Hello everyone! Today I want to share with you all, a poem that I accidentally came across in the morning. It seems to be born out of genuine heart-wrenching experiences inevocably leading an innocent, thoughtful person to the reality of existence, to his or her search for completeness, happiness, a lasting and honest belongingness as I percieve. Friends, the hurdles in the path of our work are actually hidden stepping stones to developing intelectual consciousness. Now let me share this beautiful poem my peer showed me written by  'ORIAH MOUNTAIN DREAMER'. If you too feel connected to this, then please do share your words with us.


The Invitation


It doesn't interest me what you do for a living
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dreams
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life's betrayals
or have become shriveled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your
fingers and toes
without cautioning us to
be careful
be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand on the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
"Yes."

It doesn't interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after a night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the center of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments


~Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Reliving a mythological past...

Ritualistic worship in the Holy Temple.

Hello folks, this is about my visit to a famous temple in the place of Kullu. Yes, the famous tourist spot in state of Himachal Pradesh in India. The Dusshera celebration of Kullu is very well-known and significant to all Indians. This celebration marks triumph of righteousness over sinfulness. It is said that Shri Rama, the King of Ayodhya, during his exile won over Ravana, the king of demons by killing the latter on this very day. The king of Kullu in the fifteenth century, in order to do 'Prayaschita karma', following the tenets of a great saint, established the temple nowadays we know as the Raghunath Temple of Kullu. Thumb-sized idols of Narsimha Bhagwan, Shri Rama, Sita ji, Hanuman ji are worshipped ceremoniously each day in daily 'poojan' and then 'Aarti' is performed. The dieties are offered ornamental flower garlands, chandan, various kinds of 'bhogam' consisting of fruits, food cooked in 'vaishnav' kitchen. Red 'coloured tilakam' and 'bhog prasad' is given to all devotees present and one finds lot of peace in the temple premises during all the ceremonious affair, which lasts almost uptil noon starting from about 7:00 in the morning.  There are temple of Lord Shiva too where one experiences divine peace just by offering a waters on the shivpindi. The temple is full of fragrance of incense sticks burning all through day. Sacred plants of Tulsi can also be seen. To those desirous of sitting just with thier ownself can sit on raised open platform covered by pyradimal wooden roof . My peers and myself really enjoyed the peace and serenity of sitting in this structure. The place reverbrates with Ram mantra as if divine souls are chanting continuosly. We were told the significance of the idols.These are said to be same idols that were used in performing 'Ashwamedha yagya' in Ayodhya, by Shri Rama. These are thumb-sized and covered. This indicates that the real divine self of a human is just like a thumb, so small situated in the centre of the being, the heart and it is covered with veil of ignorance. What a marvellous description to lead an ignorant to truth! Friends, I also feel that doing all rituals ceremoniously like bathing the diety in various ways, 'poojan', 'archana' signifies we also have to do purification, decoration of ourselves with virtues in order to reach the inner being and this should be a daily ritual of celebration. And last but not the least performimg 'aarti' of discovered new self each day as manifestation of divine by self-introspection. And one day, by grace of our Master 'Ram Rajya' will prevade in our being, in our heart which would exude tremendous peace, calmness, an equanimity, a joy, a celebration. Yes... dear friends  one really feels this peace and joy in the divine Raghunath Mandir, even the sunlight feels so smiling and calm here and one can experience what people in the kingdom of Shri Rama had felt! Let us all get these blessings and the peaceful sweet joy...

Recipe for delightful tasty quickie sandwiches....

Sweet and tangy pudina sandwiches....

Ingredients:  (for two sandwiches)
Long sliced fibre bread 
(Edges cut)    3 slices
Mixed fruit jam  q.s. to make thin layer
Pudina chutney* q.s. to make thin layer





* How to make pudina chutney
Ingredients:
Fresh mint leaves or pudina    200g
Coriander     200g             
Anardana    1/2 tsp

Fresh lemon juice    1 tbsp  
Sugar to taste
Salt to taste
Method: All the ingredients are blended together to make a smooth paste.

Method: Initially spread some pre-warmed jam on one bread slice. (Preferably take jam in a bowl and let it get warmed by immersing base in a hot water container). Place second slice on top. Then spread thin layer of tangy pudina chutney evenly. Place the third slice. Now cut diagonally. Or you can also roll the triple layer and let these set in a fridge. Then cut into small round pieces to get multilayered coloured tangy rolls. Now these are ready to be eaten. Serve fresh with juice, tea or any beverage.

Making a cup of Tea.... steaming hot one





Dear everyone Hello...

This is to share all experiences of life, of a moment or a combination of the moments... a day we which we call. A medium to share a cup of tea called life. Yes friends, life is definitely like a cup of tea, at least for me. It gives its aroma, its sweet taste, refreshing sip starting from your mouth then spreading with the slurp to your senses and your being. Smiles... Its funny and interesting even though sometimes life shows you a hard face, like a hot cup of tea, real hot one..! Huh! But when you are travelling like a nomad in the mountains and walking whole day in the midst of cool lush valleys and snow-covered mountains, what would be more refreshing  than a steaming HOT cup of tea. Laughs... Dear friends life is like a tea ceremony, you enjoy each moment be it giggling with your friends, your loved ones, sharing a pancake on the breakfast table with your younger siblings stubbornly asking for it. Aha..! So if you relax and look back its not that bad at all. Rather an overview shows what a drama you were living, in my words what a nice cup of tea you were being served. Friends this blog is for sharing from all aspects of life. A delicious recipe, a beautiful photo captured here or there, in a desert or on a mountain, a real event or just a joke, something wierd  or meeting just a girl-next-door, a memorable moment or just anything dear friends... Let's see how many flavours are there for us in the tea we'll be served with... Aha ! Just let's start our journey, a journey reaching to the present moment, journey to reach the now, journey to look and still be within... a journey to us... !!!!

The first sip.
Friends this is an ancient temple in village Dharampur, in a small hill station of Kasauli situated in the foothills of Himalayan range popularly called the Shivalik range. Walking through nearly one-and-a half hour, enjoying cool breezes of hills, green vegetation all around was a treat for the eyes which had tired in city smoke.
Sight of this temple made us so happy. We went inside and were further elated. It was temple dedicated to 'Maa Aadya Shakti', the feminine power who has created the universe. Hindus have great reverence for 'Devi Durga'. She is considered as feminine manifestation of the Divine. The 'Devi' signifies triumph of good over evil. According to Hindu mythology, for conserving value and 'dharma' in universe, the 'Devi'  in various forms has emerged and killed the 'rakshasas' who caused destruction in society by inflicting pain on people on righteous path. The 'Devi' is known as 'Mahishasuramardini'  where she killed the demon 'mahisasura' ('mahisa' means buffalo) on being prayed to do so by the 'devtaas'. 'Devas' are considered those who spread goodness and look after the sustenance of the universe.  Friends, what I feel is that its only goodness which brings happiness and prosperity and also truthful knowledge to human beings. Whenever there is overt rudeness, harshness, intolerance to one another, the path of destruction is started. Even if  goddess wants to give us prosperity, will we let her? Yes, dear friends the Divine Mother is a great force, we have complete faith in her but let us see in what little ways we can give our service to Divine Mother by joining her cause. If not more, how many smiles can we spread, how many times do we smile in her creation. How many times we speak with love with others and do we take proper care of our ownself or not? Are we living like a sad blot on mother earth or are we cheerful birds of the Lord? Friends, I believe happiness is an attribute to be shared and we can share only if we HAVE it. And we all know sharing can be righteously extended as charity to some needy soul, a fellow human who's just in need today, but tomorrow can stand up on his or her own. Dear friends, I believe as children of 'Maa Aadya Shakti' we can start honestly with simple things and then the Divine Mother will definitely make us feel Her blessings!.... So joy to everyone...!

The second sip

Yes friends today is the time to share another wonderful  visit to a famous Christ church again in Kasauli. We were reallly getting enchanted by the strange but beautiful architecture of the Anglican church built in the nineteenth century. Looking at the church it felt like god has chosen a calm place for himself in the ruggedness of a countryside. Smiles..  The amazing thing is, dear friends that looking from another angle the same monument seemed like a place just for visitors, a class-apart marvel...like a place for rendezvous with the Almighty... !!! Uh.... that was a very imaginative, learning and fruitful day we had. Now it was but natural that we would be feeling real pangs of hunger in our tummies, after so much travel on foot. Then relaxing in our place of stay in nearby, a comfortable lodge that was surrounded by huge trees and cool environs, we rested. And moreover we prepared delicious pudina sandwiches for ourselves. Really folks, they were like delicacy of a kind for us that  day, and yes because they were self-made, we congratulated ourselves for the tasteful misdemeanour and remembered god in every bite... yummy....