One anniversary for the country; and one for me too.

It is 15Th of August and India celebrates the 63Rd anniversary of its independence. After long years of British rule, India finally broke the shackles of slavery and rose like a free bird to soar into the enjoyment of its newly found freedom. 

On the eve of 15Th August 1947, the first prime minister of India, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, spoke these words which have not only been etched in  the pages of history, but also engraved in the heart of every Indian;

"...at the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A time comes which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, when the soul of a nation long suppressed, finds utterance..."

Today, as the curtains ring down on the 63Rd year of our independence,and we stand on the threshold of its 64Th anniversary,all institutions across the nation celebrate this day of independence in some level or the other.The PM hoists the Tricolour at the Red Fort in New Delhi, the capital of India; government institutions have their heads doing the same and the national flag holds its  head high on top of the buildings, it has the feeling of triumph and it is no longer under the iron fist of foreign rule.

At the school levels, the flag hoisting is followed by a march past, some sport competitions, prize distributions, and a wonderful cultural program and oh! Yes, lots and lots of speeches!


After talking of the Indian anniversary,the time comes that I tell you of what makes this date so important for ME...


I just told you of the celebrations at the school levels and that's where I come in.


I changed 3 schools in the same city and it was only in the last school that I gained recognition for my talent in oration and acting.The first English teacher of the 3Rd school gave me the first chance at comparing. ...and it was Independence day!


Since that day it was never looking back. I anchored all the functions at school and even some of the programs that were not by school but the only relation was that they were private events of the people who owned the school . I am thankful to all those people who kept faith in me even when I initially fumbled.


Today, I am celebrating the 5Th anniversary of comparing and acting. It was real celebration and I just returned home hoping that I finish writing this before mid-night.


This might not be the best blog post ever, but that is all I can write after returning from a movie, dinner and real late night shoe-shopping( seriously only my mother can go to shops just about to close and buy shoes only half an hour before midnight!).




    


  

The Lady from the newspaper...

Some days ago as I sat reading the newspaper, I came across a photo of a Lady, really pretty.

It somehow captivated me and I set to work copying it as a sketch...really poor...you can hardly recognize the lady!!! 

Spontaneity...a card game, an anecdote.

I haven't have had much time to write recently, but, I do have all the mind of narrating to you all an incident that took place about four years ago as I sat along with my father at the dining table with nothing to do, getting thoroughly bored. Now, just as key let me tell you that, when talking of playing cards, in most of the Indian languages; spade, hearts, diamonds and clubs changes to- Ispick, Badam, Chaukat and Kilver. For my story, the first one, Ispick is the most important. note that it is pronounced as- EE- spik- more or less like E- speak.

Now coming back to that day, four years back...

I sat at the dining table with nothing to do and my father was beside me, so invariably I asked him to speak or rather Ispick -( please do note the pun was deliberate!!!)

I continued to repeat like a parrot until he finally got cheesed off and said,"Keep quiet or else I'll give you a club on the head!", he said with a chuckle in his voice, proud of his spontaneity.

As if I was ever going to keep mum and said with a puppy dog face,"...Have a heart...!"

He said," ...well not unless you give me some Diamonds!!!"

That was the end of one of the most enjoyable and memorable card games I'll ever have...

Missed it!

THE MOBILE FETISH

I recently undertook a journey with my classmates as a school trip that required us to travel for 36 hours one way(and then the other way too!!!).

These chattis hours of the Chhattisgarh express have dawned a realisation upon me. The mobile fetish has gripped the human world. Every owner of a pair of hands had a mobile in his hand. Constant messaging, chatting, gaming and listening to songs was all that was going around me.

First the continuous click- clacks of the never tired texting hands and then the emotions related to the SMSs. I know of one of my companion who was so attached to her messages that she would burst out crying on receiving a reply and the situation was no different if she didn’t! She would at times not eat all together and at some rare instances she would burst out laughing as if no one else understood the joke! Yes her mobile had made some weird effect on her!

The mobile was so invented to bring the near ones closer, but rather it has parted to a large extent, the near ones. No one has any time to look up and talk. The personal contacts were formed and broken…

No one was ready to enjoy the tranquil twilight breeze that blew outside the window rather they seemed far more interested in the windows XP that worked on their lofty models. A silent competition prevailed- I must have that phone! The worst times were when the noiseless competition grew into a violent war for the charging booth.

I soon realized the implications –they all missed the beautiful scenery that went past my eyes but I pity those who only saw the message pass into the other phone. The chilly fog didn’t make a way through their hair, the beautiful patterns it made amidst the trees. The pretty red flowers that bloomed in the dark green bushes and the silvery dew that still slept on the delicate petal bed…

Yet all I could do, is feel sorry!

The Golden Night

GOLDEN TEMPLE, AMRITSAR

Enter into the vicinity of the golden temple and the instant sense of relaxation and calm will descend upon you. Even the sight of the golden dome from far away is a treat to the mind and soul. As one inches closer to the place, a huge imposing gate with a welcoming appearance stands before you. There are four such gates on all the sides to symbolize that anyone from anywhere is most welcome.

I reached this place at about seven in the evening when the lights were further adding to the splendour of the glittering gold.

Once inside, the view of the serene lake with the golden temple right in the middle is breathtaking. The lake is structurally contained and is surrounded by beautiful marble flooring. The source of the lake is an underground spring that feeds it. Pilgrims are always seen taking a dip into the holy water. This is symbolic of cleansing not the body but the soul. Beside the temple complex are gigantic dormitories and dining halls where pilgrims irrespective of gender, caste, race or religion are boarded and fed for free. The flooring and architecture is unique and shows the symbiosis of both Hindu and Muslim architecture.

All about the temple are booths where you can offer services of doing menial physical jobs such as swabbing the floor, cleaning the glass windows or cleaning utensils used to serve the holy water from the lake. This symbolises equality of every man before the almighty. No one is big or small, superior or inferior- all just the same.

Before you enter you are to get the Prasad of a sweet made from dalia to be offered to god inside. And now you are ready to stand in the long big queue to enter the temple.

The main temple stands marvellously like a floating houseboat all glided in gold from the first floor till the tip of the dome. Inside, amidst a full-fledged band of flutes, drums and stringed instruments are singers who sing devotional songs right from dawn to long after sunset. On a jewel studded platform is the Adi Grantha, the holy scripture of the Sikhs.

The shrine is three floored and is completely covered with intricate meenakari work from the inside. There are marble staircases leading you to the floors. The view of the sanctuary from one floor above and the serene lake from the window are an asset to behold in your hearts lifelong. There is an urge to just sit there forever and listen to tuneful songs that carry tranquillity all over.

The golden temple has seen invaders come and go, destroy it, but every time it has been built better. The golden temple stands for peacemaking and always will.

a fresh day...

It is a new day today and everything seems so fresh and nice. Coincidently most of the things in my life are either starting today or ending (with a promising new start). I am also new to this side of the internet and take this day to start a blog and explore all new avenues.

When good things happen to you or you feel pleasant, the time is most amusing and inspiring. And what could be better than the Hindu new year commencing today, the final exams getting over (tomorrow), being invited to the principal’s house for her son’s birthday celebrations(he happens to be my classmate), I didn’t even have a tiff with my mother for the whole day…really everything seems just so right!!!

I AM INSPIRED!

But something’s very sad… time is running out and I can’t write more, not even introduce myself well.

But I’ll be back soon!

More later

Samyukta Shastri