The Little Garden in a Concrete Jungle

Though I was born in Bangalore, the city is slowly losing its charm on me as it gets transformed entirely into a concrete jungle. On my recent visit to my parents apartment, I was pleasantly surprised to see a few young men, all techies working in IT companies, tending to a small vegetable garden in an unused, inaccessible piece of land amidst concrete structures in the high-rise apartment complex.

It was inspiring to see these men with green thumbs from different parts of India working together to tend to this "little garden in a concrete jungle". These men have kept up with their work despite several threats to close it down.  With this post, I show my solidarity and wish them great success. I hope this garden will inspire many many more gardens in our once "Garden City".

Why is a garden so important??

1) Gardening is an essential form of education. A garden sparks the imagination of children.They can witness the miracle of seeing things grow and Mother Earth's bounty.
    - A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; 
     it teaches industry   and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.
  - Why try to explain miracles to your kids when you can just have them plant a garden
2) A garden helps us understand ourselves and the food that sustains us.
    - To own a bit of ground, to scratch it with a hoe, to plant seeds and watch 
      the renewal  of life.  This is the commonest delight of the race, 
      the most satisfactory thing a man can do. 
   - To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves - Gandhi
3) A garden gives unlimited happiness
    - If you want to be happy for a lifetime, be a gardener - Chinese proverb
    - Whoever loves and understands a garden will find contentment within.
    - A garden is a friend you can visit any time. 
    - Gardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoes.
4) Spirituality of gardening
    - The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. 
      To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.
    - One is never closer to God than in the Garden.
5) A garden teaches us to slow down. In the rat race that we live in and in our ever maddening rush, a garden teaches us to slow down to the pace that nature intended.

   - Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back 
     into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.

6) A garden brings people together and builds community. 

   - Gardens and flowers have a way of bringing people together, drawing them from their homes.  

Pristine to polluted: Our daily choices matter ..

My father was digging up a new larger patch for a vegetable garden in our backyard in my native village Mundur, Kerala. We dug a few feet below the soil and to my utter dismay, we unearthed several plastic items, plastic bag, bottles, lids and toys. We looked for a new spot and the same story there too. The plastic was choking the earth everywhere!

 

Straw broom or plastic broom

We were digging up what my relatives have been burying for the last several decades. Most of the state of Kerala is densely populated. Every house hold is responsible for disposing off their own garbage as there are no dumping grounds or landfills unless you dumped in someone else's backyard. Each house had a septic tank that took care of toilet wastes. All other household items like wooden furniture, steel/iron or aluminum utensils were buried in the backyard and it slowly decomposed over time. Garbage disposal was a non-issue until the introduction of plastics in rural India a few decades ago.

Garbage disposal is now a nightmare in rural areas. People are left with only two choices, to bury them or burn them. In Kerala, we have run out of space for burying and people have started burning plastic in their backyard. We all know the great dangers of burning plastic which includes cancer and several respiratory diseases. The once pristine air is now polluted with dangerous chemicals created when plastic burns. 

We have to wake up and evaluate our everyday choices. We have to return to the "old" ways of living or the day is not too far before we choke in our own filth! 

Ennennum Ende Keralam....Forever, my Keralam

Words can't explain my fondness for this land which is my ancestral home. Mother nature is in her abundant glory here. The ever fertile soil, the thick vegetation, the pouring rain and the scorching heat. My fondest childhood memories are set against this backdrop. The lush greenery is deeply entrenched in every crevice of my brain and fills my soul to the brim. This serenity I carry with me everywhere I go....

Lula : A majestic new mom

It was exciting times when I was in my ancestral village Mundur. Lula, a stray dog from the area had chosen a big mound in front of our house as the safe haven to birth her pups.

My aunt told me that Kanni maasam ( Malayalam month Kanni – zodiac sign Virgo ) is the mating season for the dogs. It was early December and almost a month had passed since Lula delivered. My paternal aunts and uncle hadn't seen the pups yet. They were waiting anxiously everyday. The day, I arrived from the city with my two kids was the day the pups chose to see daylight for the first time. We were all very excited and counted a total of five adorable pups.

Lula was an amazing mom. She caressed them so lovingly and licked them all over before letting them suckle. It was a beautiful sight to watch. Over the next few days I watched Lula closely and saw how she tended to her pups all alone relying only on her instinctive knowledge.

She would sleep only when the pups returned to the safety of their hole after every feed. The only time she was away was to get her own food. No other dogs were allowed anywhere in the vicinity of her mound. She was very aggressive if she sensed one nearby and barked fiercely. She was fine with us humans close by as she figured we meant no harm.

She was wild and free and yet domesticated in many ways by the close proximity of humans. She lived life on her terms, roamed free, socialized with the other stray dogs, she mated and birthed every year following the rhythms of nature. It was a joy watching her live her life in complete freedom!

Nature's nurturing ways and infinite love bestowed on every mother continues to amaze me day after day!"God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers." - Rudyard Kipling

Medicines from the Wilderness

A few minutes walk from my ancestral home in Mundur, Palakkad is the "Ayurveda Raw Drugs Collection Centre". It has been here for decades and I have walked past it many many times without casting a glance in that direction. On my recent trip back home, I was curious to go in and take a look.

 

 

I walked in with my father. The warehouse had heaps and heaps of dry leaves, stems, barks, roots stacked up to the ceiling. These raw materials are dried, powdered and sent to the Arya Vaidya Pharmacy in Coimbatore where they are mixed and processed to make Ayurvedic medicines to treat all kinds of ailments. The staff at the center revealed to us the potency of these wild medicines when compared to their farmed local varieties. All local, insipid varieties are rejected. Wild black peppers and gooseberries I learnt are very high in medicinal value. 

A native community of medicine men leave early in the morning in small groups to collect these materials. They climb up the mountains and walk all over the wild forested areas and return late afternoon carrying large bundles on their head. These men are experts in identifying medicinal herbs and they know the landscape like the palm of their hands. 

Later in the evening, as I was talking to my paternal aunt about my visit and she told me about the extraordinary health of these men. The daily physical labor and the scent of the medicinal herbs in the pure mountain air was enough to keep them in the peak of health upto a ripe old age.

We are steadily losing these wild areas to cultivation and massive clearing for so called rural development. The key to our health lies deep inside the untouched wilderness. When the wilderness is lost, the ancient medicines and cures will be lost forever. We must preserve and protect the wilderness. The destiny of the wilderness is the destiny of mankind!

"In wilderness is the preservation of the world" - Henry David Thoreau 

"In God's wildness lies the hope of the world - the great fresh unblighted, unredeemed wilderness" - John Muir

Patra Lakshanam: Traits of a Danseuse

Dancers at Kalakshetra, Chennai

 A danseuse is called "Patra" in Sanksrit. This shlokam from the ancient epic "Abinaya Darpanam"  enumerates the qualities of a dancer.

Tanvi roopavati shyama pinnonata payodhara
Pragalbha sarasa kantha kushala gruhamokshayoha
Vishaala lochana geeta vaadhya taalanu varthinee
Paradyo bhusha sampanna prasanna mukha pankala
Evam vidha guna peta nartaki samudhiritha 
(Slim, of great beauty, dark complexioned, full-bosomed, swan like, lovely, intelligent, large-eyed, able to dance according to song, orchestra and rhythm in keeping with the beat. Endowed with precious qualities and a smiling face resembling a lotus flower. All these qualities are possessed by a danseuse )

On my recent visit to Chennai, I had the opportunity to tour the world renowned Kalakshetra Foundation. Every single dancer I met there embodies these qualities to the fullest. This shlokam holds the essence of a beautiful and intelligent woman!

P.S: This description is not complete as I don't know the meaning of the following phrases "pragalbha", "gruhamokshayoha", "paradyo bhusha sampanna" and "samudhiritha".  I plan to refine the meaning when I find out.

Types of Charity : Satvik, Rajasik and Tamasik

While writing the previous post about charity, I remembered that like the 3 classifications for food, Vedic literature also classifies 'charity' into 3 classes. I asked my father and he immediately recited the Sanskrit shlokams (verses) for me and explained their meaning. They can be found in the 17th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.

datavyam iti yad danam
diyate 'nupakarine
dese kale ca patre ca
tad danam sattvikam smrtam
( Charity given to a deserving person, at the proper time and place, without expectations of any return is considered to be Satvik (virtuous) form of charity).

yat tu pratyupakarartham
phalam uddisya va punah
diyate ca pariklistam
tad danam rajasam smrtam
( Charity performed with the expectation of some return, or the desire for some results, or charity done begrudgingly or for pomp and show is considered to be Rajasik (materialistic/egotistic) form of charity).

adesa-kale yad danam
apatrebhyas ca diyate
asat-krtam avajnatam
tat tamasam udahrtam
( Charity performed at an improper place or time and given to unworthy persons, or charity given without respect or with contempt is considered to be Tamasic (ignorance/darkness) form of charity. Charity that promotes indulgences in intoxication and gambling fall in this category).

My Mother's Generous Heart

As far back as I can remember my mother's handbag was always loaded with bundles of crisp new notes from Reserve Bank of India where she worked as a manager. 

To this day, I have never seen anyone as selflessly generous as my mother. To put things in context, we were an ordinary middle class family of 3 girls. Most people pinched pennies to save up to marry off a single girl let alone three, but my mother never ever showed us a single sign of this burden. 

Mom and me

She was financially independent and controlled her bank account and spending herself unlike my 3 aunts who were also employed but handed over all their earnings to their spouses. Her income was the primary provider for our family as my father was burdened by financial support from his extended family. 

She lived fearlessly and money freely flowed out from her purse. Her acts of generosity to extended family members, known and unknown people are countless. So many people have been touched by my mother's generosity and kindness, all done in anonymity.

• She used to give 5 rupees to beggars back in the days when people hesitated to spare 10paisa
• In the early 1990's she took a huge bank loan for close to Rs 50,000 because her niece asked for a computer. She was paying off this loan in small amounts long after the life of the computer. 
• In 2010, she payed off a Rs 40,000 loan that her house maid, a single mother of 2 small children owed for her tiny house in Trivandrum.
• Around the same time, she again gave Rs 5,000 for this maid's son's education
• She worked in the Ombudsman's office and came across a desperate letter from a poor handicapped man who was being harassed by the bank and police to pay off his loan. Without even seeing this man, my mother wrote out a cheque of Rs 30,000 to clear his loan, simply because she was touched by the man's desperation. 
• She payed 1 lakh rupees for her brother's son's divorce settlement which was later repayed.
• She gave her niece Rs 80,000 when she needed money to build her house.
• She bought the same nieces son a laptop for Rs 30,000 and another Rs 30000 for his education. 
• For years, even to this day she shares the expenses to keep a home nurse to care for my father's ailing older sister.
• My mother wholeheartedly took complete financial responsibility for the care of my grandmother right up to her death. 

The most truly generous persons are those who give silently without hope of praise or reward  - Carol Ryrie Brink 

Capoeira, the Dance of the Slaves

I had never heard of Capoeira until my visit to the old city Pelourinho in Salvador, Brazil. Pelourinho means "whipping post" in Portuguese. This is where African slaves were severely punished and humiliated even for petty crimes. My mind conjured up an image of a tall black man tied to a post being whipped mercilessly. I quickly brushed aside the image and the feeling that accompanied it.

In the old city, I saw a group of men standing in a circle and two athletic men at the center performing an acrobatics of sorts to the accompaniment of strange singing, drums and a stringed instrument. It was a mesmerizing dance ..a mix of martial arts, dance and animalistic moves. I was very intrigued and stood watching for a long time.

I later read that Capoeira was born from the depths of a man's survival instinct as a form of self defence. It was an escaped slave's only hope of survival and freedom against powerful, armed colonial forces trying to recapture him. Capoeira was practiced in secrecy amid the thicket of the plantations, risking their lives if caught.

Despite all these odds Capoeira survived and lives on. It survived because it lived in the hearts of the people who practiced it, who loved it enough to risk their lives to teach others. Anything so sacred will not die easily, its fragrance is too strong to be snuffed out. Capoeira will surely spread across the globe just like Yoga, Karate and other great art forms.

They are not dead who live in the hearts they leave behind. - Tuscarora

"Quiet" Matters

I went in to my son's kindergarten class today for an observational visit. My son's teacher Mr Janzen mentioned that just like his sister, my son too is usually quiet in the class. He also mentioned that the quietness didn't mean that he didn't know the answer, he just was not keen on being very verbal in school.

A few years back I was apprehensive about my daughter’s quiet nature, especially in school. Now I am more comfortable and accepting of this side of their personalities, primarily because I see a lot of the other side of them at home and other familiar environments. They are expressive, talkative and at times quite rowdy.

In today's noisy world, talking more is associated with confidence. There appears to be a need to verbalize everything. Silence is thereby associated with a lack of confidence and social awkwardness. This view I think is mostly a modern phenomenon.

Silence in the old days was associated with inner strength and composure. Silence and quietness was an integral part in learning and a prerequisite for great creativity. When we are silent, we listen more keenly. Behind the silence is a deep process of listening, comprehending and registering. It will do us all some good to embrace silence.

"That state which is beyond speech and thoughts is silence. Learning happens in silence." 

 "Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves together; that at length they may emerge, full-formed and majestic, into the daylight of Life"

"Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom"

A Chance to Paint with John Stuart Pryce

When I see my daughter's obsession with drawing and painting, I am reminded of myself as a child. I had almost forgotten that side of me until my childhood friends visited me 2 years ago. They couldn't stop talking about how much I drew and painted. Suddenly all the memories came flooding back! As a child I would paint just about anything peacocks, village scenes, Hindu gods, Christian nativity pictures (very popular in my catholic convent school).

After my early school days, I didn't paint for more than decade. Then when I went to Penn State University, I enrolled in several art classes. I dabbled in oil painting, charcoal sketching, cartooning, pottery and Chinese painting.

Just last week ..almost 11 years later I opened up my old art supplies box again! I have a unique opportunity to learn landscape painting from the famous Canadian "en plein air" artist John Stuart Pryce. From the very first session, I instantly knew that this is the style I would like to learn and this is the person I would like to learn from.

"My goal is to share with others the beauty that my eyes see, my heart feels, and my soul yearns to understand."  - John Stuart Pryce 

My amateurish attempt at copying John

Friends of Rouge River Headwaters Park and Trails

2014 Fall Community Cleanup-drive

 

Thanks to all the kids and adults who participated in this event. 

Date                 : Monday, 27th October 2014  (weather permitting) 
Time                : 3-4.30pm
Starting point : ****
Area                 : Rouge River Headwaters trails
                           We will walk to the Headwaters park and then walk along the trails. 
Contact Info   : ****
What to bring: One garbage bag per family, reusable water bottles, snack (optional)
What to wear : Please dress appropriately for the weather. Also bring a small plastic bag to wrap around your hand to pick up the litter.
Note                : Adults, kids, seniors ...all are welcome to join!

I have sought the calm and peace of the lake, streams and the myriad trails along the Rouge River Headwaters area since I moved into this region in 2008. My children have played here countless times since they were born. They now ride their bikes and scooters along the trails. I hope they and all the people in our area can continue to enjoy this natural haven.

Year after year, I see more litter and more pollution along side the trails, streams and parks.

I hope we can form a small group of friends who work together to protect and preserve this natural habitat. The clean-up drive will educate us all of the importance of not polluting the place we call home. This will teach kids social responsibility and connect them to the land where they were born.

We can all do our bit to make the world a better place and develop an appreciation and love for the natural world.

Brazil : Love knows no colors ..

 People watching has been my favorite pastime since I landed in Brazil. I could sit endlessly and just watch the people going by. A mind boggling mix of African, South American, Native American and European people. Brazil is the ultimate melting pot of world cultures!

You can find all shades of skin color from the lightest to the darkest ivory. All types of hair color and texture. Each person had an unexplainable beauty. My brain would jump at solving the 'ancestry' jigsaw puzzle.

The men are handsome with amazingly fit bodies and a soft, gentle face which make them even more attractive. The women are vivacious, brown skinned with curly hair and soft curvacious bodies and a generous, warm smile. It appears that the brazileiros are the most masculine men on the planet and the brazileiras, the most feminine.

What makes these people so unique? I figure it is ..
  A spontaneous and free flowing expressiveness
 The camaraderie and warmth that comes straight from the heart  
 A passionate love for music and dance
 A love for the sun, sports and the outdoors and
 An intense love of life that resonates in every cell in the body !

Bharatanayam - Grade 1 Exam

Syllabus from Thamil Isai Kalaa Manram of Ontario (Dance Examination 2014)

THEORY (Oral test only)
1) Namaskaram and its importance
2) Dhyaana Shlokam
3) Mudras - Asamyuta Hastas
4) Explanation of Bhava, Raga, Tala 

PRACTICAL
1) Thattadavu (Total:8)
2) Nattadavu (Total:8)
3) Tha Thei Thei Tha (Total:4)
4) Kudhithu (Jump) Mettadavu (Total:4)
5) Theiya Theiyie (Total: 4)
6) Thath Thei Thaha (Total: 4)
7) Thath Thei Tham (Total:6 only 2 of these are included for Grade 1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THEORY

1) Namaskaram and its importance:

Namaskaram (Obeisance) is the traditional way to start and end a dance practice or a performance. The dancer pays respect to the Lord, Guru and the audience and asks for forgiveness from Mother Earth for stamping on her during the dance. The dancer also prays for protection to the Ashta Dikpalas, the eight deities that guard the eight quarters of the world.

2) Dhyaana Shlokam

In Sanskrit Dhyaana means “meditation” and Shlokam means “prayer”. It is a tradition to start a dance practice with a recitation of the Dhyaana shlokam.

Angikam Bhuvanam Yasya  ( Whose body is the entire Universe)
Vachikam Sarva Vangmayam ( Whose speech is all the language of the Universe)

 Aaharyam Chandra Taradi (Whose ornaments are the moon and the stars)
Tam Numah Saattvikam Shivam (Him, we bow to, that pure Lord Shiva!)

Word for word meaning: Angikam : body , Bhuvanam : universe, Yasya : whose, Vachikam : speech, Sarva : all, Vangmayam : languages, Aaharyam : ornaments, Chandra : moon, Taradi : stars, Tam : Him, Numah : bow, Saattvikam : pure, Shivam : Lord Shiva 
Hand gestures used in Angikam Bhuvanam : uses a few special hand gestures 
Angikam : ( ? ), Bhuvanam : suchi, Yasya :  ( ? ), Vachikam : ( ? ), Sarva: patakam, Vangmayam: (mukulam to alapadmam), Aaharyam: ( ? ), Chandra : (alapadmam), Taradi: ( ? ), Tam : (suchi), Numah: (anjali), Saattvikam : ( ? ), Shivam: (ardhachandran, shikharam) 

3) Asamyuta Hastas (Single hand gestures - 28 mudras) 
Shlokam: || Patakas tripatako ardhapatakaha kartarimukhaha
Mayurasyo ardhachandrashcha arla shukatundakaha
Mushtishcha shikarakhyashcha kapittha katakamukhaha
Suchi chandrakala padmakoshakaha sarpashirstatha
Mrigashirshaha simhamukhaha kangulashcha alapadmakaha
Chaturobramarashchaiva hamsasyo hamsapakshakaha
Samdamsho mukulashchaiva tamrachuda trishulakaha
Ityasamyutahasta hastaanaam ashtavinshatiririta ||

The literal meaning and usage of the hand gestures. 
pathaka : flag -> natyarambham, night, river, clouds
tripathaka: a triangular flag -> Indra (both hands in tripatakam)
arthapathaka : half flag -> showing a branch
kartharimukha: scissors -> show lightning, separation of man and woman, disagreement
mayura : peacock -> vomiting, forehead, wipe away tears
ardhachandra: half moon ->moon, seizing the neck
arala: bent  -> drinking poison, nectar
shukathunda:  parrot's beak (? or head?) -> shooting an arrow
mushti : fist -> grabbing the hair, wrestling
shikharam: peak -> shiva lingam, manmatha
kapitham: wood apple -> lakshmi, saraswathi, milking the cow
katakhamukham: opening in a bracelet -> plucking flowers, wearing a pearl necklace
2nd katakhamukham: (double headed kapitham) : holding out a mirror, use both hands
3rd katakhamukham: mother
suchi : needle ->threatening, sun, twirl the hair, pointing at a distance, once upon a time
chandrakala: digit of the moon -> moon, face
padmakosha : lotus bud -> bowl of food, fruit, coconut
sarpashirsha : snake hood -> sandal paste, sprinkle
mrigashirsha : deer head -> animal's head
simhamukham : lion face -> used to show deer, drop of water
kangulam : lime (any fruit) -> bells, garland, white water lily
alapadmam: bloomed lotus -> beautiful, full moon, full moon, thinking about beauty
chaturam: four, square-> eye, color
bhramaram : bee
hamsasyam: swan beak-> eye brow, painting
hamsapaksham:swan wing
samdamsha: pincers
mukula: blossom
tamrachuda: cock
trishula: trident

4) Explanation of Bhava, Raga, Tala

The origin of the name Bharatanatyam came from 4 Sanskrit words Bha-ra-ta-natyam

Bha comes from Bhava, which means expression.

Ra comes from Raga, which means melody.

Ta comes from Tala, which means rhythm.

Bhava (Expression): Bhava is the emotional expression of the performer. It is a visual expression by which a dancer can convey her inner feelings. Examples: happy, dad, shy, anger, fear (navarasas)

Raga(Melody): A raga is identified by a particular combination of musical phrases (swaras) that gives it its unique melodic character, and expresses certain moods or emotions.Eg: Vasantha ragam

Tala (Rhythm): The tala is a rhythmic cycle containing a fixed number of beats. Talam provides the rhythemic foundation for the melodic structure.Eg Adi, Rupakam

PRACTICAL 

Thattadavu (Total 8)
	Right leg	Left leg	Talam
1	Theiya	Thei
2	Theiya Thei	Theiya Thei
3	Theiya Theiya Thei	Theiya Theiya Thei
4	Theiya Theiya Theiya Thei	Theiya Theiya Theiya Thei
5	Theiya Theiya Thei Thei Tham	Theiya Theiya Thei Thei Tham
6	Thei Thei Tham ,,	Thei Thei Tham ,,
	Thei Thei Tham ,,	Thei Thei Tham ,,
7	Thei Thei Thath	Thath
	Thei Thei Tham
8	Thei	Thei
	Thei	Thei
	Dhidh	Dhidh
	Thie

Listen to the wind of change ..

I love reading quotes especially the ones that fit well with a particular situation in my life. It is a time of change for me as I make a career change. These quotes inspire me to embrace change and open myself to the new challenges and the new people I will meet.

The only way that we can live is if we grow; the only way we can grow is if we change; the only way we can change is if we learn; the only way we can learn is if we are exposed; the only way we can be exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open. - C. JoyBell C 

The Scorpions song "Wind of Change" is playing in my head.

I follow the Moskva, down to Gorky Park, listening to the wind of change
An August summer night, soldiers passing by, listening to the wind of change
...
The future's in the air, I can feel it everywhere
Blowing with the wind of change

Take me to the magic of the moment, on a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow dream away, in the wind of change

Walking down the street, distant memories
Are buried in the past forever

....

Twenty idyllic days

I am in the middle of a career change. The job where I spent the last decade is ending and my new job is yet to start. I now have the luxury of twenty idyllic days to spend as I please.

I want to ...
        slowdown and relax
        jog along the nature trails and enjoy the fall season
        hang around a lot with my kids, in the parks and trails    
        watch movies and chat with my husband
        read and browse to my heart's content
        leisurely practice my dance and violin
        meet friends and neighbors
        spend time with my parents 
        enjoy the chance to visit Salvador, Brazil

Ten Commandments

Biblical Ten Commandments
    I am the Lord thy God and thou shalt not have other gods before me.
    Thou shalt not make for thyself any graven image.
    Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
    Remember the Lord's Day to keep it holy.
    Honor thy Father and Mother.
    Thou shalt not kill.
    Thou shalt not commit adultery
    Thou shalt not steal
    Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor
    Thou shalt not covet

Native American Ten Commandments
    The Earth is our Mother, care for her.
    Honor all your relations.
    Open your heart and soul to the Great Spirit.
    All life is sacred; treat all beings with respect.
    Take from the Earth what is needed and nothing more.
    Do what needs to be done for the good of all.
    Give constant thanks to the Great Spirit for each new day.
    Speak the truth; but only of good in others.
    Follow the rhythms of nature; rise and retire with the sun.
    Enjoy life's journey, but leave no tracks.


I can't help but point out the stark difference in the two sets of commandments.  The biblical commandments begin with "Thou shalt not.." with a focus on what one should "not" do. Do you sense the negative and condescending tone throughout ? As if we are all born criminals and needed a strict set of rules to just prevent us from committing grave crimes.

Contrast this with the Native American commandments. They recognize the inherent goodness in each one of us and gently guides us to live a life of beauty, harmony and responsibility.

Which one would you choose?

Purpose of Life

What is the purpose of a butterfly? To complete its life cycle starting from an egg to becoming a butterfly. What is the purpose of a bird? It is the same, to complete its life cycle. Darwin has proved it through the theory of evolution, that man is just another animal. The purpose of man too is to complete his life cycle in harmony, to bring forth new life and then to dissolve into the earth like every other living entity.

Why then, are we so confused about our purpose in life? We confuse our purpose with our profession. From the early days of our childhood, we are single-mindedly groomed towards choosing a profession.

Our profession is not our purpose!
To live in harmony is our purpose! 
To promote the health and wellness of the earth and all that lives on it is our purpose!
Continuation of life on this earth is our purpose! 

Nature, the greatest equalizer has the same purpose for all living beings. The purpose of life is the same no matter where on earth you were born, whether you were born rich or poor. Every man's health, happiness and full-fillment is tied to how closely we are aligned to this purpose. Our life's work must be our own betterment and the betterment of anybody and anything that crosses our path.   Preoccupation with our professions, goals and career ambitions neglecting our purpose will eventually lead to sadness, regret and ill health adversely affecting us and all our loved ones.

The purpose of life is to “live in agreement with nature"   - Zeno, Greek Philosopher, 4th Century B.C

The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence  - Rabindranath Tagore 

What is the meaning of life? To be happy and useful.  - Dalai Lama

Morning Meditations

I like to rise early and begin the day by reading a few quotes. They set the tone for the whole day and inspire me to enjoy the chance to live yet another day!

"When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food, and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies with yourself."

Every time you wake up and ask yourself, "What good things am I going to do today?", remember that when the sun goes down at sunset, it will take a part of your life with it.

When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.

and then chant the Gayatri mantram, the most sacred mantra in Hinduism.

Om Buhr, Bhuva, Swaha (Oh earth, sky and the waters)
Tat Savitur Varenyam (That glorious radiating light of the sun)
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi (We meditate upon the splendor of the divine)
Dhiyo Yonaha Prachodayat (May this illuminate us with an understanding of reality) 

This mantra is an astounding call to all the life giving forces in the universe to illuminate our intellect and propel us forward with new life and renewed energy. 

City living or is it slow dying ..?

I went back to visit my mother and my motherland India. A sense of anticipation and longing was building up in me. The tug of the land of ones birth is very strong. No matter where in the world one goes, an invisible umbilical cord ties you back to your motherland. I stepped foot in Bangalore, the city of my birth, a place I love dearly!

This time, it was not the skyscrapers, malls or hoardings that caught my eye. I was looking at the birds, the trees, the people, the weather, the mud, the lakes, the vegetable market, the street vendors, the mangoes. The more I looked down and deep, the more I was saddened at what is happening to my home. Every stream and lake is polluted with sewage and dumping. Every bit of empty land is teeming with rotting garbage. Cows and stray dogs were eating from the dumps. The air was thick with dust and smog.

We have forgotten that man is meant to live in the midst of nature with clean air, pure water and serene surroundings. When everything that meets the eye is ugly, when the only sound you hear is constant noise, when nothing fragrant and only stench hits the nose, when the nerves are stretched and the mind is stressed from the daily turmoil, it is indeed hard to believe that life is beautiful and living is a joy.

The words of warning from the great Native American "Chief Seattle" more than a century ago is now the state of majority of us humans. “Like a man who has been dying for many days, a man in your city is numb to the stench.” City life is not living. It is where we slowly die...

Yellapa, the poor farmer

I got a brief respite from the turmoil of Bangalore city. A two hour drive away from the city took me to Satvik farms in Masti. There I met a young farmer Yellappa, his wife and 5 year old daughter Ankita. They lived and worked on the farm.

The little girl was lonely and had no other kids to play with on the isolated farm. She tagged along as her parents worked the farm. I asked her mother if they planned to have another child in the hope that Ankita would have a sibling to play with. That's when the mother said softly in Kannada .. "Naavu thumba badawaru amma" .. (we are very poor madam). Her voice revealed sadness and quiet resignation. What life lies ahead for us? We have nothing! Her parents were poor farmers too and she was one of six girls whom the parents struggled all thier life to raise and marry off. Her's was the same fate.

After giving birth to a girl, Yellappa decided he didn't want any more kids. His wife went under the knife to prevent any future pregnancies though deep inside she would have liked to have another child. The utter poverty and the fear of having another girl child made the decision easy for them. They were right, I thought  .. with a sense of hopelessness. Being poor in India is to live a life of daily indignity and constant strife.

Their only possessions in this world is the physical strength in the body, love for each other and their only daughter to shower all their affection on. On the way driving back into the city, Bendre's poem was played and replayed several times in my mind.

Olave namma baduku ...ಒಲವೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಬದುಕು .. Love alone is our life!

Love alone is our life.... ಒಲವೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಬದುಕು

Da Ra Bendre's poem is heart wrenching and heart warming at the same time. It  reveals the utter poverty of a young woman who has nothing to call her own other than the love of her man. Love can make even the poorest of the poor rich.   Who being loved is poor? - Oscar Wilde

ನಾನು ಬಡವಿ ಆತ ಬಡವ
      ಒಲವೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಬದುಕು
ಬಳಸಿಕೊಂಡೆವದನೆ ನಾವು
      ಅದಕು ಇದಕು ಎದಕು

Poor I am, so is he
Love alone is our life
Tis what we have nurtured
To see us through this, that and for everything else

ಹತ್ತಿರಿರಲಿ ದೂರವಿರಲಿ
      ಅವನೆ ರಂಗಸಾಲೆ
ಕಣ್ಣು ಕಟ್ಟುವಂಥ ಮೂರ್ತಿ
      ಕಿವಿಗೆ ಮೆಚ್ಚಿನೋಲೆ 

Near or far may he be
He is the colourful stage
The idol that my eyes have built up
Sweet words are jewels for my ears 


ಚಳಿಗೆ ಬಿಸಿಲಿಗೊಂದೆ ಹದ
      ಅವನ ಮೈಯ ಮುಟ್ಟೆ
ಅದೇ ಗಳಿಗೆ ಮೈಯ ತುಂಬಾ
      ನನಗೆ ನವಿರು ಬಟ್ಟೆ 

For the winter or summer,
I have just the touch of his body
Every moment I cover myself
With a cloth of goose bumps

ಆತ ಕೊಟ್ಟ ವಸ್ತು ಒಡವೆ
      ನನಗೆ ಅವಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತು
ತೋಳುಗಳಿಗೆ ತೋಳಬಂದಿ
      ಕೆನ್ನೆ ತುಂಬಾ ಮುತ್ತು

His gifts of things and jewels
Is only known to him and I
Hugs that embrace my shoulders
Cheeks full of sweet kisses

ಕುಂದು ಕೊರತೆ ತೋರಲಿಲ್ಲ
      ಬೇಕು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿಗೇನು?
ಹೊಟ್ಟೆಗಿತ್ತ ಜೀವ ಫಲವ
      ತುಟಿಗೆ ಹಾಲು ಜೇನು.      

Never felt the lack of anything
What more do I need?
The fruit of life grows in my womb
Lips sweet with milk and honey

Art: The gateway to happiness

My children are at the age where I am introducing them to formal lessons in different art forms. My daughter started Bharatanatyam and also violin classes. I have to be very creative in getting them to the classes. Why do I going through all this trouble?

Painting from http://www.ivanguaderrama.com/wall-decor.html

I really don't expect my children to be professional dancers, artists or musicians. My only goal as a mother is to equip my children with tools that can help them throughout their lives. Art can calm the mind and soothe the soul. When life is all work in an endless routine, art will break the monotony and make you feel alive and excited about life. Art will unite you in harmony with the rhythms of the universe. Art is the simplest and most accessible gateway to happiness. By teaching my children the arts, I am giving them a small key to instant happiness.

Azhage Azhage from Saivam: Lyrics and meaning

I heard this song for the first time and fell in love with the melody, the voice of the young singer and its classical feel. My mother-in-law translated the lyrics and now I love it even more for the message it brings that When there is love in your heart everything is beautiful. The song wakes us up to the inherent natural beauty and strengths in everything around us and in our own selves.

Beauty is all around us, we have to open our hearts to see it

Meaning : 
There is beauty in anything and everything. In the light of love, all is beautiful. Is it only rain that is beautiful? The scorching sun has its beauty too. Is it only the flower that is beautiful? The falling leaf too has its own beauty. The sight of a smile is beautiful. The silence that follows the end of speech is also beautiful. A lie told for a good cause is beautiful. Truth, is indeed very beautiful. When a Cuckoo sings its melodious birdsong, is there a need for music notes? When  a peacock trots and dances, is there a need for rhythmic steps? For a river to reach the ocean, does it need a companion. For the waves in the ocean to form its sounds, is there a need for language or grammar. When you commune with natural beauty, the whole world is beautiful. If you forget all your worries, this whole life is beautiful. The tender heart is a swing that sways to the left and right. The heart can be lost in happiness or drowned in sorrow. There is no meaning in pondering about the past and there is nothing greater than looking at the present and counting our blessings. The fragrance wafting off a blooming flower is so beautiful. But even better is the fragrance of love that flows from our hearts) 

Lyrics: Azhage Azhage 
Sa Sa Sa Sa Ni Sa Ri Sa Pa
Ma Ma Tha Tha Thasa Ri Pa Pa
Sa Sa Sa Sa Ni Sa Ri Sa Pa
Ma Ma Tha Tha Thasa Ri Pa Pa
Ga Ma Tha Ni Sa
Ni Ri Sa
 Azhage azhage edhuvum azhage, anbin vizhiyil ellaam azhage
mazhai mattumaa azhagu, sudum veyil kooda oru azhagu
malar mattumaa azhagu, vizhum ilai kooda oru azhagu

Punnagai veesidum paarvaigal azhagu
Vaarthaigal theergayil mounangal azhagu
Nanmaikku sollidum poigalum azhagu
Unmai adhuthaan meiyaai azhagu

Ga Ma Tha Ni Sa
Ni Ri Sa
Ga Ma Tha Ni Sa
Ga Ri Sa 

kuyil isai adhu paadida, swara varisaigal thevayaa
mayil nadanangal aadida, jadhi oligalum thevayaa
nadhi nadandhu sendrida, vazhi thunaithaan thevayaa
kadal alai athu pesida, mozhi ilakanam thevayaa

iyarkkaiyodu inaindhaal, ulagam muzhudhum azhagu
kavalai yaavum marandhaal, indha vaazhkai muzhudhum azhagu
Ga Ma Tha Ni Sa
Ni Ri Sa

azhage azhage edhuvum azhage

Janu Thaka Dheem
Nirisa Nipa Gamarisa
Janu Thaka Dheem
Madhani Paga Madhanisa
Thajum Thajanu Thaka Dheem
Maga Nireesa Ni Madhanipa Thaka Thajam Thajunuthaka

idhayam oru oonjale, idam valam adhu aadidum
inbathil adhu tholaindhidum, thunbathil adhu moolgidum
nadandhadhai naam naalume, ninaipadhil porul illaye
nadapathai naam enninaal, adhiavida uyarvillaye

pookkum poovil veesum, vaasam enna azhagu
adhayum thaandi veesum, nam nesam romba azhagu

Ga Ma Tha Ni Sa
Ni Ri Sa
Ga Ma Tha Ni Sa
Ga Ri Sa

azhage azhage edhuvum azhage, anbin vizhiyil ellaam azhage
mazhai mattumaa azhagu, sudum veyil kooda oru azhagu
malar mattumaa azhagu, vizhum ilai kooda oru azhagu

punnagai veesidum paarvaigal azhagu
vaarthaigal theergayil mounangal azhagu
nanmaikku sollidum poigalum azhagu
unmai adhuthaan meiyaai azhagu
Ga Ma Tha Ni Sa
Ni Ri Sa
Ga Ma Tha Ni Sa
Ga Ri Sa

Life's Simple Pleasures

I have a lot of simple pleasures strewn throughout my day. Working part-time lets me enjoy a lot of little things. I enjoy a half hour at my daughter's school watching the kids, picking up my kids from school, an afternoon nature walk, bath-time with the kids, chatting with moms on a play-date, my evening tea, a nice oil bath, my dance class, some quiet time to myself when I work from home.

What is life without these little pleasures in a day? Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things - Robert Brault 

“Living well is an art that can be developed: a love of life and ability to take great pleasure from small offerings.”  - Maya Angelou

Yashoda In Every Mother

Ever so often I ponder on the amazing and subtle quality of raising a little boy.

Yashoda's deep affection for her son Lord Krishna is regarded as the epitome of motherly love. Hindu mythological is replete with stories of Lord Krishna's playful antics and how he tormented his adoring mother. I know now that these stories are not about the Gods at all. These stories are being replayed everyday, everywhere in the lives of every mother and her son.

 

With my son Mukund, Krishna Leela is played out for us day after day after day. The endless pranks from dawn to dusk. The utter naughtiness, eyes lit with wonder and a mischievous smile. The constant chatter, laughter and non-stop running around. Relentlessly harassing his sister, scheming ways to lure her out of her books and art work. These incessant pranks are exasperating and enchanting at the same time!

At night when all is quiet, Krishna always found himself wrapped securely in his mother’s arms as she sang to him and rocked him to sleep. So it is with my son. What bliss it is to see the innocent sleeping child recharging for another day.  I think ... just as Yashoda did ..O Mukund, It is Your immeasurable mercy that You are playing happily in my home. It is my extraordinary fate that my arms hold Your cloud-like beautiful body. 

Mukund and me

The Dead Languages of Machines

Years of my childhood was spent learning the languages of machines ..like Basic, Cobol, Fortran, C, C++, Java. Many of them are long dead and the rest will die too eventually. They got me a job that pays my bills but do nothing to soothe my heart.

How I wish those years were also spent learning the languages of our people. These languages are ever alive, changing yet constant. I could use them everyday until the last days of my life.

If I knew Urdu, I would drown in the rich world of shayaris. I would learn Bengali just to dive deep into Tagore's world. Thankfully I know Kannada well enough to enjoy Kuvempu. I understand Tamil barely enough to understand Thirukural. The little Malayalam I know lets me sing tender lullaby's to my kids.

Atleast I know a few languages to be able to taste the tip of the iceberg. If the tip is so sweet, can you fathom what the depths are like? I feel for my children who will never understand the dimensions and depths of feelings that our native languages evoke. Most of it will just be Lost in Translation!

Indians: Why all this singing and dancing?

Indians are known around the world for our Bollywood movies, dancing and singing. We are very emotional people and live life with our hearts wide open. For every stage in our lives, for every event in our lives our people have penned inspiring poems, songs and stories that stir us out of monotony and drudgery. From the vast and deep ocean of beautiful literature, poems and songs, I bring but a few grains of sand.

Panchhi nadiyan pawan ke jhoken : (A song for lovers separated by country borders)
Panchhi nadiyan pawan ke jhoken, koi sarhad naa inhe roke, sarhaden insaano ke liye hain, socho, tumne aur maine kya paaya insaan hok. Jo hum dono panchhi hote, tairte hum is neele gagan mein pankh pasaare, saari dharti apni hoti, apne hote saare nazaare. Khuli fizaaon mein udte, apne dilon mein hum saara pyaar samaake
Birds, rivers, gusts of wind, no border inhibits them. Borders are for people, think about it, what have you and I gained by being born as humans? If we were both birds, we would soar in this blue sky...spreading our wings. The entire earth would be ours. Ours would be all sights. In the open air we would fly...taking all the love in our hearts.

Kisi Ke Muskurahaton: ( A song on what Life is all about )

Kisi ki muskurahato pe ho nisar, Kisi ka dard mil sake toh le udhar, Kisi ke waste ho tere dil me pyar, Jeena issika nam hai. Mite o pyar ke liye woh zindagi, Jale bahar ke liye woh zindagi. Kisi ko ho naa ho hame toh aitbar,  Jeena isika nam hai.
To offer yourself so someone can smile, To share someone’s grief. To have love in your heart for someone. This is what life is all about! To perish for love ..that is Life! To crave for spring .. that is Life! This we believe, whether others do or not. This is what Life is all about!
 
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara: (A poem to live every moment fully ) 
Dilon mein tum apni, Betaabiyan leke chal rahe ho Toh zinda ho tum, Nazar mein khwabon ki Bijliyan leke chal rahe ho Toh zinda ho tu. Hawa ke jhokon ke jaise, Aazad rehno sikho. Tum ek dariya ke jaise, Lehron mein behna sikho. Har ek lamhe se tum milo Khole apni bhaayein. Har ek pal ek naya samha Dekhen yeh nigahaein. Jo apni aankhon mein Hairaniyan leke chal rahe ho. Toh zinda ho tum Dilon mein tum apni Betaabiyan leke chal rahe ho. Toh zinda ho tum
If you carry restlessness in your heart then you are alive. If you carry dreams in your eyes then you are alive. Learn to live like the free waves of the wind. Learn to flow like the sea does as waves. Receive every moment in life with open arms. Every moment is a new beginning seen with your eyes. If you carry surprise in your eyes then you are alive. If you carry restlessness in your heart then you are alive

When these words are set to beautiful rhythm, how can we not sing or dance?? 

Our eyes drains us of energy ... really!

Every day, we are flooded with images from the media, friends and family. These images affect us in a way that we are completely oblivious of. It was only when I chanced on this blog post that I really understood how. Every image that we see triggers a train of thoughts. The more images we are exposed to, the more our mind churns on these images resulting in an endless stream of thoughts. The never ending thoughts drains us of energy leaving us tired without having done a thing.

Each image we see consumes a bit of us. We must protect ourselves from these images be it from informational media or social media. The onus is on us! This will protect our mind keeping it calm and leaving us with a tremendous source of energy. 

Acorn School: A school with a soul

When I was looking for a preschool for my little daughter, I wanted a place where my child can just be a child in a loving, warm and stimulating environment.

I found a Montessori school close to my house and payed a big deposit a year in advance to secure a spot. A few weeks before my daughter was to join, I dropped by the school. My daughter was born with an abnormal tongue. She drooled a bit and had to wear a bib and needed a bottle to drink from. I mentioned this to the school director and to my dismay she point blank refused to admit my daughter and asked me to find a school that accommodates special needs.

I left the school feeling very dejected.. How harsh had the world become? Was it too much for a preschool to accommodate a bib and a bottle for a 2 year old child?

I scrambled to find another alternative. That's when I stepped into the doors of  Acorn School and talked to Rosalba Bortolotti, the head of the school. What a world of difference from what I had just experienced!! She was willing to work with every need of my child. She even offered to work with my daughter's occupational therapist right at the school. Meeting Rosalba and the other teachers at Acorn has firmly reinforced my belief in humanity .. that there are inspiring, kind and wonderful people in this world!

Its been a few years since that day and what a wonderful journey it has been for our family to be associated with Acorn School. The whiff of good food when you enter the school, the art projects, the nature explorations, the garden day, the tomato project .. everything is deeply entwined with the memories of my children's childhood days.

I know my two little acorns will be great Oaks one day ... "Great Oaks from Little Acorns Grow"

Marriage vows of eternal friendship

Very often in our busy lives, we take our dearest one for granted. Remembering our sacred marriage vows of eternal friendship makes me instantly grateful for the greatest love of my life. This mantra is chanted immediately following Saptapadi (seven steps) in a vedic marriage. The vedas portrays the husband and wife as the closest of friends.

Sakha saptapada bhava
Sakhayau saptapada babhuva
Sakyanthe gameyam
Sakyathe mayosham
Sakhyanme mayoshtaha
( With these seven steps you have become my friend.
May I deserve your friendship,
May my friendship make me one with you.
May your friendship make you one with me. )

Here is a beautiful Apache wedding prayer

Now you will feel no rain, 
For each of you will be shelter to the other. 
Now you will feel no cold, 
For each of you will be warmth to the other. 
Now there is no more loneliness, 
For each of you will be companion to the other. 
Now you are two bodies, 
But there is one life before you. 
Go now to your dwelling place, 
To enter into the days of your togetherness. 
And may your days be good and long upon the earth.

Spirituality of Dance

So beautifully expressed by great dancers .. 

After you have danced for many years, dance becomes a religion for you. It becomes something that is a part of you. It becomes a limb of your body and something which takes you to another world which otherwise you wouldn't be able to reach. You reach out ...if you believe in god it reaches out to god. If you believe in beauty it reaches out to beauty ..If you believe in your self, it makes you understand yourself better.
-- Dr Kumudini Lakhia a pioneer in Indian Kathak dance

This Divine art is a boon for it shapes the body into graceful controlled beauty, the mind into alertness and sensitivity and the emotions into controlled and purified receptors for the deepest inner longings of humankind.
    - On Bharatanatyam by Bhavanani's, Yoganjali Natyalayam, Pondicherry. 

Whosoever knoweth the power of the dance, dwelleth in God. - Rumi

The miracle of my indoor Chili plant

This year's frigid winter has left me cooped up indoors for weeks at end. I can feel a sense of frustration and stress slowly building up within me. Usually a nice long walk outdoors is all it takes to get me back at ease and instantly excited about all the little wonders in a day.

My indoor Chili plant has been making up for the bleak weather outside. The whole winter, I had just one lone green chili grow from the plant. A lot of flowers would bloom only to dry and drop off. I attributed it to the cold weather. A chance visit to my colleagues office turned things around. She had two pepper plants by her office window replete with small peppers. It is from her that I learnt that pepper plants are self-pollinating. All it needs are a few insects and wind to aid in pollination.

From that day, my little kids have been diligently shaking the chili plant everyday to mimic the wind and help the flowers pollinate.

Lo and behold the plant now has more than eight chillies growing!! We count the chillies everyday and it fills us with happiness and wonder.

Bharatanatyam Shlokas

I copied these shlokams from my Guru Susitha Nalliah's carefully preserved, decade old, tattered notebook. With due respect, I am reproducing the text here for the convenience of all her students. 

Beginning Shlokas

1) Om

2) Gajananam Bhuta Ganathi Sevitam, Kapittha Jambu Palasara Bhaksitam

Uma Sutam Shoka Vinasha Karanam, Namami Vignesvara Pada Pankajam

(The one who is served by all. The one who holds kapitha and jumbo fruits. The one who is Parvathi's son and remover of all sorrows. To that Vigneshwara, lotus like feet I bow)

3) Sarasvati Namastubhyam Varade Kaama-Ruupinni

Vidyaarambham Karissyaami Siddhir-Bhavatu Me Sadaa

( O goddess Saraswati, my humble prostrations to you. You are the full filler of all my wishes.I start my learning with the request that you please bestow your blessings.)

4) Samudra vasane devi, parvatha sthana mandale

Naatyam karishye bhoodevi Paadaghatha kshamasvame.

( Whose clothing is the ocean. Whose body is the mountains and plains. We dance on you, Oh mother Earth! Please forgive us for striking on you )

5) Gurur brahmaa gurur vishnuh, gurur devo maheshvarah

gurur saakshaat parabrahma, tasmai shree gurave namah.

( We see Brahma and Vishnu in our teachers. We see Shiva in our teachers. You are all united under one. I bow to your feet my teacher.)

 

6) Angikam bhuvanam yasya,  vachchikam sarva vangmayam

Aaharyam Chandra taradi, tavam namah Satvikam shivam

(We bow to the Satvika Shiva, Whose body is the world, Whose speech is the entire language, And whose ornaments are, The sun, the stars and the moon.) 

7) Bharatha Kula bhagya kalike, Bhava rasananda parinathakare

Jagatheka mohanakale, Jeya Jeya rangadhi devathe devi

(Thou, the good fortune of Bharatha’s descendants. Thou, from whom emanates bhave, rasa and ananda. Thou, the fascinating enchantress of the whole world. Glory to Thee. Divine Goddess. Glory to Thee.)

8) Vigna Namnashanam Karthum, Bhoothanam Raksha Nayacha

Devanam Thushtayea chapi, Preksha Kanam Vibhuthaye

Shreyasenaya Kasyatra, Patra Sumrakshanayacha

Archarya Shiksha Sidhyarthum, Pushpanjalim Adhara Bhed

( To destroy the obstacles, To protect the living being. To please the gods, To bring prosperity to the spectators. For the safety of the dance hall, For the protection of the dancers For the success of training given by the guru I now begin the offering of flowers (Pushpanjali) ) 

  

9) Om Saha Nau-Avatu, Saha Nau Bhunaktu, Saha Viiryam Karavaavahai

Tejasvi Nau-Adhiitam-Astu Maa Vidvissaavahai, Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih

( Om, May God Protect us Both (the teacher and student). May God nourish us both. May we work together with energy and vigour. May our study be enlightening and not give rise to hostility. Om, Peace, Peace, Peace)

Ending Shloka

Vishnu Shakthi samuthpanne  chitravarne maheetale

aneka ratna sampanne Bhoomidevi namosthuthe.

Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih 

( The one who is born our of Vishnu’s power, The custodian of all colors on Earth. The one who is adorned with precious jewels, I bow to you Oh Mother Earth.  Om, Peace, Peace, Peace)