tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57459893056435246822024-03-14T05:42:36.131+05:30A few of my favourite thingsThere are actually very few things in life that are worth talking about, and this blog is all about those 'few' things in life.Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-25081489229131474852020-01-22T20:45:00.002+05:302020-01-22T20:45:43.085+05:30I T Girl<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So this post has been long time coming, just that I didn't really want to. So most of you know that I had a flourishing career as a journalist in India, more than a decade ago, and then I moved to Germany. And that was THE END of what I always though I would do for the rest of my LIFE.<br />
<br />
Okay so once the shock settled in that I can't be a journalist no more (I clearly hadn't thought this through when I got married and got swept into the romance of moving and exploring a new country)<br />
<br />
And then 2 years later, I do a training in SAP and luckily land an internship in the same field. By now having not worked for almost 3 years, I was just kicked about going out each day and say that I finally could work!!!!<br />
I obviously didn't think this through either, would I be any good at IT work (wasn't half bad), would it be something that I enjoyed (again not half bad).<br />
<br />
But did I love waking up everyday and having a purpose! YES!<br />
did I love getting dressed up as a consultant (fake it till you make it) everyday; HELL YES!<br />
And more than that, even though I constantly crib about the struggle, the travel, the terrible German food in the canteen...I am more grateful than ever.<br />
<br />
To be independent, to have interaction with international colleagues, to contribute, even though I might not be the best in my field.<br />
<br />
Once upon a time, I was a journalist, on my way to be the best.<br />
But now, being in the IT field, I know I will probably never be the best, and the struggle will always be there. But at the end of the day, its the struggles that make me who I am.<br />
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<br /></div>
Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-43001511306619969122020-01-22T20:15:00.002+05:302020-01-22T20:15:47.202+05:30guru-n-stuff-n-stories-II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This post is a followup on the post I made almost 10 years ago<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://ephemeralflower.blogspot.com/2010/05/guru-n-stuff-n-stories.html">https://ephemeralflower.blogspot.com/2010/05/guru-n-stuff-n-stories.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
I recently read through my blog which I now have more than 12 years (not all of them active, which I am planning to change currently) One of my most memorable post was this one. It was one of those golden times that are so hard to come by these days, when words just gush out of you so effortlessly as though waiting to be freed and flowing into poetry of perfection. I wouldn't add or change a single word more even I wanted. <br />
<br />
<br />
12 years ago, I was a beginner on this path, <br />
I hardly knew what it means to have a Guru, (not that I know now)<br />
I was a simple child of 20-21 <br />
I had no idea I would grow so much in this path,<br />
one day teach his courses in different parts of the world<br />
<br />
12 year later, here I am still no more than a beginner,<br />
no more closer to enlightenment<br />
but still....<br />
<br />
Being on this journey,<br />
walking on this path<br />
going through the ups and downs<br />
The highest high and the lowest lows<br />
<br />
Taking giant leaps, just to slide backwards.<br />
A little more grownup,<br />
a little more child-like<br />
a bit wiser, and a whole lot more stronger<br />
<br />
All in all, having found my life purpose<br />
to follow my Guru to the end of the world.<br />
<br />
Its not the goal, but this path with all its intensity and craziness.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-59109088482913992312019-05-09T01:51:00.001+05:302019-05-09T01:51:50.830+05:30Intuition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last year, I was blessed to teach a very path breaking<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RdOjECutJk&t=20s"> Intuition Process Program</a>, and ever since my life changed. I cannot put in words what happens every time I am a witness to this miracle, but only a poem flows from my heart.<br />
<br />
No matter what struggle I go through in life, I know that there is a guiding force within me, that will never let me down. I wish I had this gift as a teen or a child. But nevertheless, having it known now makes me bow down with gratitude again and again.<br />
<br />
<br />
Intuition<br />
<br />
Hello, I've known you before<br />
a deep feeling which I was<br />
so sure<br />
<br />
Nostalgic as it seemed<br />
came out of nowhere<br />
not something I dreamed<br />
<br />
I've heard you before<br />
coming knocking at my door<br />
wish I trusted myself<br />
to listen to that heartbeat<br />
in my every cell<br />
<br />
Scared to befriend you<br />
you knew me far too well<br />
all my secrets,<br />
stories, I would rather not dwell<br />
<br />
I gave you up<br />
without a single fight<br />
denying your existence<br />
with all my might.<br />
<br />
And yet, you remained<br />
as a silent ally<br />
guiding me through life's<br />
mountains and valley.<br />
<br />
And then one day as I closed my eyes<br />
and reflected,<br />
you came to me<br />
as me<br />
<br />
As the wind, the river and the tree.<br />
As the only truth that was ever told<br />
A sight, I could hardly behold<br />
<br />
Hello, I've known you before<br />
and I know you now<br />
you are a gift of my Guru's grace<br />
an enigma, and a wonder 'wow'<br />
<br />
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Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-91145912695589080962018-09-24T01:05:00.002+05:302018-09-24T01:05:56.763+05:30Turning 30 and other scary things in life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A decade after sailing through your 20s, you suddenly stand at your threshold where you are undeniably a full grown adult. A checklist of activities programmed into you flashes in your mind.<br />
<br />
And then suddenly you realize that one or two (or maybe a dozen) of them have still not been checked out. This is where you generally rewind your whole life and take a good look at all the choices you made.<br />
<br />
Only to realize that these choices don't necessarily make you who you are. Apart from all these things, you are an individual. The way things have turned out in life, part destiny, part free will need not define the way you live in future.<br />
<br />
Turning 30, I feel calm and confided with the way things have turned out, though not always smooth and easy, but always with a learning behind. I may not have all the things checked out by the society's stereotype on how a women should live her life, but I pretty much define life on my own term. I make my own checklist. The real freedom is the one from within.<br />
<br />
or so I would like to....<br />
<br />
In reality, turning 30, is daunting, brings hosts of insecurities, wishing I had more time to be young and crazy. Wishing I had better fashion sense, better career, wishing I could be a domesticated goddess as well as a successful professional and making a difference to the society all at once.<br />
<br />
And then all I want to do is be a slobby mess, eat junk food, sleep in and wear yoga pants and flip Flops, and do Marathons on Netflix!<br />
<br />
And then you realize that you moved half way across the world to start from the scratch, and five years down the road for expat wife, life still feels like starting from scratch over and over and over again.<br />
<br />
In your 20's you want to conquer the world, make your dreams come true.<br />
<br />
And then in some crazy, random way, when I unintentionally do something right, and it turns out 30's might not be such a bad idea after-all!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-876878205220387122016-06-28T04:32:00.002+05:302016-06-28T04:32:35.896+05:30In another time and space<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I would be yours<br />
and you would be mine<br />
there would be no distance<br />
of space and time.<br />
<br />
I can imagine and be<br />
whatever I choose<br />
I would be a painter and<br />
you my muse.<br />
To live life with all colours<br />
and its many hues<br />
<br />
There would be no right<br />
there would be no wrong.<br />
as though I was just<br />
dancing to your song.<br />
<br />
There would be no decisions<br />
no choices to be made.<br />
no mistakes and no<br />
confessions.<br />
no apologies, and no impressions. <br />
<br />
In another space. <br />
There would be no me,<br />
there would be no you<br />
only one, I know thats true.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-43978148038530031302016-06-28T03:55:00.000+05:302016-06-28T03:55:25.361+05:30Distant words<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This post is dedicated to a faithful reader of my blog, who has inspired me to take up blogging again.<br />
Sitting now to put down these words has been a hard process for me. So many doubts overtake me. Am I ever going to be able to write again, what if I have lost what I had so many years ago, What is I have forgotten how it all works......<br />
<br />
As these crazy doubts continue to bombard me, I pluck determination to complete what I have set out to do. Right now, I just want my words to stop feeling so distant to me, and whisper a little bit of magic like it used to. The feel of my fingers racing over the keyboard, as if they had a mind of their own. To just drown into this world of words and feelings, where I was once so much at home.<br />
<br />
I don't know if I would ever feel that again. but I pluck this courage to go where I know that I possibly will fail. where I could possibly cringe at my own written word and erase them once again as though they never existed.<br />
<br />
These words that exist in me like a caged dove longing to be set free, like unending nights with no sign of a daylight. like a hidden spark that refuses to die out. A longing that burns inside a corner of my heart, that I choose to shut out forever.<br />
<br />
As these uncertain words tumble out, with a fresh coating of doubt, I ponder if I should just hit the save button and tell myself again that I will come back when I "get it" again.<br />
<br />
There was a time when I was best friends with metaphors and similes, I went to sleep dreaming of sentences and paragraphs, and waking up to a bright new slogan that would seal my creation.<br />
<br />
But for now this is all I got, not enough, but better than nothing :)<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-80174720294863298792015-07-05T04:44:00.004+05:302015-08-12T19:40:34.432+05:30Injury and beyond: advice to my future self<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<h2>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">It happened in a blink of an eye. There I was, lying frozen and numb, on my back, on the hard ground. </span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">As I came back to consciousness, trying to make sense of all things around me, a dozen thoughts bounced in my head. <i>I am so late to work! again!. My back hurts so bad, should I go back home, call in sick. I hope I'm ok, its not too serious. wow I cant move, must be serious. </i>I call my husband who jumped into his car, still in his yoga pants and flip-flops, without a jacket on a cold day. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">And there it was, a spinal chord fracture, and two crazy months at home, mostly lying on my back with a huge metal brace around me. And now as I near the day where I get to take off the brace (3 more weeks and counting each day), I look back at this experience like a dream. Here are the lessons I learnt, which I think will be useful for other rainy days in future.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">1. Break from planning. Sometimes you just need some time off from the world. And just retrieve into this world of your own. To rethink your life's objectives, and what would you do if you had a second chance to do it all differently.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">2. Life can be over in a second. I remember one moment I was running to catch my train, wondering who just pinged me on whatsapp and planning my dinner menu at the same time. And the next I was unconscious for what seemed like ages. When I regained my consciousness, none of those things mattered. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">3. Feeling lucky to be alive. When I got my first X-ray report, the doctor said I was saved from a operation due to the fact that the fracture was on the other side of my spinal chord, such injuries can also leave one disabled for life. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">4. Grateful to have people around you who care. I put a status on Facebook saying I had an injury and need prayers and blessing. I had more than 300 comments and many phone calls (my husband and I connected with friends who we haven't spoken to in years). Though I was in pain and admitted in hospital, reading those messages made me feel so loved and secure. It made me realize that reaching out even through a small comment on social networking site makes a huge difference.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">5. Its OK to be not OK. Sometimes we feel guilty about others taking care of us. I had to be at the mercy of my husband and friends until I could move around more. But I learned to be comfortable with that, and feeling natural in the state I was. I surrounded myself with hundreds of books (reading being the only activity I enjoyed that I could do somewhat without too much discomfort)</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">6. Stop being in a hurry. I am still working on this one. Being in a hurry is my defining character. I might as well stick up a huge placard on my forehead saying "whats next". I keep seeming to go though activities and events, sometimes just to get it over with. I would probably say stopping to smell the flowers is such a waste of time. And then, when I seemed to have nothing to do the whole day except staring at the ceiling and dodging uncomfortable thoughts (you know the whole range of why mes, and what about mes) there probably comes a point when you tell the mind to shut up. Its probably the best advice a mind gave itself.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">7. Taking care of your body and mind. The thing I missed the most was being able to do my daily practices of Yoga and meditation. Its like my anchor in this world of chaos and commotion. My quiet corner on a busy subway of life. My sanctum sanatorium of inner peace. Its where I draw all my inspiration, energy and enthusiasm from. Over the years of doing Yoga and meditation, and even teaching it, I realized that I was somewhere taking it for granted. These days also gave me a chance to listen to talks by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Patanjali (the founder of Yoga) Yoga sutras and to build back the same honor and reverence I had when I started.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">8. Everything is changing. Now that I am stronger (not yet strong enough to do Yoga though) It feels magical to be able to move better. To turn and to not feel any pain. To sit for longer without discomfort. And to travel to work everyday (with a bit of discomfort). And I know this will also change. But amidst all this, holding on to the one thing that does not change (the precious one that meet it in my meditation everyday) is my real key to happiness. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">I think I have enough advice here for my future self. Maybe I will even come back and add to it when I have something new.</span></h3>
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</h4>
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Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-80372188893258384832015-04-14T18:49:00.000+05:302015-08-07T14:06:36.157+05:30An Evening with PM in Berlin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It was a cold windy day in front of Brandenburger Gate,
Berlin. But what caught your immediate attention was a crowd of chaotic
Indians, waving their flags, awaiting their Hero, their PM Narendra Modi.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">For someone who has met quite a few celebrities, I couldn’t
imagine how this was going to be different. OK, so we only got invited for the
most exclusive Indian gathering in Germany. So we might be able to meet and
possible greet PM Modi personally. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And yes, I have been a huge fan of his vision, his zeal and enthusiasm
to take the country forward. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So it was decided that my husband Kaushik and I would take
the plunge and travel to Berlin from Munich to be a part of this great reception.
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The Day began with welcoming PM Modi outside his hotel. He
stepped out in complete presidential style, with a caravan of cars and police motorbikes
surrounding his vehicle. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">But the Man who stepped out was a simple person, who seemed to
be completely unaffected by all the ‘celebrity like’ chaos around him. As he
walked towards the Indian crowed whose chants ‘<em>Desh ki Raksha Kaun karega?’ Modiji<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Modiji’</em>, grew louder. From small kids to the elderly, PM Modi took
the time to greet each one. Many who had travel from different parts of Europe
just to catch his glimpse. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Evening came, and we found ourselves seated in the Hall of
Adlon Hotel, waiting with baited breath for the PM to address us all. As the PM
came in ushered by his Black Ops, there was a buzz of patriotism in the air. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">We stood up to sing the national Anthem. And it was
announced that each one of us would get an opportunity to personally meet and
shake hands with the PM.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">A feeling of pride and patriotism enveloped me as I realized
that I was singing our National Anthem for the first time in Germany. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Ambassador of India Mr Gokhale, then
invited the PM to address us all. The PM started with sharing how blessed we
are to Indians. ‘<em>It is our value system that respects the nature and every
aspect of this creation that makes us unique’</em>. His vision was to make our
country a world leader. <em>‘I am very grateful that Germany has recognized India’s
value. At one time, there used to be Radio Shows in Sanskrit here, where in
Indian just the thought of this will bring about a ‘secular’ outcry</em>.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The PM went on further to encourage NRIs to be a bridge between
the real India and how the world views India. To put India back on the Map, as
a tourist hub. He also encouraged Indians to be entrepreneurs and make India a
center of Innovation and knowledge just the way it was thousands of years ago.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I was truly touched by his clarity and vision and
determination to take India forward, and to work together with Indians from all
corners of the world to achieve this. It made me realize that India finally has
a leader to guide it, and restore its former glory. <em>'We don't have an opportunity to die for our country like Bhagat Singh, but we are lucky to have this life to live for our country'.</em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The forty five minute speech came to an end, with <em>Bharat Mata Ki Jai! </em>reverberating throughout the hall. and we all had
a chance to personally meet and shake hands with him. When it was our turn, we
said ‘we are with the Art of Living’, he smiled, and that moment I felt great
contentment with the understanding that we are doing our part for reaching out
to the world with the gift of Yoga and Meditation, from India.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">More about the evening <a href="http://www.narendramodi.in/pms-remarks-at-the-community-reception-in-berlin/">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
</div>
Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com1Germany47.564661738449686 8.437527.873182238449687 -32.871094 67.256141238449686 49.746094tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-50057335898205949992013-05-31T05:00:00.000+05:302013-06-02T17:13:00.969+05:30Waking up to a new day!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
</h4>
<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Every day, again and again!</span></h4>
<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Reminding myself of things I am grateful for. </span></span></h4>
<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Taking up new challenges and adventures, and knowing that they will not change who I really am (and if it changes, its for the good).</span></span></h4>
<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Being true to myself and my nature, and listening to my inner voice (just not the one that tells me to eat chocolate).</span></span></h4>
<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Bearing a little bit of short term pain for long term gain.</span></span></h4>
<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Knowing that life's short, if there's something I need to do, however small, its NOW!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The best moment of my life is NOW, NOW, NOW!</span></span></h4>
<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">What can I do today to make others life better, and this planet better.</span></span></h4>
<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Half an hour of my day, to just do what I love (for me its writing).</span></span></h4>
<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">My moods, my feelings, my energy levels...all is a play of prana (life force energy), and I can take charge of this by attending to my body (exercise, yoga), breadth (pranayama), food (healthy, veg), sleep and meditation.</span></span></h4>
<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Every night before I sleep reading/listening to some knowledge.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(will keep adding to this list as I come up with more)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></h4>
<br />
<h3>
</h3>
</div>
Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-22271325519017914852013-02-18T05:28:00.000+05:302013-08-13T19:53:11.725+05:30I find you...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In disturbance & peace</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a constant knowing </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">that does not cease</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In love, hate and in fear</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sometimes confused </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sometimes clear</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">either activity or rest</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with which every </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">moment is possessed</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with every tear every smile</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">reminded of it once </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in a while</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">from the tainted to the pure</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">an unfinished journey</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">so unsure</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In a world of delusion </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">finding the real</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with a soul to heal</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In every step</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">its you I find</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">though not always </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">on my mind</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I find you in pain & and; in bliss</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">an intense feeling I cannot miss</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">hidden deep inside</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">like an unfulfilled wish</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In memories I vaguely remember</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in a sliver of hope that barely exists</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In everything I know and all</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">that I may have missed </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-73612786181933535872013-02-07T06:32:00.001+05:302013-02-07T06:39:08.504+05:30Seasons of me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Raindrops falling</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">distant winds calling</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">stillness haunting</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">with an emptiness daunting</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">snowflakes melting</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">darkness fading</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">morning sun rising</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">with colors enticing</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">starlight blazing</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">lonely clouds appraising</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">adventure alluring</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">for promises assuring</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">twilight drifting</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">lightness lifting</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">heaviness shifting</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">an evening uplifting</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">darkness enveloping</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">glazed skies hoping</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">silence suggesting</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a time of resting</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">raindrops falling.........</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Beginning and ending</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">continuos unstopping</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">no breaking no pausing</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">receiving and sending</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">growing maturing</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">secrets uncovering</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">new paths discovering</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">meaning unearthing</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">concepts breaking</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">ideas shattering</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a new kinda longing</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a life transforming</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">silence celebrating</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">heart rejoicing</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">love surrounding</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a peace everlasting</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-40024015424953590792013-02-05T16:26:00.001+05:302013-02-05T16:34:08.983+05:30Just perfect!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Whether its the pile of steadily growing mountain of to-be-ironed clothes, or the messy spice rack I've been meaning to organize since forever. Also maybe the fact that I could sell my soul to catch that 10 min-turned-half-an-hour (maybe more) extra snooze in the morning and oh wait! we have the most important event of my lifetime (more than even my wedding) to be organized by our small team of amateurs in about 45 days. With a million things on my to-do list and pending and plus a million things in my not-to-do list happening with no extra effort at all, each moment feels crazier than the next.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">And added to that the complexity of everyday interactions in a in broken german, appearing normal, even when I feel not so normal inside with all these irritating things running in my head. Wait a sec...hold on....take a breath. And suddenly I feel like a witness to all these events. As if its happening to someone else. Even though I feel lost, I know its not to long before I find my way back home. Being the Alice in Wonderland, where the line between real and unreal is thin, as everything is changing, and even me, this physical self that I have will cease to exist one day. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIb3-fmGU3DJNe_Tt1hcbiyrkBea9yfoV264A2HWtlsAjRqu7Zp8-auakoTmA-oHCZ7_ffQxqyBNcqLOA_o7QJ2J00JAV1c4g3mCaBsFq36Mp0Ftsr0P3fY5uZHOVYgo6fziLvUedZ0aU/s1600/Beautiful-Flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIb3-fmGU3DJNe_Tt1hcbiyrkBea9yfoV264A2HWtlsAjRqu7Zp8-auakoTmA-oHCZ7_ffQxqyBNcqLOA_o7QJ2J00JAV1c4g3mCaBsFq36Mp0Ftsr0P3fY5uZHOVYgo6fziLvUedZ0aU/s320/Beautiful-Flower.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In nature everything is perfect. The petals of a flower, the snowflakes, and me as a creation of this very nature is also perfect. Although I continue to see imperfections all around me, a part of me is unchanged, perfect. And this is the part that I hold on to, especially when I meditate, while doing acts of service and when I take care of the world around me. And just knowing that there is and always will be this perfection in me that will never cease, I can deal with the daily imperfections of life with a smile. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfciEZIIsJdgrPFqhs5SdafIC_ucBAwLKfXdMXG_qzQwPkCaPimQibFD7rvsGUSMq9KNpZNGxD1NSh_T_HUEG-l6lCea_hv7Z6i6WboHvjuBiuION1iQsU3g0ded3GH8KJzIWUE3PsMw/s1600/tumblr_lwbebhPp1w1r3k4kco1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfciEZIIsJdgrPFqhs5SdafIC_ucBAwLKfXdMXG_qzQwPkCaPimQibFD7rvsGUSMq9KNpZNGxD1NSh_T_HUEG-l6lCea_hv7Z6i6WboHvjuBiuION1iQsU3g0ded3GH8KJzIWUE3PsMw/s320/tumblr_lwbebhPp1w1r3k4kco1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">As the days draw nearer to the big day, I do feel overwhelmed by the responsibility we have taken. I have no idea how everything will be accomplished, no idea where all the skill and resources will turn up from. Just this faith as how everything happens so flawlessly in the nature, with perfect timing, on that day, it will be the same. Just Perfect. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-69070030471441418652013-01-31T08:18:00.000+05:302013-01-31T08:18:42.813+05:30Pieces of me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Past one week can only be described in two words- utter stress! It was as if an invisible veil was covering my vision, my awareness. Something in me felt so unnatural and uncomfortable- constantly. It was as if I was split into two, which were constantly wrestling. The more I wanted to get out of it, the worse it got. It starts in the mind, and slowly it filters into every level of existence. And very soon, it manifests into my speech and my being. Very soon I was a time bomb, waiting to detonate, at the slightest push of a button. Is this who I am? maybe I have not matured enough? Every doubt that existed on this planet is suddenly burying me in an avalanche of pain, regret and all those annoying emotions that make me want to cuddle up in a blanket and never get out.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I sit to meditate, knowing that this will surely work, but alas! there goes my mind into a thousand pieces </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">again. I attempt one last time, and force myself to sit down and do my practices, just as a ritual if not anything else. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The storm has passed. Mind is quiet. I look back and as always I cant help but smile at myself. Its the same story each time. Its the same feeling I get when I put my hand into my giant handbag, that is full of 'stuff' to fish out my keys, the few moments till I find the keys, I feel a panic of loosing it, and the more I panic, the longer I take to find them, even though I know in my heart for sure, that they're in there. Even when I finally find them (with a huge relief) I know there might be one day when I might actually loose them (I have a brilliant track record to prove it). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">But for now I have it. Its in my hands. And I can safely rest at home. I smile at how silly I can be. And how silly I will be in the future. I might turn into this time bomb again soon. Or not. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For now, I relish this moment, where I am in peace and not in 'pieces'. Grateful to be normal again, and even laugh at myself at how comical I am at those moments. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfVOhtHi-8c6I4IAb7boPucM1nYLCC7Cz9nrbBBrDLimjjrQSJ5Mxwx_C-Co5YOjz0e4qbJWBKS_Kd1dR5bmJ3c54yyI3sDL7rbkYSHvciQ2-8pkWT4uDXEbx5kpCbYfl2Y23jev1NGc/s1600/stone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfVOhtHi-8c6I4IAb7boPucM1nYLCC7Cz9nrbBBrDLimjjrQSJ5Mxwx_C-Co5YOjz0e4qbJWBKS_Kd1dR5bmJ3c54yyI3sDL7rbkYSHvciQ2-8pkWT4uDXEbx5kpCbYfl2Y23jev1NGc/s320/stone.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">These moments I realize how important it is that I meditate regularly. The more I cut slack in my 'sadhana' time, the more often I get entangled. So my New Year resolution is to strengthen my daily practices. My Yoga, Kriya and meditation, giving it the honor that it deserve. Also remembering how lucky I am to be a part of that exclusive minority on this planet that can access this beautiful gift of nature that helps me handle my mind and my emotions. And my commitment to share this gift, this joy, with this planet, in this little time I have here. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-30235611927523037022013-01-17T06:47:00.001+05:302013-05-31T05:09:35.536+05:30A forgotten love<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">
I promised myself a million times to make a new post, and a million times I broke it. It was like I was postponing a failure. It's what happens anyway right? I stare on a blank screen, waiting for smart, witty words to pour out magically (like it once used to), but all that happens is awkward sentences that are just trying way too hard to sound smart. Like strums that come out of an untuned guitar.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />And all too soon the doubts make way. <i>Maybe it was just a phase when I wrote well, maybe its over, maybe I should start looking at other 'things', this just isn't my 'thing' anymore</i>. And on a computer screen, its just way easier to save (if there's anything to) and open another tab with Youtube on it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />But now, somehow, at 1 am now, I made up my mind that I will not sleep before I post. I don't care if its another failure, I don't care if I stare at this screen all night long. For once, keeping all my doubts and judgements aside, I just want to write. For I don't know what the next moment will bring, and how my mind will change its course. Just being here and now, just me and these words, like once it used to be.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />All of a sudden, I feel I could just go on writing, with this reckless abandon and freedom, that I felt once long ago. I could go on writing with the feeling that I've come home at last. I could go on writing endlessly, limitlessly, as if I am reflecting a part of universe in this small me.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />I look at this screen its already filled with words, and I am amazed, I can't even remember that last time I wrote this much, and so uninterruptedly without a paranoid need to edit every second word.<br />I write because I am happy, as an expression of my joy, sharing a little piece of me, not that after writing I become happy. I write because writing is no different from me, and its something that I can't but do. I write because when I do I am in total acceptance of me and the world around me in this unfathomable entirety. I write because probably this is my only chance to experience 'me' without a boundary before I step into the real world where I am superglued with labels and shut into a box of convenient stereotypes. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />I began with a million reasons not to write. And here I am with a billion reasons to write. As I come near to closing this post, I know that making a promise to come back here isn't going to work. Sorry to say, my mind is light years away from perfection. But all I know is that I have this one moment with me now that is perfect, and I get to keep it forever.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />And then I know, that I don't get to choose these moments, these moment choose me, and if I am lucky enough to catch it, at the right time, space and state of mind, something beautiful is created. A beauty that is always there, but rarely felt. And when the moment ends, the beauty still remains and never fades away. And all that I can do is pray with all my heart that these moments choose me more often, and more then that, when they come, I am ready for it.</span><br />
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Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-4578996908216614792012-02-08T22:37:00.005+05:302012-02-09T13:50:21.721+05:30New year, new reflections....<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Now that I am back home in Deutschland, in the midst of freezing winter, snow et all, its time again to reflect back the past few months, after all that chaos of loosing my passport, getting new visa etc. Here are some of the lessons I learnt.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">When things go wrong there is always a reason, except when you were being plain 'Stupid'.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Life always makes you wait, and wait, and wait....till you dont want it anymore, and the moment that happens, life says, ' OK here you go, you can have it after all'.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Calmness in the midst of chaos is a sign of evolution and maturity (which I am yet to attain)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">If you have a thousand things in your head, its just that!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">unless you do something about it</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">No matter how much you run away from something, its gonna come right to your face and say 'BOO', so face it! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">When you know its gonna turn out bad, just walk away....its not too late!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">NEVER say what you think, think what you're gonna say (and do what you want!)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Nobody remembers 'Kolavari di' a month or two later.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Before you die, do something (preferably nice) you would want to remember in your last moments, and do something they would remember after you are gone.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Its not a big deal to be famous, its a big deal to be humble and down to earth.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">No matter how much you love someone, you will always love yourself more.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">If its breakable, then better to destroy and build a new one, brick by brick that will last forever.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Its better to be brilliant at one thing than OK at many things.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">When you die one day, none of all this is gonna matter anyway....so chill, and yeah, take care of our planet (including being a vegetarian)...that will really matter.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Well apparently my brain is not as frozen as the weather outside (-20 degrees) so feels great to be blogging again. So reflection time over, its time to start planning ahead. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Ciao!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-89394924784721390002011-12-04T21:59:00.004+05:302011-12-04T22:39:08.649+05:30Without you I am lost...German poem<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:130%;color:#330033;" ><div>Okay so this is my fist attempt in writing a German poem, the words in it are also the sum total of my measly A2 level vocab in German, if there are any grammatical mistakes, blame google translate, its German grammar sucks!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>ohne dich, bin ich verloren</div><div>kann ich nicht ,ganz gut sehen und horen</div><div><br /></div><div>ohne dich bin ich niemand und nicht</div><div>alles ich kenne, ist du bist</div><div><br /></div><div>Ohne dich mein leben ist verpasst </div><div>uber diese, keine ahnung du hast </div><div><br /></div><div>aber bin ich nicht ohne dich</div><div>du bist uberall, sicher sich</div><div><br /></div><div>alle ich sehe, alle ich mache</div><div>alle ich denke, ist uber du bist</div><div><br /></div><div>manchmal habe ich angst </div><div>manchmal bin ich nicht sicher </div><div><br /></div><div>weil ich dich vermisse</div><div>und ich fuhle mich allein</div><div><br /></div><div>Dann habe ich zu viel fragen</div><div>aber kein antwort, ya oder nein</div><div><br /></div><div>Und dann habe ich realisiert</div><div>du bist mein lebens kriesvekher</div><div><br /></div><div>alle antwort habe ich gefunden</div><div>dass ohne dich, bin ich verloren</div></span>Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-36789865346155658542011-11-27T13:30:00.010+05:302011-12-04T21:59:47.933+05:30Ayurveda, life and lessons learnt!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0agxyvketi-eNdGjHUZpxxJdPI43xHqWs0GDrBYsKUydQUcqFVUSVHWnqZ9wgauaa3wfsPwBtqRKGbDdovjhPKMWtWKISquo1u0worLEb5mcAwah5NQRgyNWFdVnJbVd7INxSPEAH6E/s1600/a+survived+stampede.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 237px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0agxyvketi-eNdGjHUZpxxJdPI43xHqWs0GDrBYsKUydQUcqFVUSVHWnqZ9wgauaa3wfsPwBtqRKGbDdovjhPKMWtWKISquo1u0worLEb5mcAwah5NQRgyNWFdVnJbVd7INxSPEAH6E/s320/a+survived+stampede.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679904618832285762" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">It came prettyly masked in a vodka shot glass, and looked no less than an expensive wine. <i>it cant be so bad</i>...so I boldly took a long gulp, and suddenly I felt a horrid explosion on my senses, I could feel each cell of my body loudly revolting....my tastebuds wished they would die rather than suffer such inexplicable torture, and it wasnt long before I felt I would either pass out (I was already seeing stars) or puke out the everything (including the organs) that existed below my throat!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Life was going just fine, my long vacation in India had just begun, and then out of nowhere I suddenly loose a lot of money and my passport...added to that I had an ayurvedic treatment pending. Amidst all this confusion and a ton of paperwork to do (the worst thing that can happen on a vacation) three days ago, I was put between four walls, given a glassfull of the most distasteful ghee to quaff (part of my treatment). </span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Life was going just fine right...and then how come all of a sudden its nothing but chaos. And why did I ever agree to have this treatment, its not like I was sick or anything. At the most I pictured having exotic massages and sipping delicious herbal tea. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Then here I am three days into my treatment, my passport and other paperwork steadily growing into a mountain, my digestive system even more screwed than before and my mind, a raging furnace, with my family being the poor victims of my unpredictable outbursts (no wonder I cannot be unleashed to the unsuspecting public) </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Its one of those moments in my life when everything I touch (smell, taste, breathe,speak) is destruction, one of those moments when I wonder how 'I' of all people who meditates everyday, is a good person (at least 99%...ok 95%) cares about people and the world, could end up in such a self created MESS! Its one of those moments when I just want to disappear into anonymity. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">One of those moments when I feel all the bad karma I accumulated over all my past 86,000 lifetimes has just caught up with me.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">As I ponder on all this...a certain lightness envelopes me, suddenly all those thoughts in my mind that are pulling me apart in thousand different pieces disappear and I realize, that this is not the first time I have been in a situation like this, the events may be different though. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Like the time I had no place to stay while in an internship in Mumbai, or missing the train to the most important event in my life. The same panic that gripped my heart each time with an intensity of 'its all over'. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">And now this lightness feels like nothing but a play of mind, without which I would have nothing to learn from, nothing to share about, and no stories to tell. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Those moments in my life are like the bitter Ayurvedic ghee that I am forced to intake, whether I digest peacefully or with a tantrum and fight...its really my choice. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">One thing is for sure, I always end up feeling light and cleansed after digesting it, if I take it in the right way. </span></div>Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-64083873517604297402011-09-15T19:09:00.008+05:302011-09-16T02:25:45.402+05:30Drowning in utter deliciousness apple cake!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEika0bS4UVhRlluR13NTHBJu1yBcKtuPUXsimxuIWyRF5C6mtS2u5g3G3TdoIg1UXQFc4g5dQWeDVJWMmck3-l-mGNOOKHUbEC_JpEnY1Mc3waAHNnLCpJgldpnlOr9KhvYC-bjNSbkGT8/s1600/apple-cake.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEika0bS4UVhRlluR13NTHBJu1yBcKtuPUXsimxuIWyRF5C6mtS2u5g3G3TdoIg1UXQFc4g5dQWeDVJWMmck3-l-mGNOOKHUbEC_JpEnY1Mc3waAHNnLCpJgldpnlOr9KhvYC-bjNSbkGT8/s320/apple-cake.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652587747546485762" /></a><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEika0bS4UVhRlluR13NTHBJu1yBcKtuPUXsimxuIWyRF5C6mtS2u5g3G3TdoIg1UXQFc4g5dQWeDVJWMmck3-l-mGNOOKHUbEC_JpEnY1Mc3waAHNnLCpJgldpnlOr9KhvYC-bjNSbkGT8/s1600/apple-cake.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">So due to popular demand this recipe is already here...I don't think its easy to make this in India, as I am not sure if some of the ingredients I used will be available. Its flour less, eggless and you just need to mix in the ingredients and you are good to go. Not to mention thats its so delicious and magical, I cant seem to stop baking it!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">This recipe is also special because it has been made in Bad Antogast many times, and been served to Guruji also. It was handed over from Danny our fabulous cook at the Berlin centre, perfected by Shailaja Patil..and finally passed over to me. Its also so exclusive that you can't find it anywhere online!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">So here are the ingredients</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">1 pack (200 gms) hazelnut powder (I am sure you can powder almonds in a food processor and get the same results not tried it yet though</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">1 cup (250 gms) semolina (or suji rawa)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">100 grams white butter</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">2/3 cup sugar (better to use brown sugar or maple syrup (150 ml))</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">3 grated apples or 2 pureed banana (depending on which fruit flavor you want)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">cinnamon powder, 1/2 teaspoon</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Baking powder (1 teaspoon)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">little bit whole milk to mix.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Procedure</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">preheat the over to 180 c for about 5-10 mins. Mix all these ingredients and use a little milk to make it into smooth gooey batter. Line the baking form with baking paper or grease it and coat it with white flour. Pour the batter into the baking form and shove it into the oven, and crank up the heat to 200 c. Bake it for appox 40 mins and until an unbelievable aroma of exquisite cinnamon and nut fills your kitchen. Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 20 mins.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">And oh! do remember to invite me for a bite :)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div></div>Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-64103668561276063802011-09-07T15:40:00.009+05:302011-09-14T19:38:26.600+05:30Confessions of an accidental hausfrau in Munich<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Well as one would think life is not all about planning the menu for the next meal, or pushing huge shopping carts through the aisles in supermarkets (well that too of course). Its much more than that. But many that are not so obvious like-</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Catching that extra minutes (okay maybe hours) of snooze after packing off hubby to school..sorry work.</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Turning the kitchen into an experimental lab, and you-know-who into the Guinea Pig.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Coming up with creative idea to metamorphosis leftovers into gourmet delights</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Being hours online researching new recipes and then deciding not to cook it </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Taking Ayurveda seriously (when else do u have the time)</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Watching the various changes of the weather from the window...its always too cold, too sunny..or too perfect to go out!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Ignoring a pile of steadily growing to-be-ironed clothes, until there is no more space or no clothes to wear</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Walking into a furniture store and being utterly dispassionate, knowing you have to build each thing..nut, bolt and screw</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Walking into a clothing store and being utterly dispassionate, knowing you will get better stuff, for a faction of the price in India (unless you are talking about trench coats and stiefels)</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Walking into one of the cloned indian restaurants with cloned mango lassi and papad with 3 different dipping and chai that costs 3 euros</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Just walking and walking and walking! </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Wondering how come there are so many ways to waste time rather than spend it usefully.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Forgetting english...writing 'haus', instead of house three times in a row before realizing it.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">The cheapest activity to do here is to do nothing (courtsy- </span></span></span><a href="http://sumanr.wordpress.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Suman Ramaswamy</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">)</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Eating in Vapiano for the 80th time....and realizing that this is the ultimate Shanti sagar of Germany!</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Either ridiculously easy or unnecessarily complicated- its German!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">If you are late...just be late enough to get there early next day!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Cursing the transportation system for being so damm punctual! and more than occasionally praying that the U-bahn is late, for the sheer pleasure of watching the reaction of the German </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">population going 'Oh mein gott- es ist schlecht'.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Out of habit walking into a bookstore and walking out with an strong sense of betrayal...what! I live in a corner of the world that looks and feel like english...but is so not english.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Talking about the weather at least 40 times a day, no wonder </span></span></span><a href="http://www.wetter.de/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">wetter.de</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"> is the most popular website, though not the most accurate in its predictions.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">So guess I have summarized my whole life in a few lines. It doesn't end here though.....</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#666600;">Tchuss!!!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 13px;font-size:10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal;font-size:15px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 13px;font-size:10px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-28022812144120126712011-06-17T11:40:00.006+05:302013-01-17T07:05:33.332+05:30New beginnings!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Its one of those times, when I feel this compelling urge to write (you can see that it doesnt happen too often), and then I am foolish enough to let it go, and once that moment is gone, that it! its over. But today I decided that I will chain myself to my mac, till the time I get a post done.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Many things have changed since I have come back to Germany...after the crazy, hectic action packed 3 months in India. Where I had hardly a minute for myself. Let me do a quick recap!</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Naadavaibhavam</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">So as soon as I landed India (Jan end), I was thrown in the middle of the most brilliant musical extravaganza. That one evening, I think even gods and angels (we know for real as well) wouldn't have missed. That one evening, I transformed from 'couldnt care less about carnatic music' (I have no right to call myself tambram) to an ardent fan. One of my favourites was 'aadvome' written by<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subramanya_Bharathi"> Subramanya Bharathiyar</a> a famous Indian freedom fighter. This song most brilliantly captures the spirit of joy and freedom. Now hearing this from a chorus of 7000 professional classical singers was one of those moments in life when everything comes together in a scale that is beyond perfection. Unfortunately I couldnt find the song in YouTube, so here is another one called 'Ananda amrutha varshini' litrally meaning 'rain of joy, which is also wonderful!</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Manvathe Project</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Made up for all my inactivity in Germany :) read my earlier posts :D.</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Driving lessons</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Now thats a story for a new post- how corruption has infiltrated into every nook and cranny</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of Indian bureaucracy.</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">My nephews Upanayanam ceremony</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; white-space: normal;">I have the cutest pair of twin nephews, aged nine, and this was a big day for them. It was almost like a mini wedding. Upanayanam means taking near (to oneself), this is supposed to be the highest knowledge and very young children are initiated into it. As a child is ready to enter the outside world, when armed with the knowledge of the self, he is unshaken by the vicissitudes of life. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZTyM6PwMQdLZHDikw1ecTRfE1BFSnvJyWZoPRnjCU22R-7iA5b9leHzaXQqJZhj2C4MCe7GbWuSsMQJ4ejRCCR_QP4-fYu-bnw7cP_g1h0Xo6i9HvpyuWSjJebmlHlKQKeqgjhRiWRk/s1600/KPF_0456.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619091364346352770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZTyM6PwMQdLZHDikw1ecTRfE1BFSnvJyWZoPRnjCU22R-7iA5b9leHzaXQqJZhj2C4MCe7GbWuSsMQJ4ejRCCR_QP4-fYu-bnw7cP_g1h0Xo6i9HvpyuWSjJebmlHlKQKeqgjhRiWRk/s320/KPF_0456.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 213px; width: 320px;" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Poonal ceremony of Shyam (left) and Skanda.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Back to German</b>y</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Well, it is very pleasant to be back, the weather is brilliant, and we spent three amazing days with Guruji in Berlin and Dresden. My childhood friend Pavitra flew from London, it goes to show, that going that little extra mile and keeping in touch especially with those who matter means a lot. Now we are just looking forward to the biggest event in Europe ever. The <a href="http://www.worldculturefestival.org/">World Culture Festival</a> on 2nd and 3rd July in Berlin. If you are in Europe or even if you have the remotest possibility to make it, be here. There couldnt be anything more exciting happening than 100,000 people celebrating the world culture and meditating for world peace.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I will have much more to share in the coming weeks. But this I think is a good start.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Tschuss!</span></div>
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Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-59712691678929589552011-04-06T13:01:00.004+05:302011-04-06T13:05:13.037+05:30Rural highs and lows<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGWkc_m9qmp20uHf90uRh-OyBTjWx3marQIPQsETU91gTpgVQSjkcJYtpw5E6ZwTfnx02B1IyRZPhQ0EguIsXLbPquvjd0kDv1y0CfuiZflNUve0kJpQjESj-nfDfl8j_Bj5UZhZw7ro/s1600/hut.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 249px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGWkc_m9qmp20uHf90uRh-OyBTjWx3marQIPQsETU91gTpgVQSjkcJYtpw5E6ZwTfnx02B1IyRZPhQ0EguIsXLbPquvjd0kDv1y0CfuiZflNUve0kJpQjESj-nfDfl8j_Bj5UZhZw7ro/s320/hut.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592370483268934850" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Rural highs and lows</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I had just flown back after three months in Germany, and landed directly in the midst of Manavathe.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">An Art of Living project where YES!+ teachers had to go teach ‘Human values, Yoga and Kriya for 45,000 second year students of Government colleges all over Karnataka.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">So there I was fresh from experiencing the height of human technology and luxury from German train (upto seconds precisions) to automated vending machines like every five yards. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I was thrown into interior districts of Dharwad, villages, where the only signs of technological advancement existed in the form of cell phones and unmistakable satellite television that was spotted on top of the smallest thatched hut.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">My first rural destination was in a tiny village called Kalas, there are only two ways to get to the village. Both of which will take no less then three hours. I boarded the train from Hubli and reached Kalas.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Not really, the village was about 20 minutes in a shared auto from the station. Now this contraption in motion called ‘shared auto’ is a phenomenon in itself. For the inexperienced like me it was the vehicle from hell. For one, <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>if you don’t get into it(and I didn’t the first time out of pride), you take a one hour picturesque but torturous trek in the scorching sun. If you get into it (which you have no choice) you are squeezed into a eight by five box stuffed with twenty other human beings, and ten more on top of the vehicle (there could be animals, I was too much in pain to notice) and for the next twenty minutes you go on a blind ride on Kaccha roads.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I preferred to suffocate by holding my breadth than inhaling fumes of sweat and dust all directly assaulting my senses. Once the vehicle came to a grinding halt, and I was almost spitted out, I rejoiced in ecstasy on breathing fresh air.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And then there was the food…thankfully there was curd rice that I could depend on. It was really the water that gave me the horrendous bout of dysentery. Now that in a place with severe sanitary challenges is terrific. I started getting recurring dreams of a normal loo. I mean like the loo in Indian railway stations! </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Before going to the village, my only concern was how I will get access to Internet. But throughout my five days in the village, I never once though about it.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And oh, I forgot to mention that the entire course was taught in my almost non existent Kannada vocabulary. If there was one thing I learnt, it was this.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I could be in the best place in the world, and complain about life.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I could be in the worst place in the world and not complain.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">All these worries and complaints dropped in a second when I saw those shining faces of students so grateful for this beautiful knowledge. I knew that I would rather travel in those ‘shared autos’ in Dharwad, to do this work, than travel the fastest German trains for sightseeing Europe. I have the best experiences, best job, and the best BOSS ever!!!</p>Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-45106065665712655272011-03-24T11:13:00.005+05:302011-03-28T16:58:59.061+05:30A fairy tale christmas<a href="http://www.eco-world.de/service/produkte/archiv/42/Bad_Antogast.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 330px; height: 198px;" src="http://www.eco-world.de/service/produkte/archiv/42/Bad_Antogast.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a> <div> The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Akadamie</span> Bad <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Antogast</span><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Bad <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Antogast</span>!!!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I first heard this name a few months after I did the Art of living course in one of the knowledge sheets.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">An Ashram in the midst of German black forest….I would expect an old haunted castle, but an Ashram??? <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was intrigued by the very idea.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And then one day we drove from Frankfurt through the picturesque village of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Oppnau</span>…it was the beginnings of Christmas season. The snow capped mountains were surrounded by forests of pine trees. It couldn't be more <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Christmassy</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The village was scattered with quaint houses with cute steaming chimneys. It was right out of a fairy tale, and I was almost expecting kids called Hansel and Gretel or little Red Riding hood to come bursting out of the houses that had wooden doors, antique Knockers and decorated windows.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Through the windows of little shops I could see old men smoking pipe, reading daily paper and sipping on hot chocolate.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Finally our car stopped in front of ‘<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Akademie</span> Bad <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Antogast</span>’. Being enraptured by the picturesque beauty of the whole scene around, I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">didn</span>’t feel like entering the building, lest I would have to leave the scene behind. I walked up the stone cobbled steps and entered a warm room with hot tea, cookies and a fire place.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It felt more like an exotic spa rather than an ashram. And yet, after an enthusiastic greeting</p> <p class="MsoNormal">“<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Jaigurudev!!</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">sind</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">sie</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">kommen</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">aus</span> Bangalore….<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">das</span> is <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">sehr</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">schone</span>!” <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I knew I was so at home.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The next day we went with out black plastic bags (okay the garbage bags) for a unique skiing experience down the snow covered steeps….the byproduct being frozen noses, butts and oodles of crazy fun.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">A few days later I hear soft footsteps walking down the wooden staircase, and huge crowd standing to welcome him, he came wearing one of those ridicules Santa caps, which surprisingly suited him.....</p><p class="MsoNormal">The S<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">atsang</span> began…..the star on top of the Christmas tree was finally added.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It was one of those increasingly frequent times in my life, where I had to pinch myself to make sure ‘am I really here. The melody of ‘silent night trilled and I could see blissful faces from more than 30 different countries. The Dinner was delicious German cakes with salad, soup and Baked spiced potatoes.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Adventure, fun, music, grace, devotion, celebration……nothing can beat this, not even fairy tales.</p></div>Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-21855211412007563852010-11-03T18:48:00.005+05:302010-11-17T19:30:49.626+05:30Europe and more..I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">wake</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">up</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">to</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">gloomy</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">overcast</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">sky</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">realize</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">OMG</span>, I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">have</span> just <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">changed</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">time</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">zones</span>, I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">look</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">at</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">time</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">expecting</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">it</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">be</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">ridiculously</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">early</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Unfortunately</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">it</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">shows</span> an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">embarrassing</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">mid</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">noon</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">time</span>...<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">which</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">rules</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">out</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">possibility of </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">that</span> extra <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">snooze</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">had</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">planned</span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">my</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">mind</span>.<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">On</span> Mein Gott!!!.....<br />I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">look</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">out</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">window</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">and</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">see</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">lovely</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">mustard</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">and</span> orange <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">autumn</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">trees</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">forming</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">picture</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">perfect</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">scenery</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">flanking</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">red roofed</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">buildings</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">Sure</span> I miss <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">India</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">but</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_68">this</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_69">aint</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_70">bad</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_71">either</span>.<br />Oh <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_72">breakfast</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_73">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_74">jams</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_75">cheese</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_76">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_77">muesli</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_78">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_79">yogurt</span>.......<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_80">it</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_81">sure</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_82">is</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_83">buffet</span>.<br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_84">Shopping</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_85">has</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_86">always</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_87">been</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_88">one</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_89">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_90">my</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_91">sad</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_92">weaknesses</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_93">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_94">Europe</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_95">is</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_96">not</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_97">helping,</span> s<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_98">tuff</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_99">here</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_100">being</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_101">expensive</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_102">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_103">well</span>...<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_104">new</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_105">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_106">my</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_107">rather</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_108">unindulged</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_109">senses</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_110">Even</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_111">from</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_112">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_113">supermarkets</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_114">my</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_115">Hubby</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_116">has</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_117">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_118">eventually</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_119">has</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_120">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_121">drag</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_122">me</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_123">out</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_124">kicking</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_125">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_126">screaming</span>.<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_127">Food</span>...I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_128">know</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_129">already</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_130">mentioned</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_131">it</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_132">If</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_133">there</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_134">is</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_135">one</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_136">thing</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_137">have</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_138">crazy</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_139">irresistible</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_140">weakness</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_141">for</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_142">its</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_143">cheese</span>. So <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_144">one</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_145">week</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_146">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_147">pizza</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_148">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_149">pastas</span> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_150">always</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_151">with</span> extra <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_152">cheese</span>) <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_153">and</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_154">knew</span>......<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_155">how</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_156">much</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_157">more</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_158">could</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_159">have</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_160">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_161">it</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_162">Only</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_163">prayers</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_164">could</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_165">save</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_166">me</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_167">from</span> an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_168">inevitable</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_169">burst</span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_170">seams</span>.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_171">okay</span>...so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_172">that</span> was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_173">my</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_174">first</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_175">week</span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_176">Germany</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_177">full</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_178">of</span> extreme <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_179">tamas</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_180">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_181">rajas</span>.<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_182">And</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_183">how</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_184">here</span> I am in Hamburg, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_185">at</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_186">the</span> Art <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_187">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_188">Living</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_189">centre</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_190">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_191">my</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_192">surprise</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_193">find</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_194">that</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_195">utter</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_196">sattva</span> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_197">life</span>) <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_198">can</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_199">exist</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_200">here</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_201">as</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_202">well</span>. Session <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_203">with</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_204">YES</span> plus <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_205">teacher</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_206">Saleel</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_207">bhaiya</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_208">cooking</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_209">with</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_210">Sarah</span> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_211">another</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_212">brilliant</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_213">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_214">sweet</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_215">Iranian</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_216">Yes</span> plus <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_217">teacher</span>) <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_218">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_219">lots</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_220">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_221">brilliant</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_222">Sadhana</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_223">and</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_224">cant</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_225">even</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_226">remember</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_227">my</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_228">first</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_229">week</span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_230">Germany</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_231">Somehow</span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_232">love</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_233">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_234">sattva</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_235">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_236">same</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_237">things</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_238">that</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_239">you</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_240">do</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_241">feel</span> so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_242">much</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_243">more</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_244">new</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_245">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_246">Intense</span>.<br /><br />So <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_247">actually</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_248">today</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_249">is</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_250">exactly</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_251">one</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_252">week</span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_253">this</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_254">new</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_255">country</span>. So bis <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_256">spater</span> und <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_257">tchus</span>!!! </div>Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-84387206667892270272010-09-14T13:16:00.005+05:302010-09-14T13:52:57.175+05:30Thiruvannamalai<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.livechennai.com/images/Thiruvannamalai.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 431px; height: 297px;" src="http://www.livechennai.com/images/Thiruvannamalai.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I've actually been saving up writing about this place until I know enough to do justice to a place like this. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I have almost been here for a month now, and even now I fail to come up with a single adjective to describe it. Nor do I want to go overboard by using mere words that anyway sound shallow. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Pilgrims from all over the world flock to this place, one of the Panchamahabootha sthalas, Thiruvannamalai is the 'agni lingam', which represents the 'fire' element.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ever since my parents settled here 3 months ago, I always wanted to come here on the full moon, and do the famous 'Girivalam,' a 14 km trek around the mountain, the main attraction of this place. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">As luck would have it, I came here to recover from my illness, and doing the trek was out of the question, so here I am, being ruthlessly, utterly pampered by my parents, eating awesome food and soaking in some awesome culture (Ha! that got you jealous)</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The first thing I saw as I entered this idyllic temple town, was a majestic mountain that overshadowed everything else here. This was the sacred 'Aruna shivalinga mountain', meaning the whole mountain itself here was worshipped as the shivalinga. In the coming days as I recovered, I realized that the temple here is just the symbolic aspect to the city itself, and its actually the city of Thiruvannamalai which is the actual temple, the mountain, the linga. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This city is scattered with ashrams, where masters like Ramana maharishi, Yogi Ram Surat Kumar and Sheshadari Swamigal meditated and attained enlightenment. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The main temple, the 'Arulmigu Arunachaleshwar koil' , with the presiding deity of Shiva and Parvathi as Annamalaiyar and Unnamulaiamman is more than a 1000 years old. Throughout the temple one can feel the fire element emanating from its space having a strange cleansing effect, especially when you enter the inner shrine. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The town itself of course is a brilliant tourist hub, especially in the Ramanashram side of the town, which is majorly popular among foreigners, the city feels like a cross between the colorful Goa and spiritual Varanasi. So you can meditate every evening and then head for delicious wood fire baked pizzas.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So this whole month has been an extended holiday. I don't know how long I am going to be here, but I could sure get used to waking up to the birds and peacocks (okay, by the time I wake up, they are gone, but I swear I hear them in my dreams) , a view with the majestic mountains and wood fire baked pizzas (not yet tried them, but they sound delicious). And I for once am in no great hurry to recover!!!!!</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> </div>Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745989305643524682.post-66758926196137350292010-09-09T14:28:00.002+05:302010-09-09T14:54:38.747+05:30some more randomnessSince I have been consistently inconsistent at updating my blog, and equally inconsistent at coming up with new topics and subjects that could revive my otherwise dying blog, I've decided to ramble random stuff, which may or may not (more likely) make sense.<div>And hopefully that might just be enough to resuscitate my blog!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Right now I am in this beautiful temple town of Thiruvannamalai, on a long holiday, recovering from an illness. There are a few things I have realised this past month of roller coaster life.</div><div> That -</div><div>Sometimes somethings just don't work out, maybe its not meant to be, maybe you've just gotta wait.....only time can tell.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes you need a break....and there's nothing wrong with that.</div><div><br /></div><div>When you need help, speak up, especially to people who are the closest to you.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>sorry, didn't mean to descend into an advice giving mode. But life does come a full circle sometimes, and you need relearn many things that you forget on the way......there I go again.</div><div><br /></div><div>But for me, the past 3 months has been journey in relearning a lot of thing I used to know, and going back to being a lot of things I used to be. In a way I am rediscovering my identity, In a way I know it was never lost and In a way I realise that this does not stop here. All my epiphanies some day will be rendered void and senseless, as I keep rediscovering myself, and unfolding layers.</div><div>I continue to build sand castles, which I know would come tumbling right down one day.</div><div>But each time, I build a stronger and better one.....and who knows, maybe one day it will be strong enough to withstand every Stormy weather. Till then I just keep building.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div>Madhuri Kaushikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00224326351662568672noreply@blogger.com3