branwyn april 2014
TRANSCRIPT
Branwyn is the Goddess of love, beauty, mischief and mystery. It also relates to genuine literature. The name has been tossed by Lavkesh Kumar Singh.
Publisher and Director Vineeta Gupta
Founder and Editor-in-Chief Sneha Gupta
Mentor Dr. Subodh Kumar Jha
Tech Support Rahul Kumar Singh
Legal and Financial Advisor Abhishek Singhania
Contacts: Email : [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
Website : www.branwyn.in
EDITORIAL
Dear Readers,
Life is just like a spicy chaat. God
has flavoured it with sorrow,
happiness, joy, gloominess, success,
failure, togetherness, loneliness
and eventually He balanced it with
death. We can enjoy life only if we
accept that to balance the equation
of life, we need to go through every
such experience which god has
defined for us. only then, we can
maintain the equilibrium.
This issue has been a bit delayed
and I believe that my readers
would accept my sincere apologies.
But I hope that our readers would
equally enjoy this edition which
has been made special by two
dynamic ladies – Mehek Bassi and
Aniesha Brahma. Our regular
columnists are there to share their
thoughts with you. This time, we
have also welcomed our guest
writer Ms. Shelley Samson.
And lastly, there is my column on
your demand and in your service. I
will try my level best to continue
my column. And we are soon
bringing back all our segments.
I hope you would enjoy this edition.
Waiting eagerly for your
suggestions and feedback!
Thanks and regards,
Sneha Gupta
Readers’ Feedbacks
Poems by Mr. YouKnowMe and N.M. Leepsa were very nice!
- A. Chaudhary, Kolkata
Lovely poem by Heena. Get your bio changed. It's too short i.e next to non-
existent and a new pic should be affixed in your column. Keep writing.
- Meghant Parmar
Shaurya Forever made me cry. My best wishes for Parul and Himanshu.
- Vaishnavi, Chennai
Reading Branwyn is always a pleasant experience. All articles of March issue
were very nice.
- S. Shahi, PMO, New Delhi
Its easy availability makes it unique among all. You cannot keep away from it.
Not only March but every issue is fantastic.
- Rohit, Bangalore
Branwyn is a phenomenon in our office. This month’s poster person is
Aparajita Dutta.
- Sanjay Chaturvedi, Mumbai
It was a very classy tale by Aparajita Dutta.
- Sanghamitra, Barrackpore
Your reading taste could be different. But Branwyn always brings a smile
on your face. March edition was lovely overall.
- Md. Ashraf, United Arab Emirates
Three Questions : Mehek Bassi
Mehek Bassi is the celebrated author of ‘Chained’ and ‘Unconditionally Yours’. Famous for her candid attitude towards
life and ideological implementation in social norms, she represents the Young-Indian-Women’s mindset.
Mehek obliged Branwyn with an interview…
Branwyn : What should be authors'
responsibilities towards the society?
Mehek : An author is someone who is looked
upon for revolutionary views and many times,
even bringing a change in the society. Nobody can
manipulate/encourage a man better, than a book!
So, it's a duty of authors that we should include
broad views in our writings, instead of focusing on
a narrow mentality. We should encourage the
Youth to accept everybody as he/she is, instead of
propagating hatred. Every person's responsibility
is to make the world a safe and peaceful place to
live in, and we authors hold a high-grade in that
because people follow our words!
Branwyn : People accuse that feminism has
become manipulative? What's your stand on that?
Mehek : Feminism is not at all manipulative,
especially when we are still witnessing so many
rape and molestation cases everywhere. It will
become manipulative, the day that all the crimes
against women cease to exist and still we will be
fighting for women-rights. If feminism was
manipulative, with so much havoc on social media
sites and everywhere else against the Delhi Gang-
rape case (16 December, 2012), the convicts
would be hanging dead by their necks by now, but
it's been over a year and a half, and they're still
wasting the planet's oxygen!
Branwyn : Why it is that none of the political parties contesting for General
Elections 2014 has shown any concern for women in their manifesto? Instead
many politicians passed abusive statement on women. In our country, a slight
caste related statement creates havoc whereas gender abusing extreme
statements is ignored. Do you agree that Indian women lack brain and can't think
beyond Fair&Lovely and Glam-up?
Mehek : Interesting question, I must say! The provocative statements that are
being delivered in open grounds, by the rulers that common people look up to,
just for a few votes, its disturbing to see how far our country has traveled, where
distributing cash and liquor illegally aren't enough for winning votes, but
freedom of convicts and criminals and promises of their security has also become
a part of the manifesto! It saddens me deeply to hear them when they make
promises for every community, but exclude women, a community that
constitutes around half of the votes and is 50% responsible for bringing a
candidate in power. I won't say Indian women lack brains, but they do lack
courage when a statement is passed on to our community. The way Hindus and
Muslims unite and protest, women should do the same when a politician says
that 'Rape is a mistake and not a crime'! Women are no doubt powerful, but
aren't united. We still think about our religion and caste, before our community,
and maybe that's the reason why we have such people in governance.
Thanks for being with us Ms. Mehek Bassi. Branwyn Family wishes you all the very best in all your future endeavours.
You can remember Aniesha as a lover of cats…
Aniesha Brahma
Born on 12th of September 1989, Aniesha Brahma, had always dreamed of being a writer since the age of six. She was born in Kolkata, West Bengal and has lived there all her life. Her elementary schooling was in Higgins, and from classes I to XII, she studied in Dolna Day School, the place where she first discovered her knack for writing. Blessed with the ability to weave tales with her words, Aniesha's essays would make her teachers and fellow students alike think that she was one day going to be an "authoress". For a time, Aniesha concentrated merely on writing poetry. When her first novel (a whimsical novel set in a college campus) got rejected, she steered clear of writing stories for the time being.
She concentrated instead on her subject of honors during her Bachelors of Arts, Comparative Literature, from Jadavpur University. After completing her bachelors, she took up Master of Arts in Comparative Literature. During this time, from the month of December 2011 till March 2012, she wrote what would be her debut novel: The Secret Proposal - Life Begins from Here Aniesha is currently pursuing her MPhil in Comparative Literature from Jadavpur University and eagerly awaiting the release of her yet to be titled second novel to be published by LiFi Publications"
The first book of Aniesha Brahma talks about the unusual love-relation of a young couple.
Twenty-one year old Larissa Chakroborty (better known as Jasmine) has been forced into the company of her parents’ friends’ son – the twenty-five year old Tanveer Bhattacharya (aka Veer) ever since she was thirteen and he was seventeen. Jasmine found herself slowly getting drawn towards this teenage boy; and harbors an unrequited crush on him, long after he disappears from her life in order to pursue a college degree. It is eight years later now and Veer has returned. Jasmine finds herself going to his welcome home party, and neither of them recognizes each other in the first meeting. Upon discovering that Jasmine is now a Master’s student in a reputed college, Veer makes her a rather strange proposal. He wants her to pretend that they’re in love
and would eventually settle down in life, for he wishes to avoid tying the knot with a girl of his parents’ choice. The constant ego battle between the two, the love-hate relationship, break ups and realizations is what The Strange Proposal is all about; wherein love would eventually find a way in the end. Coupled with birthday parties, engagement announcements, Durga Pujos, weddings, the harrowing rituals, Christmas time fun, the crazy duo have a long way to go before they realize what their act would eventually cost them. Is it enough to get your long time love to be in a pretend relationship with you? Does one grand gesture convince you that you’ve found your Knight in Shining Armor? And why is it that, when you have someone you don’t want them…and when you lose them, you want them back? Is Veer merely pretending to be in love Jasmine? And will Jasmine ever get over her undying love for Veer?
With her literal background, Aniesha surely
assures a fragrant breeze of change in the
All-Are-Same kind of love-stories
flourishing in the Indian popular fiction…
Alpine Ambergris : Dr. Subodh Kumar Jha
Mighty Thread
No no no! We can’t part ways! Can’t be submissive
and follow the dictates which our heart admits not!
True, the odds are against us
We might not ever meet In the lane of institutional knots!
But does it matter?
Your longings in my veins mount And I often feel drawn
In your laky eyes And get drown’d!
Oh! What’s this mighty thread
That pulls me up And splits apart
In the air with CARE!
- Dr. Subodh Kumar Jha
Head Dept. of English,
SN Sinha College, Jehanabad
Dr. Subodh Kumar Jha has been a member of NCERT and UGC Workshops for the proficiency of English Language in various study streams! At present, he is a prominent part of Magadh University as the Head of Department of English in S.N. Sinha College! He honoured Branwyn with his special segment titled "ALPINE AMBERGRIS". Alpine means mountain peak which denotes Subodh Sir's intellectual persona and Ambergris means a fragrant substance found at sea level. Thus, "Alpine Ambergris" together denotes the combination of an intellectual person like Subodh Sir and novice writers like us who are just trying to make a difference!
My Mighty Chariot
The anxiety of Vibhishan is evident. And it certainly is not
irrational.
The grandiloquent appearance of Raavan on a golden chariot is
causing the earth to shudder under his feet. He is protected by
celestial armors, which have defended him against the gods in
innumerable battles of valor. He has lost his sons, brothers and
nephews, and has but little to lose. His wrath is intense, his fury
terrifying, his resolve of revenge insurmountable, and he sets
ablaze the path he treads to reach the battlefield on the final day
of the battle that the worlds have stopped to witness.
The most powerful king in the world faces Ram, the banished
Spartan sage-king who resides in forests. He cuts an austere
figure against his formidable and opulent Owner-Of-Ten-Heads
(symbolically, one who is so wise that it appears he thinks
through ten brains put together).
Suddenly, Vibhishan’s faith is shaken. Qualms begin to surface
through crevices. His unwavering confidence in his master and
ally (whom his army venerates as the incarnate of Narayan;
Sanskrit for a place for the residence of all “Nar”, thus, quite
literally, one who is present in everyone!)
Vibhishan’s, a maudlin witness to the greatest clash in history, is
overwhelmed with concern,as he falls at the feet of the sage king,
and without mincing words, describes the power balance of the
epic battle. He sees Ram standing on his own feet without a
chariot, without an armor, standing bare feet on the soil, facing
the lord of the mighty kingdom of gold. He sees no hope for Ram.
This is where the sage king describes why he is confident about a
certain victory against the strongest enemy that can be.
Ram says he sits the chariot that shall carry him to his victory. It
is not the chariot made of timber and iron, nor is it pulled by
horses that are mere animals.
The base of the chariot that he stands on, is the
Righteousnessthat drips from his action
Valor and Perseverance. These are the two wheels that his
chariot has. They are wheels that set his chariot in motion, and
never fail him in his pursuits of battles of life.
The Adherence to the path of Truth, and an Upright Moral
Character- these are his Flags and his Banner. These are the
symbols that he flaunts, and under the aegis of these symbols, he
wages his battles, be it the clash of Lanka, or his battles in
everyday life.
He has four mighty Horses, who are not mere animals. They are
powerful, unflinching, invincible and unstoppable, with an
unwavering sense of direction. His Four Horses are ;
(Physical) Strength,
Vivek (an non- translatable term, simply because this doesn’t
have an English parallel- but is characterized by the individual’s
capability to discriminate between the right and the wrong),
The Control over oneself (i.e, one’s senses and thoughts, under
the guidance of Vivek- notice the co-ordination between the
horses that pull his chariot)
Benevolence; compelling him to handle fellow beings with
compassion.
To harness these horses of his chariot, the reigns that are in the
hands of the charioteer are the qualities that are Forgiveness,
Kindness, Compassion and Fraternity.
Who is the charioteer that serves him as a master?
Ram says that his charioteer is his Devotion to God. His
charioteer serves him as a master, is rather skillful and faithful,
and guides his chariot through un-navigable with ease, based on
his judgment.
His Sense of Detachment is the Shield that protects him, and thus
he is never hurt (is that not what we can relate to?). His sword is
the perpetual Contentment, that he banishes to his adversary
with faith.
A Sharp Axe that makes his attacks lethal, is Charity (i.e, the
Goodwill that he has gathered out of charity. Ram points out in
several verses that Goodwill gathered is a mighty and practical
force)
The strength that backs him in his attacks is his Buddhi (The
closest English translation would simply be Intelligence)
Although Ram carries a mighty Bow, Celestial Arrows and a
Quiver, he says that his Bow, Arrow and Quiver are more
symbolic.
The Knowledge of Self is the real Bow he carries (notice how the
veteran archer chooses the analogy; his bow is his most
important weapon. His Knowledge of Self is his Most Important
trait. The most important characteristic of the Bow is its
flexibility and the ability to bent to be functional-traits that may
be strongly associated with Self-Knowledge)
His Steady Mind is the quiver where his arrows are kept
Yam and Niyam( Adherence and Observance of religion ) are the
bunch oflethal arrows
Ram worships his Gurus. That is the Protective Armour that
surrounds his body like an inpenetrable cover.
Ram at last, points out- Oh Friend, don’t let your doubts clutter
your mind, for I ride that chariot that is the surest way of
Victory- not just against the mighty Ravan that barges to the
battlefield, devastated with wrath and agony of loss, but in the
battle of life against the invincible enemy- the World.
Mr. Incandescent Speaks…
Lavkesh Singh [Branwyn Column name – Mr. Incandescent] is an Investment Banker who works in the Realm of Mergers and Acquisitions for his living. He at present resides in New
Delhi.
The wounds of the Kargil war had not yet healed.
Even after the retreat of the coward Pakis, the
brave Indian soldiers had not returned to their
units from the Military Hospitals. But Nawaz Sharif
and his boys donning the khaki uniform of the Pak
Army commanded by the shrewd General Parvez
Mussharaf tried another trick in their bag. The
Pakistani Armed Forces played a dictator’s role
during the puppet governance of Mr Nawaz Shariff
and that was evident when they tried to test the
might of Indian Army in the Kargil sector. In spite
of being compelled to flee the war zone, the Pakis
refused to learn a lesson. They tried to test the
patience of the Air Defence system of the mighty
Indian Air Force.
10 Aug 1999…In one of the ground radar units in
the Gujrat sector, Flying Officer Banerjee had his
eyes glued to the radar screen. 10.51 AM. A speck
of light was blipping on his screen. He picked up a
track on his radar screen inside Pakistan’s Sind
province but moving towards the International
border. Being a seasoned Fighter Controller, his
instincts told him that a bad boy was trying to
violate into Indian Air space. A quick survey
confirmed that an airborne object was trespassing
into Indian area from the Pakistani side. Further
clarification confirmed that it was an unidentified
aircraft flying at a speed of approximately 350
km/hr and at a height of 3000 to 3500 feet.
India and Pakistan have a bilateral agreement on
airspace intrusion. In 1991, both countries have
agreed that necessary steps would be taken to
prevent airspace violation. Moreover, a
memorandum stating that Combat aircraft won’t
fly within 10 kms of each other’s border has also
been signed. Suspecting something fishy, Flying
Officer Banerjee reported the matter to his
superior officer who in turn informed the higher
echelons of Indian Air Force Air Defence system. In
view of the Kargil conflict and the track record of
Pakistan’s misdeeds in the past, it was decided to
deal the air violation with a strong hand. The
Operations Control room was buzzing with
activity. The airwarriors carried out last minute
checks and decided to engage the intruder with
fighter jets.
10.57 AM. “Scramble Scramble Scramble” echoed
the public address system in the air crew rest
room. The two fighter pilots, who were on standby
to take care of any threat to the Indian airspace,
were sipping coffee and relaxing. As soon as they
heard the word Scramble, they realized that
something was amiss and they had to get airborne
at the earliest. They picked up their helmets and
rushed towards their respective fighters. The
technicians eased them into their cockpits and
within minutes two MIG-21 fighters were on the
runway end awaiting clearance from the Air Traffic
Controller to take off.
10.59 AM. Immediately on getting permission from the Air Traffic Control, Squadron Leader PK Bundela and Flying Officer Sanjeev Narayan shot into the sky. The radio crackled “Juliet one…track at 23 degrees 58 min North and moving southwards. Make visual and confirm.” Squadron Leader Bundela replied. “Roger. Heading north.” In the meantime the unidentified aircraft made several manouevers inside and continued to fly in and out of the Indian air space. The fighter controller continued giving inputs to the airborne formation Juliet 1 and Juliet 2 about the position of the track to help them in locating the intruder and to ensure that the Indian jets do not stray into Pak territory. The unknown aircraft entered Indian air space for the third time at 11.14 AM and flew almost 10 kms inside Indian air space. Squadron Leader Bundela and Flying Officer Narayan had now visually identified the intruding aircraft to be a Pakistan Navy aircraft and relayed the information to the base Fighter Controller. It was French made Atlantique which could be heavily armed and was used for reconnaissance missions. Sqn Ldr Bundela identified the Pakistan insignia on the aircraft. It was declared to be a Hostile aircraft and had to be dealt with accordingly. Sqn Leader Bundela closed up on the Pak aircraft on its left so that he could signal it or communicate with it for landing in the nearest Indian Airfield. Flying officer Narayan continued trailing the Pak aircraft so that it could not turn and escape towards the border. Despite repeated attempts by Sqn Leader Bundela to compel the intruding aircraft to land in India, it remained adamant. Instead of maintaining the same height and direction it tried to maneuver, a sign of arrogance in Military Air Defence. In military parlance, when an intruding aircraft is cornered, it lowers its wheels as an indication to surrender and land. Instead the Pak Navy aircraft tried to throw the Indian fighter off guard by suddenly veering to the left where Sqn Leader Bundela had positioned himself flying alongside the Pak aircraft. It tried to flee towards the Pak
Down Memory Lane : Koushik Gangopadhyay
The Legend of Kargil
area. Sqn Ldr Bundela spoke on his radio “Track escaping towards border. Permission to fire.” And then there was that eerie silence except the sound of jet engine. Suddenly Bundela heard on his headset “Juliet One Fire.” Bundela responded “Roger.” ….Maintaining his cool while controlling the jet, Sqn Leader Bundela positioned himself behind the Pak aircraft, locked his R-60 infra red heat seeking air to air missile on target and pressed the FIRE button. Flying Officer Narayan noticed from his cockpit a bright red flame in the missile pod of Sqn Ldr Bundela’s fighter and a missile, leaving behind a trail of smoke went and hit the left engine of the Pak aircraft, which caught fire and smoke started bellowing out with debris crashing on the ground. The Indian radars saw the track gradually loosing height, spiralling and finally disappearing from the screen. It was later known that the aircraft crashed killing 16 Pak Navy personnel on board. Squadron Leader Bundela conveyed the message that the Hostile target had been hit. Both the Indian fighters were asked to break off and return to base. Sqn Leader Bundela and Flying Sanjeev Narayan passed on the relevant first hand information about the mission to concerned officials which were in turn conveyed to the Government of India. The Pakistani government made a huge hue and cry over the shooting down of its aircraft. They claimed that it was a training mission and their aircraft was shot down inside Pak territory by intruding Indian fighters who violated the Pak air space. They invited foreign dignitaries and took them to the crash site where most of the debris had fallen. But the real fact is, the Pak Navy aircraft was fired at when it was around 5 kms inside Indian air space and the momentum took it into Pak area. While some portion of the debris fell on Indian soil most of it crashed in Pakistan’s territory. The Pakistan government issued contradictory statements on the status of their aircraft. The Pak Information Minister, Mushahid Hussain had initially claimed that the Naval aircraft was on surveillance mission but the Prime Minister, Nawaz Shariff claimed at the funeral of the 16 Navy personnel that it was on a training mission. But Pakistan failed to answer a few simple questions. 1. What was a training mission doing near the international border when training areas are clearly demarcated by all countries? 2. How can Pakistan’s claim that the aircraft was unarmed be accepted without a pinch of salt by the two Indian fighter pilots when the whole world knows that Atlantique can be heavily armed? It can carry 3.5 ton of armament including bombs and air to air missiles. 3. Why did the captain of the Pak aircraft take an aggressive stand when Sqn Leader Bundela warned him repeatedly that not landing in Indian airbase could cost him his health? 4. The Pak Navy uses the Atlantique for operations over the sea but
what was it doing on land inside foreign territory apart from surveillance? In September 1999, Pakistan filed a compensation claim at the International Court of Justice claiming around 60 million US dollars from India. The Indian attorney general argued before the court that ICJ had no jurisdiction in this matter as it was a bilateral issue. Pakistan had violated the bilateral treaty signed in 1991 by intruding into Indian air space using a combat aircraft and Atlantique fell in the category of combat aircraft. In June 2000, the court ruled in favour of India that indeed it did not have jurisdiction in the matter. Pakistan’s habit of telling white lies to the world fell flat on its face once again when the court stated that Pakistan would not have the option to appeal in the case. The rogue state had spent close to 25 million Pakistani rupees to fight the case. The Pakistan government’s reluctance to learn from the past and get involved in adventurism has once again proved costly for it. 16 personnel of the Pak Navy lost their lives due to the short sightedness of their government and senior military officers. Squadron PK Bundela was awarded the prestigious Vayu Sena Medal for display of courage and determination while on operational duty. But his life on this planet was cut short by a tragic accident while flying a MIG 21 in the Rajasthan sector. He met with an accident while ejecting from his jet whose engine had stalled while flying at supersonic speed and severely damaged his spine. He was paralyzed below his neck and finally succumbed to his injuries.
Kaushik Gangopadhyay is an ex-defense personnel presently working with State Bank of India. He honoured us by accepting our request to share his real experiences and anecdotes of Air-
Force life in ‘Down Memory Lane’
Okay I am sorry, I have to say this- I have been
witnessing too many people writing offensive,
derogatory remarks on facebook. And then there
are people (especially the writers’ community)
fighting amongst themselves, slinging accusations
regarding how fake some people are. There have
been reports that people have been fooling others,
financially and emotionally and then there are
those who have pointed out how ‘fake’ and how
‘unhelpful’ their ‘so-called friends’ are! More and
more of us are probably busy asking questions
such as ‘Why are people so fake?’ and ‘How do we
deal with them?’
And by fake I am not just referring to people that
backstab or badmouth on social media platforms,
but also those who lie, ditch and portray things in a
way that aren’t in real life. And no matter how
much we try, we can hardly escape it. But believe it
or not, sometimes we are also fake (not that we try
deliberately, but that happens). And don’t say that
you haven’t lied, deceived or backstabbed anyone,
even if it was unintentional.
So, what do we do?
Well, ideally, I would say that we should be better
at interpreting. And when I say interpreting, I don’t
mean that you should judge a person on a scale of
goodness and badness, but rather analyze how
much you should open to a person, observe if the
person is capable of keeping secrets, judge what
could go wrong if you confide, take help, assist or
develop a bond with this person. This will help you
to decide where you should draw a line. A friend
who gossips about the world around you is great
for chatting, but maybe s/he is the one you should
avoid opening too. After all, if this person can
discuss others’ personal life with you, they can
discuss your personal life with others too (unless
they are particularly your great friend of course!)
An important aspect that should be understood
here is that humans live on three levels-
Firstly for themselves,
Secondly for their family,
Thirdly for the world around them
The first two may interchange, i.e. a person will get
himself killed while protecting his children or
assist a friend who is like a family for him. But the
third always comes at third. Therefore, if you
believe that an individual (even the one you call as
BFF) would put himself on fire for you or expect
that s/he would support you throughout or at least
appreciate you for your goodwill, then your belief
is erroneous, because there is a strong possibility
that you might not be as important to him as they
are to you.
I personally opine that if something like that
happens to you, then the fault is yours, because by
the end of it you have to decide who you help or be
associated with.
Another thing, if you as an individual are fond of
helping, then practice altruism- helping others
selflessly, without expecting anything, even
appreciation in return. You will be a happier
person.
Lastly, an individual is never all good or all bad. We
all have flaws. If you stop judging, you will take
tons of loads of your mind. And if you try and
succeed (which you will, sooner or later), then
start practicing Unconditional Positive Regard.
Because as Carl Rogers mentioned, ‘Individuals
must be treated in a positive and dignified manner,
despite of what kind of person they might be.’
Treat the world the way you want to be treated-
after all, if you bark at the mirror, the mirror will
bark at you.
Try it and the world will appear awesomely good
place. I know it seems preachy, especially when too
many of us have become victims of jealousy, gossip
and deception, but it isn’t that tough to follow!
Just give it a try for a few weeks and let me know if
you find anything good!
PEEK-A-BOO : PRERNA VARMA
Un-follow the ‘fake people’
Prerna Varma is a versatile writer who has been working with a number of organizations on a freelance basis. She is credited with a book titled THE DUMB AND DUMBFOUNDED. Her writing prowess is free of genre specification and that is what makes her unique.
Have you heard of Tyler Doohan, from East Rochester, New
York? Am sure the name leaves you baffled. To elucidate
more on him, he was an eight-year-old boy in the United
States, who saved six relatives from a house fire but
eventually died while saving his disabled grandfather.
Doohan was able to wake six other people in the small
trailer, including two more children aged 4 and 6. Doohan
then went back to help his grandfather, who was disabled
and would have been unable to get out of the home on his
own. It appeared that the boy was trying to lift his
grandfather from the bed when he was overcome by the
smoke and fire.
The pair was found dead together on a bed in the back
room by a group of firefighters. This was an unimaginable
sacrifice by an eight year old Good Samaritan. At his funeral
he was bestowed with title of honorary fire fighter and a
helmet was gifted to his family
It left me numbed for a while, thinking the unthinkable. He
laid down his life saving his own family, a rare trait to be
seen in times where a man nonchalantly kills his own
conscience.
It is an incomparable and a sublime sacrifice that anyone
could ever do for his family or could ever fathom. And what
if I tell you of someone….who stretched his arms and laid
down his life for us……….someone who sacrificed his life for
the entire world, such was his love for us……….
It was an evening after my college that I happened to board
a cab to my church. It was a familiar face smiling at me from
the corner of his freckled eyes. An elderly gentleman,
decked in uniform, creased forehead and eased eye brows.
“So sir, you would be having an off tomorrow? It’s Good
Friday right?” I gently smiled and said “Yes it is”.
“I am 50 years old now decades have gone by, however I
still do not know why do they celebrate Good Friday” said
the frail inquisitive voice. That question injected a rush of
dopamine in me, I could feel goose bumps. I sat up in my
seat and cleared my throat to answer something, something
that was stuck in my chest and soul for a long time.
“Well sir it is like this, it is on this day Lord Jesus died for us
and for our sins. He was crucified, so that we could be
saved”. He heard me keenly and nodded his head in silence.
The conversation ended and I disembarked the cab,
however the questions resonated and rose to a crescendo.
It was this fateful Friday afternoon; when those clamoring
streets of Jerusalem were thronging with curious crowds to
see Jesus’ crucification. It seemed to them; that it was their
callous decision to demand his death. However it was a part
of God’s plan and it had already been prophesized centuries
ago.
It was that sweltering afternoon that Lord Jesus picked up
the towering rugged cross; his head was impaled with a
crown of thorns and was profusely bleeding. His clothes
were in shards, his flesh was lacerated. His tottering feet
were staggering as he lifted the cross up the place called
“Skull” and his wounded feet left trails of blood behind as
he trudged with our transgressions. He was reeling under
our iniquities and we were jeering at him. Every whip that
broke on his flesh lacerated his heart and soul for us.
His blood trickled on the wooden cross as the nails of
persecution were driven into his flesh by the relentless
Roman soldiers. He took the burden of man’s
transgressions upon him like a lamb with no blemishes and
got sacrificed for our salvation. The word became flesh and
that was Lord Jesus. He was the son of God and could have
easily evaded the crucification; however he said to his
father “Let not my wish, but let your will be done”. He chose
to bear the burden of our iniquities.
“ It was about twelve o clock when the sun stopped shining
and darkness covered the whole country until three o clock
and the curtain hanging in the temple was torn into two”-
Luke 23:44-45. It explains the reason of church’s holding
their services/ masses from 12 to 3 pm on Good Friday.
He died so that we could be saved from perdition. And he
rose again on the third day on Easter, as he had promised.
Our hopes and lives are resurrected in him till eternity.
Good Friday is good because he laid his life for us, for our
sins. He beckons us to lift our crosses and follow him… he
speaks in a still small voice…….you have to pause and listen
to his calling….May Lord Jesus bless you and your
endeavors in abundance.
“Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my
disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily
and follow me”- Luke 9:23
Sacrament Sobriety : Gaurav Gill
“Lead me to the Cross”
Mr. Gaurav Gill is a person of quintessential contemplation known for his kind and modest nature. He is a lecturer and lives in New Delhi.
The hope rose.. Could feel my heart thump madly right across my chest
Was it the end…? Or it was a start much awaited….
Is it gonna be the end Or rise of the desires much suppressed
The hour was nearing and I could feel my mind frantically flush out the negative thoughts “No, keep hope” he had said,
“have faith, for we are told to.” Watch no bar, „cause it‟ll bring doubts, doubts like those thunderbolts that shudder the ground
Sharp light, sharp sound, the hurt .. That cut through like a knife into the flesh
Is it a start ??
..to the beautiful future we weaved together…. In those calm, quite hours, breaths rising…falling when we sighed
In those silent moments when we‟d long to feel fingers of the shivering hands Those unspoken words of ecstasy most desired
Of ache of flesh that longed for touch The hearts entwined like two turtle doves,
Inseparable Untouched by those storms unknown …..
Was it the heart thundering or it was my mind beat back the reality
Jolt me back to the surface When all I wished was to swim deep beneath the blue waters
Still wanting to breathe…
Still hopeful for the breath of life found only at the surface Yeah I wish to be hopeful,
Yes I have faith, holding me tight… ;letting me breathe in the deep
Why not?? The dreams that we saw The love we wish to give
Lips on lips, feeling the warmth, and the caress of the touch So deep, so subtle, so pure
Like them we‟d fly, soar into the evening sky The touch of the setting sun, the kiss of the breeze, the rush of the moment
My hand in yours Your head on me
You breathe on my neck……….. Oh! That seething love
These aching fingers that long for you
Caress each strand of your hair with immense love, with rising passion I whisper your name
and I feel it resonate
Across your cheek I kiss………
Those eyes look into mine And then I feel the pain, that sharp ache..
Still soaring high I fear I‟d fall
That intense look, that assurance ..
If this is a dream Never bring me to life I plead
Let me live it till the end For my search has ended
For my soul has found her mate Let me live
The Hope…
- Shelley Samson
Pune
Brazen Meet…..
On a sunny evening and weather so torrid
I saw your mystifying gaze, oh so lurid The crimson crown enfolding you in arms Triggering in me thy amiable love’s alarm
The crown adoring your esoteric hazel gaze It’s your aura that forever sets me ablaze
The birds engulf you with their majestic voice Your magnificent persona gives a reason to rejoice
I wish I can broaden my horizon just like yours To travel from shores to shores till I reach Azores With a fascination I’ll come to watch you for hours With thy spell you have tempted me into your lure
Pulling me towards thee I set out for a spree Grasses too are dancing with swaying trees Wind seems so enticing with its cool breeze
How I wish, this moment I could eternally freeze
God thy creation of dawn and dusk is scintillating That my chirpiness enjoys the feeling of titillating For you, I know it may sound a weird and insane
But I’ll still be in love with you till we meet again…..!!
© Heena Ahuja
Fragrance of Heena
Heena Ahuja is a girl who loves to scribble the rhythmic melody of literature. She lives in Mumbai.
“Goodbye Gabriel"
“If I knew that today would be the last time I’d see you, I would hug you tight and pray the Lord be the keeper of your soul. If I knew that this would be the last time you pass through this door, I’d embrace you, kiss you, and call you back for one more. If I knew that this would be the last time I would hear your voice, I’d take hold of each word to be able to hear it over and over again. If I knew this is the last time I see you, I’d tell you I love you, and would not just assume foolishly you know it already.”
― Gabriel Garcí¬a Márquez
This quote always made me wonder how a person can so closely accept the ultimate truth of life. The way it defines the wishful thinking of a person who knows that there is no way to create an exception to the circle of life, but accept it.
Is it true that memories are the only way to keep someone, who is long gone, with us, forever?
I think it’s true. Because the way you remember people, is the way you used to be with them. Every moment, good or bad, happy or sad, becomes so real that you start living them all over again. If only there is a way to turn the clocks backwards and get back to the time when everyone was with you; it's through the memories.
One more thing I learned from this quote is that we must express out affection, care, love towards people who matter to us. Otherwise the uncertainty of life could leave a scar in heart forever.
And now, when the author of this quote is gone forever, I wonder if he had seen it, the Death. The way he would go, the way people would remember him through is words, the way he would become immortal. I personally feel that Márquez never wrote anything extraordinary, but what he wrote
was beyond my incapable mind, which often lost the track while reading his works. Often I found myself lost in a trance, travelling the void, and feeling the happiness, and pain, and sadness, and love… With him gone, I will find the salvation in his books… R.I.P. Gabriel. Don’t forget to send your words through the rain and snow.
Mr. YouKnowMe is someone whom all of us know yet all of us are still to discover. He is a biker, an author and like all of us, a lover of life… He is at present working with an IT Company.
Mr. YouKnowMe Speaks…
“Today, take a decision. Take a decision that you would make your life worth living. Today, promise yourself that you would live
like the master of your life.”
- Swami Vivekananda
Once I got a strange feedback from a reader who seemed very
annoyed. I was accused of being ‘Larger than Life’ and
‘Unrealistic’.
I smiled and questioned back the reason behind this perception.
The reply came that my regular facebook statuses and quotes
were ‘too much positive’ and impossible to implement. And a
declaration followed the reply – ‘I guess Miss Sneha, you were
born with a silver spoon in your mouth. You don’t know how
cruel and harsh life is…’
I didn’t reply…
We, the humans, always have negative tendencies which
dominate our perceptions. I have seen that men tend to be more
pessimistic than women. Does it mean that they give up easily??
It is always good to be cautious and practical in our life but being
too much pessimist is what ruins us. As for example, my positive
quotes were taken as my inexperience. But the truth is, we
realize the value of smile only when we have gone through heart-
wrenching situations.
I don’t say that I am the greatest philosopher of my time, but yes,
I do know the essence of life. And the essence of life is happiness!
Happiness is all we want in life. But yes, perceptions could be
different.
For some people, materialistic approach towards life ensures
happiness. They need wealth, fame, power and luxury to be
happy. But the poor fact is, even the abundance of such things
cannot ensure long endurance of happiness. People get bore of
money and fame they already have and then they want more.
Greed has no end…
Contentment and gratefulness are two great things which lead to
happiness. Happiness would follow us if we stop mourning over
what we haven’t got and start celebrating what we already
possess.
We complain about our disciplined parents instead of being
thankful that we didn’t live the life of an orphan…
We complain about our troublesome siblings instead of being
grateful that our childhood wasn’t spent alone.
We complain of strict and dominating teachers instead of being
grateful that we didn’t spend our teenage collecting garbage
along the streets… At least we are being educated. We forget to
thank God that He saved us from being a child labour!
We complain about a nagging spouse….!
This is probably the most delicate question which our generation
needs to answer itself.
According to Zig Zagler, married men are happier than singles.
Oprah Winfrey adds that married men are happier because they
have got a wife whom they could hold responsible for all their
miseries and even shield their own inefficiencies. Jerry Pinto
chuckles that behind every successful man, there is a woman
because women never chose unsuccessful men.
Jokes apart, as Victor Hugo had said that the feeling of ‘not being
alone’ is the best feeling in the world which fills the conscience
with positivity and it eventually leads to success and happiness.
Here the context is itself proved that if you value, care, trust and
love your relations, you are sure to live a happy life.
God made roses and He made thorns too. He made thorns to
make us realize the value of roses. Similarly, God gives us pains
so that we could value happiness. You get the courage to laugh
loudly only when you have had shed tears in your past. Sorrows
test our endurance. Happiness keeps us going…
Life is not about becoming a money-making machine.
The most profitable enterprise is happiness. Let yourself become
a production-house of happiness. Manufacture happiness and
distribute it. And trust me, the smashing return which you will
get would be so abundant that whole universe would fall short to
hold it.
And that, my friend, is the reason of my happiness. What you feel
through statuses and quotes is actually my inner happiness
which radiates in my words and action. My only motive in life is
to be happy and spread happiness. It doesn’t mean that I haven’t
cried ever. Yes I did. Even I have faced such situations which
compel you to end everything [everything means everything…!],
but the only difference is, I never gave up. Yes, I became a little
obstinate to be happy. It was my craziness, my ‘zidd’, to be
happy. I promised myself that I would be happy and that is why I
am happy.
The other factor which works here is, if your happiness is related
to a particular entity, don’t let it go. And if you are scared of
obstacles then remember what Paulo Coelho had said – “If you
want something/someone wholeheartedly, whole universe
conspires in getting it for you.” And if this sentence seems too
difficult to remember then repeat the Indianized version spoken
by ShahRukh Khan in one of his famous movies – “Tujhe pane ki
hamne iss shiddat se koshish kee hai, ki har zarre ne tujhe hamse
milaane ki saazish kee hai…”
Because at the end of the day, doesn’t matter how much money,
fame and power you have! What matters the most is how bigger
your smile is, how contented your conscience is and how
beautiful your dreams are…!
So my friend, what matters the most is your happiness!
Random Reveries : Sneha Gupta
Life and Happiness
Sneha Gupta belongs to a small town in Bihar. She is a banker by profession and breathes to write. She is the author of two published books and received several awards for her writing ventures. She is often invited as motivational speaker in reputed schools and colleges. She is the founder and editor of Branwyn and Akshara.
