Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 184

Project Life

04.9.13,Rajkot

I was in Rajkot for a seminar and later invited by an NGO to visit their work station, I did and it was an eye opener.

On the Racecourse Ring Road of Rajkot is an address everybody is familiar with in the city. It belongs to Project Life established in 1976 and easily the most talked about medical and educational charitable trust in Saurashtra. The tagline says: in service of humanity and this is no exaggeration.

They established a voluntary Blood Bank & Research Centre in 1981 and in the coming decades the institution included other projects like education, environment, health care and housing in tribal areas and women empowerment and is patronized by many leading film and other celebrities.

They take pride that their 32 years of service has brought smiles to more than a million faces. Sample these figures:

Over 25,000 lives have been served via the blood banks.

Over 13,000 students study in schools constructed by Project Life.

Over 14, 05,000 have been made aware of Thalassemia and 6, 15,800 have been screened for Thalassemia trait.

Over 4,600 widow/ single women have been empowered.

Project Life preserves environment by distributing over 2, 25,000 plants of 6feet and above.

Over 3, 80,000 people are trained in Yoga and meditation.

It was their earnest intention and endeavor to provide safe, quality and timely blood to the needy, to create awareness in society about Thassemia that attracted Jaya Bachchan to become a patron of Project Life in 1981 and has been involved with the NGO for over the decades. It is a different matter that she never talks about it but a message on the wall with her picture reads: “It’s always good to think about tomorrow’s challenges today…To take social responsibility for our environment today.”

Your generous support can change a life and a family. You may donate online by credit cards or log on to www.999life.org

Bhawana Somaaya / @bhawanasomaaya

 

 

 

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 183

Hungry Kya..? Try the Lunch Box

Every year thousands of industry and cinema lovers flock to TFF in the beautiful mountain town of Telluride, Colorado without knowing the program which is unveiled only on the first day with very limited number of films from across the world selected for screening at this prestigious festival.
This year’s festival includes Fog of War, Brokeback Mountain, The Lives of Others, Babel, The Last King of Scotland, Juno, Slumdog Millionaire, Up in the Air, The King’s Speech, Black Swan, A Separation and the Artiste. The Lunchbox, featuring Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui had its premiere at the International Critics’ Week of the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year where it won the audience award, Grand Rail d’Or and then went on to win the Audience Choice Award at the World Cinema Festival Amestradam Amsterdam.

And in all this is included NFDC produced and Ritesh Batra directed The Lunch Box It is the first time for the director and his cast except of course Irfaan Khan who is a household name in foreign cinema today and has traveled all the festivals, premier shows and award ceremonies including the Oscar Awards. For the rest of the unit including Nawaudin TFF will be the first time and they are super excited to be a part of the festival.

Bhawana Somaaya / @bhawanasomaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 182

Recharging Our Spiritual Battery

02.9.13,Mumbai

Each day we all need to recharge our spiritual battery, otherwise the light of our consciousness becomes dim, thoughts become scattered, and decisions are filled with doubt. Power is available inside and outside. Inside us we have a spiritual center, at the center of our consciousness, pure radiant spiritual light. This is what we are. However it is now blocked by our attachments, the record of all our life experiences and many negative beliefs and perceptions. Outside us we have the Supreme Soul and meditation connects us to both sources of power.

Every human being has an innate positive nature because of the inherent qualities of love, peace and introversion, the practice of looking within, enables one to be in constant touch with oneself and one's true nature.
This provides me with a power to recognize and accept my mistakes. One who is aware of one's own uniqueness is able to influence others who are not and able to free others and self from negative influences. The endeavor should be to experience this innate power under all circumstances and with all people and when we do that, we will feel baggage free and happy.

Bhawana Somaaya / @bhawanasomaaya