Shishu, the Great !

She is every bit my Pitaji's puttar- a perfectionist to the core,an excellent orator and writer, has an uncanny zeal for learning new things, words, and enjoys using them. She made my father jump in joy (more than we all ever did) and get awarded with ten rupee note everytime she achieved the best score, a gold medal,  the most well read student of the college prize, the highly recommended debator in youth festival and an epistle writer par excellence. Infact she has been the best academic performer and had cleared UPSC written twice. Her hand writing resembled (as her face too) with Neelam didi, her most favourite sister and mentor. She has never been an ordinary sister, massi and friend as she always went out of the way to show and prove the loveful commitment she felt from the bottom of her heart for the kin, kids, her sister and friends.

Archana's culinary skills could never be matched by any of us. Everytime there us a get together of family, some surprise soup or a different pizza or some new snack, vegetable, cake or sweet dish can be a guarantee as she plays the great host. Her preference for a cookery channel to a soap may not be welcome by us but when she treats us with relishable things, the joy is immense indubitably.

She hardly ever tells anyone about it but whenever any of us has had challenging time, I think it is Archana's 'connect' with Hanumanji through her sunderkaand paath that we have come out unharmed. Her paath transcend the concern for family, she chooses to do it for anyone associated with her kin directly or indirectly. It may be easier to send the prayers for whom we feel concern for but to spend time in jap or paath for days and days together is not a small gesture, it means a lot, bespeaks her essential goodness of nature. She is a blessing for the family. Bless her.

It feels good that she has chosen to serve the academic arena even after retirement. As Principal of a girls' degree college, she is cobtributing her mite as a teacher cum administrator. One more thing, after her retirement we find her more generous, more lively, more caring and understanding. It seems she feels more free to enjoy life now-unfettered. May she be blessed with good health and also prosperity and peace of mind. I do feel her 'the best' is yet to come. 

She has always mentored me and been very generous to me and cared for me so much, nurtured me, supported and helped so much in my thick and thin that I don't think I can ever reciprocate in equal meaure because what she has given and blessed me with is immeasurable, rresiprocable ever. I might not have told this or expressed this before her but I feel grateful for her overwhelming love for me and on this day, her birthday I would like to tell her that I love her very much.

The Spirit of Panipat Raahgiri

 It was after great hesitation and with fingers crossed I mooted the proposal of the event 'Raahgiri' to the handful of Panipat residents. The greatest apprehension was regarding receptivity of the people for this concept and fear pertained to its sustainability. May 6,2018 was the D day when the maiden Raahgiri was organised in sector 13-17, Panipat. A few of us cycled to the venue to send the message ' ab sunday na hogi motorgiri/ chalenge apni Raahgiri' for Mera Panipat, Fit Panipat- the tagline coined unanimously by the core group consisting officers, School Principals, NGO representatives and renowned citizens. The theme song was musically composed by Vikas Of Rehmaan waves just the night preceding the date with Raahgiri. The whole area was teeming with hordes of activities skating, cycling, Badminton, Volley ball, Yoga, Aerobics, Horse riding, Zumba, Games, cultural performances, kanchas, Pithoogram, archery, painting, rangoli, Gatka performance,musical chairs and hordes of games where thre target was to be hit in order to win a plant or a frooty. There were people people everywhere- senior citizens, kids, parents accompanying their kids dancing, doing workouts, re-living childhood through games of the yore, flying kites, riding rikshaw or e rikshaw for sheer fun of it. The whole atmosphere was electrifying soaked in spirit of conviviality, togetherness of a city was so apparently visible as if Panipat was just waiting for the Raahgiri. The slum children, the kids from Bal Ashram, the aged people from the Special Home were all there to revel in the joyous environs breathing the fresh air of early morning. I was set athinking whether I myself or anyone else in core team had imagined such tremendous response. The RWA of the venue sector had organised drinking water facility in traditional matkas . A 'neki ki deewar' collection counter had been set uo by youth enthusiasts to cater to the needs of the downtrodden. The sudden pour from the sky,when the event was about to end, was received as blessing from above and in no way it could dampen the spirit. Rather the dancing crowds cheered and soaked in the blessedness.

Raahgiri has become a platform for getting together of the positive force of the town. All the youth organisations' aim to make the difference for the better in Panipat has got vent; the comraderie shown by NGOs manned by the renowned citizens is commendable and their pro active support through mass participation is strength of Raahgiri. It is not just about coming forward with logistic support but it is the zeal and enthusiasm with which they energise the event makes Panipat Raahgiri unique from other districts. Imagine the core team consisting school heads, businessmen, Corporates, Lawyers and Media men overseeing arrangements till late on Saturday for the fun and frolic packed Sunday morning bespeaks their love for 'Mera Panipat Fit Panipat'. I visualise the million plus population of Panipat imbibing this spirit of my, mera for their city, will it not become a much better, more clean, morw managed, more disciplined Panipat?

The creditable aspect is that Panipat Raahgiri spirit is gradually spreading beyond the event and nogainsaying the fact that bonhemie shown by the citizens in painting and protecting the painted pillars from defacement is an example in itself. Besides, the institution of 'Ek Prayas' - the citizens' voluntary initiative for managing Parking without any payment burden on common citizens also depicts the spirit raahgiri represents. And the way organisations are gearing up all the residents for 'swachhta survekshan' and 'safaeegiri' has also emerged from the commitment and perseverance of people who want to become the harbingers of the change they want. Kudos to spirit Raahgiri!!

The role of Panipat police in making Raahgiri huge success cannot be undermined. It is the presence of SP/ DSP and the vigilant presnece in plain clothes as well as in dress which inculcates a sense of confidence amongst the parents and their wards/ school children. Apart from this the role of Police officers in Raahgiri meetings, route planning and ensuring spick and span bandobast is laudable. I salute my counterpart SP, Panipat and his team for paving way for feel of safety and ensuring mass participation without an iota of apprehension. Big thanks to , Mr Sumit and also his predecessor Mr Manvir Singh. Just as Mr Satish, the present DSP is keenly participating, it was Mr Doon, his predecessor who put his wholehearted efforts in initial stages and instilled the confidence that nothing would be allowed to slacken the feel of security during the event. Thanks is such a small word, forbour police team.

Media and social media - all have played a very positive role in projecting the spirit of Panipat Raahgiri in the right perspective. Their own participation as citizens and as protectors of public interest has heightened the stature and widened the expanse of coverage. My sincere gratitude !

Raahgiri aims to impart sensitivity for our own being, enhance our own aspiration to be happy, healthy, positive and fit, provide a safe, aesthetically pleasing avenue to allow ourselves be what we are and so what we miss out in day to day mundaneness- workout, exercises, aerobics, open hearted laughters, togetherness with like minded individuals, be out as a family and let worries, prwssures, burdens go. The joyous moments we cherish in selfies and photos we are so fond of taking and at the same time also carry home the message of how important it is to enjoy the gaiety, the abundance we are blessed with, the sacred blessedness of a healthy and happy family outing.

Panipat Raahgiri, for me, symbolises the spirit of Panipat and may this joie de vivre continue to increase and envelop e v e r y one in the fold of 'Mera Panipat, fit Panipat'. Amen

The Joy of Giving/ Not Giving

I was stuck by this phrase when I came across it in a brilliant piece of writing ' I Write' by my friend Maneesha. We all have heard of 'joy of giving, sharing' but this..this 'joy of not giving' I found hard to gulp down. And I started wondering if it really is true, is it?

Giving is not just connected with a noun (noun is a place, person or a thing, they say), giving also means giving up, parting with, sharing, publicising, opening up, talking and on and on. Do we not feel joy in all these? Do we not feel good to open up, come out and extend a hand to shake, or lend a helping hand to the needy and deserving by parting with some of the things money can buy, or publish a poem in a magazine or an article in the newspaper or upload a song on youtube or a photo album of funny moments on instagram? Do we not enjoy writing comments on facebook and posting/ forwarding messages of wisdom drawn straight from the university of whatsapp, tweeting on social media or sending link posts on family and friends' groups? Do we not get exclusive kind of elation to send our daily pic to a close friend or sharing selfie wearing a dress that deserves a 'new pinch' or changing profile pics with a sincere hope of deluge of likes or thumbs up or heart smileys that it would invoke and provoke?
Oh! my mind is getting diverted to the joys numerous of sharing whereas I had all good intention to discuss the 'joy of not giving'. Let's be serious, really.

The clutter in my cupboard and store, the hordes of books I own, the old and no-more-of-use shoes, electronic items, cell phones, chargers, computer and laptops and pieces of furniture, utensils bear ample testimony to the joy of not giving. Everytime I organise a CCC (Clear the Clutter Campaign) with a new- year-like-resolve, I end up hording, storing almost all the things I initially intend to throw, give up, just give away, donate, send to this or that home, oblige a help or whosoever. Does it not symbolise the special kind of joy of not giving? I start feeling at times that with ageing, it is an infectious virus of hording this and that and we rejoice in it, really we do, isn't it?

I dare say that basically, fundamentally, I mean originally we all like the luxury of this our indulgence in joy of not giving but we love to wear the make believe thing about ourselves that it is in giving, giving up, giving away and sharing that we draw real happiness from. If this were true, indeed it is a great trait on which stands the principles of philanthropy and trusteeship. If we are really happy (to help) to share, to give, to donate then believe me,the world is a better place to live in because of us. But how many of us are genuinely like the Sun, the biggest visible giver in the Universe?

Actually, Nature does not believe in the concept of joy of not giving. It believes in giving and giving so generously. All the Romantic Poets from the famous Lake district and in other parts of the world bear ample testimony to this. Not only it gives, it expects nothing in return except the sensitive, silent acknowledgment and letting it be. But do we hear that?

Giving or not giving is a matter of individual choice. I feel that in matters of creation- a composition of a poem or a piece of writing deserves regard and respect to it. Sharing it is giving part of ourselves and not sharing is vice versa. The joy one derives in either of the choices is an individual's own perception. In 'not giving' one is being self-protective from what one is shy of receiving and in giving, one is receiving, too voluntarily or involuntarily.