Shahnayee: A prayer for peace

I love congregations. Whether it be a prayer service, or rock concert. That feeling of oneness and unity for a single cause always gets me. I often feel we are living through times of great upheaval and strife; and finding simple, solemn, peaceful moments in the midst of this chaotic quagmire is such a welcome respite.

Last August, my aunt and uncle held a special prayer service for Y and me at the Vedanta Society of Toronto. This place has been one of those constants in the fluctuating timeline of my life. One thing I appreciate about VS above all -- apart from the people -- is the peaceful hush that always surrounds the shrine. Until VS, I had never been to a temple that truly exudes the power and grace of what we perceive as god, with a quiet but reassuring force. It is all goodness.

It was a short ceremony with some devotional singing, reading and a worship. But above all what really struck me was the kindness and generosity of everyone who attended. Y and I feel we got a glimpse of what our big day will look like, and it was a humbling one. All those people, came out for us. The positive energy was palpable. It was my first time experiencing something like this. Truly transformational.

Shahnayee: When life gives you laddoos.... eat them.

I don't even like laddoos. But they do make an almost mandatory appearance at any and every important Indian occasion. Laddoos are a go-to dessert for Indians with good news. So there's that. But I digress. 


Y and I have the very supreme advantage of having a large and loving family (on both sides) that is taking on most of the wedding prep in Pune. So quite obviously, at this point, neither of us needs to get our hands dirty with anything. Needless to say, we're loving it. But you know how it is with the proverbial and ever elusive green grass. Wish I was on that side where it is green!


I mean... that's where all the action is! As I write this the famjam's getting together over a - what I am quite sure will be a delicious - potluck to finalize the venue for the Mehendi, Sangeet and Garba! Naturally my productivity levels are low. My mind and my body are not in the same place....


October come soon!

Golden quote of the day

"The relationships worth fighting for are sometimes the hardest to keep and often the ones that need most work." 

That's my powerful realization, and golden quote, for the day.

Shahnayee: The trials and travails of an Indian bride-to-be

Today, I start a new series of posts in an attempt to capture what my wedding planning is looking like. That was a lot of prepositions, but you get the idea.

Before I launch into story-telling, I should probably provide some context into this whole business. My wedding has been set for December 27, 2012 - provided the earth doesn't implode - in Pune, India. There is nowhere in the world I'd rather get married than in Pune, which works out in my favour. Strike 1 for the good bride, and zilch for bridezilla.

At this point, my only concern is probably what I'll be wearing, and whether or not I'll be able to wake up the day of my own wedding, considering the numerous celebrations that will inevitably take place the previous nights. Thank the goddess the ceremony is in the evening!

Reflecting on photography

Photography is slowly becoming a lost art.. in my very unprofessional opinion. This probably sounds like the world's most contradictory statement, but think about it for a sec. Anyone with a quality camera and a handy editing software can make average photos spectacular these days. So what really distinguishes someone who knows the art and truly has an eye for it from the everyday Joe with an iPhone?

To be honest, I have no idea. I'm just reflecting here. Especially because as a person whose photographic knowledge only goes so far as knowing how to operate her digital camera, I certainly cannot distinguish good photos from great ones. But that's my drawback. I am fairly certain there are people out there who are more than capable of distinguishing an edited photo from art.

Still, it's a little disappointing to know that digitization and technology has taken away from appreciating true art. If every second one of your friends on Facebook has a DSLR or iPhone, and uses Instagram (koodos to these companies for doing what they do) to give their photos a rustic, artistic quality, then where's the novelty of an authentically rustic photograph? Say, when you uncover your grandparents' stash of pictures that captured their childhoods, their wedding, the most important moments of their lives. What newness, what excitement is there left to feel? If it keeps on like this, our next generation, hell even our generation, will look at a precious old photograph and think: "Oh I can do better on Instagram!"

Thanks technology.

Krishna nee begane, baro

Come back as Jesus, come back and save the world

We need a teacher, you are the only one

Come back as Rama,

Forgive us for what we've done

Come back as Allah

Come back as Anyone!

One of the best feelings in life is being able to connect with a person quickly, and confide in him or her something that is on your mind.

And there is something to be said after all in the "family" connection as well. You know that quick conversation you have with a cousin or distant aunt, whom you don't really speak to that often, but who somehow completely understands your reasons for doing a certain thing. It's refreshing not to have to explain oneself a million times.

It's good...