Life, Culture, Spirituality ; Lessons from Experience

An ancient Indian festival offers a timeless lesson about ego, anger, greed, and the daily choices that shape who we become. Dussehra is more than a festival:   For readers unfamiliar with Indian traditions, Dussehra may seem like a colourful festival centred on fireworks and the burning of a mythical king. But its message goes much deeper, touching on human nature, personal responsibility and the choices we make. Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami, is one of India’s most significant Hindu festivals , celebrated in September or October. For me, Dussehra reminds me that good must overcome evil. According to the Ramayana, Lord Rama defeats Ravana, the mighty king of Lanka, to rescue his wife, Sita. In another tradition, the festival marks Goddess Durga’s victory over Mahishasura, a powerful demon. Every year, we celebrate Dussehra by watching the effigies of Ravana burn. In many parts of India, people also celebrate the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasura . The celebrations...

For most of my life, I have prayed for the happiness of my family and the people I love. Like any husband, father, or family member, I have wanted to see my loved ones safe, healthy, and free from suffering. But as I grow older, I sometimes ask myself a question that is not so easy to answer. Can I sincerely wish happiness for someone who has hurt me? Can I pray for the well-being of people I have never met, whose names I do not know and whose lives may never touch mine? I don't always have a ready answer. At 70, I have lived long enough to understand that life is not made up only of affection, happy memories, and relationships that work out as we hope. There are disappointments, misunderstandings, differences of opinion, and moments when people let us down. Some experiences leave us wondering why others behaved the way they did. I, too, have had my share of life's lessons. And I have realised that growing older does not necessarily mean we have found answers to all our questio...

  After seven decades, I have discovered why each stage of life has its own Purpose It is said that while Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, many practitioners refer to their religion as  ‘Sanatana Dharma’ which is overall abiding principles of dharma and which are not changeable.  The  4 Ashramas   system is one facet of the  dharma   concept in Hinduism. The four asramas are: Brahmcharya (student), Grihastha (householder), Vanprastha (retired) and Sanyasa (renunciation). Sanatana Dharma  in Hinduism is a term used to denote the “eternal” or absolute set of duties or religiously ordained practices incumbent upon all Hindus, regardless of class, caste, or sect. Such duties are enshrined in the religion in the form of the Vedas. Hinduism, which is derived from the Vedas, is known as  Sanatana Dharma  or Eternal Duty.”  It is said to be the etern...