This week’s brunch will begin with a wound.

It is best to eat the bitter dishes first so that the rest of the meal can be enjoyed in peace. This post is almost as if the universe were telling me, “Watch, notice. This is what happens when the spirit is wounded. This is the effect, take heed, beware!”

Dish #1:

Ruchira Shukla’s spectacular travelogues may be found at Nirjharini. Armed with a camera and a discerning eye, she weaves digital stories as she moves. Read an account of a recent trip she took with her friend. There are no pictures in this travelogue but you never miss them. Her words are vibrant and harsh like raw colors, her perceptions create pools of darkness and light which amaze you with their depth.

I always knew this lady to be courageous. With this piece, she has shown me the size of her courage. It is not easy to face your own helpless rage when you witness something like this- up close and personal. To go out and seek it voluntarily and let it scar you forever is not easy. Here is an excerpt from the account:

Later, while having dinner at one of South Bombay’s famous sea facing Cafes, I still couldn’t get the caged animals out of my mind. The cages made me remember something I had read once and I asked my friend if she had heard about ‘The cages of Falkland Road’. Read more at: Caged Within

Almost by magic, the universe guides me to the next step to take in response to the warning issued in the last one. Men and women are two sides of a coin. When one is at dis- ease, the other must bear the brunt of it. To ease the suffering of the one, the other must be healed. How does one do that?

Dish #2:

Bhavana Nissima’s blog Tilling The Earthwoman is as peaceful as home. Just as you cannot contain the ocean in bottle, so also can you not describe her with words. Her words build bridges within me to unknown places. I see things I never saw before; I am shown shades of life I never experienced before. My words cannot do her justice. Instead, let her speak for herself that you may get a glimpse of this awe inspiring lady:

I realize now that there was never a need for us (women) to be emancipated. There was never a need to transform and change and become this and that. It was not us but men who need emancipation. Read more at Man: You Need Emancipation

Healing one side of the coin is a long process. While the wheels are set in motion, what solace can be given to the other side? Perhaps the best thing to do is to remind her of her true nature. When a bruised spirit sights her homeland on the horizon, her flagging steps quicken. Her heart is lightened and her drooping head lifts itself to look ahead with hope and joy.

Dish #3:

At the beginning of the week, I found a piece at Rebelle Society on witches. This is how a witch is defined:

Witches love the earth, and worship nature. I repeat, Nature, not Satan. The latter is a myth — including that we are wart-on-nose Halloween-mask-scary ugly — that we owe to Patriarchal Hollywood movies. Read about the 13 signs that you are a witch.

After that I am taken to this piece which reiterates our need for connections, for friendships.

Dish #4:

Brenda Davis Harsham spins Friendly Fairy Tales for kids. Her stories have a strong element of unrestrained imagination- the kind that appeals to little humans a lot. I know the little humans in my house have been tickled pink by her stories because you never know what will happen next! I can’t think of a bigger recommendation! The post I am sharing is on friendships; how to find and nurture them. A vital lesson, you will agree:

I don’t suppose you have many friends. Neither do I. I don’t trust people who say they have a lot of friends. It’s a sure sign that they don’t really know anyone. – Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Read More at: Finding Friends Haībun

Human beings aren’t all we connect to; we do not only find solace in conversation. We connect to the universe in many ways and the threads that connect us are delicate. It could be a sunrise; or perhaps music.

Dish #5:

The Lady in Number 6 is one of the most inspirational stories ever told. 109 year old, Alice Herz Sommer, the world’s oldest pianist and oldest holocaust survivor, shares her views on how to live a long happy life. She discusses the vital importance of music, laughter and having an optimistic outlook on life. This powerfully inspirational video tells her amazing story of survival and how she managed to use her time in a Nazi concentration camp to empower herself and others with music.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oxO3M6rAPw?rel=0%5D

After that calming, bracing video, here is a belly laugh to round off the whole week and take you forward to the next one.

Dish #6:

Alka Gurha’s  penetrating wit coupled with a fine sense of outrage that is the hallmark of all decent people, enable her to write posts which make outstanding reads. Her blog, Freebird  is about free will, she says. Politics and current affairs provide her the ammunition to shoot down the many stuffed shirts- those with big mouths and long tongues but missing grey cells- this great nation of ours provides unstintingly. Here is an excerpt:

Just when I thought I had enough, Mulayam Ji dared Modi Ji and implied that Modi ji’s ‘aukat’ was not enough to change the fortunes of UP. Modi ji, in his testosterone dipped voice roared that you need a ‘chappan inch ka seena’ to govern a state. Read more at Mad Men, Dacoits and Item Girls

Bonus Dish:

A run- of- the- mill dispute over a garden floodlight turns into a series of mail exchanges which were simply hilarious. I mean really, there is something sublime and uplifting about this post. Do, DO read: http://www.quickmeme.com/p/3vrw3r

Dessert:

  1. Sirens Spell Danger- Book Review– When fellow bloggers get published the biggest reason to rejoice is that you can just smell your turn coming next.
  2. Do Without Doing– When there is absolute resonance within and without, you reach a state where you move mountains with astounding ease. This is because you have learned to Do Without Doing.
  3. When You Grow Up– When you are favored of the gods as you and I are, you will meet people whom you will want to emulate. Merely by being who they are, they will give you a vision for your life.

Lastly, in honor of India’s Republic Day today, here is a thought.

Many good things came about from nearly 200 years of British rule. For one thing, India united under one flag. The western talent for mechanics and tool building has been of immense advantage to us. But we’ve paid a terrible price for the benefits. We learned to look down upon our own ethos and culture. We forgot our own wisdom.

As we celebrate the 65th birthday of our Republic, tell me, were the benefits worth the price we paid?

Ganatantra Amar Rahe! (Long live the Republic!)

Picture: Altered Google Image
Picture: Altered Google Image