cast Akshaye Khanna in the film, because he felt that he will be perfect for the role. Rohit even went out of the way to go to Akshaye’s house several times to convince him to be a part of the film. l What is Sajid’s contribution to the

song Sau Tarah Ke in DISHOOM ?

Sajid Nadiadwala’s contribution to the song Sau Tarah Ke in DISHOOM has been immense. It was more like a theme song in the beginning. He suggested it be made into a complete song. A film like DISHOOM could only be produced by Sajid. He has that sensibility. l How was the experience working with

Jacqueline Fernandez for the first time?

We shot in Morocco, Abu Dhabi and the Middle East. I knew John earlier as he had worked with my brother in DESI BOYZ. It was for the first time that I shot with Jacqueline, who is very chilled out. l Can you go on a flashback on your

career ?

After doing my Business Administration at Nottingham, I came to India, became an assistant director and then started learning from Barry John and even directed three short films. I showed to Karan the short film ADRENCHROME in which I had acted. He liked it and asked me to audition for STUDENT OF THE YEAR which he was planning to direct himself. To prepare me and Sidharth Malhotra, Karan sent us to Pineapple School of Dancing in London. l Was acting always in your mind even

when you were a kid ?

Till I obtained training in acting for two years from Barry John when he shifted from New Delhi and set up his acting school in Mumbai, I did not know how difficult it would be as an actor, because an actor’s life isn’t just about glamour. I went through the grind by being part of several plays that Barry conducted as part of his acting curriculum. Barry Sir knew that I wanted to act in films eventually and hence he encouraged me a lot to be well versed in not only acting but also dancing and bodybuilding by going to the gym. I learnt

Street Jazz from Shiamak Davar and dancing from Sanjay Yadav. It was sweet on the part of Prashant to offer to teach me gym training, without even taking a paisa from me. l What is your basic approach to act-

ing?

I hate makeup because though I am an actor, I find the process of acting very boring. I feel that it is very taxing to portray and project emotions on the screen. I also feel that the working hours for an actor are crazy but then at the end of the day, frankly I feel that acting is worth it. l Why did you prefer to be launched by

Karan Johar instead of by your own father David Dhawan ?

I confess that I did not want to work with father, because I would not have been able to learn in that case from him. My father has to his credit as many as 40 films, but unlike Karan Johar or Yashji who launch new faces, my dad hasn’t launched even one single new face. I am glad I made my debut with Karan Johar’s STUDENT OF THE YEAR. Dad and Karan do not even know each other socially because both their schools of films are different. Dad was happy when I told him that I had joined Karan’s unit as an AD. l You acted with your father in MAIN

TERA HERO after you delivered a hit in STUDENT OF THE YEAR. Why did you not like to piggyback on his name before ?

I am very practical and feel that cinema is no one’s birthright and hence I feel that I should come up on my own without piggybacking on my father’s brand name. People felt that David Dhawan ka beta tho comedy karega but I wanted to be an actor, not just somebody’s son. I’d like to do something edgy, because I get a kick by doing what people do not at all expect from me. I am proud of being the son of David Dhawan, who is a self made man. I knew that if I do not slog it out on my own, as his son I can go to any producer’s office, get a cup of coffee but will not bag a film, just because I am his son. l What was your father’s reaction ?

I am proud of my father and happy that he had stoically told me to make it on my own steam and not to expect him to launch a film for me, especially since even my elder brother Rohit had bagged his debut film as a director on his own steam. l What next ?

After DISHOOM, I am working in Karan Johar’s Shashank Khaitan directed BADRINATH KI DULHANIYA and Sajid Nadiadwala’s JUDWAA 2.

Jyothi Venkatesh

The writer is a well-known & established film critic.