Efforts

Everyone lives their lives to the best of their abilities to carry the burden of challenges and comfort of victories that universe bestows upon us. Every day is a new day that is met with new set of energies – be it of mind, body, intellect or more . But, just the way time dances to the tune of its own, always dynamic against the fabric cosmos, so is our fate that sets the universe of our lives ablaze with new energies that may oscillate between gloom, inspiration and everything in between. For some, the burden of a moment can be greater than the toils of a lifetime of others. Who is to judge whom here?

What people are usually drawn towards is the victor – be it a battle consisting of infinite moments or a moment of infinity. Manner of the victory is subjective topic for each individuals taste. What goes unnoticed and unappreciated is the effort taken to face the moment that stretches into the endless horizon of time. The churn a person confronts at the first light of day or the deep chill of a moonless night.

Victory or Failure is not in ones hand but facing the challenge is. Effort taken to face the challenge is also an equally remarkable factor that if cherished can spark a new line of heroes for everyone to get inspired from. For victory or failure is never permanent.

Honor lies in appreciating and learning from facets that go beyond the prism of victory or loss and appreciate the efforts taken to face the moment – be it as an individual or as a society and most importantly appreciate it too for it will spark emotions to either repeat the victory or learn from the mistakes.

Perhaps humanity should, for once, give efforts a chance to look beyond the horizon of gain and loss.

Kaleidoscope

Sometimes, life can be described as series of individual events like a string of pearls wherein each pearl has its own value, each pearl collectively adds value to assortment of various pearls and most importantly is complete in itself, making it easy for comprehension of nature of events.

Other times , life can be described as an assortment of shards of glasses difficult to bring about together for a meaningful study.

In times like these, it is best to step back and try to look it at with a different perspective.

Just like viewing through a Kaleidoscope and maybe then one can try and understand how the various assorted moments that seem independent and irregular on first glance, actually are part of a larger mosaic.

Gratitude

A human life is blessed with five basic comforts – sight, hearing ability, ability to communicate, to smell and to taste. Of the five comforts, the ability to taste and smell foods is an ever changing one as it depends upon the variety and quality of food served.

Having food is an activity that nourishes the body , mind and soul. After a delicious meal we usually thank and compliment the person who has prepared the meal.

But, while thanking the person who has prepared the meal, do spare a thought and extend your gratitude to the farmers who have toiled day and night to generate the raw materials for your every day meal.

In your life, there are many such people who by carrying out their daily tasks, help and support our own and many other lives. Example – a security personnel, maids, postman, army etc.

If you come across them in your lives, try to show gratitude towards them.

After all, it is because of the fact that they carry out their duties, are you able to enjoy the five basic comforts in absolute peace.

Smoke and Mirrors

This is an old poem that I had written 7+ years ago and stumbled upon it today . Below are few lines from it , not the entire poem. Enjoy!

 

Morning brings a fresh hope,

Night then snatches it away,

In-between are those moments,

when the soul aches to hear you say.

 

Words that brighten the say,

Words that sparkle in night,

Words within whom lies the mystery of ocean,

That rival the beauty of full moon night.

 

Such moments are brief,

Such moments are long,

Yet they are filled with the hope of mightiest dawn.

 

As every ray of the mighty sun scorches the ground,

Bringing light to every moment weighed down by doubt.

As every ray of the moon comforts the heart,

Like the soul of a flower at the touch of a dew drop.

 

 

 

 

Sky

While enjoying a journey, one always faces chances of getting smooth roads and at time bumpy rides. This journey is akin to witnessing the movement of clouds against the backdrop of skies.

Sky is like a theater – the great backdrop against which mighty clouds, sometimes light and white as the smile of a child and at times dark and sober with the weight of rains, dance in their natural rhythm to the divine music of wind god – Vayu. Their dance intertwined with the game of hide and seek , played during day and at night with the light houses (sun & moon) of our skies, dazzles and stimulates the imagination of many bringing joy and brood to everyone who looks at it with their own set of emotions.

And then there are those, who don’t concentrate on the momentary, passing clouds and the games they play but are fixed on the great backdrop that enables them to enjoy and study these games.

Clouds are the ever changing situations that one faces in life – from ugly to bad to good and so on as it moves in cyclic manner like the many seasons of Mother Nature. But, in the end it makes sense to be like the sky – a witness to the marvel that unfolds in front of our eyes but at the same times remain detached from its passing, dreamlike nature.

Dance of clouds is momentary but ‘Sky’ always remains true.

Choice

Learn to forgive yourself. For it is you alone who knows what it means to walk on the path destined for you. Others may help you, mock you or won’t bother to do anything about you. How long will you depend on the opinions of others to act like crutches for you to stand on?

It’s up to you – whether you stop and pay heed to everything they say, do OR whether you march ahead on your own way.

To borrow a line from a great movie : ” Life comes down to simple choice – Get busy living or get busy dying”.

It all comes down to your choice – make the right one.

Giants on whose shoulders we stand

Growing up is inevitable. The journey of life, takes one, on various challenges, some smooth and some rough.

To navigate the rough seas a person might have to inculcate new habits. Some of them might be desirable and others might not be. As one grows older it is important to keep the inner child alive. This is a challenge.

The inner child is fundamentally, a seed of innocence, nurtured by love of parents and or near ones, in an atmosphere that shields against the harsh realities of life, to some extent.

Later in the journey of life, when the harsh realities spring up, in the quest to grow and adapt, usually the inner child looses out – the essence of true innocence. At times it happens knowingly and at times unknowingly.

What matters is how to keep it alive and healthy against the ill tides.

Here comes into picture the memories of our parents and near ones who have selflessly nurtured this gift for us and guided us. Try to remember their words of inspiration, deeds of kindness that sheltered your innocent mistakes and guided your path whenever the need be. It was done as for every parent or guardians their child is a gift with responsibilities.

Try to find strength to fight the ill times with dignity and honour in the memories of those who made you capable enough to stand and stay in this world. Let your actions be a worthy tribute to those memories.

The above needs to be done so that the light of beacon of all that is good that you received is passed around to current and future generations.

A worthy tribute to the giants on whose shoulders we stand.

Sympathy

Everyone is surrounded by actions and their results. A person works day in and day out towards goals that are immediate, short term and long term in nature. Sometimes the results may put you down and sometimes they can fire your spirit to rise to greater heights.

When we witness success , one gets easily seduced by the charm it brings with it. For failure, no one bothers to even look or consider.

There are many who come forth to hail a person on top of their shoulders in times of success. But in failure, no one comes forth to even lift the person from the ground. It is important to be there when your near and dear ones face failure. Sincere gentle gestures and kind words go a long way in helping a person stand on their feet so that they can once again attempt and live.

Try to make sure that when in need the “Hand of Grace” that reaches out to others is yours. You never know when you too will need a “Hand of Grace” to get up back on your feet.

Food For Thought

We are all trying to move from one place to another in our life. Be it in education, career, social status etc – for convenience say from Point A to Point B.

We use all the skill under over command to try and complete the endeavor and then focus on moving ahead further in all spheres of life – Point C.

In these hectic times, how many times do we bother to look back to ones on other side of bridge, trying hard to cross the bridge you have just crossed. They might have been trying longer than you to achieve their goal. For every person the goals might be the same but circumstances vary from one individual to another. The ones who are still trying can use your experience, expertise, guidance, wisdom and more to reach their own Point B or Point C in various spheres of life.

As you see them trying their heart out every single day, will you help or only focus on moving to your personal Point C – Your call.

Knowingly or unknowingly you might have learned from their efforts, their failures, miseries and built your foundation on it that enabled you to reach the position of success you enjoy.

But do remember – in life, at some point or other, wherever you are – wherever you have been – you have always stood on the shoulders of giants who have toiled to lift you to great heights. These giants may have been your parents, teacher, friends – anyone whose mere presence directly or indirectly, knowingly or unknowingly helped you to stand on the pedestal of success from where you aim to moving on to even greater heights.

As you work to shake and stir the world, remember there are some who are building theirs. Will you help those in need and in process enrich your and their lives or will you focus on your journey ahead – Your call.

This post is only but – Food for Thought 

Rat Race

Life, instead of living, in today’s world has been transformed into a race.

One needs to have a plan at hand for every day, week or according to task at hand. Sometimes you hit all the right cords sometimes miss some. It is all sunshine if you manage to seize the moment and somewhere between or under the stars and the drain if you miss. It is tough but life always is. Treasure the moments when it is easy on you, for you never know what the future may hold.

Winning and loosing depends on so many factors that are very difficult to count upon. Some tangible and others intangible.

In this race it’s okay to pause every now and then, reevaluate the goals, strategy and move ahead. Never abandon life for meaningless pursuits that only provide momentary euphoria.

Don’t forget to live. Celebrate if things go as per plan, cheer up if they don’t – re-evaluate, change your strategy, bide some time and again go for it. When the dust settles down at the end of the day, it will be you and you alone answerable to yourself.

So, don’t forget to be kind to yourself – if you don’t who will.

Dream On

Dreams can teach you so much. They are like a slide show wherein every slide has its own story to tell. Atleast, that is how generally people remember dreams – a few images here and there.

Every slide has its own nature – good, bad or ugly.

If you are meant to view 100 images. You may not be aware about the nature of all slides in dream. The first 49 might be beautiful and fiftieth could be a nightmare.

In such a scenario, will you fear every dream only because one turned out to be sour? Or will you handle one moment, one slide, one dream at a time?

This decision marks the difference between dreams and nightmare.

At times you learn from dreams, at times nightmare educates you. How you look at them, your manner of perspective, many a times, makes the difference – in life.

Dream On!!

Rhythm

Life is to be lived in a rhythmic manner. The one activity which if done in rhythmic, balanced manner can help you so much in life and it is – breathing.

But life is not as simple as breathing. At times one falls off the sweet road of rhythm and in such times, one must take measures, one step at a time, to try and set in motion a function of activities which will be oriented towards achieving rhythm in your life. Work at it till such a time that one starts living in a positive natural rhythmic momentum.

Mother nature is rhythmic. The cosmos, plants , oceans and every creation of Mother Nature has its own natural rhythm. Nothing is irregular.

Life is a song. Time you found your own rhythmic tune which ideally should be melodious to not only you but also to those around you too.

Travel

We all are travelers navigating the sea of life. This journey is mystic and is measured not in kms , yojanas but in ‘Moments.’

Every moment is a spark that alters the universe.

We lose many things in this journey and gain many things too, bartered across the windows of moments.

How the journey has affected a person is for the person to figure out. Irrespective, whether you win or loose, made loss or profit, the ship of life keeps sailing one moment at a time.

Moments make memories – some good, some bad and some lie in-between. You may  live through the days, but what matters are laughs, sorrows and how life freezes in moments captured across the canvas of memories. These memories in-turn become mile-stones for a traveler making his journey through life.

As a traveler, it all boils down to your choice, do you travel from one moment to another with heavy baggage, that you have picked up as you move ahead in life, on the rails of time, or do you choose to travel light.

Everyone’s a traveler and as in a journey along with the direction, destination, purpose, company…how you travel also matters.

Hope you make a right choice.

 

 

Divine

There is something divine when you see a person have his food, sleep or pray in a temple. All three process nourishes his body, heart, mind and soul.

Something divine.

I can add meditation too.

Well, if you see anyone around you at peace in any of the above activities, try not to disturb them. You never know what weights they must have hauled till the moment they sat down to have their food or closed their eyes in hopes of a decent sleep or pray for cosmic strength to brave the mundane moment.

Please look at these moments as divinity in motion.

Hope you find peace in them.

Author Interview – Aneesh Gokhale

Hi friends, the following is an interview of author Aneesh Gokhale, on his second novel ‘Brahmaputra – The story of Lachit Barphukan’ . The novel is generating great reviews and is an excellent follow up to his first novel ‘Sahyadris to Hindukush’.

About the Author :

Aneesh Gokhale, born March 1988, completed his schooling in Pune and is currently working in merchant navy as a navigating officer. He is an avid trekker, hiker and is passionate about  Indian history. He loves reading and writing.

Sahyadris to Hindukush was his first book ( 2012)

Brahmaputra is his second book (2015)

He has also given public talks on numerous occasions , on Maratha and Assamese history in both English and Marathi. His essays and interviews have been published in various newspapers and magazines. In 2015 he was also invited as Chief Guest for Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (Pune) Independence Day celebration.

He can be reached at  aneeshg153@gmail.com for public talk invitations.

His official website is www.aneeshbooks.wordpress.com

Interview :

1. Who is Lachit Barphukan and what made you write a book on him?

Lachit Barphukan was the Assamese commander or senapati who stood up to the Mughals and defeated them in Assam. When I first read about him in an Amar Chitra Katha – I was inspired by his sense of patriotism , the way he rallied his troops, his sense of duty etc. He was battling the Mughals at the same time as Chhatrapati Shivaji . At the same time, he is totally unknown outside of the North East. Hence I decided to read more and write a book myself.

This link provides a more detailed answer — https://aneeshbooks.wordpress.com/aneesh-gokhales-books/purchase-book/why-did-i-write-this-book/

2.  How difficult was it to look for study material and reliable historic sources to understand the times of Lachit Barphukan? How did you go about preparing yourself to compose the novel?

As compared to my earlier book , which was on Maratha history, sources of information were difficult to find. I got a few from online stores. Two very useful books by SK Bhuyan I had to specially order from Guwahati , and trouble an acquaintance with finding and sending them etc ! It was only when I went to Guwahati and scoured a dozen bookshops in the old city area that I was able to get my hands on some very good books about medieval Assam. A visit to the Centre for Antiquarian Studies , Guwahati was also extremely useful – since that is where I found the excellent resource called Tarikh e Ashaam.

Apart from this , my trip to Assam, where I concentrated on visiting those places associated with Lachit Barphukan and the Mughal – Assam struggle, also helped me make by descriptions more accurate and help write a better novel.

This is a list of references used — https://aneeshbooks.wordpress.com/aneesh-gokhales-books/purchase-book/references-used-in-writing-brahmaputra/

 3. Marathas and Ahoms fought a similar enemy. What according to you was the element that inspired them? And, how much did the aspect of understanding their respective ancestors cultural and civilizational values played a role in the same?

Assam itself has a long tradition of keeping out invaders. Right from the days of Bakhtiyar Khilji . That is because they valued their land and people above everything else. Like the Marathas, the Ahom dynasty was also driven by a zeal to preserve swarajya in the North East corner.

Well as far as understanding cultural and civilizational aspect is concerned —

I would say both the Marathas and the Assamese played their own important part in keeping Indian culture alive in respective parts of the country. The Ahoms followed an Indic  religion called Fralung , but adopted more and more classical Hindu customs as time passed. They definitely guarded and ensured that Indic culture survived and prospered in the North East. The military conquests of Lachit Barphukan and Chakradhwaj Singha laid the foundations for the social and cultural achievements of Rudra Singha , Siva Singha etc.

4. What other aspect of Ahoms did you find interesting ? Have the same been covered in your book?

I found their military system very unique and interesting. This military system is one of the reasons for their stupendous success against invaders. Its backbone was the paik system, under which every family in the kingdom sent soldiers to the army. More men were sent if required. There was a well established rank hierarchy among the officers. Last but not the least, they had perfected the art of fighting on the great river – Brahmaputra. The Ahom kingdom was unique in the sense that it had an entirely riverine navy made of small , swift moving craft. I have tried to cover these aspects in the book by weaving them into various historical episodes.

5. How has been the response so far?

Response I believe has been very good. I expect to bring out second edition by early next year. Infact, when I started writing , I had kept my expectation low . I believed the book would sell to people in Assam and Assamese settled elsewhere in India. Apart from this, the Chhatrapati Shivaji mention would help sell the book in Maharashtra.

But I am pleasantly surprised that I was proved totally wrong. People from every part of the country have got interested in the book , purchased it and liked it. The aim was to introduce Lachit Barphukan as a nationally important person, and I am glad people from everywhere found the book interesting.

6. What is the biggest takeaway for anyone who wants to read Brahmaputra – The Story of Lachit Barphukan ?

It will help readers know more about this entirely unknown hero from Assam. Our knowledge about this region of the country is very low, almost none. Lachit Barphukan’s story is very inspirational and should be known to more people. In turn this will increase awareness about the North East of the country.

7. How long did it take for you to complete the novel? Any interesting incident that you would like to share?

I reckon it took me around three years to finish this book. From the time I started thinking of the book to when it was published. Here I would like to thank my fiancée – Pranati Deshpande , without whose help the book would not have come out by Sept 2015 and I would have been waiting a further six months (till I returned from my sailing contract)

Well, the entire trip to Guwahati was memorable, but one event will stay with me.

There is a place called Lachit garh near the city. It is the remnants of an embankment built during Lachit Barphukan’s time. Currently National Highway 37 cuts through it.  Well, there is no board or anything to suggest what the place is about  – except the name of a one storey school built on top of this embankment – called Lachitgarh high school. I managed to meet the principal – who was very happy to hear that a guy from Maharashtra was writing a book on Lachit Barphukan ! He also confirmed that the embankment was very old.  We had a nice 15 – 20 minute chat about Lachit Barphukan. Little incidences like these and help rendered by people I had never met before in my life played a big part in making Brahmaputra a success.

8. What is your take on the sorry state of affairs pertaining to history that is being taught in our country, that has no mention of such great empires (Maratha / Ahom) & their heroes?

Well it is sad. It is in fact worrisome that we do not know anything at all about the history of not just the North East but also Orissa , Tamil Nadu or even the Maratha Empire. A positive view of history, which inspires people should be nurtured, because otherwise the thread that joins us to the distant past as also joins us to each other culturally will one day break.

 9. Where is the book available – online and retail?

This book – ‘ Brahmaputra’ is available online on Flipkart.
Also offline at Majestic Book shop,  Dadar, Mumbai  and Warsaa Shop  , Shaniwarwada , Pune

Readers can also directly purchase from me.

 10. As a person of multiple skills , how do you manage your time to excel in all?

Thanks for the compliment first of all . Well, I avoid doing any writing when onboard a ship. I believe that allows me to fully focus on job at hand. I limit myself to light reading relevant to book (if and when I get the time). And when back home, I concentrate on the writing part.

 
11. Have you ever encountered writers block? If yes, how have you dealt with it?

Well , I have not really got into writer’s block as such – meaning not knowing what to write next. Perhaps that is because I have a very haphazard way of writing. I am not a person who decides to devote 2 hours everyday to writing and keeps up with the schedule. I tend to write for 8 – 10 hours at a stretch , then take a break from writing for next few days. Then another 10 hour writing stretch. My book is not written in order from 1^st to last page either. Whatever I believe can be best developed at any point of time, that I write. Then later I put the jigsaw puzzle together. So, haven’t faced much of any Writer’s Block anytime.

12. Which is the next project you are working on?

Next book will be about the Maratha War of Independence. It was a 27 yr long war which destroyed the Mughal empire and laid the foundations of the Maratha Empire. Book will mainly concentrate on events during the reign of Chhatrapati Rajaram and Maharani Tarabai .  The Marathas faced an army five times their size and prevailed. This part of history is almost entirely unknown outside of Maharashtra. It will be my first entirely non fiction book, without the artistic liberties or dramatization of first two books.

Once again I  would like to express my sincere thanks for this interview.

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