...A ray of Tru Lite.....!!!

.....The Happy Diwali  sign on the  UN  Bldg @ NY  is  heartwarming  .....the  Indian Festival  of  Lights  finally  assuming  Global proportions ....as  we  celebrate  Deepawali  frm  all  across the  world : Quoting  Sri Aurobindo "........Even  if  thr  is  much Darkness  &  the  World  is  full  of  it  , & the  physical self  of  Man too , yet  thr  is  a  Ray  of  True  light  , which will  prevail  eventually  against  a   Ten  fold darkness ...believe  tht  & cleave  to  it  always........."Unquote.......Incredibly , Lives  r  being  lost all around  us , at  a pace of  a  strife  of  a  dead  end ....with all  its pervading  Darkness...Let  the Lites  of  Deepawali  overcome the darkness  eventually  , Celebrating  Life in  all  its  Glory....!!!...Wishing  all Kins   ,  Fmly ,  Frnds a  Very  Happy Diwali.....!!!!

.....The Butterflies & thr Unscheduled round....!!!

Norwegian ship Sørlandet – nicknamed “The pearl of Norway”. (Photo/Daily Mirror)  Quoting SUN.MV News....Quote ...." The world’s oldest full rigged ship still in operation, oldest of the three Norwegian Tall Ships, Sørlandet – nicknamed “The pearl of Norway” will be arriving in Maldives soon.
The ship, on a two-year circumnavigation of the world with 70 high school students from A+ Academy, is currently docked in neighboring Sri Lanka......"  Unquote....
To see a  Fully  Rigged  Ship  will be a  Dream  Come  Tru......after  hvn  being  fed  steadily  with  images  &  stories  of  Voyages around  the  Globe  by  Great  Navigators  who  discovered  the  World for  us....Nothing  can  be more  Adventurous  , Dangerous , Chivalrous  thn  Navigating  the  Untamed Deep  Blu in  a Rigged  Vessel.....recently  fresh in  mind  Vasco da Gama's Discovery  of  Calicut,  &  hvin pased  it  to  the Children , they will  surely  be  awe  struck once  the  Vessel  is  docked  here.....this  time  for  a  difft  reason  the  Butterflies  r  doin  their unscheduled  rounds .....yes  ,  in  the  Abdomen .....!!!!! Thanking SUN.MV for  the  info  & Update....

.....On Tested Waters....

.....the  festive  Mnth  will  reach  its  Crescendo  now  with  Deepavali  round  the  corner....the  depression  @ Bay  of Bengal  is  circumspect of  a possible  Dampened  Deepavali....the  scenario  here  is  highspeed  winds  &  smart  showers & dropping  of  the  mercury.....never  in  India  I had  the opportunity  of  Raincoats  being  used   so  frequently , as  it is  here.....good  for  the Agricultural  Islands  here....Children  r happy ; now as many  as  three parks  r  being  laid in  the  City afresh to  give  a breathing  space  to  the  Island's children ....Exams  r  round  the  corner ....the kids will  be  free  by  Mid  Nov instant ...followed  by  the  yr  end  trip  to the  Indian Mainland a  trip  over  the Laccadive  Sea ........though tempted  by  a  cruise  for  Bombay  frm  Male'  in DEC : a week  long  trip......but  I  believe  , not  this  yr  for  us  , it  has  to  wait as the  cruise  circuit  is  new ,  now  being  explored...Cruises  come  all  over  the  world  & do  call  on  Male' Port every  yr  ,  but  an Originating  one  frm  Male' is a  new  endeavour  I  believe.....tru  these pristine  waters hv  long  haul  Safari Boats  & yachts on  tested  waters .....Gud  to  note  the Archipelago  doing  so  well  in  the  Tourism sector , bringing  rapid  advancement  & modernity.....in  as  much  a  century  ago,  thr  were  v  few  Schooners mostly  Royal &  HMS  Steam Ships an  Occasional  sight  for   the  Islanders .....!!!!

.......The Bloodied rivers of a Civilization .....!!!

 .....the outlook  has  to  be  broad.....to encompass all......for a better  understanding........Global is  the word for  the  Children .......the  innumerable  Entry  &  Exit Stamps  on  the  Passport is a reminder  of  our  changed  existence.......the  modern  World  just  as  fit   to  partner in  the Journey......Communication   ......the  latest  Mantra ......armed as  we  r  , nd   a  distance  is  felled by  the tools  of  communicability.......the Passionate  studiousness with  the handset  has  cut  across  all levels  of  society  , in  tht ,Communicability  has boomed......!!!.....we  r  witness  to this silent   revolution......people hitherto  groping  in  the   tunnel  of  ignorance  ,  now  marching out   in  confidence......the more  we step  out  of  our cocoon the more  enlightened  we  become......notwithstanding the  recent  disturbances   in  the  world  in general....as history  proves  ......passing  phases  r  mandatory  in our  Evolution.....hence  it  is  pertinent  tht  the  mind  has   to  be  broad  &  all  encompassing.....!!!!....it  is  painful  to  see the  muck  &  weed  all  around.....its  painful  to  see  the  tunnelling   of  vision & equally  painful  to see being  torn  apart.....as Lord Mountbatten despatches  Lord Ismay his COAS with  final partition  plans to London , thr  is  a melancholic strain   in  the  ViceRoy's Durbar......as  India  would  be  amputated  shortly......as Churchill's  "Naked  Fakir" is crippled  at  the  scenario of  "The  Two Nation Theory"......As  if  , Just  because  the  Motherland  embraced different  religious  beliefs  , different  people of all  shades  from  different  parts   of    the world  , tht  doesnot  & didnot  change  the  Ethnicity  of   the   region .....the  language  , food  ,  music  , festivities  , art   ,  architecture .....an  unparallel  fusion  of   communities   in   tandem ...... .The  Indus , The Ganges  ,The Brahmaputra....its  people  &  its apposing   ethnicity.....all  in common........alas, too  much  bad  blood  is  flowing  thru  these rivers   of  Civilization....probably as  with  all  great  civilization    to  the  point  of  Decimation......!!!! 

.....The Departure...!!!!

....Devi  Ma will  depart  tomorrow.....a lump  in the  throat  for  many .....ABP Ananda  & Belur mathth  Live keeps  us  alive, buoyant in the continuing  festivities....contacts  with  closest kins  continue .....those  who  shared  the  same  childhood  path....strewn  with Love care & affection  & Bonhomie.....Common  history & path r  indelible....Cherished  always  will  be  in  Memory.....as I hear  Ma on the  phone, a tumultous  cascade  of  yesteryears thoughtful streams, engulf....her voice  as invigorating as it  was  for  ages ....irreplacable , irrevocable.....an  infinite stream  of  comfort , wherevr  &  Whtevr  I  am ......Thank  the  Lord  for  having  seen  the  Light of  the  Day  &  her  Voice.....Arnav  & Doel  no  exception  to  this  reception,  frm  their  Ma .....witnessing  as  I , day  in  &  day  out .....as  time  flashes  by  fast....their  roots  seeking  the  moisture  of  comfort & growth frm  thr  Ma .....this  is  the  tru  Rootedness  thn ......!!!.... a  Compulsory  must  hv , it  is , for  Ur  sustenance .....the  Concept  of  Devi  Ma thus  is  home bred ....the  Ma  to  whom  we  look  always for  succour  &  saviour....as  no   one  knows  u so  wel  as her....!!!!....ever  forgiving  ....ever obliging.....hence  the  Pujan  continues  for  Centuries.....unadulterated  pure  devotion ....!!!.....Gandhiji  is  in  Noakhali now  as "Freedom At  Mid Night" unfolds .....his  methods of  a solution  of  a  conflict.....its  a fall  now  every  day  for  me, frm  the  false  pulpit  on  which  I  am ....... as  the  lines   will  subjugate  me  to  humility,  to  Dust......Children  were  surprised  to  note  tht  Gandhiji  used a  pencil  to  the  point  till  the  stub  was  ungrippable  , making  a  point tht  labour  is  to  be  honored  & not  wasted......a  new  respect  for  strewn  pencils  of  theirs  will surely  develop I believe.....&  so  do  will  mine .....as  these  Electrifying  & Ecclesiastical like weeks unfold  both  in  Homeland & abroad ,  thr  is  enormous  reason  to  be  Thankful , Joyful  &  in  Celebration.....!!!!!......Wishing  all  Kins  ,  Fmlys  &  Frnds "Shubho Bijoya" replete  with  Good  Thoughts  & Wishes........!!!!! 

.....Puja of our times.....

.....the grassy  glade is moisture laden , just  after  Mahalaya....with  Durga Puja around ......the Shiuli  flowers all  strewn overnite below  the  tree , all drenched in the  dew....its  late  September....the  number  one  size  football : a  brand  new  one  frm  Calcutta, bought  by  Pa, specially  for  me, is  wet : the  new  leather  soaking  up  the  moisture.....its  lace wet  too....as  those  days in  early  seventies,  the  soccer  balls  had  to  be  tied  with a lace after inflating &  tieing  the  neck  of  the  bladder....thr  wud  be  occasional  punctures  ....the  Bicycle mechanic  will be  of  great  help,  repairing  with a  solution & patch....Calcutta  provided  the  hub  for  all  our  Durga Puja  Mktng  for   us  .....the  fmly  of brothers  & sisters wud  accompany  parents  prior  to  the  Puja....the  tram  ,  taxi  ,  bus  rides....Chowringhee,  New  Mkt  ,  Gariahat, were  the  places  to visit  ....with  such  energy  shown  by  parents we  youngsters  were  put to shame.....as  we  wud drag  our  feets  thru  different  shopping sites.....Sasthi to  Dasami full five  festive  days , wud be new wears for all  of  us , nd parents  used  to  ensure  tht  , thnks  to the indefatiguable energy of  Ma......the  short  lunch in  the  midst  of  shopping , satiating  our  hunger....the  aroma  laden  street  of  eateries....nd  a  choice unparalleled.....thr wud  be purchases of  Gramaphone  records  of  HMV & Polydor , Books  &  Magazines for all....all  Puja  Editions  ....for which  parents , more  so Ma  nd  us  waited  eagerly.....the  return  journey  back  home  nd  we  had  not  an  ounce  of  energy  left  ,  but  deeply  satisfied ....the  run  up  to the pujas  were  such.....!!!....this followed  coaxing  the  tailors  ,  who  had  brisk  business  thn  to  stitch  the  clothes  on  time......Puja  meant  an  annual overhauling  of  everything  at  home.....a  huge  fillip  nd a relief  to an  yr  of  hard  wrk as students & nd  also  dear  parents who left  no stones unturned to keep  us happy nd  in  festive spirits.....!!!.....halfway thru though , i,e  Navami , a  strange  melancholia  wud grip us  as  Puja  will be  over  at  Dussehra  &  Devi  Ma  will  depart  frm  all community Pandals.....thn  will follow a momentous custom  of  hugging  each other  ,  Pranams to elders  ,  visiting  frnd &  fmly's  house sharing  Sweets  ,  Namkins , & ubiquitous  Coconut  Laddoos a mandatory  fare.....as  telephone was  rarely in  use  , thr  wud  be  a demand of Post Cards wherein  we  wud  scribble Bijoya  Greetings  to  relatives & Kins who were  far  off......posting  thm  diligently  as  early  birds .....!!!!!

....The Impending arrival.....

......thr is an  expectation  now .....of  an  age  old  tradition  of  festivities....as Navaratri  is ushered  in  after Mahalaya, signalling  the  end of PitriPaksha & begining  of Devi  Paksha .....as Birendra  Krishna  Bhadra's  eternal  rendition  of ChondiPathh....." Ya  Devi  Sarbabhhuteshoo...." wil tear  apart  the  morn calm  here .....an  arrow piercing  the  heart thru  the  Deep  Blu  Yonder &  The  flamboyant  " IRU" : The Sun.....!!!!...as  thr  will  be  a  mild  tremor  , a goosebump , a gallop  of  a  rhythm  of  the heart.....a  resounding ripple.....a  state  of  mind as  tht  of the  swaying  of  the Coconut  palm thr.....!!!!....since  :  " Morttey  asitechhen  Devi  Ma  , Dukhho  Horon  Koritey....!!!!..." , meaning  Ma Durga  Durgotinashini's  arrival  on  Earth frm  Dev Lok  to  salvage  us frm our griefs  & sorrows.....embalming  us with  the  Morn  Dew  &  Shiuli  Flowers.....Its  a  pain  of staying  away  frm  the  community  Pandals  of Durga  Pujan  yr  after  yr  now , as Children  face  thr  Annual term  Exams nd  in  their  jet  speed  final  leg  of  completion of  their  respective  classes.....helpless  as  we  r , yet  Happy  to  be  part  of the Pujan Online ....as  thr  will  be  Live  telecast  frm  Belur ...which  we  r  a  part....Happy tht  We  hv  seen the  light  of  yet  another  "SharodUtsav"....Happy  we  r  strong enough now,  nd more committed  & resolute abt the  importance  of Festivity....We  hv  missed  enough ,to  make us doubly attached  to  the essence  of such  a Festivity....It's  in Contrast  We  hv  learnt  the hard way ,

to  appreciate  whtevr is Our's  back  Home....!!!...Wishing all Kin & Relatives & frnds  &  Fmly  a Very Happy Durga Puja.....!!!