Ah Woman

He would have never left for dense forests…..no matter what was at stake….it could have been an entire eternity . Leaving Yashodhara his wife was no big deal. This could have been the story of an ordinary man in quest of anything but self. To be able to leave Rahul, his son…is the question. If Buddha were a mom he would have never been able to forsake his small son …not for anything….not even Self. History has been a witness that even enlightened women or women in quest of Truth have never abandoned their children in favor of even God Himself. Before leaving his innocent child sleeping …these probably would have been the thoughts that would have troubled him or rather her….to trace just a few... . She would have looked at him again and again and yet again only to think… Who would feel for you dear son with the same one-ness with you as I do….feel the tears in one’s eyes and smiles in one’s heart as I do.. Who will wake up in the middle of the night when you are in fever to see that eve...

“ Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam”, translated from Sanskrit will mean “this entire earth is my family.” This is what the sages felt and lived centuries back. And not just the sages, even the ordinary man loved and respected Nature. The sun. the moon, the earth were all gods. Sounds primitive, no? But think of it. The concept is definitely wiser now that we stand on the brink of losing our earth forever if we do not wake up . Let’s not take this precious gift to us as granted. This is the womb from where our bodies came, this is the mother who nurtures us,................bearing our weight as we walk over its bosom unmindfully..........forgiving us, ............and the ultimate rest place when we no shall no longer be in our bodies. Think at least once before switching on your ACs, using detergent powders,cutting off trees,tearing off papers insanely…………..and well you know the list is so long. Let us come together. We indeed are one family. Let us join hands for this beautiful earth – our home....

There was a time I must confess when I did not want to become a mother. I wondered why people were over populating this beautiful earth. I always felt that people should bring babies from the orphanage and love them as their own which is something I feel for even today. Why have surrogate mothers, why have cousins or relatives reproduce for you when there are so many in the world waiting for you. Destiny however chooses its own course. Six years back I became mamma to my beautiful daughter. Six years back I became mamma to every child. And then gradually as my heart melted for any child whom I knew or knew not, it dawned to me why motherhood is so important a milestone in the journey of a woman as a woman. Some women give birth to a number of children and never become mothers. Some women never conceive never give birth to a single child and are mothers in every sense of the word. Motherhood does not seem to be a word coined for women who merely become instruments in the hands of nature...

Recently I put my daughter in a new school. While retuning home the six year old said suddenly, "when I grow up I'll be having some more freedom, isn't it" Fredom? I was puzzled. It had never occurred to me that there was any lack of freedom in her world. She had almost everything she needed or desired. And there were very few things I ever said no to or denied to her simply respecting her as a human - being........... free and beautiful ...........whichever way she was. I said what freedom? She said "well it's a big school and I am a big girl now so after school may be you wouldn't say anything if I go out with my friends have some fun and then get back home."and added, "of course when I grow up a little." I remember mumbling something trying to sound wise and reasonable about why parents need to be protective about the child etc. etc. all of which she listened with patience and almost with a sympathetic acceptance. She did not mention the...