It was last year, in the winters. A simple day, a simple visit to the temple from my favourite pilgrim city, Varanasi. I had just visited Vishwanath temple few days ago. Still a part of me was urging me to visit that. That part was not the spiritual one, that was the fearful one which was anxious that it may not be auspicious to not visit today.
I resisted that part, I instead visited Sarnath, the archaeological site of importance. I walked down the memory lane, when I was in town for Air Force selection board and had visited Sarnath for one and only time. I went to the museum, and stumbled upon perhaps one of the greatest Shiva statues instead, magnificence of which is still in memory. I went to the Sankat Mochan temple then, as I find that as a calming place, and luckily happened to attend the Sundarkand paath, first of the year. While the adobe of Shri Hanuman gave me a peaceful sensation as usual, there still was some anxiousness lurking behind.
Why is there the anxiety, why is there that stupid fear where there should be fearlessness. Is it because of the flawed motivation behind puja, which is done to get into heaven, or go to hell if you don’t? Is it because of all jyotish around, subtly suggesting that there may be some problems in future and you should go for remedy? Was it the fears amongst other visitors, which was washing up on me somehow? Or was it because I was tired from the day’s work and the fatigue was catching up in form of anxiety?
Whatever the reason maybe, that’s not your mind should get governed by. Your life’s pursuit is to gain knowledge, and knowledge comes from fearlessness. Your spirituality is the cornerstone upon which your mind is built. So throw away the fears, look at things rationally. Your God lives in your mind, and to be in pursuit of knowledge is to pray to him. You are not meant to fear God, you are meant to love him. Fear comes from the unknown, and to know is to love.

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.

I have always found the idea of self introduction a bit fascinating. Every piece of conversation carries an intention, an intention on the part of speaker to convey a message. With that message, they want something in return. Maybe it was a request and speaker wants something. Maybe it was a proposal and speaker wants to here a yes. Maybe it was an answer to a question and speaker wants to be graded for it. An introduction, in my view, is an attempt by speaker to make listener think in a certain way about them. They give name in a way they want to be addressed, they give their attributes which they want listener to appreciate and converse about, they give their personal thoughts they feel listener would admire. The entire process can be a bit confounding.

But as with any conversation, the more important party is the listener. The speaker may have any intention, it’s up to the listener to decider the message, because they think for themselves. I’ve started this blog to bring a variety of messages, some stories, some meditations, some originating in my own mind, some inspired by people around me. With every message, I have an intention of invoking a certain thoughts in readers. But I am still the lesser party here, because I intend for readers to Think It Themselves.

Theatricalities aside, I’m an Aviator who aspires to become an Academic. Brought up by a supportive family, I was free to choose my calling, which got me to wonders of flight, which in turn opened my eyes to the world. My thinking has been majorly influenced by my mother, who was a great thinker and an academic herself. Apart from them I have been picking bits and pieces from wise teachers and smart friends. Seeing through different lenses, I have developed a World-view which I think is worth sharing. The best part is that the journey has just begun, and there is still so much more to learn.