Friday, April 30, 2010

It is true that Marriages are created in Heaven. They are together to learn some of the most difficult lessons that we are meant to learn.'Is the institution of Marriage under threat?' What can be done?
Someone suggested that the title for the discussion should be: Marriage: Rock or Wreck? Read more, click:
http://www.dalsabzi.com/Song_of_life/marriages.htm

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Someone asked:
"will it be write if i say...getting converted into a different religion means indirectly insulting your own???
NO OFFENCE TO ANY ONE!!!

My reply:
Getting converted to a different religion does not mean that you are insulting your own...it only means that you have not understood your religion very well...Because I truly believe that all religions have the same message...that of forgiveness, peace and love...
Read my book: Dadi Nani ki Kahaani
Click:

http://www.dalsabzi.com/dadi_nani_kahani_eng.pdf
Spirituality or Rabbaniyat, to use the Quranic term is the elevation of human condition to a plane where the mind is focussed on the higher non material realities of godly existence. Farida Khanam writes in today's Speaking Tree, Times of India

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Conversion

I love what Osho says about conversion:
"When the ego dies godliness comes alive in you. Only when the seed dies it becomes a tree, only when the river disappears into the ocean it becomes one with the ocean. 'Conversion is a beautiful word that is misused. It is thought that if a Hindu becomes a Christian, this is conversion. This isn't true. He has simply changed one prison for another, as there has been no real change, no transformation.

Conversion happens only when the ego dies and godliness is born in you. Conversion is when the human becomes divine, not when a Hindu becomes a Christian or a Christian becomes a Hindu."


PS Why do people want to convert others to their religion? A 'friend' tried to convert me. I said 'I am not planning on going to hell (because i dont belong to your religion)...but if I do, honestly you are not responsible. I said it with a smile so she laughed too. funny or sad?

Monday, April 26, 2010

Sharing some info that came to me...I felt interested because I sing Sachal ja kalaam (lyrics)

Click to hear Abida Parveen sing:
http://www.songsbin.com/player.php?songid=1161

Nangra Nimaani da
jeevey teevey paalana
loosely translated it means:
Laaj meri raakho
somehow or another

Meri aahyan mandee aahyan
Beshak bandee aahyaan
Dhakeen muhinja dholna aib na kholna

loosely translated it means:
I am unclean
But I belong to you
Cover my impurities
Do not uncover them...

Sachal Sarmast
Sachal Sarmast, one of the great mystics of Sindh, is known as the second Mansoor Hallaj because of his poetry and philosophy. Sachidino, Sachoo(the truthful) and Sachal Sarmast were all names given to Mian Abdul Haq Farooqi because of the radical sufi pursuits with which he challenged the rigid mindset of the clergy of his times. Also called 'shair-e-haft zaban' because he wrote poetry in seven languages - Sindhi, Urdu, Persian, Punjabi and Balochi among them - Sachal's time saw the decline of the Kalhora dynasty and the rise of the Talpur rule in Sindh. The clergy held tremendous power over the impoverished masses and the persecution of religious minorities was the order of the day. Sachal Sarmast revolted against the mullah order with his poetry and philosophy, based on the doctrine of Anal haq - I am the truth. Though his verses immortalized him, he was denounced as an infidel and sentenced to death - a decree that was never carried out due to his popularity in the court of Talpur rulers...Sachal belonged to the sufi sect whose doctrine was martyrdom.

Sachal's immediate disciples were the saints Bedil and Bekas, a father and son team from Rohri.

From "The Call of the Sufi" by Hassan Mujtaba Newsline August 1996.

Saturday, April 24, 2010



My co-trustee (Women's Movement for Peace and Prosperity) Sunita is an activist for conserving trees, plants, playing grounds...She got an interview for 3 mnts on tv, yet trees were killed. I wrote to her: Dear Sunita,Each step taken in the right direction is a victory.Jhansi ki Rani lost the battle but she won as a woman and we did get Independance!and her cont...ribution counted...Apne karam karte jaao aur phal ki Ichhaa mat rakhoThus spoke Lord Krishna!

Friday, April 23, 2010




As we age we have to take care of our memory...or do we? I think we need to be selective...forget what is not important...in any case Maya Daswani gave us several tips on how to improve our memory. Read on:
1) Exercise! use it or lose it!
2) Remember...that you have to remember!
3) After 5 mnts we lose most of what we heard...so Repeat in your head what you heard!
4) After consulting your doc, take Vitamin E, B12
5) Use turmeric (haldi) in your food, Drink red vine, grape juice, cinnamon in water early morning, eat fish,ceral, oats...
6)Have a good sleep...manage your stress levels by meditating, doing yoga, exercising, walking...
To remember:
1) Write it down
2)Make a group of things that need to be done...Make a story of it in your mind.
What I liked best was how to remember a number.
Let us assume that your mobile No is 98 200 65 905
Ok most mobiles start with the No 98
I am more than 100% I am 200%
I shall retire and do things for myself when I am 65
Maybe I will die when I am 90 or maybe live for 5 years more...

Interesting no?

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Today I gave a talk and Spiritual Lecture at Dada Vaswani Mission, Mumbai. The lights went off. We lit candle lights. I said that I had heard my Yoga teacher say that the penance that is relevant in today's times is to accept…to surrender to what is… So I said: “Let us accept the 'heat' (no airconditioners, no fans) and darkness. Let us be grateful...and at that moment the lights came on.
A little later the lights went off again and came on when we sang of gratitude...for the second time!
When a lady (Ms Poonam Malani) read from a Scripture (Noori Granth, the words were: ‘Oondhaay mein chimkey pyo noor, noor jo ehsaan’
Loosely translated: Light shines in darkness, Gratitude for the Light!
Mal Maas
This month is considered very auspicious and is especially dear to Lord Krishna’s heart.

I heard the following story connected with Adhik Maas:

Once upon a time, it so happened that all the 12 months of the year felt very burdened, by the sins committed by mankind.

The ‘12 months of he year’ went to Lord Krishna (Who is an Avataar of Lord Vishnu) and complained.

The 12 months begged the Lord to redeem them of this horrible weight (of sins).

Lord Vishnu blessed them and said: “I shall create an extra month to carry the burden.

This extra month (Adhik Maas) came to be known as ‘Mal Maas’: The ‘Unclean Month’.

Naturally no festival would take place during this month.

‘Mal Maas’ also felt very sad and took his plight to Lord Krishna.

“Why me?” he cried.

Lord Krishna, was filled with compassion. He said “I bless you. Henceforth you will be named after me. You will be known as the Month of Purushottam.

(Purush means ‘man’ Uttam’ means ‘Great’

It refers to the High Being, who you may call ‘God’)

The Lord further stated: “Whosoever shall pray, fast, chant, sing…during the month of Purushottam, will be specially blessed, and get maximum recognition by me…

Read more click www.dalsabzi.com
scroll down to What's New this month
Adhik Maas started mid this month...





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

Monday, April 19, 2010




People need to understand that children with special needs are not sick, they are not searching for a cure, just acceptance. This week is for special needs education. Ninety three percent of the people will not copy and paste this. Will you be part of the seven percent that will, and will you leave it on your wall for at least an hour.

Thursday, April 15, 2010




Swami Parthasarthy shared some interesting points on the the paths advocated in Hinduism.
1) Devotion/Bhakti/Unconditional Love
Since the day you were born, you were taken care of. Nutrition/Milk was magically produced for you...oxygen was provided free for you to breathe...If you bruise yourself, forces come out to heal...
Surrender to 'What is'
That is Bhakti
When you are ill, you surrender to a doctor
Similarly, you surrender to a lawyer, a pilot...

2) Knowledge, Gyaan is to know what is permanent and impermanent.
Chinta taaki kijiye jo anhonne hoi
means
Worry about that which is permanent (God, spiritual matters)
Constant awareness of what is 'Nitya' and 'Anitya'

Tuesday, April 13, 2010



Attended a lecture at the IMC on 1st February 2010.
Justice YB Chandrachud was the Chief Guest of Honour. (Incidentally Justice Chandrachud's sister Nirmala studied with me in Queen Mary High School, hope she remembers...but then the sad thing is that the Vimlu Khiani that she knew in school is now Shakun Narain Kimatrai and then shacune...uf!

Anyway Justice Chandrachud, what a young man!said:
'A judge should not be judgemental' and
Swami Parthasarthy, the main speaker said:
'There is so much good in the worst of us and vice-versa that we should not pass judgement!'
'To understand the lack of intellect one requires intellect'

Friday, April 09, 2010










My son Sunder with his wife Saira and children flew in to Bombay to celebrate our 45th Wedding Anniversary.
It was literally a bubbly affair at the Four Seasons.
We were asked what is the secret of having a marriage last for so long and be smiling at the end of 45 years?

I said: "Stick to your man, if he not only allows you to be, but encourages you as well, to flower...Believe me it is not so easy for men to do the above, considering the massive ego they possess...
Kahlil Gibran says:

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.


Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.


Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

Wednesday, April 07, 2010




At a party at home a lady guest is not feeling well...I realize she cant go alone so I drop her at a common relative's home so she can stay there or she can go home in our car but with the relative's help.(I cannot spare my help as I have a party at home)
As we come out from the building, the guest who feels ill, myself...the driver hits a car as he is on the wrong side of road. The gundas hit him abuse him and want money...I put up my defense peevishly, and wonder of wonders in one second the gundas let us go! Was it an angel or the police they saw...it was
so unreal that I like to believe that even if it was the police, he was sent by an angel!

Saturday, April 03, 2010



On January 22nd 2010 attended a live perforamnce of Runa Laila at Bandre Fort.
It was an initiative of Times Foundation 'Aman ki Asha'
Heard her sing 'O mera Babu chhail chhabeela main to naachungi'
It brought back memories...actually of one of my most embarassing moments!
I had gone to attend the wedding of my very close friends' daughter's...The wedding was in a five star hotel...For one of the rituals, we had ordered room service...the food did not turn up despite constant reminders and the esteemed guests were ready to leave...My husband said: 'Do something' (so that the guests do not leave)
I burst into song, true filmy style...Yes you guessed...the song was 'O mera Babu chhail chhabila' needless to say everyone stood transfixed! A situation was saved...and I helped my friend, in I think quite a unique way!