Spiritually, life is a festival, a celebration :-)

It's Indian festival season, and it's called Navratri (nine nights) in the honor of the divine feminine Devi Durga. This festival usually falls in September or October based on the Hindu Calendar. It is celebrated in different ways in different regions of India.

Anyhow, for me festivals meant more or less understanding the culture, food, gatherings, dance and fun overall. I know it will sound strange that it is religious festivals and how come I am not bringing any of those here.

"To celebrate a festival means; to live out, for some special occasion and in an uncommon manner, the universal assent to the world as a whole." ~ Josef Pieper

I have always been attracted towards the cultural aspect of it and not by any religion. I come from a secular country and hence I have always believed in humanity. As a kid growing up, I had my neighbors who were Christians - Catholics and Pentecostals, Hindus, Muslims, Sikh, Jain, etc,. My parents never forced me into any religion, in fact when my neighbor was alone I used to give company to her, sometimes read Bible for her or go to church with her. It was never considered as wrong.

Being there I have read Old Testament and New Testament and I have read Quran, Geeta, Gurugranth Saheb and all religion teaches to love one another. But I love these festivals for its main outcome where we all gather and celebrate life.

During these times, women get to dress up in Saree and being a saree lover I always love these nine days. These nine days has it's own significance for each day. And one of the days is celebrating Durga, where women play with red powder - kind of holi festival. Instead of color here it will be red colored powdered which women will apply to each other and celebrate Devi Durga. Though it is said only married women are supposed to play with the red powder but I believe every women has the right to play with this red colored powder, there is no discrimination. But yes, in the olden days people had their ways how to discriminate the windows verses married women. It's patriarchy that dictates and hence married women has more power. There is lot of orthodox believes that come with it too and some really believe and follow these. I am only scared for them for thinking and believing like this. 

When religious festivals bring us together then why fight with each other for religion? 

"Religion is like a pair of shoe..find one that fits for you, but don't make me wear your shoes." ~ George Carlin

I thought religion, festival all these are for us to come together and share the culture, food and company. So, enjoying these nine days by wearing nine different colored saree's each day based on the preference for that particular day. The best thing during these days is about the food and sweets and getting dressed up and enjoying with friends.

Life is short so enjoy every moment 😍 instead of spending time in hating each other.

~ Dawn 

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“Courage is fear that has said its prayers.”

I am coming back after a long gap. Many reasons to add to it, as work one aspect and besides work when it was holidays I spent some quality time with family and travelled a lot.
As much travelling increases your knowledge about places, it teaches many things about life too. Just like how you can be high and topsy - turvy in a roller coaster ride and the next moment you are down holding your breath as if the heart is trying to slip into your stomach!
Yes, it is fun when you think of such rides in Disney or other entertainment recreations but when this is with life; it is very tough to digest.

“If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.” ~ Buddha

When I say ‘tough’ it is not just mere a word believe me it is hard. I don’t remember when was the last time that I had tears in my eyes for a friend…well, that tells that my friends are doing good as far I know! But this friend of mine, a very sober – soft spoken…believe me I have often thought in my own mind as how this friend of mine would be talking if she is mad at someone or if she wants to scold her kids…believe me I have not figured that out because this person is never like that.
This person has a gem of a heart which is always thinking to help others and yes, she did care for me how I can forget that!!!

“In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” ~ MK Gandhi

All I want to tell my friends out here is my this special friend is going through a bit hard time and I want you all to pray for my friend’s happiness, peace and good health. I know my friend is strong and tough and I am proud of her for what she is.

“Love life and life will love you back. Love people and they will love you back.” ~ Arthur Rubinstein

To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring

All of a sudden life seems to be too busy…guess with what???
Too many outings, picnic and BBQ and too much of reading too! That ‘too’ word will tell about the happenings.

I just remembered my Toronto days…when spring time comes my gardening fever catches me so wildly that, looking at my craze my neighbor also starts gardening and watering his lawn :D! I wonder many times Nature gives so many opportunity to us to celebrate.

“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.” ~ John Ruskin

Lately, lot of meeting and greeting friends is taking place and when friends gather we discuss on so many endless topics and religion being one of them.
All these discussions and things that is happening around makes me think of my childhood days when there was no such thing that differentiated any one whether its religion, cast or even province…we all were like the beads of one necklace.

Today, there are so many reasons just to untie those beads just for some stupid thinking and thought process which is not even there’s but induced by someone else who want to see the world to fight with each other and spread only hatred.

“Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer.” ~ William S, Burroughs

My mind keeps going back and I keep rewinding those moments of my childhood when we all used to be happily playing whether its Farzana, Savita, Elizabeth, Ambika, or even Paramjit …our religion, language and cast was one – friendship with love!

“True religion is real living; living with all one's soul, with all one's goodness and righteousness” ~ Albert Einstein

When someone brings my own fallen eye lashes just to make a wish before blowing it away …I often wish for my childhood not for any other reason but for the peace and happiness that we had as a kid…!

“I don't wish to be everything to everyone, but I would like to be something to someone.”

Sometimes I wonder if my childhood friends are still the same or will they see some differences in me due to religion n other aspect???

“When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion” ~ Abraham Lincoln