Mathematician asks: How to write 4 in between a 5?

Mathematician asks: How to write 4 in between a 5? China man replied: Is this a Joke? Japan man exclaimed: Impossible! American man said: The question's wrong!! British man snorted: Rubbish !! Indian man wrote: *F(IV)E.* This is the reason why you find Indians everywhere in the world in finance, business, medicine, engineering & arts.. anything to do with optimising your brain!!!!! British: Can u swim? Indian: No. British: Then a dog is better than u because it can swim. Indian: Can u swim? British: Yes! Indian: Then what's the difference between U & the dog? British shocked, faints!! Indian Rocks!!!!! European-: Why do all you Indians come in different colors? Look at us, we are all white. Indian:- Horses too come in different colors but donkeys are all the same!!!

PANI PURI VENDOR

PANI PURI VENDOR The kind of complex thinking a pani puri vendor does daily is mind-blowing. Take a simple evening at a stall. Six people standing, each on their 5th or 6th puri, some already demanding a second plate. Suddenly a new customer walks in. Most vendors don’t say, “Wait.” They just weave the person seamlessly into the cycle. Now imagine the mental math: Remembering who is at which puri. Keeping track of whose turn is next. Managing fresh plates, second plates, and shared plates; all together. Customizing taste (extra teekha, more meetha, no aloo, jain, swaminarayan). Balancing chutneys, potatoes, and flavored water so nothing runs out mid-cycle. Handling payments; immediate, delayed, or credit. Running logistics: how many plates to sell to survive the day? And this is just the basic complexity. All of it is happening in real time, with no Excel sheet, no CRM, no team, no reminder app. One mistake, and the customer knows instantly. Now compare that with our white-collar world. We call ourselves multitaskers but lean on reminders, tools, meetings, and buffers. A pani puri vendor doesn’t get that luxury. For him or her, complexity is not a skill on the CV; it’s survival. The next time you eat pani puri, notice not just the taste but the brilliance of the brain behind it.

The Reunion Plan (Jo Kabhi Simple Nahi Hota)

________________________________________ Chapter 1: The Reunion Plan (Jo Kabhi Simple Nahi Hota) WhatsApp group ka naam tha: “Legends 2009” Members: 5 Active: Sirf jab nostalgia ya shaadi ka invitation ho. Arjun: “Guys, 10 saal ho gaye. Goa reunion?” Kabir: “Approved. I’m in.” Dev: “Only if spouses allowed. Warna ghar se nikalne nahi milega.” Naina: “Same.” Tanya: “Goa? Main toh pehle se ready hoon.” Aur bas. Plan ban gaya. 5 friends. 5 spouses. 10 log. Aur unhe khud nahi pata tha… ke unka past bhi unke saath Goa aa raha hai. ________________________________________ Chapter 2: Entry in Goa Resort beautiful tha. Beach-facing. Breeze perfect. Vibe Instagram-ready. Sab couples ek ek karke aaye: Arjun & Riya – sorted, mature… at least outside. Kabir & Meera – funny, loud, always entertaining. Dev & Anjali – practical, thode boring… par stable. Naina & Varun – stylish, thode distant. Tanya & Kunal – newly married, still honeymoon phase… kinda. ________________________________________ Sab ek dusre ko hug karte hain. Thodi awkwardness. Thodi excitement. Phir— Moment freeze. Because everyone slowly realized something. ________________________________________ Chapter 3: Past Ka Bomb Arjun ne dekha—Meera. Ex-girlfriend. Kabir ki wife. ________________________________________ Kabir ne dekha—Naina. College crush. Ab Varun ki wife. ________________________________________ Dev ne dekha—Riya. Woh jis se kabhi kuch start hone wala tha… Par hua nahi. ________________________________________ Tanya ne dekha—Arjun. Unka almost-engagement jo kabhi announce nahi hua. ________________________________________ Aur sabse bada twist— Varun aur Anjali… ek dusre ke ex the. ________________________________________ 10 log. Aur har ek kisi na kisi ka “something” tha. ________________________________________ Kabir ne slow clap kiya. “Wah. Goa nahi… Bigg Boss set lag raha hai.” ________________________________________ Chapter 4: The Cover-Up Mode Sabne decide kiya—Act normal. Which is exactly what nobody could do. ________________________________________ Lunch table pe: “तो… kaise mile tum log?” Arjun ne casually pucha. Kabir bola, “Office mein. Totally normal. No past connections.” Meera ne uski taraf dekha. “Bilkul.” Riya pani peete hue almost choke ho gayi. ________________________________________ Varun ne Naina ko whisper kiya, “Tumne bataya nahi?” “Tumne bataya?” she shot back. “Main toh bhool gaya tha!” “Main bhi!” “Convenient.” ________________________________________ Tanya quietly Kunal ko smile de rahi thi. Inside: “Aaj toh sach bahar aayega.” ________________________________________ Chapter 5: First Night – Awkwardness Peak Bonfire night. Drinks. Music. Fake laughter. Real tension. ________________________________________ Kabir (tipsy): “Let’s play a game!” Sab: “No.” Kabir: “Truth or Truth.” Arjun: “That sounds worse.” ________________________________________ First question: “Has anyone dated someone from this group?” Dead silence. Phir sab hansne lage. Fake. Loud. Painfully fake. ________________________________________ Kunal ne casually bola, “College mein toh sabka kuch na kuch hota hi hai, right?” Sabne ek dusre ko dekha. “Yeh sabko kaise pata hai?” ________________________________________ Chapter 6: The First Crack Riya aur Dev balcony mein. “Tumne kabhi bataya nahi,” Dev said softly. Riya sighed. “Kuch tha hi nahi batane layak.” “Par tha.” “Almost tha.” Pause. “Tum jealous ho?” she asked. Dev smiled faintly. “Thoda.” “Good,” she said. “Matlab tum care karte ho.” ________________________________________ Chapter 7: Kabir vs Arjun Poolside. Kabir aur Arjun alone. “Tu aur Meera…” Kabir started. Arjun nodded. “Long back.” “Serious?” “Tab laga tha… haan.” Pause. Kabir sighed. “Ab bhi kuch feel karta hai?” Arjun smiled. “Nahi. Ab bas yaadein hain.” Kabir looked relieved. “Tu lucky hai,” Arjun added. “She’s good.” Kabir smirked. “Mujhe pata hai. Isliye shaadi ki.” ________________________________________ Chapter 8: Girls’ Room Reality Room mein Riya, Meera, Naina, Tanya, Anjali. Full emotional summit. ________________________________________ “Okay, sab sach bolte hain,” Tanya said. “Main aur Arjun almost engaged the.” “WHAT?” everyone shouted. ________________________________________ Naina: “Kabir was my crush.” Meera: “I dated Arjun.” Anjali: “Varun aur main 2 saal relationship mein the.” Riya: “Dev aur main almost…” Pause. Sab hansne lage. ________________________________________ “Yeh kya hai yaar?” Meera laughed. “Hum log ek dusre ke leftovers se shaadi kar li?” ________________________________________ Phir silence. Phir realization. ________________________________________ Chapter 9: Emotional Mess Sabke partners ko kuch na kuch feel ho raha tha. Comparison. Insecurity. Curiosity. ________________________________________ Varun to Anjali: “Tumne kyun nahi bataya?” “Because it didn’t matter,” she said. “Ab matter kar raha hai.” ________________________________________ Kunal to Tanya: “Tumne mujhe kyun hide kiya?” “I didn’t hide… I just… skipped.” “Important parts skip nahi karte.” ________________________________________ Meera to Kabir: “Tum okay ho?” Kabir smiled. “Main funny hoon… okay hona optional hai.” ________________________________________ Chapter 10: The Explosion Next day. Breakfast. Tension peak. ________________________________________ Finally— Dev said, “Can we just talk openly?” Silence. ________________________________________ And then everything came out. All pasts. All truths. All awkward details. ________________________________________ For a moment— It felt like everything would break. ________________________________________ Chapter 11: The Emotional Truth Arjun stood up. “Hum sabka past hai.” Pause. “Par hum sabne consciously apne present choose kiya hai.” ________________________________________ Riya added, “Past ka matlab yeh nahi ki present weak hai.” ________________________________________ Kabir: “Aur agar koi insecure hai… toh baat karo. Joke mat banao.” Everyone looked at him. He rarely said serious things. ________________________________________ Chapter 12: Healing Begins Slowly… Conversations honest hue. Comparisons kam hue. Trust rebuild hua. ________________________________________ Varun held Anjali’s hand. “Main stupid ho raha tha.” She smiled. “Thoda.” ________________________________________ Kunal hugged Tanya. “Next time… no skipping.” “Deal.” ________________________________________ Kabir to Meera: “Tu past mein achhi thi… present mein better hai.” Meera laughed. “Tum dialogues likhte ho kya?” “Ab likhunga.” ________________________________________ Chapter 13: The Fun Returns Beach day. Games. Laughter. Actual laughter this time. ________________________________________ Kabir: “Ab koi kisi ka ex nahi hai… sab kisi ke current hain.” Arjun: “Deep.” Dev: “Confusing.” ________________________________________ They clicked photos. Created new memories. Without baggage. ________________________________________ Chapter 14: The Realization Last night. All sat quietly. ________________________________________ Naina said, “Funny na… hum sochte the past define karta hai.” Riya replied, “Actually, choice define karti hai.” ________________________________________ Kabir added, “Aur Goa sab expose kar deta hai.” ________________________________________ Everyone laughed. ________________________________________ Chapter 15: Goodbye Goa Packing time. No awkwardness now. Just warmth. ________________________________________ Arjun: “Same plan next year?” Kabir: “Only if no new exes added.” ________________________________________ Tanya: “Group rename karte hain.” Dev: “Kya?” Meera: “Survivors.” ________________________________________ Everyone agreed. ________________________________________ Epilogue Life mein past hota hai. Complicated hota hai. Kabhi funny. Kabhi painful. ________________________________________ Par jab right log milte hain— Woh past ko problem nahi… Story bana dete hain. ________________________________________ Aur kabhi kabhi… Goa jaake pata chalta hai— Love perfect nahi hota. Par honest ho toh kaafi hota hai. ________________________________________ The End

“Barish, Band Darwaze aur Badalte Rishte”

Title: “Barish, Band Darwaze aur Badalte Rishte” ________________________________________ Chapter 1: Jab Baarish Ne Planning Cancel Kar Di Delhi ka weather waise hi unreliable hota hai, par us din toh usne full drama kar diya. Shaam ko 7 baje tak sab normal tha. Thodi garmi, thoda traffic, thodi life frustration. Aur phir… Cloudburst. Aisi baarish jaise kisi ne upar se bucket nahi—tanker ulta diya ho. Within minutes, roads flooded, autos vanished, network down, aur log jahaan the, wahin phas gaye. ________________________________________ Is kahani ke chaar log: Karan – practical, logical, thoda controlling. Riya – uski wife, emotional, expressive, overthinker. Siddharth (Sid) – charming, funny, commitment-phobic. Megha – uski girlfriend, sorted on the outside, confused on the inside. ________________________________________ Aur yeh chaaron phas gaye ek hi jagah: Karan aur Riya ka 2BHK flat. ________________________________________ “Guys, I don’t think tum log ja paoge,” Riya ne balcony se neeche dekhte hue kaha. Road swimming pool ban chuki thi. Sid ne phone utha ke dekha. “Uber ka fare 1,200 dikha raha hai… aur driver ka message—‘Bhai main boat leke aaun kya?’” Megha sighed. “Great. We’re stuck.” Karan calmly bola, “No problem. Guest room hai. Adjust kar lenge.” Sid smirked. “Haan, adjust toh karna hi padega.” Riya ne aankh dikhaayi. “Zyada comfortable mat ho jaana.” ________________________________________ Chapter 2: Awkward Comfort Dinner jaldi ban gaya. Maggi, omelette, aur leftover paneer. TV pe news chal rahi thi—“City in chaos.” Flat ke andar—“Controlled chaos.” Sid couch pe spread ho gaya. “Yaar, tum log shaadi ke baad bhi itne normal kaise ho?” Karan: “Kya matlab?” Sid: “Matlab… no drama? No daily fights?” Riya hansi. “Tum ek din reh lo, reality show dekhne ko milega.” Megha chup thi. Karan ne notice kiya. “Everything okay?” “Yeah,” Megha smiled. “Just tired.” Sid ne halka sa tease kiya, “Madam ko baarish mein romantic drive chahiye tha, yeh phas gayi Sharma ji ke flat mein.” Megha ne fake smile diya. Riya ne woh smile pakad li. ________________________________________ Chapter 3: Crack in the Perfect Picture Raat thodi gehri hui. Bijli chali gayi. Classic. Candles nikle. Ambience automatically “emotional” mode mein shift. Sab balcony mein baith gaye. Baarish ki awaaz. Thodi thand. Thodi honesty. ________________________________________ “Let’s play a game,” Sid bola. Karan ne suspiciously dekha. “Kaisa game?” “Truth game.” Riya ne bola, “Tumhare games kabhi safe nahi hote.” “Trust me,” Sid grinned. “Mazza aayega.” Megha ne slowly kaha, “Okay.” ________________________________________ Chapter 4: Truth Begins Sid: “Ladies first.” Riya: “No chance.” Megha: “Fine… I’ll go.” Pause. “Do you think your partner understands you?” Silence. Riya ne Karan ko dekha. Megha ne Sid ko. Riya boli, “Most of the time… yes.” Karan nodded. Megha ne answer diya, “Sometimes.” Sid joked, “Progress hai. Pehle ‘rarely’ tha.” Megha ne uski taraf dekha. That wasn’t a joke. ________________________________________ Chapter 5: The Dangerous Question Sid ka turn. He leaned back. “Okay… hypothetical question.” Karan already tense. “Yeh dangerous lag raha hai.” Sid smiled. “Agar tumhe ek din ke liye partner swap karna pade… would you?” Dead silence. Riya: “What nonsense.” Karan: “Grow up, Sid.” Megha quietly: “Answer na.” Sab uski taraf dekhne lage. ________________________________________ Chapter 6: The Shift Karan ne awkward laugh diya. “Obviously no.” Riya ne turant bola, “Same.” Sid shrugged. “Main toh bolunga depends.” Megha looked at him. “Depends?” Sid: “Haan… matlab curiosity bhi toh hoti hai.” Riya uncomfortable ho gayi. Karan ka face stiff. Megha ne softly pucha, “Curiosity about what?” Sid: “What if someone understands you better?” Silence. Heavy. ________________________________________ Chapter 7: What Was Hidden Comes Out Riya suddenly boli, “Sometimes… I feel unheard.” Karan shocked. “What?” “I’m saying it now,” she continued. “Tum practical ho… par kabhi kabhi… cold bhi.” Karan hurt hua. “I’m trying to be stable!” “Stable aur distant alag hota hai,” Riya said. ________________________________________ Megha ne bhi bol diya, “Sid jokes karta hai… but avoids real conversations.” Sid defensive. “Main aisa hi hoon.” “Exactly,” Megha replied. ________________________________________ Suddenly, game real ban gaya. ________________________________________ Chapter 8: The Thought Chaaron chup. Baarish tez. Dim candle light. Sid ne halki awaaz mein bola, “Maybe… hum log galat partners ke saath nahi hain… but incomplete versions ke saath hain.” Riya ne uski taraf dekha. Karan ne bhi. Megha ne aankhen neeche kar li. ________________________________________ “Let’s try something,” Sid ne kaha. Karan irritated. “Ab kya?” “Bas… talk. Without filters. Imagine… you’re with someone else.” ________________________________________ Chapter 9: Emotional Crossroads They split. Living room mein Riya aur Sid. Bedroom mein Karan aur Megha. No touching. No cheating. Just… conversation. But sometimes, conversation hi sabse dangerous hota hai. ________________________________________ Chapter 10: Riya & Sid Riya: “Tum serious kab hote ho?” Sid: “Jab zaroori ho.” “Ab hai?” Pause. “Haan.” Riya ne poocha, “Tum Megha se pyaar karte ho?” Sid: “Haan… par express nahi kar pata.” Riya smiled sadly. “Tum jaante ho na… woh wait kar rahi hai?” Sid nodded. “Tum?” he asked. “Happy ho?” Riya didn’t answer immediately. “Main… adjust ho gayi hoon.” ________________________________________ Chapter 11: Karan & Megha Karan: “I didn’t know Riya felt that way.” Megha softly: “People don’t say everything.” Karan sighed. “Main uske liye itna karta hoon…” “Par kabhi suna?” Megha asked gently. Karan quiet. ________________________________________ “Tum Sid ke saath happy ho?” he asked. Megha smiled faintly. “Main usse pyaar karti hoon… par kabhi kabhi lagta hai main akeli relationship mein hoon.” ________________________________________ Chapter 12: The Almost Decision Raat aur gehri. Sab wapas ek jagah. No jokes now. Just truth. Sid bola, “Maybe hum log ek dusre ko better samajh sakte hain…” Karan interrupted, “Stop. This is going too far.” Riya softly: “Is it?” Everyone looked at her. ________________________________________ Chapter 13: Breaking Point “Main bas feel karna chahti hoon… ki koi mujhe sun raha hai,” Riya said. Karan hurt. “Main nahi sunta?” “Tum solve karte ho. Sunte nahi.” ________________________________________ Megha added, “Aur main feel karna chahti hoon ki koi rukega… bhaagega nahi.” Sid looked down. ________________________________________ The idea of “swap” was no longer funny. It was… tempting. Not physically. Emotionally. ________________________________________ Chapter 14: The Realization Long silence. Then… Karan stood up. “Hum log galat direction mein ja rahe hain.” No one argued. He continued, “Problem partner change karne se solve nahi hoti… problem samajhne se hoti hai.” ________________________________________ Riya looked at him. For the first time… he wasn’t defending. He was listening. ________________________________________ Chapter 15: Choosing Each Other Again Sid ne Megha ki taraf dekha. “Main stupid hoon.” She smiled slightly. “Thoda.” “I’ll try… to stay.” “Bas try nahi,” she said. He nodded. “Okay… I will.” ________________________________________ Karan turned to Riya. “I don’t want to lose you while trying to fix everything.” Riya’s eyes softened. “Then stop fixing… start feeling.” He nodded. ________________________________________ Chapter 16: The Morning After Subah. Baarish ruk chuki thi. Roads still messy. But sky clear. ________________________________________ Sid stretched. “Koi bhi partner swap nahi hua… boring night.” Riya threw a cushion. “Shut up.” Megha laughed. Karan smiled. ________________________________________ Everything wasn’t perfect. But it was… honest. ________________________________________ Epilogue Kabhi kabhi life tumhe kisi flat mein bandh kar deti hai. With people. With emotions. With truths you avoid. Aur phir tumhe choice deti hai: Escape? Ya face? ________________________________________ Unhone face kiya. Ek dusre ko. Khud ko. Aur unhone realize kiya— Perfect partner nahi hota. Effort wala partner hota hai.

3 ) Title: “Shaadi, Secret & Sharma Parivaar”

________________________________________ 3 ) Title: “Shaadi, Secret & Sharma Parivaar” ________________________________________ In a middle-class Delhi home where the pressure cooker whistled louder than people’s emotions, lived the Sharma family. Rajesh Sharma – father, government employee, part-time philosopher, full-time worrier. Sunita Sharma – mother, CEO of the house, HR department, and emotional backbone. Ayush Sharma – elder son, 26, IT job, believes he is the “sensible one.” Ananya Sharma – younger daughter, 23, MBA student, believes everyone else is the problem. And then there was Rohit. Ayush’s best friend. Frequent visitor. Unintentional chaos creator. And, unfortunately for everyone… Ananya’s secret love. ________________________________________ Chapter 1: The Marriage Mission Begins “Ananya ki shaadi ke baare mein sochna chahiye,” Sunita announced one morning like she was launching a government scheme. Ananya nearly choked on her paratha. “Maa, I’m 23, not a government tender.” Rajesh adjusted his glasses. “Aajkal log jaldi shaadi kar lete hain.” Ayush smirked. “Haan, specially jab ghar mein Wi-Fi slow ho.” Sunita ignored him. “Sharma ji ke ladke ka rishta aaya hai.” Ananya froze. “Kaunsa Sharma ji?” she asked carefully. “Arre wahi, Noida wale. Ladka settled hai. Package achha hai.” Ananya forced a smile. “Maa, mujhe abhi padhai karni hai.” Rajesh nodded. “Shaadi ke baad bhi kar sakti ho.” Ananya looked at Ayush for help. He shrugged. “Main toh shaadi ke favour mein hoon. Shaadi mein food free milta hai.” She kicked him under the table. ________________________________________ Chapter 2: The Secret Nobody Knew Ananya wasn’t against marriage. She was against this marriage. Because she was already in love. With Rohit. Ayush’s best friend. The same Rohit who walked into their house like he paid rent. The same Rohit who called her “chhoti.” Which she hated. “Stop calling me that,” she snapped once. “What should I call you?” he grinned. “Madam Ananya Sharma, MBA aspirant?” “Just Ananya.” “Okay… chhoti Ananya.” She glared. He laughed. And somehow, that stupid laugh stayed with her. ________________________________________ Chapter 3: Parents vs Reality Sunita had already entered “rishta mode.” Phone calls. Relatives. Horoscopes. WhatsApp forwards. “Beta, ladka 6 feet ka hai,” she said proudly. Ananya muttered, “Mujhe ladder thodi chahiye.” Rajesh added, “Package 20 lakh ka hai.” Ayush whispered, “Main adopt ho sakta hoon kya us family mein?” Ananya rolled her eyes. Inside, she was panicking. Because the person she wanted… Was sitting in the living room eating her chips. ________________________________________ Chapter 4: Rohit – The Problem Rohit was clueless. Completely. Utterly. Dangerously clueless. “Bro, aunty is looking for a guy for Ananya,” he told Ayush casually. Ayush nodded. “Haan, pata hai.” “Good yaar. She deserves someone solid.” Ananya, standing nearby, almost dropped the tray. “Solid?” she said. Rohit smiled. “Haan, matlab responsible, mature…” “Like you?” she asked. He laughed. “Main? Main toh khud project hoon.” Ayush added, “Under construction since 1998.” They high-fived. Ananya walked away. Heart slightly broken. ________________________________________ Chapter 5: The Rishta Meeting The big day arrived. The “ladka” was coming. House cleaned. Snacks prepared. Emotions… unstable. “Smile,” Sunita instructed Ananya. “Main joker hoon kya?” she muttered. Ayush whispered, “Thoda toh acting kar le. Netflix nahi hai yeh, live audience hai.” Doorbell rang. Enter: Kunal. Well-dressed. Polite. Perfect on paper. “Namaste,” he said. Ananya smiled politely. Inside: Please go away. Conversation started. “So Ananya, what are your hobbies?” Kunal asked. “Overthinking,” she replied. Awkward silence. Ayush coughed. “She means reading.” Rohit, sitting in the corner, was watching. Something felt… off. He didn’t know why. ________________________________________ Chapter 6: Realization That night, Rohit couldn’t sleep. Something about Ananya’s face. Her silence. Her sarcasm. It didn’t feel normal. He replayed moments. Her irritation. Her looks. Her sudden distance. And then it hit him. “Wait… no way.” Pause. “Oh no.” ________________________________________ Chapter 7: The Confrontation Next day. Rohit cornered Ananya in the kitchen. “Tum mujhe avoid kyun kar rahi ho?” “I’m not.” “You are.” “I’m not.” “You are.” “Tum detective ho kya?” He sighed. “Just tell me.” She looked at him. Long pause. “Because I like you, idiot.” Silence. Complete silence. Rohit blinked. “Like… like?” “Like-like.” He leaned against the wall. “Yeh kab hua?” “Jab tum stupid jokes marte the aur mujhe hasna nahi hota tha… but main hasti thi.” He smiled slightly. Then stopped. “Ananya…” “I know,” she said quickly. “You don’t feel the same. It’s fine.” She turned to leave. He held her wrist gently. “Who said that?” ________________________________________ Chapter 8: Complications Rohit sat with Ayush later. “Bro… I need to tell you something.” Ayush looked up. “Tu pregnant hai kya?” “Serious ho ja.” Pause. “I think… I like Ananya.” Silence. Ayush stared. Then laughed. Then stopped laughing. “You’re serious?” Rohit nodded. Ayush leaned back. “Wow.” “Angry?” “Confused.” Pause. “Protective.” Rohit nodded. “Fair.” Ayush sighed. “Tu achha ladka hai… but she’s my sister.” “And she’s also her own person,” Rohit said softly. That hit. ________________________________________ Chapter 9: Parents’ Pressure Meanwhile, Sunita had decided. “Kunal achha ladka hai,” she told Rajesh. “Haan,” he agreed. “Shaadi fix kar dete hain.” Ananya overheard. Heart racing. She walked in. “Mujhe yeh shaadi nahi karni.” Silence. “Kyun?” Rajesh asked. “I just… don’t want to.” “Reason?” Sunita pressed. Ananya hesitated. “I like someone else.” Explosion. “KAUN?” both parents said together. ________________________________________ Chapter 10: The Truth Comes Out Everyone gathered. Living room turned courtroom. Ananya stood there. Rohit walked in. Bad timing. Very bad timing. Sunita pointed. “Kaun hai woh?” Ananya took a breath. “Hai.” And pointed at Rohit. Dead silence. Ayush closed his eyes. “Yeh hona hi tha.” Rajesh blinked. “Yeh? Yeh ladka?” Rohit raised a hand awkwardly. “Namaste, Uncle.” Sunita sat down. “Mujhe paani do.” ________________________________________ Chapter 11: Emotional Explosion “Tum dono pagal ho gaye ho?” Rajesh said. “Uncle, please—” Rohit started. “Tum chup raho!” Ananya stepped in. “Papa, please listen—” “Main sab sun raha hoon!” Sunita added, “Woh tumhare bhai ka dost hai!” Ananya replied, “Aur ek achha insaan bhi.” Silence. Ayush finally spoke. “Let them talk.” Everyone looked at him. “They’re not kids,” he said. “Aur Rohit ko main jaanta hoon.” Rajesh sighed. “Par society?” Ananya said softly, “Mujhe society se shaadi nahi karni.” That landed. ________________________________________ Chapter 12: The Turning Point That night was quiet. No shouting. No decisions. Just thinking. Rajesh sat alone. Rohit approached him. “Uncle… I know this is sudden.” Rajesh didn’t look at him. “Tum serious ho?” “Yes.” “Timepass nahi?” “No.” Pause. “I respect Ananya,” Rohit said. “Aur aap logon ko bhi.” Rajesh finally looked at him. “Prove it.” ________________________________________ Chapter 13: Slow Acceptance Days passed. Tension reduced. Awkwardness stayed. But something softened. Rohit started helping more. Coming less casually. More respectfully. Ananya stayed patient. No drama. No pressure. Ayush observed everything. Like a silent referee. Sunita slowly melted first. “Mujhe chai bana ke do,” she told Rohit one day. He smiled. “Ji, Aunty.” Progress. ________________________________________ Chapter 14: The Final Decision One evening, Rajesh called everyone. Serious tone. “Main soch raha tha…” Pause. “Agar ladka achha ho… toh rishta kahin se bhi ho sakta hai.” Ananya’s eyes widened. Rohit sat straight. Rajesh continued, “Aur tum dono… immature ho… par dishonest nahi ho.” Ayush whispered, “Compliment hai yeh.” Sunita added, “Shaadi abhi nahi hogi. Pehle career.” Ananya nodded instantly. “Done.” Rohit nodded too. “Done.” Rajesh sighed. “Theek hai.” Silence. Then— Sunita said, “Par shaadi mein paneer main decide karungi.” Everyone laughed. ________________________________________ Chapter 15: Back to Chaos Life returned to normal. Almost. Rohit still came home. But knocked first. Ayush still teased him. “Jiju bolun?” he smirked. “Maar khaega,” Rohit replied. Ananya smiled more. Sunita planned future menus. Rajesh pretended to be strict. But smiled when no one saw. ________________________________________ Epilogue Love didn’t come with violins. It came with: Awkward silences. Family arguments. Overcooked parathas. And people learning… slowly. Because in Indian families— Love isn’t just between two people. It’s negotiated. Debated. Tested. And eventually… Accepted.

2 Title: “Ghar Jaise Flat”

2 Title: “Ghar Jaise Flat” ________________________________________ In a slightly-too-small, slightly-too-noisy 3BHK flat in Laxmi Nagar, Delhi, lived five people who were not related by blood—but behaved like a full-fledged, emotionally complicated Indian family. There was: Aman – the responsible eldest-brother type (self-appointed), preparing for government exams. Ritu – corporate warrior, permanently tired, emotionally sharp. Chintu – engineering student, chaotic energy in human form. Mrs. D’Souza (Aunty) – the landlord who lived downstairs but visited like she owned their souls. And Bunty – not actually anyone’s sibling, but somehow everyone’s problem. ________________________________________ Chapter 1: The Morning Melodrama “WHO KEPT THE EMPTY MILK PACKET BACK IN THE FRIDGE?” Ritu’s voice echoed through the flat like a courtroom verdict. Aman emerged from his room with a toothbrush in his mouth. “First of all, good morning.” Chintu, half-asleep on the sofa, mumbled, “Maybe it refilled overnight? Believe in miracles, di.” Bunty walked in calmly, holding a glass of something suspiciously white. Everyone turned to him. “What?” Bunty said defensively. “I mixed water. Sustainability.” Ritu closed her eyes. “One day… one day I will leave this house and never come back.” Aman patted her shoulder. “You say that every Monday.” “Because every Monday I mean it.” ________________________________________ Chapter 2: The Family That Wasn’t They weren’t supposed to be this close. Originally, it was just Aman and Chintu—distant cousins sharing rent. Then Ritu joined because her office was nearby. Then Bunty came “temporarily.” That was eleven months ago. Now they had unspoken roles: Aman – problem solver Ritu – problem identifier Chintu – problem creator Bunty – problem multiplier ________________________________________ Chapter 3: Aunty’s Surprise Inspection The doorbell rang at exactly 8:03 a.m. Everyone froze. “Aunty,” Aman whispered. Panic mode activated. Chintu hid the beer bottles inside a pressure cooker. Ritu kicked Bunty’s laundry under the bed. Aman opened the door with a forced smile. “Good morning, Aunty!” Mrs. D’Souza walked in like a CID officer. “I had a feeling something is wrong.” Bunty whispered, “She always has a feeling. It’s her superpower.” Aunty sniffed the air. “Why does it smell like… irresponsibility?” Chintu coughed. “That’s just… room freshener, Aunty.” She inspected everything. Paused at the pressure cooker. Opened it. Silence. “Beta,” she said slowly, “this is the first time I’ve seen Kingfisher being pressure-cooked.” ________________________________________ Chapter 4: The Silent Struggle That evening, Ritu came home late. Again. She dropped her bag and sat quietly. No shouting. No complaints. Just… silence. Aman noticed. “You okay?” he asked. She nodded. “Yeah.” Pause. Then softer, “No.” He sat beside her. “They promoted my junior,” she said. “The one I trained.” Chintu, for once serious, asked, “Why?” Ritu laughed bitterly. “Because he speaks louder. I just work.” Bunty offered her a biscuit. It was broken. “Symbolic,” he said. Ritu actually smiled. ________________________________________ Chapter 5: Aman’s Pressure Cooker Life Aman was the stable one. The one everyone depended on. Which meant no one asked how he was doing. That night, while everyone slept, he sat with his books. But he wasn’t reading. Just staring. Chintu walked in quietly. “Bhai?” Aman forced a smile. “Haan?” “You ever feel like… you’re stuck?” Aman looked at him. “All the time.” “Then why don’t you say it?” He shrugged. “Because if I stop pretending everything’s okay… everything might actually fall apart.” Chintu nodded. For once, he didn’t joke. ________________________________________ Chapter 6: Bunty’s Reality Check Bunty had a talent. Avoiding responsibility. But life eventually catches up. One afternoon, his father called. Loud enough for everyone to hear. “Tu wahan kar kya raha hai? Ek saal ho gaya!” “I’m figuring things out, Papa.” “Google Maps hai kya tu?” Call disconnected. Bunty sat there. Quiet. Unusual. Ritu sat next to him. “First step—figure out what you don’t want.” He sighed. “I don’t want to go back feeling like a failure.” Aman said gently, “Then don’t go back the same person.” ________________________________________ Chapter 7: The Big Fight (Every Family Has One) It started with dishes. It always does. “I cooked, you clean!” Ritu snapped. “I cleaned yesterday!” Chintu argued. “You wiped one plate!” “That plate was emotional support!” Aman stepped in. “Guys—” “YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!” both shouted. He blinked. “Okay.” Bunty added helpfully, “Let’s make a cleaning schedule.” Everyone turned to him. “YOU DON’T EVEN CLEAN YOUR OWN CUP!” Things escalated. Voices got louder. Truths came out. “You think you’re better than us!” Chintu yelled at Ritu. “At least I try!” she shot back. Aman snapped, “And what about me? I’m trying too!” “And failing!” Bunty said without thinking. Silence. Immediate regret. Aman’s face changed. “Sorry,” Bunty said quickly. But it was too late. Aman walked into his room. Door closed. ________________________________________ Chapter 8: The Aftermath No one spoke that night. Dinner was skipped. Even Chintu didn’t crack a joke. Ritu sat staring at the closed door. “I messed up,” Bunty said quietly. “We all did,” she replied. Chintu whispered, “He’s never locked the door before.” That scared them more than anything. ________________________________________ Chapter 9: Breaking Point Inside, Aman sat on the floor. Not crying. Just… empty. Years of pressure. Expectations. Responsibility. All quietly sitting with him. A soft knock. “Bhai,” Chintu said from outside. No response. Ritu added, “We’re idiots. Open the door.” Pause. Then Bunty, softly, “Please.” The door opened. Aman looked at them. “I’m tired,” he said. Not dramatic. Just honest. And somehow, that hit harder. ________________________________________ Chapter 10: What Family Really Means They sat together on the floor. No hierarchy. No roles. Just people. “You don’t have to fix everything,” Ritu said. “You don’t have to succeed immediately,” Chintu added. “You don’t have to pretend,” Bunty said. Aman exhaled. “For the first time,” he said, “I feel like I can fail… and still be okay.” Ritu smiled. “That’s what family does.” Chintu grinned. “Also, we’ll still make fun of you.” “Of course,” Bunty added. ________________________________________ Chapter 11: Small Changes Life didn’t magically improve. But things shifted. They made a chore chart. (No one followed it properly, but still.) Ritu started speaking up at work. Aman took breaks. Chintu studied. Occasionally. Bunty got a job. Everyone was shocked. Even Bunty. ________________________________________ Chapter 12: The Festival Scene Diwali came. Lights everywhere. Their flat looked… alive. They cooked together. Burned things together. Argued over decorations. “Yeh light seedha lagao!” Ritu shouted. “It is straight!” Chintu argued. “It’s emotionally tilted,” Bunty added. Aman just watched. Smiling. For once, no pressure. Just… warmth. ________________________________________ Chapter 13: The Call Home That night, Aman called his parents. “I might not clear the exam this year,” he said. Silence. Then his father said, “Toh next year de dena.” Aman blinked. “Bas?” “Bas kya? Zindagi khatam thodi ho gayi.” For the first time, Aman laughed freely. ________________________________________ Chapter 14: Moving Forward Months passed. Ritu got a better role. Chintu passed his exams. Barely. Bunty actually saved money. Aman… kept going. Stronger. Lighter. ________________________________________ Chapter 15: The Emotional Goodbye The lease was ending. Again. Boxes everywhere. Memories everywhere. “This place was a mess,” Ritu said. “Still is,” Chintu added. “But it was ours,” Aman said. Bunty nodded. “Ghar jaisa.” They stood there. Not ready. But ready enough. “Same city,” Chintu said. “We’ll meet.” Ritu smiled. “We’ll fight.” Bunty added, “We’ll eat.” Aman said softly, “We’ll stay.” ________________________________________ Epilogue Years later— They weren’t flatmates anymore. They had separate lives. Separate struggles. But one group chat remained active. Memes. Random calls. “Remember when…” moments. Because some families… Aren’t born. They’re built. In small flats. With empty milk packets. Overcooked Maggi. Big fights. Bigger love. And people who choose… To stay.

1)Title: “Flatmates, Feelings & Filter Coffee”

1)Title: “Flatmates, Feelings & Filter Coffee” ________________________________________ In a cramped 2BHK apartment in Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar—where ambition smells like Maggi at 2 a.m.—four flatmates were trying to become something. They just didn’t agree on what. Raghav wanted to crack UPSC. Kabir wanted to crack jokes. Meera wanted to crack the system. And Nitin… well, Nitin just wanted to crack open another packet of chips. The landlord, Mr. Bhasin, wanted rent. On time. In full. Preferably yesterday. ________________________________________ Chapter 1: The Great Morning That Wasn’t “Bro, alarm baj raha hai,” Kabir mumbled, face buried in a pillow that had seen better civilizations. “It’s your alarm,” Raghav shot back, not even opening his eyes. “Exactly. Toh tum band karo na.” This was the kind of logic Kabir excelled in—effort redistribution. Meera, already awake and brushing her hair aggressively like she was preparing for war, shouted from the hallway, “If you two don’t wake up, I swear I’ll throw water.” Nitin, from the couch (which had unofficially become his permanent residence), muttered, “Cold water or warm?” Silence. “Because cold se cold ho jaata hai, warm se comfortable rehta hai,” he added helpfully. A slipper flew across the room and hit him square on the forehead. ________________________________________ Chapter 2: Dreams vs Reality (and Rent) Raghav had a strict schedule. 5:00 a.m. – Wake up 5:15 – Meditation 5:30 – Study Polity 7:00 – Breakfast 7:30 – Study Economy 9:00 – Coaching Actual schedule: 7:45 – Wake up 7:50 – Panic 8:05 – Maggi 8:30 – Run to coaching while revising preamble in auto Kabir’s schedule was simpler: Wake up → Exist → Make jokes → Repeat Meera worked at a startup that believed in “flexible hours,” which meant she worked all the time. Nitin believed in “flexible life,” which meant he avoided work at all costs. ________________________________________ Chapter 3: The Flat Agreement They had one rule in the flat: Whoever finishes the last of anything replaces it. This rule had caused more fights than politics. “WHO FINISHED THE MILK?” Meera yelled one morning. Everyone looked at Nitin. “What? I just had tea,” he said defensively. “With what milk?” “…Philosophically speaking, milk is a concept.” Kabir clapped slowly. “Wah. Aristotle Sharma.” Raghav sighed. “We’re going to fail in life.” ________________________________________ Chapter 4: The UPSC Breakdown One evening, Raghav sat staring at his books. The pages blurred. “Fundamental Rights… Directive Principles…” he whispered. Kabir sat beside him. “Bro, you, okay?” Raghav laughed suddenly. Not the good kind. “Do you know how many people give this exam?” he said. “Lakhs. And seats? Few hundred. I’m not special, Kabir. I’m just… average.” Kabir leaned back. “Good. Average log hi toh desh chalate hain.” “That doesn’t help.” “Look,” Kabir said, softer now, “You don’t have to become an officer to prove something. Tu already achha banda hai.” Raghav looked at him. “Tu kab serious hota hai?” Kabir shrugged. “Jab tu tootne lagta hai.” For once, no one cracked a joke. ________________________________________ Chapter 5: Meera vs The World Meera came home late that night, visibly exhausted. “Startup life?” Nitin asked, chewing something that crunched louder than necessary. “They pitched my idea today,” she said. “That’s good, right?” Raghav asked. “They pitched it as their idea.” Silence again. Kabir leaned forward. “You going to fight?” Meera’s eyes burned. “I will. But sometimes I wonder… kitna ladna padega just to be heard?” Nitin offered her chips. She took them. That was friendship in their flat—no speeches, just snacks. ________________________________________ Chapter 6: The Love Story That Wasn’t (Or Was It?) Kabir had a secret. He was in love with Meera. Not the dramatic Bollywood kind. The quiet, annoying, always-there kind. He noticed things. Like how she tied her hair tighter when stressed. How she said “it’s fine” when it clearly wasn’t. How she always gave others the bigger share of food. One night, while everyone slept, Kabir sat on the balcony scrolling through old photos. Meera walked out. “Neend nahi aa rahi?” He shook his head. “Tu?” “Same.” They sat in silence. “Why are you here?” Kabir asked suddenly. “Delhi?” “No… like… here. With us.” Meera smiled faintly. “Because this is the only place where I don’t feel like I have to prove something.” Kabir wanted to say it then. That she was the reason he stayed. But instead, he said, “Rent sasta hai na.” She laughed. And the moment passed. ________________________________________ Chapter 7: The Fight Every flat has one big fight. The kind where things get said that shouldn’t be. It started with something stupid. It always does. “You never clean!” Meera snapped at Nitin. “I cleaned last week!” “You moved your chips from table to bed!” “It’s called organization!” Raghav, already stressed, exploded. “Can everyone just shut up? Some of us are trying to build a future here!” “Oh, sorry,” Kabir shot back, “Some of us are just wasting space, right?” Raghav froze. “That’s not what I meant.” “That’s exactly what you meant.” The room went cold. Meera stepped in. “Guys—” “No,” Kabir said quietly. “He’s right. Not all of us have big dreams.” “That’s not fair,” Raghav said. Kabir laughed bitterly. “Fair? Life kab fair thi?” He grabbed his jacket and walked out. Door slammed. And suddenly, the flat felt too small. ________________________________________ Chapter 8: The Silence After Kabir didn’t come back that night. Or the next. The jokes stopped. The TV stayed off. Even Nitin ate quietly. Raghav sat with his books but couldn’t read. Meera stared at her phone, typing messages and deleting them. “Text him,” Nitin said finally. “I did,” she said. “He hasn’t replied.” Raghav whispered, “I didn’t mean it.” “I know,” Meera said. “But sometimes meaning doesn’t matter. Words stick.” ________________________________________ Chapter 9: Kabir’s Side Kabir sat at a roadside tea stall, staring at nothing. The chaiwala asked, “Aur ek?” Kabir nodded. He wasn’t angry anymore. Just tired. Of feeling like he didn’t have direction. Of being the “funny guy” who no one took seriously. Of loving someone he couldn’t tell. He checked his phone. 20 missed calls. Mostly from Meera. He sighed. “Time to go back,” he muttered. ________________________________________ Chapter 10: The Return The door creaked open. Everyone looked up. Kabir stood there, awkward. Nitin ran up dramatically. “Bhai aa gaya! Emotional music chalao!” Meera threw a cushion at him. Raghav stood slowly. “I’m sorry.” Kabir nodded. “Me too.” Pause. Then Kabir added, “But seriously, tu thoda rude tha.” Raghav smiled faintly. “Haan, thoda.” “Thoda zyada.” “Okay, zyada.” They hugged. Nitin clapped. “Kya scene hai yaar, daily soap chal raha hai.” ________________________________________ Chapter 11: Small Wins Life didn’t magically fix itself. Raghav still struggled with exams. Meera still fought at work. Kabir still hid his feelings. Nitin still avoided responsibility. But things shifted. Raghav started taking breaks. Kabir started writing—actual scripts, not just jokes. Meera pitched her idea again—this time louder. Nitin… okay, Nitin got a part-time job. It was a miracle. ________________________________________ Chapter 12: The Confession It happened on a random Tuesday. No dramatic rain. No background music. Just a power cut. They sat in candlelight. “Let’s play truth or dare,” Nitin suggested. “Truth,” Meera said. “Do you like someone?” Nitin asked immediately. “Wow, straight to gossip,” Kabir muttered. Meera thought for a moment. “Yes.” Kabir’s heart stopped. “Who?” Nitin leaned in. She looked at Kabir. Silence stretched. Kabir blinked. “Why are you looking at me? Main toh bas lighting check kar raha hoon.” Meera smiled. “Because it’s you, idiot.” Time froze. Nitin whispered, “Plot twist.” Kabir laughed nervously. “Good joke.” “I’m serious.” And suddenly, he didn’t have a joke ready. “Why?” he asked, softly. Meera shrugged. “Because you stay. Even when things get messy.” Kabir exhaled. “I was scared to say it.” “Say it now.” “I love you.” Nitin stood up. “Main jaa raha hoon. Yeh PG-13 se upar jaa raha hai.” ________________________________________ Chapter 13: The Results UPSC results day. The flat was silent. Raghav refreshed the page again and again. Finally— The list loaded. He scrolled. Scrolled. Stopped. His name wasn’t there. He stared at the screen. Kabir placed a hand on his shoulder. Meera sat beside him. Nitin, unusually quiet, stood behind. “I failed,” Raghav said. No one spoke. Then Meera said, “So?” He looked at her. “So… ab kya?” Kabir grinned. “Ab next attempt.” “And if I fail again?” Nitin finally spoke. “Toh phir kuch aur karenge. Life ek exam thodi hai.” Raghav laughed weakly. “Tu officer bane ya na bane,” Kabir said, “tu leader toh hai hi.” Raghav shook his head. But for the first time, failure didn’t feel like the end. ________________________________________ Chapter 14: Moving Forward Months passed. Raghav prepared again—but healthier this time. Meera quit her job and started her own thing. Kabir got his first script accepted. Nitin got promoted. (Still shocking.) They still fought. Still laughed. Still ran out of milk. ________________________________________ Chapter 15: The Last Night The lease was ending. They sat in the empty flat. Boxes packed. Walls bare. “Feels weird,” Meera said. Kabir nodded. “Yahan se sab start hua tha.” Raghav smiled. “Aur yahan hi sab survive bhi kiya.” Nitin looked around. “Main couch le jaa raha hoon.” “That’s not even yours,” Meera said. “It is emotionally.” They laughed. Then silence. Good silence this time. “Promise we won’t drift?” Kabir said. Raghav replied, “We will.” Everyone looked at him. He continued, “But that’s okay. Because we’ll find our way back.” Meera smiled. “Like always.” ________________________________________ Epilogue Years later— They weren’t the same people. But they were still… them. Raghav found his path—maybe not UPSC, but something meaningful. Meera built something of her own. Kabir told stories—ones that made people laugh and cry. Nitin… still ate chips. But now he paid for them. And somewhere in every story Kabir wrote— There was a small 2BHK. Four people. Too many dreams. Not enough milk. And just enough love to make it all work. ________________________________________

*EXPLAINED BY SWAMY MUMBAYANANDA :*

*EXPLAINED BY SWAMY MUMBAYANANDA :* 1) Where do u go 2 get official sanction for anything in Mumbai ? Ans : *Grant Road.* 2) U r always afraid 2 cross this road. Ans : *Bhay'andar Road.* 3) Where do u go for Krishna Bhajan ? Ans : *Mira Road.* 4) Where is d HQ for Fair & Lovely ? Ans : *Gore'gaon.* 5) Where do u go 2 have fun ? Ans : *Maza'gaon.* 6) Where do TB patients march every morning ? Ans : *Cough Parade.* 7) Where do u find a deodorant that smells of a freshly laid road ? Ans : *TAR-DEO.* 8) Where do fat, white-bearded men in red go on summer vacation ? Ans : *Santa Cruise.* 9) Where do u find yoghurt conditioner for ur hair ? Ans : *DahiSar.* 10) Where 2 go when hungry for a burger? Ans : *ChowPatty.* 11) Where do sailors take their cars ? Ans : *Marine Drive.* 12) What's d best place for ur morning run ? Ans : *Jog-eshwari.* 13) All blind guys get 2gether at ? Ans : *Andheri* 14) When asked by mum, who she wanted 2 marry ? Daughter said, pointing 2 a tapori guy, *Ma-him.* You can go and buy your meal at *Curry Road*. And pray at *Masjid* if you are a Muslim or if a Hindu at *Mahaluxmi* or *Prabhadevi*. Go meet your Keralite friend at *Malabar Hill*. On the way, you can get your clothes washed at *Dhobitalav* And then Meet your girl friend *Ghat-ke-uper*. And if someone misbehaves with her, Register a complaint at *Thane*. And all will be well and good if instead you go to *Kalyan*.

God grant me the Serenity

Good Morning!!! God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can; and Wisdom to know the difference. Thy will, not mine, be done. *~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~* May 2, 2026 LIGHTING THE DARK PAST Cling to the thought that, in God’s hands, the dark past is the greatest possession you have- the key to life and happiness for others. With it you can avert misery and death for them. Alcoholics Anonymous pg. 124 No longer is my past an autobiography; it is a reference book to be taken down, opened and shared. Today as I report for duty, the most wonderful picture comes through. For, though this day be dark-as some days must be- the stars will shine even brighter later. My witness that they do shine will be called for in the very near future. All my past will this day be a part of me, because it is the key, not the lock. *************************************************** The Value of Human Will Many newcomers, having experienced little but constant deflation, feel a growing conviction that human will is of no value whatever. They have become persuaded, sometimes rightly so, that many problems besides alcohol will not yield to a headlong assault powered only by the individual's will. However, there are certain things which the individual alone can do. All by himself, and in the light of his own circumstances, he needs to develop the quality of willingness. When he acquires willingness, he is the only one who can then make the decision to exert himself along spiritual lines. Trying to do this is actually an act of his own will. It is a right use of this faculty. Indeed, all of A.A.'s Twelve Steps require our sustained and personal exertion to conform to their principles and so, we trust, to God's will. TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 40 As Bill Sees It, P. 232

DISCIPLINED SPEECH

DISCIPLINED SPEECH Around the Year with Emmet Fox May 2 Read Matthew 5:33-37 “Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil” Matthew 5:33, 37 Swear not at all, is one of the cardinal points in the teaching of Jesus. It means, briefly, that you are not to mortgage your future conduct in advance; to seek to fix your conduct or your belief for tomorrow while it is yet today. Rather you are constantly to keep yourself an open channel for the pouring out of the Holy Spirit into manifestation through you. Of course, Jesus does not mean that you are not to enter into ordinary business engagements. Nor does he mean that the ordinary oath administered in a court of law is inadmissible. These things are matters of legal convenience. The Sermon on the Mount is a treatise on the spiritual life, for the spiritual life controls all the rest.

*A Must Read.*

*A Must Read.* Not too long. Please read. If possible, twice. 🌎 🌍 🌏 You are standing on a living organism that has been breathing for 4.5 billion years. And it is trying to tell you something. In 1970, a British chemist named James Lovelock proposed an idea so radical that the entire scientific establishment laughed at him. He called it “The Gaia Hypothesis.” He said the Earth is not a dead rock with life on top of it. He said the Earth IS life. The atmosphere, the oceans, the soil, the temperature. None of it is accidental. The planet actively regulates itself the way your body regulates its own temperature. When you get hot, you sweat. When you get cold, you shiver. Your body doesn’t wait for you to decide. It corrects automatically. Lovelock said the Earth does the same thing. When CO2 rises, forests expand to absorb it. When the ocean gets too acidic, shell-building organisms pull calcium from the water and lock it into limestone. When the surface gets too hot, clouds form to reflect sunlight. The planet has been running its own thermostat for 4.5 billion years. Without a manual. Without an engineer. Without permission from anyone. It survived five mass extinctions. It recovered from asteroid impacts that vaporized entire oceans. It turned a ball of molten lava into a system that grows rainforests and coral reefs. And then we showed up. In the last 200 years, we decided the Earth was a resource, not a relative. We extracted its blood and called it “oil.” We tore open its skin and called it “mining.” We filled its lungs with chemicals and called it “progress.” And when the planet started running a fever, we debated whether the fever was real. You would never look at a person with a 102 degree temperature and say “I don’t believe in your fever.” But we did that to an entire planet. Here is what Lovelock understood that most people still don’t. The Earth does not need saving. The Earth has survived things that would make a nuclear bomb look like a firecracker. It survived the Great Oxygenation Event, when a new organism called cyanobacteria flooded the atmosphere with a gas so toxic it killed nearly every living thing on the planet. That toxic gas was oxygen. The thing you are breathing right now was once the deadliest pollution event in Earth’s history. The planet adapted. Life rebuilt. New species emerged that could breathe the poison. The Earth will do this again. It will survive us. The question was never “Can the Earth survive what we are doing?” The question is “Can we survive what the Earth will do in response?” Because the planet does not negotiate. When a system is pushed too far, it corrects. It doesn’t correct gently. It doesn’t send a warning letter. It sends ice ages. It sends floods. It sends extinction events. And then it starts over. The planet is not fragile. We are. We are the species that built glass towers on fault lines and cities below sea level and then acted surprised when the ground shook and the water rose. We are not the owners of this planet. We are the tenants. And the landlord is losing patience. The Earth doesn’t need a movement. It needs us to remember something we forgot the moment we paved over the first meadow. We are not separate from nature. We are nature. And the war we declared on the planet is a war we declared on ourselves. You cannot poison the water and keep your blood clean. You cannot burn the forest and keep your lungs clear. You cannot strip the soil and keep your food alive. Everything you do to the Earth, you do to your own body. You are not on the Earth. You are the Earth. And it is running out of ways to tell you. Period. (No, i didn't write it. I shared it. You will do well to do just that. Please. For EARTH is what we all have in common.)

SUDARSHAN KRIYA: GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS

SUDARSHAN KRIYA: GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS Some years ago, while I was posted at Gorakhpur, an Art of Living devotee happened to read my maiden book, ‘The Matter of the Mind’ wherein I narrated the efficacy of the Sudarshan Kriya technique and how it extricated me from the cesspool of alcoholism. It seemed aeons ago, when my mind was subsumed by tenebrosity and hurtling down the hubristic path on account of excessive drinking. My wife in sheer desperation enrolled me for the Part 1 course (now called the Happiness Programme). Today by the grace of the Master H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and the breathing technique of Sudarshan Kriya I am sober. The devotee connected me to an estimable psychiatrist and soon along with two other faculty members, we began conducting courses for alcoholics and drug addicts at a rehab centre. They were around 40 and we were three. Some looked menacing, others disenchanted, a few enveloped by ennui. But in our arsenal was the potent cassette of Sudarshan Kriya and enveloped with the divine benediction of Gurudev. We began with gentle warm ups. This was followed by pranayams and finally Sudarshan Kriya. A few hardened addicts attempted to derail the Kriya. But the febrile minds gradually settled as the rhythms of ‘SOHAM’ resonated the dingy hall. Meaning of Sudarshan Kriya The unique breathing technique of Sudarshan Kriya is the fulcrum of the Happiness Programme of the Art of Living. “Su” means proper, “Darshan” implies vision and “Kriya” is a purifying action. Through the actions of our breath, we appreciate a proper vision of who we really are. It is momentous to understand that nature runs on a rhythm. For instance the sun rises and sets at a particular time, similarly seasons arrive and exit at predetermined times. Humans feel hungry or sleepy at certain times. Our emotions, feelings, thoughts are all cast in the symphony of rhythm. We are unable to distinguish between cacophony and symphony in this frenetic pace of life which is cannonaded by innumerable thoughts, continuous action and noise. When sounds are harmonised by the syllable of SOHAM we can term it as magical music. Enlightenment is not accruing anything providential but harmonizing our whole being rhythmically. During the breathing process participants feel varied sensations, emotions, tingling sensations, laughter, weeping among others. But the objective is to keep breathing to the syllable of SOHAM in (chanted in Gurudev’s voice). Eventually all the accumulated stress is extricated and a person is thoroughly relaxed. One can experience this entire process only by undertaking the course. The breathing technique was cognated by H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar after being in silence for a period of 10 days on the banks of Bhadravati River at Shimoga, a small town in Karnataka. Cassandra’s of doubt and prophets of doom have questioned the salutatory benefit of the course and the breathing technique. Researchers at NIMHANS and AIIMS have zeroed on the impact of the breathing technique, which improves the heart rate, benefits cognition, improves breathing pattern, restores calmness in the mind and body, arrests Alzheimer’s affliction, works positively on the endocrine system, all of which increase energy (or prana) levels in the human body. . This technique has been used successfully used on victims of trauma, on terrorists and naxalites. This wonderful knowledge and wisdom has triggered humanness to blossom. Every cell and article of the body overflows with jollity and life is abundant with the glow of love and the body becomes the wick. Love and belongingness becomes a natural process of our inner being if practised unflinchingly and unfailingly. Several practitioners feel they can practice the breathing technique at home. But that is only walking half the path. It is indispensible and paramount that one must practice the technique daily and attend the follow up once a week, where a certified Art of Living teacher plays the chant of SOHAM in Guruji’s voice as it reinvigorates the body and mind. One should also be wary of imitations available on You Tube these days. The Sudarshan Kriya cassette or i-pod is given only to qualified Art of Living teachers. Breath is the very kernel of our very existence. Therefore it is essential to breath to the correct technique. A person will gain more spiritually and physically by traversing on this journey by taking part in the bouquet of courses offered by the foundation. The entire voyage is to spread waves of happiness across the universe. THE X-FACTOR TO ANYONE, WHO IS agitated, apprehensive or discomposed I would recommend reading the Bhagwad Gita over and over again. As they pore into this masterpiece surely and certainly, they will find answers to their innumerable queries. A peerless and invaluable conversation had taken place between Krishna and Arjuna aeons ago. The Song Celestial is a potent message as relevant today as it was prior to the battle of Kurukshetra. Lord Krishna deftly assuages the foggy and shadowy mind of his sakha Arjuna, so that the latter could discern between pusillanimity and alacrity and seize the opportunity to make his mind robust and brawny and thus fulfil his dharma, overcoming his personal feelings. Today the minds of youngsters are cannonaded with innumerable choices. Presented with too many choices on the platter, many find they are unable to make the correct decision; be it the choice of career or their soulmate. Further the mind is constantly fusilladed by social media that they become addicted to gizmos and unduly smitten by the razzmatazz. In the process rationality in their choices is the first casualty. This has become an endemic problem spanning across generations. Technology and alternatives have changed the paradigm and the ability to make rational decisions. The human mind is a victim of continuous bombardment and is never in the present moment to view things from the prism of objectivity. The febrile and wavering mind which is never in the present moment and perpetually swinging like a pendulum between the past and the present is struck by certain feelings and emotions; feelings of attachment, entanglements, lust and obsession, greed and jealousy, anger and arrogance. Apart from this the mind is gripped by the fear of the unknown. “What would happen to me? “I am not feeling well,” “How long will it take for me to recuperate,” “Will I perform well in the examinations,” “How will I fare in the interview” “Am I ready to make a pointed presentation which would impress the management and the customers,” “Am I looking presentable to impress the girl next door,” and so on… The list is endless. The mind is cannonaded by such thoughts. It does not provide the aperture to accept efficacious and positive thoughts. The contributory reasons for negative thoughts are our low prana, qui or energy levels and lack of self-confidence. It is like Lionel Messi, Neymar or Cristiano Ronaldo in the cauldron, where rambunctious crowds are rooting for them, and they miss a spot kick much to the consternation of the maniacal crowds and his team mates. Why does the mind freeze? Individuals are unable to perform. This could be due to lack of self-belief, overconfidence or just being unable to cope with the enormous pressure. In various Art of Living programmes, participants bow down to the angels of East, South, West and North to overcome emotions like attachments, entanglements, lust, obsessions, greed, jealousy, anger and arrogance. In the Happiness Programme of the Art of Living, a precise and a spesh “Hum” technique is taught where in the individual releases fearful feelings and perturbation by literally screaming, “Hum”. This releases all pent up emotions. As per Gurudev, the Mother Goddess had slain the asuras (demons) by bellowing “Hum”. So when an individual’s mind is gripped by fear, it would be propitious to exercise the “Hum” technique rather than swallowing an anti-anxiety pill like Zapiz or Prozac. Sudarshan Kriya, the unique rhythmic breathing technique brings the mind to the present moment. This brings awareness and mindfulness in an individual. Now before practising Sudarshan Kriya, the seeker expresses gratitude to parents (our first teachers), ancestors (because of whom we are on this planet), to Mother Earth (which nourishes and sustains us), to the Sun God (which provides us light and energy) and finally to the Masters of the past, present and future who have imparted this repository of knowledge. Those who practice Sudarshan Kriya express their deep gratitude to H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who has gifted humanity with this unique breathing technique and the profound knowledge. Thus Guru is the X –factor, the embodiment of Supreme Knowledge which metamorphoses and transfigures the mind. The Guru Tattva encompasses the Shiva Tattva and Narayana Tattva. Aeons ago the Kaurava and Pandava armies braced themselves for the battle of Kurukshetra, to decide who would be the rightful heirs to the throne of Hastinapur. The conceited and hubristic Duryodhana egged on by his uncle Shakuni and brother Dushasana refused to enter into any treaty with their estranged cousins, the Pandavas. Thus battling it out to don the prized crown was the only method to settle the contentious issue. As the armies faced each other, before the conch was blown to signal the commencement of war, the ace archer, Arjuna quite inexplicably requested his charioteer, Lord Krishna, to take him closer to the enemy army so that he could have a close sight of his rivals. The opponents consisted of the venerable Bhishma, his Gurus Dronacharya and Kripacharya and a hundred cousins. Beholding the sight, Arjuna’s mind was stricken with grief, remorse and guilt and he lay down his fabled arms and was of the opinion that it would be iniquitous to gain the lost kingdom by slaying his kinsmen. So much so he opined that the act could be termed as sinful and impious. As if struck by a seizure, Arjuna was mentally distraught and willing to be annihilated rather than embark upon the voyage of bloodshed to avenge the ignominy of exile, the disrobing of Draupadi and the machinations of the evil Shakuni to usurp their kingdom. Such was the fragmented condition of Arjuna’s mind. Lord Krishna rebukes Arjuna for such a pusillanimous attitude and thoughts. There upon he exhorts Arjuna to raise the cudgels and embark upon the battle, as his mind ought to focus only on “doing the action, which was worthy of a Kshatriya” and not delve upon the purported consequences. A true Yogi is one who is blessed with a brawny and robust mind, focussed with steely determination to execute the task on hand fearless of the consequences. But herein lies the catch. A resolute and authentic Yogi is one who is the sovereign of his mind. He does not get ensnared by cravings, lustful thoughts, unwelcome desires, and fearful thoughts but conquers his mind, attitudes and attains three inestimable qualities that is equilibrium, equipoise and equanimity. Lord Krishna thereupon reveals the secrets of life and death. The soul is indestructible and incombustible. The physical form which animate bodies assume is verily ephemeral. It is the soul which transmigrates from an individual to another. The human mind which is so precious should discern and grasp this aspect. In fact Lord Krishna chastises valorous Arjuna for not adhering to the tenets of Karma Yoga instead succumbing to filial ties. He added that “there is no purpose in grieving for the dead and the gates of heaven would welcome you with open arms.” The Lord further mentioned that even if Arjuna did not vanquish his adversaries, defeat would be equally glorious as he would have performed a deed befitting a warrior. An intrepid mind, a warrior is one who takes up challenges and responsibilities and does not shirk from them. Taking up responsibility empowers an individual. This is true of anyone who is in pursuit of truth. It is a weak and meek mind whose thoughts get obfuscated by the clouds of doubt. Non–action is an act of cowardice too. Thus it is essential for humans to act. For this purpose it is essential that the human mind is trained to respond to various situations and not get stuck in the cesspool of inactivity. A sagacious person, a true Karma Yogi discovers Divine peace in actions performed and is not bothered with the fruits of the action. The mind of such a person is pristine and the Yogi dwells in the body as a pure as the mind. The Bhagwad Gita is the Song Celestial, running into 18 chapters; a memorable dialogue between Narayana and Nara (Arjuna). The Lord revealed his splendorous, luminous and radiant form to Arjuna which encompassed the entire creation and destruction of the Universe. It is believed that Oppenheimer, the noted German physicist had similar visions when the first trial atomic test had taken place in the USA. More importantly, the sheer ferocity of the Vishwaroop Darshan of the Lord dispelled all doubts in the mind of Arjuna who was a transformed personality. His mind was at peace and all the cobwebs and demonic thoughts were torpedoed. He blew his conch “Devadutta” and strung the fabled “Gandiva” which sent shivers down the spine of his adversaries. The mind of the bowman was truly awakened, aware and rejoiced with joy as he was prepared for the battle. It is noteworthy to point out that the intrepid combatant had won from both within and without. In our most impenetrable situations it is only pristine knowledge which provides succour. The hallmark of a true Karma Yogi is to steadfastly remain in the state of this knowledge. Only an authentic and genuine seeker, whose mind is hollow and empty bereft with all prejudices and preconceived notions is able to accept this knowledge and act upon it. Thus Guru is the X-factor who imparts knowledge to a genuine seeker at his feet. Jai Guru Dev! Victory to the Big Mind. “In the infinity of life where I am, All is perfect, whole, and complete. I believe in a power far greater than I am That flows through me every moment of every day. I open myself to the wisdom within, Knowing that there is only One Intelligence in this Universe. Out of this One Intelligence comes all the answers, All the solutions, all the healings, all the new creations. I trust this Power and Intelligence, Knowing that whatever I need to know is revealed to me In the right time, space and sequence. All is well in my world,” wrote Louise L Hay. Her book “You can Heal Your Life” has metamorphosed lives of millions of people across the globe. - LOUIS HAY

Maharashtra De-Addiction Program

Maharashtra De-Addiction Program DESPITE THE PERILS OF substance and alcohol abuse why do humans get addicted to these stimulants? The answer is always the same - a weak mind. The individual who is dependent on alcohol, drugs and other derivatives lives in a state of self-denial, dejection, self deprecation, feeling of absolute loss, loneliness and is looking for compassion, comfort and love. “Addiction is a brain disorder characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences. The two properties that characterize all addictive stimuli are that they are reinforcing (i.e., they increase the likelihood that a person will seek repeated exposure to them) and intrinsically rewarding (i.e., they are perceived as being inherently positive, desirable, and pleasurable).” - Wikipedia As per Hindu mythology, during the great churning process or Amrit Manthan, several jewels mushroomed (14 to be exact). Among them was Varuni – the Goddess of Wine. Further, consumption of cannabis was known in India since 2000 B.C. It is associated with Lord Shiva, the Adi Yogi. But he was a mendicant who had mastered all the senses and was the suzerain of his mind. But the hapless addicts and alcoholics are victims of this deadly pestilence, succumbing to its ill effects. It has been proven statistically that nearly 15% of individuals who consume alcohol develop a dependency and in the bargain become alcoholics. This is a major health problem, afflicting rich and poor alike. Further dependency on alcohol is associated with acute social stigma. There is nothing macho or brawny about it. This fatal attraction to alcohol deranges families and alcoholics get lost in the byzantine labyrinth of antipathetic thought process. Very often, they are discarded by loved ones and lead a life of ignominy. The major categories of drugs which swamp the minds of addicts include - alcohol, nicotine, tobacco, depressants like barbiturates and benzodiazepines, stimulants like amphetamines and cocaine, marijuana as well as opioids like morphine, heroin and methadone. Primarily such kind of addictions arise on account of peer pressure, poverty, impulsivity, relationship problems, family problems, poor coping skills among others. Shri Venkatesh Manglaram, a senior faculty of the Art of Living has been an inspirational figure in weaning away addicts from this lethal pestilence through some landmark work and contribution. Venkateshji opines that most of the participants gravitated towards such drugs on the assumption it might provide some handy solutions and some relief which triggers the human mind into obfuscating immediate problems, without realizing the immense damage it can cause to the human system. Venkateshji put it succinctly, “When someone drinks alcohol or takes drugs and becomes dependent on it; their family suffers; the surrounding suffers and it overall affects the society. Since I am a part of the society I feel responsible for the same.” The triumvirate of Venkatesh Manglaram, Nitin Pradhan and Ganshyam Gohile have conducted 23 Prana courses together which has upended the pyramid of around 330 addicts in the arid region of Vidharbha in Maharashtra. The fulcrum of the Prana course is to stress on absolute detoxification; de addiction is carried out with a holistic approach. The course is a unique combination of physical, psychological, emotional, social and spiritual practices such as yoga, meditation and imparting the unique rhythmic breathing technique of Sudarshan Kriya. The course has had a stunning and astonishing strike rate, with as many as 80% participants eschewing dependency on alcohol and drugs. The mind of an alcoholic or a drug addict swings like a pendulum. On one hand is the immediate feeling of euphoria and at the other end is an extremely enfeebled mind which is not robust enough to eschew the dependency. Thus registration of individuals becomes a gargantuan task, the biggest stumbling block. Once they complete the course the results are there to see; radiant faces and minds suffused with jollity. One such participant was Shrirang Jagtap, a resident of Amravati who was trained to be a civil engineer. However he was tragically caught in the vortex of alcohol consumption. In sheer desperation, the gentleman attempted various de-addiction courses at several places and was admitted at different rehabilitation centers but ended up only drinking, with no aperture of hope in sight. Eventually, he attended a Prana course and it has been more than two and a half years now that he is sober and clean. Yet another participant was Amol, a bus conductor in Yavatmal. He began consuming alcohol on account of certain family problems but ended up losing his job due to excessive drinking. The course has benefitted him in such a remarkable manner that presently he has been sober, without touching a drop for more than a year and a half. The duration of the course is such that the participants and teachers strike a chord and are able to empathize with each other. The afflicted can reach out to the teachers whenever they are desirous of giving vent to their feelings. Upon completion of the course it is mandatory to conduct follow up sessions and Satsangs, so that the recovered souls do not hurtle once again towards alcoholism or drug addiction. The success rate of abstinence has been as high as 80%, no mean achievement! In order to construct a ‘NO ALCOHOL’ society, it is imperative that tools of education and large scale awareness about the perils of alcoholism and addiction should be imparted. Venkatesh and his team are working towards this lofty mission. Physical and Mental Rehabilation of Alcoholics This is a riposte to a show about the banning of alcohol in some states of the country.’ We The People’ a popular programme of NDTV anchored by Barkha Dutt deliberated the issue on the 17th of April 2016 . Without getting in to the merits of the issue a simple question arises in my mind – can we ban thoughts? The mind is cannonaded by approximately 50 to 60,000 thoughts in a day. And an alcoholic’s mind is extraordinarily sharp despite suffering from this medical malady. An alcoholic will employ all possible means at his disposal to acquire the prized possession. Like fish is to water an alcoholic is to liquor.The cause of alcoholism is the negative and destructive pattern of thinking and a deranged thought process. The problem can be addressed by getting an alcoholic admitted into a rehabilitation programme, joining the Alcoholics Anonymous, a self-help group, undertaking the Happiness Programme of The Art of Living( where the unique breathing technique of Sudarshan Kriya is imparted) or undergoing the Vipassana breathing technique. These techniques can be of help only when the alcoholic acknowledges the problem , and does not live in the world of self-denial besides submits to a power which is much superior to him or her. Through the grave indulgence of Bacchus and reckless drinking , alcoholics wreck immense damage to all the organs of human body. This is no rocket science and is known to the afflicted. To begin with stomach, pancreas, liver, esophagus, the small and large intestine get adversely damaged.Once the gut is effected it has a debilitating impact on the circulatory and nervous systems. Alcoholics develop heart ailments, problems pertaining to blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis among others. One organ after the other starts collapsing and eventually an alcoholic becomes a vegetable. The alcoholic finally lands up in the ICU or is in the grave. The cause of alcoholism is the negative and destructive pattern of thinking. And in the amphitheater of mind nothing can be banned. This is an advisory for all alcoholics and recovering alcoholics( those who have turned sober through the gift of the Divine) regarding their eating and drinking patterns. Those who get admitted to a rehab or an Ayurvedic clinic fortuitously will be served a regulated diet for proper resuscitation. But there are a large unfortunate numbers who are caught in the vortex of drinking or continue to suffer from relapses. They should begin the day with several glasses of warm lime water laced with honey and not with a cup of coffee / tea. It goes without saying , SAY a firm NO to drink. Lime water with honey assists in detoxifying the system . Eating of fresh fruits for breakfast and not leftovers of the night helps in digestion. It is guaranteed that most alcoholics suffer from an irritable bowel syndrome and associated disorders. The fruit should be partaken as an entire meal and should not merely be a supplement. Tamasik and Rajasic intake of food invariably trigger the desire to consume alcohol. However consumption of Sattvik food will certainly enable to rectify the imbalances present in the body and diminish the craving for alcohol. There is a tremendous weakening of the immune system of the body of an alcoholic as precious minerals and vitamins get drained out. The resistance levels need to be enhanced through proper intake of nutritious food. The propensity of an alcoholic falling prey to opportunistic ailments is extortionate. This medical problem can be addressed only by a qualified medical practitioner. And what about the mental problem? Louise L Hay , in ‘ You Can Heal Your Life’ has identified the probable cause of alcoholism as negative thought processes such as – ‘ What’s the use ?’ Feeling of futility ,guilt, inadequacy and Self Rejection. And according to her the renewed thought pattern should be – I live in now. Each moment is new. I choose to see my self-worth.I love and approve of myself.

The Alcoholics Anonymous Path

The Alcoholics Anonymous Path ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, a self help group established in 1932, have upended the pyramid of the lives of millions of addicts. They commence every single meeting by faithfully and unflinchingly reciting the Serenity Prayer; this is the starting point of their 12 step recovery programme. The critical element in the recovery of any alcoholic lies in admitting to the fact that he or she needs help. The alcoholic has to emerge from the world of self denial, the belief that everything is hunky dory and he/ she is not affected by the perils of alcoholism. There are several triggers which engineer addiction. However one can safely conclude that it is the recalcitrant mind and low prana levels which are the endemic to the craving, the compulsion and eventual enslavement to the Bacchus. In the swathes of the ether maniac’s cobweb filled mind the power of discrimination and discernment seem lost in the darkness of an endless tunnel. The Serenity Prayer provides immense succour to make a paradigm shift and a 360 degree change in an addict’s life; leading up to a complete turnaround and eventually to eschew dependency on alcohol. The first and the only step they have to initiate are to singularly submit to a superior power and admit their powerlessness over the Bacchus. Once this first step is taken the process of recovery begins. The Art of Living Way I TOO WAS AN ALCOHOLIC for several years. The disease impacted me immensely. It was only my wife and parents who stood by me, offering support in my most trying moments. My wife enrolled me for the Part 1course of the Art of Living while I was posted at Jaipur. Winter had set in Jaipur and the weather was chilly. Any stock individual would have preferred the warm climes of a quilt. Yet my wife faithfully dropped me and picked me from the centre for seven days where I had undertaken the course. Like a zombie I used to attend the course. I was in a state of haze every morning after endless drinking the previous night, sparring with my wife and petrified children. It was nothing but Divine grace that I could undertake the course and indeed I am most grateful to my feisty wife who ungrudgingly escorted me for the course. There I learnt the unique rhythmic breathing technique of “Sudarshan Kriya”, cognated by the spiritual master H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Today, by the grace of the Master and through the breathing technique I am sober for over a decade. As a faculty of the Art of Living I have been able to conduct courses for alcoholics and drug addicts. In the final analysis when a person hits rock bottom, it is the grace of almighty God which can extricate him from the cesspool of addiction. There are millions of alcoholics suffering from this pestilence who cannot remain without the spirit. By participating in various programmes of the Art of Living, I am sober today. There are several unfortunate ones who are struggling to rediscover their way from this lethal ailment. They need to upend the pyramid, detoxify their minds and bodies and once again discover love in their lives. It is paramount that they discard the feelings and emotions of futility, guilt, inadequacy and self rejection. They have to strengthen their minds and make it robust to eschew dependency on alcohol. Do they have it in them to stay half an hour without alcohol? How many people are appreciative, or even cognizant of the fact that the Art of Living is helping around 200 students who could not clear their SSLC examinations in Karnataka and were consequently placed in the supplementary category? These young minds are being imparted training to cope with stress and the harrying feeling of appearing for the examination. Coercion is being combated through various relaxation and meditation techniques. Such craftsmanship and techniques are encompassed in the Pragna programme of the Art of Living and is providing succour to students. Various Art of Living programmes address different sections of society to provide alternative and holistic therapies to ameliorate the physical and mental conditions of overwrought people. The vast gamut includes children, through what is now popularly known as the Intuition Programme and youth through Art Excel and Yes Plus courses. A person could be a stock individual, a home maker, a seeker or even an addict, through variegated Art of Living programmes help is always at hand. Meanwhile the year was 2017, the month, early November. The place was Gorakhpur. A devotee of the Art of Living happened to read my maiden effort “The Matter of the Mind” and passed on the copy to a psychiatrist. The doctor read the book and was taken aback at my recovery from alcoholism and the fact that I was sober for over ten years after undertaking the Art of Living courses. He quickly connected me with a rehab centre to provide alternative therapy in addition to allopathic treatment. This was a wonderful gesture on part of the psychiatrist. Soon I found myself at the rehabilitation centre along with two other teachers of Art of Living to ameliorate the pitiable state of the inmates. I could easily establish a connection with those in the centre as I too had once been a victim of this lethal disease. Alcoholism is essentially running away from the self. A person living in constant fear; unable to express or appreciate authentic love. Such an individual is unable to discover his/ her inner potential and really carouse in life. Gorakhpur is situated in a region steeped in vibrant history. The place is esteemed for the Gorakhnath Temple, of the Nath monastic tradition. It is also the birthplace of the mystic seer Paramahamsa Yogananda who had cognated Kriya Yoga. Strains of Buddhism can also be felt in the air at Gorakhpur. Several historical Buddhist sites are to be found in the vicinity of Gorakhpur. Not far away is Sarnath (the twin city of ancient Benares), where Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon to humanity upon attaining enlightenment. Lumbini (in present day Nepal), Shravasti and Kushinagar are other places in the vicinity of Gorakhpur. Gorakhpur is also intertwined with modern Indian history, literature and philosophical schools. Eminent writers and poets like Firaq Gorakhpuri and Shrilal Shukla hail from this town, known for its widespread railway establishment which once was the headquarters of the North Eastern and North Eastern Frontier Railway. Chauri Chaura of the famous Chauri Chaura killings is also located in Gorakhpur district. Not far away is the world’s largest opium factory at Ghazipur; opium being the raw material for pharmaceutical products. It is believed that monkeys of this town are in a state of euphoria after partaking opium! Given this background of a rich historical, cultural and religious tradition, I could not but wonder at the high rate of addiction in the region. The strapping youngsters, quite like the monkeys of Ghazipur did not possess a resolute and determined mind and easily succumbed to alcohol and drugs. How does one conduct the course for hardened alcoholics and drug addicts, who are in a perpetual state of self denial? They looked at us in the most disgusted manner possible, with disbelief writ large on their faces. The three of us received sneering looks from the inmates. Some refused to do the course, others boycotted the course midway. We nevertheless persisted and as the course proceeded, several participants triggered into hysterical bouts of laughter. This was their attempt to distract us and derail the course. But we remained resolute and hardy in our effort and continued with the programme. Bowing down to the photograph of Pujya Gurudev, we sought his Divine benediction and played the cassette of “Sudarshan Kriya.” As the syntax of “ SOHAM” gathered momentum and the rhythm of the breathing technique permeated each cell of their body and soul, and soon the hysterical laughter gave way to tears of gratitude and silence prevailed. Cacophony gave way to symphony. Following this course we had regular courses of Art of Living for the addicts and follow up sessions. The breathing technique of Sudarshan Kriya and the knowledge points of Gurudev began to unfold, with a salutary impact on the minds of the addicts. They were slowly revealing the determination to metamorphose and transfigure their lives and eschew dependency on the substance. My heart bled for them as I too was one of them. The Guru Dakshina that we asked of them was to seek pardon from those that they had hurt and secondly to regularly practice the technique of Sudarshan Kriya. What really touched the core of my heart and being was when an addict broke down and said, “Sir. aap humko chod kar jaoge toh nahin?”(Sir, you will not forsake us.) Another person remarked, “Sir, aap roz aoge na?”(Sir, will you come and meet us every day?). I recalled the gloomy but riveting movie, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, how the inmates lodged in a mental asylum for treatment of insanity had reached a state where they were determined to break the bondage and run away. Similarly these youth and middle aged persons with families and children back home yearned for love and affection and pined to be with their loved ones and were determined to break the four walls of the rehab centre. Normally the mind of an alcoholic borders on futility, guilt, a gargantuan burden of inadequacy, self-rejection, self-depravation and self-dejection. After the initial treatment at the rehabilitation centre and subsequent exposure to the unique rhythmic breathing technique of Sudarshan Kriya they began to believe in the Power of Now, the efficacy of ‘Living in the Present Moment”. Every day was a new day, a harbinger of hope and the addicts realised their self-worth and the “Power of Love and Acceptance” and began giving themselves positive strokes. The concepts of the Power of Now or the Present Moment have been postulated by several masters of the past both in the oriental and occidental world. In India, Maharishi Patanjali, Gautama Buddha, the Advaita saint Adi Shankara have written and spoken about it extensively. In present times the quintessential rhythmic breathing technique of Sudarshan Kriya transmogrifies the human mind to the present. Authors like Eckhart Tolle, Robin Sharma, Deepak Chopra and Louise Hay too have emphasised on reengineering and polymorph sing the human mind to remain in the present moment to combat various challenging situations in life. The rehab centre was opened by a doughty lady whose husband too was once an alcoholic. As a goodwill gesture the couple inaugurated the centre and have made it their mission to provide shelter and comfort to those suffering from alcoholism. To this day they remain connected with me through WhatsApp and express their gratitude to H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and the Art of Living Foundation for providing immense assistance in the recovery of those afflicted from this lethal disease to combat it. The inmates could remain half an hour without alcohol, can you? This is the question that resonates in my mind, the question I pose to any addict. This is possible only through surrender to the higher power / the supreme intelligence of the Universe.

Transformation of an insensitive addict

Transformation of an insensitive addict Raja began his day with Bacchus and ended it with Bacchus. During the day too he consumed Bacchus. One particular night in a sozzled state, he went to a parish in the neighborhood and broke down. The priest consoled him and narrated his own story. Apparently the savant of God was once addicted to morphine and snake bites. Raja’s body chilled and he remained transfixed, gazing at the cross and hoping for redemption . But this insensitive person , hosting an insensitive mind over a period of time had become an insensitive addict. Next morning once again in a state of stupor, he landed at the doorstep of Satya Sai Baba’s temple. The priest was performing Puja and was taken aback at the entry of this unwelcome visitor and admonished him for the aberration. He asked him to pray to Baba for grace and a speedy recovery. The insensitive mind again acted as a barrier for blessings to flow. Raja’s behavior did not transfigure and he continued with the consumption of alcohol. It had taken a severe toll of his system. He suffered from a bout of jaundice. On recuperation, he continued with the habit. His drinking had become quotidian n and there seem to be no light at the end of the tunnel. He had become alcohol dependent and there seemed no respite from the malady. Alcoholism is a defining moment in the life of an addict . It is a debilitating ailment which needs to be appreciated by the family and society and every addict needs treatment to combat this illness. The healing apart from being mere physical necessarily needs to be spiritual and metaphysical. There were fights, repeated squabbles and altercations within the family. His children were petrified and in a s constant state of anxiety and tension , while encountering their father. The mother ceaselessly and incessantly cursed the day she was married to the ungrateful and insensitive person. Raja began selling the silverware of the family and even dipping into his provident fund, to procure the daily quota of alcohol . The couple had minimal interaction. Sex with Raja was a tormenting affair and torturous to her body and soul. Her mind was scarred by endless abuse by her stone-hearted obdurate and inconsiderate husband. However, she bore the brunt with remarkable fortitude . Her life appeared dark and gloomy. But , she prayed for the recovery of her husband to Lord Hanuman and recited Hanuman Chalisa unfailingly apart from fervently praying to the Vishistadvaita mystic Sri Raghavendra Swami of Mantralayam . This was on the valuable advice and guidance offered by Raja’s grandmother. Prayer provided her with some mental comfort and succor and she had a space to declutter an overloaded mind which was teeming with negative thoughts and was brimful of a gloomy disposition. Who is an addict? A person who is addicted to any particular substance, say an illegal drug or alcohol ! What is addiction? A physical or psychological need of a habit forming substance, such as a drug or alcohol. In physical addiction , the body adapts to the substance being used and over a period of time requires increased amounts to reproduce the effects originally produced by smaller doses, without which the addict has withdrawal symptoms “Every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic , be alcohol or morphine or idealism” wrote Carl Jung. An addict lives in a constant state of denial and becomes highly ego-centric and self centred individual. They can be termed as chronic self centredness or selfishness. Their monkey minds only crave for that additional stuff! Such individuals are obsessed with only their own selves and that is the centerpiece of their nightmarish and macabre existence. How does one bring about a 360 degree change in their lifestyles? They need to seek professional help under the aegis of a psychiatrist or get admitted to a rehab to rejig their lives. It is binding on the addict to surrender to a Divine Power and surrender without any strings attached and can seek the help of professional bodies like Alcoholic Anonymous. It is imperative on the part of the family and friends( if they still care) to make the addicts realise that their self centred behavior is hurtling them down the precipice of hubris. Practice of Yoga and Pranayama too have a salutary effect on the mind and bodies of the addict. Further the addict can undertake a course in the ancient Buddhist technique of Vipassana or join the Happiness Programme of the Art of Living. Most importantly , the addict should not live like a recluse and remain cloistered in the dark confines of their unlighted and unilluminated minds. He should be made to think about the problems faced by the society and emerge as a welfare oriented citizen. The idea and spirit of performing service / Seva to the society would channelize energies towards a positive direction. The problems encountered by the addict should appear smaller than those of the society. The addict should begin sharing his joys like toys and not merely sorrows . It is law of nature that what gets shared enlarges and magnifies . Incase joy and moments of happiness are shared , such thoughts get magnified. Such acts have a salutary effect on the mind and the addict begins to feel happy and make an attempt to get out of the hole. Then the million dollar realization dawns that there is life beyond the watering hole. The addict needs to live in the present moment and lift his level of Prana / Chi. Breathing technique like Sudarshan Kriya , has a palliative effect and bring about the awareness in the individual to start living in the present moment and he makes amends with himself, the family and society. Raja , is sober today and recovered with the abundance of love and blessings he received from several masters and by undertaking the Art of Living course. There are several people like Raja who are in dire straits who require immediate attention. They need to traverse the path from the present insensitive state to becoming sensitive to the needs of their selves, family and society. As the talismanic Barrak Obama says,” Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we have been waiting for the change we seek.” Overcome Addictions Through Sudarshan Kriya Harilal Gandhi was addicted to alcohol. He tried in vain to give up drinking but could never kick the habit and eventually succumbed to the lethal disease called alcoholism . He became quotidian smoker. Gandhiji’s son was also said to have committed adultery and for a brief while converted to Islam and was known as Abdullah Gandhi , much to the chagrin of his illustrious parents. ” I had very little opportunity to be very close to him,but the little time I spent with him convinced me that he was not a bad man. I regard him to be the most intelligent of the four sons of Bapuji. He was very humorous,very generous and very hospitable ; yet he was given to drinking . Why?Who is to be blamed?” writes Saraswati K Gandhi ( Harilal’s daughter-in -law). Perhaps it was the troubled relationship with the Mahatma that derailed Harilal’s life, the pent up anger and frustration in his mind. Tobacco and excessive consumption of alcohol lead to severe physical and psychological disorders . It has a deleterious and debilitating effect on the human body. Any individual can be addicted to sex, substance, food (bulimia), cinema, television or even social media. Such addictions weaken our resolve and diminish our aura. It depletes our physical and mental energy. Talking of smoking , our parliamentarians came up with outlandish theories stating that there is inadequate Indian evidence to correlate tobacco and cancer . WHO estimates that tobacco caused 6.4 million deaths in 2014 and 100 million deaths over the course of the 20th century. Similarly , the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes tobacco as “the single most important preventable risk to human health in developed countries and important cause of premature death worldwide.” Smoking is a major risk factor for heart attacks,strokes,chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) including emphysema and chronic-bronchitis and cancer(particularly lung cancer , cancers of larynx and mouth, and pancreatic cancer).Cigarettes sold in underdeveloped countries tend to have higher tar content , and are less likely to be filtered ,potentially increasing vulnerability to tobacco smoking related diseases in these regions. Given this grim scenario how does one quit smoking and or those addicted to Bacchus, give up drinking? With my wretched experience, with unrelented smoking and drinking , I would recommend the courses of Art Of Living as a palliative for these addictions. We need to breathe properly to overcome these vices. The pivot of the Art Of Living Courses is the unique breathing technique called the Sudarshan Kriya. Sudarshan Kriya harmonises the rhythms of the body and emotions and puts them back in tune with the rhythms of nature. Being in sync , we feel positive about ourselves ,love flows naturally in all relationships( say what was lacking between MK Gandhi and Harilal Gandhi). Sudarshan Kriya technique enables us to skilfully use the breath to change the way we feel , and start having a say over our emotions . It reinforces the default rhythm within an individual and negative emotions of discomfort , discontent , unhappiness get purged. Regular practice of Sudarshan Kriya , pranayama , yoga and meditation brings about a 360 degree change in the personality of an addict or a person who is only looking back in anger . A renowned cardiologist from Hyderabad Dr Ramachandra of Sri Sri Holistic Hospitals recommends Sudarshan Kriya to all his patients for a quick rehab . Further he opines this breathing technique is almost like hyperventilation and relaxes an individual tremendously . Regular practice of this breathing technique infuses energy, optimism and puts a person in an auto mode (default mode of nature). We are cannonaded with almost 50000 thousand thoughts a day . Most of them are negative in nature . Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says breath is like a string and your mind is like a kite . Proper breathing ensures you float and not crash land in the journey of our lives. So let us breathe our problems away. The Serenity Prayer The abridged version of the Serenity Prayer which has been adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous is as follows: God grant me The Serenity to Accept the things I cannot change Courage to change The things I can AND Wisdom to know The Difference