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)

To yield to that strange pull ..

A new year lies ahead... I have no resolutions. All I wish is that I can abandon myself completely to all the strange little pulls that tug at ones heart just like Rumi said ...Let yourself be silenty drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray