sunday stories

Just got back home after a spiritual sojourn at SSPN , puttaparthi.  This May, I took the luxury of two weeks of offline work — or  “work from home,” WFN  as Gen Y and Z calls it  !  On a sudden impulse, I decided to spend a week in service ( as part of Tamilnadu's " sevadal " team)  at the Puttaparthi Sai Baba Ashram. I was assigned duty at the museum. There were no fans or AC inside, and on the first day  I was sweating profusely. But I made up my mind  to simply accept the situation ,  and to my surprise, my body gradually adjusted and I felt perfectly fine throughout the service period. I truly enjoyed my duty and learnt the essence of Sanathana dharma. During the weekends, thousands of people visited the museum. From ancient religions to modern spiritual paths, the displays are beautifully planned. The unity of religions can be understood even by a layperson through the layouts, models, and visual presentations. Personal...

Sustainability is often seen as a trend or a lifestyle choice, but in reality, it is a crucial survival skill for the modern world. The events of the COVID pandemic reminded us how fragile our systems can be and how important self-reliance is. For many, having a small home garden was not just a hobby, but a necessity during uncertain times. This experience highlighted that sustainability is not just about saving the planet—it is about ensuring our own survival. In a world facing climate change, resource scarcity, and unexpected crises, the ability to live with less becomes a strength. Minimalism in clothing, mindful consumption, and the ability to adapt to situations like power cuts or lack of air conditioning are no longer optional—they are essential life skills. When we see global conflicts and disruptions, it becomes clear that resilience comes from how well we can adjust to limited resources. These are not skills that can be developed overnight. They must be nurtured...

This morning, as I stepped into my veranda, I noticed a moth resting quietly on the floor. I had always believed moths were dull, colourless creatures of the night—far less captivating than butterflies. But this one carried delicate, intricate patterns I had never paused to admire before. And the eyes on her wings caught my attention...In that still moment, it felt as though the moth carried a gentle powerful message. Just two days earlier, my brother had shared a photo of Maa Samaleswari, the revered goddess of Western Odisha. My mind connected the two instantly. Divinity is not confined within temple walls; perhaps it is born from nature itself. And I wonder—are we truly revering God, or quietly enclosing the divine within concrete boundaries? Beauty exists everywhere; we simply need the eyes to see it.

Every morning at sunrise I offer my sun  salutations with gratitude to the divine. Blessed to be able to see the morning light( many people living in urban spaces do not see the sun till late morning!). About a month back, I noticed one spider in our balcony, spinning its web waiting for the prey. The metal insect mesh in our balcony is so fine that even mosquitoes cannot pass through. Every day  I wondered how the spider gets his food!  To my surprise, after a couple of days I saw three more spiders ( little smaller in size). May be the young ones?? Its a mystery how they survive in this place without access to food. It has become a habit for me to look for them every morning. Their webs seem to be getting bigger. Glad to see that they are fine. What do they feed on? Harsh Sun and gusty rains in the past few days has not dettered their spirit for survival. I am reminded of Mr. Hira Rathan Manek. Born in a Gujarati family from Kutch, Mr. Manek's  visit to Aurovi...

It's Ganesh chaturthi.  And I decided to unleash my skills in making sweet " kolukattai" . Thanks to the many cooking channels on youtube, I found an interesting recipe.  Marketing technique- " kolukkatai mould free with 500g pack " ! Decided to try the mould . I made a couple of futile attempts and then gave up. Decided to make my own shapeless " momo-like" kolukattai ! But my cook DID NOT GIVE UP . A couple of attempts,  and he GOT IT .  Finally we steamed the shapeless and the shapely ones ( no body shaming please .beauty is in the eyes of the beholder !) .  With all love presented to the divine form in our altar ( and ended up eating more than I should !)  Religion is to bond, not to fight, A way to unite, day and night. It's not a sword, but a gentle balm  It soothes the soul to keep you calm Let's not divide, let's come as one, And find the truth, beneath the sun.

The national youth icon of India. He died young and lives young ever in our hearts... My hero , my ideal. " He was the unconscious father of Indian Nationalism.He roused his mother land that was starving in superstitions and roused  their civilisational identity " says swami sarvapriyanandha. He was the man who took yoga to the west.yes, he is  the bridge between the east and the west . Subash chandra bose at  the age of 15 devoured  into the writings of Swami Vivekanandha.  He even ran away to become a monk. But the swamiji of the ashram said that his destiny was different.  Gandhiji , nehruji, all of them were inspired by swami's writings. Sister niveditha was starting schools , inspired by his teaching .He met jamshedji Tata on the ship during one of his journeys and they spoke about the future of science and technology in India . The seed for IISc was sown during that conversation. Swami had motivated Jagdish Chandra bose  to start ...