जलालउद्दीन रूमी

मौत के बाद मुझे कब्र मिले न मिले

मौत के बाद लोगों के दिल मे तो मैं बना रहूँगा।

ये रूमी के कब्र पर लिखा गया शिलालेख है,

रूमी अपने बारे में कहते है,

न मैं ईसाई हूँ, न यहूदी,

न पर्शियन न मुस्लिम

न पूर्व से न पश्चिम से

न जल से हूं न थल से,,

जलालउद्दीन रूमी (1207 --1273 )

का जन्म फारस में हुवा,,

आक्रमण से बचते हुवे इनका परिवार पैतृक भूमि कोन्या आकर बसा जो आज तुर्कस्तान है जिसे रोम भी कहते है।

आज से करीब आठ सौ साल पहले जन्मे रूमी ने धर्म,देश और काल की सभी बाधाओं को लांघकर अपनी रुबाइयों और ग़ज़लों से ऐसा सूफीवाद फैलाया कि वे संसार के सभी देशों में विशेषकर अमेरिका में सबसे अधिक पढ़े जाने वाले कवि माने जाते है।

उनका सूफियाना कलाम सैकड़ों वर्षोँ से लोकप्रिय हैं।उनके शब्दों ने विभिन्न संस्कृतियोंवाले पाठकों के मन को एक समान छुआ है।

आध्यात्मिक प्रेम के सहज अतिरेक और उसके वैभव से समृद्ध हमे ये किताब करती है।

प्रस्तुत संकलन में वे ही रचनाएँ चुनी गयी ही

जिसमे मौलिक राचाओं का स्पंदन है।

ये किताब गहरे विवेक का सौंदर्य, और रसास्वादन हमे देती हैं।

भाषा अत्यंत सरल है,,,

बहोत ही सरलता से समझा जा सकता है इस किताब के द्वारा "रूमी" को

मुझे हमेशा बाबा बुल्लेशाह और रूमी में कई साधर्म्य लगते है,,

दोनों ने सूफी पंथ का अंगीकार किया,,

कितनी अजीब बात है न इन दोनों का कार्यकाल अलग अलग है लेकिन लिखने का अंदाज बिल्कुल एक जैसा,,,

कुल मिलाकर किताब बहोत सरल है 

शब्द बिल्कुल सटीक है,,,

पढ़ने में आसानी होती है,,,

और आप पढ़ने का पूरा पूरा आनंद ले सकते हो,,,

रूमी के कुछ उदाहरण :--

1 )पक्षी है आत्मा

शरीर जंजीर के समान 

जो पक्षी के पांव में पड़ी है

उड़े तो कैसे

पाँव में जंजीर ,,,और पंख काटे हुवे है,,

2) मेरे मरने पर 

जला देना मुझे

मेरे शरीर से जो धुंवा उठेगा 

वह आकाश पर लिख देगा 

तेरा नाम , तेरा ही नाम।

बहोत उम्दा अनुवाद है,,

जरूर पढ़ें,,

"रूमी"

प्रज्ञा,,,,

Marathi Kavita

देवा असे कसेl दिले हे शरीरl सकाळ दुपारl खाय खायll

किती याचे पहाl जिभेचे चोचलेl पुरवता भलेl दमछाकll

गळकी पिशवी l पुन्हा पुन्हा भरीl यातायात करीl नाना परीll

पोटासाठी दाहीl दिशा फिरवतोl बहू कष्टवतोl देह साराll

अन्नमय प्राणl सत्यची हे असेl संदेहही नसेl यात काहीll 

परी मनुजा रेl  विचार हा करीl आलिया शरिरीl ध्येय दुजेll

मन बुद्धी चित्तl दिधले देवानेl परि अहंतेनेl घात केलाll

शरिरी येऊनl घ्यावे तू जाणूनl परमेश कोणl ओळखावाll

याचसाठी बा रेl करी अट्टहासl तुझा तुला खास l गवसेलll

Shital Joshi

Are you comfortable in your own skin?

Are you comfortable in your own skin? 

Mrs  Leena Sohoni

It all starts in school...as early as in the first or second grade. Someone decides to call  that little chubby boy on the first bench “Fatso”. A little shy girl  wearing glasses is bullied in the class  and everyone starts calling her names like  “Googly-Eyes”.

A teenager girl develops a sudden crop of acne on her face and feels like hiding from everyone for fear of being ridiculed. 

This has been happening all over the world since time immemorial. The tendency to derive pleasure from the misery of others is described in German as “Schadenfreude”, meaning malicious joy. 

Body Shaming means nothing but criticizing someone for their appearance or bodily defects either directly or indirectly, to their face or even behind their back. Each one of us has been a victim to this body shaming at the hands of others at least once in our lifetime. We in turn have inadvertently taken part in body shaming someone else at some point in time. But more than us common people it’s the celebrities who suffer the most. If those celebrities are from the film  Industry or fashion industry, the chances of them being trolled for their appearance (or for some change that they have undergone in their appearance) are far greater. Remember,  how Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan   was trolled on Twitter  incessantly for having put on weight after her baby’s  birth? The poor woman  was not even  allowed to enjoy her motherhood. Another Miss World Priyanka Chopra, who is supposed to be the most beautiful woman in the world,  has recently reflected on times during her adolescence in which she was bullied  for her appearance, particularly for the color of her skin. 

According to our Ex Prime Minister Mrs Indira Gandhi’s  biographer Katherine  Frank, ...“adolescent Indira reportedly overheard her aunt describing her as ‘ugly and stupid’, which she never forgot.” This opinion expressed by her aunt hurt the thirteen year old no end. Soon after being voted PM for the first time, Indiraji recalled, “She (V. Pandit) did everything to destroy my confidence; she called me ugly and stupid. Faced with hostility, however well prepared I am, I get tongue tied and withdraw”. 

The Creator  has crafted this body, its each and every organ with a specific purpose in mind. To quote the bible: “The hearing ear  and the seeing eye, the LORD made them both.”

The function of our nose is to smell, be it crooked or sharp, the function of the eyes is to see. It doesn’t matter, if they are attractive or just two tiny slits. But instead of respecting these organs, we judge them by their appearance! What’s the point of  shaming people for those organs  that are  working non stop to keep people    alive and healthy?  

For reasons unbeknownst to us the society has  a certain set of ridiculous standards about how men and women are supposed to look like. These standards are not only   ridiculous but they are  hopelessly unrealistic too. The creams that promise to make you fairer are imparting a silent message to young girls , that it is not ok to have a dusky skin tone. A curvy well built woman is scorned and pencil thin anorexic fashion models with no flesh on their body are upheld as the epitome of beauty in the eyes of the media. Young girls go to any lengths  in order to fit into this ludicrous criteria, from fad diets to joining weight loss clinics. Guys sweat it out in the inanely  expensive gyms, paying through their nose, trying to pump up their muscles to attain that perfect fit body like their screen God, no matter what. 

 The media too contributes to body shaming in the society by suggesting men and women that they are not okay the way they look right now. They advertise their sponsorer’s products like beauty treatment creams or weight loss items in such a way, that people are suggested to  buy these  products in order to look better.  These subtle or sometimes even blatant   advertisements that appear regularly in the media do their bit by ruining young generation’s self esteem furthermore. 

Media’s effect on body image can cause self-image issues which can lead to eating disorders, drug and alcohol use and bullying.

The body shaming behavior doesn’t stop here. Knowingly or unknowingly it has reached real people in their day to day  lives. Sometimes it’s fat shaming, sometimes it’s skinny shaming!   Everyone has a different type of body, everyone should be allowed to view and love themselves without having to hear the persuasive and dangerous opinion of other  people.

The solution to ending body shaming is not some arduous task. It is  simply just keeping your opinion to yourself and letting everyone live in peace. 

American actress, author and activist Jamie Lee Curtis  once said, 

“Don't judge a book by its cover 'til you've read the book.”  What a wonderful thought! 

I, for one, would try to imagine myself in that person’s shoes before I judge the person by their appearance, even if it’s just in my mind. 

Let’s be all comfortable in our own skin! 

FOUR PURUSHARTHA OF LIFE

FOUR PURUSHARTHA OF LIFE

Puruṣārtha literally means an "object of human pursuit".[1] It is a key concept in Hinduism, and refers to the four proper goals or aims of a human life.

 The four puruṣārthas are

1) Dharma (righteousness, moral values),

2) Artha (prosperity, economic values), 

3)Kama (pleasure, love, psychological values) and

4) Moksha (liberation, spiritual values). 

All four Purusarthas are important, but in cases of conflict, Dharma is considered more important than Artha or Kama in Hindu philosophy. Moksha is considered the ultimate ideal of human life. 

The original Vedic texts only suggested the three goals of Dharma, Artha, and Kama. In the later Upanishadic era, when people began to seek higher consciousness, the fourth goal of Moksha was added. Although the first three are somewhat interwoven, it is felt that the “right action” of Dharma is a necessary requirement for Artha to be meaningful and the abundance of Artha will be needed to support Kama. The path to liberation or enlightenment of Moksha is supported by the harmonious interaction of Dharma, Artha, and Kama.

Dharma :

   Dharma means truth, the right way of living, and human behaviors considered necessary for the order of things in the world. On an individual level, you can think of Dharma as your true purpose in life or the ethical basis on which you live your life. It is also:

• Being conscious in your actions, words, and thoughts.

• Having compassion and sensitivity to the needs of others.

• Being awake to the existence of the Divine within you.

Hindu dharma includes the religious duties, moral rights and duties of each individual, as well as behaviors that enable social order, right conduct, and those that are virtuous. .Bhagvad geta says, you need to find your own truth and even though you may make mistakes along the way, this is still preferable to trying to copy others. Vedanta tells us that you will know when you are in Dharma when your actions are spontaneously correct, you automatically know what to do in any situation, you are in harmony with and your life is supported by everything around you, you feel complete within yourself, and life becomes effortless.

Dharma is considered the first of the Purusharthas because without it, Artha and Kama can easily become self-destructive. However, Artha and Kama, when balanced, also serve to support your Dharmic Path and eventually your outward Dharma leads you to inner Moksha.

ARTH – 

Artha signifies the "means of life", activities and resources that enables one to be in a state one wants to be in. Artha incorporates wealth, career, activity to make a living, financial security and economic prosperity. The proper pursuit of artha is considered an important aim of human life in Hinduism. Artha is not about rejecting the world, but being content with the things you own. It’s to live skillfully in a world of material objects that exist for your benefit. Artha includes everything in your environment that allows you to live a fulfilling life and also the means to achieve it. It includes knowledge, friendships, love, career, skills, good health, and prosperity. Artha provides the foundation for Dharma and Kama. Without prosperity and security in society or at the individual level, both moral life and sensuality become difficult. Ultimately, Artha is the pursuit of activities and means necessary for a joyous and pleasurable life. Vedanta says that you should:

• Discover a way so money runs after you and not vice versa.

• Do work that is compatible to your nature and capabilities.

• Do work that serves society.

• Do work you really love.

• Trust in the infinite organizing power of the Universe.

Kama:

Kama refers to all the desires in man for the enjoyment and satisfaction of the senses. Kama relates to this pleasure, which can be sensuality, but is also art, music, beauty, love, intimacy, affection, fellowship, and kindness—it’s what brings a sense of delight to your life. The right kinds of pleasure lead you toward your Dharma and help you fulfill it with passion. Kama is good and necessary when it exists to support Dharma and becomes part of the richness of life. However, excessive Kama can lead to overindulgence, addiction, sloth, greed, and lust. Kama should be followed with thought, care, caution, and enthusiasm, and be free from worries and egotistical problems. Know and seek which pleasures are saturated with Divine Consciousness and are drenched in the ecstasies of the soul. Ultimately, the highest Kama is the longing for Oneness with the Divine.

Moksha: 

Moksha signifies emancipation, liberation or release. Hindu traditions consider moksha the ultimate goal of life. In Hindu traditions, moksha is a central concept and the utmost aim to be attained through three paths during human life. Moksha is a concept associated with saṃsāra (birth-rebirth cycle). Samsara originated with religious movements in the first millennium BCE.These movements such as Buddhism, Jainism and new schools within Hinduism, saw human life as bondage to a repeated process of rebirth. This bondage to repeated rebirth and life, each life subject to injury, disease and aging, was seen as a cycle of suffering. By release from this cycle, the suffering involved in this cycle also ended. This release was called moksha, nirvana, kaivalya, mukti and other terms in various Indian religious traditions

Moksha is your true nature—it’s who you really are. It includes:

• Emancipation.

• Liberation.

• Freedom from the cycle of death and rebirth.

• Freedom from ignorance.

• Self-realization and self-knowledge.

• Consciousness of the Oneness of the Supreme Soul.

• The removal of obstacles to an unrestricted life.

• Access to our full human potential of creativity, compassion, and understanding.

Vedanta tells us that liberation comes to those who know Brahman as that which is the origin and end of all things, the universal principle behind and at source of everything that exists, and the consciousness that pervades everything and everyone.

Shilpa Pandit -Nasik

एक असाही अनुभव

1991चा जानेवारीचा महिना.काॅलेज सुरु झालं .जमला आम्हा त्रिकूटाचा अड्डा या मे महिन्यात कुठे जायचं उंडारायला हे ठरवायला.अगणित कटिंग चहा पीत, भरपूर वाद ..नव्हे चर्चा करुन सिक्किम-दार्जिलिंग वर शिक्का मारला एकीकडे काॅलेजचे तास,परीक्षा,पेपर तपासणे,निकालाची... नंतरच्या  ॲडमिशन्सची कामं उरकता उरकता मे कघी उजाडला ते समजलंच नाही.
       मुंबई -कलकत्ता, कलकत्ता-न्यू जलपायगुडी असा मोठ्ठा प्रवास कमीच की काय म्हणून पुढचे काही तास टॅक्सीत घालवून एकदाचे पोचलो दार्जिलिंग मुक्कामी... रुमच्या खिडक्यांतून येणारं गार वारंअन् समोरची बर्फाच्छादित शिखरं बघून सगळा थकवा पळूनच गेला.
       कांचनगंगा दर्शनासाठी भल्या पहाटे पहाटे उठून टायगर हिलची केलेली वारी,टी टेस्टिंगची धमाल ,माॅनेस्ट्रीतील गंभीर शांतता .. ' ओम मणि पद्मे हूं ' म्हणत बाहेर असलेल्या ' माने ' ना फिरवत घातलेली प्रदक्षिणा,टाॅय ट्रेनची पिटुकली स्टेशन्स न्याहाळणं,माल रोडवरच्या अनेक चकरा ...मस्त चालले होते दिवस .आता परवा निघायचं सिक्किमसाठी....
       अचानक धडाधड सगळी दुकानं बंद व्हायला लागली.. स्थानिक लोकं भर्रकन् पांगली...गजबजलेले रस्ते सूनसान झाले. नेमकं झालं तरी काय .... " राजीव गांधी याची हत्या " धक्कादायक बातमी आदळली कानांवर.आता पुढे काय करायचं.. सिक्कीमला शक्य नाही जाणं... सिलिगुडीला जायचं.. तिथूनच पुढचं ठरवू .पोस्ट ऑफिसमधून घरी फोन करून सुखरुप असल्याचं कळवलं.
       पोचलो सिलिगुडीला. राजीव गांधींच्या अंत्यसंस्कारांचं दृश्य मन विषण्ण करणारं... हातातल्या पाच-सहा दिवसांचं करायचं काय ?इथे खोलीत बसून राहण्या ऐवजी भूतानला जायची कल्पना उचलून धरली.आता शोध सुरू झाला जायचं कसं,परमिट कसं काढायचं याचा.
       उद्या शुक्रवार.शनिवार -रविवार परमिट ऑफिस बंद.म्हणजे परमिट  उद्याच हवं हातात.आमच्याकडे काॅलेजच्या आय डी कार्ड शिवाय काही नाही.मग काय  सगळी कन्व्हिंगसिंगची स्किल्स पणाला लावून हाती घेतलं परमिट.निघालो फुन्शोलिंगला बसने.
     पाच -सहा तासांचा प्रवास.बसमघली माणसं आम्हाला न कळणाऱ्या भाषेत बोलत होती.अधेमधे माणसांची चढ -उतार होतीच.रस्ता बऱ्याच खाच खळग्यांचा.पण दुतर्फा असलेले चहाचे देखणे मळे , वातावरणात भरलेला झाडांचा गंध त्रासाचा विसर पाडत होता. अधेमधे इतका सूनसान रस्ता,अनोळखी जागा,न कळणारी भाषा ..कुणी आम्हाला काही केलं तर घरच्यांना काही कळणारच नाही,ही सूक्ष्म भीती मनात होतीच.तसं काहीही न होता आम्ही पोचलो.रस्ता ओलांडला.आलं ," फुन्शोलिंग.
      एकच रात्र तर काढायचीय.शिरलो बऱ्याशा दिसणाऱ्या हाॅटेलमध्ये.तिघींना मिळून एक मोठ्ठी रुम.सामान टाकून जेवणासाठी उतरलो.हिला डायनिंग रूम म्हणायचं...मिणमिणते दिवे..गूढ वातावरण..दबल्या आवाजात बोलणारी अन् दबून चालणारी माणसं..आम्ही परग्रहावरुनच आलो आहोत असं वाटायला लावणाऱ्या त्यांच्या नजरा... ' हावडा ब्रीज ' सिनेमातल्या के.एन.सिंगच्या नजरेची आठवण करुन देणाऱ्या.कसंबसं जेवून पळालोच तिथून.वर येऊन,हे सगळं आठवून पोटभर हसलोही.पण त्या वेळची सूक्ष्म थरथर आजही आठवते...
      पंचवीस वर्षांनी पुन्हा एकदा फुन्शोलिग ला आले..भूतानला जाण्यासाठी. तेव्हा  ' भूतांचा अड्डा ' वाटलेलं  ते हाॅटेल नजर शोधत होती..नावही आठवत नव्हतं मला..पण खाणाखुणा सापडताहेत का शोघत होते..उगाचच..मी बदलले तर काळाच्या ओघात हेही बदललेलंच असणार नाही का  ?
     
                           माधुरी मोरे.

Hindi Kavita

उसका आना जैसें ठंडी हवा का झोका, दिल को कुछ सुकूनसा दे गया!

तलाश तो थी साहिलकी, अफाकसा कुछ मिल गया!

उसकी एक मुस्कुराहट दिल का मरहम बन गयी! 

उसकी एकही आहट दिलमें जानसी कुछ फुंक गयी!

कुछ लम्हे बटोरतें बटोरतें, पुरी कायनात का सफर हो गया!

खो क्या गया था, ढुंड क्या रहें थें,

खुदको आईनाही दिख गया!

K. Vrishali

यात्रा पंचकेदार, पंच प्रयाग व पंच बद्री

यात्रा पंचकेदार, पंच प्रयाग व पंच बद्री


खूप वर्षांपासून पंचकेदारला जायची इच्छा होती. पण स्वतःच्या पाठीवर सॅक घेऊन २१ दिवस ट्रेक करण्याची आता शक्यताच नव्हती. तरीपण चाचपणी सुरुच होती. माझे काका श्री. दत्तात्रय करंदीकर व त्यांचे स्नेही श्री. दामले यांच्याकडून असे कळले की, पंच केदारच्या (प्रत्येक केदारच्या) पायथ्यापर्यंत गाडी जाते. तिथून पुढे आपण ट्रेक करुन अथवा घोड्यावरून जाऊन दर्शन करु शकतो. त्यामुळे आम्हाला खूप आनंद झाला. सर्व माहिती त्यांच्याकडून गोळा करुन आम्ही आमचा कार्यक्रम ठरविला. (सफरचंद गृप - श्री. सुनील गांधी, सौ. मनिषा गांधी, श्री. वैभव गांधी, सौ. भारती गरुड, बेडगे व मी) श्री. करंदीकर व श्री. दामले हिमालयाचे एनसायक्लोपिडिया आहेत. तिकडच्या रस्त्यांची, गावांची खडानखडा माहिती आहे त्यांना.

आमची तारीख ठरली दि. १९.०९.२००९ ते ५.१०.२००९. दि. २० सप्टेंबरला आम्ही हरिद्वारला पोचलो व तिथून ६ जणांसाठी जीप बुक केली. दि. २१ पासून आमचा प्रवास सुरु झाला.

या शिवभूमीमध्ये उत्तराखंड राज्यामध्ये केदारनाथ, मध्वमहेश्वर, तुंगनाथ, रुद्रनाथ व कल्पेश्वर असे पाच पवित्र केदार असून त्यांची थोडक्यात माहिती पुढीलप्रमाणे.


केदारनाथ – पंच केदारमध्ये सगळ्यात महत्त्वाचा केदार म्हणजे रुद्रप्रयाग जिल्ह्यामध्ये स्थित असलेला केदारनाथ होय. हा १२ ज्योतिर्लिंगांपैकी एक आहे. हरिद्वार-रुद्रप्रयाग-गुप्तकाशी-सोनप्रयाग पर्यंत बस∕जीपने जाऊन पुढे १८ कि. मी. पायी अथवा घोड्यानेजाऊन ३,५८५ मीटर उंचीवरील केदाराचे दर्शन घेता येते. सोनप्रयाग पासून गौरीकुंड-रामबाडा करत सतत ७०००∕७५०० फूट सतत चढावे लागते. वाटेत अगणित झरे, धबधबे, रानफुले बघून मन प्रसन्न होते. एका बाजूला महाकाय पर्वत व एका बाजूला खोल दरी व मधे साधा रस्ता.

केदार ग्लेशियर मधून उगम पावणाऱ्या मंदाकिनी नदीकाठी केदारनाथाचे घडीव दगडाचे मंदीर ७ ∕८ व्या शतकात बांधले असावे. येथे पाठीच्या स्वरुपातच शिवपिंडी आहे. सकाळी गाभाऱ्यात जाऊन दर्शन घेऊ शकतो. संध्याकाळी बाहेरुनच दर्शन घ्यावे लागते. एप्रिल∕मे महिन्यात अक्षयतृतीयेला हे मंदीर दर्शनासाठी उघडते. ते दिवाळीपर्यंत उघडे असते. नंतर अति बर्फवृष्टीमुळे बंद होते. केदारनाथच्या मंदीराच्या आणखी २५०∕३०० फूट उंचीवर भैरवनाथाचे मंदीर आहे. केदारनाथाच्या रक्षणासाठी द्वारपाल आहे असे समजले जाते.

२०१३ मध्ये आलेल्या महापुराने जुन्या रस्त्याचे फार मोठे नुकसान झाले. आता नव्याने चांगला प्रशस्त रस्ता बांधला आहे. आज काल हेलिकॉप्टरची पण सोय झाली आहे.


मधमहेश्वर – हा दुसरा केदार. येथे रासी गावापर्यंत बस∕जीपने जाता येते. पुढे चालत अथवा घोड्याने १८ कि.मी. जावे लागते. हा रस्ता दगडी असून मधे मधे राहण्याची सोय आहे. याजी उंची ३४९७ मीटर असून मधू गंगेच्या काठाने देवदार वृक्षांच्या सानिध्यातून निसर्गाचा आनंद लुटत जातांना कधी पोचतो ते कळत नाही.

येथे नाभीच्या स्वरुपात पिंडी आहे. या शंकराची पूजा ब्रह्मकमळाने केली जाते. रहाण्यासाठी धाबे आहेत. मधमेहश्वरापासून २ कि.मी. वर चढून बुढा मध महेश्वराचे मंदीर आहे. चौखंबा या महाकाय पर्वताचे अतिशय सुंदर व जवळून दर्शन होते. ३८०° चा सर्व बाजूंनी सुंदर नजारा बघतांना मन अत्यानंदाने भरुन येते. निरव शांतता मनाला मिळते. हे मंदीर अक्षयतृतीयेनंतर उघडते व दिवाळीनंतर बंद होते.


तुंगनाथ – तुंगनाथ हा तिसरा केदार असून उखीमठ- गोपेश्वर मार्गावर चोपटा ही एक जंगलातील वस्ती आहे. तेथपर्यंत बस∕जीपने जाऊन तेथून ५ कि.मी. पायी वा घोड्याने जाता येते. हा रस्ता उत्तम बांधला असून सतत ५००० फूट चढत जावे लागते. सुरुवातीला देवदारच्या वृक्षराजीतून जाता जाता पुढे अतिसुंदर कुरणे बघायला मिळतात. त्याला बुग्याल म्हणतात. बुऱ्हांस∕ न्होंडोडेन्ड्रनची फुललेली लाल फुले बघून मन शांत होते. इथे थोडी वस्ती आहे व राहण्यास धाब्याची सोय आहे.

तुंगनाथ येथे बाहूच्या रुपात पिंडी आहे. त्याचेच दर्शन घेता येते. मंदिराजवळ पांडवांच्या मूर्ती आहेत तसेच भैरवनाथाचे पण मंदीर आहे. तुंगनाथची उंची ३८१० मीटर आहे. तुंगनाथ मंदीराच्या वर ७००∕८०० फूटावर चंद्रशिला म्हणून ठिकाण आहे. तेथे छोटेसे गंगेचे मंदीर पण आहे. येथे आपण सर्वोच्च शिखर असल्याने चहूबाजूंनी पाहू शकतो ३८० अंशाच्या कोनातून. चारही बाजूस उत्तुंग हिमाच्छादित पर्वत आहेत. तुंगनाथ हे नितांत सुंदर पवित्र ठिकाण आहे. हे मदींर अक्षयतृतीयेनंतर उघडते व दिवाळीनंतर बंद होते.


रुद्रनाथ – हा चवथा केदार आहे. हा दिसायलाही नावाप्रमाणे रुद्र आहे. व त्याच्या पर्यंत पोहोचण्याचा मार्गही अतिशय कठीण आहे. मंडल व सगर गावापासून २२ कि.मी. चालून गेल्यावर रुद्रनाथाचे दर्शन होते. अत्यंत अवघड चढाई आहे. मधे मधे राहण्यासाठी धाबे आहेत. मंदीर प्रत्यक्ष ३५८० मीटर उंचीवर आहे. पण तेथे जातांना पित्रूधार या अत्युच्च खिंडीतून ३८५० मीटर उंच पुढे जावे लागते व खाली उतरले की देऊन येते. येथे मुखाच्या स्वरुपात पिंडी आहे. मंदीर पर्वताच्या टोकावर आहे व लहान आहे. येथे बाराही महिने ०° तपमान असल्याने प्रचंड थंडी असते.

येथे राहण्यासाठी धाबे आहेत. वाटेमधे सुंदर बुग्याल तसेच देवदार व इतर वृक्षांच्या सान्निध्यात व पर्वत शिखरांच्या दर्शनाने मन प्रसन्न होते. हे मंदीर सुद्धा अक्षयतृतीयेला उघडते व दसऱ्याला बंद होते.


कल्पेश्वर – हा पाचवा केदार बद्रीनाथाच्या मार्गावर जोशीमठ जवळ आहे. हेलंग नावाच्या गावापासून १० कि.मी. अंतरावर ३३०० मीटर उंचीवर आहे. उरगम गाव ८ कि.मी. असून तेथपर्यंत आता जीप जाते. पुढे २ कि.मी. चालत जाऊन कल्पेश्वर मंदीरात जाता येते. हा २ कि.मी. रस्ता अतिशय सुंदर आहे. दोन्ही बाजूला भाताची व राजगिऱ्याची गुलाबी शेती आहे. मधून वाहणारे पाण्याचे ओहोळ. कधी आपण मंदीरात पोहोचतो कळतच नाही. येथील मंदीरात जटा स्वरुपात पिंडी आहे.

आता पंचबद्रींची माहिती सांगते.


बद्रीनाथ – पंचबद्रीपैकी हा मुख्य बद्री आहे. बद्रीनाथाचे मंदीर ३११० मीटर उंचीवर असून अलकनंदेच्या किनाऱ्यावर आहे. त्याच्या बाजूस गरम पाण्याची कुंड आहेत. नारायण पर्वतावर बद्रीनाथचे तटबंदीयुक्त दगडी विशाल मंदीर आहे. उत्तुंग नीलकंठ पर्वताचे बर्फाच्छादित शिखर पार्श्वभागावर शोभून दिसते.

गाभाऱ्यात कमरेच्या उंचीच्या चौथऱ्यावर श्री. विष्णूची मूर्ती असून डाव्या बाजूला लक्ष्मी व उजव्या बाजूस कुबेर व गणपतीच्या मूर्ती आहेत.

बद्रीच्या पुढे ५ कि.मी. अंतरावर माना गाव आहे. तेथे व्यास गुंफा, गणेश गुंफा, मुचकुंद गुंफा आहेत. व्यासांनी महाभारत येथेच सांगितले व गणपतीने लिहून घेतले अशी मान्यता आहे. माना हे शेवटचे गाव असून पुढे चीनची हद्द लागते. बद्रीनाथापासून पुढे ३० कि.मी. चालत जाऊन स्वर्गरोहिणी व सतोपंथ सरोवर येथे जाता येते. येथूनच पांडव स्वर्गाला गेले असे मानले जाते. तिकडे कुबेर पर्वत आहे. तिरुपती बालाजी कुबंराकडे कर्ज मागायला गेले होते अशी आख्यायिका आहे. सप्टेंबर २०१७ मध्ये आम्हाला तेथे जाण्याचा योग आला होता.


योगध्यान बद्री – पंडुकेश्वर येथे बद्रीनाथ पासून २५ कि.मी. अंतरावर योगध्यान बद्रीचे मंदीर आहे.


भविष्य बद्री – जोशीमठ पासून १७ कि.मी. सलधर म्हणून गाव आहे. तिथे जीपने जाता येते. तेथून पुढे सुबैन हे गाव ५ कि.मी. वर घनदाट जंगलात आहे. तेथे खडकामध्ये नैसर्गिकरित्या या बद्रीची मूर्ती असून ती हळू हळू पूर्ण होत आहे. लोककथा अशी आहे की जेव्हा नर-नारायण पर्वत कोसळून पडतील व बद्रीनाथाची वाट बंद होईल त्यावेळी भविष्यातील बद्री म्हणून या बद्रीला सर्व लोक जातील तेव्हा ही मूर्ती पूर्ण स्वरुपात दिसू लागेल. मुख्य बद्री म्हणून याची पूजा केली जाईल. याच्या आसपास बरीच गरम पाण्याची कुंड आहेत. तसेच देवदार वृक्षांच्या दाट जंगलात हे मंदीर अतिशयता स्वरुपात आहे.


ध्यान बद्री ∕ वृद्ध बद्री – जोशीमठाच्या अलीकडे उरगम नावाचे गाव आहे. जीपने जाता येते. तेथे ध्यान बद्री ∕ वृद्ध बद्रीचे छोटेसे देऊळ आहे. समोर गरुडाची एक घुमटी आहे.


आदिबद्री – हरिद्वार-बद्रीनाथ मार्गावर कर्ण प्रयाग नावाचे गाव आहे. तेथून पुढे १७ कि.मी. वर आदीबद्रीचे मंदीर आहे. जीपचा रस्ता आहे. निरनिराळ्या देवतांची १६ मंदीरे आहेत. एका मंदिरात काळ्या पाषाणात कोरलेल्या मीटरभर उंचीच्या मूर्तीला विष्णूची मूर्ती म्हणून गणले जाते.

आता पंचप्रयाग कोणते ते सांगते.

हिमालयात मोठमोठ्या नद्या पण आहेत. त्यांचा जेथे संगम होतो ती अशी ठिकाणेही पवित्र मानली जातात. मुख्य पाच प्रयाग असून ते पुढील प्रमाणे आहेत. देव प्रयाग, रुद्र प्रयाग, कर्ण प्रयाग, नंद प्रयाग व विष्णु प्रयाग.


देव प्रयाग – गंगोत्री ग्लेशियर पासून उगम पावणारी भागीरथी नदी व बद्रीनाथाहून अलकापुरीला उगम पावणारी अलकनंदा यांचा संगम देवप्रयाग गावी होतो. हे सर्व प्रयाग हृषीकेश बद्रीनाथ मार्गावर आहेत. भागीरथीचे राखाडी पाणी व अलकनंदेचे निळसर पाणी वेगाने एकमेकांत मिसळते. येथे मोठा घाट बांधला असून तेथे जाऊन स्नान करता येते. संगमाचे ठिकाण नितांत सुंदर असून एक दिवस राहून त्याचा आनंद घेणे यासारखे सुख नाही.


रुद्र प्रयाग – हा दुसरा प्रयाग असून ऋषिकेशपासून १३९ कि. मी. अंतरावर बद्रीनाथला जातांना आहे. येथे केदार पर्वताहून (केदारनाथ) उगम पावलेली मंदाकिनी व बद्रीनाथहून आलेली अलकनंदा यांचा संगम आहे. मंदाकिनीचे हिरवे पाणी व अलकनंदेचे फेसाळते निळे पाणी पाहतांना भान हरपून जाते.


कर्ण प्रयाग – येथे पिंडर पर्वतापासून उगम पावलेली पिंडर नदी व अलकनंदा यांचा संगम होतो. संगम बराच खोल असल्याने २०० ते २५० पायऱ्या उतरून खाली जावे लागते. खळखळत्या पाण्याचा संगम बघणे अवर्णनीय आहे. येथे कर्णाचे मंदीर पण आहे. इंद्राने ब्राह्मण वेषात येऊन कर्णाकडची कवचकुंडले येथेच मागून घेतली होती. दानशूर कर्णाने ती लगेच काढून दिली.


नंद प्रयाग – ऋषिकेशपासून १९८ कि.मी. वर नंद प्रयाग आहे. नंद पर्वतावरून उगम पावणारी नंदाकिनी नदी व अलकनंदेचे येथे संगम होतो.


विष्णुप्रयाग – बद्रीकेदार मार्गावर जोशीमठ पासून १५ कि.मी. अंतरावर अलकनंदा व नीती व्हॅलीतून येणारी धौलीगंगा यांचा संगम होतो. संगम अरुंद खिंडीत आहे. संगमावर जाण्यासाठी १०० पायऱ्या उतरुन खाली जावे लागते. लहानसा चौथरा आहे. तेथे थंडगार पाण्याने स्नान करणे दिव्यच आहे.


केशव प्रयाग – बद्रीनाथच्या पुढे ५ कि.मी. माना गाव आहे. कुबेर पर्वताच्या बेचक्यातून उगम पावणारी सरस्वती नदी व अलकनंदा यांचा संगम माना येथे होतो. त्याला केशव प्रयाग म्हणतात. पण पंच प्रयागमध्ये त्याचा समावेश केला जात नाही.

अशा तऱ्हेने आमची पंच पंच यात्रा निर्विघ्नपणे पार पडली ही त्या ईश्वराचीच कृपा नाही काॽ या यात्रेत आम्ही ३ आठवडे एका वेगळ्याच दुनियेत जणू काही स्वर्गातच अक्षरशः झपाटल्यासारखे फिरत होतो. जेव्हा सर्व यात्रा आटोपून हरिद्वारला परत आलो तेव्हा वास्तवाची जाणीव झाली.

मी या यात्रेत रुद्रनाथ (केदार) ला नाही जाऊ शकले. पण सप्टेंबर २०१८ मध्ये रुद्रनाथला गेले व माझा पंच केदारचा संकल्प सुफळ संपूर्ण झाला.



Meenal Mukund Velankar

Friendship

Friendship

"A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and gently allows you to grow."

  - William Shakespeare

The word 'Friend' itself brings a smile on anyone's face as it is a synonym of Love, closeness, devotion, confidante, understanding and companionship. 

But the incidences of people complaining about mistrust, jealousy, competition and hollowness in friendship are increasing day by day. Some people have gone to the extent of saying that they are fed up of the Fake friends and that some friends are becoming really Toxic.

 People often boast of having big social circles, call themselves Close friends but do not share  Comfort zone with them and in the heart of hearts they know that they cannot share their griefs  and that this friendship does not have any meaning. Most of us are looking for Friendship sans expectations, jealousy, envy, competition, status symbols and hidden intentions. There is such a lot of surge in the cases of these issues that sometimes I wonder whether these  hotels and picnic spots flooded with friends are speaking about the Loneliness of people?

Though friendship is easy to develop, it is sometimes a challenge to sustain. It is because it is not  just a relationship but a self sacrificing love, an unspoken assurance that our friend offers us love and respect and will never betray us. A friend understands our unspoken language. It is the most beautiful relationship as we can choose our friend, no contact between two people, no unspoken rule of unconditional love and no real binding commitment. It is a treasure  which gives value to our survival.

It is said that Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain, it is not something you learn in school but if you haven't learnt the meaning of friendship, you haven't learned anything.  True friendship is a feeling of love, sharing and caring, an asset which is a crucial element in protecting our Mental health. It knows no boundaries or demarcations of caste, creed and race. It is a vital part of life which helps people to obtain qualities like trustworthiness, honesty, dependability and responsibility.

To get true friends one should become a  good, sensitive, non judgemental and selfless person, always ready to help.

The fortune of a multi millionaire is insignificant in front of a good heart, a kindly disposition, a frank, cordial, open and generous nature.

Adv Ashwini Deshpande

Majhi Aai

 ‘Aai’ is a topic closest to heart for everyone! So the million dollar question was ‘What do I write?’ I pondered endlessly...but words betrayed. There is so much to narrate about her, there are so many memories...there is so much learning! 

 To begin with, a slight introduction of my ‘Aai’ – Sandhya Joshi...a voracious reader, an analyst, a rationalist, an atheist! At the same time an affectionate, sensitive, extremely caring and affable personality. I think these adjectives would have pretty much summed her up! But I was mistaken! In the past three years I witnessed many different facets of her personality unfurl magically. Going back to my growing up years I saw a woman with progressive thoughts..pretty much ahead of her time! She never succumbed to overly orthodox thoughts and rituals. She never held Haldi-Kunku at home because in principle she was against the practice that discriminated women only on the basis of presence or absence of their husbands. She always wanted a career. She wanted her own space. She always helped the needy and poor. She always fed the under-privileged. She always looked after her parents and relatives who stayed with us for either education or work. Net –net an intelligent and loving woman with a golden heart. Post a Banking career of about 35 years she was fed up of her routine and opted for VRS in 2014 from Bank Of India. A new chapter of her life began. A pleasant one! Only for about a year!

In Nov 2015 she visited our family doctor - Dr. Umesh Date - for some minor neck ailment. Dr. Date observed that her stomach is protruding abnormally.  A cyst was detected in her abdomen which contained dirty fluids and needed to be removed. 

This is where the story begins! This is an account of my mom’s journey which is full of moments of picking up the pieces of life and starting once again and once again and once again.....a journey which is still on... .....and one where she has emerged a brave survivor, magnanimously! 

On 30th Nov 2015 she was operated in Fortis hospital, Mulund to remove the cyst. Post the surgery there was increase in the abdominal pain right up to her back and her shoulder. Her breathing was heavy. She was in immense discomfort. This situation continued for about 2.5 days. The third night she was unable to breathe and was rushed to the ICU and put on bi-pap machine for easy breathing. Numerous tests were conducted and there came an unexpected blow to all of us when she was diagnosed with Acute Pancreatitis! We had never heard about this disorder till then. The worst part of this ailment is - it has no medication. The pancreas have to contain the secretions by itself. Nothing can stop it. Every day was like a roller coaster ride. One day she would be fine and the very next day there would be complications. Gradually the pancreas settled down. Post two weeks of ICU followed by HDU, followed by ward she was fine to go home. Then started the painful process of discharge formalities! I wasn’t aware till then that discharge is such a painful process and requires immense coordination and patience. We came back home, only to go back to Fortis in about a month. 

When we were home there wasn’t a single day of comfort. Everyday there was a new health issue cropping up. We admitted her locally in Dombivli but her case was beyond their reach. There was pus collection internally and the pus was so thick that it was stuck to the internal organs. Hence it needed to be removed and hence an SOS surgery was performed on her. This second surgery was done in Fortis on 17th Jan 2016. Again a series of ICU, HDU, ward, discharge formalities, ambulance and then home! 

Days passed by but she was still uncomfortable. She had lost tremendous weight. She didn’t feel like eating. Started having fever, nausea and other such symptoms. Dr. Date suggested a change of surgeon and we found an expert associated with Joy hospital Chembur. We were full of hope. She was full of hope that he would cure her. We got her admitted in Joy hospital for treatment. There was a leak in her large intestine and hence the abdomen needed regular washing. This is a mini OT procedure which is to be conducted every day. When they thought she is fine they discharged her only to come back with high fever. On 17th March 2016 a small endoscopic procedure was conducted to clip her leak. But that attempt failed as they figured that the leak is bigger than they had estimated. There was no option to a surgery. Life was playing hide and seek. But she was determined to face the challenge despite having lost all her health and despite undergoing two surgeries back to back. And now third one!

In this surgery something had to be done that altered her entire life. Her rectum (end part of the large intestine) was brought out of the body. This part called stoma needs to wear a stoma bag which collects all the waste from the body through the 24 hours. This bag became her friend for the next two years. Also the surgeon had chopped off some part of her large intestine and stitched together remaining sides. She sailed through the surgery third time around. We came home post the routine of ICU, HDU, ward, discharge, ambulance and home. She was fine for a month. Hope and happiness swelled in our hearts. And suddenly the happiness and hope looked illusive. She started staying ill, had fever, nausea and lost all her health. She hardly moved in the house. Started staying in her bed and became extremely weak. It was a terrible sight.. She became as light as 38 kgs! 

Actually a leak was formed in her stitches. This will be gross to read but the large intestine contains all the waste of our body – basically our poop/shit! A leak in it meant that small microscopic drops of poop/shit entered her abdomen everyday for over a month. Just imagine the gravity of the septic around all the critical organs in her abdomen. This impacted her health immensely. This leak had to be stopped and there was no option but another surgery. Dr. Date recommended a change of surgeon and we finally met the divine in a Doctor who practices in KEM hospital, Global hospital and Jupiter hospital. He decided to operate on her SOS and we landed in Global hospital, Parel. Her fourth consecutive surgery took place on 1st June 2016. This was a matter of life and death. We could have lost the battle but with immense will power, god’s grace, our prayers she sailed through the surgery. Post her fourth surgery she was in the ICU for 1 month. She lost her voice due to stress and wouldn’t speak. We were allowed to see her only for 5 minutes thrice a day. She was on the verge of losing hope and maybe life. I can only imagine what  she would think of in the ICU for 24 hours a day for entire 30 days! Meeting family was meagre 15 minutes in the entire 24 hours. I don’t know what and how she had so much of patience and perseverance but she held on! It is so unnerving to imagine yourself - almost dying... in solitude.... in some hospital... battling a rare disorder! I am scared of even imagining.

Doctor recommended that since stoma care is better in Jupiter we should move her there. We carried her in an ambulance from Parel to Thane. She could only see the passing trees through the ambulance but that day she was grateful to the Universe that she was able to see those trees. She hummed songs all through the way. I really salute her spirit! In this fragile condition who would have thought of singing songs and enjoy the trees! But she did!

Her condition had worsened so much that she was put on parenteral nutrition in Jupiter which by itself is an extreme form of nutrition. She was so weak that she was unable to hold a knife or a spoon. She was in Jupiter for her treatment for 1.5 months. There was indescribable weakness, immense insulin fluctuations, innumerable situations where her body reached MDR – Multi Drug Resistant – this is a stage of the body where no drug works on it. Then she had to wait for 7/8 days for the drug to work on her. There were infinite allergies and side effects and still she was hopeful and sane. Most importantly sane! Not at ounce of anger not an iota of impatience ....only hope and will power. Gradually she gained some health post which we came home. Every day was a struggle post that! The stoma bag is difficult to manage and comes with its own set of challenges. 

She struggled with the stoma bag for the next two years but simultaneously rebuilt her health and her life too! She monitored her diabetes closely, researched on how it can be controlled, put an extremely systematic routine, started walking gradually, eating the right amounts of various nutrients, started taking charge of her house, her kitchen and her life! In no time she was cooking all meals for her and dad, going out for a walk for 45 minutes, going to meet her parents regularly in the evening. The only problem was the stoma bag and she was determined to get the final surgery done where the bag would go away and her rectum would be put back in its place.

Post various tests we decided to take the plunge and get the final surgery done. Her fifth surgery took place on 18th May 2018. The rectum was put back in its place and the bag was gone! She was very happy. But God wasn’t too happy that she was happy! Third day of the surgery there was a leak formed in the intestine. She had to undergo another surgery, sixth one to be precise, to manage the problem. The intestines had become supple and hence the stitches came off internally and hence this condition.

With the sixth surgery she and we were very hopeful that life would be back to normal. She showed immense progress in four days. But as fate would have it, on the fifth day another leak was formed. Now we were back on the threshold of life and death. It was impossible to keep the situation as is and it was impossible to operate as well! All hell broke loose. Nobody knew what decision to take. She had no life in her eyes. I saw defeat in them. She seemed spiritless that day. There was only one option – another very risky surgery... bringing out the stoma again and living the rest of the life with stoma bag’s support...She was tired of the grind. She was tired of surgeries. She was tired of hope, I guess! This surgery lasted for about 3 hours in which an hour was spent on closing her abdomen. Aai was critical. She was put on ventilator for 8 days.  We prayed every minute for her to survive this one. During her ventilator days she was also sedated. So we could not communicate with her. When she gained consciousness we communicated with her through signs and actions. She wanted to speak but couldn’t because of the pipe. Her hands were tied to the bed on both sides so that she doesn’t make any aggressive hand movements. It was an incredibly painful sight to see. I cannot imagine the pain she was going through. Once she gained complete consciousness we had to tell her that the stoma bag is back on her. But she accepted it gracefully.

Her path of recovery has begun since then. There were thousands of moments where we were on the verge of losing the battle but nothing dampened her spirit. Hers is a story full of failures but its not a story of failure...Its a story of her determination, grit, and undying spirit. Though the attempts have failed.....she has not! As the song goes – ‘It ain’t over, ‘til it’s over....’ And it certainly ain’t over for her....

With trembling lips, shaking hands and moist eyes, I simply salute you! 

Ms. Bilwa Abhay Dhayagude