Prasanta Behera Blog

Few observation while biking, hiking and walking. ---------- Dead deer on road a cross from men a red cone for deer symbols of passing While biking near Stevens Creek canyon ... 6/3/17 ---------- Three paths on the mountain A sign post; a bird on top I see paths, it sees none! While hiking in the mountain ... 6/11/17 --------- Flowing water yesterday empty, exposed today reveal like the creek. Walking across the creek early morning 6/24/17

Back to writing blogs after few months of break. I was thinking to take a bit more "off" time but I feel the urge to discuss this important issue which happened last week. Yes, there is all kind of crazy news from the current administration like building a wall ... but getting out of "Paris Climate Agreement" is one the worst one ... it is beyond common-sense... ===== To  Mr. President Trump, Climate change is real. Science is fact based (not fake news!). If we can not think of preserving Earth for the future generation, what does it say of our generation. Each generation must preserve for the next. The national parks of TODAY is a gift from the past generation, who saw the need to preserve it for the future. The preservation of national parks is America's BEST IDEA as eloquently narrated by Ken Burns. Why abandon that idea now? We need to think like Teddy Roosevelt. The parks of last century is the planet of this century as we are more interconnected ...

I am a morning person. I inherited this attribute from my family and to my village where I was born. I used to go to the rice fields early morning with my grandfather. I love sunrise (who does not!). These are some of the pictures I have taken of mostly of sunrise over the past few months. Most of them are from the same few places i.e., while hiking or near Gym or near home or stopping for a breather while biking - all early morning. I want to see how things change on the same spot everyday. I am not trying to take beautiful sunrise pictures rather observe and take a moment to realize it. The pictures may not be that great (I am not a good photographer  - took the picture on a iphone) but it shows the variety of colors and transformations each day. That is the important part - everyday is new.  What I found out that before gym or while hiking early morning, I end up spending one min to absorb the beauty of the sunrise - sometime I take a picture and many times I stand to se...

Mountain’s Journey (poem) The mountain stands emotionless watching the battle in its land the victor go home but the scar of death lingers to the end. The grounds soaked of blood and sweat the mountain is waiting for the rain to lay the rest. Victory pillars built rituals performed battlefield sanctified the mountain is glorified the victor lays the claim the deceased lay in vain but no on knows the mountain is strained. The mountain endures hunting between glory and pain. History will note the time and place the victorious king in this glorious place the fallen kings in this desolate place but what about the thousands of life lost in the battle in this empty space. The bodies have long gone the withered victory column stay still the flowers have bloomed but no  one knows the scars beneath the downhill. Long ago the battle of Mahabharata(*) was fought in the land the winners were Pandavas the losers were Kaurvas but what about t...

It is rare that one one gets a chance to make a spiritual journey alone from our busy life - at least it has not happened much to me in the last two decades, it was always a family trip (Note - I loved the family trips also  ... they are focused for family bonding). A week back, I got a chance to take few days off and just be alone, away from work, family and Trump news (to say the least).  I have been hiking /biking alone but  it is the same route ... the journey has to be somewhere new  ... somewhere you can do things impromptu and some risks. To me, nature is the best place to connect with onself. That's why monks have gone to Himalayas or to remote location such as Tiger Nest monastery in Bhutan to reflect. I have yet to find any spiritual journey when I go to temple or church. Whether you visit the Puri temple or Vatican church or Blue Mosque, the external factors such as history, art, architecture, legend and mystery attracts more than the spiritual reflection...

In 1999, there was a major cyclone in Odisha, India.  Millions of people were affected. Few of us who hailed from Odisha and working in silicon valley, California felt the need to act.  The grassroot moment was finally registered as a non-profit organization as Indo-American Sevaks Foundation . Over the years we have completed almost 40-50 projects worth more $500K impacting thousands children.  We have built schools, small hospital, provide computers, provide eye care, libraries and so on. Our team is still small (a dozen) but it has continued to march on over the years.  I am sharing what I learnt over the years. Everyone is a volunteer. If you are in a leadership role, don't think like a CEO - think more like someone who can bring the group together. Everyone is busy with work, family commitments and many other things ... people help in different ways at different points of time. So, it is important to understand that. Energy level fluctuates - It is very h...

Finding Youth (Poem) ========================== Finally, the rain gods have visited us sending dark clouds for many days soothing this drought mired land the creeks are full the earth is blessed. The clouds are still hovering over but today there is no rain you feel the joy you feel the energy let us go to the mountains for a ray of sun for a breath of fresh air for the lonely walk but why am I rushing when the trees look beautiful when the flowers are peeking and the air is fresh. Like the bikers and walkers I am also walking and running in this narrow path we all share. A puddle in the midst a decision infront how to circumvent it and go to the mountain as fast as I can. But not to this little girl who sees the puddle of water runs forward in excitement she criss-crosses it back and forth with arms open and wide circles around again and again like the swan with pride. A patient father stands still imagining of his youth a rainbow ...