Reality shows and the kids..

Kids on the High Drama  .

Of late , we tune in to any channel , we see the reality shows in varied names hosting kids in an extra ordinary way. Yes, initially it was very interesting , seeing kids performing , dancing like adults , singing or enacting over their age characters, which we have never come across in our day to day life. Ofcourse , we can appreciate for identifying the talents and show casing them in a huge way.

But, as few episode passed by,  very soon , it started giving a feeling of unpleasantness or not good sort , the reason being , something says from inside , "Are these raw fruits being made to ripe  in a much early stage , just like as the raw mangoes & bananas are made to ripe quickly using some harmful chemicals and sold in market ?"   There's also a saying in Tamil , " Pinjuliye pazukka vaikkirathu !'

The new education system policy  is the small kids in schools are devoid of exams & the ranking systems to avoid the peer pressure of competition and to keep them away from stress . But , what's happening here in the TV shows is , the kids are made to perform for the competition sake and pass through public scrutiny, judges' comments , parents pressure etc without their awareness .They are made to work in an environment , where terms like money , TRP rating , the peer pressure , adult talks, relationships & behaviors are more prevalent , which definitely is not in kids dictionary. The impact of this would remain as a lasting impression in the young minds for years to come. The kids lose their precious childhood which comprises of learning things in their own way , playing and enjoying  with the kids of their own age with a carefree attitude and innocent nature .

On watching these programs , the other parents also would aspire to get their kids to similar programs , leading to a great havoc in the future childhood . This needs to be really checked at the right time and awareness has to be brought in the present system. Good to hear  the voices have started raising in the media ..

"Humble request to authorities to urgently ban all reality shows involving children .it's actually destroying them emotionally & their purity. "

--- Tweet by Piku director Shoojit Sircar 4 July 2017.

The Innocence of the children , which is the greatest gift to the kids by nature needs to be preserved at any cost and the innocence has to get matured , taking its own time and pace in a natural and beautiful manner !! A child has to pass through an adolescent stage to become an adult !! Not bypassing the adolescent stage !!

 Walking the nature's way is very much essential to avoid any untoward incidents and  foster a healthy future generation in the ages to come !!

A child all again ..

It's always a pleasure watching the children play, their talks ,the way they go to school with enthusiasm, their fights,their giggling laughter ,their mischiefs , the way they eat especially ice creams and what not , everything about kids is enjoyable , I mean it's worth spending time with them , more relaxing and rejuvenating.

We never miss to watch the kids program , Kutty Chutties in Sun TV , every sunday.The host asks various questions to the kids in front of  their family members sitting and watching their wards .For the same question , each kid answers differently, much to the loud applause of their family and brings an instant smile to our face . The kids of this present age are extremely brilliant and highly knowledgeable and very sharp too. What makes the answers of the kids more interesting and different from that of the elders is their spontaneity and their innocence and they being in the present moment totally . One can never guess what would be their answer . The unpredictable answer would just pop out from their mouth in an unexpected manner , so timely !!  They don't think , what implications will their answer have in future nor do they refer their past memory to get the answer. Just a mere spontaneity !!

Crying with all heart !!

Playing with 100 % attention

I had a thought , while playing with the 3 and a half year child next door, which talks like a big person and quite bold enough to question us in a loud voice for many of our actions . I wondered how come a child can be so matured . But in a short while , I would hear him cry with a loud sound for some chocolates or toys , reminding that he's a child after all !! A child even when it cries , it cries with all its heart . If it's getting angry also , 100 % anger it shows and the next moment it's out from that unlike us  !!

So, this makes me to think , a Mature person , a grown up individual , What if

* He does not get stuck up to his past memories , events and the related worries or guilt ?! 

* He comes out of all his inhibitions and barriers and ready to take up any challenges ?! 

* He frees himself from the pre conceived notions and thoughts and makes himself open to the new ideas ?!

* Whose mind is not anxious about the future and the associated fears ?!

* And lives totally in the present moment , giving 100 % to what he's doing , giving 100% even to his relations ?!

Will he not become a Child all again ?

Fully enthusiastic !!

Joyful !!

Creative !!

Spontaneous !!

Dynamic !!

Ever smiling !!

An adult free from all the modulations of the mind is back to his Innocence !!

And Innocence combined with the  Intelligence is the need of the hour today to come out of the stress  !!

Inner Vision - The Real Vision !!

Jai Gurudev !!

The Karnataka welfare Association for the BLIND ( KWAB)  situated in Seshadripuram, Bangalore    is an NGO depending totally upon the  DONORS  for looking after the partially to fully vision impaired children  , ages ranging from 4 years upto 18 years and above. The Asssociation has been working for teh last 3 decades and above.

About 95 kids are being taken care of by this organization including their studies , accommodation , food and other amenities . 7 College students are also included in this school.

The Secretary for this organization is Mr.Murthy , who himself is vision impaired and he manages to run the show with such a great efficacy and skill . Very admirable indeed !!

 

Manikantan exhibiting his Mimicry talent

We ( My friend Kalavathi and myself)  had the intention to conduct the Bala Chethna Shibir program from The Art of Living , which is a wonderful program developed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Guruji for the benefit of the poor kids above the age group of 8 years. The program is a beautiful module , which empowers the kids with pranayama / mediation techniques to sharpen their skills  and  improve their health along with the knowledge on the basic life skills , leading to their overall development .

The Secretary Sir and other people in their team are very co-operative and arranged the hall readily for us to conduct the program. The Day 1 session started on Oct 18, 2014 with the  kids introducing themselves by telling their names and classes they study . One boy by name Manikantan is capable of doing Mimicry and entertained the kids with his telephonic conversation mimicry, Dogs barking mimicry etc.



Kids enjoying their friend's mimcry

The children were curious in listening to us and attended the session with great interest . They also learnt the pranayam techniques with enthusiasm and participated fully in the games/story sessions etc.



Suvetha & Kalavathi conducting the Bala Chethana Shibir session

We could see that at the end of the session , all had glided into the meditative state very naturally and felt very happy for the same . They thanked Guruji for this wonderful opportunity.

We too..

The Blind school kids in Cloud Nine.

Contact Details in case you wish to help these under privileged kids :

 The Karnataka Welfare Association for the Blind ,

No. 69, 1st Main Nehru Nagar, S.C Road
Seshadripuram, Banglore
Karnatka
560020
Phone No: 080-23369703
Contact Person: Mr. S.P.Murthy - 9741122706
Bangalore
Email: kwab_ngo@rediffmail.com

Jai Gurudev !!

River Rejuvenation Project ..

Jai Gurudev !!

Volunteers involved in constructing recharge pits as part of Kuudvathi river rejuvenation project at Yentaganehalli village near Bangalore

Recent involvement in a River rejuvenation project in villages near Bangalore is keeping my spirit high and giving a more gratifying feeling within me !!

 

Inspired by Guruji , Art of Living volunteers are invloved in a River called Kumudvathi river rejuvenation project . The river which is dried at present totally is the focal point. The Bore water is not available even at 1200 ft underground in those villages near Bangalore around Nelamagala. 

 

Hence ,the volunteers have taken up about 6 villages , where this river was flowing to the brim once, and started constructing recharge pits and soak pits , to increase the water inflow into the ground , thereby replenishing the ground water level in over a period of 2/3 years.

 



Parallely , the villagers and the kids as well are also given life skills to manage stress and water replenishing  awareness programs . The kids are taught pranayama , yoga etc along with Drawing competions, Hair style making competitions etc. It's very nice to see the kids active participation  with full enthusiasm and interest .

 

 

 

Love & smiles...

 

Maha Shivrathri - A Great experience !!

Jai Gurudev !!

This Sunday , Mar 10 being the Maha Shivrathri , the Art of Living Ashram had planned wonderful events as part of the Maha Shivrathri celebrations at Bangalore Ashram . Earlier , it used to happen at different other locations .

Hence, I had also planned to be there along with my center people and acquire the graceful moments .

Close to a Lakh people would have visited the ashram , I believe . Devotees  from 60 countries had attended the function. All people , young and old alike, youths and kids , aged , men and women alike had participated , none to leave .People from all over the world and all over the country were present at the occasion.





About 252 Gram Devathas had visited and graced the ashram  on this auspicious night. That means the village deities from 252 different villages in and around Bangalore has been invited. That was a wonderful sight watching them bring their Gods with all instrumentals and associated dance troups.

Guruji had started the Live Kriya Himself , which the people had definitely found a Great and amazing difference than the regular taped Kriya versions.

Followed by the Sudarshan Kriya was the  Rudra Puja with Shiva Chamakam  continued for about an hour , the Puja was performed by Guruji to the Shiv Linga and other priests were assisting Guruji. Vedic Chants were going on , chanted by small Veda Patashala kids and pundits .Guruji was seen with utmost devotion and 100 percent concentration towards the Puja and he went into deep meditation for about an hour afert that  , when the whole Yagna shala or the Hall was reverberating with the Shiva Bhajan songs. All the people participated , their energy level was at a very high , after the Kriya and Puja and the Gram Devathas too.

Guruji had also participated in a couple of  Bhajans, once he came out of the Meditation  and blessed the people.

That was a really a Blissful Shivrathri , which I ever had experienced in my life. A memorable one indeed !!

Love & smiles...



The Forbidden City- China Tour XV

Jai Gurudev !!

 

 

 

 

When we visited the Tinnanmen Square in the late afternoon of one weekend , we just roamed around the  place and happened to see a typical Chinese Architecture opposite to the Square , with Red colour flag posts installed in the front  .Then there was a picture of a leader hanged in the front wall , which I came to know later asthe Mao Leader , Chairman Mao .We could see his photo embossed in calendars, wall hangings , Chinese paper fans and other articles too , while shopping. T

his architecture , I just thought , an official building , something similar to the Vidhan Soudha at Bangalore . And we returned back after taking a trip at Tinnanmen Square not showing much interest to visit this architecture . One thing caught my attention was , huge flocks of people were seen moving to this place , which induced interest in that architecture.

The next weekend , we planned  to visit another famous tourist spot at Beijing  , that is "The Forbidden City "  . When we searched for the train route , it indicated the same spot , "The Tinnanmen Square" .

The Entrance to the Forbidden City is nothing but that  same old architecture hosting the  Mao leader's photo ,which came as little surprise indeed !!

 

  We never thought , Forbidden City would be such a Big place , which we have ever seen in our life. In fact it is a Chinese Palace , which comprises of many palatial buildings in series . We need to walk and walk  to just have a quick glimpse of it. If we want to see the things in detail , then a full day is not sufficient to appreciate it's significance , I guess.

People both Chinese and foreigners come in huge crowds to visit this place. The entrance is really attractive  with colurful flowers welcoming us. We need to pay a lumpsum entry ticket fee of about Rs.500 in Indian currency .

At the entrance, before the ticket counter , on the way , a wall size mirror fixed on the building attracted us , where we can see our own picture in the photograph we take.

 

There are several palatial buildings lined up one after another in series , with lengthy space in between , named as Palace of Tranquil Longevity , Palace of Supreme Tranquility , Palace of Heavenly Purity , Hall of Supreme Harmony , Hall of Preserving Harmony etc. There were also shrines seen among the bulidings . The emperors seemed to have lived in those buildings. I wonder , how many people are required maintain that place.

 

The thrones , the courts , the giant sized Urns , used for cooking purpose or boiling water was also spotted . There was an attractive Lion statue with the Chinese get up ,guarding one of the buildings inside .

 

By the time , we moved from the entrance to exit , we got exhausted, our energy level drained , partly because of the bright sunny weather too  . At the exit side  , we could see a huge water body surrouding the palace , perhaps constructed for safety reasons of the emperors.

In fact ,we covered only a part of the Forbidden City , another part , with terrace garden stuffs , we omitted for obvious reasons of time insufficiency .

 

The name - Forbidden is very apt , we have to call it a city , indeed  !!

Love & smiles...

 

Church at Beijing - China Tour XIV

Jai Gurudev !!

There are not much Churches that we can spot in Beijing. My colleage , in fact had to seek the help of the internet to locate a church in Beijing and gathered  the necessary details like place & route to visit the Church . He was very eager to visit the Church and offer his prayers there.

Hence one Sunday , we went to the Lama Temple and from there , we planned to go to the Church.
Since , my other friend was not feeling well, we had to pause in the midway and took rest in a Mobile shop , when my colleague visited the Church and returned. Hence , we diid not get the opportunity to go to the Church there.
But from his words, we could make out that , that's a wonderful place.And not much of the Chinese were seen around . Once again , only foreigners could be spotted there in the Church. And the time, he went , there was a wedding ceremony going on in the Church , he said.
He prayed and captured a lovely photograph of the Church and returned with a filled heart of having visited the Jesus in Beijing too...
As far as the Chinese marriage is concerned, it will  not take place in a religious hall  , but in hotels or some halls. Secondly , the Chinese follow the strict practise of "One Man- One Woman policy " , after marriage .
As long as the discipline is maintained, is there a need for a religion ?!

Love & smiles...