Musings from a Recliner

Musings from a Recliner: 0900 hrs 14 May 18 – Sharing happiness !! This morning once again had one of those surreal extrasensory experiences which are now gradually becoming a part of my everyday life. Having had a late night due to a wonderful ‘after-party’ we attended last evening with the Delhi Daredevils at the Golf Club, I headed a bit late to the forest, where I go everyday to lose my mind in search of my soul. I had barely entered the ‘Sanctuary’ immersed in my own thoughts enjoying this wonderful song on my old iPod, when I was stopped in my tracks by the most awesome sight. Who do I see? My friend, Freddie standing in all his splendour with outstretched arms to welcome me. He covered the complete pathway and did not let me go. The look on his face said, “We need to talk mate”. What followed was a good 10 plus minutes of the most blissful silent “loud” conversation between ‘two friends’. ‘ Yes, these were the sounds of silence’. I was just lost in the vastness of this wonde...

Musings from a recliner: 10 May 18, 1800 hrs.... Retribution, Repentance & Reconciliation : A man walks on through life with the ‘ external call ringing in his ears’ but with no response stirring in his heart. Suddenly, without any warning, the ‘ Spirit’ taps him on the shoulder. What happens next ? Does he ‘ turn around’? The word Repentance means, ‘ He turns around’. Did VW ? Defense of insanity compounds the error. In case of VW, it’s _like a drunkard who in the morning repents the headache, and not the drink_….in this case I’m not too sure if he even repents the headache ? In some there is repentance of a misdeed which produces a ‘ sense of shame’. Was there any in his case ? Having committed the misdeed, was there any moral reflection? If there was none then please remember, ‘ the dog will return to his vomit’. In the case of VW, he has been a regular repeat offender ever since he surfaced on BambooDoor. The stage reached by him is such that ‘ even his tears of repen...

Oh yes…..those were the ‘wonder years’. I remember, so very often in our second, third and even fourth terms, Bhola and I and at times  Batra, would skip the movie on saturday and escape to the long range area via Gole, from where we would fill our satchels with all the goodies. We would locate a nice dug-out, which would be our make believe ‘home’ for the next 2 to 3 hours…….far from the madding crowd. It was as if we were suddenly ‘free’. No senior to suddenly pounce on you and ‘let you have it’ just because he didn’t like the way you looked at him or better still just the way you looked. Yes those were trying times for all of us. I remember we would lie down on the ground and look at the sky and the stars and get the feeling that the world was beckoning us. I was an idealist…….the Howard Roark kind, and staring at the expansive sky and the stars dreamt of how I would change the world…….. Bhola was a die-hard romantic and always saw the ‘love of his life’-Reet, in those star...

Till the British ruled India, history taught in schools only glorified them and the Mughals who obviously the Brits could not have wiped out from the history books. Thereafter, the Anti-Sikh mindset of the Congress which ruled India for a long time after partition prevented Sikh History from coming into the text books. The stand of RSS (BJP) needs no mention. This coupled with the fact that the Sikhs, who inspite having a distinct Identity and doing larger than life deeds, unfortunately could not create an Identity of their own majorly because they were always a minority. Even the state Governments in Punjab were too busy looting the state and possibly felt ashamed looking over their shoulders to see the Sikh Gurus or the other great Sikh Generals glaring at them as them emptied the exchequers. So how could Sikh history have entered text books in schools. Surprisingly, as per my knowledge, the only mention Sikhs find in Indian history books is mention of Guru Nanak in the “Bhagti ...

I had collated this basically for Gulnar & Yuvraj to make them aware of our lineage and our rich heritage. 👊⚔ It would be nice if all my grandchildren could be made aware of their Big Daddy's lineage when he comes of age. It would I am sure give them strength and encourage them to live up to the rich traditions of their ancestors.⚔ We, "Virks" originally hail from Village 'Hambo', Distt Sheikhupura, West Punjab - now in Pakistan. Post partition of India, the "Virks" from Distt. Sheikhupura settled down in and around Karnal Distt, Punjab - now in Haryana, India. We are descendants of the great Sikh General Nawab Kapur Singh Virk. In fact, my father Colonel Kapur Singh Virk, who was himself a gallantry award winning Veteran of 4 wars, was named after our ancestor. This is a bit long but it is important for you children to know your lineage and roots besides gaining  knowledge of the rich Sikh history and some of its great Generals.  Do kindly go...

I was just reflecting this morning on the events of the last few days and a question arose in my mind, “What is the difference between  gratitude and appreciation ?” Because we can be grateful for something in our lives without really appreciating it. The subtle shift from gratitude to appreciation involves being  more thoughtfully aware and active in reflecting on the reasons we feel grateful about something or someone. Through present moment awareness, we begin to generate feelings of appreciation. For example, we can be grateful for having food on our table.  However, we can go further and appreciate its beauty, fragrance, taste, nutrition, and preparation. We move beyond thankfulness as we consciously recognize the value that food adds to our lives. In fact, one definition of the word “appreciation” is “recognition of the quality, value, significance, or magnitude of people and things.” Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and...

I have passed a mountain peak and my soul is soaring in the Firmament of complete and unbound freedom; I am far, far away, my companions, and the clouds are Hiding the hills from my eyes. The valleys are becoming flooded with an ocean of silence, and the Hands of oblivion are engulfing the roads and the houses; The prairies and fields are disappearing behind a white specter That looks like the spring cloud, yellow as the candlelight And red as the twilight. The songs of the waves and the hymns of the streams Are scattered, and the voices of the throngs reduced to silence; And I can hear naught but the music of Eternity In exact harmony with the spirit's desires. I am cloaked in full whiteness; I am in comfort; I am in peace. 🙏