AN INCIDENT AT THE WAGAH BORDER

Living in India seems hopeless sometimes. With the number of powerful people ruling us with no sense of responsibility for its citizens, no rules amended in its proper place, we the ‘common’, helpless citizens of India face the unwanted mindless torture.

I am writing this for an unknown person with whom I don’t have any relation but a relation of humanity. All this happened on September 10, 2011 around 5pm at the Wagah Border, Amritsar. 

First of all, there were No rules written on the board for women and men to follow queues. Secondly, in respect to the number of seats for the audience at the Wagah stadium for Retreat Ceremony more and more people were pouring in. Third, the security was worthless who didn’t know how to handle a crowd properly. They were the main culprits behind all such acts and thus am writing this blog in the form of a complaint.

When the large crowds begin to reach the stadia, which is few meters away, where the popular patriotic songs are played and the war heroes are remembered who laid down their lives for the country, here one BSF personnel beat a man. His only mistake was that he unknowingly stood with his wife and two years old daughter in the ladies queue. And that BSF guy beat him to death.  He was nearly choking. His chest was bruised badly. He and his wife were crying. I and my mother saw it and helped the couple. Later, watching all this, that same uniformed man came to check whether the man is dead or alive.I mean after doing this he is coming up to see him as if he doesn’t know how strong his hands can be for a civilian. He could have shouted, warned him but beating so badly, losing out his cool was unacceptable.  I can understand that managing and dealing with a crowd can be really difficult. But the purpose for which these men in uniform are guarded and the behavior one demonstrated was highly insane. 

…and after waiting for an hour in the ladies line, another thing happened. A group of foreigners came to visit the Wagah, and in a few minutes I saw those ladies with us joined the men’s queue with their people just because they were Foreigners.

Now look at the situation here. When an Indian goes abroad, there is a strict ‘Rule’ for everybody and here we Indians in our own country are treated poorly. Just because of NO RULES in order, all such things happen. Now why didn’t the men in uniform pull out them? 

I even complained the above hitting and beating incident to another BSF soldier but he said - being in a small position he couldn’t do anything. He also went on saying that these are the works of ministers, who have to be strict on it. 

But NO, this thing is impossible in India. 

So, does that mean they are carrying out the frustration on ordinary people, who are visiting the border for the first time with there families to salute and enjoy the historical past of their countrymen.

The worst thing could have happened that day was a ‘stampede’. I, in my last visit to the border, haven’t seen such a big crowd. Being a weekend, the Authorities should have managed. But alas, Rules don’t go with them. And this was the same week when ANNA HAZARE ended his fast.

Till 5pm the BSF soldiers gathers crowd when its time to enter the stadia. Why doesn’t people go and be seated on the first come first basis with there families. Families should go together and should pass the security checks too but here they have to be separated in such unruly crowd. We even arrived before time and still we didn’t get to see the Retreat.

That day the crowd rushed ferociously to capture the seats and later they were made to stand in the queues feeble-mindedly and then the security checks begin.  After that, people again were formed into a crowd where they again rushed for the seat. Till then the seats got filled up, the ceremony started and the rest of the people – kids, couples or families, who were unable to find a standing space went back hearing only the songs without watching the ceremony.  Can you imagine the rate at which some men touch the girls in the crowd? Can’t this be all managed? 

We were all lost and later united with our family. The whole Wagah trip got ruined.  While coming back I forgot about the unseen ceremony and prayed God for that man to recover fast. I still get to see the helpless images of crying couple and their 1 may be 2 yrs old daughter.

 Either the stadia at the border should be increased or the crowd should be managed properly. There should be entry ticket with minimum people’s entry (as per the seats available and free-standing position) without hurting people and Indian sentiments.

My pet - Jasper

My dog has been so protective of me

It’s been 4 years since Jasper came to us when he was a 4months old cute lil puppy.

This is his 4th birthday and this time I am not there to celebrate his birthday with my family together. I was remembering my days with my canine. Experiencing life with a pet at your home is a kind of adventure in itself. We get to know about an animal’s existence, their habits, and their moods just like a human being but in a different avatar. Pets really make life happy and one thing is true that a pet takes all the negativity from its owners and changes their moods making them more cheerful.

I was remembering that my dog has been so protective of me.

There have been several incidents where Jasper has protected me or tried to watch over me.

Jasper usually sits at the back door (ground floor) of the house facing the backyard.On the left there is a narrow lane for the commuter which is less crowded in the evening.

One such incident was when I went to meet my Jasper at dusk and I was playing with him sitting on a porch not knowing that few rowdy boys(must be 20+) were passing by and without waiting a second  Jasper came and sat on my FEET immediately. Then only I came to know what had happened. That was one such day which I can never forget. Animals have such innocent eyes, cozy fur and endless love in them.

Other time he generally barked at the commuters when I was around him without any of my brothers company or mamma’s either.

I remember taking food to Jasper during daytime.When I was done with putting food in his bowl and playing with him and then moving out and locking the door, till then he continuously watched over me that had I moved out safely. And when I got away from his eyes he then starts to have his food. 

And whenever mumma accompanied me, he never took task of looking at me or playing with me as for that time he only wants his food. 

Doggie Kiss ;)

After my studies got over, my waking habits totally changed. Daily I used to get up late and mom-dad got irritated by this. One day, mumma and my brother decided to bring Jasper in my room while I was sleeping. He in turn started waking me up by licking my feet and licked my forehead too and I got up instantly and there mum and my brother standing at the door were watching and laughing.

Don’t leave them alone

This is also very true that we all have our work, our entertainment, and our friends. But a dog has only us.

Even if he doesn’t understand our words, he understands our voice. He too wants from us is our time and company as no one in this world can live alone.

I always pray to mata rani for jasper’s safety. And share prasad with him so that he in turn get god’s blessing. 

He is Family :)

Owning pets/plants makes me happy 

Owning a pet is easy but taking full care of it is difficult. My mother is the one who takes full care of Jasper.

A pet can teach us to treat all of God’s creatures with kindness and respect. 

Nowadays people own pets as a part of ‘beautification’. 

I have seen people who come into this category, treats them poorly as in beat them and return them or leave them. This is so inhumane. These people who do this are the ones who turn a blind eye to human suffering too. I can bet it.

Owning a pet makes us closer to humanity as well. And loving them can be a spiritual way to meet God in a different platform. Sai Baba always saw love in animals and birds. Animals are more loving, soulful and less intellectual and that must be the reason why they have such a strong intuitive power.

 One last thing 

I often wonder ….

Do dogs know who their dad is or does a father know that it is his puppy??

I have often cried imagining such things as how can a living being could live without their parents but the below article has given me a relief.

I searched and found this article – 

“A basic principle of evolution is that the fundamental driving force for any species is to reproduce — thereby nurturing its DNA. Individually this means that a species will protect its close family members or others with similar DNA before aligning with strangers. You will protect your child before your sister, your sister before your cousin, your cousin before your friend, etc., because the closer the familial relation, the more of your DNA that person will share. Thus, by protecting him or her, you are protecting your own imprint on the world.

So it stands to reason that nature will set things up so it is easy for us to recognize who is close family and who is a distant cousin, whether by smell, sight or some other deeply subconscious method. Is it impossible that other species have the same ability? Why would nature set us up with a clear objective while limiting our ability to carry it out?

The answer is, it wouldn’t. According to the ‘Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training’ by Steven R. Lindsay, dogs are capable of recognizing their mother, siblings and possibly breeder if they are exposed to them during the crucial period between 2 and 16 weeks, reaching the highest point at 8 weeks. This makes sense not just for kin selection (the fancy term for favoring your closest relatives first) but also to keep the species from inbreeding.

What remains, then, is the question; do dogs feel any sort of longing for their family? Is longing a human emotion or does my dog’s mother long for her lost puppy? There are certainly many documented cases of animals grieving the death of their young. Is losing a puppy to a breeder or a rescue organization cause for the same grief?

Animals have secret lives that we as humans do not know about. I know my cats think and know things that I will never be privy to. While it’s easier for me to read my dog, Lulu also has her own thoughts and feelings that will always be just hers. I would like to think that her mother is happily living with a family somewhere, quietly enjoying what must be her old age. For now, it will remain a mystery as to whether or dogs think of one another or long to know how the other is faring.”

A lesson learnt 

“My hope is that animals will bring us back to our spirituality and soulfulness ¬to help us remember God loves us just the way we are. That's something I've truly learned from the animals. They never stand in front of a mirror discussing their appearance or asking to be shampooed. They just know who they are. We'd be concerned about how we look and what people will think. There's a reason we feel down on a bad hair day. It leads to depression and emotional difficulties. It's not just a statement. It literally means something. Animals don't have bad hair days. They don't identify and I think the process connects us with us our spiritual growth, with the idea that there's more than just this external appearance.”  - Bernie Siegel, American writer and retired pediatric surgeon.

Love you Jaspu

May u have god’s blessings in every life 

[Meaning of the word JASPER - "bringer of treasure", Jasper is one of the three Wise Men who brought gifts to the infant Jesus according to medieval tradition. It’s also a semi-precious stone].

Love can do miracles - please never abandon your loved ones.

In order to renovate the house, someone in Japan tearsopen the wall.Japanese houses normally have a hollow space between the wooden walls.

When tearing down the walls, he found that there was alizard stuck there because a nail from outside hammered into one of its feet. He sees this, feels pity, & at the same time curious, as when he checked the nail, it was nailed 10 years ago when the house was first built.

What happened?

The lizard has survived in such position for 10 years!In a dark wall partition for 10 years without moving, it is impossible & mind boggling.
Then he wondered how this lizard survived for 10 years without movinga single step--since its foot was nailed!
So he stopped his work & observed the lizard, what ithas been doing,& what & how it has been eating. Later, not knowing from where itcame, appears another lizard, with food in its mouth.

Ahh! He was stunned & touched deeply. For the lizard that was stuck by nail, another lizard has been feeding it for the past10 years...
Such love, such a beautiful love! Such love happenedeven with thistiny creature ... What can love do? It can do wonders!Love can domiracles! Imagine? it has been doing that untiringlyfor 10 longyears, without giving up hope on its partner.
Imagine what a small creature can do that a creature blessed with a brilliant mind can't.
I was touched when I read this story & started wondering about relationships between family members, friends, lovers,brothers,sisters.
As information & communication technology advances,our access to information becomes faster & faster. But the distance between humanbeings . . . is it getting closer as well?I ask you...please never abandon your loved ones.

"When you look for the GOOD in others, you discoverthe BEST in yourself..."

.......PATIENCE in PRAYER........

When the idea is not right, God says, "NO".
No - when the idea is not the best.
No - when the idea is absolutely wrong.
No - when though it may help you,It would create problems for someone else.

When the time is not right, God says, "SLOW".
What a catastrophe it would be if God answeredevery prayer at the snap of your fingers.
Do you know what would happen?God would become your servant, not your master.
Suddenly God would be working for youinstead of you working for God.

When you are not right, God says,"GROW".
The selfish person has to grow in unselfishness.
The cautious person must grow in courage.
The timid person must grow in confidence,
The dominating person must grow in sensitivity.
The critical person must grow in tolerance.The negative person must grow in positive attitudes.
The pleasure-seeking person must grow incompassion for suffering people.

When everything is all right, God says,"GO".
Then miracles happen:
A hopeless alcoholic is set free.
A drug addict finds release.
A doubter becomes a child in his belief.
Diseased tissue responds to treatment, and healing begins.
The door to your dream suddenly swings openand there stands God saying, "GO!".

Remember:God's delays are not God's denials.God's timing is perfect.Patience is what we need in prayer.

Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards.

This story was written by a doctor who worked in South Africa...

One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do, she died leaving us with a tiny premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive; as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator). We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates). "And it is our last hot water bottle!" she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying over spilled milk so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways. "All right," I said, "put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm." The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me... I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died. During prayer time, one ten-year old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. "Please, God" she prayed, "Send us a water bottle. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon." While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, "And while you are about it, would you please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know you really love her?"As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say, "Amen"? I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything, the Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator! Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there, on the veranda, was a large twenty-two pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - that would make a batch of buns for the weekend. Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.. could it really be?.. grasped it and pulled it out - yes, a brand-new, rubber hot water bottle. I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, "If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly too!" Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted!
Looking up at me, she asked: "Can I go over with you and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?"That parcel had been on the way for five whole months. Packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child - five months before, in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it "that afternoon." Let's continue praying for one another: Father, I ask you to bless my friends reading this right now. I am asking you to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them your peace and mercy. Where there is self doubting, release a renewed confidence to work through them. Where there is tiredness or exhaustion, I ask you to give them understanding, guidance, and strength as they learn submission to your leading. Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask you to renew them by revealing your nearness, and by drawing them into greater intimacy with you. Where there is fear, reveal Your love, and release to them Your courage. Where there is a sin blocking them, reveal it, and break its hold over my friend's life... Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise up leaders and friends to support and encourage them. Give each of them discernment to recognize the evil forces around them, and reveal to them the power they have in You to defeat it. I ask you to do these things in Jesus' name.
"Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps if you're not willing to move your feet."

HEAVY CROSS:Don't miss the poem at the end.

Whatever your cross,
whatever your pain,
there will always be sunshine,
after the rain ....
Perhaps you may stumble,
perhaps even fall,
But God's always ready,
To answer your call ...
He knows every heartache,
sees every tear,
A word from His lips,
can calm every fear ...
Your sorrows may linger,
throughout the night,
But suddenly vanish,
in dawn's early light ...
The Savior is waiting,
somewhere above,
To give you His grace,
and send you His love...
Whatever your cross,
whatever your pain,
"God always sends rainbows ....
after the rain ... "

To get out of difficulty, one must usually go through it !

DEATH : WhAt A wOnDeRfUl wAy To ExPlAiN iT

A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, “Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.” Very quietly, the doctor said, “I don’t know.” “You don’t know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?”

The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.Turning to the patient, the doctor said, “Did you notice my dog? He’s never been in this room before. He didn’t know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing… I know my Master is there and that is enough.”

May today there be peace within you. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

Don't give up

One day I decided to quit...I quit my job, my relationship, my
spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I asked, "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me...
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of
them. I gave them light. I gave them water.
The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor.
Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on
the bamboo. He said.
"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo
seed. But I would not quit.
In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would
not quit." He said.
"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared
to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6
months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and
gave it what it needed to survive.I would not
give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He asked me."Did you know, my child, that all this time you have
been struggling, you have actually been growing roots".
"I would not quit on the bamboo.
I will never quit on you."
"Don't compare yourself to others." He said.
"The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern.
Yet they both make the forest beautiful."> "Your time will come", God said to me.
"You will rise high"
I hope these words can help you see that God will never
give up on you. Never, Never, Never Give up.
For Prayer is not an Option but an Opportunity.
Don't tell the Lord how big the problem is, tell the problem how Great the Lord is!

Prayers... The Short Parable

Two men were in a car when they had to stop at a red signal light. The man at the wheel did not say anything.

The other man by his side, fretting and smoking, said, "The time we waste at these red lights - why, a man could write a book!

"The driver still said nothing.

Finally the man beside him said, "Didn't you hear what I said?"

"No."

"How come?"

"I was talking."

"Whom were you talking to?"

"I was talking to my SOUL," he said. "I've been making it a practice every time I get to a red light to pray for one of my friends. It is wonderful how many folks I have on my prayer list and how many I have time to pray for in this way."

"Prayer is an act in which we give expressions to the pressings and powerful wishes and hopes in the depths of our being and yearn for their fulfillment. Human beings possess an innate and undeniable instinct for prayer; Religion first came into being in response to it. Prayer did not come into existence becoz of religion; it was the other way around. -Daisaku Ikeda

Pray for me .... For everyone you know.... For everybody in this world... for PEACE