East and West Series - December 2021 by East and West Series

DECEMBER 2021

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THE GITA’S* WAY OF LIFE SADHU VASWANI

The message of the Gita is:

Be a master — a master of life. India has thrown up three great Acharyas. And all the three have written commentaries on the Gita: they all regard the Gita as a supernatural scripture. I shall not base my remarks on this traditional view. I shall not present the Gita as a supernatural scripture. I shall try to interpret it as a human document. To me the human is also divine. The Bhagavad Gita is a human document — a remarkable document. Human and most wonderful. Can the Bhagavad Gita meet the challenge of the modern age? Five thousand years ago was the teaching given by Sri Krishna. And I think this teaching has its meaning and message for me and for you and for all the sons and daughters of the modern world. In this transition-period in which we are living, there is a mood of despondency *December 14 is the sacred Gita Jayanti Day.

and, again, there is a mood of expectation. Civilisation lies broken and bleeding, and we are despondent. And not a few of us are looking for something new, something vital, for some new power, new inspiration,

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new manifestation that may reenergise, revitalise, re-organise society and civilisation.

The universe challenges you to tremendous tasks, to adventures and responsibilities.

The anti-God campaign is spreading from West to East. For much of the present-day religion does not stand the test of reason. And to this age that worships reason, the Bhagavad Gita comes with a great declaration: Be reflective. According to the teaching of the Gita, the truly spiritual man is essentially reflective.

You must meet the challenge of the universe with courage. Be brave, be fearless.

In the Gita you are asked to think for yourself, to reflect, to meditate: and you are given a definite technique of meditation. Religion, according to the Gita, is not in conflict with science. Religion is science. Religion is not a matter of books or hearsay. Religion is self-realisation. The message of the Gita is: Be a master — a master of life. And to become a master, certain qualities of character must be developed. The Gita gives a wonderful map of life. The Gita is a practical book, not a speculative scripture. The first quality is the quality of courage. Uthishta! Paramtapa, says the Gita. Stand up, O Arjuna! Stand up! Be not despondent! The Gita is a heroic scripture. The Gita believes in heroic spirituality.

The second great quality is the quality of simplicity. The way of wisdom is the way of simple life. Renounce ambition, renounce aggressiveness, renounce reputation, renounce all imitation and walk the way of humility. The third great quality is the quality of sympathy. Civilisation lies broken and bleeding. There is economic chaos, there is political chaos in the world today. War looms on the horizon. Clouds of hate are gathering thick and fast. One nation is trying to strangle another. There is class-warfare. The world today is in great agony. In sympathy is the power of a new world, a new civilisation. For sympathy is creative. In the political and economic chaos of the world today, sympathy has the power to build that new civilisation, that New Kingdom of which Krishna and Christ, and Buddha and Baha’u’llah have spoken and sung to the millions of mankind. 

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JOSE RIZAL*:

THE YOUTH IMMORTAL DADA J. P. VASWANI

Rolando — she, who wouldn’t intentionally kill a fly!

“Pretty little lady, I never saw such dancing,” said the Governor-General of the Philippine Islands to a little girl. ‘‘Let me make you a present. What shall it be?” “Give me my mother from prison,” instantly replied the girl. “Who is this girl’s mother? Set her free, whoever she is,” commanded the GovernorGeneral. Three years in prison and out because of a dance! And so, the little girl’s mother was released — she who had been sent to the prison because of the vengeance of a Spanish lieutenant, whom her husband had prevented from tramping on their fields. She was accused of conspiring to kill a Mrs.

And so, Jose Rizal, when he was only eleven and danced in girl’s guise, felt the first sting of slavery. That sting went deep into his heart. Thousands of mothers like his and fathers and children were being treated harshly every day. The Philippine Islands were almost forgotten remnants of the Spanish empire. That empire, corrupt and decrepit, was governed from far-off Madrid, so that actually most of the power lay in the hands of the incorrigible local Catholic church and a few Spanish grandees and landowners. A word from them would send hundreds into prison or exile. And even as Rizal thought of the state of his country, a picture came before him — the picture of his dear ones being insulted and despised, of children being rendered

*December 30 is the Martyrdom Day of Jose Rizal.

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homeless and friendless — the very picture of desolation and despair. The picture penetrated into the depths of his soul. And a call came to him clear and straight — the call of his Motherland, which lay broken and bleeding, crushed, dejected, despised. And in answer to the call, he resolved to lay down his life in the cause of his country’s independence. He was very young. He must wait and prepare. He would learn all there was to be learnt and more and when he grew up, he would set out and fulfil the dream of his life. He trained himself in a school of hardness. He subjected himself to a rigorous discipline of body and mind and went through his daily program as regularly as a clock. He did not smoke or drink wine and avoided sitting up late at nights. He wasted no time. He saved every atom of his energy to prepare himself for the Task ahead. At eighteen one of his poems, “To the Philippine Youth’’, won first prize in the Manila Lyceum of Arts and Literature. The poem begins thus: Hold high the brow serene O youth, where now you stand! Let the bright sheen of your grace be seen,

Fair hope of my Motherland!

Who was this insolent young man who had the impudence to dream of any motherland other than Spain? Spanish officials were shocked. Then the students of the Ateneo de Manila enacted a play called, “Beside the Pasig”. In the play the devil was made to impeach Spain for her cruelty. Was Spain so rotten that even the devil denounced her? Who had the courage to write such a play? Who was the traitor? And again, it was Jose Rizal. Men had been sent to the gallows for lesser “crimes”. The Philippines was no longer safe for him. Money was found. A passport was obtained under a false name, and one midnight, Jose slipped on a boat which was bound for Spain. There he would be safe, for Spain was a hundred times freer than its colonies. In Madrid he studied Medicine and specialised in diseases of the eye. He utilised his leisure hours in studying literature, philosophy, French, German and English. On completion of his course in Medicine he went to Paris where he practised with a famous eye specialist. His days he devoted to his profession and parts of his nights to the

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writing of his first book, “Noli Me Tangeri”, which in Latin means, “Touch Me Not”. After two years the book was ready. It was the story of Ibarra, a desperate revolutionist, who was immediately recognised as Rizal himself by those who knew him. Ibarra’s father, who was imprisoned, was clearly Rizal’s mother. Every character in the book was easily recognized by the people of Calamba, his home-town. The book received a rousing reception. William Dean Howells, the famous American writer and critic, welcomed it as the best book that had been written in any language for fifty years. For the first time the Spanish friars saw themselves being looked upon with contempt. For the first time anyone had dared to hold them up to ridicule. The book was proscribed. A decree was issued restraining Filipinos from handling the book on pain of exile and confiscation of land and property which would be given as reward to the persons who betrayed such offenders. The decree produced the contrary effect. It did not prevent the people from reading the book. It aroused their curiosity and urged them to discover for themselves the contents of the book which had shaken in such a large measure

the confidence of their rulers. The books were smuggled into Manila as ordinary merchandise, people read it by lamp light behind well-shut doors and after reading passed it on to their neighbours. A thrill ran through Philippine Island and for the first time something like awakening took hold of the Filipinos. Jose Rizal became the most famous man in the Philippines. After some time, he dared to come to his hometown for the sake of his mother who was going blind. For the first time in Philippine history, he successfully performed a very delicate operation of the eye. A legend grew around that he was a miracle-worker. Patients came to him from the very remote corners of the Island and even from China and Japan. His stay in Calamba, however, was destined to be very short. After six months he was advised by the GovernorGeneral to leave the Islands as there were rumours that attempts would be made on his life. The advice was really an order; so Rizal departed. Full of romance and adventure was his life. He went to America; his family was brutally treated in absence. He came back to Madrid. There was little he could do. The authorities would not listen to

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him. Bitterly he wrote a book called, “El Filibusterismo”. There is little humour in this book, “hot as metal-scorching where-ever its touches’’. It ends with these words: Where are the youths who will pour out their blood to wash away so much shame, so much crime, so much abomination? We await you, O youth! Come, for we await you! He was imprisoned and sent to Mindanao as an exile. For four years he was there; in those four years he converted Dapitan, the place where he made his little home, from a desert into a paradise. “He had,” says Laubach, “a way of turning every spot he touched into a heaven even when he was in prison”. A revolution broke out in the Philippines and though Rizal was in no way connected with it, he was taken to Manila. No stone was left unturned to secure evidence against him. His elder brother Paciano, was tortured to sign an accusation against Jose. But he, too, was of the stuff of which martyrs are made. He would not sign. He was hung up by his thumbs until he fainted, and was carted home. After a brief trial by court martial, Jose Rizal was

sentenced — sentenced to be shot in 24 hours. His mother and sister came to say farewell. With the permission of the guard of the prison, Jose gave to his sister his little lamp, saying to her in English, so that the guard could not understand. ‘‘There is something inside”. That something was a little ball of paper on which was written Jose Rizal’s ‘‘Last Farewell”. Thus, was saved this most thrilling of poems, the very noblest and best in any literature. Farewell, adored, sun-wooed motherland, Thou pearl of Orient seas, our Eden lost. I lay my sad, crushed life within thy hand; And were life sweeter, full of promise grand, Yet for thy ransom would I pay this cost. I die — yet see, the skies glow overhead Announcing dawn at last beyond the night; And should you need to stain the dawn with red, Behold my blood is for this purpose shed — To dye incarnadine thy natal night.

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E’ver yet my childhood changed to youth I dreamed, As youth will dream when vigor courses strong, One day to see my Orient jewel redeemed, Her dark eyes dried, her brow no longer seamed, Her face uplifted, smiling, freed from wrong. Sweet vision! Living hope! Undying fire! “God-speed!” this soul cries out that soon must die; “God-speed!” Oh, just to fall and lift the higher, To breathe new life in thee as I expire, And then in thy charmed arms forever lie! Land I adore, whose sadness makes me grieve! Dear Philippines, my last farewell again! With thee, my kindred, friend, and all I leave, To go where none slaves, where none deceive, Where faith kills not, and God alone doth reign.

Thirty-six years of age, Rizal was let out to Bagumbayan field to be shot. A military doctor felt his pulse. It was quite normal. Astonished, the doctor said, ‘‘You are well, pretty well,” and stepped back.

Eight soldiers fired together; with one last effort of will, Jose Rizal twisted his body about, to fall face upward. To the Filipinos that spot is now sacred. It is adorned by a great monument — the greatest in all Philippines, the handsome young face of Rizal stands on a pedestal in every town and city of the Islands urging the young Filipinos to lead their nation on to greater and yet greater-heights, but this mighty monument of Bagumbayan field, is the national shrine. Rizal was executed on the morning of December 30, 1896. A wave of resentment spread over the Islands that same day. Thousands of Filipinos poured in to join the revolution. The Spanish Friars fled into Manila for their lives, leaving a thousand churches priest less. Rizal had said; I die — yet see, the skies glow overhead Announcing the day at last beyond the night. ‘‘The day” was finally announced eighteen months later when battle-ships from the United States silently stole into Manila Bay by night, and next morning sank the Spanish fleet. 

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Jesus

SADHU VASWANI

Historically examined, December 25 is not the birthday of Jesus. There are scholars who hold that Jesus was born on January 6. But spiritual values are not fettered by dates. Christmas celebrates the coming into this world of a unique person. Is it an exaggeration to say that Jesus marks a new departure in human history? The Christshakti is increasing with the process of the suns. Yet the records of his days are almost silent about him. He seemed to live in a world so different from that of his *December 25 is the sacred Christmas Day. **From an address.

contemporaries. There were men under the influence of Jewish priests: they moved in an atmosphere of externalism. There were men under Hellenistic influences: they found their pleasure in theatres and systems of philosophy. There were men under Roman influences – the influences of an official world. Jesus lives in a different world. And when at the age of 30 he appears on the scene to give his message, not a few feel its newness, and some there be who feel the fascination of his pure, gentle life. Who is this man? They ask. A villager, he preaches in Jerusalem — the seat of Roman imperialism, a centre of Greek influences, the very stronghold of Jewish orthodoxy — Jesus preaches strange doctrines of a new kingdom and a new ethic of life. Who is he? At one time, crowds follow him in Jerusalem — Eastern crowds eager to touch the hem of his garment longing to have darshan of this new man,

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with a new message and new power – this mystic shaktiman of Nazareth. Who is he? He heals the sick: he serves the poor: he loves the fallen and the lowly. Who is he? And when priests and officials cooperate to crucify him, he sends up from the very Cross of agony the cry of his heart: “Father! forgive them: for they know not what they do.” Who is he? Not until he passes away, do his disciples — fishermen and craftsmen — realise the beauty of their Master’s life. They recall his wonderful sayings and parables and stories. They recall his gentle, gracious figure. And gradually it dawns upon them that Jesus was not merely a good man, that he was not merely a fine ethical teacher, that he was something more even than a prophet. Jesus, they realise, was a vehicle of the very Christ of God. Jesus they now adore as the revealer and redeemer. The Revealer, the Light-bringer: for in him they see God. “I am the Light of the world”. The Redeemer: for in him they see the Saviour of humanity. This revealer and redeemer I love to think of as a Child. “My Kingdom”, he said, “is not of this world”. The Kingdom of Heaven, he likened unto little ones. The kingdom of the Father, he urged, was for those that would come to it

as children. And how like a child he speaks and acts the wonderful drama of his life. Meeting a woman at the well, he says to her: “I am thirsty”. He wants of her water to drink. Meeting a woman whom the ‘pious’ would stone — for she is regarded as “fallen” — Jesus has no angry word but only love and blessing. A child has no ‘sin-consciousness’. Meeting his disciples at a feast, he washes their feet! How like a child! In his words you will find not ‘erudition’, but the light of intuition. “Suffer little children to come unto me”, he says. Is he not himself a Child? In a world grown weary and sick, he came with the freshness and beauty and joy of the Eternal Child. Dannecker, the German sculptor, made a marble statue of Christ and asked a girl what she thought of it. “The likeness”, she said, “of a great man”. And Dannecker was disappointed. He worked patiently and with a nobler inspiration. After years, his new marble statue of Christ was ready. He asked a girl what she thought of it. She looked at it, then burst into tears, and said: “Suffer little children to come unto me!” Jesus, I love to think of as a new child who brought with him a new beauty and a new joy in this world of friction and contradiction. Jesus is a child of the Kingdom of Light and love. 

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THERE IS NO DEATH! * DADA J. P. VASWANI

There is no death! Death is very much like sunset. It is only an appearance. For, when the sun sets here, it rises elsewhere. In reality, the sun never sets. Likewise, death is only an illusion, an appearance. For, what is death here is birth elsewhere. For life is endless.

Have you ever asked yourselves the question: “What is this world, this earth, on which you and I find ourselves? What is it?” To this question a number of answers have been given. One of the answers which, to me, appears to be significant, is: “The world is a travellers’ inn. The world is a musafirkhana, a caravanserai.” We all are travellers. We are here on a short visit. Life at its longest is so brief. You may * Notes of a Lecture.

live to be centenarians. Yet the day will come in the life of everyone when, bidding adieu to his wife and children, his friends and relatives, his kith and kin, his properties and possessions, the institutions he has founded and nourished with the love of his heart — man will quit the scenes of life. Man is here as a traveller. There is a significant little story told us concerning the king of Balkh. Ibrahim was his

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name. He was a great king. He had everything that the world could give. He was a master of pleasures and possessions and power. But his heart was not happy: there was within him a sense of emptiness. His soul was in quest. Of what — he did not know. One day, suddenly, a stranger enters the king’s court and, quietly spreading his carpet on the floor, lies down on it. The king is naturally offended at his strange conduct and says to him: “What do you take my palace to be?” Quietly says the stranger to the king: “I thought this is a travellers’ inn!” “What do you mean by calling my palace a travellers’ inn?” asks the king. And the stranger says to him: “O king, pray do not get angry at me. But do answer my question. Tell me who lived in this palace before you occupied it?” And the king says: “Before me, my father lived in the palace.” “Where is your father now?” asks the stranger. And the king says: “He is dead and gone!”

“And who lived in the palace before your father occupied it?” The king answers: “My grandfather occupied the palace before my father lived in it.” “And where is your grandfather now?” asks the stranger. The king answers: “My grandfather is dead and gone!” “And who lived in the palace before your grandfather occupied it?” The king says: “My great grandfather lived in the palace before my grandfather occupied it.” “And where is your great grandfather now?” asks the stranger. Again, the king answers: “My great grandfather is dead and gone!” “Then surely,” says the stranger, “this is a travellers’ inn. For people come here, occupy this place for a while, then move on! You, too, O king, will have to move on!” So, saying, the stranger vanished as suddenly as he had appeared. But the words of the stranger lingered long in the heart of the king. And he said to himself: This is not a palace: this is a travellers’

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inn. Indeed, the whole world is a travellers’ inn. So many are born every day; so many die every day. This earth is not our Home. Where, then, is our true Home, leaving which we have come to this earth-plane for a special purpose? Alas! we have forgotten the purpose, and we keep on chasing the shadow-shapes of pleasures and possessions and power!” These and other thoughts come to the king. And sometimes you find him keeping awake in the middle of the night, asking himself the question: “What is the purpose of my visit to the earth-plane? Why am I here? And where is my Home?” One night, he hears a Voice. It says to him: “O king, if you want an answer to your questions, renounce, renounce!” The king renounces the palace: he renounces the throne. Like the Buddha, he puts off his royal robes and puts on the garments of a fakir, a wandering mendicant. Donning the robes of a fakir, he moves on from place to place. Within him is the question: What is the meaning of the mystery of this endless adventure of existence? What is life? And what is death?”

We are told he comes to India and spends some years in the company of a holy man. There is a story of this monarch who becomes a mystic, this sovereign who becomes a saint. I merely wished to tell you that his awakening began with the thought that this world is a travellers’ inn. We all are travellers. Our stay on earth is for a limited period. As we come to this earth-plane, one day, we shall have to move out of it. Farid was a great saint of Multan. He has left a number of wonderful slokas which still are sung in many homes. In one of his slokas, he says: “O Farid! Your father and your elder brother have already passed on! Soon, your turn will come! The children that are left behind — they, too, will have to move on to the Other Shore!” No one stayed on the earth for ever. No one can stay on the earth for ever. Leaving the earth is what we call death, even as coming to the earth is called birth. Death is a natural phenomenon. For whoso is born must surely die. Why, then, are we afraid of death? 

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Laugh YOUR WAY TO HEALTH

“What am I supposed to do with this?” grumbled the motorist as the police clerk handed him a receipt for his traffic fine. “Keep it,” the clerk advised. “When you get four of them, you get a bicycle.” *** Employer: For this job we want a responsible man. Applicant: That’s me. Wherever I’ve worked, if anything went wrong, they said I was responsible. *** “My sister does fancy work.” “And what do you do?” “Oh, I don’t fancy work.” *** A man asked a boy how old he was. “Twelve,” was the reply. “Hmm,” remarked the man, “you are well-built for your age.” “I ought to be,” retorted the boy. “My father is an architect.” *** Asked to submit a short note on ‘pocket money,’ a school boy

wrote: “It’s the only thing that never stays in my pocket.” *** Anita: From which book have you benefitted the most? Sunita: My husband’s cheque book. *** My young nephew returned from school one day and said that he had fallen during recess and grazed his knees and elbow. “Didn’t you cry?” I asked him. “No” he replied bravely. “The bell rang and there was no time.” *** “I am sorry to hear that your factory was burnt down. What did you manufacture?” “Fire-extinguishers.” *** Irate guest: Look here, the rain is simply pouring through the roof of my bedroom. Summer hotel proprietor: Absolutely according to our prospectus, sir. Running water in every room. ***

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A Student nurse was representing her ward in an inter-hospital quiz. In the general knowledge round, her question was about the Statue of Liberty. “In one hand she holds a tablet,” said the question master. “What is in her other hand?” Hazarded the nurse, “A glass of water?” *** Customer: Say, sister, take this coffee away. It’s like mud. Waitress: Well, it was ground just this morning. *** First soldier: What made you join the army? Second soldier: I had no wife and I loved war, so I went. What about you? First soldier: Well, I had a wife and loved peace, so I went. ***

He said, “Hey you, what are you bringing a ladder to school for?” The kid said, “I am going up to High School today.” *** Waiter: You have insulted me, Sir, by giving me just 50 paise as the tip. Customer: What more should I have given? Waiter: Minimum 50 paise more. Customer: Sorry! I can not insult you second time. *** Shilpa asked her husband: Suppose I die, will you marry again? Husband: It’s a very difficult question to answer. Can not even say either yes or no. Shilpa: Why?

“Why do all artists put their signature at the bottom of their paintings?” asked a little boy.

Husband: If I say ‘Yes’, you will feel it and if I say ‘No’ then Neha.

“That way everybody knows which side is up,” replied his father.

***

*** The teacher said to me, “Suppose you add together 54 and 72, and multiply the result by 21, and take away 6 and divide by 19, What do you get?” I said, “The wrong answer.” *** One teacher saw one kid coming into school with a ladder.

Why is that some young men enter ministry? Because it is easier to stand up and yell than to sit down and listen. *** Why was Adam a famous man? Because in the human race he was first. ***

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Children’s Corner

DO YOU KNOW BHAGAVAD GITA WELL? 1. Bhagavad Gita appears in

3. Who is the speaker of

which chapter or book of

Bhagavad Gita?

Mahabharata?

1. Lord Agni

1. Chapter 20 to 22

2. Lord Sun

2. Chapter 25 to 42

3. Sri Krishna

3. Chapter 10 to 15

4. Sanjaya

4. None of the above 4. Who had the sacred 2. What is the literary

knowledge of Gita before

meaning of Bhagavad Gita?

Arjuna?

1. Song of the Lord

1. Karna

2. Song of the Goddesses

2. Drona

3. Song of pain

3. Bhishma

4. None of the above

4. Lord Sun

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5. Who besides Arjuna listened to the Gita ? 1. Dhritrashtra and Sanjaya 2. Only Sanjaya 3. Kauravas 4. None of the above 6. How many chapters are there in the Gita ? 1. 16 Chapters 2. 17 Chapters 3. 18 Chapters 4. 19 Chapters 7. Who is the writer of the Bhagavad Gita? 1. Valmiki 2. Ved Vyasa 3. Tulsidas 4. Kalidas 8. What is the language of the Gita? 1. Hindi 2. English 3. Sanskrit 4. Pali 9. Who was Sanjaya? 1. Dhritrashtra’s advisor and charioteer 2. Dhritrashtra’s relative 3. Arjuna’s cousin 4. None of the above

10. Who was narrating the Gita to Dhritrashtra? 1. Sanjaya 2. Dhritrashtra 3. Ved Vyasa 4. Adi Shankaracharya 11. In which place did Lord Krishna delivered the Bhagavad Gita? 1. On the battle grounds of Panipat 2. On the battle grounds of Kurukshetra 3. On the battle grounds of Jhansi 4. None of the above 12. The chariot on which Arjuna and Krishna were seated was donated by ____________. 1. The fire-god 2. The sun-god 3. Indra 4. Lord Shiva 13. What was Arjuna’s flag marked with? 1. Fire-god 2. Hanuman 3. Goddess of fortune 4. Sword

1. Chapter 25 to 42, 2. Song of the Lord, 3. Sri Krishna, 4. Lord Sun, 5. Dhritrashtra and Sanjaya, 6. 18 Chapters, 7. Sage Ved Vyasa, 8. Sanskrit, 9. Dhritrashtra’s advisor and charioteer, 10. Sanjaya, 11. On the battle grounds of Kurukshetra, 12. The fire-god, 13. Hanuman

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RECIPES FOR THE MONTH SPICED PUMPKIN SOUP Ingredients: For the Garnishing (optional) Carrot, chopped..............................................½ cup Orange pumpkin, chopped........................2’½ cups Black pepper, coarsely pounded Thick curd.......................................................¼ cup Coriander leaves, Garlic paste..................................................... ½ tsp Ginger paste................................................... ½ tsp Curry powder, mixed with 1 tsp water..............1 tsp Onion, finely chopped.....................................3 tbsp Water..............................................................4 cups Olive oil............................................................1 tsp Salt...............................................................to taste Method: • Heat olive oil in a pan on a slow flame and fry the garlic and ginger pastes till aroma arises. • Add the onion and fry till transparent. • Add curry powder and stir. Add water immediately. • Add pumpkin, carrot and salt and bring to boil. • Simmer and allow to cook till vegetables become tender. • Cool and liquidize. Bring the soup to boil. • Serve hot in individual bowls with the desired garnishing.

GREEK SALAD Ingredients: For the Salad Large head iceberg lettuce.................................... 1 White onion, sliced round.............................1 large Cherry tomatoes.................................................. 12 Black olives.......................................................... 12 Cucumber, de-seeded and cubed..................1 large Feta cheese, cut into small cubes..................50 gms Fresh dill, chopped (optional)........................2 tbsp For the dressing White vinegar.................................................3 tbsp

Virgin olive oil................................................5 tbsp Salt and black pepper powder......................to taste Method: • Clean and tear the lettuce leaves into pieces (about 1½" in size). Soak in ice cold water for about 2 hours. • Soak the onion, tomatoes, and cucumber also in ice cold water for 2 hours. • Remove the vegetables from the water and shake off the excess water and pat dry with kitchen towel. • Put all the dressing ingredients into a glass bottle. Close the lid and shake well and keep aside. Do not mix in a bowl as the oil and vinegar do not mix well. • Mix all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and add the dressing (just 10 minutes before serving). • Cover the bowl, shake well, but gently • Spread on to a salad plate and serve. Note: Use Auroville feta preferably, or a feta with a slight tang. Cheese must be removed an hour before assembling the salad as it should be at room temperature when served.

COCKTAILS CHEESE BALLS Ingredients: For the Cheese Balls Corn flour mixed with ½ cup water................3 tbsp Paneer, grated............................................200 gms Chat masala......................................................2 tsp Bread slices, soaked in water and Then squeezed½ cup bread crumbs............. 2 slices Oil.....................................................for deep frying Green chillies, finely chopped.............................1-2 Grated ginger...................................................2 tsp Pepper powder............................................... ½ tsp Mango powder................................................ ½ tsp Ajwain............................................................ ½ tsp Coriander leaves, finely chopped....................2 tbsp Salt...............................................................to taste

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Method: • Combine all the ingredients for the cheese balls in a large bowl. • Mash well till an even mixture is formed. • Shape into small round balls. • Dip each ball in corn flour paste and then roll over bread crumbs. • Deep fry 5-6 balls at a time, till golden brown. • Drain on tissues and sprinkle chat masala. • Serve hot.

KHAO SUEY Ingredients: For the Gravy: Mushrooms.....................................................½ cup Beans..............................................................½ cup Carrot..............................................................½ cup Capsicum.........................................................¼ cup Baby corn........................................................½ cup All the above ingredients to be finely sliced Coriander leaves, finely chopped....................½ cup Spring onions, finely chopped........................½ cup Green chillies, slit.................................................. 2 Ready-made coconut milk............................ 400 ml Water............................................................ 400 ml Garlic, chopped...............................................1 tbsp Ginger, grated.............................................. ½ tbsp Pepper corns.......................................................4-5 Pepper powder............................................... ½ tsp Vinegar...........................................................1 tbsp Soya sauce.................................................. 1-2 tbsp Chili sauce................................................... 1-2 tbsp Corn flour..............................................1½ - 2 tbsp Milk..................................................................1 cup Olive oil..........................................................2 tbsp For the Noodles/Spaghetti Noodles/spaghetti......................................250 gms (Boiled with 2 tbsp oil and drained) Toppings: Cucumber, chopped finely...................................... 1 Spring onions, chopped finely.....................1 bunch Coriander leaves, chopped finely.................1 bunch Garlic, chopped and deep-fried brown.......100 gms Green chilli, chopped finely................................... 1 Mixed in 3 tbsp soya sauce Red chillies, ground with little oil.......................4-5 Lemon juice....................................................4 tbsp

Method: • In a pan heat oil and add garlic, ginger, pepper corns, spring onions, mushrooms, beans, carrot, capsicum and baby corn. Simmer for 10 mins. • Add in the pepper powder, vinegar, soya sauce and chili sauce. • Slowly add the coconut milk. Keep stirring until mixture boils well and then add the water. • Add the corn flour mixed in 1 cup milk. • Stir well and cook till slightly thick. • Garnish with coriander leaves and green chilli. Serve with spaghetti and the toppings. • Place each of the toppings in separate bowls.

EGGLESS SUPER CHRISTMAS CAKE Ingredients: Plain flour..................................................200 gms Condensed milk................................................1 tin Butter melted..............................................120 gms Milk.................................................................½ cup Water..............................................................½ cup Almond essence.............................................. ½ tsp Caramel colour............................................... ½ tsp Baking powder.................................................2 tsp Baking soda......................................................1 tsp Nutmeg powder.............................................. ½ tsp Cinnamon powder.......................................... ½ tsp Brown sugar...................................................4 tbsp Dry fruits..........................................................1 cup (Raisins, cashew nuts, walnuts, red cherries etc.) Method: • Sieve the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon powder together. • In a bowl, mix the condensed milk, sugar, butter, caramel colour and essence and beat, • Fold in the sieved dry ingredients little by little alternating with milk and water. • Fold in the dry fruits. • Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C for 30-40 minutes. 

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SIMPLE RULES OF HEALTH TOP 7 BENEFITS OF BAY LEAVES

May Improve Digestion Bay leaves have been used traditionally to relieve symptoms of indigestion and other stomach-related ailments. Bay leaves not only add great flavour and taste to the food, but also help to give relief from abdominal pain, gastrointestinal infections, flatulence, bloating, constipation, and diarrhoea. It is may also be used as a diuretic. Can Help Relieve Respiratory Conditions Bay leaves have strong antibacterial properties. When the essential oil of bay leaves is extracted, it can be mixed into a salve and applied to the chest to help alleviate various respiratory conditions. This can also be achieved with a poultice made of the leaves. Spread it on the chest and allow it to remain overnight. Inhaling the vapour has a similar effect to aromatherapy and can loosen up the phlegm and eliminate dangerous bacteria that may be trapped in your respiratory tracts, thanks to its natural antibacterial quality.

May Improve Hair Health Anecdotal evidence suggests that bay leaf can work wonders to treat dandruff and reduce hair fall problems. If you want to improve the health of your hair follicles and eliminate dandruff, a homemade method is to steep bay leaves in water and then rub them on your scalp after shampooing. The chemicals and volatile ingredients in them may help eliminate dry skin and dandruff. Might Aid as An Antiinflammatory Agent One of the most important benefits of bay leaf is its ability to reduce inflammation throughout the body. Bay leaves contain a unique phytonutrient, called parthenolide, which can

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quickly reduce inflammation and irritation when topically applied to affected areas, such as sore joints or areas affected by arthritis. This effect can also be achieved through the normal consumption of bay leaf spice. Can Be Used to Improve or Protect Heart Health Caffeic acid and rutin are both important organic compounds, found in bay leaves, that may help enhance our heart health. Rutin is said to strengthen capillary walls in the heart and the body’s extremities, while caffeic acid can help eliminate LDL or bad cholesterol from the cardiovascular system. The uses of bay leaves include grinding the leaves into a spice to flavour soups and stews. Can Help Reduce Anxiety & Stress Linalool is often associated with thyme and basil, but it is also present in bay leaves. This compound can help lower the level of stress hormones in the body, especially when used in aromatherapy. Excess stress hormones can be dangerous for long-term health, so bay leaves might just have the ability to calm you down and help you remain relaxed even in your high-anxiety moments.

May Aid in Diabetes Management Research suggests that bay leaves might have been connected with improved insulin receptor function and regulated blood sugar levels. For patients at risk of developing diabetes or for those who have already developed the condition, regular consumption of bay leaves may significantly lower the chances of diabetic episodes. Word of Caution: As mentioned earlier, “bay leaf” is a commonly used term that applies to many different plants around the world; however, to achieve all of the health benefits listed above, it is essential that you find a true bay leaf, derived from the laurel tree. Other varieties can actually be toxic when consumed, so be certain that you’re getting the real thing. In terms of allergies, bay leaves aren’t widely known as an allergenic substance, but contact dermatitis and eczema breakouts have been sporadically reported. If you’re allergic to other members of the Lauraceae family, you will likely be allergic to bay leaves as well. 