“To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon the verdant green
hills is the most perfect refreshment.”
- Jane Austin

The nights always fascinate me; the dark demeanor, its peaceful yet poignant silence, its hidden and palpable mysteries, the sounds of an unknown bird. I can get a glimpse of the real essence of our mother nature and the entire cosmos in the unhampered beauty of the night. At lonely summer nights, while standing on the terrace of our duplex, when I look above the star studded sky with the moon showering its moonlight upon me...I think of all the ways we human have adopted to rip nature part by part to satiate our greedy needs and selfish demands!

I contemplate the world which could have been without the atrocities of the species called ‘men’. I visualize the beauty of the virgin nature which could have shown itself in its full glory sans our ugly deeds of destruction. The thoughts sometimes get interrupted with the sudden gust of a cool breeze which seems to whisper in my ears its song of silence…rejuvenating and healing inside out! And I return back to the present moment of serene calmness of the cool night which feels like a black cloak of mystery around me, protecting and providing a shelter where I can retreat. It is said that ‘a thing of beauty is a joy forever’, and what can be more beautiful than nature itself that maintains an eternal and divine balance in every single aspect of it!

Everything in nature seems to be in a perfect equilibrium, and variety adds so many auras to its already perfect beauty! One should read the famous poetry of Hopkins ‘Pied Beauty’ wherein he praises god for bestowing nature with a perfect balance of celestial diversity, which is at once beautiful and amusing!

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul”. - John Muir

The artistry of nature has been depicted in diverse phrases and poetry by numerous poets and sages, throughout ages. Still the boundless elegance could not be completely comprehended by men of any stature! Not because the beauty of nature is something complicated or ambiguous but because of its eternal and endless framework! It would be unjustified if we try to confine the aesthetics of nature in just those beautiful seashores with wailing waves, or those mountain heights with snow clad peaks, or in those green pastures with stretches of flowers!

Nature is an infinite and impenetrable entity which is an inseparable part of our very existence. The holistic beauty of it cannot be defined by its innumerable articulations which we witness in the forms of dark green forests, exotic waterfalls, hill tops, soothing meadows or swells of the oceans! But yes of course we can appreciate the beauty of the same in bits and pieces in that way! To understand the real essence and beauty of nature we must be ‘one’ with it, we must surrender our souls at our mother nature’s feet, we must feel its spirit in the depth of our hearts and most importantly we must unconditionally love it! It is easier to behold and bewitched by the beauty of nature and its various aspects like gardens, butterflies, birds’ chirping, the rain or the snowfall.

It is however not a plain task to feel the heart and soul of nature throbbing in our minds! Have you ever spoken with the trees and the small saplings with all tenderness like a friend does to another? Have you ever thanked graciously the rainfall after a hot summer day, as if it’s a living entity? Have you ever felt the energy of the wet soil while walking naked feet on it? Have you tried to listen to the song of silence in that cool breeze when it touched your tired and exhausted face? Have you ever felt a soothing peace within while feeding the animals or the birds? If the answer to most of these questions is a ‘yes’, then I would like to congratulate you for being capable to apprehend the fine balance between dream and reality, which marks the beauty of nature so amazingly, which illuminates, inspire and intrigues at the same time!

People with able eyes and noble hearts, having the powers to explore and discover the different beautiful details of nature, are the ones who never stop wondering at its endless phenomena; they are the ones who can create poetry without rhyming words, paint without colors and sing without lyrics…as they know the real ecstasy of rejoicing in the pure and holy bliss of nature. Nature manifests its beauty in order to draw us closer to it like a mother does to her child by alluring with something attractive and happy! And that is why it is so rightly put that,

“Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life” - Rachel Carson

It reflects its sacrifice and ‘love of giving’ through the waterfalls which never hesitates to fall down from such a height to be one with the ocean beneath…its meandering through several rocky aisles shows its determination and passion to create its own path! Or just behold the beautiful sky during the sunrise, when you can hear the welcoming chirping of the birds or the slow unveiling of the mother earth…the divine light of nature is like an assurance of a new beginning, a new hope of life! The sunset too bedazzle us with its colorful presentation of the firmament above, the clouds of varied shape and the setting-sun in a perfect elegant symmetry give out the message of a happy adieu! It asks us to forget and forgive; as the day comes to its end, it’s time all our aggression and depression makes an exodus! And then comes the night, healing, soothing and rejuvenating our body, mind and souls, putting our eyes into sweet slumber with Pacific dreams! The alluring sunshine when split itself into numerous rays through the branches of a leafy big tree, looks like the blessings of the almighty directly reaching for us to sanctify!

And when we listen to the sweet melody of the flowing river in the hill-side, we can feel the soothing magic it creates in our ears which otherwise gets ripped apart by the horrific noises of the pollution-laden city life. Those colorful wild flowers growing unruly at our backyard or at our terrace seem like smilingly reminding us of the innocence and simplicity of our short-lived yet beautiful life! The butterfly with a happy mixture of suave colors make our eyes glow with cheer and joy...most of the times even without any reason, except for its very sight!

Take for instance the forests that hide abundant enigma in its bosom, in the forms of sundry tress nesting kindred birds of various kinds in its branches, beautiful flowers of strange features, worms of all natures from weird and wriggling to harmless hornets. All life forms take shelter in their various protocols in the depth of the profound forests, giving rise to that flawless symbiosis. Nothing can prove to be more alleviating and composing than the sight of a rejuvenating meadow dominated by the calm greenery all around…with few bovine animals here and there feeding on the fresh grass. The divine deluge of natural beauty can be experienced in these vast endless pasture fields which let our vision dance in freedom till the sight of the horizon or a mountain top at a distant land.

The magnificent display of numerous flowers of various colors and kinds can make us feel out of this world into some angelic abode while the peaceful presence of the near and far native farms remind us of the nearness to the ground!

“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more.”
- George Gordon, Lord Byron, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage

The umpteen expressions and countenances of nature have inspired numerous photographers to capture the moments and the beauty in their lens, various poets to etch the elegance in the web of their words and many other expressionists to reflect their love of art through the eye of a naturalist. In the process many have witnessed and experienced the depth and soul of our very cosmos or Mother Nature which led them to attain unmatched wisdom and clarity about life without its shell of chaos and complications.

Nature and its miscellaneous incessant interpretations have the powers to transform us to wiser, more sensible and loving beings…only we have to open up the links and doors to let the positive vibes and emotions touch our lives to fill it with an undying source of ecstasy and an eternal celebration of balance and peace. Nature is hence beautifully regarded as our mother for it does not only give birth to us and takes care of all our needs, hungers and demands by providing all necessary substances to support our living in the form of oxygen, water, earth and its numerous minerals and fuels, foods and shelter, but also because like a true mother it teaches us the best lessons of our life which makes the journey of existence a smoother and happier experience.

It allow us to rejoice the glory and drink the nectar of its beauty which comes in the most purest and unadulterated form to help us restore our lost and exhausted senses and to exhilarate our life forces. The beauty of nature is a living entity with a spirit of its own which is consistently communicating with us through different expressions and reflections without any pretenses or human-like hypocrisy. Now, the ball is in our court, we can either lift it and keep it with us as a holder of many treasures or can kick it back from where it came.

However, just as a coin with two sides, nature too has a violent side along with its life-giving qualities. Imagine the vision of a thunderstorm or a tornado, or a raging tide in the ocean which wants to engulf all things in its vicinity.
Think of a landslide or sandstorm or a sudden eruption of a volcanic mountain; nevertheless the sight will appear beatific from a healthy distance, but the outcomes of these enraged disposition of nature will certainly be redundantly destructive. Since the creation of earth till date, the natural catastrophes have been present and withstood by men in different centuries.

It is but an obvious thing for a mother to lose temper at times, at the notoriety of her children; the only sad difference is that men have exceeded all their limits and last edges of mischief-making and sinful activities against their mother of the highest order, which is ‘Nature’. But it is a never-ceasing fact that our attitude and attachment with our cosmos and universal order determines our capability to protect, admire, replenish and appreciate the life-giving nature with all its beautiful associations. And to develop the right essence and balance of our senses, wisdom and intelligence we must allow the quintessential elements of nature seep into our very souls and minds, pouring the perfect amount and quality of knowledge and insights about the truth and depth of life and death.

"Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles”. - Anne Frank

A very interesting attribute that I always associated with nature is the concept of ‘five elements’ which consists of fire, water, air, earth and firmament. We all believe that everything on earth, animated or inanimate, is made of these five elements in differing measures. And that is a reason behind the popular belief of the ‘five forces of nature’ which used to be worshiped by our forefathers. Even today many civilizations and remote tribes worship and pay homage to the elements of nature which determine the flow and changes of the winds, the course of river, the time, path and duration of monsoon or the phases of the moon.

Nature is synonymous to almighty; it is an extension of god’s existence on earth, its beauty and elegance a magic which is ever-present but seldom realized. Man may be the master of his own fate but he’ll never gain the power to defy the creator…to deny the beauty of nature.

“God is the friend of silence. Trees, flowers, grass grow in
silence. See the stars, moon, and sun, how they move
In silence.”
- Mother Teresa

Restrospecting Respect...

Respect never comes with age, relationship, professional expertise or financial status…it depends on one’s benevolence, wisdom and contribution towards art, nature, country and humanity.Why is it that we have to touch feet or show pretentious respect to all the elders we meet? Why do we have to follow all the words said by sages and those so-called 'gurus' who are later charged with adultery or some molestation cases? Or why are we asked to respect people just because they are our aunts or uncles, or some aged relatives, who knows nothing of relationships?

I beg to differ from all these cliched concept of respect! On retrospecting on respect i came to my individual conclusion that i would not waste or belittle this very word by showing respect to all those who never deserves it, but just craves for it with all the wrong intentions. Respect is a feeling which should be preserved for people who are blessed with the power of pure love, wisdom, benevolence, creation and sacrifice! No one else should dare to achieve it!

The Lotus Blooms..."Nam Myoho Renge Kyo"

The victory is nearby...of my faith and my practice and the divine chants..It's going to be almost an year that i was accepted as a member of SGI family, after being introduced by Swati on 12 July 2010. But i have been into chanting from quite some time. To be honest i have not devotedly did my Daimoku and daily gong-yo or even missed few of the study meetings. However I cannot deny the power and protection of Gohonzon whenever i called for his help and guidance. I cannot forget those days and moments when i took shelter in its faith and belief followed by my clarity of vision and a sudden solution to my bothering problems. Yes, it may sound as miracles but all my answers were listened to. Well, here i would want to make e point that, my practice and faith besides teaching me to rely on the power and principles of lotus sutra, also teaches me the great art of acceptance. There are certain events and incidents which are pre-destined and thus should not be disturbed to change its course in order to satisfy our wants and urges. My practice and membership in SGI have brought immense inner strength, and an omnipresent sense of calm inside me, that have put me into peace with myself, that have taught me to stand still in face of all adversities with stoicism and honesty. it has taught me to expect nothing that i do not deserve or cannot preserve. and above all i learn t the lesson of letting off of things that are not meant to be with me. Am thankful to my Gohonzon!

Write To live

Writing for my own blog is like having a soliloquy..it's like standing near a mirror seeing my own reflection..and sometimes or better say most of the times, it's the trickiest thing to do!We live at a time where 'distance' plays the major role in our existences, however close we might feel to each other coz of the electronic factors like internet, social networking and televisions etc...but a strange dissociation always prevails. And it's the ugliest when we part away from our owns selves..we stop relating to our inner realm...it's a loss if at the end of the day we fail to gather our dislocated pieces of mind, soul and heart. And thus I feel at complete ease with myself when I write..not for an earning or out of a compulsion..but just to my heart's desire. I write on everything and anything that bothers and amuses or surprises me...write away all that crap and trash out of my heart and mind...write and vent out all the negativity and sadism that create disturbances within. Write to the glory of life and wisdom...to the darkness of pain and fear...write to at times hide my tears and shame...I write to keep myself alive and kicking the blues out of my life! Cheers!!...to words! Hail Expressions!!

A Demon In Disguise

We all have it in us…in differing levels although! Some deny it and some has the courage to acknowledge it. Still some has the guts to celebrate it openly!  It is a kind of inheritance that has been passed down to us from our forefathers since a long time. Of all nations India possess it in the most striking varieties. If dealt with wisdom and honesty, its survival can be challenged greatly. But still the slightest of residue might remain…unknown to the person, who’s carrying it. In relationships it plays a major source of disgust and disrespect…hidden bitterness and dishonesty with full of biased behavior towards people and oneself. In professional life, it brings in enemies in disguise and results in loosing co-employees’ trust and reliance. It distances you from your reality, it distances your individuality and honesty, and it distances you from truth, courage, justice and dignity. A person possessed with it cannot differentiate between the right and the wrong, the real and the unreal, the truth and the lie. It is a contagious disease that turns its patient into a backstabber, a pretentious mischief-maker, a sadist and sometimes a dominating destructor. It is none other than ‘HYPOCRISY’! Beware of its entity…don’t let it beguile your soul! It’s lurking somewhere nearby…! It’s a demon in disguise.

Ode to Eternity...

Ode to Love...

Ode to Oblivion...

Ode to Nocturnal...

Mystery of Two Worlds!

There are two worlds in the life of every person, the world which we live within, and the one that lives within us. The two antipodal identities of two different worlds. The external world remind us of our roots, our attachments to other existences and relationships with our near and dear ones, it reminds us of our social affiliations and responsibilities.

The external world most importantly bind us with the universal ties of humanity and belonging. However, the importance of the external world seldom overshadows the significance of our internal kingdom! The world that resides within us without a public appearance is the most undemanding one, harmonizing our internal disparities and restoring the most needed spiritual calm...and all it expects from us is just a celebration of our individuality and original nature and innate innocence. It is the budding ground of our deepest emotions and truest expressions...it is the cradle of all our creativity and mighty imaginations. It is the land of dreams that relieves us from the harsh realities of the external world! It revives and rejuvenates our soul and spirit to confront life and its roller coaster rides..the tides and ebbs of time and the grimaces of fate. Often we attend to just the external entity at the expense of the inner world of us, or vice versa.

Let's see for instance what happens when we ignore our external world of reality and take resort in our inner oblivion. You must have heard of a term called 'hedonism'. Yes, people who forget about their external responsibilities to become a slave to their self centered desires and dreams and loose their practical mind to follow the night fires of their fantasies in search of supposedly salvation and freedom are the losers who are called the 'escapists'. With their continuous drift from the natural and universal ties with other living entities and worldly duties, they isolate themselves further from all sense of belonging and finally lose in the dark and labyrinth myth of their own mind. But similar is the condition of those who separate themselves form their inner cosmos. After a certain time, they tend to forget their individuality and true nature and innateness, they lose connection with their creativity and originality. They tend to forget what they want from life, who they actually are and what they truly desire form life, giving way to frustrations and disillusions, a feeling of meaninglessness and obligatory existence.

Thus the imbalance between the two worlds results into a clash and chaotic disparity between our heart and head, our logic and feelings, our thoughts and ideas and our practicality and emotions! So, we should never let the ground of reality beneath our feet go apart as well as never should deter from looking high at the sky of our endless imaginations. Together they decide where we belong, where we stand and where would we reside!

The day I took birth...It was my birthday!!

So what! The meaning of it has reduced to just a summation of a digit, addition of a year to my existence...fortunate or unfortunate, I wouldn't go to that discussion. Nevertheless, for a die-hard optimist and a hopeless romanticist like me, blows and blunders of destiny and fate hold but little importance...what bothers me is my never ending hope of a new beginning! I was somehow determined to spend the day normally and without much hollow hypes and far cries, but even without riding a hobby-horse, I had a great fall from all my minimum wishful thoughts of the day! Well, as usual I just shrugged the hurt and dirt, looked around merrily as if nothing happened (grimacing with good humour) and walked ahead with an undying zeal in search of few happy moments, fighting back the tears all the time. Sometimes the presence of the ones whom you love the most becomes so hauntingly indifferent and hurting that you would rather feel like sobbing in loneliness than putting a fake smile for them!  But then at night I wished myself with a new dream in eyes 'Happy Birthday To me'!!