Visit to Cologne Cathedral and the cuckoo clock factory in the Black Forest, Germany … by Kamlesh Tripathi

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In the afternoon, we set off for Germany. Our destination was Cologne. We planned to visit the renowned Cologne Cathedral after dinner at an Indian restaurant called Rangoli. Sunset in Europe is quite late in August, so we could go sightseeing even after dinner. Since it was the holiday season in Europe, there wasn’t much traffic either. We reached the restaurant by seven, after a four-hour drive. After dinner, we took a leisurely walk to reach the Cologne Cathedral.

     The following day, we were to travel across Germany through the Black Forest and reach the Rhine Falls (waterfall) in Switzerland and then to our hotel, Seadamm Plaza in Pfaeffikon, Zurich. The drive was through the mystique Bavarian Alps with misty mountains and fast, lane-observing traffic. The weather was cold and overcast. We left at eight in the morning, towards the Black Forest. While negotiating the scenic mountain windings in the Bavarian Alps, I kept nostalgically recollecting my good old days in the thick of those absorbing musical instrumentals of my all-time favourites streaming in a sequence on my mobile. I was reminded of the best scene of Dr Zhivago when Omar Sharif runs up to the room above, and breaks the glass pane to have one last glimpse of Julie Christie from the window as the image of the sledge pulled by horses, carting her, starts diminishing in the snowy surroundings. This is when the melodious ‘Lara’s theme’ fills the ambience in the movie theatre. This is followed by the ‘Love theme’ from Romeo and Juliet, by Dutch violinist Andre Rieu, and then comes the famous Scarborough Fair (some call it a hymn) by British flautist Adrian Bret. What followed was the fond memory of the great Richard Burton and his famous Alistair Maclean movie ‘Where Eagles Dare’, which had so much to do with the Bavarian Alps located in Germany and Austria.

      The Black Forest in the German language is called ‘Schwarzwald,’ which is famously known for the Cuckoo Clock Industry, Cloud Fisheries Industry and the Black Forest Cake.

    We reached the car park of the Cuckoo Clock factory at about 1.45 PM local time. The place is known as Titisee-Brietnau, where clocks are manufactured. It also manufactures glass toys. We were given a live demonstration on how clocks are made. We also saw a live show of a Cuckoo Clock that squeaks and chimes at two in the afternoon, and the dancing dolls come out to dance with their partners. In the deep recesses of Germany, we had a rather sumptuous lunch in great style and variety. We were served Dahi Vadas, Veg Pulao, Grilled Chicken, French Fries, Cutlets and Pastries. The group shopped to its delight and was all for the traditional Cuckoo Clock.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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INTERESTING FACTS: HOW HYDERABAD, JUNAGADH HELD UP INDIA’S INTEGRATION

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HOW HYDERABAD, JUNAGADH HELD UP INDIA’S INTEGRATION
TIMES NEWS NETWORK


    Under British rule, India contained more than 500 princely states that, upon independence, had the choice of joining either India or Pakistan. But uniting the dominion was no easy task, and several princely states held out for autonomy. But Sardar Patel’s special skills–of persuasion, sometimes maybe a little coercion–made them fall in line.


AUG 17 (PRESS CLIPPING)
HYDERABAD (DN.), SATURDAY


    “Today when I bid Farewell To the last of the Residents in my State, it is still my desire and the desire of Hyderabad to remain within the family of nations known as the British Commonwealth which looks to His Majesty the King as the living symbol of its unity,” declared the Nizam proposing the toast of Mr. C. G. Herbert, the last Resident in Hyderabad at a Farewell at the Jubilee Hall last night.

1/Hyderabad

    After Independence, the princely state of Hyderabad decided against joining India, with the Nizam preferring to remain a “sovereign state” under the British Commonwealth. Hyderabad was a key strategic state between India’s north and south, which ruled out complete autonomy as an option for the government.

AUG 19 (PRESS CLIPPING)
MORE CLASHES IN SECUNDERABAD
TRANSPORT PARALYSED

From Our Own Correspondent
HYDERABAD (Dn.) Aug. 18
    Owing to a fresh outbreak of communal trouble, Secunderabad town has been almost isolated. Railway and bus services have ceased to function, and all approaches to the town have been cordoned off by the armed police.

    Hyderabad refused to sign the Instrument of Accession, the standard legal framework offered to all princely states to join India, following which it signed a ‘standstill agreement’ to maintain the status quo for a year. But Hyderabad was also seeing communal violence break out, and was struggling to quell a communist uprising and the growing influence of an extremist Muslim militia. In September 1948, the continued instability in the state resulted in the Indian Army attacking Hyderabad as part of ‘Operation Polo’ and annexing it.


    2/JUNAGADH


    Upon Independence, the nawab of Hindu majority Junagadh opted to join Pakistan despite not sharing a border with it. The Indian government, unhappy with the accession, feared further communal violence if Junagadh was allowed to join Pakistan. To force a reversal, the government secured the accession of two of Junagadh’s vassal states, cut off supply lines to the state and surrounded it with its troops. In Bombay, a ‘provisional government of Junagadh’ was set up and led the popular agitation against the accession to Pakistan, after which the nawab fled to Karachi, allowing India to annex the state. A plebiscite was also held in February 1948, with more than 90% of the vote in favour of joining India.


    AUG 21 PRESS CLIPPING

    ACCESSION OF JUNAGADH TO PAKISTAN

UNION DISAPPROVAL
—-***—-
BHOPAL MAY JOIN INDIAN DOMINION
    From Our Special Representative
    NEW DELHI, August 20. Strong objection has been raised by the Dominion Government of India to Junagadh’s


    3/INDORE


    Indore was among the few princely states that had yet to accede to India prior to August 15. But Maharaja Holkar’s acceptance came just hours after Independence — positive news for the government as Hyderabad and Junagadh resisted.


PRESS CLIPPING
AUG 21
          INDORE’S ACCESSION
    On midnight of August 14/15 when British Paramountcy lapsed, only four of those States contiguous with the Indian Dominion had still not acceded to the Indian Dominion. If these, Indore has now signed the Instrument of Accession, which, however, is said to have reached the States Department six hours after the lapse of Paramountcy.


4/Oudh


    Though Oudh, in present-day UP, had been annexed by the British just before the 1857 rebellion, Yusuf Mirza, the grandson of its last ruler Wajid Ali Shah, ‘assumed sovereign authority’ of the territory after a secret coronation.


PRESS CLIPPING
AUG 17
    SHAH YUSUF “ASCENDS” OUDH THRONE
    LUCKNOW, Saturday: Shah Yusuf Mirza, grandson of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, the last king of Oudh, has issued a “royal proclamation formally ascending ‘the throne’ and assuming all the sovereign authority’ and power over the dominions of Oudh’ by virtue of our right of inheritance and in the name of our people.”
    The proclamation followed a two-hour meeting of the council of Action of the Oudh Restoration Mission held yesterday evening.
    It is reported that a quiet Coronation was held at midnight, where Prince Yusuf Mirza was installed on the throne at Sheesh Mahal, the ancient palace of the Nawab of Oudh. The ceremony was attended by members of the Royal Family of Oudh and members of the Council of Action.
    The territory … Of Oudh comprises

KEY STATES THAT PAVED THE WAY TO UNITY


Some major princely states ultimately joined the dominion prior to Independence, laying down a marker for others, but not without making it difficult for the government.


5/TRAVANCORE


In 1946, the dewan of Travancore had insisted the state would remain independent after the British left but was willing to sign treaties with India and Pakistan. Some British politicians and Mohammad Ali Jinnah supported the prospect of an independent Travancore, which buoyed the dewan. But in July 1947, the dewan survived an assassination attempt by a member of the Kerala Socialist Party. The incident led to a change of heart and Travancore acceded within days.


6/BHOPAL


The nawab of Bhopal, which was a Hindu-majority state, had close ties with Jinnah and saw Congress as an adversary. He feared Independence would leave Muslims ‘helpless, unorganised and unsupported’ and turn India into a communist nation, and suggested Bhopal would remain independent. But a letter from Lord Mountbatten — and seeing other princely states accede– changed the nawab’s mind. The only concession he sought was for the announcement of the accession to be delayed to 10 days after Independence.


7/JODHPUR


Jodhpur was an exception among states that had hesitated to join India — it had a Hindu ruler and a Hindu-majority population. Though the king was willing to join India, he was also negotiating terms with Pakistan in July 1947. Losing Jodhpur, a border state, would have dealt a major blow to India as it may have pushed neighbouring states towards Pakistan. But Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel intervened, offering some concessions and asking him whose side he would take in the event of communal clashes, after which the king agreed to accede.

(TIMES OF INDIA 22/8/21)

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THE BOND OF PROTECTION: RAKSHA BANDHAN by Kamlesh Tripathi

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     Raksha Bandhan is observed on the last day of the Hindu lunar calendar month (Panchang) of Shravan. It normally falls in August. Raksha Bandhan is also known as Rakhi. It is also referred as Saluno. It is an affectionate festival that celebrates the unbreakable bond between brothers and sisters. It’s a day when sisters tie a sacred thread, called “rakhi,” on the wrists of their brothers, symbolising protection and love. In return, the brothers offer gifts and the promise to protect their sisters.

    It is an admired and traditional Hindu ritual and festival celebrated every year. Apart from India, it is also celebrated in other parts of the world influenced by the Hindu culture. On this day, sisters of all ages tie a talisman or lucky charm called ‘rakhi’ on the wrists of their brothers. The sisters symbolically protect the brothers by doing this. In return, they receive a gift. Its spiritual significance lies in the protection and interconnectedness of the relationship between the brother and the sister. The expression “Raksha Bandhan” comprehensively describes this ritual.

        It is traditionally rooted in the curriculum of territorial or village marriages. The bride is married out of her natal village or town, and her parents, by custom, do not visit her in her married home. In rural north India, village marriage is quite prevalent. Married women travel to their parents’ homes every year to celebrate Raksha Bandhan. Their brothers, who usually live with their parents or somewhere close by, at times, travel to their sisters’ married homes to escort them back. Some brides arrive a few weeks earlier at their natal homes and stay there till the ceremony is over. The brothers serve as lifelong intermediaries between their married sisters’ and parental homes, as well as their potential protectors.

    In modern India, where families have become increasingly nuclear, the festival has become more symbolic, yet it remains highly popular. The rituals of this festival have spread beyond their traditional regions. They have transformed owing to migration and technology. Factors influencing are movies, social media, and the religious bent of mind. We all remember the famous Bollywood song ‘Bhaiya mere Rakhi ke bandhan ko nibhana’. Even among females and males who are not blood relatives, tying of the rakhi has promoted the tradition of voluntary kin, crossing lines of caste, class, and religion.

    So much has been written about Raksha-Bandhan to establish its credentials. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the Hindi word Rakhi derives its origin from the Sanskrit word Rakshika, meaning a protector or guardian. The earliest mention of the word Rakhi in the English language dates back to 1829, in Lieutenant Colonel James Tod’s book, Annals & Antiquities of Rajasthan.

    Indian poet Nazeer Akbarabadi (1735–1830) wrote one of the first nazms in the Hindustani language on Rakhi. The august poet imagines that he, despite being a Muslim, would like to dress up as a “Bamhan” (Brahmin priest), with a sacred thread and a mark on the forehead, so that he can tie the threads on the wrists of all the beautiful people around him.

    Much has been captured about Rakhi in various treatises, dictionaries, and books. Notable examples include the Dictionary of Hindustani and English, authored by Duncan Forbes in 1857. Raksha Bandhan’s reference in the mythology comes out in chapter 137 of the Uttara Parva of the Bhavishya Purana. Here, Lord Krishna narrates to Yudhishthira the ritual of having a raksha thread tied to his right wrist by the royal priest (rajpurohit) on the day of purnima (full moon day) of the Hindu lunar month of Shravan.

    Though traditionally, Raksha-Bandhan is observed in northern India. It also encircles central and western India, Nepal, and some other parts of the country, as well as overseas Hindu communities such as Fiji. It is primarily a Hindu festival. Besides India and Nepal, other countries also celebrate Raksha Bandhan. Pakistan and Mauritius are two other countries where Hindus celebrate this festival. In addition wherever we have Hindu diaspora Raksha Bandhan is celebrated.

    Folklorist and American anthropologist Susan Snow Wadley writes: ‘In Savan, greenness abounds as the newly planted crops take root in the wet soil. It is a month of joy and gaiety, with swings hanging from tall trees. Girls and women swing high into the sky, singing their joy. The gaiety is even greater because women, especially the young ones, are expected to return to their natal homes for an annual visit during Savan.’

    The brothers serve as lifelong intermediaries between their married sisters’ and parental homes, as well as their potential protectors. That’s the bond of Raksha-Bandhan.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Pakistan: An Atrocious Copy-Paste Master … by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Operation Sindoor was launched on 7 May 2025, in retaliation for the brutal terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on 22 April, in which 26 civilian tourists lost their lives.

    Pakistan is an atrocious copy-paste master. After having lost the plot, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif implemented several measures to create a false image among the Pakistani public that they had emerged victorious. This, despite their Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) having called his Indian counterpart to request a cessation of hostilities.

    After the temporary suspension of armed hostilities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Adampur air base in Punjab on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, to boost the morale of the armed forces. Modi’s visit came just days after Indian armed forces executed Operation Sindoor with clinical precision. Air Force Station, Adampur, was one of the active bases during the mission. PM Modi was welcomed with chants of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram,” as air warriors and soldiers celebrated the operation’s success. Copying the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s move, Shehbaz Sharif also decided to visit the forces. However, lacking the courage to do so effectively, he merely stood on a tank to address them. He was widely ridiculed and trolled for this: Khet mein tank, jeet ka prank.

    The Government of India formed seven all-party parliamentary delegations to visit various countries as part of a strategic diplomatic outreach, aiming to garner international support and convey India’s stance: that India is a peace-loving nation suffering from terrorism originating in Pakistan. As expected, Pakistan mimicked this move too, sending a delegation under Bilawal Bhutto abroad to falsely portray Pakistan as a victim rather than a perpetrator of terrorism.

    But this act of imitating India isn’t new for Pakistan. It began with Mohammad Ali Jinnah himself. In his piece ‘Ranade, Gandhi and Jinnah’, Dr B. R. Ambedkar describes Gandhi and Jinnah, noting that Jinnah and the Muslim League copied Gandhi and the Congress even before India’s independence. The Qaid-i-Azam of Pakistan simply followed Gandhi’s lead. The politics between these two iconic figures became a contest of one-upmanship from Jinnah’s end. If Gandhi was the Mahatma, Jinnah had to be Qaid-i-Azam. Pakistan has always believed in copying India, a pattern visible even during Jinnah’s lifetime. Jinnah didn’t innovate; he imitated Gandhi.

    Politics in the hands of these two great leaders turned into a competition of extravagance. If Gandhi was known as the Mahatma, Jinnah insisted on being known as Qaid-i-Azam. If Gandhi had the Congress Party, Jinnah ensured the existence of the Muslim League. If the Congress had a Working Committee and an All India Congress Committee, the Muslim League had to have its own Working Committee and Council. A session of the Congress was inevitably followed by one of the Muslim League.

    If the Congress issued a political statement, the Muslim League had to issue one too. If the Congress passed a resolution of 17,000 words, the Muslim League’s resolution had to be at least 1,000 words longer. If the Congress President held a press conference, the Muslim League President followed suit. If the Congress addressed the United Nations, the Muslim League made sure not to be outdone.

    Gandhi insisted Jinnah admit he was one of the Muslim leaders; Jinnah insisted Gandhi admit he was a Hindu. This dynamic is clearly depicted in Ambedkar’s piece, ‘Ranade, Gandhi and Jinnah’.

    During the partition, Jinnah and the Muslim League imitated Gandhi and the Congress Party. This could have been a great moment for the Congress to reflect, mock, and point out Pakistan’s persistent habit of mimicry, showing that the mindset of Jinnah and the Muslim League carried on into the Pakistani state post-partition and portraying Congress as the lynchpin of India.

Instead, the Congress began mimicking Pakistan—and in doing so, fell from grace. Big opportunity lost.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Utopia to Dystopia

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Read my piece … Utopia to Dystopia

Utopia to Dystopia https://share.google/4nmSxD3ogqpghlXPE

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The Dalai Lama’s Moral Compass

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(THE DALAI LAMA’S MORAL COMPASS, 5/7/25, SUNDAY SPEAKING TREE BY RAJIV MEHROTRA)


    What do we turn to when the world loses its moral bearings? Violence seems relentless. In Gaza, babies in powerless incubators gasp for breath. In Ukraine and Russia, parents bury sons they never imagined losing. In Kashmir, tourists were gunned down near Pahalgam. Swift actions followed –aIrstrikes, declarations of zero tolerance.
    We watch from afar. Images flood our screens but meaning dissolves in the noise. Even when ceasefires arrive, the discourse circles around who won the battle, not what the war has cost. And a deeper question is left hanging: Is this all we know how to do?
    I often recall a quiet moment in 1983 at the Dalai Lama’s residence in Dharamshala. On simple prayer mats was written. “Pray for the Chinese.” This is from a community that had endured invasion, exile, and the attempted erasure of its culture. Yet their daily practice included compassion for those responsible.
    The Dalai Lama has always distinguished between acts of governments and the people. Monks were instructed not to forget the harm, but to remember without hatred. It was an act of moral resistance, not rooted in rage.
    Over four decades, I’ve seen him remain consistent. He opposes terrorism without qualification, recognises that force may sometimes be necessary to prevent greater harm, yet insists that intention is as important as action. This is not a soft sentiment.
    It is a deliberate stance, grounded in the reality of interdependence, where suffering in one place ripples across continents.
    In his words, “World peace must grow from inner peace.” This is not an escape into personal sanctuaries. It is a redirection. Anger and fear are left unexamined, and diplomacy is shattered, causing fragile accords fracture. Even the most carefully brokered treaties cannot hold if suspicion and resentment remain.
    At the heart of his teachings is a clear moral logic: hatred and ignorance are more corrosive than any political adversary. He appeals to values not confined to religion but rooted in human experience — the capacity to care, refrain from retaliation, and resist cruelty even when wronged.
    Such language can sound idealistic in an age driven by outrage and certainty. But its durability lies in its refusal to mirror the forces it opposes. It offers not a quick fix, but a framework for healing –one that prizes clarity over conquest, and resilience over retribution.
    Today, moral leadership is in short supply. The Dalai Lama offers something subtler: a moment of pause, an insistence on reflection. He asks us not just to act, but to examine how we act– what we cultivate in ourselves, even as we respond to the world.
    Violence has become increasingly impersonal –executed through drones, sanctions, and screens. Victims become statistics. But pain is never abstract to those who experience it. The greater the distance, the easier it is to justify harm or look away.
From Israel to Iran, Myanmar to Sudan, the pattern repeats: brute power strikes, people bleed. Yet we spend over $2.4 trillion a year on arms, while a fraction of that could educate every child and bring clean water to every village. As the Dalai Lama has said, “We are over-armed and under-educated.”
What is left to do for those of us who watch, scroll, and grieve? Perhaps this: resist the temptation to harden. Let suffering deepen, not blunt, our humanity. A shift in tone. A pause in the momentum of anger. Even a moment of grace is a form of resistance in the face of brutality.
“Do not let the suffering you see make you bitter,” he says. “Let it make you more human.” That may be the most enduring resistance of all.
Critics ask whether non-violence has restored Tibet or if compassion ends war. They measure success by territory regained. But they miss the more resounding triumph. Tibet’s moral voice has not been extinguished. The Dalai Lama remains a global conscience –not because he holds power, but because he never wielded it with rancour.
Tibet may not be free. But it has not surrendered its dignity. At 90, the Dalai Lama remains a compass in an age adrift –pointing quietly, persistently, towards compassion, clarity, and courage.
And beneath the clamour, a single teaching endures:
Let the pain you see make you more human.
(RAJIV MEHROTRA IS MANAGING TRUSTEE, FOUNDATION FOR UNIVERSAL RESPONSIBILITY OF HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA. VIEWS ARE PERSONAL)

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SPEAKING TREE THE MEANING OF LIFE

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Hope, wrote Alexander Pope, lies eternal in the human breast. To never despair, even in the bleakest of winter. And, nothing exemplifies this more than the soul-stirring story of Viktor Frankel, who survived the horrors of Auschwitz through his search for the meaning of life.
In his ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ written after his liberation from the concentration camp, he talks about the source of his will to live. To paraphrase: we are bound to face adversities. How you handle these vicissitudes is determined by your attitude. And, attitude is something that each of us controls. This determines what becomes of you mentally and physically. This is true also of suffering that is a part of life–without and death, human life would not be complete. The test is how we react to the suffering.
We need to have a higher purpose– a goal that will help us overcome the challenges. Frankel quotes. Nietzsche, ‘He who has a why to live can bear almost any how’, to explain this.
The meaning of life is found by our choice to do the right thing. Frankel helped his fellow prisoners by emphasising that striving for meaning, not power nor pleasure, is what keeps us alive.
These lessons are even more relevant today. A positive attitude, willingness to take responsibility and a purpose in life will help each of us find meaning in our lives. Life is, after all, far too precious to fritter away aimlessly.

Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:

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Poem: The Spirit Of India: Song Of A Billion Souls

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Speaking tree 23/6/25

POEM THE SPIRIT OF INDIA: SONG OF A BILLION SOULS
HARSH GOENKA
SPEAKING TREE TOI 23/6/25

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I am the rhythm of the dhol and whisper of the veena,
I am the smile in Holi’s colour,
And the silence in your Diwali prayer,
And bow with folded hands at Ajmer Sharif.
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I beat the drums in a tribal dance in Bastar,
And recite verses from the Vedas under Banyan trees,
And fly kites across the sky on Makar Sankranti.
I serve langar in golden bowls at Amritsar,
And offer ‘roze ka iftar’ to my brother next door.
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I am the cheer of children in Shillong’s monsoon,
I sow rice in the fields of Tamil Nadu,
I herd yaks in Arunachal…
And fish in the deltas of Bengal.
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I dance Garba all night in Ahmedabad’s courtyards,
And whisper lullabies on a house boat in Dal Lake.
I chant on the ghats of Varanasi,
And meditate in the caves of Ellora.
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I wear the lungi, the lehenga, the sherwani, the sari,
I am the tilak, the chandan, the rudraksha and the rosary.
I write in Marathi, think in Bengali, sing in Kannada,
And dream in all the tongues of my land.
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I am the army fighter’s cry in the borders,
The farmer’s hope in Vidharbha.
I build software in Bengaluru,
And craft poetry in Kolkata cafes.
I race camels in Rajasthan’s sands.
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I am not one.
I am many.
I am contradiction and harmony.
I am the one who prays, and the one who protests.
I am youth, I am age.
I am ancient, and I am tomorrow.
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I walk through every temple gate and every church aisle,
Every dargah door and gurudwara corridor.
I am welcomed everywhere with ‘aadaab’, ‘pranam’, ‘vanakkam’ and ‘namaste’.
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I am the spirit of India.

Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Poem: Monsoon Melodies by Kamlesh Tripathi, Shillong Times

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Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

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INTO THE SUNSET YEARS by Kamlesh Tripathi

ARTICLE HEALTH, column, spiritual article, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Copyright@shravancharitymission

    As we continue to grow old, our perspectives and lifestyles keep changing. Life is never static, they say. The only permanence is impermanence. The way we see the world at 20 is vastly different from how we perceive it at 40, 60, or even 80. Though it’s often said that age is just a number. The number subtly but significantly influences how we view the remaining time on Mother Earth, and how we choose to live in it. If we consider the average human lifespan as 100 years, the first 50 mainly involve learning, growth, and striving, while the second half leans towards reflection, realignment, and seeking deeper spiritual meaning.

    From the moment we are born, we can imagine a hundred years ahead, when the world seems filled with immense opportunities. The future expands like Parkinson’s law, filling the available hundred years. It appears to be brimming with opportunities, ambitions, and several ladders to climb. There’s a blend of excitement and apprehension. But success isn’t guaranteed. The path ahead is tough and winding. At this stage, the focus is on acquiring knowledge, developing skills, and laying down the foundation for a meaningful career and life. We put effort into education, training, and competition. The aim is to secure positions in top institutions or prestigious jobs that offer stability and high rewards. Once these goals are attained, our focus naturally shifts. The initial craving for academic success gives way to pursuits of professional, social, and financial achievement. These are early energetic years of ambition and diligent effort, reaching their peak in climbing the corporate and social ladders. These initial years are about proving oneself and establishing identity and worth in a demanding world. Although moments of introspection occur, the main focus remains on external achievements, recognition, financial security, and maintaining one’s social standing. The mind stays alert, the spirit driven. The challenges are seen as obstacles to overcome rather than signs to slow down.

    However, as time advances and we approach retirement, something shifts. We start to realise that our time on Earth is limited. There is a gentle yet persistent awareness that our stay here is temporary, and life is, in fact, a journey. At the peak of our professional success, many of us begin to experience a spiritual void, long concealed by material pursuits and external ambitions. This often marks the beginning of the search for inner peace, mostly after you retire. Thoughts about the next phase, the second innings, begin to surface. Questions once ignored now become central. What is the purpose of all this? What lies beyond this life? How should one prepare for the journey hereafter? The ancient Hindu tradition comprehensively captures life through its four ashrams. It provides a roadmap of life’s journey in the stages of Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, and Sannyasa.

    As we approach life’s sunset, Shloka 2.22 in the Gita starts reminding us that the body is temporary, but the soul is eternal. The decay of the physical body is not an end, but a transition, much like changing clothes. The Shloka softens the fear of death by framing it as a natural and graceful process of renewal. It emphasises detachment, acceptance, and the continuity of the soul’s journey:

‘Vāsānsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya
navāni gṛhṇāti naro’parāṇi,
tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇāni
anyāni saṁyāti navāni dehī.’  (Just as a person gives up old garments and puts on new ones,
so does the embodied soul discards worn-out bodies and takes on new ones).

    Although conceived in an era bereft of mechanical clocks and the Gregorian calendar, they continue to offer timeless wisdom. Today, with our lives measured meticulously in minutes and milestones, we are more aware than ever of time’s passage. This awareness also serves as a reminder to pause, reflect, and live consciously. Ultimately, age isn’t merely about growing old. It is about growing wiser. It teaches us that ambition must be balanced with awareness. Success must eventually give way to surrender, and while youth is about becoming, age is about understanding. Life, after all, is not a race but a journey, a fleeting passage through time. May every sunrise hold more promise and every sunset hold more peace. Don’t simply retire from something; have something to retire to.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

*

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

*

Like it and Share it

*

Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

***