Footsteps in the heart is a selection of emotive poems that invites us to spend time considering the meaning of life through the timeless themes of love, life, death faith and friendship.
Through simple yet symbolic verses, kausthub Desikachar presents poems that are inspired by profound experiences, not only from his own life, but also from the lives of others. These poems are compiled from his private journals written over a seven year period of his life. This is the first time they are being shared publicity.
The poems are deeply evocative, and contain multiple layers of meaning. Hence you will appreciate this work by taking time to integrate these words and reflect of their significance through the prism your own life.
Kausthub Desikachar works with people, photography and words, His areas of interests include philosophy, poetry, travel, noetic science, healing, technology, nature wildlife and humor.
He is currently completing his doctorate studies from the University of Madras. he lives in chennai, India, but travels internationally for work.
In our lives, many people come and go. Some leave impressions in our minds. A rare few leave permanent footsteps in our hearts. My ancestry is an intriguing one, in which spiritual lineage intertwines with familial genealogy, many times over. A common thread that binds this heritage is Lord Hayagriva, supposedly an incarnation of Lord Visnu, in half horse-half human form. In this mythology, Hayagriva is presented as a deity who battles many demons to find and restore all that is precious. Metaphorically, this became so significant for our heritage through many generations.
Vedanta Desika, who lived between 1269 and 1370 AD was one such spiritual ancestor. His life and work is a source of great inspiration for me, and has been an invaluable ally in my own life journey so far.
Among the many facets of his personality, it was Vedanta Desika's poetry that captured the hearts of his fans and students. Often he composed his poems during times of crisis, be it a plague in the city he visited, invasion by foreign forces that threatened to wipe out his spiritual heritage, or plotting rivals who were jealous of his phenomenal success. Hence, a lot of emotions experienced by him at these times, can be felt even today, through the powerful words that came out in the form of his poetry.
My own grandfather, Krishnamacharya, who lived between 1888 and 1989, was another whose journey also mirrored the metaphor of Hayagriva. He too went through many conflicts with his own demons that surfaced in the form of poverty, foreign cultural invasion or an accident in his old age that left him almost immobile.
Yet he never gave up on life. Rather, he was inspired by the symbolism of Hayagriva, and overcame these challenges to take care of what was precious to him. This is why you see so many emotions express through his words, and I often feel as if Hayagriva is speaking through his writings. Krishnamacharya wrote innumerable poems to express his deep sentiments about various subjects, that came from his life experiences.
A visit to a special place connected with my heritage, was a turning point in my own life. It came unexpectedly, at a moment when I was turning from a boy to a man. From a life of privilege, to one of responsibility. From a student, to a teacher From being a son, to being a father.
I had some demons waiting for me. However, I don't think I was prepared to meet them yet. They took me by surprise. I had to endure them with much pain.
Through the journey that commenced at this time, I have faced many of these demons, and continue to do so till the current day. They have arrived at my doorsteps in many forms. Yet, facing them has been the greatest gift in my own personal evolution. I thank them for visiting me, and in the process, leading me home. At the same time, I have been very fortunate to have encountered many angels t09. Manifesting in different forms, they have nourished, protected and embraced me deeply.
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