Celebrate – Life is Beautiful

Krishna: The Balance of Playfulness and Wisdom

As we celebrate Lord Krishna’s birth today, let’s remember how he embodies contradictions with such grace and ease. The Krishna of the Gita is wise, serious, and profound, while the Krishna of the Bhagavatam is playful, joyful, and free-spirited. Though these sides may seem contradictory, Krishna shows us the beauty of embracing all facets of life in harmony.

Let’s celebrate Lord Krishna by embracing our own nuances and uniqueness, and finding balance within them.

Happy Janmashtami! 🎉

Happy Holi

In this burning of fire ,may it astray your pain ,

In this day full of colours ,may rainbow fill your life,

In this moments of joy,may all your sadness vanish ,

In this cheer of music,may rhythm fill your soul,

In this ritual’s of orison ,may our hearts unify .

In this unvarying nights ,may radiance persist …. .

Happy Holi.

Man’s Search For Meaning

“If you have a why to live, you can bear almost any how.”
– FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” – Viktor E. Frankl

Viktor Emil Frankl was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, writer, and Holocaust survivor. In 1942, just nine months after his marriage, Frankl and his family were sent to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. His father died there of starvation and pneumonia. In 1944, Frankl and the surviving members of his family were transported to Auschwitz, where his mother and brother were murdered in the gas chambers. His wife died later of typhus in Bergen-Belsen. Frankl spent three years in four concentration camps.

The author loses everything that he has when they bring him to the camp. Soldiers separate him from his wife, brother, sister and parents. For a long time, he didn’t even know if they were alive or not. Soldiers confiscated the scientific works he had been working on all his life and destroyed them.

After losing everything including his purpose of life, how can a man continue to live without losing hope?

Meaning of Life

“The meaning of life is to give life meaning.”

Viktor Frankl was the founder of logotherapy, a school of psychotherapy that describes a search for a life’s meaning as the central human motivational force.

Meaning in life according to Frankl ; can be of three kinds.

The first being a higher purpose or calling, something you feel you have been put on this earth to achieve.

The second is love, love for your partner, spouse, children, family, friends, and all those who matter.

The last is suffering. Suffering is an unavoidable part of human existence and it is upto man to find meaning in his own suffering.

These are the three ‘roots of meaning.’ that can bring hope and guide anyone through a difficult period in life.

1. Pursue a Life Task

“Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment that demands fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated. Thus, everyone’s task is unique as his specific opportunity to implement it.”

There would be a task that you and only you can complete. A piece of work that required your unique experiences, knowledge, and skills.

2. Love

“The more one forgets himself—by giving himself to another person to love—the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself.”

According to Frankl ‘Love’ has little to do with just the feeling of being in love and more about doing things to help others succeed. “Love” is the act of recognizing the potential in those who matter you you and supporting them actualize that potential. When you lack meaning, find someone you can elevate.

3. Suffer Bravely

“(By) accepting the challenge to suffer bravely, life has a meaning up to the last moment, and it retains this meaning literally to the end.”

You can use your imagination to overcome suffering. Take this incident (from Frankl’s experience)-

While walking in the cold while being beaten by a Nazi guard, he recalls a man whispering to him, “If our wives could see us now! I do hope they are better off in their camps and don’t know what is happening to us.” Instead of worrying about the man’s comment, this prompted Frankl to retreat into his imagination. He pictured his wife and her smile.

“Life is Now – The Meaning of Life is in this Moment.” – Jayesh Tekchandaney

Life is made up of many stories which are scripted in the Now. Life is like a movie; it’s ultimate meaning can only be known in its conclusion. But each still in the movie has an inherent meaning of its own. It is up to us to make each frame and still meaningful to the best of our ability.

Logotherapy

“When we are unable to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

Logotherapy guides one to find their purpose and meaning in their lives. This meaning differs by individual and can change from hour to hour.

Meaning can be found in even the smallest of details. So, don’t spend all your waking hours searching for an all-encompassing meaning of life. Instead, search for meaning in everyday tasks and in the relationships you have with your friends and family.

What is the story of this site – Life is Beautiful ?

Hi Jayesh,
This site has several interesting posts by you that were worth reading. In addition, I saw that a lot of the blog entries were dated 2009. What is the story of this site ?

Kailash Khandelwal – Business Owner, Astrology Expert, based in Atlanta, USA.

————————–

I took up to serious writing around 2009. It’s then that I created a blog where I shared some personal experiences and learnings. I kept adding up articles whenever I could, but then there was long break from around early 2020 until 2023.

In January 2024, I decided to bring back this blog to life. It’s no longer limited to my experiences, it’s now about sharing the good things that I come across every day – typically books, articles, quotes – learnings that come in all forms.

When I started, the sole objective of writing this blog was to share with my children, Maahir who is turning 18 on 14th February, and Shourya, 14, what I learnt and experienced. It’s also my personal journal, notes to myself and allows me to look back, and at times relearn what may have been forgotten, the greatest beleif being that no matter what, Life is Beautiful.

Family — Mom, Dad, Me, Purvi, Shourya, Maahir

Jayesh Tekchandaney

tekchandaney@gmail.com

12th February, 2024

PS – The colorful and vibrant Life is Beautiful that’s right on top of the page was created by Maahir in 2009, when he was 3 years old and Shourya was just born. It’s been 15 years since the blog was born.

Sunset…

As I watched the Sun set this evening, what struck me was how the rising sun, which brings in so much warmth, energy and sunshine each morning; fades away into oblivion every evening, bringing in a sense of calm and tranquility. The setting sun goes down quietly, with the satisfaction of having completed a hard day’s work, allowing the night to take over ; with the confidence that it will rise again tomorrow, and take charge of a new day, starting afresh with a new beginning.

Finding Comfort In Friends

The reason why we all find comfort in our friends is because they accept us for who we are. Friends don’t judge. They may have a different opinion, which they would share – but with true friends, it just ends there. It’s a blessing to have a true friend in you, Happy Friendship Day

The Lord has departed – We couldn’t receive His blessings

We invited Lord Ganesha to our world and He was with us for 10 days. We said our prayers, religiously every morning and evening, we changed our busy routines and schedules. We set aside the mechanical rush of the modern world, just to be heard by the Lord. Today, Lord Ganesha has departed, but we couldn’t receive his blessing. The Lord spoke to us, but we couldn’t hear Him. We stood near him, but he couldn’t see us.

He didn’t hear us because we surrounded Him with deafening sounds; he didn’t see us because of the glaring lights. And even as we bid farewell to the Lord today, and said our last prayers with emotions of joy and sadness, we gave Him a grand send-off with loud live bands and high decibels from loudspeakers that played cheap bollywood movie songs.

We live in the “Age of noise”. Physical noise, mental noise and the noise of desire. We are surrounded by the ringing of telephones, the clatter of keyboards, loud TV volumes, and high decibel sounds from vehicles on the road. Particles of noise cling to our souls – and they can only be cleansed in the waters of silence.

The living saint, Dada J.P. Vaswani writes, “I like to think of still, profound silence as personal, intimate appointment with God. And for those who wish to walk the way of spirituality, silence is the first and simplest step of the path. Silence is not just the absence of sound; silence has its own being; it is with you, within you. Silence is the language of the soul. Silence is two-fold, there is outer silence which is freedom from noise and there is inner silence which is freedom from clamour and desires. Silence cleanses. Silence heals, Silence strengthens, Silence reveals.”

It’s time that we realize that Lord speaks to us through silence. It is only in the depths of silence can we hear His Divine voice – not in the clamour and noise of this world. The most essential ingredient in prayer is not words, but the silence of the communion.”

Lord Bless us with silence.

Ganesha Wishes 2017

As Lord Ganesha comes home today, he brings along, good health and happiness (sukh), peace (shaanti) , prosperity (samriddhi) and wealth (sampada) for you, your family and your loved ones.

Let’s pray to the Lord for blessing us with righteousness (Sadbuddhi), right wisdom (Sadgyaan) and the courage to walk the righteous path (Sanmarg).

Thank You Lord Ganesha

Ganpati Bappa, Moriya

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi,

Vasuki

It’s been 30 years, but seems just like yesterday, when Mom, Dad and me moved to Vasuki, on the fourth floor, flat no. A-10. A nice and cosy one bedroom apartment, in Ghatkopar’s one of the only three multi-storey buildings at that time. I was younger than Maahir is today. Debu, Manish and Sameer were my first friends. I can feel the goose bumps already, as I begin the walk down the memory lane.

Vasuki was a much more happening place then. The all night navratri celebrations were amongst the best in Ghatkopar. I fondly remember the annual sports day celebrations – boys and girls, uncles and aunties, all of whom were pumped up for the event. Back then in the 80’s, when buildings did not have a club house, our Vasuki boasted of a concrete tennis court, a volley ball arena, a table tennis facility and, a playground that all of Mumbai would envy about, and still does. In the days when the only TV channel was Doordarshan, and there was no IPL, we had our own table tennis tournaments and volley ball matches. Night games of volleyball and box cricket often ended only after the local police came over, with a compliant from some residents – Yes, we had our share of them too!!!

We moved into the B wing, in 1992. Back then, we enjoyed an uninterrupted view of the Mumbai airport runway – we could watch the airplane right from the moment it entered Mumbai air space, the touch down, right until the time that the aircraft came to a stop. The landscape around, has completely changed – though we are still fortunate to have plenty of greens, gardens and open spaces all over. It used to be very airy – the moment one entered into Vasuki. The atmosphere around still remains electric and vibrant, with students bee-ing all around the building, and kiddos playing all types of games inside the building, all day.

The Holi and Sharad Poonam celebrations, and the gathering of Republic Day and Independence Day have always been special, bringing together our one big Vasuki family.The Ganesha festival, Govinda handi and Sankrantri kite flying events have added to the spice of life.

As we move in to our new home today with lots of joy and excitement; it’s also with a heavy heart. It’s hard to move away from the family that’s been with you all your life. Vasuki has been our home for three generations, and has blessed us with a happy, peaceful and prosperous life. We are fortunate that Maahir and Shourya have spent their childhood in this wonderful neighborhood, in a culture of simplicity, oneness, and sharing.

Purvi and I will miss the Sunday morning walks, trips to Siddhi Vinayak with Raju Bhai, Hiren and Seema Bhabhi, Manoj, Rajesh; Mom will miss her morning meditation. I will miss seeing my morning walk inspiration – Vipul Bhai and Sonal Bhabhi.We will miss Ajit uncle’s enthusiasm and positivity, from his morning visits to our home; I will miss greeting Venugopal aunty good morning while opening the door to the milkman.We will miss Jayashree, who would be always happy to baby sit the kids when the family was not around. We will miss being with Annu and Geetu during their trips to India. I will miss the energy of Himanshu, the many conversations with Amar, Abhay, Chetan, Jignesh, Rohit, Bharat Bhai And Reena Bhabhi, Shashi, Tejas. We will miss the Bulani family, the Navani family, the Kothari family, the Gala family, the Parekh family, Gulab Uncle’s and Navin Uncle’s families, the Kutty and Venugopal family, the Monani family, the Joshi family, the Dawda family, the Sheshadari and Subrahmaniyam family, the Gogate family, the Acharya family, the Ved family, the Thakker family, the Hurbada family, the Athnekar family, the Betai family, the Agrawals, the Modi family, and our new next door neighbours, Mayur and Priya. Maahir will miss Smit, Saahil, Priyansh, Raj and Shourya will miss Krishna, Veesmay, Dharmik. We will miss our sweet little darlings, Arham, Jianshi and Krupa. We will miss Vasuki, and the little pleasures that came along each day that we have lived here; but for sure, will cherish these memories through our lives.

Thank You All. God Bless Vasuki.