Spirit of Ram-Navami...Modern way of looking at it!

Friends,
Un-knowingly, un-intentionally, some times directly or in-directly, V all
go on chanting one name,
"Ram-Ram"...
For some villagers it might be a morning/evening greeting....
For some city-folks it might be uttered out of
fear...
or for some mod-gals, it might be uttered in place of 'Oh My God'....

In short every body says it 24/7....
Ram-Navami, as d name suggests, is d 9th day of
Chaitra-d-First-Month of Hindu calender!
On this day, Ram-Avtar happened....
Or V can safely say that it is Ram's B'Day, which is celebrated every where with
lot of enthusiasm..

This day reminds me of some really good, kind n generous souls....
Whenever I remember them, lot of
positive vibrations surround me,
from
Brahmarandhra(top, centre-Point of d head) to d toe.....

U will be surprised to know that they both were my 'Moms'....
One d real-mom-my-Aadya-Guru n d other is Mom-in-law!
Both always loved me, cared for me n pampered me....
i might dare say, they spoilt me in some ways,
with their
unconditional-love!

Both my moms had always 'gifted' me with
"price-less-Moments" of Happiness
in their own different ways...

My Mom-in-law(MIL) was very close to me...
V had GR8 many similarities...
V both were very lazy!
V both got up very late...
V both loved to go for outings, Bcoz V both loved 'Nature'...
Without any prior-planning, V would just go to beautiful places like Sea-beach n
watch d waves of sea, Changing shades of setting Sun...

After Sun-set, V would wait to watch Full-Moon n sky, lit with
divine light...
Some days if sky was cloudy, V would equally love to watch clouds...their changing
shapes-n-shades!
On no-Moon-day if V would be out, V would watch twinkling stars,
feel cool breeze, soft touch of sand, listen to d music of
roaring
sound of waves...
V simply enjoyed various shades-n-moods-of Nature!

V both loved Music....vocal, instrumental...
in each n every form...
Pure classical, folk, semi-classical, filmy, Devotional Music
like 'Bhajan', Romantic ghazals.....

V loved food...of every cuisine, every taste from each-n-every region!
V both were "Pucca-Foodies"!

V never enjoyed daily 'cooking'...that-is-why V always hired
'cook' from different communities
to savor the variety of foods n have variety of tastes...
V both loved visiting Himalayas....
V both loved going to 'Pilgrims' but not with organized tours...
V always went on our own...

Leisure-Travel n enjoying on our way, every place, food, temple,
inter-action with local-people
their customs, their life-style, etc...
In short, V both were
Happy-go-lucky!

Coming to Ram-Navami, my M-i-L, was very keen to perform a '
Kirtan' at a near-by-Temple..
She was a trained singer with a degree of 'Music-Visharad' n
she had a sweet voice!
She could sing all types of music....pure-classical as well as light...
she was quite good at Devotional songs!
I liked her style of '.Bhajan-singing'...
She was unsure of d script-d story to connect her songs to d subject of 'Kirtan'...

Her very-first attempt at 'Kirtan', was kind-of-special...
Bcoz, it was "writen-n-directed" by her Daughter-in-law i.e. me!

She had little problem with memorizing d written script...
so i volunteered to be her 'Presenter', for her act of Ram-Navami-Kirtan!
With divine blessings, d programme was 'Super-hit' with d audience!
V became "in-Demand" pair at regular festivals, at near-by temples!
All d while,
It was fun....to be with my M-i-L n appreciative audience....

Every Ram-Navami, i miss all those programmes with her
but No, i don't miss her....
U might be curious to know d Reason for me-not-missing, such a lovely soul!

Bcoz she is always "With Me" in her subtle-form!
Since i feel her in thoughts...
i feel her happiness....
i feel her company, every moment...
so How can i possibly miss her?

Ram-Navami can't be 'complete' without my Mom's mention!
In d 'Puja-ghar', she had kept a beautiful photo-frame of 'Ram'.....Very kind but
very attractive face, complete with bow-n-arrow!
My memory of so-called-'God' starts n ends with d same photo of Ram!

Since my pre-KG days, i remember folding my hands n saying 'prayers' to that face....

Every exam, every important day of my life, every festival, every crisis or emergency,
i have prayed silently to d same face....

That face of Ram is kind-of-frozen in my mind-frame!
Even now irrespective of where i am....whenever i close my eyes,
in front of any 'deity'...without any intention or effort on my part, i pray to 'Ram'
of my child-hood memories!
whenever i go to any temple, silently i 'witness' d same face...

Now-a-days when i make a trip, to d inner world-within, by piercing many layers in d inner-most cave-called-mind, i find a 'faint outline of a face resembling
my own-image!
Some times i confuse that-image-of-me with 'Ram's familiar face'!
I wonder if they both R merged into one-another....

With Ram-Navami, i also remember one family called 'Deshapande'....
D old granny, v used to call her,"Deshpande-Aaji"..
she was a GR8 follower of my Mom n devotee of Ram...
Though financially they were weak, d lady was so enthusiastic on
Ram-Navami-Day,
she would save money whole year, just to splurge on that day...
She would celebrate it on a grand-scale...
One thing i distinctly remember about that lady is,
she was always 'smiling'.....
I don't remember her without wearing that "famous smile" on her lips!

I think V all should get some inspiration from her ...
that come what may, V should keep our face Happy, smiling, welcoming...

On Ram-Navami-day it is perfectly OK even if,
V don't observe a fast.....
or decide to become an ideal son, brother or disciple like Ram....
but
Let come any rainy-day, any situation, any circumstances....
"Smile should Not dis-appear from our faces.......
This is modern-way of celebrating-understanding-Ram-Navami....
Friends, Let us try n do this with every year, every month n every day!

This is Tima wishing U all a very soulful-Joyful day...

Shlok of d day-

Ramo Raajmani Sadaa Vijayate|
Ramam Ramesham Bhaje|
Ramenaa Bhihataa Nishacharachamu|
Ramaay Tasmai Namaha||

Tip of d day-

For better digestion n better, over-all health, pl do as follows:

1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink (4 x 160ml )of water.
2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 min.