The Cricket Fever

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“Ma’am I am feeling extremely low today. I wish I could travel back in time. I was so excited about the match yesterday,” said Amit, my colleague.

 

Amits’ enthusiasm for cricket is crazy. On his only day off, he travels all the way from Navi Mumbai to Malad to play cricket all day. The next day, he was always arrives at work on time without any sign of tiredness.

 

Today, he is disheartened and tried. He is disheartened by India’s defeat. It is such a different look for this normally fervent man.

 

Amit represents the teaming of fans that live for cricket. They not only know the sport not only by the rules but by the cricketers’ history and their family background. To them cricket is a religion – they eat cricket, they play cricket, they pray cricket, they talk cricket and they even walk cricket.

 

I noticed this love for cricket developing amongst boys during childhood. My chotu brother had just reached the 4^th standard, when he started walking and talking cricket. He made me laugh as he constantly bowled or batted as we walked. It was odd but I realized that most boys his aged acted that way as their love for the game of cricket grew.

The craze for cricket not only affects the young. It also keeps India young. During matches, a common and fun sight was my 75 year old my grandfather advocating cricket. My friend’s home was even more entertaining. My friend’s enthusiast mother used to prepare menu based on the cricket match. The menu ranged from South Africa-India bhindi masala to Pakistan-New Zealand cricket tadka dal. The family is so cricket obsessed that even their maid is given a day off from work to join them watch the cricket match on TV.

 

Let not forget, cricket and work. Most offices with television sets are set to watch the live telecast. We sneak away from work to watch the match. We get so involved in the match that it often seems as if we are playing the game and not those two teams. It makes the victory or defeat personal.

An emotional connection exists between game and all fans which is far far beyond the religion we follow or language we speak.

 

We bleed blue, we breath blue, we support blue because we believe in blue.

 

We might have lost in the semi finals this time but this is not the end of the world. Team India performed well and we are proud of them. The regrettable remarks made by some disappointed fans, about the personal lives of cricketers, do not truly show the true spirit of the hard core cricket lovers. It does not show the right spirit towards the game. Cricket is a game and we have to enjoy the spirit of it.

 

May the best team win and I am sure next time it will be India!

 

 

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Wish kar ke dekho

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Life is a series of incidents. Some surprise you while some are predictable. Many times these incidents

leave you amazed at the power of the universe.

Rashi, a young married woman moved to a new city with her husband Rakesh, a loving man who would

do anything for his family and her small daughter, who was too young to go to school. Moving to a new

city meant adapting to new routines and she was slowly getting used it but she missed her family and

friends and her old life. She missed working. She has lovely memories of her students and school. She

loved her life and her family but life wasn’t as satisfying.

She had spoken to her parents and siblings to elevate the homesickness but she couldn’t talk to them

about this feeling. She didn’t want to seem ungratefully for her many blessings. She just wished that she

had friends close by, even a single friend to spend time with and who would understand her feelings.

This longing grew as Holi approached. Celebrating the festival with just her husband and daughter would

be great but it wouldn’t have the same Masti just the years before when they were surrounded with

friends and family.

Thankfully the universe was hard at work and one day while whiling away her time on social media sites,

she noticed a friend had moved to the same city.

Raman was a childhood friend and neighbor with whom she grew up. They had lost touch due to family

fights. She contacted him through the site and invited him over for Holi fun and lunch. Thankfully, he too

was looking for a familiar face amongst the sea of strangers and agreed to let bygones be bygones and

accepted her invitation.

Holi in a foreign land became a happy time. Raman and Rakesh got along very well and she was happy to

have a friend.

Raman was also overjoyed to have friends in this new place. His status said felt at home with Rashi

Rakesh……I couldn’t have asked for more.

Rashi’s desire for a friend may have been stronger than Ramans but they both enjoyed having a friend to

share and cherish.

Life is bountiful and the universe giving. It waits to create a series of incidents to give your deepest

desires. So, look inside and decide what you really want. I am sure it will you will achieve it.

Have a Happy Holi guys!

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A recent travel experience

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I recently took a trip to a small village near my native place to seek blessings from Kula Devi. As we journey to the village, we traveled across the best and worst roads in MP. One of these kachha rastas was a never ending muddy road between green pastures. It was a beautiful sight and we were tempted to get out and walk around.

But we couldn’t!

This area was the source of inspiration for movies like Kayamat se Kayamat tak, Virasat, Shakti etc. It is well known as a home of ruthless individuals, savages, with two or more murders to their names. It is said that these individuals would send their kids to the city to studies and work, encourage them to never return while proudly boasting about their crimes.

I had no words to describe our shock and horror as our driver told us these real life horror stories.

On our way home, we experience another upsetting sight – a long line of people were waiting to see an Ojha baba that could cure all ailments and pains. We stopped and watched as this man chanted in a high pitched voice and sprinkled water of the ill. If anyone complained of pain after his healing, he coerced them into believing they were fine and then asked them to donate to build a temple. 

We asked around and learnt that this man was no spirituality leader but a government employee who had been doing this for 10 years as social service.

This trip was an eye opener. It made me ask myself many questions – what kind of world do we live? How can people behave like this? Why do we behave like civilized individuals out of India but not within India? Why do we follow blindly?

It also brought the realization that for India to grow, we need to stop following blindly and think for ourselves. I pray if prayers really work, that we Indians gain the wisdom to make the right choice.

Happy Diwali

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A dark night is celebrated as the brightest, most auspicious night of the year, what more can prove the positive attitude of humankind.

Diwali is not just a day when the share market is at its maximum or brands have the opportunity to complete half of their annual target, but also a time for families.

Diwali is holidays,

Diwali is Laxmi Puja,

Diwali is a time for bonding.

Diwali is excitement.

When I was a child, I could fill at least two pages for an essay describing the joys of Diwali. I would start my day making rangoli and eating sweets while the evening was spent with family and friends, sitting for a Puja for wealth and happiness for my near and dear ones, and lighting fireworks.

Today, Diwali still holds the same excitement. Decorating my home is still my favorite activity but the joy of fireworks has been replaced by the joy of time with my family. Instead of lighting fireworks, we spend time discussing noise pollution and the message of Diwali. We relive the joys of childhood watching the next generation, run around, faces lit up with excitement as the fireworks are lit up.

Diwali is not just a private family affair but also a day with a strong message – a message of hope where light defeats dark, knowledge conquers ignorance. Come let us heed the message of hope on this darkest night and work to become more human, human beings; and may our good deeds shoot up even higher than the share market.

Wishing all of you a very Happy Diwali!

We are the world

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The birth of a child is a cause for celebration. Do not lament if it is a girl. Simply, rejoice the arrival of this precious little one. For she will bring joy to your lives and smiles on your faces.

Always remember, if you are a parent to a girl, you are blessed. If you have adopted a girl child, you are blessed.For this tiny being turns into a wife and mother and her hands are the ones that shape the future of our world.

When a child is born, a mother is his first teacher. What she was taught, she will teach. So, educate and empower, every girl child, treat her with respect that every human being deserves and she will make a huge difference to humanity.

On October 11 International Day of a Girl, come let’s celebrate. If you are a man, celebrate your mother, sisters, wife and daughters. If you are a woman, celebrate being a girl.

 

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When good triumphs over evil

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Every coin has two sides, a head and a tail. Similarly, good and evil are two sides of a coin, good cannot exist without evil.

 

Rama and Ravana represent two sides of the same coin. Rama represents the good, while Ravana represents the evil. The fight between Rama and Ravana conveys a very meaningful message ‘For good to triumph over evil, good must fight or else all is lost.’

Like the tale of Rama and Ravana, our history has many similar stories. Each of them emphasizes that our world is full dualities, of good and evil and as long as the world exists, these dualities will continue to exist. Even within us, duality exists. We need to look within ourselves, acknowledge both aspects of our nature – good and bad and then strive to become better human beings. We need to find our inner strength, so, the evil that resides in the world and within ourselves does not sway us onto crooked paths to achieve our goals.

May this Vijay Asthmi bring light into our lives,

May we receive wisdom and strength to do the right thing, the right way,

So evil is defeated by good and we shine brighter with our values.

Happy Dussehera!!

 

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A Modern Woman

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The fastest way to change a society is to mobilize the women of the world. ~ Charles Malik

The role of women in society is constantly changing. Each generation changes the next through their words, deeds, actions and inactions. 100 years ago it wasn’t acceptable for a woman to be anything but a daughter, wife and mother. Educating girls was often an afterthought. We lived in a male dominated society until one generation of women dared to dream. They learnt, they taught, they passed on their ideals and the next generation, grew up believing in equality. Each generation of educated woman since has slowly transformed our world to create today’s modern woman.

A great example of this change exists within my own family – my mother andmy sister.

My mother is a simple housewife. She lived her life through us – her children. Our achievements and successes were hers. Our failures and criticisms were hers. She loved us and encouraged us but her life was restricted to home and hearth. She wasn’t raised to want or dream of more.

My sister – studied hard, got married, had a child, took a break from work to see him through his infancy and then she plunged back into the corporate world knowing she had more, gifts and skills, to offer. She is not only a daughter, a wife and a mother but also a valued member of the work force. Her world expands beyond the four walls of her home.

One family, two generations, two very different lives. We are who we are because she ‘our mother’ encouraged us to dream.

I am a modern woman of today. I didn’t have to fight to be educated. I am surrounded by strong, independent women, who do not let gender define ‘who they are’. This positive environment makes it difficult to connect to the concept of women empowerment. Then you turn around and are confronted by instances of inequality, of chauvinism that still exists in many segments of society and realize the need for empowerment.

I do not believe, however, that empowering women is enough. We need to work for society to truly to change, to create a world where a daughter is no less valued than a son or a world where ‘rape’ does not exist. I believe we have reached a stage wherein enlightenment is as important as empowerment; for only when each and every individual believes in equality will equality prevail.

We as woman have the power. We are the ones that shape the future by educating our children.  An enlightened woman raises a progressive child who ensures that our society continues to develop in the right direction.

Come let us become the change, we wish to see.

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Om Ganeshaya Namaha

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I adore the spirit behind Ganesh Chathurti, an eleven day celebration of Lord Ganesh, his life and his teachings.

Lord Ganesh is the God of wisdom, knowledge and new beginnings. He has many names and faces but whichever incarnation, his life – his devotion to his mother and friends, his obedience and his intelligence sets an example and tells us that living a righteous life has its rewards. After all, which other God has Gods and Goddesses seeking his blessings before starting a new endeavor.

I grew up listening to stories about Ganpati Bappa and I adore the spirit of this eleven day celebration but even before Ganesh Chathurti became a big community affair, Ganpati Bappa was a part of our lives. The size of the celebration may have changed but the significance hasn’t.

Every year, during Ganesh Chathurti, we bring Ganpati Bappa into our homes and bow our heads in pray. We seek his blessings to fulfill our objectives in life. By these actions, we profess our faith in his teachings – of obedience, of devotion.

Our world is full of people who are intolerant and manipulative, who think nothing of using another’s weakness to gain the upper hand. As devotees of Ganpati Bappa, we should endeavor not to do harm and stay away from evil be in thoughts or deeds. We should look at this time as a period of self reflection, a time to embrace our faith and a time to start anew. After all, it is our faith in Ganpati Bappa that gives us the strength to fulfill our objectives in life. We should also spend time – shaping a better world not only for ourselves but also for our family and society at large.

During this festival of Ganesh Chathurti, I hope that each and every one of us gains enough wisdom to believe in our own strength and dutifully fulfill our objective of life.

Happy Ganesh Chathurthi

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On India’s 68th Independence Day, Let’s strive to be truly free.

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“Aye mere vatan ke logon
zara aankh mein bhar lo paani
jo shaheed hue hain unki
zara yaad karo qurbaani…”

Every time I hear these words, I cannot help but follow the command. I pause and remember those who struggled and fought for our freedom; I stop and appreciate those who guard us, today, from harm.

Hearing Lata Mangeskwar sing ‘Aye mere watan ke logo’ resonates within my heart, like I am sure it resonates with yours, reminding us, that the freedom that we enjoy came at a cost – blood was spilt and lives were lost. It serves as a reminder that ‘We are free because they fought and we should treasure our hard earned freedom.’

And we do!

We show our appreciation for this precious gift of ‘freedom’ with our words and actions. We stand straight and tall when the national anthem is sung. We display our deep love for our country by calling our country our motherland and our language as our mother tongue, which is significant because while our fathers are the head of the family but it is our mothers that command the most respect. We also take pride in our heritage structures, knowing they now house our own government.

Unfortunately, despite how much we love our country and appreciate our freedom, how far our country has come in the past 60 years but we still have miles to go.

Our forefathers won our freedom from foreign oppressors but we sadly lost a battle to internal corruption.

Today, our country is a hot bed for corruption and we the common masses perpetuate it further by offering bribes to quicken work processes. We are the root cause of corruption and if we want India to grow, to become an economic and political power, we as citizens must fight to eradicate the corruption from the root.

How?

They say the war of independence gets the right direction only when the educated come together.

Today, we stand at the cusp of a new war, a war against corruption. We as proud Indians need to prove ourselves worthy of the gift of freedom our forefathers bestowed on us. We must look beyond the rosy picture offered, be aware of how the taxes we pay are utilized and raise our voices against injustice, discrimination and corruption.

So, that one day, in the near future, we can look at our National Flag and know that we deserve the freedom for which the freedom fighters fought.

On India’s 68^th Independence Day, I urge each and every one of you to take the first step against the fight corruption by taking this pledge with me

‘I pledge to neither give nor take bribes’.

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