MANY MORE BIRTHDAY FOR $HILPA...

Few days back, we went to MGM Casino. This Casino is considered to be biggest one in DMV (DC+Maryland+Virginia) area. While entering Casino, they had made a ramp for Guest who visit Casino for the 1st time & on this red carpet, me & Shilpa got an opportunity to walk the ramp.

While walking on a ramp I felt like all other guest's eyes glued on us and they continuously starring on us. While walking behind Shilpa, holding the pinky finger of my bride, I felt like I leads the first four vows, which is followed by the remaining three rounds concluded by the my lovely bride. On every steps i am walking on ramp, I felt like we both are performing "SAPTAPADI", the families & the guest remain seated around the RAMP, showering us with flowers and rice; signifying their blessings upon us. No doubt, me & Shilpa had rock the stage & put the stage on fire...

While walking a ramp, i mesmerising all 7 pheras as uttered by Harishbhaimaharaj during my marriage, 

FIRST PHERA – PRAYER FOR FOOD AND NOURISHMENTS.....“With God as our guide, let us take the first step to live with honour and respect. Let us walk together so we get food”

SECOND PHERA – STRENGTH.....“Let us be happy and enjoy life. Let us walk together so we grow together in strength,”

THIRD PHERA – PROSPERITY.....“Let us share joys and pains together. Let us walk together so we get wealth.” 

FOURTH PHERA – MY LOVELY FAMILY.....“Let us not forget parents and elders. Let us walk together so we get happiness by sharing our joys and sorrows,”

FIFTH PHERA – PROGENY.....“Let us observe all acts of charity. Let us walk together so we have family”

SIXTH PHERA – HEALTH.....“Let us live a long and peaceful life. Let us walk together so we have joy”

SEVENTH PHERA.....“Let us be friends with love and sacrifice. Let us walk together so we have friendship” 

I let Shilpa go ahead so that she can put a stage on fire. I prefer posture as free style dancer & I prefer, let each other enjoy this freedom....be whatever circumstances, I tried to be a true exhibitor of love, passion & compassionate which did reminds me of "7th phera of SAPTAPADI" as the content as described by Purohitji as below,

"They share the stage as to make a vow together. They shall share love, share the same food, share strengths, share the same tastes. We shall be of one mind, we shall observe the vows together. 

I shall be the Samaveda, you the Rigveda, 

I shall be the Upper World, you the Earth; 

I shall be the Sukhilam, you the Holder - together we shall live and beget children, and other riches; come thou, O sweet-worded girl!"

I wish to celebrate more and more years of togetherness so that i can celebrate more birthdays....

I wish you A Happy Birthday from the bottom my heart...... 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

 HAPPY HALLOWEEN

In USA, people give too much importance to Halloween festival where most Native American decorate their home in Halloween theme. Halloween means holy evening or All Saints Day.

In the eighth century, All Saints Day was celebrated to honour saints. The eve of All Saints Day was called All Hallows Eve which then came to be known as Halloween.

The custom of trick-or-treating, in which children dress up in costume and solicit treats from neighbors, became popular in the United States in the early 20th century as Irish and Scottish communities revived the Old World custom of “guising,” in which a person would dress in costume and tell a joke, recite a poem, or perform some other trick in exchange for a piece of fruit or other treat. By trick-or-treating for candy had become one of Halloween’s most popular activities. Today, Halloween is one of the biggest holidays for candy sales in the United States….

હેપ્પી બર્થડે મારા પ્રિય પપ્પા.

 હેપ્પી બર્થડે મારા પ્રિય પપ્પા.

આ પપ્પા એટલે ?​

પપ્પા એટલે ખાલી એક નામ ?

પપ્પા એટલે ખાલી એક દેખાવ જ ?

પપ્પા એટલે ખાલી એક પદ ?

પપ્પા એટલે ખાલી બાયોડેટામાં નામની પાછળ લાગતુ અસ્તિત્વ ?

ના ….

પપ્પા એટલે પરમેશ્વરના પુરાણો કરતા પણ વધુ પ્રેકટિકલ પ્રેરણાદાઇ પુસ્તક...

આપણી સૌથી મોટી તકલીફ એ છે કે આપણા માંથી ઘણા પુરાણો વાંચવાની

અને સમજવાની વાતો કરે છે પણ ઘરમાં બેઠેલા પપ્પાને નથી વાંચી શકતા...

આ પપ્પા નામે પ્રોફાઇલને ક્રેડિટ સાથે

બહુ લેવાદેવા નહી.. મા ને ઇશ્વર માની લેનાર સમાજ પપ્પાને પપ્પા જ સમજે..

કારણકે આ પપ્પાએ કોઇ દિવસ પોતાની જાતને ઇશ્વરની કેટેગરી માટે નોમીનેટ

કર્યો જ નથી.

​"ખબરદાર જો આમ કર્યુ છે તો...​

​આવવા દે તારા પપ્પાને..​

​બધ્ધું જ કહી દઇશ" આવા વાક્યો​

​દરેક મા એ કયારેક ને કયારેક​ ​પોતાના બાળકને નાનપણમાં કહ્યાં જ હશે....​

​અને ન છૂટકે પણ પેલો ઓફિસમાં ફેમીલી માંટે કમાતો બાપ બાળકનો અજાણ્યો દુશ્મન બની જાય છે. અને અજાણતા જ સંતાનો સાથેનું આ છેટું ઘણું લાંબુ ચાલે છે.​

​ઘણા કિસ્સાઓમાં તો પપ્પાની ખરી કિંમત સમજાય છે ત્યા સુધીમાં પપ્પા ખીલ્લી પર ટાંગેલ ફોટો બની ગયો હોય છે.​

બાકી પપ્પા તો એવા પરમેશ્વર છે જેને પામવા વ્રત, ઉપવાસ કે અઘરા શ્લોકના ગાન કરવા નથી પડતા... આપણી તકલીફમાં આપણા ખભાને ટેકો દેવા એ

પપ્પા નામના પરમ મિત્રને ઓળખવાની કળા મોટા ભાગે યુવાનીમાં કેળવાતી જ નથી બાકી એ વાત ખરી કે આ ઉંમરમાં પપ્પા ભણાવા કરતા ગણાવે છે વધુ.

કોઇ પપ્પા પાર્ટ ટાઇમ નોકરી કરતો હશે પણ પિતૃત્વતો ફુલ ટાઇમ જ કરતો હશે.. કારણકે ઓફિસમાં ​ઓવર ટાઇમ કરતો પપ્પા આખરે તો દિકરા કે દિકરીને સઘળી સવલતો આપવા જ સજ્જ થતો હોય છે....​

​આપણી યુવાનીમાં કરેલી ભૂલોથી ટાયર્ડ થઇ જતો પપ્પા ચીડાઇ ને પિતૃત્વથી રીટાયર્ડ નથી થઇ જતો.. એને પળે પળ આપણને કશું એટલા માટે શીખવાડવું છે કારણકે જીવનમાં જયાં જયાં એણે પીછે હટ ભરી છે ત્યાં ત્યાં આપણે ન ભરી દઇએ.....​

આ પપ્પા એટલે ૯ વાગે ટીવી બંધ કરીને જબરજસ્તી ભણવા બેસવાનો ઓર્ડર નહી પણ ભણતરની કિંમત સમજાવતુ એક સુવાક્ય..

​આ પપ્પા એટલે રાત્રે જયાં સુધી ઘરે ન આવીયે ત્યાં સુધી સતત ચાલતો હિંચકાનો કિચુડ કિચુડ અવાજ ....​

આ પપ્પા એટલે મમ્મી કરતાં પણ વધુ વ્હાલની ઉપર પહેરેલૂં કડકાઇનું મ્હોરુ..

​આ પપ્પા એટલે એકવાર ખાઇ લીધા પછી મમ્મીથી સંતાડીને બીજી વાર અપાતી ચોકલેટ...​

આ પપ્પા એટલે એવી પર્સનાલીટી જે ફેશન ન કરતી હોવા છતાં ય આપણા સ્ટાઇલ આઇકોન બની જાય....

આ પપ્પા એટલે આપણને કદિ યે પડી

ન જવા દેતો સાઇકલની સીટની પાછળથી પકડેલો મજબુત હાથ...

​આખરે પપ્પા ઍટલે પપ્પા…બસ આમ જુવો તો કશું જ નહી અને આમ જુવો તો બધ્ધું જ...​

એ પપ્પા નામના પુસ્તકમાં એવુ સરસ મઝાનું પાનુ જોડાશે જે જીવનભર વાંચવું ગમશે..

તમારા જન્મદિવસ પર, હું તમને સ્વસ્થ, સમૃદ્ધ, સારા જીવનની ઇચ્છા કરું છું.

Olympic Torch For Crematorium

 

Today morning on 3am, i wokeup due to some unusual dream. When I woke up, I was literally sweating all over my body. In my dream, I was sweating due to lava type fire over my head. I could see that This scorching heat was coming from the torch I was holding in my hand. I could see that I was walking ahead of all people while other 100 and 1000’s of people were following me. I could see my relatives were all dressed like some faded whites clothes & others people’s were in some sporting attire. I was walking & holding the torch for which I feel like I am heading to begin the starting of an torch relay with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. 

THE OLYMPIC TORCH

At first glance, holding torch of Olympic i felt like Prometheus's gift of the flame to humanity was said to be given to humankind its nudge toward civilization & for the modern Olympic Games, which represents consideration of that myth, an ode to the growth of civilization, and the ancient tradition of the Game’s beginnings ....But all of sudden the flame of sadness continues to burn in the cauldron in my heart and all glittering turned into faded environment of someone’s funeral.

THE OLYMPIC SONG & MUSIC

While further walking, I could see a race track colored with white line of control for each opponent to walk. On one side of race track, all people were cheering for the crowd walking on it.

I was witnessing the ceremonies typically started with the raising of the host country's flag and a performance of its national anthem. The host nation then presents artistic displays of music, singing, dance, and theater representative of its culture, history, and the Olympic game motto. 

All of sudden all songs & music turned into dirge- a somber song turned into lament expressing mourning for someone who died and the race track turned into cremation meeting of my Damubaa. A well-decorated photograph of her is carried by my Papa in the center of race-track. Floral arrangements were made to pay regards to the lost one. The Pandit/Priest announces the death of the lost one and everyone started paying respect to my Papa & other family members.

THE OLYMPIC RING

On one side of race-track, I could see symbol of Olympic, The Olympic Rings which are used to represent the 5 continents of the world that contain countries to show that they are united together...  the 5 continents with countries are represented on the Olympic Rings turned into face of my family member - headed by Papa in Center Ring, Dhanesh on left top Ring, Darshana on right top ring, Alka on left bottom Ring & myself on right bottom Ring of Olympic symbol.

THE LAST RITE

One of the sportsman was announcing the history & idea for the Olympic flame that was derived from ancient Greece, where a sacred fire was kept burning throughout the celebration of the ancient Olympics on the altar of the sanctuary of Hestia. Sacred fires were present at many ancient Greek sanctuaries, including those at Olympia. The modern Olympic flame is ignited at the site where the temple of Hera used to stand turned into funeral of my mother, Damu....and lead cremator i.e. me & Dhanesh were leading the cremation ceremony with carrying burned dhup, fragrance sticks in small pot. I could see I circumambulated the dry wood pyre on her, says a eulogy or recites a hymn by priest, I places sesame seeds or rice in her mouth, sprinkles the body and the pyre with ghee, then draws three lines signifying Yama (deity of the dead), Kala (time, deity of cremation) and the dead. 

Prior to lighting the pyre, an earthen pot which was filled with water, and i circled her with it, before lobbing the pot over my shoulder so it breaks near the head side on the floor. Once the pyre is ablaze, both lead mourners… me & Dhanesh and all closest relatives started circumambulate the burning pyre for one or more time. 

For Brahmin, birth & death are closely associated as a part human life cycle of “coming and going” as seen in transient stage towards liberation complete unity with God for the peace of the soul. There is a belief that the soul of the departed is still conscious of any emotions on people’s behalf. These rituals assist the spirit of the deceased to obtain a new body for reincarnation in this Prayer halls being divine and purity help in this process. And hence the cold collected ashes from the cremation is later consecrated to Nashik by me & Dhanesh.

I could see panaromic view of my mother’s funeral as all instances has been associated with consolidation of my memory, which suggests that dreaming may serve an important cognitive function of strengthening memory and informational recall that I had in the past….

Rest In Peace my mother….happy for your liberation from Birth, Death, Old Age & Diseases…

HELMET - Take care of HEAD

After graduating in business Commerce\economics & getting International certification in I.T., I got a decent job in a I.T. company. I had no pressure from my family to get married as they are all aware of my affair with Shilpa.

Unaware of my love-dovie, during caste functions, most of my relatives pull me over to show me girls so that they can convince me for marrying their daughter\relatives and happens to meet this girl under such arranged marriage system for my cousin's & I also started liking this girl. Unfortunately it was my first such experience of seeing a girl & getting rejected - outright on my face. Later, out of curiosity, I asked my relative as to why she rejected me? My relative gave me a reason that she is expecting to marry a rich man.

I understand that most of the girls want to marry rich guys and It is very unfortunate how men are reduced to price tags. Put the details aside, what that girl was trying to do is an exchange of her “beauty” with “money”: Person A provides beauty, and Person B pays for it, fair and square.

However, there’s a deadly problem here, Girls beauty will fade some day, but money will not be gone unless for any good reason. The fact is, my income might increase from year to year, but she can’t be prettier year after year.

Hence from the viewpoint of economics, I am an appreciation asset, whereas she was a depreciation asset. It’s not just normal depreciation, but exponential depreciation. If that is her only asset, her value would be much worse 15-20 years later.

By the terms we use in Stock Market- every trading has a position so marrying with her is also a “trading position” So if the trade value dropped, we will sell it and it is not a good idea to keep it for long term – same goes with the marriage that she wanted and expected. It might be cruel to say this, but in order to make a wiser decision, any assets with great depreciation value will be eithr sold or “leased”.

I....ofcourse moved on in life and got married to a girl....love of my life.

15 years later i.e.years in 2014, on one the signal in Kandivali, I saw the same beautiful lady at a traffic signal with her husband seating on rear seat of their Honda Activa. While on green signal, she was trying to kickstart their scooter because seems like the battery start was not working. I looked out of my newly bought Sedan car and I briefly looked at her. Though she recognized me but still i didnt called her and without any hint of recognition, I moved from her eyes away, far from her... because I prefer to stay safe from such spices of human.

At that moment, after driving a two wheeler for over 25 years, first time in my life I realized the value of a helmet as she was trying to hide her face in it....

So always wear a helmet in your own safety !!!

PICHKARIII

There is no doubt that USA is an expensive country & the civic services are of the best standards.

So this was an incident while we had been just moved to USA in 2019. I had been to Taco Bell for munching its inventive, often whimsical, Mexican-inspired items. While placing an order I happened to see an Maharashtrian look-alike Indian man sitting on other side of table. This man was looking typical Marathi as he had wore Mahi Gold Plated Peshwai Bhik Bali 

Apart from his wife and two children, this man & was also accompanied by his old age father of 70’ age. It look like they were on their holiday in USA as they were sitting with tons of luggage bags.

I could hear a noise of son annoyed & firing his father- left & right. I overheard their discussion & which made me laugh out spontaneously ...

They were traveling on 66 highway, one of the express ways from Washington to other state. This Indian Family were in their car and coincidentally was followed by a Local Police driving at a safe distance. Suddenly this police  saw head of an old man coming out of their window and was vomiting blood. A lady cop took a quick action and inform 911 (The three-digit telephone number "9-1-1" has been designated as the "Universal Emergency Number," for citizens throughout the United States to request emergency assistance. It is intended as a nationwide telephone number and gives the public fast and easy access to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for help.)

In no time, there appeared an Air Ambulance Helicopter provider utilizes an advanced fleet of jets that are configured as hospital intensive care units as to provide the best care possible. In the meanwhile, the lady police forced their car to park on curbside. 

Looking at Police car & Air Ambulance, these Indian family got scared & could not utter a single word to them. The well trained staff quickly shifted this old man on the stretcher. Oxygen supply started in helicopter itself. Experienced Doctor who also flew in Helicopter started examining him And Sometime later, the old man was declared safe and fit to travel again. 

Kudos to Quick Help and Well Done the Police for their quick action.

But for these services, our Bhau had to cough up USD$ 3000. 

With these unplanned heavy financial charges, this man was in shock and he blasted on his Old Aged Father : "Tichi Ayalaa, kay tumhi pann....Khiḍakīcyā bāhēra guṭakhā khāṇyācī ani pichkari marnya chi kay garaj hoti? “

EVERYDAY IS MOTHERS DAY FOR ME....2021

 My conversion with my maa, THEN & NOW

THEN...

Maa: Beta, I fought with death when I was giving birth to you. I had spent sleepless nights when you were sick and crying. I remembered that I never ate without feeding you first. I bore so many pains to bring you to the stage that you are in today so tell me how will you repay me, Chetu?

ME: Maa, I promise you that When I grow up, I will find a good job and earn lots of money for you so you can enjoy all happiness of this world.

Maa:Your Papa is already doing this and I do not expect this from you too. Also by the time you start earning, I will be old and will not be in need of any worldly luxuries.

so I thought for a while & reply her 

ME: “okay then I will find a pious girl and marry her so she can cook for you and will also take care of you.”

Maa: That is not her duty my Chetu and neither should you marry for that reason. It is not compulsory on her to do any service to me, neither do I expect this from her. Your marriage should be for you only, a companion and a comfort for you as you go through this journey of life.

I didn’t know what to answer her so told her 

ME: “Tell me Maa, how can I repay you then?”

Maa: (With tears in her eyes) Spend quality time with me or call me often when you away from me. As a mother, I only require this much from you while i am alive. 

but when I die, give me your shoulder and burn me with all respect.

Whenever you perform prayers, supplicate for me. 

Give out in charity for me. 

Remember all your good deed will benefit me in hereafter so be good and kind always. 

Fulfill the rights of all those around you. The sleepless nights and pains I took to bring you up, was not a favour to you, my Chetu but was it for my creator. God blessed me with you as a beautiful gift and as a means for me to attain His pleasure. 

Your every good deed becomes my repayment.

So Will you do it my Chetu...?

ME: (Cannot speak and had tears in my eyes)

NOW: 

I lost my Mom 34 year back but all her memories are very well alive in me. After Maa's death, My Papa is playing dual role of father-mother for me. 

While in India, I used to make sure to call Papa every alternate days. I used to make sure to meet him every Sunday to hug him, tight. 

After I moved to USA, I used to call him everyday- just to say HI & How are you....that makes him sooooo happy....

As said by my siblings, everyday evening between 8pm to 9pm, he is awaiting for my call & I make sure to call him toooo...

Because everyday is mothers day for me...