Dr. Suresh Kumar Mishra, known for his wit and wisdom, is a prolific writer, renowned satirist, children’s literature author, and poet. He has undertaken the monumental task of writing, editing, and coordinating a total of 55 books for the Telangana government at the primary school, college, and university levels. His editorial endeavors also include online editions of works by Acharya Ramchandra Shukla.
As a celebrated satirist, Dr. Suresh Kumar Mishra has carved a niche for himself, with over eight million viewers, readers, and listeners tuning in to his literary musings on the demise of a teacher on the Sahitya AajTak channel. His contributions have earned him prestigious accolades such as the Telangana Hindi Academy’s Shreshtha Navyuva Rachnakaar Samman in 2021, presented by the honorable Chief Minister of Telangana, Mr. Chandrashekhar Rao. He has also been honored with the Vyangya Yatra Ravindranath Tyagi Stairway Award and the Sahitya Srijan Samman, alongside recognition from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and various other esteemed institutions.
Dr. Suresh Kumar Mishra’s journey is not merely one of literary accomplishments but also a testament to his unwavering dedication, creativity, and profound impact on society. His story inspires us to strive for excellence, to use our talents for the betterment of others, and to leave an indelible mark on the world. Today we present his Satire 𝓟𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓽𝔂, 𝓸𝓱 𝓹𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓽𝔂!.
Poverty, oh poverty, what a dear friend you are to us! You never fail to make an appearance in our lives, always there to remind us of our humble beginnings and how well we have managed to stay connected to you through the years. Your presence has become so familiar to us that we couldn’t imagine life without you.
Yes, my fellow comrades in poverty, let us revel in our shared misfortune and bask in the glory of our empty wallets and rumbling bellies. For who needs material wealth and worldly possessions when we have the richness of our poverty to sustain us?
In our dear country, poverty is not just a fact of life, it’s practically a way of life. The government may claim to have various poverty alleviation programs in place, but let’s face it, they are about as effective as a broken dam in a drought-stricken desert.
The irony of our situation is truly something to behold. We live in a land of plenty, where the elite flaunt their wealth like peacocks displaying their feathers, while we, the impoverished masses, scrounge around for leftovers like hungry street dogs.
Oh, how we must admire the ingenuity of our leaders who have managed to turn poverty into an art form. They make grand speeches about eradicating poverty, all the while lining their pockets with the sweat and tears of the downtrodden.
But fear not, my fellow paupers, for we have our own unique set of skills to survive in this harsh world. We have mastered the art of stretching a dollar further than a rubber band, of making a meal out of scraps that others would discard without a second thought.
And let us not forget the endless entertainment that poverty provides us with. Who needs cable television when we have the spectacle of politicians squabbling like greedy children over the crumbs of our meager existence?
Yes, poverty may rob us of material comforts, but it has gifted us with a keen sense of humor. We laugh in the face of adversity, knowing that we are stronger than any obstacle that life may throw our way.
So let us stand tall, my dear friends, for we are the true warriors in this battle against poverty. Let the rich wallow in their excess while we revel in our simplicity. Let them hoard their treasures while we share the wealth of our poverty with each other.
And as we navigate the treacherous waters of life, let us remember the immortal words of our esteemed leader, “Let them eat cake!” For we are the masters of our own destiny, the champions of our own fate.
So let us raise a toast to poverty, our constant companion and faithful friend. May we continue to embrace its challenges and triumph over its obstacles, for we are the warriors of the underclass, the champions of the downtrodden, the conquerors of poverty!
– Living in poverty is like being a contestant on a never-ending game show where the prize is a lifetime supply of struggle and hardship.
– Poverty is the great equalizer, ensuring that no matter how much money you have, you can always feel like you’re one missed paycheck away from disaster.
– They say money can’t buy happiness, but poverty can definitely rent out misery on a daily basis.
– Poverty is like a bad roommate that refuses to leave, constantly making a mess of your life and never chipping in for rent.
– The only thing more reliable than taxes is poverty, always there to remind you that your bank account is just a sad reflection of your existence.
– Being poor is a full-time job with zero benefits and a retirement plan that consists of hoping you’ll hit the jackpot in the lottery of life.
– Poverty is the gift that keeps on giving, like a never-ending subscription to a misery magazine that nobody wants to read.
– They say money talks, but poverty screams louder and with a more annoying voice that never seems to shut up.
– Poverty is like a bad tattoo that you can’t remove, a constant reminder of past mistakes and poor decisions.
– They say laughter is the best medicine, but when poverty is the punchline, it’s more like a bitter pill that’s hard to swallow.
– Poverty is the ultimate test of patience, like waiting in line at the DMV while your life falls apart around you.
– They say you can’t take it with you when you go, but poverty ensures that you won’t have anything to take even if you wanted to.
– Being poor is like being stuck in a never-ending traffic jam, always moving forward but never getting anywhere.
– Poverty is like a dark cloud that follows you everywhere, raining on your parade and ruining any hope of sunshine in your life.
– They say money can’t buy love, but poverty ensures that you’ll never have the chance to find out.
– Poverty is the great leveler, ensuring that no matter how rich or powerful you are, you can always feel like life is just one disaster away from falling apart.
– They say life is what you make of it, but poverty ensures that you’ll be stuck with the cheapest ingredients and the worst recipe.
– Being poor is like trying to swim upstream in a river of debt, always struggling against the current and never getting ahead.
– Poverty is like a bad addiction that’s impossible to kick, always there to tempt you with a quick fix and a lifetime of regrets.
– They say the best things in life are free, but poverty ensures that you’ll never be able to afford them.
– Poverty is the ultimate reality check, like a harsh wake-up call that reminds you that dreams are for those who can afford to sleep.
– They say money can’t buy happiness, but poverty ensures that you’ll never know for sure.
– Being poor is like living in a house of cards, always on the verge of collapse and never sure if the next gust of wind will be your last.
– Poverty is like a broken record that keeps playing the same sad song on repeat, never letting you forget how out of tune your life really is.
– They say that life is a journey, but poverty ensures that you’ll never have enough gas money to get where you’re going.
– Poverty is like a bad haircut that you’re stuck with forever, a constant reminder of past mistakes and poor choices.
– They say that the best things in life are worth waiting for, but poverty ensures that you’ll spend your whole life waiting and never getting anywhere.
– Being poor is like trying to run a marathon with one leg tied behind your back, always struggling against the odds and never reaching the finish line.
– Poverty is like a bad case of food poisoning, always leaving you feeling sick and never satisfied with what life has to offer.
– They say that life is a gift, but poverty ensures that you’ll never be able to afford the wrapping paper, let alone the present inside.
पुस्तक अगदी छोटसं आहे. एकूण नऊ कथा आहेत. त्याआधी लेखिका अरुणा ढेरे यांच्या विषयी थोडक्यात- कथा, कादंबरी, ललित लेख, अनुवाद, समीक्षा, लोकसाहित्य, सामाजिक, इतिहास पर, कुमारांसाठी, किशोरांसाठी इतका व्यासंग लाभलेल्या कवियीत्री अरुणा ढेरे. ज्येष्ठ आणि सुप्रसिद्ध साहित्य डॉ. राची ढेरे यांचीही सुकन्या .यांना बाळकडूच मिळाले साहित्यरसाच .मराठी साहित्यातील दांडग्या अभ्यासक म्हणून नावारूपाला आल्या. त्यांचे अतिशय गाजलेलं पुस्तक कृष्ण किनार आहे तर ते आपल्या अगदी हृदयाजवळ आहे.
पावसानंतरच ऊन हे पुस्तक देखील तितकच सुंदर आणि छोट्या स्वरूपात आहे प्रत्येक कथा मनाला भावणारी आणि विचार करायला लावणारी आहे .काही कथा नव्या विचारांच्या आहेत तर काही कथा या जुन्यातूनच नवं जगणं कसं शोधावे हे शिकवणारया आहेत. पावसानंतरच ऊन म्हणजे मनाला मिळालेला गारवा जसं की रात्री बराच पाऊस पडून गेलेला गॅलरीतील कुंड्यांवर छान शिडकाव झालेला सकाळचा ताज होऊन मनाबरोबर शरीरालाही निवांत करत आणि चहाचा मंद सुवास आणि अचानक कोणीतरी हातात तो आणून द्यावा बस आता आयुष्यात काही नको अशीच काहीशी जीवन कहाणी आहे या कथा नकांची *एखादा पावसाचा शिडका व्हावा आणि आणि कोवळं ऊन सुखावून जावं अगदी तसं
पहिली कथा- ओळख- स्वतःची ओळख शोधणारी, नात्यांच्या पलीकडे जाऊन स्वीकारणं, समजून घेणं, सोसण, सावरणं, कसलं दुःख आपल्या वाट्याला आलं आहे? उमग नाही ,अंत नाही, आकार नाही, रंग नाही वास नाही,चव नाही. एक अवाढव्य काळ ओझं, चिनूस टाकणार, घुसमटून टाकणार, त्याबरोबर एक सत्य आणि आपण स्वतः त्यातून निर्माण झालेली ओळख आणि तिची ती कथा.
दुसरी कथा- नवरात्र कथा एक सून, नव अंकुर बीज पोटी फुलतोय जणू ही घटस्थापनेच्या स्वरूपात सांगितले आहे. एक स्त्री तशीच ही पृथ्वी तिची गर्भधारणा म्हणजे नऊ दिवसाचे व्रत तिच्या कुशीतून जन्म घेणारे धान्य बीज पेरायचं ते वाढतं नऊ महिन्याचं ते प्रतीक म्हणून नऊ दिवस आपण ते वाढवायचं व्रतासारखं ते सांभाळायचं मग शेवटी पूर्णत्वाला गेले की आनंद उत्सव साजरा करायचा. दसऱ्यासारखा सुनेच्या पोटीही ते बीज अंकुरते. आणि ती ते अनुभवते.
तिसरी कथा- नवीन. कथेत नव्या दमाची तरुणाई आणि जुन्या विचारांची पिढी. त्यांनी ह्या पिढींशी एकरूप व्हावं आणि इतर जाती पंथांच्या सुना-मुलींची जुळवून घ्यावे ही सांगणारी नवी पिढी. आता काळ आला आहे की दोन्ही पिढ्या आपले हात एकमेकांच्या हातात गुंफून आनंदाने राहावे.
अशा प्रकारे प्रत्येक कथा वेगळी आहे. आशावाद आणि जगणं यामधील दुवा कसा शोधावा आणि स्वतःला शोधून आपलं जग कसं निर्माण करावं हे समजतं.
पावसानंतरच पडणार कोळवून कसं हवं असं वाटतं अगदी तसंच जीवनात येणाऱ्या चढ उतारा नंतर येणारा आनंदी क्षण देखील लोभस वाटतो गजबजलेल्या ढगांमधून एखादी उन्हाची तिरप चेहऱ्यावर घेताना रोमांचिक होतं अगदी तसंच असतं हे पावसानंतर ऊन म्हणून प्रत्येकानं एकदा तरी वाचावं असं आहे
परिचय : सुश्री अर्चना माने
सांगली.
≈संपादक – श्री हेमन्त बावनकर/सम्पादक मंडळ (मराठी) – सौ. उज्ज्वला केळकर/श्री सुहास रघुनाथ पंडित /सौ. मंजुषा मुळे/सौ. गौरी गाडेकर≈
(ई-अभिव्यक्ति में संस्कारधानी की सुप्रसिद्ध साहित्यकार श्रीमती छाया सक्सेना ‘प्रभु’ जीद्वारा “व्यंग्य से सीखें और सिखाएं” शीर्षक से साप्ताहिक स्तम्भ प्रारम्भ करने के लिए हार्दिक आभार। आप अविचल प्रभा मासिक ई पत्रिका की प्रधान सम्पादक हैं। कई साहित्यिक संस्थाओं के महत्वपूर्ण पदों पर सुशोभित हैं तथा कई पुरस्कारों/अलंकरणों से पुरस्कृत/अलंकृत हैं। आपके साप्ताहिक स्तम्भ – व्यंग्य से सीखें और सिखाएं में आज प्रस्तुत है एक विचारणीय रचना “क्यों दाता बनें विधाता…?”। इस सार्थक रचना के लिए श्रीमती छाया सक्सेना जी की लेखनी को सादर नमन। आप प्रत्येक गुरुवार को श्रीमती छाया सक्सेना जी की रचना को आत्मसात कर सकेंगे।)
☆ साप्ताहिक स्तम्भ – व्यंग्य से सीखें और सिखाएं # 150 ☆
☆ क्यों दाता बनें विधाता…? ☆
प्रचार- प्रसार के माध्यमों से लोक लुभावन सपने दिखाना तो एक हद तक सही हो सकता है, किंतु मुफ्त में सारी सुविधाओं को देने से कामचोरी की आदत पड़ जाती है। जो आर्थिक रूप से कमजोर हैं, अशक्त हैं उन्हें मजबूत करने के प्रयास हों। पर जाति, धर्म, अल्पसंख्यक के नाम पर समाज को विभाजित करके सुविधाओं का आरक्षण देना समाज को जड़ से कमजोर करने की दिशा में उठाया गया कदम साबित हो रहा है।
जब राष्ट्रवाद की परिकल्पना साकार होती है तो व्यक्ति हर प्रश्नों से ऊपर उठकर अपना कर्तव्य निभाने की ओर चल देता है। हर वर्ग ने जाति, धर्म, अमीरी- गरीबी से ऊपर उठ केवल देश हित को सर्वोपरि माना है। कहा भी गया है – जननी जन्मभूमिश्चय स्वर्गादपि गरियसी अर्थात जननी और जन्मभूमि स्वर्ग से भी बढ़कर होती है।
जो भरा नहीं है भावों से, बहती जिसमें रसधार नहीं।
हृदय नहीं वह पत्थर है, जिसमें स्वदेश का प्यार नहीं। ।
राष्ट्रकवि मैथिलीशरण गुप्त जी की ये पंक्तियाँ सबका मार्गदर्शन करती हैं। क्या अच्छा नहीं होगा कि सत्ता को पाने के लिए दाता बना भाग्य विधाता की सोच से ऊपर उठकर हम कार्य करें। जनमानस को सचेत होकर अपने दायित्वों का निर्वाहन करना होगा तभी बिड़गी चाल पर नियंत्रण रखा जा सकेगा।
(सुप्रसिद्ध साहित्यकार श्री ओमप्रकाश क्षत्रिय “प्रकाश” जीका हिन्दी बाल -साहित्य एवं हिन्दी साहित्य की अन्य विधाओं में विशिष्ट योगदान हैं। साप्ताहिक स्तम्भ “श्री ओमप्रकाश जी का साहित्य” के अंतर्गत उनकी मानवीय दृष्टिकोण से परिपूर्ण लघुकथाएं आप प्रत्येक गुरुवार को पढ़ सकते हैं। आज प्रस्तुत है बाल साहित्य – “आत्मकथा – हवाई जहाज का जन्म”)
☆ साप्ताहिक स्तम्भ – श्री ओमप्रकाश जी का साहित्य # 139 ☆
☆ बाल साहित्य – “आत्मकथा– हवाई जहाज का जन्म” ☆ श्री ओमप्रकाश क्षत्रिय ‘प्रकाश’ ☆
मेरा जन्म 1900 की शुरुआत में ओहियो के डेटन में एक छोटे से वर्कशॉप में हुआ था। मेरे निर्माता ऑरविल और विल्बर राइट नाम के दो भाई थे। वे पक्षी की उड़ान से प्रेरित थे। वे कई वर्षों से मेरे डिजाइन पर काम कर रहे थे।
मैं एक बहुत ही साधारण मशीन था। मेरे पास दो पंख थे, एक प्रोपेलर और एक छोटा इंजन। लेकिन मैं भी बहुत नवीन था। मैं पहला हवाई जहाज था जो कुछ सेकंड से अधिक समय तक उड़ान भरने में सक्षम था।
17 दिसंबर, 1903 को मैंने अपनी पहली उड़ान भरी। मैं ऑरविल के नियंत्रण में था। विल्बर मेरे साथ दौड़ रहा था। वह एक रस्सी पकड़े था। मैंने 12 सेकंड के लिए उड़ान भरी। 120 फीट की यात्रा की। यह एक छोटी उड़ान थी, लेकिन यह एक ऐतिहासिक थी।
मेरी उड़ान ने साबित कर दिया कि इंसान उड़ सकता है। इसने अन्य अन्वेषकों को नए और बेहतर हवाई जहाज बनाने के लिए प्रेरित किया। और इसने दुनिया को हमेशा के लिए बदल दिया।
मैं अब 100 से अधिक वर्षों से उड़ रहा हूं। मैंने उस समय में काफी बदलाव देखे हैं। हवाई जहाज बड़े और तेज हो गए हैं। वे ऊंची और दूर तक उड़ सकते हैं। वे अधिक लोगों को ले जा सकते हैं।
लेकिन एक चीज नहीं बदली है: मैं अभी भी दुनिया की सबसे आश्चर्यजनक मशीन हूं। मैं लोगों को नई जगहों और नए अनुभवों के साथ ले जा सकता हूं। मैं लोगों को एक-दूसरे से और उनके आसपास की दुनिया से जुड़ने में मदद कर सकता हूं। मैं दुनिया को एक छोटी जगह बना दिया है।
मुझे मेरे हवाई जहाज होने पर गर्व है। लोगों को यात्रा करने और अन्वेषण करने में मदद करने पर मुझे प्रसन्न्ता होती है। मुझे मेरी प्यारी दुनिया के भ्रमण करने पर गर्व है।
(Neelam ji, through her poems, takes us into the sphere of light through the darkness in which one can find that Lost Mint Taste, as she calls it, and be invigorated again.)
(Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra)
☆ English Literature – Book-Review ☆ ‘The lost mint taste‘ by Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra ☆ Mrs. Poornima Rao ☆
Neelam Saxena’s ‘The lost mint taste’, an anthology of fifty poems, can be a soul freshner in a collector’s cabinet. It is a bouquet of fifty different flowers arranged creatively to enrapture the beholder. Each flower is unique in fragrance and makeup and definitely does not trespass the other.
Neelam ji draws abundantly from the Indian panorama, be it family or social issues. So you connect instantly with each poem . It is the honest portrayal in each that binds you. While poems ‘Madness’, Work from home’, ‘To you my daughter, ‘The Pain’, directly resonate in your drawing room, some like the ‘Wandering Singer’ are almost alive at your doorstep. Her love for nature oozes in ‘Pristine Nature’ and ‘The Ultimate Destination ‘ to mix with traces of anger in ‘Water’.
I particularly liked her series of six poems dedicated to the mystical and boundless love of Radha and Krishna from genesis to its emotional closure. Trees as metaphor for societal imposters though unusual is deftly penned in ‘The Towering Tree’ and ‘Ego’
That she can handle lighter themes and evince laughter in the reader with equal ease is evident in the poems with which she concludes her book. It is definitely ninety nine pages of happy reading with no dull moment.
(हिंदी साहित्य के सशक्त हस्ताक्षर डॉ. राकेश ‘चक्र’ जी की अब तक 122 पुस्तकें प्रकाशित हो चुकी हैं। जिनमें 7 दर्जन के आसपास बाल साहित्य की पुस्तकें हैं। कई कृतियां पंजाबी, उड़िया, तेलुगु, अंग्रेजी आदि भाषाओँ में अनूदित । कई सम्मान/पुरस्कारों से सम्मानित/अलंकृत। इनमें प्रमुख हैं ‘बाल साहित्य श्री सम्मान 2018′ (भारत सरकार के दिल्ली पब्लिक लाइब्रेरी बोर्ड, संस्कृति मंत्रालय द्वारा डेढ़ लाख के पुरस्कार सहित ) एवं उत्तर प्रदेश हिन्दी संस्थान द्वारा ‘अमृतलाल नागर बालकथा सम्मान 2019’। उत्तर प्रदेश हिंदी संस्थान द्वारा राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर बाल साहित्य की दीर्घकालीन सेवाओं के लिए दिया जाना सर्वोच्च सम्मान ‘बाल साहित्य भारती’(धनराशि ढाई लाख सहित)। आदरणीय डॉ राकेश चक्र जी के बारे में विस्तृत जानकारी के लिए कृपया इस लिंक पर क्लिक करें संक्षिप्त परिचय – डॉ. राकेश ‘चक्र’ जी।
आप “साप्ताहिक स्तम्भ – समय चक्र” के माध्यम से उनका साहित्य आत्मसात कर सकेंगे।)
(What happens when two simple, unassuming people fall in love and embark on a struggle with their own emotions even while unaware of the plans destiny has for them? Can love survive against odds?
Soul Seekers is a love story that revolves around Pia, a pretty young thing with a haunting past. It stalks her as she ventures on a journey to Hyderabad, where love beckons to her. Two men enter her life, Atul and Yatin. Even as things seem to be shaping up, bizarre events force her to leave the city. Will love come calling her? Will the lovers triumph at the end?)
(Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra)
☆ English Literature – Book-Review ☆ ‘Soul Seekers’ by Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra ☆ Ms. Vasantha Kalbagal ☆
Soul Seekers has all the ingredients of a true love story revolving around a simple, accomplished pretty girl Pia . The author and the reader together witness the emotional turmoil an educated girl like the one Pia undergoes while she is at the crucial point of both her career making and deciding on the right choice for a life partner .
Pia gets judgmental about her male friends owing to a haunting past. She didn’t know where to go and what to do and wanted to run away when it would get difficult to accept situations that come by in the least expecting times. Every time she sets out on a life changing journey, be it a short trip overseas or academics , she has a turn of events opening up altogether new paths as the changing course of a river. Life lessons would teach youth to seek alternative options during the time of crisis.
The novel has its share of romance, misunderstanding , hurdles, anxiety, twists and turns, climax and a desired closure. Pia is intelligent who doesn’t gussy up her words. She talks straight with an openness and honesty that makes her admirable and sought after. The characters created around her be it Mita her best friend , Atul who remains just a good friend, Yatin the much misunderstood one whose handsomeness gets marred with an accident , her teenage dark past Ayushmann , stubborn brother Piyush and good natured Apurva, all come alive with their own strong personalities. They all go through a karmic connection where destiny comes around in one full circle and finds solution on its own . Lucid expression with no pompous words makes it a smooth read in one go, all clean and simple all in just 150 pages.
Soul Seekers being the first novel of Neelam Saxena Chandra , has paved its way for many more.
She herself being an engineer (Chief Electrical Engineer (G)Central Railway, CSMT), holding responsible work positions has been able to throw academic and job options to gullible youth who are caught up in love.
इंग्रजी नवीन वर्ष सुरू झाले की पहिला येणारा सण म्हणजे मकरसंक्रांत. कुणाच्याही मनात घर करायचं असेल तर त्याचा रस्ता हा आपल्या वाणीमार्फत जातो.तुमच्या वाणीवरच तुमच्याशी जोडल्या गेलेली माणसं ही जुळून राहतात की दुरावतात हे संपूर्णपणे अवलंबून असतं.म्हणून ह्या सणाचा मूलमंत्रच मुळी “तिळगूळ घ्या आणि गोडगोड बोला”असा आहे. ह्या सणाद्वारे गैरसमजाने निर्माण झालेले मनमुटाव,नाराजी क्षणात दूर होऊन निरभ्र आकाशासारखं मनं स्वच्छ होतं. अर्थातच” गोड बोला” हे शब्द अगदी स्वच्छ पारदर्शी मनातून आणि मनापासून सुद्धा उमटले तरच त्याला अर्थ आहे.
पुराणात मकरसंक्रांतीची अशी कथा सांगतात की, संकरासूर नावाच्या राक्षसाला जगदंबेने या दिवशी मारले म्हणून तिला संक्रांतीदेवी असे म्हटले जाऊ लागले.
…हा सण साजरा करण्याच्या पद्धती ह्या प्रांतानुरूप थोड्या बदलतात.मकर संक्रांतीच्या दिवशी समृद्धीचे प्रतीक म्हणून सुगड्यांची पूजा केली जाते. या सुगड्यांना दोरा गुंडाळतात.. त्यानंतर हळद-कुंकू लावून त्यामध्ये ऊसाचे काप टाकले जातात, त्याबरोबरच तीळ गुळ, गाजर, गव्हाच्या ओंब्या, बोरं टाकली जातात. यानंतर एका शुभ्र वस्त्राने कपडे झाकून प्रार्थना केली जाते. ही पूजा आटोपल्यानंतर गृहिणी आपल्या सवडीप्रमाणे एकमेकींना भेटण्यासाठी जातात. तीळ गुळ देऊन छोट्या भेटवस्तू देऊन हा सण साजरा करतात. या भेटवस्तूंना वाण देणे म्हणते. नवविवाहित जोडप्याचा दोन्ही घरी संक्रांतीचा सण उत्साहात साजरा करतात. एरवी आपण काळा रंग अशुभ मानतो परंतु ह्या संक्रांतीच्या सणाला काळ्या वस्त्रांच महत्त्व असतात त्यामुळे बाजारात ह्या दिवसात काळ्या साड्या व काळे पंजाबी ड्रेसेस खप असल्या कारणाने भरपूर बघायला मिळतात.
मकरसंक्रांतीला उत्तरायण सुरू होते. उत्तरायण हा शुभ काल मानला जातो. याबद्दल अशी गोष्ट आहे की, महाभारतातील कौरव – पांडवांचे युद्ध चालू होते. अर्जुन भीष्मांशी लढत होता पण ते त्याला जड जात होते. तेव्हा श्रीकृष्णांच्या सांगण्यावरून अर्जुनाने शिखंडी ला पुढे उभे केले आणि तो त्याच्याआडून लढू लागला. शिखंडी हा अगोदर अंबा नावाची राजकन्या होता. भीष्मांनी आपल्या सावत्र भावासाठी अंबा, अंबिका व अंबालिका अशा तीन राजकन्या पळवून आणल्या होत्या.
अंबेचे दुसर्या राजावर प्रेम होते म्हणून भीष्मांनी तिला त्याच्याकडे पाठवले; पण पळवून नेलेल्या मुलीचा स्वीकार करायला त्याने नकार दिला. ज्या भीष्मांमुळे हे सारे झाले त्यांचा सूड घेण्याचे अंबेने ठरवले. ती तपश्चर्या करून शिखंडी नावाचा पुरुष झाली आणि भीष्मांशी लढायला आली. पण ती पूर्वी स्त्री होती म्हणून भीष्म शिखंडीशी लढेनात. तेव्हा अर्जुनाने शिखंडीच्या आडून सोडलेल्या बाणांनी जखमी होऊन भीष्म कोसळले. त्यांच्या अंगामध्ये इतके बाण घुसले होते की, ते जमिनीवर खाली न पडता बाणांच्याच गादीवर आडवे झाले. तेव्हा दक्षिणायन सुरू होते. पण भीष्म इच्छामरणी होते म्हणून त्यांनी उत्तरायणाचा शुभ काल सुरू होण्याची वाट पाहिली आणि मगच प्राण सोडले.
अशा ह्या स्नेहबंधाचे धागे गुंफणा-या सणाची महती सांगणारी माझी एक रचना पुढीलप्रमाणे
☆ मकरसंक्रांतीची शिकवण☆
☆
ह्या सणाला काय महत्त्व सांगतो काटेरी हलवा
तीळ गुळासंगे मुखी ठेऊनी राग मनीचा घालवा
☆
ह्याला काय महत्त्व सांगतात ती आंबटगोड बोरं
मनातील किल्मिष पूर्ण घालवा मनं करा कोरं
☆
ह्याला काय महत्त्व सांगतात गोड ऊसाचे कांडे
गोड बोलून टाळावे जरी लागले भांड्याला भांडे
☆
ह्या सणाला काय महत्त्व सांगतो टप्पोरा तीळ
आढ्यता आता सोडा घालवा मनातील पीळ
☆
ह्याला काय महत्त्व सांगतो पिवळाधम्म गूळ
स्वच्छ निरभ्र करा मनं सोडून गैरसमजाचे खूळ
☆
ह्याला काय महत्त्व सांगते मिश्रडाळीची खिचडी
फटकळ तोंडाळपणा पेक्षा बरी ती लाडीगोडी
☆
काय महत्त्व सांगतात ती लालचुटुक गाजरं,
मनात शिरूर राह्यलं की आयुष्य होतं साजरं
☆
द्वेष आता सोडा माणसं आता जोडा ,
तीळगूळ घेऊन गोड बोलून गाठ मनीची सोडा.,
गाठ मनीची सोडा…
परत एकदा तीळगूळ घ्या अन् गोडगोड बोला. मकरसंक्रांतीच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा.
(Author, Blogger, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Founder: LifeSkills, Behavioural Science Trainer, and National Science Talent Scholar. He is a Laughter Yoga Master Trainer of international repute and has been propagating happiness and well-being among people for the past twenty years. He served in a bank for thirty-five years and has published eight books on the subject of happiness.)
He is on a mission – Mission Happiness!
Book Excerpt: A FLOURISHING LIFE: Effortless Practices for Happiness and Stress Management ☆ Jagat Singh Bisht
Flourishing is the experience of life going well – a combination of feeling good and functioning effectively. It is the opposite of languishing – living a life that feels hollow and empty.
Everyone seeks a flourishing life, but the modern-day lifestyle generates a lot of stress, which is the cause of psychosomatic disorders, including hypertension, respiratory ailments, gastrointestinal disturbances, migraine, and ulcers.
Happiness is a deep sense of flourishing that arises from an exceptionally healthy mind. This is not a mere pleasurable feeling, a fleeting emotion, or a mood, but an optimal state of being.
RELAX YOUR BODY AND MIND
“Relaxation does not mean sleep. Relaxation means to be blissfully happy.”
– Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Exercise is good for the body, but relaxation is equally important. Simple techniques of relaxing your body and mind can prove to be helpful in renewing vigour.
A balanced diet, regular exercise and adequate sleep are the basic pillars of healthy living. Activity and positivity make your life happier. Relaxation techniques help your body and mind to become calm and experience bliss.
Our body feels fatigue due to exertion. The mind becomes restless by fear, worries and anxiety. It is unavoidable. We need to take care of the body and mind daily.
Exercise is good for the body, but relaxation is equally important. A hectic day in the office, followed by strenuous work out at the gym, can sometimes make you feel exhausted. Simple techniques of relaxing your body and mind can prove to be helpful in renewing vigour.
The body and the mind are not separate entities. If you relax your body, the mind calms down and if you quieten your mind, the body feels relaxed. When the body and the mind are both relaxed, you feel full of joy and serenity.
Both the body and mind need exercise to keep them fit and they also need relaxation to recuperate. Walking, cycling, and swimming are exercises for the body while reading a book, learning a new skill, and solving a puzzle are exercises for the mind.
The body may feel fully relaxed after eight hours of sound sleep and the mind may feel blissful after an hour of deep meditation. But a sound sleep is fast becoming a rarity and not everyone is inclined to meditate.
We begin with a basic technique for relaxing the body. It is a simple practice that gives profound benefits. The sages have known this for ages.
You may do this exercise when you return from work in the evening, or before going to sleep in the night. You may do it after work-out, or anytime during the day when you feel tired and need relaxation.
EXERCISE
Relaxing the body.
Spread a yoga mat or carpet on the floor.
Lie down, flat on your back.
Keep the feet slightly apart.
Place the arms by the side of your body, palms facing upwards.
The spine must be straight.
The head must be straight, facing upward, not falling on the side.
Adjust your body initially so that it is not tense.
Let each part of the body feel free.
You must feel relaxed.
Close your eyes gently.
Be calm and still, do not move.
Any physical movement will deprive you of the full benefits of the exercise.
Breathe naturally.
Allow the breath to be rhythmic and relaxed.
Be aware as you breathe in and as you breathe out.
Breathing in and breathing out, is one count.
Count your breaths gently.
You may count 21 breaths or 51 breaths, depending on how tired you feel and how much time you have in hand.
Relax.
Become aware of the environment around you and gently move your hand and legs.
Gently turn to the right side and get up.
Open your eyes.
Your body feels relaxed.
The body is deprived of proper rest when one sleeps with a twisted spine. It relaxes fully when one lies with a straight spine. The relaxation deepens as the breath slows down.
It is advisable to do this exercise on the floor, and not over the bed, to experience full relaxation. The body gets complete rest when the spine is straight, against a flat surface, and the breathing is rhythmic and slow.
At first, you may not feel the full benefits of the exercise but, as you develop the practice, you will start experiencing the deep relaxation it brings.
This is an ancient practice, known as shavasana, or the corpse pose, in yoga. It is an effective relaxation posture practised, for about ten minutes, at the close of a yoga session. During the session, it is used after difficult postures for a short relaxation.
THE ART OF BLISSFUL RELAXATION
If you go to sleep without resolving your tensions, you will not have a sound sleep. You must go to bed after throwing off all the burdens. When you have something in your mind, you will have a restless sleep, and you will not feel refreshed when you wake up.
In life, we are confronted with stressful situations from time to time. The stress may be physical, mental, or emotional.
When the endurance level of the body is over stretched, it feels uncomfortable, and you may feel muscular or endocrinal tension. The mind, at times, turns into a whirlpool of apprehensions and anxiety, making you feel mentally stressed. Relationships gone awry and things going haywire generate emotional stress.
Sometimes you feel helpless and totally stranded. The body suffers and you find yourself miserable. It looks like there is no way out but that is not true. There is a way out in such circumstances.
It is a unique technique for inducing complete relaxation – physical, mental, and emotional. It is a systematic method in which you learn to relax consciously. You may call it – The Blissful Relaxation!
It is a practice that does not require many efforts on your part. You are only required to lie down and listen to the instructions. The instructions are precise and simple. No physical action is expected from you. Just listen to the voice.
Be aware and listen to the voice. Do not sleep. You must lie down comfortably as in the exercise described above. After you settle down, you will be asked to look at your whole body internally, keeping your eyes closed.
Then, you will be asked to rotate your consciousness through your limbs. You must repeat the name of the body part announced and form its image in your mind. Systematically, you will scan your entire body.
You will be taken on a beautiful tour of places and things that you have already seen. One by one, you will visualize a flowing river, boat, ocean, waves, beach, trees, flowers, mountains, rising sun, a small hut, flying birds, etc.
Your attention from the external world is moved inwards. The body relaxes completely, and the mind is fully aware. At the end of the exercise, when you are asked to open your eyes, you feel blissfully relaxed and rejuvenated.
It may be done at any time of the day when you feel the need to relax your body and mind. It must not be done immediately after meals. Half an hour of this exercise gives you the same relaxation as two hours of normal sleep. You feel so good that you would like to do the exercise every day.
On any day, when you feel you have not had a proper sleep, you may do it in the morning after getting up, and you will feel refreshed. Your productivity goes up. This is also a good tool for enhancing your creative capability.
You may do it in the evening after returning from work or before going to sleep. The fatigue goes away, and you will have a sound sleep.
This practice is derived ancient tantric scriptures. Swami Satyananda Saraswati, the founder of Bihar School of Yoga, re-constructed it in the present form. It is known as yoga nidra.
You may use the recordings of yoga nidra by Swami Satyananda Saraswati or his immediate disciple, Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati, available on the net, for your practice. Several other teachers and practitioners have also rendered their versions of the practice.
You feel fully relaxed – physiologically and psychologically – after a session of yoga nidra. The approximate duration of the practice is twenty to forty minutes.
It is suggested that you include the practices of shavasana and yoga nidra in your daily routine for relaxation of the body and the mind. They are healing and soothing. Their regular practice will reduce stress considerably and bring calm and peace to your life.
“In yoga nidra, the consciousness is in a state between waking and sleep. In this state, the mind is exceptionally receptive. The practice of yoga nidra enables one to receive intuitions from the unconscious mind. This state is the fount of artistic and poetic inspiration. It is also the source of the most creative scientific discoveries. The intuitions received in yoga nidra enable one to find within himself the answers to all problems. One’s true nature and integrity manifest, enabling him to live a meaningful and peaceful life in any environment. No longer emotionally identified with the mind and body, one’s entire being is pervaded with divine consciousness.”
Yoga Nidra/ Swami Satyananda Saraswati
“Yoga nidra is a systematic method of inducing complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation.”
– Swami Satyananda Saraswati
BREATHE, LOOK INWARD
“In our daily life our minds are almost continually externalized. We see and hear only what is going on outside of us, and we have little understanding of the events taking place in our inner environment.”
– Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Deep breathing is the simplest way to relax physically, mentally, and emotionally – anytime, anywhere.
We spend most of our waking time looking at the external world. Seldom do we look inward. Most of the time we are not aware of our respiration. Our feelings, emotions and thoughts overpower us as we do not have time to watch them dispassionately.
We have been given guidelines as to how to search for things outside ourselves but hardly any directions have been given on how to look inwards. We must train ourselves to look inside.
How good would it be if we could look at our real selves and understand what is happening in our inner world. There is so much turmoil there. If it could somehow be resolved, we would be in harmony with ourselves and feel peaceful.
Deep breathing is the simplest way to relax physically, mentally, and emotionally – anytime, anywhere. Just sit down, back straight, feet firmly grounded, eyes closed, and take three deep breaths.
Breathe deeply through your nose, into your belly, and exhale in a relaxed manner. The longer and slower the exhalation, the better it will be. You will experience relaxation instantly.
If you are feeling stressed, take three deep breaths again. Depending on the fatigue and time available, you may repeat the three deep breaths any number of times. Once you get accustomed to the practice and feel the benefits for yourself, you will be able to do it quietly while doing any other work.
Deep breathing infuses oxygen – a vital life force – into your bloodstream and expels toxins and stale carbon dioxide. You feel refreshed and more productive.
INNER SILENCE
The outer world is full of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. That makes it perplexing.
On one hand, there are challenges but, on the other hand, there are opportunities. You must make your own decisions. The pros and cons of every step cause anxiety and hope.
There are many voices coming from the inside that may sometimes confuse you. If you know how to cope with the inner noise, you will have better control of the happenings around you.
EXERCISE
Observing inner noise and inner silence.
Roll a yoga mat or a small carpet on the floor. Place a small cushion over it.
Sit down comfortably on the cushion, legs folded crosswise, back straight, head straight, and eyes gently closed.
Take your own time to settle down. No hurry.
Listen to the sounds around you. Do not feel disturbed. No sound is good, no sound is bad. Do not worry about its origin. Do not concentrate on it. Just listen as a dispassionate observer.
After some time, you will hear less and less of the sounds.
Keeping your eyes closed, look at yourself internally. Pass your attention through each of your body parts. Do it in a relaxed manner.
Observe your breath as it goes in through the nostrils and comes out.
Watch your feelings and thoughts as they come and go. Do not worry if they are good or bad. Just watch them like an observer.
Initially, there will be a lot of noise inside, but it will gradually fade away, as you continue to watch it like a neutral spectator.
Do not be in a hurry. Take your own time to settle down.
Now, generate a thought consciously. Watch the thought like a witness. Let it fade away.
Generate another thought. Watch it dispassionately. Let it also go away.
Do not let any random thought occupy your mind. If any random thought arises, dispose it off. Do not allow it to stay.
This is the stage to generate thoughts at your will – the thoughts that you wish to have – watch them for some time and then let them go away.
In the next phase, dispose all random thoughts and any other thoughts that your mind generates. Let there be no thoughts.
As soon as a thought crops up, watch it and dispose it off. Do not allow any thought to stay in your mind.
Let there be shoonya or total vacuum. The mind must be totally empty. No thoughts must be allowed to stay there. Dispose them immediately.
This state of thoughtlessness is inner silence.
In the beginning, you were witness to inner noise. Now, you are observing inner silence.
This relaxes the mind fully and you experience peace. The stress goes away.
You feel relaxed.
When you do this exercise for the first few times, you may not get the desired results fully. But, after some practice, you will start feeling relaxed and stress free.
It is a practice, when once developed, remains with you throughout the day. Just look inwards and observe what is going on dispassionately. Like a witness.
You may practice it daily – any time – for about twenty to forty minutes.
This is an ancient practice, known as antar mouna, or inner silence.
Online versions of antar mouna by Swami Niranjananada Saraswati are freely available and you may initially listen to them and develop your practice. After some time, you will be able to do it by yourself.
The best time for any practice of a meditative nature is early in the morning when the surroundings are peaceful. You may also do antar mouna in the evening after returning from work, or before going to bed. It takes a while to develop the practice but, after some time, you start experiencing life optimally.
“Antar mouna is one of the few ‘permanent sadhanas’ which can be practised simultaneously all the twenty-four hours of the day by anyone who is really determined to know oneself. By maintaining awareness of one’s internal environment, thoughts, emotional reactions, etc., one can speed up one’s personal evolution to the utmost degree. It will make one understand the workings of one’s own rational and irrational mind, as well as giving one an understanding of what makes other people tick.”
Meditations from the Tantras/ Swami Satyananda Saraswati
“Antar mouna is a complete training system for the awareness process; it teaches one how to know the processes of the mind and ways in which one can bring them under control.”
– Swami Satyananda Saraswati
STRETCH, BEND, TWIST, TURN
“Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far.”
– Thomas Jefferson
Exercise freestyle. Do not stress, let it be fun. Stretch, bend, twist, turn, whirl, move, and jump.
Getting up early and going to a park in the neighbourhood could be a rewarding habit to develop. It gives you a whiff of fresh air and sunshine that makes you feel refreshed the whole day. Once you add it to your routine, you will start looking forward to the morning, and it will become a rewarding hour of the day for you.
Start with a gentle walk and then walk briskly. Twenty to thirty minutes of walking every day can do wonders for you in the long run. It is good for your circulatory system and relaxes you a great deal.
Watching the trees and the flowers while walking gives a healing and soothing touch to your senses. It relaxes your eyes and is good for your eyesight too! Walking is not just an exercise, it reduces stress. You feel relaxed.
Exercises are not only good for your body. They bring happiness and well-being. Whenever you feel low, get up and move out to the neighbourhood park.
Physically active people are happier. Also, they have better life-satisfaction, and higher self-esteem. Exercise reduces depression, anxiety, stress, and panic; it betters mental processing, creates longer life, improves sleep quality, and strengthens the immune system.
It is exercise itself that infuses us with happiness. Among various types of activities, exercise is the most reliable happiness boosting activity.
Find a quiet corner for yourself and just stretch, bend, twist, turn, and whirl your body in a freestyle manner. Do not worry too much. Nothing is right or wrong. Do whatever you feel like doing.
FREESTYLE EXERCISES
Walking, coupled with some freestyle exercises in a relaxed manner, brings multiple benefits. It stretches your skeletal structure, improves your blood circulation, and is good for your muscles. It is good for your heart and the respiratory track. This, in turn, activates your endocrine system.
Stand on both your feet in a balanced manner. Cross your palms, fingers interlocked, and stretch your arms straight above your head. Stretch, stretch, stretch! Keeping your palms interlocked, up above your head, bend to the right and then bend to the left. Now, take your palms in front of you, bend forward, and stretch.
Let your hands dangle freely below your waist. Twist your waist sidewise to the right and then to the left. Let your arms move slowly as if a washing machine is in motion. Twist your lower body and keep moving your arms sidewise for some time.
Close your fists and bring them close to tour chest. Twist your upper body and move your arms. keeping them together at chest height.
Raise your arms above your head and gently bend backwards from your waist. Stay there for a while. Then, raise your hands up and go on to bend forward, as far as you can comfortably. Raise your arms up again. Now, repeat the actions and swing your arms rhythmically, bending backward and forward. Inhale as you go up and exhale as you come down.
Open your arms wide, bring them forward crosswise, and hit the back of your shoulders with palms. Swing the arms back to wide open position. Bring them forward again, but this time keep the other arm on the top and hit the back of shoulders with palms. Alternatively, keep one arm on top and the other arm below. Keep on opening your arms and then swinging to hit the back of shoulders for some time.
Dangle your arms by the sides of your waist and then lift them up in a ‘V’ shape. Bring them back to the sides of your waist and then again take them up in a swinging action. Inhale as you go up and exhale as you come down.
Be on your toes and jump upward gently. Continue jumping for some time.
Place both your hands on your waist, breath in deeply through your nose, and exhale through your mouth making an ‘O’ with the lips. Repeat it thrice.
Stand balanced on both your feet. Stretch your arms fully sidewise. Turn to your right and whirl in a clockwise direction. Move slowly. Find an object at a distance and fix your gaze for a moment on it after each round. Go slow. Complete 10 – 20 rounds. Afterwards, stop and be stationary for some time. Do not move abruptly. If you feel dizzy, bend slightly, put your palms on your thighs, and look at the floor.
These exercises are only illustrative. You may add more of your own. Do not stress, let it be fun. Be freestyle. Stretch, bend, twist, turn, whirl, move, and jump. These exercises will make you feel good throughout the day. No equipment is needed. If you do not go out on any day, you may do these exercises at your home too.
EXERCISE
Play like a child.
Take permission from a group of children and join them in play. Play with them like a child.
Run, jump, and shout. Be fully immersed in the game. Forget the world.
Pour all your energy and heart into the game. Put in all your enthusiasm.
Enjoy the game.
Laugh whole heartedly.
Until you merge completely with the children. You are not an outsider who has joined them. Everyone is equal.
Sing, dance, play and laugh in unison with all of them. Enjoy the fun. Be a kid. Until you begin to perspire.
Have a hot shower and relax.
You feel positive and joyous.
Strenuous exercises may sometimes be harmful but light and freestyle exercises are always good. Go back to your childhood days, remember all the funny exercises you used to do, and try to re-create them. Gentle jogging, half jumps and stretching-bending exercises could be great fun, especially when done with children. The children would also be happy if you join them occasionally.
No equipment is needed, and you are not required to follow strict schedules. No membership fees and no registrations. Just have fun and get all the benefits. Include freestyle exercises in your routine. You will feel free and relaxed throughout the day.
“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.”
“Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily, and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.”
“To achieve the highest accomplishments within the scope of our capabilities in all walks of life we must constantly strive to acquire strong, healthy bodies and develop our minds to the limit of our ability.”
– Return to Life/ Joseph Pilates and William Miller
“Research demonstrates that exercise may be the most reliable happiness booster of all activities.”
– Sonja Lyubomirsky
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE BOOK:
Do you want to be happier? Would you like to increase your well-being and flourish? This book will help you flourish!
Flourishing is the experience of life going well – a combination of feeling good and functioning effectively. It is the opposite of languishing – living a life that feels hollow and empty.
Everyone seeks a flourishing life, but the modern-day lifestyle generates a lot of stress, which is the cause of psychosomatic disorders, including hypertension, respiratory ailments, gastrointestinal disturbances, migraine, and ulcers.
In this book, you will find simple, effortless, and painless practices for authentic happiness, stress management, and lasting peace. These exercises are easy to do, can be taken up by anyone, and require no previous training or experience.
The contents include how to relax your body and mind, knowing your inner self, freestyle exercise, life-long learning and evolving, autonomy and self-determination, flourishing, and spirituality.
After reading this book, you will have a deep understanding of the elements of authentic happiness and well-being. This book helps you to lead a flourishing life.
(This book is available in paperback and kindle formats on Amazon.)
A Pathway to Authentic Happiness, Well-Being & A Fulfilling Life! We teach skills to lead a healthy, happy and meaningful life.
The Science of Happiness (Positive Psychology), Meditation, Yoga, Spirituality and Laughter Yoga. We conduct talks, seminars, workshops, retreats and training.
Please feel free to call/WhatsApp us at +917389938255 or email [email protected] if you wish to attend our program or would like to arrange one at your end.
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Book Excerpt: A FLOURISHING LIFE: Effortless Practices for Happiness and Stress Management 
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