It’s getting quite a bit of chilly out there in the north India so why not spice up and make things hot a little bit. Don’t worry, I won’t be setting up forest fire because that would raise environmental issues, neither I’m gonna start some controversial discussion as there already are quite many in the line. We’re gonna have a very healthy discussion about the sensational, the one and only cricket fanatic Poonam Pandey.. Ohh sorry I guess you people didn’t recognize her very well, here’s her recent extravaganza-219 Double treat. now you caught hold of her!!!! She was the only one in the nation “happy”, even more than Viru, on his miraculous success. So, since she expresses herself in a different fashion I thought how she would be delighted when some of the events may occur in the future course of time. Here comes a list of few.

Poonam Pandey - (Source: Wikipedia)

1. Mr. “Ton”dulkar (although right now quite struggling with the nickname) hits his most awaited epic century, she will run wearing a t-shirt numbered 1 and written below it “rest lies in front”
2. Seeing Katrina getting the limelight on the onset of New Year with “Chikni Chameli”, she would not mind to put out a video titled “Bikini hateli (insane in tapori)” saying this is the original one and “she is the one who is not being named” for this.
3. People get enlightened and start the revolt against the government for not hanging our beloved guest Kasab. Honestly, they didn’t get the self-realization it’s just she released a press note saying “She would walk the nation naked if that happens” btw that’d be categorized under a noble cause actually.
4. Arindham Choudhary succeeds in making people think beyond the IIMs. Although she might not be knowing who Arindham Choudhary is and what he was (yes a hypothetical was) convincing people for; she would come on the “inauguration ceremony” of IIPM in her patented fashion.
5. She decided to be the cheerleader for the Indian football team (not a typo) that will be formed from insemination of players from Sunderland football club. Initially Chelsea volunteered for the same but for the obvious reasons Indian government denied and delayed the program.
6. Kingfisher Airlines has predicted revival from their miserable situation because Vijay Mallya has decided to bring the Kingfisher calendar outfits as uniforms to the air-hostesses. He said “Poonam has been the inspiration for this”. Totally overwhelmed when hearing these words of gratitude she will be signing a yearlong free photo-shoot contract, cameraman being “The baby Mallya”.
7. Just like our country has national anthem, national animal, national flower, national game (hockey it is fyi) we might soon be hearing an appeal from her side to the government to pass a bill for national “figure” as well and no reason we see to question this demand.
8. Last but not the least, for which everyone not only in India but over the globe is waiting for “The Doomsday” she would call a press conference sponsored and organized only by India TV to reveal the hidden story of her life; as if something has gotten left out.

Out of the above mentioned events, except one or two none have the chances of happening but the consequences mentioned to those events, would surely happen, after all how could Poonam Pandey disappoint so many junta for whom she has launched the website.

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Watching films has always been a treat to MIND and not just eyes. Cinema is an art, and there are some outstanding films with superb story and treatment that really gives your time a worth. I have been fortunate enough to have watched some of such films with meaning & fun belonging to various genres such as drama, true story, action, suspense, thriller, horror, romance, humor etc.

Below is a list of films that I have watched over the period of last few years. I am sharing this list for two reasons, 1. for personal archiving purpose and 2. for those who are passionate about watching films, this list can be of some use.

P.S.: After each film name I have given the year of its release into bracket ().

List of English films I have watched and Liked

1. The Godfather trilogy
2. Pulp Fiction (1994)
3. Schindler’s List (1993)
4. The Dark Knight (2008)
5. Fight Club (1999)
6. The Usual Suspects (1995)
7. The Matrix (1999)
8. Se7sen (1995)
9. American Beauty (1999)
10. What Women Want (2000)
11. A Beautiful Mind (2001)
12. The Good will hunting (1997)
13. Cast Away (2000)
14. Forrest Gump (1994)
15. Saving Prviate Ryan (1998)
16. Paranorma Activity (all three parts)
17. The Departed (2006)
18. The Inception (2010)
19. Eternal Sunshine of a spotless mind (2004)
20. The prestige (2006)
21. Braveheart (1995)
22. The Green mile (1999)
23. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
24. The Sixth sense (1999)
25. The Village (2004)
26. The Happening (2008)
27. Signs (2002)
28. The Graduate (1967)
29. Twelve Monkeys (1995)
30. Into the wild (2007)
31. The Exorcist (1973)
32. Mystic River (2003)
33. The Polar Express (2004)
34. Angels & Demons (2009)
35. The Terminal (2004)
36. The Beach (2000)
37. Catch Me If you Can (2002)
38. Road to Perdition (2002)
39. American Gangster (2007)
40. Man on Fire (2004)
41. Lost in Translation (2003)
42. Wong Kar Wai – In the Mood for Love
43. Lost Highway (1997)
44. Kissed (1996)
45. Tsotsi (2005)
46. Gladiator (2000)
47. Body of Lies (2008)
48. 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
49. Proof of Life (2000)
50. 8 Mile (2002)
51. The Abyss (1989)
52. The English Patient (1996)
53. Deja Vu (2006)
54. The Bone Collector (1999)
55. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
56. Predators (2010)
57. The Book of Eli (2010)
58. Scent of a Woman (1992)
59. Nobody’s Fool (1994)
60. Horrible Bosses (2011)
61. Hanna (2011)
62. Insidious (I) (2010)
63. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
64. The Passion of the Christ (2004)
65. Samsara (2001)
66. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
67. Ocean’s Twelve (2004)
68. Ocean’s Thirteen (2007)
69. The A-Team (2010)
70. The Kings Speech (2010)
71. The Kids Are All Right (2010)
72. Rabbit Hole (2010)
73. The Astronaut’s Wife (1999)
74. The Italian Job (2003)
75. Monster (2003)
76. The Score (2001)
77. Payback (1999)
78. 300 (2006)
79. 1408 (2007)
80. Ace Ventura – Pet Detective (1994)
81. Ace Ventura 2 – When Nature Calls (1995)
82. Defiance(2008)
83. Limitless (2011)
84. Midnight Express
85. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
86. Righteous Kill (2008)
87. Shutter Island (2010)
88. Up in the Air (2009)
89. 21 Grams (2003)
90. Malena (2000)
91. Taking Lives (2004)
92. Taxi Driver(1976)
93. The Good, the Bad and The Ugly (1966)
94. Yes Man (2008)
95. Valley of Flowers (2006)
96. The Unborn (2009)
97. The Number 23 (2007)
98. Bruce Almighty (2003)
99. The Sting (1973)
100. The Patriot (2000)
101. The Hurt Locker (2008)
102. 127 Hours (2010)
103. Munich (2005)
104. Avatar (2009)
105. Black Hawk Down (2011)
106. Blood Diamond (2006)
107. The Aviator (2004)
108. Enemy at the Gates (2001)
109. Up (2009)
110. Phone Booth (2002)
111. The Social Network (2010)
112. Apocalypto (2006)
113. The Game (1997)
114. The Ghost and The Darkness (1996)
115. Troy (2004)
116. About Schmidt (2002)
117. Michael Clayton (2007)
118. The Bucket List (2007)
119. Valkyrie (2008)
120. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
121. Memento (2000)
122. Revolutionary Road (2008)
123. Seabiscuit (2003)
124. The Machinist (2004)
125. Gandhi (1982)
126. Amélie (2001)
127. Unbreakable (2000)
128. Ice Age (2002)
129. Babel (2006)
130. Dances with Wolves (1990)
131. No Country for old Men (2007)

You can also share your favorite films too here below as comment, for my ‘To be watched’ film list.

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Reading books is one of the ways to really understand who you are as well as who you are not. It brings the entire new world in front of you, and sometimes reflects what is inside you. Few things that I myself have observed which I consider as the important factors of reading books are:

It provides you with the direction

Sometimes we feel stuck and can not take appropriate decision to move ahead in our life. Sometimes we feel that, this is it, no further going, when the matter of the fact is that, the way would be right ahead of us, but we would blind about it. In such a case, books play the part of a torch which sheds the light upon the darkness and shows us the right way. Such cases happen mostly during reading books about self-help. My experiences tell me that, I have indeed found some insight towards my future after I read books like The Secret(Rhonda Byrne), The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari(Robin Sharma) and The Alchemist(Paulo Coelho). May be entire books is not meant for you, but some part, some page, some para is indeed for you which opens up the lock you were finding the key for, for a long time, and puts you in the direction of your dreams and goals.

It increases your thinking capacity

The more you read, the food your mind eats! So to say, your thinking ability increases in such a way that, you become more aware about your words when you discuss with others. Sometimes, you become the center attention of a group where you do participate in the ongoing conversation. This happens due to the increased thinking you received from reading books.

It also kills insomnia!

Normally, it is said that the books that we don’t like gets us sleep! My experience is just opposite. The books that I don’t like, I don’t read at all! But the books that I like, and which I read during the night when I’m physically tired, it helps me get sound sleep, indeed. It’s like as I like reading some particular book, I don’t feel like leaving it unfinished but then my body is answering me with the tiredness, so two things do collide with each other – interest in book and the tiredness – and ultimately the tiredness win, and I do get to sleep. Try it, but of course with the book you like reading.

It clears out the confusion

Sometimes, when you’re stuck with some situation and not sure how to move ahead, and you’re in utter confusion about taking any decision, as no solutions seems available, this is when you find something related to your situation while reading the book, and you feel lie “Voila, this is it. This is what I was looking for”. And then you act upon it, which solves your confusion. For example, while reading The Alchemist, you get to know that the real treasure is within you, and you happen to find out your skills, your passion that you had never realized earlier, though they were there. This is when the life seems easy and you get out of the confusions and move ahead with clarity in mind.

Affirmation to own thoughts & belief

Have you ever felt that in some matters, you differ from the people & society around you? You do feel that you’re right though you are the only one who thinks in a particular way, but then you also wonder & worry about the fact that how come you can be right when so many others are thinking just the opposite?! This is when you read some book of some integrity or of some well-known author which reflects to your thinking & belief pattern, and you realize that yes you’re so right with your unique thinking and belief!

It helps you understand people’s psychology

An author would have read and studies a lot before writing any book, fiction or non-fiction, which reflects in his words. His knowledge & research of variety of things and people do reflect, which you get readymade. Of course, it’s not necessary that you do agree with everything is written there, but then you for sure get something as readymade which you would have never come to know otherwise. With this knowledge, you understand things which helps you understand some part of people’s psychology.

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Sometimes, after some period of time, we have to re-build our original personality, who we are in real, because time and situations do change us, and we can’t even realize it until we find ourself stuck up with the kind of person we are not, what we have become. There were times, when we were what we were, and then time comes when you are what others have made you, and you too are aware about it and still became it, as sometimes society rules over you, but then instead of giving such bullshit crap reasons of failure, if we indeed realize this phenomenon, we should start regaining and recollecting broken pieces of our original existence, original personality, don’t you think so? I guess, I should start with myself first

Recently, I was given this thought by couple of old friends who knew me the way I am not at present in totality. They said that, they found me more adjustable kind of guy who I am not in my natural way. This made me think about it for a while and I found out that they are so damn right!

I mean, I never used to be kind of person who would give a damn to a thing he doesn’t like. I mean, my communication and way of approach was direct, without any miscommunication nor with the communication to make others feel good or so, but then, as I grew (for that matter, grew up-side down), I adopted the habit of living for others, I mean, living the way I felt that they would accept me. Fuck! This is not how I used to be, and why the hell anyone should be?

After all, no matter what we do, or what we don’t do, we all got one life. And if at the end of it, I get to feel that oh! shit, I didn’t do it regardless I wanted to or say I feel that oh! shit I did it even though I didn’t want to, how shitty I would feel then?!!

Life is meant to be the way you want it to be, live. Every moment counts. And that every moment is full of existence, full of approvals from your side because that’s your fucking life. You shouldn’t live it to make others happy all the time, by killing your original personality.

And I don’t want to blame others here for having such change in our life. It’s just us who are responsible for anything and everything related to our life. No escaping or crying reasons, coz nobody will kill you if you don’t do something, utmost, they would hate you or stop communication if they find it so irritating or whatever, but then, it’s you, who should think twice whether it’s for you or not?

I remember, in early days, my communication style, writing style was full of fun, coz while used to write, I never used to think how would others feel. And you know what? Others used to enjoy it as well. Then, after as I felt that I am somewhat known among some people, while I was writing, the thinking also started that how would they feel about it? Now, this gives me creeps. I mean, if I’m writing, why the hell should I bother in advance how would they feel? And hence, the writing found a different shape, which was not original.

But having said this, and having realized this I am on the verge of recollecting all those broke pieces of my original personality, that I used to be, that I used to like about myself. Now, I rock – to myself.

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Finding a treasure is indeed an amazing experience for a treasure hunter, such is the joy of a writer of finding his own article which he had written few years back, and by now totally forgot about it. Such a case happened with me. I happened to find out below article titled “A Discrete Community” which I had written in the year 2005, six years back!! Voila! I am not surprised for the reason I found it out, but I am surprised for the reason that my thoughts were so similar with what I still have for some concepts. The below article talks about the ‘commune’ concept, where like-minded people live totally in absence of the worldly matters, situated at far away place, out of touch of humanity. You must now remember the film “The Beach” too, which also talks about such a theme.

More to read, in the below article itself.

Image courtesy

A Discrete Community

I often imagine about such a discrete community which is situated far from the human populated land, situated somewhere in the mid of jungle or on a far away situated island, totally dependent on natural resources, with no material facilities at all, living their life by making use of natural resources as much as possible.

In the background of such community I see that all the people of this community are master in one particular field like one is good at cooking, someone at collecting woods for generating fire, someone master at building huts or small houses of woods to live in, someone strong enough to fetch the drinking water from the near by river, someone good at fishing (for food of course for non-veg lovers) where someone good at farming the needful vegetables and fruits.

But in this community there no one called the ‘Boss’ or ‘leader’, all are masters of their own existence, no slavery at all, but still deeply attached with each other with emotions, without thinking about the outside world, enjoying their life totally with nature, chanting prayers in the evening, singing songs by making a camp-fire at night with the company of stars in the wild black starry sky, going for swimming in the near by beach together, enjoying the waterfalls, climbing the mountains situated on the island or jungle alone or in group, revealing the truth of jungle or island and doing everything that can be done without harming anyone either in the community or in the jungle or let’s say by doing nothing at all!

I know this wouldn’t be an easy life to lead, obstacles will arise, have to struggle a lot in the beginning to associate ourselves with nature, learning its signs and basics of how it works, building the community place, arranging for daily life resources, mostly food, drinking water and accommodation, but with total dedication all this can happen in real.

So what would be the first step for making this community a reality? The first step would be a search for such perfect place which is situated in a lonely place, out of reach of other humans. We would also need to see as if the local Government doesn’t put its feet in the way being an obstacle in this dream of us. This would be the most difficult task in making this community. I wonder we can find such a place either in Africa or in Antarctica. You can suggest any other place in other continent if you know. Once we clear this first step, the rest of the things would come its way, of course they won’t be easy either as nothing is easy in the beginning, but as I said, provided sufficient devotion and dedication it can be achieved.

How many of you desire to participate in this community and why? How many of you have imagined about such lonely life style already? If you have imagined so earlier, what is it you see that you’ve mastery upon? I mean how you can contribute in lessening the daily struggles of this community, like are you good at cooking, fishing, fetching water, building the wooden dens or what? What more inputs you need to add to my above thoughts? You feel some of my thoughts are not as they should be? If yes, which are they? And what do you suggest in place of them and why? Do you know any such place where we can build such community?

This is just the beginning in my thought process, yet a lot more to come in this subject, but first let me know your thoughts too on this subject so as we can proceed further in the world of fantasies and imagination.

——

Ok, so if you have had strength to read till here, I first congratulate you for doing so . I am sure that some of you might find this thought of mine as lunatic, but then so called lunatics are known to have made a difference in the history of mankind. I am not sure after six years of writing this article, about really having such a permanent commune but I am damn sure about having such a place where like-minded people get-to-gather and live for a week or weekend without any material thing which becomes hurdle in our existence. So to say, of course, it doesn’t mean we don’t even wear material clothes, we do, but then, it depends!

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Girnar mountain range

About Girnar Parikrama

Girnar is very famous mountain in Gujarat. In fact, it’s a mountain range. Every year, on the occasion of Dev Diwali (which falls after 15 days of Diwali festival) people from different parts of Gujarat participate in the Parikrama (pilgrimage walk circling the mountain Girnar). The length of this parikrama is 36 kilometres.

Mountain Girnar

My experience

I left from city Rajkot on a fine morning of Saturday, i.e. November 5, 2011. Reached to Junagadh city at 10:30. Straight away went to visit Madhavanandji, a saint living at Brahmeshwar Ashram near Damodarkund. After having some conversation, followed by Prasadam, I started my pilgrimage walk at 12:00 noon.

At the entrance, all what I could see was people, people and lots of people all around me. Of course, it had to be that way, as every year lacks of people do come for parikrama.

Young Nagabava

I had taken few things with me such as camera, water bottle, brush, light bedding, my books, cap, extra pair of clothes, extra pair of footwear and I guess that’s it. Just when I had started walking I noticed a Nagabava sitting at the side of the path. Out of curiosity (and that’s my normal nature), I went to meet him. He was circled by few other people too, with whom he was exchanging his Chalam (a special kind of smoking instrument). He seemed very young (later during conversation, he said he just 25 years old). He asked me sit beside him as he saw me observing him. So I went. He asked me few common things such as where do I come from etc. During our conversation he said that he had taken sanyas right from his childhood and then after he kept moving from place to place. I asked about his Guru and fortunately I knew about him – Indra Bharathiji, who happens to have a very big ashram in Junagadh. In fact, I haven’t met him but have met his Gurubhai Ishwar Bharathiji, who has an ashram in Sasan and now taking care of his Guru Prem Bharathi’s Ashram at Ghantvad village near Kodinar. So, there was not much conversation with this Nagabava for couple of reasons that I was a bit in hurry to go ahead and may be I didn’t sense anything interesting in him.

The first halt of this parikrama is known as Jinabava ni Madhi, which is around 10 kilometres from the inception point. After walking to couple of kilometres, I observed another sadhu standing with support of a swing kind of instrument which was tied with a tree nearby. He was a bit aside from the path, so not much people were around him. I felt some sense to see him so I went to him and uttered “Aum Namo Narayan” (which is the signage namaskar you do when you meet a sadhu). He reciprocated and thus started our small conversation. I came to know from him that he has his ashram near Khambha of Amreli district. His name is Mahant Shivsharangirji. The unique thing about him is that he is also known as Khadeshwariji for his special kind of worshiping by taking a religious oath to never sit down for fourteen years. This is why he was standing with the support of that swing. It had been five years since he has been following this oath, still more nine years to go. I gave him my third book “Turning Point”, and left to proceed further.

Khadeshwari ji

Ghodi

The word Ghodi is used in rural language for a small hill, rather for its path going up. The first Ghodi I experienced was towards the way to Jinabavani madhi. It indeed is tiresome as well pleaserious. As you go against the law of gravitation you do feel the lack of oxygen within you, but then you have hundreds of people ahead, behind and beside you climbing it. During the entire parikrama, I did cross such three Ghodis, the second of which was indeed memorable for two reasons, one I climbed it during nighttime and second it was the toughest of all, that toughest that at few points, I felt like I shouldn’t have come here! But then, when I crossed that negative feeling disappeared with the perspiration. I was amazed to see very old people (70+) side by side me climbing as well as young people with very small kids (2 years). It’s all about faith. This is the example what faith can do, if you have it in you.

I walked

I had started at 12 PM on Saturday and finished at 08:30 next morning, so It took me 20:30 hours to finish the parikrama, out of which I had taken three hours for taking sleep for three hours at night from 10:30 to 1:30.

Food stuff

I drank water a lot. Then I had buttermilk, orange, coconut water, food at one of the Annakshetras (where food is provided for free), tea and gathiya.

I felt tired

As I said, I felt tired indeed while climbing up those Ghodis, but then I already knew I was going to go through them, so in overall, despite of them, or rather say due to these Ghodis, in overall, I enjoyed parikrama a lot.

Who accompanied me?

Me somwhere in jungle of Girnar

Generally, it is said that the real fun is doing parikrama in a group. But my experience tells me otherwise. I was all alone, rather say with myself. I enjoyed my company a lot. When I wanted to walk, I did walk, when wanted to rest, I did rest, when wanted to eat, I did eat, so in a way, I was the master of myself. But having said this, I believe that parikrama in a group too would be great, and I’m looking forward to it in the years to come.

What do I take from Girnar Parikrama?

Well, looking at the normal life I have, I find it very interesting with the tough physical experience I had from parikrama. Otherwise, I never walk even a kilometer a day, and here I walked thirty six kilometres, that too with inclusion of climbing hills. So, it was indeed fun at the end.

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Go here: Girnar Parikrama photos

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The heading above may appear to be tampered and manipulated because when failure embraces you, all the philosophy and positive talks are seen walking straight out of the doors. It’s pure magic how it turns pleasures of recent past seem an oasis of present. It makes the shadow lurk in dark even in a broad daylight. But,when failure sinks deep down a different flavor and understanding emerges out of the being.

Failure is the logical offspring of plurality. No solo act in this world is capable of reproducing things. Things to come to existence needs plural to make each other hence reasoning a single act, incident or decision as the sole reason of failure is searing the unborn. Many factors interact, intersect and intervene with each other to pronounce things as they are. As life is not all about black and white but the grey also matters we need to develop the habit of reading between the lines. Merely Gluttoning our assumptions may lead to an impotent life. Checking the multiples and meditating on our decision may flash the error bright and bold on the grand 70mm screen called life.

Failure is the outcome of fear. Fear is one of the basic human emotions genetically coded by nature. It suffers from gender crisis in the sense that a debate can be raised whether it incompletes human or it’s a thing which makes human limp towards completeness. Being fearful is not a matter of shame as we cannot surpass the obvious.Running helther skelter to avoid fear is what inflicts shame on the character. If fearful henceforth rejoice as this emotion can make you stroll the path of strength and grit unvisited yet. It helps you break the shackles and traverse to the polarity of braveness.

Failure makes time worth treasuring.Time may sound synonymous with watches and clocks but failure conjuncts it with a deeper meaning. The teaching which it imparts is priceless.No money can get you enrolled to this course. The only way you can be a beneficiary of this practical oriented course is by tasting failure. It renews,re-invents and rejuvenates your attitude and behavior. It cleans you up fresh and spurs up the hygienic quotient.

Having said all this, I want to get rid of my failure as soon as possible. I haven’t befriended failure and don’t even want to. I will try that we both maintain long distance relationship here on. But, I will never be bitter towards my failure as it has sparked new sensibilities and shaped my attitude to the extent which can be termed “sexy”. I am logging out of words and logging in to actions so that i can plan a grand farewell to my failure as it is said that while you pray your foot should move.

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Few visits do live a print-mark on our mind that you keep thinking about it even after few days. Such one visit was to ‘Mavtar Vrudhashram’, an old age home situated on the banks of a beautiful pond in the town of Virpur, the town worldly known for the saint Jalaram Bapa.

Anand Nagar Mavtar Vrudhashram, Virpur

This visit was a part of AFS Rajkot Chapter activity, where the three students who are hosted in Rajkot this year (2011-12), viz Eleonora, Mona and Regina, were taken as part of social visit. This visit was organized by Ajay Mehta, Lecturer at P.D.M. college, Rajkot, who also happens to be the AFS Volunteer.

I have visited couple of old age homes prior to this, but this old age home differs from others by some of its unique characteristics, such as its very humane care-taker Mulubhai Dabhi, attach toilets, limited number of old people in one room, neat & clean ambiance(ground, kitchen, rooms, lobby), no strict rules for admission of old people, no strict in-house rules to be followed by the old people,  feeling of healthy atmosphere all around and much more.

Mulubhai Dabhi

Mulubhai is the care-taker and trustee of this old age home. He is such an interesting and humanitarian persona. He is doing this out of his passion to do something for the needy. He is a financially capable person and now devoting his time in serving the old people. By nature, he is spiritual. He is a harmonium player too. During our meeting, he sang some of the very meaningful Bhajans (spiritual Gujarati songs), with explaining its meaning. He is a fine dedicated person and looking forward to strengthen and develop this old age home further & further. One of the many interesting things about him is that, he doesn’t ask for HELP or DONATION, rather he shows you everything with pure feeling and then it’s us who has to decide whether we want to / can help, and if yes, in what way. But yes, looking at the kind of fine management he is doing, I feel that this is the most right place if you really want to help in monetary way. Don’t go by my word. Visit the place and decide by yourself (address and contact number given at the end of this article).

Exchange students and AFS Rajkot volunteers with female residents of Mavtar Vrudhashram Old Age Home

Exchange students and AFS Rajkot volunteers with male residents of Mavtar Vrudhashram Old Age Home

This old age home has residents from different parts of India such as Rajkot, Kolkata, Jamshedpur, Nasik etc. and one resident is from London. We met the maximum number of residents we could meet. Each one of them has a different story to tell. Some are very tragic ones. Actually, most are tragic ones only, but few do really melt your heart. One of them I do still remember is of a old lady from London. She had two sons. In a car accident her both sons died. At that time, they were just eight and ten years old. After few years of this incident, her husband too died. This tore apart her life. She then couldn’t manage to live among her family members, as it constantly used to remember her about her dear sons. Then she decided to move to such a place where she knows no body, and thus she ended up reaching to his old age home.

I was surprised to meet one old lady of 75 years old, who lives in this old age home with her mother who is 96 years old! I mean, if you dig further in their story, you will come across some of the real and most sad stories you have ever heard in your life. Some were rejected by their son where as some have come to live here by choice.

Me talking with an old person

The old person in the above photograph that you’re seeing shared a very funny story with me about an incident that happened during his trip to Haridwar, due to his excessive desire to smoke a Bidi. As it’s not allowed to smoke on railway-station, and as he is a chain smoker, he couldn’t get hold of it for a longer time and stepped down from the train to find for a cigarette. Fortunately, he was noticed by one of the old age home volunteer before the train started!

Contact

Address:

Mavtar Vrudhashram
Ranbag, Nr. Khodiyar temple
Virpur. Dist. Rajkot
Contact person: Mulubhai Dabhi. Cell: +91 98793 24738

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We often ask and get asked with this question when meet someone – a stranger or even someone whom we meet daily. This question has few variants too such as “How you doing?”, “How is life?”, “How is everything going on?” etc.

How Are You?

This question has been a form of superficial gesture. It really means nothing to either of the person, i.e. person who asked it and the person who was asked. The person who asks, asks without the intention of really knowing the true answer for it. And you would have observed that when we ask this question, sometimes we don’t even wait for its answer and start with another statement instantly after it, like its answer doesn’t matter at all.

I was pondering on this question and I encountered with few questions such as:

1. What should be the core purpose of asking How Are You to somebody?
2. If we ask this question to somebody and answer comes as negative, shouldn’t we put our efforts to sort it out?
3. If not, why in the first place we should ask it out? Does it really look good asking this question in a superficial manner?
4. What message it gives to the person whom we ask this question when we are really don’t care for its answer?

After some brainstorming on these and other related questions, I came to a feeling that only Almighty has the TRUE RIGHT to ask this question, because if he asks and finds out that the things are not FINE, he is CAPABLE enough to sort it out. But we know that Almighty won’t come to us and ask this question, so if we think we are CAPABLE enough to sort someone’s people then only we must dare to ask this question.

Recently, I was reading a book, which was about the Saints living in Himalayas, and there was one incident mentioned when two Himalayan saints met. When they met, they didn’t ask each other any such superficial questions, rather they sat together and remained in mauna (silence) and that way did the conversation. A layman observing their way of communication, later asked one of the saints who was his guru about why they didn’t ask each other How Are You? and such things? To which he replied that “We don’t ask them because if we ask them and if there is some problem, we are bound to sort it out, leaving everything aside. So when we don’t mean, we don’t ask.” How BEAUTIFUL his answer was!

As I pondered a lot on this question, also another idea evoked out of it to make a short film or film on this subject. Broad idea is that, there is a solo leading male character in the film who gets crazy when somebody asks him this question. He meets people from all different sectors (doctor, lawyer, student, teacher, friend, boss, co-worker, shopkeeper, beggar, parents, neighbour, poor person, rich person etc.) who asks him the same question. He gets nuts on hearing this question. He observes people while they ask this question to him. He laughs inside knowing that they really don’t want to know its TRUE ANSWER. He then ponders a lot on it to himself….. well, there is no such filmy END to this story…. but it’s a series of encounters that this person goes through when he is asked the same question…. I think, Irfan Khan or Kay Kay may be the best cast for the leading solo character!!!!

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For last few days, I was wondering, thinking & meditating on one question : “What is the root cause of all problems that we suffer from?”.

I was encountered with the final answer as a part of self-realization that it is nothing but some kind of “FEAR”.

Fear of death, fear of failure, fear of lack of things, fear of relationships, fear of intimacy, fear of flying, fear of heights, fear of disease and thus fear of millions of things & emotions.

Now after realizing that the root cause to each and every problem is some kind of a fear, I am wondering and thinking now that what can be the solution to overcome it in a REAL way? I mean, enough of stressful self-help advises on this subject. They really don’t bring any real CHANGE. All what they can do is that they can provide us with some temporary motivation. But then again, the original situation arises.

So now, instead of focusing on such temporary solutions, I am asking myself to focus on some permanent solution. I am not sure, how long will I be able to focus on it or even to achieve the answer, but for sure there is some pinching curiosity going on, which tells me that “Damn it, enough is enough.”

I have heard and also believe that the self-introspection (some would call it spiritual journey) is a process where one should not look for the end-result or destination, rather enjoy the journey which teaches you something new, where you unlearn your old learnings as well where you relearn few things in a fresh manner, so I’m simply, without any mission or a destination, enjoying my self-talk. If I come across some concrete realization, I will surely share it with you.

In the meantime, if you have any thoughts, experience or some realization on this subject, you are welcome to share it with us.

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