I am obsessed with numeral fancies leading me to get to make deft acquaintance of Indian culture and its wisdom to friends who are backward by this partly. someone very featuring and remarkably noble soul promptly engrave into my mind since past week . to become a prolific and witty writer. to strive to adopt moderation and green living. to augment nature's essence and draw much inspirations by this. to establish healthy and pure relation with new friends in this community.  

Interesting question sionajee, It was one sultry noon in my birth place shikrara ( a remote and small village in the east of Uttar Pradesh ) I can well reckon I was like 11 years old when my colleagues being collected and decided to go natural pond at a distance of half-mile away around. and so borne idea of plucking mangoes by near orchards while walking toward pool.
however we refreshes ourselves with cool water for quite longer time and it was much soothing at the moment because of scorching heat and dry-hard winds blowing frequently.

some friends after adventurous bath reluctantly agreed to march toward orchard since we were oblige not to enter those orchards due to solely owned by rich land-lords, perhaps It was my notion and so I was much earnest to resume and so other my friends moving promptly along with me. ( during the month of may and june, mangoes flourishes out abundantly in north central Indian provinces lavishly and profusely ), I could not resist my temptation on glancing mangoes laden thickly, and this made us to peep around inside orchard for watchmen, to our fortunate none was on duty and so gave us ample oppurtunity to trepass into orchard. we were so excited and happy and keep darting inside the orchard inorder to get some more good trees with much ripe fruits and so we discovered not after a long walk. 

on this friends rushed to fumble on the floor to get stones to pluck, however stones striking dilligently could not work well and so none was ready to climb on a tree due to preoccupied thought that if watchmen comes by and so one on tree wonot have oppurtunity to run away and ultimately will become prey to watchmen. anyway I decided to climb on tree to pluck mangoes and to my unfortunate and greediness was caught by a watchman although friends gave shout owais jump and run away darban is approaching, because of quite tall trees was not possible to jump and so by skidding and crawling down gave watchman enough time to clasp me, on catching me beated me rashly and severely with his babool cane, and which inturn agonishing me heavely and after much beating he presented me infront of owner who was unluckily living into my village.
and so recognised me easily and so called my father and complained about incident. on way to home with father, he just made me understand by verbally but to my mother who discovered by dad started beating me and locked me up into kothri (a dark and small room ) and showed her detest feeling to me since I tried to eat by stealing and nay from landlords who used to be very cruel, concieted and corrupt to which she was very sensitive for, and it made her hurt morally and mentally very much when someone could remark upon her family ethnically or to pertaining conscience. 
to being confine into kothri was much a scary and frightening experience for me, to mom's love she freed me suring night but did not offer me meal and completely not wishing to ask or say anything to me. meanwhile after like 4-5 days she resumed talking to me and much stressed to teach me.
 
p.s   I LOVE MY MOM SHE IS VERY VERY MAGNANIMOUS AND HONEST AND GODFEARING WOMAN BY WHOSE TRAITS AND TEACHINGS I FEEL I ALSO POSSESS SOME TRAITS, SHE IS WONDERFUL LADY.

being reared into a muslim family and fostered by god fearing mother has always taught me that God is one who is omnipotent, omniscent and omniwhere and none is worthy of worship but  Allah , and prophet mohammed ( peace and blessings be upon him ) is the messenger of god. a true muslim will only enter into janna ( heaven ) dwell eternally. however attending boarding school amidst hindu friends and teachers has taught me much about Hinduism,  sanskrit language and also by visiting sivananda ashrama .
I am very friendly to every religion and infact do respect ideals of every religions and respect them. I am much convinced and true in saying moses and jesus ( peace and blessings be upon him ) are the messenger of Allah also.

my friends and peers however attribute me that I am not true muslim since I am much conducive for other religions but I am sure they are wrong and belong to few among them who have defamed islam. Islam does not teach us to kill or hatred but to spread love, brotherhood and peace.

almost every night whilst going to bed she kissed me giving feeling of proud, every day I breath about is being feeling of proud for her, and to every memories when I envisage her perseverance in making me a bold, honest and disciplined boy giving me feeling of proud. to my opine mom is best friend ever to get. although we do not get frank and honest with mothers ?
my mom is illiterate but I think she possess outstanding, valuable and remarkable traits, one can only say she is very great woman. I feel so honoured to be borne out by her. she is wonderful lady.

I am good and smart enough to describe my feelings, thoughts toward a girl by writings infact I am too candid and open. but I am quite poor perhaps feel timid and shy to commune with girls in person, additionally to have talks with girls in India is fortunate enough.
honestly one can make out owais is very frank but really it is not when I stand infront a girl.
To my startlement, I have many female friends in this community some are very gorgeous but what in real world I could not haver had them. In other word, I am very smart enough with words.

P.S   I never had girlfriend until yet but I had feelings for love for some featuring and noble girls during my school time and afterward also. honestly, I am very unlucky in regard of girls. 

I would preferably choose my past childhood. I will be going on large outing with friends, playing with them and eating my favourites - mangoes and besan ke laddoo , aloo pratha and playing hide n seek , I will be playing ice n water also, I used to love hearing tales by friends and so will be doing that too. I will watch inquisitively on birds as used to do and also flying kites and also playing marbles.

No questions is best or bad, it is just our attitude and horizon which made us to form our reaction, therefore do enjoy every questions and draw much energies by it is worth and wise.

writing speak about one's knowledge he contains, one's insights, his perceptions, one's meditative powers and his soul. hence prove my friends where you stand by participating earnestly in daily's Q&R by Sionajee.  

To my opine one shall answer to Q&R daily without fail will alone make him/her to shine and lead his/her sub-conscious treasures and insights largely, this is my promise to everyone who strive for honesty and truthness, will benefit in realising flow of knowledges, acknowledgement and connectedness within everybody ( provided you are honest and regular in your answers ).

you know friends what ? to think for questions to be put up infront of one is alone very industrious and require a good meditative thinkings. I can easily speculate sionajee is wonderful, noble and remarkable soul by her questions. keep it up ! sionajee a handsome, beneficiary n wise job you doing, MAY GOD BLESS HER !

My questions, Why we are on Earth ? Why we lie when we crave for it ourselves only ? 

Sending lots of well-wishes, loves and good-thoughts to every wonderful gains, showing my much endearment and benevolent to them.

sincerely ,
OWAIS

P.S   I wrote this for disscussion topic in thinktank pod however I decided to post in form of blog too since it can be helpful to my friends.

positively, my dad sent me to boarding which turned very good for me, which taught me about other religions like Jainism, Sikhism, christianity, Buddhism etc., which taught me the spirit of friendliness and kindness, being here I explore yoga through teachers, which taught me to develop positive attitude and always strive to broad your horizon by knowledges, which taught me to become versatile and adventurous, which made me bold, which taught me patience, which taught me a life is nothing without sacrifice, which taught me humanity and socialism, which flourished in me discilpines, which taught me how to live a life without luxuries, perhaps Indian boardings are entirely different from western ones they are very basic, one does not need much money to afford boarding education. it is cheap instead.

negatively, i did not go for pursuing much education and made myself confine to business which turned me to freeze at the moment.

a workshop for 21 days on crafts and khadi products organised by my school and KVIC combinely. the main focus of this workshop was we students shall come forward in adopting this business later in our life since poors and illiterate can be employed widely. this sector only require artisans. this workshop taught us what is art, handicratfs, handlooms, handwoven carpets n other handmade crafted products, they also taught us - what its benefits and how we can utilise or use as a business in our own life.

when my grandfather died in the year 1999.

the gap between rich and poor people, just the pieces of paper what we call money is  everything people say - I just really do not understand this.
when first human evolved was he born with money ? certainly not, then why we shall rely on these papers which is causing starvation, strife, crimes, greed, scramble of deteriorating nature by bringing complex technologies just to accumulate heaps of moneys, in broad aspect, this money is our practical imagination which is not true in sense of development of human-kind.  
It is so easy will not we get foods to eat without papers obviously not but yes if we wonot farm. 

yes I do agree with you sionajee, I have always thought to make lots many friends across the world and curious to learn about their cultures, foods, life styles, learnings and so on.
 Once my teacher asked - " owais, what is your aim in life ?" I said promptly to dwelt in every hearts of the world and become their beloved ones and my identity as a magnanimous, honest, benevolent and sweet soul. Interestingly I am satiating my demanded things through this splendidly wonderful community - Gaia, It is like coincidences. just concentrate we are not thankful to sionajee, yes offcourse we are and so grateful too, by whose dedications n efforts we meet, we learn, we enjoy wonderful n generous n kind souls across different parts of world which is just like dream to meeting them, but we subsequently indeed regularly with them, thank you sionajee, you are in my prays and in my pure n clean thoughts n wishes. 

However, there might be some more interesting n unexpected coincidences and so but the moment I do not retain them to my memories, I am sorry Infact for it. 
 I owe my many a mickle hearted thank you's to sionajee for coming up with this community, May God Bless you always and May you dwelt in peaceful, blissful and contented state perpetually.

My life is friendliness, my duty is generousness n sending well-wishes, my destiny is to realise oneness n connectedness around the universe, my love are friends, nothing is worth than to dwell in one's thoughts, muses, heart and moments - quoted OWAIS

 Proust Questionnaire , Being Tagged by Satya
 
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
By eliminating feeling of egoism,proud,and pompous. By realising contentment of what we possess and live cheeringly with it.

What is your greatest fear?
If by any circumstances could not get in touch with Gain friends here.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Lenin ( for introducing socialism n equality ),Mahatma Gandhi ( for abolishing casteism, untouchability, and introducing non-violation, cottage industries and self-reliant ),Mother Teresa ( noblest n utmost magnanimous n filled with unbound loves, May peace n blessings be upon her by the grace n mercy of God ), Pandit Chanakya, and maharishi Patanjali ( for their wisdoms n truthness ), Alexander the great ( the warrior who never lost a single battle in his life, and for fusing western culture with eastern culture ),Orville n Wilbur ( for their incredible n remarkable invent of planes ), Francis Bacon n Voltaire ( for revolutionise literature n enlightened about it to world ) .

Which living person do you most admire?
everybody - all are unique, talented and artistic in their own way - we learn and get to know many things through them.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself ?
weak perseverance ( I make many positive resolutions and enterprises but fails when it comes to follow ) 

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
flambouyancy and pompous.

What is your greatest extravagance?
books

What is your favourite journey?
My visit to Auroville.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
sorry, cannot say about this.

On what occasion do you lie?                                                                                                      Honestly, I reluctantly lie however I do in reconciling people if they are hostile, if did anything wrong or bad n feels it would upset mom, 

What do you dislike most about your appearance?
I wish if it could form dimple whilst giggling.

Which living person do you most despise?
drunkard who are careless, oppressed with their wife and offsprings.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
I wish, I send my well-wishes, perhaps, friendly.

What is your greatest regret?
I regret that why I quit my studies and came into business.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
friendliness and acknowledgements, my mom and my dearest friends.

Which talent would you most like to have?                                                                                           to play violin and sing melancholy n sweetly which could resonant.

What is your current state of mind?                                                                                           Exhilarated whilst answering questionnaire.

If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?
I wish my dad could understand my ideas, thoughts and aspirations.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
my moral conscience and values.

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
My noble actions and deeds in present life.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be?
a sage who always spread light of wisdom.

What is your most treasured possession?
The capacity to being generous, friendly and loving with each and every people.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
one who does not respect his mother.

Where would you like to live?
In Auroville.

What is your favorite occupation?
to read books in the calmness of night at terrace, and wabble around nature.

What is your most marked characteristic?
benevolence toward people and pensiveness.

What is the quality you most like in a man?
loving, silent, just, temperance and compassionate.

What is the quality you most like in a woman
Unproudy, sober, caring and compassionate.

What do you most value in your friends?
Honesty

Who are your favorite writers?
arundhati roy, Dickens,  Aesop, vikram seth, salman rushdie, shakespeare, kalidasa and others.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
Aladin, mogli and mukul dev.

Who are your heroes in real life?
All those who are fighting for the abolition of poverty,social evils. who are inspiring for green n natural living ways, who respect nature n women.

What are your favorite names?
Owais, owasis, simran, mariam, senorita, siona, rigveda, danish

What is it that you most dislike?
criticism,who speak about him false inorder to get solemn and cruelty on creatures for money.

How would you like to die?
In the laps of my mother.

What is your motto?
Be Good,Do Good , " My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness. A good mind, a good heart, warm feelings - these are the most important things." ~Dalai Lama ,

I do welcome to everyone and greet them heartedly who have taken out time to read my this entry - THANK YOU , Wishing you a blessed n peaceful life.

I'm tagging : Siona, Mimi, Farland, Daniel
 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE TAG ,

1. If someone tags you, read their blog on The Proust Questionnaire

2. Copy the questions and these instructions, paste them to your blog, and then write your   own answers.

3. Write the name of the person who tagged you, and link the name to their blog 4. Tag

4. other people; and let them know by a Shout Out or an email. Write their names on your blog, and link to their blogs as well. If you're not sure how to do it, ASK, but do play the game. It's a great community-building tool.

 TIP - Please don't tag people who've already been tagged. Play mindfully.

I wish May this valentine's day abide all those true lovers aspiring for pure n honest loves, May by the grace of this great & noble day May people get many a mickle of loves, merriness and affections !
May this blessed and special day bring much opulence, laurels and prosperities in everybody's loves and health and life and more richness and shine in their honesty n friendliness !
May every seekers of true n honest loves get acquaint by this on this blessed day and get to  meet who are parted away by their sweethearts or beloved-ones !
May all true lovers abide into truthness, essence of true love everlasting and realise through eternally by the blessings of this great day and by the grace of richness and depth of true love !  May this world get filled with loves n peace, loves n peace far and wide !

                             A hearted greetings note by OWAIS
 
General Note -  In India, youths celebrate this wonderful day with much fervours, enthusiasm and rockingly at malls, colleges, cafes and ( in schools but stealthily at low scale ).

P.S -  I am great supporter for true loves n friendliness.

the glinting rays falling on stones, 
the silence n deep movement of river,
logging and surfing in this wonderful n magnificent community, 
glancing at gleaming stars in serene n dark night,
murmurs n twitterings of birds,
the winding n babbling of streams, 
hiking in thick n lavish forests 
answering Q&R by sionajee, 
waiting for bus late in night
a caring, compassionate and loving soul
a cuddle of warmth, caress n affections by mom in morning and kiss during night,
to sit around pond with feet under water and muse upon exquisiteness, genuinity, serenity, essence of nature and to see own reflection n other stuffs of nature too.
wabble in morning whilst sunrise and its soothing calmness.
friendliness and sociability,
to write down thoughts
the crispy air flowing, 
sharing, authenticity, honesty and truthness,
being gregarious or benevolency .
being pensive and helpful,
to walk wantonly in fields,
to chitchat with learned people,
to inquire inquisitively,
a dimple forming smile
to eat mangoes n doshas
to explore new things 

the pleasant n crispy climate today. who do you love right now ? well my mom and this beautiful Gaia community.

" My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness. A good mind, a good heart, warm feelings - these are the most important things." ~Dalai Lama

'' Be Good, Do Good "
'' Love is the only music in this world "  - OWAIS ( myself )
 
  the above quotations is just like casting feeling of strong attraction upon me whenever they are active into my thoughts, I feel being thrilled or being exhort whenever I read them. I feel these words required by me to being resonance with me.

sending my well-wishes, prays, loves and good thoughts, and mickles of energies to my friends, Much Blessings, loves and laurels to my friends in this community.

Sadar Pranam n greetings to all of you. 

I would say - life is to keep move, while moving must be polite, generous, loving and helping, In other word move with generousness, giving, friendliness, embracingly, lovingly is what a life is. friends always remember love is life, life is love and sharing, generousness can only give latter part. therefore always aim for sharing n generousness.    

I would say - I thank to my mother who bore and fostered me enough to see those playful, loving, pleasing, changing, healthy and so many up's n down's moments past ten years and also until my death. I would say - I thank to God by whose mercies, beningments n graceness has lived a wonderful n cheering life on this incredibly rich n amaing planet.

I would say those were the excellant, classy and sensible questions of sionajee that made me a pensive, intelligent and scouring man, I fairly feel I have improved my english much by confining myself honestly n utterly upon these daily Q&R by sionajee. I bow her n grateful to her for this infact.

I still retain fairly when I was young used to think western people are from different worlds and they have tremendous money and are very powerful and giant look, they are like omnipotent wish to do any thing, because so have been told to me by my grandfather, and so obviously other family members known and so like a chain of this thought leading to realise them almost a truth. however I have been born in backward village so was our outlook toward western people. but time changes and maturity and migration to city and education refined my thoughts rationally.

you know friends in India, there are still so remote villages where people are backward by every modern livings and education and they will be terrified on seeing westerners. they are called as aadivasis ( barbaric tribes ).

My main objective is to write this note is because some of my friends think I am not honest and in way cheating them with the help of being disguised in the mask of generousness. well my friends, one of my friends wrote me stating this.
honestly, it hurted me deeply and disrupted my conscience in a moment. anyway I need to clear off this matter right the moment.
 
see I write letters to friends and so recieved replies additionally few friends write me with lots of questions since I do not have my own computer so to answer these many letters in little span of time apparently quite impossible to me. and also I usually write long letter and send many blessings, without them I feel as if I am graceless enough to write them. so I adopt shortcut method by cutting contents of sent mail and paste them into sending letter ( contents are offcourse written by me only and so grace wishes too ). to my honest n frankness, since I do not delete name of previous friend whom I sent, the other friend sees when my letter been delivered to them. oh owais has written me but the name of someone else been refer by him. Do not you realise, if I have been a cheater. I could have smartly deleting those names leaving no trail to suspect either. I do cut n paste contents of letter just to be quick n not to write much that's it n honestly nothing else.

I have not join this community to seek girls and to have romanticly talks or sexual talks or to flirt but YES I am here to spread lovingness, spirit of true & honest friendliness and to realise ONENESS ( my one of most aspiring goals in life ), and make lot of friends across the world.
 
In any event, if I meet someone honest, caring, compassionate, noble, and featuring. maybe I could fall in love with her however I had experience this last past 3-4 weeks ago that I liked someone ( she is in community itself with superb features & versatile girl imposed upon my mind & so I proposed her but to my misfortune she is been engaged.

My identity is honesty,generousness,benevolent.
My duty is to greet gratitudely and send my blessings, well-wishes to people.
My assets are my thoughts and knowledges.

I see swarm of people,
with many a haste strydes.

I ask myself,
why I am not following them ?

I say I am seeking ...........
a place no feet ever reached.

                                                           -myself

I composed this poem today morning.

whenever I visit my dadi ( grandmom ) I ask from her about the past living system of villagers, her youthful n childhood days because I think I am curious enough to discover and measure the changes occurred.
I used to ask and so ask oftenly by my maa ( mother ), tell me when I born how did I look ?.

It is not growing like a tree ,
In bulk, doth make Man better be,
or standing as an oak, three hundred years,
to fall a log at last, dry, bald and sere , 
A lily of a day
Is fairer far in May.
although it falls and dies that night -
It was the planet and flower o' light.
In small proportions we just beauties see.
And in short measures life may perfect be.
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                 - BEN JONSON

I embark upon a journey of realising oneness or being intimately connected with every living organisms, I am endeavouring everyday much and much to become a very loving soul full of compassion, generousness,benevolence, well-wisher for everybody, embracing every people.
To complete my every works and duties effectively and honestly pertaining to following week and whole life.
I aspire to create co-operative societies and cottage industries into villages aiming to abolish poverty,unemployments which ultimately driving out diseases,poverty and starvation. introducing women empowerment.

A poem by greatest and highly renowned Indian dramatist, a genius in writings indeed ,


" Listen to the Exhortation of the Dawn !
  Look to this Day !
  For it is Life, the very Life of Life.
  In its brief course lie all the
  Verities and Realities of your Existence.
  The Bliss of Growth,
  The Glory of Action,
  The Splendor of Beauty ;
  For Yesterday is but a Dream,
  And To-morrow is only a Vision ;
  But To-day well lived makes
  Every Yesterday a Dream of Happiness,
 And every Tomorrow a Vision of Hope.
 Look well therefore to this Day !
 Such is the Salutation of the Dawn ! "   
                                                          
                                                                  -KALIDASA

Be Good, Do Good, serve all kindly and sincerely, strive for refinement of oneself , always aim to integrate souls and sharing, be much generous, be much polite, be helping n sharing earnestly, adopt honesty always.
 I mused and collected above teachings out of my memory which must have learned or taught me through my passing life and teachers.

the Sun knows its duty to rise and provide lifes to all living forms, tearing away thick layers of darkness, the daring, hopeful and strong Sun complete their duty honestly and regularly without fail.
 Sun is so sweet who strive for punctuality just to see happy all those who are dependent upon him. Sun never realise I do for people but yes I follow my duty honestly and regularly which God has provided me.
 similarly God has provided humankind a duty of not to tolerate evils and nor to let exist. unfortunately it exists presently widely in many varied forms like absence of empowerment, gender inequality,tyrannies upon women,and destitutes, termination of natural systems and so.                                       

I admire a  person who always cheer up low-spirited people, forgiving, who live for others
and keep blessings and being well-wisher for people, honest n bold enough to say what he posses and always aim in integrating souls and friendly enough to spread loves.
 

I would like very much to abolish dowry system, Male dominant societies, I would love to untangle poverty earnestly.
My humble appeal to the people of nobility and mercy ,  that there are still people who do not get to eat ( starving to death ), homeless and being surviving with malnutritions, diseases and poor women being bounded by social rituals which are infact evils like. I am very much interested and so earnestly ask to people of genuinity that we shall integrate and aim to abolish such pernicious ailments from the society.

with respect and sincerety,
 -OWAIS 

I am very much Thankful to Sionajee,Jessicajee and highly obliged under the gratefulness and graceness of Sionajee who have provided me golden oppurtunity to work for this incredibly wonderful community aiming to bring social changes in societies and betterment of world effectively. It is much a honour and job of high dignity to work for betterment of social communities.
I hold sionajee and Jessicajee deeply and highly in my serious prays,pure thoughts and reverence. Thank you sooooooooooooooooooooo much sionajee, you cannot imagine how much happy I am on becoming ambassador. I take my oath and promise to every Gains to work at my high honesty and truthness, I do congratulate myself though on becoming ambassador. well I am and so will be I grateful to sionajee and Jessicajee for honouring me with ambassador.
I dedicate my this note of Thank you and gratitude gracefully and sincerely to sionajee n jessicajee. I thank you very much heartedly for making me a part of goodness.  
 
Obediantly
 -OWAIS

a tiny cramped room used to resonant me a grim scary room during my childhood, almost dark and full of dents, spiderwebs, an unpleasant smell keep haunting until getting out of that filthy room. the antiquated low wooden door, whose rusted hinges producing squeaking sounds on turning door, made me shuddering. I still remember, I used to peep from across the door when mom used to enter with the dim light of lantern ( traditional lightning apparatus in villages when electricity were no more available ) however mom uses that store rarely and occasionally where she stored her outdated and ignorant stuffs. 
whenever I visit grandmom I gave chuckle a shy chuckle to myself, on seeing that room now which look like much a delapidated room who used to haunt on my memories as a morbid shudder feelings to nerves, perhaps still gaze upon that room though.

God is the friend of silence. Trees, flowers, grass grows in silence. See the stars, moon and sun, how they move in silence.       - Mother Teresa

People around the world called her Angel of Mercy, in India she was simply the Mother.

Mother of not only the poor and sufferings and the unwanted, lonely and rejected ones but every Indian. Her mission was to serve and free the downtrodden from hunger, pain and suffering. She was in the eyes of the people a simple and truly humane person. Any one who held her hands said it was a unique spiritual experience.

Lead me from death to life,
from lies to truth
Lead me from despair to
hope
from fear to trust
Lead me from hatred to love
from war to peace
Let peace fill our heart,
our world
our universe
peace, peace, peace. . .

Mother Teresa
Aug 27, 1910 - Sep5, 1997

A humble life

Born on. Aug. 27, 1910, was Albanian, originally named Agnes Gonxha Bejaxhiu, she entered the order of the Sisters of Our Lady of Loreto at the age of 18.

 

In 1928 she joined a religious order and took the name Teresa. The order immediately sent her to India.

She taught in the order's school in Calcutta until 1946, when she experienced what she described as a "call within a call" to aid the desperately poor of India in a way that required she leave her convent. She received permission from Rome to do this and began her work by bringing dying persons from the streets into a home where they could die in peace and dignity.

She became an Indian citizen that same year. In 1950, she founded a religious order in Calcutta called the Missionaries of Charity. The order provides food for the needy and operates hospitals, schools, orphanages, youth centers, and shelters for lepers and the dying poor.

Almost 50 years later, the Missionaries of Charity have grown from 12 sisters in India to over 3,000 in 517 missions throughout 100 countries worldwide

In addition to the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize, Mother Teresa has received other awards for her work with the needy. These awards include the 1971 Pope John XXIII Peace Prize and India's Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding in 1972.

Mother Teresa died a very peaceful death on September 5, 1997 leaving behind her a legacy. A legacy of selfless service to people in need. She was 87.

Mother Teresa was a living saint and she will be greatly missed around the world.

May she rest in peace.

Mother of Dying Destitutes of Calcutta ,

In 1952, she opened the 'Nirmal Hriday', Home for Dying Destitutes, in a dormitory, formerly a Kali temple hostel, which was donated by the city of Calcutta. The Missionaries of Charity began to treat lepers there in 1957. Two years later, they opened the first house outside Calcutta, in Drachi. Soon afterward, they expanded to Delhi and other cities. Though her Calcutta clinic was the center of Mother Teresa's growing charity and the place she called home, her work expanded the globe, with more than 500 missions in 120 countries. Wherever people needed comfort, she was there: among the hungry in Ethiopia, the radiation victims at Chernobyl, the rubble of Armenia's earthquake, in the squalid townships of South Africa. Her order opened one of the first homes for AIDS victims.