WHEN SOULMATES MEET

When soulmates meet - a poetry

He was just a passerby for her in the crowded market

She was in her own thoughts, in her own dilemma

Every day she meets so many people, she knows some of them

While others are strangers to her,

But a day comes in everyone's life when the inner soul of yours, sees their soul mate and

You don't even have a sign that you meet your soul mate.

Her inner soul forces her to turn to see him again and again but

Her conscious mind only says to ignore it.

You have right to do your karma, you have the right to plan your future but

You don't have any right to intervene in the decision of your destiny.

For her, she has her own plannings for future,

But for destiny, he is the ultimate planner for her.

That day both the inner souls saw one another

They know they complete one another, but your body only feels a kind of restlessness

You are confused to know why you feel so uneasiness,

The same vision of the crowded market

Again and again, come in front of your eyes

Perhaps, your soul giving you the signs of knowing something eternal

She again saw that guy

He saw her again

But this time, they both smile to see one another like they know one another from a long time

They feel strange later, about why they behave like that

Even they both didn't know one another

But they also feel a kind of unknown satisfaction about what they did

Yes, this time they want to talk one another but also feel unassuming to talk first.

But how can one deal with this stubborn soul who forces you to talk to

That guy

Finally, they both move toward each other,

Soon, they like the company of one another...

It was not the matter of attraction between two people

But the matter of two souls who eagerly have a wish to unite

These souls know that this is not the first time they are with each other

But they know that they know each other from so many lives

They only separate in one life to unite again in another life

THE DAY OF PROPOSAL

He is very nervous to think about how he proposes her

For him, he is not only proposing her like he only loves her just as a

Human being,

He is proposing her like he knows it very well that she is his only

Soulmate, her half soul from so many previous births

He always has a belief that one day he will meet her who complete him

Not at the physical level but at the eternal level also

Today she is in front of him and via his words,

He is expressing his eternal feelings for her

THE FEELINGS OF INSEPARABLE LOVE

The way you cares for me,

The way you love me,

The emotional bonding between us is inseparable

Wherever I will be you will always be with me

WILL YOU BE MINE NOT ONLY IN THIS LIFE BUT IN EVERY LIFE?

Its your life - its your journey (don't regret at the last)

   

It's YOUR LIFE - ITS YOUR JOURNEY

                   

She opened her eyes but she was still dreaming
She was sleeping but dreaming like it was the reality.

The happiest person she sees herself in the world

she remembered her innocent childhood where she was free

from all the boundings. She saw herself roaming here to there without any restrictions

Every day she had a new ambition, one day she wants to become a doctor another day she 

want to go in the space then another day she wants to be a singer, that time no one pressurizes her 

to become only that what her family wants her to be.

She runs here to there, fall numbers of time but never felt hurt and stood up in a second

like nothing had happened.

She saw another picture of her life where she saw as a teenager.

the age where she had lots of news dreams, lots of new wishes in her life

she knew she can do anything, she wanted to achieve so many things 

she had a group of special friends with whom she shared all her thoughts,

life was full of enthusiasm for her.

The age where she felt her first crush, the age where all her friends acted crazy like her

What an amazing time that was where one side you had anxiety for the board's examinations 

but also had so much fun with friends and amazing memories of your school days.

But this time her life became serious for her.

Who cares what she wanted to do in her life, all that her parents want is she

had to do what they said to her to get a secured future.

THE SECURED BUT UNSATISFIED FUTURE...

She wanted to raise her voice but unknown fears stop her and she accepted her as

a destiny or an as a wish of her parents.

 The new journey of college life where you met your new friends

some are real and some are fake ones.

some fight for you while some fight with you.

How can one forget the first love of their life where you feel

special kind of feelings for someone.

where a guy follows you every day to impress you and

finally you got impressed by his efforts.

it was a place of first love for so many guys but who knows it will

last forever or life has another plan for you.

you study your subjects like a burden, all over the tensions of

those unwanted examinations but you know it very well that it was your choice to

accept this fate.

you choose to afraid from this society, you choose not to raise your voice for your dreams

in front of your parents.

You choose to live the rest of your life which you never wanted for you

but not to fight for your dreams for few days.

She got a placement in a company from the college campus,

it was a happy moment for her but not the happiest moment.

The daily routine she follows to go to the office at 8 and return home at 7

This life is not bad but this is the life she bears it every day like an unwanted

burden.

She has the courage to leave this unwanted journey of life and start a new life where

she sees herself the happiest person but again the barriers which

she created for herself stop her.

she accepted this journey as her destiny but she also knows that all this is not her

destiny, it's her fears.

fear from society, fear from Parents, fear and only fears.......

At this point in time, she had no time

she is dying on this road, she just faced an accident.

Here she knows this life is very short, you don't know what moment become the

last moment of your life.

you die alone, no one shares a death bad with you.

it was her journey not any one's other.

This time she has a regret of not doing what she wanted to do.

what she wanted in her life.

HER LAST WORDS:

"This was my life why I didn't live my life according to me"

              

Raksha Bandhan - Origin of this festival and real story behind it.

RAKSHA BANDHAN - ORIGIN OF THIS FESTIVAL AND REAL STORY BEHIND IT.

    Celebrating the traditional festival of  Raksha Bandhan in India is around 6000 years old. According to the origin of this festival, it came into existence around 6000years back when Aryans came to the land of Indus Valley, after the disaster of the Indus valley civilization. But the main celebration of this festival started after the period of Atharva Veda.The traditional festival of Raksha Bandhan, in which the sisters tie Rakhi on the hand of their brothers is accepted as a symbol of respect and love between brothers and sisters where brother promises their sisters to protect them from any obstacles and situations.But the point is why we celebrate Raksha Bandhan? What is the real story behind this festival?

According to the Hindu religion, some of the mythological pieces of evidence show the real reasons behind celebrating this festival. Here, is not a single story which depicts the main reason behind the celebration of this festival but there is more than one story to be believed as a reason behind the celebration of Raksha Bandhan.

THE STORY OF GODDESS LAKSHMI AND THE KING BALI

The King Mahabali who was actually a demon but a great devotee of the God Vishnu.

Lord Vishnu who was very much impressed and touched after watching the devotion of King Bali toward him, decided to leave his original home Vaikuntha and decided to live with  Bali so that he can always protect the kingdom of Bali and live with their devotee.but the wife of Lord Vishnu, Goddess Lakshmi was very sad because of this decision of her husband as she did not want to spend her life without her husband so she decided to do something to get her husband back to Vaikuntha.

Goddess Lakshmi went to the kingdom of King Bali as a refugee Brahman woman and took her permission to live in his kingdom for some days as a refugee and the king accepted her request. On the day of Shravan Purnima, she tied a sacred thread or a rakhi on the wrist of king Bali and then revealed her real identity. The king felt very much touched and emotional when she said to accept him as her brother and said to him to request her husband Lord Vishnu to come back Vaikuntha with her as she never imagines her life without him.  

King Bali who was very much affected to see the love of her sister toward her husband so he requested Lord Vishnu to return back to Vaikuntha with Goddess Lakshmi. It is believed that from that day every year on the day of Shravan Purnima, brothers invite their sisters to come and tie Rakhi or a sacred thread on their hand and in return, they promise their sister to protect her in every situation.

THE STORY OF LORD KRISHNA AND DRAUPADI

Once to protect the Good over evil, Lord Krishna killed the evil King Shishupal. In the war between the evil King Shishupal and  Lord Krishna, The Lord was hurt and his wrist was injured due to which the blood flowing out from his wrist when Draupadi saw that, she worried and torn a strip of cloth from her sari and tied around the wrist to stop the bleeding. 

Lord Krishna felt very much touched and affectionate to see the concern of Draupadi toward him.He promised Draupadi to return back this debt when she needed in future. During the game of gambling between Pandavas and Kauravas. When Pandavas lost Draupadi in the game of dice, and Karavas were removing her sari during that time Lord Krishna helped her by elongating her sari so that they couldn't remove that. This way Krishna protected her as a brother. People have a belief that like Krishna every brother protect their sister in every situation.

STORY BEHIND TIE RAKHI TO NEPHEW

Once when Lord Ganesha celebrating Rakhi with her sister his son Shubh and Labh also requesting and insisting him that they also want a sister who ties Rakhi on their wrist that time Lord Ganesha's sister tied Rakhi on the wrist of Shubh and Labh so from that time the brother's sister also ties rakhi to their nephews. Besides this, Santoshi maa as a sister of Shubh and Labh tied Rakhi on their wrist. 

There are two another most significant stories behind celebrating Raksha Bandhan but both of those stories are not mythological and belongs to normal humans.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND KING PURU

Another oldest reference of the festival of Raksha Bandhan belong to 300 BC. During the time of war between the great king Alexander and the King Puru. The wife of Alexander was very much concerned regarding the life of her husband. Once when Alexander's wife came to know about the festival of Raksha Bandhan she approached to King Puru and tied Rakhi to him, in return Puru promised her as her brother to not to kill her brother in the war. During the time of war when once Alexander was injured badly in the war and Puru had an opportunity to kill Alexander, he didn't kill him because he promised his wife as his sister to not kill her husband.This symbolizes the significance of Rakhi and this festival.

RANI KARNAVATI AND EMPEROR HUMAYUN

Another most significant story held during the medieval period. Rani Karnavati, the queen of Chittoor who was the widow of Chittoor's king when once was in a trouble because of the Emperor of Gujarat Bahadur Shah who wanted to capture the kingdom of Chittoor, Rani Karnavati who believed Humayun as her brother. She sent him a Rakhi and a letter in which she requested her to protect her kingdom from the invaders. When Humayun came to know about this, he immediately marched toward Chittoor to protect her sister who was in trouble. This another historical real incident story symbolize the importance of Rakhi.

 

Theemithi...People have to Walk on fire in this festival of India.

THEEMITHI - WALKING ON FIRE

People have to walk on fire in this festival

Theemithi which is also known as the walking on fire is mainly originated in Tamil Nadu and then after it spread in Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malesia, Mauritius, Reunion, South Africa and other countries. This festival is mainly celebrated in the month of Aippasi of the Tamil calendar that means the first Monday which falls around July and August. The Fire walking ceremony commences in the honour of the goddess Draupadi who is the main female person of the epic Mahabharata. She is also considered as the incarnation of Goddess Mariamman. It has a belief of the people that Draupadi also walked over the fire in South Indian ritual like goddess Mariamman of SRI MARIAMMAN TEMPLE. This is also considered as one of the reasons why Draupadi is believed to the incarnation of goddess Mariamman.

In this festival, a flag hosted at Sri Mariamman temple, the flag in which there is a picture of Hindu God Hanuman printed on it and from that day to after two days of Theemithi festival, the Tamil version of Mahabharata recited every night. This entire celebration of Theemithi festival takes place at Sri Mariamman temple. The local people of this region starts the preparation of this festival before two-and-a- half month.

There is another very significant thing in this festival - Aravan Puja. 

This puja is mainly conducted in the days which held for the month of September and October. According to Tamil people, this puja is held in the month of 'Purattasi'.This Aravan Puja or the prayer of Aravan is devoted to the son of Arjuna. The son of Arjuna "Aravan" sacrificed his life to Goddess Kali for the victory of Pandavas in the war of Mahabharata. 

In this festival, the people mainly walk on the fire to pray to goddess Draupadi to fulfilled their wishes and desire.There is another belief of the people regarding walking on the coal of fire is their dedicated toward Lord Amman. People have a belief that if they come out safely from the fire, it means that Lord Amman showering blessing on them and if they not safely come out of the fire, it means Lord Amman is not happy with them.

THE GREAT  STORY BEHIND WALKING ON FIRE.

The two belief on walking on fire is inter-connected with each other.The first belief is by walking on fire, one can purify themselves, this has also been written in the ancient Hindu scriptures. The other story of goddess Draupadi. During the war of Mahabharat, to ensure the victory of Pandavas, Queen Draupadi walked on the firing coals to pray to God for the victory of Pandavas in the war of Mahabharata. So from that time, people have the belief that if they walk on the ignited coals, then Goddess Draupadi will fulfil all their desires. 

The actual meaning and essence of Namaste or Namaskar.

THE ESSENCE & MEANING OF NAMASTE 

MEANING OF NAMASTE:-

Namaste or Namaskaram is a word which is derived from the Sanskrit language. "Namah" means 'to bow' and "te" means 'to you'.Thus, namaste means bowing to you. It is a humble form of salutation especially in Indian subcontinent mainly in India, Nepal and Bangladesh like countries. Pressing both the hands together like palms and fingers of both the hand touch in front of your chest. According to Vedas and Upanishad, this form of gesture or Mudra is known as ANJALI MUDRA or PRANAMASANA. This Mudra denotes the greeting of one's soul to another soul. The spiritual importance of namaste is to recall one to another person that the soul in you which is the part of God is like the soul in me which is also the part of God, so I bowing and respect you who have the part of God.

                    My spirit or inner respecting your inner being.I respect the place in you where

the whole universe live.I respect the brightness, honesty, allurement, kindness

and calmness within you.Because it is also present in me.

In sharing these things we are integrated, we are similar and one.

This kind of gesture is also a part of 16 "upacharas " which is used inside temples or any place of worship. This kind of gesture expresses the feeling of kindness, calmness and brightness.

ORIGIN OF NAMASTE:-

The origin of this word "namaste" can be found in the ancient Hindu scriptures mainly in the TAITTRIYA UPANISHAD as in the form of "Atithi Devo Bhava" which means' the guest is God'.

Taittriya Upanishad - It is an Upanishad which is basically in Sanskrit or Vedic text. It contains three chapters of Yajurveda.1. Shiksha Valli which is the section of instruction. 2.Brahmanada Valli which is a section of Bhrama-bliss. 3. Bhrigu- Valli which is the section of Bhrigu.

SIGNIFICANT ROLE OF NAMASTE IN BUDDHISM:-

According to Buddhism, The gesture of joining hands and bowing help a person to cure of the negative attachment of ego and arrogance and bind one person to Samsara which means the cycle of birth, death and rebirth which to this material world and make their nature toward this world polite.

but non-Buddhist take it in a form of sign of respect rather than in a devotional form.

DEVADASI SYSTEM:- the women who married to the statue and not allowed to marry any person in this world.

DEVADASI SYSTEM: - THE WOMEN WHO MARRIED TO THE STATUE AND NOT ALLOWED TO MARRY ANY PERSON IN THIS WORLD.

Devadasi is a woman who is considered to be dedicated to God or the servant of God. Devadasi also has known by the name of Devaradiyar. In the ancient time, they were called as the married wives of God. These were the women who served their whole lives in the service of the deity or the temples.
Traditionally, these women had a high status in society but in today's time, the system of devadasi is completely banned by the law of Indian Constitution because it was more became the system of the prostitution than the system of a devadasi.

So the question here is who are Devadasis? how are devadasis formed? why this system banned in India by the laws of Indian Constitution?
Devadasis are the women or the girls who forced by their parents or their community people to marry to the deity of God. They were instructed to serve their complete life for the deity or temple.The girls from the age of 8 years to 16 years old or more than that forced to convert to devadasi. On the ceremony of Pottukattu which is very much like to the ceremony of marriage especially in southern states, the girls forced to marry the idol of God. Then after they were entirely called as a married woman who never became a widow in her life and it was compulsory for her to wear Mangalsutra all the time in their neck.
The people first came to know about the dancing girls in temples can be found in Kalidasa's book " MEGHADHOOT". According to Meghadhoot, there is a reference in it which says that during that time the girls were married to God and they danced in Mahakal Temple of Ujjain. Most of the scholars have a point of view that Devadasi system was started during the time of 5th century and then it became common in the 6th and 7th century.
Some historians also linked Devdasi system to Buddhism.According to their opinions, Devadasis were actually the Buddhist nuns who then converted to the Devadasi or prostitute by the other caste people when they captured their Buddhist temples. While some other scholars have an opinion that the system of Devdasi transformed to a system which is more likely to be called as a prostitute system by the Mughal rulers and British rule before independence, as they were not aware of the  Devadasi system or they had belief in other religion so they misused Devadasi women and with the time passes, this system was completely changed.

The system of Devadasi was much common during the time of 7th century in the reigns of  Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas kingdoms.That time they were treated as high social status ladies in the society, they were the women who performed classical dances in the temples, clean the temples and performed some of the religious rituals but in today's time these devadasis were so much force in prostitution so the government banned it completely.
In this modern India, Devadasis are mainly located in the state of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharastra.These Devadasis called by different names in different states. In the state of Maharastra, they called by the name of Mathangi, in Andhra Pradesh, they called by the name of Jogini or Mathamma.
The girls who become devadasis were dedicated to Yellamma also known by the name of Jogamma or Holiyamma.This dedication happened most often during the festival of Saundatti.
In most cases, in the modern India, these girls were the source of income for their families, so these girls were forced to become a devadasi by their own parents. Even in some of the cases, it was also possible that the families of Devadasis were not allowed in the villages also.

Today this Devdasi system is completed banned in India.
The first law which declares this system illegal was enacted in 1934 in the name of Bombay Devadasi protection act, then after the Madras Devadasi act was introduced which provide the legal right to girls to marry any person and it declared illegal to dedicate girls to temple.This act is known as
      THE DEVADASI ABOLITION ACT.

Bhangarh Fort- why it is called the most haunted place?

BHANGARH FORT- THE TOP MOST HAUNTED PLACE BY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA.

ALL ABOUT BHANGARH FORT...WHY IS IT HAUNTED? IS THERE ANY TRUTH IN IT OR IT IS ONLY RUMOURS.

Visiting Bhangarh fort at night has been prohibited by the archaeological survey of India. Among all the haunted places in India, the fort of Bhangarh rank at the 1st position. As it is the most haunted place and there are so many stories and experiences of the people about this place, it is the priority for the tourist who interested to visit haunted places.

No one is allowed to enter the Bhangarh fort before the sun rises and after sunset. If any person tries to break this rule then there is a provision, according to which legal action would be taken against that person.

King Bhagwant Das established the place of Bhangarh in 1573. King Bhagwant Das has 2 sons. The elder son of Bhagwant Das was Man Singh who was one of the ministers in the court of Mughal emperor Akbar while the second son of Bhagwant Das was Madho Singh. This fort of Bhangarh was established by king Bhagwant Das for his younger son Madho Singh. He spent his entire life to rule over Bhangarh. Ruler Madho Singh named this place after the name of his grandfather Man Singh who also known by the name Bhan Singh. So by his name, this place was named Bhangarh.

Then after his son, Chhatra Singh ruled over this place till 1630.but after Chhatra Singh, there is no certain clue about who ruled over this place.

The point is why People say this place a haunted area? What makes Bhangarh Fort a haunted Fort?

Is it really the truth or just a rumor?

This haunted fort of Bhangarh is almost 300 kilometers away from Delhi. Gola ka bass, Rajgarh Tehsil, Alwar, Bhangarh, Rajasthan.

The local people of this place tell two of the legendary stories about this place and on the basis of that, they have a very strong belief that this place is a haunted place in reality. According to one of the stories, an ascetic Guru Balu Nath for his permission to built that city. The saint gave him permission but only on one condition that the shadow of the emperor's palace shadow should not fall on his retreat. if it happens then the city would completely crumble into ruins.

Even after so much of Precaution, the shadow of the palace falls on the guru's retreat and as according to the condition, which the saint warned about. The city of Bhangarh immediately transformed into a cursed city and could never be rebuilt. Today also, on that ruined site the shelter of Guru Balu Nath can still found there.

The local people of Bhangarh, have a very strong belief in this story but some of the other local people also tell about the major story, according to which they considered this fort is the most haunted place. The legendary story of the princess Ratnavali, her beauty, and the curse by the shaman.

According to the story which local people of Bhangarh tells, the princess Ratnavali who was extremely gorgeous, stories about her attractive beauty and charm was not only limited to the border of the city but the faraway kingdoms of India also heard so much about the beauty of this most charming and attractive princess.

When Ratnavali turned eighteen, emperors of different kingdoms asked the king of Bhangarh for her marriage, besides all those suitors, there was a shaman named Singhia, this person has very well known that he was not suitable for Ratnavali and there was no match between him and the princess but he loved the princess so much that he wanted to marry her at any cost.

He decided to make a plan to ensnare her with all those magical powers which he learned. Once, he saw one of the mistresses of princess Ratnavali in the market, that mistress was purchasing the oil, through created disturbance in the market by his other sources, he accomplished to involved the focus of the mistress in that disturbance of the market while that meantime he enchanted the oil with black magic.

He had a very strong belief that once Ratnavali touched this oil, she would definitely surrender herself to him. However, his plan was failed as Ratnavali came to about this dirty trick of the shaman.

she poured all the oil on the ground and then the magical power reversed and foiled him. But before dying, Singhia cursed this city. According to the local people of Bhangarh, he cursed this city that it would be destroyed and ruined completely.

After the while, in the battle of Ajabgarh and Bhangarh, Princess Ratnavali was murdered. But this story which people believe it as a true and real not yet completed...

Even today also, the local residents of this place have a belief that the soul of Singhia is still there in the Bhangarh fort and Ratnavali to end the unfortunate curse on Bhangarh.

There is no ultimate proof that whether all this about Bhangarh is true or not but different people have different views about it. On the one side, the scientists called this story as an unrealistic and rubbish but on the other hand, the local people and those travelers who experienced something unnatural about this place have a belief that this place is really haunted.