Desire

I count myself among the lucky ones who had a truly beautiful childhood—loving, caring parents who instilled good values and gave me a safe, comfortable, and protective upbringing. And of course, the countless happy moments with my brother and sister… (even now I wonder how they ever tolerated me! I must have been as crazy as one could possibly be!)

It was Dad who first introduced us to the joy of reading newspapers. Oh, how eagerly we waited for the Sunday crossword puzzles! Solving them and sending in the answers meant a prize arriving at our doorstep—a brand-new Amar Chitra Katha! Each one transported us to a whole new dream world.

Today, I’m reminded of one particular Amar Chitra Katha: Buddha.
I had loved the story of how Lord Buddha left behind everything and everyone to discover the Truth. The book had this line: “And then Buddha saw the light, and He realized the Truth—that desire is the cause of suffering.”

I remember how I pondered over those words the entire day…and every time I reread that Amar Chitra Katha, their meaning tugged at something deep within me. I didn’t fully understand it back then, but the words stayed lodged in my heart.

Now, when I read the same statement, I truly realize how profound those words are. I feel grateful to Dad for encouraging us to solve crosswords and read books that shaped our minds.

Coming back to the idea of desire: why do we constantly want one thing or another?
Is it attachment? Is it to reinforce the sense of “me”?
And why do attachments arise?
As long as we identify ourselves with the body (this body-bound sense of self), attachment to the world naturally follows.

So how does one move beyond this identification with the body?

(Theoretically, I get it. Experientially, zero! And that’s probably my cue to stop talking any further!)

Next time you are sad, check which desire has not been fulfilled and drop that desire :-)
Be happy always dear ones

-Ramani

What is making you insecure?

I live in a flat, and each morning when I pull open my window curtain, I notice the lights in the house opposite are still switched on.

The first thought that flashes through my mind is: What a waste of electricity! (The whole residential society has tight security)

Someone must have left it on while going away on vacation, hoping it would keep thieves away.

People’s insecurity can be such a big problem. Also, our society's failure for someone to feel insecure. In the land of Shani Shingnapur, where houses have no doors, where faith in the supreme is very strong, shows how strong faith in the divine can erase insecurities.

Whenever someone shouts at me or shows anger, I realize it’s usually because they feel insecure within themselves.

It seems hard for people to sit in silence, and often it’s because they are uneasy with themselves.

So much of the violence we see in the world stems from this same insecurity.

If we could learn to be our own best friend, insecurity would fade away, and the world would have far fewer problems.

So please, spend time with yourself. Love yourself.

If you do not spend time with yourself, you are missing meeting an important person

 - Swami Vivekananda.

Love yourself and be secure

- Ramani Kasturi

Sukh Karta Dukh Harta

Ganesha!
He will be the topic of my very first blog.
Writing after such a long, long time… I just hope I find the flow of expression again.
Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, please clear away all the unnecessary thoughts from Ramani’s mind and grant her wisdom. And yes, please do show yourself to me!

I’ve always felt a special connection with Ganesha.

1. He reminds me of my little sister, Sivi.
   His form takes me back to those days when Sivi and I would visit the Ganesha pandals in Pune—both in our colony and the nearby ones.

2. He reminds me of Daddy too.
   I have a beautiful orange Ganesha from him, which I treasure dearly. Daddy also taught me the shloka Mudakaratha Modakam, and every Ganesh Chaturthi, we make sure to sit together and sing it. Daddy, I love him for all the initiatives and efforts he painstakingly took to guide us and continue guiding us. (He honestly deserves a separate blog on the lessons I’ve learned from him.)
   I’ve seen people focusing more on the prasad offered to Ganesha rather than the prayers themselves. And each time, I silently thank Dad and mom, for teaching us the importance of prayer and self-control and correct perspective towards each festival.

   This same shloka I chanted in a Sanskrit recitation competition when I was in 5th grade and won first prize. The prize itself didn’t matter much. What’s still vivid in my memory is one of the strictest teachers in our school, Jaya Madam, giving me a warm, affectionate hug after I finished chanting.

3. Ganesha reminds me of my mom's large-heartedness
   I remember joining my classmates for a night-long walk across Pune, visiting pandals during Ganesh Chaturthi. Mom, she made tea for all of us… around 20 people… late at night, without even knowing in advance that I’d be bringing such a big group home! She welcomed everyone without a word of complaint. Many times, I strongly feel, it’s her simplicity, her unselfish love that still protects me to this day.

4. He also reminds me of my classmate Surekha Tilekar and the teaching of our class teacher
   Once, Surekha brought a beautiful Ganesha idol to our class. We were in 8th grade. Teacher made all of us clean the class, and educated us to maintain the sanctity of Ganesha; no shoes in the class allowed and performing aarti.

5. Sai Baba once appeared to me in a dream as Ganesha’s pujari.

6. Living in Pune and not admiring Ganesha is impossible.
   Every year, a week before Ganesh Chaturthi, newspapers would publish creative advertisements and articles showcasing unique representations of the Lord. I used to be in awe! I still remember being a little schoolgirl, cutting out those creative images and making a file of them.

7. And finally, a memory that always makes me smile:
   One of our lab peons once brought a Ganesha idol into the lab, invited all the students and faculty, and sang the aarti as “Sukh Harta and Dukh Karta.” I just couldn’t control my laughter. (Oh, that used to be one of my biggest problems—uncontrollable laughter at the wrong moments! Thankfully, it’s getting better with age.)

“Sukh Karta Dukh Harta.”

"Darshan maatre manna kaamana poorthi". Yes!

Ramani