NASHVILLE JUNE/JULY 08




Nashville Balaji Temple. Me with a devotee!







At a dinner at Rumbha with Madhavi, Mohan, Nandini Arun, Deepa Kumar








With Madhavi, my daughter of course, can't you guess?












Proud nani with Kiran












Happy nani with Aditya

Inside Grotte La Merveilleuse, the stalactites and stalagmites which look like Shivalingams. (Theyare made oof calcium with the help of water drops that drip inside the mountain...






It is Fairyland! At Dinant (Belgium) See the River Meuse, Church, Citadelle!
Then see me, missing my dear ones...but happy at having had the opportunity to visit this beautiful place!

















INSIDE A CHURCH AT DINANT...as usual I bought a rosary for myself...I do have a neat collection from the various churches and cathedrals that I have visited!














Brussel Square ...Pls take my word when I tell you that it was stunning! The Square, not me :) and the picture does not do it much justice!














Myself at the entrance of La Grotte, La Marveilleuse (Dinant)
BRUSSELS



Arrived this morning (18th June 2008) around 7am ...flight was comfy, service was good and I managed to catch a little sleep...
Got into the hotel and was informed that there is a strike in the city, but if I took a train I wd be safe...So I did. Took a bus tour but they did not allow us to alight from the bus...later I walked around in the main city...The 'square' is absolutely stunning!(PLS LOOK UP THE INTERNET) I have seen pics of it but it just does not do any justice...i just sat there with my mouth open thanking the Lord for this opportunity...had pancakes with strawberries and chocolate sauce for lunch...later did a little shopping and my day cannot be complete unless I share it with those I care for...so here it is.
Tomorrow will flow...maybe I will stroll around some more or I may go to a town a few hrs away which I am told is beautiful.Shall tell you about it tomorrow.
Now will have a light dinner and zzzzz
Much love,

19th June 08
Today was a tremendously adventurous day. Changed trains 3 times to get to Dinant (End of day in Hindi :)
but it was worth every minute. Buses are horrible...they treat you like sheep...so I thought I wd be more daring...it is ok to be daring at well, won't tell you my age...but this note is meant to inspire us women...empower us women...Dinant was like Salzburg...Heavenly...went on a cable car, on a kind of fort La Citadelle, walked by the River Meuse...Saw 'La Grotte, La Marveilleuse' (These are caves with stalactites and stalgmites) It is like God's wonderland formed thousands of years ago, we go INTO a mountain...You know as I sat there I thought to myself...The energy here has to be tremendous as it is unspoilt by the outside world! It is like sitting in the womb of the earth.You can't imagine how much I have walked today...so I am as young as I feel, right?
I feel sixteen, going on sixty! How is that?
Thanks husband dear and dear kids for calling so many times...
I feel good!
Keep it up when I return home.
Luvs

20th June 2008
Hello from the States!
Nashville Tennesee

So beautiful and Peaceful!

...I hv been connecting with people in such a strange way...but then these are the ways of Krishna...

On the flight sitting next to me was a gentleman who works on Peace on a global level...told him about Peace as well as our Vrindavan project...has promised to stay in touch and to check out the websites...

About Peace: In Brussels on my way to Dinant, I met this gentle sophisticated lady who helped me with schedules of trains. In belgium french is spoken more than english...I dont know why...She must hv been in so much 'dukh' that she confided that she had lost her child...(the heart needs no language) there was no need to speak...I just held her hand!

What Karmic connections

Would you believe that just a stone throw away from Pridarshini Park, near Simla House, there is a Garden called ShantiVan where peacocks roam free.
Lord Krishna sports a peacock feather on his head...I shall tell you why, if you ask me...
In the meantime see Manju and her peaceful expression as a peacock passes close by...
We have oue Eager Be Group meetings once a month in Shanti Van...Ar'nt we lucky?

Nandhini Ashok Shree Paavitra Arts Academy


Nandhini Ashok is the Founder and Trustee of Shree Paavitra Arts Academy and a performer and teacher of Bharatanatyam classical dance form....She is a good human being and she is particular close to my heart because she is a Krishna devotee and shares the passion of serving and making this world a better place.

She invited members of Times Foundation and Women's Movement for Peace and Prosperity (WMPP) to the International dance Day celebrated on 29th April since 1982 at Nehru Centre Worli.

We enjoyed a fascinating performance by:
Odissi Donna Ganguly and her troupe from Kolkatta
Kuchupudi Jayapriya Vikraman from Chennai
Bharat Natyam Nandhini Ashok and teachers of Shree Paavitra Arts Academy (Mumbai)

On the 30th of May Nandhini invited us to the Arangetram of her student Kritika Seth
at Iskcon auditorium Juhu.
Kritika was delightful in every way!
Good luck and may the Indian Arts continue to thrive and inspire.

MAYA DASWANI AND MYSELF



Meet my friend Maya Daswani...definitely an achiever...She was always enthusiastic...her enthusiasm 'rang laaya' and she is doing what she is a natural in...She grooms people in 'table manners' 'dress' 'confidence' demeanour, body language and the list goes on...because she goes on and on exploring her potential and as she does...she takes other women along...Great going Maya..!
Today she is much sought after by well known national and international organizations.

ROLE OF RELIGION IN WORLD PEACE HARMONY


On the 2nd of April 2008, a group from Times Foundation attended a conference on World Peace Harmony.
We were invited by Mr Somaiya at Faizullabhoy building.
I particularly enjoyed hearing Mr Jeffrey Armstrong's spirited speech on 'Appreciating and Understanding the Wisdom of the Vedas correctly'

I do believe:
The Upanishads claim that the Atman (God within us) cannot be reached through much learning or much use of the intellect. Jesus Christ proclaims: "Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven." The Katha Upanishad proclaims "The path is narrow as the edge of a razor." Jesus said : "Narrow Is the way which leads unto life." Hindus believe that we are a small part (atman ) of the whole (Paramatma). In other words we are the same children of God and enjoy the same inherent qualities. Christians also believe that man is made in the likeness of God, and the Kingdom of God is within each one of us. Jesus Christ claimed; "I and my Father are one".

We Hindus believe In a Trinity: Brahma (Creator), Vishnu (Preserver), Mahesh (Destroyer).
Christians believe in Father, Son and Holy Spirit
The occultists believe in Light, Love and Power
and
Humanity at large believes in Mind, Body and Soul.

INTERACTION WITH TIMES FOUNDATION HAS BEEN A PICNIC (TO LONAVLA)






It has been wonderful interacting with these beautiful girls...who have so helped with their mind, body and soul to bring about a change!

For Pic TOI girls group : (from left – Ms Kamal Damania , Ms Naghma Firdaus in the front row. Second Row – (from left) Ms Claudia Patrick; Ms Aditi Khire; Ms Suvarna Arvind; Ms Jyoti Nagda and Ms Seema Ansari






LIFE IS A JOURNEY...EN ROUTE TO LONAVLA
(From left – Mr. Kapil Kapoor, Ms Claudia Patrick, Mr. Hemant Mohite, Mr. Ram Maheshwary and Ms Naghma Firdaus






LIFE IS ALSO A SONG AND DANCE...EXHAUSTING BUT EXHILARATING!






I have often wondered why we yearn to travel, to explore, to learn...I have heard before that 'God is in our genes' and so I suppose is the quest for Him... We all yearn to explore our many facets, and we all aspire to know more and seeking is a natural state of being- whether about the outside world or self!
Adventure tourism gains much of its excitement by allowing its participants to step outside of their comfort zone. It may be any tourist activity which may include: a physical activity, a cultural exchange or interaction, and engagement with nature.

It has been all the above and more in my learning/Interaction with Times Foundation during the last 8 years
We may have had our share of 'mountain climbing' but all in all it has been a 'picnic' where

During travel one should "expect the unexpected"...Be ready for some excitement!

Shivji is called 'Bhola' (innocent, kind hearted, easily pleased) because it is believed that He is easily pleased and grants boons instantly (hence he is called Ashutosh). Krishna, in comparison is a difficult God to please. You see Krishna is not interested in rituals. He wants total surrender and Love. So it depends upon what you consider easy or difficult.

For more click:
http://www.dalsabzi.com/Language_Festivals/shivratri.htm