What is with Kareena Kapoor, somehow she is featuring in songs which your mother seems to be liking.
Yeah! Yeah! Keep the excitement down, I know you have a solid crush on her. We all can tell from the way you break into Aarshabh style dance the minute 'chhalia chhalia' comes on air or 'golmaal' comes on air or 'Ale' etc.
I am dedicating one such Kareena number to you my son! Whatever you do in life grow up into one chilled out person, take life as it comes and always be happy and always remember you are very special and much loved!
Here goes a song which contains all the messages your mother wants to convey to you and knowing you - what better way than music!
Yeh zindagi, raftaar se chal padi
Jaate hue raahon mein, humse abhi keh ke gayi
Hamara yeh waqt hamara jo ik baar gaya toh aaye na dobara
Samajh lo zara yeh, hawaon ka ishaara, mere yaaro
Apna har din aise jiyo, jaise ki aakhri ho
Jiyo toh iss pal aise jiyo, jaise ki aakhri ho
Apna har din aise jiyo, jaise ki aakhri ho
Jiyo toh iss pal aise jiyo, jaise ki aakhri ho
Hum sab jo saath mein rahe
Khushiyan sab haath mein rahe
Hum se bas faasle rahe yun, arrey tu ru tu ru
Chaahe kahin kisi bhi modh par
Bhigdegi bhi koi baat agar
Milke ik dujhe se kahe yun
Yeh baatein, hai chhoti moti baatein
Yeh aaye jaaye jaise ki din aur raatein
Na aankhon se lagana kabhi yeh barsaatein mere yaaro
Apna har din aise jiyo, jaise ki aakhri ho
Jiyo toh iss pal aise jiyo, jaise ki aakhri ho
Apna har din aise jiyo, jaise ki aakhri ho
Jiyo toh iss pal aise jiyo, jaise ki aakhri ho
Duniya matlab ki yaar hai
Iski aadat bekaar hai
Iss se kum rakhna vaasta tu, turu ru tu ru tu
Apno se rakhna dosti
Inn se doori har kami
Inn mein hi dhoondh raasta tu
Na jaana, yeh tune na jaana
Yeh manzil teri, inhe tujhe hai paana
Hai maine kaha hai jo, uss se mile zamana mere yaaro
Apna har din aise jiyo, jaise ki aakhri ho
Jiyo toh iss pal aise jiyo, jaise ki aakhri ho
Apna har din aise jiyo, jaise ki aakhri ho
Jiyo toh iss pal aise jiyo, jaise ki aakhri ho
Sunday, 31 October 2010
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Words of wisdom II
So I am not a very tired mom today, I was yesterday though when you chose to woke up at 4 am and didn't sleep at all after that :-( Will you ever understand that mummy has a busy day and less sleep makes her tired! But as they say inconvenience is adventure wrongly considered, I thoroughly enjoy your entertaining and funny ways when I am forced to stay up with you and I can then appreciate what a great treasure it is to be enjoying a GOOD NIGHT'S REST.
As a result of having been well rested last night, I woke up early and am on the tedious task of preparing for winter - garam kapde nikaalnaa, dhhoop dikhaana etc. Isi beech ek coffee break toh bantaa hai boss! In the cleaning process I found a crumbled paper in some old book which I realized was among my long lost treasures.
While I was growing up, whenever I found something inspirational I'd scribble it on a piece of paper. One such random scribbling is being put here for you to have ....
This one is from 'success - The Glenn Bland method
"I do not choose to be a common man (in my case woman),
it is my right to be uncommon, if I can,
I seek opportunity, not security.
I do not wish to be a kept citizen,
humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.
I want to take the calculated risk,
to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.
I refuse to barter incentive for a dole,
I prefer the challenges of life to a
guaranteed existence, the thrill of fulfillment,
to the state calm of Utopia.
I will not trade freedom for beneficence,
nor dignity for a hand out.
It is my heritage to think and to act for myself,
enjoy the benefits of my creations,
and to face the world boldly and say,
"With God's help, this I have done!"
Brilliant! These words echo my life's story and ideology so perfectly and also will help you appreciate why your mother makes the choices she makes :-)
As a result of having been well rested last night, I woke up early and am on the tedious task of preparing for winter - garam kapde nikaalnaa, dhhoop dikhaana etc. Isi beech ek coffee break toh bantaa hai boss! In the cleaning process I found a crumbled paper in some old book which I realized was among my long lost treasures.
While I was growing up, whenever I found something inspirational I'd scribble it on a piece of paper. One such random scribbling is being put here for you to have ....
This one is from 'success - The Glenn Bland method
"I do not choose to be a common man (in my case woman),
it is my right to be uncommon, if I can,
I seek opportunity, not security.
I do not wish to be a kept citizen,
humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.
I want to take the calculated risk,
to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.
I refuse to barter incentive for a dole,
I prefer the challenges of life to a
guaranteed existence, the thrill of fulfillment,
to the state calm of Utopia.
I will not trade freedom for beneficence,
nor dignity for a hand out.
It is my heritage to think and to act for myself,
enjoy the benefits of my creations,
and to face the world boldly and say,
"With God's help, this I have done!"
Brilliant! These words echo my life's story and ideology so perfectly and also will help you appreciate why your mother makes the choices she makes :-)
Sunday, 10 October 2010
Chooda karma Sanakar!
Chooda karma sanskar or Mundan is one of the 17 main sanskars listed by the Vedic pholosophy that an individual must perform from 'womb to tomb'. The relevance ... well its there in the Sankar Vidhi book, I'll just gift one to my son when he is old enough to follow.
So Mundan is basically shaving off the hair on the head that the child has had since birth. As per Sanskar Vidhi, for boys the appropriate years are odd ones(eg having completed two when the boy is in third year). So Aarshabh was eligible for it this year.
While I follow the Vedic Philosophy and my ancestors were active reformists contributing in a big way to the Arya Samaaj movement, I wanted to honor Aarshabh's Grand Mom's (daadi) sentiments to perform this Sanskar in Navaratri.
So yesterday, October 9 2010 was the day. Actually I planned it for Sunday as in our world Sunday is auspicious (basically practical - I work Saturdays even). But on talking to G I came to know he was on his way to England on Sunday and would be stopping over in Delhi for an hour. Within two hours he called again, asking if I could prepone the whole thing so he could attend on Saturday.
There was no way I would get a Purohit to perform the ceremony at such a short notice so I decided to the honours myself. (Not that I am a castist in a bad way)but what the hec ... I am a Brahmin both by 'janm and karm' :-). Besides all these years of my Grand Father and later my parents creating the environment where perfoming havans becomes second nature has to pay off right!
So Dear Aarshabh,
here goes the account.
I know baby, I made a promise to myself that I will follow all the sanskaras by the book, and have done so far; supported with great celebration and having lots of people over, starting from Seemanto nayan sanskar (three months of pregnancy). I had reasons to go low key this time.
You know how I feel about Yajur bhaiya, he is not only your elder brother but my elder son even. He came in our lives and we celebrated like there was no tomorrow, thanking God at every step. It just so happened that we celebrated his Mundan again with alot of enthu, putting pictures of him on the invitation etc. Aur beta, Mundan ke theek baad, Yajur bhaiya was diagnosed with Lukemia. I know we are not illeterate, Mundan may not have any role in this, but hum jinse pyaar karte hain, unke liye hum dar jaate hain. Uss function ke baad ke sannate se hum itnaa dar gaye ki dobaara itnee dhoom dhaam karne ki himmat kabhee jutaa nahin paaye.
That is why we never went with a bang while celebrating your functions, it was either in Arya Samaaj with a simple lunch as prasad or at our residence with select few people attending. And both your Dad and I have developed a certain phobia for Mundan. Even Maamu may not wish an elaborate affair for Atharvee.
But true to my menti sental style, I did things to make it special for you. For one, I convinced Daadu to perform the Mundan for you (shaving your head). Papa did his bit by making himself available. I bought you and papa Kurta pajaama from Fabindia following a theme of blue (your dad is fixated on blue). I wore a green suit again from Fabindia. So on the occasion we were one Fabindia Family:-)
Naani, Maamu, Atharv and especially Yajur bhaiya (who is running high fever) came to bless you with lots of love, presents and your favorite 'shuun paapri'. All in all it was smooth.
We had our roles defined, papa held you on his stomach while you slept in prone position and daadu started first with a pair of scissors. I did purohit's role, dabbed your hair with ganga jal and kachcha milk along with chanting the required mantras, tied your hair in 7 partings with molly and dhoob (grass). Daadu first cut off those 7 strands while I had the movie camera in one hand, sanskaar vidhi in the other and kept chanting the mantras. This alone took us an hour. Then you woke up just in time for the shaver. At first you retaliated by crying, but soon you got engrossed with Papa's antics and were amused. But that could not keep you engaged for long, enter Debbie duck - the online story you love watching on my laptop. I set that up for you and we were nearly there ... the final touches were the most challenging because you had lost patience - we were at it from 3 pm till 5.30 pm. I think most of all it was Daadu who might have got really tired owing to all the concentrating and focusing he had to do.
The end result is Fantabulous. After having a bath with turmeric, yogurt and sarson oil paste, I got you ready, with a chandan kaa teeka.
MY GOD! itnaa divya tej .... thu thu thu ... meri hi nazar lag jaayegi.
Par beta tum bohot sundar lag rahe ho. Sachchchi!
Its a different story that since morning you have been bringing me clips declaring 'clip lagaayegaa babu!'.
So goodbye and good riddance to dreadlocks, good bye and good riddance to long shampoo struggles and finally good bye and good riddance to the trauma you went through every morning and the pain I went through while making your pony.
I do miss that bouncy little tail of yours especially when you swing from side to side when you dance.
And yes ... all your colorful bands ... mummy inherits them .... yippie!
So Mundan is basically shaving off the hair on the head that the child has had since birth. As per Sanskar Vidhi, for boys the appropriate years are odd ones(eg having completed two when the boy is in third year). So Aarshabh was eligible for it this year.
While I follow the Vedic Philosophy and my ancestors were active reformists contributing in a big way to the Arya Samaaj movement, I wanted to honor Aarshabh's Grand Mom's (daadi) sentiments to perform this Sanskar in Navaratri.
So yesterday, October 9 2010 was the day. Actually I planned it for Sunday as in our world Sunday is auspicious (basically practical - I work Saturdays even). But on talking to G I came to know he was on his way to England on Sunday and would be stopping over in Delhi for an hour. Within two hours he called again, asking if I could prepone the whole thing so he could attend on Saturday.
There was no way I would get a Purohit to perform the ceremony at such a short notice so I decided to the honours myself. (Not that I am a castist in a bad way)but what the hec ... I am a Brahmin both by 'janm and karm' :-). Besides all these years of my Grand Father and later my parents creating the environment where perfoming havans becomes second nature has to pay off right!
So Dear Aarshabh,
here goes the account.
I know baby, I made a promise to myself that I will follow all the sanskaras by the book, and have done so far; supported with great celebration and having lots of people over, starting from Seemanto nayan sanskar (three months of pregnancy). I had reasons to go low key this time.
You know how I feel about Yajur bhaiya, he is not only your elder brother but my elder son even. He came in our lives and we celebrated like there was no tomorrow, thanking God at every step. It just so happened that we celebrated his Mundan again with alot of enthu, putting pictures of him on the invitation etc. Aur beta, Mundan ke theek baad, Yajur bhaiya was diagnosed with Lukemia. I know we are not illeterate, Mundan may not have any role in this, but hum jinse pyaar karte hain, unke liye hum dar jaate hain. Uss function ke baad ke sannate se hum itnaa dar gaye ki dobaara itnee dhoom dhaam karne ki himmat kabhee jutaa nahin paaye.
That is why we never went with a bang while celebrating your functions, it was either in Arya Samaaj with a simple lunch as prasad or at our residence with select few people attending. And both your Dad and I have developed a certain phobia for Mundan. Even Maamu may not wish an elaborate affair for Atharvee.
But true to my menti sental style, I did things to make it special for you. For one, I convinced Daadu to perform the Mundan for you (shaving your head). Papa did his bit by making himself available. I bought you and papa Kurta pajaama from Fabindia following a theme of blue (your dad is fixated on blue). I wore a green suit again from Fabindia. So on the occasion we were one Fabindia Family:-)
Naani, Maamu, Atharv and especially Yajur bhaiya (who is running high fever) came to bless you with lots of love, presents and your favorite 'shuun paapri'. All in all it was smooth.
We had our roles defined, papa held you on his stomach while you slept in prone position and daadu started first with a pair of scissors. I did purohit's role, dabbed your hair with ganga jal and kachcha milk along with chanting the required mantras, tied your hair in 7 partings with molly and dhoob (grass). Daadu first cut off those 7 strands while I had the movie camera in one hand, sanskaar vidhi in the other and kept chanting the mantras. This alone took us an hour. Then you woke up just in time for the shaver. At first you retaliated by crying, but soon you got engrossed with Papa's antics and were amused. But that could not keep you engaged for long, enter Debbie duck - the online story you love watching on my laptop. I set that up for you and we were nearly there ... the final touches were the most challenging because you had lost patience - we were at it from 3 pm till 5.30 pm. I think most of all it was Daadu who might have got really tired owing to all the concentrating and focusing he had to do.
The end result is Fantabulous. After having a bath with turmeric, yogurt and sarson oil paste, I got you ready, with a chandan kaa teeka.
MY GOD! itnaa divya tej .... thu thu thu ... meri hi nazar lag jaayegi.
Par beta tum bohot sundar lag rahe ho. Sachchchi!
Its a different story that since morning you have been bringing me clips declaring 'clip lagaayegaa babu!'.
So goodbye and good riddance to dreadlocks, good bye and good riddance to long shampoo struggles and finally good bye and good riddance to the trauma you went through every morning and the pain I went through while making your pony.
I do miss that bouncy little tail of yours especially when you swing from side to side when you dance.
And yes ... all your colorful bands ... mummy inherits them .... yippie!
Friday, 1 October 2010
My Prayer for my Son
Maa,
Aaj is Jivit Putrika vrat ko poori shradha se karte hue aap se meri yehi kaamnaa hai ki apnaa varad hast mere bete par banaaye rakhein. Aur aapke charanon mein meri prarthnaa sweekar ho ...
Meri Prarthna (I picked it from Yajasva)
Iss ghar kaa yeh deepak pyaara baalak aayushmaan ho,
tejaswi, varchasvi, nirbhay, sarvottam vidvaan ho.
Bane suman saa komal sunder, daani bankar daan kare,
dushton se naa dare kabhi yeh shreshthon kaa samman kare,
Maanav dharm samajhkar, chalne waala chatur sujaan ho,
Iss ghar kaa yeh deepak pyaara baalak aayushmaan ho.
Vijay chaotarfaa jai ho iskee, paaye sukh samman bhee,
shat aayu se adhik ho jeevan, kare dharm hit daan bhee.
Neta bane desh kaa apne, jag bhar mein samman ho,
Iss ghar kaa yeh deepak pyaara baalak aayushmaan ho.
Param bhakt bankar Prabhu kaa, apnaa yash failaaye yeh,
laachaaron ki sewaa karke sachcha sewak kehlaaye.
Mera naam amar kar jag mein, sabhee gunon ki khaan ho,
Iss ghar kaa yeh deepak pyaara baalak aayushmaan ho.
Jeevit Putrika Vrat!
Dear Aarshabh,
today has been a special day. Jeevit Putrika vrat is a fast observed by mothers (particularly in Bihar) for the well being of their Sons. Well the 'sons' bit is very patriarchal, if you ever have a sister, I shall observe the fast for her as well with as much enthusiasm :-)
This day begins for us mothers at 4 am when we offer prayers to Goddess Durga who is the Godess of seamless power and compassion. Maa Durga as we all call her, will always watch over her children and provide them with all her blessings and strength. We observe the fast and break it only next morning at 4 am.
You and I just sat through our special 'Aarti' where we actually sang 'Jag Janani jai jai!' Needless to say, as always you made it very difficult for me to concentrate, what with trying to reach the flame of the lamp, insisting on holding the incense stick from where it glows (lit part) smearing Digga (Teeka) all over your face looking totally like a monkey, and continuously demanding for Prasaad with 'Prasadda khayegaa babu". Its so difficult to keep you calm these days, but as always 'Om' chanting does the trick. But you don't stop do you? The next thing you break into is "Ab Adritta kare OM (and your Om is really loud) Ab Ananyaa kare OM, ab Aarav kare OM, ab Atharvee kare OM" and you go on chanting for all your friends.
I will forever be grateful to God for sending you to me, you are every one of my prayers answered :-)
May God bless you!
Woh gaana hai naa "maine tujhe maangaa tujhe paayaa hai, aagey humein jo bhee mile yaa naa mile ...... gilaa nahin!"
today has been a special day. Jeevit Putrika vrat is a fast observed by mothers (particularly in Bihar) for the well being of their Sons. Well the 'sons' bit is very patriarchal, if you ever have a sister, I shall observe the fast for her as well with as much enthusiasm :-)
This day begins for us mothers at 4 am when we offer prayers to Goddess Durga who is the Godess of seamless power and compassion. Maa Durga as we all call her, will always watch over her children and provide them with all her blessings and strength. We observe the fast and break it only next morning at 4 am.
You and I just sat through our special 'Aarti' where we actually sang 'Jag Janani jai jai!' Needless to say, as always you made it very difficult for me to concentrate, what with trying to reach the flame of the lamp, insisting on holding the incense stick from where it glows (lit part) smearing Digga (Teeka) all over your face looking totally like a monkey, and continuously demanding for Prasaad with 'Prasadda khayegaa babu". Its so difficult to keep you calm these days, but as always 'Om' chanting does the trick. But you don't stop do you? The next thing you break into is "Ab Adritta kare OM (and your Om is really loud) Ab Ananyaa kare OM, ab Aarav kare OM, ab Atharvee kare OM" and you go on chanting for all your friends.
I will forever be grateful to God for sending you to me, you are every one of my prayers answered :-)
May God bless you!
Woh gaana hai naa "maine tujhe maangaa tujhe paayaa hai, aagey humein jo bhee mile yaa naa mile ...... gilaa nahin!"
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