Making happy happen....

My very dearest of friends and family. I have a confession to make! Hahahahaha! now I got your attention!! Eh? Well, nothing too dramatic, nor too scandalous (tho knowing the Saggi in me, most of you jumped to that conclusion, I am certain hahahaha!!). So, what I wanted to confess was that it is not that I am always happy and partying, nor am I at picnics or vacations everyday. It just 'appears' to be so. Why you ask me? Why do I do it? I'll tell you why, it's because I learnt early in life from a fabulous man in my life, my father, that one of the most important things to keep happy in life is to train one's mind to be "santosh" , "satisfied", "There is no end to wanting he says, where do you stop?". Hmmmm, it is easy to use these words papa, I said to myself. How does one make these words happen then? My father uses his work as his mainstay, his focal point, his most cherished moments of the day are when he is deeply engrossed in Physics and music. (He just had his latest co-authored paper published in Science Direct! Bravo, papa!) Yes, so how do I make my happy happen, everyday, day after day...I do it like this. I relive my happy. I revisit my vacation that I had a month back and the happiness comes flooding back. I relive cherished moments with friends till the next moments fall into my lap, I recall the sadness that was in me when I did not have what gives me joy in this moment...It is all a conscious effort at "being". The Lord has been kind to us humans and given us the power to remember and recall and rejoice in our joys of the past. Even as we all have our own ways to deal with things/ life/issues/work/deadlines/ health I cope like this.Yes, happiness, vacation, picnic, beauty..... is indeed a 'state of mind'.It is posting old pictures that made you happy, moments that fired your imagination, days that made you want to sing....and that my darling friends is my confession. ( Post Script: I too am working hard each day at my work and my home and my health, dealing, coping, and...and....and....yet, it appears that I am partying....well, maybe I am, then again maybe I'm not!! Hahahahaha!! Gotchya!!) Yes, everybody hurts...I got my share too....but let's all try be happy shall we, there's enough sadness to go around without me adding to it....... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijZRCIrTgQc

I am responsible for my rose.....

"Who is in the house of my heart", I cried in the middle of the night.
Love said, 
"It is I,but what are all these images that fill your house?"
I said, "they are the reflection of Your beautiful Face".
Love asked,
"But what is this image full of pain?"
I said, "it is me lost in the sorrows of life"
and showed Love my soul full of wounds.
Love offered me one end of a thread and said:
"Take it so I can pull you back,but do not break the delicate string".
I reached towards it but Love struck my hand.
I asked,
"why the harshness?"
Love said,
"To remind you that whoever comes to Love's holy space proud and full of himself, will be sent away....Look at Love with the eyes of your heart."
Rumi

And how it comes to in life that what one reads and understands and feels at different points in one's life all collapses as one:

"Goodbye," said the fox. "And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: 

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

"What is essential is invisible to the eye," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.

"It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important."

"It is the time I have wasted for my rose--" said the little prince, so that he would be sure to remember.

"Men have forgotten this truth," said the fox. "But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose."

~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda

I want you to know one thing. 

You know how this is: 
if I look 
at the crystal moon, at the red branch 
of the slow autumn at my window, 
if I touch 
near the fire 
the impalpable ash 
or the wrinkled body of the log, 
everything carries me to you, 
as if everything that exists, 
aromas, light, metals, 
were little boats 
that sail 
toward those isles of yours that wait for me. 

Well, now, 
if little by little you stop loving me 
I shall stop loving you little by little. 

If suddenly 
you forget me 
do not look for me, 
for I shall already have forgotten you. 

If you think it long and mad, 
the wind of banners 
that passes through my life, 
and you decide 
to leave me at the shore 
of the heart where I have roots, 
remember 
that on that day, 
at that hour, 
I shall lift my arms 
and my roots will set off 
to seek another land. 

But 
if each day, 
each hour, 
you feel that you are destined for me 
with implacable sweetness, 
if each day a flower 
climbs up to your lips to seek me, 
ah my love, ah my own, 
in me all that fire is repeated, 
in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten, 
my love feeds on your love, beloved, 
and as long as you live it will be in your arms 
without leaving mine.

Analytical Response, Corde:

Pablo Neruda(July 12, 1904 – September 23, 1973)'

Neruda won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.

Pablo Neruda, a Chilean poet, was recognized for being one of the best worldwide. Neruda, with his South American roots, has won us over with words that leave lingering feelings in our hearts. Neruda favored communism, and often wrote politically influential poetry. Furthermore, even though Neruda was highly successful by the age of 20, he was still struggling financially, and had four unsatisfying relationships; these came to inspire many of his conflictive love poems. Neruda in the poem “If You Forget Me,” expresses himself through the art of poetry, leaving behind subtle hints of his true theme: love is mutual and both parts of the relationship have to put equal effort for it to work, he shows this by using literary devices and distinctive diction to prove this theme.

Pablo Neruda constantly uses metaphors that are symbolic to the message of his poems. Metaphors can be strong and useful because they’re a comparative point where the reader manipulates the metaphoric object, then sees how it resembles the emotion the writer is trying to convey. Most of what Neruda writes in the poem “If You Forget Me” is metaphoric of his relationship. For example, “If you think it long and mad, the wind of banners that passes through my life, and you decide to leave me at the shore of the heart where I have roots (…) ” The first part uses a metaphor, which he then uses to explain what he believes she will do, which is that if she overthinks all their love’s downfalls she’ll end up focusing on the negative side thus leaving him forever. Through his metaphors Neruda describes an inner message about people and how they will only look at the negative side of things when it seems most convenient. Additionally, the second metaphor in this stanza is, “Shore of the heart where I have roots” is so deep, and perfectly describes how lost he is because he is restricted to loving her; she whom he has loved so much and perhaps for so long that it seemed as though the “roots” of his “tree” were deep inside her heart. In other words, he could never really stop loving her; you can never stop loving someone you once loved that much. Brilliantly, Neruda handles metaphors that explain so much in just a few words.

 Pablo Neruda writes strongly about his loved ones at specific times in his life, so we must also rely on his diction to find out his true meaning. For example, “Remember that on that day, at that hour, I shall lift my arms and my roots will set off to seek another land.” That fragment right there can be interpreted in so many different ways; some may say his relationship was lacking passion or perhaps she didn’t really love him back when he needed her to etc. But, when analyzing his word choice it was led to believe that Neruda was tired of living in doubt, of not knowing if she really loved him or not; but if she were to accept she didn’t have feelings for him, he says this: “On that day, at that hour” meaning that he would begin to forget her in that instant then, “My roots will set off to seek another land” he would begin to find someone else worthy of his love. Another example, “But if each day, each hour, you feel that you are destined for me with implacable sweetness, if each day a flower climbs up to your lips to seek me, ah my love, ah my own, in me all that fire is repeated, in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten.” When I read this passage I see a theme, or idea, that the writer is trying to communicate to us; in the passage above, he rephrases the beginning as, “But if each day, each hour.” This is significant because he is implying that he could forget any doubt he had of her if she could just love him back. Through these lines, Neruda shows that his great diction expresses the true meaning of his poems.

 Meaningful metaphors and a specific diction are some of the many techniques Pablo Neruda uses in his writing to enrich his poetry. He says so much in so little, and his words are so carefully crafted to exploit a variety of emotions, and feelings without losing any value in trying to explain his meaning directly.  All that Neruda went through, all of his values, ideals, principles, beliefs, relationships; all of the ups and downs in his life; the moments of desperation and seeking for help, and the years he had to hide below basements because of the warrant for his arrest, or when his first wife left with his only child or perhaps the happier times when he loved a women so much. All of those experiences, everything that life taught him, he poured his heart into his poetry leaving us with writing so meaningful and substantial it leaves us stunned.

Pictures courtsey: Pineterest
More on Neruda here: https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/pablo-neruda

..somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly....

Lennon Tribute- Lucy in the sky ft. Ilina & Ishrita

In a world riddled with hatred, insecurities and turmoil, a small contribution to peace from us comes in the form of children who are brought up appreciating the finer tendencies of the human nature. Loving the arts in all its manifestations, painting, literature, poetry, design, appreciating good music and contributing to the world by loving and respecting peace towards all fellow men and animals alike.I am proud to be one such parent....Here's a small tribute to a man who spread the message of peace and who imagined a world without boundaries hoping that all humans can live as one.We love you Lennon, and hope to take your message forward!

Somebody's knocking at your door...do me a favour...let 'em in.

Aren't there cracks in everyone's life that have no easy fillings? And so we allow pain and denial to settle in the cracks. Well, to me even these cracks are dear as they define me and give my being 'meaning' and it is through these very cracks that I am able to develop an understanding of philosophy, poetry, art, life, relationships and appreciation of nature. In dealing with the cracks one poet I have come to love is Rumi.I know many of you read him too :) I sometimes write my interpretations of Rumi, here is one such.So come, let us then think of ourselves as a 'soul with a body' instead of a 'body with a soul'. The body is only constantly running towards it's end. Coz that is the ultimate truth.

Picture Coursey: Pineterest 

The Guesthouse: Rumi

This 'being human' is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a mean memory,

some momentary awareness of a time gone past,

suddenly arrives as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain all! 

Even if it's a crowd of sorrows,that violently sweeps your house empty of its belongings,

Even so, treat each guest with honour

Who knows, he/she may be clearing you out

for some new delight, some new adventure....

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,

meet them at the door laughing,

and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever that comes,

as each has been sent

as a guide from beyond.

(With major edits to the English translation made by me)

......my soul belongs elsewhere, of that i am certain.....rumi

Most times life takes one to a place from where one understands things differently.

The constantly changing and transient nature of life is such that many a times things, words, phrases, poetry, philosophy, spirituality, events, take on completely different meanings. I say this because of late I am able to understand meanings where earlier I did not see them. This is one such song, a song I have really liked and sung all my life and only now I felt it so differently, and it's meaning as I understand it from my 'now' perspective.....whatever that means!! Hahahahaha! 

Meri jaan, mujhe jaan na kaho meri jaan

Meri jaan!

Jaan na kaho anjaan mujhe, jaan kahan rahti hai sada 

Anjaane, kya jaanein, jaan ke jaaye kaun bhala

 Sookhe saawan baras gaye, itni baar in aankhon se 

Do boondein na barsein, in bheegi palkon se

 Honth jhukein jab hothon par, saans uljhi ho saanson mein 

Do judwa hothon ki, baat kaho aankhon se.....

How does one translate poetry like this? 

How do I explain the depth of meaning of each word, each line.....

Well, let me try....this is my personal understanding......

My beloved, call me not your life,

oh!my dearest!

    Oh! you ignorant one, don't speak of me as your life, cause where is the permanence of life?

      An ignorant may not understand this, but who would take this path knowingly?

                                          Oh! the many times I have cried with dry eyes,

But my moist eyelids have never allowed even two tear-drops to escape (cause that would be an insult to our love)

With your lips bent upon, to meet mine, and our breaths entangled 

Let not the lips speak of what passes between us, allow our eyes to do the talking.....

  Gulzar, the beautiful poet at his very sensual and soulful best......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulzar

I really want to see you but it takes so long my lord.....

I desire you more than food or drink.
My body, my senses, my mind,
hunger for your taste...
I can sense your presence in my heart.
Although you belong to all the world,
I wait in silent passion,
For one gesture, one glance from you.

~ Rumi

I struggle for just some moments and then the answer it comes to me on it's own accord and all is well with the world again....

Why struggle to open a door between us when the whole wall is an illusion? 

~ Rumi

Of bhakti and prem....a bond close to my heart... (Spirituality and Love)

  Out beyond ideas of wrong and right, there is a field.

  I will meet you there.

  Rumi

My first ever engagement with Rumi, (I thought then it was Roomy) was when I was a teenager. I saw the The Rumi Darwaza,  also  known as the Turkish Gate, in Lucknow, Utta Pradesh, India. Rumi Darwaza is an imposing gateway which was built under the patronage of Nawab Asaf-Ud-dowlah in 1784. Oh! how I knew not at the time the meaning it would come to hold for me in later years of my life.

Rumi Darwaza, Lucknow: Photo Credits: Luknowcity.org

And then Rumi lay dormant somewhere in  my memory......

It is only recently that I became engaged in Rumi yet again, when I came across some verses that moved me deeply, and I realized how meaningful and powerful the verses are for the individual and the state of the world at large today.I say engaged “in” 

Rumi  and not “with” Rumi, because once you get introduced to Rumi there is no way that you stay a separate entity than his words. To become 'one' with poetry, nature, love, mysticism, music…..that is the true meaning of spirituality, of life, and one can only ever be “in” the meaning not “with” it.

Rumi was born on the Eastern shores of the Persian Empire on September 30, 1207, in the city of Balkh in what is now Afghanistan and finally settled in the town of Konya (he is buried here too)  in what is now Turkey. (Mental note: to visit soon) Today all three nations: Iran, Turkey and Afghanistan claim him as their national poet. In fact none of these countries as they are today actually existed back in the time of Rumi. Iran was the Persian Empire, a monarchy much larger than what it is today. It included all of today's Iran and Afghanistan also parts of Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkey and Iraq. Turkey had not yet formed then and Afghanistan was part of the Khorasan Province in the old Persian Empire.

Rumi recited poetry for about 25 years wrote ~70,000 verses in which he has covered every morsel of emotion, thought, idea and topic under the sun!

The general theme of Rumi's thought, like that of other mystic and Sufi poets of Persian literature, is essentially that of the concept of a union with his beloved (the primal root) from whom he has been cut off and become aloof — and his longing and desire to restore it.

Rumi believed passionately in the use of music, poetry and dance as a path for reaching God. For Rumi, music helped devotees to focus their whole being on the divine and to do this so intensely that the soul was both destroyed and resurrected.

In other verses Rumi describes in detail the universal message of love:

The lover’s cause is separate from all other causes
Love is the astrolabe of God's mysteries.

If we look closely we see elements of oneness with the creator and humanly love so intertwined in his works.....

One of the verses close to my heart……

I choose to love you in silence, for in silence I find no rejection.
I choose to love you in loneliness, for in loneliness no one owns you but me.
I choose to adore you from a distance, for distance will shield me from pain.
I choose to kiss you in the wind, for the wind is gentler than my lips.
I choose to hold you in my dreams, for in my dreams, you have no end.

~Rumi

Likh likh ke yaad karo: Write and write again to learn.

It's been a long time and now I'm coming back home...I've been away now, oh! how....

Happy to blog after a long break....

2014, an evening, and my 12year old is revising something. "Beta, (my dear child) I hear myself saying, do take a register (notebook) and write your answers till you know them well.This is the way to revise your lesson" 

Rewind  to 1987,  I hear his voice from somewhere "Praachi beta, likh-likh ke yaad karo": "My dear child, Praachi, write and write again till you have the lesson learnt by heart". How many long brown registers I filled up writing and rewriting my lessons. I still remember some of the answers by heart! Till date my father writes in his calligarphic handwriting...aaah how I love the small letters....a daily diary, of things he reads, of a new word he makes sure he learns each day. And I think I too do the same, well, let's be honest, in my case, on most days.

Writing in your own hand as opposed to the cut and paste culture of collecting information today....hmmmmm.

Here is a link to a good post I just read on Tumblr and it brought into perspective my above thoughts.In fact it inspired me to pen this note which was hidden somewhere in the crevices of the mind but was not finding the light of day.

http://tj-shin.tumblr.com/post/107747427246/best-way-to-improve-skill-to-visualize-information

Thank you Mr.Shin for the share :)


Well, here they are, the fabulous person who taught me to write regularly in my own hand, "Roz thoda-thoda likho": "Write a few lines each day" (the habit sticks to this day!!) and the person I insist write a little each day in her own hand :) Confusing eh? Oh! Well.

                     Happy writing folks! Till next time then!

I Have A Dream | Ilina Gandhi | Friends of Art | Contemporary Arts Week