Mohan Dayal Khanna Esq.

Patriarch of our Family Rev. Mohan Dayal S KHANNA in his brand new home in Pleasanton, Ca. 

Mr KHANNA immigrated in mid 60s to lay a foundation of a strong well educated class community who settled in San Francisco Bay Area. His family originally belongs to Mohalla Aghapura Multan the abode of Bhai Nand Lal 'Goya'- a poet laureate in the court of Guru Gobind Singh. The then Mughal Emperor hated art and hence all the famed poets of the Nation came and joined his court. The most famous 52 of them congregated under the leadership of Bhai Nand Lal.

Santa Cruz is Different With Friends Balbir & Loveleen

On a suggestion from our friends Balbir and Loveleen, it was decided to spend a Spring day on the edge of Western Coast in Santa Cruz, Ca. Rest is history as depicted in the pictures. 

Balbir Loveleen had done a thorough research going through minute details to select a restaurant known as Sala Thai. And the result was out of this world. In terms of excellent service and awesome ambience. Above all the food was scinilatingly hot and mouth wafering. As usual the food selection and suggestions - Hearty and Healthy! Balbir was keeping handy a print out of the direction to the Restarant and he excelled in navigation.

Majestic Ambience 

Relaxed 

Hearty and Healthy

Sizzling soup

After a fantastic lunch at a Thai Restaurant, a walk along the ocean was breathtaking after a brief coffee break.

At coffee Shop

The coffee with a little of freshly cooked chocolate sweets threw away the constant fear of Diabitics. Immensely relaxed we were rejuniated to go for a long walk on the most beautiful flower decorated street West Cliff Dr along the Ocean on the planet.

 I must thank Balbir Loveleen for spending another beautiful day with us. This was sort of vacation at home.

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A Letter From a Parent

I am reproducing below a beautiful letter written by a father to his son and daughter. I find this most appropriate piece of advice from a parent to his or her kids.

A Letter From a Parent:

Following is a letter to his daughter from a renowned Hong Kong TV broadcaster and Child Psychologist.
The words are actually applicable to all of us, young or old, children or parents.!
This applies to all sons & daughters too. All parents can use this in their teachings to their children.

Dear daughter,

I am writing this to you because of 3 reasons

1. Life, fortune and mishaps are unpredictable, nobody knows how long he lives. Some words are better said early.

2. I am your father, and if I don't tell you these, no one else will.

 3. What is written is my own personal bitter experiences that perhaps could save you a lot of unnecessary heartaches. Remember the following as you go through life



 1. Do not bear grudge towards those who are not good to you. No one has the responsibility of treating you well, except your mother and I.
To those who are good to you, you have to treasure it and be thankful, and ALSO you have to be cautious, because, everyone has a motive for every move. When a person is good to you, it does not mean he really will be good to you. You have to be careful, don't hastily regard him as a real friend.

2. No one is indispensable, nothing is in the world that you must possess.
Once you understand this idea, it would be easier for you to go through life when people around you don't want you anymore, or when you lose what you wanted the most.

 3. Life is short.
When you waste your life today, tomorrow you would find that life is leaving you. The earlier you treasure your life, the better you enjoy life.

4. Love is but a transient feeling, and this feeling would fade with time and with one's mood. If your so called loved one leaves you, be patient, time will wash away your aches and sadness.
Don't over exaggerate the beauty and sweetness of love, and don't over exaggerate the sadness of falling out of love.

 5.A lot of successful people did not receive a good education, that does not mean that you can be successful by not studying hard! Whatever knowledge you gain is your weapon in life.
One can go from rags to riches, but one has to start from some rags!

 6.I do not expect you to financially support me when I am old, neither  would I financially support your whole life. My responsibility as a supporter ends when you are grown up. After that, you decide whether  you want to travel in a public transport or in your limousine, whether rich or poor.

7. You honour your words, but don't expect others to be so. You can be good to people, but don't expect people to be good to you. If you don't understand this, you would end up with unnecessary troubles.

 8. I have bought lotteries for umpteen years, but I could never strike any prize. That shows if you want to be rich, you have to work hard! There is no free lunch!

9. No matter how much time I have with you, let's treasure the time we have together. We do not know if we would meet again in our next life.

                 Your Parents

Read it twice
Ask your son and daughter to read it thrice.
Worth a read

Learning How To Pray

Geet is ever ready to follow her grandparents.

 

Photo curtesy: Shiv Kapoor

Immediately after my shower and dressing up my beard, Geet starts reminding me to do Waheguru. In other words She wanted me to go Baba Ji room for doing routine reading of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. 

She knows all small rituals like covering her head, Matha Teko, and finally sitting in my lap. 

As I recite the Gurbani from Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Geet keeps on repeating 'Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal' again and again and matching my recitation. At this stage she is perhaps trained only to speak these words. I am sure as she grows up, she will understand the virtual  meaning of 'Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal' 

Bole So Nihal...Sat Sri Akal is the Sikh slogan or jakara (literally shout of victory, triumph or exultation). It is divided in two parts or phrases. The first, "bole so nihal", is a statement meaning "whoever utters (the phrase following) shall be happy, shall be fulfilled," and the second part "sat sri akal" ("Eternal is the Holy/Great Timeless Lord"

Sherwood Garden 2016