The Kashmir Files – Movie Review and What it Means to US.

One fine day, my friend called me and asked me to accompany him to watch this movie. Until then I was not aware of that movie itself. Before watching the movie, I was informed that it has lot of violence. But I did not hesitate. In the end I would say that it was a privilege to watch this movie on a big screen in theater and I am glad about that.

Let’s start with the Introduction of the movie.

The Kashmir Files is a true story of Kashmiri Pandits (Hindus). It depicts the events of Kashmir that unfolded in January 1990 and the subsequent travails of this community. The movie narrates their story in a gripping manner. This is the first time someone has dared to depict their story. No wonder many attempts have been made to stop this movie from reaching to audiences. Finally the producers were able to release the movie after overcoming various obstacles.

Why shall we watch this movie?

The events depicted in the movie can happen to any of us in future. After seeing the movie you will start reflecting on your life and what will you do if the same thing happens to you. Also the film is well made and all the actors have performed well. Hence this movie is a must watch for everyone.

Now you may say that I cannot see the violence shown in the movie. All through our life we have seen many movies where killing and violence is a common factor. And the violence being shown in any movie is not real. The actors are not dying are getting injured in the movie. The same is the case with The Kashmir Files also. If you want to see Rajamouli’s RRR movie that is being released on 25th March, then you can as well see this movie.

What shall we do after watching the movie?

Having seen the movie we will definitely sympathize with the Kashmiri Pandits. But is that enough? Definitely not enough and it’s our responsibility to contribute something that will reduce their pain to some extent. One thought that will come to our mind is to expect others like politicians or government to act and do something for this community. But that’s not in our hands and we don’t have control over it. I have full control on myself and not on others. So, we as individuals shall do something.

What Can We Do?

Many of us may not be in touch with the Kashmiri Pandits. Their suffering is our suffering also. And if we look in the world there is so much suffering being endured by many. My proposition is that any contribution towards ending the suffering of this world is also a way of helping the Kashmiri Pandits indirectly. We shall resolve to make small contributions on a daily basis to alleviate the pain of this world thereby that of the Kashmiri Pandits. We can possibly provide food for one person or animal. We can help someone who is sick and seeking help. And I am sure there are many ways to contribute. While contributing we shall do it dispassionately.

To conclude I recommend you to watch this movie and then reflect on the message being presented by the movie. Since watching the movie itself is not enough make a resolution to contribute to this world in ways that will alleviate the pain or suffering of the world.

Watch This Beautiful Video

Walking Along The Ghats Of Varanasi – An Educational Tour – Enjoy the Sunrise While Walking

My Trip to Varanasi

Once upon a time Gullapalli Venkata Surya Kumar (My Maternal Uncle) lived in this world. He left for heavenly abode on 16th March 2023 after leading his life in his own unique style. He was always friendly to others and affectionate. No words can describe him and he always resides in our heart. In his passing away we lost a gem. As per his wish, his last rites were performed in Varanasi and he seems to have given me a chance to visit Varanasi and pay my last respects to him.

Simran and Aditya

It will not be appropriate if I don’t talk about these two young men. Simran is Aditya’s Cousin and Aditya is the son of Kumar. They may seemed to be laughing in the above picture, but they carry immense sadness in their hearts. These two young men performed the last rites of Kumar in a traditional manner and we need to appreciate them for that. Actually it’s very unfortunate that they had to do this at a very young age since we lost Kumar at a very young age of 56. These two young men have helped Kumar in attaining salvation by performing his last rites in Kasi the heavenly abode of Lord Shiva.

Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport

We have reached Varanasi from Hyderabad on the evening of 23rd March after flying via Bangalore. We stayed for five nights in Varanasi and left for Hyderabad on the early morning of 28th March.

The Different Modes of Transport

In Varanasi you have to use three modes of transport for commute. The first mode is by autos (famously called as Toto) and the second mode is by rickshaw. The third mode is of course walking. In order to reach a place you may have to use all the three modes. First you travel for some distance in Toto and then take a rickshaw followed by walking for the remaining distance.

Streets of Varanasi

The first thing that will attract you is the narrow streets of Varanasi that run for miles together. They are called Gali in Hindi language. In these Galis only two wheelers and pedestrians can pass through. That’s why we need to be prepared for lot of walking before landing in Varanasi.

River Ganga the Goddess

Varanasi is a magnificent city, rising from the western bank of the River Ganga, where the River takes a broad crescent sweep towards the north. Bathing in this river will purify our soul as per the Hindu mythology. The river was very clean and I have not seen any scary things as told to me earlier. We got a chance to bathe in the river, attend the Harati and riding on boat. The most beautiful thing to do is to sit on the banks of this river and let the time pass through as the river flows. The river tells us that we are observing a new river every other second and we are also like that river with our mind and body rejuvenating continuously.

The Ghats of Varanasi

I got to visit all the ghats starting fromAssi Ghat to Manikarnika Ghat. A Ghat is a riverfront steps leading to the banks of the river. I went on a early morning walk starting from the first Ghat on the south side (Assi) till Manikarnika Ghat which is 3.5 kilometers away from Assi Ghat. One cannot restrain from appreciating the beauty of these ghats and the walkway that was built connecting all these ghats. I am hoping to present you a video on these ghats shortly.

Ganga Harati

Early morning and evening one shall not miss the Ganga Harati. It’s a visual treat for the eyes and also a way of praying to Ganga Mata. We got to attend one Harati at Assi Ghat. The Harati at Dash Ashwamedha Ghat is very famous and we watched it from a boat.

The Boats of Varanasi

One of the must do things in the Varanasi is taking a boat ride either early morning or during sunset. You can also watch Ganga Harati while being on a boat. They come in different sizes and shapes. Some are motorized and some are manually driven.

The Two Ghats for Cremation

It’s considered that one attains salvation if they are cremated in Varanasi. Harischandra Ghat and Manikarnika Ghat are the two ghats where cremation is done continuously. These ghats are in the midst of a busy city, adjacent to the bathing ghats, and are holy grounds for death. It’s a common site to watch a dead body being carried to one of these Ghats every other minute.

Varanasi’s Famous Food Items

Until we die, we need to eat to nourish our body and mind. While in Varanasi, one has to try Kachodi Sabji, Jalebi, Lassi, Hot Badam milk, Badam Thandai and Paan. Go to the famous shop The Ram Bhandar for Kachodi Sabji and Jalebi. One must try Lassi at the Blue Lassi shop.

Kashi Vishwanath Ghat and Temple

The most important thing to do in Varanasi is to visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple and have darshan of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva has manifested here in the form of a Jyothir Lingam. I was fortunate to have the darshan of the lord eight times. While being happy about that, I was also sad since I will not be able to see Kumar again.

In conclusion, Varanasi is a must visit pilgrimage destination for all. I never thought that I will be in Varanasi. It appears that Kumar has brought me here and I am sure he will be happy about that. But we will miss him. He is no longer there to read this blog and to appreciate. We will miss him in every aspect of life. His blessings will be there always with us. And he will always reside in our hearts.

Dawn To Dusk Walking – A Walk for Charity and Pilgrimage

The Link to Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra:

It all started with the Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. I also knew the Pada Yatras of the famous leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Y S Rajasekhar Reddy etc. I was curious on how they are able to go on such long walks and what is involved in it. The only way I can find out is to walk one full day. That’s how the concept of Dawn to Dusk Walking has arisen.

Walk and Help Physically Handicapped People to Walk:

After lot of dilly dally, I decided to do this long walk on 25th December. I was encouraged by my friends who are willing to join me. As part of prior preparations, I browsed the Internet for Dawn to Dusk walking tips. I was attracted by a post of a charity organisation in Ireland. They organise the Dawn to Dusk walking for Charity purpose and encourage everyone to walk a minimum of 7 kilometers. That’s how I got the idea of linking our walking to charity. It was then decided that we will contribute ₹100 per kilometre to a charity organisation that supplies artificial limbs to physically handicapped persons free of cost. “Don’t Just Walk – Help Others to Walk by Your Walking” is the new slogan going forward. 😀

All Set and Ready to Go

From Temple to Temple – A Pilgrimage:

This long walk is also a kind of pilgrimage. We have decided to walk from Cheeryal Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple and end our walk at Keesaragutta Lord Shiva temple.

Cheeryal Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple

Keesaragutta Lord Shiva Temple

That’s How Our Journey Started:

Mohanraj and Veerabhadra Rao joined me in our first of a kind experience. Mallik and Krishnaiah have decided to walk on their own. We went by car to our starting point of Cheeryal Temple. After having darshan at the temple we started our walk at 8.40 am.

Cheeryal Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple

Walking Along Cheeryal Lake Bund:

Cheeryal Lake is a beautiful site and we enjoyed watching it while walking. I have given some pictures below of the lake. The first challenge is the weight of our backpack since we were carrying many items to eat. But we had two bags and three shoulders to carry. We were able to manage that way.

Cheeryal Lake Bund

The Meeting with Cricket Team:

One the way we saw a beautiful cricket ground where a match was in progress. The team was enjoying their break and when requested by us they walked along with us for some distance.

A Few Steps with Cricket Team

Our Meeting with Basavayya:

On the way we met Basavayya who stopped on seeing us. He was curious to know what we are doing and where we are headed to. He told his personal story and he is proud father of budding lady engineer. He gave us the direction on how to reach Keesaragutta temple. Maybe God has come in his form to guide us.

All Religions Temple and Jain GOWSHALA:

On our way we found this temple and Gowshala and had darshan of various deities of the temple. It was nice to see so many cows at one place. We have also interacted with the priest and he said that he is from Uttar Pradesh and he stays alone in the temple leaving his family in his home town.

The Temple and Cows

A Scenic Road That Connects to the Keesaragutta:

You can find this road besides the State Bank of India and this path is recommended if you are walking and will be able to climb two steep hills. But the effort is worth it since you will enjoy the scenery while you walk along the road.

Scenic Road to the Hills

Climbing The Two Hills:

This was the most toughest part for us considering our age and we had to stop multiple times. The rocky terrain is so beautiful. We had to be careful not to slip while climbing the rock. A lady has asked us to climb the hill with bare feet since their belief is that the hill itself is God. We obliged her duly.

The Hills & The Lady

Hurrah We Reached Our Destination:

After walking for four hours and ten minutes we reached the Keesaragutta Lord Shiva temple at 12.50 pm. We were lucky to have darshan of Lord Shiva since the temple was closing shortly. We thanked Lord Shiva for helping us in completing the trip successfully.

Keesaragutta Lord Shiva Temple

The Conclusion:

The total distance covered by us was 11 Kilometers and we enjoyed it thoroughly. So, we will be contributing ₹3300/- towards charity. My other friends Mallik and Krishnaiah has walked for 10 and 6 kilometres respectively and they are accordingly contributing a total sum of ₹1600/- . That’s not all. One more Samaritan Mrs. Padma Mattipalli who lives in Atlanta has contributed ₹1000/- by walking in her city. Inspired by all these, Miss Sai Sahitya also walked for 3 Kilometers in her hospital and contributed ₹300/- . Hence a total sum of ₹6200/- will be contributed to Bharat Vikas Parishad. But this is not the main point.

The main point or take away is the concept of walking for charity purposes and this model can be repeated multiple times.

I hope that you enjoyed reading this blog. Bye for now. Before you go, enjoy some more glimpses of our walking.

Break Time for Relaxation

ORR Views on Shamirpet Keesara Road

Last Few Glimpses. Bye Bye

Yashoda – Samantha Starrer – Movie Review

Amitabh Bachchan in and as Don. Mithun Chakraborty in and as Disco Dancer. Or Prabhaas in and as Baahubali. Like this we have seen many movies where a hero is the protagonist. Rarely does a female actor gets an opportunity to be the main protagonist or lead role in a movie. In that perspective, it is good to see the title rolling as Samantha in and as Yashoda. And truly this film has done away with the need for a hero. And we need to appreciate Samantha for her well deserved recognition of her acting skills by the movie industry.

After watching this movie if you walk immediately into a dark alley, you will probably get scared that someone is going to harm you. That’s because you are still immersed in the experience of watching this movie. The movie surely manages to keep you haunted for a few minutes.

Before watching this movie, I checked in social media for the songs of this movie. But the search results didn’t show anything. After watching I realized that there are no songs at all in this movie. That’s another aspect I liked about this movie. No unnecessary songs that will prolong the movie.

So, what’s this movie is all about? It’s a crime thriller and straight away opens with a rape and murder of a Hollywood actress who is on a visit to Hyderabad. One thread of the movie is all about the police investigation into this murder. Yashoda is from a poor family and she has the responsibility of looking after her sister Brinda. Yashoda is in need of money for her sister’s operation and comes across an opportunity to become surrogate mother to a rich family that will fetch her the required money. She is soon shifted to a Surrogacy Center where she has to stay until she delivers the child as per the contract terms. What happens next forms the crux of the movie with a link to the murder of the Hollywood actress.

In one scene, you will find Yashoda fighting with another woman and I wondered how can the poor girl can have so many fighting skills. But that doubt was clarified by the director in the climax scene.

This film has many well known actors but clearly it’s Samantha’s show all the way. She has excelled in her role for sure and I guess this film was written with her in mind. And this movie is just like any other English movie where the focus is only on the plot without any unnecessary scenes. On the flip side, surrogacy is a theme used in the movie but it does not give us any enlightenment about what is surrogacy. But being a commercial movie that’s fine.

Overall, I recommend you to watch this movie in a theater near you since these kind of thrillers need to be watched at one go and without any disturbance. If you cannot watch in theaters, do watch it in the Prime Video OTT when it gets released.

The Joy of Living – Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness – Book Review

The joy of Living!

I know that you will probably start reading this blog because of the first two words ‘The Joy’. And you are not at fault if you got attracted to the word “Joy” because that is what we are all striving for. All of us want to lead this life joyfully. But what do we need to do for us to be joyful at all times? The answer can be obtained by reading this book.

One of the teaching of this book is the unlimited potential of the universe for anything to appear, change or disappear. This book similarly appeared itself before me and I was not aware of its existence earlier. And I thank the universe for that. The author of the book is a world renowned Buddhist teacher and master Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. The author weaves together the principles of Tibetan Buddhism and Science in a way that will forever change the way we understand the human experience.

First and foremost, the author has worked with various scientists to understand the underlying principles of modern science and how it relates to Buddhism. He was part of many workshops where the Buddhist monks and scientists worked together to unravel the mystery of the mind’s working. This book is based on his understanding of the modern science and its correlation to Buddhism. The book is organized in three parts. Part one is all about the theory and the part two is all about the path to be followed and the part three focuses on the fruit.

This first part of the book tells you who you are, what is the essence of Buddha Nature and what is emptiness. It further talks about compassion, the relativity of perception, the gift of clarity and various other aspects. The best way to get benefitted is to read and reflect on what you learned and what needs to be done to follow the teaching.

The second part gives various types of meditation that helps you realize your Buddha Nature. And it is essential to be aware of various types of meditation since it will not be possible to follow always one method only. You can choose to meditate using a type that is suitable at that moment.

The third part explains what happens when you learn to meditate and rest your mind in meditation. It explains the various progressive stages of meditation, how is enlightenment possible, the fruit of compassion and the biology of a Happiness.

Hence this book is recommended for both beginners and the advanced practitioners of meditation. More than anything it increases our awareness. Whether your life will be joyful after reading this book depends on you and you alone. Your aspiration to meditate is what matters at the end. So, take the first step and get a copy of the book and find your way to Joyful Living. All the best to you.

KANTARA Movie Review

In the first few moments, the film teaches us a big lesson that we keep forgetting and indulge in all kinds of desires. That lesson is that none of our material possessions can bring us peace and happiness as experienced by a king in 1870.

Also in the opening sequence, a father is shown advising his son that just because a land is given to them it doesn’t belong to us. If the donor demands, we shall be prepared to part with it. Actually one shall remember that nothing belongs to us.

The film also shows the greed for land by the king’s successor. This greed to acquire land is being seen all around us in our daily life. It’s just that amount of greed varies from person to person and the highest is among the current day politicians.

The above examples clearly shows that Kantara is a different kind of movie and is worth watching. The film’s strength lies in its depiction of the rituals of the tribes living in the forests of Dakshin Kannada. The depiction of Bhoot Kola, a ritual performed annually is a treat for our eyes especially when seen on a big screen.

This film is written and directed by Rishab Shetty and he also plays the lead role of Shiva in the movie. The story revolves around a forest land. A king travels extensively in 1870 to find a place where he can experience peace and happiness. He happens to find that place eventually and comes to know that the reason for his happiness is the Punjurli Daiva, a local deity worshipped by the tribesmen of the forest. The deity agrees to accompany the king to his home on the condition that the forest land is given to the tribesmen. While the king agrees, he is also warned that any attempt by him or his successors, to take the land back will result in destruction of his family. The rest of the story revolves around the greed of the king’s successors and how Shiva the protagonist fights them. One more character that attracts is that of a forest officer who is posted in 1990 to create a reserve forest.

The other aspects that are worth mentioning are as follows. The affection of a mother towards his wayward son and her attempts to put him on the right path. The willingness of the friends of Shiva to support him always. The divinity of the kolam tradition and the need for respecting those traditions. The buffalo race is also a treat to the eyes.

There are some negative shades also like the excessive violence, unnecessary jokes, and certain scenes in the middle portion may not be to our liking.

To conclude, Kantara is a different kind of a movie and is a visual treat for us. The climax scene is the major highlight of the movie. If you are bored of the usual masala movies, or if you are a person who is keen on viewing different kinds of movies, or you want to know about the Bhoot Kola tradition then this movie is worth watching. Don’t miss to watch it in a nearest theater to you.

All The Light We Cannot See – A Book Review

A diamond that is worth five Eiffel Towers. But you need to think twice before accepting it as a gift since it will bring misfortune to the people surrounding you. Even if you accept, you need to have the courage of returning to its rightful owner as was done by Marie Laure the sixteen year old blind girl in the story. You need to read the novel in order to understand who is the rightful owner and the name of that diamond.

We are witnessing a sharp divide between nations currently and there is a lack of trust between the nations. Russia and Ukraine are already at war with West getting involved by indirect means. If our nation has to go to war of large scale, what would be our situation as civilians of this country. The story of this novel unfolds during the Second World War and depicts the war as experienced by the central characters of the book. The events explained in the book will give us an idea of what could happen to us in the eventuality of a war. This is one more reason to read the book.

The story revolves around two main characters. Marie Laure is a blind girl who lives in Paris with her father who works at the National History Museum. The other character is a teenage boy named Werner Pfennig who lives in Zollverein a town in Germany along with his sister. They are orphans and spend their childhood in an orphanage center. The story of Marie and Werner is told in parallel (Alternate chapters dedicated to Marie or Werner).

The story is also told in back and forth style. The part zero is on what happens on 7th August 1944 and the part one goes back to 1934 and the part two again takes us to 8th August 1944. Like this there are thirteen parts in total with each part focusing on a particular period.

The story has also lots of quotes that are worth taking note of. Like “Open your eyes and see what you can before they close forever”. Or “Science my lad, is made up of mistakes, but they are mistakes which it is useful to make, because they lead little by little to the truth”.

And the language used in this book is very lyrical in nature. You may find it difficult to understand certain words and may have to refer to dictionary. Also you maybe forced to read a chapter multiple times in order to understand the flow. It took more than 10 years for the author Anthony Doerr to complete the novel. He had to research a lot before writing this book. The book was released in 2014 and it is the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2015.

So, if you want to experience a unique style of story telling, grab this book and read it. And you will enjoy it for sure.

The Psychology of Money – Book Review

I have started a SIP (Systematic Investment Plan) in a mutual fund for ₹1000/- per month. This action was taken after being inspired by one of the teaching of a book titled “The Psychology of Money”.

Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed and Happiness is the caption on the cover of this book written by Morgan Housel. We may be knowing and following most of the teachings of this book. But this book is still worth reading.

This book will not tell you what to do with your money. The premise of this book is that doing well with money has a little to do with how smart you are and a lot to do with how you behave. And behavior is hard to teach, even to smart people.

The book is presented in nicely planned chapters that are easy to read. The book style is such that the reader will be glued to the book until he/ she finishes it. The book has also many examples in real life and that makes the reading even more interesting.

The book has also many quotes that are worth taking a note and emulate. One such quote is No one is impressed with your possessions as much as you are. Another quote: Spending money to show people how much money you have is the fastest way to have less money😀🤔. It is worthwhile to make a note of all these quotes given in the book.

The best way to benefit from this book is to learn from the book and then apply that learning to our life. For those who are already following the teaching of this book, it will give them confidence that they are on the right path. Others can start implementing and making changes to their life.

No one is crazy says the first chapter and the second chapter talks about luck and risk. The next two chapters talk about how much wealth is enough (Chapter titled Never Enough) and on the concept of Confounding and Compounding. One of chapters talk about Getting Wealthy vs Staying Wealthy. Likewise there are other chapters that explain you a particular aspect of the Psychology of Money.

I have given the above information to give you an idea of what the book contains. The author summarized all the teachings in the 19th chapter titled All Together Now. And last but not the least he has given the psychology of his own money in the final chapter titled Confessions.

So, what are you thinking about? Get your own copy of the book and start reading it. Have a Happy Reading to know the Psychology of Your Own Money.

To Kill a Mockingbird-Book Review

This book was written by Harper Lee five years before I was born that is in year 1960. When I searched for the must read books of lifetime, this book was listed as number one. That’s how I started reading it.

First let us understand what is a mockingbird. A mockingbird is found in American regions that can imitate the voice of other birds. At the beginning of the book it is stated that it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. This is the advice given by a lawyer to his children. And you need to read the book to understand who is real mockingbird and what it represents.

The protagonist or the hero of our story is Atticus Finch. Finch is the last name of their family. The story is told through the young eyes of Scout the daughter of Atticus and Jem Finch the son of Atticus. It’s a story that maybe relevant today except that you need to map the characters to present day generations. It deals with racial discrimination, rape and other social issues.

The story is set in a fictitious town called Maycomb a town in the Alabama state. It was a old town. People moved slowly then. A day of 24 hours looked longer at that time. There was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it and nothing to see outside the Maycomb county.

Atticus Finch is a lawyer in the Maycomb county and he lives along with his son Jem Finch and younger daughter Jean Lousie Finch also called as Scout. The kids lose their mother very early in their life and Atticus doesn’t marry again in his life. They have a cook called Calpurnia who is a black woman but part of the household. The story revolves around the happenings observed by these two kids.

Atticus is a hero in all respects. Firstly he teaches us how to raise our children and enable them to face adversity. At one point he tells them that they will face wrath from the other school children and the society because of his decision to defend a negro who is charged of raping a white woman. And the only thing he asks them is not to get into a fight with anyone and to stay calm . That’s what he wants from his children as he himself has to undergo difficulties while defending that case.

He also shows us what is real courage. He tells at one point to his son that the courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you are licked before you begin but you begin it anyway and you see it through no matter what. You will rarely win, but sometimes you do. At one point Scout makes the following declaration about her father. “It was times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the bravest man whoever lived”.

Atticus says that he needs to live with himself first before he starts living with others. As per him, the one thing that doesn’t abide majorly rule is the person’s conscience. Like these there are many things we can learn from this book.

In conclusion this is really a must read book for everyone. No wonder it was widely taught in American middle school and high schools. It has become a classic of modern American literature, winning the Pulitzer Prize and the top selling book. So, why late? Get your own copy and start reading. 😀