The best way to know the self is feeling oneself at the moments of reckoning. The feeling of being alone, just with your senses, may lead you to think more consciously. More and more of such moments may sensitize ‘you towards you’, towards others. We become regular with introspection and retrospection. We get ‘the’ gradual connect to the higher self we may name Spirituality or God or just a Humane Conscious. We tend to get a rhythm again in life. We need to learn the art of being lonely in crowd while being part of the crowd. A multitude of loneliness in mosaic of relations! One needs to feel it severally, with conscience, before making it a way of life. One needs to live several such lonely moments. One needs to live severallyalone.

Saturday, 30 November 2013

WORLD AIDS DAY 2013: SOME RANDOM OBSERVATIONS

LIGHT, THOU ART THE HEALING. LIGHT, THOU ART THE SOUL.

Life finds its flow. Light finds its intensity.

Though there are many more silent killers than the HIV/AIDS, the social stigma attached with this viral epidemic makes it a killer in the real sense. Though not curable yet, the advances in the health science with more evolved antiretroviral therapy has made life easier for millions of the HIV-positive people across the world so much so that they can now maintain even the sexual contact with their partners with proper precautions.
HIV/AIDS treatment and further research has always been a politically sensitive issue as the current treatment regime and the further research both are highly expensive and prevalence of the HIV infected people in many low-income (69 per cent of the HIV infected are living in Sub-Saharan countries) and developing countries only exacerbates the problem.
Reports on the World AIDS Day 2011 said, “It’s more of a manageable chronic infection and not a life-threatening one now.” World Health Organization (WHO) said, “Increased access to HIV services resulted in a 15% reduction of new infections over the past decade and a 22% decline in Aids-related deaths in the last five years.”
Much was said and debated as the HIV-AIDS completed its 30 years in June 2011. Obama had announced new resolve to combat the HIV-AIDS menace. What could happen and what could have happened since then is to be seen on this World AIDS Day.
“Getting to Zero: Zero new HIV infections. Zero deaths from AIDS-related illness. Zero discrimination” – was the theme of the World AIDS Day last year, and is this year, too. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) then, the goal to bring 15 million HIV-infected people under the treatment regime of the antiretroviral drugs by 2015, though a tough assignment, looked within reach given the latest global statistics then.
Like every other health problem, if the HIV-infected people, too, are taken into the mainstream and given a holistic environment of medical and emotional care, every HIV target would be much easier to scale and achieve. Countries across the world need to plan and think large scale social interventions and mobilizations and now is the time.
Life finds its flow. Light finds its intensity.

LIGHT, THOU ART THE HEALING. LIGHT, THOU ART THE SOUL.

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/ 

DEV DEEPAWALI 2013 THROUGH THE LENS (7) - THE PEOPLE

PHOTOGRAPHY



DEV DEEPAWALI 2013
GANGA, GHATS AND VARANASI 

Though spreading to some other Ganga cities, Dev Deepawali is unique to Varanasi. It has achieved a grand scale in the last decade to become synonymous with the fabled Ganga ghats of Varanasi.

Millions of diyas (earthen lamps) spread the message that darkness has to be defeated. Legend says diyas are lit to welcome the gods who descend on Earth on this particular day – Kartik Poornima, 15th day from Deepawali. The day coincides with Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary (Gurpurab) and Jain lighting festival.

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/ 

Friday, 29 November 2013

LET THE DESTINY PLAY WITH YOU AT LEAST ONCE..

My reflections on life – in quotes (LXI)

“Let the destiny play with you at least once.
Let it do the ugliest things to you.
That will be a lifetime of experience.
That will be the learning unparalleled.
Marking betrayers, sympathisers, friends, bystanders.
Mark them and don’t forget.
That will make you a better and stronger soul.”


©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/

THOUGHTS..CALLIGRAPHY OF THAT UNSUNG INK..

Life is the relative presence of metathoughts
Death is just a relative absence of thoughts

Happening as it is, happened as it was
Scripting the ride, lost in the celebrated void

Caught in the hide, away to the treacherous jive
The vibrating nonsense, the agitating moondance

Trespassing the soliloquy of you and me and us
Somewhere to the known territory beyond this life

Away from the amorous wilderness, a journey
To the metathoughts where all that is you and me

Thursday, 28 November 2013

DEV DEEPAWALI 2013 THROUGH THE LENS (6)

PHOTOGRAPHY



DEV DEEPAWALI 2013
GANGA, GHATS AND VARANASI 

Though spreading to some other Ganga cities, Dev Deepawali is unique to Varanasi. It has achieved a grand scale in the last decade to become synonymous with the fabled Ganga ghats of Varanasi.

Millions of diyas (earthen lamps) spread the message that darkness has to be defeated. Legend says diyas are lit to welcome the gods who descend on Earth on this particular day – Kartik Poornima, 15th day from Deepawali. The day coincides with Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary (Gurpurab) and Jain lighting festival.

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/ 

Wednesday, 27 November 2013

DO SO TO GET THE MAXIMUM FOR YOU..

We come and we go.
We are creation of this flow.
Not entitled to stay forever.
We don’t desire to live forever.
Do the maximum that you can do.
Do so to get the maximum for you.
That is a way to look at life.
That is the way to look at life.
Pain,
That we have so often.
Happiness,

Tuesday, 26 November 2013

वो रूह ही क्या..

"वो रूह ही क्या जो खुद की मय में डूब ना जाए"
वो जिस्म ही क्या जो इस मय कि जुस्तजू में रूह ना हो जाए"

“WOH ROOH HI KYA JO KHUD KI MAY MEIN DOOB NAA JAAYE”
“WOH JISM HI KYA JO IS MAY KI JUSTAJOO MEIN ROOH NA HO JAAYE”

“What is that soul that doesn’t get drenched in the wine of its own intoxication”
What is that body that doesn’t become the soul in the quest of that intoxication”

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/  

LIFE IT IS..

PHOTOGRAPHY


..LIFE IT IS..
DIFFERENT SHADES OF LIFE IN PHOTOGRAPHS

Get interactive with Banaras Calling’s Facebook extension at: 

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/  

Monday, 25 November 2013

THINKING SOULS

Thinking souls – the best thing about them is they keep things to them.
Thinking souls – the worst thing about them is they keep things to them.

Thinking souls – they believe in making a meaningful sense of life.
Thinking souls – they believe in looking for a life worth living.

Thinking souls – they read the life, they write the life, following the human conscience.
Thinking souls – they read the life in the context of the humane principles of morality, identity and existence.

Sunday, 24 November 2013

DEV DEEPAWALI 2013 THROUGH THE LENS (5)

PHOTOGRAPHY



DEV DEEPAWALI 2013
GANGA, GHATS AND VARANASI 

Though spreading to some other Ganga cities, Dev Deepawali is unique to Varanasi. It has achieved a grand scale in the last decade to become synonymous with the fabled Ganga ghats of Varanasi.

Millions of diyas (earthen lamps) spread the message that darkness has to be defeated. Legend says diyas are lit to welcome the gods who descend on Earth on this particular day – Kartik Poornima, 15th day from Deepawali. The day coincides with Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary (Gurpurab) and Jain lighting festival.

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/ 

Saturday, 23 November 2013

DEV DEEPAWALI 2013 THROUGH THE LENS (4)

PHOTOGRAPHY



DEV DEEPAWALI 2013
GANGA, GHATS AND VARANASI 

Though spreading to some other Ganga cities, Dev Deepawali is unique to Varanasi. It has achieved a grand scale in the last decade to become synonymous with the fabled Ganga ghats of Varanasi.

Millions of diyas (earthen lamps) spread the message that darkness has to be defeated. Legend says diyas are lit to welcome the gods who descend on Earth on this particular day – Kartik Poornima, 15th day from Deepawali. The day coincides with Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary (Gurpurab) and Jain lighting festival.

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/ 

Friday, 22 November 2013

DEV DEEPAWALI 2013 THROUGH THE LENS (3)

PHOTOGRAPHY



DEV DEEPAWALI 2013
GANGA, GHATS AND VARANASI 

Though spreading to some other Ganga cities, Dev Deepawali is unique to Varanasi. It has achieved a grand scale in the last decade to become synonymous with the fabled Ganga ghats of Varanasi.

Millions of diyas (earthen lamps) spread the message that darkness has to be defeated. Legend says diyas are lit to welcome the gods who descend on Earth on this particular day – Kartik Poornima, 15th day from Deepawali. The day coincides with Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary (Gurpurab) and Jain lighting festival.

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/ 

Thursday, 21 November 2013

SLAVES OF ‘IFS’ AND ‘BUTS’ OF LIFE

Sometimes, it is really disgusting to be the slaves of the worldly ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’.

It is true we all have to have and have this compromising attitude. At times, we follow it, - voluntarily or involuntarily, this discourse is an altogether different domain of our cognitive abilities.

The truth that is universally true, we become party to it, and it happens throughout the life.

Life is not lived in extremes. One’s living is not survived by the absolute interpretation of events. This is the generic mode a life adopts on its journey. And its generalization is unequivocally universal.

We make compromises, for us, for our people, and sometimes, for others, as the circumstances prevail.

But, there has to be a limit. There has to be enough of it. Taking a stand on an issue and thus subscribing to the humane conscience in you may be painful initially but is wholesome and healthy in the long run.

Wednesday, 20 November 2013

DEV DEEPAWALI 2013 THROUGH THE LENS (2)

PHOTOGRAPHY





DEV DEEPAWALI 2013
GANGA, GHATS AND VARANASI 

Though spreading to some other Ganga cities, Dev Deepawali is unique to Varanasi. It has achieved a grand scale in the last decade to become synonymous with the fabled Ganga ghats of Varanasi.

Millions of diyas (earthen lamps) spread the message that darkness has to be defeated. Legend says diyas are lit to welcome the gods who descend on Earth on this particular day – Kartik Poornima, 15th day from Deepawali. The day coincides with Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary (Gurpurab) and Jain lighting festival.

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/ 

Tuesday, 19 November 2013

REMEMBERING MANJUNATH SHANMUGAM

It is 8 years since November 19, 2005 when Manjunath Shanmugam was found murdered in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh. He was brutally killed and dumped in his own car by a petrol pump owner and his goons.

And the reason behind it was Manjunath’s honesty.

Body of the young brilliant engineering and management graduate of IIM Lucknow was found riddled with many bullets as he was re-inspecting a re-opened petrol pump he had sealed for three months for selling adulterated fuel.

He was just 27 then.

DEV DEEPAWALI 2013 THROUGH THE LENS (1)

PHOTOGRAPHY



DEV DEEPAWALI 2013
GANGA, GHATS AND VARANASI 

Though spreading to some other Ganga cities, Dev Deepawali is unique to Varanasi. It has achieved a grand scale in the last decade to become synonymous with the fabled Ganga ghats of Varanasi.

Millions of diyas (earthen lamps) spread the message that darkness has to be defeated. Legend says diyas are lit to welcome the gods who descend on Earth on this particular day – Kartik Poornima, 15th day from Deepawali. The day coincides with Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary (Gurpurab) and Jain lighting festival.

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/ 

Monday, 18 November 2013

DEV DEEPAWALI AT GANGA: IT IS SO NATURALLY HEAVENLY

PHOTOGRAPHY



DEV DEEPAWALI 2013
GANGA, GHATS AND VARANASI 

Dev Deepawali – it is so naturally heavenly.

The collective luminescence of the millions of ‘diyas’ (earthen lamps) transcends the confines of the earthly, levitating the soul to the environs of the godly, playing to the tune of the rhapsody of the mild wintry breeze romancing the evening at Ganga.

One doesn’t need to know the legend.

One doesn’t need to follow the mythology.

One doesn’t need to be a poet to appreciate the beauty that makes one fall in love instantly.

One doesn’t need to be a philosopher to read the message the rhythm of illumination flowing through the stone-build ghat-steps in fusion with the eternal flow of the Ganga needs one to read.

Just be there and let the romance of the Dev Deepawali evening in Varanasi take you over.

In no time, you will feel your soul in harmony with the pristine majesty of the flow of a musical chaos riding on the nature’s symphony.

Make it a point to be there. Don’t miss it.

Feel the Bliss. Be Blessed. 

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/ 

Sunday, 17 November 2013

SACHIN, THE LAST SYMBOLISM OF MY LOVE FOR CRICKET

LIFE - COLORES INFINITUM (51)

Here comes our Narottam Puri, the commentator with his silky voice. Here comes our little cricket master. The excitement in the air, its flow in the veins, its manifestation in the breathing, to tell the scores, to inform about every wicket fall – that was the love for cricket that I lived, a love that Sachin Tendulkar became the last symbolism of.

I was mad about cricket. For elders and friends, I was a walking data-bank on cricket. Plans to plan the next day, the next summer holidays for cricketing adventures always cornered the maximum chunk of whatever little grey-matter I used to have then.

That was until the gentleman’s game started getting more colourful.

Plain, white, simple – cricket was an immaculate love of many. Being colourful is good, is precious, but it didn’t suit the modern version of cricket. Cricket became less and less inspiring and connecting as it got more and more colourful.

Saturday, 16 November 2013

SACHIN TENDULKAR, THE ETERNAL GENTLEMAN OF CRICKET

It’s a day to feel good and why not.

The whole country, in fact, the cricket fans spread across the countries were celebrating this day and Sachin Tendulkar was celebrating them.

It was a day of high mutual respect when emotions were on an innocent display for a public figure, something not seen in the recent Indian history.

Indeed it was a rare view, because Sachin Tendulkar could achieve the universal acclaim while sustaining as one of the last of the rare breed of the ‘larger-than-life-but-down-to-earth’ super-achievers.

Sachin Tendulkar is much more than a cricketing icon.

Friday, 15 November 2013

Thursday, 14 November 2013

THOTLAKONDA IN PHOTOGRAPHS (VII)

PHOTOGRAPHY

THOTLAKONDA



REMAINS OF THE BUDDHIST COMPLEX AT THOTLAKONDA

EN-ROUTE VISAKHAPATNAM-BHEEMILI HIGHWAY, VISAKHAPATNAM, ANDHRA PRADESH 

Wikipedia and Telegraph links for Thotlakonda:

Get interactive with Banaras Calling’s Facebook extension at: 

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/ 

Wednesday, 13 November 2013

YET THE HARMONY OF BEING ONE WITH MEMORIES..

LIFE - COLORES INFINITUM (50)


It was all but existent yet the harmony of being one with memories was all over his soul; was clearly visible in his thoughts.

There was the sense of loss that could never be compensated.

There was the absence of the person in him that still haunted.

There was the presence of the void in him that still talked to him.

There was this channel of conversation that still flowed through.

There was this sense of being incomplete that still left its imprint.

There was this hollowness that still sought answers, again and again.

But,

Tuesday, 12 November 2013

THE INTERESTING, AMUSING THROWAWAYS OF AN INTENSIFYING ELECTION CAMPAIGNING

The intensifying electoral fever is giving us interesting (amusing, funny) throwaways and the pitch is getting louder with every passing day of political fiefdom on its ugly display. It is in perfect harmony with the benchmark of the electoral phase of Indian politics - a hallmark of an insensitive class of politicians.

The electoral pitch has become entertaining enough for those who watch the proceedings of the biggest festival (spectacle) of a democracy – elections - to ‘recruit’ the representatives to work for the common man and so for the country.

And the churning from this display has started throwing away its regular, expected throwaways – the spillage from communication practices being exploited – the leftover from the ideological dump being explored.

Let’s take a look at some of these routine throwaways:

Monday, 11 November 2013

THE LATE NIGHT BEWILDERMENT

Gloomy and dark,
With,
That sudden spark,
Looking for,
That ‘something’,
In the flow of,
Delayed thoughts, and,
Absent moments,
When,
Not even,
The desperate urge,  
Makes any sense,
When,
The sense,
Sucks the sensibility,

Sunday, 10 November 2013

THOTLAKONDA IN PHOTOGRAPHS (VI)

PHOTOGRAPHY

THOTLAKONDA



REMAINS OF THE BUDDHIST COMPLEX AT THOTLAKONDA

EN-ROUTE VISAKHAPATNAM-BHEEMILI HIGHWAY, VISAKHAPATNAM, ANDHRA PRADESH 

Wikipedia and Telegraph links for Thotlakonda:

Get interactive with Banaras Calling’s Facebook extension at: 

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/ 

Saturday, 9 November 2013

THOTLAKONDA IN PHOTOGRAPHS (V)

PHOTOGRAPHY

THOTLAKONDA



REMAINS OF THE BUDDHIST COMPLEX AT THOTLAKONDA

EN-ROUTE VISAKHAPATNAM-BHEEMILI HIGHWAY, VISAKHAPATNAM, ANDHRA PRADESH 

Wikipedia and Telegraph links for Thotlakonda:

Get interactive with Banaras Calling’s Facebook extension at: 

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/ 

Friday, 8 November 2013

THOTLAKONDA IN PHOTOGRAPHS (IV)

PHOTOGRAPHY

THOTLAKONDA
     



REMAINS OF THE BUDDHIST COMPLEX AT THOTLAKONDA

EN-ROUTE VISAKHAPATNAM-BHEEMILI HIGHWAY, VISAKHAPATNAM, ANDHRA PRADESH 

Wikipedia and Telegraph links for Thotlakonda:

Get interactive with Banaras Calling’s Facebook extension at: 

©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/