GOD, Shame on you...

I am broke, actually broken apart deep inside and shattered into pieces. There is no word to express my feelings. I just want to cry out hard and yell loud enough asking God,

"Why is this happened to me?"

"What did I do wrong to face this ill fate?"

I don't know what to do. I have to search my future which suddenly become a big question mark without any good answer. In just 2 years, my life has flipped upside down from being a happy girl to a sad widow. Tragedy struck so hard like a hurricane storm taking away all the happiness around me. I truly wish, no other girl should experience this devastation.

All seems to have happened so fast in past couple of years. I just completed my engineering degree and was in search for a good job to help out my father financially. But my parents thought it other way and had other plans. They came upon a good boy from a well know family and immediately set their mind on a mission to finish my marriage. I couldn't convince them to change their decision, because they always cared for my welfare all my life putting me as their first preference. So I let it go on their way.

Within few months, all arrangements were made quickly. I got married to a Software engineer who worked in States. I hardly know him but had few converstion over the phone after our engagement. That helped a bit, but didn't leave any big impression about him.

Actually that doesn't change a thing. I gotta get married to this guy. I don't have any other choice, do I?! So I got married. That itself was a big change in my life. But leaving my loving parents to go far far away to an alien land with a man whom I hardly know just scared hell out of me inside. I don't have options otherthan just to follow him.

First time boarded the flight with my newly wedded husband who is still not very familiar. He sat next to me and I felt bit uncomfortable looking at him all the time but got used to it. I reached United States 3 weeks after my wedding and started a whole new chapter in my life.

People say, marriage takes its toll and totally changes one's life. It surely did make a big impact in my case. Transfroming from a girl who lived happily within the boundaries of parents love without any worries to a Engineer wife in a lonely place.

It's been 2 years since I came to US. Life is differnt but good. It was difficult at first because I don't know any one soul except my husband in this place. Slowly I got to know my husband, ventured the new atmosphere around, grabbed few friends during grocery shops visits, got along with my husband friends and life just moved on.

I did feel home sick at times since its been so long I saw my parents. But it fades away once I go out and have fun time with my hubby and friend circle I created. It wasn't that bad after all as I thought.

Like as usual, the day started in a good mood. With some of our friends, my husband and me packed our bags to venture the park on city border that has a big lake. We played games, slurped some good potluck lunch and had very good time.

Sun starts to sail west side indicating dusk is on its way. I got a love signal from my husband thru his winks. He winked at me asking to go with him for a short walk along the lake. I always enjoyed walks, especially at pleasant time like this one. So I joined without any hesitation. We set on a slow pace and talked on various matters without concentrating much on the path. It was slippery at some places which we didn't care much. We just kept walking together.

All of a sudden, my husband experienced a jerk from underneath and he just slipped to fell off on the lake dragging me along with him. It all happened in a fraction of a second. Nobody was around except few people swimming little far away. We both don't know swimming. I somehow managed to come up few times and called for help to grab the attention.

As I was fighting for my life, I also tried to see where is my husband. I felt his hand a bit when we fell together but later I missed him. After few gallons water gushing in to my body, I felt the heaviness which dragged me down and slowly losing my conscious. I don't know what happened after that.

Next thing I know, I was laying on the shore and lot of people around me trying to revive me back. It looks I was saved by swimmers on the shore. First thing I looked out was my husband and he is nowhere to be seen. My eyes looked all over and I couldn't find him. A lady told me that they are still searching for him.

It took all the effort from fire department and divers around the city to finally find him only next day.

He is gone. I lost him! He left me alone in this world!!

It was my last walk with him and it turned out to be costliest one taking his own life. He took away my life when he dragged me along with him. I should have gone with him as well, why am I living out here letting him go alone far far away.

"What am I going to do without him?"

With help of friends, some how all legal formalities were taken care and we got him in his coffin. I took an immediate next flight, to fly home back to see my parents with my husband, at this time not sitting next to me but in his own safe place.

" I hate you, GOD"

"Why this has to happen for me?! Why God?"

I know I won't get an answer from him but I don't have choice other than questioning you who put me thru this devastation.

"Shame on you..."

*************************************************************

This story is based on a true incident which happened 2 weeks ago in Texas capital city, Austin for a NRI family. My heart goes out to the family who suffered this great loss especially, his wife. May God rest his soul in peace and help give courage and support to his family.

A CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH SPACE ICON...

She is neither a celebrity from Bollywood nor a famous sports person but she gets pestered like bees by both young kids and adults for her autograph. She is the astronaut lady, a new trend setter in space travel. She, only women who stayed 195 days continuously in Space Ship, stamping her face in the world history book and making marks in USA NASA history.

She is non-other than Sunita Williams, second Indo-American descendent enjoying her new celebrity status, well deserved for her accomplishments.

I got the rare opportunity to meet her last weekend during I-Day Celebration like any other Indian in Houston. Every year, Houston ICC celebrates India Independence day in a grand way with a apt theme. Theme for this year was "Incredible Women, Invincible India".

As soon I saw the invitation with Sunita Williams as the chief guest, I marked my calendar to be present for the occasion. I also picked up 3 questions to ask her if get an opporunity to talk to her.

The formal celebration was suppose to start at 2pm but started as usual at the IST(meaning late) 2:30pm. The celebration was presided by Hon. Consul General S.M. Gavai. Starting with US National Anthem and Indian National Anthem sang by energtic youngmen on the vibrant tone.

Independence day message By Consul. General S.M. Gavai
He talked about India's growth, heritage and where we are heading in future. He also talked about the India Diaspora which is been expanding globally.

Houston Indian Community assembled to celebrate the Independence Day

Sunita Williams was invited to deliver her Guest speech

Sunita Williams delivering her special speech

Transcript of her speech (for folks who can't view the video)
She talked about 2 important observations when she was in the Space ship.

1. She portrayed the space ship has the big tube with one part developed by American, middle part by Russian and working on adding European and Japan modules. It also has the robotic arm from Canada. It has a window at the bottom where we see outside the atmosphere. From ship, the earth looks with no boundaries similarly to there is no limitation in this world of Independence.

2. Second one was that Earth looks so small from up Space. So we should continue to protect our planet by recycling, Green house projects for the future generations to come.

She kinda of read my mind and answered 2 of my questions in her speech itself. One common question people ask her all time was,

"What was it to be women working in Male dominated Space field?

She replied back to that saying, she worked as a helicoptor pilot. Helicoptor don't know whether its man or woman, Space suit or craft don't know whether you are man or woman. Its just our perspective which puts us limitations. It doesn't matter for those materials. So we shouldn't worry about it.

Another one was "What she like to convey for the children?"

She quoted that we are going back to moon and planning to put our steps on to MARS and I will be too old for all that. So I would like to see the younger generations taking up the challenge to beat feat I achieved and go on to make records.

Those are really humble words from her. Its really a crip and clear speech.

Sunita Williams in Space Ship

Sunita's Closeup in NASA Booth

There was a big line with a combination of young kids and adults including grandpa's standing in line to talk to her and get her autograph during her appearance in the NASA booth. I was also one among them and this was the pics taken close up short. As I planned, I decided to ask her the only question remaining to be answered since she already mentioned about two other questions in her speech.

I was totally excited to get to talk her and ask her few words. I asked her "Who was your inspiration to be an Astronaut?
She said, it was Gandhiji obviously, then her father and another astronaut John.

Sunita Williams Autograph

Sunita mingled with people

She was crunch of her time and had to leave. So she had only little time to talk to us which made hard get picture with her. So people just went close to her and try to get a snap whenever they can.

Ashwin and me with her

Picture when she was leaving

She is an dreamer and achiever. I believe in people who put their die hard effort to reach their dreams. It was totally an exhilirating moment to meet somebody of her status especially the Space lady who just landed on to Earth.

I feel, its indeed my honor to meet and have a word with her.

NonViolence - The Practical way (A True story)

Dr Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and founder of the MK Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, in his June 9 lecture at the University of Puerto Rico,shared the following story:

I was 16 years old and living with my parents at the institute my grandfather had founded 18 miles outside of Durban, South Africa, in the middle of the sugar plantations. We were deep in the country and had no neighbors, so my two sisters and I would always look forward to going to town to visit friends or go to the movies.

One day, my father asked me to drive him to town for an all-day conference, and I jumped at the chance. Since I was going to town, my mother gave me a list of groceries she needed and, since I had all day in town, my father asked me to take care of several pending chores, such as getting the car serviced.

When I dropped my father off that morning, he said, "I will meet you here at 5 pm, and we will go home together." After hurriedly completing my chores, Iwent straight to the nearest movie theatre. I got so engrossed in a John Wayne double-feature that I forgot the time. It was 5:30 before I remembered. By the time I ran to the garage and got the car and hurried to where my father was waiting for me, it was almost 6:00.

He anxiously asked me, "Why were you late?"

I was so ashamed of telling him I was watching a John Wayne western movie that I said, "The car wasn't ready, so I had to wait," not realizing that he hadalready called the garage.

When he caught me in the lie, he said: "There's something wrong in the way I brought you up that didn't give you the confidence to tell me the truth.In order to figure out where I went wrong with you, I'm going to walk home 18 miles and think about it."

So, dressed in his suit and dress shoes, he began to walk home in the dark on mostly unpaved, unlit roads. I couldn't leave him, so for five-and-a-half hours Idrove behind him, watching my father go through this agony for a stupid lie that I uttered. I decided then and there that I was never going to lie again.

I often think about that episode and wonder, if he had punished me the way we punish our children, whether I would have learned a lesson at all. I don't think so. I would have suffered the punishment and gone on doing the same thing. But this single non-violent action was so powerful that it is still fresh as if it happened yesterday.

******************************************************************

Nice story recieved from friends mailing list!!

Raised my eyebrows and made me to ponder. I have my own doubts whether it will really work with new generation kids. They will go, I don't care. Don't you think?!

HAPPY INDEPEDENCE DAY - How do you Celebrate it ?

Today, we set the celebration in Air to commerate our country's 60th Independence day. Wishing you all,

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY
TO ALL INDIANS
AROUND THE GLOBE

Feel the spirit of Indianness in you and share the joy of freedom together. Lets be Proud to be an INDIAN and cherish this wonderful day by celebrating it one way or other.

Check out this video which I found in the net for this independence day. Its really good.

Some images from India:

How do you (like to) celebrate the Independence Day?

For many this day doesn't make any difference at all. Its yet another day. I don't blame you guys, trying stay neutral. I am talking about folks like me, my utterances and others who feel more patriotic like to do differently like virtual celebration thru blogs(Independence Day Celebrations -- Join The Party), pin a flag on your shirt, wishing your fellow country men "happy Independence Day" and other ways.

What did I do ?

I wished my fellow country friends and also pined the flag in my shirt. My wife also wants to pin the flag in my son shirt too. He might be US citizen but he is an Indian by blood. We are also planning to join the celebration this weekend in the Houston convention center to immerse ourself with other Indians. I also hope to see Sunita williams in that celebration.

So what are you upto ?! What did you do or plan to do to show your patriotism.

I know not many like to showcase it but its feeling we should share and experience. I don't see anything wrong in it. Don't hesitate. Just get out there and enjoy the day.

Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram!

मेरा भारत महान!

Mera Bharat Mahaan!

My India is Great!

Forgotten Dreams of 60 year old Sweetheart?!

Bharat Matha ke jaye, Bharat Matha ke jaye

Big gang of freedom fighters shouted these words loud enough in rain and shine with great fire seeping out from their heart to drive britts crazy at one end.

Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram!!

Vallaiyanee Valeyaaru, Valaiyanee Valeyaru (tamil)

(White britts get out of my country)

These words came out from every brave soul holding tricolor flag next to their heart not giving up their fight following procession headed by leaders like Thirupur Kumaran in the southern end of Bharatham.

From every corner, our forefather's joined hands together in a big way under great leaderships pulling them by their sparking words, setting aside all their differences, stepped up in their free will to sacrifice their lives and shed blood to free our Mother India from the Britts rule, 60-70 years back.

They only thought about freedom and had foresight for Brighter India. Their long battle came to an end paying off their fierce freedom struggle. The motivation and inspiration behind all the struggle is to have a free nation, a free country to cherish the heritage and tradition for the generations to come. They sacrificed their lives to pave a new path for future generations, a future India.

They didn't have exotic dreams of their own. They just shared dreams with every fellow countrymen to see a free nation with tricolor flag flying so high up with gusto. Some leaders imparted their dreams via beautiful poems and locquious ones planted theirs through fire sparking wordy speeches.

In this Sixty years with the privilege of being a free nation, politicaly we went on a roller coaster ride making gradual advancements in many industrial sectors, tremedous development on technolog front raising economy to himalaya heights reaching many feats inspite of big hiccups on the way trying to fit ourself in developed country list.

During this rally, we forgot so many important things. Especially dreams of our great leaders who gave us this free land. The dreams which are either forgotten or waiting to be realized by us. Do you think we were able to unveil all of their dreams in this sixty years? This question will immediately bring doubt face on every Indians.

Gandhiji once said "Villages are the backbone of our country" that doesn't really mean that we need to bend them like beckham. He visioned in a way that if the villages and villagers can farm and make a living, our country will also flourish in agro sectors. Didn't we fail on his dream straight down? We making every village the shelter place foreign factories without any proper sanitory facilities.

Mahakavi Bharathi(Tamil Freedom fighter & poet) said, "Country can be called free only when a women can walk alone at night without any fear". You know the plain blank truth. Nowadays, a kid can't even walk in the streets alone. There is lot of fear surrounds a common man in every state.

Some great leaders visioned us sending a "Man to the Moon". We been busy inventing misiles and nuclear weapons to protect us and not investing much time for the growth of the country. All the budget adresearch is been diverted to discover new weapons to protect us holding us on space researches.

Another agenda was "Free education for all". We all aware of the fact, Education has become a big money making business rather being a service. Its

I can continue to unfold the list. While we are cherishing this wonderful moment of celebrating the 60th year Independence, we the people better start thinking about these unrealized dreams. We might have attained dramatic growth as a country but we lost many basic things. The basics which strengthens the foundation of a country.

Lets get united and march forward for the raise our voice whenever needeed and create awarness around country.

Our India is great country, We can be too. Its all in the hand of beholder.

Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram!!!

The Magical Moment of Vande Mataram...

Rohan wake up boy it’s already 6.30am. Didn't you say you got to go early today, Chitra trying to wake him up with loud voice?

Oh Amma, Is it already 6am? Didn't I ask you to wake me up early since today is a special day - Rohan fought with his mom while he gets up fast from his bed.

He slept late after rehearsing hard for the special speech today at the celebration. His speech won the first prize out of all and earned him the honor of presenting in front of whole school during today's Independence Day celebration.

Thanks to his old uncle who rooted the thoughts and inspired him all about freedom struggle in his heart. From that day, he was so into it. He even borrowed books from library and learnt whole lot more about it. His vivid recollection of the stories about freedom fight portrayed by his old uncle and books he read on the topic helped him to put together this wonderful speech which he is planning to present today.

So he got ready quickly, wore his well pressed uniform all in just 20mins. He picked up his speech notes and took peek at it to gather some points to rehersal. He was about to leave without wasting any minute.

Amma, I am ready. I am leaving right now, Bye mom, said Rohan.

Rohan hold on, wait for 5 more mins breakfast will be ready - Chitra yelled from kitchen.

NO Amma! It will get late end up missing the bus reaching school late. It’s ok. I will manage somehow, Bye Amma - Rohan just left in a flash without breakfast all pumped up to deliver his speech.

He met his over friends in the bus stand and took the bus which they plan to take which was half empty than usual since it holiday for Independence Day. They took a free seat and shared together. Rohan starts to murmur the speech silently to him, trying to be well prepared. They reached the school at around 7:30am.

School is in full swing for the big celebration. Special guest is yet to arrive on the scene.

It’s almost 8:00am. PT Master gave the announcement in school radio system, requesting every student to assemble in the Prayer ground. Every class followed his class leader assembled in the ground one by one. Principal is waiting in the entrance to receive the chief guest who is yet to arrive any minute.

Sun slowly starts to showcase its act with scorching heat. It’s starting to heat up the whole place like the furnace. Function was supposed to start at 8:45am and its 9.15 now. Everybody starts to lose their patience especially students standing in the open ground under the sun. Rohan standing near the podium also felt the heat and his empty stomach starting to beg for some food. His head is about to give it a free spin but he controlled by concentrating on the speech.

He is been waiting for this day for months. He didn't want to ruin just because he didn't have morning breakfast. Every minute moves like an hour for him. He had few glasses of water because of the heat, it all got evaporated.

It's 9:30am already. How long is the inevitable wait going to be, is the question in everybody's mind?

Following the trend of showing up late, chief guests arrived to the scene finally at around 9:45am, an hour late. Principal greeted him and took him on to the stage. Rohan was so relieved but still feel dull and has only some energy left in his tank to go up and speak. He is not sure whether he is going to make it thru to deliver his speech when his turn is up. His body is all about to give up on him showing signs.

Function started with Vande Mataram song blowing out of the speakers, sang by school group singers. Like a storm, this song brought a whole new energy in his body, pumping the blood fast to his veins. The song transformed that moment to remind him of the stories his uncle shared all about freedom movement. He thought about the fighters who shed blood for us. The fervor made him forget the pangs of his hunger and gave him courage.

As soon as, he heard the principal call his name "Rohan, Please come on stage to give your speech". He just rushed to the stage like a brave soul.

He pulled himself together and delivered his speech with gusto. He spoke like a freedom fighter himself. He just blasted all out. He couldn't imagine himself of the outcome especially fire from his very own speech.

Applause comes from all sides. He just signed and took a hot deep breath thinking to himself,

"At least, I can just do this to tribute my country men who sacrificed their lives." bowing his head down.

Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram!!

INDIANNESS & Patriotic Songs Part IV - Assorted ones

I hope you all get to catch up on Patriotic songs from my previous blogs (Part I, II & III)and other bloggers like my utterances. There are still lot more songs which we can cover up under this topic. I have put forth some assorted songs in this blog which seems to be part of the patriotic campaign during freedom fight by various leaders.

Some might argue that few of this songs are not actually patriotic songs rather devotional ones. May be true, but I feel these songs also played important part in pulling the people together during the struggle. So I feel they earned its place to be celebrated as well.

1. Raghupathi Raghava Rajaram is a Hindi devotional song sung in praise of the Hindu God, Lord Rama. It was a favorite song of Mahatma Gandhi and is often sung in his memory.

In Hindi

Raghupati Raghav Rajaram

Patit Paavana Sitaram

Ishwar Allah Tere Naam

Sabko sanmati de Bhagwan

Translation into English

Rama, Lord of heavens

Blessed is thy name

Some of us call you as Ishwar

and some others as Allah

But we beg you Lord that you bless us all

2. Another versions of Vande Mataram fully worded in Tamil, sang by MS.Subulakshmi and other singer. They are really nice one's and won't find it anywhere in the net except one. I converted them mp3 just for this blog.

Vande Mataram - MS Subhulakshmi

Vande Mataram Enbom - Bharathiar version

3. Hari Tuma Haro is an Indian bhajan or devotional song. I never heard this one until it was referred to me by one of my blogger friend(rajini). It is reported that it is also Mahatma Gandhi favorite song next to Raghupathi Raghava.

Gandhi once expressed the wish to hear M S Subbulakshmi sing the song. Subbulakshmi answered that she had not practiced the song. Gandhi replied that he would rather hear her speak the Hari Tuma Haro than hear someone else sing it. Feeling obliged, Subbulaksmi recorded the song and had the record delivered to Gandhi on his 78th birthday. Check it out..

4. This one came from Indu reminding the old, golden days of doordhasan relating to one of Independence days campaign. Its is a really nice deplicting our traditions tailor made to fit in all most major languages together bringing us all together.

5. This number is one of my plenty favorite patriotic Tamil songs. It's written by freedom fighter and Tamil poet Mahakavi Bharathi visioning the future of India. His words energized and fired people to fight for their mother land giving up everything by showing them great india in his words.

In this song, he dreams of us walking in moon, sending ships all over the world, schools, factories filling the country and a free will do anything, great country Bharatham is waiting for us. His dreams have come true to large extent. Enjoy the song.

I have some more songs to share with you all. That will be my end part of this series. I hope you are enjoying this journey with me relishing and remembering your golden days celebrating the 60th of our Independence.

Share you thoughts and comments and any of you favorite songs as well. Its the time to relish and cherish those golden words to celebrate our Independence.

INDIANNESS & Patriotic Songs Part - III: Saare Jahan Se Achchha

Apart from Jana Gana Mana and Vande Mataram, this song also rhyms very well in our heart and we hear it all most of every time during our Republic and Independence day parades. Atleast that's my vivid recollection of listening to the music when I grew up.

Saare Jahan Se Achchha (Urdu: سارے جہاں سے اچھا) is one of the enduring patriotic poems of the Urdu language. Written originally for children in the ghazal style of Urdu poetry by poet Muhammad Iqbal, the poem was published in the weekly journal Ittehad on 16 August 1904. Recited by Iqbal the following year at Government College, Lahore, now in Pakistan, it quickly became an anthem of opposition to the British rule in India.

The song, an ode to Hindustan—the land comprising present-day Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan—both celebrated and cherished the land even as it lamented its age-old anguish. Also known as Tarana-e-Hindi (Urdu: ترانۂ ہندی "Anthem of the People of Hindustan"), it was later published in 1924 in the Urdu book Bang-i-Dara.

In spite of its creator's disavowal of it, Saare Jahan Se Achcha has remained popular in India for over a century. Mahatma Gandhi is said to have sung it over a hundred times when he was imprisoned at Yerawada Jail in Pune in the 1930s. The poem was set to music in the 1950s by sitar maestro Ravi Shankar and recorded by singer Lata Mangeshkar. Stanzas (1), (3), (4), and (6) of the song became an unofficial national anthem in India, and were also turned into the official quick march of the Indian Armed Forces.

Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian cosmonaut, employed the first line of the song in 1984 to describe to then prime minister Indira Gandhi how India appeared from outer space. The song is, however, little known in Pakistan or Bangladesh.

सारे जहाँ से अच्छा, हिन्दोस्तां हमारा हम बुलबुले हैं इसकी, वो गुलसितां हमारा पर्वत वो सबसे ऊँचा, हमसाया आसमाँ का वो संतरी हमारा, वो पासवां हमारा, सारे... गोदी में खेलती हैं, जिसकी हज़ारों नदियां गुलशन है जिसके दम से, रश्क-ए-जिनां हमारा सारे.... मजहब नहीं सिखाता, आपस में बैर रखना हिन्दी हैं हम वतन हैं, हिन्दोस्तां हमारा, सारे...

saare jahaan se achcha hindostaan hamaraa hum bul bulain hai is kee, ye gulsitan hamaraa parbat vo sabse unchaa hum saaya aasma kaa vo santaree hamaraa, vo paasbaan hamaraa godee mein khel tee hain is kee hazaaron nadiya gulshan hai jinke dum se, rashke janna hamaraa mazhab nahee sikhataa apas mein bayr rakhnaa hindee hai hum, vatan hai hindostaan hamaraa

Translation of the poem in English :

Better than all the world, is our India
We are its nightingales and this is our garden

That mountain most high; neighbor to the skies
It is our sentinel; it is our protector

A thousand rivers play in its lap,
Gardens they sustain, the envy of the heavens is ours

Faith does not teach us to harbor grudges between us
We are all Indians and India is our homeland

The poem is sung by Indians on occasions of national importance and in schools as part of morning prayer. After the Indian National Song "Jana Gana Mana" and the Indian National Song "Vande Mataram", Sare Jahan Se Achcha enjoys the reputation as the most popular patriotic song in India. The poem epitomises love for the nation and patriotism.

Here is different version of this song in audio format after a vigor research. I couldn't able to find the video for this song. If you find one, let me know.

A nice video which found on Jana Gana Mana that I want to share too.

Every patriotic songs has its unique texture to invoke synergy and vibe in different ways inside us to enthrilling the patriotic feeling. Each has its own taste with a same common goal to relish the Indianness sense in all of us.

Mehra Bharat Mahan!! Jai Hind!!

INDIANNESS & Patriotic Songs - Part - II - VANDE MATRAM:

Vande Mataram

Vande Mataram

I know lot of you just read it like any other words. Hold on!! Say it out loud and bravely if you are alone or just inside you only your mind can hear it. Just try it

Vande Mataram !

Vande Mataram !!

Did you feel the impulse and vibe it brings inside you? You will feel if put your heart into while saying it.

Vande Mataram means Hail to the Mother(land). It is this very own phrase derived from Vande Mataram song, our forefathers shouted so loud enough to drive the British crazy. Its the motto of national cry for the freedom struggle.

Vande Mataram is the national song of India, distinct from the national anthem of India "Jana Gana Mana". The song was composed by Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay in a mixture of Bengali and Sanskrit published in his Bengali novel Anand Math. The English translation of Vande Mataram rendered by Shree Aurobindo, is considered to be the "official" and best.

Do you know only first two stanza of this song are considered to be national song. Did you also know that even Jana Gana Mana...is much longer, and that only first two stanzas are recognized as National Anthem.

"Vande maataraM sujalaaM suphalaaM malayaja shiitalaaM SasyashyaamalaaM maataram Shubhrajyotsnaa pulakitayaaminiiM pullakusumita drumadala shobhiniiM suhaasiniiM sumadhura bhaashhiNiiM sukhadaaM varadaaM maataraM Koti koti kantha kalakalaninaada karaale koti koti bhujai.rdhR^itakharakaravaale abalaa keno maa eto bale bahubaladhaariNiiM namaami taariNiiM ripudalavaariNiiM maataraM Tumi vidyaa tumi dharma tumi hR^idi tumi marma tvaM hi praaNaaH shariire Baahute tumi maa shakti hR^idaye tumi maa bhakti tomaara i pratimaa gaDi mandire mandire TvaM hi durgaa dashapraharaNadhaariNii kamalaa kamaladala vihaariNii vaaNii vidyaadaayinii namaami tvaaM Namaami kamalaaM amalaaM atulaaM SujalaaM suphalaaM maataraM ShyaamalaaM saralaaM susmitaaM bhuushhitaaM DharaNiiM bharaNiiM maataraM "

Mother, I salute thee! Rich with thy hurrying streams, bright with orchard gleams, Cool with thy winds of delight, Green fields waving Mother of might, Mother free. Glory of moonlight dreams, Over thy branches and lordly streams, Clad in thy blossoming trees, Mother, giver of ease Laughing low and sweet! Mother I kiss thy feet, Speaker sweet and low! Mother, to thee I bow. Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands When swords flash out in seventy million hands And seventy million voices roar Thy dreadful name from shore to shore? With many strengths who art mighty and stored, To thee I call Mother and Lord! Thou who saves, arise and save! To her I cry who ever her foe drove Back from plain and sea And shook herself free. Thou art wisdom, thou art law, Thou art heart, our soul, our breath Though art love divine, the awe In our hearts that conquers death. Thine the strength that nerves the arm, Thine the beauty, thine the charm. Every image made divine In our temples is but thine. Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen, With her hands that strike and her swords of sheen, Thou art Lakshmi lotus-throned, And the Muse a hundred-toned, Pure and perfect without peer, Mother lend thine ear, Rich with thy hurrying streams, Bright with thy orchard gleems, Dark of hue O candid-fair In thy soul, with jewelled hair And thy glorious smile divine, Loveliest of all earthly lands, Showering wealth from well-stored hands! Mother, mother mine! Mother sweet, I bow to thee, Mother great and free!

It is generally believed that the concept of Vande Mataram came to Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay when he was still a government official under the British Raj. Around 1870, the British rulers of India had declared that singing of God Save the Queen would be mandatory. He wrote it in a spontaneous session using words from two languages he was expert in, Sanskrit and Bengali.

Regarding the song, Bankimchandra noted almost prophetically,"I may not live to see its popularity, but this song will be sung by every Indian..." A number of lyrical and musical experiments have been done and many versions of the song have been created and released throughout the 20th century. Many of these versions have employed traditional South Asian classical ragas.

Controversy's

While Vande Mataram was treated as the National Anthem of India for long, ultimately Jana Gana Mana was chosen as the National Anthem of independent India. Vande Mataram was rejected on the grounds that Muslims felt offended by its depiction of the nation as "Mother Durga"—a Hindu goddess— thus equating the nation with the Hindu conception of shakti, divine feminine dynamic force; and by its origin as part of Anandamatha, a novel they felt had an anti-Muslim message (see External links below).

In 1937 the Indian National Congress discussed at length the status of the song. It was pointed out then that though the first two stanzas began with an unexceptionable evocation of the beauty of the motherland, in later stanzas there are references where the motherland is likened to the Hindu goddess Durga. Therefore, the Congress decided to adopt only the first two stanzas as the national song


On August 22, 2006, there was a row in the Lok Sabha of the Indian Parliament over whether singing of Vande Mataram in schools should be made mandatory. The ruling coalition (UPA) and Opposition members debated over the Government's stance that singing the National Song Vande Mataram on September 7, 2006 to mark the 125th year celebration of its creation should be voluntary.

On September 7, 2006, the nation celebrated the National Song. Television channels showed school children singing the song at the notified time. Some Muslim groups had discouraged parents from sending their wards to school on the grounds, after the BJP had repeatedly insisted that the National Song must be sung. However, many Muslims did participate in the celebrations.

Here is some versions of the National Songs collected from net.

Original Version (Sang by 4 prominent singers)



Lata Mangeshkar Version



Maa Tujhe Salaam (ARRahman version)

Lata Mangeshkar Version with different collection of photography


Tamil version (written by Tamil Poet Mahakavi Bharathiar)

I remember commenting badly about this song during my school days without feeling the importance of it. I regret it almost all the time when I felt the real meaning and essence of it.

To this day, Vande Mataram is seen as a national mantra describing the love of patriots for India. I hope you share same feeling with me and join me to pronounce the very phrase one more time.

Vande Mataram! Vande Mataram !!

Thanks

Indianness & Patriotic Songs - Part I

Being Indian is not just a namesake act. It's the feel. It's the pride we carry forward in lot of ways that makes us more and more Indianness.

What makes us proud thinking about our great country?!

It's not just the rich heritage and tradition we all immersed when we grew up. It's our Anthem and patriotic songs that pulls the chord deep down inside anytime you sing pumping fresh flow of blood to our heart creating goose bumps giving us the essence of Indian Pride.

We have few number of songs, we all love to be remembered at the time of celebrating 60th year of Independence. I am planning to share my feel and interesting information about them. First and foremost, No Indian can never say No and will ever say I forgot it to this one song. Its our one and only National Anthem Song, "JANA GANA MANA".

Sometimes we feel that it faded away from busy memory store. Don't you worry, when joined chorus with others it just pops right back up rhyming from the heart. Because its stored deep inside you, inside your heart knowingly or unknowingly as we sang every day in our schools. You might have hated at that time but it automatically takes its reserved spot as soon as you became a true Indian.

I never researched deep enough until few days back to learn more about the very words written by our great Tagorji. Like every kid, I just sang it as a burden to finish my morning prayer. After my research, it was really enlightening to sing with the

Here is the very National Anthem song for you to sing,

JANA-GANA-MANA-ADHINAYAKA, JAYA HE

BHARATA-BHAGYA-VIDHATA

PUNJABA-SINDHU-GUJARATA-MARATHA-

DRAVIDA-UTKALA-BANGA

VINDHYA-HIMACHALA-YAMUNA-GANGA

UCCHHALA-JALADHI TARANGA

TAVA SUBHA NAME JAGE

TAVA SUBHA ASHISHA MAGE

GAHE TAVA JAYA GATHA.

JANA-GANA-MANGALA DAYAKA,

JAYA HEBHARATA-BHAGYA-VIDHATA,

JAYA HE, JAYA HE, JAYA HE,

JAYA JAYA JAYA, JAYA HE

The following is a translation of Rabindranath Tagore's rendering of the stanza:

Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people, dispenser of India's destiny. The name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind, Gujarat and Maratha, of the Dravid and Orissa and Bengal; it echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas, mingles in the music of the Yamuna and Ganga and is chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea. They pray for thy blessings and sing thy praise. The salvation of all people is in thy hand, thou dispenser of India's destiny.

Victory, victory, victory to thee.

English translation of the stanza rendered by Sri Aurobindo in prose is:

I bow to thee, mother, richly-watered, richly-fruited, cool with the winds of the south, dark with the crops of the harvests, the Mother! Her nights rejoicing in the glory of the moonlight, her lands clothed beautifully with her trees in flowering bloom, sweet of laughter, sweet of speech, the Mother, giver of boons, giver of bliss.

I also found a lovely video of great musician orchestrating our Anthem song. I am not sure how many got to see it already. So I am just adding it case you want to check it out.

Anthem Controversy

Controversy exists regarding the appropriateness of Jana Gana Mana as the national anthem of an independent India. The poem was composed in December 1911, precisely at the time of the Coronation Durbar of George V, and is a paean in praise of "the overlord of India's destiny". The composition was first sung during a convention of the then loyalist Indian National Congress in Calcutta on Dec. 27, 1911.[6] It was sung on the second day of the convention, and the agenda of that day devoted itself to a loyal welcome of George V on his visit to India.

In 2005, there were calls to delete the word "Sindh" and substitute it with the word Kashmir. The argument was that Sindh was no longer a part of India, having become part of Pakistan as a result of the Partition of 1947. Opponents of this proposal hold that the word "Sindh" refers to the Indus and to Sindhi culture and people which are an integral part of India's cultural fabric. The Supreme Court of India refused to tamper with the national anthem and the wording remains unchanged.

All these controversies popup in all aspects. Except Tagore nobody can tell the truth. Whatever it may be, its one of important songs in our Indian history to make deserved to be National Anthem. We Indians has to take pride in singing it loud and clear whenever we get a chance.

मेरा भारत महान!

Mera Bharat Mahaan!

My India is Great!

Sources - Wikipedia and other websites.

My friend, I have to let you go... (Sulekha Challenge)

I didn't dare to look over my shoulder..

If I did, I will fall folded to my knees end up crying so hard nobody could ever stop me. That would be embarrasing wouldn't it? But I wouldn't care. It might have alteast given me an opportunity to vent out my sorrow hidden deep down inside.

Its tough to let go of anything thats been part of life for such a long time. It's really hard. Being together for years and years as close since I am 9 years old.

At first, I had hard time getting to know him but slowly everything fell into places. We ended up sticking together from that day on except sleeping apart.

He was always with me all the time. We hang around together. He accompanied me everywhere I go. I felt so much joy when I was around him. We share lot of memories together.

I don't know, what I am going to tell my parents when I go home without him? They did expect this day would come but its not today.

How am I going to convince my friends? Its a loss for all us. We all had great fun time together. We used to go for long rides on the mountain roads and enjoy ourselves. I never would forget those golden moments.

Sorry my friend, I have to let you go. May be it was my fault to leave you alone for these many years. It's better for both of us, if you leave without with any more trouble. You are already in a very terrible and rusted condition. It's time for you to go now.

With tears flooding his e yes, Aakash thought to himself after letting go off of his friend cyko, droping his old bicycle friend at the trash collector store.

Dream lofty dreams...

Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become...

That's a powerful quote from literary mystery man and An unrewarded genius James Allen.

I think about dreams a lot and ponder on them. You are who you are and who you will become as you dreams are. Dreams make such an great impact in our lives. You think about the think you dreamed off, thought changes to words, words transform as actions and action make things to happen. It a good deal of connection from dreams to actions. To all that too materialize, you gotta believe in yourself and dream big.

Paul Potts was a cell-phone salesman who dreamed of spending his life "doing what I feel I was born to do." Watch him as he takes a huge step toward that dream. He particpates in the Britain's famous "Britian Got Talent" judged by 3 real tough folks who are mean at time to the participants.

Just watch their expression changes and see what they gotta to say about him.

WARNING: This video may cause goose bumps and even tears. Watch at your own risk and then get your dream out. polish it off and put it back on the mantle so you see it every day.

*** - Courtesy of the video from the Mailing list of Vic Johnson. Thanks Vic.

FRIENDS ARE FLOWERS...

A Friend in need is a friend in deed. Friends are flowers in the gardern of life. Friendship is a treasure. Sulekha been a great hub to dig and find your own treasure of friendship. Thank you sulekha for providing this wonderful media to meet different people from different parts of the world. I have found lot of friends thru this media via their encouraging comments and views.

My thoughts about friendship,

Who is a Friend?
What is Friendship?
Choose your friend wisely
Appreciate your friend
Don't Smother
Lose the Flight Don't Lose Friend
Keep in Touch

Who is a Friend?

The best kind of friend is the one you could sit on a porch with, swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like that was the best conversation you've had.

A Friend is

Faithful
Reliable
In touch
Enduring
Needed
Devoted

A friend is always faithful to you, even during the bad times.

A friend is reliable..you can count on one to always be there.

A friend stays in touch, even though it may not be as often as you'd like!

A true friendship is enduring, lasting even when friends lose touch for a while.

A friend is always there for you when you need someone.

A friend is devoted to your friendship and will never do anything to destroy it.

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

What is Friendship?

Friendship consists in forgetting what one gives
and remembering what one recieves
- Alexandre Dumas The Younger

Friendship is always a Sweet Responsibility
never an opportunity
- Kahlil Gibran

Choose Friends Wisely

Often, people gain popularity not for who they are but for what they have: money, beauty, a new car, a boyfriend. When forming a friendship, it’s crucial to figure out why you want to be around a person. Ultimately, if there’s no trust and genuine affection between you and your friend, you’re
short-changing yourself. Friendships last longer when interests are shared and friends are there for each other during the ups and downs. Choose friends for their inner qualities and common interests instead of for their status.

Appreciate Your Friends

You and your mother just had a blow-out.You storm up to your room, grab the phone and speed-dial your friend.She’ll listen, be supportive, understand. When you hang up, you feel miraculously better. And when things are going great in your life-that friend is the first person you tell. So how do you hold on?

By expressing how much she means to you. Show up occasionally with a bag of chocolates, invite her along when your parents have an extra ticket. And beyond the material gestures, be there for her. Congratulate when she’s feeling pumped. Never take her for granted.

Don’t Smother

Good friends don’t need to be together all the time. A true friend knows when to give some space, allow her other relationships as well as some alone time. If you’re too needy of your friend’s attention, she may begin to resent it and the relationship may come to feel like an obligation. Besides if you cling to just one friend, you too miss out on making new ones.

Lose the Fight, Not the Friend

Even the closest friends don’t agree on everything. There will be misunderstandings and arguments-that’s OK. But remember that you’re friends, not clones.

Keep in Touch

Life changes. People move away, but call, write, e-mail; make the effort to keep in contact. Distance won’t keep real friends apart.

HAPPY FRIENDSHIP DAY!!

THE ABC OF FRIENDSHIP

Really nice and meaningful thoughts about friendship, worth thinking about on the eve of friendship day. I had posted in my personal site long back. Just posting it for all my far away friends in sulekha.

Click to enlarge

HAPPY FRIENDSHIP DAY !!

**** - Picture taken from Internet.

AN EYE OPENER ABT DISPOSABLE DIAPERS FROM IXEDOC

Yesterday, I posted a blog bragging so much about disposable diapers/nappies. How its saves parents agony being disposable comparing with cloth diaper until I recieved an eye opening comment no other than our Respected IXEDOC. I didn't realize this blog could get me first comment ever from the most respected man in this blogdom at time I posted it.

I feel like its an honor in need. I was surprised to get showred by his comment finally and its about the researches he and others been doing related to the usage of disposable diapers/nappies.

Here is the snap shot of the discussion via comments,

dear Vijaianand,

nice 'ode' to the ubiquitous diaper - a novel topic, I must add. It may interst you though to learn that, of recent mdical research shows rgar diaper use i not necessarily the panacea it is ascribed to be. Constant increase in perineal temperature due to the thick padding disprupts the thermoreguatory mecanisms that operate physiologically to keep the male testes and scrotal sac cooler than core body temeprature. Prolonged exposure to diapers has been claimed to produce oligozoospermia or even azoospemia, much later in males. the gonadal dysfunction could lead to sterility.

A new paper of mine on testes temperature control is due for publication.

Reference: Kumar Arunachalam & Kumar JC, 2007, Swinging hgh & low: thermoregulation in the testes, Medical Hypotheses, (in press)

He replied back to my comment with more details on the topic,

1. Scrotal temperature is increased in disposable plastic lined nappies Partsch et al. Arch Dis Child.2000; 83: 364-368 http://adc.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/85/3/268d?ck=nck

2.Baby boys have a great risk of sterily in throwaway diapers than cloth because of the chemicals that "pull wetness away." This is a health hazard that Pampers spends millions in marketing to keep you from hearing.

http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:ATBNpDL1z4cJ:www.earthsmartdiaperservice.com/benefits.nxg+%27diaper+sterility%27&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=in

3.There are concerns about male sterility due to prolonged use of disposable diapers (they hold in heat) http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:hHM2lGh0NrwJ:www.earthbabydiaperservice.com/index.php%3Faction%3Dwhy_us+%27diaper+sterility%27&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=8&gl=in

4.The one other thing I can think about is a recent question of pediatricians about the impact disposable diapers could have on masculine sterilty . Men's "privates" temperature has to be maintained at a lower temperature than the body to avoid problems. The disposable diapers are covered with plastic, and there's a lot of filling, and the temperature inside can rise rapidly.

http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:GkSN4kCT1cAJ:www.tinybirdsorganics.com/organiccotton/clothdiapering101.html+%27diaper+sterility%27&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=13&gl=in

I think I learnt a great deal about disposable diaper now and scared the hell out of me. My wife even was shocked to hear that after effects of using disposable diapers. This discussion left me thinking, using disposable diapers may be one of the reasons so many american men lose their fertility and having difficulties getting pregnant.

I am not sure what will be my action after knowing some factiods about disposable diapers from Pampers & Huggies. We are so dependent on it, its going to be tough to break down the habit and start moving towards cloth diapers.

Just think about it !!! Suggest me any options..

DISPOSABLE DIAPERS -Savior of Today's Parents

"OMG, he just peeped on me. Its all over.~Sigh~ I have to change my shirt before I leave to work."

"He is making a big mess of his poo poo, come quick to clean it him up.Otherwise he will start playing with it"

I am sure you heard this dialogs or screams so many time at your house or friends house who has small kids or babies. Cloth Diapers so called "langotee" torched (I should say) the babies giving them uneasy, fuzzy and yakee feeling all the time.

I have grown up with cloth diapers and if my guess is right, whoever is blogging at sulekha as of today also might have had similar experience with uncomfie cloth diapers. I know you don't want to go back, thinking about it. But that's the truth right?!

Those are the days, the soft reusable cloth diapers are the only option. No other choices available. Now, the new comers of this wonderful techie world has so many options. They are so lucky getting comfie with new Pamper or Huggies Diapers.

In the cloth diapers, Babies/small kids never get to sleep well because its get wet and don't dry off. It has to be changed otherwise they can't sleep or get cold. Also they make a big mess every time they poo poo or pee pee since its not water or foolproof. Cloth diapers need to be changed every time its gets wet. No security for the person who holds the babies or toddlers.

It is also great deal of work for the mummies. Washing and drying every cloth diapers often beats the heck out of Gym workout. Just imagine cleaning those diapers with poo poo's, isn't it disgusting. but our moms just did that. I can see weird expression from all your faces.

An important thing rather irritable point about Cloth diapers, they are not use and throw. You have to secure them like a gold to take back home to clean and make use of them again.

Now babies are so comfortable playing, sleeping. Best of all, no mess to cleanup or don't have to wake up at night to change diapers. Thanks to the one of kind inventions of these days, disposable Diapers. These diapers really gave salvation to agony of the parenthood.

How it works

Disposable diapers contain the same chemical as astronaut 'maximum absorbency garments", fire-control gels.. This super-absorbent chemical will continue to absorb water until there is an equal concentration of water inside and outside the polymer. By absorbing the liquid, it expands and keeps the top layer dry and free of moisture.

What makes it special?

It comes in all sizes and shapes. They absorb and keep it dry helping kids to feel so much comfortable. So they get to sleep better which reflects in their health. Well rested baby/kids will be active and at their best. I know there are few drawback in using these poly disposable diapers. They do leak at times if its overloaded and heats up during summer giving rashes. But all them are avoidable and far better than always wet cloth diapers. Best thing of all, its use and throw.

It took away the burden and releaved mummies from lot of work. I can 't imagine Kids growing up without them these days atleast in america. Its slowly catching up in Asian countries. It is expensive but its worth paying the price than suffering the agony.

If I would have to vote one of the best invention of this century for important purposeo. I will surely vote for Diapers. Can I count your vote too ?!

**** - Photos collected from net.