Kathputaly (Puppets) and Kathputaly Nagar.

I visited Kathputalinagar, the poorest of all the slums in Jaipur. After a high-stress ride on the narrow rickshaw of jaipur city(which is smaller and uncomfortable as compared with the ones we have in Hisar),we (my sis and me) arrived. As i have to select the slums out of those i used to visit,it was important to understand exactly where these slums are located। Kathputalinagar sits across from Jaipur s statuesque parliament building, separated by some shops and a short field that doubles as a massive latrine।

balmiki Nagar.Slum

When my sis and I arrived the children there guessed we are looking somebody’s help to fallow the slum.we asked the name of the headman of the slum. They escorted us like crazed groupies. We fallow the kids on streets.... mostly just alleys with loose slabs of stone which act as stepping blocks over garbage and rivers of sewage water. It is devastating in a way that makes you want to run away but at the same time compels you to look.They told us they will go to Japan with some Japanese people. Later i came to know that the loose slabs over the sewage water were provided by Japanese Govt under the provision of drinking water and sewage system in the slum.

Any how, these children with a group with hands on shoulders of their companions were a wonderful reminder that innocence is a sacred and universal gift. And they ended us at the door of a Doctor (which was the Headman of the slum).

We collected basic information of the slum, but not selected as my study area.

Thus ended up my journey of Kathputaly Nagar.

But i selected the adjusent slum balmiki Nagar.

Kathputa(Puppets)

Happy Day!!

New year resolution, एक और हरियानवी रागनी

possiblities

A season of new beginnings. 
Fresh starts. 
Ideas to implement.
Desired changes. 
Things to improve. 
Ways to grow.

I like the sound of that, rather than the word "resolutions", don't you? 

My mind tends to think along these lines not just once a year, but also at the beginning of summer and in the autumn.

I know there have been many years where I've gotten discouraged when I've set resolutions or goals that are not really achievable, too out of reach, too vague. I start out so gung ho, so enthused and excited and then when I slide or fall off the bandwagon, I think all is lost and let my ambitions go. 

Thinking about all the possibilities for a more abundant and fulfilling life and then making a plan that works for me is actually very exciting instead of overwhelming.

And now as I've been thinking about this new year of 2012, I've decided that when it all boils down to it, what I really want is this:

I want to keep on the path. 
This path I'm already on.

I want to feel.
I want to see.
I want to learn.

I want to create.
I want to thank.
I want to serve.
I want to share.

I want to bless.
I want to love.

I want health.
I want calm.
I want peace.
I want joy.

Yes, this is what I really desire. The qualities, the characteristics, the life I want for me.

But I do know that this path, this journey I'm on will only become possible by making a plan. And that means:

Choosing priorities.

Finding purpose. 

Implementing habits.

Making daily choices.

And now for the nitty gritty. The specifics to making all this happen. This year of 2012, I will:

• Feed and bless my body with whole, nutrient dense food every day.
• Engage in some sort of physical exercise 6 days a week. This will includerunning, swimming, biking, and yoga. Participate and lead out in our 2012 Family Fitness Challenge. We've set the goal (those of us participating) to move our hearts and our muscles in some sort of exercise a half an hour, 4 days a week. Those who achieve this goal will be able to look forward to a Spring Break adventure in Arches National Park that will include hiking and horseback riding. Run the Ragnar Relay again this year in June. Run a half marathon in the late summer or early fall.
• Maintain a "first things first"/"sharpen the saw" morning routine (prayer, scriptures, water, tea/smoothie, exercise, supplements.)
• Keep on blogging. Finding joy, growth, and fulfillment in photography and writing.
• Manage our money better by saving receipts and recording spending. Paying with cash. Maintaining a budget.
• Learn about things that interest me: health and healing, cultures, family relationships, spirituality, philosophy, self improvement, food. 
• Read daily for pleasure. Literature, poetry, short stories, non-fiction.
• Write a thank you note or "thinking of you" note every week to someone I care about.
• Spend individualized scheduled time with my children and with my daughter.
• Go somewhere new. (This is going to be very exciting!)
• Practice and schedule monthly hospitality at home: family, friends, neighbors.
• Teach and share what I know. Participation in the Whole Food Kitchen workshop, cooking demonstrations, church assignment.
• Stick to my weekly home rhythms.
• Continue my weekly volunteer work at the NGO, as well as my ongoing work with MSS. (Soon, I'll share more of what I'm doing with this humanitarian organization.

और अब एक रागनी के बोल (तीज के मौके पर) haryanvi भाष में :

“हां…. चौगरदे तै बाग हरया … घनघोर घटा सामण की

होर छोरी गावें गीत सुरीले … झूल घली सामण की

चौगरदे तै बाग हरया … घनघोर घटा सामण की

छोरी गावें गीत सुरीले … झूल घली सामण की

मार चौखडी … हुं … मार चौखडी

चढी पींघ पै … लत्ते-चाऴ सजा कै

दो छोरियां ने लसकर पकड्या …इधर-उधर तै आकै

न्यून घुमाई-न्यून घुमाई …मारी पींघ बधा कै

सासू जी का नाक तोड ल्याई … लाम्बा हाथ लफ्फा कै

झौटा फिरग्या … खिली बत्तीसी, झौटा फिरग्या … खिली बत्तीसी

कहै बीर सामण की

छोरी गावें गीत सुरीले … झूल घली सामण की

चौगरदे तै बाग हरया … घनघोर घटा सामण की

छोरी गावें गीत सुरीले … झूल घली सामण की

तेज हवा मैं पल्ला उड्ग्या … होस रहया ना गाती का

झटका लाग्या … नाथ टूटगी .. ग़या लिकड पेच पाती का

कोडी होके ठावण लागी … हार झुक्या छाती का

उह्का बोलण नै जी कर रहया था … मुह पाटया ना सरमाती का

पल्ला ठा मुह पूछण लागी … होएए …पल्ला ठा मुह पूछण लागी

गई कली दीख दामण की

छोरी गावें गीत सुरीले … झूल घली सामण की

चौगरदे तै बाग हरया … घनघोर घटा सामण की

छोरी गावें गीत सुरीले … झूल घली सामण की

ऊची एडियां के बूट पहर रही … कडी तोडिये भारी

हरे रंग का कमीज पहर रही … काऴी-पीऴी धारी

चम्पाकली हवेल झालरा … टिक्की तक भी ला रही

52 गज का घूम-घाघरा ऊठी कलियां न्यारी-न्यारी

दरजी के न छांट करी सै ..दरजी के न छांट करी सै

भाई मगजी और लामण की

छोरी गावें गीत सुरीले … झूल घली सामण की

चौगरदे तै बाग हरया … घनघोर घटा सामण की

छोरी गावें गीत सुरीले … झूल घली सामण की

जिब आवे सामण का महीना … गोरी रंग नै छाटैं

किसे की गोरी किसे की छोरी .. सबके सत्ते छाटैं

किसे की कोथऴी किसे का सींधारा … भर भर बुगटे बांटै

20 साल तै नीचै-नीचै … खुरियां धरती काटैं

बेरा ना कित तीज मनैगी .. बेरा ना कित तीज मनैगी

उस लखमीचंद बामण की

छोरी गावें गीत सुरीले … झूल घली सामण की

चौगरदे तै बाग हरया … घनघोर घटा सामण की

छोरी गावें गीत सुरीले … झूल घली सामण की”

xoxo

RAJASHTAN_D626 | Mira Images

RAJASHTAN_D626 | Mira Images

गणपति बाबा की जय!

Om Ganeshaya Namaha is bija mantra for Lord Ganesha

Mahabharata was narrated by Ved Vyasa and the listener and writer was Lord Ganesha

Lord Ganesha-the Elephant God is remembered first on all auspicious and festive occasions of Hindus. Ganesha is worshiped first on all new ventures.

As per the Hindu tradition, Sage Vyasa narrated the Mahabharata and Ganesha wrote it down. The longest epic in the world was not the job for an ordinary scribe and therefore Sage Vyasa requested Ganesh to become his scribe. Ganesha put one condition that Vyasa should recite the Mahabharat non-stop. Vyasa agreed. But the wise sage put one condition before Ganesha that he should write only after understanding the lines that he dictated. Ganesh agreed to this condition.

It is said that Ganesha sometimes took time to understand some of the complex lines narrated by Sage Vyasa. The Sage used this pause to compose the next lines.

Another legend associated with Ganesh writing Mahabharat is that of the broken tusk of Ganesha. After some days of writing of Mahabharat the stylus used by Ganesh broke and as he could not stop writing he broke off one of his tusks and started writing with it. This symbolically explains that any amount of sacrifice is not too much to gain knowledge.

Source: www.hindu-blog.com

शुभ दिवस!

एक फ़ूल एक फूलदान!

जी हाँ!... आप एक फूलदान में एक फ़ूल से भी सुन्दर सजावट कर सकती हैं!।
आवश्यकता है ...तो बस सूझ-बूझ की।
कई सारी एक ही रंग की बोतलें जमा कीजिये... एक फ़ूल और ढेर सारी पत्तियों का गुच्छा ...और लगा दीजिये इन बोतलों में ....

रसोई घर के कोने को कैसा खिला दिया है इन्होने ......

और यह देखिये बाथरूम के सामने .......

सुबह ७ बजे ज़ब में सैर करके लौट रही थी मेरी भतीजी कैमरा लेकर कड़ी थी।
बुआजी देखो फ़ूल ...और हमने इस सुबह की अलमस्त बेला में सूर्य देवता के आगमन से पहले ही ढेर सारी फोटो कैद कर ली.

मेरे घर के सामने के पार्क में यह पीले फूलों वाला झाड जिसे ज़्यादा पानी, रखवाली की जरूरत नहीं होती ....अपनी छटा बिखेरता रहता है... सुबह से ही पूजा के लिए इसके फूलों को तोड़ने की जैसे होड़ सी लग जाती है..यह जहरीला पौधा है...

पर फ़ूल तो फ़ूल हैं ना......

मैने यह पर्स सालों पहले (१९९५) बनाया था, मेरा बहुत पसंदीदा सूट प्रेस से जल गया था,उसका उपयोग करते हुए मैने एक बड़ा बैग जो की मैने गिफ्ट कर दिया था (याद नहीं किसे) पर यह मेरे पास है । इसे मैने खूब इस्तेमाल किया फ़िर बोक्स के किसी कोने में रख दिया ...
एक दिन यह मेरे हाथ लगा और फ़िर से मेरे साथ इसने घूमना शुरू कर दिया।
मेरे कार्बन-फ़ुट-प्रिंट कैसे हैं ?

Isn’t it sustainable lifestyle!

A feminist revolution .....

Indian feminism is the feminism of compromise। It is the feminism of daughters who press their parents for late curfews, but would never hurt them by dating a man of another religion. It is the feminism of women who collect big paychecks by day, but do not question husbands who treat them like maids by night. It is the feminism of women who cope privately with workplace harassment, but never see it as a systemic phenomenon to be fought.
more......

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/world/asia/25iht-letter.1.16472456.html