On 23rd we went to the temple early in the morning and after our Archanai and pooja sat on that horizontal platform to have our prasadam. A person who was cleaning the garden area and doing some other errands came and sat on the other platform in front of us. He initiated talks by the opening remark that it had not rained properly till now and it's really hot. Conversation continued by mostly he talking and we responding. We felt good. In fact such relaxed open conversation where a person openly share about his personal life changing experiences have become so rare that when you come across it that feeling of human bonding seep in and you feel connected. He has suffered a lot in life. His father and uncles stayed in their village like one big family. They worked unitedly and shared responsibilities. So gradually they prospered . With prosperity came enmity and jealousy . So such circumstances were created that they had to leave the village and shift to some other place. He has left his family i.e. wife and children to a place some two hundred or so kilometer away and works here in temple. He is responsible for keeping the big temple compound clean. He gets up at three in the morning and it takes almost three hours to broom entire compound. So much upheaval in life but what really impressed me was that he has no bitterness towards any one. He was not complaining. While narrating entire life and the events he was as if just stating facts. What we gathered from his talks that even before coming to this temple at a place far off from his native place he always sought the company of saints and philosophers. Perhaps that has deepened his thought process and made him a very calm and accepting person. He might not have read many books or for that matters not read at all but he definitely gave us few life lessons. He also talked about changing times, social scenario and said that instead of confronting some one who even abuses you the best way is to leave the place and then think about the entire episode. At the end of that we mostly end up forgiving him and letting go it because out of ten ,nine times we are able to see either his pains or frustrations.
Every and any source can teach you a lot. He enriched our morning . We felt a calmness spreading within us.
#temple #lifelessons #humanbonding #lettinggo

On the wings of words, 
We go around the world 
At the end of voyage 
Slowly folding the wings
Settle down deep within 
The peace of just being me.


while sitting and reading on a bench in Anshu's backyard....columbus...2018

Rising and falling
Rushing and rhythmic
The waves
take me to
shores unknown
voyages undefined,
leave my being
resounding
reverberating
long after they have receded into themselves
and I
stand submerged into depths inside
hitherto unknown to me.
#columbusartmuseum#columbus#ohio #Art #museum


on the wood sculpture in columbus art museum on the floor of a room.....three dimensional wave effect.... 2018

Namita Sunder is with Sunder Iyer.

August 27 · 

बादलों से हो़ड़ करती
अल्हड़ हवायें
थामने को पवनचक्कियां
खड़ी बाहें फैलाए
यह पकड़म पकड़ाई
यह चुहल किलक
देख खिलखिला रहीं
दसोॆ दिशायें ।

Standing in wide open fields windmills look elegant and imposing. Their solid, sombre looks exudes an aura of strict disciplinary personality. And why not, it is not easy to stand rooted firmly in the realm of free spirited, free flowing winds. Look at those mischievous winds, they dance playfully all around the windmills trying to tickle their outstretched arms. Windmills stand unmoved, rapt in quiet dignity, bearing their playful nudges here and there but once winds start coming with more and more gusto, they roll them around their powerful arms suck in some of their wanton energy and send it to be of use to others.....light spreads around.

looking at windmills on way to Chicago from Columbus.....2018

Wet evening
Rain bathed jungles
A bit slippery, tricky path
Shadowy dusk
Muffled voices from deep within forest
Holding hands
Hearts suffused with warmth
God sure lights up life
In many ways.

#brecksvillenaturecenter #clevelandmetropark #friendship #virualisreal

with Ruchi chopra...2018

हे गणपति, हे गजनायक 
हे गजानन अवतारा 
शांति, मुस्कानों से 
भर दे, घर आंगन हमारा. 
विश्व बंधुत्व भाव बढ़े 
प्रेम रंग रचे जग सारा.
आओ न धरती पर
करने दुष्ट संहारा.
कर दो कर दो दया दृष्टि
हे गजानन अवतारा.


on the occasion of Ganesh chaturthi...2018

Ah! The deliciously sweet smell of freshly cut hay
The symmetrical rows of perfectly packed bundles
The pattern ready to be part of something bigger
Come winter and it will be comfort giver to some home
When outside world will be harsh and cold
Under the glow of a lamp, cocooned in mother’s lap
A child will feel safe and warm
Fragrance of harvest set me on a journey to wonder and joy
The peaceful moment made me slow down
Raveling in the little pleasures around
That weave the greater, the bigger pattern of life


looking at a freshly cut field..somewhere in Ohio state...2018