TRUST ME.....

Trust Me, The Experience Of The Path Is More Beautiful Than The Fruit Of The Goal

By Hariharan Iyer

Trust Me, it's okay to fail

Trust Me, it's okay to fall short

Trust Me, It's okay to be not loved enough

Trust Me, It's okay to be put down

Trust Me, It's okay not to believe in yourself fully

Trust Me, It's okay not to put a date to your goals

Trust Me, It's Okay to be confused

But Trust Me, it's not okay not to try

It's not okay to give up

It's not okay to not smile at your difficulties

It's not okay not to grow yourself

It's not okay to complain

It's not okay to be irresponsible

It's not okay not try to be happy

Success is a journey, not a destination

It's okay not to get to your goal

But it's not okay not to travel the path

Trust Me, The Experience Of The Path Is More Beautiful Than The Fruit Of The Goal

इस दिखावे की दुनिया में....

इस दिखावे की दुनिया में..... 

इस दिखावे की दुनिया में थोडासा सच बोलना चाहता हूँ,

इस दिखावे की दुनिया में थोडासा टूटना चाहता हूँ, 

इस दिखावे की दुनिया में थोडासा रोना चाहता हूँ, 

इस दिखावे की दुनिया में थोडीसी सहानभूति चाहता हूँ,

इस दिखावे की दुनिया में अपनी इंसानियत का परिचय देना चाहता हूँ, 

इस दिखावे की दुनिया में अपनी सच्चाई का संतोष महसूस करना चाहता हूँ, 

इस दिखावे की दुनिया में `हाँ, मैं डर गया हूँ , मेरी मदत करो` निःसंकोष कहना चाहता हूँ, 

ए दोस्त, ये दिखावा सिर्फ आत्मा पर ही नहीं अंग अंग में भारी पढ़ता है,

आखिर तो मरना है और सबको सब कुछ दिखना ही है,

तो फिर क्यों न जीते जी ही मैं क्या हूँ, मैं कौन हूँ इसका परिचय दे दूँ,

कुछ नहीं तो वो जो देख रहा है, उससे आँखें मिलाने का काबिल बन जाऊं।

When Emotions Turn Spiritual

When Emotions Turn Spiritual

When Emotions Turn Spiritual

Stone Becomes God

Book Becomes A Granth

Beauty Becomes Divine

When Emotions Turn Spiritual
A person becomes a Saint

Seeing Becomes Darshan

Love Becomes Pure

When Emotions Turn Spiritual 

Food Becomes Prasad

Life Becomes Sadhana

Death Becomes An Experience

When Emotions Turn Spiritual 

Attachment Becomes Detachment

Relations Become Relative

Many Become One

My Sister Vasanthi - Lived And Left On Her Terms

Synopsis

Vasanthi was more than just a sister for us. She was an inspiration. A homemaker for a large part of her married life, she took to entrepreneurship and created a small empire of sorts. As my brother rightly put it, `TamBrahm Lady born in 1951 and Entrepreneur. As rare as it gets.` Thank You Dear Sister for what you were and what you taught us through your life and personality. I am sure you have already scripted your next adventure with life. Move On, Joyfully.

Main Article

It is incredible that within a year I am writing another obituary for yet another cousin sister who called it quits from this world. Vasanthi was the eldest amongst the cousins from the paternal side. We were all looking forward to meet her on her visit to Mumbai. As it turned out, meet we did, but mostly in the hospital.

Life can be cruel and unhumourously funny at times. From the time she reached Mumbai to eventually exiting the world from Hosur, her health deteriorated rapidly. We were looking forward to catching up before she left again for the US to be with her daughter. But life had another script written out.

My penultimate meeting with her in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Mumbai will forever remain etched in my memory. She pleaded that I not pray for her health, but for a fast exit. Soon after she reached Hosur, she breathed her last. She was just like that - lived and died on her terms.

Vasanthi was more than just a sister for us. She was an inspiration. A homemaker for a large part of her married life, she took to entrepreneurship and created a small empire of sorts. Even as a daughter, wife and mother, she was dynamism personified. It is no surprise then that those qualities expressed themselves successfully in the entrepreneurship space. As my brother rightly put it, `TamBrahm Lady born in 1951 and Entrepreneur. As rare as it gets.`

Truly, traditionally, we TamBrahm Iyers are brought up on a heavy dose of building loyalty towards our employers rather than venturing into risky areas like business. "Not for us," we were told. We were duly educated on the communities that did business and the ones that served the `masters`. Vasanthi however was a trailblazer. She took to entrepreneurship like fish takes to water and showed that we too could do it.

She was a symbol of support for me when I ventured into entrepreneurship about ten years ago. She always encouraged me and commented on my work. I was thrilled that she admired my work and that truly meant a lot.

Vasanthi was an example of how to be a support system for people who mattered in her life. Be it her parents, sister, husband, daughter, son-in-law or even grandchildren, she was a pillar of strength for everyone. The ones she served benefited directly, and people like us drew inspiration from her achievements and interactions. Vasanthi lived two lives - one in India and the other in the US with her daughter's family. We were always updated about her whereabouts and never felt she was too far away from us.

"I have always been a support for people and don't want to be a burden for anyone," is what she kept telling all of us in the month leading up to her demise. This attitude emerged from her very practical and grounded wisdom. She was fearless and fast paced in life and fearless and fast paced in death too.

In a way, we are happy that we could do our bit in her moments of suffering. It was a swift end, but our grief is not going to go away anytime soon.

Thank You Dear Sister for what you were and what you taught us through your life and personality. I am sure you have already scripted your next adventure with life. Move On, Joyfully.

अमिताभ तो बस एक ही है

अमिताभ तो बस एक ही है 

ये कहना कि मैं अमिताभ का फैन हूँ, बहुत आम बात है,

ये कहना कि मैं अमिताभ का भक्त हूँ, ये भी आम बात है,

पर यह कहना कि मैं अमिताभ जैसा बनाना चाहता हूँ, ये ज़रूर कोई बात है.

पर अमिताभ जैसा बनना मुश्किल ही नहीं, नामुनकिन है,

क्यों कि रिश्ते में तो हम उनके फैन लगते हैं,
पर नाम अमिताभ सिर्फ एक ही का लोग जानते हैं.

वोह आवाज़, वोह अंदाज़ उस इंसान का है,
जो जहां खड़े हो जाते हैं, 

लाइन वहीं से शुरू होती है.

काबिलियत उसका नाम है जिसका  नाम अमिताभ है,

बस नाम ही काफी है,

और काबिलियत का परिचय हो जाता है.

कद इनको कुदरत ने दिया है,

पर औधा इन्होने खुद बनाया है,

इनके कारनामें से देश का सीना चौढ़ा हो जाता है.

ये जब पग घुंघरू बाँध नाचते हैं,

तो देश झूम उठता है,

ये जब सुर लगते हैं, देश गाने लगता है.

ये भाई को सैन नहीं देते,

और `पहले इसका, पहले उसका सैन लाओ` कहते हैं,

पर सब इनके सैन के दीवाने हैं.

ये डॉन हो या हीरो, हर किरदार बखूबी निभाते हैं, 

इनको सभी ढूंढते रहते हैं,

पर ये पता नहीं कहाँ इंतज़ार कर रहे होते हैं. 

ये बेमिसाल हैं, लाजवाब हैं,

प्रोडूसर के लिए दो और दो पांच कर सकते हैं,

खुदा गवा है, अमिताभ तो बस एक ही है.

थकना ठीक है, थमना नहीं

थकना  ठीक है, थमना नहीं 

By Hariharan Iyer

थकना  ठीक है, थमना नहीं,
गिरना ठीक है, हारना नहीं,
नासमझी ठीक है, बुरा व्यवहार नहीं,
कभी कभी अनुचित संवाद भी ठीक है, पर बुरे सम्बन्ध नहीं

प्यार में गुस्सा ठीक है, पर औपचारिकता नहीं,
समाज के प्रति कभी कभी खटास ठीक है, पर ग़ैज़िम्मेदारी नहीं,
सबके लिए सहानभूति ठीक है, पर सबसे दोस्ती नहीं
हर समय ना हसों थो ठीक है, पर छोटी बातों पर रोना नहीं

गलती करो तो ठीक है, पर उसे दोहराना नहीं,

खुशी ना हो थो ठीक है, पर अधिक समय तक दुखी होना नहीं,

दोस्ती न निभाओ तो कदाचित और किसी सन्दर्भ में ठीक है, पर दुश्मनी नहीं, 

मरना थो ठीक है, पर जीतेजी मर जाना नहीं  

My Sister Latha: A Legacy Of Cheerfulness

My Sister Latha: A Legacy Of Cheerfulness

Synopsis: Latha leaves behind a legacy of cheerfulness. She epitomised a life of fullness and laughter. She taught an important lesson - it is not the length of life that matters, but the depth of life that matters.

Main Blog

The prayer meeting for my cousin sister Latha Iyer, who passed away few days ago, had a peculiar air about it. Solemnity was written all over it as her large and affectionate friends descended to offer condolences. Yet, after a while, the audience could not stop themselves from being more relaxed, picking up chatter and filling the air with 'happy' small talk.

The audience's behaviour was still conditioned by the smiling presence of Latha in the picture in front of them. There was a sense that Latha was still around and she just did not approve of the eerie silence in the hall. Spontaneous speeches honouring the presence of Latha in their lives was a poignant moment for all those present.

My sister was just like that - full of life and laughter. Her little frame packed in a kind of laughter that boomed across corridors infecting people with happiness.

Though she too lived in Chembur in Mumbai, we did not meet often. But I knew she was doing good, and doing good to others too. Whenever we met during family functions and otherwise, the bond was instant. We shared wonderful times together and were there for one another in happy and not-so-happy times.

My deepest memories are from our childhood spent in Chennai and Mumbai. While my brother and me grew up in Mumbai, Latha, her sister and brother grew up in Chennai. Our visits to Powai and Vihar lakes during their visits here are enduring memories. The simplicity of our picnics was far removed from modern day get-aways in expensive cafes and restaurants.

Latha leaves behind a legacy of cheerfulness. She epitomised a life of fullness and laughter. She taught an important lesson - it is not the length of life that matters, but the depth of life that matters.

She was a great wife, a fantastic mother and an amazing friend. It would be a long and hard ordeal for people who love her to come to terms with her absence.

Rest In Laughter Latha.