Zindagi Safari

Sketch by Poonam Munshi   Imagine you’re in Africa in a wild safari…embarking on the adventure of a lifetime as you explore the spectacular wildlife. Majestic and beautiful creatures, looking at you from their herd with curiosity. You spot some really colorful and bright stripes that stand out. The giraffe with its long slender neck reaching out to the tallest branches, their bright brown spots and each with their unique pattern, so gracefully meandering through the African grasslands, with confidence and elegance. The giraffe is said to symbolize grace, peace, individuality and farsightedness. You spot a zebra, with its unique blend of black and white stripes which instantly remind me of Marty from Madagascar, whose humor cracks you up in the movie. Likewise, there will be many others like the African elephants, rhinoceros, impalas, buffaloes and so on, each with a unique set of characteristics and behavior. Now imagine our kids in a school playground. Each of the...

Story: Mitali Handique  |   Sketch: Poonam Munshi Yogah Karmasu Kausalam – these words stood with me from the many words that my father said during his yoga classes at our small recreational club in the campus, where he taught Yoga for free to whoever showed up at 5 in the morning. It means - Yoga is dexterity in action. The dexterity is bound to keep one ready for action in a relaxed attitude and efficiency is the outcome of all such actions performed. It talks about complete focus and dedication to action without thinking about the results – something that is the principal message of the Bhagawad Gita. Even in our day-to-day lives, we often find ourselves questioning our self-worth because we are too worried about the outcomes- what will people say or think and even before trying out any idea, we just abandon it. The Bhagawad Gita is based on the conversation between Arjun, the great archer and leader of the Pandavas and Lord Krishna. Arjun’s mind is overcome by...