maa asche...

It is that time of the year again. The period which I look forward to the entire year. Durga Puja is coming.Its only a matter of days now, as entire Calcutta (i like it that way) gears up to welcome Maa and is lit up in glorious lights, I sit here far, far away from the hub of that one festival I geared up for at least a month ago when I was growing up. Now I am chasing memories, sometimes falling head over heels, getting up again, swallowing that lump in my throat, which I’d like to think of as nostalgia.I can't wait to get back home.

Nostalgia, memories, food and Durga Puja festivities are inseparable.I am thinking on the lines of waking up one crisp, sunny Autumn morning to the intoxicating fragrance of 'Shiuli phool', or rolling in bed to the mellifluous chants of Mahalaya. Wearing a new dress to the 'Pujobari', pandal-hopping like there is no tomorrow, and not even complaining about the shoe bite from which your feet are painfully aching now, and mind you shoe-bite is a serious problem during Durga Puja.

The days leading upto the pujas are usually the most exciting,with plenty of shopping,addaz and so many other fun stuffs.The silvery stalks of slender ‘Kashful’ swaying to the changing winds, the air would be heavy with the ‘pujo pujo gondho'. A willowy breeze would tingle the senses towards evening and a thin blanket would inadvertently need to be curled around our sleeping selves towards morn – the beauty of autumn, the ushering in of winter.

I remember, as the weather readied itself for the Pujo, so did we. Hopping through each others places, we would marvel at the ‘Pujo collections’ from Mamas,Mashis,Pishis and Kakus. More than us, it would be a routine affair for family ladies to be at each other places, apparently to exchange pleasantries, but more so to make sure that nothing in-fashion had managed to elude their entourage! "Pujor Bajar sesh?" would be the ubiquitous question to almost everyone we crossed paths with.

kashful

So,as all those memories come flashing back to me, as I am writing this,I realize that I had planned to put in so many things, but just as the Puja, as with life, nothing goes as planned, and frankly who cares,as long as we have a good time. Pujos are moments of shared joy: of precious memories of walking into a pandal with my parents to see what seemed enormous murtis at age five, fretting over new dresses over the teenage years, hanging out with friends as we grow up and share the joy of seeing Ma Durga in all her splendor all over again.

Maa is coming home..So,am I..:)

..and i am thinking

As I sit down to write this blog, a lot is going on my mind, but that's all random stuff and I can't think, rather can't focus on something in particular that I want to write about.So, a good friend of mine came up with a simple idea to write about 'thinking' itself. Our success in life is due in large part to our ability to think. We are able to use our large, powerful brains for more than just playing back previously recorded programs. We are able to ponder, to synthesize, to question, to analyze, to consider, to speculate, to investigate, to think.

In a world that is increasingly powered by information, thinking skills become more and more important. The world is getting more complex by the minute. Instinctive reactions no longer give us enough skills to survive. We must learn to develop complex thinking skills in order to prosper.

Normally, we don’t ever think about thinking. We just kind of do it as needed. Of course we all go to school as children, where we are hopefully taught how to think, and where we receive some practice in thinking. Yet aside from philosophy courses, we don’t receive very much instruction in thinking. Most of our thinking skills are developed out of the necessity to accomplish some other task, whether it be academic or pragmatic.

The power of thought is something we generally take for granted. After all, thinking requires no physical effort so it doesn’t seem to be that big of a deal. Thinking is an extremely big deal, though. It is a fundamental, essential and powerful ability which can form the basis for literally any achievement you can imagine.Everything you’ve ever accomplished has been accomplished first in your thoughts. And each thing you accomplish in the future will begin with a thought.

Thinking is a lifelong pursuit, and it is important to continually develop and refine thinking skills. Thinking affects every area of life. It can make the difference between success and failure in your career. It can make the difference between good health and sickness. It can make a major difference in your relationships, and in your very enjoyment of life.

So let us all take a moment and put your thinking cap on to ponder upon our life and its happenings, because our thoughts define us and really have a huge influence in our life. Till next time, happy living folks..:)