Tagore, the greatest son of Mother Earth ..

I am immersed in the exquisite songs of Tagore, the greatest philosopher, naturalist and creative genius of the last century. The more I listen the more I am drawn deeper into this vast ocean of songs. No son of Mother Earth has ever loved her as Tagore did! He has sung countless songs of her days, nights, her seasons and all her playful moods. Listening to his songs makes me love this world as much as he did!

Thus at last my day has ended and now in the evening, 
I sing my last song to say that I have loved thy world.
In my songs I have voiced thy spring flowers, 
and given rhythm to thy rustling leaves.
I have sung into the hush of thy night and peace of thy morning
The thrill of the first summer rains has passed into my tunes, 
and the waving of the autumn harvest
Let not my song cease ..

Tagore's: Nabo Anande Jago Aaji

Tagore

Another timeless song on the arrival of a brand new day!

Nabo aanonde jaago aaji nabarabikirane

Shubhra sundaro preeti ujyalo nirmalo neebane.  

Utsarito naba jeebannijhar uchhasito aashageeti,

Amritapushpagandha bahe aaji ei shantipabane.

Meaning

Let this day break with joy afresh, riding the rays of the sun.

To a life that is beautiful, bright and pure with love.

Let the fountain of life erupt and breathe songs of hope

Today, the fragrance of nectar laden flowers floats in the serene breeze  

 

Tagore's Tumi Rabe Nirabe

Tagore

Can a mother relish the tastiest food without saving some for her children?  When I enjoy something so much, be it a poem that touched my heart or a sight that thrilled me or an insight that sets a train of thoughts in me, I write on my blog as a way to share my joy ...especially with my children ..who may otherwise never understand the depth in some of the beautiful poetry of our homeland in our native languages. Today as I listen to Hemanta Mukherjee's mesmerizing rendition of Tagore's song ..Tumi Rabe Nirabe ..I am  transported to an entirely different world  ..

Tumi rabe nirabe hridoye mamo
Nibiro nibhrito purnima nishithi nisamo.
Mamo jibano joubano mamo akhilo bhubano
Tumi bhoribe gourabe nishithi nisamo.
Jaagibe ekaaki tabo karuno aakhi,
Tabo anchalochhaaya more rohibe dhaaki.
Mamo dukhobedono mamo saphalo swapano
Tumi bhoribe sourabhe nishithinisamo.

Meaning
Thou shalt dwell in silence in my heart
Like the full moon in the summer night.
My life, my entire world
Thou fills with grace and pride, like a calm night
Thy compassionate eyes alone stays awake watching over me
The protective shadow of thy veil comforts me
Thy breath like the full moon in the summer night shall hover about my sadness and pains and all my dreams making them fragrant..

Translation by Tagore
Thou shalt dwell in silence in my heart like the full moon in the summer night.
Thy sad eyes shall watch over me in my wanderings.
The shadow of thy veil shall rest upon my heart
Thy breath like the full moon in the summer night shall hover about my dreams, making them fragrant.

Far far away from the land of the gods ...

Godless lands ..?

I am from the land of a million gods where every street has a temple, church or a mosque. The old, young and all ages in between fervently invoke the gods for every aspect of life. 

Far away from the clamour over gods, from castes and creeds, rituals, arts and festivals revolving around the gods, I reached the serene land of the godless. It is here I found God in the quiet, living, breathing pristine nature unspoiled by man!

How true is this quote by Hubert Reeves -"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible God and destroys a visible Nature. Unaware that the Nature he is destroying is this God he is worshiping"

The ignorance of nature gave birth to gods, the knowledge of nature is calculated to destroy them - Percy Bysshe Shelly

Let my life be simple and straight ..

The simple life ..

The simple life has its enduring appeal for me. Over the years, I have slowly and steadily moved away from the lure of things. My life is now governed only by need and not by fashion, fancies or finances. 

Most of us spend countless hours in the marketplace where money clouds our judgement. Our time is spent in tracking deals, buying, sorting, storing and throwing stuff. When we rid ourselves from the stuffiness of stuff the hours slowly return ..in time spent with children and loved ones, in leisure to be filled with art, music and dance.

Only let me make my life simple and straight, like a flute of reed for thee to fill with music. - Tagore

Winter moods..

The change of season brings with it a change in our moods. After the exuberance of the summer and colorful days of fall, it takes a while to accept the cold and dark days.  I seek solace in Tagore's poem .. in the depth of winter is concealed the call for Spring to return:

    It is not merely a song of the end
    Only it seems that the end is near
    Deep within them is the call of return
    O Winter you conceal
    Within the deep nights and barren branches
    What you will return in Spring.
    (‘Sheet’, Purabi, 145, translations by Amrit Sen)

“In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” - Albert Camus

Fruitful in Service ..

Fruit for all ..

In spring, the tree feels the love and warmth of the sun and bursts into a thousand flowers which then bear fruits all summer and fall. The tree is of service to all who come to it..the birds, bees, animals and people.

The same way, in our lives, if we feel loved .. by parents, friends, spouse and children ..then that love must become fruitful in service. I pray that all the love I feel in my heart becomes fruitful in small acts of kindness and service to anyone that crosses my path.

Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service - Tagore

The "Third Eye" of wisdom..

Lord Shiva is depicted with an open third eye. The third eye is the inner eye or the mind's eye. It is the way we perceive the world when we have a spiritual connection to everything. With the wisdom of the third eye, our view of life changes and living becomes joyful.

Great poets and philosophers like Tagore, Kuvempu, Thyagaraja, Wordsworth, Rumi, Gibran, Maya Angelou, Muir, Thoreau .. all saw the world through the third eye. It is the reason why their works are sources of endless inspiration.

While John Muir filled pages and pages of his journal with accounts of his experiences and exquisite delight and wonder at seeing the ridges, domes and canyons of the Yosemite. His companion shepherd Billy saw nothing in the Yosemite ..only to say .."there is nothing worth seeing anyway, only rocks .. a dead good place to keep away from" to which Muir laments.. "Such souls, I suppose, are asleep, or smothered and befogged beneath mean pleasures". Like Billy most of us chug along in our lives asleep and befogged, blind to the beauty and every day miracles.

"Blessed are those who see beautiful things in humble places where others see nothing." - Camille Pissarro

A dream: To paint Plien Air..

Canadian landscape paintings

What we search on the internet reveals some of our deep longings. Whenever I get some time to relax, I find myself searching for the paintings of Robert Genn, John Pryce or the Group of Seven. What is common in all of their work is the pristine Canadian landscape.

Every once in a while my mind projects an image far into the future and what I see is an image of me and my daughter painting En plien air in some remote Canadian location. This recurring dream may just remain a dream but it still brings cheer to my heart.

Why plien air I ask myself? The reason perhaps is that plien air painting combines my three loves, my love for nature, my love for the beautiful Canadian landscape and my love of painting. Instead of driving by in a car and getting off to take a picture of a beautiful scene, wouldn't it be better to hike to a nice location, sit there and soak in the beauty of the landscape and then create something from what you have just taken in? 

This is what Robert Genn, one of Canada's most accomplished painter has to say of plien air ...."Plein air is something special. Plein air is an occasion, an event, a happening. Plein air makes plain days magic. Plein air has integrity and honesty. But above all plein air is the breeze, the birds, the passing parade.  

Who needs cigars when you're inhaling life?"

The Content of our Character ..

For years I have admired my husband's paternal uncle. A man of few words, he is a thorough gentleman! To this day I haven't seen anyone with such a pleasant demeanor, simplicity,  broad mindedness and an unshakeable serenity.

According to Hinduism, every man's life should be a continuous journey towards self improvement. We must strive daily to polish our character from the state of a crude rock to that of a smooth river stone. For us, he is a living example of one who has carefully cultivated and refined the content of his character over the years. 

Even at the age of 75 years, he enjoys a fit, agile body and great stability of mind due to his discipline and moderation in every aspect of life. With his exemplary integrity, ever pleasant nature and unlimited love, he is a role model and an example of what we can only aspire to be.

"Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing" - Albert Schweitzer

Navratri or the Fall : Which festival to celebrate?

The glorious colors of Fall

The nine day Navratri festival has begun. For nine days Indian's all over the world will worship Shakthi, the divine mother of the earth. For Navratri this year I intended to setup a small Golu at home with an assortment of Indian dolls and figurines resting in my basement for years. I haven't gotten to it yet ..

..for every bit of spare time I have, I am drawn outdoors by a strong invisible hand to witness mother nature's festival of Fall. When I see the riot of colors outside, the trees dancing to the tunes of the northern winds and the carpet of leaves at my feet, I see Shakthi, the divine mother dancing around me in all her glory!

My eyes long to drink deep of her intoxicating cocktail of colors. The dolls may have to sit in the basement for a little longer ..

A Painter's World ..

My painting from John Pryce's class

Every now and then, I feel the need to escape from my familiar world and into the world of the artists. The artists speak a different language. In their company, I would hear phrases like ..
"did you notice the sumacs are just turning red?". 
"when you see blue asters, you know fall is near". 
"do you see the yellow of the goldenrods in the foreground..?"
"it is important to capture the distinct shape of the Jack pines"
"the granite rock faces of Georgian Bay are unique to that region"

Plein air painters have a close connection and awareness of the landscape and wild life around them. They see more keenly and feel more deeply and that is transmitted into the paintings!

Canada in my blood..

Red maple

Despite having lived in Canada for over a decade and being a citizen of this country, I always considered myself an Indian. I was born in India, my skin is brown and I consume predominantly Indian food. But somewhere along the way, the blood in my veins was gradually turning a different shade of red...

Was it the air that I breathed? or the water from the Great Lakes that quenched my thirst? was it the sweet smell of the soil and the pines? was it the kindness of the people who gave me a helping hand when I desperately needed it? was it because I birthed my children on this land?

Unbeknown to me, I had fallen deeply in love with this vast land called Canada. While I will remain an Indian, I will be a Canadian to the very end of my days. 

A Birthday Present ..

Early fall at Bond Lake

The way we celebrate birthdays or anniversaries has changed significantly over the last few years. Before we would treat ourselves to a fancy lunch at an expensive restaurant. Now gifts of things and epicurean delights have taken a backseat. Instead we have been going hiking on trails close to home. The exhilaration of hiking the vast outdoors, the spectacular sights and some quiet private time is so much more desirable.

Yesterday, we celebrated my birthday with a long hike in the Oak Ridges Morraine ending at the Bond Lake. The air was thick with the pungent smell of overripe apples strewn along the path. The rising sun highlighted the red colors just appearing this fall. Suddenly a flock of geese appeared from nowhere flying low out of the bend and heading up towards the sun above us. What a breathtaking sight!!

No cake however sweet the icing can beat the beauty of these fleeting moments!

Rise and retire with the sun..

The birds in the lake are up at dawn preparing to take off for the day.. 

Globalization has lead to bizarre lifestyles and new illnesses. An example is my cousin in India who works as a medical transciptor for American doctors. She leaves to work at 2.30am at night while her family sleeps and returns back home at 2.00pm the next day afternoon. She is battling obesity oblivious of the relationship between lifestyle, sleep deprivation, metabolism and obesity.

Here is another story of an airline pilot who retired financially very well after working 25 years as a pilot. After years of staying awake and sleeping at odd hours he now suffers from chronic insomnia that doesn't let him sleep at night or day!

Compare this with how our grandparents lived in the villages. They rose early morning every single day just before sunrise and finished the days work to retire a little after the sun sets. This same discipline I have discovered in the birds too from watching them through the spring, summer and now the autumn. Whether the days are long or short, they rise and retire with the sun! The first light of the sun is a signal for them to leave the roost and they are all back before the sun's last rays disappears into the horizon.

Night and day exists for a reason and plays a vital role in the daily cycle of every living being. In our foolish attempts to outsmart nature, we discover albeit too late that she has played a cruel trick on us!!  To "Follow the rhythms of nature; rise and retire with the sun" is one of the Ten Commandments for living.

Kuvempu's Poem "Tanuvu Ninnadu Manavu Ninnadu": Lyrics and Meaning

Poet Kuvempu

This haunting Kannada song comes from the depth of the poet's heart. It is a poignant prayer that reveals the poet's deep union with the divine spirit that pervades all things in the universe. Kuvempu realized spiritually the same truth that Albert Einstein explained as science "A human being is a part of the whole called by us as universe".

Tanuvu ninnadu manavu ninnadu
Enna jeevana ghanavu ninnadu
Nanu ninnavanemba hemmeya
Runavu matrave nannadu

My being is yours, my heart is yours
The strength of life in me is yours
The pride that I am yours
That debt alone is mine

Neenu holedare nanu holevenu
Neenu beledare nanu belevenu
Nanna haranada harana neenu
Nanna maranada maranavu

When you shine, I shine too
When you grow I grow too
You are the destruction in my destruction
You are the death in my death

Nanna manadali neene yukti
Nanna hrudayadi neene bhakthi
Neene maya mohashakthiyu
Nanna jeevana mukthiyu

You are the reason my mind works
You are the devotion in my heart
You are the eternal power of the universe
And the salvation of my life ...

An intimate love affair: The Squirrel and the Oak tree..

Squirrels love acorns

Autumn is here and the leaves are changing colors all over. I was sitting under a White Oak tree while the kids were playing in the park nearby. I had so many acorn nuts and peels fall on me that I was forced to look up. I saw a very active squirrel devouring the tender acorn nuts and running up and down the tree to hide the nuts beneath the surface of the soil.

The great oak tree shelters the squirrel and provides its tastiest food, the acorn nuts. The squirrel stores them under the soil for food to survive the bitter winter months. It turns out the squirrel forgets a majority of these seeds which in turn germinates to create a forest of Oak trees! What a wonderful symbiotic relationship!! Who knew of the great blessings of forgetfulness?


Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better - Albert Einstein

Most essential education for a child..

We tend to curb a child's instincts to explore the natural environment for reasons of hygiene or for fear of bugs or getting hurt. More than learning rhymes, reading, writing, toys, gadgets or books ..
 
“Every child should have mud pies, grasshoppers, water bugs, tadpoles, frogs, mud turtles, elderberries, wild strawberries, acorns, chestnuts, trees to climb. Brooks to wade, water lilies, woodchucks, bats, bees, butterflies, various animals to pet, hayfields, pine-cones, rocks to roll, sand, snakes, huckleberries and hornets; and any child who has been deprived of these has been deprived of the best part of education.” - Luther Burbank

Knowledge is inherent in all things. The world is a library and its books are the stones, leaves, grass, brooks and the birds and animals that share, alike with us, the storms and blessing of the earth. We should learn to do what only the student of nature ever learns, and that is to feel its beauty ... Chief Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Sioux  

Come forth into the light of things. Let nature be your teacher - William Wordsworth

Roaming wild and free ..

Bear at Smokies

Several times over the last few months, I have pointed out a racoon, a skunk and what looked like a beaver to my children. They said "Mummy, you are only showing us dead animals". Sadly, the only wild animals we get to see these days are roadkill ..knocked down by speeding vehicles.

After one trip to a zoo last year, I find it impossible to take my kids to another Zoo or Aquarium to see wild creatures. The slavery, captivity and cruelty we inflict on these animals represents everything wrong we humans do for our amusement.

We got a rare chance to see a wild bear at the Smoky mountains last week. He was indeed a happy bear and for us the glorious joy of seeing something wild and free in its own wilderness home was priceless! 

All good things are wild and free - Thoreau

The mountains are calling ..

Since my days as a graduate student in the United States of America, I have nourished a hope of visiting the Great Smoky mountains. Fifteen years have passed and the time has now come! 

 

Every window shows us a glimpse of God ..

Having just read John Muir's mountain book "My First Summer in the Sierra" the following lines speak to me as the excitement builds everyday.. "We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us."  ... 

"Oh, these vast, calm, measureless mountain days, inciting at once to work and rest! Days in whose light everything seems equally divine, opening a thousand windows to show us God. Nevermore, however weary, should one faint by the way who gains the blessings of one mountain day; whatever his fate, long life, short life, stormy or calm, he is rich forever.

The mountains are calling and I must go - John Muir

A piece of heaven ..

A piece of heaven right here in my neighbourhood..

I now have a new appreciation for where I live. On a recent trip to the remote areas of Quebec I was expecting to see some wildlife and probably some birds. While the landscape was stunning and the greenery was refreshing, I was a bit disappointed that the only bird I saw in a few days was a woodpecker pecking on the dead tree stumps around the campfire in the backyard of our cottage. 

In contrast, an a regular morning walk close to my home in the suburbs, I will see the gulls, mourning doves, chickadees, American goldfinches, swallows, robins, crows, swarms of eastern starlings, sparrows, red cardinals, blue herons, mallard ducks, Canadian geese and occasionally the cedar waxwing, woodpeckers, killdeers, redwinged blackbirds, terns or even the extremely shy belted kingfisher all within the span of an hour...oh and did I miss the mute swans and the cormorants!!

Sadly urban developments in the area have destroyed the habitats of the birds forcing them all into this small wild area ..but adding much to my visual delight! I repeat what Amir Khusrau said in Farsi ..Agar firdaus war-rue zaminast hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin asto!

If there’s a heaven anywhere on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here....

Grateful for the company of the children..

The long days of summer have been rich and satisfying. With the children idylling at home this summer, I have been taking them to different places every evening. Simple things like exploring parks and trails in the area or walks along the lake or just simply reading a book together.

They are willing accomplices in whatever plan I make and share my enthusiasm for the little things. At seven and five years of age they are quite independent and I see their individual personalities developing. I realize how in some ways they are like us but yet so very different ...

It reminds of Kahlil Gibran's poem and it makes me grateful for their company..


Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you....

An infinity of dandelions mock human folly..

Dandelion seeds ready to takeoff

Summer is coming to an end and in every bit of free earth along the road sides and open lands one can see an infinity of dandelions standing ready to ensure its race continues to eternity. The open spaces look like endless fields of fluffy puff balls. Every seed is perfectly crafted with its very own parachute to be carried as far away as the wind will take it.

Yet, next spring and summer humans in all neighborhoods will toil in vain as they wage a war against the dandelions trying to rid their lawns and backyards of them. If we have witnessed even once this field of dandelion puff balls and have an inkling of the might of the wind, we would stop this foolish activity once and for all!!

Probably we are so closed within our narrow walls that we haven't stepped outside and looked around to see the things happening around us. When will we learn that.. "Mother nature always has the last laugh.."?

The irrestible call of dawn..

The desire to witness every dawn in the summer gets me out of bed early. I quietly slip out of the house and head to the woods. I know all of gods creatures are awake and ready to welcome the rising sun. The sweet scent of the pines and the golden light of dawn excite every living thing.

Today, the blue heron flew low above me headed for the nearby swamp for its early morning catch of fish. The small and big cottontail rabbits were all out to taste the fresh dew drop sprinkled grass. I could hear the conference of the birds in the trees before they all fly out in various directions, the dee-dee of the chickadees and the persistent calling of one red cardinal until I pulled out my phone and took a picture of this little fellow..

“Let every dawn of morning be to you as the beginning of life, and every setting sun be to you as its close.”  - John Ruskin

It is the journey not the destination..

Life is a journey..

Summer travel can be stressful and exhausting..especially for mothers who need to plan out every minute detail, coordinate, pack and unpack. It is only when I get into the passenger seat of the car and my husband is incharge of the steering that I actually sit back and relax. Once we reach the destination, the frenzy starts again with unloading, unpacking, activities and food.

I enjoy the journey..listening to music and staring out into the vast expanses. We take the time to eat at a good restaurant, stop at coffee shops and obscure places along the way that catches our interest and let the children run and jump about and explore. 

With our last camping trip being a complete washout with heavy rains, the journey ended up being the best part of our trip. Just as in every little trip, so with life too ..the journey is perhaps more important than the destination..

A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving - Lao Tzu

The sad fate of the swans..

The swan parade

When the cygnets were born early June, the world rejoiced! Humans and all winged creatures gave them a grand ovation. The proud mother paraded around the lake showing off her beautiful little ones.

Just a week after, the swans and the cygnets went missing without a trace. No feathers or signs of any struggle! A few of us walked all around the lake looking for them. I contacted the Richmond Hill authorities who promptly sent a team to scour the area ..but alas they were nowhere to be found! Several nature groups in the area got back to me saying that the cygnets must have fallen prey to predators.

Towards the end of June the parent swans returned to the lake alone. It was heartbreaking to see them without the babies as I was a witness to all their struggles over the last few months. Last week, they relocated to another secluded swamp in the area. As if in mourning..they spend their days in quiet isolation ..away from any peering eyes, trying to reconcile to this sad fate.

We meet where Science meets Spirituality ...

 

I've always noticed the stark difference in the books that I read and the ones my husband reads. He picks books that are mostly related to math and science. The books I read are related to spirituality, philosophy, nature and poetry. He tries to unravel the mysteries of the universe through science and I through spirituality.

On our nature walks with our children, I will show them the beauty of the wildflowers and my husband will show them the beauty of Fibonacci numbers in the petal arrangements on the same flower.

Mostly our views on life are similar and we agree on things that matter. So I am confident that somewhere Science must meet Spirituality!! .. :)

A cup of tea and some quiet solitude ..

For me there is no greater pleasure than a cup of tea and some quiet solitude. These interludes are hard to come by, but when they do, I cherish them so dearly. This is when thoughts and ideas come rushing into my head from I know not where ..filling it up quickly. I start feeling the pressure and I somehow need to empty them from my brain to make room for more. These thoughts take the shape of an article on my blog after a bit of writing and reorganizing..

A cup of tea and quiet solitude ...

I never found a companion that was so companionable as solitude - Henry David Thoreau 

My Heart Soars..

Poem by Chief Dan George

The beauty of the trees,

the softness of the air,

the fragrance of the grass,

      speaks to me.

The summit of the mountain,

the thunder of the sky,

the rhythm of the sea,

      speaks to me. 

The faintness of the stars,

the freshness of the morning,

the dew drop on the flower,

     speaks to me.

The strength of the fire,

the taste of the salmon,

the trail of the sun,

And the life that never goes away,

    They speak to me.

And my heart soars.

How we spend our days ..

Another beautiful day ends...

Lately I feel that I am always rushing. There is something that pushes me to take on more, do more and pack up my life with activities. It is the negative "habit energy" as Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh calls it. Time and again, I have to remind myself to stop and reevaluate what I am doing. I have to remind myself to slow down and cut the restlessness.

If our days are rushed and full of stress, that's what our life is ...rushed and stressful! Life is not to be lived on weekends and vacations, life is lived in every ordinary day!

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” - Annie Dillard

Walk lightly in the spring ..

Snail and baby

With all the rains we've been getting this spring, the snails and slugs are out all over the place. It is almost impossible to walk or jog without crushing a lot of them. Most of them are little ones just starting to move out from beneath the surface of the soil where they were born. No wonder the wise native Americans urge us to "Walk lightly in the spring, for Mother Earth is pregnant"

All the great sages of India walked barefoot. Jain monks and nuns always walk barefoot to show respect and reverence to the earth and to avoid crushing any bugs or insects. They stepped lightly on the earth always not just in the spring.

Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet - Thich Nhat Hanh

Tribute to Acorn School

Feeling sorry for the dead baby bird

It is with a tinge of sadness that I write this post. Acorn School where my children spent their earliest years is closing down today! The greatest thing they learnt from their early days at Acorn School is a love for nature, a keen sense of observation and wonder. This picture taken a week ago is ample proof that all your children will carry this curiosity throughout their lives.

Great oaks from little acorns grow!  Thanks you Acorn School, Rosalba and all the wonderful teachers!! 

The Mute Swan's eggs have hatched!! :)

The new Swan family

An uncontainable joy and excitement is bubbling within me. My mom-in-law just told me that the mute swan's eggs have hatched and there are four little cygnets. We have been observing the pair for over a month now and I was beginning to worry that this was a false pregnancy and nothing good was going to come after this long arduous wait.

I can't wait to head to the lake and sit watching them, but real life pressures prevents me from such luxuries today. I have to finish my day's work, but I plan to head to the lake after picking up the kids from school. The next few months are going to be exciting as we watch the little cygnets grow and adapt to their new world. I know I will be spending a lot of time by the lake side. Everyday holds so much excitement now!!

Words can not express the joy of new life - Hermann Hesse