Hello! I am Rupa. As the great poet Rumi said, “What you seek is seeking you”, well I am seeking light, love, and some inspiration to live the best version of my life. Pans and Proses is a step toward this journey. I hope to meet you all, along the way through food recipes, art, poems, travel diaries, fitness goals , and many life’s delightful and some not-so-delightful but learning experiences.
In whatever we do, we all need a little inspiration, a few bits of advice, few words of wisdom or just a guide to navigate through our life. Pans and Proses is a platform where you can find just that! Like a close friend.
The sole purpose of this blog is to share stories, so you can relate to them and never feel alone and lost. To know that there are many others, who are like us, dealing with the same issues, going through the same problems, trying to find solutions.
As it is said by Vera Nazarian, in The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration “Sometimes, reaching out and taking someone’s hand is the beginning of a journey. At other times, it is allowing others to take yours.” Hope we reach out to each other, always and forever.
Thank you for visiting.
Love and light to all!
Warm regards Rupa!
Light up your heart and the world lights up around you !
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❤️☝️
Thank you for reading! Sure, its fun!
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You’re very welcome… Thanks very much- you as well.
Today I am featuring Indian blogger, Rupa. I am presenting a post from her own blog, a touching poem about her love for her husband. Here is her own short bio. “I am an engineer by degree. A home maker by choice and an artist by soul. I live in Mumbai, India with my husband […]
“I am thinking of the times I have been let down, sometimes by the world sometimes by myself, and it makes me realise of the times I have pulled myself up, accepting what is for what it is,
And painting again my soul my heart to create my life into a new art”
Your life, is your own creation. Yes some colours are filled by others, but the rest is your own work. The work of creating it, into something uniquely beautiful or simply changing your perception about it.
“I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality.” – Frida Kahlo
You will always be let down, atleast once by others or by your own self but what matters is, how you pick yourself up again, how you paint your own reality.
You create you. Always. Its your choice. Your life is your art. Colour it the way you want it.
I recreated this design from the internet. Full credits and respect to the original artist!
Thank you for visiting. Happy to hear from you. Cheers!
“I never knew, of the mountains, I carried within, till, my soul, wept rivers, for the burdens I was bearing”
Took this picture on my trip to Lonavala
What burdens, are you carrying ? Is it the burden of truth, afraid to tell yourself ? Or is it the sack of lies, that you keep telling the world ? Is it the melancholic memory of yesterday or the broken promise, for your future? Or is it the excess weight you have been meaning to lose, but still fitting in another excuse ?
Whatever it may be, isn’t it time to lighten that burden, you have been schlepping all your life? For a moment let go of the suffering, you have been carrying this far. Imagine, how delightful your life would be without it! Isn’t it ?
“Its beautiful to hold on eternally, but peace my friend, lies in letting go”
When you let go, you will be in control, feeling powerful over your emotions, over your body. When you decide, what should stay and what should be discarded, you will find space, space for joy, space for respect, space for all the good things that you truly deserve.
So what are you waiting for ? Lighten up, you heavy soul, its time to be free of the trammels, of your burdened life. Its time toembrace the old you with a new view!
Thank you for reading! If you find my words, resonating with you in any way, do let me know in the comments below. Cheers!
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”– Lao Tzu
We all need to be loved, and love someone. It can be a partner, family, our career or our own selves. I watched this show Indian Matchmaking and wanted to share a few learnings and intricacies of human nature.
So, for people who hasn’t watched it, Indian matchmaking is a web series on Netflix showing how arranged marriages are “arranged” in Indian culture. It also throws some light on some deep rooted values, relationships and culture in India.
Image from internet
If we go, not long back, the equation between a girl’s family and a boy’s family was quite different. Majorly the boy’s family would be looking out for a homely girl, definitely had an upper hand in setting the rules. And the girl’s family would usually oblige.
This concept was widely accepted in many Indian households. But as time passed, waves of change can be seen.
In recent times, the girls are usually brought up, to have a mind of their own. They are more capable of earning their own living, without any obligation to answer the society at large.
The most interesting aspects are the changes in the boy’s mindset. What I saw in the series was boys are now looking for a strong woman, with independent mindset. They no longer want their wife or partner to be dependent on them and want them to grow in their careers.
Surely, this is just a beginning. There are undoubtedly, many decades to go, before we can see some real change in perspective of the society (including women) towards women.
Well, now keeping the gender disparity aside, the five basic elements of human emotions that I observed, transcending countries and cultures were-
1: Everyone is seeking out for a good person.
This is the basic requirement, kind of non negotiable. A person should be good. It sounds so simple yet is an important element in a healthy relationship.Yes I mean what’s the use, if you have good looks, money, power but you have an abysmal heart, or a cunning and shifty personality.
There is nothing bad in being good. Kindness is truly beautiful.
2. Nobody wants to be lonely or end up lonely.
There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.” George Sand
The characters in the series, tried all sorts of platform to get a partner. Like Aparna from Houston, who tried everything and hence ended up seeing Seema Taparia- the match maker, to seek a perfect life partner.
Aparna is a good looking, successful lawyer but a lonely one.Good looks, career, money are all parts of life but not your complete life. Sharing it with someone makes, it all worth it. And she knows it.
Aparna, image from internet
Relationships makes one open to accept life as it is and makes one go beyond own needs. Having a partner to share your life is one of the most, fulfilling experience.
One has to be more open and flexible towards life and what it brings to you. Just like Aparna, initially she was quite rigid in her perspective but once she opened doors, the possibilities of good life partners, expanded.
Not necessarily ticking all the marks in the checklist but still making her happy and grounded.
3. No matter your past, you can always be a happy and a nice soul.
“Sometimes you get so high on life only because you truly know what it’s like to live from the bottom of the barrel.” Curtis Tyrone Jones
This guy called Vyasar was so inspiring as he had a rough childhood and growing up years. But the kind of person he turned out to be was incredible. He was so good hearted, kind, humorous and a positive person.
Vyasar, image courtesy internet.
That was a good learning for me as well. There are many negative life experiences in everyone’s life but how we deal with it and come out of it, is what matters the most.
So, whoever you are, wherever you are, try to stick to one positive experience no matter how big or small, and shape yourself on basis of that. You always have an option to be grateful, kind,peaceful and happy!
4. Always have a mind of your own and don’t be afraid to try again.
This trait was seen in Akshay. Yes, Akshay! That mama’s boy who would do anything his mom would ask him to do.
He listened to his parents but not instantly, he had a certain expectations from his life partner, and he did not accept anything other than that.
Always have a mind of your own. Listen to everyone but do what you actually feel is right and best for you. Cause finally it is your life and you have to live with the results of the decisions you made.
And don’t be afraid to try again, even though, things didn’t turn out the way you wanted. Keep trying! Give yourself a second chance. Just like Nadia, she had a heart break but still moved on and found Shekhar!
Nadia, image courtesy internet.
5. Last but definitely not the least. Go with the flow. Surrender.
You really need to surrender and accept what life has to offer in the moment.
Like Ankita from Delhi. After having failed relationships, she finally realised, that she is a bussiness woman and she loves it. That’s her calling for now. If someone has to come along, he will. Relationships, though important should not define your life.
Do what you love, and trust that everything will fall in place. Sometimes you have to let go and surrender.
Ankita, image courtesy internet
We often put our happiness in a tiny box.
“I can be happy only if I had a great body, or if this would change in my partner or if my kids were better in that, or if I just got that promotion.”
Why are we so closed with our concepts of peace and happiness?
Why can’t we open ourselves to the possibilities, which not necessarily comes inside our -happiness box?
If we try, we might be surprised! And end up feeling “why didn’t I try this before, its making me feel so much better about myself.”
Happiness is like water. Remove all obstacles and it’ll come rushing in. Or it’ll wear away at them slowly and get the last laugh in the end . . . Because ecstasy is our destiny. Curtis Tyrone Jones
All we really need is to break that shell, that box, that mindset, where we shut ourselves.
Simply grab life with open arms, wherever and whenever you can. Just give life a big hug, no matter how it is. And it will love you back in most unexpected ways you can imagine.
“Travel and tell no one,live a true love story and tell no one, live happily and tell no one, people ruin beautiful things.” KHALIL GIBRAN
I think there can’t be more wiser and apt words in today’s “social bombarment” days, where people live more for outside validation, than inner satisfaction.
Where now social media is a measure of your “happy life”. Like a gold standard. Where comparisons are the basic foundations for “Your next trip” or “Your -feeling peaceful -feeling blessed posts”.
I read somewhere “Comparison is the act of violence against the self”.
Maybe it stems from a deep rooted fear of being left out. The fear of not being enough. The fear of not belonging. The fear of not being accepted. And I am too another loop in this chain.
Image from unsplash
This is the beginning of the social media Era, and it makes me wonder, how we and the coming generations will cope up, under this highly public life?
There are many ground rules to be followed by us and by everyone around us.
We need to create a balanced life, so that “social media ” doesn’t stay as a permanent guest in our minds and in our homes.
And so that the, number of likes doesn’t quantify our self- esteem, our self-worth and most importantly, the love and respect for our own self.
I took this picture on my way to Dubai !
If you look closely, you will notice ships in the ocean, giant ones. But from thousand miles up in the air, everything seems so small.
Just like us, specks of dust in vast universe.
So, stop counting those virtual likes, and start living the real life! Enjoying the true nature of being a human.
And as they say laugh till it hurts and love till it doesn’t.
Let me know what you think? Is social media a necessary evil?
Twisting my soul, flowing rivers from my heart, unburdening me, when I can’t, saving me, my religion called Art.
Made this mandala a few weeks back
If you notice closely, life is like a mandala design.
It starts with small curves, some intricately designed motifs, some sharp edges, some thick marks. Along with imperfect colours crossing the lines, some untidy pen marks, when it doesn’t glide the way you want -leaving an unwanted smudge.
But steadily you keep at it. The more you work on the details, the better.
And when it’s done, you marvel at it. Forgetting about the small regrets, when you look at the bigger picture.
For me art has given, a different perspective on life. It has embraced me, unconditionally along with my flaws and imperfections.
It has shown me my uniqueness, when I was falling into the abyss of nothingness.
Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth. Pablo Picasso
Believe me, when you have nothing going on in the “right” direction, take a turn towards Art.
Any form of it.
Its formless actually, it will shape itself, the way you want it to be.
And you will see, the seed of your soul will break open,
through the roots of your becoming,
through the flowers of your blooming,
through your mind, your heart,
through your art.
Image from unsplash by Diaga Ellaby
What is art to you? Do you feel,we need to give more importance to art and artists ?
Would love hear your views and how art has changed you as a person, has it helped you to look at the bigger picture?
I pulled out the chair for you, but forgot you weren’t there. I made your favourite chicken curry, spicy and hot, just the way you want.
I envisage, the way you relish it, licking your fingers, and asking for more. You know and I know, it’s too hot for you but you still love it. And I wonder why? I see the way you look at me , with your loving eyes. Even though I look like a pallid soul. And at that moment , I try to steal my glance away from you, but your eyes stay fixated on me.
And then you hum, an old romantic song to compliment me, but I pretend that I don’t blush nowadays and I somehow manage to smile, to hide the fact that, I still feel so shy.
I cannot elucidate to myself, how can you see beauty in me, especially now, when I fail to see it anymore.
And how can you, after so many years not be bored, of an insipid me?
Yes I did hear the doorbell, my eyes have lit up, I know it’s you. And you know that, I was thinking about you, waiting for you, so stop smiling and give me a hug.
The curry is still warm, so is my heart and so are your arms, And now I see what I saw, the same love to begin with.
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