Author: Annu Kalra

From my Own Garden

From my Own Garden

Posted by | Jan 29, 2018 | , | 1

An Art teacher I had once approached to learn Calligraphy advised me to “share only that which is from my own garden”. He even wanted me not to paint Sufi dancers; just focus on painting Hindu deities! It was like someone was denying me access to Rumi. Can the beauty of a mystic be denied to those who do not belong to the same culture?   I am writing not on Kabbalah, but my experience of exploring Kabbalah, my limited understanding of it. Just as I write about my interpretation of Hindu scriptures, or the resonance deep within me...

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Buddham Sharanam Gachhami

Buddham Sharanam Gachhami

Posted by | Jun 15, 2017 | , | 0

Is there another personification of peace as inspiring as the Buddha, wonders artist ANNU KALRA… Buddhism has often baffled me. Buddhists do not believe in the existence of any eternal soul, yet there are Jataka kathas about the previous lives of Gautama the Buddha, both in human as well as animal forms. Many a lessons have I learnt in childhood from reading those tales; lessons in compassion, in responsibility, and in many other finer emotions. But as a grown-up exploring the realm of various religions, I was told by self-proclaimed Buddhists that they do not believe in the concept...

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LIFE’S TRIBUTE TO THE SOUL

LIFE’S TRIBUTE TO THE SOUL

Posted by | Dec 16, 2016 | , , , | 0

When the weary body rests in deep sleep, the true self rises to merge with its source and rest for a while. Upon awakening the same body –mind feels recharged, rejuvenated. Ready again to face the trials and tribulations of the manifest world. While we may seek pleasurable experiences and seek to avoid all that we deem sorrowful and sad, this soul is always rejoicing; Rejoicing in the experiencing!   It is why it came down into the realm of the physical, to feel – to feel pain and pleasure, to think thoughts, to see sights, to touch, to...

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Understanding Shani Dev

Understanding Shani Dev

Posted by | Jun 4, 2016 | , , | 9

Shani or Saturn is one of the most feared planets in the Horoscope. Typically most people in power are feared, but the ones who do not succumb to sycophancy are feared even more. Shani is one such entity. He creates extreme circumstances in people lives where they are tried incessantly and they either collapse or transform . His brother Yama, also the son of Surya is responsible for judgment in the afterlife and Shani for judgment in this life. If one were to draw parallels between the judiciary and the role and traits of Shani, it may help in...

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Decoding Hanuman

Decoding Hanuman

Posted by | Apr 18, 2016 | , , | 3

As a young kid watching mythological films and serials one thing that used to disturb me the most was the portrayal of Hanuman in Ramayan.  I couldn’t understand what I thought was the servile attitude of the supposedly most powerful monkey man. This really powerful monkey man was shown singing praises and uttering the name of his most beloved Shri Ram. Though he was the one with the strength and the power, he was constantly bowing down to the wishes of what seemed to me a docile man with unrealistic expectations.  In those films and serials Hanuman seemed almost...

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