New Delhi, March 21, the capital city New Delhi was greeted with a fusion of traditional Japanese music, pop-inflected Western idioms and electronic wizardry as Grammy and Golden Globe winner Kitaro brought his Love and Peace World Tour 2009 to India.
One of the world’s leading new-age musicians and composers, Kitaro: who has already won the hearts of millions world over with his mesmerizing instrumental music, played 17 instruments, including the Sitar, Tambura, Sarangi and Tabla. He won a Golden Globe for his music in Oliver Stone’s 1993 film ‘Heaven on Earth’ and bagged a Grammy for his new-age music album ‘Thinking of You’ in 2000.

The US-based musician of Japanese origin last visited Delhi nearly 17 years ago. He came here from Bhutan, performed at two live concerts and then toured other places in the country.

Kitaro performed at the Ashoka Hotel on 21st and 22nd March. The concert was open with a 30-minute performance by sitar-funk artist Niladri Kumar and his group followed by the performance by the maestro Kitaro himself.

After the concert, correspondent from Soul Curry spoke to Kitaro about his musical journey and the aim of his Love and Peace tour and what brings him to India who himself was quoted saying: “It was certainly a different experience when I attended his Live Concert. There was an aroma of reverence for Kitaro, and unlike other concerts, the crowd silently greeted his performance that lasted for almost two hours leaving behind the memories of Love, Peace and of course Good Music.

SOUL CURRY: What inspires you to do such good yet very different kind of Music?

KITARO: I get inspired by the sounds of nature and three different schools of far eastern theosophy – Buddhism, Shintoism and Zen. ‘Religion and spirituality are at the heart of my music. The rhythm comes from the heart. That’s the most important thing. I really do not know. I am just playing. It’s a gift. This is a magic. Music is a magic.

SC: Where did you get your training in Music?

K: I never had any formal training in music. ‘When I was in high school, my classmates introduced me to music. We formed Western style rhythm and blues band Albatross, playing American black music and rock ‘n’ roll. I began with the guitar and then switched to keyboards. I was inspired by the R&B music of Otis Redding and a 70s psychedelic band Vanilla Fudge. ‘My first reaction was, ‘It is so good!’. I then taught myself to play the guitar.’

You’re quoted as saying, “I never had education in music; I just learned to trust my ears and my feelings.” You’ve also stated, ‘Whose song is this? ‘I write my songs, but they are not my songs.” Where does music come from?

It’s all about nature and mother earth for me. I learned playing the guitar and now perform more with keyboards, so that allows me to think about music from two varying sides of creation. We must respect the earth. That’s the inspiration for me, always.

SC: What according to you is the relationship between Music and God?

K: I feel that I am just a tool of God. The message that I get is that I am just like a bird of God “so keep playing. Just keep playing good music”. My music comes from a power beyond – from heaven to be exact – and that it flows through my body and out of his fingers when I compose. I don’t read or write music and never practice – and it is therefore at times hard for some to fathom how those beautiful out-of-this-world sounds come from.

SC: Is all music essentially spiritual?

K: For me, absolutely.

SC: What is the aim of your love and peace tour?

K: This world needs to have Love and Peace right now. Today, we have so many wars going on. Love and Peace is the final destination. And if people can listen to music, they would not need to fight. I pray that there will be less war in the world and that peace will eventually prevail on this earth.

SC: Your Japanese nickname translates to “a much happy man”. Are you truly a happy man and are you content with your life?

K: I am so lucky and peaceful, so busy… so happy! I hope that answers your question in short.

SC: If you couldn’t play music any longer what do you think you would spend your time doing?

K: Photography is my second love; definitely photography.

SC: How has your tour to India been so far?

K: It’s amazing and I would like to come back. I came here 17 years back. But today I am all the more happy coming back and perform. I would certainly like to come back again.

Spirituality

• What’s your personal perspective on Spirituality?

• Rhea: I think we are all inherently spiritual. It’s just the level of awareness & maturity of mind as to when you recognize that and you are in tuned with it.

Marriage

• What is your view on the institution of marriage?

“MY STRUGGLE WITH THE WORD MARRIAGE IS THAT IN TODAY’S WORLD WE GIVE MORE IMPORTANCE TO RULES AND REGULATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH IT AND NEGLECT THE ESSENCE”

• Rhea:My struggle with the word marriage is that in today’s world we give more importance to rules and regulations associated with it and neglect the essence. For example, the question arises if we have put down our marriage on the paper? Is there a security for me being with my partner? Hence, it becomes more of a board room than a marriage and that disturbs me. Because it goes against the essence on why we are together or it probably elaborates a point too strongly which does not needs to be emphasized. And I think the reasons that bring two people together are overlooked, or not given importance, time and value. I believe more importance should be given to the fact that how committed you are.

• Having said that do you feel now getting married is necessary in the 21st century?

• Rhea:I honestly believe that it’s necessary for the sake of children because we do come from a society that has social rules and regulations and norms, which have influenced us from time immemorial. And these affect the child’s mind. I am not against the process; I just hope that we should respect the reasons why the process came into being. So if you keep that in mind, why not, marriage is a wonderful institution, but the way it is perceived today is something I don’t like.
  

“THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS HEALTH, HAPPINESS AND GROWTH IN LIFE”

• Do you think marriage is a bondage?

• Rhea: Not bondage, it can actually be very liberating. It all depends on being true to the reasons of coming together. Bondage is when you confine yourself, and you are knotting yourself up in the process of this is how this has to be done, this is what I expect you to do, when the expectations become unrealistic. That’s when it becomes a bondage. When you are not letting yourself or your partner grow.
  

• What’s your message for the youth? And how should they go about deciding about this aspect whether or not to marry.
  

• Rhea: There is no general rule that applies to each and every individual. The only thing that is required is to be true to your self. It’s a wonderful institution. Only if you are in for the right reasons and you value the fact that there are two different individuals involved, who have two different thought processes, two different belief systems. And when you accept that, there is huge level of acceptance as two individuals work together. I love the beautiful statement by Khalil Gibran that says, “Two pillars support the same roof. And its independent pillars. But they work towards the same goal.”Now there are certain choices that partners make, which may not be acceptable to one of the partners but as long as it works towards the same goal and both get the freedom to express their identity or their individuality, they should respect the each other. So this allowing each other to grow towards the same goal, you have to have a like minded partner.

• So why does this divorce come into picture? Why does that happen?

• Rhea: It comes into the picture when you do not have the same goal as your partner’s to an extent that it is completely opposite of what you want. So if you come to a point where you see that you cannot evolve or grow this way, and it is becoming more of an endless route of unhealthiness, then there is no why should you not get divorced. So the most important thing is health, happiness and growth in life.
  

Treatment of Women

• What is your perspective on the malpractices of female foeticide and discriminatory treatment given to women in India?

• Rhea: There is no denial that discrimination exists but the good part is that it is changing in the right direction. When I was told that I have given birth to a daughter, I felt that it is the most brilliant thing to happen.
  We should also applaud the fact that we have had women Prime Minister, we have many women at administrative positions. And we respect women enough to be able to give them power. At the same time, what we are going through, what we have always gone through is, not recognizing the power of women, the brilliance of women, and the value of women.

Soul Curry presents an exclusive interview with Jessy Randhawa, a well known name in the modelling arena. Besides being an Indian ramp model, her versatility is that she is an actress, a ballroom dancer, expert in martial arts, kickboxing, tae-kawon-do, Reiki practitioner, popularly known as an Indian ramp model and trained to be a pilot;
She was headed to become a pilot but entered Miss India and there was’nt any looking back.
She was among the top five finalists of Femina Miss India 1994 and today is the queen bee of style and fashion.
This is not it! There is lot to more about her personality, her profound understanding of life and her mature perspective on Marriage. Correspondent from Soul Curry spoke to Jessy Randhawa about her spiritual journey and her view on Is marriage a curse or a boon.

• What’s your view about the institution of marriage? According to you “Is it a curse or a boon”?

• JESSEY: We can never call it a curse. It’s definitely a boon to get married. Two people getting married is almost like you wanting to know what Brahman is, you wanting to know what another human being is; spending time with other person is certainly not easy. You have to compromise. But you have to see it like you are accepting another human being’s Brahma. It’s not about two people getting together for producing children or social causes but it’s actually accepting another’s divinity.

• But does that feeling last when we are actually with the other person?
  

• JESSEY: Considering the fact that I am coming from a divorce, few years back I would have certainly said: this me, I and Ego is the bigger thing. But today, I feel that transformation has to happen inside you and not the other person.

• Do you think now getting married is necessary in this 21st century?
  

• JESSEY: Sure it is! It has always been important; it is also a way of self-grooming in life. As such it is very easy to live in your own world, be alone and deal with your self thinking there is no problem because in reality you are avoiding problems. But if you are with someone, you will grow as a person. You will know the problems, get into them and actually solve them, and then your relationship with everybody around you changes. It’s just like till the time you actually become a mother, you would not know what is to be a mother, what are sleepless nights, what is taking care and taking somebody’s responsibility.

“YING AND YANG MAKE THE WHOLE ENERGY. SO, DO NOT MISS THE OTHER PART OF LIFE. I THINK EVERY HUMAN BEING SHOULD HAVE THIS EXPERIENCE; BEING IN THIS WORLD, BEING WITH THE COUNTERPART, AND THEN LIVING THIS LIFE AS A HEAVEN”

• According to you, why are people in today’s world taking marriage as a bondage and opting for live-in relationships?

• JESSEY: I think it is because they fear taking responsibility, they fear getting hurt, and they fear something bad is going to happen. And foremost is that they are not sure what they want from themselves, how they would know about what they want from others. So, basically they are not sure what is marriage for and what does it mean? If they know the meaning of marriage, they will be better off deciding about it in a positive way. As of now people don’t know what they actually want? Do they want the person for physical requirement, for social requirement or they want the person for soul-mate relationship?

• What message would you like to give to the youth about deciding to get married or not?
  

• JESSEY: Ying and Yang make the whole energy. So, do not miss the other part of life. I think every human being should have this experience; being in this world, being with the counterpart, and then living this life as a heaven. Heaven is not already made and given to you. You have to make it as a heaven.
  Freedom is never curbed by another human being. If you give respect, love, and emotional security, you will get freedom; it’s just what you give to the other person you get it back.

“TRANSFORMATION HAS TO HAPPEN INSIDE YOU AND NOT THE OTHER PERSON.”

• What are your views on women being perceived as weaker than her counterpart in Indian society?
  

• JESSEY: I think women are born of strength. I would say that feminism is not only in women, it can be in men also. The feminine side of any human being, be it male or female, is the most strongest and positive side. And if you are already women, you have to go through a lot more trials and things in your life. This is what makes you stronger because you go through so many more trials. I think men are unfortunate that they are not exposed so much to the trials in life. It is therefore, much more easier for women to go inside their own self and unleash their maximum strength. Women are weak only externally, but god has given them enough balance and strength inside, so she is much stronger than a male.

• It’s for the first time that you got the opportunity of meeting Gurumaa and being part of Amrit Varsha – the divine talk in Mumbai. Please share with us your experience.
  

• JESSEY:First time was just few days back when Gurumaa had come over in Mumbai for Satsang. I went on the third day, which I absolutely regret now that I should have actually gone on the first day. That was my first meeting with her. And there was this great feeling I got of another human being who is sitting right in front of me.
  Though I am not a person of Bhajans or Satsangs as I have never been to any of these, rather I found them boring. But when Gurumaa was singing, I could not keep my eyes open. It was a transformation. The way she was singing from her heart, I do not know how to explain what a Bhajan is? But today I know what exactly a Bhajan is.

“THE FEMININE SIDE OF ANY HUMAN BEING, BE IT MALE OR FEMALE, IS THE MOST STRONGEST AND POSITIVE SIDE.”

• What’s your personal perspective on spirituality especially after attending the session?
  

• JESSEY: In my hearts of heart, I was all this while, looking for a Guru. I have been reading spiritual books because I like them and mostly say that you need a Guru to proceed in your life. And yes, I have been doing my best in my own ways to go deep into the self. But I have not been able to achieve. Whereas in three days of meeting with Gurumaa, such great transformation has happened in my life. And not only spiritually but in many other ways now things have materialized in such a nice manner. Though she has not initiated me as yet, but already, such positivity has happened  because I was in touch of Gurumaa’s aura which is suppose to be God’s aura and it has transformed me so much.

Shehnai Maestro – Ustad Bismillah Khan
An ode to Ustad Bismillah Khan

The legendary shehnai maestro, Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan, was a very humble personality who believed that he “should be heard, not seen”. Representing a brilliant symphony of India’s religious pluralism and a symbol of harmony for people of different faiths, Ustad Bismillah Khan Sahib elevated shehnai to a position of pride and glory in Indian classical music. He enthralled audiences across the globe with his mesmerizing performances of scintillating tunes and magnificent pauses.

Voyage of the virtuosic master of the Shehnai

Born on 21 March 1916 in a small village in the northern Indian state of Bihar, Khan belonged to a family of court musicians. His ancestors were musicians in the princely state of Dumraon in Bihar.

Aged six, Khan moved to his maternal house, located close to the Ganges at Varanasi. He started his formal training under his uncle, Ali Bux ‘Vilayatu’, who was a shehnai player attached to the Vishwanath temple. Khan Sahib remembers him as a hard task master, who may not be able to conjure up the rain with his playing but would bring you to tears in a minute.

Bismillah often wondered why his uncle went to the room in the Balaji temple to practice while he could practice at home without being disturbed. Unable to suppress his curiosity he asked his uncle one day. His uncle stroked his locks and answered, “You will learn it one day.” Bismillah was quick to ask, “But, when will I start playing shehnai?” “Why talk about when; you are going to start today,” he said. Thus began Bismillah’s journey through the realms of music.

Soon, Bismillah realized that the atmosphere at home was not conducive for meditative practice. He thought practising at the Balaji temple, would suit him better. So he sought his uncle’s permission. Uncle’s expression changed and he asked, “Why? What’s wrong in this house? Why can’t you practice here? That evening his uncle took Bismillah to the Jadau temple and after the evening shehnai recital to the room in the Balaji temple where he had practised for over 18 years. Finally, he granted him the permission to practise there. Bismillah was overjoyed to get the permission and continued with his practice within the confines of the four walls, oblivious of the outside world. This led him to discover the heights and depths of the music scales and melodies.

Main aur Meri Shehnai – The Divine Unity

Bismillah Khan is identified in synonymy with Shehnai. He gave a new meaning to Shehnai, transcending the auspicious musical instrument played in weddings to the centre stage of Indian Classical Music. Where others see conflict and contradiction between his music and his religion, Bismillah Khan sees only a divine unity. “Music has no caste,” he often said. Music, sur, namaaz is the same thing. Even as a devout Shia, Khan Sahib was also a staunch devotee of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of music.

He said: “We reach Allah in different ways. A musician can learn. He can play beautifully. But unless he can mix his music with religion, unless he strives to meet God, he will only have kalaa (art) but no assar (mystical union). He will always stand at the ocean and never reach the heights of purity.”

Modest As Ever

He was the third classical musician to be awarded the Bharat Ratna (in 2001), the highest civilian honor in India, and was honored with Sangeet Natak Akademi award, the Tansen award as well as the Padma Vibhushan. He also had the distinction of being one of the few people to be awarded all the top four civilian awards. Despite the worldwide fame, he remained the man of simplicity and continued to use the cycle rickshaw as his chief mode of transport. He often played in the Hindu temples of Varanasi. The melodious paradox is that the man who best embodied the spirit of the holy Hindu city of Varanasi was a Muslim. And his love for the soil transgressed all boundaries to an extent that no other country or city could allure him to depart from Varanasi; he lived and died in the city of Varanasi only.

Shehnai goonjti rahegi

On 17th august 2006 shehnai lost her master. The 91-year-old the greatest exponent of the shehnai died of a heart attack. The unique and exceptional music of Ustad Bismillah Khan still can be heard as he said music should be heard…

Shehnai goonjti rahegi…. Sur sazte rahenge…. Ustad zinda rahenge…

The following is a transcript of the live radio talk show with Anandmurti Gurumaa, hosted by Anita Rani on BBC Asian Network online radio, UK.

• BBC: Does any body have the ability to be enlightened?

• GURUMAA: Every one is born to be enlightened. Actually we have this treasure within us; the only thing is that the dust on it has to be removed. It is not that you have to attain it, it is that you have it; you just have to know it that you have it.

• BBC: How do we do that…through religion?

• GURUMAA: No! Through being one with yourself. Religion just lays down the methodologies one can opt for, but the basic thing is coming face to face with your own real self, with your own real being. Now, we don’t have to construct that being, we don’t have to invent that being; it’s right there. The only thing is that we have lost touch with our own self. We are more body obsessed, sensual; pleasure possessed and obsessed people who have forgotten what we truly are. The Sage, the Master, the Guru through his/her knowledge helps us to know our real self. The self with which we identify is a false self, an illusionary self. It is more of the identification with the body and the conditioning which has been given by the society & the family. We just know about our self which has been told by others.

• BBC: So, we are living in a very selfish society

• GURUMAA: A very ignorant; I won’t say selfish.

• BBC: That’s why you feel is your duty to do what you are doing

• GURUMAA: It’s not my duty; I hate the word ‘duty’; I hate the word ‘obligation’. I always say this that I am not doing any service to anyone; I am just celebrating my own being and I am just inviting others to be a participant in this great party which is happening.

• BBC: How do we get back in touch with our self? By having a Guru?

• GURUMAA: Guru is just a friend who can point the finger towards the moon, but you have to go to this journey yourself. No one can do this journey for you; not even the greatest master can do.
  Even if Lord Shiva comes live, face to face you and says, Ok I am your Guru; yet Shiva can only give us the path, the maps, but we have to do all the working by our self.
  Guru is the one who will motivate you, inspire you and would not let you so back to sleep; will help you wake up. But the final responsibility is upon the aspirant who wishes to be in that state. That’s the reason I am using lot of music, lot of poetry, lot of literature in my work so that all kinds of people who are at different levels can come to me & listen and then contemplate on what I am doing, and then wish to be in that state about which I am applauding in singing all the glories.

• BBC: Mind is such a powerful force which keeps going outside into the pleasures of the world. It’s not easy to go inside to still the mind. So, how do we do it?

• GURUMAA: Yes, Mind is the biggest enemy which man is carrying within him but the mind is also our biggest friend. The need to be in company of an enlightened person is only for a sole objective that the Master guides you how to train your mind that this mind becomes your friend and not your enemy.
  In Ignorance, there are dark shadows; child gets scared of all these dark shadows and begins to think that there are ghosts in my room. But the mother brings the light and in the light all the ghosts are gone. Child doesn’t have to struggle; but with this light, with this illumination, all ghosts just go away. Similarly, the Guru works like a mother, brings the light of knowledge to the mind; the mind which was having the ghosts of lust, greed, prejudice, hatred and with this illumination of the mind we get a clear insight, and we come to know how this mind is to be used and then you become your own master.
  Now, mind is the master, not you! You are just a slave of the mind. That’s the reason mind says go angry, you are angry; Mind says go in the lust, you fall in lust; Mind says go and do the rat race, and you are part o the rat race.

• BBC: Aren’t these natural reactions? If somebody upsets me, I get angry; I am in a rat race because I want to succeed.

• GURUMAA: Here we go wrong. To use the right capacity of the mind we need to get the right training and if we don’t, we are at the level of animal.
  There are 3 levels: one is the level of animal, the other level of human, and the third level is of divine. We might look as a human being but still the human being has three levels. Most of the people are born as an animal, we are very instinctive, and we just listen to our body. Body says hungry: we eat; body says thirsty: we drink. Those people who are listening to the instinctive signs & symbols, and the language of the body are in the category of being just an animal although they are in human body. The second level is the level of being truly human. Again & again we are telling our children, be a human; they are a human being yet we say: do humane things, be humane, have humane feelings. This means it needs lot of effort co come at the level of human being. It’s always hard to ascend but it’s always easy to fall down; gravity helps you to fall down easily. We are born with this animal instinct, so it’s very very easy to listen to your instincts and act upon that. But who is a human being? Who is not just listening to the instincts of the body; its not that the body will trigger out various emotions and the body will begin to react on that. When I say, be a human then you don’t react, you act. There’s a big difference.

Eckhart Tolle (born in germany, 1948 as ulrich tolle) is a contemporary spiritual teacher at the age of 29, he experienced a spiritual transformation that marked the beginning of an intense inward journey and the beginning of his function as a counselor and spiritual teacher. He now lives in vancouver british columbia canada the name change from ulrich to eckhart seems to be a reference to german mystic meister eckhart. Eckhart tolle’s non-fiction bestseller, the power of now, emphasizes the importance of being aware of the present moment as a way of not being lost in thought. In tolle’s view, the present is the gateway to a heightened sense of peace and aliveness.

Eckhart Tolle is widely recognized as one of the most inspiring spiritual teachers of our time. Maggie Mavi from Soul Curry met him in London, where he was giving intensive talks after the silence of more than three years.

• SOUL CURRY: ECKHART, PLEASE EXPLAIN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROLONGED SILENCE?

• Eckhart Tolle: For more than three years, I had stopped one particular cycle-the teaching cycle. One of the reasons is because I realized that it’s time to write again. So I wrote another book, ‘A New Earth’, and there was no teaching during this period. By the time I reached the end of the book, I still felt that the new teaching cycle has not yet begun. So I was happy remaining silent. I wouldn’t call it a decision because when you say decision, it implies mind is just working out, what is to be done and what not. It was more like a realization, feeling the energy and seeing what is right, and this is the way I always live. It’s not so much of a mental decision-making but the totality of the present moment, and then you live without thinking, tuning into the total energy field. You can practice this with any situation. Where the mind becomes still, you are very alert, you tune into the energy field, you feel the energy and the answer comes not as a decision but as a realization. Then there is no question about it. It is just so clear.

• SC: HOW WOULD YOU INTRODUCE SELF AWAKENING TO A COMMON MAN ENGROSSED IN THE VICIOUS CIRCLE OF HIS LIFE?

• ET: The first step is to become aware that mind is continuously active. It is always thinking. So I would ask the person whether he realizes that there is a voice in his head which never stops talking; the first step is this realization. Now, it may sound very obvious that my mind never stops thinking but many people are so identified with the voice in their head that they are not even aware of the fact that they have voice in the head because they are the voice. They are so completely possessed by the mind. The key is to direct the person’s attention to their own mind and say, ‘do you realize that there is a voice in your head- that talks, talks and talks.’ The moment they realize it, that’s the first step towards awakening because awakening is to dis-identify from the mind and the dream of unconscious thinking.
  So, once the person has realized that there is a constant noise in my head-mental noise-that is the first glimpse of awakening. This is the place from where you can be aware of the mind, and not be part of the mind. Now this sounds very simple but many people are not even ready for this simple step.

• SC: WHEN ONE IS ON THE PATH OF SPIRITUAL AWAKENING, DOES ONE SEEK GUIDANCE OR IS ONE GUIDED?

• ET: The phrase, ‘when student is ready, the teacher appears’ is indeed true. When there is this inner readiness, very soon something comes to you from the outside, not always immediately in the form of a human being but may be in the form of a book or you would hear something that takes you deeper and from there you go on. In some cases you actually need a spiritual teacher, while for some a spiritually vitally alive book can also take place of a teacher. I have had many letters from the people all over the world whose life has become transformed simply through reading ‘Power of Now’. And this could happen only because there was an inner readiness. This readiness opens the doors of great evolution and this is how the teacher emerges. Teacher is not the person. It’s something that is deeper than the person and it comes when the person becomes transparent to it; when there is less of density. Most human beings have a high density because that’s the density of the workings of the mind and emotional density. When that goes through a shift, you become more present. Present moment is the key. Then a greater consciousness emerges from within – the only real teacher. That consciousness is not yours or mine. It’s consciousness. Truth is always a recognition. It is not something that you learn anew because truth is essentially within you.

• SC: HOW TO BECOME AWARE OF THE PRESENT MOMENT?

• ET: In the beginning, practice being present, being aware, being conscious in the little things that you do in day to day life, that are not challenging. See if you can do them consciously, which means not to make them into means to an end, but simply be fully present. As simple as washing your hands, or when you make a cup of tea, be fully present with every action, rather than looking to the end result that you want to achieve. Usually, the whole process of making a cup of tea is unconscious and finally when you are drinking the cup of tea, you are already looking forward to the next thing. You are never present in the present moment. So when you do things in daily life like putting on your clothes in the morning, be conscious of every touch so that there is a presence as you do that.
  Occasionally, when you look out of the window, focus of something very natural, for example the sky; if you don’t have anything natural, then may be a potted plant, or an animal or anything that you can consciously focus on. It will be of great help, as it will take you out of the mind. Human made things can also make you aware- for example, a car. But it’s easier to connect with the tree and be free of the mind, than to connect with the car, but after awhile you can also do it with the car.
  So when you are not being challenged, sit alone in your room for meditating and simply being, and take in the totality of the room. When you get into your car, instead of immediately starting your car, just for 30 seconds, feel the inner body, the energy field. Stop and just be!
  One never finds those gaps as there are no gaps in one’s life. One needs to continuously find those gaps in the stream of thought. The mind always pulls you from one thought to another and then to another. We just keep thinking, thinking and thinking. One needs to be free of it. It is important to find the gaps in your daily activities and to be free of the compulsive thinking.
  One way of being free- is simply to realize that you are thinking. How can you realize that you are thinking? Now this is not part of thinking. The moment you realize that certain thoughts are going through your head, there is already some freedom there. For most people, stopping their mind doesn’t work because when they try to stop thinking, they usually find they can’t do it but one way of reducing mind activity and finding stillness is actually by not resisting the present moment as it is. Then automatically thinking slows down-the mind activities slow down. All these things are connected. When you say yes to the present moment, the compulsive thinking begins to slow down and you tune into the present moment.
  The gaps don’t need to be long; just a few seconds are sometimes enough. More important than the length is the frequency and the mind often might tell you, ‘I don’t have time for gaps’ but it’s a lie. Everybody, even the busiest person has time to occasionally stop for 10 to 20 seconds. There is nobody who is that busy that they can’t occasionally stop for even 20 seconds.
  Question is, are there those gaps in your life. There is an utmost need to find the gaps: No mind, just stillness. Finding the gaps is more important than meditating. Meditation is a great tool, but if your meditation is one part of your life and then for the rest of your life, you are as unconscious as everybody else then it’s no avail.

• SC: IS BEING IN THE MOMENT A GRADUAL PROCESS OR HAPPENS LIKE AN INSTANT CHANGE?

• ET: Instant deep change is relatively rare but it does happen to some people. It usually happens through some disaster in a person’s life. Perhaps, somebody suddenly loses his/her family or all their possessions. For most people, it is a more gradual change where the thinking mind no longer possesses them. It is the dis-identification from the conditioned mind and a gradual arising of the unconditioned dimension of consciousness., which is a great liberation. Then the person i.e. the conditioned entity weakens and becomes less dense, and the unconditioned being, which is the consciousness, gradually begins to shine through the person. This gradual arising brings the change. Gradually an intense change begins to happen. One feels the need to withdraw completely, as there is a deep pull. Doing simple things like watching TV programs, chatting – all become more of an effort. Suddenly things that were very important, now become less important or in some cases meaningless. The stillness, the space, begins to attract the person. It’s important for the person to go back into the world but without being part of it. One needs to be in it, but not a part of it. It is a different level of consciousness, as one finds the inner stillness. You are still there with everyone but just do not need to participate anymore as a change has begun to happen. The new consciousness is arising.

• SC: HOW IS IT THAT ACTIVITIES LIKE CHATTING, WATCHING TV BECOME LESS IMPORTANT?>

• ET: Yes! Many people find that a lot of human activity that they might have enjoyed, they don’t enjoy it any more. They much prefer to be alone, or to be in nature, or to be alone in their room, or they might feel the impulse to withdraw completely. When the change takes place, the intensity is so deep that it just pulls you away from everything. You begin looking for that space, that stillness, which you were not aware of before and you may need to occasionally withdraw.But ultimately it’s not necessary because you always carry that within you and you can go back into daily activities without loosing it. That’s where you become an important agent of change in the world. Because the world needs you, it needs the new energy coming. So it’s not asking you to permanently withdraw from the world but to go back into the world, without becoming a part of it. There is an expression which is sometimes used in Christianity-`Be in the world but not part of it`. Don’t be part of it but you need to be in it. This means that you embody a different frequency, a different level of consciousness. When you are going through the process of finding that inner stillness, that space in you, doing simple things like watching television or sitting and chatting, having a regular conversation with friends becomes more of an effort, because you don’t feel the need to be talking or listening. Suddenly you find that you might want to just sit, but not listen and not be part of that conversation because it doesn’t mean anything much to you anymore.
  All the things that otherwise people enjoy, like gossiping, criticizing, which are favorite activities of many people. It all becomes quite meaningless and you don’t want to be part of it anymore. You might still be with your old friends but not participating in the conversation. Now it could happen that your old friends don’t want to be with you anymore because you are not interesting enough. So, some people find that eventually a change happens. Some old friends also get drawn into the new consciousness while others drop away, but they will evolve in their own time.

• SC: IN ‘POWER OF NOW’ YOU HAVE OFTEN MENTIONED ‘SURRENDER TO THE SITUATION COMPLETELY’. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

• ET: It simply means to say ‘YES’ to this moment. That is the state of surrender-a total yes to what is. And the complete yes to what is, is the transcendence of the world. The usual state of consciousness is to resist, to run away from it, to deny it, to not look at it. And surrendering to the situtation means to welcome this moment, embrace this moment. This is all that’s needed. No inner resistance to what is! No inner resistance to the present moment, i.e. to surrender by letting go of resistance, and you only let go of resistancewhen you realize the futility of resistance. You realize how much damage it does, first to your body because it is a negative state and a prolonged negative state creates disease in the body. It does damage to the human relations. It spreads like disease. It inflicts others. Every negativity infects others and it re-enforces their negativity. So you see it’s futile, it doesn’t help. It spreads
  like pollution. You could call it psychic pollution which is far worse than physical pollution and I believe things are connected. You experience so much pollution in physical realm because there is tremendous amount of pollution in your psychic realm. Where the outer always reflects the inner. So it’s up to you to bring about the change rather than demanding that situations should change or other people should change and behave differently. We often demand that the other people should behave differently an then we will be ok. You drop the demand that others should behave differently. It starts with you. If you start behaving differently, after awhile, you will notice changes in the other people’s behavior but you didn’t demand it. It just happens.

A role model in many respects, Kiran Bedi is the most admired woman of India. She broke new ground by joining the élite Indian Police Service in 1972, the first woman in India to do so. Her accomplishments as India’s first & highest ranking woman police officer and a philanthropist have established her as one of the most respected public figures today. Her humane and fearless approach has contributed greatly to innumerable innovative policing and prison reforms. She not only introduced a “Godly approach to jail inmates” with the introduction of yoga, meditation and discourses by various sections of religious groups to inculcate spirituality and human values amongst the under trials and convicts, men and women but also empowered them with education. Vanshika Gaba from Soul Curry spoke to Kiran Bedi about her approach to life.

• Soul Curry: How do you define spirituality? What changes has it brought into your life as a person and as a police officer?

• Kiran Bedi: Spirituality is our whole being. Clean thoughts are spirituality. For me, spirituality is clean thoughts, clean mind, clean action, and clean human being. In my life, it has been a growth and not a new learning. This is the way I believed as a student and as a person. When I was growing up, this has been my education, my training, the nurturing from my parents, and environment i.e. clean mind, clean thoughts, clean hands, clean human being which is a spiritual human being.
  I have been growing in this belief, that’s why I am in Indian police because this service is meant entirely for that; to help people stay clean. And this is the reason why this service attracted me as it has the power and potential to help people stay clean. So, for me it was not to pick up dirty people or people with dirty hands but the people to be kept clean. I look at the glass half full and not half empty.
  When I was small, my parents used to say, “If you want to know how others feel about what you do, get into the others shoe, you will see where it pinches”. And at that time 40-50 yrs ago when I was in my early school days it was this which mattered, this has the philosophy of spirituality.

“I have teachers, books, scriptures, and discourses but there’s not yet that stage come in my life where I could say that this is the end…this person is my Guru.”

• SC: You introduced Vipasanna Meditation in Tihar Jail. Why did you choose vipassana?

• KB: In prison, I was looking for solutions, all possible strategies, all possible options and this came as an option. I didn’t choose this out of many, as I haven’t experienced all. The most significant thing was that it got accepted by everyone because it did not have any form of religion. Vipassana was one which was more of internal understanding, more of internal reflection than external formation. So, with no external formation you can sit and meditate anywhere in any form. It was not any formal religion of praying to a name, or a mantra; Muslims could accept it, Hindus could accept it, Sikhs could accept it because it did not have any form. There was no jaap, no prayer, and no form, only understanding yourself that anyone would be willing to do. In prison, where there are people of every denomination and they have very rigid views, very strong views, like the Sikh would say Guru Granth Sahib is my last word, the Hindu will say Geeta is my last word, the Muslim may say Quran is my last word, the Christian might say Bible is my last word, but Vipassana emphasized on understanding the meaning behind all of them. In fact not only understanding, but imbibing and living those values. Therefore, it is rising above; it is like living those teachings, which is why Vipassana worked very well as it was not about limiting but expanding.

• SC: In every walk of life, one needs the right guidance and training. Do you have a mentor? Do you listen to a Guru?

• KB: I listen to a lot of discourses. I do pray. I have a temple in my house but I don’t limit myself. I have teachers, books, scriptures, and discourses but there’s not yet that stage come in my life where I could say that this is the end…this person is my Guru. But I have many many teachers in my life.

“For me, spirituality is clean thoughts, clean mind, clean action, and clean human being.”

• SC: How do you deal with your problems in life?

• KB: Life is a challenge. My problems in life are not different from any other. In fact they are same for everyone but I think the challenges are different. When you are in the profession like mine then the challenges ought to be different. If you are in some other profession then there are some other kinds of challenges.
  Challenges are like stepping stones. Either you make them as a step to climb up or you make them as a blockage. In my approach I recognised that whenever you have a challenge, there is an opposite reaction. So, the need is to understand the concept of opposite reaction. I don’t look at the reaction as something to block my way, rather I take it as something in a way that I have to climb over and look at the next hill. So, my whole approach has been – not to expect nothing but to expect anything and to look for which is my next step to climb and convert it into a stepping stone to step over it. Now this comes with grace. It cannot come with the ‘I’; it’s something within the ‘I’ that is also giving you the energy. While you have the energy, there is something that is sparking the energy to face the challenges. To me, that’s the hidden invisible grace and nothing comes without grace. Even being healthy is by grace. Why I must eat the right thing and live the right way, there is something that is protecting the rightness. Many people do feel differently, even the feeling of that invisible grace is a grace by itself. I feel the hands of protection around me. When I am in awkward situations, I feel there is some hand that is protecting me and I remain grateful. It is invisible. You can just feel it in circumstances like when you could have been killed, you could have been injured, you could have been hurt, and then you feel that something protected you; so what protected you is the invisible grace which stays with you. To me, that’s the special spiritual grace.

• SC: According to you what steps should be taken to improve the situation of women in this society?

• KB: It is to educate her and to set her free. Let her seek her needs as much as a man’s needs. Just as man needs to be free and work for himself and be a provider, so should woman be allowed to educate herself to the maximum she wants and choose her own course of life and to be her own provider. Why should others dictate what she should do, as they don’t decide for men what they should do. So, women should be free enough to decide for themselves. Set them free and let them choose there own righteous path, walk on those paths and be the source of strength and energy for themselves. They are as good as men and in fact if they can do better. Allow them to grow and be on their own, so that they can be the providers in more than one way; they are already providers to the society, but let them be the providers in many more ways like men; man is a provider in every aspect, so should a woman be a provider in every aspect and let her choose the aspect.

“Just as man needs to be free and work for himself and be a provider, so should woman be allowed to educate herself to the maximum she wants and choose her own course of life and to be her own provider.”

• SC: Even in today’s 21st century, female foeticide is widely practiced. What do you think are the reasons of such brutal acts and what steps should be taken to eradicate them from grass root level?

• KB: This is happening because somebody else is deciding for her that she should deliver a boy or a girl. Somebody else is controlling her all the time and she allows herself to be controlled because she has been conditioned that she is weak. But if she is strong, she will not let anybody control. On the contrary, she will stop others from being victims. So, she allows herself to be a victim. The more she becomes a victim, the more others victimize her. The day she says I stop being a victim and I will not be a victim, she stops others from being a victim. She can do this by educating herself, but first somebody has to allow her to be educated so that she gets empowered.

• SC: You have started many projects. What do you foresee for society?

• KB: A lot of sharing and giving; a lot of doing and creating. I want to do more. I want to share more. I want to create more. I want to give more.

• SC: In this highly demanding schedule of yours, how do you de-stress yourself?

• KB: A good sound sleep at night. To me, sound sleep with a morning meditative walk is the nutrition of the day. It gives you energy enough for the day and still leaves a reservoir.

DESTRESSOR

Live a simple life. Live a life of
giving, simplicity, moderation,
giving and remain happy during
the day.

Message for Youngsters…

I have always said, “youngsters have two big assets: health and time, the great combination. If you have good health & time and you use it well. Then you will be the king or the queen and if you loose them, you will be the beggar for the rest of your life. So, build it for the first 20-22 yrs. of your life, you are the king all your life.”

“Necessity is the mother of all inventions”, Ms Sudha Gupta has proved this statement to be correct with her unprecedented convictions. A woman with a vision, who has single handedly revolutionized pre-school education. She tells us in her own words that how she got there and where she aims to go next.

Meditation and yoga can really help a child in calming and controlling his mind as a result of which his concentration and spirits are lifted. Nurturing our children into good human beings is the real way of connecting them with God.

“If you want to thank God, be good to His people.”

Sudha Gupta

• Soul Curry: You have totally revolutionized the concept of pre-nursery schools? How did it all begin?

• Sudha Gupta: It was the year 1991. My son was 3 at that time. I went around looking for a pre-school which would add more colors to my child’s world. Instead I only found two bedroom dungeons where children were made to cram rhymes and concepts. That was the time when I decided that I will ensure that the children get their due and opened the first branch of Mother’s Pride in 1996. We built a spacious, colorful, child friendly building in Paschim Vihar where children could fully enjoy their childhood. For the first time, computers were introduced to pre-schoolers. A team of research and development under me designed innovative tools and activities to stimulate the senses of every child. Stage exposure brought about miraculous confidence in each child which even the parents could not believe. This opened the eyes of caretakers and parents about what crucial role pre-school years play in a child’s life. More and more airy and spacious pre-schools came up. Approach shifted from spoon feeding to experiential learning. This revolution has now engulfed almost the whole Delhi and NCR and I will always be proud of the fact that it all began with Mother’s Pride.

• SC: How important is it to inculcate the essence of right values in children as young as two year old?

• SG: Two is an age when a child’s mind is like a sponge. What ever is taught to the child, he absorbs it immediately and it stays with him for a lifetime. So values like honesty, truthfulness, respect for elders, love for every human being, family bonds, inculcated at this age leave an indelible mark on the child’s personality. If the foundation is strong, outside factors cannot uproot the basic value system of a child when he grows up.

• SC: What all activities can be introduced in day to day life to shape the complete personality of the child?

• SG: More than what activities, it is how the activities are conducted that matters. Every activity a teacher or a parent takes up with his child should raise the child’s self esteem and fill his world with love and fun. For example you pick up an activity of dance; instead of appreciating your child for what he is trying to learn, you criticize him for not doing it perfectly. Such activity is not only useless but will also have a negative impact on the child. In day to day life, you may include activities like pool activity, coloring, craft, story reading and narration, cycling, building blocks, memory games etc.

• SC: What is your take on introducing yoga & meditation to per-nursery children?

• SG: In my view, meditation and yoga must be made a part of the curriculum in schools. There is so much of stress and anxiety among children of today that this is no longer just an extra-curricular activity but a need. Meditation and yoga can really help a child in calming and controlling his mind as a result of which his concentration and spirits are lifted.

• SC: Are there incidents of children under stress, anxiety or any other psychological problem at such a tender age?

• SG: Very much. Stubbornness, aggressiveness, clinginess, anxieties are not just behavioral traits but can very much be the outcome of stress in children. Upset stomach, sleep disturbances, bedwetting, decrease in appetite, inability to relax etc. are all symptoms of stress. Stress can be due to various reasons like unhealthy home atmosphere; birth of a sibling; bullying at school; death of a pet; inability to cope with education and many more.

• SC: Whenever we talk about complete personality development, we usually mean physical, emotional, and mental development of the child. Do you think that the spiritual aspect of personality is not being given due importance?

• SG: If we take spiritual development as making the children aware of the presence of God and his power, then I think it is very much happening in our families. However, in my view an important aspect of spiritual development is compassion for fellow human beings. There is an old saying that if you want to thank God, be good to His people. We all worship God but only a few of us make an effort to create a difference in the lives of others. Parents should donate time to rouse compassion in their children for others. Nurturing our children into good human beings is the real way of connecting them with God.

• SC: How do you facilitate the importance of being connected with god in the children?

• SG: When a child is connected to God, it is easier for him to follow that voice inside him called conscience. Conscience represents God who guides us why to choose right over wrong. The sooner our children develop the muscle to hear and follow this voice the better.

• SC: Your parenting insights are very helpful. How is your vision so clear about every type of relationship with the children?

• SG: I owe my parenting expertise to my two sons, Pratik and Paras. They taught me that love, patience, listening and enjoying each moment that can bring the whole family together. As I explored parenthood, there was one person in my life whose valuable lessons always encouraged me to be good parent. That was my father-in-law. His one unforgettable lesson which I have also quoted in my book ‘Celebrate Childhood’ is ‘If you want to have a son like Krishna, become a mother like Yashoda’.

• SC: How do you cope up with your work stress?

• SG: One feels stressed only when you have to do something you don’t love. I love my work and my life, so I have never felt the need to unwind. I have always balanced my work with family. I holiday at least twice a year, watch movies, chill with friends, party. My family gives me the space to work with full freedom. It is an amazing feeling to live with when your family is as proud as you are of your work.

THE SINGING SENSATION KAILASH KHER BARES HIS HEART
AND SOUL IN AN INTERVIEW WITH SOUL CURRY. HIS EARTHY VOICE TAKES HIS LISTENERS THROUGH WIDE ARRAY OF POWERFUL EMOTIONS. THE MAN BEHIND ” ALLAH KE BANDE”, TALKS ABOUT HIS LIFE, HOW HE SEES WORLD AND PEOPLE AROUND HIM AND MOST OF ALL ABOUT HIS PASSION ‘SINGING’.

• SOUL CURRY: TELL US ABOUT YOUR MUSICAL JOURNEY, THE PROCESS OF KAILASH KHER IN THE MAKING?

• KAILASH KHER: I was born to a very simple family at Meerut and later on we moved to Delhi. I would call it simple family because here too just like most of the families, the basic aim of parents was to see us receive education; find ourselves a good job so to settle down later. The usual office to home, home to office thing! When my family was talking about 9 to 5 jobs, I was developing a special relationship with music.
  However at the same time my earliest exposure to music happened through my father. My father, a simple man,
  Pandit ji, use to sing on, “ektara” amongst his circle of people; “paach baras ki meera ladali, sakiyon mein khelan jai re sun rana bai”. I was 5-6 years old then. But I use to get fascinated by this style of singing and presentation. When we would wait for our weekly doze of “Chitrahaar”, there also I would search for the songs somewhat similar to the above style of singing.
  Childhood is a vulnerable time and I feel blessed that I developed an attraction towards these expressions of life. A totally different world was opening up for me. I would call it as a very revolutionary phase of my life.

• SC: DID YOU RECEIVE ANY FORMAL TRAINING IN SINGING?

• KK: As I was discovering my affinity towards singing, the next step was to find somebody who could help me with my singing. But in 13- 14 years I almost changed 10 different gurus, so could say that I did not receive any formal rigorous training under tutelage of any one person.

• SC: SO WHAT WAS NEXT ON YOUR MIND?

• KK: Well I dabbled in different professions while still learning music, so to say. I got involved in export business run by a relative, did something here and there but soon realized this was not all I wanted to be or do.
  It was then my elder brother, now a lawyer, suggested me to go to Mumbai and try my luck in Bollywood. The next thing, I was off to Mumbai. One day, opportunity knocked and I got my first assignment – a jingle for Nakshatra diamonds. Then came the song that made people notice my voice, it was as we all know, Allah ke bande from Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part-II. Initially I did not have my hopes set on a song in a small budget film. After this everything just started to fall in place.

• SC: TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIYAAZ, ANY REGIME YOU FOLLOW?

• KK: If we go by the definition completely, then I don’t. I do not have any particular regime where I practice for hours together. There is a regime in terms of studio rehearsals, while composing or during live shows. Most of my time is spent in singing so that is how it is for me. Here I do not mean to underestimate the importance of riyaaz but I do not have a set regime so to speak.

• SC: WHAT IS KAILASH’S DEFINITION OF MUSIC?

• KK: I cannot define music in words because it is difficult to do so. Whatever I am going to say will come from the programmed CD of my mind. I feel that around me too different mind softwares are at work. Some are programmed to say this, others that. Music is forever, Sashawat toh sashwat rahega, whether I say so or not. It does not matter.
  People ask me that you sing sufi or you are a sufi singer, I would like to talk about this current rage of Sufi singing or Sufi singers.
  Sufi’ as a word these days has become more of a fashion statement, a brand, a marketable commodity. It has suddenly become a trend; anything that sells becomes a brand. There are people who write thesis about Sufism yet they do not know what it means.

“I think Sufism is a very mystical legacy,
a different name given to the same truth which has been talked about abundantly in our
country and across the world by various seers. “
It is not a label, commodity or a genre but has most to do with love, and blissful living. And I do not think love has any one particular language! Preet ki latt mohe aisi lagi, ho gayi mein deewani, gayo bajayo apne piya sangh, meh to jayoon wari wari. Here it is described as latt, not like smoking or something but to dwell in an innocent environment of surrender.

• SC: WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

• KK: The whole life in itself is one big inspiration. Nature is inspiring, it shares so much with us, everyday. And even if we see our own body, it is full of wonders; heart is beating on its own, sharir mein koi jadhugaar jaan phukta ja raha hai and so much more. When I look around, I wonder there are limitless colours, every face is different from the other. Those who have derived words and languages have limited the awe. They say there are seven colours, ten directions, seven skies but I feel prabhu tere to rang he anant hai, he is limitless. The journey we take is full of wonders, concealing various secrets and experiences. As they open up the revelation becomes our inspiration.

• SC: HOW ABOUT ONE DAY YOU GET UP AND PEOPLE FAIL TO RECOGNIZE YOU. THEY TOTALLY FORGET THAT THERE IS KAILASH KHER- THE SINGING SENSATION, WHAT WILL BE YOUR REACTION THEN?

• KK: Honestly speaking, it will not affect me that people fail to recognize me or my singing. I know that I am born to sing. I will continue to sing because this is my foremost passion. I think I have gone through lot of challenges, hardships in life and then I have seen the best part of life too. Seeing both the sides, I think now it does not affect me. Singing connects me to everybody so I am sure that once I start to sing, there will be again heart to heart connect. And that is more important.

• SC: SO WHAT IS YOUR NEXT STEP?

• KK: Well, I do not plan ahead, just go with the flow. I want to be part of this journey, enjoying every moment of it. People ask me aap apne aap ko kahan dekhna chahte hain? They mean in my career. So I jokingly tell them, mein bus apne aap ko dharati per dekhna chahata hoon, data bus space mein matt basana. I want to do good music. As far as there is song on my lips and breath in my chest I want to savor it.

• SC: ANY MESSAGE OR SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THE READERS?

• KK: My only message is no message. Already there are so many messages floating around. Just enjoy the journey called life; never drift away from humane attributes and thank god for all the blessings.

In 1993, when Sanjeev Kapoor started his first cookery show, ‘Khana Khazana’ nobody would have ever imagined that he would soon become a household name, not just in India but worldwide. Even after fourteen years, he still remains everyone’s favorite celebrity chef. Author of numerous best selling Cook books, winner of several Culinary Awards, Sanjeev Kapoor has also established up-market restaurants in the country and abroad. There is more to the ‘Master Chef’s’ life than just the ‘delicious food’.

• SC: ‘The Yellow Chilli’, the name of your restaurant chain, is quite an unusual name. How did you get the name?

• Sanjeev Kapoor: At times you need no logic to do what you want and this is what applies here as well. I belong to Uttar Pradesh and this name has been derived from my favorite street food in Merrut-Matre Ki Chaatt. They use a distinctively flavored chilly that is yellow in color and I simply savor its taste. I guess that’s a good enough reason.

• SC: What’s the secret to your never-ending energy?

• SK: I think that positive energy is more important than just energy. If you truly enjoy whatever you do then the strength to continue further and persevere comes from within.

• SC: Qualities to be a good chef/cook…

• SK: Being a chef could be very challenging. If you love experimenting with your culinary skills and dare to be different then it is the right thing for you. Apart from the right aptitude, one needs to have the commitment, passion and loyalty. The aspirant should have the ability to take criticism in his/her stride.

• SC: Do you share a special relation with the almighty? How do you connect with him?

• SK: Every individual shares a special bond with the almighty and even I do the same. I connect with him by giving my cent percent in whatever I do and I strongly believe in being a nice human being as a whole. Cooking is meditation for me.

• SC: Are you very choosy while endorsing any products or services?

• SK: I have just done seven commercials in 13 years. It’s not that I wasn’t offered any, but just because of the reason that I only believe in endorsing things that are genuinely good for the people.

• SC: Lot of work can be taxing at times. What do you do to unwind and de-stress yourself?

• SK: To be a winner you need to work like a horse not like a donkey. And if you enjoy your work, it can never be taxing. Moreover my profession at times demands a lot of traveling and that really rejuvenates me.

• SC: Your dream…

• SK: I really want to make Indian food the most popular cuisine worldwide and the most respected food in India when it comes to eating out.

• SC: Food for thought…

• SK: Whenever you are eating, start focusing on what is good rather than cribbing about what is not good and then talk about the goodness in that food. It takes a lot of effort even to prepare a single dish. Always relish the food you eat, provided that you are eating healthy.