Be the Dhamaka.
What is Diwali without rockets searing into space? Giddy diyas tracing the night? Phuljadis dancing in a child’s hands? Flowerpots sending flaming fountains? But if that were all, it would be good, not brilliant. For it to go from pleasant to joyous, we need to “Be The Dhamaka.”
Easy to say. Hard to do, but glorious when put into practise. Manisha is associated with an NGO that among other things cares for children. And children love gifts… don’t we all? Now often when we are giving charity, we often tend to give gifts high on utility and value… but we humans ‘don’t live on bread alone’. We may need bread and butter, but would go hungry to feast on jam and barfi. We wear sturdy shoes, good clothes… but the child in us comes alive with the chamki dress, the slinky trouser.
There are Gifts and Chamki Gifts.
“Could we stretch ourselves and get the kids something that will really put the glow in their hearts? Can we give them a chamki gift… ” asked The NGO head. “We could” Manisha replies. But the corporate in her asks the inconvenient question “How much would it cost?” A lakh is the figure they arrive at. We can see the wheels turning in Manisha’s head. After all it is a time when many have been laid off. And will people really stretch themselves so some kids can get chamki gifts? Manisha put a message out on Facebook. The response was overwhelming. In just three days, she received 1.5 lakhs.
To Give you don't need a Bank Balance... Follow Tony.
Now you may say ‘I too would give a lot when I have the money and if I have a bank balance’. A marvellous person came to us and said, ‘I want to make a lot of money then I will give a lot’. Before you snigger, remember he is in a terrible place with most of his money sucked away by blood-sucking leeches. And we offered him the example of Tony. He was a DTP in charge at Scion. He was earning 6,000/- of which 2,000/- went in paying back loans to Scion. That left him with 4,000/-. Of this 1,500 went in rent. Which left 2,500/- for food, clothes and his child’s first steps in school. Sure this was 10 years ago, but still it was dire. Yet twice a month, on that salary, he would give 20 really destitute people a full meal. A small thing in global terms, but incredible in God’s eyes and mine. Hearing this, Ramesh, Kapil and I raised Tony’s salary to 10,000/-. Is it his goodness that got the universe to bless him? 3 years later, Tony was earning ten times that freelancing.
The most precious Gifts don't cost money.
And who said you have to give money? There are things more precious things than that. For years Celia & I have been chocolate uncle and aunty for a bunch of construction workers kids. 2-3 sweets deliberately spread across weeks brought them joy and us a bouquet of smiles. Years later we hear a voice saying ‘chocolate uncle, aunty’ and see a grown man on a cycle. Each day we give the birds a handful of food, dogs an odd bread, ants some sugar. Sometimes we give the jobless the name of an HR contact, put the lonely in touch with a partner. Sometimes we give less but in reality even more. A mantra offered to the Universe. A smile. A security guard once told us, “You remember our names… you smile, you treat us like humans that makes us feel good inside.”
Saluting the many who give...
We can give. And it is blessed to give, as so many of you know so well. Let’s mention, Sujani a marvellous Santa in disguise, who gives 30% of her retirement income. She radiates joy. Usha and Alex who run Sahayata… Boby who teaches street kids Kalaripayattu… vasu who has adopted 6 street dogs… Ravi who had adopted a village… the list of Manishas that knit the Creator’s Child Family is thankfully endless. And if I miss your name do forgive us.
But life can be hard, really god-awful ugly and one may be tempted to lose faith. And you may Say ‘Tarun Celu, I do not even have a smile to give.’
The Creator's Child Gift for The World.
Well, here is a tiny gift with a cosmic-sized bang… Use it and pass it on… Remember, you are a light, you are a soul, you are the infinite in human form. Remember this… and great forces will stir. To strengthen the power of remembrance, the desperate can chant Rhagranzee, 100+ times a day, for 12 days… your prayers will be heard. The chant will unleash a storm of energy. It will not all be pleasant as it sweeps the contradictions and idiocy within us that blocks us. Interestingly, this chant will work only for Nov 2015.
The Creator's Child Gift for The World -2.
The Black Diya. The Cigarette Burn. And The Broken Butterfly that Flew.Some people are Pollyannas. They are sunny, helpful, loved, caring, and happy. Some Pollyannas can be disgustingly positive. For we sometimes their smiles are cheap, and messages of positivity are chilly on a wound... sometimes nothing can help the tangles we are in... our bitter hells would resist even a Nuke attack... And for you we have our second Gift, the black Diya.
The Black Diya
Where there is no hope, I can be the candle.
Where no candle flame can burn, I can still smile.
Where no smile can be found… God can be called.
When my tongue is cut away… my heart can still chant.
When my heart is dead… I can use coals of despair.
When I no longer even despair… I can see the chamkis of stars.
When my sky has no stars… then abandoned even by God I am totally damned,
and utterly blessed… for I have fallen where I can fall no more… I am at the absolute place… the most precious place… for this is the place before God… where God will be born…Interestingly in the book Pollyanna, the girl who was gloriously positive was herself tested, in her despair her joy abandoned her. That's when the many she helped stood up for her. Sometimes many come to us and think it is all well for Tarun & Celia to talk about positivity they have no kids, no responsibility, no pain... what do they know of suffering? Let me show you The Black Diya in action. "There was a time when I was in school and college and I was worse off than a bird covered in tar. It wasn't when if I'd kill myself but when. Looking at my art was like staring into hell. Even though I'd encountered the cosmic, it had to peer through great ash heaps... Anyway one day with a cigggarette in hand, yes I smoked some 70 filterless ciggarettes a day, I began to burn my arm, it's fascinating how the skin puffs up when the 400 degree centigrade tip kisses it. As I did that, once, twice, a pattern began to form, dots, of burns that covered my skin but half-consciously forming a healing mandala... the first healing mandala I ever drew was on skin with a burning ciggarette... in the darkest places the most glorious stars are seen..." Where there is no hope there is something greater than hope. The Scarred God... gifts the most chamki gifts.
None of us ask for the gift of the Black Diya but it is the most precious one. Healing or spiritual growth is not just about tuning a chakra, or meditating, it is about connecting to God with such power that even if God were to die you would set yourself on fire and be a sun instead.
A few years ago, two of our finest students were sitting at a Cafe, both were in difficult places. They noticed a butterfly caught by thorns feebly dying. With no real hope they gave it healing. It fluttered, shook itself and flew. Now it may seem that the two students had gifted the butterfly life. Actually Life had gifted those two Devadhara Healing students a priceless reminder... In blood, bone and butterfly wing is God.
As the children in Manisha’s NGO will realise this Diwali… there is goodness in the world. As we see in our mind’s eye, the chamki spreading from one child’s astonished eyes to another, we too realise that we have received a gift. A little bit of chamki has come our way. The assurance that there are Manishas in this world. The promise that we can be The Chamki, the Dhamaka in this world.
Love & God,
Tarun & Celia