Avian Vibhooti’s Year 1
Issue 1
June 2019
From the Lens of the Mahatmas of Vedanta Ashram, Indore
Avian Vibhooti’s A Bi-Monthly Photobook of select Bird Pics clicked by Vedanta Ashram Swami's
Inaugural Issue - June 2019 Inspiration & Concept: Design & Execution:
Swami Atmananda Saraswati Swamini Amitananda Saraswati
Contributors: (Team Ashram)
Swami Atmananda Saraswati Swamini Amitananda Saraswati Swamini Samatananda Saraswati Swamini Poornananda Saraswati
Appreciating the Creation to revel in its Glorious Creator Om Tat Sat Avian Vibhootis
INDEX
3
1.
Preface 4-5
15.
White-throated Kingfisher
33
2.
Dalmatian Pelican 7
16.
Pied Kingfisher 35
3.
Grey Pelican 9
17.
Bank myna 37
4.
Greater Flamingo 11
18.
Green Bee-Eater 39
5.
Painted Stork 13
19.
Common Stonechat 41
6.
Grey Heron 15
20.
Tree Pipit 43
7.
Cattle Egret 17
21.
Common Hoopoe 45
8.
Red-Naped Ibis 19
22.
Indian Robin 47
9.
Nothern Shoveler 21
23.
Purple Sunbird 49
10.
Greylag Geese 23
24.
Shikra 51
11.
Greater Cormorant 25
25.
Red-wattled Lapwing 53
12.
Black-winged Stilt 27
26.
Indian Peafowl 55
13.
Wood Sandpiper 29
27.
Team Contributors 57
14.
Common Kingfisher 31
Avian Vibhootis
Preface - for the first edition of Avian Vibhootis e-photobook
I
t was around Jan 2018 when during our morning walks at Sirpur Talab, Indore, we came across few birders
holding big cameras, wearing camouflage dresses and having backpacks, and were busy clicking the winter migratory birds there. While I always loved nature and birds, but had never got interested in bird-photography, and frankly had very less knowledge of birds. But now slowly the interest started building up.
I started looking for some book on the Birds of Sirpur, and after exploring and ringing up few people, came to know
about Padma Sri Bhalu Mondheji, who had been and still is busy in the conservation of Sirpur Lake for last many years. Finally discovered his house and went there to meet him. He was kind enough to gift a book on the Birds of Sirpur, which he and his team had got published. I was over-joyed. We requested Bhalu Mondhe ji to kindly come to our Ashram and give a presentation on Birds of Indore, which he kindly consented. A good group of Ashram devotees attended that Power-Point Presentation. That is when I got interested in Birding. My entry level Canon DSLR was gathering dust, so we got it and then started our regular trips to Sirpur Lake which is just 2 Kms from our Ashram.
There we met few more dedicated Birders like Navin Chandra Thapak, Akhil Hardia, Raghu Iyer etc. We requested
Akhil Hardiaji, a well-known & decorated photographer of the city, and later Raghu Iyer, a passionate Birder and an excellent photographer, to come over to our Ashram and give us some photography lessons, which they kindly consented and we had two workshops, in which we got some great guidance & tips from them. All this enthused us more and every bird started exciting us, and so also the science & art of photography. We were exposed to an amazing avian world and were amazed at their variety & beauty. After that I and my students all got nicely involved in Birding. Slowly organized more cameras and appropriate dresses etc and Vedanta Ashram Mahatmas got involved in Birding nicely. We look upon Birding as a means to appreciate the beauty of God's creation, and facilitating proximity to nature. 4
Avian Vibhootis
Slowly came to know of many more lovely nature lovers and birding experts. Within a matter of one year we had un-
dertaken many Birding Trips - like trip to Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Gujarat Lakes, Sattal, Matheran, Ayodhya Wetlands and Kheoni Wild Life Sanctuary, Ujjain Lakes, various Indore Lakes to name a few. We clicked many awesome birds and within one year itself we now have a large collection of bird pics. As a natural corollary, we have decided to share our pics in the form of a quarterly e-photobook. We are calling this as 'Avian Vibhootis'. Vibhooti word is used in Bhagwad Gita to reveal the glories of God. Every bird we see, not only sensitizes us to appreciate the beauty of nature closely, but also brings to our mind the awesome creator of not only these birds, but of this entire creation. This has now become yet another means for reveling in the glories of God - which is our primary goal of life. By sharing few of our pics we also relive our sweet memories, and hope that other bird lovers too will enjoy our collection. I plan to request for comments of various people we know and who have facilitated our journey into Birding, about this e-photobook, and include them in this edition itself. I would also like to mention here that the designing etc of this awesome e-book has been the creative work of my student Swamini Amitanandaji. All this endeavor has been an inhouse work & project, which was also equally enjoyable. Om Tat Sat.
Swami Atmananda Saraswati alongwith Swamini Amitananda, Swamini Samatananda and Swamini Poornananda.
5
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If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere
6
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Dalmatian Pelican Dwarka, Gujarat
7
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Nature is the Art of God.
8
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Grey Pelican A garwa Wetlands, Gujarat
9
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Nature is like a broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us all the time.
10
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Greater Flamingo A garwa Wetlands, Gujarat
11
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The stork is voiceless because there is really nothing to say.
12
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Painted Stork Wadhwan Lake, Gujarat
13
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In order to see birds become a part of the silence.
14
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Grey Heron T hol Lake, Gujarat
15
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The whole world is basically Brahman - Blissful Life.
16
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Cattle Egret Barod Daulat, Indore 17
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While going out, I found, I was really going in.
18
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Red-Naped Ibis T hol Lake, Gujrat 19
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Nature is Full of Wonders & Miracles
20
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Nothern Shoveler Vadla Wetlands, Gujrat
21
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Nature is a Lively Painting of God
22
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Greylag Geese Vadla Wetlands, Gujrat
23
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Beauty is in the Beholders Eyes
24
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Greater Cormorant Sirpur Lake, Indore 25
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A peaceful mind alone can see & feel nature
26
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Black-winged Stilt Sirpur Lake, Indore
27
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We do not see nature with our eyes, but with our hearts.
28
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Wood Sandpiper Barod Daulat, Indore
29
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Learn from the Birds how to Sing.
30
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Common Kingfisher Sirpur Lake, Indore 31
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Learn from the Trees how to Dance
32
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W hite-throated Kingfisher Vadla Wetlands, Gujarat 33
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Nature is a symphony & all beings are its artits.
34
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Pied Kingfisher Wadhwan Lake, Vadodara
35
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Photography is an Art, by which we learn to see closely.
36
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Bank Myna A garwa Wetlands, Gujrat
37
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Life is one, its manifestations are many.
38
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Green Bee-Eater Sirpur Lake, Indore
39
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See closely, and you will find yourself connected with all.
40
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Common Stonechat Barod Daulat, Indore 41
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Keep a green tree in your heart & perhaps the singing bird will come.
42
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Tree-Pipit Barod Daulat, Indore
43
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God is Blissful Life, & is Everywhere.
44
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Common Hoopoe Wadhwan Lake, Gujrat
45
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Every being is an exquisite art-piece
46
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Indian Robin T hol Lake, Gujrati
47
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Every being contributes to the well-being of all in their own unique ways.
48
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Purple Sunbird Sudama Nagar, Indore
49
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Forests bring wakefulness, and that is awakening.
50
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Shikra T hol Lake, Gujrat
51
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Watch alertly with your body-mind & soul.
52
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Red-wattled Lapwing Sirpur Lake, Indore 53
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Every being is like a wave in the oceon of Blissful Beauty
54
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Indian Peafowl Vadla Wetlands, Gujrat
55
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iq#"k ,osna loZe~A All what we perceive is basically infinite divinity alone.
56
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Team Contributors 1. Swami Atmananda Saraswati 2. Swamini Amitananda Saraswati 3. Swamini Samatananda Saraswati 4. Swamini Poornananda Saraswati
57
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loZa fg ,rn~ czãA v;ekRek czãAA ¼ek.MwD; mifu"kn~½ The whole creation is ultimately Brahman. & the Self, that is also Brahman.
58
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Swami Atmananda Saraswati
59
Avian Vibhootis
bZ'kkokL;fena loZa ;fRdafpr~ txR;ka txr~AA ŸbZ'kkokL; mifu"kn~½ Whatever there is changeful in this ephemeral world, all that must be enveloped by the Lord.
60
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Swamini Amitananda Saraswati
61
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;Fkks.kZukfHk% l`trs x`g~.krs pA rFkk·{kjkr~ lEHkorhg fo'oe~AA ¼eq.Md mifu"kn~½ Just as a spider spins forth its thread, and draws it again, The whole creation is woven from Brahman, and unto it returns.
62
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Swamini Samatananda Saraswati
63
Avian Vibhootis
vkse~ iw.kZen% iw.kZfena iw.kkZRiw.kZeqnP;rsAA ¼bZ'kkokL; mifu"kn~½ There is fullness, here is fullness. From the fullness, the fullness is born.
64
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Swamini Poornananda Saraswati
65
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vkse~ rRlr~ 66
Avian Vibhootis