गुरु पूर्णिमा

आज गुरु पूर्णिमा है—गुरुओं के प्रति कृतज्ञता व्यक्त करने,  उनके महत्त्व पर विचार करने और अपने जीवन में उनके स्थान को समझने का दिन। जिनके गुरु आज उनके साथ नहीं हैं, उनके लिए यह स्मृतियों का पर्व है; और जो सौभाग्यशाली हैं और जिन्हें  आज भी गुरु का सान्निध्य प्राप्त है, उनके लिए यह अपने गुरुओं की वंदना का सुअवसर।Continue reading “गुरु पूर्णिमा”

In Gratitude: Remembering Mangaldeo Ji

The news of Mangaldeo Ji’s passing has left me deeply saddened. Ever since I heard it, I have struggled with a simple question: how does one remember a man who was so much more than a teacher? A mentor, a guide, an inspiration—yes. But even these words somehow fall short. For a while, I feltContinue reading “In Gratitude: Remembering Mangaldeo Ji”

ख़ान-ए-ख़ाना की तलाश

एक मक़बरा जो प्रश्न पूछता है दिल्ली से नोएडा की ओर डीएनडी एक्सप्रेस-वे से जाते हुए यमुना पार करने से कुछ पहले, सड़क के बाईं ओर एक गुम्बद अचानक दृष्टि को बाँध लेता है। न वह दिल्ली के प्रसिद्ध स्मारकों की सूची में सबसे ऊपर है, न पर्यटकों की पहली पसन्द। फिर भी उसमें एक विचित्र गरिमाContinue reading “ख़ान-ए-ख़ाना की तलाश”

When God Comes Out to Meet Man

A Reflection on the Jagannath Rath Yatra There are festivals that delight the senses. There are festivals that preserve tradition. And then there are festivals that quietly transform the human spirit. The Jagannath Rath Yatra of Puri belongs to this rarest category. Every year, amid the roar of conch shells, the chanting of countless voices,Continue reading “When God Comes Out to Meet Man”

The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-XII

Letter XII: Epilogue (Part II): When the Final Whistle Blew My dear Parth, Viyanka, and Veyd, Some weeks ago, when the FIFA World Cup had only just begun, I started writing these letters simply to answer some of the questions that I imagined might arise in your young minds. Why did the whole world becomeContinue reading “The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-XII”

The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-XI

Letter XI: Epilogue (Part I): When the Final Whistle Blew My dear Parth, Viyanka, and Veyd, Well, my dear grandchildren, we have reached the end of the journey we began some  weeks ago. When I wrote my very first letter, the World Cup had only just begun. We did not know who would become champions. WeContinue reading “The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-XI”

The World Cup: A Primer  from Grandpa – X

Letter X: Amazing Records and Wonderful Achievements My dear Parth, Viyanka, and Veyd, Over the past few letters, I have told you about football, the World Cup trophy, the tournament itself, its greatest heroes, magical moments, remarkable stories, and even the technology that now helps referees make fair decisions. Before this World Cup comes toContinue reading “The World Cup: A Primer  from Grandpa – X”

The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-IX

Letter IX: Football’s Greatest Stories My dear Parth, Viyanka, and Veyd, By now, you have learnt how football is played, how the World Cup began, how the tournament is organised, who some of its greatest heroes have been, and how modern technology helps referees make fair decisions. But the World Cup is much more thanContinue reading “The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-IX”

The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-VIII

Letter VIII: When Technology Joined the Beautiful Game My dear Parth, Viyanka, and Veyd, In my last letter, I told you about the referee and how an English referee named Ken Aston invented the yellow and red cards. I also promised to tell you how modern technology now helps referees make difficult decisions. This isContinue reading “The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-VIII”

The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-VII

Letter VII : The Referee’s Whistle — Keeping the Game Fair Dear Parth, Viyanka, and Veyd, The stadium is packed. The crowd is roaring. A player races towards the goal. Suddenly, a sharp whistle cuts through the noise. Everyone stops. Twenty-two players look towards one person—the referee. Why does one whistle have the power toContinue reading “The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-VII”