FOREWORD
I met Shakun Narain Kimatrai after Sept 11,2001, after a lot of us gaped in horror, as we witnessed
a horrendous terrorist operation.
Terrorism struck Bombay in 1993, in the form of several bomb blasts, killing people and
damaging buildings and the confidence of its inhabitants.
Everywhere one looked, one encountered uncertainty for ones future, for ones well-being,
for ones children.
I wondered, what to do, about it? If we, at the ‘Times Group’ were not going to do
something, who would?
I have always believed that Human Consciousness grows when it goes through crisis and
pain.
And the world has had a big chunk of that.
I started to think, and to think hard! I came up with the idea that one of the ways to unite
the world was to spread the knowledge that was common to all religions. We called it
‘Singularity of All Faiths’. I also believed that the time had come for the good people to
connect!
Maya Shahani, a multifaceted charming, lady, became instrumental in bringing together
interesting thinking people from different religions and different walks of life to the
group.
I was introduced to Shakun, through Maya. Various other eminent people, from around
the world, joined in discussions as to how we should bring peace to the riot torn planet.
The Women’s Movement for Peace and Prosperity was then, and thus conceived under
the umbrella of Times Foundation drawing its inspiration from Smt. Indu Jain, Chairman
of Times Group and Times Foundation.
WMPP adopted 7 methodologies to realize its vision.
Shakun took the lead in its Spiritual Initiative and the Interfaith Dialogue.
Smt Indu Jain, invited representatives of over 80 Spiritual Organizations, and introduced
them to the Spiritual Initiative. Smt. Indu Jain also, offered to WMPP, a large conference
room, in the Times of India Building and a free hand to Shakun to realize her dream of
Spiritual Upliftment.
Shakun Narain has a Vision!
She believes in an education which will teach the children to smile forever.
We all agree that there may be differences in various religions and cultures.
The need of the hour is not to ‘tolerate’ them but to ‘celebrate’ them.
She believes in the Hindu concept of ‘Vasudeva Kutumbakam’(The world is God’s
family).
How does a regular person help?
By listening to hearts.
By opening our homes to neighbors of different creeds, and listen to understand, and not
to argue!
Shakun believes that the world has now, got to stop hurling stones, as we all live in glass
houses.
She believes in the world of Electronic Mail that we live in. She believes in using the
‘pen’ rather than the ‘sword’
She conducts discourses, sings, pens books, has an active website called shakunkimatrai.com
which stores the weekly mailer started by her.
Soon after, she started to ‘send’ us ‘Dadi Nani ki Kahaani’ by electronic mail. I must
confess that I enjoyed the short, informative stories, on ‘Dadi-Nani’ even more, and
regularly praised her efforts.
Shakun’s vision extends beyond the horizon.
She wants to spread the concept of Spirituality to schools, colleges, corporates and to
next-door neighbors.
Her Spiritual Initiative is working on a work-shop ‘Gems of all Faiths’, whose aim is to
highlight the similarities of Religions.
She conducts classes for children, and teaches people from different parts of the world,
the wisdom of the Ramayana, the Geeta and other Scriptures.
And now, she is releasing a third revised edition of the book ‘Dadi Nani ki Kahaani’ in
English (Dadi Nani ki Kahaani has been translated in Hindi and Urdu) which will educate
the citizens of tomorrow with the same message: That all Religions teach love, and that
we need to reach out to one another, to preserve the planet that we share.
‘Dadi- Nani ki Kahaani includes, lives and teachings of Great Prophets, like Moses,
Mohammed, Christ, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, Mahaavira, Guru Nanak, Deities,
Personalities, Stories from the Shrimad Bhaagvad, Ramayana, a Spectre of Festivals…
All the stories, in simple, child-friendly language, celebrate the similarities of messages
imparted by all the Great Beings that walked the planet.
I am convinced that not only will the children be inspired, but the parents will also enjoy
the simple wisdom imparted in the book.
Our dream is that one page from this book is read, at the daily school assembly hall.
In pursuit of this vision we continue to provide a free copy with our compliments, to each
school in India, starting with Mumbai.
I know that Shakun’s dream will turn into reality!
And when that happens, I will feel delighted in knowing, that I played a part in it!
Ram Maheshwary
Former Dy Director (Times Foundation)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am deeply indebted to the Spiritual teachers that came my way, gave me pearls of
wisdom, and like sculptors, hammered and chiseled different facets of my personality.
I thank my mother, Mrs.Lajwanti Khiani, for being the instrument in instilling a spiritual
interest in me.
My husband Narain Kimatrai, my children Sunder, Saira, Madhavi, Mohan, Anuja have
trusted, encouraged and supported me, in my Spiritual ventures. My sincere gratitude
goes to them.
I have a Vision that the concept of Spirituality spreads to Schools, colleges, corporates
and to next-door neighbors.
I thank Smt. Indu Jain, chairman of Times of India Group and Mr. Ram Maheshwary, Dy
Director (TF) & Head – Mumbai Br, for believing in me and for helping me turn my
dream into reality.
My gratitude goes to various Principals for including me in their Vision of ‘ Value
Education’ for tomorrow’s leaders.
My wish is, that one page from ‘Dadi Nani ki Kahaani’ is read, at the daily school
assembly hall, and a free copy of the book is provided, to each school in India, starting
with Mumbai.
This, third edition of Dadi Nani ki Kahaani in English has been sponsored by Mr
Ramchand and Mrs Chandri Pohoomal.
My heartfelt gratitude to them for being a part of my Vision
I thank my grandson Aditya, for being instrumental, in inspiring me to start ‘Dadi Nani ki
Kahaani’ stories.
Thank you, Mr Mahajan for all your assistance in bringing out the present edition of the
book.
Accept the Love from my heart to yours,
Shakun Narain Kimatrai
9th October 2008
Vijay Dashmi
A few words from me:
Hello Children,
Do you know what a joint family is?
It is, when parents, grand-parents, uncles and aunts live together in the same
house.
Sometimes, fathers and mothers, with their children, live in different parts
of the world. I mean to say, that the grandparents, uncles and aunts, do not live
with them.
My grand children, are also not staying, in the same town as I am.
And though I visit them, and they me, as often as possible, I miss them.
My grandson Aditya had asked me to write for him, a simple story of Krishna, so
that he could share it with his friends. So I thought why not share it with all other
children?
And then another thought occurred to me. The world is going through troubled
times.
People are confused about different religions, and what message, they are trying
to impart.
Do different religions give you a different message? No!
The common message in all religions, is that of love, compassion, brotherhood,
peace! The message of Krishna, Christ, Allah, Buddha is the same.
This is how Dadi- Nani- ki- Kahaani (Granny’s Stories) was born!
I hope that you enjoy them as much as my grand-children do.
I dedicate these stories to my grand-children, Aysha, Aditya, Shazia, Kiran, Jai,
and to all my ‘reader grand-children’ around the world.
With love,
Dadi-Ma Nani-Ma
To read the whole book visit
Shakunkimatrai.com and you shall find the book ‘Dadi Nani ki Kahaani under ‘Books’
Shakun Kimatrai 