Tag Archives: krishna

THE STORY OF NARAD MUNI-THE COSMIC MESSENGER

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    Narad Muni is a divine sage, popular in Hindu mythology as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is a mind-created (manasputras) child of Lord Brahma, the creator. Narad appears in several Hindu texts, notably the Mahabharat, telling Yudhishthir the story of Prahalad. He also appears in Ramayan and Purans.  He is also referred to as Rishiraja, meaning the king of all sages and is gifted with the knowledge of the past, present, and future.

    In the Indian scriptures, Narad travels to distant worlds and Lokas. He is depicted carrying a khartal (a musical instrument) and the veena and is regarded as one of the great masters of the ancient musical instrument. He is depicted as wise, mischievous and even humorous in mythological tales. He is noted for being meddlesome and provoking conflict between the gods and the demons.  Texts named after Narad include the Narad Puran and the Naradsmriti.  

    Long ago, there lived a Gandharva known by the name Upabarhana. Gandharvas are musical beings, a category of Devatas who live in Gandharvaloka in heaven. Upabarhana was a handsome person. Once the residents of heaven organised a spiritual gathering to glorify Lord Narayan (Vishnu). All the Devatas, including Gandharvas and Apsaras, were invited to participate in this gathering. Upabarhana too, went for this spiritual event but unfortunately, instead of glorifying Lord Narayan, he started singing songs for the demigods which was inappropriate for the occasion. Thus the members of the festival got upset with this behaviour of his.

    The Prajapatis, who supervised the affairs of the universe felt he needed to be punished for his misdemeanour. So they cursed him to become an ugly low-class person. As a result, Upabarhana fell on planet Earth from the heaven. He was now deprived of his exalted position as a Gandharva and took birth as the only son of a maidservant on earth. In the process, he lost the grace and beauty of which he was so proud.

    The maid-servant was poor and uneducated. But she was fortunate enough to get an opportunity to serve the noble-hearted Brahmins. She did menial services for the maintenance of herself and her child. The boy was dependent on his mother and had no experience of another Loka. He believed that she would never leave him and they lived in a Gurukul.

    Once, some sages came there. They were learned Vedic scholars and devotees of Lord Narayan (Vishnu). They decided to stay there during the four months of the rainy season. This allowed the maid-servant and the son to offer their services.

    Whenever the scholars talked about Lord Narayan, the boy would attentively hear them. Thus, his love for Lord Narayan started unfolding. In the company of the scholars, the boy slowly became an ardent follower of the Lord. The sages were impressed by the demeanour of the boy and he gradually engaged himself in the service of the Lord. When the sages were about to depart, they taught him Srimad Bhagavatam and supported him in the path of bhakti leading to Lord Vishnu & Lord Krishna. After the departure of the great sages, the boy continued to live with his mother. He was overwhelmed by the inspiration he had received from the sages in their wonderful company.

    One day when the mother of the boy went out to milk a cow in the evening. While walking along the path, she stamped a snake, retaliating, the snake too bit her foot and she died on the spot. In this tragic incident, the boy saw the hand of God. Since he was now left alone he decided to travel to places in search of knowledge and enlightenment. He passed through many cities, towns, villages, valleys, gardens, forests, hills, and mountains and he kept remembering his Narayan while travelling.

    After days of travelling, the boy (Narad) reached a tranquil forest location. He was thirsty and hungry. He came across a river, where he bathed and quenched his thirst in the nearby stream. Relieved he sat under the shade of a big banyan tree and began his meditation thinking of Narayan (Vishnu) as he had been taught by the priests that he had served. After a while, Narad experienced a vision wherein Lord Vishnu appeared before him and said, ‘My dear Narad, despite my blessings because of which you can see me at this moment, you would not be able to see my divine form again till you’re dead.’ Vishnu then explained the reason why Narad had been given a chance to see his divine form. It was because Vishnu’s beauty and love would be a source of inspiration and would fuel Narad’s dormant desire to be with the Lord again. After apprising Narad in this manner, Vishnu disappeared from his sight. The boy awoke from his meditation, both thrilled and disappointed.

    Thereafter, the boy started chanting the Lord’s name. He travelled across the world. In due course of time, he was accepted by Lord Narayan and he became detached from all material taints and passed away. After leaving his mortal body, he entered a spiritual body as the son of Lord Brahma who was creating the universe, and as a befitting associate of the Lord, he became the great sage Narad Muni. Narad Muni is a great teacher and the guru of several devoted kings like Dhruva, Prahlada, Mrigari, Priyavrata, and others.

            In the Mahabharat, Narad is portrayed as being conversant with the Vedas and the Upanishads and acquainted with Purans. He has a mastery over the six Angas (limbs of knowledge): pronunciation, grammar, prosody, terms, religious rites and astronomy. All celestial beings worship him for his knowledge – he is supposed to be well-versed in all that occurred in the ancient Kalpas (time cycles). He is eloquent, resolute, intelligent and a possessor of powerful memory. He knows the science of morals and politics. He is skilled in drawing inferences from evidence and very proficient in distinguishing inferior things from superior ones. He is a master of the Sankhya and Yoga systems of philosophy, conversant with the sciences of war and treaties and proficient in drawing conclusions by judging things, not within direct knowledge. He knows about the six sciences of a treaty, war, military campaigns, maintenance of posts against the enemy and strategies of ambushes and reserves. He is a thorough master of every branch of learning. He is fond of war and music and incapable of being repulsed by any science or any course of action.

    Narad temples are few, the most prominent being the Sri Narad Muni Temple at Chigateri Karnataka.

    The famous chant of Narad Muni is Narayan—Narayan.

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:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

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Publications of Kamlesh Tripathi

BOOK TITLE: GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in eight prestigious libraries of the US which include Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed at MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in the libraries and archives of Canada; the Open Library; Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, India; Shoolini University, Yogananda Knowledge Center, Himachal Pradesh and Azim Premzi University, Bangalore and the Library of Cancer Aid and Research Foundation, Mumbai. The title also finds a mention in a book titled ‘Enduring Cancer: Life, Death and Diagnosis in Delhi’ by Dwaipayan Banerjee published by the Duke University Press).

BOOK TITLE: ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(It is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; It is also available for reading in the Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)

BOOK TITLE: AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(This is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity, which is the undying characteristic of Lucknow. The book was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2014. It is catalogued and included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K; Herrick District Library, Holland; Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, USA; Black Gold Cooperative Library Administration, Arroyo Grande, California; Berkeley Library, University of California; The Peshastin Public Library and The George Public Library near Washington, a Northern Central Washington Libraries branch; the Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library in Arizona in the US and the Salina Public Library, Kansas, USA.

BOOK TITLE: REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2016).

BOOK TITLE: TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his way through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen but for any reader. The book was launched on 10th February 2018 at Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

BOOK TITLE: RHYTHM … IN POEMS

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems are about our day-to-day life. Poems from this book have been published in Shillong Times, Bandra Times, Bhavan’s Journal and Arunachal Times. The book is available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

BOOK TITLE: MIRAGE

(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available on Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)

BOOK TITLE: AWADH ASSAM AND DALAI LAMA … The Kalachakra

(It is the story of the man who received His Holiness The Dalai Lama and his retinue in 1959 as a GOI representative when he fled Tibet in 1959. The book was launched on 21st November 2022 by His Holiness The Dalai Lama at Dharmshala. The title is archived in the library of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) Government of Tibet, Tibet Policy Institute (TPI) and the personal library of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The title is also archived in The Ohio Digital Library, USA. It was recently included in the digital library of the world-renowned company APPLE). Included in the library of Friends of Tibet.

(POEMS AND ARTICLES OF KAMLESH TRIPATHI PUBLISHED IN JOURNALS AND MAGAZINES)

BHAVANS JOURNAL

Short stories, Book reviews and Articles published in Bhavan’s Journal: 1. Reality and Perception, 15.10.19; 2. Sending the Wrong Message, 31.5.20; 3. Eagle versus Scholars, June, 15 & 20, 2020; 4. Indica, 15.8.20; 5. The Story of King Chitraketu, August 31 2020; 6. Breaking Through the Chakravyuh, September 30 2020. 7. The Questioning Spouse, October 31, 2020; 8. Happy Days, November 15, 2020; 9. The Karma Cycle of Paddy and Wheat, December 15, 2020; 10. Power Vs Influence, January 31, 2021; 11. Three Refugees, March 15, 2021; 12. Rise and Fall of Ajatashatru, March 31, 2021; 13. Reformed Ruler, May 15, 2021; 14. A Lasting Name, May 31, 2021; 15. Are Animals Better Teachers? June 16, 2021; 16. Book Review: The Gram Swaraj, 1.7.21; 17. Right Age for Achievements, 15.7.21; 18. Big Things Have Small Beginnings, 15.8.21; 19. Where is Gangaridai?, 15.9.21; 20. Confront the Donkey Within You 30.9.21; 21. Know Your Strengths 15.10.21; 22. Poverty 15.11.21; 23. Top View 30.11.21; 24. The Bansuriwala 15.1.22; 25. Sale of Alaska 15.2.22; 26. The Dimasa Kingdom 28.2.22;27. Buried Treasure 15.4.22; 28. The Kingdom of Pragjyotisha 30.4.22; 29. Who is more useful? 15.5.22; 30. The White Swan from Lake Mansarovar 30.6.22; 31. Bhool Bhulayya 15.9.22; 32. Good Karma 30.9.22; 33. Good Name vs Bad Name 15.10.22; 34. Uttarapath—The Grand Trunk Road 1.12.22; 35. When Gods Get Angry 1.1.23; 36. Holinshed’s Chronicles 15.1.23; 37. Theogony 15.2.23; 38. Poem: Mother 14.5.23; 39. The Nag Mandir 30.6.23; 40. The Story of Garuda 30.7.23; 41. Janmabhoomi vs Karmabhoomi 31.8.23; 42. The Ghost Town of Kuldhara 15.9.23; 43. The Tale of Genji 15.10.23; 44. The Soul Connection 1.12.23; 45.Book review: Jungle Nama … a story of the Sundarban 16.3.24; 46. Book review: A Forgotten Chapter 16.5.24; 47. Exploring Ancient Egypt, 1.8.24; 48. The Story of Dhruva, 16.8.24;

THE SHILLONG TIMES

Articles & Poems: 1. Poem: Happy New Year 8.1.23; 2.Poem: Spring 12.3.23; 3.Poem: Right and Wrong 20.3.23; 4. The Gush of Emotion—Writing, 26.3.23; 5. The Nag Mandir, 7.5.23; 6. Poem: Mother 7.5.23; 7. Poem: Rain Rain 9.7.23; 8. Poem: You Come Alone You Go Alone 6.8.23; 9. Poem: Rain Rain (Second Time) 10.8.23; 10. Poem: Guru Teacher 1.10.23; 11. Poem: Autumn … The Interim Heaven 15.10.23; 12. Poem: Happy Diwali 12.11.23; 13. Overcoming Blindness: Learn it the John Milton Way 10.12.23; 14. The Happy Prince and The Happy Man’s Shirt 31.12.23; 15. Annus Mirabilis -2024 7.1.24; 16. Gandhi to Mahatma Gandhi- Incidents that Shaped Gandhi in South Africa 28.1.24; 17. Poem: Together But Not Made For Each Other, 11.2.24; 18. The Birds Bees and The Spiders of Nicholas Guildford and Jonathan Swift 25.2.24; 19. The Overcoats of Nikolai Gogol and Ruskin Bond 10.3.24; 20. The Ethnic Colours of Holi 24.3.24; 21. A Lesson from Dalai Lama, 21.4.24; 22. Poem: Morning Walk 28.4.24; 23. Trip to Rhine Falls, Switzerland, 19.5.24; 24. Poem: Hurt 2.6.24; 25. Poem: Your Conscience Was My Sign On 16.6.24; 26.Poem: The Eerie Ways of Time 7.7.24; 27.Poem: Celebrating the T20 World Champions 14.7.24;28. Read to Rise above mediocrity, 4.8.24; 29. Poem: Desire vs Reality 11.8.24;

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE

Article: 1. The Magic of Reading 11.12.23; 2. Gandhi to Mahatma 29.1.24; 3. Geography of Solitude 8.4.24; 4. A Lesson From Dalai Lama, 22.4.24; 5. A Source of Inspiration, 29.4.24; 6. The Four-Legged Library, 12.5.24; 7. Age and Achievement, 10.6.24; 8. Read … To Rise Above Mediocrity, 1.7.24; 9. Crusade for a College, 25.8.24;

THE ARUNACHAL TIMES

Poem: 1. Hope—In The Arc of Twilight, 13.8.23; 2.Poem: Spring 3.3.24; 3.Poem: The Morning Walk 10.3.24;

BANDRA TIMES, MUMBAI

Articles & Poems: 1. Poem: SPRING, 1.4.23; 2. Poem: Mother, 1.6.23; 3. Poem: Rain Rain, 1.8.23; 4. A Lesson From Dalai Lama, 1.6.24; 5. Read to rise above Mediocrity 1.8.24

ARTICLES IN THE DIGITAL MAGAZINE ESAMSKRITI

29.12.2020: Indica by Megasthenes; 14.3.22: About The Dimasa Kingdom Assam; 10.12.22: Grand Trunk Road–Uttarapath; 5.10.23: The Ghost Town of Kuldhara Near Jaisalmer;

(ALL THE ABOVE BOOK TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)

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THE STORY OF BHISHMA PITAMAH

ARTICLE SPIRITUAL, moral lesson, mythology, parables, short story, shravan charity mission, spiritual, spiritual article, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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        Long ago, the capital city of Hastinapur was ruled by the great King Shantanu. Once, while he was walking along the banks of the Ganges River, he met a beautiful maiden. Shantanu asked if she would like to marry him. She agreed, provided Shantanu was ready to fulfil certain conditions: ‘She desired that he should not interfere with what she does whether he likes it or not and he should address her respectfully. The moment these conditions are broken she would leave him forever.’ Shantanu agreed and married the maiden and started living with her happily.

    Each time a child was born, the maiden would go and throw the child into the river. This disturbed the king. But he didn’t dare to ask her why because he was bound by his promise and feared she would leave. But when their eighth child was born, King Shantanu couldn’t hold himself. He advised her to desist from the cruel act of throwing the infant into the Ganges.’ The maiden replied, ‘You have broken your promise.’

    She spared the child but revealed her identity, ‘I am Goddess Ganga and the children born to us are the eight ‘Vasus’ cursed to suffer human birth. Your reproachful words freed us from the curse. My time has come. I will leave now.’ And she disappeared with the child.

    Years passed … Once while chasing a deer on the banks of River Ganga, Shantanu noticed the river was abnormally shallow. He began to look for the cause. He saw a boy checking the river’s flow. He looked Godlike. The boy knew that the king was his father, but Shantanu failed to recognise him. The boy clouded the king’s mind with his mystic power and disappeared. Shantanu realised the boy was his son. He pleaded with Ganga, ‘Please be merciful and give me back my son so that my dynasty lives.’

    Ganga appeared with her son. She said, ‘He is Gangeya, our eighth child. He has mastered the Vedic Knowledge and knows the duties of a king. Hereafter, he will be known as Devavrata. Take care of him, for he will perform wonders.

    King Shantanu returned with Devavrata. Devavrata was declared the heir apparent to the royal throne. Once while riding along the banks of the River Yamuna, Shantanu saw a young woman. He enquired about her identity.

    ‘I’m Satyavati, the daughter of the chief fisherman.’ Enchanted by her beauty, the king desired to marry Satyavati. He approached her father for consent. The father said, ‘Maharaj! I can never find a more suitable husband than you for my daughter but the son born to her should only be the successor to the royal throne of Hastinapur.’

    The intense desire for Satyavati wanted King Shantanu to accept, the condition of the chief fisherman but his deep love for his son Devavrata stopped him from doing so. This depressed Shantanu very much. He returned to Hastinapur and started suffering in silence. Seeing his father in this condition, Devavrata enquired about the reason.

    The King replied, ‘Devavrata you’re my only son. But what if you’re slain in a war, the great Bharat Dynasty will come to an end’. Devavrata understood this wasn’t the real reason for his father’s sorrow. From the king’s charioteer, he came to know about the inner story and the king’s desire to marry Satyavati. Devavrata approached the chief fishermen and begged on behalf of King Shantanu. He even promised he would never accept the royal throne.

    ‘But what about your sons? They might claim the throne despite your refusal.’ Pointed the fisherman. Devavrata knew where this was heading, so he took another oath.

    ‘I vow to observe Brahmacharya (celibacy) all my life.’

    Happy, the demigods showered flowers on Devavrata and exclaimed, “Devavrata is worthy of the title ‘Bhishma’ (mighty) for taking such a vow for the sake of his father.”    Delighted, Satyavati’s father agreed to marry his daughter to Shantanu and Bhishma escorted her to Hastinapur.

    Pleased, King Shantanu granted Bhishma a vardan (blessing) of not dying against his own will. Shantanu married Satyavati and had two sons, Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Chitrangada died in a duel with the king of Gandharvas, leaving Vichitravirya as the successor to the throne.

    When the King of Kashi held a Svayamvara (self-choice marriage) for his three daughters- Amba, Ambika and Ambalika, intending to marry them to his step-brother Vichitravirya, Bhishma abducted them by force and challenged the other kings in combat. He defeated them all. After that, he set out for Hastinapur with all the three princesses in his chariot. On his way back, Salva the king of Saubala, who was in love with Amba, fought with Bhishma but he was defeated. At the request of the princesses, Bhishma spared his life.

    After reaching Hastinapur, Amba pleaded with Bhishma, not to force her to marry Vichitravirya, as she had chosen Salva as her husband. Bhishma pondered and then let her go.

    Vichitravirya was married to Ambika and Ambalika. Amba went to Salva and told him what had happened but Salva wasn’t happy. He decided not to accept Amba. Helpless she returned to Hastinapur and explained the situation to Bhishma.

    Bhishma tried to convince Vichitravirya to marry Amba but he declined. Nowhere to go, Amba asked Bhishma to marry her. But since the oath of Brahmacharya bound him, he refused Amba. Enraged, Amba approached sage Parashurama and implored him to slay Bhishma and avenge her. Parashurama directed Bhishma to marry Amba.

    Parashurama was Bhishma’s guru. But Bhishma desisted from heeding him because of the oath he had taken for his father’s sake. Parashurama challenged Bhishma. They fought for several days, but neither could defeat the other.

    Amba held Bhishma responsible for her misfortune. She undertook penance by jumping into a funeral pyre and was granted a boon by Lord Shiva—that in her next life, she would be born as Shikhandi, the eunuch child of King Drupada.

    Meanwhile, Dhritarashtra and Pandu were born to Ambika and Ambalika. Their sons were the hundred Kauravas and the five Pandavas respectively, whom Bhishma looked after as his own. From childhood only Kauravas and Pandavas were rivals. The enmity thus continued.

    Bhishma advised the cousins to distribute the kingdom amicably amongst themselves to avoid conflict but the Kauravas were not happy with the idea and the great war of Mahabharat broke out for eighteen days. Bhishma was constrained to fight from the Kauravas’ side.

    Though the two armies fought furiously the Pandavas were one up. They struck terror in the heart of Duryodhana. He spoke harshly to Bhishma that he was not fighting to his full potential and that he was letting the Pandavas win. The accusation pricked Bhishma’s heart like a dagger. Infuriated, he took a wow that he would kill Arjuna the next day. The third day of the battle between Arjuna and Bhishma was very fierce.

    Krishna observed how Bhishma was strategizing his moves on that day. Arjuna was unable to stop him. Just then Bhishma’s arrow hit Arjuna’s chariot and he fell. This angered Lord Krishna. Despite his vow not to wield a weapon in the war, he took out his divine disc to attack Bhishma. But before Krishna could make a move, Arjuna clasped Krishna’s legs and begged him not to do so. He vowed he would kill Bhishma very soon. As a result, Krishna retracted the disc.

    On the tenth day of the battle, Arjuna rained arrows on Bhishma, while taking cover behind Shikhandi. Bhishma realized Shikhandi was none other than Amba in her previous life. So he allowed himself to be attacked by them knowing fully well of the consequences. Soon he fell from his chariot. On seeing Bhishma the commander of the Kaurava army fall, both sides halted the war as a mark of respect and circled him.

    Bhishma, the descendant of King Bharat, lay on a bed of arrows, now preparing to leave his body. With tearful eyes, the family members gathered around Bhishma Pitamah. Bhishma was a great devotee of Lord Krishna. Thus Krishna bowed down before Bhishma and everyone followed.

    By the skill of his archery, Arjuna gave support to Bhishma’s head and also created a water fountain to quench his thirst. Bhishma had promised his father King Shantanu that he would live until Hastinapur was secure from all directions. To keep his promise Bhishma used the boon of Ichcha Mrityu (self-wished death) granted to him by his father. After the war ended, and when Hastinapur had become safe from all sides and after giving lessons on politics and occupational duties to Yudhishthir (eldest Pandav sibling), Bhishma died on the first day of Uttarayana. He was finally relieved of his oath of perpetually serving the Kuru King.

    Bhishma meditated and chanted the thousand names of the Lord Krishna, now known to us as Vishnu Sahasranama and stopped breathing.

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Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Like it and Share it

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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 in content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Kamlesh Tripathi’s Publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 8 prestigious libraries of the US which include Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed at MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in libraries and archives of Canada; Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, India; Shoolini University, Yogananda Knowledge Center, Himachal Pradesh and Azim Premzi University, Bangalore).

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; It is also available for reading in the Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity, which is the undying characteristic of Lucknow. The book was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K; Herrick District Library, Holland and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, USA; Black Gold Cooperative Library Administration, Arroyo Grande, California; Berkeley Library, University of California).

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2016).

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his way through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February 2018 at Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

RHYTHM … in poems

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day-to-day life. A few poems from the book have been published in Shillong Times, Bandra Times and Bhavan’s Journal. The book is available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

MIRAGE

(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available on Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)

AWADH ASSAM AND DALAI LAMA … The Kalachakra

(The story of the man who received His Holiness The Dalai Lama and his retinue in 1959 as a GOI representative when he fled Tibet in 1959. The book was launched on 21st November 2022 by His Holiness The Dalai Lama at Dharmshala. The title is archived in the library of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) Government of Tibet, Tibet Policy Institute (TPI) and the personal library of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The title is also archived in The Ohio Digital Library, USA. It was recently included in the digital library of the world-renowned company APPLE).

BHAVANS JOURNAL

Short stories, Book reviews and Articles published in Bhavan’s Journal: 1. Reality and Perception, 15.10.19; 2. Sending the Wrong Message, 31.5.20; 3. Eagle versus Scholars June, 15 & 20, 2020; 4. Indica, 15.8.20; 5. The Story of King Chitraketu, August 31 2020; 6. Breaking Through the Chakravyuh, September 30 2020. 7. The Questioning Spouse, October 31, 2020; 8. Happy Days, November 15, 2020; 9. The Karma Cycle of Paddy and Wheat, December 15, 2020; 10. Power Vs Influence, January 31, 2021; 11. Three Refugees, March 15, 2021; 12. Rise and Fall of Ajatashatru, March 31, 2021; 13. Reformed Ruler, May 15, 2021; 14. A Lasting Name, May 31, 2021; 15. Are Animals Better Teachers? June 16, 2021; 16. Book Review: The Gram Swaraj, 1.7.21; 17. Right Age for Achievements, 15.7.21; 18. Big Things Have Small Beginnings, 15.8.21; 19. Where is Gangaridai?, 15.9.21; 20. Confront the Donkey Within You 30.9.21; 21. Know Your Strengths 15.10.21; 22. Poverty 15.11.21; 23. Top View 30.11.21; 24. The Bansuriwala 15.1.22; 25. Sale of Alaska 15.2.22; 26. The Dimasa Kingdom 28.2.22;27. Buried Treasure 15.4.22; 28. The Kingdom of Pragjyotisha 30.4.22; 29. Who is more useful? 15.5.22; 30. The White Swan from Lake Mansarovar 30.6.22; 31. Bhool Bhulayya 15.9.22; 32. Good Karma 30.9.22; 33. Good Name vs Bad Name 15.10.22; 34. Uttarapath—The Grand Trunk Road 1.12.22; 35. When Gods Get Angry 1.1.23; 36. Holinshed’s Chronicles 15.1.23; 37. Theogony 15.2.23; 38. Poem: Mother 14.5.23; 39. THE NAG MANDIR 30.6.23; 40. The Story of Garuda 30.7.23; 41. Janmabhoomi vs Karmabhoomi 31.8.23; 42. The Ghost Town of Kuldhara 15.9.23; 43. The Tale of Genji 15.10.23; 44. The Soul Connection 1.12.23; 45.Book review: Jungle Nama … a story of the Sundarban 16.3.24; 46. Book review: A Forgotten Chapter 16.5.24;

THE SHILLONG TIMES

ARTICLES & POEMS: 1. POEM: HAPPY NEW YEAR 8.1.23; 2. POEM: SPRING 12.3.23; 3. POEM: RIGHT AND WRONG 20.3.23; 4. THE GUSH OF EMOTION—WRITING, 26.3.23; 5. THE NAG MANDIR, 7.5.23; 6. POEM: MOTHER 7.5.23; 7. POEM: RAIN RAIN 9.7.23; 8. POEM: YOU COME ALONE YOU GO ALONE 6.8.23; 9. RAIN RAIN (SECOND TIME) 10.8.23; 10. POEM: GURU TEACHER 10.8.23; 11. POEM: AUTUMN … THE INTERIM HEAVEN 15.10.23; 12. POEM: HAPPY DIWALI 12.11.23; 13. OVERCOMING BLINDNESS: LEARN IT THE JOHN MILTON WAY 10.12.23; 14. THE HAPPY PRINCE AND THE HAPPY MAN’S SHIRT 31.12.23; 15. ANNUS MIRABILIS 2024 7.1.24; 16. GANDHI TO MAHATMA GANDHI- Incidents that Shaped Gandhi in South Africa 28.1.24; 17. POEM: TOGETHER BUT NOT MADE FOR EACH OTHER, 11.2.24; 18. THE BIRDS BEES AND THE SPIDERS OF NICHOLAS GUILDFORD AND JONATHAN SWIFT 25.2.24; 19. THE OVERCOATS OF NIKOLAI GOGOL AND RUSKIN BOND 10.3.24; 20. THE ETHNIC COLOURS OF HOLI 24.3.24; 21. A LESSON FROM DALAI LAMA, 21.4.24; 22. POEM: MORNING WALK 28.4.24; 23. TRIP TO RHINE FALLS, SWITZERLAND, 19.5.24; 24. POEM: HURT 2.6.24;

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE

ARTICLE: 1. THE MAGIC OF READING 11.12.23; 2. GANDHI TO MAHATMA 29.1.24; 3. GEOGRAPHY OF SOLITUDE 8.4.24; 4. A LESSON FROM DALAI LAMA, 22.4.24; 5. A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION, 29.4.24; 6. THE FOUR-LEGGED LIBRARY, 12.5.24; 7. AGE AND ACHIEVEMENT, 10.6.24;

BANDRA TIMES, MUMBAI

ARTICLES & POEMS: 1. POEM: SPRING, 1.4.23; 2. POEM: MOTHER, 1.6.23; 3. POEM: RAIN RAIN, 1.8.23;

ARTICLES IN THE DIGITAL MAGAZINE ESAMSKRITI

29.12.2020: INDICA BY MEGASTHENES; 14.3.22: ABOUT THE DIMASA KINGDOM ASSAM; 10.12.22: GRAND TRUNK ROAD-UTTARAPATH; 5.10.23: THE GHOST TOWN OF KULDHARA NEAR JAISALMER;

(ALL THE ABOVE BOOK TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)

*****

THE ETHNIC COLOURS OF HOLI

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    Holi is celebrated on the full moon day of Phalguna (February-March). It coincides with the arrival of spring and the tail of winter. Spring is the season of change close to the Rabi harvest. This is when the old foliage begins to shred (abscission) and the new leaves arrive (leaf out). It is during Holi that nature reviews Mother Earth.

    The Europeans were particularly fascinated by the festival of colours. They described it as ‘“the carnival of the Hindus,” or the “Hindu spring festival” in the honour of Krishna, the amorous cowherd.’ Though Holi reminds you of the colourful rainbow, it is certainly not an illusion but a cultural reality of spirit and shades that bucks India up in the backdrop of Maja-Masti, reminding you of the famous Amitabh Bachchan song, ‘Khai Ke Pan Banaras Wala’ from film Don. Holi has given countless movies and dance sequences to Bollywood the entertainment centre of India, like, ‘Holi Aayi Re’ from the film Mashaal,the famous Hema Malini (Holi) dance sequence from the film ‘Sholay’ and the all-time great iconic Holi song, ‘Rang Barse Bhige Chunar Wali’ picturised on Rekha, Jaya, Amitabh and Sanjeev Kumar, in film Silsila.

    Holi celebrates the empyrean love of Radha and Krishna. It highlights the ascendancy of good over evil and marks the victory of Lord Vishnu as Narasimha over Hiranyakashipu. There is a legend in the Bhagavata Purana that elucidates why Holi is celebrated as a festival of triumph, of good over evil in the honour of Lord Vishnu and his devotee Prahalada. King Hiranyakashipu, the father of Prahlada, was the king of the demoniac Asuras. He had earned a boon that gave him five special powers like. He would neither be killed by a human being nor an animal, neither indoors nor outdoors, neither during the day nor at night, neither by an astra nor by a shastra, and neither on land nor in water or air. This made Hiranyakashipu arrogant. He thought he had become God, and demanded that everyone worship him. Hiranyakashipu’s son, Prahalada, however, remained devoted to Vishnu. This infuriated Hiranyakashipu. He subjected Prahlada to several punishments, but none changed Prahalada or his resolve to do what he thought was right. Finally, Holika, Prahlada’s sinful aunt, tricked him into sitting on a pyre with her. She had the boon of not getting incinerated by fire but on that fateful day, the reverse happened. She got burnt and Prahalada came out unscathed. Soon, Lord Vishnu appeared as an avatar to restore Dharma and took the form of Narasimha – half human and half lion (which is neither human nor an animal), at dusk (when it was neither day nor night). He took Hiranyakashyapu to the doorstep (which was neither indoor nor outdoor), placed him on his lap (which was neither land, water nor air), and then eviscerated and killed him with his lion claws (which were neither a handheld weapon nor a projectile).

    Holi is played with dry (Abir & Gulal) and wet colours with a traditional pichkari (water gun) that reminds you of the Bollywood song ‘Balam Pichkari’from the film ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.’ The revellers even chorus ‘bura na mano Holi hai’. People form tolis (small groups) and move from one house to the other, to their friends and relatives wishing them a ‘Happy-Holi’ and singing songs and bhajans. They also hug (Gale Milna) each other on the occasion. The dry and wet playing colours depend on the weather. On the foregoing night of Holi, a bonfire is lit on the roads which is symbolic of the Holika-Dahan (the incineration of Holika) the victory of good over evil—Prahalada over Hiranyakashipu. Celebrants get smouldering twigs of that fire to their homes as a symbol of the victory of right over wrong and to rid their homes of any evil omens.  People eat and drink mithai, gujia, shakkarpaare, dahi-vada, bhang and thandai. They forgive and forget their past differences and come together once again. Nature has created umpteen occasions for human beings to come together and Holi is one of them.

    For foreigners, the bright colours of Holi and India have always had a fond connection. Holi is predominantly celebrated in the Indian subcontinent but has also spread to other regions of Asia and parts of the Western world through the diaspora. At times it is associated with exoticism or primitivity, nevertheless, the festival for years has been seen as an essential segment of the Indian cultural landscape.

                                                              ***

By Kamlesh Tripathi

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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 in content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Kamlesh Tripathi’s Publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 8 prestigious libraries of the US which include Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed at MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in libraries and archives of Canada; Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, India; Shoolini University, Yogananda Knowledge Center, Himachal Pradesh and Azim Premzi University, Bangalore).  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; It is also available for reading in the Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity, which is the undying characteristic of Lucknow. The book was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K; Herrick District Library, Holland and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, USA; Black Gold Cooperative Library Administration, Arroyo Grande, California; Berkeley Library, University of California).

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2016).

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his way through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February 2018 at Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

RHYTHM … in poems

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day-to-day life. A few poems from the book have been published in Shillong Times, Bandra Times and Bhavan’s Journal. The book is available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

MIRAGE

(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available on Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)

AWADH ASSAM AND DALAI LAMA … The Kalachakra

(The story of the man who received His Holiness The Dalai Lama and his retinue in 1959 as a GOI representative when he fled Tibet in 1959. The book was launched on 21st November 2022 by His Holiness The Dalai Lama at Dharmshala. The title is archived in the library of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) Government of Tibet, Tibet Policy Institute (TPI) and the personal library of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The title is also archived in The Ohio Digital Library, USA. It was recently included in the digital library of the world-renowned company APPLE).

BHAVANS JOURNAL

Short stories, Book reviews and Articles published in Bhavan’s Journal: 1. Reality and Perception, 15.10.19; 2. Sending the Wrong Message, 31.5.20; 3. Eagle versus Scholars June, 15 & 20, 2020; 4. Indica, 15.8.20; 5. The Story of King Chitraketu, August 31 2020; 6. Breaking Through the Chakravyuh, September 30 2020. 7. The Questioning Spouse, October 31, 2020; 8. Happy Days, November 15, 2020; 9. The Karma Cycle of Paddy and Wheat, December 15, 2020; 10. Power Vs Influence, January 31, 2021; 11. Three Refugees, March 15, 2021; 12. Rise and Fall of Ajatashatru, March 31, 2021; 13. Reformed Ruler, May 15, 2021; 14. A Lasting Name, May 31, 2021; 15. Are Animals Better Teachers? June 16, 2021; 16. Book Review: The Gram Swaraj, 1.7.21; 17. Right Age for Achievements, 15.7.21; 18. Big Things Have Small Beginnings, 15.8.21; 19. Where is Gangaridai?, 15.9.21; 20. Confront the Donkey Within You 30.9.21; 21. Know Your Strengths 15.10.21; 22. Poverty 15.11.21; 23. Top View 30.11.21; 24. The Bansuriwala 15.1.22; 25. Sale of Alaska 15.2.22; 26. The Dimasa Kingdom 28.2.22;27. Buried Treasure 15.4.22; 28. The Kingdom of Pragjyotisha 30.4.22; 29. Who is more useful? 15.5.22; 30. The White Swan from Lake Mansarovar 30.6.22; 31. Bhool Bhulayya 15.9.22; 32. Good Karma 30.9.22; 33. Good Name vs Bad Name 15.10.22; 34. Uttarapath—The Grand Trunk Road 1.12.22; 35. When Gods Get Angry 1.1.23; 36. Holinshed’s Chronicles 15.1.23; 37. Theogony 15.2.23; 38. Poem: Mother 14.5.23; 39. THE NAG MANDIR 30.6.23; 40. The Story of Garuda 30.7.23; 41. Janmabhoomi vs Karmabhoomi 31.8.23; 42. The Ghost Town of Kuldhara 15.9.23; 43. The Tale of Genji 15.10.23; 44. The Soul Connection 1.12.23; 45.Book review: Jungle Nama … a story of the Sundarban 16.3.24;

THE SHILLONG TIMES

ARTICLES & POEMS: 1. POEM: HAPPY NEW YEAR 8.1.23; 2. POEM: SPRING 12.3.23; 3. POEM: RIGHT AND WRONG 20.3.23; 4. THE GUSH OF EMOTION—WRITING, 26.3.23; 5. THE NAG MANDIR, 7.5.23; 6. POEM: MOTHER 7.5.23; 7. POEM: RAIN RAIN 9.7.23; 8. POEM: YOU COME ALONE YOU GO ALONE 6.8.23; 9. RAIN RAIN (SECOND TIME) 10.8.23; 10. POEM: GURU TEACHER 10.8.23; 11. POEM: AUTUMN … THE INTERIM HEAVEN 15.10.23; 12. POEM: HAPPY DIWALI 12.11.23; 13. OVERCOMING BLINDNESS: LEARN IT THE JOHN MILTON WAY 10.12.23; 14. THE HAPPY PRINCE AND THE HAPPY MAN’S SHIRT 31.12.23; 15. ANNUS MIRABILIS 2024 7.1.24; 16. GANDHI TO MAHATMA GANDHI- Incidents that Shaped Gandhi in South Africa 28.1.24; 17. POEM: TOGETHER BUT NOT MADE FOR EACH OTHER, 11.2.24; 18. THE BIRDS BEES AND THE SPIDERS OF NICHOLAS GUILDFORD AND JONATHAN SWIFT 25.2.24; 19. THE OVERCOATS OF NIKOLAI GOGOL AND RUSKIN BOND 10.3.24; 20. THE ETHNIC COLOURS OF HOLI 24.3.24

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE

ARTICLE: 1. THE MAGIC OF READING 11.12.23; 2. GANDHI TO MAHATMA 29.1.24;

BANDRA TIMES, MUMBAI

ARTICLES & POEMS: 1. POEM: SPRING, 1.4.23; 2. POEM: MOTHER, 1.6.23; 3. POEM: RAIN RAIN, 1.8.23;

ARTICLES IN THE DIGITAL MAGAZINE ESAMSKRITI

29.12.2020: INDICA BY MEGASTHENES; 14.3.22: ABOUT THE DIMASA KINGDOM ASSAM; 10.12.22: GRAND TRUNK ROAD-UTTARAPATH; 5.10.23: THE GHOST TOWN OF KULDHARA NEAR JAISALMER;

(ALL THE ABOVE BOOK TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)

*****

SHORT STORY: THE SOUL CONNECTION

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Copyright@shravancharitymission

Published in Bhavans Journal on 1.12.23

Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

*

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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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 in content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Kamlesh Tripathi’s Publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 8 prestigious libraries of the US which include Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed at MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in libraries and archives of Canada; Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, India; Shoolini University, Yogananda Knowledge Center, Himachal Pradesh and Azim Premzi University, Bangalore).  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; It is also available for reading in the Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity, which is the undying characteristic of Lucknow. The book was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K; Herrick District Library, Holland and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, USA; Black Gold Cooperative Library Administration, Arroyo Grande, California; Berkeley Library, University of California).

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2016).

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his way through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February 2018 at Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

RHYTHM … in poems

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day-to-day life. A few poems from the book have been published in Shillong Times, Bandra Times and Bhavan’s Journal. The book is available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

MIRAGE

(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available on Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)

AWADH ASSAM AND DALAI LAMA … The Kalachakra

(The story of the man who received His Holiness The Dalai Lama and his retinue in 1959 as a GOI representative when he fled Tibet in 1959. The book was launched on 21st November 2022 by His Holiness The Dalai Lama at Dharmshala. The title is archived in the library of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) Government of Tibet, Tibet Policy Institute (TPI) and the personal library of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The title is also archived in The Ohio Digital Library, USA. It was recently included in the digital library of the world-renowned company APPLE).

BHAVANS JOURNAL

Short stories, Book reviews and Articles published in Bhavan’s Journal: 1. Reality and Perception, 15.10.19; 2. Sending the Wrong Message, 31.5.20; 3. Eagle versus Scholars June, 15 & 20, 2020; 4. Indica, 15.8.20; 5. The Story of King Chitraketu, August 31 2020; 6. Breaking Through the Chakravyuh, September 30 2020. 7. The Questioning Spouse, October 31, 2020; 8. Happy Days, November 15, 2020; 9. The Karma Cycle of Paddy and Wheat, December 15, 2020; 10. Power Vs Influence, January 31, 2021; 11. Three Refugees, March 15, 2021; 12. Rise and Fall of Ajatashatru, March 31, 2021; 13. Reformed Ruler, May 15, 2021; 14. A Lasting Name, May 31, 2021; 15. Are Animals Better Teachers? June 16, 2021; 16. Book Review: The Gram Swaraj, 1.7.21; 17. Right Age for Achievements, 15.7.21; 18. Big Things Have Small Beginnings, 15.8.21; 19. Where is Gangaridai?, 15.9.21; 20. Confront the Donkey Within You 30.9.21; 21. Know Your Strengths 15.10.21; 22. Poverty 15.11.21; 23. Top View 30.11.21; 24. The Bansuriwala 15.1.22; 25. Sale of Alaska 15.2.22; 26. The Dimasa Kingdom 28.2.22; 27. Buried Treasure 15.4.22; 28. The Kingdom of Pragjyotisha 30.4.22; 29. Who is more useful? 15.5.22; 30. The White Swan from Lake Mansarovar 30.6.22; 31. Bhool Bhulayya 15.9.22; 32. Good Karma 30.9.22; 33. Good Name vs Bad Name 15.10.22; 34. Uttarapath—The Grand Trunk Road 1.12.22; 35. When Gods Get Angry 1.1.23; 36. Holinshed’s Chronicles 15.1.23; 37. Theogony 15.2.23; 38. Poem: Mother 14.5.23; 39. THE NAG MANDIR 30.6.23; 40. The Story of Garuda 30.7.23; 41. Janmabhoomi vs Karmabhoomi 31.8.23; 42. The Ghost Town of Kuldhara 15.9.23; 43. The Tale of Genji 15.10.23; 44. The Soul Connection 1.12.23;

SHILLONG TIMES—SUNDAY EDITION

ARTICLES & POEMS: 1. POEM: HAPPY NEW YEAR 8.1.23; 2. POEM: SPRING 12.3.23; 3. POEM: RIGHT AND WRONG 20.3.23; 4. THE GUSH OF EMOTION—WRITING, 26.3.23; 5. THE NAG MANDIR, 7.5.23; 6. POEM: MOTHER 7.5.23; 7. POEM: RAIN RAIN 9.7.23; 8. POEM: YOU COME ALONE YOU GO ALONE 6.8.23; 9. RAIN RAIN (SECOND TIME) 10.8.23; 10. POEM: GURU TEACHER 10.8.23; 11. POEM: AUTUMN … THE INTERIM HEAVEN 15.10.23; 12. POEM: HAPPY DIWALI 12.11.23; 13. OVERCOMING BLINDNESS: LEARN IT THE JOHN MILTON WAY 10.12.23; 14. THE HAPPY PRINCE AND THE HAPPY MAN’S SHIRT 31.12.23; 15. ANNUS MIRABILIS 2024 7.1.24; 16. GANDHI TO MAHATMA GANDHI- Incidents that Shaped Gandhi in South Africa 28.1.24; 17. POEM: TOGETHER BUT NOT MADE FOR EACH OTHER 11.2.24;

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE

ARTICLE: 1. THE MAGIC OF READING 11.12.23; 2. GANDHI TO MAHATMA 29.1.24

BANDRA TIMES, MUMBAI

ARTICLES & POEMS: 1. POEM: SPRING, 1.4.23; 2. POEM: MOTHER, 1.6.23; 3. POEM: RAIN RAIN, 1.8.23;

ARTICLES IN THE DIGITAL MAGAZINE ESAMSKRITI

29.12.2020: INDICA BY MEGASTHENES; 14.3.22: ABOUT THE DIMASA KINGDOM ASSAM; 10.12.22: GRAND TRUNK ROAD-UTTARAPATH; 5.10.23: THE GHOST TOWN OF KULDHARA NEAR JAISALMER;

(ALL THE ABOVE BOOK TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)

*****

SOUND HABITS

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SOUND HABITS: A SURE-SHOT WAY TO SUCCESS?

    Whenever we come across a successful person we sigh and say, oh he is so lucky, or he is so intelligent, or he is a big man’s son born with a golden spoon. But we rarely say he is a man with sound habits. Why do we read biographies of successful people and not of a common man? It is basically to understand who the person is, and how he became successful. The American Journal of Psychology (1903) says ‘habit, from the standpoint of psychology is more or less the fixed way of thinking, willing, or feeling acquired through previous repetition of a mental experience.’ 

    Habit has a direct correlation with Karma. It’s like Newton’s Third Law of motion: To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Your Karmas don’t leave you ever. They become your shadow. Let me tell you a story to elaborate on the point.

    Once there was a rich lazy farmer. He was worried that his earnings from the farm had come down and soon he would be broke. He was totally nonplussed and didn’t know what to do. One day a friend of his came to meet him. He was perturbed to see the state of his farmer-friend. To tide over the crisis, he suggested, nearby there is a pond where a white swan comes from Lake Mansarovar every day early in the morning. Any person who can have his darshan attains lifelong happiness and starts rolling in money. After giving his valuable advice the friend left for his onward journey.

    The lazy farmer thought about this shortcut suggested by his friend to become rich so he started getting up early in the morning to visit the pond and to have an audience with the lucky bird. Days passed but the bird didn’t appear. But in the process, he got into the habit of getting up early and that led to better supervision of his farm. Soon the pilferage at the farm stopped and with better personal supervision his farm productivity also improved because of which he became solvent again.

    After a year or so his friend returned on his way back. He asked his farmer-friend how were things with him. The farmer-friend replied. Things are much better now and I’m making a good profit out of my farm. After you left I started getting up early in the morning to have darshan of the white swan from Lake Mansarovar but I never got to see it because it never came. But in the process, I was able to tighten my personal supervision of my farm while walking up to the pond every morning. As a result, I was able to stop pilferage and enforce a sound work culture. This turned my farm into a profitable venture due to my changed habit of waking up early and taking morning trips to the pond and my farm.

    His friend laughed on hearing this and said ‘To toil relentlessly is only the white swan I was talking about. The wings of labour are like the white swan from Lake Mansarovar.’

    In the Mahabharat, one comes across the story of Shishupala. Lord Krishna kept pardoning Shishupala for his 100 sins but when he committed the 101st sin Krishna released his Sudarshan Chakra and killed Sishupala. Had Shishupala, changed his bad habit of not abusing Bhishma Pitamah and Lord Krishna when he was warned he wouldn’t have been killed by Lord Krishna. Bad habits most certainly lead you to disaster.

    Remember, good karma has no parallel and a sound habit is the best route to success.

    Change your habits to change your life. Habits alone will determine your future.

Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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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 in content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Kamlesh Tripathi’s Publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 8 prestigious libraries of the US which include Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed at MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in libraries and archives of Canada; Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, India; Shoolini University, Yogananda Knowledge Center, Himachal Pradesh and Azim Premzi University, Bangalore).  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; It is also available for reading in the Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity, which is the undying characteristic of Lucknow. The book was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K; Herrick District Library, Holland and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, USA; Black Gold Cooperative Library Administration, Arroyo Grande, California; Berkeley Library, University of California).

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2016).

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his way through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February 2018 at Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

RHYTHM … in poems

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day-to-day life. A few poems from the book have been published in Shillong Times, Bandra Times and Bhavan’s Journal. The book is available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

MIRAGE

(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available on Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)

AWADH ASSAM AND DALAI LAMA … The Kalachakra

(The story of the man who received His Holiness The Dalai Lama and his retinue in 1959 as a GOI representative when he fled Tibet in 1959. The book was launched on 21st November 2022 by His Holiness The Dalai Lama at Dharmshala. The title is archived in the library of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) Government of Tibet, Tibet Policy Institute (TPI) and the personal library of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The title is also archived in The Ohio Digital Library, USA. It was recently included in the digital library of the world-renowned company APPLE).

BHAVANS JOURNAL

Short stories, Book reviews and Articles published in Bhavan’s Journal: 1. Reality and Perception, 15.10.19; 2. Sending the Wrong Message, 31.5.20; 3. Eagle versus Scholars June, 15 & 20, 2020; 4. Indica, 15.8.20; 5. The Story of King Chitraketu, August 31 2020; 6. Breaking Through the Chakravyuh, September 30 2020. 7. The Questioning Spouse, October 31, 2020; 8. Happy Days, November 15, 2020; 9. The Karma Cycle of Paddy and Wheat, December 15, 2020; 10. Power Vs Influence, January 31, 2021; 11. Three Refugees, March 15, 2021; 12. Rise and Fall of Ajatashatru, March 31, 2021; 13. Reformed Ruler, May 15, 2021; 14. A Lasting Name, May 31, 2021; 15. Are Animals Better Teachers? June 16, 2021; 16. Book Review: The Gram Swaraj, 1.7.21; 17. Right Age for Achievements, 15.7.21; 18. Big Things Have Small Beginnings, 15.8.21; 19. Where is Gangaridai?, 15.9.21; 20. Confront the Donkey Within You 30.9.21; 21. Know Your Strengths 15.10.21; 22. Poverty 15.11.21; 23. Top View 30.11.21; 24. The Bansuriwala 15.1.22; 25. Sale of Alaska 15.2.22; 26. The Dimasa Kingdom 28.2.22; 27. Buried Treasure 15.4.22; 28. The Kingdom of Pragjyotisha 30.4.22; 29. Who is more useful? 15.5.22; 30. The White Swan from Lake Mansarovar 30.6.22; 31. Bhool Bhulayya 15.9.22; 32. Good Karma 30.9.22; 33. Good Name vs Bad Name 15.10.22; 34. Uttarapath—The Grand Trunk Road 1.12.22; 35. When Gods Get Angry 1.1.23; 36. Holinshed’s Chronicles 15.1.23; 37. Theogony 15.2.23; 38. Poem: Mother 14.5.23; 39. THE NAG MANDIR 30.6.23; 40. The Story of Garuda 30.7.23; 41. Janmabhoomi vs Karmabhoomi 31.8.23; 42. The Ghost Town of Kuldhara 15.9.23;

SHILLONG TIMES—SUNDAY EDITION

ARTICLES & POEMS: 1. POEM: HAPPY NEW YEAR 8.1.23; 2. POEM: SPRING 12.3.23; 3. POEM: RIGHT AND WRONG 20.3.23; 4. THE GUSH OF EMOTION—WRITING, 26.3.23; 5. THE NAG MANDIR, 7.5.23; 6. POEM: MOTHER 7.5.23; 7. POEM: RAIN RAIN 9.7.23; 8. POEM: YOU COME ALONE YOU GO ALONE 6.8.23; 9. RAIN RAIN (SECOND TIME) 10. POEM: GURU TEACHER 10.8.23;

BANDRA TIMES, MUMBAI

ARTICLES & POEMS: 1. POEM: SPRING, 1.4.23; 2. POEM: MOTHER, 1.6.23; 3. POEM: RAIN RAIN, 1.8.23;

(ALL THE ABOVE BOOK TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)

*****

SHORT STORY: THE SOUL CONNECTION HAS DIVINE EYES

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Copyright@shravancharitymission

   A hunter was once intimidating a small bird perched on a tree. He was feeling exalted that he is so powerful that he can shoot even a flying bird with his gun. The subdued bird on the other hand reminded him not to boast of his present corporeal form but to sober down just like a humble soul. He then narrated the story of the powerful King Chitraketu, where the soul of his just dead son, reminds him, in front of the august rishis assembled there that in his previous births, he was his father, and many a time Chitraketu was his father. Hence the present physical form of the hunter is just a passing milestone of his soul’s journey and nothing to boast about.

    The hunter in return reminds the bird of how Lord Krishna is killed by a hunter named Jara who shoots an arrow that pierces Krishna’s foot mistaking him for a deer when he is resting. So, the corporeal or the personification of the human form is much more powerful than the non-corporeal immortal soul. ‘And what are you, you little bird in front of this mighty hunter’, he aggressed.

    ‘Oh, don’t you go by the size of my body? Haven’t you heard of the famous Valakhilyas … the thumb-sized sages who cursed and threatened Lord Indra to create another Indra because of his ignoble deeds with the power of their yagya (sacrifice) which terrified Lord Indra the king of the Devas so much that he ran to his guru for advice. So, don’t you mistake your current human form for your strength and my bird form for my weakness, because the bandwidth of our souls is equal? What I can see through my soul you can’t see through your body form’, replied the bird.

    ‘Well, then you haven’t heard of the great warrior Veer Ghatotkacha who increases the size of his body when he is killed by Karna who uses his Shakti (astra) in the holy war of Mahabharat. Ghatotkacha falls on the Kuru soldiers killing so many of them. One can do so many things with a versatile human embodiment but very less without it. And the soul is just an offshoot of the towering human embodiment.’

    The bird reacted by saying, ‘Veer Ghatotkacha’s martyr was for a holy cause. But haven’t you heard of the demon king Hiranyakashipu? He is an adamant corporeal of vice. In contrast, his son Prahlad is a corporeal endowment of virtue and God’s consciousness. The father and the son lost their soul connection and that led to a huge disaster in their lives, didn’t you know that? Hiranyakashipu uses his ungodly embodiment to dissuade Prahlad from the path of righteousness and even tries to incinerate him by making him sit in the lap of his sister Holika who is invulnerable to fire but the reverse only happens. Holika is reduced to ashes by the blazing fire whereas Prahlad comes out unscathed. So hey you hunter tone down your arrogance and deal with me just as how a soul would like to deal with a soul.’ The hunter for a moment thought about the lost connection between the two souls, the soul of King Hiranyakashipu and the soul of his son Prahlad and got a glimpse of his old friend from his previous birth sitting up there on the tree as a bird.

    We human beings mostly treat animals and even other human beings as a corporeal identity in life and never as another soul. This leads to friction and distaste. It also leads to inequality, obsequiousness and terror. The hunter would have shot the bird had he dealt with him as a bird but when he connected with the bird’s soul he found him to be an old friend and so he dropped his gun. Remember, the other being is a soul first just like you and me and a body identity later.

***

By Kamlesh Tripathi

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Share it please

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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 that includes both children and adults and it has a huge variety in terms of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate for the cause. The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Our Publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 8 prestigious libraries of the US that includes Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in libraries and archives of Canada, Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida; India. Shoolini University, Yogananda Knowledge Center, Himachal Pradesh and Azim Premzi University, Bangalore).  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; Available for reading in Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity. That happens to be the undying characteristics of Lucknow. The book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival of 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K; Herrick District Library, Holland and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, USA; Black Gold Cooperative Library Administration, Arroyo Grande, California).

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his way through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February 2018 in Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

RHYTHM … in poems

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day-to-day life. The book is available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

MIRAGE

(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available in Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)

AWADH ASSAM AND DALAI LAMA … The Kalachakra

(The story of the man who received His Holiness The Dalai Lama and his retinue in 1959 as a GOI representative when he fled Tibet in 1959. The book was launched on 21st November 2022 by His Holiness The Dalai Lama).

BHAVANS JOURNAL

Short stories, Book reviews and Articles published in Bhavan’s Journal: 1. Reality and Perception, 15.10.19; 2. Sending the Wrong Message, 31.5.20; 3. Eagle versus Scholars June, 15 & 20 2020; 4. Indica, 15.8.20; 5. The Story of King Chitraketu, August 31 2020; 6. Breaking Through the Chakravyuh, September 30 2020. 7. The Questioning Spouse, October 31, 2020; 8. Happy Days, November 15, 2020; 9. The Karma Cycle of Paddy and Wheat, December 15, 2020; 10. Power Vs Influence, January 31, 2021; 11. Three Refugees, March 15, 2021; 12. Rise and Fall of Ajatashatru, March 31, 2021; 13. Reformed Ruler, May 15, 2021; 14. A Lasting Name, May 31, 2021; 15. Are Animals Better Teachers?, June 16, 2021; 16. Book Review: The Gram Swaraj, 1.7.21; 17. Right Age for Achievements, 15.7.21; 18. Big Things Have Small Beginnings, 15.8.21; 19. Where is Gangaridai?, 15.9.21; 20. Confront the Donkey Within You 30.9.21; 21. Know Your Strengths 15.10.21; 22. Poverty 15.11.21; 23. Top View 30.11.21; 24. The Bansuriwala 15.1.22; 25. Sale of Alaska 15.2.22; 26. The Dimasa Kingdom 28.2.22; 27. Buried Treasure 15.4.22; 28. The Kingdom of Pragjyotisha 30.4.22; 29. Who is more useful? 15.5.22; 30. The White Swan from Lake Mansarovar 30.6.22; 31. Bhool Bhulayya 15.9.22; 32. Good Karma 30.9.22; 33. Good name vs Bad Name 15.10.22; 34. Uttarapath—The Grand Trunk Road 1.12.22; 35. When Gods Get Angry 1.1.23; 36. Holinshed’s Chronicles 15.1.23; 37. Theogony 15.2.23

SUNDAY SHILLONG TIMES:

1. POEM HAPPY NEW YEAR 8.1.23; 2. POEM SPRING 12.3.23;

(ALL THE ABOVE BOOK TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)

*****

BOOK CORNER: INDIA-CHINA GRIDLOCK OVER ARUNACHAL … A Challenge to India’s Polity – R.D. Pradhan

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Copyright@shravancharitymission

    Have you ever been to the Northeast of India? If not, I suggest, please go there. It’s a beautiful place. A heaven on earth. Well, today I have for you a book from that area titled ‘INDIA-CHINA GRIDLOCK OVER ARUNACHAL … A Challenge to India’s Polity’ by RD Pradhan. RD Pradhan was the first governor of Arunachal Pradesh from 1987-1990. He has travelled extensively in the far-off and remote northeast areas, especially the state’s border areas. He has also interacted with the people and got acquainted with their social and cultural heritage. The author had retired as the Union Home Secretary and was appointed by Rajiv Gandhi as the Governor of the newly formed state of Arunachal. In the book, he has presented issues relating to India’s sovereignty that unless resolved early, will continue to pose a threat to India’s integrity.

    The subject book is a publication of Chinar Publishers. The price is Rs 395. Though it was published in 2013 yet the narration feels fresh and relevant as it comprises both the history and geography of Arunachal Pradesh and the strategic initiatives required to protect the sovereignty of India. The author has rightly used plain—simple English to convey his point of view. Although the book is of a medium spine comprising 169 pages, it has a long Table of Content of some thirty chapters. The central theme of the narration is Independent India’s inheritance of her geographical boundaries from the British on 15th August 1947. It talks about China’s claim on the territory of present-day Arunachal Pradesh. China claims that the territory of the state belonging to the Tibet Region has been occupied by India illegally after the British left their Indian colony of the two succeeding governments of India and Pakistan in 1947. The book mentions that the Sino-Indian boundary has never been delimited and there is only a traditional customary boundary line between the two countries.

    It talks about the inner line—misconception. But what is the inner line? Well, it is aptly explained in the book. In a nutshell, the Chinese have claimed Arunachal Pradesh on the basis of their claim line along the southern border that was delineated on the then-available cartography maps by the British. Actually, till the North East Frontier (NEFA) was notified as the present, Arunachal Pradesh was very much a part of the Assam Province of the British and post-independent India. Its southern boundary was known as the Inner Line. But what is this so-called Inner Line and its relevance to the evolution of British rule in the northeast? In any event, that line had nothing to do with Tibet. The Inner Line only indicated the limits of the administrative areas and in no way defined the actual boundary of the British possessions. The book describes the land of Arunachal and its people quite vividly. The name Arunachal is most appropriate for the region. At the touch of dawn each morning, the sun’s rays first touch the Indian soil at its northeastern tip which awakens India to a new day. The cultural and spiritual life of the Monpas (The major tribe of Arunachal Pradesh) revolves around the Tawang Monastery, founded over 350 years ago. It is by far the biggest lamasery in India, at an altitude of 3048 metres and houses over 500 lamas. The author also touches upon wildlife. Arunachal is a stronghold of the Indian elephant. Tigers are found in some places along the foothills, while leopard, sloth bear and the Himalayan black bear are common in higher reaches. The author has also dwelled on the early history of the place. A reference he makes about the existence of a temple of Rukmini which is there. It is said that Rukmini, an Idu-Mishmi tribe girl, and Lord Krishna rested here, when they eloped from Bhismak Nagar, her father’s kingdom situated 100 km to the east along the Brahmaputra river valley. It also talks of the Tawang Area—the heart of Buddhism. Tawang Monastery is Tibetan. The book explains the Shimla Agreement which the Chinese government refused to ratify. It talks about Sir Henry McMohan and the McMohan line. In reality, the Indo-Tibetan boundary was delimited but never demarcated on the ground.

    The book covers Buddhism in Arunachal Pradesh and Tibet, and China’s claims on Arunachal Pradesh. In September 2007, a Chinese official made a claim on the Tawang area on the ground that it was inhabited by people practicing Buddhism. Also, the Monastery and the fact that the Sixth Dalai Lama was born here established the fact that the area was part of Tibet. It is firmly believed that the famous Indian monk Padmasambhava who arrived in Tibet in 747 A.D. in response to an invitation from the Tibetan King Thisrong Detsen finally established Buddhism here. Kameng Frontier Division became a household name when China attacked the borders in the northeast in September 1962. Till then, hardly anyone, on India’s mainland knew or cared to know about the land. Kameng Frontier Division was designated as a district in 1972. In many respects, the people inhabiting the Kameng district are distinctly different to the tribes inhabiting the rest of Arunachal.

    In the other chapters, the author describes his visit to Tawang. He also describes a shameful incident of the 1962 war when an Indian Commander of a division along with his men in panic run away towards the Bhutan boundary instead of facing the enemy. And after weeks of trekking in the jungles, they eventually reach Tezpur. In contrast, the author also narrates the brave story of the unforgettable hero Jaswant Singh in whose name, a place has been christened there as ‘Jaswantgarh.’ The book also takes you on a tour of the Tawang Monastery which has a link to Tibet and Buddhism. It also takes you beyond Tawang and into the problems of locals crossing the border and also cattle grazing across the borders.

    The author also recollects his trip to Namka Chu Valley called ‘THE VALLEY OF DEATH.’

    The book is a mix, of a bit of adventure, history and flora and fauna. You’ll be richer in terms of knowledge of this area after reading the title. The book also has some historical pictures. The author also covers the easternmost Lohit district along with his visit to other northern areas. The book talks about the Brahmaputra hence I would call the narration a combination of history, geography, travel, strategy and mythology. It gives a vivid description of the areas along the Myanmar Border—the people of the Lohit and Changlang districts. It describes the population of Wanchoo, the Nocte, and the Tangsas along the Myanmar border near the Patkoi range.

    As part of the history, it covers the consolidation of Boundry—the Pre 1947 efforts. Post-Independence Evolution—Nehru’s policy framework, Cartographic aggression, the border talks in the Nehruvian era, the border talks in the Indira era and the Deng package. It also brings to the fore the Border Talks in the Rajiv Gandhi Era which is a one-up-man-ship. They say the Chinese cannot be trusted. See how the Chinese changed the goalpost, post-Wandung. In the summing up part of the book the author redefines the parameters of India, post the Rajiv Gandhi era.

    The legitimate question that the book asks is: How is it that the border issue has been kept alive for over four decades when both China and India have moved ahead in their chosen ways and now established mutually beneficial relationships in trade and several other endeavours? Why couldn’t Pandit Nehru resolve the border issue in his lifetime feels the author.

    It is an interesting read and quite descriptive. Apart from the border issue, the narration captures the flora and fauna, locales, culture and tradition, and the description is in a detailed manner. If you are fond of travelling then too this book is very interesting. The chapters are short say 4-5 pages each but crisp. I would give the book an A grade.

By Kamlesh Tripathi

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Share it if you like it

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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 that includes both children and adults and it has a huge variety in terms of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate for the cause. The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Our Publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 8 prestigious libraries of the US that includes Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in libraries and archives of Canada, Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida; India. Shoolini University, Yogananda Knowledge Center, Himachal Pradesh and Azim Premzi University, Bangalore).  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; Available for reading in Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity. That happens to be the undying characteristics of Lucknow. The book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival of 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K; Herrick District Library, Holland and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, USA; Black Gold Cooperative Library Administration, Arroyo Grande, California).

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his ways through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February, 2018 in Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

RHYTHM … in poems

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day to day life. The book is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

MIRAGE

(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available in Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)

Short stories, Book reviews and Articles published in Bhavan’s Journal: 1.Reality and Perception, 15.10.19; 2.Sending the Wrong Message, 31.5.20; 3. Eagle versus Scholars June, 15 & 20 2020; 4. Indica, 15.8.20; 5. The Story of King Chitraketu, August 31 2020; 6. Breaking Through the Chakravyuh, September 30 2020. 7. The Questioning Spouse, October 31, 2020; 8. Happy Days, November 15, 2020; 9. The Karma Cycle of Paddy and Wheat, December 15, 2020; 10. Power Vs Influence, January 31, 2021; 11. Three Refugees, March 15, 2021; 12. Rise and Fall of Ajatashatru, March 31, 2021; 13. Reformed Ruler, May 15, 2021; 14. A Lasting Name, May 31, 2021; 15. Are Animals Better Teachers?, June 16, 2021; 16. Book Review: The Gram Swaraj, 1.7.21; 17. Right Age for Achievements, 15.7.21; 18. Big Things Have Small Beginnings, 15.8.21; 19. Where is Gangaridai?, 15.9.21; 20. Confront the Donkey Within You 30.9.21; 21. Know Your Strengths 15.10.21; 22. Poverty 15.11.21; 23. Top View 30.11.21; 24. The Bansuriwala 15.1.22; 25. Sale of Alaska 15.2.22; 26. The Dimasa Kingdom 28.2.22; 27. Buried Treasure 15.4.22; 28. The Kingdom of Pragjyotisha 30.4.22; 29. Who is more useful? 15.5.22; 30. The White Swan from Lake Mansarovar 30.6.22; 31. Bhool Bhulayya 15.9.22; 32. Good Karma 30.9.22;

(ALL THE ABOVE BOOK TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)

*****

SHORT STORY: THE STORY BEHIND ‘GOVERDHAN PUJA’

short story, Uncategorized, video short story, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Copyright@shravancharitymission

Lord God Krishna lifting the Govardhan Parwat

    Goverdhan was a docile but a mighty mountain that co-existed in harmony with his father, Dronachala, centuries ago. One day, the great sage, Pulastya, happened to pass by the mountain. And, he took such an instant liking to Govardhan that he desired to carry him off to Banaras, so that he could perform his meditation peacefully, in the secluded caves of Govardhan.

    Respecting the sage, Govardhan agreed to go, but on one condition. That wherever and whenever, Pulastya, would keep him down, after lifting him up, he would not move from that spot. The sage readily agreed to this. He lifted Goverdhan, and began to fly towards Banaras. But, as they flew over Vrindavan, Goverdhan felt, an intense attraction to settle down there. So, with his mystic power, he caused an irresistible urge in Pulastya, to attend to nature’s call. Sage Pulastya, forgetting, the one and only one condition, was compelled to place Govardhan down, in Vrindavan.

    After relieving himself, when, Pulastya tried to lift Goverdhan to continue his onward journey to Banaras, but the mountain didn’t budge an inch. Pulastya, tried with all his might but Goverdhan stayed put. This enraged the sage. He cursed Goverdhan, to shrink in size and eventually become a small hillock. Govardhan, accepted the curse with a woeful heart, taking it, as the unshakeable will of the Almighty.

    But as fate would have it. Much later in Treta Yuga, God Hanuman, lifted ‘Govardhan Parbat’ for bringing it to Dhanushkodi, as part of the magnificent bridge that was being constructed for Lord God Rama to cross over the present day Palk-Strait (India to Sri Lanka). But, suddenly a mysterious voice resounded (Akashwani) in the sky, announcing, that the bridge was already completed. Disappointed, God Hanuman, returned to the spot from where he had lifted Govardhan and placed him back in that same very spot, in Vraja-bhoomi, where the mountain stood earlier.

    Goverdhan, felt sad because he missed a golden opportunity to serve the divine mission of lord God Rama. Yet, he waited patiently for many years hoping against hope, to be of some service to Lord God Krishna in Dvapara yuga.

    When Krishna grew up, into a young boy, his heart was irresistibly attracted to this magic hill, Goverdhan, whose slopes were full of lush pasture grounds, for crows to graze, and also served as a playground for Krishna and the cowherd boys, and girls to revel in various sport and relax and refresh themselves in the crystal clear waters of Govardhan’s lake, and secluded caves.

    Krishna wanted to teach Indra a lesson, since he had become too proud, because of the traditional ‘yajna’ that the Vraja-wasis were offering to him. So, he convinced Nanda baba, to discontinue the ‘Indra-yajna,’ and instead, have a glorious festival, to honour Govardhan. Deeply mortified, the enraged king of heaven decided to drown the inhabitants of Vraja with unseasonal devastating rains, stormy winds and hailstorm for seven long days.

    Krishna, however, thwarted Indra’s ruthless plan by effortlessly holding Govardhan on his little finger, like a gigantic umbrella, for the protection of the terrified residents of Vraja Bhoomi.

    In stark contrast to Indra’s arrogance and reckless conduct, Govardhan’s gentle and submissive nature attracted the favour of Krishna who elevated the mountain to the status of a sacred deity.

    Govardhan Parvat, adds special charm and enchantment to the holy land of Vraja-bhoomi and whom millions of devotees circumambulate throughout the year, even till date.

By Kamlesh Tripathi

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Share it if you like it

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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 that includes both children and adults and it has a huge variety in terms of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate for the cause. 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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Our publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 8 prestigious libraries of the US that includes Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in libraries and archives of Canada, Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai and Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, India)  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; Available for reading in Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity. That happens to be the undying characteristics of Lucknow. The book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival of 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K.)

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his ways through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February, 2018 in Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

RHYTHM … in poems

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day to day life. The book is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

MIRAGE

(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories. It is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)

Short stories and Articles published in Bhavan’s Journal: Reality and Perception, 15.10.19; Sending the Wrong Message, 31.5.20; Eagle versus Scholars June, 15 & 20 2020; Indica, 15.8.20; The Story of King Chitraketu, August 31 2020; Breaking Through the Chakravyuh, September 30 2020. The Questioning Spouse, October 31, 2020; Happy Days, November 15, 2020,

(ALL THE ABOVE TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)

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INTERESTING FACTS: KINGDOM OF PRAGJYOTISHA

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    Pragjyotisha was an old mythological kingdom linked to the historical Kamarupa that falls under present day state of Assam and North east.

    The first mentions of this kingdom are found in the Ramayana and Mahabharata, in the sections not written much earlier than the first century. There is a mention of this kingdom in the Kishkindha Kanda of the Ramayana, where the kingdom is placed in the west near Mount Varaha and on the sea. In Aswamedha-parva (or the book of Horse Sacrifice) of the Mahabharata, Arjuna faced Vajradatta of Pragjyotisha. Vajradatta was the son and successor of the king Bhagadatta, third in line to the throne of the Naraka dynasty of the Pragjyotisha Kingdom.

    The ancient kingdom Pragjyotisha was preceded by Danava dynasty and was a contemporary of Bana dynasty of Sonitpur (central Assam). This is indiscriminately mentioned in the Hindu Epics and ancient Hindu literature.

    According to the epics, King Bhagadatta ruled the kingdom during the time of the Kurukshetra War, where he met his death. Much details of the kingdom were picked from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Kalika Purana and the later Yogini Tantra among others. The Yogini Tantra is a 16th- or 17th-century tantric text by an unknown author of Assam and it was dedicated to the worship of Hindu goddesses Kali and Kamakhya.

    There are various references of Pragjyotisha kingdom in the Mahabharata such as:

  • Arjuna defeats Bhagadatta, the king of Pragjyotisha, during his military campaign to collect tribute for Pandava king Yudhishthira’s Rajasuya yagya, or one could say the sacrifice.
  • An encounter took place between Bhagadatta and Arjuna for days together, each desirous of a victory over the other. Bhagadatta, regarded Indra as his friend, and therefore, sooner than later he befriended Arjuna.
  • King Bhagadatta of Pragjyotisha kingdom accompanied by all Mlechchha tribes inhabiting the marshy regions on the sea-shore; and many mountain kings came to attend Yudhishthira’s Rajasuya sacrifice. Mlechchhas, were people of foreign extraction in ancient India. The Sanskrit term, mlechchhawas used by the Vedic people.
  • The great warrior king Bhagadatta, the brave ruler of Pragjyotisha and the mighty sovereign of the mlechchhas, at the head of a large number of Yavanas came to the Rajasuya Yagya sacrifice.
  • Bhagadatta was one of the distinguished Chariot warrior (Maharathi) in the Kaurava army that fought the Kurukshetra War.
  • The ruler of Pragjyotisha, the brave king Bhagadatta was the foremost of those maharathis, who could control an elephant with an elephant hook. He was skilled in fighting from the neck of a war-elephant and was also skilled in fighting from a chariot car.
  • Bhagadatta, the king of Pragjyotisha, fought in Kurukshetra War as a general under the Kaurava generallisimo Bhishma. He also fought under Dronacharya another Kaurava generalissimo. He was killed by Arjun.
  • After the Kurukshetra War, Arjuna fought a war with Bhagadatta’s son Vajradatta, at Pragjyotisha, to collect the tribute for Yudhishthira’s Ashwamedha yagya.
  • By destroying the demons such as Mauravas and the Pashas, and after slaying Nisunda and Naraka, Vasudeva Krishna had again rendered safe the road to Pragjyotisha.
  • The Asuras had a city named Pragjyotisha, which was formidable, inaccessible and impregnable. It was there that the mighty Naraka, the son of the Earth (Bhumi), kept the jewelled ear-rings of Aditi, (mother of many Gods) having brought them by force. Aditi’s sons (the Devas) were unable to recover them. Beholding Krishna’s prowess and might, and the weapon that was irresistible they requested him for the destruction of those Asuras. Krishna agreed to undertake the exceedingly difficult task. In the city of Nirmochana Krishna slew six thousand Asuras, and cut them into innumerable pieces with his weapon. He killed Mura and hosts of other Rakshasas, and then entered that city called Pragjyotisha. It was here, that an encounter took place between the mighty’ Narakasur and Krishna. Slain by Krishna, Naraka finally lay lifeless there. Having slain the Earth’s son (Bhumi-putra or Bhauma), Naraka and also the demon Mura, and having recovered those jewelled ear-rings, Krishna returned with undying fame. Krishna obtained the title of Murari because he killed the demon Mura.
  • When Krishna went to Pragjyotisha, Naraka with all the Danavas did not succeed in capturing him there.
  • Vasudeva Krishna mentions that when he and his army was at Pragjyotisha, fighting there, Chedi king Shishupala, Krishna’s cousin and enemy, came and burnt Dwaraka, the capital of Yadavas. Vasudeva Krishna belonged to Dwarka.

By Kamlesh Tripathi

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Share it if you like it

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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 that includes both children and adults and it has a huge variety in terms of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate for the cause. The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Our publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 7 prestigious libraries of the US, including, Harvard University and Library of Congress. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in Libraries and archives of Canada and Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai)  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity. That happens to be its undying characteristic. The book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival of 2014)

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his ways through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February, 2018 in Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

RHYTHM … in poems

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day to day life. The book is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

MIRAGE

(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories. It is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)

(ALL THE ABOVE TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)

*****

 

 

 

The Story of Mura and Murari

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    Mura was a powerful asura who had a boon from Brahma that if he touched anyone during a battle, that person—mortal or immortal—would immediately die.

    Mura was also the best friend of Narakasura, whom he always assisted, in the wars against Krishna. Mura had two sons, and together they protected Narakasura’s capital very strongly. Where, any trespasser in the capital was ruthlessly killed.

    With the special boon from Brahma, Mura and his sons were able to protect the city from many Gods including Indra, and they invaded many kingdoms. So much so that Mura even invaded Yamraj’s city when the god of death frantically fled on his buffalo.

    Krishna then knew he would have to intervene. So he sent a word to Mura that he was waiting for him on the seashore.

    When Mura finally arrived, the lord softly asked. “Tell me Mura, what do you want? Why are you causing trouble everywhere?

    I love to fight Krishna. If you are ready for a battle, then let us fight each other. Otherwise, please do not waste my time,’ he replied.

    ‘But I am scared Mura,’ said Krishna, pretending to be afraid.

    ‘How can I fight an asura who has chased away the likes of Yama and Indra? My heart is beating loudly. And I can even hear your heart beating equally loudly. Are you frightened too?’

    ‘Of course not,’ replied Mura immediately.

    ‘But I can feel it,’ said Krishna. ‘Your heart is clearly palpating and pounding.’

    ‘It isn’t!’ said Mura and placed his hand on his heart to check. This was when the boon that Brahma had given him came to play, and before Mura even realized what he had done, he lay dead at Krishna’s feet.

    From this day on Krishna also came to be known as Murari.

By Kamlesh Tripathi

*

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

*

Share it if you like 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 that includes both children and adults and it has a huge variety in terms of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate for the cause. The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

*

Our publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 7 prestigious libraries of the US, including, Harvard University and Library of Congress. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in Libraries and archives of Canada and Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai)  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity. That happens to be its undying characteristic. The book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival of 2014)

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN

(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his ways through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February, 2018 in Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

RHYTHM … in poems

(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day to day life. The book is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)

(ALL THE ABOVE TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)

*****