Writer-at-large ▪ Photographer-at-heart
Seawoods, Navi Mumbai
Joined July 2011
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A phalanx of painted stork keep birders engaged with their routine before the winter visitors arrive.
Business as usual in the neighbourhood of Seawoods lake of Navi Mumbai even as one awaits the return of the flamingoes yet again.
#backyardbirding
#wetland_birds
Even as I was focussed on a stand of flamingo in the distance, a long-legged marsh glider flew on to a blade of dry grass eyeing me curiously. The bokehlicious backdrop of 'pink' flamingoes was irresistible and made for a surreal image.
#naturephotography
#dragonfly
#bokeh – at Panvel, India
Padmaja Parulkar retweeted
Turn towards what and who make your heart hope and your soul sing. 🌻
🖌️ Susan Steiman, 'Voice of Nature' (acrylic on canvas)
Padmaja Parulkar retweeted
Surround yourself with souls who lift you higher.
🖌️ Emma Faull, 'Lear's Macaws' (watercolor)
गणेश चतुर्थीच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा 🌺🌺 – at Panvel, India
Ganesh Chaturthi is colour.
It is music.
It is devotion.
But beneath the celebration sits an ancient idea.
And that idea is worth knowing.
India once measured time through the Sun and Moon.
A lunar month has 30 tithis.
Each tithi marks 12° between Sun and Moon.
Fifteen tithis form one Paksha.
Shukla Paksha is the waxing Moon.
Krishna Paksha is the waning Moon.
But our ancestors went further.
They grouped tithis into five repeating cycles or stages.
Nanda = Joy.
Bhadra = Stability.
Jaya = Effort and victory.
Rikta = Emptying and review.
Purna = Completion.
Then the cycle begins again.
Think of building a company.
First comes excitement.
Then structure.
Then struggle.
Then review.
Something must change.
Something must go.
Only then comes completion.
Modern management calls them milestones.
Ancient India placed such pauses inside time itself.
And here comes Chaturthi.
Chaturthi is the fourth tithi.
It belongs to Rikta.
Rikta means empty.
A pause.
A review.
A moment to identify what is blocking the mission.
Wrong plan.
Wrong habit.
Wrong assumption.
Wrong ego.
And who presides over Chaturthi?
Ganesha.
Sometimes the obstacle is not punishment.
It is information.
Even the Rigveda contains the famous invocation:
“Gananam tva Ganapatim havamahe.”
Means, We invoke the lord of the hosts.
Indian tradition of beginnings, order and obstacles is ancient.
Chaturthi comes twice every lunar month.
Rikta returns again and again.
Almost like a recurring question.
Still working?
Still worth pursuing?
Still moving in the right direction?
Or merely moving because stopping feels uncomfortable?
Chaturthi is Rikta.
A time to pause and review.
Review needs intelligence, patience and clarity.
That is why Ganapati matters.
He is Vighneshvara.
The Lord who helps us understand obstacles.
And Vighnaharta.
The one who helps us remove them.
I grew up with Mumbai Ganpati.
The pandals.
The drums.
The colours.
The rain.
The midnight streets.
Mumbai becomes another creature during Ganeshotsav.
Pune does too.
Nashik does too.
If you have never experienced Maharashtra during Ganpati, experience it once.
It is magnificent.
Today I am in Kerala.
Here Ganapati often feels quieter.
Temple bells.
Special pujas.
Prayer.
Reflection.
Maybe both expressions matter.
Celebrate outside.
Reflect inside.
And perhaps this is what our children should know.
A degree is a mission.
A career is a mission.
A company is a mission.
Building a life is a mission.
None of them moves in a straight line.
There is no final “settled.”
You review.
You remove.
You rebuild.
You begin again.
That is how we grow.
That is how we contribute.
To ourselves.
And eventually to humanity.
Our traditions have been teaching this for centuries.
May we not lose that wisdom inside modern noise.
Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!
Padmaja Parulkar retweeted
Ganesh Chaturthi is colour.
It is music.
It is devotion.
But beneath the celebration sits an ancient idea.
And that idea is worth knowing.
India once measured time through the Sun and Moon.
A lunar month has 30 tithis.
Each tithi marks 12° between Sun and Moon.
Fifteen tithis form one Paksha.
Shukla Paksha is the waxing Moon.
Krishna Paksha is the waning Moon.
But our ancestors went further.
They grouped tithis into five repeating cycles or stages.
Nanda = Joy.
Bhadra = Stability.
Jaya = Effort and victory.
Rikta = Emptying and review.
Purna = Completion.
Then the cycle begins again.
Think of building a company.
First comes excitement.
Then structure.
Then struggle.
Then review.
Something must change.
Something must go.
Only then comes completion.
Modern management calls them milestones.
Ancient India placed such pauses inside time itself.
And here comes Chaturthi.
Chaturthi is the fourth tithi.
It belongs to Rikta.
Rikta means empty.
A pause.
A review.
A moment to identify what is blocking the mission.
Wrong plan.
Wrong habit.
Wrong assumption.
Wrong ego.
And who presides over Chaturthi?
Ganesha.
Sometimes the obstacle is not punishment.
It is information.
Even the Rigveda contains the famous invocation:
“Gananam tva Ganapatim havamahe.”
Means, We invoke the lord of the hosts.
Indian tradition of beginnings, order and obstacles is ancient.
Chaturthi comes twice every lunar month.
Rikta returns again and again.
Almost like a recurring question.
Still working?
Still worth pursuing?
Still moving in the right direction?
Or merely moving because stopping feels uncomfortable?
Chaturthi is Rikta.
A time to pause and review.
Review needs intelligence, patience and clarity.
That is why Ganapati matters.
He is Vighneshvara.
The Lord who helps us understand obstacles.
And Vighnaharta.
The one who helps us remove them.
I grew up with Mumbai Ganpati.
The pandals.
The drums.
The colours.
The rain.
The midnight streets.
Mumbai becomes another creature during Ganeshotsav.
Pune does too.
Nashik does too.
If you have never experienced Maharashtra during Ganpati, experience it once.
It is magnificent.
Today I am in Kerala.
Here Ganapati often feels quieter.
Temple bells.
Special pujas.
Prayer.
Reflection.
Maybe both expressions matter.
Celebrate outside.
Reflect inside.
And perhaps this is what our children should know.
A degree is a mission.
A career is a mission.
A company is a mission.
Building a life is a mission.
None of them moves in a straight line.
There is no final “settled.”
You review.
You remove.
You rebuild.
You begin again.
That is how we grow.
That is how we contribute.
To ourselves.
And eventually to humanity.
Our traditions have been teaching this for centuries.
May we not lose that wisdom inside modern noise.
Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!
Padmaja Parulkar retweeted
I don’t think I’ve ever seen Sadhguru this shaken. Watching him speak about those still missing from the Kailash Yatra is heartbreaking. We stand with you, my beloved Guruji.
The Nepal–Tibet floods are truly horrific. My deepest condolences to every family that has lost someone, and my prayers are with those still waiting for news of their loved ones.
Please show compassion in what you share online. Some videos show people in their final moments. They were someone’s mother, father, sister, brother, son or daughter. Their families should never have to discover or relive their loss through social media.
Let dignity come before views and forwards.
This tragedy has also shaken me personally. My parents were meant to undertake this yatra but cancelled at the last minute.
Life can change in a moment. Hold your loved ones close. 🙏
Padmaja Parulkar retweeted
“In the end,
I believe there is nothing we must do to be loved.
We spend our lives trying to look more beautiful, more intelligent.
But I've understood two things:
Those who love us see us with their hearts and give us qualities
beyond the ones we truly have.
And those who refuse to love us will never be satisfied with all our efforts.
Yes, truly.
I believe it is important to let our imperfections be.
They are precious,
for they help us understand those who see us with the heart.”
— Frida Kahlo
Padmaja Parulkar retweeted
Meluha Maritime wishes all a very Happy Independence Day!
#IndependenceDay
Loxodonto africana and Elephas maximus - the gentle giants of Africa and India, respectively. Watching them in the wild up, close and personal is uttterly awe-inspiring. Ellie portaits from Samburu National Park, Kenya (left) and Kaziranga National Park, Assam #worldelephantday – at Uran, India
Padmaja Parulkar retweeted
The one good thing that @Tukaram_IndIAS has done, is make people go back to eating at home!
Flamingo fever in #NaviMumbai as guests in the pink of their health put up a spectacular show. Courtship display of #lesserflamingo in progress. Soon it'll be time for them to depart as monsoons arrive. #WetlandsMatter We need to preserve these sanctuaries amidst urban chaos.
Padmaja Parulkar retweeted
“There is always one more step to climb. That is why life is worth living.”
– Sadhguru
#SadhguruQuotes
Chaha ani pohe... the comfort food and go-to breakfast for me like most Maharashtrian folks. Today, it was the mutter-tomato variation. Coincidentally, it happens to be #WorldPohaDay. Whoever imagined that! A day dedicated to the humble nutritious and versatile dish.
Precision, Elegance, Patience, Discipline, Ease... the Flamingo courtship display essays it all. The pinker ones doing the ballet are males trying to impress the females. Both have the arduous task of finding a partner.
#backyardbirding
#flamingo
#flamboyance
#navimumbai
What do you say when you just step outside your residence, cross the road, walk a wooded trail to be greeted by a sight like this! I say: Thank you God for the world so sweet... and hope as hell that we have the good sense to preserve it.
#flamingocity
#navimumbai
#savewetlands
Padmaja Parulkar retweeted
Thks @MeluhaMaritime
Folks, delighted to share this special episode of #MaritimeConversations which features an exclusive fireside chat with VAdm Krishna Swaminathan, the head honcho of @IN_WNC & the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) designate.
In a wide ranging chat he shares his thoughts on many contemporary issues that shape the current maritime domain.
YouTube 👇🏻
youtu.be/5HMGxn7TuDA
Spotify 👇🏻
open.spotify.com/episode/1sP…
Share widely & subscribe to our channel. Pse use headphones. This is an abridged version of our interaction during the #MaxCityLitFest on 28 Mar.
For our other offerings visit 👇
meluhamaritime.com
@abhilashtomy
@BelawadiBlr
@iProbal
@ChopraSanjeev
@Kajari1 @pramodkapoor
@dperi84 @MulaMutha
@kamalikabose
@Aryan_warlord
@CaptDKS @AshTheWiz @Palaksharmanews
@zwerubae @PadmajaParulkar
@rakeshkdahiya40
@hemantkhatri07
@Raviahlu
@DeekshaSaksena
@NavyVetsMumbai
@MHSofIndia
Fireside Chat with VAdm Krishna Swaminathan
This latest episode of #MaritimeConversations features a fireside chat with VAdm Krishna Swaminathan, C-in-C, @IN_WNC, and the Chief of Naval Staff designate.
In this exclusive detailed chat with Cmde @srikantkesnur, the Vice Admiral discusses current issues that concern India’s and global maritime domain and much more at the @MaxCity_Litfest.
Do not miss this conversation. Headphones recommended.
Watch the entire conversation on YouTube:
youtu.be/5HMGxn7TuDA
For Spotify users, click the link below:
open.spotify.com/episode/1sP…
@zwerubae
@indiannavy
@SpokespersonMoD
@IN_HQENC
@IN_HQSNC
@InNwc
@IN_WesternFleet
@IN_HQMNA
@IN_GNA
@IN_GDD
@IN_KTKNA
@thisdayin_IN
@abhilashtomy
@hemantkhatri07
@prabalmohanty
@SandeepUnnithan
@PadmajaParulkar
@SiddhantKesnur
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@poojasbhatnagar
@SaheliJNU
@varunpendse
#IndianNavy #MaritimeDomain #IndianOcean #MaritimeIndia #MaritimeDomainAwareness
