I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU...

WHAT IS IT?

Love is omnipresent and timeless. But with Valenties’ Day round the corner, its value becomes all the more pertinent. Its’ expense is evident in the rose sticks becoming two and a half times their actual price. The gift galleries are crowded with youngsters vying to grasp the best gifts for their sweethearts. Numerous teenagers wait for the day to express their feelings of love to the ones who attract them.
Ah what a great deal of hallo boo this four letter word creates! But what is it? I mean what is love? Well, as far as I remember, it is the zero score in tennis. And an old archaic name for tomato. And it was also the name of one of the twin sons of Bhagwaan Rama.
Our dictionaries define the term in a scientific manner. As per Encyclopedia Britannica, love is an unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1) the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2) brotherly concern for others or it is a person's adoration of God. What?? Why give it so much of a spiritual angle, our Cupid struck youngsters would argue. However, even they would agree that this feeling is too wide to be restricted to any one relationship. We admire nature, adore our parents and teachers, are bonded to our siblings, feel an affinity towards our peers and friends, are attached to our pets, house, bike, car and even our clothes and jewellery. Do I dare call these feelings love? I think I can.
So that proves it, love is omnipresent and always in the air irrespective of what day of the year it is. Hey but let me warn you at this. Excess of everything is bad applies here too. Psychologists term abnormal love of a son to his mother as Electra Complex and that of a daughter towards her father as Oedipus Complex. Moreover if you are a teenage collegiate, inappropriate expression of the feeling can even result in distortion of the face and falling of the teeth.
Even after so much of deliberation over its meaning, I am still confused about it. The zero tennis score or the old tomato or the valentine day special attraction…..what is it? What is it?

GOOD SOULS LIVE HERE.....

THE ANGEL IS ONE WITH HEAVEN

Baba Amte, a man of our century who dedicated his life of almost a century to the society is no more amongst us. His departure brings pain but his life has been an inspiration to many. Since we were kids we have been hearing stories about a saint who can not stand on his feet due to a physical ailment but is serving the ailing society.
Those with physical sickness were his concern but so was the mentally deteriorated society that treated them as untouchables. It was the time when leprosy was a taboo and the ones suffering with the disorder were treated as sinners. Those around them, even their own family would not touch or keep them in the house. When the disease prone had no hope left, a light from heaven in form of Baba Amte met them.
Baba Amte borm on December 26. 1914 as Murlidhar Devidas Amte was a respected Indian social activist. He was the founder of several ashrams and communities for the service of leprosy patients and other marginalized people that were shunned by society. Anandwan (literally, "Forest of Joy"), located in the remote and economically less privileged district of Chandrapur Maharashtra is the most well known amongst them and was his home. Baba's thoughts are well conveyed from the words he used describe himself to British journalist Graham Turner “I don't want to be a great leader, I want to be a man who goes around with a little oil can and when he sees a breakdown offers his help. To me, the man who does that is greater than any holy man in saffron-colored robes. The mechanic with the oilcan, that is my ideal in life.”
In 1946, Baba got married to Sadhana Guleshastri, who was later referred to by community members Tai, Baba and Sadhanatai have two sons, Vikas and Prakash, both of whom are doctors. Both have dedicated their lives to social work and causes similar to those of their parents. It is rare to find an example where the kids also follow in the foot steps of their selfless parents. Having facilities to enjoy a rich life and still sacrificing it needs guts more strong than those of saints. Baba Amte dedicated his life to various other social causes, notably wildlife preservation and his involvement in Narmada Bachao Andolan. His achievements have this addition of rearing his children in a manner that they not only adored their parents’ instincts but even followed them.
Trained in law, Baba Amte had a lucrative practice at Wardha. It was then that Baba got involved in Indian freedom struggle and started acting as a defence lawyer for leaders imprisoned in the 1942 Quit India movement. Baba was deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi, with whom he spent sometime in Sewagram Ashram. Baba was follower of Gandhisim for his entire life. He practiced various aspects of Gandhism including weaving and wearing khadi, dedicating his life to the cause of upliftment of the downtrodden classes of society.
His life was dedicated to the socially neglected. He was their guardian angel, a father who gave them a family of brothers and sisters who shared a bond of suffering and understanding.
Baba Amte had not been keeping well for several years in his later life. In 2007, he was diagnosed with leukemia.
Baba Amte passed away in Anandwan on February 9th, 2008 at 4.15 am. He was 93.
His chronological age however is a petite measure of his real worth. The lives of the countless mortals that he made worth living is an addition to the memories that the world will hold of their loving Baba. Such angels are rearely sent to earth- and when they are, they make it a better place to live in. If there is any heaven then it is here, where such cherubs come and spread light and warmth.
The demise of his body further strengthens the belief that there is one more eternal home out there where such heavenly souls go. The Baba made this earth paradise and now this God’s messenger has become one with the supreme being.

GODS TOO HAVE HUMAN LIMITATIONS

Even Bapu could Not Please Everyone

The lessons in non violence that India so proudly practices till date were learnt from none other than a fragile half clad man. Fragile he was, but only in appearance, his soul was strong and willed.
There was a time in our nation’s history when to have our own governance in our own land, we had to fight. We had been struggling for decades and decades to throw the British out of our land and take the reins of governance in our hands. There had emerged leaders and laymen with zeal and determination. Still something was lacking. What was it? The thing most needed was the support of the public, a revolution in which each and every person could contribute and participate, to bring together all from varied walks of life.
This initiative came with Mohandass Karamchand Gandhi-a foreign educated advocate who learnt the lessons of life and unity the tough way. From raising voice against racial discrimination to protesting for Sampurna Swaraj, he treaded the paths bare footed. His protest were however different. Asking the Indians to make their own cloth with Charkha to using the salt made from their own seas to boycotting foreign products to disobeying the ruthless ruler, he did it all ..and did it all without picking up even a stick. What was unique about this feeble looking man was his appeal. The mass followed him. The mob obeyed him. The violent groups heard him and threw their weapons. When the nation burnt with fury of wrath and communal riots, the Mahatma had only to say he would fast till all this ended, and amazingly it all would end. Religions, regions, castes, genders, stopped having meaning when Bapu appealed. His non violence, truth, equality for all – were simple words but required a lot of mettle to be followed. Gandhi was a leader who practiced rather then preached. As he did, his disciples followed. And the disciples were not a limited bunch; they were the whole of India and even abroad.
Many credit Gandhiji for getting India its independence. Though, many other leaders had been practicing their own beliefs and methods to get the nation free, Gandhi’s victory lies in gathering the public together. Even the weakest of the people could contribute to the mass moments that he started.
After India got independence in August 1947, everyone was busy in the task of nurturing the new born democracy, but a few months later a sever blow came. On 30th January.1948 Bapu was assassinated. This was a shock for the nation described aptly in Nehru’s speech ‘The Light has Gone Out of Our lives’. The one thing that the bullet targeted at the most loved man of the nation proved was that even he had enemies. A saint who never harmed anyone, a leader whose praise fatigues none, a human par excellence who inspired the world, too had some who did not like his ways and their consequences. Does what one may one can never please everyone. Still adhering to what is correct not only for one’s own self but for one’s people is the way of life that the Father of our Nation- Bapu, Mahatma, Gandhi, Sabatmati ka Sant has taught us.
He has laid out a path for us to follow. May we not get weakened during the journey through which He would always guide us.