Sunday Hello!

Hello Sunday! 

I am back from walking the dog. Hungry. The 12 hrs fast after dinner isn’t complete and I am breaking my own rule. 

Made a large milky tea with jaggery. My black jaggery is from Gondavale. Trying to weave Shree Ram and Shree Maharaj into everything in life. Who is there for me except him? 

Last 3 years since Omid my dog came home I go for an hours walk in the morning and evening. I chant the Gayatri mantra during the morning walk. Do Arghya to Surya dev when I spot him in the morning glory. This in my mind with a physical Namaskar 🙏🏽. 

My late morning is spent with my companion who helps me with housework until 2pm. 

After that it is maun vrat due to circumstances. I keep myself busy with hobbies like reading, browsing, writing, stitching and embroidery. 

In the evening I chant Ram naam as I received in Anugrah from Shree Brahmachaitanya Gondavalekar Maharaj “Shree Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram”. 

I have done several parayan of RamCharitManas as guided by my mentor. I have to resume it again. It definitely gives me peace and keeps away disturbing thoughts. 

My Solo trip to BLR-OOTY-CBE was so much fun. During the trip it was totally a fantasy. Meeting friends. Staying in a fabulous homestay. Doing the touristy stuff in Ooty. The Toy train ride of a lifetime dream come true. At Isha foundation being alone in the Ashram and doing everything to my own rhythm. Then returning to BLR and meeting school friends. Everything was perfect!

Quoting my favourite Tony Bourdain. Yet I disagree, no Tony it’s not OK. The loneliness took you away from us. It killed you! 

Then just a day before coming back to MUM I made the call. While it was Euphoric at first. It became so tumultuous later that it’s been more than a month of struggling to come out of the space that I went to. 

I am glad I am much better today. Even if deliberate I am trying to bring back my happy independent self. I am grateful for friends who saw me through this torment. K❤️ You had some workable suggestions for me. I am grateful for friends who decided to stay out of this. I understand. I am not angry with anyone because I know you wish well. D🌷sorry I have troubled you a lot till date. You stood by me the way you 🫵🏽 knew BEST. You too have the right to protect your sanity and not be dragged down by me. 

The two, S and Sh who gave a patient ear to all I said. ✊🏽

I am grateful to my cousin P who came as God sent and I could torture him into listening to everything. I realise how my lil bro has matured into a fine human as I met him after 2 decades. I owe you lots of love n support for the rest of my life. 🫶🏽🤞🏽

Today I promise you all I will bounce back. I shall make you proud. 🥹 

Loads of LOVE 💕 

SHREE RAM🌸

SHREE BRAHMACHAITANYA 

GONDAVALEKAR MAHARAJ 🌼

That’s Me!

Mentally, I was a hopeless romantic and lived in a fantasy world. Initially, I was terrified of intimacy. In daily life, I didn't like men because they are needy and dependent. TRUTH! 

Wish it had happened! असे झाले असते तर बरे झाले असते !

Gratitude 🙏🏽 

Blessed to have a mentor who directs you to exactly what you need to know.

From Pravachan dated 10 June 2024

आपला व्यवहार, परमार्थ, घडतो । तो सर्व त्याचे इच्छेने चालतो ॥

 ‘असे झाले असते तर बरे झाले असते’ । हे म्हणणे नाही खरे ॥ जे होणे योग्य ते घडले । व ते रामइच्छेनेच घडले ॥ परमात्म्यानेच जी इच्छा केली । त्याचे आड नाही कोणी आले । हा ठेविता विश्वास । मनाला धीर वाटेल खास ॥ माझे सर्व कर्माचा गुरूच सूत्रधार । सर्व सत्ता गुरूचे हाती । तेथे न चाले कोणाची गति ॥ आपले जगणे जेथे भगवंताच्या हाती॥ तेथे बाकीच्या गोष्टींची काय भिति ?

Our transactions, altruism, happens. He does everything according to his will. "Wish it had happened!" This is not true. What was supposed to happen happened. And it happened only by Rama's will. It was God's will. No one can stop it. Keep this faith. The mind will be calmed and assured. Guru is the facilitator of all my actions. All power is in the hands of Guru. No one can change that. When your life is in the hands of God. Then why worry about rest of the things?

Shree Ram Shree Brahmachaitanya Gondavalekar Maharaj
🙏🏽🌹🌷

We remember the past because we attach importance to it. Take that away and it will have no value. 

What has gone cannot be changed so it doesn’t have value. 

What makes me more intelligent than you?

What makes me more intelligent than you?

Let me explain this. 

I don’t get angry easily. I think there must be a reason. For an action or thought. I am Empathetic. I wasn’t born with it but I learnt with my own experiences.

I am inherently curious. When I see something new. I am keen to understand the thought behind it, how things work? How people live under duress? 

I am comfortable with abstract thoughts, space, creations. It doesn’t scare me. I try to use empathy to understand and interpret. 

I am adaptable. I can talk to a villager as well as a philosopher or scientist. While I enjoy talking to an intelligent person or deep thinker more. I do enjoy conversations with simpletons. However I hate to waste my time on people who are capable but like to dumb their intelligence.🤣🤣 

I am happy sleeping on a dhurie as much a cushy bed. I never forget my humble beginnings.

I have become a recluse as I have grown older. Which is an indication that I enjoy my own company. I reflect consciously. What I am faced with in thought does not scare me. Travelling Solo has opened a new way into my mind. I am face to face with thoughts I would like to brush under the mattress. Like how people hoard plastic bags under the mattress. Yet I know that isn’t a good thing.

I am self aware! 

Therefore I know I am more intelligent than the average janta 😇

P. S. 

While this is a class in psychology. Please laugh with me

😹😹😹😹😹

Maya and moving forward

Amar Chitra Katha has given me a lot of sanskar or teaching since I began reading them from Std. IV. At home too I learnt a lot from Shree Gondavalekar Maharaj’s literature whether it was his biography or pravachan. 

I try to apply it to my own life as a SthitPradnya. Because unless we look at our life from an outside angle we cannot cut away from the passion that attaches our ego to the body. 

While we live life we go through a lot of big and small experiences. I have tried to use each experience to work forward my soul’s journey. That is the only TRUTH. 

The recent experience made me sad. If I don’t use it for my growth it will be lost learnings. 

You must be wondering why I have used the ACK cover? This particular comic I read in school. When I did not have a clue about LOVE and MAYA. However deep down it taught me that Maya is the falseness in this world. It did help me to see through young men pursuing me when I was in college and university. I note while it was passion for the younger men it was a marriage DEAL as I grew older and met older men. 

I cannot deny that my perspective on LOVE and MARRIAGE stayed the same through life. The rose tinted glasses broke somewhere at 30 itself.

There are parts of my life which I will not talk about but cannot deny that they did not affect me. We all like to believe what a lovely childhood we had. Unbeknownst about the happenings around us. How we have been manipulated by life. Seeing through relationships and realising how we have been treated by our blood.

As we grow older we start making attempts to fix that life. As long as the facade is on everything looks hunky dory. Psychology tells us not to open about deep thoughts. As we throw open ourselves to scrutiny and judgment. 

My question is HOW LONG DO WE HOLD IT INSIDE TILL WE CRUMBLE? 

My blog is my home. I don’t meet even 2 people in a day in my reclusive life. So I don’t care about what I write here. Enjoy the toilet view people! 

You have supported me as a food blogger. I thank you for it. What I can advise is if you don’t focus on the toilet there is much beauty on the rest of my blog. Every person is made wonderful and also the unappealing. Look inwards yourself too.

This last month taught me a lot. That my thoughts go above a lot of people’s heads. It’s like in a child’s perspective where everything looks big and overwhelming! So I forgive the 🐜 ant minded people. You are meant to be workers. Keep doing it. Ignorance allows you to be happy in your world. 

So for me moving forward I will put to use this experience for my spiritual growth. I needed this फटका, this loss to realise what was I chasing? I can do without it.  Who knows? 

Naam Jap

Noting down here since 20 May my mind was filled with uncontrollable thoughts. Those thoughts at this point did not give me what I pursued. 

However right as I was going through the storm what has stayed strong is नाम. My practice of chanting Naam Jap. 

I am blessed I am aware. Shree Gondavalekar Maharaj loves his naughty child more I know. He has watched over me always and never allowed me to stray. 

🙇🏻‍♀️🌹

Tijori.ai by Prashant Dhonde

Happy to join my cousin Prashant Dhonde in his new venture Tijori.ai and help him build a strong growing business!

My role will be of Business Development Specialist in the field of Knowledge Management for families.

Wish us good luck! 🥥🥥🌸🌿

I am Sigma

I am a Sigma female. 

Not for the ordinary to understand.

Independent 

Values Relationships

Intimidating

Audacious

Opinionated 

Assertive

Sense of Humour

Compassionate

Deep Thinker

So Many Blessings To Count

The best thing in my life is this beautiful 104 yrs old home with a grand view. To have it in a metropolis like Mumbai and yet be surrounded by a green cover. Just 2 mins walk to the arterial road of Mumbai. I count my blessings every single day. An inheritance from my marital Cooper family 🙇🏻‍♀️🌹🌷

A warm furry child who thinks you are his world! 🐶🐾

Phodshi with Prawns

Phodshi is in season. Rainy season brings in the wild greens. These are supposed to lend immunity for the monsoons therefore must be cooked and enjoyed for the short time it is available. 

It has a garlicky flavour. Yet this tender Phodshi isn’t so strong in taste n flavour but milder. 

I have made Phodshi in zunka form and with chana dal so today since I had called in for freshwater prawns I cooked them with this seasonal green. It was delicious. Many loved the post on Instagram so thought I should share the recipe here. 

That will also break this series of emotional posts I made. When it means nothing I must not continue else I will end up in the abyss. I have to take care of myself. I have to live my life and I shall live it well.

Ingredients 

Onions 2 large chopped 

Freshwater prawns/ Seawater prawns 250 gms

Phodshi/KuLu 4 bundles cleaned and chopped 

Green chilies 2 nos.

KOLI masala 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder 0.5 teaspoon

Coconut oil 2 tablespoon

Curry leaves 1 sprig

In a vessel heat oil. Add curry leaves fry a bit. Add the green chilies chopped. Then crush the chopped onion with hand while adding to the hot oil. Fry till translucent. Add the washed cleaned prawns. Stir fry for 2 mins till pink. Follow in with the Phodshi. Tip in the Koli masala and turmeric. Mix well. Cook till the prawns are cooked and the Phodshi is wilted. 

Serve with roti or poli. Enjoy relishing as much as I did! 

On the plate : from Instagram post

Made phodshi / KuLu with one brinjal and freshwater prawns. Ofcourse with Koli masala. Inspiration was Esavan bhaaji from my native place. It was delicious to boot.

The gavar batata a standard Koli style. Always dependable. 

Bhagar and Poli. Aamti from the fridge. A kanda 🧅 tomato 🍅 koshimbir and a shenga pudi.

राम शाश्वत आहे

फक्त तूच आहेस माझा हात कायमचा धरणारा !

🙏🏽🌸

आज माझ्या मनात जे विचार तू दिलेस ती संधीच आहे. आभार 🙏🏽

Love What You Have

Love what you have! 

I am at my best health right now. Even though the downward spiral started in 2012 after the heart incident. I love this picture of me which I took on my phone with a timer and placed it on my luggage cart. It was at Bangalore airport when I returned to Mumbai and said I will return soon to BLR. I was so restless on hearing about MM’s surgery. He denied me even a visit to see him! 

I am thankful for Omid and Bubble in my life. Omid for his unconditional and infinite love. This picture was clicked when I came back to Mumbai from BLR. 

Bubble will love me till he grows up. Life has taught me that when kids grow up they no longer need you and stop reciprocating love, especially boys! 

However until I have that love I will hang on. Also I mention both of them on my blog for the first time today.

My wish is to be known as an embodiment of LOVE. While I am alive. I will be a loving mother to Omid. A loving aunt to those who are accepting. A loving person to people in my family and circle. 

I will give an ear to everyone who needs it. Try to understand people’s pain. Help when someone needs it. I have been doing it and will continue it.

A Reminder to Myself