India, Go Green

            INDIA, GO GREEN

Hi everyone,

                    I have just watched“rally for rivers”. As I watched I felt pity and sad for India. I sense that the lifelines of the nation are rivers and they are the sources of fresh water. Rivers make the nation green and prosperous. Without rivers, there will be no life, no nation and the landmass will turn into desert. I heard that Indian culture includes rivers as a part of its civilization.

                 Now a serious condition is worrying me -that is India’s future. Indian lifelines (rivers) are facing an alarming crisis. All rivers in India are at the dangerous level of depletion that means many rivers in India will become seasonal and they will not be perineal anymore.With seasonal rivers, there will not be enough water for drinking and farming. Without enough farming people in India will starve to death.

                  I have gone through some newspapers and news in internet regarding water crisis.  I felt very sad that 1.3 billion Indians are suffering with water crisis. 25% of the country is turning into desert. River Godavari has shrunk by 20%. Kaveri has shrunk by 40%. Krishna and Narmada by 60%. Rivers, Dams, Lakes and wells have dried up. People in Central India are walking miles and miles just for a glass of water. People are digging up the dried rivers for water.

                    Now it’s time to think how to regenerate rivers. To generate water, we must join hands and reduce the water usage, planting more trees, avoid deforestation, rainwater harvesting, use of sprinklers for farming etc.

                                                                                   With love,

                                                                                    Khyatisri.

                   BE YOURSELF

Greetings, today I like to share a story with you. “Be yourself” is a fable and here is how it goes……

Far away in a country, lived a boy with his grandfather as his parents died. They lived in a small hut. A fine morning, they both decided to sell their old donkey because they were poor. So the little old fellow and the boy made their way to the busty village market. To reach the market they need to walk for a long distance and cross the river.

   

They were walking along the river. As they walked they came across an old woman who said, “Aren’t you supposed to sit on the donkey, anyways look at the little boy, he is looking too tired!”. So the old man asked the little one to climb on the donkey. The boy followed the instructions of his grandfather and they moved on.

They walked for a while and came across a group of men who screamed “how dare you little boy, you are relaxing on the donkey while your poor old grandfather is walking the whole way”. So the little boy got off the donkey and the old man hopped on.

Old man and the little boy moved on and met a group of old men who told “hey old man, have a look at the little one. In our opinion, it is good that you both ride on the donkey.” By listening to them, they followed their opinion, so the little one also hopped on and moved on. As they are moving, they met a group of women. They yelled at the little boy and the old men saying that “how selfish you are; you both are riding on the donkey without any fatigue, while the donkey has to carry you the whole way!” So the old man took a rope and a pole and tied it to the donkey and carried it on their shoulders.

During crossing river, the donkey kicked his legs loose and drowned into the river, the grandfather and the little one cried for their loss. That’s why one should not listen to everyone’s opinion and nobody can’t please everyone.

With love,

Khyatisri.

     My first experience continued….

Hi everyone, I am back. Now I’m going to tell you what happened next in my story. Here it continues….

We all walked in and waited for my teacher. As she came in, we greeted her and sat down. Though I am nervous I managed to look relaxed. With my parents around me I also got a bit of confidence

      

     

Amma and Nanna were talking to my teacher about my interest in music. After finishing conversation, my teacher turned to me. She asked me to sing a song. I sang a few verses of LALITHA SAHASRANAMA STHOTRAM. By listening to verses my teacher felt relaxed and happy. But I feel like I could have done it much better as I couldn’t open my mouth with some nervous feeling. After my classmates had their turn to sing, my teacher taught us to sing a song called Gajavadana gananatha, but I had trouble singing it because the words are complicated.

She taught me that song for 3-4 times. The feedback that she gave me was that I need to sing louder.

Oh! I almost forgot about my teacher. I have to say that she is really a kind hearted women. She made me relax. Though, I had trouble with my vocal cords I could make it through. I gave her the fees and took her blessings.

We went home by car. It’s night. By the time we reached home, I was tired. I was famished, so Amma gave me food (dhal, curry and yoghurt). As soon as we finished eating we went upstairs and snuggled in bed with my parents. That is how my day was complete.

With love,

Khyatisri.

  

My First Experience

MY FIRST EXPERIENCE

    

Greetings…. Today I am going to share my first experience of my Carnatic music classes.

That was an amazing day. It was Ganesh Chaturthi. Lord Ganesh is the god of obstacles. He removes obstacles and gives knowledge. Amma(mama), Nanna (papa), me and my brother offered prayers to Lord Ganesh.

          

After prayer we had lunch. During lunch time, amma and nanna decided to join me in Carnatic music classes. After lunch, me and my brother had fun time. Amma called me and asked me to get ready for music class. Amma helped me to get ready. I felt excited. My music classes start at 7pm. Nanna said that we have to leave by 6.30pm.

               

There starts my nervousness, I felt like some butterflies were flying in my tummy. Nanna cried that we are going to be late so we started by car. In the car amma and nana were giving me instructions. I felt like I couldn’t follow the instructions because my brain was filled with questions like - Is my voice good enough to sing?  Is my teacher good or bad? Will my vocal cords support me.

Ding – dong, it was 7oclock. We reached our destination (my teacher’s house). I felt my heart beat and I felt more butterflies were flying in my tummy. Me and amma ringed the bell, no one opened it. For one more time we ringed the bell, slowly we heard some footsteps were approaching the door. So we waited and one of the students opened the door. We went in and waited for the teacher. As my teacher came in, we greeted her.

                 

Did I make it through? Was my teacher good or bad? Is my vocal cord going to support me? These questions will be answered in the next blog   :)                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                          With love,

                                                                                                                             Khyatisri.