In a bewildering incident that raises questions about the very existence of life after death, an 19-year-old engineering student of Priyadarshini Bhagwati College committed suicide leaving behind a note that cites the presence of a spirit around him.
The suicide note recovered from Saurabh Nagpurkar pocket referred to the fatal accident of a 14-year-old boy he had witnessed a month ago on Umrer road. He repeatedly mentioned how his soul beckoned him from time to time and how it was not letting him live peacefully and kept materialising in visions and voices.
He also mentioned that he met with two minor accidents caused by the boy’s soul which was obstructing his path. Family members confirmed that Saurabh met with an accident at the very place where he had witnessed the accident.
Saurabh had constantly been discussing the accident with his friends. He told them how the soul of this boy, who died in front of him, haunted him and persistently called upon him.
His grandmother Sulabha said nobody knew what he was going through apart from the fear he expressed as a result of the accident he witnessed. “Citing uneasiness, he refused to have his dinner with us. We had gone to attend an engagement. On returning, we called him to the ground floor to join the rest of the family but the door was locked. We found him hanging when we opened the door.”
The police observed that the boy was very studious but had not been talking to anybody for about a month.
Saurabh ended his life by hanging himself with the ceiling fan in his room. In the note, he repeatedly asked his parents for forgiveness and urged his sister to look after them. His father Yashwant, an NCC employee and mother Aishwarya are devastated and inconsolable.
Psychiatrists, however, explain the extreme step as an outcome of psychosis which takes the form of hallucinations and claim that the same can be cured with medicines and counselling.
Saurabh was reportedly very compassionate and always looking forward to helping homeless people. He lately celebrated his birthday at an orphanage.
Located in Kathmandu, Nepal, Setu Gumba is a captivating little monastery boasting of beautiful murals and paintings that speak volumes of the grand Buddhist culture. The monastery stands tall on Druk Amitabha Hill, near Swayambhunath Stupa of south-west Kathmandu.
Not just that, it houses statues made of sacred medicinal clay. The Buddhist flags and chants are simply mesmerising.
The monastery houses statues made of sacred medicinal clay. The flags and chants here are captivating.
A closer look at the monastery.
Nuns queue up for Kung Fu practice. Never seen a place so beautiful and the weather so pleasant. Simply, it is heaven on earth.
"Women' role is not confined to kitchen alone. She should be allowed to participate in all activities that men perform. Parents should encourage their daughters to participate in all types of sports and extra-curricular activities", believes Rupa Lhamo, a nun.
The temple where nuns offer prayers for hours during the day. Clicking pictures inside the hall area is restricted. Got to know this after clicking one.
Our lovely protagonist Rupa Lhamo poses before we wind up the shoot for the day.
Swayambhunath temple is among the oldest religious sites in Nepal. The complex consists of a stupa, a number of shrines and temples, some even dating back to the Licchavi period.
Though the site is Buddhist, it is worshipped by both Buddhists and Hindus.
As per Swayambhu Purana, the entire valley was once filled with a huge lake, out of which grew a lotus. The valley came to be known as 'Swayambhu', meaning "self-created."
The temple's name Swayambhunath originated from the eternal self-existent flame (svyambhu) over which a stupa was built afterwards.
Kung Fu nuns clean the greased diyas at the temple. Community service is part of their routine. With this, they want to spread the message of cleanliness and hygiene.
"Since childhood, I wanted to become a doctor because I wanted to do something for the community. After I became nun, my dream to serve the community came true", feels Rupa.
Swayambhu temple is also famous for a large number of monkeys thronging it. Be careful with your eatables.
Kung Fu nuns relish refreshment as they take a small break from the service. This monkey is particularly optimistic. It even managed to grab a piece of bread while nuns were busy chatting up with each other.
Heavy stuff for home decor
Only a fit body can delve deeper into the mysteries of the mind. The nuns cycle regularly to keep themselves physically fit. They educate people on the importance of pollution-free environment. They even undertake 'padayatra' (foot march) to spread this message far and wide.
"It is painful to walk long distances barefoot. We even get boils and blisters. Seeing the people following our message makes us forget all our pain. This gives satisfaction," says Rupa Lhamo.
Cycling downhill
At the very first sight, turkeys fell in love with me and started fluttering. They seemed to be posing for this one click. By the way, this is at the monastery where nuns practice Kung Fu.
I kept gazing at the picturesque surroundings. Completely lost, I just did not want to come back.
We got lucky to get some time for boating on the last day of our trip.
As they say, all good things come to an end. Thank you, everyone, for spending time reading my blog.
Velvet beds, swimming pool, a relaxing spa, round the clock medical care and alcohol-free beers imported from Belgium: This is the life of your beloved pup at Critterati. Envious? Who would not be!
To start with, a pet is allowed to check in only if he is free from ticks and has completed all vaccinations. This is important not only for himself but all other dogs around in the house. Prior to the stay, the owner has to complete a few session so that the pet is familiarised with the place and does not feel home-sick during his stay.
Retail shop for all you need for your pet. Think of it and they have it.
From your pet food, leash, accessories, to toiletries, they have it all under one roof.
Pets are family and they are the pride of its owner. But then, there are times when you have to save all your wires, remote controls, phones, pillows, mattresses and so on. Buy them toys and be saved.
Bathing area for your buddy. That's Duke, Captain Duke as its owner calls it. He is here for grooming session that includes bathing, hair combing, ticks removal, nail cutting, ear cleaning, etc.
Thirty minutes of bath and he looks as fresh as ever. Bathing is followed by drying which Duke was not very comfortable with. Probably, he was not happy with the sound of the dryer.
And now, it's Gatsby's turn. He is cool with everything and he just loves water.
My washroom has lesser stuff than this.
Grooming session for Gatsby and Flash. Not just grooming, they enjoy spa also here.
Very docile buddy. Made no noise. Patiently waited for its owner.
Interestingly, black buddy is wearing a diaper. so cool!
Bubble bath was not sufficient for Gatsby so he is in the pool now. This time he is accompanied by Milo and Oster. Oster is hardly two months but he didn't wanna come out. He swam for the first time today and he totally loved it. His swimming skills are better than that of Milo or even Gatsby.
Gatsby shakes off water after swimming.
This is their play area (in other words Daycare) where they first play for hours and when they get tired, sleep. They don't watch television but this gives them the sense of being at home, so they don't miss home and enjoy even more. Air conditioning is just perfect for all.
So it is a tug of war between Gatsby and Zookoo. Gatsby is super energetic after swimming.
Gatsby has got brake failure here.
And look who won, one and only our Gatsby.
Jaanwi Chawla, the proud and passionate owner of Critterati opened this luxury hotel in May last year. The idea was not profit making, but to provide basic facilities to dogs with "hygiene". Jaanwi lost her pet Blacky four years ago due to some illness that couldn't be diagnosed. She decided she would ensure the best care is given to the pets and "it is not luxury, it is their basic need and right."
Each room is equipped with different sized beds and the room is allotted according to the weight of the buddy. Higher the weight, higher the charge per night. Room charges range from Rs 999 to Rs 4500 depending upon the size of the room. There are rooms available on twin and triple sharing basis for pets who come from single family. The high-end Critterati suite offers a huge bed with velvet headboard, television and a balcony.
Now, this can make you envy dogs.
Gatsby's owner travels a lot between Delhi and Mumbai for official work so Gatsby is very much regular at Critterati. His owner complains that Gatsby doesn't like to go back home now because of the kind of environment and comfort he gets here. He is here for a fortnight. Why would he want to go home!
Cafeteria for your buddy. You won't get much for yourself but your buddy has a large variety to choose from. The menu features rice and chicken, muffins, pancakes and ice-creams, beef bacon and non-alcoholic beer especially imported from Belgium.
This is Hershey. This was his first day at daycare. Looked pretty calm and comfortable. Didn't trouble other buddies. His owners were as worried as I was on my son's first day in formal school but the friendly staff at Critterati kept sending pictures and videos of Hershey to his "parents" to relieve their tension.
And then, Gatsby and I fell in love with each other.
Education is for all no matter what age. At a school in Fangane village of Thane, age is absolutely no bar. Aajibaichi, meaning Granny school, is open for women aged 60 to 90 years old.
Women after being free from all house duties, come to school in the afternoon. They are assisted by their grandchildren in their studies when they want to revise at home.
Most of these women are widows and happy to be able to fulfil their lifelong dream of reading and writing.
Women cheerfully recite alphabets in class which is held everyday from 2 to 4 pm. These women are given free bag, saree, slate and slippers to bring about uniformity among all students.
“My sister and I could never go to school as a child while my brothers attended school regularly. At this age, we are dependent on our grandchildren to read out holy scriptures for us. We are happy to be coming here and learning with our friends. We have a lot of fun,” Kantabai Laxman More said.
The school is the brainchild of Yogendra Bangar, a primary school teacher in Fangane and is funded by a local charitable trust called Motiram Ganpat Dalal Charitable Trust.
He struck upon the idea last year when some of the women complained that they couldn't take part in public readings during religious functions.
“We wanted to end their disdain and help them. We thought that if we could give these grandmothers a fair chance at education and literacy then it would make them very happy,” explains Bangar, 41.
“At their age, they aren't going to go looking for a job at a corporation but their joy at being able to provide a signature and read have increased their happiness manifold,” he adds.
