Its the return of the NRI. Only this time, NRI stands for Non-Respected Indian.

Its all over the news. Racism against residing Indians in Australia. Racism here. Riots there.

NRIs, Non-Resident Indians, as they should correctly be called are becoming the scapegoat species.

Back in India, we are the Non-Returning Indians, the Non-Reliable Indians. We cannot voice our concerns to the ones living back in India because obviously we 'don't know how it feels' since we don't live there. We cannot critique something about India or else we will be branded and be told stuff such as, "Oh firangi already! Arey, this is India. This is how we work." And it gets worse. We even get told that people who do not live in the country should not say anything about the country.

In our adopted countries, we are just (sometimes, maybe more now given the economic times) seen as the Non-Required Indians. Initially, it was being seen as conservatives to now being called job-stealers.

Sometimes it does give an overall feeling that we do not belong anywhere. Living in Canada and interacting with so many other nationalities, I've realized that this feeling is not limited to the Indian diaspora. Other nationalities too feel similarly and it is obviously not categorized in the way the NRIs are subjected but in their own issues.

The fact of the matter is what is it that the NRIs don't do for their homeland as well as their adopted country. Be it helping their homeland monetarily or serving the adopted country through businesses, we do our part. Even then, we are still treated as we do not belong.

What can we do to change that? Should we do something to change that? These are open questions.

Will the near future change all this? Will NRI stand for Now-Required Indians? New Resplendent Indians?

There are too many people, and too few human beings. ~Robert Zend

Ever thought of times when you are going through so much at the time and suddenly it all sorts itself out? It seems as if it was all of a sudden but later on comes a realization that it was a convergence of many past moments slowly making its way towards a solution that materializes into the resolving moment.

Each moment carries its own set of solution component to a particular life problem. And it varies with every person. Some choose to see the preciousness of this moment. Some choose not to. Some just are not able to see it.

Personally, I make sure I give this moment my most sincere attention. It is not easy. I falter. I notice. I get back on track. It is like a cycle that happens every single day.

There are times when questioning a current situation, be it personal, communal or global, becomes increasingly hard to ignore.But then, answers materialize as and when they are meant to.

So here's to those moments. Enjoy.

Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at this moment ~ Eckhart Tolle

Yes. To the four mothers.

First, the biological mother or the adoptive mother (The Mata, Maa): the one who gives birth to you. She is the one who bring you in this world and looks after you until you no longer need her (or that’s what you think!)

Second, the Mother Land (The Matrubhoomi): the country, the land that you are born in; The one who gives you an identity beyond your family.

Next, the Adopted Land (The Karma bhoomi ): the one that you move to; the country where you live, earn and settle.

Finally, Mother Nature (The Shakti, The Creative Power of the Universe): the power, the energy that allows all of the above to exist in herself.

It’s such a big deal to be a mother: To be the one to conceive, to give birth, to create another life form. Inexplicable.

Appreciating parents is a major part of the Indian culture. How honestly are we doing so is something that is a debatable topic. Either way, hailing from this culture, I know what the status of biological parents is in a person’s life.

The idea of Matrubhoomi was introduced to me when I was a lot younger whilst watching Mahabharat on Doordarshan. A person owes loyalties, has a duty towards the land that he or she is born in.

The same is true for Karmabhoomi. One also has a duty towards the adopted land. Moving to another country has its perks. So if you intend to enjoy the perks, you should also make sure that a sense of duty is also involved. It is part of ethical living.

And of course there is Mother Nature. Most people think of Mother Nature when there are storms brewing or something out of human control occurs. When everything is running ‘normally’, no one seems to think about Her. It is not news how majorly humans have messed up this beautiful blue planet. I think it’s high time, we show some appreciation in this aspect as well.

Having said all of this, I don’t think just one day is enough to show a mother how appreciated she is. So make sure, the next time you see or think about any one of these mothers…say a little prayer of gratitude. She deserves it.

Happy Mother's Day weekend!!!

The sweetest sounds to mortals given
Are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven. ~William Goldsmith Brown

As I had mentioned in my previous post, the principal deity of all Nagars is Lord Hatkeshwar.

Every year Hatkeshwar Patotsav, also known as Ochchav, is celebrated by all Nagars. The Hatkeshwar Jayanti falls on the Chaudus (fourteenth) of the Chaitra month in the Hindu calender. It is believed that Lord Shiva incarnated as Lord Hatkeshwar on this day.

The celebrations include puja, and a procession called Palakhi no Varghodo.

The day begins with decorating the deity and then begins the puja. There are recitations of Rudrabhishekh, recitals of the Shivmahimna Stotra and so on. In the evening, the Lord is taken around town in a varghodo (procession) symbolizing the arrival of the Lord in the lives of Nagars. After that, all of the people gathered go to the Hatkeshwar temple to perform puja.

The Patotsav is almost always a proper Nagar feast.

Memories: Personally, I attended the Ochchav every year whilst I was in India. I have fond memories surrounding this day. Even though it almost always happened that the Ochchav fell on a school day, so we were not able to attend the entire day’s puja but we made sure that we went to the temple as soon as school was done. All the Nagars in the city converged to meet at the old city Hatkeshwar temple.

Everyone took to the streets as the procession got ready to make a round of the old city. The Palkhi was preceded by kids dressed up in a variety of costumes ranging from Lord Shiva to fairies. Some were on horses while others opted to walk in procession. Following all of this, came the Palkhi carried on the shoulders of men who in no way showed a sign of pain from carrying the doli. The others walked chanting the name of Shiva, along with filling the air with gulal and giving out oblations to the believers. Something like this

After the Palkhi was taken back to the temple, we visited the temple and prayed before heading home. In the back of our minds, these words keep reverberating

Namami Natkeshwaram
I bow to you, Lord Natkeshwar
Bhajami Hatkeshwaram
I worship you, Lord Hatkeshwar

I somehow tend to give out some kinda impression that I am south Indian. And when I clarify that I am Gujarati, I get "Oh so you're a Patel, is it?". So I have decided to explain who I am. This post is in no way meant to prove any kind of hierarchy of Caste-ism. It is just plain information about the way of life of Nagars.

Yes, that's what I am. I am a Nagar. [pronounced as 'Naa-gar']

Origins: The earliest reference of the Nagar community is in the‘Nagar Khand’ of Skand Puran, believed to be written between 300 and 770 AD.

It is believed that Nagars came across the borders to Kashmir and then they spread out in the states of Rajasthan, Punjab, Utter Pradesh, Bengal, Malva, and Gujarat.

Another belief that some historians have is that the Nagars are descendants of the Greek soldiers that married girls of Kashmiri pundits when Alexander invaded India.

Irrespective of the place of origin, Nagars finally settled in Vadnagar in Gujarat and then slowly spread out to other places. This led to naming the Nagars from the cities that they settled in. There are six primary factions : Vadnagra (Nagars from Vadnagar), Visnagra (Nagars settled in Visnagar), Sathodra (settled in Sathod), Chittroda (settled in Chittrod), Prashnora (settled in Prashnipur) and Krushnora (settled in Krishna village).

Symbols of Nagars:

* Kalam (Pen) representing intellectual proficiency
* Kadchhi (Ladle) representing culinary talent
* Barchhi (Small Spear) denoting valour,courage and willingness to stand for justice and rights of the weak and poor.

Music runs in the Nagar family.

Principal Deity: Lord Hatkeshwar (Shiva) is the ishtadev of all Nagars. It specifically refers to a Shivlingam.

The temple of Lord Hatkeshwar in Vadnagar is one of the most important ones for the Nagars.

Apart from this, all festivities in the Sanatan Dharm is shared by the Nagars. But the worship of Shiva remains a priority.

Famous Nagars : Narsinh Mehta

To be continued...

Jai Hatkesh

Go with the Flow.

I was one of those people who had a really hard time to go with the flow. I used to think that only dead fish go with the flow. I had forgotten that there is a reason that fishes swim against the flow and since I am definitely not a fish, I had no reason to go against the flow.

I had forgotten that it is necessary to completely go through a phase to actually get something out of it. I didn't realise that fighting was never an option.

I should give more credit to the Power that works this Universe.

How can a man's life keep its course
If he will not let it flow?
Those who flow as life flows know
They need no other force;
They feel no wear, they feel no tear,
They need no mending, no repair. ~ Witter Bynner

I just don't understand this world that we live in. It leaves me aghast when I hear certain news. This world has truly lost its way and the people in power have lost all sense of priority. Insanity is no longer a term that can be used. Humans have crossed the limits that once were bound within the definition of insanity.

Get this : South Africa bars The Dalai Lama from a Peace Conference.

Think about this. Isn't that ironic? Barring The Dalai Lama to please China while hosting a peace conference...What an idea! [More on this issue here]

Many Nobel Laureates withdrew from the conference after this news broke out. Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? It has obviously stirred major controversy world-wide. And why wouldn't it? Any person would be compelled to think about what is really going on.

Bringing it closer to home, Indian Premier League, the festival of Cricket, is in the talks for being shifted to South Africa because it clashes with the general elections in India.

Am I the only one who thinks this is stupidity? Is IPL more important than the elections in India? Don't get me wrong. I absolutely LOVE cricket. I do, with all my heart. But I truly dislike IPL. Who do the sponsors and owners think they are? Even the cricketers are saying nothing about it. Most of the players are going to be Indian. Don't they think it is necessary to be in the country and vote and make your voice heard in these times of so much uncertainty and insecurity?

Is an international Peace conference complete without The Dalai Lama?

Is a sport more important than the country?

Is any government, any minister serving 'the people'?

My day has been full of questions. I cannot stop mulling over these issues. I realise I am just one of the billions of people on this planet who is trying so hard to make the issues heard.

Is anyone listening? Anybody??


The government, which was designed for the people, has got into the hands of the bosses and their employers, the special interests. An invisible empire has been set up above the forms of democracy. ~Woodrow Wilson

I don't understand one thing: When a person eats at someone else's place (be it dinner or lunch), they tend to think guests have a major appetite for food. I mean I totally understand the whole etiquette of, you know, persuading guests to have some more food. What I don't understand is the comments I get to hear. For instance, after I finished my lunch at this family's place, the aunty there said, "Oh are you done already? How come?! Are you dieting??!" and I sheepishly answered, "Oh no, aunty, I've had enough food for one day." But in reality, I'm thinking I am done because I'm full. Where on earth does the 'dieting' thing come from?

Its not just this once that it has happened to me. Happens all the time. I mean, okay I understand that I'm not exactly what's called 'slim' but I guess when girls don't eat more, the only thing people think is that maybe she's figure-conscious. As if that's the only thing girls think about. I guess that's the way society is. Girls have to be picture perfect.

From what my friend told me about her experiences with this whole deal with a guy and his family coming to 'see' a potential bride and what not, it really is annoying. When a guy is looking for a girl to get married, the first thing you hear 'Slim, beautiful, fair, so-n-so tall' as if they're looking for some product on sale. And THE MOST annoying thing of it all, the guy never seems to think how he looks. I mean he's got standards that, most of the time, he himself doesn't meet.

I wonder how things will be with me. I really do and sometimes it makes me anxious and scared. There are so many what-ifs, especially when I know I can talk...a lot. I hear things are changing now. It's not as it was before. I hope so.

There's hope. There always is.

Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you? ~Fanny Brice

Certain things happen. Just like that. Totally randomly. And then there are things for which no amount of planning can produce results. Like a certain trip that's in the plans for weeks, months or even years, but something or the other pops up and results in the cancellation of the trip.

One such trip we had been planning for the longest time, it just didn't seem to work out. This past saturday, our plans lined up with the plans of the Universe and we were able to visit the temple we've been wanting to visit since ages. Everything unfolded correctly that time. We reached there in time for the puja. For the first time, after leaving India, it felt as if we're really at a mandir (temple). The vibes resonated with the vibes that are felt when visiting a temple in India. It was just so relaxing. Just being there and listening to the chantings made all the stress and fatigue wear away.

Totally rejuvenated with the visit to the mandir, I was looking forward to my trip with volunteers for C.R.Y to a local university. We were to give a presentation at the Indian Cultural show they had organised. We hoped to recruit some volunteers as well. That went extremely well. We were very well received by the hosts and the audience too responded with interest in our cause. [More details on this in a later post]

While we were there, we had people come up to us with questions and suggestions to help us reach greater number of audience to spread awareness for Child Rights. We also had quite a few students from the university sign up for volunteering with us. Talking to some of them initially, I was amazed as how either someone turned out to be from the same city as me in India or even how we have some mutual friends.

All the activities of the day had left me feeling a lot of gratitude towards life. As if that was not enough, on my drive back that night, I just saw a shooting star. Just like that. It was quite an eyeful event. There it was. A Shooting Star.

The sunday was a day of total relaxation : had a hearty Gujarati meal, watched a movie and got enough sleep. Even a day like this is worth a lot of gratitude.

“I can't control my destiny, I trust my soul, my only goal is just to be. There's only now, there's only here. Give in to love or live in fear. No other path, no other way. No day but today.” ~ Johnathan Larson