Karma & KaliYuga

Hi Readers,

I have written another poem in Oriya, sitting and thinking of present environment. I had many questions as in any other think day, mostly regarding politics, manipulation etc.. Be it in workplace, in home, with siblings or with spouse, it is our human tendency, that we get easily influenced by the person who can speak well. We get attracted to the words.However, when these words are not converted into equal action, makes us feel played. For the people who can easily manipulate, they have a inborn quality to speak what other's like to hear. What they mean can be very different from what they speak? But, yes in this worldly affair, they progress a lot through their communication skills, and networking abilities. The person, who can actually get the work done, lags behind... Is not it?

Here, is my poem in Oriya on the same subject. As written earlier, I lack a lot in Oriya literature specially vocabulary... I just gave it a try. Hope some of you might like it.

କହେ ଯେ କଥା ବଡ ବଡ କର୍ମରେ କରେ ନାହି
କହି ଯେ ନ ପାରିଇ ସେ କର୍ମେ କରି ଦେଖାଇ||
ହଜାରେ ଆଶା ଦିଏ ଯେ ଆଶା ଭାଂଗୀ ପାରଇ
ଯେ କୁହଇ ଅପ୍ରିୟ ସତ ଅସମଯରେ ପାସେ ରୁହଇ||
ହେଲେ ଏ ଅବୁଝା ମନ ତାକୁ ହି ଚାହଇ
ଯେ କଥା ଭଲ କହି ତାକୁ ଜିଣି ପାରଇ||
ଆ କଥା ତା ଆଗେ, ତା କଥା ଆ ଆଗେ ଯେ କରି ପାରଇ
ସାଂସାରିକ ସମାଜରେ ଜାଣ ସେହି ଜିଣି ପାରଇ ||
କର୍ମ କଲେ କି ହେବ, କଥା ଦରକାର୍ ପଡଇ
ଏ କଳି ୟୁଗରେ କି ଏହା ହି ମହିମା
କଳି କରି ଉପରକୁ ଚଢି ଚଢି ଯିବା ||
ଯେ ପରଂଗମ ନୁହେ କଳିରେ ହେ ଜାଣ
ଯେତେ କର୍ମ କଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ହାର ତାର ଜାଣ||
ପ୍ରଭୁହେ ତୁମେ କଣ କଳିର ହି ସାଥୀ
କଣ ଚାଂହ ପ୍ରଭୁ, ତୁମ ଭକ୍ତ କରୁ କଳି ??

                                           ---- ଶର୍ମିଷ୍ଠା

Thanks for reading it. :)

Tapoyi and Khudurukuni Osa

Hi Readers,

After long time, I am back again with another interesting story from mythology. This folklore has given rise to another ritual and worship. The Khudurukuni Osa(Osa means vrat in Odia) which is conducted in month of August-September. Young girls keep fast whole day long and in the evening they welcome Goddess Mangala ( form of Shakti, the auspicious one)adore her with red flowers, and offer Prasad made from broken rice, jaggery and fruits. Goddess Mangala is an amalgamation of Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Parvati. She loves broken rice. In Odisha, broken rice is also used to make Pitha. Broken rice is also used to make kheer and is offered to deities.

Now, let me present you the interesting story behind this Osa. This is the story of Tapoyi. She belonged to the caste of Sadhaba (means traders in Odia). In ancient times, these Sadhaba clan people used to sail from Odisha to Java and Sumtra islands (presently parts of Indonesia), they used to sell various household artifacts to people there and used to carry home other valuable goods. On their trading abilities, today Odisha celebrates Bali yatra on their remembrance. Now, coming back to the story. Tapoyi had seven brothers and she was youngest among them. All her brothers were married. One day, when she was playing with her clay toys, an old wicked Bhramin lady happen to pass by. This Old lady urged her to demand for toys made of Gold, as her father and brother's are so rich. Innocent Tapoyi, demanded for Golden moon as a toy. Her father was taken aback hearing her demands. He however agreed to fulfill her demands. However, her father died before he could fulfill her demands. Soon after her mother also died. Every one, now wondered if the cause behind all this is the unusual demand of Tapoyi, including Tapoyi herself.

However, her brothers and sister-in-law took good care of her. And now, the time to travel from trade came. All her brothers started their journey, leaving Tapoyi with their wife's. Her brother's took promise from their respective wife to take good care of their only sister. For few days, everything went on smoothly. Once again that old wicked Bhramin lady happen to pass by their house. This time, she infused seeds of jealousy and hatred towards Tapoyi in her sister in-law's mind. Urged by this wicked lady, all her sister in-law's started torturing Tapoyi. They gave her only rice to eat, even without salt. They made her herd the goats in Jungle, they gave her torn and dirty clothes to wear. However, only the youngest sister-in-law took good care of her. She provided her with good food, but could not stop the torture from other sister-in-laws.
 

Tapoyi, was broken by the loss of her parents and torture from sister-in-laws. One day while in forest she saw a group of women praying to Maa Mangala. She went there. They offered her Prasad after the Puja. These ladies advised her to keep fast on Sundays and offer broken rice to Goddess Maa Mangala. Sure enough, her prayers yeilded results, she found the little goat Gharamani, which she had lost before in the Jungle. Her brothers returned before time, and found her crying in sea shore. They swore to teach their wicked wife a lesson. They decorated Tapoyi like Goddess, made her sit in the boat. They called their wifes and asked them to worship the Goddess. When one by one her sister-in-laws would bow in front of her, she cut their noses with a sharp knife, except the youngest sister-in-law. Humiliated these women left home and went to Jungle. They realized their mistakes and prayed to Maa Mangala. They apologized and Maa Mangala restored noses and peace in their life. They returned back home and lead happy and peaceful life.

Thus, in Odisha people pray to Maa Mangala to have peace and happiness in their life. Howevr, the most interesting part is this Khudurukuni Osa is not performed by Bhramin commuinty. All other community performs this puja. Yes, bhramin women do pray to Maa Mangala but they do not perform Khudurukuni Osa, as in the folklore, Bhramin women has been condemned.

Sometimes, knowing this fact, many questions do erupt in my mind. How, all these traditions and rituals came into being? Why do we have Bhramin priest in temples to offer Puja on our behalf? If one wicked lady was condemned for her act, the whole community do not perform this Puja. Then why they perform Puja on other communities behalf. Somehow, all these queries, just make me believe that being the most influential community in ancient times, Bhramin's knowingly came up with social code and conduct that would help them prosper their business of worshiping and amassing wealth. This community suppressed reading of Veda's by other community so that they can fool people. Being a student of Dayananda Saraswati Anglo vedic Public School, I really appreciate Dayananda Saraswati's movement that all people be allowed to read veda's.

Another crocheted table mat

Hi Readers,

I just completed another table mat. Its little bigger than the coasters and quite short from a table runner, so I guess I should call it table mat. Well, I am a beginner and I get fascinated by the patterns in Crochet. I tried making Catherine wheel first, however, it was bit difficult for me. I did few lines and then realized after completing the whole thing it might be out of a proper rectangular shape. Then I switched to a granny stripe pattern. Yes, this was much easier and took really less time to complete the whole thing.

I wish I could get some quality woolen yarn in Hyderabad. I have searched quite a good number of embroidery and craft stores, but no luck. I wish I would have been in Bangalore. When I was in Bangalore, I and my friend mostly visited Raja market in weekends. We would collect all sorts of craft supplies and start working on it. Its been five years since I left Bangalore, I still have few of the supplies that I am yet to make use.

Hyderabad, do not have such an exclusive market building dedicated to craft supplies just like Bangalore. I wish I could get Vardhaman or any other similar quality yarn here. I wish to make a simple crocheted blanket, I know it will take months for me to make, but yes handmade things that too made by yourself gives so much satisfaction and a special attachment towards it. When you make something by yourself, you take care and would like to have that piece with you for long time. Its just like a treasure. But, hard luck... I have searched so many places but I do not see these yarns in Hyderabad. Somehow, got some yarn in nearby store but I would not personally prefer to make a blanket out of it. So, I am just making small table mats, coasters and learning the technique.

Enough of my talks, now have a look at this table mat made using Granny stripes and double crochet border pattern.

Do let me know your feedback.

Thanks

Controlling temper

Hi Readers,

Good evening. I do not know why again I feel a urge to write on same topic. May be because I have been little restless from a couple of days. It happens to me sometimes, when I go back to an incident in past, that hurt me. I play all over again. I keep changing my reactions, making me answer more appropriately, sometimes in such a way that the person who caused pain would actually feel how bad he/she made me feel. I repeat this drama in mind. Its a mind game and after few hours, may be days, it slowly vanishes. However, it sits somewhere deep within me and whenever some things remind me of this , again that mind game starts.

Have you people experienced this? I guess yes, may be some of you would not do it religiously like me but yes more or less this occurs to most of us when we are deeply hurt or may be we feel guilty. Either out of anger or out of guilt we want to go back and change the entire thing. We want to make it look better to us.We want to feel better.

I remember once, I got stupid mails... stupid because it was really crazy, it was from a unknown individual, asking stupid things, sometimes just asking me how I am and sometimes making me feel like that person is happy with the problems that I face. It hurt me, sometimes, I would get urge to reply back condemning that unknown individual. I guessed that person knew me and did not wanted to reveal his/her identity.I also received crazy test messages in my mobile. Asked a friend what to do. And got a reply," Ignore or go to cops". I do not know why, this answer of my friend actually made me more angry. I felt as though that person has little concern or may be happy that I am in trouble. Do not know how but I resisted replying strongly . Tried and ignored these messages, miss calls, stupid mails. Blocked mailer ids and gradually this was over. But, yes I never went back to same friend and asked what I need to do.

When I think back, I just analyse why I was angry with a friend who responded in pale cold way.I laugh at this when I remember it today. Ha ha ha... But, this happens right. We sometimes need a patient ear hearing us. We know what to do and do not expect a ready solution, but just someone hearing us. Understanding our situation and making us feel that they are with us. May be we can get such treatment from other friends but may be we are expecting it from a wrong person. Since, then I have tried to control my anger as much as possible. I have tried to distract myself from all those pains and guilt. Still, a long way for me to go when I can truly term myself as calm and cool.

In this learning process, I have so far learnt that keeping yourself away from people who hurt is not too hard. They might be very close ones, may be your siblings, your parents, your friends or your in-laws but keeping and maintaining safe distance is not very difficult.Avoid to have regular talks because you know anytime those criticism can start again.

Second thing that I learnt is till the time you allow someone to hurt you, he /she can hurt. The moment you stop listening and responding, it stops. It might be in your mind and give you sleepless nights but the actual complains, criticism and hurting from other individual will stop.

Third thing is think like a child. When we were kids, if a friend is not good, he/she backbites and cheats, we simply stop being friends. Same is also true when we are grown up. No need to be friends or think what others will think of you. Just think of what makes the situation better.

In this process, if I find some more working solution, I will post that for you. Try it, may be it will also work with you.

Thanks

May god restore peace in your life.

Crocheted coasters

Hi Readers,

Here I have made two varieties of coasters using same color combination. have a look and let me know your valuable feedback.

In The flower crochet I have taken the pattern from free pattern available in Pinterest.In the second one I have used simple double crochet pattern with shell border. .

Thanks

Crochet border table mat

Hi Readers,

I had completed another simple table runner couple of weeks back. But, could not post the pictures earlier. I had tried to make a simple crocheted border for this table runner. The embroidery on this is Kasuti embroidery on a Mitti cloth (cloth used for cross-stitch). Here goes the pictures for you. Hope you will let me know where I can improve.

Thanks 

Handmade birthday card for someone special

Hi Readers,

Here, is another handmade card that I made recently for my husband. Hope you like this.

Thanks