The Emperor
Posted by shilpa agarwal in Poetry on June 28th, 2009
'
THE EMPORER
His power is like the SUN
His touch is like a FEATHER
His charm is like the MOON
He shines like the biggest'STAR (SUN)
He roars like a LION when angry
He is as innocent as the little LAMB
His kind words are like the song of a CUCKOO
His beauty is like the majestic PEACOCK
He is like a little BABY when in pain
He is like a MOTHER when others are in pain
He is like a FATHER who protects and safeguards
He is the MAN whom we'love'
He is the MOUNTAIN who withstands all
He is a RIVER that flows freely
He is the TREE that shelters all
He is the RAIN, we want desperately
He is DYNAMIC, can outshine all
He is the'BRAVEST, can conquer all
He is MAGNETIC, can attract all
He is the EMPEROR, can lead and show path to all
He is a MAN of substance
He is LOVE
He is LIFE
He is GOD!!!!!!!
Dump it or make it Optional?
Posted by shilpa agarwal in Blogs on June 25th, 2009
Dump it or make it Optional?
Mr. Kapil Sibbal suggests tenth class board examinations should be dumped! The news has spread like fire throughout India. The newsrooms, newspapers, etc. are all buzzing and debating on whether the tenth boards should be made optional or not! The main reason for scrapping off the tenth board is to reduce the stress but don’t you think we need to make our children mentally tough to tackle stress, which they have to face in later life? The idea of reducing trauma by bringing uniformity in all the different boards definitely makes sense, only one board should prevail, education ministry should do away with Bihar board, up board, Maharashtra board, etc. etc. But then what about the XII boards? If X boards will be dumped then XII boards will fall like an axe on the students!
It is commendable that Mr. Kapil Sibbal raised a voice to revolutionize the system of education in India, lets at least hope for some kind of logical changes and uniformity in degrees. But Mr. Sibal making the tenth board optional will create a big gap within the brilliant students and the weaker students! It will be very confusing and the education system will be topsy turvy, something like experimenting with student’s future.
Now talk about the results of XII boards. It has been remarkable but the cut off list of various colleges in Delhi seems to be out of bounds for the students! St. Stephens, L.S.R, S.R.C.C, HINDU etc. have come out with their outrageous cut off list, ranging between 92-98%. This is crazy! Only the school toppers and that too not all the toppers can dream of their choice of branch in their choicest college. And imagine the plight of those seeking admission in the hostels in Delhi! Oh my, I was lucky to get the first seat in my branch in English (Hons.) in general quota. Where will the average students go? Isn’t this traumatizing for students?
Though Mr. Sibbal’s intentions are good but making X th boards OPTIONAL will bring in a lot of disparity between the brilliant, average and weak students. Optional boards will only give birth to more cases of suicides in XII boards, utter confusion, and increased rate in corruption in form of bribery, bitterness and many psychological problems in the students. Anything working well, if fiddled with can backfire but then that’s what revolution is all about? I think instead of making it optional, only one rule must prevail for all and opportunity should be made available for all. Arjun Singh was regressive but Mr. Sibbal is progressive, some of his ideas are really good and speak concern for the youth.
Indians have always been envied for their brainpower and hard work so let us not make our kids delicate, let them grow strong mentally, emotionally and psychologically. Competition is growing tougher day by day but then the general IQ level of the children is also pretty high! Let’s hope for logical and viable changes that can cater to all types of students. Let education be free or at least low cost and may there be fair grading and lot of options in the branches and more than that, lot of opportunities for our little buds to blossom happily and brightly!
P.S. This was my take on this issue, I warmly welcome your views too. BTW, I won and defeated the virus hehehhehehe so will respond to your blogs soon.
Hey ho!
Posted by shilpa agarwal in Blogs on June 23rd, 2009
I have not been posting blogs and even commenting much because my laptop is acting up! I have been busy with my job, guests, kids blah blah blah but when I got hold of my laptop, it froze!!!! Ah! these Gadgets can act pricey too! But the real problem was that it was badly hit by a virus, TROJAN! Surprisingly my anti virus failed , this Trojan was too powerful but but but , I ain’t giving up! And beware you people, now I am fully loaded with a deadly virus hehehhehehe
Please do not mind me not visiting your iland or commenting on your blogs or replying to your mails. My sincerest apologies. I have been able to post this blog as my laptop is on oxygen momentarily. I will surely reply to all, comment on everyone’s blog once all gets back to normal.
Keep writing and encouraging others to write!
My Canvas
Posted by shilpa agarwal in Blogs on June 14th, 2009
MY CANVAS
Five minutes and let me just splash some paints on the blank canvas, paints of joys and sorrows of doubts, known and unknown…
One two three and go…
I am sad for a friend of mine who is undergoing chemotherapy. May God bless her with speedy recovery.
I am happy that I am busy with work, and I have work work and work to do! I like the kick I get from working so much.
Where is my life leading to? I hope alls well!
Hey, I don’t want to grow old, naaah I don’t want to be droopy droopy. I know ageing is inevitable and I will get to hear lots and lots of lectures that there is no escape but still, I am enjoying the way I am and hmmm whatever I don’t want to grow old! I am sure I won’t turn old even if I turn 100 years of age hahahahhahaha
I am still thinking about the little caterpillar who was growing on one of my plants in the pot, whose picture I captured, and the next day he vanished! booooohooo he was about to rest in its cocoon and then turn into a beautiful butterfly but maybe that little wormy became a prey to a bird boooooooooooooohooooooooo I miss him. I still have his picture. May God bless the little catterpillar.
I am thinking about the baby lemon which is growing in my potted lemon tree. God! its been over 5 years, the plant only flowered, but all the flowers would fall, very tiny lemons did come but they too would fall, but this time, though all the leaves have turned pale yellow, one lemon managed to show up, wowie! This is the same lemon tree whose braches were destroyed by the monkeys and then I bandaged it , instead of using ointment, I put lots of wet mud and tied the branch with a piece of cloth and voila! it worked. Yippie! I saved a tree!!!!!
A baby calf lost its way, lost his mom and guess where he comes for help???? yes yes you got it right, every evening he comes to my house (oooooooh I have a lover! hahahahhahahaha) I feed him with chappatis and boiled potatoes and tell the compounder to serve him water and my doc hubby says “Not again!” He has has already had one experience, I took care of one more calf earlier too. Oh boy! I am scared of animals remember the blog I wrote on my pet, Bruno? Nobody likes the cakes the cows leave but then my heart simply melts seeing a helpless being, be it a human’s or animal’s. The last time I served a calf , evreyone said he wouldn’t survive but we fed him well and fortunately he survived and later joined his band of friends hehehehehhe and now comes another one and hubby dear says ” Tumhare pichle janam ka ek aur lover” hahhahahahahhaha I am desperately waiting for him today evening too hehehehhehe
awwwwww! while tyipng this blog see what my daughter’s handed me, she just painted on a blank sheet. She painted my picture and wrote “I love you!” awwwww! and she has done the same for her father too! Kids are sooooooooooooo cute! She is just five and is very sharp.
I even yelled at my 10 year old kid to stop watching tv, he is been doing it all this while. He wants me to do his computer work but I insist that he makes efforts to research himself, write it himself and then I would edit it. It is important to be strict with kids at times, else they will get the habit of being spoon fed always, well ,no use… he still is spoon fed!!!!!! hahahahhahaha
Oooops I have crossed five, ten minutes!!!! Am too talkative, my hubby always says “kam bolo” well, I am thinking on those terms….main kam bolungi! It is my fav every New Year resolution, a resolution I never succeed in!
Ok before concluding I want to throw in a golden paint on this canvas of mine… I am content with what I have, reached a destination, found what i was hunting all this while. God shows me the way and I am thankful for the wonderful moments and people I meet. There is so much solace when you get what you were always hunting or waiting for. What joy, completeness and what Bliss! Thankyou God!
Love
Shilpa
Witty answers!
Posted by shilpa agarwal in Humour on June 8th, 2009
Tickle your brains or just use common sense!
If you think you were smart enough try answering these questions. I have provided their answers too. Boy! you need to be really witty with questions like these. Here is me sharing with you those crazy nerve wracking questions :
Not only our technical knowledge helps, but also the Presence of mind and
the right answer at right time. Even if u don’t know the answer for a
question just Confuse the questioner Question and the answer given by
Candidates oh sorry They are IAS Officers now.
Q. How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor?
Without cracking it?
A. Concrete floors are very hard to crack! (UPSC Topper)
Q. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how Long
would it take
four men to build it?
A. No time at all it is already built. (UPSC 23 Rank Opted
for IFS)
Q If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand And
four apples and
three oranges in the other hand, What would you have?
A. Very large hands.(Good one) (UPSC 11 Rank Opted for IPS)
Q. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
A. It is not a problem, since you will never find an
Elephant with one hand. (UPSC Rank 14 Opted for IES)
Q. How can a man go eight days without sleep?
A. No Probs, He sleeps at night. (UPSC IAS Rank 98)
Q. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it Will
become?
A. It will Wet or Sink as simple as that. (UPSC IAS Rank 2)
Q. What looks like half apple?
A: The other half. (UPSC - IAS Topper )
Q. What can you never eat for breakfast?
A: Dinner.
Q. What happened when wheel was invented?
A: It caused a revolution.
Q. Bay of Bengal is in which state?
A: Liquid (UPSC 33Rank)
Interviewer said ‘I shall either ask you ten easy Questions or one really difficult question. Think well before you make up your mind!’
The boy thought for a while and said, ‘My choice is one really Difficult question.’
‘Well, good luck to you, you have made your own Choice!
Now tell me this.
’What comes first, Day or Night?’
The boy was jolted into reality as his admission Depends on
the correctness of his answer, But he thought for a while and said,
’It’s the DAY sir!’
’How’ the interviewer asked, ‘Sorry sir, you promised me that you will not ask me a SECOND difficult question!’
He was selected for IIM!
’Technical Skill is the mastery of complexity, while
Creativity is the master of presence of mind’
I’m Back!
Posted by shilpa agarwal in Personal on June 8th, 2009
BANG BANG BANG
I’M BACK!!!
I was overwhelmed to see so many wishes from all my friends on iland. The picture of yellow rose is for all the friends who left messages for me while I was away. I personally thank all of you and here I am replying to all your messages-
Venkata ramana
(Thank you Sir! I was off neither to Buenos Aires nor to the Bahamas but to a small town, my maika. I am waiting to read all the blogs that you posted while I was away. Kindly mail them or send their link to me Sir. I have returned completely rejuvenated!).
Chandrakant parmar
(hamne bahut maze kiye. I hope aapko bhi holidaying ka mauka mile!Thanks)
Pradeep
(Thanks Pradeep, I enjoyed my holidays.)
Sanjay mane
(Thank you Sanjay, I am safely back.)
ShivendraMohan Singh
(Thanks Sir, I enjoyed my vacation)
Rakesh tiwari
(Thanks, I enjoyed my stay and see, I have not forgotten to reply !!!).
Pankaj Pandey
(Thanks Pankaj, I had a happy time hope you enjoyed your holidays as well!)
Prashant shah
(Thank you sir, my vacation was indeed nice and wonderful!)
Karthik - Dexter
(Hey Dexter! Any new experiment??? I enjoyed my holidays thoroughly. Thanks!)
HariOm Chawla
(Thanks Sir for your best wishes)
Ravi shukla
(Thanks for your prayer and wishes.)
Prasad
(Thanks, I’ll try to blog soon. Did you write any blog? Do send me the link.)
Deepika Ghosh
(Thanks Deepika, I will surely read and comment on your blog ‘Dostaana.’)
Ranjit singh
(Thanks Sir, for the wishes. My stay was a pleasant and relaxing one. Did someone say “Teach?” Wow ! I love to learn all that I don’t know! Do let me know what are you going to teach me, I’ll be waiting.)
Thank you Moe M, Mr. Best friend, Tanushree, Mr.Vithal Patel Kanji and all those who wished me through mails or g-talk.
picture courtesy: Suresh
I will try to catch on all the blogs I missed. Keep writing and commenting and encouraging others to write too!
On leave
Posted by shilpa agarwal in Personal on May 23rd, 2009
Dear friends
Within this short span of time I have been fortunate to come across so many wonderful people on this iland. It seems like a part of family. I have enjoyed reading each one’s blog and comments. Thanks a lot for encouraging me to write. I have been keeping quite busy for past a month, so not been able to comment on some of my friends blogs esp. Samiran Sarkar’s short story, which I promised to read but couldn’t . I still owe it to you Samiran. And many thanks to Ranjit for adding my fav devotional song on his blog (you tube). Those interested , please do hear it by visiting Ranjit’s iland or click on the link below
http://virtue.rediffiland.com/blogs/2009/05/21/A-Devotional-Song.html
I am going for a two week vacation so will catch up with your blogs later and am sure to post a few when I return. Keep pouring your thoughts and refreshing yourself. Happy Blogging. Will miss all my friends.
For those travelling, safe journey and enjoy holidaying. All the best to those who have important agenda lined up and also to those who have deadlines to meet and also to those whose domestic help is going on leave hehehhehhhehe
Will be back with a BANG!!!
Until then,
Keep smiling and spreading happiness!
Shabari ke ber
Posted by shilpa agarwal in Religion on May 21st, 2009
Shabari ke Ber
This story is for those who do not know or have forgotten the pure love between God and devotee:
Story of Shabari
In his ashrama, one tribal devotee of Rama, named SHABARI, used to stay. She used to keep the place clean and tidy, and along with that she also performed her japa -repeating the holy name of GOD, did her ritualistic worship by offering flowers etc., and sang many songs in the glory of the Lord. Her chosen ideal was Rama for whose meeting she was waiting for long time.
Years passed by; Rishi Matang became old. When he was on his death-bed, he called Shabari near him and said, “Look, O devotee of Rama, your tapasya -austerities - and spiritual longing for Rama would not go in vain. Sri Rama is sure to visit this ashrama, this I can say on the basis of my spiritual power. Therefore, after my departure, I plead you to wait for Rama’s arrival. Hence take charge of this ashrama and live in peace and as a devotee of Rama. Your efforts would be rewarded in due course of time.” So saying the rishi passed away.
Simple hearted, poor, and belonging to lower caste, Shabari did not know much about running the ashrama. Soon everyone left her. The birds, the flowers, the shrubs and occasional domesticated animal became her friends. But she had full faith in the words of her Guru Matang. When he had said Sri Rama would come to that ashrama, she could not disbelieve those words.
Hence Shabari used to clean the place early in the morning, collect fruits, and would wait looking at the distant road for her Rama to come. Every day this was her routine. Every day she thought “Rama would definitely come today!” In these days of eager wait and expectation of seeing her Rama, she forgot all about her rituals, worship, japa or songs! She forgot about day and night, month and year as well as the seasons. Rains were replaced by the winter, winter turned into summer of scorching heat, but Shabari had lost her interest in everything. For her the sun rose with the definite hope that her Rama would come that day and she would be able to serve him.
These long years of wait turned Shabari into an old woman. Her eye sight became dim and the hearing was affected. She had no remorse. She continued to keep her tiring body busy in her routine of cleaning the ashrama and collecting fruits for Rama.
One day, at last, Sri Rama arrived in the ashrama. Pleasure of Shabari knew no bounds. The long awaited desire was fulfilled. Falling at the feet of Rama she said, “O Rama, I cannot describe your kindness in words. When so many great sadhakas (rishis and munis and yogis), cannot seek your Grace even in many births, you have come to me so soon.”
So saying she washed the holy feet of her chosen ideal and offered him berries which she had collected from the forest that morning. And the beauty of the relation between the true Bhakta and the Lord was such that Rama was happy in eating the same fruit that had been tasted by Shabari herself, lest the fruit should be bitter!
Laxmana, with tears rolling down his cheeks, was silently observing the pure love between God and the devotee. Until now he used to think that there was nobody on the earth or heaven who loved Rama as dearly as he did. But today Shabari proved him wrong. When tears dried down in the eyes of Shabari, when her voice was not choking, when she lifted her eyes from the holy feet of Rama then Laxmana bowed down at the feet of Shabari and said, “O mother, your love for Rama will be remembered for ever in this world. I bow down in reverence to the great devotee of Sri Rama.”
Then Shabari inquires about the purpose of their such hard journey. Rama recounts the sad tell of kidnapping of Sita, etc. Reflecting upon the facts, Shabari directs them to go further southwards to Pampa lake and to Kishkindha where the monkey king Sugreeva and the great Rama-devotee monkey Hanuman would be of great help in their search of Sita.
The Nine Forms of Devotion
It was then that Rama enumerated the nine forms of devotion as follows:
- The first form of devotion is the company of saints;
- The second form is listening to the Epics and Puranas;
- The third form is humbly serving ones guru;
- The fourth form is singing devotional songs;
- The fifth form is chanting God's name with unwavering faith;
- The sixth form is the practice of good conduct avoiding all undesirable activities;
- The seventh form is to see God in everyone and to revere saints above all else;
- The eighth form lies in contentment and not wishing ill for others even in ones dreams, and;
- The ninth form is having faith in God through good and bad times.
Rama added that no one form of devotion was better than another. Anyone who follows any one of these forms could attain salvation.
Courtesy: INTERNET
Balanced is so Boooooooooooooooring!
Posted by shilpa agarwal in Humour on May 18th, 2009
Balanced is Booooooooooooring!
HE: Why can't you be balanced? Why can't you hide your emotions? Why can't you just do with a smile instead of your monstrous laughter? Why can't you just sigh softly instead of yelling when you are in pain or scared? Why can't you stay cool!
SHE: Eeeeks !!!!! you have bombarded me with so many questions. Here I go, I find balanced boring, so I can never be balanced! It's either hehehehahahaha or booooohooo or wowzawooooohooo or damndang!
Hide my emotions! Baaah why should I? If you don't like them you go hide! I can't just put a face mask and act like those flattering or nose shrinking damsels. Their lips hardly open up to laugh or even smile lest it makes irregular creases on their face! Doesn't it all seem so plastic? ThankGod our government sensed this and banned plastic. Now that's another issue that people are still using it liberally (so am I hehehehhe).
Wonder how some women hardly open their eyes out of pride, those half shut eyes might look sensuous to many but I find them as if in desperate need of sleep or another case of weak eye sight! Their eyes seldom sparkle with excitement. Man! I sleep with my eyes shut and wake with sparkle in my wide eyes, (hmmmm, well no, not exactly, they are just too sleepy eyes at 5.00 am in the morning hehhehehehehe but hey they begin to sparkle with touch of the sun's beams).
SHE: Do you expect me to keep mum when I am in terrible pain? Isn’t it like a woman who just underwent a painless labor? (Hey, I did!) But still can’t forget when a denstist pulled out my molar just because it refused to part with my jaw when I was a child. The doc injected local anaesthesia which never worked and I yelled like hehehhehehehe you might have guessed, (me, a poor baby had to undergo it all, that too LIVE!). But I am sure the doc didn’t forget my tight slap ooooooooooooooh I am so sorry doc, that time I was just a little girl!
HE: What you slapped a doc! That too when you were a little girl!!!
SHE: Don’t worry, I won’t slap anyone ,now I know the trick. A kick at the right place is just enough!
HE: Gosh! You are one unique piece on this earth! Still, since now you are a grown up learn to control your reactions.
SHE: If a lizard fell on my shoulder, you expect me to simply standstill and just react mildly!!! Heck! I would scream and convulse! Imagine if a big stick fell from the tree, under which you were standing, wouldn't you get scared, thinking it to be a snake or anything? Wouldn't anyone trill or quaver or thresh about? Ah ! Come on don't expect me to act as a stone! With every action comes a reaction and this is my reaction.
HE: But can't this reaction be soft? Has it to be so loud?
SHE: Hahahahahhahaha a science student doesn't know the meaning and function of involuntary muscles hahhahahahahahha
HE : You are a gone case! You laugh like Ravana!
SHE: Oh boy! He calls my laugh monstrous just because my mouth opens when I laugh! Btw, have you seen people laughing with their lips pursed? They look heavily constipated or just stuck midway in the process hahahahhahhahaha
HE: "Oh God ! What bizarre sense of humour!"
"Where does all this stuff come into your head from?"
SHE: Hehehehehhehe from your weird accusations 
JJ
HE: "Look, high time you ought to be balanced, it is good for everyone."
SHE: Hmmmmmm, hey I am balanced, my positive and negative aspects are toadally and udderly balanced!
HE: I am fully fed up with your baseless argument and utter 'bakwaas', better go before I lose my balanced state of mind!
GOING, GOING, GONE!
What fun driving a smooth road always?
That's why they made roller coasters, I guess!
And if you thought the roller coaster ticket was expensive then you have a long stretch of Indian roads, beware the toll tax highways!
What eyes without spark and tears?
Are half closed eyes the act of balancing?
What are throats meant for if not for voice modulation?
What impact would ex-pressions have if they were voluntary or pre-designed?
What happiness to soul if you don't laugh your gut out! And what better way to de-stress if you don't cry your heart out (though deepest hurt makes no noise) !
Does being balanced mean what we are taught or is it in the mind or is it in things that we find pleasure in? Do we have to live always according to others, never for our own happiness or the way we wish to?
I think, the real meaning of balanced is balancing the conflicts in our own mind and being our unique self always!
KEEP SMILING! SPREAD HAPPINESS, LIVE LIFE KING SIZE and WHEN HAPPY MAKE MERRY!
P.S. I posted two consecutive posts on mothers and a blogger friend thought I am pregnant hahhahahahhaha jeeeeeeez ! Please do not think that I am a weirdo, after reading this post. Don't even contact your nearby asylum. I am balanced in my own way! And this one was written in a light hearted mood! Just enjoy and laugh on! This blog holds semblance with none, so please don’t scritch scratch your brains to find why I wrote this blog , understood
Mr. _________what was his name???? scritch scratch ;);):) hehehehhehehe
Being a mother
Posted by shilpa agarwal in Philosophy on May 13th, 2009
Here I am sharing a beautiful post sent to me by a friend of mine. This extends to all the fathers as well :):):)
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