26 Nov 2015

#116 To a friend


 Birthday Wishes 





It was the chase of goal
That brought us closer
A slowly developing relation
To be treasured forever

Your arrival stirred me
Up from a recent solitude
All moments and days spent
Together, demanded gratitude.

Someone more than a friend
A sister in disguise
Sometimes immature but wise
Possessing all virtues inside

What makes me wonder
About your nature
Contrasting- strong and tender
May you move forever.

I can’t forget those innumerous
Moments of fun and laughter
The world of art and music
Made us enrapt, so severe.

I’ve always enjoyed your company
Sophisticated philosophies, some funny
Weird mash-ups and recordings
Since the first day of joining.

A rare combination of
Beauty with brain
Embodiment of all talent
Go ahead and face all torrents.

Thank you for offering all helps
For being there whenever I needed
It wouldn’t have been easy for me
For facing the difficult time.

I want to make few suggestions
Always follow your instincts and reasons
Never run away from the challenges,
As they’re required for the changes.

May you get all success in days to come
I wish and pray on your birthday
May you shine like a star
To lighten this world.

With best wishes…..
Swati Sarangi
6.11.2015




#115 Choices

Choices




Theme: This poem is about the choices we make in life. There are certain choices or decisions which make or break our lives. Many times we are unaware about the consequences of our choices but at the end everything becomes clear. The time’s strong blow dispels all mist which keeps on blurring our vision for long. Of course, it’s a long term process and demands wisdom to look beyond the situations.  Strangely, at the end, the challenging journey leading to success seems more pleasant the success itself.

The route taken from      
The myriads of intertwined
The choices in front of my eyes
Urging me to think twice.

The path to be discovered
Leading to results unknown
But to walk is my pledge
No matter- over the ground or terrain

What losses or sacrifices
When time is the ultimate ruler
Rising up after every fall
Is the demand of this battle.

The transient state of instability
Unsettled mind in search of clarity
When the present- between win or loss
It’s a stage to finally cross.


After every transient
Comes a phase of steady state
It can be only achieved
By bringing together east and west.

The success from the close view
Is not the same from distant
The journey is sometimes pleasant
Than the stable end.

Swati Sarangi

8.11.2015

#114 That Connection

That Connection


One of the scary experiences associated with college life is ragging. When you enter into engineering sphere to experience a new phase of life at hostel, this is the first thing that you are going to face apart from other problems. I had many unpleasant experiences associated with ragging during my first year in name of a long list of rules (do’s and don’ts) but those experiences are past now and painful or unpleasant experiences don’t occupy one’s memory (luckilyJ). They fade away easily. It’s only some memorable experiences that get recalled unconsciously or subconsciously. The bright side of the custom of ragging (provided those activities are not so intense to suppress the fundamental rights  of an individual ) is that it teaches one to be brave enough to stand for what is right and just not follow everything blindly. It also teaches one to trust himself during difficult conflicting situations.

The ragging experience taught me never to repeat unreasonable things with juniors. How can one behave the way he/she does not want himself to be behaved? I’m going to narrate an incident which left an unwashable imprint in my mind. As per the custom, we (few 2nd year girls) took an interactive session with the newly arrived Freshers at hostel to make them acquainted with do’s and don’ts of the hostel. Due to some minor problems in accommodation, few girls stayed in a nearby residence and we were asked to fetch them for dinner (to our hostel). They were more in numbers and we were only few. So, the ultimate option was to order them to form a queue. While I was standing near the starting of the queue, a girl approached me. She was very cute and short in height.
Girl: I want to make a request, Ma’am.
Every fresher was supposed to address seniors as ma’am untill Fresher’s party.
Me: Yes, continue.
Girl: Ma’am, will you mind if I say something to you?
Me: Of course not. You may continue.
Girl: I’m not feeling well today. So, please don’t rag me. I’ve never stayed away from my parents even for a moment. That may be the reason why I’m feeling so down now. Once I get over my illness, you can rag me then.

I got very touched by the lines she spoke. For a moment, I was speechless and did not know how to react even. I wished I had spoken the way she spoke when I was in first year. Frankly speaking, I’ve always been very much careful and cautious about the sentiments of my fellow beings. Her words made me even more cautious of my words and actions. I felt very very connected to her- an unfamiliar yet familiar connection.
Me: Don’t make me emotional at this moment. You can never be ragged, don’t worry. In fact, you’re too cute to be ragged. We are not here to make you feel miserable. Since you’re standing at the beginning of the queue, you must prepare to move now. I’m very hungry and can’t wait for more time. J
I tried to lighten the situation.

Swati Sarangi 

20.03.2014

12 Oct 2015

#113 Express Yourself

Express Yourself


Express yourself, though it seems tough
Words describe you the way you go.

Expressions create an aura of happiness
And shoot up your level of confidence.

Let your ideas and thoughts to float
On the surface like the flower lotus.                          

Free your mind and light up your mood,
Keeping aside your worries, why you should.

Life is too short to brood over the past
Too much thinking destroys everything at last.

Live your life fully to love your work
So, cheer up and get away from dark.

Sweta Sarangi
12-10-2015



12 Aug 2015

#112 A trodden path

A trodden path


An anonymous quest
On an obscure track

Becomes a trodden path
With the silent ambiance
Of nature’s witness
Like a morning walk
The space-time’s trap
All substances in it wrapped
Which makes me wonder
Whether it is the result
Of imaginations of my past
Or the reflections of
Some of my mind’s fact
I’m now enrapt
When things seem magical
And those jumbled pieces
Of the big puzzle
Still lay intact
The correct vision required
To look beyond
That obscure track
Which is now a trodden path.


Swati Sarangi
11.08.2015


21 Jun 2015

#111 The big game

The big game


For last couple of minutes I’m not being able to concentrate on my books. Whenever I lose my concentration in studies, the immediate thing that I do is to switch on to the latest apps that I’ve installed in my mobile phone and most of them are games of different variety. I’ve never been so much addicted to games until the arrival of my new mobile which make them readily accessible. The games of my interests are word games, puzzles, board games, Sudoku. Each game has its own charm and significance. For instance, word games have always been thrill for me and help me to recapitulate the words that I’ve learnt so far. Thus they help me to recover words from my vocabulary. Puzzles are very interesting games. They demand the application of a lot of intellects. They invoke the appropriate faculty of thinking in the brain. Sudoku is a unique puzzle game which always puts me in a state of amazement when I try to think about its invention and the number of different possible formations. It has been so intelligently designed!! The game is associated with a lot of memories of my school days when I initially got introduced to the game. The daily source of Sudoku was newspaper “The Hindu”. To secure that special piece of newspaper, there used to be a competition between the three-me, my sis and my father. The demand for that piece naturally depended (inversely, to be frank :P )  on the level of difficulty .Board games are another set of games for recreation. It’s because there’s always a competition between the two. The other competitor may be the person or the computer itself. The battle begins with a desire to overcome the opposite. I begin the game at the lowest level with the computer. My confidence increases with each victory, then I increase the level of the game and move on to the next one with the same spirit of winning.

In virtual gaming world, the craze for winning the game has become addiction for many including myself. Whenever I get defeated, I strengthen my resolve and try once more with a hope that I will be victorious in this attempt itself. The thought, that got birth from the experience of playing game, is a deeper one indeed. Aren’t we all playing the big games of life? And yes, life is a game- the real game. The difference between the virtual and real game is reflected in our attitude towards them. When we fail in virtual game, we never hesitate to make the next attempt but it rarely happens in real game. Like those virtual games, life too offers different levels of difficulty with which we all are acquainted with. It requires no further elucidation on the aforementioned sentence.

If we correlate life with the favourite virtual games that we like to play , we’ll find a zeal to face the challenges and of course the spirit of winning it gets generated automatically with the word “Game” itself.

Life- a game, the real game
Play , play and play it again
When you fail
Don’t go out of the rail
Because you never know
about it’s next show
Fail a thousand
So that you’ll never repent
For not trying once more.
[- Swati Sarangi]

I would like to end this article with one of the inspiring quotations “Life is a game. We must keep playing the game. The more we play, the more we will understand the game of life.” 
 
Lailah Gifty Akita, Pearls of Wisdom: Great mind


Swati Sarangi
21.06.2015

#110 Celebrating Yoga day daily

Celebrating Yoga Day daily


Yoga has been derived from a Sanskrit word, “Yug” which means to unite or to join. Yoga is a series of exercises that is performed to gain control over the subconscious mind and soul. Sometimes we are in search of the mental peace and it is achieved through Yoga. Yoga is a great way to stay healthy physically and mentally. In this era, we are so busy in our daily schedule that we hardly find any time for practicing exercises.June 21 is celebrated as International Yoga day.  But why do we wait for this day?? Why not observe Yoga day daily??

Different forms of yoga are mentioned here-
·         Gyan Yoga (Philosophy)
·         Karma Yoga(Path of action)
·         Raja Yoga(For controlling mind)
·         Bhakti yoga (Devotional bliss)

Now, a question hits up, what are the benefits of practicing Yoga?? In the following paragraph, I have listed few advantages-

1.      Improves flexibility of body
Various Asanas help in improving flexibility of body . By practicing daily, it becomes quite easy to perform all the tasks easily without anybody pain or fatigue.

2.      Increases heart rate
It helps in increasing the heart rate, thus lowering risk of heart attacks and other heart related problems. It has also been found by the researchers that Yoga can relieve depression. It also increases the rate of inhaling oxygen in our body.

3.      Lowers down blood sugar
It is advisable for the high blood sugar patient to practice yoga daily. It controls the sugar level of the body to a greater extent.

4.      Increases concentration power
It increases the focus, reaction time and coordination power. People practicing Yoga can boost up their memory power.

5.      Relaxes body
It is a great way to relax your body as well as mind. It provides eternal peace.

6.      Increases self-esteem
Negativities can be avoided by practicing asanas. We can be able to discover ourselves and by this way self-esteem can be improved.

7.      Helps to sleep deeper
The effect of Yoga is better sleep. It relaxes the body, so one can experience sound and healthy sleep.
8.      Improves immune system
It prevents our body from getting attacked by different microorganisms by developing a strong immune system.

9.      Makes you slimmer
Different exercises not only help in increasing the flexibility of body but also burn calories. So, one looks more confident and attractive.

10.  Builds muscle strength
Strong muscles protect body from falling into different health related issues like Arthrarites or back pain etc.

Here is a list of Pranayam which can be practice to gain control over breathing process.
·         ANULOM-VILOM
Step 1: Sit silently and in a comfortable position.
Step 2: Use right thumb to close the right nostril.
Step 3: Inhale from left nostril.
Step 4: Now, close left nostril from the index figure.
Step 5: Exhale from right nostril.
Step 6: Reverse the process and keep on doing this for sometimes.

·         UJJAYI
Step 1: Sit in a meditative pose silently.
Step 2: Keep muscles in a relaxed position.
Step 3: Keep back straight.
Step 4: Inhale slowly and deeply from both the nostrils.
Step 5: Hold your breath as long as possible.
Step 6: Continue for 10-15 minutes.

·         BHRAMARI
Step 1: Sit in a meditative pose silently.
Step 2: Keep muscle in a relaxed state and close your eyes.
Step 3: Close both the ears with index fingers.
Step 4: Inhale slowly and raise your elbows to the level of shoulders.
Step 5: Exhale slowly and make a buzzing sound like bee.

I practice these Pranayams and these help in improving breathing power. These also drive away stress and depression and relax mind. These improve confidence level. To get best results, I would recommend you to practice either in early morning or at night.

HAPPY YOGA DAY!!

Sweta Sarangi
21.6.2015