Swaran Rattan Kalra Family

Swarn Rattan Kalra Family  Introduction My elder sister Nirmal’s daughter, Leena Verma, inspired me to write about our family’s history and traditions so that the present and future generations may remain connected to their roots. It is with her inspiration that I now make this humble effort. Our ancestral home was in Kasur , a city in the Lahore district of present-day Pakistan. Kasur is renowned for three things— Kasuri Jutti (traditional footwear), Kasuri Methi (fenugreek), and the Sufi saint Baba Bulleh Shah . The Kalra family’s haveli was located in Murad Kot of Kasur. After the Partition of India in 1947, Kasur became part of Pakistan, and our family resettled in Firozpur , Punjab (India), a border town adjacent to Kasur. In Firozpur, the street where our family lived was later renamed “Kucha Lala Amar Nath Kalra” in honor of our grandfather. Our parents were Smt. Swarnlata and Shri Rattana Lal Kalra . By combining their names, our family came to be known as the Swarn Ra...

  गणेश वंदना In India's Sanatan Hindu culture , it is a tradition to worship Ganesha before starting any auspicious task. There are several dimensions to understanding the Ganesha principle. Once, Goddess Parvati wanted to bathe. She took the cleansing paste from her body and created a beautiful sculpture of a boy, into which she breathed life. He was named Ganesha, her son. Parvati instructed Ganesha to guard the door. Just then, Lord Shiva arrived and wished to enter, but Ganesha stopped him. In a fit of rage, Shiva beheaded him. Parvati began to wail. At the advice of the gods, Shiva revived Ganesha by replacing his head with that of an elephant, and granted him the boon that Ganapati would be the first to be worshiped in all undertakings. This story also has a profound meaning, as Puranic stories should not be taken without deep study. We will try to understand its meaning another time. Every part of the statue of Ganapati conveys a deep message. The elephant head symbolizes...