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By:

Kaustubh Kale

10 September 2024 at 11:37:15 pm

Fast Today, Prosper Tomorrow

AI Generated Image Navratri is a time when devotion, self-control, and celebration come together. For nine days, people across the country observe fasting, prayers, and rituals with discipline and faith. But beyond the spiritual significance, Navratri also carries valuable lessons for our financial lives - especially in how fasting and sacrifice mirror the principles of investing. Fasting as discipline When we fast, we consciously give up indulgence. It is not just about avoiding food; it...

Fast Today, Prosper Tomorrow

AI Generated Image Navratri is a time when devotion, self-control, and celebration come together. For nine days, people across the country observe fasting, prayers, and rituals with discipline and faith. But beyond the spiritual significance, Navratri also carries valuable lessons for our financial lives - especially in how fasting and sacrifice mirror the principles of investing. Fasting as discipline When we fast, we consciously give up indulgence. It is not just about avoiding food; it is also about training the mind and body to resist temptation. The same applies to investing. In a world full of instant gratification, whether it is the latest gadget, a fancy car, an expensive lifestyle or a luxury holiday, real wealth creation requires the discipline to sometimes say, “not now.” Just as fasting strengthens willpower, disciplined investing strengthens our financial health. Sacrifice for a greater good Navratri fasting involves small sacrifices today for spiritual growth tomorrow. In investing too, we often have to sacrifice some short-term pleasures to secure long-term prosperity. Choosing to invest a bonus instead of spending it entirely, or increasing SIPs using a portion of every salary increment instead of allocating the entire increase towards expenses and new liabilities, may feel like a sacrifice initially. But these small decisions, repeated over many years, can accumulate into significant future wealth and financial security. This is the very essence of delayed gratification. Patience and consistency Navratri fasting is not observed for just one day. The discipline continues throughout the nine days. Similarly, investing is not about one lucky trade or one successful investment. Wealth creation requires staying the course month after month and year after year through regular investing, sensible asset allocation and the power of compounding. There will inevitably be periods when markets test our patience. But just as discipline during Navratri is maintained throughout the festival, financial discipline must continue through both good and difficult market conditions. Balance and moderation Fasting during Navratri is not about starving. It is about moderation, restraint and mindful eating. Investing too should not be about extremes, neither reckless risk-taking nor excessive conservatism. A well-planned portfolio spread appropriately across assets such as equity, debt and gold can provide both growth and stability. Just as moderation keeps the body healthy, balance helps keep our finances resilient. The bigger picture Ultimately, Navratri fasting is also about purification of the body, mind and soul. Investing, in its own way, requires purification of financial habits: moving away from impulsive spending, unnecessary liabilities and short-term thinking towards purposeful saving and wealth creation. This Navratri, as you observe your fast with devotion and discipline, also resolve to bring the same qualities into your financial life. After all, both fasting and investing ask us to give up a little today in pursuit of something greater tomorrow. (The author is a Chartered Accountant and CFA (USA). Financial Advisor. Views personal. He could be reached on 9833133605.)

The Nana Kolhapur knew

Writer: Rajendra Joshi
Rajendra Joshi
2 days ago
2 min read

The loss of a true friend; the vanishing of a rare stream of humanity

Kolhapur: As the 1970s dawned, the romantic era of Rajesh Khanna was beginning to give way to a new cinematic mood. Then came Prakash Mehra’s Zanjeer in 1973, and Amitabh Bachchan emerged as the country’s quintessential “angry young man”. Young India was ready to wear Bachchan’s image around its neck like a talisman.


At about the same time, away from the glare of stardom, an earthy Marathi actor named Nana Patekar was making his own mark on the stage.


His journey—from experimental theatre to commercial productions—was one of extraordinary struggle and perseverance. With Jayant Dalvi’s Purush, Nana virtually took the Marathi stage by storm. From there, powered by an uncompromising acting style, he moved steadily into national cinema. Before one realised it, he had earned a place among the most formidable actors of his generation.


His intense, often angry screen persona struck a deep chord with Marathi youth. But Nana was never merely an actor. The same bluntness that marked his film dialogues was visible in his personal life. He spoke his mind. He was deeply connected to the pain and deprivation around him. In many ways, he was not merely acting out society on screen; he was carrying its wounds within him.


And among the many places that held a special place in his heart was Kolhapur—the traditional home of Marathi cinema.


Here, Nana formed friendships not with the powerful or famous, but with ordinary people. And he cherished those friendships with extraordinary warmth. That is why the news of his death on Thursday hit Kolhapur with a peculiar force. For many here, it was not simply the passing of a celebrated actor. It was the loss of a friend.


That was the Nana Kolhapur knew, a man who shared people’s joys, stood by friends without calculation. For Kolhapur, his loss is not merely that of a great actor, but of a true friend.

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