Well, Vishu is celebrated every year on the 14th of April. The celebrations are rather sober.....The previous night, a big plate is placed in the puja arena and filled with an assortment of fruits and a couple of vegetables, rice, pulses, money, gold/jewellery and all of these are arranged in such a way that they are reflected in a mirror. Among the things adorning the plate are usually apples,oranges, mangoes (raw and ripe), tomatoes, a snake-gourd, jackfruit, grapes and bananas plus a bowl of rice, dals, some gold/silver and money in the form of coins and notes. The morning of Vishu, we walk blindfolded (as in, with eyes closed) and the first thing that we look into is the plate. The idea is to usher in the new year by first looking at things that please the eyes........it's like this!
You look at all those pulses/rice grains and ask god to give you enough of them to last the year. The fruits/vegetables are a luxury you further seek. And the money and gold are pleasures and richness, fortune and luck that we wish befall us in the year to come! Looking at oneself in the mirror renews the faith that one has in oneself and signals the fact that "Each person is special in this world in their own special way" and that "Everyone of us is one of the beautiful creations of God"!!!! It's all about pleasing the senses in the light of a new dawn that is expected to bring with it new hopes, dreams and opportunities! On this day, people usually wear new clothes as the day is auspicious, new beginnings are made and people visit the temple! (I did, too!) On this day, the elder members of the household give some money to all the younger members as a token gift......
The rest of the celebrations associated with Vishu are in the feast.....there is nothing particular that is to be made or consumed.....just anything that one considers special for the occasion! A sweet dish is a given item on the menu!
So that's about Vishu.....it's celebration time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For me, more than anything, its the spirit of the festival that is exciting...the prospect of actually spending a few moments early in the morning looking at some of the things that we ordinarily wouldn't so much as glance at, to appreciate the goodness of the little things in life and to thank God for each new day!!!! So, Happy New Year once again friends!!!
While at beauty, let me have the honour of presenting my thoughts on true beauty embodied in this poem of mine!!! Hope you like it!!
TRUE BEAUTY
We speak of beauty
As though it's a commodity;
We see beauty in the seas and skies
We also speak of beauty in the face and eyes!
But when we use the term beauty,
With so much variety and diversity;
I doubt whether we really realize
What beauty truly signifies!
When we speak of beautiful faces
We may be pointing at those
Who have striking features
Like hazel eyes and a chiselled nose!
Beauty is often equated with good looks
Like a svelte frame and silky locks
Sadly, the term fails to permeate
That treasure which is innate!
When we speak of the seas and skies
And rains and rainbows
Or thrushes, robins and magpies
And pigeons and crows,
We say that they are replete
With beauty of a kind
That appeals to all the senses
And brings joy to the mind!
What does this imply?
What am I trying to say?
I'm convinced that true beauty
Lasts for longer than a day!
Beauty is not that
Which catches the eye
It is that which penetrates the mind
And gives you a high!
Beauty is not just looks
That would be just pretty
But beauty is more than that
It's a heart of gold and a glimmer in the eye!
It is free-flowing love and compassion
Towards everybody
That makes a person appear beautiful
To all and sundry!
Beauty is that which gives joy
Beauty induces the mind's eye
Beauty satiates all the senses
Beauty is a part of life
Beauty exists in everybody, waiting to show
Beauty is self-evident, in the facial glow
Beauty revels and happiness brings
In all of life's littlest things!!!!
Hope we are all able to spot the beauty in all we see and appreciate it as a means to eternal happiness!!!!!
Tally-ho!!
3 comments:
3 tymz a day is toooo much even by my standards ........ but wat d heck {its becoming 1 of my standard comments}.
Jokes apart i want to commend u for explaining the true meaning of the festival in a way only u cud{actually i never really understood why we did all these things}
I earned quite a lot today surprisingly. But i really dont want it. any ways i make sure mom knows whatever i need to buy.So i dont need any money of my own. So its going into my savings deposit in blore.
Missing u loadz ......... all of us.
a very happy vishu to evry 1 in mumbai from my side.
special regards to vignesh and vaishnavi.
Brilliant !!! The poem I mean . . the article was also very thought provoking and more than that very informative. . as you might have read my blog intro you might have got the idea about me being not very religious but it was definitely very nice to know about the blindfolded ritual that you would supposedly perform. .Something which most people would have forgotten. .About my writing skills, well its way better than my talking skill(which as you know is not that gr8t, trying to be humble thats all haha) and I guess there was no better way to justify myself being a part of my college's editorial board for two years. .About the magazine well two years down the line if you make it to IIM Bangalore, Will show it to you opr say sometime I come to Mumbhai. But I am not really the poem's MAN more into prose cos POEMS really need a hell lot of concentration or you should be on a high. . But i should thank you for introducing me to the blog concept. . I mean its like getting printed. .If you end up on your college ED board and actually see the printing process with your own eyes, you will really cherish because its an amazing process. . And moreover for me it was more amazing because bein a mech engineering the machines turned out to be mechanical wonders. .And dont give me teh humble reply that you are not tht gr8t to get into ed board and stuff. .Frankly I would have loved it if you would have taken enggi in my coll. .It would have been a pleasure working with you. .Its a complement worth keeping cos on the literary side not many ppl get it from me
And ya about the girl. .Well TUMSE ACCHA KAUN HAI..Just kidding. .Isko boltey hain Khullam Khulla flirting. .OK OK actually will be postin another poem on ELEMENTS which i serioulsy feel i a perfect add on to your really well written article . .check it out and tell me. . And ya
What does this imply?
What am I trying to say?
I'm convinced that true beauty
Lasts for longer than a day!
Beauty is not that
Which catches the eye
It is that which penetrates the mind
And gives you a high!
Really liked this para .. Beauty(either internal or external) can give you a high and that high can stay in forever. .
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