IIWA (Iqra International Women's Alliance) has adopted 'Ambujwadi Nagar'
In the pictures alongside: Grand Entrance to Ambujwadi and
NO RECESSION HERE. THIS IS THEIR DAILY CHORE


The Women's Movement for Peace and Prosperity (WMPP) has got 2 main objectives:
To connect with good people, good NGOs to realize their dream of making WMPP into a Movement...
We have done that. We are connected with 'Sage' Eager to B. MRA(Initiatives of Change) and IIWA
We connect with the Prerna Singing and Lecture Group...

The other objective of WMPP is to give Voice to the Voiceless Woman...
Let me lead you to its logic...
Women are by nature, compassionate and abhor violence...
How come there is so much violence in the world, despite every family having women members as wives, sisters, daughters?
Obviously the Women's Voice is not heard...
Why is it not heard?
Because maybe she lacks education, an intelligent, logical way to communicate, no financial independance...
So if we provide the above, the world will move towards Peace and Prosperity...

Symbols of the tools carried by the Gods

The following is inspired by Devdutt Pattanaik. It is so interesting that I thought I should share it with you....
Read on

Lord Shiva carries a trident and a rattle drum

Brahma is identified by his:
Books, rosary and pot

Vishnu is identified with 4 symbols:
Conch shell, trumpet or shankh, discus whirring around his index finger or chakra
A mace or gadda and a lotus or padma

Vishnu’s Conchshell or Shankh:
It is blown to announce his presence in a battlefield in Vedic times…it is a measure of lung power and mind control…

Vishnu’s Chakra which whirrs around his index finger is a weapon and a symbol.
As a Weapon: It strikes the target and returns to Vishnu’s finger.
As a symbol of life it indicates that what goes around comes around…
The mace or gadda is like a teacher’s ruler to punish those who do not do what they are supposed to do.

The Lotus is born, lives and dies in the water and yet remains untouched by water…The Lotus inspires us of the same mode of conduct in Life. Though we are born in the world, live in the world and die in the world we should be untouched by it!

Maya and Myself at a function chatting lovingly, enjoying our friendship and the way we connect!

Sage Foundation in association with the PATT foundation successfully carried out the plantation of 2000 trees at INS TRATA at Aksha Mumbai the funds for the same were donated by Standard Chartered bank.
Mighty proud of Maya Shahani, Chairperson, Sage Foundation and Chairperson Emeritus Women's Movement for Peace and Prosperity, WMPP)

How correct networking helps Mother Earth


The seed of tree plantations was sown in Mr Ram Maheshwary's office at the Times. He had organized an amazing get together for Irene Millar, General Manager of XL Foundation who had immediately sent an EMail to the Chairperson of PATT Foundation about Mr Maheshwary's passion for tree plantations. Subsequently Mr Ram had organized a meeting with SAGE and Kamal Damania introduced Maya to the Navy Commanders Singh and Sharma. Maya has been coordinating with them ever since, and this plantation of 2000 trees is the outcome of their collective effort.

Maya has just come back from Bali where she was awarded the XL Extraordinay Life Award for 2009. This is a global award given after a system of voting by all the XL members globally. In Maya's acceptance speech she mentioned how the Times Foundation had been instrumental in her growth.

Someone in Australia is coming out with a movie called "War without Guns" and he has asked Maya to distribute this movie in India as it is focused on the power of the feminine. Maya has told him all about the Women's Movement for Peace and Prosperity and Shakun's Gems of all Faiths.

PS: I, Shakun have written a book on the 'Power of the Feminine' but am awaiting a sponsor for the same' I know the Lord will send me the right person at the right time...

Ms Amla Ruia has done tremendous work on Water harvesting in the remote areas of Rajasthan...Today Mumbai has awakened to its need. She enlightened us on 'Water' She spoke about Water drops being like 'Silver'...If we heard that 'Silver' is raining...Would we not run out with our buckets and pails to collect it? Well that is what we need to do with Rain Water...Amla not only enlightened us on 'Water' but also inspired us with Songs on the 'Silver Liquid'
Amla belongs to many organizations but more importantly for me, we were instrumental (along with Ms Vimla Patil and Maya Shahani) in starting 'Eager to B.' a group of ladies who have done so much with their lives and who are eager to do more...We meet once a month to enrich one another...I like to believe that 'Eager to B. is an extension of WMPP (Women's Movement for Peace and Prosperity)...Women's Movement is a Movement and it can only become a Movement if we add an connect with other organizations...Lately we have connected with MRA now known as Initiatives of Change...Dr Anand and his charming wife Asha have a meeting with interesting speakers on the 1st Saturday of the month so I thought why not invite WMPP and Eager to B.to the meeting...Asha an Dr Anand were so gracious about it! Here is one enthusiastic couple hmm Eager couple to B !
In the photograph Ms Amla and Mala Daswani President of the Queens Rotary Club, also a dear dear friend!

Gift Forgiveness this Diwali, no matter what is happening around you. Forgiveness releases a prisoner: YOU
Rancour is like carrying a sack of rotten potatoes on your back...Put it down, throw it away...
People say: I can forgive, I cant Forget..so Dont...Just say loudly: I forgive! and move on with your life, the Universe and time will do the rest!....Just like when you are physically hurt, you clean it and rub an ointment and place a bandage...Nature and Time does the rest!
I was reading an article: Anger, A New Ailment' by Firoz Bakht
...Forgivess does not meaning giving in. It means letting go.
Once we forgive, we are no longer emotionally handcuffed to the person who hurt us. When we forgive we reclaim our power to choose...
...and I add TO LIVE!

...Oh people may think and/or say: Who are you to forgive? We need to forgive you...no matter! You dont have to put it into words or go up and hug the person (it may irritate them if they are looking at it from only their perspective)...Say it in your mind and release it to the Universe...

Happy New Year to all of you
Love and Light

Must watch Obama's msg on Diwali, Click:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuiAW_6XKVM

Many of you request me to tell you the way, the Sindhis perform the Diwali puja. I am going to tell you later. But first, have you heard what Maansic Puja is?

Maansic Puja , is a puja in which you require nothing but your imagination. You visualise the puja. It may be simple or elaborate. It can take place at any exotic location. And you can use the most exorbitant ingredients, as you have to pay for them in terms of only your faith and love. The advantage of a Maansic Puja is that your mind cannot wander. The Scriptures promise the same rewards for this Imaginary form of worship Try the above puja anytime that you are on a flight of fancy, or literal.

Now for the conventional puja:

Read more, Click:


http://www.dalsabzi.com/mantras/sindhi_diwali_puja_vidhee.htm

http://www.dalsabzi.com/Language_Festivals/laxmi.htm

http://www.dalsabzi.com/Books/kids_kahaani/Festivals/happy_diwali.htm

http://www.dalsabzi.com/Language_Festivals/dhanteras_and_diyas.htm



Love and Light the year round...

Shakun Narain Anuja

Mona Shah Patel of the PPI Professionals Party of India (PPI). had stood as an Independant for the last elections...This time Santosh Awatramani is standing...

This photograph was taken at our Dassera Celebration...
I support women and clean candidates...you may not agree with me...
BUT
Whatever you do and your heart dictates you to do...VOTE YOU MUST


Santosh aims to make governance citizen-centric... loves simplicity, is friendly and accessible. He wants to know what is going on in Governance, and he wants you to know what is coming, not after but before.
He says:
I want you to be able to suggest and intervene where necessary; but this can only be done if you are informed before not after.

I believe that Mumbai needs less governance; it needs us to be more involved.

Did you know that each MLA is entitled to spending 1crore a year indicatively on the following area:

Community Hall, Library, Road Improvement, including Foot Bridges, Stone Pavements
and Drainage, Banks/sides of Nalla, Water Supply , Education ,Gym/Health , Cremation Ground , Four Cross , Flood/Disaster Rehab, Beautification of Open Spaces, Waterfronts, Ponds, Rivers, Forts,
Pavements, Bus Terminus, Tree Guards etc, Compound Walls, Cleanliness & Toilets , and Public Utilities in declared slums .

Do you know how this money has been spent in your constituency for all these years? When elected I shall seek your inputs in deciding on how this money is spent, as it is your money.

I truly believe that I can be the bridge between you and governance.

So please vote on 13 October 2009.
Santosh Awatramani

Nancy and Esther have been my Spanish friends since the last phew over 50 years. We were classmates in the Dominicas, Canary Islands in Spain...We met up in Barcelona and they wanted me to tie the saree for them!
So I did...I have even renamed them. Nancy I have called Nanhee (small) and Esther I have called Aastha meaning Faith!
Me, helping them tie the saree...
The only way to help this Earth which is going through such distress to survive is to connect....love!
We wear Western clothes, they wear the saree...We respect their Beliefs...they respect ours!
...and my friends, do...I really love them and I know they do, me!

Attended the sixth Nani Palkhivala Memorial Lecture today, the 5th of October at the NCPA, Tata Theatre, Nariman Point.
Mr P. Chidambaram the Hon'ble Home Minister of the Govt of India spoke on the 'The Emerging Challenges to Civil Society'

Awards were given to Public Concern for Governance Trust (NGO) and the Outstanding Individual Award went to Smt Aruna Roy for keeping Civil Liberties alive.

An interesting point made about the Right to Information Act:
When we send our child to the market with Rs 10 we ask him for the acct.
The govt spends millions of the peoples' money does not the people have the right to information?

Figure this one out! (I hope, I understood it correctly...On second thoughts, I hope I did not)
The Supreme Court was asked to provide some information.
Supreme Court did not provide it (the information)
An appeal was made to the High Court.
The High Court asked the Supreme Court to disclose the information...
The Supreme Court is appealing to Itself...

It reads like Alice in Wonderland...

Mr Narayan Varma, Dr R.K. Anand, Mr B.G.Deshmukh, Julio Ribeiro were felicitated for their good work.


Mr Chidambaram took us on an Indian tour since Independance...'A tryst with Destination'

An interesting evening!

Thai Theme for the Group 21

Sandy Melwani was our Thai Beauty, instructor for the session. She successfully took us through some Thai interesting customs.
Thailand is known as the 'Land of Smiles'
Thais believe:

Thais believe in 'Sunook' which means, fun
Their favourite remark: 'My pen rai'Which means: Why bother? Keep on smiling!*Don't Dont eat cold rice with hot rice because you will lose your way.


Sandy took us through the mysteries of the Thai cuisine.
Thai Cuisine is hot and spicy. There is a balance of food: Ying and Yang
Their main ingredient is karela (bitter gourd) and yet Thai women are so sweet, and smile always!
They use quinine, Mediterranean basil, lemon grass, garlic shallots...Thai cuisine is well-known for being hot and spicy and for its balance of five fundamental flavours in each dish or the overall meal - hot (spicy), sour, sweet, salty, and bitter (optional).

*sanook = sanuk

*my pen rai= mai pen rai

* karela is one of their main ingredients and it contains quinine, which gives it the characteristic bitter taste.

*Thai basil is also a key ingredient, not Mediterranean basil. Also, the former is sweeter than the latter, despite popular belief.


To complete the most enjoyable session we were served excellent Thai food!

Sandy is planning on doing various workshops on cuisine from all over the world...But she claims that she has been inspired by Sindhi way of cooking...and I am surely going to organize another session to learn about the same!





We had a Thai Theme for our Group 21 meeting.
We were threatened that if we do not dress in Thai clothes we would have to show our Thighs...so we took it seriously and in these photographs you see Thai Beauties no?