Creation is the vision of 'The Great Spirit'

The Ojibwe people believed that creation was the vision and dream of 'The Great Spirit'. When their young ponder over life and nature and asked questions, the old people gave their answers by weaving stories, songs and prayers.

Ojibwe people on a birch bark canoe

Who gave to me
The breath of Life
My frame of flesh?
Who gave to me
The beat of heart
My vision to behold
Who?

When to Rose the gift
Of shade, of beauty
And grace of form?
When to Pine the gift
Of mystery of growth
The power to heal
When?

How to Bear the gift
Of sense of time
A place of wintering?
How to Eagle came the gift
Of glance of love
The flash of rage?
How?

Who gave to Sun
His light to burn
His path to tread?
Who gave to Earth
Her greening bounty
Cycles of her being?
Who?

Who gave to us
The gifts we do not own
But borrow and pass on?
Who made us one?
Who set the Path of Source?
Who carved the Land of Peace?
Who? 

- Ojibwe poem (from a book by Canadian Aboriginal author Basil Johnston)

Beauty, life and love are eternal - 'Snowflake' Bentley

Bentley's words contain some profound messages for all of us. He studied the science behind snowflakes and that lead him to a deeper understanding of life and a fascination for nature. Similarly in all our learnings, we must go beyond the mere facts and figures, to develop a feeling of wonder for this miracle that life is!

Bentley's labor of love ..

“The snow crystals . . . come to us not only to reveal the wondrous beauty of the minute in Nature, but to teach us that all earthly beauty is transient and must soon fade way. But though the beauty of the snow is evanescent, like the beauties of the autumn, as of the evening sky, it fades but to come again.”

"One has the pleasant certainty that in her deep reservoirs Nature keeps an endless source of beauty and that, over centuries, storms will continue to flood the surface of the earth with new and beautiful jewels that will entertain and delight everyone that loves beauty."

"this exquisite beauty so lavishly scattered over the earth and yet there should be no despair for this miracle like unto the miracle of  the springs awakening will come and come again for all time..either here or somewhere in the universe. For beauty, life and love are eternal. The things that make the universe worthwhile and justify its existence."

"The deeper one enters into the study of Nature, the further one ventures into and along the by-paths that, like a mystic maze, thread Nature's realm in every direction, the broader and grander becomes the vista opened up to the view."

"There is a need of a greater love for, and appreciation of such things, of the beautiful and wonderful in nature...There are oceans of enjoyment, soul satisfying pleasure to be had in Nature's art and beauty, as shown freely to us in the common things all about us."

"I am a poor man, except in satisfaction I get out of my work. In that respect, I am one of the richest men in the world. I wouldn't change places with Henry Ford or John D. Rockefeller for all their millions! And I wouldn't change places with a king; not for all his power and glory. I have my snowflakes!

It isn't what we have, it's what we do and enjoy that makes life worth living.  - Wilson A Bentley

Infinite beauty of a snowflake

Nature's transient designs

There is not much to be excited about in the winter. I discovered by chance that that is not true at all!! The ordinary snow that falls on us by the tons carries in it the most infinitely beautiful miracle of nature hidden in every single snowflake!

I was cutting out paper snowflakes for the children when my husband casually mentioned that each snowflake is unique in its design. That to me was a mind boggling wonder!! It set off a train of events.. I read more about snowflakes, learnt about Wilson 'Snowflake' Bentley, got some books and DVD's from the library. I threw out my first snowflake cuttings as they were not hexagonal in shape as snowflakes should be and cut new ones for the children.

After learning about snowflakes and looking at Bentley's pictures of them, I learn humbly over and over again, that great joy lies in appreciating the transient beauty of nature. Money can never buy this joy for nature gives it for free to all who care to stop, look and feel.

"There is a need of a greater love for, and appreciation of such things, of the beautiful and wonderful in nature...There are oceans of enjoyment, soul satisfying pleasure to be had in Nature's art and beauty, as shown freely to us in the common things all about us." - Wilson 'Snowflake' Bentley

Tagore: O enchanting mother of earth ..

Tagore loved the earth as a beloved son loves his mother. He worshiped her with tender affection all through his life.. 

Oyi Bhubano Monomohini  
Oyi bhubano monomohini ma

Oyi nirmalsurjakarojjal dharoni janakjanonijanoni

Nilsindhujaldhautocharontal, anilbikampito-shyamal anchal

Amarchumbito bhalo Himachal subratusharo kiritini

Pratham prabhate udoy tabo gagone pratham samrob tabo tapobone

Pratham pracharito tabo banobhabone gyandharmo kato kabbokahini

Chirokalyanmoyi tumi dhanno desh bidheshe bitoricho anno 

Janhobijamuna bigolito karuna punnopijusstannobahini ..

Meaning:

O my enchanting mother of earth, mother o mother ..

O mother earth, bathed in the bright, pure glow of the sun, o mother of all ..

Blue waters of the ocean washes your feet, billowing in the wind is your green protective veil

Kissing the blue sky, the snowy white peaks of the Himalayas adorns your crown  

The very first dawn arose in your skies, the very first prayer echoed in your forest

You the harbinger of knowledge, you brought enlightenment and wisdom

Forever prosperous you are my blessed mother, nourishing the world with food

Overflowing compassion of your rivers quenched thirst for eons as streams of nectar flows from your breasts

O my enchanting mother of earth ..

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.