Around Rakshabandhan 2025 had some interesting conversations and connection with family members in different parts of the world.
Sharing a painting and poem from Jyoti, Lucknow, on this day. We go back a long way, sharing family histories and being in the healing professions.
Painting by Jyoti (Dr.Jyoti Bhatt- sister from Lucknow, India)
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Earlier Perspectives
Stuart Jasola– Writing workshops with Mayank-2012-July
The young ten year old struggled to find things to write about. I gave him a hint. He found it useful. Name ten places Stuart went to and ten people he met.
The Stuart of Delhi soon visited Lodhi gardens at dusk. He said hello to birds as they came home in the magic hour. This is when day turns into night. He saw the moon over the Sheesh and Bada Gumbad of Lodhi. Then he went to see the geese near the Athpula. The Athpula is the eight arched bridge. It is one of the few structures in present day Delhi from the time of Emperor Akbar.
This Simcoe Day Long Weekend, we went to Burlington, explored Lakeshore, Trails, Historical monuments, had some meals together and walked through some trails in a more relaxed pace.
I first started coming to the Burlington area more frequently when I joined an imaging group of Halton, Hamilton area. Exploring local histories, going for walks in monuments has been a habit which has taken me to interesting places like the Italian cemetery of Ghargharish Tripoli, the Xlendi sea fronts in Gozo, Malta or the Historical post office and St.Lawrence waterfronts of Gananonque -Kingston area or the Laura Secord Monument in Niagara region (Lundy’s lane).
LOCAL HISTORIES -through art, places of worship, indigenous people and forts
Niagara Walks-2018National Gallery-Delhi-India walks-2014St.John Burlington-The Spiritual GuidesSt.John BurlingtonAssai Al Hamra-Tripoli Fort-Many Millenia of History
Veterans Square-Burlington-Sketch study drafts help see nuances
We sat and reflected in Veterans square. Later made a sketch study and remembered together the times we have visited here.
Reading Journal– Alternative view of Jesus and Religious traditions
Spent the long weekend exploring the Gnostic movement, their concept of spiritual human being and the material human body, their approach to Genesis, Adam and Eve and events such as the spread of Christianity to Mesopotamia and India by the Apostle Thomas.
RAS AL HILAAL-Eastern Libya- Walks 2006: The Gnostic Scrolls found in Nag Hammadi, 1945. In the Eastern Libyan areas – from where Simon of Cyrene forced to carry the cross with Jesus on his way to crucifixion came from
Hell does not exist in Gnostic theology; the equivalent is being stuck in unknowing and ignorance. This means that they also view Jesus differently. Since each human has the ability to save themselves and lead themselves to salvation, Jesus’s role on earth seems to be obsolete. However, Gnostics believe that Jesus was a teacher who came to show mankind back to their own divinity and that his teachings are a guide on how to achieve self-knowledge.- Source- https://www.thecollector.com/gnostic-views-jesus-christ/\
Reflection-Rest Stop
The personal,direct and immediate knowledge of places such as Veterans square made me remember the Remembrance Day parades I have attended here, the Christmas spirit and many conversations and interactions with local residents for the past decade.
Earlier Perspectives
Remembrance Day Parade-Burlington -November 2023
ROM 100 Years- 1914-2014- Summer 2014
Many Lovely Hours spent exploring these galleries, how cities evolved, how education concepts are imbibed in our daily life and the concepts such as Indian prints, Jodhpur, Indian photography are displayed in these galleries
Indian Prints- October Fall-2020
Ummayad Mosque-Damascus-Syria- A place of worship for millenia, where the head of St.John the Baptist is still said to be present. (ROM walks-2014)
Food histories- Caldense Symington Toronto to Highland Hurantorio Mississauga to Torchy on way to Dehradun (2024-December) to Burlington-Country Club – Nov 2024, French Bakery in Dundas Mississsauga, Tim Hortons, to a coffee in front of Butterly Museum of Niagara region (March 2025) to community meals made with care and connection…
SUMMARY-END NOTE
Around Simcoe Day-August 2024- three friends had met at Symington Caldense and talked about life. This year, 2025, four families met in Mississauga Valley Boulevard and we talked about food, our immigration journeys, and experiences in Canada. The meeting made me look at some local histories through walks, parades, trails, associations with museum societies and food.
Trail for reflection- Tanslay Woods area- Burlington : Twinning of Itabashi and Burlington-in 1989, thirty years anniversary- the Itabashi gardens were made
Etienne Brule-Humber-August 2025 : Walks with a trusted friend- One Breath at at Time, One Day at a Time…exploring local histories
July 23-we first landed in Canada in 2012. After two years in Malta, the passing away of my mother in Delhi, we took the risk of Canada.
Rathburn Road Walks to Drives through Binghamton- Susquehanna River area
Three years ago, (July 2022) our elder son left Mississauga to try out his life in New York City. The first time I returned from NY City, I had to walk around midnight from Square one to my house after waiting for a bus for a long time.
Over the years, have made several trips to New York city, New Jersey and Rochester to meet different family members.
This has led to walks and discussions in Marble Collegiate Church (first started following the works of Dr.Norman Vincent Peale in 1980s in India) and hearing sermons of Dr.Michael Bos who helps integrate different faiths.
We walked through the botanical gardens of New York Bronx and came to know of the local histories which helped evolve the wildflower societies of the 19th century into the institution which it has become today.
The road trips have taken us through Binghamton and know the natural beauty of upstate New York in a more personal direct way.
Bronx- New York City area- NY Botanical Gardens-Exploring local histories
Fellow Walkers
In the Ovation years, (2012-16) we came to know of health care practitioners who took allied licenses and worked their way through the Canadian system.
One such person – who unfortunately passed away in 2018- (his memorial service cap -I have kept in our family prayer relics room) – taught us how to break things into manageable parts and navigate the maze of registrations, exams, instructors, peers and work on building a community of fellow practitioners.
2018 September- Lake Ontario Musings- Port Credit area Missisauga
This approach, refined over the years, has helped build a community of fellow travelers and fellow healers and find meaning, productivity and dignity in life in Canada.
Reflection
What risks defined your life? Who were your fellow travelers? What local histories shaped you? Which institutions helped forming your new identities
My example- the risk of starting a new life in Canada (2012), and the way my son took the risk of trying New York City (2022) shaped our identity in many ways. The fellow travelers were people like the manual medicine college teacher and books- such as those of Dr.Peale and Dr.Bos- which helped us shape our view of how the world works, who we are and making meaning of why we are here.
Earlier Perspectives
2022-July-Rathburn Road Walks
2024-May
Kindness, Initiative, Eagerness, Confidence and Pride are the ways to build Optimism according to Martin Seligman
Prashant Bhatt's notes 