Mia by Tanishq - As Beautiful as your work

My first trip to Vaishnodevi was unimpressive. Climbing was hard, and it only served to highlight how badly out of shape I was, while my in-laws managed to cope so much better. Further, I hadn’t quite realized that the cave experience wouldn’t be the same as I had imagined, since the original cave was only opened at certain times a year, and that we only entered a newly created tunnel, one far easier to access, and hence more manageable with the crowds that thronged the mountain shrine. The resulting experience at the shrine, for barely a fraction of a second, hardly compared to what I had expected / imagined / heard about. So, for me, Vaishnodevi was like any other temple, nothing to write home about, something that was reflected (though not explicitly mentioned) in the blog post I wrote then.

Mia by Tanishq - As Beautiful as your work

It was about a month back that I first got a mail, inviting me to participate in the Mia by Tanishq contest. The mail mentioned the TV ad running then, and I realised how disconnected I was, with happenings on the TV front! I am usually reluctant to participate in contests (as most of you know well by now) and my first instinct was to refuse. Besides, it was barely a week since my father-in-law had passed on, and I had the perfect excuse too. But, I must admit, I was curious. Both, about the ad, as well as the tag line for the contest – As Beautiful as your work!

Amidst all the work at home, I managed to grab one look at the ad....

And the first person I thought of, was my sister. I could so imagine her as Megha, with her taste in ear rings. She has just begun work, and I wondered if she would react like Megha too. And I hoped she would. After all, I am the one who gets her ear rings of every shape and size!!!!!

However, she isn’t the one I want to write about. Amongst all the women I know, there is just one who fits the bill; whose image was the one that came to my mind the minute I read that mail. That woman is my mother.

She never ‘went to work’ but worked harder than most people I know (and that includes me). She faced dilemmas more complex than Megha’s in the ad, and tougher than the ones I face today, yet she remained strong – holding on to her convictions, staying true to herself, doing what she believed was best. And the results proved her right.

She was a single parent, a stay-at-home-mother (SAHM) in the time the term wasn’t even invented, and as to how well she did her job, just see how I turned out!!!

She faced criticism and fault finding with the same aplomb that she faced everything else, never losing her cool, never shouting or creating a scene. Today, as I lose my temper at the slightest mischief of my son, I wish I had inherited her patience, and her inner calmness, which saw her through much worse.

Life seemed to throw troubles at her again and again, forcing her to question the choices she had made. But she stayed true to her principles, her ideas, and her decisions. I truly wish I had her resilience too!

The woman I know as my mother has never worn much jewellery, or dressed up. Yet she looks just as beautiful today as the day she was married, even without all the adornment. In fact, I think she looks even more beautiful today, for she has remained the same in spite of all that she has been through.

She, truly is the woman, who I feel, is “As beautiful as her work”.

This post is my entry for the Mia by Tanishq Blogger Contest.

Gokarna Part II – The Five Lingams

We continued our Gokarna trip by visiting four other Shiva temples in the vicinity, all connected to the same story of Gokarna. The story of Gokarna mentions the Mahabaleshwara Lingam as the one brought from Kailas by Ravana, and kept at this place on the ground by Ganesha. (See my earlier post- Gokarna – Pilgrimage and Pleasure). However, the story does not end here. It is believed that, in his anger, Ravana flung aside the materials which covered the lingam- the casket, its lid, the string around the lingam, and the cloth covering it. All these items became lingams as soon as they touched the ground. These four lingams, along with the main Mahabaleshwara lingam are collectively called the ‘ Panchalingams’ . These are: Mahabaleshwara – the main lingam Sajjeshwar – the casket carrying the lingam. This temple is about 35 Kms from Karwar, and is a 2 hour drive from Gokarna. Dhareshwar – the string covering the lingam. This temple is on NH17, about 45 Kms south of Gokarna. Gunavanteshw

The Power of 8 - The Ashta Dikpalas and Ashta Vasus at Khajuraho

The four cardinal directions form the axis on which a temple is built, and are thus the basis of temple architecture. Leading from them are the eight directions, which are believed to be guarded by the eight guardians, or Ashta Dikpalas . In the temples of Khajuraho, great care has been taken by the sculptors to carve the Ashta Dikpalas on the walls, both inside and outside. They not only guard the temple, but also look over us as we circumambulate the shrine, protecting us by their presence. They are augmented by the Ashta Vasus , celestial beings which represent natural phenomena. Together, they enhance the idea of the temple as cosmos, enfolding within it, all the aspects of nature, both, on earth, as well in space.

The Havelis of Bikaner - A Photo Post

The lanes are narrow , twisting and turning amidst buildings old and new. Crumbling old structures with intricate workmanship stand side by side with art deco buildings, and more modern constructions, which follow no particular style. Autos, bicycles, motorcycles and vans rush past, blowing their horns as loudly as possible, while cows saunter past peacefully, completely unaffected by the noise. In the midst of all this chaos, children play by the side, and women go about their chores, as we explore these by-lanes of Bikaner, and its beautiful Havelis. Facade of one of the Rampuria Havelis

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