There are places I'll remember All my life Though some have changed Some forever, not for better Some have gone and some remain Saket, My home in Vile Parle. The bungalow still stands but gone are the 'Otlaa's - where we sat and passed many idle moments in our childhood. Gone is the 'Paachad no compound' - where we collected 'lucky stones' for a game of Hop-skotch. Gone are those artistic metal gates on which we stood and kicked them to open and shut. Gone is that corner where I spent making mud cakes. Namiella, the neighbourhood building. That too stands till now...looking ill-maintained and old. The pre-school in it's compound still exists. That's where we all studied. We called it the 'Alvares' school - after Mrs. Alvares, the principal and the owner. Nagrecha Nivas, another building in the neighbourhood. A joint family seperated and living on different floors. With fights galore. Abuses, insults and some very entertaining and...
I've read a lot about how one should think of God as a Mother. Paramhansa Yogananda has spoken many times about this but it was difficult for me to take God as a parent - untill I became a mother. He said one should leave everything to God. Submit yourself and depend solely on Him. He knows what's good and bad for you. I feel only a mother can truly understand this concept and I am glad I was not born a man. When my baby finds comfort in my arms, I feel I should find this comfort in God. When my baby depends on me completely - for changing his wet nappies to making him go to sleep, I feel I should depend completely on God for my daily requirements. When I intuitively come to know there's something wrong with my baby, I feel God too must surely know when I'm in trouble and help me. When I give a bitter medicine to my baby in time of sickness, I feel God too must be giving me difficulties so that I can come out being a stronger person. When I wipe the tears from my baby...
In July, my husband and I took off for a holiday to Ooty (Udhagamund). I had seen countless Hindi film songs picturised in the Nilgiris and known of innumerable newly married couples romancing in the boats of the Ooty Lake. And this was the first time I was going there. Our flight landed at Coimbatore and we found the car we had hired, waiting to take us to Ooty. The 3 hour drive was full of dangerous turns, some charming landscape and bright green tea plantations.Was it beautiful?! Yes, it was! And with the beauty, was a chill in the strong winds that were accompanied by the scent of the eucalyptus. We reached the Taj and were warmly welcomed with fresh grape juice. A cottage, more than 150 years old was where we were led by the hotel staff. The colonial structure that stood in front of us looked very inviting. Once inside, it was as though we had been transported to the last century. Wooden flooring, a huge fireplace, watercolour paintings, antique furniture and a cozy foyer with two...
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