“Bless You My Child” – Part 3

In the third of her four-part Partridge India Blog series, Nilu N Gavankar continues her fascinating account of her meeting with Mother Theresa. She describes the 15 minutes they sat together as being “almost like peaceful meditation time” for her.

“Bless You My Child” – Part 3
By Nilu N Gavankar

I was very surprised and did not know how to reply.

Do I say “Thank you mother?

Do I touch her feet like the Indian people do?”

I was baffled.

So she touched my head again and said,

“Bless you my child!”

I mumbled something like saying “Thank you.”

She turned to people in the crowd and blessed a few children. I was happy that I got to see her that close. I thought of making an exit.

As I was going to make a move, Mother Teresa turned around and touched my head again and said,

“Bless you my child.”

That blew me away totally.

Then she asked me to follow her to the prayer hall. (Is she kidding?). I followed her as she indicated.

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My Experiences With Both Traditional and Self-Publishers

Partridge India Blog welcomes artist and published author, Amitabh Sengupta. He shares how his art and his book, Scroll Paintings of Bengal, have been inspired by his time living and working as an art teacher in Nigeria.

Sengupta decided to record his “theoretical search” for his art in a book. He tells us about his experiences with both traditional and self-publishing in India and the different results they have brought him.

My Experiences With Both Traditional and Self-Publishers

By Amitabh Sengupta

The genesis of self-publishing my book, Scroll Paintings of Bengal has certain events and outcomes that I would like to share.

Being a painter and teaching in universities in Nigeria between 1977 and 1988, my interest was naturally drawn to folk art, especially when I discovered the amazing range of African art forms. Seeing African Art on glossy plates of books or walking past the objects mounted on serene pedestals of European museums, did not have the same feeling.

With the gathering villagers, sound of drum and the fast-stepping dance of the Masquerades – art came alive in another context.

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“Bless You My Child” – Part 2

The Partridge India Blog welcomes back multi-published author Nilu N Gavankar for the second in her four part series about her “magical moment” when she met Mother Theresa.

Today she tells Partridge India how providence and the generosity of others conspired to allow the meeting to take place.

“Bless You My Child” – Part 2
By Nilu N Gavankar

A lovely sister in white sari with blue border greeted me at the entrance door with a gentle and kind smile. She inquired extremely politely why I was visiting their organization.

I couldn’t hide my excitement. “Is mother here? Is there any way to have glimpses of her from distance. I do not have any appointment with her.”

“No. It is not possible right now. She is sleeping.” Recognizing the confused look on my face she continued, “Mother was up since 3 AM this morning because she had some international dignitaries visiting her. Lately she gets tired often and now she is resting. Sorry, I can not help you. Can you come tomorrow?”

“I am leaving Kolkata at 2:30 PM. I have to be at the airport by 1:30.”

The sister was very thoughtful, she said, “Mother prays in her prayer hall around 12. I can not promise you anything but People do come around that time and stand 50 ft away. You can stand with crowd and you may be able to see her for a few seconds, when she walks by to her prayer hall.”

How exciting!

I rushed back to the hotel and the manger taking interest in my story told me,“Though check out time for us is 12, you do not need to check out on time. Because it is so hot and humid, you may want to take a shower before you go to the airport. If you rush right after you see Mother, you will be able to make it to the airport on time.”

I sure was receiving kindness from people that day.

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“Bless You My Child”

The Partridge India Blog’s guest author today, Nilu N Gavankar, is a multi-talented artist. Not only is has she published multiple book titles in India and in the US, she has also composed music for India’s thriving movie industry. She also loves to travel, having received degrees from both the the University of Bombay, the University of Wisconsin and Golden State University in San Francisco. Fittingly, it was her travels that led to the the “magical moment” she writes about in her four part series.

“Bless You My Child” By Nilu N Gavankar

In 1996, as soon as I accepted a short term assignment in China from the Construction Engineering company the one I always worked for, I knew that was the year for me to travel. After my assignment I took 2 months to travel all by myself in China all the way to Tibet. I realized that I had not explored my birth country India in the same fashion as I have been exploring the world over the years. Therefore when I left China, I detoured to India around end of September and named my journey“Discover India”.

I made a list of all the states I had not visited before and started serious traveling.

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Challenges of a Successful Self-Published Author

The Partridge India Blog welcomes back multi award-winning author, Dr. Asim K. Dasgupta, for the second in his series about being a successful self-published author. Today he talks about the challenges you will face and defines the true meaning of success as a self-published author.

Challenges of a Successful Self-Published Author
By Dr. Asim K. Dasgupta

As a self-published author one has to overcome a number of hurdles.

Many say that the authors who have failed to publish a book through traditional ways go for the self-publishing route.

As a self-publisher we also have to sell most of our books through the internet and find it hard to get bookshops to stock our work.

Also books can be over priced. So if you are thinking of self-publishing keep a close eye on the price. And also remember that there are extra costs like postage and packaging.

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